They made their way over at a very normal human pace, simply walking down the path instead of flying or teleporting, as almost everyone present was capable of.
Luna seemed to have adopted Hera as her mount of choice, remaining wrapped around her waist and asking a constant stream of questions about everything they passed. It was a relief for the other overwhelmed Disciples, who weren't sure what to make of this place, or the strange atmosphere that seemed to be filling them past their capacity and suffocating them for lack of energy at the same time.
They were all still in the Mortal Realm, and Mortal energy was sparse in a Divine Plane. Ancients could turn basically anything into usable energy, so Luna didn't really notice the change, but it was rather uncomfortable to the others, even during the brief moments when they forgot when the cute Bunnies accompanying them were actually enormous carnivorous monsters.
They had just rounded the final corner toward the entrance of the Castle when a white and red streak flew out of a second-floor window directly at Cain.
Cyrene wrapped around his waist as she collided with him and grabbed him in a tight hug.
"It's been so long. How was your trip? Wow, you're powerful. You smell like Dragon as well. It's nice, like grass after the rain. Oh, you found new friends. Or are they summons?" She asked in a single breath.
"The trip was great. I didn't know you were here. I hope you didn't mess up Misha's surprise. I will explain the rest later.
Everyone, this is Cyrene, Luna's mother." Cain replied.
"Oh, Em, Gee. She is adorable. But isn't she a bit young? I mean, maybe it's because she's a Lamia, but she looks really young to have a half grown child." Penny answered, then reached out to give Cyrene's upper body a proper human hug.
"Lamia grow up very fast. But I was a human to start with, and Cain transformed me to break a curse I was born with, so my appearance and my age don't necessarily match. Did he destroy a Sect and steal their Initiates or something, though? I mean, two of them are fairly powerful, but they're still just little kids and humans." Cyrene responded.
"Our story is about the same as yours. I asked Cain to make me cute, and I should have been more specific. Solara wanted a new start, but the result was the same, he made us both kids again." Tena explained.
They were still walking and almost to the front door, which stood open with a very pregnant Misha waiting in the opening with happy tears in her eyes.
Cyrene reached over to grab one of the other Ancients, moving herself to wrap around him while Cain moved to carefully embrace Misha, moving slightly to the side to get around the side of her belly.
"Honey, I'm home."
Misha looked overjoyed and enraged at the same time, then reached up and grabbed his ear, pulling him down to her level.
"All this time, and that's what you start with? Honey, I'm home? You couldn't do better than that?" She demanded.
"Sorry, I panicked. Don't pout. I'll make it up to you later." Cain replied, then picked her up with an arm under her backside, so she could lean against him instead of straining herself to remain upright.
"You had better. I have seen everything you have been up to while I was gone. Even though you left the Companions behind, you still collect women everywhere you go. I should have sent someone with you to keep you out of trouble, but Nyarla said I shouldn't strain myself trying to communicate with the other world until after the birth."
Cain frowned. "I still need to have a nice long conversation with that woman about stealing someone's family from their bed."
Cain heard a wave of giggles from the other room, and the rest of the children came out dragging a small Elven woman in a victorian Maid's outfit.
"I won't apologize. It was necessary, but I will admit that maybe I should have left a memo or a contact number or something." The woman shrugged.
Cain frowned at her a second before Misha began to plaster his face with kisses, making him forget why he was upset with the Ancient for the moment.
The Ancients led them back into the house and onto a couch in the main sitting room, where everyone present arranged them on the wide variety of furniture from dozens of different Empires and times.
"I was just about to go get you. Misha is ready to pop, and the twins are eager to come out and see the world. They were just finishing up the last of their development. Their minds are healthy and intelligent, at least as much as the Lamia were at birth, and they appear to be in perfect health.
The Ancient Genes have completely overwhelmed the Human ones in these twins, and they will be born as purebred Ancients, the first ones we have seen in centuries." Nyarla informed him.
"What are the risks?" Cain asked, knowing they should be low, given the number of healers in the room.
"Virtually zero. Since they're pure Ancients, they will just turn incorporeal when they are ready and leave directly." The nursemaid Ancient replied as Misha curled up on Cain's lap and fell asleep.
"It looks like the excitement was already too much for her. Ancients take a huge amount of energy as they grow, and she's still a Mortal Human. She made great progress thanks to the system, but she couldn't advance to Immortality while she was pregnant. It's not safe." Nyarla informed him.
"It's the same for all humans. Even making a breakthrough between Awakenings can be incredibly dangerous while pregnant." Mariel agreed.
"Well, then, all I have to do is wait. Where are the rest of my children hiding?" Cain asked while Misha began to snore softly and clutch at his robes.
"We are here. We caught a ride on the Ancients. Mom has it right. Riding on people is the way to go. You don't need to travel by yourself, and sometimes you end up in unexpected places." Remi, the Frost Mage among Cain's daughters, informed him from around the waist of one of the Bunny-transformed Ancients.
