"How do you know about your grandmother anyways?" The question Shiela had meant to ask finally came out as they walked the last leg or so towards the Velias estate and manor. Rou's response? A soft, "Mmm… scary. Memory."

  His memories were naturally a mess, and would be probably for a couple decades to come at this rate. But what he did remember of Dana was… indeed scary. But also something else. It wasn't just one lifetime he remembered, but… others.

  "One time, saved me I think. From… the spores."

  Shiela and Jarek didn't say anything, not really knowing how to process that anyways, but as Rou began to shake again as if his very soul was quite scared of the black spore outbreak they were trying to prevent currently she simply hugged him and continued to walk.

  It wasn't until they got to the front of the manor that Shiela sighed and brushed it with her hand, causing the crystal that locked the gateway to dim and let them pass. But even as the two went inside the estate, and walked towards the grand entryway, they both stopped at the door as Shiela said, "I don't live here anymore. We should wait. Rou, stand… behind me? I would rather speak with her first."

  Rou didn't quite agree but respected her wishes as he was placed down, moving behind her and holding onto the back of the shirt she was wearing. Given they planned to travel for a while, her clothing was a simple shirt and pair of pants and slippers that were tied onto her feet.

  It took a while, but using the 'extended family' method of going inside the first gate, but waiting outside the doorway, eventually the doorway opened and on the other side wasn't a butler or maid or anything of the sort.

  Instead, it was a middle-aged woman who looked quite like Shiela, except a bit older. Jarek began to speak and try to mention why they were there, but clearly Dana wasn't even listening to him. Looking at Shiela like she'd seen a ghost.

  "You… you lived?"

  The exceptionally powerful Archmage, Dana Velias, sounded as if the breath left her as she shook slightly. The reaction certainly was not Shiela had expected, having all the memories of abuse from when her mother used to be so hard on her, and for a moment she was conflicted before she felt Rou nudge her from behind and finally gave in, accepting the extended hand from her mother to step forward and hug her gently.

  It was a strange thought. Though Shiela couldn't imagine doing to Rou what Dana had done to her… part of her knew things were different when it came to her own child. If she thought Rou had died and he came back years later to stand in her doorway?

  Perhaps she would act the same?

  Jarek stood quietly, letting the reunion work its way through, as did Rou.

  "I'm… I'm sorry you didn't feel safe enough to stay here. I'm so sorry. No one should have to suffer that loss alone." Dana's guilt confused Shiela slightly before Jarek reached over to gently tap her stomach as if to remind Shiela what she meant. When it finally clicked, a faint smile crossed the face of Rou's mother as she revealed, "I know you have always been devoted to Aether, but… perhaps you should give grace to Affection too."

  "Affection?"

  Falling back on Rou's suggestion of using Affection, Shiela nodded. "I only lived because of her. I was with child because of her."

  It was a bit strange hearing all this for Rou. His mixed up memories of both the terrifying, insane Dana, as well as one of a Dana who saved him after he lost his parents to the Black Spore outbreak. Who, on a whim, flew out towards the village Shiela and Dominic had went to just in case after she learned of the outbreak, not to save others, but just in case her daughter and her husband lived. Who instead found a young boy in tears as he ran away from it all, half infected, only saved from death by his own grandmother turning fire magic on him.

  Those memories leaving him shivering slightly before he tried to calm himself down, breathing in deep and out slowly as Rou tried to mimic breathing exercises from his old world.

  "Then I will hold tribute to her, and grandly so. But why… bring that up now?" Had her daughter come to worship Affection? She might have been upset in the past but indeed if Affection saved her, how could Dana be frustrated with that? It wasn't until Rou felt a tug on his eartip that he walked around and his grandmother once again looked like she saw a ghost.

  –

  It took quite a while for the Archmage to recover. She nearly fell over, thanks only to Jarek catching her that she didn't. With her entire world shattered briefly, that somehow, despite having given up hope years ago after her only daughter was so horribly injured that her bloodline was over… here, sitting beside her quietly on a sofa in the foyer, as if waiting for everything to go back to normal, was a grandson of her own.

  Used to the stuffed animal lifestyle, Rou only let out a soft 'mrrp' sound of surprise like a sleeping cat that was suddenly picked up when he felt his grandmother's arms slink around him and pull him atop her lap, shivering and sobbing atop his head. Naturally Shiela could be seen to hesitate, wanting to stop it, trying to protect Rou, but holding herself back as she was starting to realize that the awful woman who had abused her for so many years might have died, just like she was supposed to.

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  But finally, as Dana recovered her senses, she had to ask.

  "Why today? Why… now? He's a few years old. Did you wait until now, or… is there something else?" Suddenly she seemed concerned and looked at her daughter as if asking 'if you need help please ask'.

  But before Shiela could speak, Rou reached up to tug on Dana's outfit. "I asked."

  "...you, child?"

  "Mmm…"

  Status Screen 1.03

  Name: Rou Erial

  Title: [Beloved of the Gods]

  Status: [Merged Memories - 14%]

  "What is this?"

  "I didn't want to come back. I didn't trust you. I… I don't trust you." Shiela's words were a dagger to Dana, but she understood why. "But this child, his memories are… unique. He claims to remember different versions of us, of him, of everything. Different lives. Different… deaths. And his status, the merged memories? I believe him."

  "Help us, Grandma?"

  That word, Grandma, really did a number on the Archmage. Perhaps it was a bit cruel to twist her like this, but it was something she always wanted and have given up on ever hearing long, long ago.

  "What is it you need of me?"

  "Your magic, and your promise…"

  "Promise? For what?"

  Shiela spoke up here, walking over and sitting beside the two. "That you won't let your stubbornness and arrogance get in the way of doing what he asks, when he asks. The world over knowns just how proud and arrogant you have been your whole life, mother."

  Jarek finally spoke up, having mostly been silent. "There is a real risk of a Black Spore outbreak. The boy has lived it, apparently many, many times over. He has seen it when it was small, and when it was uncontrollable. Sure, we adults can guess and speculate, but it would seem he's the only one with us now who can… truly know when the danger is coming. We have to trust you to trust him. That you won't ignore him and insist that, because you are so powerful, that you will be fine."

  Anger flashed over Dana's expression, something Rou saw as he was looking up before he did something that surprised all three adults present. He elbowed his grandmother in the stomach as roughly as his little three year old body could allow, causing her to wince, distracting her from wanting to teach Jarek manners.

  "That is why. Promise. Promise to listen. Promise to Affection. Mom lives. I live. Promise to Affection to listen."

  "...very well, my grandchild. I promise to… hold my pride no matter what. What is it you want from me?" She actually felt quite ashamed that her own grandchild, whom she just met today, knew of her personality flaws so well that even he was quick to call her out. Dana felt like a monster as she hugged Rou much like her daughter often hugged him, finding comfort in him being there.

  –

  It wasn't too long later that it was just the Archmage and Rou. A shield around them and under her feet as she moved it through the air, mimicking the ability to fly. As much as Dana wanted to talk with Rou, to learn everything about him, she couldn't find the words. Even as she sat on the shields floor and Rou atop her lap. She saw every now and then Rou would look up, but didn't quite realize what it meant as might his parents. Not knowing his habit of looking up when speaking with Affection.

  "My father is there. In the village." Rou pointed towards the village and the two went down as she still held onto him as if he was in danger of falling through. Even at the ground level, Dana still floated in her shield until Dominic appeared and seemed relieved that clearly things had gotten this far. She let the shield go when Rou tapped her leg and he hopped down and ran to give his father a hug whom picked him up. Dominic and Dana looked at each other before finally Dana was the one to break the silence.

  "You gave me a grandchild. I wanted you dead, for… stealing Shiela. Thank you." Though she wasn't quite making eye contact with Dominic when she said it, he knew very well how hard that must have been for the overly prideful woman to admit, and responded simply, "For Shiela's sake, I am glad to hear you say that." He didn't forgive her, but he also didn't hate her. She wasn't his monster, she was Shiela's monster to deal with.

  "Where?"

  Rou's question caused Dominic to point towards a blanket that was laying over someone not far away.

  "Grandma, how big, how long, your shields?"

  "How… oh, my capacity? Mm. I cannot imagine much that could drain me, but I could cover this village."

  "While flying? Carrying?"

  "I will be honest if I cannot." She held back wanting to insist she could do anything and showed that faint humility towards her grandchild, something Dominic even noticed as he walked close and patted her shoulder lightly to show his approval of her efforts.

  Naturally both Rou and Dominic noticed her instinct to tug away, but she resisted, knowing what the pat was for.

  "Two shields. Scoop them up entirely in one shield. Us three in another. Then we go. The map, dad?"

  "I still have it, yes, you want to go there?"

  "Yes."

  The two were quite surprised when Shiela simply nudged a finger aside and the dead, blanket-covered body and several yards in all directions of ground floated up and them as well, as Dominic scooped up Rou and stood beside his mother-in-law, pulling out the map and allowing Dana to hold it up with her magic and navigate.

  –

  It was nearly a full day later, even with flight, before they started to get near the spot and Dominic noticed Rou shivering slightly without even realizing it.

  "Whatever it is, it's nearby."

  "How can you tell? I thought Rou…"

  Dominic nodded down at his son as she looked and noticed the way Rou instinctively held his tail for safety and was shivering slightly. He hadn't even noticed either, those green eyes of his staring straight ahead at where they were going.

  It pained them both to wonder what he had gone through to leave such an indelible effect on him even through these supposed many lives.

  "Stop."

  Rou's voice was soft but the three and the body floated in the air as Rou stood up and looked around, leaning against the shield wall for support high in the air. He could barely stand, his body rocking like he had some kind of condition. Deep inside he was terrified and he was forcing himself to push through it. Like he was looking some kind of giant, monster of a spider right in the eyes.

  "Do not go down. Ever. It's not… not one."

  Dominic wasn't certain, but Dana realized what he meant, "You mean to say the entire region is littered with dormant spores?"

  "Yes. Like roots. Like… mushrooms."

  "Even an army of fire mages burning from the outside in could not possibly cleanse such a corruption if that is the case. To get underground they would have to disturb it and it would likely kill them in the process. But what now?"

  "Affection?"

  As Rou spoke, the two looked at him.

  "Yes?"

  The conversation happening half aloud, and half in his mind, left the adults unsure on part of it as they could only hear Rou, who was too distracted to speak mentally to her.

  "What can I do?"

  "Well… do you remember that in one of your past lives, a dragon offered to let you marry his daughter?"

  "No, I do not remember that. Why?"

  "That might be the only option besides asking Creation. And Creation would probably just go ask the dragon as well."

  "Where, then?"

  "Too far. Hm."

  –

  About twenty or so minutes passed as they all seemed to be lost in thought before Rou finally asked aloud towards the two, "Affection has two options. Ask a dragon, or ask Creation, he will ask a dragon. Affection is worried. That Creation might… focus on me."

  Strangely, both his father, and Dana said without question, "Dragon/Dragon." at the same time, accidentally endearing themselves to the other for the shared, snap decision.

  Rou looked up a moment, before reaching out and holding a hand to each of Dana and Dominic. The two were curious, but once they took the childs hand? They felt something warm pass between them, a bit of tinkery from his soul thanks to the other soul in him, letting them briefly hear, "Can you hear me?"

  "Who…?"

  "Affection. Do not speak. Just listen."

  Naturally they both fell in line and listened, Rou pulling the two adults close and hugging around each, getting the impression if he was closer, they could talk easier.

  "Eventually he will be safe from Creation. I cannot explain, do not ask. Not me, not Rou, not anyone. But until then, Creation has other things he is focusing on. Most of his time is spent not looking at the world, but looking elsewhere. If I am forced to, I and others will protect Rou. But you… no matter how much Rou hates me for it, will not receive that protection. Only he."

  Indeed Rou hated it, when Affection said that, the two could feel his hands clench as if he wanted to oppose, but for some reason he trusted Affection enough not to talk over her right now. She knew something he didn't.

  "So if you two seek out the dragon with Rou… know the risks. He is good natured, but like Dana, is proud and quick to anger."

  And with that, the connection they felt was gone, leaving it just the three again. But before Rou could even ask, Dominic asked him, "So where is this dragon we have to find?"

  Rou looked like he might cry, only to feel Dana stroking his head. "Don't worry too much. I have the feeling from Affection's tone that she would still protect us despite what she says."

  "!"

  ~She's right. You wouldn't do anything to make Rou cry. You talk tough but you're the weakest for him among all of us.~

  "Get a flea."

  Both the soul inside Rou, and Rou, began to giggle. Dana and Dominic weren't quite sure why but smiled as well.

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