Alfheim is an old little city that a modern, skyscraper-touting metropolis built itself around rather abruptly. The result is a small megalopolis, but quite a kempt one, full of spacious, pretty parks and many old homes on top of the new condominiums. It's a popular place to live and raise families and quickly becoming an acdemic hub and boasting a semi-prestigious university. It's also quite technology oriented, since that industry caused the modern explosion. Also, there are a lot of overpriced coffee houses.

Alfheim I

---

Damnit. Why, oh why, does Kaies have to be here now? Oh, well...

Dressed in a simple khaki cargo jacket, basic matching pants, and having decided against changing her eye color despite human illusion spells, Felina raps on Minna's door--not quite aware of the concept of a doorbell--and waits.

The door opens, but not bloody well until Kaies Metsaf checks the front door security camera. He's been far too edgy lately to simply open the thing, what with having to discipline an assassin right in front of Minna a while back because of it.

"Ah," he greets Felina with a warm smile. "Welcome, please come in." His demeanor is welcoming, but no more so than one might expect out of an old friend.

Felina smiles brightly at him for it. "Thanks, Kaies." And she steps inside.

Minna, still on crutches due to a mostly--but not yet completely--regenerated leg, peeks around the corner after a moment, and smiles. "Oh! Hi, Felina. What brings you out here today?" Normally she does the small talk thing, but on more than one occasion, this strange creature has come with all hell about half a step behind. "This buzzing feeling that I've been telling Kaies about?" It started about ten minutes ago.

"Just so." Felina smiles, always impressed at Minna's intuitiveness, and nods. "Good news, actually, for once. I'm all but positive that this upswing in your active energy means that you're in the final stage of the transition, which only takes a few weeks."

The albino's face brightens by a good measure at this.


Kaies looks through the door, and then shuts it with a soft click. He turns the various locks, smiling brightly at the news. "So Minna will finally be a goddess in body as well as heart? Fantastic!" He nudges the door. Good, shut tight.

"Yes. Thanks largely to your efforts, of course," Felina smiles at him--it really is excellent news, and she shares the joy--and then more softly at Minna. "And, of course, Minna's strength of spirit. I'd actually like to remain here until the transition is complete, just for extra precautions' sake."

Minna blinks. It's highly unlike Felina to not add a "with your permission" qualifier or somesuch. Must be important, without her wanting to make it sound too much so. "Sure...absolutely."

Kaies's eyes sparkle a bit, though why is rather unclear from his state of mind. "Should I set a room up for you then, Felina? Or rather, which would you like? So I know to disconnect the security camera."

Felina grins at him a little for that. "Wherever you have room. I don't want to inconvenience too much...I'm perfectly comfortable with a floor. And...I appreciate it, but the cameras are probably a good idea. If I can look human, I can look decent while changing."

"Oh, don't be silly," Minna is quick to put it. "No floors. There are two beds and a foldout couch, we can make room."

Felina smiles at the soon-to-be-goddess. "Thanks, Minna. Which isn't currently being used?"

"The guest room," Kaies nods, pointing upstairs next to Minna's. "Besides, you know me, Felina. I sleep on the floor." In that creepy sitting position, he still does. "Your being here will be lovely, my friend. I might be able to get a bit more sleep at night, instead of doing rounds."

The serinian smiles, and nods. "Absolutely. We can trade off watching...and, as you know, I'm a second pair of eyes when I'm asleep, too. Between the two of us..." She looks back to Minna, and smiles. "We'll see to it that our dear Minna is doing whatever it is that goddesses do in no time."

Minna smiles, a touch of color touchign her cheeks...which, of course, takes almost nothing to achieve..."thank you both. You've been...incredibly wonderful, really."

Kaies smiles a slow, thoughtful smile that he's learned from Minna.  He's fallen so hard into this protector bit, and taken to it so well, that he cannot himagine himself ever doing anything else. "Well. Thank us with divine hugs in a few weeks."  He chuckles amusedly. "Felina, are you hungry? I have a lasagna in the oven."

"Not as of yet, since Mara recently showered me with food...but I really didn't have time for much of it, so I'm sure I can manage for your cooking." She grins at him, and looks to Minna. "And, thank you for having me, Minna. I don't mean to impose. "

"Oh, it's no imposition. You've helped a lot..."

More than the human realizes.

"...and besides, there's nothing wrong with good company." Minna smiles. "We've been pretty reclusive since that assassin fellow came around making nice, so although Kaies is of course wonderful, the interaction's nice."

Felina smiles, and nods. "Well, unlike the other fellow, I'll try not to give Kaies an excuse to hand me my own ass." She laughs softly. She hadn't intervened because she'd known it would work out properly.

Kaies blinks. "Felina, when did you get one of those?"

Fel mock-glares at him, but smirks. "Yeah, yeah...working on a belly, though." Of course, she still has abs, and the loose jacket she's elected to wear make this statement doubly ridiculous.

"Sure, sure." A mellow ding lifts from the kitchen before Kaies can think of anything fun to say. "That would be the food. Minna, would you like to help set the table?" His tone towards Minna Adair is entirely different from the easy, joking tone he's intentionally using with Felina. He knows frighteningly well that the memories of their short life together sting both of them like a thousand weeping hornets. He's had better success pushing that aside in the last several visits, though, and being playfully informal with her seems to help. 

As for his bearing towards Minna, he's made it a point to entrust her with as much responsibility as she seems to want, and avoid coddling her. Minna is far too tough to be babied, whether she knows it consciously or not. Even though his fondness for the pallid little scholar knows no bounds at this point, he believes to the center of his soul that she wants to be useful more than just about anything else.

Minna smiles, and nods. "Absolutely." She does appreciate that, and has made sure Kaies knows it on more than one occasion. He doesn't treat her like an invalid for being a half-cripple. Actually, she moves darned well on those crutches, heading off to the kitchen first and humming a little tune to herself.

"Is there anything I can do?" Felina offers.

Kaies looks off after Minna, looking for all the world like a proud big brother. Very big brother. "Minna likes to do things for herself, so I want to say no. But if you are only looking for something to do, you might glance in the kitchen and set out the drinks. Just find something you like?" He heads that way himself, clicking a button on the oven to make it stop beeping.

"I can do that." And, before too long, the unexpectedly larger little company is sitting around Minna's small table...which seats four, so no problem there.

Minna smiles. "It's kind of nice to have company just drop in again, even under strange circumstances." She laughs in her quiet little way. "And it's so nice to hear that this recluse thing can end after not very much longer!" She loves people even now. Ridiculous optimist.

Kaies chews thoughtfully on his supper, but only after serving Minna and making sure there's some on hand for Felina if she wants it. He has no intention of giving up his position as her personal praetorian after she finishes her transition, unless she tells him to go away, in which case... there's always the university.

"Absolutely," he agrees despite his feelings on the matter. "At last, we can take in a movie without having to pay for an empty theatre." He laughs, but it's true. His bank account is busted, nearly empty by this point. He has no intention of telling Felina that his wife already left him over his spending so much on another woman, not that he could blame her. He couldn't very well explain the circumstances to Kintune, which made him look that much more culpable.

She senses this, of course--Kaies isn't used to remembering to keep his thoughts under wraps anymore, which is quite a skill anyway--but keeps it quiet. Felina smiles, and nods. Has a little bit of the lasagne herself...damn Kaies is good. "Mm. Always a privelage to sit in on one of your meals, Kaies, even rudely dropping in unannounced." She grins. Her manner is similar to his. Casual, fun, and rigidly, consciously platonic.



"I cook like dress, Felina. Tastefully, practically, and more often than not, covered in sauce."

"Ah! How could I forget this detail. I dress like I cook, too. Mismatched, with great difficulty, and once I find something that semi-works, nothing else is ever produced."

Minna giggles. "I think you dress yourself just fine, Felina. You can't really go wrong with khaki, and cargo has been in style for years."

The easy exchange between them makes the medium feel quite a bit better about himself. He'd been hoping to avoid any uncomfortable gazes and what not, and so far, so good.

"As long as you do not walk around in a gi, Felina, you do fine as a human. Miss the ears, though." He takes another bite. He really is a fabulous cook. Easy or not, still, it is difficult to just make small talk with her.

"I could always pass for one of your...what do they call them? 'Body modification artists'?" She blinks. I didn't even recognize some of them as human right off.

"It can get...freaky, for lack of a better word," Minna observes. "I mean, the Lakhota practice some rather scary rituals that leave scars consdired beautiful to people who know what they are, but we don't implant things under our skin to look demonic, either." She blinks. "Well, most don't. Boys will be boys, whatever the culture."

"Seconded." The serinian grins a flat-toothed grin.





Kaies pulls up his sleeve. "Huh. Good point." He pokes at one of his dozens of tattoos. "But boys aren't the only ones being modified, dears. I have seen several at the university who honestly looked like they were plaing halloween dress up as a lightning rod with all that metal in their faces."

"Point. But boys are fun to poke fun at."

"That one I'll second," Minna puts in, grinning at Kaies.

He grins right back at Minna. "Yeah, yeah." He lays his massive hand on her shoulder, gently of course, still with that proud look in his eye. "Minna will be fighting them off with sticks, I think, when this is all over."

Minna smiles warmly at Kaies, a touch of color finding her cheeks. "Of course, it likely wouldn't have gotten to that point without Kaies's help. Besides, I'm sure he'll help with the 'fighting off with sticks' part if it's really necessary."

Felina laughs quietly, her eyes softening at the two of them. Aww...so cute! Kaies was really such a good one...it's easy to remember why she'd fallen so hard for him. She blinks, and quickly turns her thoughts to Orrin. "Yep. But it shouldn't be such an issue later." She sips her milk. "You won't exactly be in the clear after your divinity is complete, as some very powerful types will try to exploit lesser divinities, but...the chances of that happening aren't great. It's a lot like the way an average person walking into the park at a decent hour chances getting mugged. You two are very good at keeping your eyes open by now, though."

"For their sake, let us hope they don't." Kaies beams. "Did I tell you, Felina? I successfully summoned a fear elemental a while back."

Felina's face brightens at a good measure. "Since you're intact and this city is, too, I assume you managed to keep good control of it, too. Congratulations, Kaies, that's quiet the impressive feat! Anyone I know?"

"I don't think so. His name was Wenoi, very charming fellow once he realized who I was and stopped trying to frighten Minna." He looks at his empty plate, still smiling thoughtfully. "I feel as though I finally have the ability to protect Minna without doubting myself. The vampires at Connelly Keep were kind enough to burn runes into me, too, so..." I'm more like the man you remember, physically. That he keeps quiet for Minna's sake.

Felina nods, certainly catching the unspoken statement. She smiles...also mostly for Minna's sake. "Are you feeling more comfortable for that, then? The runes, I mean?"

"More so than before, for certain. I feel like I should have had them all along, if you understand." Again, Kaies smiles at Minna, taking a moment to refill her cup. "I feel like I ought to."

Minna smiles brightly at Kaies, in a very good mood to hear that this whole episode is drawing to a close. "Thanks!"

Felina has to smile at the infused girl's mood, and nods to Kaies. "Sure, absolutely." She grins, and sips her own, quite-full-enough drink. "So, in a few weeks, we should be looking at a reincarnated fellow who's aptly completed his pre-assigned life's goal, and an infused mortal who made it to godhood. That sounds like a good score to me."

"Quite!" The only question is 'then what'. "So Felina. How are the kids?" Kaies sounds only friendly, not bitter in the least. He actually dearly wishes to meet Felina's husband and children at some point. Possibly even Mara-Kuru again, that would certainly be a trip.

Felina's eyes brighten at the mention of her kids, and she smiles. "Quite well. Ting has a bit of romantic confusion on her hands, but I have the feeling she'll work through it no problem. Dewei, on the other hand, is on dream street, and all but engaged to a half goddess recently turned full goddess."

Minna's eyes spark with interest at this. "Really? What does she do?"

"Lately?" Felina sips her milk, and smiles innocently. "Enjoy her cannabis garden and spent horizontal time with my son."

Minna blinks, but titters at the forwardness. "Oh, dear."

Kaies's eyebrow goes up. "From what you've told me that seems odd. Wasn't he the shy one?"

"Mm-hm. But Ai is...hm. Very persuasive. Always dragging him somewhere by the hand. And honestly: beautiful, experienced, repressed goddess. Who's he to argue?" An amused, maternal little smirk is set across her lips.

"She must have made a good choice. Minna. Remind me to find one of those in a month." Kaies sips his water, calmly, laughing to himself.

Minna laughs, and grins at him for that.

Felina beams. "Less than an hour here and I have the conversation in the gutter. I'm so proud."

"You should be! Minna here is a very proper young lady. I, on the other hand, am an improper young lady." Kaies shrugs. "I haven't the chest for it.  How is Orrin?"

"As per usual, he's being the rock that keeps us all sane." Felina smiles. "And...in a generally very good mood." Ponders whether to tell. Mm...sure. She's been having rough mornings, it will be figured out if she doesn't. "He's profoundly excited that we have a third on the way."

"Oh my... that is wonderful news!" Kaies looks, and feels, genuinely excited for her. The thought that it could have - should have - been his own child never even once crosses his mind. "Minna, is that not beautiful news?"

"It is!" The almost-goddess is quick to respond, eyes bright and excited. "But, Felina?"

"Mm?"

Minna smiles. "You must bring your baby by and let us meet her sometime."

Felina smiles. "I'll keep that in mind. Thank you both." She's very hapy that it had gone so well telling Kaies this. "Anyway...yes. If you have to deal with any mood swings, I thought I would explain myself in advance." She grins. It's true. She doesn't do pregnancy well.

"We can medicate you, no trouble at all." Kaies rises, taking his plate and whoever else's to be washed. "I don't mind looking after two lovely ladies, anyway." 

Felina grins at him. Minna smiles at him. They definitely both think he's cool.

The serinian stands, though. "Please, let me. I can do it more easily anyway, and you two are dealing with me unexpectedly, so kindly."

Kaies looks at her, a little tiny touch defensively, but not enough to impart that feeling. "You can help me, if you want to," he offers, looking at the sink. Not much to do, even for a regular person.

She's instantly a touch remorseful, wondering what line she had crossed. Looks over to the dishes. "Ahh...you clean as you go, nice. But...sure. What would you like me to do?"

"Well..." Kaies looks over the small mess, and back at Minna. "You can give me some specifics of what is about to transpire with Minna while I wash?"

"Since I have a slight hand in this, I'm a touch curious, too," Minna puts it.

Felina smiles at the albino, and then nods to them both. "Right then." She seats herself again. "Well...as soon as dear Minna's vital energy has completely shifted to divine, the fun really begins. That happened this afternoon. It was my cue, if you will." She nods. "Once that happens, the energy needs to reconfigure itself into new orders and new ways of connecting to itself. The bonds within you, Minna, to your life energy and such, are rearranging themselves as we speak, aligning to the denser, tougher core at the center of gods' immortality. Don't worry...it's not nearly as dangerous as it sounds. Barring problems, it's a remarkably streamlined process, and yours is progressing perfectly normally."

Kaies thinks about that as he washes. If Felina sensed it, others probably could too. He flexes his fingers, glad the gloves are waterproof. His claws have seen enough blood, really, but a few more weeks worth of fighting will be more than worth it to see Minna free of this isolation. "You were watching pretty closely, then," he says with a small degree of admiration.

She smiles a little, and nods. "More closely than before, lately. I suspected that this was coming, but didn't realize the full proximity until I visited Minna last week and felt a slight energy shift. Compared it to all of my notes on her--yes, Minna, you would be proud and probably very self-conscious of the academic journal I've kept on you..."

Minna smirks at this, eyes sparkling with amusement.

"...and was pretty sure that this was rapidly approaching. So yeah. I was watching like a falcon. To confirm your fears Kaies..." she looks over to him. "Yes. It's bound to get the attention of others, too. The actual shift will be completely hidden by the cloaking wards on the house and on Minna's ring in the meantime, but now the energy around her is beginning to shift towards her as well, which is harder to hide." She looks to Minna. "You're going to be feeling more in tune with your element than ever, and more adversed to its destructive elements."

"Mmm...darkness, shadow, death, warm light, and fire, yes?"

Felina smiles. "Right."

Kaies sets a stack of plates in the cabinet, all clean. He's gotten awfully good at this homebody stuff. "Do you think this place is defensible enough, though?" Heaven knows its tough to keep every window covered, but Minna cannot be secluded like a house without them would be.

"Absolutely." Felina nods. "The only real trick is that if there are any large altercations, the frighteningly 'normal' people around may be a bit stunned at a magic show. I set a light illusionary field around about a one block radius that will mask the effects of any magic while I was on the doorstep. Hopefully that should be enough. My main concern is actually crossfire endangering other people, not for Minna herself." She smiles at the infused girl. "Especially with Kaies around, she should be fine."

"And with you around, thank you for that," Minna notes with a smile. "Although, yes, I'm sure Kaies can and will beat any heads necessary! Goodness knows that he's done it once or twice before." She grins at the medium. "He's frightenly able at this 'retainer' thing, you know."

Kaies doesn't blush, but it is not for lack of need. He's just so used to dealing with Minna, who is always so pleasant, that his little smile can convey whatever he's feeling just as well. "For a retainer, though, I am amazingly unhealthy for teeth."

Minna grins, and looks to Felina. "You know he's embarassed when he switches to straight-up puns," she observes.

"I have to practice them and you know it," he chides Minna, shaking a spatula in her general direction. "There is no weaon more deadly in the right circumstances."

"Except a pun gone wrong," the albino corrects.

Felina laughs softly. They're so cute. A great match.

"I didn't know there was another kind," Kaies points out, setting the last of the dishes aside. Yay dishwasher! He dries his gloves and trots back over to the table. "That laugh is nice to hear, after not for a while."

"Oh, you two are nice to be around, that's all. It's lovely to see how well you've adapted to one another." Her gaze is a touch far away, though. Yue...? What's going on?

"Something wrong, Felina?" After all this time, through an entire cycle of death and rebirth, Kaies can still spot that 'hell is breaking loose' look on Felina's face. He'd studied it obsessively for a long time, after all.

"Mm. Yes. But I think my kids have it handled." I think. She remains quiet, though, gaze distant.

Minna's quiet a moment. "You know, we do have things under control here," she notes with a smile. "If you need to go, I certainly understand."

Felina smiles at Minna after a moment. "We'll see how things go at home."

"It must be tough to step back like this," Kaies notes, "to force them to do things on their own." He doesn't know. He can remember having had a child once, but... does not especially want to.


"Yeah...they're a lot more self-sufficient than they used to be. I have to recognize that." She cringes visibly when Makyon's stabbed, but none of her senses say he's going to die.

Minna sips her tea quietly. What can she say?

Awkward, Kaies decides, is not the way this needs to be. "Minna, did you finish your work on that new star chart like you had hoped?" Small talk, yes, but he had been wondering anyway.

"I did!" She's greatful for the interjection, and smiles at him for it. Felina's grateful, too. "I finished it up last night...nothing that's going to win me a prize for breakthrough research, but I think it will be an enormous help for advanced undergraduates."

"She has been at it for some time now. Just about every night, in fact," and Kaies could not be more proud, "without a word of complaint. I-"

"- Fel Fel Fel Fel Fel hi!"

Kaies blinks at the fiery ball of redhaired Serinian who appears in the chair next to Felina. Mara beams at all. "Hi!"

Minna is quite a bit taken aback. Still this creature seems almost...familiar? Somehow? "Ehm...hi there."

Felina smiles a bit at Mara. "Hey, Mara. Ehm...you know Kaies and Minna. Minna, Kaies...Mara-kuru."

Mara looks across the table, and her ears drop, eyes go wide. "I didn't know this was where you were. Omigod it's Kaies c'mere!" Mara leaps over the table and tackles the much larger man out of his chair to a grunt of surprise. "Kaies I missed you! I missed you so bad!"

Kaies just blinks. Not that being cuddled by a maniacal cat woman is bad, though. Mara-kuru? "Oh... right! I remember gah! Easy, must breathe!"

"Dear friends in his last life," Felina explains to the bewhildered albino. Minna finally giggles. It is funny to watch.

"Oh my gourd, Felina, I think he got hotter." Mara pokes his chest. "Gives me the shivahs! C'mon big ol' silly get up!" She hops off him, and looks at Minna. "Hi! I am Mara-kuru which is OH! Fel!" She hops up on the table, standing on all fours and wiggling urgently. "Something happened Ai was worried cause Dewei just left and then she tried to go to your place but she couldn't and she came to me and I couldn't cause your defense system is up and I'm worried cause I think Makyon got hurt and something's wrong and hey tea!"

Felina nods, and holds out her own cup to Mara. "There was a demonic attack, mid-high level. I think Yue was the target. The twins got it handled. Makyon was seriously injured trying to protect Dewei while he was casting. Yoru has him covered, he'll be fine. A full angel is there, maybe the one Ting has a crush on? Something's wrong with Yue, he has some sort of shard in him. They're still trying to figure that out. I'm not sure when they'll take the defense grid down, though. Soon if they need outside help to do it. They may need some Mara-powered back-up if they're targeted again once they do."

"Mara," the little redhead declares, "will be there with gusto! After she has tea." She sips, smiles. "oooh..." looks to Minna. "Did you make this? You're cute. I like you, in all your cuteness, but you're making me look bad. Ack!"

Minna giggles. "Oh, I don't know, Miss Mara. You have the ears and the pouncing. That's a lot going for you."

"You have a point. Actually two points." Looks at Kaies. Looks at Minna. "Goddamn! That's a nice image. Oh well. Fel, is everything okay here cause if it is I'm worried about the kids." She sniffles animatedly. "And Gabriel is trying to break your defense system. He's worried about Dewei, but he tells me that he left a book in your library to cover it up. That liar. Bitsh. Hee!"

"Pff. He says that my library is for amateur elemental pussies. Remind him of that. I'd get there pretty quickly and tell him to not crack the second layer, though. The third is a...bitsh." She whistles. "Everything's fine here, and I trust you all to handle things from that end." She smiles.

"Okay. I'll do that." She grins, and hops between all three people, kissing each just briefly on the lips. "Mm. Bye!"

Felina smiles. "Bye bye, Mara. Take care."

She smiles, and is gone.

Kaies reaches up, touches his lips. "Am I the only one who tastes strawberry daquiri?"

"Nope." Felina smiles, and sips her reclaimed tea. "I'm...ehm...sorry to dump all that in front of you two. It should be fine, really."

"I think," Minna observes, "that you lead a really, really complicated life ane probably need a vacation."

A smile touches Felina's lips at that. "Now you sound like my husband."

"Smart man, it sounds like." Kaies sits back, smiling a little. That was nice, actually. "Who's Gabriel, though?"

Eh-heh... "Mara's boyfriend." Felina nods. "They've been together quite a long time, it's sweet."

"That is nice. I would not have taken Mara for the settling down type." Kaies is just making small talk. He's thought a lot about Minna in that respect lately, not for himself so much, but wondering how she's going to do in finding someone once all this is over and everything has changed.

Felina smiles a bit, and nods. "Oh, she's quite serious about him...she keeps getting wistful whenever talk about my kids--who she had a big hand in raising, by the way--or the next on the way. So...we'll see how that goes."

"I think it's very sweet," Minna observes, smiling. "The world needs more omnipotent chaotic eared things." Blinks at Felina. "Not you...you're the omnipotent type-a eared thing."

Felina laughs softly. "Good to know."

"Speaking of which..." Kaies drums on the table, as if bored, though he really isn't. "Are you going to wear that disguise the entire time you're here, Felina?"

"Mm...to be honest, I hadn't really thought about it. I guess it's not really necessary when there aren't any unsashed windows, are there?"

"Not at all," Minna agrees. She smiles. "You don't have to fake someone you're not for us."

"Besides. The real you is wonderful." Kaies tries to keep any bias out of his voice, and is largely successful. "Meantime... Minna. I really, really, could use a shower. Now that Felina is here I need not worry about taking one longer than a minute and a half! Do you ladies mind?"

"Oh, we'd appreciate it." Felina manages a teasing grin at him...although her mind is very, very much elsewhere. Her facial expression is pleasant, but her grip on her teacup is white-knuckled.

"Sorry, Felina. Minna agreed to take down the camera when I found it filming me." He's worried, though. He knows her - knew her, that is - and something isn't sitting right. "See you two in about twenty minutes. I hope." And he goes, smiling at the both of them, until he's out of sight.

Minna smiles after him, and then proceeds to make small talk at the moments she doesn't think Felina really, really wants her to shut up. How's the husband? How are the kids? How long have you known you had a bun in the oven?

Kaies is still in the shower - seventeen minutes, twenty seconds - when a puff of energy displaces not far from the table, and a bloody, gasping Mara-kuru drops to the floor. She doesn't even have the strength to land on her feet before collapsing. That last attack had been everything she could gather, and now she is tired. 

I think I won...

Minna leaps to her feet. Foot.

But not as fast as Felina is at Mara's side, quickly bathing her in potent energy restoration and healing spells. "Mara. Eaten, bad." She gathers up her nether double, though, and hugs her tightly as she heals, though. She'd saved her baby, no doubt.

Mara's muscles don't respond to Felina's touch, but that is to be expected. Her energy is burned out almost to the point of killing her. "I'm tired, Fel..." She sees Minna, smiles a little at her. "See? Good girls win, too."

Felina smiles a bit, and nods. "Right...you need to rest, Mara." Like it's an option.

The albino nods after a moment, taking up her crutches. "Quite. Yes. Here, I'll get out another blanket for the bed upstairs."

"Thanks Fel. I... really re..." Mara yawns a fangy yawn. "I'm sleepy. Night night." She's out in a matter of moments.

Just in time for another traveller to pop in, growling a little bit at Felina's security. "Mara?" Radivishe Moorn finds himself at the base of a set of stairs, staring into the ktichen area. "Mara!"

"Quietly," Felina notes softly from behind him as she stands up fully, Mara in her arms. "She's okay. A little torn up, nothing serious. Just worn out, burned through her energy."

Minna turns, and blinks. Another one? And...why does he give her a cold shiver?

Moorn tries to hide his worry for her, but his own senses confirm what Felina is saying. He looks around, composing himself. "What is this place? And..." his eyes fall upon Minna. "I love your hair. Who in hell are you?"

The albino blinks. "It's my house. Thank you, I like yours too. And my name's Minna."

Why is her life freakier than a Marylin Manson concert?

"She's a divinely infused mortal in the final transitional stage," Felina notes for her.

Minna colors the tiniest bit. Still doesn't take much. "Yes. That."

"Ah... the vaunted Adair, then. I know a few folks looking for you, child." Moorn still has contacts, after all. He's about to say something else when dressed-nice Kaies emerges from the wash room.

Sees Moorn.

Sees Mara, wounded.

Radivishe Moorn looks impassively at him. "Theatre of the bizarre," he muses. "Don't I know gaah!" The last is an utterance as Kaies rams his shoulder into the sorcerer's unsuspecting chest and forces him to the floor. Kaies, eyes absolutely feral with hatred, draws back, yanking his glove away, and slashes for the sorcerer's throat.

Minna yelps, startled and wide-eyed.

Felina cringes and, Mara held telepathically, frees one hand to catch Kaies's between the claws. "Kaies...this is Gabriel. Mara's boyfriend," her voice soft and even. "I promise that I will explain later. But he just came to see if Mara was okay. She dropped in of her own accord."

"This is Radivishe Moorn," Kaies argues, though he doesn't struggle. "This bastard cost me... cost us our life together, Felina!"

"If you remember me," a livid Moorn growls, "you know that I am doing my best not to boil your innards right now."

Kaies snarls right back, debating inwardly.

"Yes...and I spent a very, very long time hating him for it. After you died, our conflict became incredibly bitter, you never saw the worst. But...that was a very long time ago. And he takes good care of Mara." Felina's eyes remain down. She finally looks back to Moorn, voice slightly softer. "Would you like to take Mara back to Istan Aiga, then? I'm positive that you could build a stronger defense in case of another upset, and she'll likely rest better in the more familiar setting, anyway."

"When this idiot gets off me, yes." Moorn glares at Kaies. "Don't make me kill you. None of us want that. Well. I want that. The women would be upset."

Kaies looks to Felina. It's all he can do to keep his hand from thrusting down, but he does. "I swear, if you ever come here again, I will shred you into pulp..."

The sorcerer sits up, dusts himself off. "Yes, well. I apologize for ruining your relationship with Felina. That should have been left up to you. Idiot." He looks to Felina. "Mara?"

Felina holds out her sister gently and carefully, silent.

Radivishe Moorn takes hold of her, compassion unmistakable in his features. "Miss Minna. Kitten." Looks to Kaies. "Idiot." And vanishes with Mara, to take care of her in the safety of his citadel at Istan Aiga.

Kaies leans against the wall, staring at his claws. Just... silent. Unmoving, unblinking, silent.

Felina starts to walk out of the room. Stops. Leans her head on her hand, arm propped against the doorframe, staring out into the front room. "I'm sorry," she finally notes, quietly. "I didn't expect Mara to come here, and I certainly didn't expect Moorn. I should have told you about 'Gabriel' before, but...I just didn't think you'd have been better off or happier for knowing."

"Not your fault. I understand why you would have kept it to yourself." He sits back against the wall, still staring at his claws. "I need to be alone." Well, not necessarily alone. Just alone from Felina, which is something he tries his hardest to mask.

"Understandable. I'll...be around." Felina sighs quietly. So complicated. And heads outside, sitting on the front step and just watching...nothing.

Minna bites her lip. She isn't sure what to say, really.

Kaies looks at his claws, folding his fingers and unfolding them, watching the kitchen light glisten off them. "Funny things," he says to no one in particular, "these were the first indication I had in my previous life that I would end up in trouble. When I thought to get them, I should have known. This time... they just sort of happened, but the result has been the same." He looks at Minna, solemnly. "What would you do, Minna? You're so much better at this interaction than I."

Minna shakes her head slowly. "Kaies...I don't even know what really transpired between you and that fellow. Or you and her...although I can get a fairly good feel for the latter."

"You're right. I apologize, this is not something I need to put on your shoulders." Kaies slips his glove over the fearsome ether claws, wiggles his fingers to make sure its fitted. "I could have been more understanding for Felina, though. I should apologize, shouldn't I?"

"I don't know that you really did anything so wrong, Kaies...contrary to popular belief, apologizing automatically isn't an endearing trait for clever girls." She smiles a little. "Felina's just as confused about this whole thing as you are, I think. Talk to her, maybe, but...I don't know that you have to go in apologizing."

He knew that much. Part of why he's so fond of smart girls - Felina, warrior scholar, Minna, university astronomer, Kintune, history department chair, Amilei... knows her hops and yeast - is that he has to truly put thought into atoning for the idiotic male mistakes he is prone to making.

"Ice cream," he nods, "she needs ice cream. Ice cream?"

Minna laughs softly, and moves to get out a bowl since she's right here. "Ice cream is always good."

The medium gets to his feet and rifles through the freezer, snagging his personal favorite - death by chocolate - and scooping some out. "You want some of this, Minna? We cannot have you going through chocolate withdrawal again."

She chuckles. "Maybe later. I'm still full of lasagne." She smiles at him, and holds out a spoon. "Now. Go take care of the yellow-eyed kitty cat on our doorstep. You'd never have been interested in her if she weren't a good lady."

"I'm only interested in good ladies." He touches her shoulder briefly, smiling a brave face smile for her. "Yell if you need anything. You know the drill." He snags up Felina's bowl, and one for himself of course, takes the spoon, and heads out to see girl who is still of his dreams, even if sometimes they feel more like nightmares.

"Felina, uh," he stops in the doorway. This is a mistake. "I brought you some, ah, ice cream."

She's looked up when he'd walked out. "You didn't have to do that, Kaies." She smiles a little. "It's sweet, though. Thanks." She holds up a hand to take it.

He hands it to her, spoon stuck in the top. "I didn't have to freak out back there either. I am usually so in control, and Minna did not need to see me get emotional." He sits a few feet away, propping his feet on the banister. "Besides. Chocolate is like the great peace symbol between dumb men and beautiful women."

"Ooo...I remember chocolate. It's good anyway." Felina laughs softly, and takes a small bite. "Besides...you can't be expected to be perfectly in control, all the time. That was a lot to swallow all at once, between seeing Mara again and then running into Moorn. I know what it looked like, with her hurt. You were just trying to protect her. And Minna." She lets out her breath softly.

"I have some fond memories of Mara, swirling around. Most of them seem fuzzy though, as if I was drunk at the time." He laughs. "I remember holding her when she couldn't walk, and trying to be strong for her. I can still feel her shoulders shaking in my arms, I can hear her crying. And to think, now, she's romantically involved with someone who was as bad as her father, maybe worse, I just couldn't handle it. But it was wrong to overreact, still."

Felina nods slowly. "I worry what will happen if something doesn't work out between them," she admits. "But...somehow, they have a very fond relationship. He's still an ass to everyone but Mara and his daughter--not Mara's daughter, by the way. Unbeknownst to me, he had a daughter the whole time we knew him--but...he does take good care of her. I'm quite sure he loves her, and I'm positive she loves him."

The serinian shakes her head. "It's just...very complicated. Things really did get nasty after your death. I won't show you the scars for propriety, but...it isn't pretty. But then we got to take a two thousand year recess when I sent him to hell." She munches the ice cream quietly. "He doesn't want to conquer things anymore. He pretty much just wants to be left alone."

That's a lot to digest, too. "I'm sorry, Felina," he says, and means it, though it is more of an 'I am sorry I wasn't there to protect you, not that it would have helped' than a generic apology. In all his second life, that is what he has most regretted about the first. That he couldn't have died protecting her, saving her from something, instead of passing of old age in a young body. "Daughter, though? What's she like?"

"Dating my son," Felina laughs softly, shaking her head. She and Moorn's lives are hopelessly entertwined at this point. "All but engaged to him, to be honest. Her name's Ai. She's a startlingly nice girl. Have known her since before he came back. Has some of her father's sense of humor, but is a very nice kid. He kept her sheltered from his nastiness and enemies, back in the day, so she turned out fine."

"Such a strange thing to hear, a nice girl from that line." Kaies munches his ice cream quietly for a second. "Do... you approve of this? I mean... is she that good?"

"I trust Ai," Felina begins carefully. "I hate that she's her father's daughter. Both of them are seeing each other with the full understanding that they would likely have to take opposite sides if Moorn and I ever reopened conflict. Oh, yeah, Dewei's also his apprentice." Felina shakes her head. "Our lives are hopelessly entertwined at this point, and I can only pray that nothing bad comes of it. I'm quite paranoid of coming into conflict with him, and you could probably tell earlier."

"I could." The medium looks out to the street, thinks, but isn't sure how far he wants to take this conversation. He's still awkward around Felina, as an ex ought to be, but it has been some hell of a long time for that. "It sounds as though there is enough trust on both sides to prevent that, though."

"More or less. He's trying as hard as I am, for his part. I'm not sure what to do with another on the way, though...don't know how comfortable I feel having a baby around so much pent-up pressure." She shakes her head. "Ehm...sorry, working into the land of too much information, now." She smiles sheepishly. "Also, I'd forgotten how good chocolate is."

The distance hurts. But Kaies, much unlike poor Yue, does not hope to ever get Felina back. It makes this simpler. "Chocolate is good," he agrees. What else to say. Think, Kaies... "I'll take your dish when you've finished."

That was not what Kaies had hoped to say.

"Thanks...you're sweet." She looks out into the perfectly normal parkside street again. "Minna's transition will take two to three weeks, by averages in the literature. Fainting is possible."

"Carrying cute girls is not a problem for me. I have had all sorts of practice." Kaies looks that way too. Damn, but this is awkward.

Felina smirks a bit at that. Looks up at the sky. Is quiet a minute, remembering to eat her ice cream so she doesn't just draw it out. "I won't be here longer than I feel I need to be, Kaies," she finally promises, softly. "I know it's awkward as hell. If I didn't think it were necessary...well, I wouldn't have been witting and watching my home and family be attacked by demons earlier."

Kaies's eyes close. Fuck. 

"Felina, I didn't mean to make you feel that way. I just, well-" He clams up. Nothing he can say right now will make this any better. "I enjoy being in your presence too much, Felina. I miss you. I just don't want to make you uncomfortable, and in adhering to that, I end up doing it anyway."

"Yeah...that it's mutual is the problem. But..." Felina smiles a little. "You're a wonderful friend, too, Kaies, you are." She finishes her ice cream.

He nods. I would have been a wonderful many things. "I'll take that if you're done. Was it good?"

She smiles, and nods. "It was. Have to love that stuff, and...Dewei what part of 'trying to keep a low profile' do you people fail to understand?"

He blinks as he approaches the house. "Um...the first six words." He smiles a little at Kaies.

Kaies's instinct tells him to check Dewei, make sure that he's not a threat. But Felina would know, would she not?

"Dewei? Ah. Such a striking fellow, with that white hair." He rises out of courtesy, watching. "Felina, that is him, yes?"

"Yes indeed. Dewei, this is Kaies, dear old friend. Kaies, this is my son, Dewei."

Dewei's a bit surprised, but smiles, and bows politely. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Kaies. Mom's spoken of you more than once."

"So long as the word lummox came up, she's aptly described me." Looks nervously inside. "I apologize. I cannot let you bring those weapons in this house."

"Oh...it's okay, I'm only here for a moment." He holds the sword Ale had given him out to his mother. "Here...Ale gave us these blessed weapons, and he brought one for you too."

Felina takes it, examining it. "That was nice, I suppose...Ale? Ting's new friend?"

Dewei nods. Grins a little. "Well, yeah. Who else do you know who can walk into an innocuous nightclub and walk out with an archangel?"

"She must have her mother's looks," Kaies notes, sitting, though warily watching Dewei.

"And Mara's moves," Felina observes. "Wonderful...thank you, Dewei, and thank Ting's angel for me, too. How's everyone faring?"

"Makyon and Ai are both recovering, Aunt's at Istan Aiga, and Ting's dead asleep."

"Energy low?"

"Not extremely. She did apparently butt-rape one of hell's overseers with an ice spell, so she spent more time running than fighting."

Felina's fingertips find her forehead, though a little smirk has to accompny her shaking head. "Oh, lord...only my daughter."

"And I swear, that is going in my quote book," Kaies observes. "You know, Dewei's features are awfully like that sorcerer's." Blinks. Looks at Fel. No fucking way.

Felina wrinkles her nose a little, and raises a finger at Kaies. "No. Just...no." She laughs softly, and shakes her head. "No no no. Orrin is the twins' father. Orrin's also dumen, Radivishe Moorn's race, which is admittedly rare. His coloration happens to be just like Moorn's."

Dewei blinks. This he knows where this is coming from. "Also, that would make it creepier that I'm dating his daughter."

"Hush. Hush! Just.... la la la not listening!" Kaies covers his ears. "Quiet. This was never brought up. I think I may be ill."

Felina snickers, and pats Kaies's shoulder. "Poor thing. You're going to have horrific dreams tonight in the truest sense of the word." She smirks.

Dewei grins.

"Was there anything else, Dewei?" Felina inquires as she senses Minna getting restless at the company. The poor thing doesn't dare see who it is after the last few times, but she dearly wants to.

He shakes his head. "That covers it. Good luck here, I think we have things handled at home, and it was nice meeting you, Kaies." He smiles, and bows politely to the reincarnated fellow.

"Pleasure, for sure." Kaies glances back to the house. "Excuse me. I have left Minna for too long." And he heads back that way. Minna will balance him, just as she always has.

Felina stands to take her son's hand, and embraces him. "I'm glad that you're okay, Dewei," she notes quietly. "Keep everyone safe back at the house, right? With your sister and aunt down, everything's up to you."

Dewei smiles the slightest bit, however seriously, and nods. "I will, mother. Promise." He hugs her, and kisses her cheek. Though of course he has to bend a fair distance to do it. Smiles. "I should get going before I attract too much attention to you."

"Yes. That." Felina smiles, and swats him away gently. "Scat. Take care, Dewei."

"You too!" And he starts off back down the street, finally fading away.

Kaies trots around inside the house, gives his security stuff a perfunctory check, and then looks for Minna. "Where did you go, Minna dear?"

The albino is standing by the sink, and smiles at her praetorian. "Hey, Kaies." She smiles, and sets to drying her hands. "You know, I very much look forward to not having to hide in the house at all times. I would very much like to have met Felina's son."

Kaies cringes at that. "I'm sorry, Minna. I should have brought him in, but I was worried he might be an enemy disguised. But cheer up. I want to meet her family, as well, and when this is over we will both go." He is actually terrified that Minna will wish dearly to be rid of him by then.

Instead, her smile brightens. "I would love that, Kaies. Although..." she laughs at a moment. "Listen to us, making plans that we have to run by a certain cat lady first, and...mm?" She tilts her head, pulls off the towel when something with the smell and consistency of blood, but absolutely white, makes its presence known. She blinks, and wipes it away from where it's seeping out of her wrist. There's no wound beneath, but...it just begins again as though it's an open wound. "Ahh...Kaies...?"

Felina's already on her feet and heading inside.

"... the hell?" Kaies snags the towel, thinking quickly. "Felina, we have an issue!" He wraps the towel around her wrist, as though trying to compress a wound. "Minna, any pain? Any strange feeling?" He's gotten used to thinking quickly, by now.

"Here, let me see," Felina responds immediately as she walks over and takes Minna's arm, nudging the towel away from Kaies. Her brow creases, and she frowns. "Someone is loving the fact that her blood is fully divine. This is a power drain method. That actually is blood, but each drop contains a tremendously disproportionate amount of her energy. All of her energy is being leached directly into her blood, and..."

"I feel a bit..."

Felina cuts off her next statement to catch Minna when she faints. "...and she's okay, but not if she keeps losing it."

"What do I need to do?" Kaies's calm is impeccable, absolute. This is nothing but pure practice.

Felina holds Minna out to Kaies. "Lay her down, elevate the arm. Get her arm very cold. I..." thinks. "Damnit. Okay, I'm going to run and grab something from home, will dispell this cleanly, should only be gone thirty seconds at the most. This may very well require your vigilance and skill as a medium, so be wary of anything like a summoning circle appearing. Disable it, redirect it, counter it, whatever, whoever's causing this has enough link to Minna to summon her to him. Other questions?"

"No. Go." Kaies looks at the sink... no good. A few mumbled words and a circle scratched on the sink brings a palm-sized ice lizard into the world, which quickly understands Kaies directions to blow frost against Minna's arm. He watches her face, eyes open for anything that could be going wrong.

Felina vanishes, feeling quite a bit on the clock.

Minna's face is peaceful. Almost serious, in a way, but...not being disturbed.

Kaies snags Minna and carries her over to a chair, setting her in it. The loyal ice lizard leaps onto the table and sets itself in a cat-ish pounce position, blowing its cold breath over minna now and again.

Kaies catches a rift opening above the sink, and seals it. A second one behind the refrigerator. A third, below him. God, he hopes Felina is quick.

The predicted thirty seconds later--twenty-four, actually--Felina reappears with a simple blue piece of string. Cuts it in half, and ties half around Minna's upper arm, and half around the upper wrist, murmuring under her breath.

They flash faintly, and either fade from sight or sink into the albino's skin. It's hard to tell. Felina wipes away the blood again. It doesn't replenish itself.

She breathes out slowly. "Going to be a long three weeks," she acknowledges quietly." Holds a lavender rag up to Kaies. "Pick up any dropped blood with this...we need to impart the energy that wasn't funneled into those portals back into Minna."

He takes the rag, still watching, and begins to do as told. He wipes up what little was spilled, brings it back to Felina. He is about to open his mouth to speak when the motion sensors around the house all go off in unison. A glance at the security moniters shows the same person heading into the house from all directions - a thin, willowy man dressed in a fine black suit and maverick coat, complete with wide brimmed fedora.

"Company? Again?" Kaies starts to move to the door, but freezes. Looks down at his shirt, where a thin line of red is beginning to show through the material. A scraping sound, and another appears on his shoulder.

The man on the moniters smiles and tips his hat.

Felina finishes wringing the energy back to Minna, and narrows her eyes. "Stay with Minna. Watch for portals. Be careful. I'll get the door." Felina checks her weapons, although she's just a funky, gold-eyed human carrying two swords at the moment, and heads to the front door, a telekinetic brace on it when she opens it. "New policy," she announces, smiling and folding her arms. "Door to door salesmen will be raped with their own spines."

"Darling, you do me the discourtesy of comparing me to a salesman without even knowing my name?" His voice is a soft, comforting drawl that fits perfectly with his outfit. "And you do your bulky friend the discourtesy of walking away when he is obviously in excruciating pain."

Kaies's eyes are on those red lines. He looks up as they spread, and multiply, until the soft patter of droplets bursting on the floor gets his attention.

Felina glances back. Two yellow rings appear around Kaies, continuously working healing spells, and her shields on Minna strengthen. "Whoever you are, and whatever you came for, this is the only warning that I will give you," she notes softly as the almost-goddess half wakes up, shaking her head slowly.

"Any further harm to them and I swear your life is forfeit."

The gentlemanly fellow just smiles, not to be deterred. "Now, now, darling. What sort of fool do you take me for? Ah... nevermind, don't answer that. Point is, if I came here unprepared for you, that would make me a twit in every sense of the word. Don't you think?"

The sound of a lashing whip just precedes the splitting of Kaies's shirt and the flesh of his chest. The attacks are obviously psychokinetic in nature at this point.

A psionic field even with Kaies's skin folds over him at this point. "What is it what you want?" Felina growls quietly.

"A cup of tea, mint, with two spoons of sugar." He looks at her curiously. "What in the blue pie-fucking hell do you think I want? Goddess, I swear you hero-types are going to cliche me to death before its over."

Kaies shrugs free of Felina's shield. He's listening... no. There is definitely something else in the room, probably with a hidden signature.

"Felina. He has an accomplice somewhere. Something invisible."

"Huo ran kai lang," she mutters. So she's a wizard's daughter. The spell will permit Kaies to see anything hidden by most invisibility spells for a limited time. "No, and I would thank you and your puppets to get the hell out of here. Final warning."

"Final warning. Mm. Don't you love the ring of that?"

Kaies blinks, looking around. A few goblin creatures are running around the floor, carrying slices of stolen bread - Kaies had wondered about their lack of bread in the house - but more importantly, the air is filled with translucent blue knives. Sweeping around, probably thirty or more.

"You know what else I'd like?" The gentleman smiles at her. "To see a Serinian drop the disguise and go sit in the corner like a good girl."

All in unison the blades begin to clash and ring aganst each other, creating a horrendous cacophony of metallic shrieks and scraping rasps. Kaies covers his ears, groaning, and generally feeling as though his head is going to tilt over and drag his body with it.

Felina cringes, physically jerks, at the brilliance of it. Her disguise flickers badly, as do her psychic holds on Kaies and Minna...a few seconds later, a slight movement sends her sword flying out of its sheath. Another half second with see a fedora-topped skewer.

Minna is startled awake, and, confused but seeing blood, grabs for her crutches.

The attack works just fine.

"My goodness," the gentleman says, reaching up to pluck the sword from his head. "That felt unnecessary." The cacophony grows louder, and the swords generally circle Kaies. "Minna dear! Stay, or I shred him into stew!"

Felina grits her teeth...jerks the sword down, not doubt ineffectually, as her other hand goes back. A pair of earplugs fall from a portal and into her hand.

"Fuck it, have it your way." The circling swords race towards Felina's back all at once, a multitude of stabbing, unnatural blades. The man falls, but by the time he hits the ground there is nothing there but a pile of clothes. The same happens to all of the men in the moniters, as a presence gathers next to Minna. The same man reforms, dressed the same, but this time there is a definite energy signature there. A caster.

Felina catches her breath, eyes wide for a few moments. Swords...where swords shouldn't be. Many hits immediately fatal.

Most of her magic is going into keeping her body alive. After a few seconds, a small orb is pitched back to Kaies with a poor throw. "Take it, use it to get to Helantri Deru," she manages to gasp, face still ashen.

Kaies has no idea how this thing works, but manages to catch it. The strange man reaches out for Minna just in time for Kaies to smash a fist into his face, feeling it shatter like porcelain beneath the blow. Exactly like porcelain. Again, the clothes fall to the ground.

"Minna," he calls, "close your eyes...!" The orb bursts, and Kaies takes Minna's arm as they are dragged to Helantri Deru.

"Good move, good!" The clothes at the step rise back up. "Darling," says the reforming face, molten as if made of plaster for a moment. "I don't want to kill you. I havea lot of respect for you. I don't want to kill Minna either. You misjudge me. I just want Minna's divine essene. she doesn't really need that anyway. Does she?" The swords wrench in unison. "Oh goodness!"

Felina cringes, gritting her bared fangs, but then her face is forced calm again. Really, she's in a bad spot right now. So much energy is going towards keeping her alive when she shouldn't be that's there's really none left for...anything else at all. Still, she manages a little smile through the blood trickling down her chin. "And what, praytell, would you do with something like that?" she inquires.

"Rub it on my widdums and give myself a chubby." He tilts his head. "Evil villain lesson number six. Never give away the fucking master plan, no matter how helpless the hero seems. Look, I'm going to let you down. Promise me you'll keep those violent tendencies in check. None of these bodies are real anyway, so hurting me is sort of moot."

"Foolhardy hero lesson number three. Most evil villains are stupid enough to give away the plan, so always ask." She winces at a sword slicing through a tendon. Gravity, I loathe you. "Fair enough. I hate the taste of my own blood anyway."

At a glance the swords pull out of her, and the puppet body moves as if to catch her from falling.

Felina's in no position to stop it from doing so, if that's the intention. The vast majority of her concentration is still going into the very demanding spell set that keeps a ruined body alive, and there's room for little else, including standing.

The puppet supports her weight and carries her bodily to a chair, setting her down with unusual gentleness. "See, now you have gone and messed everything up. At a glance, just like that, but I cannot let it go so easily. I must have Minna. And her divinity, yes. Do you need help, or would you rather be an idiot and tough it out?"

"The second one," she murmurs, redirecting some energy to healing spells. A little seer's insight says there's help on its way momentarily. "At least tell me who just skewered me...it's been awhile since that happened, understand...."

"My name is Spintrius. Today, anyway, but that is the most common one. Are you sure you're going to be okay? I wouldn't have hurt you if you had just moved, it really makes me whimper like a bitch to think about it."

"Yeah, yeah..." a bitten exclamation of pain accompanies the pillow behind her shifting, but she catches her breath almost as quickly, voice still that "trying to stay alive thank you" sort of distracted. "I'm not going to let you take Minna. I'm all but positive that she'll be subjected to still another ridiculously difficult lifetime if she doesn't make it to divinity this time. I could prod you into debating this or flying off the handle and lecturing me about your own difficulties, and my ruthless side says I should."

Her eyes travel up to him, expressionless. "But I have the funny feeling that an Archangel is going to be along to help me in thirteen seconds, and I doubt that you want to be here for that, do you?"

"Gives me thirteen seconds, then." There's an edge of discomfort in the puppet's voice. "I am a nice guy, Felina Deyono. I am. But I won't stop until I can get what I want. And that is a cup of tea." Pauses. "Also Minna's nubile divinity."

"Well, I'll see you then." And I dare you to try the same tricks twice, you disembodied bastard. Please hang around for two and a half more seconds...

"Yeah. Two, one, bye!" The clothes fall, as do the few still-circling blades which clatter to the floor as if they were every bit as real as the chair Felina's sitting in.

Felina closes her eyes when her son and his dragged companion appear, making sure she's rid them of any pain. "Ah. Right on time, then."

Dewei's agape. "Mother! What..." he just shakes his head, swallowing hard and trying to avoid losing time to gawking, scripting some potent healing runes to grasp and impart into both hands. Gah...it's gruesome. Her entire body is riddled with holes, some gaping after the swords had wrenched before...at least one going through her heart and other absolutely vital places.

Ale blinks, but grasps the situation. His senses move around the house, searching for spirits like Dewei had mentioned, and actually discovers several to dispel. He doesn't really know what to say, or do, except to step in and add his divine restoration power to Dewei's spells.

"My baby first, then vital spots," Felina directs calmly and quietly. Thank god she'd managed a shield of that particular part of her belly. That had been her biggest fear of the moment, but...her greatest support spells had been centered down there, and it's the only shield che'd had time to throw. Lets out a slow breath, and smiles at her son and Ale in turn. "Thank you both. That was...uncomfortable."

Dewei glances down to the swords still streaked with blood for just a moment. Lovely. His mouth's a bit tight, but he manages a nod as he works.

"No kidding. You're the mom, Felina, then?" Ale looks around, and snags a towel he sees lying on the counter to sop up the blood. "Pleasure to meet you. I can see where Ting got that pretty face of hers." Keep her talking, keep her distracted.

Felina smiles a bit. Sweet boy, and a good head on his shoulders, as far as she can tell at a glance. "A pleasure to meet you as well...and, that's enough, Dewei." She looks up to her son. "Let's get back to Deru and take care of non-vital damage there. Help me up."

Dewei blinks. "Mother..."

"Dewei. Please. I don't want to leave Kaies and Minna alone when no one at home is aware of this spirit's threat."

The halfbreed nods. Takes a deep breath, and slips under her outstretched arm.

"Dewei, let me." Ale puts a hand on Dewei's chest, pushing him back gently. "For a couple of reasons. One, she's hot. Two, I can keep healing her while you take us back. Three, she smells good."

Felina smirks. "Two young men fighting over me. It's a good day." This mostly for her son's benefit.

Dewei smiles a little at her for that, and nods. "Sure." And he backs off, grudgingly.

Ale thinks about this for a second. "You're too short for under the arm. Sorry about this." He reaches down to lift her up, just as he had Ting earlier, his wings stretching out and blazing white with restorative forces. They wraps around Felina so as not to lose a single bit. "Alright Dewei."

Felina folds her arms, but mostly so they don't dangle, and closes her eyes against expression of pain. Freaking hurts.

Dewei nods, and then they're bound back for Helantri Deru