"Not bad, you'll eventually be able to do the same with your other sense and that will make the finding part easier, but you really should rest."

"No, there's one more thing I want to learn."

"Which is?"

"I want to learn how to use laws properly."

"That is a difficult thing to teach since the laws are relative to every user."

"I did it with Eckro, I just need to watch how others use them, as long as I can empathise with the activation and usage I'll learn."

"I see, do you have any understanding of the law of Death?"

"No I don't."

"Well, then, I think you are underestimating the impact that particular law has on those who know it."

Carl nodded, agreeing that it was most likely true. "Even if that is the case, I have to understand that law in particular."

"Why?" Nergal asked curiously, sensing a different kind of intensity with Carl's current brand of tenacity.

"Because I have to unlock the eighth gate..." Carl blinked, unsure himself what he had just said.

Nergal grabbed him by the throat and raised him of the ground. "What the hell are you talking about! An ignorant mortal seeks an audience with the souls of the first gods? Who the hell told you about them?"

"What...Are...You...Talking...About?" Every word was a struggle to speak, but Carl forced it out as he flailed.

"What do you mean!? You are the one that mentioned the eighth gate!"

"And...You're...Shouting...About...It."

Nergal pulled a clench fist back, the arm tensing so much in preparation to attack that the pustules along its fore burst.

Carl sensed a primal hatred, as though the Nergal he knew had been replaced with a new one in an instant, he could also see that Nergal had put up a barrier to stop any interference.

"Sorry... No... Choice..." Carl focused and strangled Nergal's divinity channels with his aura infused with the law of divinity, dropping to the floor gasping as Nergal done the same. "Sorry, but divinity is as important as blood to a god... I don't know what an "eighth gate" is and I'll not mention it again."

Nergal raised his hand and Carl noticed the Lion portion of his head had become more dominant and his mouth had begun to grow out. "How did you know about it?"

"I keep telling you, I don't, never heard it said before. Maybe it's like that vision I had in Tsukuyomi's realm, I have no idea."

"Right, that "memory" you had... Maybe Ishtar mentioned it and you're misremembering it as some kind of objective... Fine, but ever make a move for it and I'll kill you regardless of ignorance."

"Fine, won't even try to learn that law."

"Good..." Nergal massaged his throat. "You don't need it anyway, that hurt a lot...I thought you were going to rip out my divinity channels."

"I don't think I could, maybe I could clamp them and force feed my own to make them explode? I'd rather not toy with it unless needed."

"Wise, it would draw unwanted attention. That is definitely enough for one day though, go rest with your women, let them ease your aches and pains."

Carl squirmed uncomfortably. "That's crossing a line, they aren't my servants."

"Why force yourself to think they wouldn't enjoy your asking?"

"Because it's their day, I don't want to interrupt..."

Nergal laughed as though the recent drama had never happened, then made a reminiscent mention of youth and then waved as he portaled back to his own realm.

Carl then went back to the house and found that everyone else had left to get back to their duties and made his way upstairs to rest as Nergal suggested before stopping and choosing the bath instead.

He slipped into the water and felt the weight of the tension in his body melt away and he remained there until he started to nod off.

Returning to the room half-asleep, he fell onto the bed like a steel weight, so heavy he didn't even bounce and dragged himself to the middle where he fell asleep properly.

When he awoke, he was sandwiched between Klaire and Kyubi. "Sorry, what time is it?"

"Not late, but everyone has already eaten." Klaire said from his right shoulder.

"We saved you some for when you woke up." Kyubi added from his left.

"Love you two... Lots." Carl murmured before trying to sit up and failing as his body rebelled. "Damn I overdid it training."

"The others mentioned you trained with Nergal, how did it go?" Klaire whispered between kissing his neck.

"Great, I need to thank him for it, but it ended on a weird note and he left suddenly."

"I wouldn't worry, Nergal has always come and gone as he pleased. By the way, Tiamutael mentioned you finally learned farsight... Next time Klaire and I are away, feel free to peek."

"Agreed, I wouldn't mind either, we were both wishing you were there the whole time."

"Please, no, don't want to hear it."

Kyubi looked down and purred. "Seems a part of you does..."

"Seriously... No more divinity to go, you two are acting like stim addicts."

"What? No... You're just really tasty."

"Okay... Then stay there for a moment and don't try to drink this." Carl got himself off the bed and cut his palm, letting the divinity saturated blood pool. "The real question is... Klaire I get, but what's gotten into you Kyubi?"

Kyubi stood and kissed him several times holding him closely to feel him against her. "I'm sorry, but hearing you say you love me just has me all hot and bothered."

"Okay I get it, but I said I need some time as well."

"Well you can have some time... I'm sure we could stretch it out for good while between the three of us."

"Okay Carl! I get it..." Klaire's outburst and distressed tone snapped Kyubi out of it and she and Carl focused on her as her pin point pupils were fixed on Carl's palm.

"Klaire?"

"He was right, I'm not sure how long I can resist... What do I do?"

"Simple, we dry you out then we drip feed you the bare minimum to keep a measure of it. I'll also use a much lower infusion, it will taste worse probably, but I think that's necessary.

Klaire nodded her head and Kyubi sat down next to and wrapped an arm over her. "Don't worry, it's a new part of yourself and will take some figuring out, sorry I got carried away with it too."

"Kyubi, as for you, not buying it... Don't get me wrong, I'm sure you're ecstatic, but this lack of restraint isn't like you."

"It must be... It's not like there's anything that could cause it... You taste great, but you aren't an aphrodisiac, I've actually been feeling this way since you showed me Archyon, those beautiful illusory moons just left me feeling a little amorous."

"Illusory? No, they're real..."

Kyubi stared at him slowly turning red. "Ah, well in that case. Carl, I need you to go and change that. Since my kind were favoured by Tsukuyomi, we are very affected by the moon and four full ones is likely putting me into heat."

"So the moon makes you..."

"Yes."

"Oh no, I'm so sorry."

"No, it's fine, I do want you the moons will just magnify the intensity. You go and change the moons to illusory ones tomorrow, tonight you can learn your lesson..."

The next day, Carl was on Archyon fixing the moons when Gillian appeared. "Hey man, how did it go with Nergal yesterday?"

"Good, learned a lot."

"Not what I meant dude, how are you feeling?"

"Err, look don't take this the wrong way, but those two made it hard to dwell on things. Klaire's new hunger for divinity and Kyubi's joining us."

"Yeah I bet, it's hard enough staying level headed when I only have Scylla and work to juggle. I mean this with all sincerity, I love this faction we're making, but we need some time to settle."

"Agreed, but I can only spend a week on Haven at a time. So I will at least have to go on some expeditions or one of the other worlds."

"What do you mean? You got the safe place taking Margo on didn't you..."

Carl stared into the middle distance for a while. "Yes, but it didn't go quite to plan, I couldn't make a permanent refuge for myself, so I just gave everyone else what I couldn't give myself."

"What the fuck!? Carl! Are you saying we've literally been sat on the bench so you could play the game yourself?"

"I guess... The game doesn't just affect us, it affects everything. I can't just abandon the other races, the rest of the humans or even those twisted into villains."

"Damn man, please tell me your family know."

"It wouldn't change anything if they did, you guys and them are always there for me anyway, the illusion is just for those that aren't."

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