The goddesses were before him at last. Not just the two he served but including two others he didn't.   Lifting his head Sehun's eyes met with the goddess in his direct line of sight, the one in grayish black. The Yang mother. He only vaguely remembered her that time. Apart from being Yang goddess, she was also the goddess of knowledge just like her sister was also the goddess of wisdom. Her pale eyes staring through him as if she could see equations and angles running under his skin that would make sense if she just tried hard enough. Clearly not finding the answers she hoped, she huffed, nodding at the goddess beside her. Her other half. "Child." The Yin mother smiled, her gentle radiance calming him. "Where am I?" Sehun asked, blinking slowly. This wasn't Varal, he didn't need his brain to know. "High mother's realm." She made a gesture toward the Greek like goddess. She was the High Mother? The goddess with the highest rank. She looked young, and Sehun would swear she was the youngest amongst them. "Do not be fooled, mother is quite old." The one in red– fire goddess drawled. Of course she was, after all, all the other goddesses were her daughters. Sehun couldn't begin to fathom the amount of power housed in that petite body. The High Mother merely shook her head fondly at the fire goddess without a word. Sehun was curious, wanted to ask why she was here too, but he dare not. "To observe. I do not trust them to let them by themselves, you're too important to them, and I fear they might get out of line" The High Mother said with a slight twitch of her lips. She gestured toward the fire goddess/mistress of death. "Especially this one." Sehun couldn't decide if the mothers being able read him as long as he thought something without saying it out loud was a good thing or not. Something stuck in his head that was baffling. Being important to the Yin Yang mothers was understandable, however why was he important to the fire goddess? It wasn't like he served her like the fire-hounds or the Kitsunes. Even if he did, he wasn't her champion like Baekhyun. It didn't make sense.  Oblivious to his musings or probably didn't see the need to elaborate, The High Mother went on. "With you connection to my daughters as a paladin, it's easier to bring you here" She told him, her smile disappearing for a moment "My daughters felt your distress and could not sit still any longer." She didn't add more, as she let her daughter take over, just as a thought crossed his mind about someone coming to find his cell empty. Would they raise the alarm? Thinking that Sehun had escaped and would gather his guardians for questioning, the Lans too and– "Do not worry, time in this realm flow differently. You'll be back before anyone comes looking." The Yin mother must have seen through his mind too. "Tell me child what troubles you?" A lot of things. He didn't know where to start. "We do not have all day. Speak up." The Yang mother spoke impatiently. The High Mother tut, pinning her with a look that had the Yang mother lowering her head with a pout. Swallowing hard, Sehun asked the one question he'd been dying to. "Blink. The Raven, how come she looks just like my mom?" It was startling the way the Yang mother's eyes snapped back up to him, suddenly sharp and focused. Sehun felt like she was stripping back layers of skin to see all the way into his soul, and he shivered. "What idiot, she's your mother." "Huh?" Sehun felt his axis tilting. She rolled her eyes and yet again The High Mother shook her head, an exasperated sigh escaping her. "But my mom–" "She is your mother, just with a different ability than the one you're used to." She glanced at the high mother and the latter nodded her affirmation. Though Sehun anticipated – hoped for it to be so, it still seized his breath for that instant. "She's really my mom?" He mumbled. "The same mother that gave birth to me?" It was basically the same thing, but Sehun needed to hear it. A wave of emotion, too muddled to understand, was welling up behind his eyes, and he didn't want to deal with it. "Yes" The mother smiled." That's why when she asked, i sent her to you. Who's better to protect their child than a mother?" "Why doesn't she remember me?" Sehun asked, his eyes on the Yin mother. "She does not" The mother had a look of– what Sehun would think as surprise if she were anything but a goddess. "She told you so?"   Sehun nodded his throat clogged with emotion.Oh mother! Blink was his mom. For real. His mind kept rolling over on that fact like a live photo. But why the name Blink? That wasn't his mom's real name. "I thought she remembers you." Now the Yin mother had a thoughtful look. "If not why would she go out of her way to protect you the way she does? I did not ask her to stay with you, she demands I let her. I only asked her to guide you to the tower. But she chose to stay with you after the mission was complete, and High Mother surprisingly let her remain in the mortal realm." She glanced at the High Mother, as if trying to understand why she made that decision or jealous that her mom was playing favourite. "Demand?" Sehun muttered, wondering how a servant of the goddess would demand something not begged for it.  "She's a deity too." The fire goddess supplied with a sweet smile. Sehun knew that, had felt the powers in her. And Blink had told him she was the mother of ravens and crows. Even so, her station was no where near the goddesses that governed the mortal realm. Rolling her eyes, the fire goddess said."Being the deity of the birds was something she crowned herself because she is part bird, and her other form is a Raven. But actually she is a goddess just like us. A sister. When high mother crafted her new powers, she made her goddess of darkness. Blink refused to let go of her wing. That's why she appears different than how you're used to." She cocked her head. "I still find it hard to believe she has no memory of you. And to answer your earlier question: the name Blink originated from her powers as the goddess of darkness. She's fast, faster than any of us, thus we began calling her Blink, because she could travel around any realm before any of us could blink. I guess only high mother is faster than her." The way the fire goddess spoke of his mom was with deep affection. There was definitely something Sehun was missing. Shaking her head she added. "She is my sworn sister, my counterpart like Yin Yang sisters. We're Darkness and Death. It was one of the reasons you and Baekhyun felt like real siblings despite not sharing a drop of blood." "What?" Sehun let out "How is she a deity? She was– is a harpy and not of– I mean she died and –" none of what he was hearing made sense. How could his mom become a goddess of a world she wasn't originally of? "That's not important right now. You can speak to her when you get back, she'll tell you everything" The Yang mother cut off and her twin sister nodded. "What is your next question?"  Swallowing the millon questions he wanted to ask about Blink, Sehun asked the next thing on his mind. "The mastermind–" he began, running his fingers through his long hair, yet again wincing at the greasy feel of it. Damn he needed to soak in a bathtub for a day. His other hand found his belly in attempt to find comfort, but it only resulted in startling the life out of him. "Wha–?" He looked down at himself and nearly lost his sanity. The abnormality of it was shocking. The belly was twice the size it had been moments prior."What is happening? Why is it growing in an abnormal rate." He cradled his belly with both hands in horror of something being wrong. "The heavenly energy is reverting the growth, all the time that had been missed. They're taking their fill"The Yin mother let out a sigh, her smile fond. She placed a hand on Sehun's belly and the babe moved "Ah the goodness of carrying a child." Her voice was full of yearning." Fear not, all is well. It's not growing abnormally." She assured. "This is actually good for the babes, and you too can focus on what is to come without the fear of keeping them safe inside you." "I don't understand." Sehun looked between the Yin mother and his belly. Sehun was confused, shocked and scared to what was happening for the babe to grow in an alarming rate. Pregnancy didn't progress that fast.It was like Sehun and the babe lived in different dimensions, where a minute passed for Sehun, it was a month for the babe. At this rate he would go into labor before he returned.  "How many months does it take to nurture a Dragon's offspring?" "Ten months " Sehun answered automatically, his eyes glued to his belly, feeling like if he looked away, the pregnancy would disappear and he would be holding the babe in his arms already. "And how long have you been in limbo before your resurrection?" "A few minutes?" He asked uncertainly. Why was she asking something so obvious? One moment he was dead and the next he was resurrected. "Wrong. You've been dead for three years.You do not have memory of the time you're in limbo that's why it felt like a moment."  "What?" Sehun gasped, was she implying what he thought she was. "How could that be?" Sehun realized he had stopped breathing. He consciously let out a breath and drew in another quickly. "Some souls that died with resentment are like that. But you did not seem to have any, which is why it baffled us.We still do not know why, but you remained in limbo for quite a while, refusing to move on, until you're finally pulled out." She said. "Your mom tried to coax your soul, but you were unresponsive." Sehun dragged in another breath, feeling the weight of his belly shifting lower. She waved a hand at him. "That's how it is." "But i– the goddess of fertility said the babe didn't have a soul because it was there weeks old." "She did. And at that time she's stating the fact to her full knowledge. Because when you were in limbo, the fetuses were in a state of dormancy. Know that because of the nature of your death, your soul was a little damaged. It's a fragile thing that needs to be nurtured in other to restore it. But because they didn't have a souls when you died, the babes didn't need restoring. During the time it took me and my twin– mostly your mom to completely restore it, the fetuses were incubated and naturally they grow on their own. And High Mother herself put them back in you once you cross the bridge between our realm and yours. The goddess of fertility did not know of mother's plan, which she shared with only a few of us." Sehun understood every word despite his brain's slow response to digest information at the moment."How long does it take to nurture my soul?" "About six months in human years." Sehun did the math, he was almost one month in when he died, plus six months in the incubator, that was seven. And he'd been back for three months, which make him ten months pregnant. "Oh mothers!" He clasped a hand over his mouth as realization dawned on him. The Yin mother nodded. "That's right. Your babies are matured enough to be born." He had picked up the word babes, but had simply associated it with his brain misinterpretation. "Babies?" Sehun rounded on them both, one hand resting protectively on the solid bump just below his ribs. It was getting bigger every second, far faster than he expected. "You are having twins." The fire goddess said cheerfully, she sounded like a grandmother that couldn't wait to meet her grandkids. "Twins?" Sehun let out in high pitched tone, just as his dream– vision flashed in his mind. The pieces fell into place with a visceral click, and Sehun growled under his breath for not realizing sooner. Those younglings he'd seen were his children. He'd been wondering where the dragon came from, but it seem he was carrying both dragon and a Fenigriff. He was a twin himself, it would make sense that he would have a set too, it was in his Genes."Why didn't you tell me before sending me back?" "We did not as per her request" The High Mother stepped up.  "Her request?" "Your mother's." "If you had known the babes had survived when you were sent back, what would you have done Sehun?" What would Sehun have done? There were many options. He would have left the order and have his babes quietly.  "Which will be hard considering the nature of the pregnancy." High Mother told him. Or Sehun would have ran back to Kai In hope to give his children a good life, so they would have both parents in their lives while growing up. "You do not have to go back to him because you are obligated to." Or maybe Sehun would tell Baekhyun and his friend would convince him to travel far away. "It would still have the same outcome as the first." Which Sehun didn't understand what the it meant."What are you trying to say?" Sehun didn't mean to snap, but he couldn't help it. The high mother didn't seem offended. She merely smiled. "Is that not telling you about the pregnancy, and letting you figure things out yourself works out the best." Rage clogged his throat and spilled across his vision."Yeah, it lead me to the cold palace." She just stared at him, one eyebrow raised like she was getting tired of stating the obvious. "That was your doing. Your choices led to that." Like they did.  Ignoring the rude comment he didn't say out loud, the High Mother went on."You could have told your mate when you had the chance, but chose to keep it a secret. Look I am not blaming you for anything. Just need you to understand we did not get you into the cold palace." She said, jerking toward the Yin mother. With a small smile the Yin mother picked up where her mother left off."But fear not, all will be well. II-hwa does not want to burden you after going through what you did. She wanted you to live a carefree life even if for a short time. That's why I wonder why she says she does not remember you." The last part was said in low tone, clearly not for Sehun to hear. This was the first time the mother had said his mom's actual name and Sehun had to bite his cheek to keep from sobbing. "My sister, is she doing well?" Both Sehun and his mom had gotten a second chance in life, he needed to know if his sister was doing fine in heaven. The goddesses shared a look between themselves. The silence stretched and Sehun was confused as to why they weren't saying anything. A tiny flare of nerves curled around his spine, but he felt so wrung out from everything thus far that this was barely a blip. The High Mother let out a sigh and said. "She's doing fine." There was something in her tone that felt like she was putting a full stop to the particular topic and Sehun found himself nodding. Suddenly his back contracted, the pain almost too much, but he gritted his teeth and let it wash over him, well until he couldn't ignore it and let out a groan. The mother was saying something but for the life of him Sehun couldn't pick a damn thing. Pressing trembling hands to his stomach to reassure himself that the bump was still there and safe, Sehun let her rambles go in one ear and out the other. His chest heaved as he in deep breaths, the dark squeezing all the air out of the open space. The whole time, a hard, bony hand held him steady. "Just breath." Another hand rested on his lower back and the pain disappeared instantly. "–pregnancy growth was kept in check by your mother. It would have made things harder on your body and life had the fetuses been how they should. That's why she does it in a way that would not harm you." It meant the babes growth was fluctuating because it was suppressed so it wouldn't cause him much physical and emotional damage. His hand was still resting on his stomach, his thumb twitching back and forth spasmodically. "And now that you're in heavenly realm the growth is as it should. They're ready to be born." The Yang suddenly mother clapped her hand cheerfully. Sehun only gazed at her. He couldn't comprehend the extreme personality shifts the goddess seemed to have. It was giving him a headache. "Ready to be born?" He asked after the words registered. Was he going to give birth now? She nodded. "But not in this realm." She assured him. Holy , Sehun was going to meet his babes. His ears were ringing with every tiny noise, paranoia creeping over him until he was positive that the sound of his own racing heart was the footsteps of an approaching army. He wasn't ready, he thought he had more time to prepare himself. He hadn't even picked names. Oh mothers, he was going to do it alone in the cold palace, wasn't he? Without his family, his friends, and most importantly without Kai. Before full blown panic could set in, the High Mother cut off his train of thought. "Sehun something bad is about to happen soon. That person is getting help from one of my daughters. But I cannot tell which one is willing to betray me and why." She was talking about the mastermind and it was clear she knew who they were. "I could find out with my all seeing eye, but it's stolen before I realized what was going on. It meant she is amongst my favored daughters." What? The Yin mother had mentioned someone stealing energy from the heavenly realm. Ice flooded Sehun's veins, wrapping like a vice around his lungs. This was b