NOVEL NEXT Chapter 155: The Twilight Realm
The next day, the children were exhausted, but strangely Carl and Klaire felt fine.
"I know we're both used to all-nighters, but I don't feel tired at all." Carl said as he and Klaire made breakfast, whilst Kyubi tried to get the kids up.
"Me neither, kinda strange, maybe we're just a bit wired with becoming immortal and the wedding and the signing with Illum and Eldorlora..."
"Sorry you two, kids are down for the count, I couldn't manage to stir any of them. As for you two, you won't need to sleep as much now and it will take a while to learn to sleep regardless."
"I thought Lillim said we still need to develop into our prime."
"Yes, food and drink are still a must for now. Your bodies are already well trained to handle sleep deprivation however, so combined with your new vitality your bodies will be able to adjust just fine sleeping only once or twice a week."
"Oof, I feel kind of bad we didn't keep an eye on the time. The kids didn't pass out til the early hours of the morning and they must still need it because they're growing." Klaire groaned, a bit guilty about their oversight.
"Yeah, I suppose that's my fault, I should have realised that you two wouldn't get tire as much before. If you want to sleep though, you should be able to wear yourselves out before bed with intense exercise."
"Well, we were planning to spar more often. By the way, where's Sis?"
"Oh, she actually left not long after dessert, she wanted to put her new system to the test."
[ PRIVATE MESSAGE SENT FROM CARL : HEY SIS, YOU NOT NEEDING SLEEP EITHER? ]
[ PRIVATE MESSAGE RECEIVED FROM SIS : OKAY, GOOD, YOU GUYS TOO. I THOUGHT I WAS GOING TO BE AWAKE CONSTANTLY ALONE FOR A WHILE THERE, I TRIED EVERYTHING SHORT OF LEANNA'S SLEEPING MEDS. ]
[ PRIVATE MESSAGE SENT FROM CARL : WHY? WERE YOU TIRED? WE FEEL FINE... CAN YOU COME OVER, WE BEST COMPARE NOTES AND KYUBI SHOULD BE ABLE TO ASSESS YOU. ]
Sis arrived a short while later in one of Alysse's vehicles, then after Klaire stopped teasing him for not learning to fly one and he teased her for being in the same boat, Carl explained everything Kyubi had told them.
"Well, that's a relief, at least I know it's normal. I thought it might be a me thing with what I learned about my system." Sis replied when they had done explaining.
"Care to share, or need some time?" Carl asked.
"Time please, I want to understand it a bit more before I try explaining or demonstrating it."
"No worries... Now can I be really cheeky and ask you to babysit? The kids are out cold and we don't want them waking up alone. Aegis will be in the middle of the vampire's morning exam right now and we need to make tracks."
"Sure, I'll call Aegis over when they are all awake... Except Omedra, she'll be asleep until dinner time, something I am incredibly jealous of." Sis huffed, though despite the jealous facade, she definitely seemed happier than she had.
"Thanks Sis, shout if you need us and we'll head back."
"Please, I think I can handle my nieces and nephews..."
Klaire, Kyubi and Carl, looked between one another, then said goodbye and went on their way.
"Okay..." Kyubi took a deep breath, then exhaled as she opened the portal. "...Sorry, can one of you pull me through, I don't seem to be able to take the step."
Klaire fulfilled the request practically before Kyubi had finished making it, then followed her through immediately, who was in turn followed by Carl.
"Now, where are we going? I'd rather not wander around here aimlessly." Kyubi asked with unbecoming bashfulness.
"We're going to the moon lake. The one I drank to get his final blessing."
"Okay, would you like me to lead the way?"
"Nah, you guys follow me, I might change direction suddenly. I wasn't joking when I said I'm following my gut on this."
Kyubi and Klaire shook their heads and followed behind him, navigating the disorienting realm of deep space and invisible paths of solid ground as though they were plain to see.
When they reached the reflective lake not long later thanks to them moving at good speed, Carl looked at the moon hanging full and flawless above the empty lake.
"Definitely a bit of divinity in that thing." Carl said.
"Carl, please don't tell me you plan on using it as material. I can't let you do that, I app-"
"HEY! Tsukuyomi! I know you're pretty faded, but I need your blessing. Me and my wife Klaire wish to marry Kyubi, the last celestial fox and the mother of our daughter Kitsunoko, the first Kitsune born since they were massacred. Please grant us permission to spend the rest of our lives making her happy!"
Kyubi grew flushed, squeezing Klaire's hand and moving to half-hide from the moon behind Klaire.
"Carl, very romantic bu-"
The moon's glow intensified enough to interrupt Klaire.
"Hero. You speak of the tragedies I hope are bad jest." The voice was disembodied, clearly no longer feeling the need to appear in a visible body.
"Lord Tsukuyomi..." Kyubi stepped out, eyes teary and glistening in the light of the moon. "...What he says is no jest, we were betrayed and eradicated by the humans. I was the sole survivor until Carl gave our kind a second chance. I fell in love that day and it has grown everyday since, for both him and Klaire."
"Kyubi. I offer my deepest apologies for abandoning you to such horror. Hero, Klaire, I give you my blessing to take her as your wife. Now, my power grows weak I mu-"
"Sorry, I'm asking a lot here, but you're gone and the new Kitsune need your blessing to ascend to Celestial foxes. I don't care if you have to use the blessing you gave me. Grant Kyubi the power to elevate the Kitsune to celestial foxes."
There was a long silence and they began to wonder if he'd faded too much to respond, just as Carl was about to apologise Tsukuyomi replied.
"Are you sure Hero? It will make my sister almost insurmountable for you."
"Almost, but not entirely. Besides, I have a promise to keep, I'm setting her straight and not killing her."
"Promise? Have I forgotten something?"
"Yes I'm doing as she asked me all those centuries ago, before I truly lived."
"Ah, yes, I remember now that you are Ishtar's masterpiece. The diary is at your birthplace."
"Thank you, but the blessing for Kyubi."
"Of course. Insufficient ability. I grant you the right to act as my heir and offer my blessings to preserve the fox-kin. Kyubi, he must shatter this moon and absorb the divinity within. Before I go, I know what your kind can be like, do not hate him for ending m-"
"Sorry Lord Tsukuyomi, I love Carl and Klaire more than anyone. I'd never hold anything against them, unless they brought unnecessary harm to themselves or each other."
"...Good, I'm glad you are happy, leave me in the past where I belong. Hero, do it."
Carl gave one last look to Kyubi in search of final permission, she nodded after a moment of hesitation.
Carl began channelling divinity the same way he did in Cocytus. "Thank you for this Tsukuyomi. You've elevate their species twice now and we'll make sure they know that."
Carl lept and drove his fist deep into the moon, his divinity punching even further than his fist could've hoped to reach and finally the moon exploded before the fragments froze as they became trapped in Carl's own divinity before being broken down and absorbed.
"I claim this realm in the name of Carl Bashe-Reaga, to forever be cared for and respected as a site sacred to the fox-spirits."
[ CARL BASHE-REAGA HAS CLAIMED THE TWILIGHT REALM OF TSUKUYOMI ]
"I hereby ban entry to this realm for anyone except Kyubi, Klaire, myself and any of the fox-spirits. Coming here will be considered automatic signing of the visitation contract.
Passage one: Anyone on the ban list who sets foot in this realm will be paralysed and suffer full loss of their powers and abilities.
Passage two: Anyone who harms this place or behaves disrespectfully will suffer the same until a welcome guest pardons their crime.
Passage three: Only I, Carl Bashe-Reaga, Klaire Bashe-Reaga and Kyubi, soon to be Kyubi Bashe-Reaga, have the authority to pardon those who violate the rules and amend the visitation contract."
"Carl... We should leave because of the time difference, but when we get out of here, we're going to talk."
"Sorry, did I overstep?"
Kyubi opened a portal and stepped through wordlessly, making Carl and Klaire wince with guilt at the possibility of having upset her after the grand gesture.
After they took a deep breath and a second to consider how to apologise, they stepped through after her.