you're invited

the Voice It was time. Over a season of work, of lending the strength given so freely by two of her bright ones. Experimentations (a lot of them failures, but they wouldn't need to know about those) and iterations had all led up to this moment. A strange storm had fallen upon the Hollowed Grounds that night, lightning weaving through the snow, and the world trembled with each thunderclap. But Bastien and Rexanna would know. They would feel the pull of it, some distant pang, the culmination of this labour of love forming and sparking in the deep depths of the underground. Best they make haste. Someone was waiting and eager to meet them. 01110111 01101000 01100001 01110100 00100000 01110111 01101001 01101100 01101100 00100000 01100010 01100101 00101100 00100000 01110111 01101001 01101100 01101100 00100000 01100010 01100101 00101110

they will shake their heads and wag their fingers

by daybreak we'll be gone

The moment he had felt it, Bastien had known what it was. He'd assumed that the moment he became a father would be monumental, but what he hadn't been expecting was the sudden peace that the overwhelming love brought him, as well as the intense anticipation. He and Rexanna had barely had time to grab each other's hands before running out to find the underground.

With the storm ahead, it felt like the whole world was excited for them and the poet in him loved the drama of it all. When they finally reached the caves he was laughing, not having felt so excited in some time.

"Our child is ready?" He asked as soon as they reached the shrine, a clear grin on his face and excitement that almost made him want to dance.

BASTIEN

i'm tired of the weight of mortality, i want to tear it from my veins

until i bleed silver and gold

She has begun to assume lightning of this magnitude simply meant their goddess was at work. First when the barrier had fallen, and now — a pinging signal just for them. Despite the exhaustion that lingers within her, there’s the blossom of excitement and hope burning within her. Grabbing Bastien’s hand and making their way to the Underground together, his laughter sparks a brilliant grin along her face.

Bastien utters the question on her mind, her verdant gaze flickering to the shrine and to their goddess, a burning brilliancy to her heart and soul, encompassed with an overwhelming love and hope. “Oh I can’t wait.” She breathes in awe, squeezing Bastien’s hand, unable to contain the slight trembling excitement that vibrates within her, evidenced by the way seems mostly still, aside from the gentle tap of a finger against Bastien’s hand.

maybe one day they'll chant our names

and name galaxies after us, and we too shall be eternal

REXANNA

the Voice ”They most certainly are.” She appears with another thunderclap from the storm above the underground, a goddess swathed in electricity, young in form but old in spirit. As Bastien and Rexanna behold her they will feel renewed, their strength returning, for it had only been borrowed to begin with. And in her arms she hold a baby, olive skinned with a mop of dark curls, swaddled in a blanket dark as midnight. ”Come.” The goddess speaks softly, watching with excitement and expectation. ”Come and meet them, bright ones.” 01110111 01101000 01100001 01110100 00100000 01110111 01101001 01101100 01101100 00100000 01100010 01100101 00101100 00100000 01110111 01101001 01101100 01101100 00100000 01100010 01100101 00101110

they will shake their heads and wag their fingers

by daybreak we'll be gone

The Voice's announcement drew a happy gasp from Bastien, who almost shook with excitement, his hand tightening around Rexanna's. His strength returning was a pleasant sensation but with the anticipation of their child on the way, he found that it was a secondary concern.

It was always a humbling moment to see their Goddess, but just this once she was not the most radiant being in the room. Bastien's feet took him forward without thought, the only desire in him then to reach out and hold his child; already he could see they were beautiful, with something of himself and Rexanna in the sweet sleeping face. Tears welled up in his eyes.

"Oh, mio piccolo angelo.." He mumbled, hands reaching to take the child from the Voice if she would let him: he managed to rip his gaze away from the baby just long enough to glance at Rexanna and smile, overwhelmed and amazed.

BASTIEN

i'm tired of the weight of mortality, i want to tear it from my veins

until i bleed silver and gold

If Rexanna had a heartbeat anymore, she knows for sure it would have stopped momentarily as the Voice renews them, rejuvenates them, and as the bundle in her goddess’ arms is slowly revealed… Yes, she’s sure she might’ve also stopped breathing for a brief moment. The dark curls, so much like Bastien’s in a hue much like her own, a perfect combination of their skin tone, a perfect recreation of the both of them in such a beautiful child that the Penumbra’s eyes water a small amount as she almost clumsily steps forward with her husband.

Bastien reaches out to hold their child – and she encroaches on the space offered – her bright verdant gaze flickering between their child and Bastien, a wide, soft edged smile gracing her features before she lets all of her attention focus on the baby. “Our beautiful Azrael.” She murmurs quietly, one of the names they'd talked about immediately springing to her mind, hoping Bastien was alright with that choice, waiting until Bastien has held the bundle in his arms before she takes her own turn – already prepared with the soft cooing and gentleness of their love sweeping and fulfilling her before she can’t help but to burst all of her joy. “They’re perfect.” There’s nothing else she can say, nothing at all.

maybe one day they'll chant our names

and name galaxies after us, and we too shall be eternal

REXANNA

the Voice ”Azrael,” she repeats, the name crackling through the air around them like it had taken on a life of its own. The goddess surrenders the child to Bastien and steps back, allowing the new parents to enjoy the first moments with their baby. A baby like no other, truly... ”They will grow quickly. Do not be alarmed,” she informs them. ”Cherish these days, for they will be gone in no time at all.” Wasting no further time (it had been no small feat on her part either, to bring Azrael into existence), she flickers away and leaves them to it. 01110111 01101000 01100001 01110100 00100000 01110111 01101001 01101100 01101100 00100000 01100010 01100101 00101100 00100000 01110111 01101001 01101100 01101100 00100000 01100010 01100101 00101110

they will shake their heads and wag their fingers

by daybreak we'll be gone

Rexanna was right: Azrael was perfect, from the tips of their fingers to the bottom of their toes; Bastien knew now with a certainty he had never felt before that he loved this child entirely and that he would succeed in being a father; there was nothing else to be done. The Voice spoke to them, told them Azrael would grow quickly: Bastien nodded, but thought that it hardly mattered. No matter how old, how big they were, they would always be his baby.

With a flushed laugh he leaned forward to kiss Rexanna's cheek, look at her with tear-brimmed eyes full of emotion that he knew she would understand; they didn't need words to communicate the love between the three of them in the moment.

BASTIEN

i'm tired of the weight of mortality, i want to tear it from my veins

until i bleed silver and gold

The chosen name falling from the Voice’s lips simply seals the deal in Rexanna’s mind. And she can’t help the vibrant smile that crosses her face as she looks down on their child, glances up to spy Bastien and step up on her tip toes to kiss him gently and with all the love in the world for him and only him – this opportunity solely because of him. And she settles back down, reaching up to run her fingers through incredibly soft dark curls, before she looks to the Voice once more. “Thank you.” She says quietly before their goddess departs.

Whether it were a few moments or eternities, Rexanna doesn’t think it’ll change her love for them.

Her gaze returns on Bastien and Azrael then, tears threatening to spill over porcelain cheeks. “Let’s go home.” She says softly, reaching to wrap an arm around Bastien as he holds their child, an anchor and a lighthouse to both guide home and keep from wandering.

- FIN

maybe one day they'll chant our names

and name galaxies after us, and we too shall be eternal

REXANNA