Nine
Feliogustus' Temple, Hiland
I'd gotten home a few months ago and done the usual things, spending time with Rachel, Darlene, Laria, and with Nara, as well.
I'd ridden around to some of Rachel's kingdom on Tom Junior, to remind people I was still very much a part of the kingdom, and sorted a few minor issues here and there for both Fel and Rachel.
I'd taken Baron on some of those rides so he could be seen by his future subjects.
I'd even spent a few days with the Mowoks and checked up on Diament, who was doing extremely well, and was the happiest I think I'd ever seen him.
It was definitely settling into a period of peace and, hopefully, prosperity for the next few decades.
Time would tell, I guess.
It was late, and I'd walked down to the temple to visit with Fel. We hadn't really sat around and just had a chat since before I'd gone to Rossiya.
"I guess it's nice to know that the two of you still mean something to each other," I said after going into one of the side chapels in the back of the temple where no one would bother me.
"I'm surprised you're not trying to tease me about it, William."
I laughed. "Honestly, the more I thought about it, the more it made me feel good. I mean, on the one hand, maybe I feel a little sad that the two of you were forced apart—I just hate things like that—but on the other, none of us would be here today if it hadn't happened, right?"
"Insightful. And yes, you are correct, William. It was significant for both of us and had a lot to do with where we are now. That we were able to reconnect, in a manner of speaking, has been quite pleasing for us both."
"The thing about bringing one of her kids back here to live? That surprised me."
"Well, as you're going to be the father, it won't be that big of a deal, and of course, you can bring Tia here to visit."
"Well, I'm definitely going to visit her more now that I can just gate there. Can I gate to your temple on Lassen yet?"
"Not quite yet, but soon I think you'll be able to."
"Will I be able to take anyone through with me?"
"Yes, actually. You can also gate to my temple on Juntura, which is still currently set up in Nue's church."
"Dani's temple in Suffolk?"
"Not yet, however—" Fel paused to give a soft laugh "—if you want to gate into Elavan's temple, I suspect you'll have no problems at all, other than, say, Dianysyllian throwing herself at you."
I had to chuckle at that. "One of these days, but not yet. What about the shrine I built for Solenne?"
"One day, I am sure you'll be able to, but not yet. Probably not for a good many years."
"Vikoria's?"
"For that, you'll have to talk to one of her priestesses, William, as Ulhn suggested.
You could always just try it and see what happens, of course.
The ones on Rossiya, likely, but do you actually know where they are?
You've never set foot in one, so you'd have no idea where you would show up.
The church on Savoy, however—sooner or later, I believe you'll get that, possibly sooner. "
"Stepheen's?"
"Easily."
"Already?" I asked, surprised.
"It got easier because you got Ulhn's in Rossiya."
"What about here?"
"Any church or temple that belongs to me, Fordessa, Roden, Tonoponah, or Selentia, yes."
"I'm definitely going to go see Evean in a few days."
"Worried she might come here first?" Fel asked with a chuckle.
"No, I miss her. I haven't seen her in months, many months, and while I'm not sure how much that bothers her, it definitely bothers me. I also need to visit Suzona soon, so she knows I care, as well. Oh, will I ever be able to gate into any of Aryanna's places?"
"Possibly Riverhead. You've done a lot there, and every time you go back, people will notice that you're not getting any older. The rumor's already started that Suzona had your child, that Stephanie had your child, and of course that Nikki is your sister."
"And that's enough?"
"It just has to be enough for a myth to hang on to now that you're actually a mythic. Oh, you can also go to the temple on Syzkilmyr."
I nodded as a sudden thought popped up. "That reminds me, you were actually alive when the third ring connected to the second?"
"Yes."
"How does that even happen?"
"Some of it you might understand; however, I'm not going to waste your time trying to explain it, because the rest is truly beyond your comprehension. What it comes down to is the size of this overall segment of the infinite, and the number of worlds and arms that branch off our particular core."
"Does that mean one day there'll be a fourth ring?"
"It's possible, but there's no way to predict it. Not even for a god."
"Would the world I went to via Syzkilmyr be in the fourth ring?"
"Most definitely."
"So what happens when the connection takes place?"
"The rule sets of all the new worlds gain the Seven World rules of their connection point. Which isn't to say that they'll have all of the rules of the Seven Worlds, but they will have most."
"If it were to happen, how long would it take before people discovered the new ring?"
"Anywhere from a day to a century. The new portals could be anywhere in the sky, and that's the only indication of a change.
Unless a portal jumper from the Seven Worlds is there when it takes place, of course.
If they were, say, a catfolk on a human world when the link took place, they would suddenly find themselves as a catfolk. "
"Is that what happened to you?"
"Yes."
"That must have sucked."
"It was difficult, but once I understood what it meant, that meant I had an advantage for several years. If it ever does happen again, I'm sure it won't be for thousands of years, many thousands of years."
"Not something I need to worry about, then," I said, shaking my head.
"I think for now, I'll just stick to my plan to try to do something helpful for at least one of your allies every year after my and Rachel's visit.
If I can gate to The Ulhness' temple, Stepheen's temple, and Roden's temple now, that'll allow me to easily visit folks who are important to me and whom I was looking at having to take long trips to see.
Kani and Tira are now the only real long trip—well, that and Suffolk. "
I sighed a little wistfully and shook my head. "I think I need to stop getting girlfriends and making children all over creation."
"Yes, you should be making more of them here at home!" Fel teased.
"Not helping!" I said, feeling a little embarrassed. "But—" I shook my head again "—you're right. I think there will come a time when I'm going to need someone here to help me remember that this is my home, that this is where I really belong."
"Don't worry about the future, William. I will be here to help you when you need it."
"Thanks, Fel. Still… I mean, I get that I'm the big, tough, powerful champion, so of course they're all interested in me. You'd think I'd be used to it by now, or that they wouldn't push so hard, because champions have a history of walking away and not coming back."
"It's only difficult for you, William, because you do care. Because you try to visit. Most of the women you're involved with now know you'll visit and that you care, which is why they're interested. Tia and her people have access to champions all day long, but you were, and are, the one they want.
"Look at Lillis; it's in her nature to want a big, strong male to father her children, because as a priestess of Vikoria the Bountiful, it's her duty to have them."
"It is?" I asked, a little surprised, then immediately realized that was probably a stupid question. Vikoria was about bountiful farms and ranches. Breeding was something I'm sure her priestesses understood innately, right along with planting and harvesting crops.
Fel laughed. "Yes, and for all the reasons you just realized.
However, you came and helped when you had no duty to do so.
So while getting a male like you to father her child was something of a reward for her, she also wanted to reward you by giving you said child because Vikoria told her that you care about your children and their mothers. "
"I'm surprised I wasn't ambushed when I stayed at her temple in Fayette, then."
"Vikoria understands that for you, that would have been pushing it.
Though if you'd gone looking, you would not have been turned down.
Solenne, of course, wanted to thank you the best way she knew how, because she knows you saved the others because of their children.
She knows you value them, so what better thanks could there be than to give her savior something he values enough to die for? "
I thought about that and had to admit, Fel was right. I did enjoy having children because I enjoyed seeing them and watching them grow, and because I enjoyed the bond with their mothers that comes from being a father.
"As long as you continue to be discerning in whom you give your children to, that joy will continue for you, William."
I nodded to that. There wasn't much I could say.
"Aryanna does have a task for you that I've agreed to."
"Oh? When do I need to depart?"
"Anytime in the next couple of weeks."
"Can I bring anyone along?"
"Yes, but no one who isn't a champion, as there is a strong chance of death."
"Oh, one of those." I sighed.
"It could be."
"Well, I think I'll let Rachel and Darlene know I'll be gone for a while. If it's okay, I'd like to see Evean tomorrow before I go?"
"That would be fine, William."
"Thanks. Night, Fel."
"Sleep well, William."
#
"Will!" I was tackled by Evean the moment I showed up at Roden's. I guess he'd warned her I was coming.
I spent the next minute kissing her, and being kissed, and I noticed she was very much naked. While that wasn't a big deal, as we were both covered in fur, she was starting to make her intentions known.
"Umm, should we go someplace else first?" I asked, looking around.
"Nah, this is a private side room, and Roden's okay with it," Evean said.