Since Ren only had to sleep for an hour to benefit from a full night's sleep, he woke up but didn't try to get out of bed.

  Now's the perfect time to check my status. Ren thought. Show Status. When nothing happened, he held in his sigh, then whispered as low as he could. “Show Status.”

  I'm tempted to see what the boosts are with my armor, but I need to rework it now that I have access to Tee-one to help with Double Infusion. Ren thought, and opened the last popup he had received for the Churches.

  Now to check on the ship. Ren thought and opened the last popup for it.

  I wonder where they are. Ren asked himself, but didn't try to take out the All-Seeing Mirror. He was still snuggled in with the maids and didn't want to disturb them. I guess I can check on the things I've gained, too. He thought and once again whispered as low as he could. “Show recent level up info.”

  Holy crap! Ren thought once he finally went through everything. How the hell am I going to use all of that?

  “Very carefully.” Teepo chittered in laughter.

  It looks like the skills and recipes are more focused on defense and want me protected, and I'm supposed to make and send others out to fight. Ren thought. I don't know if I like that.

  “Well, if you hadn't made that hammerpick, the first special weapon you ever got was that vampiric blood sword.” Teepo said. “You wouldn't have been fighting much yourself before that.”

  Ren thought about it, and had to agree. Yeah, I would have been woefully lacking in the fighting department... and you're assuming I would have defeated Murdrasu the incubus. He looked back at the Hands of the Gods skill and it made him wonder how he had the Earth version unlocked, and whispered. “Show Speed Reading info.”

  Whoa! That 50% bonus the Spirit of Earth gave me applied to the main skill, and not just to the next level! Ren thought in amazement. That was really nice of her.

  “It sure was.” Teepo said. “What are you going to do now?”

  I have to wait until I get up to open the gift box Mr. Torren gave me. Ren thought. Other than that, for now I'm just going to relax and cuddle.

  “Sounds good.” Teepo said. “Officer Holly is right. You need to slow down... when you're done.”

  Ren smiled at the qualifier, dismissed all the popups he had opened, and closed his eyes.

  *

  Xuunah had taken Ren's advice and used the spell Zagatro had given her to create a private Light Sanctuary in the closet, and had spent most of the day in there. It had the same time compression as the Light Realm, so she could spend time with the ones she knew if she wanted. All she did was impart the information that she had to Zagatro, though; and he was delighted at what she had discovered.

  Xuunah gave him the elemental bomb design that Ren had given her, and she told them that Ren himself was the essential component. When asked to clarify, she told them of his Elemental Grenade ability and that he can generate the elements whenever he wanted. Zagatro had told her that she was to stay with him, and that at any time he would endanger another realm, especially their own, she was to deal with him.

  “I can't do that.” Xuunah said. “I won't kill an innocent Adventurer.”

  “He was sent to Shargon Caverns to learn forbidden arts, is marked by the undead, and trades in Shadow currency.” Zagatro laughed. “He is far from innocent.”

  Xuunah didn't have a response to that, and Zagatro felt her reluctance.

  “It's only a precaution, Xuunah.” Zagatro said. “If he doesn't listen to reason, or you can't stop or deflect the attack, then you must do what has to be done.” He explained. “You only have to remove the threat when it becomes one.”

  Xuunah stated that she would do everything in her power first, before resorting to removing the threat, and Zagatro had agreed. She ended their contact and remained bathed in the Light for the rest of her time there. She had chosen Energize as her spell effect, and when she used her polymorph ability to change back into her human form, she wasn't exhausted when she left the closet. She climbed into bed and laid there in silence, then wondered why she was so restless after enjoying her time alone.

  Why is it when I close my eyes, I think of him? Xuunah asked herself as she tried to close her eyes again. Thoughts of Ren flicked through her mind, and she sighed and rolled over in bed. Why does he haunt me so?

  When Xuunah finally managed to distance herself from her overactive thoughts filled with Ren, she fell into a dream that she had never experienced before. She stood beside her daughter as Nathalia watched Ren being experimented on, and her heart leaped out to both of them as she felt their emotions. She tried to touch her daughter's shoulder to provide comfort and her hand met nothing but air.

  Just a memory, then. Xuunah thought, then looked from one to the other. But who's is it? She watched as the memory went on, and she realized that it didn't matter. She watched it until it's conclusion, and then her dream changed and she was engulfed in Fire.

  “AHHHH!” Xuunah screamed and ran around in a panic, and found that everything was covered in fire. “WhatdoIdowhatdoIdo?” She mumbled in a stream, then realized she wasn't burning. “Huh?”

  Xuunah looked around and saw Ren as he stood in front of a mountain of fire, and she joined him. She gasped when the mountain stood up, and stared as the mountain fell away and revealed the Fire Deity. She immediately averted her eyes to show the proper respect, and then listened to the interaction between Ren and the deity. She turned and looked at them, and then her eyes widened at what the Fire deity asked for.

  The scene changed briefly to Ren and Nathalia as they talked, and Nathalia gave her permission. It changed back to a house appearing and Ren and the Fire deity going inside, and Xuunah averted her eyes so she wouldn't see what actually happened. The scene shifted again and Ren held the Fire deity as it's flames shrunk into a white light. She closed her eyes and covered them, because she knew what was going to happen; then uncovered them to see Ren being thrown away from the explosive death of the Fire deity.

  I can't believe this happened. Xuunah thought as Ren ran back over to the site and picked up a baby. “Great Vasalor.” Xuunah said and watched as the baby grew up into a fine young woman. When the Fire being became the new Fire deity by absorbing the gift from her mother, she kissed her father, Ren, goodbye... and then the dream faded.

  Xuunah opened her eyes and stared up at the ceiling, and could feel Ren was right above her. “You are the Father of Fire in truth, and not just in title.” She whispered, then closed her eyes to see what else her deep sharing with Ren had given her.

  *

  Ren on the other hand, was having a dream where he relived the last time Xuunah had stayed in the dwarf kingdom. She lived with a man Ren didn't know, and he watched as they travelled the countryside. They helped the dwarves with farming, healing, general labour, and anything else that anyone needed, and they kept on the move.

  When Xuunah finally gave in to her companion's devotion and feelings of love, Ren gasped and almost laughed as decades of suppressed sexual urges and her passion overtook her and she ravaged the poor dwarf. Ren had watched their lives together in fast forward as the time passed, and she finally ended up with a child.

  Nathalia was born and the mismatched couple settled down in one spot, and Ren felt the love she had for her daughter. He shared it, as it was a side of Nathalia he had never seen; and he wanted to hold and protect her even more than he normally did. She was so cute that his heart opened a little bit more, and as he watched her grow, the love he felt for her filled the new space and merged with his normal love for the grown up version.

  Time slowed down to normal as he watched in disgust as the dwarf men came for Xuunah to bring her back to the Light Realm, and his anger flared as they callously killed her husband and blew up the house. When the portal opened, the men took Xuunah through it as she screamed and cried for her dead family; and Ren wondered why he hadn't gone with her... and then little Nathalia crawled out of her hiding place and went to her father.

  Ren cried hard at their short interaction, where her father told her to hide and to be strong; then the dream shifted to show him Xuunah finally getting her revenge and serving her sentence for what she had done. He had thought it was a harsh sentence at first, until he felt that everyone she met understood why she had done it, and didn't blame her in the least.

  When the dream ended, Ren woke up and was left with intense feelings of contentment, satisfaction, and love. Of course, that made him wonder what Xuunah and Nathalia were experiencing right then.

  It can't be good, if they have my memories. Ren thought and sighed.

  Frikara felt his breath on the back of her neck when he had exhaled, and somehow managed to turn around with two maids resting on her. She was still half asleep; but, she kissed him on the lips and snuggled in and hugged him.

  Even half asleep, she's trying to comfort me. Ren thought and lightly kissed her back. Her hand rubbed his back a little and stopped moving as she fell asleep completely.