Morgana sighed as she closed the door behind her, it had been raining since morning and Isran was surprised the pink haired woman had showed up.

  She had sent a letter the day after they met in the library informing Isran that things had come up but she would make it to get her ready.

  Isran and her girlfriends had pnned to spend the time indoors and considering the small entourage Morgana had brought with her those pns weren’t necessarily foiled, they would be spending the time with more people was all.

  Alden was part of the people Morgana had brought with her, he took off his coat and hung it up before removing his boots, Elysi was making sure no one tracked mud into the house.

  Isran’s heart clenched as she locked eyes with the beaming orc, she had been getting a few more memories randomly. The more she got, the more she was certain he was the same Alden.

  She wanted to confront him about it, he was definitely from earth. She would wait, when the time felt right… if it ever did.

  There was a lot of chatting and eating but mostly measurements being taken.

  “You are officially the winner based on points won.” Morgana said as she circled Isran, inspecting the work of the tailor she had brought.

  Isran had been thinking about it and wasn’t surprised to hear that that was the case, she hadn’t lost a single fight in the tournament.

  “What’s the prize?” Isran asked, following the woman’s movement with her eyes when she could.

  Morgana hummed and came to a stop in front of her. “The governor will give you that information.”

  Isran nodded and turned to see Phaedra just finishing her fittings and walking out of the room.

  “Uh… Morgana?”

  “Hmm?”

  Isran gnced at the tailor moving away from her and motioned her head towards the sauna.

  “Can I talk to you… privately?”

  Morgana was silent for a few seconds, then nodded firmly and followed Isran into the cool room, it was cool because the coals at the center had not been ignited.

  “Yes?”

  Isran didn’t feel nervous about the question she was about to ask, more so what answer she would get.

  “Leona… is she married?”

  Morgana blinked and lifted an eyebrow. “You want to grow your harem to include high society?”

  Isran blinked and blushed, surprised at the way Morgana had phrased her response.

  “Uh..” There was no use trying to deny that what she had with her girlfriends did look like a harem.

  Morgana chuckled softly. “Such a charmer. I don’t know about giving you my blessing to pursue such a conquest but I will not stand in your way.”

  “No, no that’s not why I asked.” Isran wanted to groan at Morgana’s teasing smirk.

  “Right… and why did you want to ask then?”

  Isran sighed. “Her child, she looks… a lot like me and I just wanted to know if she just… looks like her dad.”

  Morgana blinked. “Oh… I see…”

  Isran tilted her head at Morgana’s pensive expression.

  Morgana nodded to herself and looked up at Isran.

  “Sometimes the gods bless us.”

  Isran blinked at the simple statement.

  “What?”

  Morgana shook her head with a small smile.

  “Miyan doesn’t have a father.”

  “Ah… mother then?”

  Morgana lifted an eyebrow. “Yes, one mother, Leona.”

  Isran frowned. “She was conceived through immacute conception?”

  Morgana seemed a bit confused by the terming but nodded still. “The gods blessed Leona’s womb with child and she gave birth, specifically the goddess Sephia.”

  Isran blinked a few times.

  Isran then hummed and rubbed her nape. “I see… thank you for answering me.”

  Morgana lifted an eyebrow. “Of course… though your observation is one to ponder.”

  Isran hummed, she was certain about it then, Leona had to be Jess reincarnated, whether or not Leona had memories from Jess’ life Isran could not be sure. She could always be wrong about that... but time would tell.

  Morgana nodded once and left her in the sauna to think.

  Was Miyan really just immacute conception? Or did the child have ties to Isran.

  “Hey.” Alden smiled and knocked gently against the door frame. Isran smiled up at him and watched as he silently closed the door.

  “Uh… one of the gods told me you have your memories back.”

  Isran blinked hard in surprise.

  Alden rubbed his nape gently and sat beside her. “It’s uh… good to have you back Isran.”

  Isran blinked a few more times. “Which god?”

  Alden lifted an eyebrow. “One of the lesser ones, he uh… he brought me to Neos.”

  Isran nodded uncertainly. The silence between them quickly became awkward.

  “Uh.. So how is ummm y’know…life?”

  Isran chuckled softly. “You don’t have to be awkward Alden, I’m the same person.”

  Alden’s smile seemed strained. “Yeah, yes of course.”

  They were silent for a while again before Isran sighed and stood. Almost like a reflexive action she ruffled Alden’s hair and the orc gazed up at her in surprised joy.

  Isran’s heart clenched. It was something she did to him in her memories and seeing him so happy she did it again made her realize the amount of pain he was in, watching the woman who had raised him not recognize him.

  Isran left him after that in the sauna and curled up on her bed with Red tightly clutched in her arms. Tears left her eyes and light hiccups left her mouth.

  The realization that she had not only left her world but her son made her chest tighten unbearably.

  Her memories came to her like a lived experience, and so she was not as detached from them as she wished she’d be. It hurt so badly to realize what she had left behind. It hurt even more to see those she had left behind in the present, but they were all so different.

  Isran still didn’t know how she died, and as she drifted off to sleep she hoped to the gods that Alden hadn’t had to watch it happen.

  ==

  “You know, being mean to everyone you come across is me.”

  Isran smiled down at Alden and rolled her eyes. “Being mean makes them respect you.”

  Alden huffed. “Yeah sure.”

  “Isran!”

  Isran could feel her expression harden as she turned to face Bryon. The dark skinned man was panting lightly.

  “I—I’m sorry to interupt but… the scouts are back.”

  “And why did I have to know that immediately?”

  Bryon finally caught his breath and straightened his stance. “They found him.”

  Isran sighed and dismissed Bryon before turning to continue walking with Alden.

  “Don’t you have to attend to that?” Alden said in that tone that meant he was upset.

  Isran lifted a brow down at the moody preteen.

  “No.”

  He looked up at her, a surprised hopeful expression on his face. “And why not?”

  Isran smirked and nudged him. “Cause it’s our time.”

  Alden tried to fight his smile as he walked a bit quicker and Isran let him, a small smile on her face.

  When they returned to the city many people were already indoors. The guards on duty bowed low at Isran and pulled the doors open.

  Byron was waiting near the gate.

  “Follow, Marcus home Alden. I’ll see you for dinner.”

  Alden nodded enthusiastically, pleased with their day out and followed his caretaker home.

  Isran turned to face Byron. “Where is he?”

  Martin was ughing maniacally while rocking on his heels, his act of madness stopped as soon as he spotted Isran. The age shown on his features reminded Isran of her own.

  “Ahhh if it isn’t the king of the gated city. Took me forever to find you y’know.”

  Isran hummed and waved Byron and the other guards away.

  “But—“

  One hard look was enough to have them filing out of the dungeons.

  “Oooh… wanna torture me? Don’t want them to see?”

  “What are you doing Martin?”

  “You think you’re the only one with a god’s blessing? I’m just doing what I’ve been told to do, same as you.”

  “The gods have told me to do nothing. You and I are not the same.”

  Martin huffed. “That’s for sure, not a single wrinkle on that face. What’s the pn here? Rule your kingdom for eternity? Rebuild the earth? Live long enough to see Jessic—“

  “Do not! mention her name.”

  Martin ughed loudly. “Oh c’mon, it’s been thirty years. I’m sorry my men killed your wife. Get over it.”

  Isran closed her eyes and counted slowly, her temper would do her no good in dealing with Martin.

  “Why let them catch you now?”

  “Ah at least you have some sense in ya.”

  Isran remained quiet, awaiting his response.

  Martin sighed. “Unlike you I can’t live forever, and you’re the only enemy I have that would feed me at least.”

  Isran’s jaw clenched. “I didn’t take you for one that believed in propaganda.”

  Martin looked up at her as she lifted her gun. “I knew you even before this entire mess, I wouldn’t call it propaganda.”

  Isran hummed and took off the safety. “The Isran you knew is gone.”

  Martin’s eyes widened slightly and a sad smile appeared on his face. He chuckled once. “Ah… may our souls forgive the gods for what they turned us into.”

  BANG.