Offspring Detection

Anne's hair cascaded in wild, untamed waves, defying the laws of gravity as it rose high above her head. Each strand seemed electrified, pulsating with a vibrant energy that transcended mere physicality.

This state of hers was due to an outburst of power emanating from within her, making her hair take on a life of its own and becoming an ethereal extension of her being.

The moment she burst through the door, the tremendous amount of acoustic energy hit her with full force. She was slightly pushed back, but she powered through the force as a single vein bulged along the side of her neck, snaking down and sprawling into countless veins over her huge globes of sensitive tits.

"M-MMY BABYYYYY!!!" She let out a mighty shrieked, smashing the edges of the door frames, and slightly pushing back the acoustic energy.

"Huh!" Seraphina exclaimed, looking stamped. "But how...how did she break through the barrier??!"

Apparently, magical barriers were placed throughout the house to serve as a first line of defense against surprise attacks. While these barriers granted certain privileges to every family member, certain areas of the house remained strictly off-limits.

One such area was the basement, which housed the majority of the family's ancient books and magical artifacts. To unlock this portion of the magical barrier, a pass code was required. Being the first-born child and the prodigy of the Clover family, it made perfect sense for Seraphina to possess access to the codes.

Prior to departing for Arcanum High, the basement had served as her sanctuary for studying. During her time spent studying there, Seraphina's curiosity had driven her to investigate the magic that flowed through the barriers. She had discovered that it possessed an incredible power, one far beyond her wildest imagination.

Yet, now before her very eyes, the barrier had been completely shattered, with no signs of struggle. Anne forcefully forged ahead, causing the ground to crumble into pocket-sized craters beneath her steps. Her aura grew wilder, fiercely lashing out at the acoustic energy.

Just when she had made it halfway, the constant ringing sound of the acoustic energy was broken by the distant sound of thunder.

*CRACK!!*

*BANG!!!!*

Suddenly, a deafening bang echoed through the room, shaking the very foundation. The roof above shattered, and a blinding light pierced the darkness like a comet streaking through the night sky.

Dust billowed through the room, obscuring everything in a hazy cloud. Shelves collapse, boxes were sent flying, debris filled the air, the beanstalk was obliterated and the acoustic energy was instantly smothered. As the dust began to settle, revealing the destruction left in its wake, a massive figure crouched in the center of the chaos. A wall of muscle, imposing and commanding everyones attention in the basement.

This man wore a long coat in rich earthy tones, adorned with brass buttons, leather accents, and gears. Paired with high-waisted trousers and a crisp dress shirt, the suit incorporated a pocket watch, suspenders, and leather gloves. He wore a top hat and goggles, a stark contrast to his bulging muscles that rippled under his taut skin.

Towering above everyone and everything, he slowly rose, embodying both power and control.

"I am here!" Zedock bellowed, his voice deep and rumbling.

The awe-inspiring sight sent shivers down the spines of everyone except his wife, Anne. Zedock's sinewy arms flexed, veins pulsating with raw power. His intense gaze scanned the ruined basement, taking in the havoc he has wrought.

A knowing smirk tugged at the corners of his lips, not because he was satisfied with the wreckage he had caused, but because the acoustic energy he could sense had been decimated in his landing, as the suction cups disintegrated under his aura.

He stepped forward towards Anne, who she embraced him, melting into his arms with longing and relief. Having endured a month apart, she cherished this moment of reunion as her loyalist husband had been at the royal citadel, assuming the role of a trusted confidante and closest aide of the sovereign.

"Honey! Our baby..." Anne whispered, while pointing. Her face was planted in his coat as beads of tears soaked it.

"Time to restore order." Zedock said, fastening his arms around Anne's imp-thin waste. They made their way to the crystal which rippled in response to the pressure emanating from Zedock.

He reached his gloved fingers out, gently tracing the intricate patterns etched onto its surface. His brow furrowed with deep concern, lines etched across his forehead. Time seemed to hang suspended in the room, as he could feel a subtle energy in it.

"Can we break him out?!" Anne asked, looking worse than before.

"Obviously... yes!" Zedock replied but the instinct to free his son struggled against the rational mind of the tactician within him. Regardless, he touched the jagged surface of the crystallized statue. Tightening his grip around it, crisp sounds could be heard, as though it was cracking internally. Hearing this, Zedock stopped. "But... let's not get ahead of ourselves."

"W-What do you mean? Our son could be drawing his last breath as we sit around and do nothing!" Anne stuttered, fighting back her tears.

"Impatience could have dire consequences, darling!" He said just as he thought about the chrysalis of a caterpillar. "My poor boy..." Zedock muttered under his breath, which came out as a roar. "If only I could be certain... Is it safe to intervene? Will breaking it open do more harm than good?"

He turned towards his daughters, who were startled. Lenore's ghostly apparition had long since united with her when their mother had stepped in. It seemed the suction cups could sense who was more dangerous. They turned to defend against Anne, giving Lenore's ghost the chance to make a run for it.

Right now, the seven sisters found themselves huddled closely together, their hearts pounding in unison as their father casted a watchful eye upon them. Zedock was a man of endearing warmth, a pillar of love and care within the family unit. His playful demeanor and amusing jokes never got old, it made him the coolest dad. Yet, there was a subtle side to him, an element that struck fear deep within them.

It wasn't that he got abusive during these instances; quite the contrary, he possessed a gentle nature. However, an underlying intensity within his gaze always sent shivers down their spines.

"Will someone tell me what exactly happened here?!" Zedock asked, looking in their direction.

"That makes us two then... I also want to know." Anne joined in, her gave not one of subtlety, like Zedock's.

As the oldest, Seraphina felt the need to bail her siblings out of this mess. Although it felt like a hard task, she mustered enough courage to narrate the finer details of the matter to their parents.

"If this was his own magic's doing, then its unlikely going to harm him. If anything, it might be a transition." Zedock said, reassuring them that Alistair was going to be fine.

"But then, how did you guys know we were in trouble?" Lenore asked, suspecting that their arrival together wasn't a mere coincidence.

"Yeah, the whole Jedi stuff, what gives?" Seraphina backed, also eager to know.

"Jedi?! Oh it's nothing like that, my little troublemakers." Anne replied with a smile. The joy of having more that one lovely child seemed to get her carried away most of the time. "We have a secret skill is all."

"Indeed, kids!" Zedock exclaimed. "We possess the legendary power of... Offspring Detection!"

The girls exchanged confused glances, not sure if they should be amazed or skeptical.

"Offspring Detection? Is that like GPS tracking, but for kids?" Violet asked, finding it odd. Perhaps, a stunt to get their minds of the matter.

"Exactly! It's a skill mages and battle-mages learn as a safety protocol." Anne nodded away while explaining. "We can sense when our beloved offspring are in danger."

"Hold on a second." Charlotte asked, her entire face turning a pale red. "You're telling us you've been spying on us all this time?!"

The thought of this caused them to collectively facepalm, slapping their foreheads as they all thought on the same wavelength. "Shit! I guess we have a personal paparazzi. They'd probably get a Pulitzer Prize-worthy photo if they ever caught us making out with our boyfriends. That's if they haven't already...#Awkward."

"Oh my gosh, this explains so much!" Seraphina voiced out, feeling a sense of déjà vu. "I always wondered how you magically appeared whenever we were about to get into trouble."

"Yes! We thought you had some sort of secret surveillance system watching our every move!" Amelia said, comically shocked.

"No, no, my sweet darlings! We're not spying on you. It's just a safety measure to ensure we're there for you when you need us the most." Anne chuckled mischievously. "Well, it's not all fun and games, you know. Sometimes, it's just the Offspring Detection activating because you forgot to brush your teeth!"

Everyone was left in stitches at the idea, except Zedock. In the midst of their laughter, they all simultaneously shifted their attention towards the frozen sculpture, only to witness a side of Zedock they rarely see – overcome with intense emotion, his face was pressed against the statue of his beloved son.

___

On the inside, Alistair was still conscious. For some reason unbeknownst to him, he could breathe alright. As though, the substance he was now stuck in, allowed air to permeate it.

"Maybe this thing is programed to starve me to death, instead of suffocating or popping me." Seymour thought. He could see his parents, although they couldn't see him all too well. This thing he was in, acted no different from a tinted glass.

"So they all came just to witness my demise?" He thought, trying to eavesdrop on what they were talking about, and that's when he heard something, at least he thought he did. "Wow, what a stunning artwork! Such poise, such grace!"

"Bollocks!!" He yelled inwardly, having overheard his mom say the most unexpected lines in this dir situation. "Stunning? Oh fabulous, just fabulous! This is how they always imagined me becoming famous - frozen solid in a statue!"

***