Trouble in Paradise

Vivian could not understand why her friend's disposition had changed so much; Enora had always been kind and gentle. But now something seemed to drive the woman's jealousy and envy towards Isis and Josiah -- it was almost enough to make Vivian doubt their initial friendship. No one knew the reason for this change but Enora herself, oblivious that others could see any changes.

Vivian honestly couldn't fathom what could have happened in the last year or so, but her older sister seemed to have an idea. She had once hinted that something was different about Jumoke. It was just that Lylian refused to speak on the matter further. All Vivian knew was that Enora was now bitter, vindictive, and downright incorrigible in her malice towards Isis and Josiah.

Which didn't make sense from a House perspective. Osiris had never encouraged competition among his women. When Vivian was about to respond again, she received a message via her telepathic link with her twin.

Lylian's voice felt like ice, saying, "Change the subject or your company. Do you think our lord is deaf? That any of us are ignorant of her ranting? She has not said anything that will draw attention yet, but how long will that last? Enora clearly does not care, but is that how you feel?"

Vivian's eyes flashed with comprehension as she silently sipped her tea. The tension in the air was palpable as the two women fell into an uncomfortable silence. Meanwhile, Lord Osiris and Jody had moved on to a new topic of conversation.

Jody dreamed of becoming a powerful Sage with the legendary Origin Body. He had always been referred to as a birthright Sage, one of those who were blessed with an Origin Body and innate powers through no effort of their own. His hope of being a unique and powerful individual was dashed when he was told that even if he did not possess a birthright Sage's abilities, he could still attain the origin body by capturing a powerful soul and fusing with its seal.

On top of that, being an origin body was more related to heritage than anything else. Jody looked at the floor in disappointment; his shoulders slumped as he realized it wasn't only luck that made someone a Sage; you could work towards it. So, anyone born with a force genesis could one day become a sage.

If one could just BECOME an Origin Body, how special was it?

Jody felt bummed out now. It seemed he only had a head start, not a clear advantage. The competition would be very steep. Others likely also had the same gift. He wouldn't be unrivaled, and his rivals would be as terrifyingly talented as himself.

Of course, he wasn't planning on backing down.

Jody lifted his head with his shoulders squared and back straight as determination set in. With the knowledge of the possible paths available to him and nearly four more years until his awakening ceremony, Jody was ready to become something special.

"Daddy, so I don't have to be like little Joe to be a sage?" Kamila asked with bright eyes blinking cutely.

  "You do have an origin body, Milly. You'll see the signs one day. As for if the other method is a good way to be a sage? Not always," Lord Osiris replied with certainty. "The requirement is that the expert must have already awakened their host. Furthermore, they start from a much lower baseline than those naturally born into an Origin Body. However, due to their ability to fuel their force with True Essence, they remain formidable opponents for even Born Sages."

"What happens when both are at the same level?" Jody inquired eagerly.

Not wanting to be left out of the conversation, his sister added her voice.

"Yeah, Daddy, what if that?" She asked while staring up at him with puppy dog eyes.

Amused, Osiris lifted her off the ground and onto his leg before continuing his explanation.

"Saints become even more intimidating to challenge at higher levels! True essence empowered by origin becomes life essence. Life essence can be far more versatile than mana; it can stabilize, restructure, enhance, assimilate, or destroy.

"Mana is used to create, nurture, evolve, or restore. Those adept in essence and mana systems are considered sky ranker experts; those who choose one path are regarded as earth ranker experts; and individuals who primarily specialize in a weapon art are human rank experts."

Speaking slowly and precisely, Lord Osiris imparted all this knowledge upon his two children despite their young age; he did so, hoping that it may benefit them in some way. Of course, he did this for Josiah more than Kamila.

"Pop, will you teach me how to use force?" Jody asked eagerly.

"Of course, son," Osiris replied to this question for the twelfth time with a smile, "but it requires a lot of training and dedication. Are you prepared for that?"

Jody nodded eagerly, his eyes shining with determination.

"Good," his father said approvingly. He liked that look more than the previous times, "then we will begin tomorrow. Until then, I suggest you rest and mentally prepare for the journey ahead."

Osiris never thought he would start training his son on force theory before his second birthday even arrived, but excellence can't always be achieved by convention.

Jody nodded and ran off to play with his sibling. Lord Osiris stood up and stretched his arms. He looked over at his wives and frowned, sensing the tension in the air. He had heard bits and pieces of various conversations, but he was fully engrossed in teaching his kids at the time.

"What's going on?" he asked, his voice tinged with concern.

Lylian hesitated momentarily before sending a voice transmission, "Enora's behavior towards Isis and Josiah has been concerning to Vivian, who was her friend for years."

Her voice was soft but steady, and the seriousness could be heard: "She seems to hold a lot of resentment and bitterness towards them, and I fear it may cause problems in the House."

Lord Osiris frowned, his eyes narrowing as he considered her words.

Vivian glanced at the two again, unsure if she should reveal everything. But in the end, she knew it was important for her husband to understand what was happening.

"She's been saying that her son, Mokie, is going to outshine all the other children," Vivian said through a voice transmission as she said farewell to Enora. "And she's been talking about how her position in the House will rise alongside mine because her son will be much greater than First Sister's."

Osiris sighed heavily, rubbing his temples as he tried to think of a solution. He knew that Enora was a difficult person to deal with, especially when it came to her son. She had always been fiercely protective of the little guy, but lately, her behavior had become erratic and concerning. He didn't want to cause more friction in the House, but he knew he needed to address the issue before it spiraled out of control.

Lord Osiris's eyes narrowed as he listened.

"That doesn't sound like Enora at all," he said. "Do you know what's been causing this change in her?"

Vivian shook her head.

"I see," he said slowly, looking up at his wives with a grim expression. They had both made their way to his front as he pondered. "Thank you for bringing this to my attention, Lylian. Vivian."

Vivian nodded, relieved that her husband was taking her concerns seriously.

"I will speak with Enora and see if I can resolve the issue."

Vivian nodded her agreement, her eyes softening as she looked at her husband. She knew he was a wise and just ruler, and she trusted his judgment. Lylian, on the other hand, looked skeptical, still unsure if Osiris could handle Enora's fiery temper.

Seeing through the thoughts of the first woman he ever had, Osiris said seriously, "I'll try to reason with her, and if that fails, I'll have to take more drastic measures."

"Do you think you can pacify her?" she asked, her tone laced with doubt.

"I have to try," Osiris replied firmly, standing up and towering over his wives. "For the sake of our House and our children's future, I must try."

With that, he left the room, his mind already working on a plan to deal with Enora and her drama. The tension in the air dissipated, and Osiris took a deep breath before turning to his children and joining in their playtime.

But his mind was still on Enora and her behavior. He knew it was a delicate situation and needed to handle it carefully. He couldn't afford to let any animosity between the wives affect his children's upbringing or his position in the House.

As the day turned into night, Osiris resolved to speak to Enora the following day and hopefully reach a peaceful understanding. Unfortunately, while returning to his first lady's courtyard, he overheard Enora ordering the wild wolf guards to arrest some servants for dirtying Jumoke blanket. She even demanded they be castrated and sent to her courtyard to serve as eunuchs.

Osiris frowned even deeper, his eyes flashing with anger. He had always known Enora to be arrogant and haughty, but this display of hubris was unacceptable. He couldn't let her ambition harm the peace and stability of the House.

"I'll speak with her," he said, his voice firm and resolute. "I won't allow her to cause discord within our family. Is she somehow ignorant of her mistakes? Could her situation be worse than we anticipated? Damn demons..."

With that, Osiris strode out of the room, his mind already formulating a plan to appease Enora before she caused irreparable damage. He would make her see reason, whether she liked it or not.