Nergal was staring at his hand, clenching and unclenching, a haunting numbness creeping through it. Memories of the first war dragged to the surface, memories of him in battle with elder gods, memories of blocking their attacks like they were nothing.

He looked at the three exhausted immortals to his left, then at the two combatants. Their attacks had managed to do what even some of the elder gods had failed to do, although minor, they had managed to make him try.

Granted, the elder gods in question were the weakest to hold that title, granted they were two beings using their most powerful attacks, but they weren't even aimed at him and they he had support.

Nergal was wondering what would have happened if he was alone, would the fox and the mortal banshee have actually managed to deplete him? The question beggared belief and filled him with an inadequacy he had never known.

He raised his left hand and restored the others energy, then walked over to Kyubi and Klaire and restored their power as well.

"Sorry I don't have the power to heal the living."

"Don't worry Nergal, I'll heal her, the idiot girl will be fine in a couple of hours."

"Idiot? Not like you to diminish a bested foe..."

"She isn't a "bested foe", she is a girl that sacrificed herself to protect me when my attack faltered before her's had been rendered non-lethal. I would be dead if she hadn't transferred her defenses to me at the last second."

Nergal blinked then looked at Kyubi's tails, patches of singed fur where it had been caught in the heat unprotected.

"I see... Don't take this the wrong way Klaire, but I should have killed you two when I had the chance. You and Carl are far too terrifying a pair."

"Why do you keep speaking nonsense Nergal, they don't even want to exist in this world, the only desire they have is to put an end to this game and then depart for a private realm."

Nergal pinched his chin in thought. "You know, it isn't a quick thing to create a private realm... However, I think if I and all the ten-stars still alive at the end worked together, we may be able to get it done in a year or so."

"Deal." The word was painfully final and Kyubi twinged with heartache. "...Don't be stupid fox, I don't want to go without any of my babies and Ki-ko won't go without you."

"Shush girl, get some sleep, you never know when Carl might come to whisk you away."

Klaire slept until lunchtime, then woke up stretching like she had just been taking a casual nap. As she blinked her eyes clear she snuggled into the warm furriness that was covering her, until she realised that she didn't know what it was and sat up.

"Awake at last." Kyubi cooed.

Klaire gulped, then turned her head towards the voice scanning her eyes up Kyubi's body, with eyes that bore the glimmer of curiosity, until she saw two little pin pricks on her neck.

"Oh no, did I feed on you!? I'm so sorry!"

"It's fine Klaire, I didn't mind... Although the groping was a shock. Does Carl know about your new tastes?"

Klaire flushed and sat up completely, pushing herself against the headboard of the bed.

"Tastes? I don't know what you mean... You aren't my taste."

"I meant the hunger sweetie... Though, that was the least convincing you've ever sounded."

"Sorry... I-I don't want to speak about it, it's just a phase and pent up needs."

"Okay Klaire..." Kyubi pulled Klaire in for a hug. "...All I'll say is that you are welcome to feed on me whenever you want, it seems to agree with you... Also, whether Carl accepts my feelings or not Klaire; I would accept yours... Those things aren't the issue to immortals, that they are for mortals."

Klaire gulped again, asking in a shaky voice if she could feed...

"No, I think not, I don't think it's hunger that makes you ask and you would feel guilty for doing anything before speaking to Carl."

Klaire felt a twang of rejection but couldn't lie to herself, she knew Kyubi was speaking the truth and hitting the nail on the head. "Thank you, Kyubi... I'll speak to him when he's back."

The fact it didn't cut her that deep was enough of a clue that it was purely desire and not emotional, but she still felt a deep sense of confusion.

"Chin up, Klaire... I'll be honest with you, there is a good chance Carl will misunderstand what you say, let him do as he pleases and give him the full story when he's ready and not before."

"I know, that's why I've been scared to talk to him about it. Am I being selfish?"

"Yes, you are, but some things are too important to prioritise others. Would you rather live long enough to resent him for making you repress your desires? Is it fair to put that on him without even talking to him about it?

For what it's worth, I think the fact it's a same-sex attraction makes it a little better, since it's a desire he can't fulfill as a man."

"I feel a bit bad about Alysse as well, is she just not my type?"

Kyubi found it amusing and endearing that she was so determined to consider everyone else, but told her she was over thinking it and likened it to loving Carl but not Gillian.

Kyubi spent a considerable amount of time speaking to Klaire about it, then finally said it might be best for her to talk to her mum or Lydia, making it clear that as an immortal she wasn't exactly clear on the details.

She followed that advice and spoke to them both at length, they were surprised to say the least and even asked if Kyubi had possibly enthralled her somehow, then Lydia suggested that perhaps Lillim should confirm.

Lillim found it entirely hysterical. "Of course she isn't enthralled, her internal aura is so much denser than Kyubi's she would have been freed from such things when she was restored. The girl just finds those fluffy tails, perky breasts and posterior I'd kill to have attractive."

"I can officially confirm that..." Lydia said as she wrinkled her nose and asked Healy for help. "Klaire. I'm sure you're getting sick of hearing this, but you must talk to Carl about this."

Klaire smiled, the discussion had brought her some relief, the fact that everyone was being supportive and trying to guide her helped. It was then that Tiamutael came in and announced that Carl had requested her presence and was currently on an elf world.

Klaire felt a pang of tension, but set it aside almost instantly, she was determined to talk to him about everything when he returned, but would let him enjoy this trip unless he done anything too stupid.

When she returned a couple of hours later, she made lunch for everyone, Kyubi had retired to avoid becoming a source of temptation.

It was as Klaire began preparing dinner, alongside Alisha and Leanna as she admitted what she had been discussing with the others.

"Klaire, if you are trying to get someone to stop you, well it's not our place. We appreciate the consideration, but you're both adults and the shape your relationship takes is entirely up to the two of you. If things get messy, we'll do our best to mediate, but we're staying out of it." Alisha answered.

"Given that a succubus was one of your closest female influences, I think you both turned out better than we could have hoped. A little sexual curiosity is normal, just be respectful and don't sneak about, you're better than that."

Not long later, she received a message saying Kyubi was wanting to skip dinner to give Klaire space, but Klaire sent a message saying she had to attend.

The atmosphere was remarkably placid, where Klaire expected it to be tense and gossipy. In fact the only real topics of discussion were the situation on Lunelia and the duel itself.

It made her feel childish but the lack of drama annoyed Klaire, not because she didn't feel like she was getting enough attention, but because these were his friends and family and no one was getting angry for him.

"Okay fine, I'm pissed for him!" Gillian yelled. "For fuck sake Klaire, you've spoken to everyone but Carl, as his friend I gotta say that was a dick move. Yeah, he's probably gonna take it wrong at first but give the guy some credit, he didn't talk to anyone when he broke up with you because he didn't want you to hear from anyone else."

Klaire hesitated. "Yeah, your're right, I'll make sure I apologise for that... Anything else Gil?"

"Yeah, the dude spent a month without you and never so much as considered another, so have the decency to acknowledge that. He also deserves more credit for how much he loves you, he'll take some time to adjust to the idea and I want you to tell him to come over to mine if he needs space."

"Sure..."

"Also, I want permission to spend an additional two-thousand divinity on a Lugarian style bath house..."

"If things go well, I'll make them for everybody with my own divinity."

"Deal."

Lillim twitched all of a sudden, then Tiamutael twitched as well. "Mum, there's someone really strong near Dad, I think we should all get ready."

"Cocytus..." Lillim said through gritted teeth. "...Tiamutael, it will be a while, Bahamut likely doesn't know, but the time in Cocytus runs very slowly and it looks like Cocytus is just observing for now."

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