Deep in a forest there sits a large lake at the foot of a lone mountain. On the lake's northern shore is a small village, and on it's western shore, opposite the mountain and just inside the trees sits a large building built of a dark wood called ebony. A sign over the single entrance reads, "The Mystic Tavern". The main room of the tavern is for travelers and guests. There is a bar, and a kitchen that serves around the clock, providing you can find someone to serve you. The upper floor consists of rooms for rent, as well as the living quarters for the owner and her motley family.
It is here, in the cozy living space on blustery winter's night that the goddess known to most as Alexia, curls up before the large hearth with five children, roasting marshmallows, and snuggling under blankets. Two boys and three girls, all about eight or so, with large full of life eyes stare into the fire giggling as their guardian looks on. Finally, a pale little girl with blue black hair and eyes as icy blue as Alexia's, turned her attention from the fire toward the woman. "Lexi, tell us a story?"
The others all perked up at this suggestion and begged in agreement. "Tell us about the reign of Lucifer!" pipped the blonde boy. "No, I want to hear how Lexi and Juston made the Forest of Realms." his twin sister replied. Sides were taken between the children as Alexia observed them silently. Finally she held her hands up to silence them.
"How about both? How about tonight, I tell you the story of how I found myself, my powers, and my rule?" Ten sets of eyes stared back at her. The cubs, as they were collectively called, had only ever known the barest parts of the whole story. It is one they were always told was too long to tell. "We have all night, my loves. Would you like the entire story?" She was rewarded by a loud and cheering "YES!" from all five of them.
They all settled in around her and Alexia pondered how to to begin. Finally she turned to the little girl with black hair once more. "Sabbath, do you know the name of your father's blade?" The little girl jumped slightly at her name, but remained looking at Alexia in awe all the same. "Soul Splicer." the girl whispered, barely audible. Alexia nodded. "Correct. Has he ever told you how he came by it? No? Well I am sure you assumed I bestowed it on him. Of course I did, but did you know that before that it belonged to Lucifer himself?"
An audible gasp came from four as the little boy with chestnut hair named Roland whispered, "Your dad?" Alexia nodded. "One of the three that I claim, yes. Well this story begins with Soul Splicer, and that day that Lucifer wielded it against me." The children scooted closer, the girls to her left, the boys to her right, all intent.
"On the day that Juston, Noa, and I were born, the ritual was preformed to tell our parents what our births represented. We were dubbed, The Unholy Trinity. We would represent the purest balance in all of the universes. Juston would be the wellspring for all the was good, life, love, creation, etcetra. I would be the source of all evil. From my representation destruction, chaos, hate and wrath would spawn. Noa was our balance between the two of us. She shared powers with both to represent the balance of nature. Lucifer was there at the presentation ceremony, as were all the demigods and immortals that could be spared from their own duties. That night, he slipped into the nursery, and stared down into my basket made of silks and cushioned softer than clouds. I was only hours old, but that didn't matter. Lucifer drew his sword, pale and transparent, and brought it down upon my head."
All five children squealed, but Alexia continued. "He cut my soul in half. Just sliced me smack down the middle. He picked up half, and then, he left. Once he was out of the inner keep of my family's home, the magic there kept him from vanishing on the spot. Once he was free of them, however he took me to his home, and he bound my powers with his own magic. Then, he chose a place within the realm where he had power, and placed me in a time and place he didn't think they would look for me."
"But you had your powers before you merged!" protested Roland's twin sister Kalasin.
"Correct. But we do not come into our power until we are about ten or so. So he had ten, long, godly years before they found out that I only had half my gifts, and part of my soul was missing. By then my other half, bound on Earth with apparently no powers was well hidden, having lived and died and reincarnated so many times, with no one the wiser. Lucifer checked in on me in each life, but otherwise he let me be, and stayed away."
"So what happened?" squeaked blonde Xander.
Alexia smiled, "Hush, and I will tell you."
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