[OOC: I had no idea what to title this as and I was listening to that song, so, close enough! XD]

The journey to the island had been the worst part of the whole ordeal for Larka, she hated ships and sailing and had become sea sick as normal on the way. It didn't help that she was also four months pregnant and was getting morning sickness, so once the Berserker had stepped on the pier and gotten off the boat she was able to breath a sigh of relief, after one more retch into the water. She'd never get used to sailing, airships included, and they had the add fun of falling for minutes until you hit the ground if you fell off!

But the trip was needed, Larka had felt, since find out, that she needed to come here, to thanks Him for looking after Akira when she had needed to find safety after Larka and Celeste were otherwise occupied. That wasn't a part of Larka's life she wanted to repeat, she had more of those kinds of moments in her life than she wanted to admit, but things were looking up now, the future was bright. With a baby on the way and Akira with them again Larka was finally feeling like she had a solid life to settle into. Not that she hadn't loved the life Celeste and her had lead before all of this, but they were mercenaries and risked their lives every day for coin. Now that wasn't as important, with Angela's help they had a home and safety, Celeste was making good coin taking safe jobs and they were gathering a collection of magical items to help them around the house and just make life a little easier.

For example in her endless bag Larka was carrying, among a great few other things, a magical mirror. That mirror had a twin that was back at her home just outside of Sularia, it would allow Larka an easy way home once this task was finished. She was also wearing a fourth ring, on top of two matching wedding bands and one wedding band that was different, on her own hand Larka had a special ring that would allow her safety in pocket dimension. She had been assured by her wife that this was very safe so Larka had agreed to wear it, just in case.

Walking down the pier Larka noticed the old fisherman as she passed him he spoke and she just barely heard him. ”Turn back now.” He warned.

Larka glanced back at him and sighed. ”If I had never turned my back in my life, I wouldn't be where I am now.” She said simply as she continued on her way, feeling a fuzzy thing bump against her right thigh. ”Easy, Kyu.” Larka reached down and scratched the storm wolf's head, now fully grown Kyu was more than capable of defending the pregnant Larka, and it helped that Kyu could control lightning. Shadowing Larka was her new and almost ever present familiar, Tsar, and he looked like a cross between a deer, a wolf and maybe a bit of a lion, hard to tell. His face was deer like but had wolf like features to it as well, large antlers sprouted from his head, a long mane of black fur ran from the top of his head to his black and bushy wolf tail. Grey and white fur dominated his body with black swirls in it and black fur on deer legs allowed him to run fast. He was Larka's guardian for sure, and would get defensive even against Kyu should the wolf get over enthusiastic in her play.

Past the pier Larka found herself in the woods and a chill went down her spine, no, she did not like this place at all. Yet it had to be done, she had to see Him and say what she needed to say, it had been a nagging thing for a while now. Celeste knew that Larka was here, Larka carried Celeste's thanks as well, but her wife was busy today and Larka had wanted to get this over with as soon as possible.

A light caught Larka's attention as she came across a will-o'-wisp and Tsar stepped forward and snifted at it and looked back to Larka. ”Think we can trust it?” Larka asked and her familiar said nothing but the change in his posture told Larka enough, follow the wisp out of the forest. Just in case Larka called up her earth magic and the ground under her started to come up to the stub of her left arm and before long it had formed a full left arm to match her right. This, this was, of all the new magic that Larka had unlocked in herself, had been the most beautiful ability. To have her left arm back after two decades without it was a gift she never thought she could have in her life. She cherished this ability, and she assumed that Celeste knew it as well.

As they walked, following the wisp as they did, a small figured darted into view and that sent Kyu to growing and Tsar to shield Larka and stamp the ground with a hoof while lowering his antlers. A dark fairy had crossed their path and both beasts knew it for the danger that it was, so it took off and left them alone. But not too long afterwards a larger shadow was before them and Larka felt threatened enough that she called up her elemental. A twenty foot tall dragon of earth, stone and gems clawed its way out of the ground at her command and roared the dark thing, that had since become things.

A stand off started in which Larka and her guardians stood their ground with Larka between them and the two dark things stared back from the shadows, just their eyes barely visible. If it wasn't for the animals Larka probably wouldn't have noticed the thing in the shadows it was that well hidden. Another roar from the dragon and a snapping of its jaws seemed to make the things think twice, for now, about attacking and they slunk off. ”Come on, we need to get out of here, our guide isn't waiting for us.” Larka started and hurried to catch up to the wisp.

Tsar nudged her hand a few times with his snout. ”You want to carry me?” He snorted and nodded with and Larka sighed, fine then. She climbed up on his back, sitting sideways, as they continued on, hoping the end was in sight. The wisp stopped ahead of them at the edge of the forest as just as it was in sight a crashing noise caught their attention, the beasts were back! Without her giving any kind of command Tsar charged forward to clear the tree line with Kyu right behind him, leaving Larka's elemental dragon behind them to play delay.

The three broke the tree line in time to hear a roar from the dragon and a few moments later Larka inhaled sharply as a headache ran through her skull for a moments as her elemental went down. ”Thank you.” She spoke, it wasn't dead, just its body was destroyed, after a rest she would know when was able to summon it again.

Now the city was before them as they entered it, Larka still riding on Tsar's back, even if her six foot frame might have been a little over sizes for it, he handled her well. Larka felt eyes on her right away and her dagger slipped into her right hand, but she kept it low and hidden for now, while Kyu took point, allowing her lightning to trickle around her dark blue fur. ”Straight to that palace there, okay?” Larka spoke softly and Tsar snorted that he had heard her and kept going.

It didn't take long for a man in a cloak to make his way over to them. ”Hey, miss, can I interested you i… errrk!” He ended his sentence when Kyu shot out a ball of lightning at him and he collapsed on the ground with a spasm.

Larka grinned. ”Not interested, thank you.” She replied as they walked on, she smiled to Kyu when the wolf looked back to seek Larka's praise on her actions, full grown yes, but still much of a puppy in mind for now.

The Palace soon loomed over them and Larka swallowed hard, she wasn't looking forward to this, if she was honest with herself, but she had to do it. Climbing off of Tsar's back Larka made her way to the door, which opened up for her, almost a good sign! Steeling her nerves Larka headed inside, her two guardians right behind her, whether she liked it or not it seemed, fine, she felt better with them beside her anyway.

This place was huge and impressive and darkly beautiful at the same time. She was about to call out when Kyu instead let out a bark and Larka's skin ran cold. ”Kyu!” She reached over and bopped the wolf on the nose. ”That's rude.” It might also get her killed to, if the God she was trying to meet was in a bad mood.

Clearing her throat Larka called out. ”Hello? My name is Larka Nash, I am seeking the King of this palace, I wish to thank him, and, to apologize for my companion here for her outburst.” Well, hopefully that worked a protective hand rested on her belly, she had forgot that her left arm was still there made of the earth and stone3. The mirror in her bag was feeling mighty welcoming at the moment…

Darkness was something that laid in everyone’s hearts; all of them had once spawned from the depths of the shadows after all. Discordia wasn’t a hard isle to reach- it just depended on one’s willingness to accept such a fact. The woman’s presence didn't go unnoticed by the Lord of Shadows, but he waited until she made her way out of his wicked wonderland and to his doorstep before addressing her. Until then, Xunatar busied himself in the library, prying through his collection of the mystical arts to figure out a seal strong enough to hold a certain archdemon. Sol would be a thorn in his side if left unchecked, and he’d be damned if he would be undone by his own son before his plans were completed.

When it came to him that she had made it through the woods with her head still intact, he pondered through his research why one such as she would come to his humble abode. The island didn’t receive as much guests as the other in the pantheon but he also wasn’t known to be well received by those that did come to him. By then he got done searching through three bookshelves that didn’t have close to what he required against his blood. But it didn’t matter- what did was that she had earned his audience and the least he would do for now was to attend.

The flickering of the coldfire that lit every lantern and torch around the palace grew brighter, stronger even around Larka and her small entourage. As the flames intensified, as did too the shadows they spawned until they begun to bend and twisted toward one another. Pooling together, they slowly rose from the ground and manifest themselves into a singular being that was a little beneath her height. The dark cladded figure soon materialized with color, carrying similar looks to that of an elf, before his eyes opened, letting out a deep blue hue that caused the flames and the shadows to return to normal.

“Larka is it not. I suppose you are the Mother Larka that Akira had spoken of?” The child had returned to her “home” to be with her mommies, as she would have put it. He, of course, didn’t mind it. He had learned his lesson with Colden that he couldn’t push everyone to go his way. Not to mention the child was still fairly young and would require a woman’s touch in raising her. Even with Scarlett’s assistance, she would be far too busy into her own affairs as he was. Though in time, he suspected that she would return, likely when she was old enough and her curiosity of her father’s family would stroke her mind.

“Both things are unneeded, my dear”, he spoke with a dismissing hand. “Akira was no bother and she had allowed me to think of things I wouldn’t had otherwise. As for your friend with you, a bark is the less offensive thing I have dealt with. She’s just being smart is all- animals tend to understand things more than even the most gifted of minds of people.” His eyes lingered upon her stomach for a moment, but then they rose up and greeted her face, along with a dark smile. “Come and join me”, he beckoned as he made his way to the stairs. “I have been in the library looking for something, but I do wish to hear about your tale of how you came to have found the poor girl when we get up there. That had been one thing she and myself haven’t talked about.” When they reached the library, he led her through the maze like structure and towards the reading tables and pulled out a chair for her. A large amount of deer meat was summoned for her wolf friend and Xunatar then took his own seat across from them.

The coldfire flickered and Larka looked around, it would be foolish of her to pretend to not be nervous, considering who she was here to see and calling out to. But she had no ill intent here and was still confident in herself standing there all the same. She watched the shadows shift and move, and felt Kyu nudged up against her, the wolf's own hackles up in nervousness but after Larka's nose boop the wolf didn't bark for now.

Deep in Larka's mind, as she watched the God appear fully before her, her first thought was ~Huh, he's a little shorter than I am.~ Before she pushed that thought aside and focused on his words as he spoke. At his first words Larka smiled and nodded to confirm who she was for him. He dismissed the apology for Kyu's barking and the thanks for taking care of Akira when she needed it.

She saw his eyes linger on her belly for a moment, allowing her to think on his words of Kyu for a moment. But then he was looking to her face with a dark smile, Larka returning the smile as she was beckoned forward with him. She followed him as she listened, he wanted the story of how she and Akira had met, fair enough. They reached the top of the stairs Larka was a little winded from the added weight she was carrying around and, on the way up and noticing she was using the left railing, she figured out she still had her earthen arm. That was fine for now, if she dispelled it here it would make a mess and she had to admit, this palace, while dark and foreboding, was beautiful in its own right.

She was lead through the maze like halls of the building, Kyu and Tsar behind her, until they reached the library and he pulled a chair out for her. ”Thank you.” She smiled as she eased herself into the seat, Tsar taking up a place just behind her while Kyu busied herself with the venison that had appeared for her.

”I first ran into Akira in the Koschei Forest, she was being assailed by a ghost and had her tail caught on a branch. I was close enough to hear her screams and ran to help her. In that forest, I'll admit, it may have been a bad considering what is out there, but my motherly instincts told me it was a real child screaming.” It was a noise she knew far better than she wanted to from her past, and she wasn't able to hide that well either when she was still speaking. Losing your family before your own eyes wasn't the easiest thing to get over, even with a new wife and a new child to take care of.

”She's trusting, so I helped lead her out of the forest, but she didn't want to stay with me, she wanted to keep wondering on her own. Even now she does that, Celeste, my wife, and I will wake up some mornings and Akira has gone. Sometimes we wake up and she's sleeping soundly in her bed. We worry of course, but we know we can't coddle her either, can't keep her in a sheltered life.” Larka continued, but she was getting slightly off topic. ”Anyway. A while after that I came back to Celeste's and I's home at Kirika Lake. I ended up coming across Celeste sleeping, and, who do I see she's curled up against protectively? Akira.” She grinned remembering that day.

”Akira had been sick then and Celeste had been walking home when she stumbled across Akira, but she didn't know who Akira was, I hadn't told her yet that I met Akira. Celeste and I talked it over, and it didn't take a lot of talking either, and we decided to adopt her, if Akira wanted that of course.” Larka smiled leaning back with a slight groan in the chair, she was really wanting the baby out of her, Larka was terrible patient. ”We bought her some new clothing, I had the coin from a job I had just got home from, and some food and went for a picnic near the lake. It's where we asked Akira if she wanted us to adopt her,” Emotion welled up in the Berserker for a moment, such a beautiful moment that was! Akira's reaction had been priceless. ”she accepted and we have been taking care of her ever since.” Larka finished and left it there for now, leaving it open for questions from Xunatar if he had any. Larka had said her peace for now, but she was sure she could explain more of what had happened to force Akira to seek Xunatar in the first place. But one topic at a time.