Amdirlain's PoV - Hades - Observation Platform

She appeared with the green figure in a vaulted chamber. Around them, sturdy constructs that had thick elephant legs attached to a central core used long tentacles to shift stacks of material from various storage containers. They moved them into feeder tubes that delivered them into hoppers linked with scores of glowing cylinders that churned out additional constructs. As each flowed forth, they raced off without pause. A new energy framework emerged from the wall of the vacated tube, a new construct beginning to take shape.

I lost seventeen years. Will I ever know what happened?

Amdirlain waved at the line of tubes. "Why do you need so many security agents? Or is telling me outside your operating parameters?"

"We are now permitted to share information with you. They serve multiple roles. They tend the platform's security, assemble data about monitored worlds, and expand the platform."

"Are you stuck in a loop of instructions, or is the expansion required?"

"This facility is the only one the maker possesses in this realm. We gather the required materials to produce additional agents, create them until no further materials remain, and then extend the observation facilities."

It answers questions but doesn't provide complete information.

"For what purpose?"

"So our maker might learn from the situations that arise. You and your father learned lessons from their realms. Do you object to them learning from yours?"

"No. Do you have a name?"

The oily material of the green figure rippled. "We have no requirement for designations. If you require one to interact, you can provide us with one. Domain negation will activate shortly."

"Well, I suppose one isn't necessary if it's just the two of us talking." Amdirlain paused as the pressure from the Domain vanished from her skin. She extended her awareness and found that the surrounding songs were no longer overwhelming, and a test with True Sight revealed the Mana overlaying the devices in the room. The materials within the storage containers were a mix of exotic elements for enchanting and heavy mundane metals. She noticed how the tubes dissolved the atomic structure of the latter materials as an energy source and binding agent for the process.

A few quick songs filled the room's containers, and she motioned towards them. "The material containers are full. Do you have any preference about where I move the platform?"

"We were told you'd determine the location."

It makes sense that I would have brought up the need to move it before blowing Hades. Would the observation platform work better on a Demi-Plane or a Plane? What is the easiest way to remove it?

She extended Phoenix's Symphony and found the Domain's effect reapplied when she tried to sense beyond the textured stone of the platform's passages.

"Are you able to extend the negation beyond the platform's limits? It would be easier to move it from the outside."

"We can extend it slightly if you would provide a delimited area. A word of caution: the negation will cancel without the platform nearby."

"The corridor where the platform approaches the warded gate would be sufficient. Will I be able to send messages outside of Hades?"

"We've negated all its interference."

I need to remove it from the Domain and settle it cleanly. The second part is the problem. I'll need some gadgets to ensure it's stable, and possibly something to provide goodwill as well.

"Thank you." Amdirlain created a dozen crystal pylons before them; the millions of experience points their construction provided pushing her new Class along. "I'm going to distribute these around the facility to make the shift easier. Ensure they're not moved until after the platform is in the Demi-Plane I'm sending it to."

"What should we do with them afterwards?"

"Have them brought to this chamber. They'll tap into the Mana lines of the Demi-Plane and create the materials you need."

A sharp nod caused the figure's body to ripple, and Amdirlain teleported the pylons to the perimeter of the platform.

"You can gather the Soul Jar whose image you displayed before you move the platform."

"I'll take it to the corridor." Without a further word, she vanished, shifting the Soul Jar at the same time to the corridor near the colossus. The hideously deformed features and the monstrous children in the woman's arms raised Amdirlain's ire.

As she studied the silvery threads within the stone, Amdirlain was already casting a Message, directed towards Sarah's Dragon name. "Sarah, sorry I've been out of touch so long. I ran into agents of a foreign Primordial, and he wanted to have a chat. That process took seventeen years for a quick conversation, and I can't even recall the details."

A translucent orb appeared laced with a silvery energy that caused Amdirlain to stiffen, but Sarah's voice whispered in her ear. "Sweetie, it is so good to hear from you. Gideon slipped a note into an Analysis response after you got yanked, so I knew you weren't dead. I'll let you guess the complications with Qil Tris. What are you up to now?"

Oh shit, I can block mantles, but Sarah is a different matter.

"Thought I'd let you know before I touched this three-part Soul Jar I picked up for a steal. How did you end up with a new Mantle?"

Sarah's responding orb contained images of an arena-sized conference hall. Among the Catfolk attendees were hundreds of cosplayers. While some were in various Am stage outfits, they weren't alone; others wore different red outfits that Sarah had worn, and Kadaklan's yellow and orange outfits casually roamed between stalls. Artwork featuring set covers, stage props, and hundreds of other related items was on display and up for sale. Yet they weren't the only thing for sale, objects and pictures of locations that Amdirlain recognised from within the demi-plane trials she'd created.

"I guess the kittens liked the sparkling scales as well."

Laughter filled Sarah's response to that quip. "Hilarious, Kadaklan and I have priests now, and you have cultists powering blessings through individual faith. One rule you missed is that an image of a being is enough to provide focus for a faith to manifest. Anyway, all our faiths on Qil Tris are underground and hush-hush; it feels like they took lessons from the Eldritch cultists you eradicated. You've got two groups of cultists going on. One set is a bunch of people whose corruption you cleared and age-reversed; they see that as a miracle and evidence of your divinity. Then you have the Am idols and cover groups that are still as common as ever around the place. The most hardcore have all the evidence they need of your power between the trials and the recording of our departure."

No good deed goes unpunished.

"Any other big news?"

"I met Lysandra. While I didn't give her access to Atonement, I used the gadgets you left me to transfer a few million souls she'd gathered up. Gilorn, Rachel, Gail and the Enyalië are working on healing planets from early ecology disasters. When the Lómë found out about Rachel, they pulled their heads out of their collectives arses. They're fairly certain who you are, so they're all being careful not to mention it. How are things on your end?"

Just a few things to unpack in that response.

"I'm worried about my lost years and what I said to a Primordial being that elevated me for a conversation. It returned me to my prior state with no memory of what we discussed. At present, I'm trying to decide if I should open this Soul Jar myself or get someone else involved."

"Get it to where Eleftherios or another Aspect can help open it."

"I was considering sending it directly to Judgement, but I can't stand the thought of never seeing them. I'll see what I can learn first before I talk to an Aspect."

Amdirlain knelt on the floor and entered a light trance. She appeared above a flame-covered soulscape, with Lethe looking back at her; this time, her thought form matched Amdirlain's Elven appearance, but with platinum-blond hair.

"Maybe avoid conversations with alien Primordial beings in the future." Lethe sat cross-legged in the air beside her and waved at the flames.

"Do you remember anything about what happened?" asked Amdirlain.

"Only bits and pieces, but the eye filled with stars I recognised. There are tiers of primordials, but once you reach the top tier, there is only continually growing strength. While not the strongest Primordial that you and Nicholaus met, the construct's maker is among the highest on the list."

"Any idea what I agreed to?"

"There was an agreement about creating something. Though that's hardly surprising," said Lethe.

Amdirlain raised an eyebrow. "Maybe not to you. Want to give me the bullet points at least?"

"Ever wonder how Ori knew about the marks on the realms? They told you how to find realms abandoned by their creators, and taught you the nitty-gritty about planar design," replied Lethe. "They probably want another realm created in the distant future. That's what they care about, realms filled with lifeforms to help them understand whatever it is they're seeking. That's a future you problem. Your current problem is that you've got the Soul Jar and you're procrastinating. Do you think they won't bill you if you don't crack it open?"

"I'm trying to distract my mind, to see if it comes up with any other ideas about the safest approach."

"Amdirlain."

"Yes?"

"You don't have to do everything yourself. As Sarah said, you can ask for help." Lethe waved at the flames. "We're under an uncomfortable amount of pressure. Does it hurt to share the workload?"

"I'm scared, and I know the fear isn't just mine."

"Yeah, Ori's old fears are buzzing pretty hard. They're being sparked by all the what-ifs running around in your head. What if it's not them? What if it is them? I'm not her daughter. How do I tell her that the Ori she remembers died? That guilt comes because you've only got fragments of her memories. That issue I can fix."

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A rush of memories surged through Amdirlain's consciousness, the four short years she'd lived before the wave that killed Ori's mother. She caught the name her Mḗtēr had given her, Phaedra, in a conversation between her parents and grandparents. In previous memories with Nicholaus, she'd only heard it used once.

I knew Ori was young when her mother died, but I thought she was older. Maybe because of all the music she got caught up in?

"Eleftherios. I think I've found Mḗtēr." The air in the corridor pulsed a quick inhalation before the Aspect's name rebounded off the boundary of the observation platform.

A stream of motes twisted in place before Amdirlain and expanded to Eleftherios's muscular, golden-skinned elven form, with his black eyes split by a starburst of brilliant white light. He wore white silk robes that mirrored Amdirlain's usual layered styling. As he glanced between Amdirlain and the ugly Soul Jar, his nose wrinkled. "Did they want even their prison to be insulting?"

"It would seem so. It's nice to see you, Eleftherios. Can we catch up about your family situation later?"

"Let's deal with this first." Eleftherios lightly clasped Amdirlain's shoulder before he turned fully towards the statue.

"Can you sense inside?"

Eleftherios frowned. "The only thing I can tell is there is too much energy for three Human souls in there."

"The twins' souls wouldn't be like normal humans."

"You have a point," said Eleftherios. "If it is her, I could sweep them away. You don't have to talk to her."

"That would be wrong."

"Are you trying to carry everyone's burden again, Amdirlain?"

"It's a past life, but I'm Orhêthurin, and I won't hand off Mḗtēr without even speaking to her."

"If it's her and the twins," said Eleftherios. "I should advise you, Gideon has kept your improvement quiet. Although I, along with a few others, know the help your sigil has provided, some are sure your extended stay here is because of your struggles."

"How unhelpful of you," Amdirlain drawled.

Eleftherios smiled bitterly. "It provides you no help in your Hidden state. I have to be careful of the division now."

"Then I won't ask questions that might cross the line. Let me get this thing open." Amdirlain grimaced at the hideous features of the statues. "I don't even remember her name."

"You were a child, and I'm sure Nicholaus would have only called her Mḗtēr to you." Eleftherios's gaze lost focus momentarily. "Your Mḗtēr's name is Ourania."

Amdirlain focused on the statue's enchantments, sensing the themes of concealment and soul binding within the material. Though the concealments held up against her senses, there was no reinforcement in the material itself. She checked it over repeatedly, hesitant to draw them out. She took on the form of the Grecian woman that she'd created to meet the locals and started to sing.

I can't be sure it's them if I don't open it. I remember our grandparents holding me in their arms readily enough.

It was a gentle, tired melody that didn't seek the souls within, but slowly abraded the exterior at an even rate. With each layer she scoured clear, the silvery strands of the divine enchantment struggled and eventually failed. As the enchantment unravelled, three souls emerged: one pure white and two others with a silvery energy coursing through them.

They coalesced into a Grecian woman in her mid-thirties whose dark hair and fine features matched Ori's memories. The clean lines of her nose led to a mouth that was a touch too wide for the otherwise even proportions of her oval face. As she finished forming, two crying babies manifested in her arms, their appearance indicating they were still under a year old. The woman cradled them close as she caught Amdirlain's open assessment. The theme within the woman's Soul left Amdirlain confident she'd found her family. An energy flare occurred as the last of the material fell away behind them, only for Eleftherios to snuff it out before Amdirlain needed to counter it.

There was a trap. The boys have divine essence, not Primordial?

As she blew a strand of hair away, Ourania raised her chin. "Whose lackey are you? My answer hasn't changed. No matter what you do, I'll not betray Nicholaus."

Remembered guilt and shame drew bitter, entwined melodies from her Soul to twist in Amdirlain's flesh. "I'm sorry I didn't rescue you sooner."

"What?" blurted Ourania, before her gaze hardened with suspicion. "Now I expect you'll need me to tell you where he retreated to so you can reunite us. What sort of fool do you take me for?"

"No, Mḗtēr, I know where Patḗr is," said Amdirlain. "You're the one who dubbed me his little songbird."

"Phaedra?" Ourania gasped, trying to juggle the suddenly squirming babies.

"Yes, though Patḗr just called me songbird after we left the village until I picked a name for myself."

The muscles in Ourania's throat worked, and she drew a shuddering breath. "It seemed but a moment; you can't be here and all grown. How long has it been?"

"You were captive for a long time. Do you remember me singing this song?" The remembered notes of Mḗtēr's living theme slipped softly from Amdirlain's lips, and soon Ourania's eyes glistened with unshed tears.

"It is you," Ourania choked out, as she sagged in relief. Amdirlain supported her, bracing the children in her arms with telekinesis in case their energy objected to Fallen flesh. "You're all grown up. I lost so much time with you."

I remember her holding, singing, and dancing with me—the bright notes of her love. How do I tell her it's been lifetimes for me?

Amdirlain cradled her from the side and continued to sing. After a few minutes, the boys settled into a calm doze, despite the tears sliding down Ourania's cheeks. Amdirlain stopped and impulsively kissed her cheek before stepping back and motioning to Eleftherios. "Mḗtēr, this is Eleftherios. He'll take you to Patḗr; you'll be safe with him."

"Where can we go? Is anywhere safe from the gods?" asked Ourania.

Amdirlain smiled grimly through the tears prickling at her eyes. "Most are dead, and only Hestia kept her divine status, and she's been helping me. It's a long story, and I'll let Patḗr fill you in on it."

"You're not coming with us?" Ourania tried to clutch at Amdirlain's hand despite her arms being busy with the two boys.

"We sealed Patḗr's forge. You and Eleftherios can get in, but I'm unable to travel there."

"Why?" blurted Ourania.

Eleftherios smiled reassuringly. "It's because you're disembodied souls, and I'm in a special situation. I can hold your boys for a bit while you say farewell."

Ourania glanced between them nervously.

"I trust Eleftherios."

"He's not Human."

Amdirlain shrugged casually. "Neither Patḗr nor I are Human, and the boys aren't completely either."

The baby boys stared up wide-eyed at Eleftherios, and didn't fuss when Ourania passed them over. They burbled at him happily and pawed at his face, their dark eyes bright with curiosity. Eleftherios played along and mock-munched their fingers, drawing giggles from the pair.

While Eleftherios entertained the boys, Ourania hugged Amdirlain close, the warmth of her affection warring with the icy claws of guilt that rose within Amdirlain.

"The wave came in and you were just gone," whispered Amdirlain, as Ourania held her tight. "I didn't know I could have saved you. By the time I explained what I'd sensed, you were gone."

"The water disappeared, and then it rushed in." Ourania didn't loosen her hug, but one hand patted Amdirlain's back. "We weren't the only ones to die, were we?"

"No, but you're the ones that matter most to me, and you were the ones Hestia said the other gods targeted."

Ourania shook in her arms. "We brought disaster because I convinced Nicholaus to return to my parents."

"Don't think that way. Hindsight is vicious and merciless. You wanted to go back home to your loved ones. You weren't to blame for the petty beings that lashed out at us. I spent so long blaming myself because I heard the wave but didn't understand what it could do, or that I could have stopped it."

"Why would you think that? You were a child," protested Ourania.

Amdirlain drew back and cupped Ourania's face. "Why would you blame yourself when you couldn't have outrun that wave? The only ones to blame for what happened are dead. Please don't shoulder any guilt over it. I certainly carried enough for all of us."

The sincerity that Amdirlain allowed to leak through her words caught Ourania's breath. "What did you do to yourself, Phaedra?"

"I go by the name Amdirlain now, but Patḗr or Gideon can give you better details. Go on and be safe."

"But..."

Yank the band-aid off fast.

"It's too long a story. You've not been dead decades or even centuries, Mḗtēr, it's been aeons. Please go to safety. You're too vulnerable, and we just got you back."

"I've told Lysandra that you'll be out of here shortly." With that, Eleftherios vanished with her family.

The lump in her throat and burning eyes earned a sharp exhalation as she set her focus on the task at hand. Amdirlain considered the platform and the obstacles between her exit and the seal. With the Domain's influence negated, she wove temporary enchantments into the Colossus and shunted it outside the Domain. With it amidst whatever forces were beyond the river Styx, she unleashed a corrosive wind that tore apart the enchanted gates and then screamed up the shaft. The bronze plate at the top tore like wet paper, a screech of protest erupting from the wards and echoing through the passage before a collapse began.

Choosing one of the larger unused demi-planes, Amdirlain opened a Gate and adjusted the Demi-Plane's bedrock to establish a niche that matched the observation platform. With that completed, she created another Gate under the deepest extent of the platform and activated the pylons' first stage. Their energies shifted and carved the stone beyond the platform away until they could lower the mass into the prepared carved niche. As most of the platform transferred into the Demi-Plane, the negation of the Domain's effect on her powers fell away, and Amdirlain had to restrict her senses again. The pylons within the observation platform stabilised the mass as it settled into its new cradle. After a final peek over the ledge to confirm the entirety of it was through the Gate, Amdirlain closed it off.

With the wards destroyed, she flew to the surface unimpeded. The wind carried the scent of brine unsullied by the noises or scents of the metropolis along the shore.

Relaxed on a bench near the centre, Lysandra sat alone. "Cousin, I'm glad you're back safe. The last thing I expected was for you to be pulled from the realm to speak to a foreign Primordial."

"Did Sarah pass the news of my departure, or did you sense my situation?"

"Father heard from Gideon the moment you exited the realm, and he passed word. Mother introduced me to Sarah, and she's been ferrying the souls I've gathered."

Though Sarah had already told her, Amdirlain nodded casually in acknowledgement. "Are there any left in Hades?"

"There are no souls. The only beings that remain are monsters, me, and Cerberus, if you don't include your armies. I've even broken the accursed free and shifted them to other domains. Hestia has some of them, but Lerina gave others a fresh start."

I want to do more for them than merely reunite them.

"Where is Aetos Kaukasios and Medusa?"

"Aetos is currently enjoying the Outlands; he made me promise that you'd contact him. Bahamut resurrected Medusa, and we've reunited her with her sisters."

Amdirlain dropped off the stage edge near her. "Thank you. I was worried about her after the way Damon reacted."

"He brought some friends back with him, so I scooped them all up." Lysandra nodded towards the shattered bronze disc. "It doesn't look like we'll need a custodian for the twelve labours. Did you find the offered treasure?"

"I only sought what was important to me. The prize of ambrosia wasn't of interest."

"You seem relieved, yet tenser than I expected. Why don't you rest a moment and consider your accomplishment?" Lysandra patted the bench beside her.

Amdirlain took the offered spot. "I thought it was going to be a lot harder. I'm still waiting for the other boot to drop."

"You were in a dying Domain, and the gaoler was dead. As it was, it cost you years away from your loved ones. That seems a hefty price to me." Lysandra spread her arms wide. "The distances in this place would have been a problem enough if you hadn't captured Aetos Kaukasios."

"Thank you for your help."

"All I did was smooth the end and gather souls that weren't your responsibility. Though there is a big problem beyond the Domain that is your doing," Lysandra projected images of armies clashing, with fighting beyond the reach of Amdirlain's forces. "Multiple factions contest most entrances. Your crystal armies are showing signs of wear and tear."

"If they were having issues, the external forces would already be inside."

"Some shattered." Lysandra cautioned.

Amdirlain smiled mysteriously. "Let's go pick up Cerberus, and I'll get more of my armies to start playing dead."

"Playing dead?"

"I provided them pre-shattered crystals to release at intervals during any staged retreat."

Lysandra groaned in understanding. "To trick your opponents with false signs that they were making progress. You had me worried about how long they'd last. What did you do with the maze's guardian?"

"I sent it outside the Domain."

"Yes, and it's presently swatting demons far more effectively than I expected," said Lysandra.

"I wrapped it in some temporary enchantments composed of the Celestial energy from the wards." Amdirlain stood. "Let's get going. It's time to end this place."

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