Koran's Trials

"Upon restoration, this pantheon will be completely replete with all the deities and we will be able to make this world perfect! All together, we can make the world into paradise!" Koran said, using his most charismatic voice and presence so that what he said would have more effect.

Valhanna nods, as does Time and Gratia, the three of them together almost as powerful as Thyme herself and Valhanna alone was not someone most gods would go against.

"Paradise, heaven everywhere and nowhere at once. A true Eden. Sounds magnificent." Koga muttered, a devilish grin on his face. Most of the gods didn't want to risk death but they also wanted to see the new paradise as well. "Now, return to your work and we'll assemble you when everything is in place." Koran said, finally sitting down again.

Thyme smiles finally, taking Koran's hand, happy that finally the seat next to hers had someone in it that she loved.

Valhanna stays behind, even when Gratia disappears and Time kisses Koga gently on the cheek.

"No wonder i don't like politics. Those people are too picky about it all." Koran sighed as he held Thyme's hand in his. "Still, we're getting closer to it."

Koga smiled and placed his arm around Time, holding her gently.

Thyme nods and lays her head on Koran's shoulder. Valhanna walks up to them slowly and bows a bit. "Mistress Thyme... Master Koga," she says respectfully.

"No need to be so formal, Valhanna. Well, at least when we're not in session." Koga said, chuckling slightly. Koran nodded in agreement. "He's right. It may be complicated but we're technically a family right now."

Valhanna frowns, "I have no technical blood relation to any of you. And in my mind it is proper. All of my memories say that the former kings would insist that they be called lord or master and thus I know no other way," she says, seeming confused.

"You're technically Turnin's wife's soul turned goddess. That makes you sort of like Koran's grandma or something. And i am his god-father, as i have been to all the other kings since Turnin's son." Koga said, trying to put it simply. "Still, what was it you wished to say?"

"I wished to mention that in fact. If there is anything Koran wishes to know about his family I could perhaps supply the information." Valhanna says, bowing her head respectfully.

"That's a very nice offer but i'm not sure i need to know more about them right now." Koran said, honestly thinking it was a good offer.

"Very well, Master Koran," Valhanna says and disappears. Time chuckles, "Ah my sister. I almost feel sorry for her but she's not as cold as she seems."

"Well, none of us are completely as we seem." Koga said, not sure how else to put it. "We should probably be getting down to business, what with the schedule to keep." Koran added before Koga teleported away with Time. Koran himself teleported to the Cursed City, issuing a mental call to his sister that told her that she'd be needed soon and where.

Thyme sits in her chair, thinking back into the past, trying to remember many things that seemed small at the time.

Koran reached out with both arms, focusing pure power through his entire being and concentrating it into restoring the Cursed City, the specifics flowing into his mind before he could think of them and affecting the area. As the city restored itself, Koran felt like his mind would fall apart if he kept going like this but he continued anyway, forging ahead with a dogged determination.

Thyme feels the sucking on her powers and joins minds with Koran, helping him shape the power and access it. Suddenly he's able to use small bits of energy from every star, every planet, every being. Just a tiny bit from each so as not to affect them, but it was still massive amounts of power.

As the power flowed into him, the city completely restored with a flash, exactly how it was before, if a bit better. Koran sighed and then turned his mind on the curse that kept Mal bound in the mountain, snapping his fingers. The curse began to crack but he snapped his fingers again and a hole burst in it.

Mal falls to his knees as he feels his curse break. He stands, a somewhat evil grin on his face as he *walks* out of his palace, moving toward Koran. "I see that you accepted Thyme's powers. I'm grateful to you for restoring my sister to her former self,"

"Well, you did help me get them in the first place but there is something." Koran said, calling to his sister with his mind. "I think it's only fair that i introduce you to someone if you helped me get to Thyme."

Mal raises his eyebrow, "Although I think I owe you enough for *saving my sister's life*," he says, making a point of that. Only Akiko, Valhanna, and he had known before now, "I suppose I will not decline any rewards."

Cassie yawned when she felt her brother tugging her to him. She had been trying to take a nap but aparetly that wasn't important. So she flashed herself to his side and adjusted her jewelry. "What do you want Koran?" She asked with a light sigh. It was more of a tired sigh than an irritated one.

"Cassie, you remember all those old stories father used to tell us of Mal? Well, i thought i should show you the real thing." Koran said, placing an arm around her shoulders. "Mal, this is my sister, Cassie. It occured to me that you two might like each other so play nice now." He stepped back a few paces, taking up the observer's role again.

Mal raises at eyebrow at Cassie and looks her over, "Quite beautiful. Especially compared to your brother," he says, looking uninterested in face but the moment she appeared, his body had tensed.

"You don't look much like a thing to me." Cassie said her eye brow rose as if mirroring him. She inspected him lightly. "And I would hope a man were to find me more attractive than my brother. And you don't seem very evil to me."

"Play nicely now, lovebirds. The shepherd's watching." Koran muttered before teleporting back to Thyme's side and taking his place.

Thyme smiles, "I'm not sure this is going to go over well with Mal,"
~~~
Mal stiffens even further and suddenly appears behind her, caressing her cheek, "Not evil huh? I assure you darling, I'm as evil as they get," he purrs in her ear.