Congratulations You're a Father!

Many weeks later had passed since Samuel came back to the college. The rest of their time had been spent just getting to know everything, they had talked with many of their people and started forging simple friendships or partnerships.

All the while Samuel kept his identity as Xaxiaz hiddden until their last day. For Samuel it had been a lot of reading and learning how to use the Viri Gauntlet & Viri Neural Interface. They learned fast how much of the more complicated technology worked.

It wasn't like Samuel introduced himself to a large crowd of people as Xaxiaz, it was more so that he wanted to avoid the hastle and used his last name of Gillfall more. Only introducing himself to a few as Xaxiaz, all the clans that had participated in the meeting knew what he looked like.

The majority of all people gathered belonged to one of those clans, only a rough few were freelance or those trying to upstart their own clans which was a lengthy and hard process.

Samuel felt like he had cheated only because he had inherited a name. But it made him wonder all the more, if he had been in a stasis pod for thousands of years, asleep as a baby for all that time, then how did being an almost pureblood child of mana make him different.

What he had learned is that the bloodlines of the Manaic People was so pure that it was actually difficult to not inherit anything less, because the bloodline hardly faltered.

He had asked the VI through his Gauntlet about it, and the answer he had received was that the Children of Mana today were at about 60% of the original bloodlines strength. After tens of thousands of years and other races bloodlines getting mixed in, it was incredible how pure the blood had kept itself.

Yet at the same time as how all Manaic people were related, they were at the same time so distinct in their individual bloodlines that one could hardly say that they are related at all. He wondered if he could ever find answers to all these questions and where he would find them.

Samuel thought back to one thing the VI had said, "You will find that there were others out there that are able to use Mana in a simillar fashion to us, many other races were welcomed as allies back in the conflict, ideologies clashed even among other races and some took our side while others didn't."

"Many who did try to help us, came to us as refugees escaping their own kind. That much I do know, it is very possible that other ancient bloodlines from the races of the past have also survived. For example you had the Rexxentiran Humans that came from the planet Rexal, they were a people of art and culture."

"They wished for peace and prosperity and were also unable to defend themselves properly. But one man among them, Ophicus was blind and deaf from birth, but he was always able to see in a different way. He could see Mana even if he was blind, he could hear it even if he was deaf."

"So he learned how to listen, speak and see through Mana. But more than anything... Whatever he painted using it, came to life. He learned how to harness and connect with Mana and use it in a way not too far from the Manaic People."

"He taught as many of his people as he could how to use this art to defend themselves. It is said that they painted a gigantic shield around their planet that held for a long time. Most of their people died, but not all of them. Because of that shield buying them time, House Xaxiaz managed to get there in time to save several hundreds of them."

"Or so the story goes, there is a lot of uncertainty from the old data in the systems." Because of that story Samuel once again reaffirmed the fact that even if their race might be special, there were plenty of others out there that were also special. "We are all equal in one way or another."

The boatride back and the teleportations went by smoothly and without issue and before long the regular college had returned to normal. He had not returned home to the Gillfall estate for some time though. After about six weeks of being back to the College he was finally called home with a very official letter.

Things at the college had more or less returned to a more normal sense, even if the feeling of tension in the air was ever present.

But when he did return home to the Gillfall estate he was met with a sight that he could have never been prepared for.

The servants guided him into one of the smaller office rooms with sofas and chairs - a common room where one could converse or read or have tea. Or all of the above at the same time.

Bellana his personal maid was the only maid present but also her daughter that was a maid in training. Two people were seated in chairs, one of which was Samuel's adoptive mother Faleah who was holding two small babies wrapped in cloth, one in each arm.

"Lord Samuel has arrived." Bellana quickly announced and Samuel could instantly see that Faleah looked at him and gave him a deadly cold smile. The man sitting facing away from Samuel then stood up with a disgruntled expression.

"Bomfjeord!" Samuel blurted out as he recognized the scout that had led them across the southern snow tundra. Instantly Samuel gained a worried expression, "Has something happened?" He asked the older man.

"I was trying to reach you for some time, but my messages never reached you it seems. Something about security stopping them." Bomfjeord grunted. Then he looked extremely sad for a few moments before looking at the children.

"About two months ago, Etheri died..."

Hearing those words Samuel felt his heart sink. Another woman he had loved for short time that had passed. He had been so busy with the college and everything happening that he completely had forgotten to visit more than one time.

"How?" Samuel asked as he looked to the floor.

Bomfjeord grit his teeth to stop himself from crying. "She died giving birth, to your children!" The words that made Samuel look up in shock came.

"As she lay dying she had many things to say to me, she told me not to blame you, told me to kill my rage and anger, she also said that these children should be raised here. She also wanted to convey a message to you."

"Take care of these children, together we created this blessing, this gift. Take care of these children and raise them well, give them proper names, and know that I love you.... Those are the words she wanted to convey." Bomfjeord sighed.

"I wanted to raise them with my people where they belong, but she refused, so instead I came here with them to make sure they know about their other side." Bomfjeord gently sat down in front of Faleah and gently caressed the small childrens cheeks.

Samuel could see it already, they had wolflike ears. They had the gift of werekin, werewolves in their case. Samuel slowly approached and also sat down next to them. He looked up at Faleah and without saying anything he understood what a fool he was, but she forgave him anyway and gently kissed him on the top of his head.

"I understand that you are too young and have too many things that you need to oversee before you can actually start raising children. But Bellana has offered to help raise them, so the three of us will help you raise these children. But you haveto be a part of their lives and honor what Etheri wanted." Faleah gently spoke and Samuel could only nod.

Faleah handed him the larger child first and he cradled her as gently as he could, almost in an instant the child started crying and Bellana was quickly there to help show him how to hold her.

With her help the child calmed down pretty quick, Bellana quickly placed a hand on Samuel's back, "Two beautiful daughters! What will you name them?"

Samuel turned his attention to the baby girl he was holding and tears started welling up in his eyes, "Monica! You should be strong and ferocious like your mother was!" The child looked at him and Samuel could sense it, the trace of Mana in her eyes.

The moment he named her something was etched deep in the childs soul, and little Monica fell asleep almost instantly. He gently handed the child back to Bomfjeord and cradled the other little girl.

Unlike her sister, this one only giggled happily as she saw Samuel. He couldn't help but smile, "Tasha! I have a feeling you will be calm and collected in comparison to your sister, but you both will have big hearts!" Just like with Monica, the name Tasha was etched into her soul and Samuel could feel the Mana. 'Of course any child of mine would also become a child of mana.'

Tasha didn't fall asleep right away, instead she looked around with her big blue eyes for a while as she slowly drifted toward sleep. "You are right, I don't think I can be a good father yet, but I will try to do my best!" Samuel looked at Alice and gave her a smile.

"Come!" He urged the young girl to come over. "These little ones are going to need a strong big sister to watch over them when the rest of us can't!"

Alice's eyes sparkled and she gave a wide grin and almost started shouting but Bellana put a finger over her own mouth to communicate talking in a small voice.

"I am going to be the best big sister ever and protect them from all the monsters in the closet!" She quietly said with pride. Which made the three older adults laugh quietly, Samuel just gave her a smile and approving nod.

"Speaking of children!" Faleah began speaking and Bellana along with Bomfjeord took the three children with them and left the room, which made Samuel look back at his mother, now worried further.

"How many more can I expect in this household?" This time she spoke a little more loudly and annoyed, "Noble houses of The Rejuan Republic are a lot less stingy than those of a Noble Kingdom like Rook, but we still have a bit of a reputation to uphold..."

She sighed and looked at the campfire, "Not like I intend to publicaly announce that there are new children, in fact I am going to protect their existence for as long as possible. But with at least a third one on the way it's going to get more difficult to do so!"

Samuel snapped his head in her direction, "A third one?" Seeing his genuine look of confusion, Faleah sighed and took out a letter. "This letter is semi anonymous, someone referring to themself as an Alchemist and Herbal master travelling the world... Being pregnant with your child, a child that will most likely be a foxkin like her mother."

Samuel took his head into his hands and just felt like sinking into the ground. "I agreed that a life of travel like that is dangerous for a child, so I managed to get a message back that I would take in the child or children if there are more." She then lowered the letter and looked at him in pitiful annoyance.

"Any more women? Any more children?" The sass in her voice was undeniable. Thankfully Samuel could only shake his head, "The first girl I definitely can understand that you developped a genuine crush and from the words she left you with, I know she must have been a sweet girl."

Faleah looked at the letter before throwing into the fireplace, "This second one though makes me question what went through your head at these times." She cupped Samuels face with her hands and brought his face back up.

"It is good to see you back home, and you should be thankful that you have such a big family now that will help you care for these children. But please no more surprises!" Faleah sighed and Samuel could see that she was tired.

Samuel took her hands in his own, "How much do you know about Children of Mana?" He wasn't expecting Faleah to show much, but there was a sudden shock on her face that quickly disappeared. She definitely knew something about them.

She retreated her hands and let them slump in her lap as she relaxed back into her chair while looking at the fireplace, "Some of them might be responsible for the deaths of my Husband and Son, how I don't know yet. But Alsian did tell me a few things that he felt like I should know."

She looked at Samuel, "For example that you are one, he thought I should know before I adopted you. But I know that they are just like the rest of us mortals, some are kind and good while others foul and evil."

"Alsian also told me to not investigate into it, because it wouldn't lead me anywhere good. So I dropped the whole thing in my heart, but my mind keeps telling me to find out."

Samuel looked into the fire and reached out a hand and almost as if a branch climbing the fire stretched out and landed all around his arm, without burning anything. "In that case, I would like for you to give me everything you have gathered in your investigation, and I will help you find out and if possible help bring you some justice... If I can?"

Faleah whacked him over the head with a large piece of paper, with a few tears streaming down her face she quickly got up and hugged him as well, "As long as it doesn't bring any serious danger to my son that I am holding right now... I always wanted grandkids!" She added the last part after some time and they laughed together.

Samuel spent a few days in the mansion to make sure everything was going smoothly and saw that his children would be well cared for, Zalbas, Vuldara & Vazmarx all came to visit as well and met his children. Vuldara was like a natural mother and funnily enough Vazmarx had a really good hand with children as he proudly helped care for them, the only one that was terrible with them was Zalbas who panicked every time they made a noise.

Samuel himself wasn't much better than Zalbas, but he did his best knowing that these two were his children. Bomfjeord and Faleah had grown close as respective grandparents during that time and Bomfjeord was welcomed into House Gillfall as a scout instructor.

The morning Samuel was returning to the college though he walked into what he thought was an empty dining hall looking for one of his favourite shirts.

But when he entered the hall all he saw was Bomfjeord completely naked and lying on a table with Faleah on top of him, they seemed to have grown rather extremely close, both having lost their former partner and being roughly the same age.

Samuel without a word turned around and didn't care about a shirt anymore as he just tried to blink away the imagine in his head.

After some food most of them gathered for a quick goodbye as he departed to the college, Faleah didn't seem the least bit embarrased and acted like her usual self while Bomfjeord stood a bit back and had the worst pokerface on as he looked off into the distance several times.

"This time make sure you visit as often as possible, for everyones sake yeah?" Faleah made sure to tell him and Samuel promised. After all it was only a few hours to get between the college and the mansion on foot. If one was allowed to fly between the two it would be a very different deal, he could probably do that trip in a matter of minutes instead.