Pisces was completely inconsolable after the fight. Nothing could get him to stop crying. Absolutely nothing. None of us expected Virgo to be ripped away from us like that.

  Pisces was in no condition to take care of his young children.

  “Why is daddy so sad? And where's mommy?” His three year old son, Kaito, asked me as I led him to play with the other kids. I didn't know what to say to him.

  “Your mommy was... taken by a bad man. Daddy, your aunties, and I are going to try and bring her back home.”

  “I want mommy...” he began tearing up. I picked him up.

  “I know you do kiddo.”

  My son, Dusk, came up to me holding Dawn.

  “Dad, Dawn is asleep.”

  “Thanks for taking care of her Dusk. Have you finished your homework?”

  “Almost. She started crying and I went to see what happened. I got mom so she can feed her.”

  “I see. You're doing a good job.” I put Kaito down as soon as I saw his older brother. He went over to him. I took Dawn from Dusk and held her. “Go finish your homework.”

  “Yes dad.” He went back to his room to finish.

  All of the older kids had private tutors to give them their education. They were growing up to be well educated and well mannered. Dusk was ten years old at the time and he was very mature for ten. His best friend and Kaito’s older brother, Rio, is nine. Hanako and Artemis were around eight. Kaito was three. And my daughter, Dawn, was only six months old when everything happened.

  I could still hear Pisces crying from the hallway. The kids left and I went to put Dawn in her crib.

  After putting Dawn in the crib, I went to Pisces. He looked at me with the most angry expression I have ever seen from anyone. He came up to me and punched my face, causing me to stagger backwards and fall.

  “OW! Dude I came by to comfort you!”

  “I don't need your damn comfort!!!” He shouted at me. “This is your fault! Everything is your fault! How could you let them take my wife from me?!”

  “Pisces you know that-”

  “SHUT UP!!! You didn't do anything to protect her! Aren't you supposed to be protecting us?! Everyone outside the world is right... you are a lousy light god.”

  That absolutely crushed me, hearing my own best friend say that to me. He turned around and slammed the door to his room shut. How was I supposed to know that would happen? I can't see the future! Even if I could, I still wouldn't know how to protect her. The only thing I can think of is a full frontal assault on Yin’s domain, but it's risky. I couldn't enter and I was scared that my other friends might be captured with Virgo. My biggest fear was that Virgo was being brainwashed against us.

  I stood back up and knocked on Pisces door again.

  “Leave me alone!” I heard him cry.

  “Your sons need a father you know. They just lost their mother, they don't want to lose their father either,” I told him.

  “Who said I was going anywhere?” He retorted. “I just need time to myself.”

  That “time to himself” lasted a year. He barely conversed with his sons and didn't even speak to me. He did his duties and we can tell his worshipers tried to cheer him up. He let Kaito climb on his lap and didn't have much to say with Rio and the two got into arguments every now and then. I could tell both boys want their energetic and lively father back. Rio grew some resentment of their then absent father as he practically had to raise his little brother himself for that year. Obviously we helped him take care of Kaito but we had our own kids to raise, and my youngest was still a baby.

  I eventually had enough.

  I went up to him and slapped him hard across the face.

  “OW! What the hell?!”

  “What the hell is wrong with you?! This isn't the Pisces I know!”

  “Wha-?”

  “I know you miss Virgo. We all miss Virgo. But in case you forgot, you have two sons that need caring for! Would Virgo want you neglecting them?!”

  “I haven't been neglecting them!” He retorted.

  “Yes, you have! Rio has basically been raising Kaito by himself and we’ve been raising both of your kids for you. Oh, you sometimes hold Kaito! Whoop de doo! That isn’t enough! When was the last time you actually spent time with your sons?!”

  He thought about it for a moment. He knew I was right.

  “I've been an awful father...”

  “No kidding. Not to mention an awful friend. I'm still hurt by what you said to me last year. I'm not perfect. I didn't even know this was going to happen. Now stop moping. You have two kids that need a dad. And I've been trying to find a way to try and get her back that isn't full on frontal assault.”

  He sighed and hugged me.

  “I'm sorry. For everything.”

  I hugged him back.

  “I forgave you a while ago. Now go spend time with your boys.”

  He smiled at me and went off to find them.

  ?????????????????

  I went off in search of my sons. I found them outside swimming in the ocean. Rio’s purple-blue tail was gently kicking against the current. He was holding Kaito, who’s still practicing swimming with his ruby red tail. My sapphire blue tail shimmered as I swam up to them. Kaito tried to swim away from Rio, probably because he got distracted, but Rio grabbed his hand.

  “Rio...”

  “Dad...”

  We both just stared at each other. I pulled him into a hug. “I'm so sorry. I'm so so so sorry. What I've been doing is inexcusable.”

  He remained silent but eventually returned the hug. I started weeping but I struggled to control it. Rio, however, was crying. I comforted him. Little Kaito swam next to me.

  “Daddy?”

  I held him in my arms.

  “Hey little buddy.”

  “Are you happy again?”

  “Yeah... uncle Yang knocked some sense into me. Since we’re down here, what do you want to do?”

  Rio shrugged.

  “We could explore the reefs?”

  That's exactly what we did. We also showed Kaito how to use his tail. He got the hang of it quickly. We swam around admiring the corals and the fish. Kaito tended to wander off so I had to hold his hand and keep him from touching poisonous animals and corals. Rio held a sea slug in both hands and one was on his head. It made me laugh a bit.

  “I am the Slug King!”

  “Well then, where's your Queen?”

  “Uhhh...” he got quiet.

  “What's wrong?”

  “I'm... actually gay dad.”

  My brain short circuited for a moment. I processed this information.

  Stolen story; please report.

  “Okay then..... let me rephrase what I said. Where’s your king?”

  He gave a big smile as he put the slugs down and hugged me.

  “I'm so glad you accept me.”

  “Why wouldn't I? You're my son! I'll support you no matter what your sexuality is.”

  He looked up at me and smiled.

  All three of us spent time all over the ocean well into the evening. We swam back to shore and we switched out tails to legs once we were shallow enough. We walked back home.

  “Ooh let's get something at the snack shack! They've got very good food!” Rio said.

  “Nothing’s stopping us.”

  He led us to the snack shack and the line was fairly long.

  “Wow... must be popular,” I said.

  A second and third till had to be opened to help direct the flow. My sons and I were the first ones in the third till.

  “Hey what's up Rio, and Lord Pisces! It's good to see you out and about again.”

  “Still grieving but a good friend of mine dragged me out of my rut.”

  “Uncle Yang slapped you the way mom used to slap you, didn't he?” Rio inquired

  “He slaps hard. And honestly I kind of deserved it because of what happened last year.”

  “Anyway little dudes and big wave, you want your usuals?”

  “Yep!” Rio said enthusiastically.

  “I'm afraid to ask what your usuals are...”

  “One loaded hot dog and a corn dog both with fries coming right up. Anything for you big kahuna?”

  “Loaded hotdogs sound awful for you. I'll take two.”

  “Two?” Rio and Kaito asked.

  “I haven't eaten since this morning.”

  “Coming right up!”

  About ten minutes later the food came out and it indeed came with fries.

  “Let's take these home.” We thanked them and headed home.

  The loaded dogs were amazing. Rio and I shared my second one as they were filling. Little Kaito happily ate his corn dog and fries.

  Yang had no other option than to plan a frontal assault against Yin, directly at his palace where Virgo was no doubt being kept in his dungeons. I couldn't imagine the pain she must've been going through.

  I was planning on leading that assault as Yang isn't able enter hell without disrupting everything. Plus she's my wife, I was going to be the one saving her.

  A couple of days later a plan was laid out. I was to take a battalion of soldiers, obviously blessed with enchantments to keep them from getting corrupted, and storm Yin’s palace. I eventually couldn't wait another second and went ahead with it, despite Yang’s protests to wait.

  When I entered hell, the heat was beyond intense. Not to mention the feeling of oppression was very heavy. Yin’s palace was up ahead, large, imposing, and very well maintained. It was also swarming with his soldiers.

  “We were expecting you.”

  Soldiers moved out of the way and saluted for Phoenix.

  “At ease.” He commanded them. He looked at me with annoyed eyes.

  “Where's my wife? Where's Virgo?!” I demanded.

  “Sheesh you're annoying,” he said with an eye roll. “If you're so desperate to know, she's safe.”

  I attacked him. My soldiers attacked Yin’s soldiers and a battle ensued.

  His fire powers seemed stronger down on Yin’s domain, but I was still able to hold my own.

  The battle raged for only a few minutes before I heard a loud and commanding order.

  “ENOUGH!! CEASE THIS FIGHTING IMMEDIATELY!!!”

  Yin stormed up to us, shoving Phoenix out of his way. Phoenix fell on his butt.

  “You could've asked me to move you know.”

  “Quiet!”

  “Yes sir,” he muttered, with a hint of fear in his voice. He stood back up and brushed himself off. Yin sighed a deep annoyed sigh.

  “You already know why I'm here.”

  “I do. And I'm not giving her up.”

  I pointed my trident at him.

  “Give her back.” I growled in a low voice.

  He pushed my trident away from his face with his finger.

  “You could hurt someone with this thing. I would recommend refraining from pointing it at someone.” He gave a sly smile. I put my trident against his neck and charged it with my blue energy. He didn't flinch. His ability to not flinch was admittedly admirable.

  “Give. Her. Back.”

  “No. She's my prisoner. Why would I let a prisoner go?” He yanked my trident out of my hands and stabbed it into the ground.

  “You kidnapped her. You ripped a mother from her children! Do you even care?” I picked my trident back up.

  “Does my opinion matter to you? From my point of view, your struggle to get your wife back is both admirable and pathetic. Such love between a husband and wife is a pure thing. I'm sure she would've done the same thing for you. It's touching.”

  “I don't need your sarcasm.”

  “I'm being serious. However, that entire year where you were an absent father was quite damaging to your sons. Who knew one person could have such a huge impact on so many bonds? I was right to separate her from all of you.” He gave a mocking grin.

  I punched him and went to storm his palace myself. I searched every room and got into a fight with some of his guards every now and then until I found her.

  “Pisces!” She ran up to me. I scooped her up in my arms and sprinted like the wind out of the castle. Yin was still standing at the entrance and he easily took care of my battalion.

  I raced past him, ready to open a portal. She cried out in pain and clutched her neck.

  “What's wrong?”

  “The insignia... it's hurting,” she said.

  I looked at her neck and indeed there was a glowing black insignia.

  “I can get rid of it! We can bring you home!” I set her down and used my powers to try and remove it but all it did was shock me. I tried again but Yin walked up to us. His eye where I punched him was swollen.

  “Don't even bother. I'm the only one who can remove it. It keeps her confined to my palace.” He grabbed her arm and pulled her towards him. “Take the remainder of your battalion and get out. You are not, nor were you ever welcome in my home.” He opened a portal and flung me in it with his powers. I crashed into Yang. The remaining soldiers followed after. He pokes his head through the portal.

  “Don't you ever enter my domain again!!” He blasted his power at us but Yang and I blocked it. Yin closed the portal.

  I started crying again. I was so close to bringing her back.

  “What happened?”

  “She’s trapped. She can't leave.”

  “Elaborate?”

  I explained to him what Yin told me about how she's confined to his palace with a curse and is never allowed to leave. I also told him about how Yin is the only one to break the curse.

  “So there's nothing we can do...”

  “We can try the diplomatic route?”

  “He's never going to listen.”

  “Wouldn't hurt to try.”

  He shrugged and nodded his head.

  ?????????????????

  Having my home invaded pissed me off. I dragged Virgo inside, fuming that her idiot husband would even think about attempting it.

  She sighed, clearly sad. I felt nothing.

  Now she knows what I feel.

  “Why can't you just let me go?” She asked.

  “We've been over this countless times, Virgo. I'm making them suffer. I hate how they're all happy and cheerful.”

  “You never told me why you're doing this,” she stated. “I'm still sticking to my hypothesis.”

  “My reasons are none of your business.”

  I don't want to admit she's right.

  She looked at me.

  “You know I'm right, Yin.”

  She said that in a kind and gentle voice, as if she were a mother consoling her child.

  It was the first time anyone ever spoke to me that way and it caught me completely off guard, but I couldn't allow myself to show that it affected me. I looked into her fire colored eyes, there was no longer a raging hate or a blazing passion, it was tender warmness, like the coals of a fire that had died down. Gentle and warm. No one has ever looked at me this way and I knew I couldn't hold it in any longer. I dragged her to my room, where no one is allowed and broke down. The tears came down like a waterfall. I couldn't deny it any longer.

  I was suffering.

  I was in pain.

  My heart ached from bitterness.

  I really was a monster.

  All I ever wanted was a friend to spend time with and share my deepest feelings. I wanted what Yang had, acceptance and love. I could never tell my friend group this. I had an image to maintain.

  Every single deity I met in the multiverse treated me like garbage. I was shunned, belittled, and even attacked. That world I destroyed and that god I injured all those years ago... I didn't want to do it. It was an accident. I didn't have much control over my powers.

  I kept trying and trying but I was only met with coldness and hostility until something within me broke.

  They called me a monster? Fine then. I'll be that monster. Give the people what they want right? Meanwhile Yang got all the love and attention. He was popular, and I loathed it.

  My resolve was to share my pain and suffering with the rest of the multiverse so they can all feel what I have to feel regularly.

  I spilled all of this to Virgo, not expecting her to understand.

  “You're jealous of us?”

  “I... guess,” I choked.

  “And you want to break your brother so he can suffer with you?”

  “He deserves it,” I spat. “He believed them and didn't bother hearing my side.”

  “He's always been hard headed.”

  We talked for a bit and my heart felt much lighter. I finally had someone to talk to about my own suffering.

  “Something tells me you're not going to stop conquering.”

  “Nope.”

  “Figured. When are you going to stop?”

  “Once I'm finally defeated. It's going to take ages.”

  She nodded. We talked for a while and it felt good to finally be open and honest.

  For the first time, I genuinely felt happy.