Akata's brows furrowed as the God in front of him pulled out what looked like a luminescent moon from his pocket. 
The moon swam around Akata, finally coming to rest in front of him, floating in the air. 
With one swing of the God's hand, Akata saw movements inside the orb. 
“ Father… ” Akata flew towards it, grabbing it with both hands. 
He could see Lin, inside the orb, fighting for his life in the midst of those Night Crawlers. He were all over him, in the count of thousands. 
“ Father… father… you are alive? ” Akata grabbed the orb and shook it violently, smiling through his tear. 
“ Father, I am coming. Don't worry. I will save you. ” His head swing at the God beside him. 
“ How do I go to this place? Tell me! ” He demanded. 
The God smiled at Akata. 
“ There will be no need for that. I can bring your father completely unharmed over here. Right now. But it will depend on your decision. ”
Akata looked at him with suspicion. 
“ What decision are you talking about?”He asked . 
“ You decision to agree or disagree with my proposal. ” The God's smile grew wider adding to Akata's distrust. 
“ That is not all. I may be able to bring back your beloved as well. You see, we still have her body so it would not be very difficult to recapture the fragments of her soul that got dispersed in your realm. Nothing can go in or come out of these planes, except by the explicit wish of the heavens. We all abide by those divine laws. ”
“ Merindale? I can get her back? What do you want me to do? Tell me. You want my life? Take it. I am ready to give my all. ”
The God laughed at his enthusiasm. It did not take a lot of persuasion much to his credit. 
“ No my boy. We have no use for your life, it's your powers that we deem as a threat. You can have all that I promised and leave these planes, unharmed, with the army that you brought. All you have to do is deposit your and Merindale’s immortal powers, over here. ”
He pulled another luminescent orb out of his pocket but this one was like a jar with a lid. 
“ Merindale’s power? Take me. All of me. Why do you want her powers? ”
Akata was again getting agitated but the God pulled him down on the ground, along with him. 
“ Will not a living Merindale be better than a dead one? ”
“ But if we give up our immortal powers, we will be reduced to nothing but mortal human beings. ” Akata protested. 
“ You will still have roughly a hundred years to spend together, before going through the cycles of rebirth. That is the only option you have. Leave it or take it. ” The God was about to turn away but then he added, “ Think about your parents. Atleast they will get to spend another life time together. ”
Akata was not very sure. It didn't matter whether or not he was a human. He was ready to die if that was what they wanted but Merindale as a human was unimaginable to him. He worried about her. He worried about the hardships but then he thought that she wouldn't even be there if he didn't agree to bring her back. 
“ Okay. Let's do this. I am ready. ”
Akata stood up with his hands stretched. 
“ That's like a good boy, ” the God smirked and then with a metal hook he connected Akata's chest and the orb like jar. 
It felt like his body was imploding and Akata fell down on the floor as everything else blacked out. 
***
“ He is coming around…Aku… Akata… look his fingers are moving… thank heavens. ”
Akata could feel all the hot breaths on his face and it was becoming more and more uncomfortable for him to breathe. He could feel their hands all over his body and finally he sat up , heaving a deep sigh. 
“ You guys are so heavy, do you know that. I couldn't even breathe, ” he looked around and saw the smiling faces of the people that meant the world to him. His mother Mia, father Lin, Merindale, Xie, Ruby, Jade, Anjana, Boshu, Roe, the triplets… but there was one tiny face that was missing. 
“ Are we back to our world? Did it work? They keep their words? They must have, since all of you are here… or am I dreaming? ”
He extended his hand and his parents grabbed them both from either side. 
They kissed them as tears flowed down their cheeks. 
“ Yes my little darling. You did it. You saved us all… once again. ” Mia said. 
“ But… where is she? ” Akata looked over their shoulders. 
“ Who? ” 
“ He is talking about Arwana. Aren't you Akata?” Merindale put in. 
“ Yes. I want to meet my sister. Honestly, it was she who saved us all, not me. ”
But their expressions turned grave. 
“ She couldn't come because she can't leave the Celestial Realm. ”
Mia was the first one to speak. 
“ What do you mean. Those Gods promised they would let everyone out in exchange for Merindale’s and my powers. Did they not take it? ” Akata tried to summon his energy but he knew he could do it no longer. He looked at Merindale and she heaved a sigh. 
They did Akata but Arwana's case is different. She wasn't born with a physical body. She belongs with the Celestial beings, in the Celestial realm. They have temporarily restricted her movement, ” Merindale brought her hands near his ear and whispered, covering her mouth, “ She promised me she will find a way to sneak out and meet. ”
Merindale winked. 
They were back in the Wolf Kingdom and Akata was in Merindale’s room. 
“ You must be hungry. Let me bring something for you to eat. ” Mia tried to hurriedly get up and Akata held her hand. 
“ Mother. I am not the little boy you left behind, anymore. Just sit with me. Let me watch you two, for awhile. ”
He placed his father's hand over his mother and looked at them with affection. 
After a few moments of silence, Xie cleared his throat as Ruby poked him between his ribs. 
“ Alright… alright. Since things look a little settled and positive, let me clear something. ”
He walked up to Akata but sat at his feet. 
“ Uncle Xie what are you doing. Come over here. ”
Akata tried to pull him up but he was adamant. 
“ I need to clear something to your parents.” After a deep sigh, he began, facing Mia directly, 
“ You must know that I am a bastard child to my mother. Hence, Mia and I, hold no blood relation. This leaves our children unrelated as well. If they want, they can marry. ”
“ What? ”
It seemed like his words detached her soul once more from her body. 
She looked around at Lin, who solemnly nodded. 
“ Akata and Merindale love each other but I caused them great harm when I lived in ignorance. Now that we all know the truth I would like to give them my blessings and also ask Roe, to take over the responsibility of the Wolf Kingdom. ” He turned his head towards his sister. 
“ What…no! Why? What is this madness. I have my own tribe… why would I… ”
“ Integrate both the tribes. ” Xie meant no nonsense. “ You know you need to take over. If I continue with my post, there will eventually be a civil unrest. Besides, I have seen the state in which the Birds are living. Why should they still need to live in fear of the Rogues? Build them a nation adjacent to our border and rule both lands simultaneously. ” 
It seemed like his order, not a a request. 
“ I , ummm, Xie… ” Roe still looked unsure but Xie walked up to her and thumped her on her back. 
“ Help me out Meimei… I want to retire with peace and live near the sea with my lovely wife. ”
***
Merindale sat beside Akata when their parents retreated to their respective rooms. 
She was giving him cold compresses because he was running a fever. 
Merindale did not look very pale as well. 
Akata suddenly held her hand when she was about to put the piece of wet cloth back over his head. 
“ What happened? ”
Merindale asked, a little startled. 
“ Come and sleep with me? ”
“Huh? ” Merindale blushed and gushed both at the same time. 
Akata removed the blanket from his body and pointed at the spot beside him on the bed. 
“ Come inside the blanket. You did enough. I want to sleep, ” he said innocently. 
“ Oh, Ok! I will get going then. You can take a rest… ” Merindale was about to get up but Akata grabbed her hands and pulled her beside him on the bed. 
Merindale could feel her heart beating too fast as he pulled her close and then placed the blanket over both of them. 
“ What are you doing Akata? ”
Merindale asked. 
“ What do you think I am doing ,Merindale? Just stay still, will you? ”
She stiffened and gave up the idea of wriggling her way out of his grip. 
“ Did you forget that we are no longer immortals? ”
Akata asked. 
Merindale shook her head and replied. 
“ I remember. I am okay with that fact. ”
Akata flipped her over and crouched over her making her heart pump too hard. 
“ But you forgot how to stop being an immortal.”
Akata's face was almost touching her nose. 
“ I… what? ” she asked, puzzled. 
“ You forgot that being mortal also means that we don't have much time. Every second is important, every moment is precious… ” Akata had locked his eyes with Merindale. And slowly he uttered the next words, 
“ And I want to spend every freaking hour and minute of the rest of my life with you. I don't want you to go away from my sight, even for the blink of an eye. Did I make myself clear? ”
Merindale did not know how to react. 
Her eyes were glistening with unshed tears. 
Akata wiped her tears with his fingers and gently kissed her forehead and asked, 
“ Did I scare you? ”
Merindale shook her head violently, her hair rubbing against the satin pillow covers. 
She grabbed Akata's face and went in for a full fledged kiss. 
Akata was taken by surprise but he did not take more than a second to respond, as their tongues battled for dominance. 
“ Promise me, that you will never leave my side till the day I leave this mortal world. ”
Merindale asked, finally breaking off, “ I am too scared of losing you as well. I am not afraid to die, I swear… But I am scared that I will not be able to remember you, once they make me drink from the River of Forgetfulness, that is meant for the mortals to forget everything about their past. It really scares me Akata that I might forget about you once more… . Like I had before. ”
“ You found me, didn't you? And I am sure you will find me again. ”
Akata pulled her back in his arms, supporting her neck and head as she arched back while he showered her with kisses, all over her face , trailing down her chin and throat. 
“ All that matters in this moment Merindale… all that matters for me is you. ” His voice was such a whisper it seemed like he was moaning her name. Merindale shivered at his touch and everything else vanished from her mind. 
The moon shimmered in the night sky, along with the twinkling stars as if they too were delighted with this union.