Meanwhile...

"It's done. I uploaded the exploit" Alex said exhausted. Alicia stood in the living room sipping morning tea. "So, I can use it right now?" she asked. "It's best to let it saturate the server for a few hours for download and install. Hand me your phone and I'll upload the switch to kick the exploit in" he replied. Her phone beeped. Alicia looked at her phone. "We don't have hours. Morrigan made her move. How long would it take to be on 100 million phones?" she asked. "Another hour" he replied. Alicia typed out a text and sent it before handing her phone to him. He installed the switch program as a simple app and handed it back to her. "Go home Alex" she muttered pocketing her phone. She placed her cup down and made a portal before stepping through it. "Aly?" she asked entering the apartment. "Here" Aly replied visibly exhausted eating a giant date on the coffee table. "Please tell me you're done" Alicia asked. "You look extremely worried" Aly said. "My daughter just sent word Morrigan has appeared in Yorkshire and is about to fight her. Without that gem, her own powers could kill her" Alicia replied. "I was on the last arcane lock before I took a break for lunch" she said putting the date down and making her way to the ring. Aly sat down again and began her work. Alicia watched as the tiny woman brought out the arcane as a ball of magics and writings. "That's what it looks like? I don't know where it begins or ends" Alicia said. "It was 9 times as worse when I began" Aly said touching and prodding loops of arcane writing. Minutes passed. Alicia leaned in closer and closer. "Making progress?" Alicia asked nervously. "Fuck!" Aly yelled as she pulled on the wrong arcane startled. The ball of magic flashed red before she quickly put it back into place. "By Allah. Alicia I get we're rushed but back off. I damn near killed us both just now with your hovering over me" she snapped. Alicia scooted back. Aly pulled an arcane Arabic script off like one peeling an orange. No red this time. "I promise you I'm working as fast as possible" she said.

In Yorkshire...

"Why have you come here Morrigan?" Oberon asked in soul form hovering outside Keith's body. "Oberon. It has been some time since we last met. Right around this boy's fated death if I recall" she said. "Aye but that does not answer my question. Why have you come?" he asked. "I have come for her. Maybe you have not heard but there's been a... change in management of Earth. New standing policy is you either get with the program...or meet your end" she said. "What happened to the fair woman who only took life when it was their time? Sacrifices Morrigan? You were above that" Oberon said. Morrigan tapped the prime barrier protecting the mansion and city. She rubbed her singed finger. "Times's change. It is no longer the salad days of Druids and celts. I am only spoken of in lore and Samhain. In time, I will fade away like the others. This is a matter of survival and the Etherion child can be either a potent ally or enemy" she replied. "So, this is about me. Well, I can tell you up front to kick rocks. I'll never help you" Hope spat. Keith summoned his sword. "You heard my daughter. Get the fuck off my property before we smite your ass" Keith said. Susan walked up behind them. They all stood on the porch just behind the barrier facing her down. "That is unfortunate. I wanted is to be civil, but I was asking too much. Brennan take the girl. Boudicca eliminate the man" Morrigan commanded.

They both stepped forward. They touched her barrier and struggled. Hope stood there grinning until they forced their way through. "Oh shit" Selah muttered. "How..." Hope muttered as Brennan reached for her. With a flash of speed, Keith cut off his right hand and delivered a swift kick sending him flying through the barrier and into the lawn. "Not so tough" he said until he saw the shade stand right back up and grow a new hand. "DAD!" Hope yelled as Boudicca smashed right for his neck and she caught it with force magics. "I can't hold her!" Hope yelled as Boudicca forced the blade closer to his throat. "Your magics won't fully work on them! This is gonna suck..." Selah said summoning her artifact. She pressed her hand on it. Selah pushed down feeling a pinch as it recognized her DNA and magics. "HERO DRIVER ON!" it yelled. "Be As Gods" she muttered engaging her transformation. They were dazzled as rune writings danced and swirled around her a band of light started from her feet and traveled up her body transforming her along the way. "Brynhild the silver Valkyrie rises. Presented by Sony" I t said once the transformation was done. "Pretty but pointless" Boudicca smirked. Morrigan didn't find it all funny. She could sense a change within her. "Symbology. Boudicca fall back!" she shouted. Boudicca fell back outside. "Selah? Is that you?" Hope asked looking at the visibly older, more powerful confidant version of her friend. "Yes and no. I am Selah, but I am also Brynhildr a warrior who hungers for battle" she replied. Keith, Hope, and Susan were stunned by her. "Your barrier would only delay them. We must defeat her shades and take the fight to her on your lawn" she said. "You don't give orders..."

"Little borrower, I have literally hundreds of years more experience than you. Do not let my vessel fool you into thinking you are senior. Your weak magics would be like a bee sting to them. Even Hope's magics would only stave them for so long. They cannot be destroyed by standard magical means. Symbology or divine magics can only do that. Keith, assist me in fighting those two. Hope, create the strongest barrier you possibly can. Susan...you hold faith in your Christian God. Pray and use light magics" Selah said in an odd tone as she stepped through the barrier. Keith followed suit. "Is Morrigan just going to stand there?" he asked. "She will just observe who big a threat we are. Once she has taken measure of us...she will attack" she replied. "Enough of this prattle. Do as I command!" Morrigan yelled. Boudicca and Brennan charged them. Keith swung Rune Breaker as Brennan parried. The two swords clashed as magics repulsed magics. "What?" Keith muttered. Distracted, Brennan uppercut him with his elbow splitting his lip and knocking him on his ass. "Rune Breaker didn't work?" Keith wondered. Brennan held out his hand and a dark force began to strangle Keith. Keith slashed it cutting it. "It does but his body is made magical force so pure it would take many strikes to dispel it" Oberon said.

Keith stood back up, reached into his pocket, and made a fist after pulling it out. His body glows intensely for a moment before he opened his fist letting a dozen small paper arcanes fall from it. Keith slashed him at dizzying speed repulsing Brennan. The cut was only half damage, but it did not reform. "A challenge" the shade grinned. Susan backed Keith up when she found an opening. Praying to God as she fired off arcane light magic. It barely did anything, but it did cause the shade to lose balance for a split second. Selah fought Boudicca hard and fast rattling the countryside with thunder. Hope focused her power overlaying barrier after barrier of all kinds and types she could think of. Light, lightning, wind, flame, even gravity. Etherion itself was almost limitless in its varied use and the girl had a vivid imagination. Her knees buckled as the mental strain began to take hold. Overlaying a new barrier each second was daunting. Worse yet, the shades began to gain ground. "Your death is seconds away boy. Your muscles burn from exertion. Your lungs struggling to take in air. Your heart pounding out of your chest. I can even hear your bones creak. As I am unliving, my stamina is LIMITLESS" Brennan mocked as they parried swords. "The stench of your breath is limitless too it seems. What's the last time you brushed your teeth, the Dark Ages? Seriously, I'm thinking of throwing the fight it's so bad" Keith chuckled.

Brennan growled in anger and slammed all his weight down driving Keith to his knees. Selah saw the shade slide his left hand down the hilt of his sword. Brynhildr within her told Selah that it meant that Brennan planned to shove the base of the sword down making the tip arc up. With the weight shifted, Brennan could easily stab Keith right through the underside of his chin killing him. "NO!" Selah yelled leaping to attack him. Brennan was caught completely off guard by his own tactic and with a clap of thunder and lightning decapitated him. Brennan was no more but this was no cause for celebration. His dark energy was reabsorbed by Morrigan. Keith could barely hold his sword. His hands shook with weakness. The pain in his ears from the point-blank thunder was agony for his borrower hearing. Selah was barely better shape. The fight has drained her. "Susan. Bring them back" Hope struggled to say. Susan rushed out, grabbed them both and rushed back in. "Hope!" Susan yelled as the exhausted girl reverted to her borrower size and fell. Susan caught her before she hit the floor. "Still got Morrigan and her" Keith muttered. Boudicca went to grab them and touched the barrier. This time it caused significant damage repulsing her. Boudicca had to reform her hand. "It will hold for now" Hope groaned. "I've never seen a barrier so complex. What did you do?" Oberon asked. "Every form of magic, elemental and non-elemental I could possibly think of and overlayed it 1000 times" she replied. "By the gods child that must've been staggering" Oberon muttered. "HERO DRIVER POWER DOWN" it said after Selah disengaged it. Selah fell forward and Keith caught her. "Not as bad as last time but woof..." Selah chuckled. "Now I fully understand why Alicia wanted that gem. Your artifact draws on your very life energy" he said. Selah weakly nodded.

"Uh guys..." Susan said looking out the open door. Morrigan was growing. In second, they could no longer see her face and only her legs. Then her ankles. Then her pale bare foot. They looked outside and up. "Well damn" Keith muttered seeing the giantess towering over the mansion and city. "She has to be 300 ft tall Keith. Hope, can your barrier withstand her foot slamming on it?" Susan asked. "That's not what she plans to do" Hope said sensing dark magics being focused into a point. "You can't keep me out! I'll kill you Acornwood and your fucking daughter!" Morrigan yelled as she condensed her magics at the point of Gaé Bulg. "She knows my last name. She really is the goddess of death" Keith muttered. "Keith. Her weapon. She kept it hidden until now, but I can see it. It's the genuine Gaé Bulg" Oberon said. "Wait. I thought that was the name of that ice spell" Keith said. "It's named after it for its ability to hit its target no matter what. But there is a real weapon by the name. My god she unsealed the damn thing" he said. "On a scale of 1 to fucked...how bad is it?" Keith asked. "Proper fucked in the ass with no lube. It's more than just a powerful magical weapon. It's a lens, an amplifier for magics. I've heard stories of this thing cleaving the souls of valiant sword saints in twain" Oberon replied.

Morrigan's gigantic feet sank even deeper into the soft dirt as the sheer amount of magic she gathered pushed down on her. Then, she pointed the tip of the lance at the mansion below her and fired. The entire mansion shook violently. Plates and glasses crashed to the floor. Cracks appeared in the walls. The very foundation groaned. Faintly, Susan could hear the screams of thousands of borrowers as their city shook. Then...it stopped. "Unbelievable" the goddess spat seeing the barrier intact. "Holy shit we're alive" Keith muttered. "My barrier is weakened. Dad I can't reinforce it" Hop said softly. Minutes passed and Morrigan struck again. Same effect. "I do hope some of you survive. It's been a very long time since I actually killed anyone" Boudicca said standing very close to the barrier's edge. "What beguiles you Boudicca? The Boudicca told in story never bowed before tyrants. She fought tooth and nail against those that would oppress the innocent" Oberon said manifesting himself. "As my mistress said, things change. She has promised me true life" she replied.

"That was the price for your honor?" he asked. "You know nothing! The unrelenting agony of missing the simple things of life!" she yelled. Morrigan fired again shaking everything. "FOOL! Look upon me! I am a spirit! I too miss the pleasures of life. Eating, drinking, sleeping, fucking. Even the feeling of taking a shit I miss. I had lived for over 4,000 years. Do you not think my sorrow is not worse than yours?!" he yelled. Boudicca did not answer. "Look up at your mistress and tell me with certainty you do not see the spark of madness in her eyes" he said. Boudicca turned around and looked up, way up and with Morrigan's head angled downward, she could see her eyes. What she saw made the ancient soul gasp. Morrigan's eyes had gone completely black. A black void darker than the night above them. "I... I cannot falter..." she muttered. "...Hope. Open a breech in your barrier high enough for her to walk through" Oberon said softly. "What? Are you crazy?" Hope asked. "Do it" he said. Reluctantly, she did, and Oberon motioned for her to step through. "You were a fool to let me through" Boudicca said brandishing her sword. 

"Can you hear them woman?" Oberon asked. "Who?" she asked. "If you spare us for just a moment I will show you" he said. He ushered her to the sunroom and out right at the beginning of the city. Those brave enough saw out their windows, a woman from ancient times radiating dark magic. Her giant sandaled feet scant few feet away from homes filled with cowering borrowers. "What you see..." he said before everything was shaken by another blast by Morrigan. "What you see before you are more than 25,000 people fearing for their lives. Yes, that many for they are no bigger than your index finger. And even though they are small, they hope, dream, love, and live life to the fullest like everyone else. Now listen with your heart and tell me what you hear" he said. Boudicca thought it all a trick as during her time no beings were the size of her finger other than the nearly mythical and respected faé of story and song. Being a shade granted her certain gifts, one of which was ethereal sight like clairvoyance magics. As she listened with her heart, she could see with her soul. Children crying and hugging their parents tightly. Men and women comforting each other as their homes shook violently. Boudicca had heard and seen such things before long ago when the Romans came to her lands. The cries echoed like the cries of her daughters who were raped by Roman soldiers. "They are innocent of all this. And yet your mistress would blow them to smithereens" he said. Boudicca looked up and could see Morrigan through the dome glass standing over them like doom incarnate.

She abruptly went back inside as another blast weakened the barrier. "Dad. It's going to fail. I'm sorry" Hope whimpered. "You can do something about this!"' Oberon yelled at Boudicca. "You're wasting your breath spooky elf guy. She's a shade. They can't go against their masters" Selah said. "Some souls are stronger than others. I'm betting the woman, the mother who put London itself to the torch to kill owe who raped her children is made of stronger stuff than other folk. Or maybe I'm wrong..." Oberon said. "Open your barrier again" Boudicca commanded gripping her sword. Hope did and Boudicca charged through. Morrigan was so focused on her attacks she had not noticed Boudicca's departure or return. 

At the same time...

"It's done" Aly sighed as she pulled the gem almost her size off. Alicia quickly snatched it up. "...thanks" she muttered. "Yeah, anytime" Aly huffed collapsing on the coffee table. Alicia tried making a portal. "Oh shit. Something is blocking me. Something happened" she muttered. "Then I pray to Allah you're not too late" Aly said. Alicia made a portal as close to the mansion as possible and ran through. Out she appeared looking dead at the giant feet of Morrigan. It was clear they had run out of time. "The mansion is still intact. The fight isn't over" she huffed as she ran. She readied herself to fight such a colossal giantess and hoped at the same time she has to. She needed all her strength to do what was coming. Just as she got closer, a figure raced towards Morrigan's left barefoot and leaped into the air. Boudicca came down with her sword embedding it in the top of Morrigan's foot. Morrigan howled in pain as Boudicca rocked her blade back and forth causing flutists of blood to squirt all over her. Then, she yanked her sword out as one would pull a stuck axe of out a tree stump she hopped down and with all her might severed Morrigan's Achilles' tendon. Morrigan fell backwards nearly crushing Alicia and fell to the ground with a tremor that could be felt for miles around. "Mom! Open the barrier!" Selah shouted seeing her. Hope did and Alicia ran in.

"Mom!" Selah yelled hugging her. "Looks like stuff happened since I was gone" Alicia said. "An understatement. Is that the thing?" she asked looking at her hand. "Yeah but I'm worried. This thing is powerful" Alicia said. "She's going to blow us up. Don't think we have much of a choice" Selah said. "No, we don't" she said handing the gem to her. "HERO DRIVER ON" it said after being summoned. Cautiously, she brought the gem closer to it and hesitated. She looked outside. "Ungrateful spawn! I should've left you in the realm of death!" Morrigan yelled seizing Boudicca in midair with invisible force as the shade tried to stab her heart. She was floated to her face. "I'll take back my power since you cannot abide loyalty" she said. "I will embrace death if it means I'm free of you" Boudicca spat. Morrigan pushed her into her mouth and unceremoniously swallowed her. A loud gulp and the woman was gone from this world once again. Selah felt humbled at Boudicca's valiantly remembering her words about her. "Fuck it" she hissed as she pressed the gem to the Hero Driver. A burst of brilliant light blinded them. Then it was gone. "EVOLUTION COMPLETE" it said. The driver had transformed from black and silver to silver and gold. Selah walked to the barrier. "Open it for the last time" she said. "Be careful. I rather not lose my newest friend" Hope said. "You won't" Selah said confidently as she pressed her hand on the device. "Be As Gods" she said engaging it.

 Like before, Selah was enveloped in bands of runic light, but the transformation seemed calmer and more focused. Once it was over, her form was shown but this time lightning crackled around her. "Deciding the fate of battle like a Valkyrie. Brynhild rises. Presented by Sony" it said. "She's different" Susan muttered. "It's all different. The gem unlocked a new level of power within her" Oberon muttered. Morrigan healed from her wounds but it was clear that even though Boudicca used her own power to wound her, she was still vulnerable to symbology. "Is there anywhere here that my voice will travel far? A theatre, a stage, anything?" Alicia asked. "We have an amphitheater. Why?" Keith asked. "I'm going to rock the world" she said pointing to his phone which was automatically updating. In fact, every phone in the region was updating. "I need ya kid" Alicia said grabbing Hope from him.

Alicia ran as fast as she could as Hope gave her directions. Holding the girl in one hand, her free one took her phone out and readied herself to engage the exploit. Morrigan stood back up and immediately took notice of Selah. She raised her bare foot and slammed it down to crush her but as she did, Selah jumped with blinding speed and punched Morrigan in the face. The punch sounded like distant thunder staggering her.  Hovering in midair, Selah willed herself to grow to Morrigan's size. Her armored feet sinking into the dirt softly. "You goddesses need to learn that bigger doesn't mean better" Selah said before slamming her with a powerful lighting strike. Morrigan flew through the air crashing on the edge of Yorkshire. "The city..."

"Can't be helped right now. We can only hope the destruction is kept at a minimum" Susan said to her. Selah sensed Gaé Bulg fly at her and she swiped it away with her sword. It was not an actual attack per se but Morrigan retrieving it. She grabbed it and got back to her feet. "You don't think you'll win do you? I am much more than the three women that ushers death on this Isle" she said. Selah readied herself. Morrigan turned into a giant 8-year-old child. "I am the first fear. The first whisper in the night." Morrigan then turned back to her young woman form. "The kindly one that men and women last see on the battlefield." Morrigan then turned into a giant aged crone. "And the one who closes the book when the last take is told." she said before reverting back to her young woman form. "All I see is a pathetic woman trying to stay relevant in a world that has no place for her. Men and women needed you in times long past to ease the fear of death. To give it all meaning in the end. To give a name to the darkness beyond the campfires. You have overstepped your bounds and brought death and misery to those whose time has not come! To those who didn't deserve it!" Selah yelled charging her. The clash between the two was as if two storms collided into one another.

Alicia stood in the middle of the amphitheater. Her bare feet taking up almost the entire stage. "Hope. I'm about to do something terrifying. I need you to help me stay grounded and to make sure I don't shrivel up like a prune. I know you're tired. I can see it in your eyes. Do as much as you can...I'm begging you to" Alicia said opening the app on her phone and pressing the exploit launcher. Around the world, cell phones opened a hidden app exploit to listen...and magically feel Alicia's song. Alicia summoned her artifact, took a deep breath, and began to sing.

"I'm so tired of being here. Suppressed by all of my childish fears. And if you have to leave, I wish that you would just leave. Cause your presence still lingers here and it won't leave me alone".

Millions around the world paused to listen to the music they heard. Alicia herself began to glow as she poured her energy into it. The glow intensified by the second getting Keith's and everyone's attention. They walked to the sunroom eager to see the light and the voice that seemed cling to it.

"These wounds won't seem to heal; this pain is just too real. There's just too much that time cannot erase. When you cried, I'd wipe away all of your tears. When you'd scream, I'd fight away all of your fears. And I held your hand through all of these years. But you still have all of me..."

"My God it's beautiful. It's so beautiful" Hope muttered looking and listening. Keith fell to his knees. "Lenore. My sister..." he wept remembering all the precious memories of her and feeling her loss as if it were yesterday. "Grandma...I want to hear her voice again so badly" Aspen cried softly. She, Claire, and the house staff took shelter in the basement. One brought a phone with them loaded with the exploit. "Mom, dad" Susan wept as she remembered very painfully her lost parents. Painfully physically as her memories of them were still sealed away. Across the world, people began remembering those they had lost. The grief made possible by her song introducing love into their hearts again. Alicia began to falter as the strain of now over 50 million people affected by her power grew. Her very body shone like a brilliant star that even Morrigan took notice. "What the hell?" she asked.

"Eyes on me" Selah said slashing her arm. Morrigan winced as the gash burned from split second lightning. Morrigan growled at the affront and charged up Gaé Bulg. "Shieldmaiden!" Selah yelled focusing her protective magics in her front and charging her. The shot was point blank with a massive explosion. Hundreds were blow clean away in Yorkshire. And hundreds more crushed as Morrigan was blown 700 ft. back and onto the town. Morrigan stood back up. Her huge feet destroying the rubble and possible survivors easily. The goddess smiled seeing Selah was worse for wear. Her armor broken. Nose bloodied. Her giant sword stuck in the ground. "Arrogant child. You honestly thought you could best me in battle? I'm not just a death goddess. I AM A WAR GODDESS TOO!" Morrigan yelled gripping Gaé Bulg. Then...something unexpected happened. Morrigan began to shrink. "No...no this isn't possible. My worshippers, my acolytes! They're not praying to me anymore! NOOOO!" she yelled as she shrank further. Selah grinned as she knew Alicia's plan was working.

"You used to captivate me by your reasoning light. Now I'm bound by the life you left behind. You face it haunts my once pleasant dreams. Your voice it chased away all the sanity in me. These wounds won't seem to heal, this pain is just too real. There's just too much that time cannot erase. When you cried, I'd wipe away all of your tears. When you'd scream, I'd fight away all of your fears. And I held your hand through all of these years. But you still have all of me..."

Alicia knew that was the most critical part. It wasn't enough to make people love again. She had to show them the horror of the things they had done. And like the poor girl in Dubai, people listening to her song with hearts heavy with sin and remorse, began to convulse. This is what Morrigan sensed. Her connection to her worshippers and acolytes broken by her song. With Morrigan burning through magics like no tomorrow, she couldn't sustain such power anymore. Alicia though was not immune to her own power. Every dirty deed, every life senselessly taken came back to her. A cute teenage girl wanting an autograph shrunk and eaten. A stagehand crushed under her foot. And then the many she murdered in the city back home. Her light faltered. Her power waned as it was burning her out. Hope floated to her and held her finger creating a magical link for her to feed off of. Selah could feel Alicia's heart waver and the courage it found to keep going. "You're brave I'll give you that. Others would be terrified of me by now" Morrigan said stabilizing her power at 170 ft. tall. "Bravery isn't the absence of fear. It's doing something even when you're afraid" Selah said holding her hand palm open behind her. Keith felt his word Rune Breaker shudder and then zip out of his hand. The sword flew right towards Selah's and merged in brilliant light. She pulled the sword out of the ground and held it.

"LIGHTNING BREAKER" her driver said as Norse runes glowed from hilt to tip on it. "That is no match for Gaé Bulg!" Morrigan yelled thrusting it. Selah went to parry it and it danced just over her sword stabbing her in the shoulder. "It will always find its mark" Morrigan chuckled. Selah jumped and swung down as her blade crackled with lightning. Morrigan smiled as raised her lance to skewer her but Selah shifted her body turning just as the lance missed. Morrigan shifted her stance at the last possible moment raising her lance to deflect her strike the blow so mighty Morrigan's arm broke. It sounded like someone splitting a massive redwood tree and then a crash as the giantess fell. Alicia meanwhile had hit her limit. Her nose was bleeding, her heart pounded. As she sang her last verse, it had reached a saturation of 102,000,456 people. Persephone noticed her power waning in Athens. Lilith felt her power weaken in New York. "Hahaha..." Faith chuckled. "You...what did you do?" Lilith asked in her penthouse. "Me? Nothing. I'm still trapped and locked away" Faith replied. Lilith looked down and then used her power to see at street level. People clutching their phones in agony. Times Square full of people on their knees weeping. Fires caused by car wrecks and forgotten cooking. It was sheer chaos beyond her control. Lilith teleported above Times Square. "Stop this! Stop this at once!" she yelled. No effect. None heeded her demands.

In her rage, she grew to 500 ft. tall and slammed her bare foot down on dozens of people affected in Timed Square. "Stop crying! Stop whimpering! STOP LOVING!" she screamed crushing people like bugs. Her rage burned so brightly she rampaged around destroying Times Square utterly. Noting left standing or alive. "Love me! You should only love me..." she gasped out of breath looking at what she had done. Her anger cost the lives of over 36,000 people.  That is until the broken battered street gave way and her giant feet crashed through the New York metro station underneath. Another 277 lives gone. "Enough. I... have...had...enough" he muttered teleporting to the White House. "What are you planning to do?" Faith asked nervously. "Cleaning up Morrigan's fucking mess. I may not know the location of your home, but I do know the Etherion Child's" Lilith scowled. Lilith's hand crashed through the Oval Office grabbing the President. "Your grace! What...what do I owe the honor of your visit" he asked shaken. "You have something that can order a nuclear strike don't you?" she asked. "The Nuclear Football? Yes" he replied. "Use it. Target Yorkshire England" she spat tossing him back inside. Lilith could feel her panic. "I see you're no longer laughing. What sound will you make when your parents are reduced to ash? Half the people you love vaporized in an instant?" Lilith asked Faith.

Meanwhile...

Hope shrunk Alicia as she fell preventing her body form doing any harm. She healed her slowly feeling the damage projecting her power to millions. The mental damage was beyond her scope though. Hope could sense her unconscious mind was frayed. She would not know how badly until she woke up. But that was not the biggest concern though. Thousands of miles away, an empty field in Montana spat out a Minuteman III missile. It roared into the sky.

Selah had been worn down badly but so had Morrigan. Both faced one another with 600 ft. of distance. Morrigan charged her lance with dark magic. Her arms going taunt. "She arms to throw it this time and I can't counter such a hit. This is it" Selah thought. Selah slammed her hand down on the driver activating its charged up final attack. "LIGHTNING BREAKER MAXIMUM BURST!" it yelled.  Lightning coursed through her sword until a fine perfected edge of plasma sounded the metal. Her lightning ionized and superheated the very air around her sword. It hissed and glowed blue. Selah took off tearing up the dirt at her feet. The blue hue of energy surrounded Selah just as. Morrigan threw Gaé Bulg. Just as the lance seemed to strike the charging Valkyrie, Selah disappeared. Then a crack of thunder. Selah reappeared out of nowhere before her. "...superheated air creates mirages" Selah muttered slashing her clean down the middle. "Thurisaz...Destruction Rune" Selah muttered as the appropriate rune crackled on her blade. The runic symbol exploded from Morrigan's body burning her to ashes and bones screaming. Selah shrunk down and leaned on her sword. She looked upon what she had done. She had killed another goddess but this time she was awake to see the aftermath. She stood in the smoking crater very pleased with herself until she looked onward and saw Yorkshire aflame. The battle had cost many lives and the taste of victory had lost its sweetness. A faint whistling sound approaching her, Selah held her right arm up Palm open. She caught Gaé Bulg with her right hand as its magic willed it to turn and seek her out when Morrigan missed throwing it. The tip of the lance cutting her cheek fulfilling its magical need to pierce its target.

Selah touched her driver. "HERO DRIVER POWER DOWN" it said. Selah was back to her normal self holding the lance. The wind blew away Morrigan's ashes leaving her skull and a few bones. Angry at the loss of life, Selah coldly stomped her skull with her foot until it shattered. She turned around and walked back into the mansion. As that transpired, Joseph back in Georgia, drank a beer sensing Morrigan leasing this world forever. He looked at the starry sky and noticed a small orange point of light rapidly crossing the sky. He looked using his clairvoyance being curious. "Well now. That's not very nice" he said reaching out with his hand. Using high level spatial magic, he grabbed the point of light and brought his hand back down. He opened his hand to find the nuclear missile perfectly shrunk no bigger than a breath mint. Closing his hand, he used magic to obliterate it. "They worked hard tonight. No shame in tossing them a bone for it" he muttered waking back into his home. 

"That was insane. That lightning. The sheer power" Keith muttered. "People died tonight. Good people" she said. "You can't save everyone, especially in war. God knows I learned that lesson. By the way, my sword..." he muttered. "Yeah. My sword ate yours. Happened to Hikari's Kusanagi thingy too. But uh...here's a creepy looking lance" she said giving it to him. "Thanks...I guess" he said. Hope flew into the room holding a shrunken Alicia. "Mom! I saw the flash of light and felt her! Is...is she okay?" Selah asked worried. "Physically she's fine but the mental strain of what she did nearly broke her mind. She's needs rest right now" Hope replied. "Take her to the guest room honey" Keith said. Hope did and flew off. "You should get some rest too" he said. "I will shortly" she said as he walked off. Selah sat down and shrank to rest. Susan sat next to her. "Glad I didn't pick a fight with you earlier" she smirked. Selah chuckled a little. There was a moment of silence before Selah broke down crying. Susan picked her up. "I was so scared" Selah whimpered sobbing. "I bet you were kid. You saved us all" Susan said kissing her tiny cheek. Susan cuddled her as Selah cried her heart out. 

That same evening, Lilith saw Yorkshire was very much not nuked. Her fears mounted. Izanami was gone, Morrigan was gone, and someone with exceptional power halted a nuclear attack. The element of surprise was no more. The Etherion child had been alerted to her presence. Lilith looked out of her penthouse window. The carnage of her temper tantrum fresh on the horizon as smoke, fire, and emergency vehicles. "All of that for nothing. You really thought your plan was foolproof, but you didn't count on one thing. The resilience of the human soul" Faith said in her mind. Lilith had nothing to say. 

Two days later...

The light coming through the window stirred her from sleep. Then a clacking sound. Alicia opened her eyes to see Susan adjusting the window blinds. "You're awake" Susan said. Alicia sat up suddenly. "In there" Susan said pointing to the bathroom. Alicia shot inside and relived herself. She came back and sat down on the bed. She glanced over hearing faint snoring. "She hasn't left your side since you were brought in" Susan said looking at Selah sleeping on the side pillow. "How long was I out?" Alicia asked. "Two and a half days" Susan replied. Alicia was quiet. "How do you feel? Hope said your mind suffered extreme stress" Susan asked. "Like millions of echoes crying out in grief and pain. If it wasn't for Hope, I would've burnt out like a matchstick" Alicia replied. "So, no multiple personalities? Schizophrenia?" Susan asked. "...I'm not crazy. Well, no crazier than I was" Alicia replied. "If you can make a quip then you're mostly sane" Susan smiled. "How many are dead?" Alicia asked. Susan didn't immediately answer. 

"From the fight outside or your song?" Susan asked. "Both" she replied. "Outside? Over a thousand easily but finding intact bodies is harder than it looks. Judging by the damage, I'd say maybe 2,500 ballpark. A lot of people were home from work when it went down. And around the world? Numbers are still coming in. As of 9 this morning around 1.2 million died. Car wrecks, plane crashes, fires, suicides. And then there was New York" she muttered. Alicia rubbed her eyes. "What about it?" she asked. "Lilith had a temper tantrum and pretty much leveled Times Square and the surrounding buildings. Better part of 36,000 dead" she replied. Susan was slightly cold rattling off the statistics but that was her THORN training talking. It served little purpose to downplay the truth in her experience. 

"You seem rather subdued learning that" Susan said. "I was prepared for the consequences going in. I don't have the moral luxury of being mortified" Alicia replied softly. "...I see. In any event it worked. Morrigan grew visibly weaker during your worldwide performance. Speaking of that, it was a very beautiful song. It made me remember my parents even though those memories are hidden from me" she said. "Thanks, but that wasn't my song. It was Evanescence's My Immortal. I'm surprised it snuck past that sealing spell you're under" Alicia said. "Come again?" Susan asked. "You...you do know about the sealing spell you're under right? I figured your real father told you" Alicia said. "Faith did reconnect me with my real father and he told me a few things about the borrowers that raised me, but he never mentioned anything about a sealing spell. He said my missing memories were due to the trauma of losing them. "Aww shit" Alicia hissed. "What do you know?" Susan asked irritated. "The short story is that you are a descendant of a very powerful ancient long-lost race of mages called Lemurians. At one point you were a very powerful healer but to protect you, they sealed you powers away. The side effect of that being your memories were sealed with it" she said. 

"And Faith knew this?" Susan asked. "Faith learned as much as she could about what she called the Old World. She left that knowledge with me as part of her Plan B. Well, that and other things like the gem and whatnot" Alicia replied. "Did she say anything else about me?" Susan asked. "...yes. A way to break the seal on you to regain your powers and your magics" she said. "...do it" Susan muttered. "It's not that simple. Faith said that last time the seal was broken it was an instinctive reaction. You had been stabbed clean through and was on the edge of death. The seal broke so you could heal yourself. It was an incredibly lucky break" Alicia said. "I've always been unusually lucky" Susan said to her. "It's actually part of your magics leaking through the seal. It manifests as...how did she put it...probability manipulation" she said. Susan sat on the dresser and shrank down. "It's a lot to take in" Alicia said. "Yeah no shit" Susan hissed. Susan looked at Alicia's reflection in the dresser mirror. "I didn't mean to snap at you" she said. "This should've come from Tim... I mean dad" Susan said. "He probably didn't want to complicate your life more than it was. As Faith described it, your powers didn't make your life easier" she said. "Still, it wasn't his decision to make keeping that from me. You mind if I camp out up here for a while? I need to think" Susan said. "By all means. I'm going to take a shower and get something to eat. Need anything?" Alicia asked. "No" Susan said flatly. 

Alicia showered and dressed and went to the kitchen. "French toast?" Aspen asked. "Please" Alicia replied. Alicia sat down quietly at the table. Aspen served up a few slices and a cup of coffee. "It's quiet this morning" Alicia said. "The maids have the day off, Claire is visiting her parents, and Keith and Hope are helping survivors on Yorkshire" Aspen said. "Is that wise? It must be chaos out there now that Morrigan is dead" Alicia asked. "That's actually half the reason they went. To see how everyone is coping. The other half is Keith wanted Hope to help heal people. Keep her distracted and show people were on their side" she said. "I thought showing off magic was a big no no. Guess it doesn't matter nowadays" Alicia sighed before munching on toast. "I heard your daughter fought very bravely" Aspen said. "Your daughter was no slouch either. What's it like having a kid that powerful?" Alicia asked. "Difficult. She's so powerful but fragile at the same time. Insecurities. Fears. That fine line of using power and knowing when not to. She's like me and her dad in so many ways" she said. "Yeah. That's exactly how I feel. When Selah transforms, I can see the bravado she gets from Faith and that whoever is inside her. But behind that flashy smile, those stern eyes I can see the scared girl. I'm ashamed to admit I was irritated Faith adopted her without asking me but now I can't imagine my life without her" Alicia whisperer. 

"So, two down, two to go?" Aspen asked. "Pretty much but when it comes Lilith's time I don't know how it's going to go. She has Faith's body!" Alicia said slamming her fist down on the table. "I still can't wrap my head around the fact you're married to an alternate version of my daughter" she said. "Don't forget grandkids" Alicia said to her. Alicia stood up. "Susan asked for something to nibble on" she muttered. "Before you go, please tell me about Faith and her kids" Aspen said. Alicia saw she was on the verge of begging. "I will" Alicia said leaving the kitchen. She returned to her bedroom and found Susan still on the dresser. "French toast" Alicia said giving her a chunk. Susan ate quietly as Alicia checked on Selah. Still sleeping soundly. Alicia laid down and placed her head very close to her. She looked so pretty to her. Her long hair slightly hanging on her face. Her little chest with bidding tits moving in and out as she snored. Alicia moved her hair out of her face. Her finger petted her bare left leg down to her tiny foot. "I know how it feels. I do that to with my kid Ruby" Susan said. "What?" Alicia asked. "Play with them as they sleep. They seem like perfect little gifts of love don't they?" Susan asked. "Yeah they do. She's already a better person than I'll ever be" Alicia muttered. She leaned in and kissed her shrunken daughter. Selah snorted and rolled onto her back spread eagle. Alicia has to stifle a laugh.

"I'll do it" Susan suddenly said as she stopped eating. "Do what?" she asked. "Unlock my powers and memories" she replied. "Whoa. You said you'd think it over. 20 minutes isn't thinking it over" Alicia said. "The situation out there and the risk here isn't going to get better. I was useless back there. I haven't felt that powerless since I was a blind scraggly teenager" she said. "Susan..." Alicia said softly. "My kid could've been killed if yours wasn't here to hold the line. Everybody in that city out there could've been killed. Nearly half of the entire borrower population on the planet could've been wiped out" Susan said angrily. Susan stood up and striped down to nothing. "Lily kept her sewing kit in the top middle row drawer. Open it please" Susan said. Alicia got off the bed and walked to it. She slid it open. "Now find a nice clean sewing needle" she said. Alicia did. Susan sighed and crossed herself with her hands. "Right here. Stab me through right here" she said. "Me?! Why not Aspen, or Keith?" Alicia asked. "Because they'll refuse. Their emotions won't let them see the bigger picture" Susan replied. Alicia didn't know whether to be insulted or honored. "Last chance" Alicia said. "Do it. On the count of three. One..." she said before Alicia rammed the needle clean through the three-inch woman. She yanked it out as Susan began to stumble.

She fell to her knees before falling face first onto the couple wooden dresser surface. Blood began to pool underneath her body. It was a clean stab and Susan felt her body grow cold. Her vision faded and she passed out. She saw a tunnel with a white light at the end of it. A feeling of peace lured her to it. As she neared it, she could see the faces of her real mother and adopted father. Then her mother held out her hand stopping her. Strange, ancient arcanes blocked her path and then shattered like glass. Susan awoke feeling the panicked breath of a giantess towering over her. She sat up. "Oh thank go..." Alicia was saying before an invisible force grabbed her throat. Susan eyes were lit up with a magic array dancing in both of them. Alicia was thrown hard onto the bed. The wound on Susan's chest healed with a second as she hovered over to Alicia. "Susan it's me Alicia!" Alicia yelled. Susan just stared at her. "Oh god is she even still her?" Alicia asked. "What's going on?" Selah asked groggily. She saw Alicia terrified of a floating naked Susan oozing with magic power.  "Wind oscillation. Lemurian wind spell level one. Gust" Susan muttered as a gust of wind circled Alicia's neck and squeezed. She was being choked to death with air pressure.  "Let go!" Selah yelled firing off a small bolt of lightning. Susan easily deflected it. Alicia choked and cured her hands around Selah to protect her. A tear fell from her eyes. Suddenly, the winds let go of her as Susan floated down. She tripped her head moaning and shaking as she landed on Alicia's thigh.

Susan was breathing very hard. "Oh shit. Oh shit. Christ on a ritz cracker. Alicia are you okay?" Susan asked. "I'll live" she replied feeling her neck. "It wasn't me. It was like a fog in my head" she gasped. "Can some tell me what the hell is going on?! Mom is awake. Awesome. Susan is naked. Weird but pretty. Susan tries to kill mom. Not awesome" Selah yelled. "I was awakening Susan's dormant magical powers. It didn't go all the way as planned" Alicia replied. "Your bravery knows no bounds kid" Susan sighed. "You look more shaken than I do. You okay?" Alicia asked. "I can remember my childhood before the pet store. I was happy. I was a really happy kid. Excuse me" Susan said softly getting dressed. She left moments later. "She didn't answer your question mom" Selah said. "She didn't have to" Alicia said laying back and placing Selah between her breasts. "It looks pretty outside" Alicia said looking out her window. "Yeah but I rather be right here listening to your heartbeat" Selah told her. "Love ya squirt" Alicia chuckled petting her tiny body. "Love ya too mom" she said sighing.

Susan opened the door to her home, closed it, and shucked off her shoes. Where she was stabbed itched a little. She could hear her adopted daughter Ruby upstairs singing. Susan walked upstairs and found her signing to herself as she cleaned her room. "I know I know. I'm cleaning it" Ruby said seeing her at the door. Susan hugged her tightly crying. "Jeez mom. It's just me cleaning my room" Ruby sighed. "Are you happy honey?" Susan asked. "...yeah" Ruby replied curious. Susan wiped her tears away sniffling. "Am...am I enough for you?" Susan asked. "Mom? What's with the weird questions?" she asked. "I wonder sometimes" Susan replied not telling her the true reasons. "Of course you are. We argue sometimes but I do love ya. Are you mad at me for something?" Ruby asked. "No. I just love you so much..." Susan replied playing with her hair. Susan leaned in and sniffed her. As once being blind, her senses were sharper than a normal borrower's. Her keen sense of smell was good enough to literally smell a liar. It took some considerable control not to be overwhelmed by smells in mixed public. Right now, taking in Ruby's scent, she could smell a good deal about her. Young, ovulating soon, oatmeal for breakfast, shampoo and lotions, pheromones from her bare feet. It stirred her instincts. She was not blood, but she was her child. Susan kissed her soft lips before cuddling her. "You saw something out there didn't you?" Ruby suddenly asked.

"Yes I did" Susan replied. "How many died?" she asked. "Too many. So many humans out there. Some kids like you now gone" Susan replied. Ruby was smart enough to see hidden pain behind Susan's eyes. "When do you have to go back to work?" Ruby asked. "Taking the rest of the day off. Just you and me kiddo. Pizza, ice creams, I'll even paint your cute little toes for you" Susan smirked. "Sounds like a plan" Ruby smiled. Susan nodded. "Have I ever told you about my parents?" Susan asked. "No. You avoided the topic when I asked" she replied. "Well now you're mine, I guess I should tell ya about your grandparents. I was raised in Georgia..."

Around the same time...

Greta, the "problematic" Valkyrie living on the island Faith and the others called home, walked on the moonlight beach just beyond the barrier. She had been living on the island for two months now and unlike the others who had grown accustomed to their new lives (some appreciated the new start) she resented it. She had come to the beach many times by now, walking barefoot alone to keep her anger in check. She had to avoid pissing off Skylar who had Faith's ear but now that Faith was gone, she began thinking dangerous thoughts. "What if I took over here? Hmm...Skylar and that brat Selah is problem enough and Alicia is no weakling. If only there was some way to get rid of them" she thought. Then, Greta thought about Lilith. Lilith was powerful enough to enslave the world. Couldn't she get rid of them in exchange for giving her the island? Greta knew that the only reason Lilith hasn't attacked them was the island was very well hidden by spells and barriers. Lilith could drop an overwhelming force right on these shores and crush them. Sure, the city would be decimated but over time she could rebuild and repopulate. So went her train of thought. Greta made up her mind. She began to pray to the woman. 

Lilith felt the connection to millions of her worshippers which was the main reason she went into a frenzy the way she did feeling so many turn their backs to her. Those of magical potential she sensed more, and it was because of this she felt Greta. A lone somewhat powerful dot in the middle of the South Pacific. Curious, she tried to portal to her and found she couldn't. However, she could speak to her mind. "Who are you little one? Why I cannot meet you?" Lilith asked. Startled, Greta didn't immediately respond. "You called me little one. It is rude to leave me hanging" Lilith said. "Great Lilith! I beseech you..."

"Okay I wanted respect not Dark Ages fawning. Now what do you want of me?" Lilith asked. "I can give you access to Alicia and the others IF you grant me ownership of their home and island" Greta said. "There is a massively powerful barrier before you. I cannot even get close" Lilith said. "I know. It was created with very ancient magics" Greta told her. "Hmm...if you dismantle the barrier, I will give all you ask for" Lilith said. "Consider it done...milady" Greta smirked. Greta stepped back through the barrier. Because of Ambrosio's attack three months prior, Greta knew that the barrier was sustained by arcane directly woven into the streets itself. However, there were hundreds, nearly a thousand different scripts of arcane used. She couldn't just destroy one, shed have to destroy them all. Her bare feet lay in the closest street to the barrier and beach. With a tiny burst of lightning magic, she broke it. "One down. 992 to go..." she muttered using clairvoyance looking upon the city. 

The next afternoon in Yorkshire...

"Thanks for telling me more about Faith" Aspen said. "My pleasure to finally meet her mother. Stories about you don't do it justice" Alicia said softly. Alicia looked upon Selah. "You ready to go?" she asked her. "Yeah..." Selah said giggling looking at her phone. Alicia quickly glanced at it. "Who is Steven?" Alicia asked. "Just a boy!" Selah yelled hiding her phone. "Just a boy...uh huh" Alicia muttered. "You coming back?" Keith asked. "We just might just for me to meet this Steven" Alicia grinned. "Watch your ass out there" Susan said fist bumping Alicia. "Don't let your new powers go to your head" Alicia smirked. Susan chuckled and nodded. Alicia made a portal and took them all home.

They arrived home and relaxed. "Skylar. Did you do as I asked?" Alicia asked. "Yeah I did. What is this thing?" Skylar said holding a very dangerous artifact. "The Eye of the World. I'm surprised you got it so easily" Alicia said. "Those crazy powerful arcanes you gave me made it a breeze. Getting it wasn't the crazy part. It was kinda cool popping around all over the world in a day. Seeing a twisted mirror universe was way nuttier. Why the secrecy? You even made me use a perception spell, so they'd forget I came with you" Skylar said. "In another timeline, that artifact nearly destroyed the world. It's the last part of Faith's backup plan. God help us if we have to use it" Alicia muttered.