45. Kyzen
Kyzen
Fifteen years later
I step back, studying the room one last time.
Satisfied.
The oversized three-sided couch dominates the center of the living space, exactly as Thayla described it years ago. I’d questioned whether it needed to be quite so large.
Then I remembered our family.
Large suddenly didn’t seem large enough.
The fireplace crackles softly, its flame dancing beneath the chimney without producing so much as a hint of heat.
Ambiance, she called it.
The black and gray stone stretches toward the ceiling, contrasting against the deep green walls exactly as she envisioned. Across the mantel, I make one final adjustment to a cluster of Angel Aura Amethysts before my gaze settles on the wings resting proudly in the center.
The way she described what she created all those years ago when she stepped into the Gods Veil was a pair of white wings fading into purple.
Now, I have five pairs positioned in the center, painted to match each of our sets.
Riven was furious when I asked him to sculpt these for me, but I wouldn’t tell him why and made him swear not to tell Thayla.
Turning slowly, my eyes travel over the towering bookshelves lining the back wall. Every shelf is full now. Amick’s going to love it.
The ladder slides smoothly beneath my hand as I test it one final time. I can already picture Riven pretending it’s a toy while Thayla threatens to throw him off. A small smile finds me.
Some things never change.
The breeze catches the pale curtains, carrying with it the scent of pine and mountain air.
Crossing the room, I pull the fabric aside. The view steals my attention all over again.
Rolling forests stretch farther than the eye can follow, broken only by the towering mountain peaks beyond. A nearby stream murmurs over stone, the sound blending effortlessly with the whisper of the wind.
Peace.
True peace.
Stepping onto the porch, I rest my hands against the railing before glancing toward the wooden swing big enough to fit the five of us.
That spot is going to be her favorite.
That’s where we’ll watch sunrises, sunsets, storms, and so much more.
That’s where we’re simply going to…exist.
Years ago, after the excitement of walking all the regions through the Veil, Thayla shared with us what appeared for her and Derivius in the Veil on her Veiling Day. It was her dream home.
I memorized every single detail she shared, and I have spent years bringing it to life. I collected trinkets, picked out decorations, furniture, paint, everything, but for the life of me, I couldn’t figure out how I was going to build a house in the mountains.
The Plentifuls we have are incredibly skilled, but none of them would’ve been able to pull this off.
I asked Val for help, seeing as he and Anaylah have a house in the mountains similar to what Thayla wanted, but he regretfully told me that an Elementrian, an old man, had helped them years ago.
Before the portal to Elementra even closed.
Well, lucky for me, with a little time and patience, a surprise trip to Elementra led us to an earth elemental and you’re damn right I asked him for his assistance. Tillman was all too willing to help.
I got him to clear some of the land, create a hot spring for us, and build the house, but other than that, everything else was me.
My gift to my wife and my brothers.
It’s time we move out of the Godsdawn.
Lambrit and Rose were the first two to move out and into the heart of Godsden, right next door to Laney.
They’re about three houses down from the Akovas.
Yemi and her Valtrue moved out about two years ago.
It literally broke Thayla’s heart, but Yemi reassured her she was just a starshoot away.
They live on the edge of the cliff, overlooking the Lost Sea.
Alamar, God of the Sea, and Evani, Goddess of Nature, are incredibly close to them.
The view is stunning, really.
Not as gorgeous as ours, but…I may be biased.
Mara, Gladian, Barir, Vullie, and Prath moved into Obsidian’s old house. It belonged to Prath anyway, and instead of letting it keep collecting dust, they decided to redo the entire thing.
They like being secluded out in the forest.
Havar and his Starwoven, Seraphine, live in the Meadorium now that he’s the Lead Meadow hand. A position he says he’ll never give up. The Veilatara aren’t required to live there, of course, but it’s where they like to be when they aren’t traveling the realm.
As for us…
We held on to our little house the longest.
It’s hard saying goodbye to where we, my brothers and I, have lived since we were fifteen, and to Thayla, that house was the start of us.
They still don’t know we’re moving, but I think they’ll love our home.
Everything’s come so far, and so much is different now. It’s strange how much can change in twenty years. Some things, especially after the first Veiling had come quickly. Others had taken every ounce of patience we possessed.
The completion of the renovated imitation rooms had been among the first. Iric and Prath threw their all into making them something so much more. When they approached Mayaline, the Goddess of Illusion, for help, she kindly declined.
Well, the Gods Binding took that as her unworthiness.
Much of her power was stripped away and bestowed upon someone who understood that illusion was meant to comfort, create, and inspire—not deceive.
Amick officially took a Chancellor’s role shortly after our wedding. He chose to continue guiding the Attendants. Although I still, to this day, don’t think he wants to be a Chancellor but is preparing himself for the inevitable to come.
The other Chancellors were promptly let go, and new ones rose in their places. We attempted to talk one of the goddesses into taking one of the roles. They shut us down. Thayla, Yemi, Rose, and Mara all enjoy being able to do different things and switch roles between the lot of us.
We also asked Doren if he’d like that role. He kindly declined, stating he enjoyed helping Anylah in her role. As well as discovering anything else Amick asks him to find.
Gladian is the Chancellor for the Defenders. He still spends every day in the Court as well, but his training methods have changed substantially.
Barir is the Chancellor for the Rulers. Treachery reveals disloyalty, corruption, deceit, hidden agendas, and broken oaths. He’s been the perfect person to be in that position to know if someone’s abusing their authority.
Iric is the Chancellor for the Healers. His power of Solace has done incredible things for not only the gods of Godsden and the realm, but those who find redemption and leave Hell.
Nero is the Chancellor for the Guiders. It’s because of him we learned quickly that the reason a lot of Mediators don’t do well in the role is because it never should’ve been under those with a Ruler Designation. It was always meant to be a Guider.
Riven…
I shake my head with a quiet laugh. If someone had told me years ago that Riven would willingly accept a position as Plentiful Chancellor, I’d have questioned their sanity.
Yet somehow, he’s literally perfect at his role. His endless energy, once devoted almost entirely to creating chaos, has found purpose in helping the realm flourish.
Granted…he still causes plenty of chaos.
Just significantly more organized chaos.
Well, except for when he and Vullie feel a little adventurous.
Hells changed just as much, if not more, than anywhere else.
Creed’s rebuilt it from the ground up. Not its stone, but its purpose.
True judgment has replaced vengeance. Understanding has replaced cruelty where it could.
Redemption is granted to those who deserve it.
The undead Veilatara that were trapped there have been properly laid to rest by Verlet and his herd.
For a place no one ever wished to visit, it’s become exactly what it was always meant to be.
Valveilious remains standing. We really had to put our feet down with the Domain Gods and families that lived there, even after the whole Attendants debacle. Really, Thayla told them to fix their fucking superiority complexes or she’d fix it for them.
That message got through to them.
My own responsibilities…those have proven less predictable.
Once—only once—my curiosity outweighed wisdom.
Despite the Gods Binding’s warning, I’d allowed myself a glimpse beyond the present. What I witnessed…
No.
Even now, I can’t explain it. Won’t explain it. Some futures were never meant to be observed before their time.
I closed that door the moment I returned and I have no intention of opening it again until it’s time.
“Kyzen, you have done remarkably well. V, look at this. Is this for us?” Lestari asks as she flies to the miniature house I put on the porch.
I was actually able to build that on my own.
“It is. How did you know?”
“Silly god.”
I smile at the sassy Vedarya. These two are the only two who know about this place yet. Mostly because they’re nosy as fuck and kept following me when I snuck away.
“It truly is wonderful, Kyzen. There’s so much space for us, Seismet, and Verlet. Oh, this is going to be lovely.”
“How about my brothers and Thayla?” I ask, arching a brow at them. “You think the people I built it for are going to love it?”
“Oh yes, yes, of course. They’ll love it as well.”
I push away from the railing, running my fingers down their wings.
V never did get all his memories back, which we knew would happen after the Gods Binding’s explanation of the difference in the damage our souls took. We accepted that then, and we’ve had more years together with who V’s become than who he was before.
Every moment has been amazing.
Thayla believes that as long as we keep the realm balanced, they won’t receive Callings and therefore won’t leave us. I told her if they had to, we couldn’t get upset. That was their purpose.
V corrected me and said that was what the Valories expected of them, and they don’t take demands from the Valories anymore.
That conversation led into Riven pestering them about having little Vedarya babies. Which led to Lestari sassing off about how she’ll have hatchlings when she pleases and not a moment before.
We really thought all those years ago that’s what was happening, but turns out…they were really just bonding.
I shiver. I don’t want to think about that.
“I’ll be back in just a moment, you two. Time to bring my Valtrue home.”
They send me off with hoots as my power wraps around me. A smile curls my lips as I hear them bickering in the living room already.
“Oh, thank fuck. Could you please come mediate this shit?” Thayla asks, throwing her hands up at my brothers.
“What’s wrong?”
“They’re literally arguing over dinner and I just can’t.”
My little goddess attempts to stomp past me, but I latch onto her forearm and pull her into me. Her lips meet mine and we melt into each other.
“I’ll handle it,” I whisper against her grinning lips.
I step back from her and pull four blindfolds out of my back pocket.
“Everyone put one of these on.” They all just stare at me. I huff. “Come on, guys. I have a surprise.”
“I hate surprises,” Creed grunts and I roll my eyes.
“You won’t hate this one. Please,” I say again, shaking the blindfolds at them.
Thayla takes hers slow, raising her brow at me. I wink at her.
“Okay, everyone ready?”
“I suppose,” Amick mumbles.
I shake my head at all of them and their sudden apprehension. I don’t waste a second wrapping my power around them before anyone finds anything else to say.
My starshoot carries us to our open backyard and I situate us where we’re looking out over the mountains.
“Okay, take them off.”
All four of them do, and a gasp rips from Thayla’s mouth.
“Oh my gods,” she breathes, stepping forward. “Look at this view.”
“Turn around,” I mumble.
She whirls around so fast her hair whips her in the face.
She staggers back a step and lays her hand to her chest.
“Kyzen…what is this place?” Amick asks.
A bright smile crosses my face as I squeeze his shoulder.
“This is home.”
The four of them bombard me with questions, but I shoo them off, ordering them to go check it out for themselves. They disappear into the house one by one until only their laughter echoes in my ears.
I step in behind them and shut the door.
At long last, this empty house I’ve worked on for years finally sounds like home.