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As are the similarities expected for two brothers so close in age. You come from a timeline where you are the one who survived and Azriel died. This one carries the opposite effect. For the current Az, you perished before you reached adulthood.

Azriel and I were told a lot when we were younger how much we looked alike, but he's been dead for a while now. I'm sorry, but how do you know of my brother?

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I will unfortunately agree, the spirits hold their reasons. Asa Delacroix, you hold a rather striking resemblance to your brother.

It appears that wherever you're from isn't the only place that's fracturing. I've never seen the spirits so active before.

[timely-cronus]

I am Cronus, God of Time. They were indeed evidence of my realm pulling itself apart at the seams. Not many would theorize such like you have, Odessa.

You're him, the keeper of the loom. So the rifts were evidence of the loom unraveling.

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Many children who should not exist yet have come from the rifts, it still does not baffle me less my own child has too. I understand, revealing what has not yet happened can alter decisions and change the look more than it already is. Perhaps...I hold no recollection because your mother isn't currently living in any other timeline I know well. Jade. Saving her life in this realm changed her course.

Your memory has not failed you because I simply do not exist yet. I may need to refrain from speaking too much on the subject unless unforeseen repercussions arise. We are from this current timeline, and yet you have no recollection of us as a god.

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My loom is not your problem when your brother has fucked it up. Were you aware of what he was doing, Gluttony?

That's a given even to someone who doesn't know what the loom is.

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It has taken the most restraint I carry to contain myself from speaking so out of turn, Mr. Delacroix, but you wonder how easily you landed on the King's shit list for that mouth of yours. In the end, I knew nothing would convince your brother of taking the step from that ledge, not even you. Gianna must handle the weight from her choices as will I.

Do you ever shut up for a goddamn minute? If you knew this outcome all along then you know that I have no control over my siblings, just a semblance of one that falters the minute it fucking counts. Fix your shit, and I'll fix mine.

[timely-cronus]

Enough, Nikolai, that is enough. You have no fathoming of what power it takes controlling this responsibility and watching as now every well-maintained piece has been thrown every which direction. No, I cannot say I understand the basic sentimentality of family nor will I hide my selfishness reconstructing the blood witch's timeline until I achieve the best outcome for my needs. However, you are the one meandering about cracking quips and treating your place as a demi-god like a colossal joke. As for your relationship, do not blame me for your shortcomings when it comes to Mr. Foxwood. And the fact you can even stand by a man who reduced his parents to liquified matter without no show of remorse is saddening.

No more 'in my personal defense' bullshit. You don't want me to make arrogant jokes? Then fine, I'll give it to you straight then. You fucked up and yet you're relying on your hall passes to rewrite timelines as your fallback excuse. The fact is that you have no concept of what family is. While doing whatever you wanted, you endangered Death's family and are imploding my relationship with your poor excuse for advice. Right now, you only appear to care about yourself and what and who pertains to you. At least my friends broke the timeline to bring some happiness to someone else. There. Want more, or would you like me to return to making jokes?

[timely-cronus]

"In my brother's defense, nothing comes along and teeters the balance of his domain quite like what we are encountering." Not worth mentioning again, turning his back on duties while allowing the spell persist for the sake of saving a witch's existence. The hypocrisy was written all over the wall when he reprimanded his son for attempting the same action, but Cronus could keep convincing himself the situations were not one and the same. "As much as you'd prefer, I cannot stop. We are this close to figuring out what can save your life for good, so I'm never giving up on you. I'm not confused." The time god inspected his handiwork in affirmation the healing came together as it should have, nodding once when the witch's range of motion passed. "Ainsley's choices veered in other directions, but saving her had saved you too. What breaks the camel's back, I suppose." Cronus' gaze dropped for a moment, hands resting in his lap before he spoke again, "Jade, I would have deemed myself as honored as Ainsley had I ever been precious enough to you to place your head on the chopping block for. I know that will never be the case, but know, I will do the same for you regardless."

"It's always the quiet ones that tend to go nuclear the most, seems that isn't just a trait for mortals." Jadis watched as Cronus worked his magic, feeling her skin knit together faster than the blink of an eye. Strangely, she missed letting it heal on its own, reminding herself that she survived a fight to breathe another day, but it was a lie, wasn't it? The witch didn't exactly survive this battle without help. "One of these times you'll have to stop, Cronus– you can't just... keep altering my life like this. You're confusing yourself, and you can't tell me I'm lying, either." The witch felt his touch on her skin even after he'd let her go, her free hand moving to cover where he'd touched briefly before moving her arm to test the motion. "I do listen, just not when it comes to abandoning the only family I have left that matters to me�� if Uncle Benedict killed my parents, then he would have killed Ainsley, too."

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I hate being proven right, Mr. Delacroix. I told you this would happen.

You think?

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In my personal defense, that is the first time I opening interjected myself into the scenario. I can rewrite a branch as my power allows while you play witness of what you see. Your uncle threatened to wipe out all and you make arrogant jokes.

Sure—like completely saving someone's life who was destined to die when you've come here to preach against the very same thing. I enjoyed hearing someone point out your mistakes and while you were unable to play the 'I'm an almighty God' card.

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For your information, Nikolai, I have leeway bending the rules slightly, but I absolutely did not need to hear Death explain the consequences of what I already know. My choices are my choices and I will fix the fallout.

That would have violated your whole code of 'not interfering,' but I don't need to follow that if you don't. Nonetheless, you needed to hear his outburst regardless of whether you wanted to.

[timely-cronus]

I have yet to return to my domain and assess the damage, but I already know the loom is fracturing.

[timely-cronus]

"I made the choice I saw best fit." Cronus stated with tense confidence, tugging irritably at the sleeves of his dress shirt, which typically displayed a wrinkle-free look, but creases fittingly littered the fabric. A physical display of the chaos unleashed in their realms and his life. He couldn't say when the control slipped from his grasp, but it did and now it left the brothers at odds. "Don't pretend my situation with the girl is remotely close to my son's actions. You have not watched the thousands of ways I have had to watch Jade brutally die knowing it was in my hands and my hands alone to give her a different fate. I abused my position." The God of Time remained stock still as Death closed their distance, though, he couldn't conceal the alarm when his brother raised his voice. Death rarely yelled and he didn't lose his temper, but another puzzle piece fell into place. "Helena is here? Brother, you know I would not have intentionally placed the life of that girl and your unborn child in danger. I'm not making excuses, but I'm sorry they were caught in the crossfire." Cronus's gaze slowly shifted toward the other, concern touching his features before shaking his head. "I will fix this, Death. No need taking rash measures just yet."

"You could, you just chose not to." Death shook his head, absolutely baffled by the turn of events. He would have intervened with the spell if it was up to him, but it wasn't– at least not yet. He wouldn't hesitate as his brother did if it were up to him. The god glared at his brother, speaking tersely, "Cronus, you repeatedly are meddling in things you should leave be, do not think that I have not seen what you have been doing with the girl's life– and here you were worried about your son." He attempted to take a calming breath, but it didn't make him feel better. Knowing that his brother could have stopped the resurrection and turned his back, despite Cronus' claims. "Do not try to justify your mistake," Death shouted, stepping closer and shoving an accusatory finger towards his brother, "do not make excuses, or else you will only serve to make me angrier. You were the last defense, brother, and now our realms are in chaos, and that does not even stand to be the worst part in my eyes. You turning your back on your duties has caused Helena and my child to be taken here." His hand closed into a fist, though he dropped it to his side. "Fix it. Fix this mess, or I swear upon my realm, which shatters as we speak. I will."

[timely-cronus]

Your aura speaks plainly to me now.

I see the resemblance, but I am left wondering with who I produced another child. My memory never fails me nor am I my poor time-management brother.

It is a god's responsibility, I'm aware, I know so much because I am one.

Dad, it's me– Tati. Your daughter.

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"I didn't enjoy being scolded as a young child would who broke his mother's favorite vase. Death rarely loses his temperament so when he does, you do not want to be on the receiving end." Cronus stretched out a hand and rested Jade's wrist in his palm. With his free hand, he began hovering over the length of the woman's injured arm, speeding up the healing process through his magic. "It is one thing changing certain aspects of your destiny from afar, another monster entirely using a hands-on approach. Choosing to interfere instead of stopping a spell ruined my realm and my brother's, but I would choose the same action again to save you." He finished mending the wounds, letting the hand holding her wrist linger before he dropped it. "I know and it was a mistake believing you wouldn't fight beside your friend. It didn't matter when you don't listen to me anyway."

"I heard part of the reaming you got from your brother. You know, for being such an unassuming bean-pole, he's very loud when he wants to be." Jade cast a glance at the mangled arm she cradled against her chest. She could have knitted herself back together ten times over if she wasn't so fucking tired. Holding her arm out, the witch willed her hands to stop shaking. "I'm willing to accept half of the blame, but you shouldn't have stopped my uncle from killing me. I didn't have to overhear Death to know that's what you did. I knew I was going to die... I could feel it, and I was okay with it. I couldn't let him kill Ainsley just because you told me to stay out of it."

[timely-cronus]

A forewarning about your Uncle's very loud outburst would have been helpful.

Don't look at me, I don't see everything.

[timely-cronus]

No, you should not understand it, young one. It is but a god's responsibility.

That's how you treat another you've never met. I don't know you.

It is because I understand it, you would know. At least you should.

You are treating me as a stranger. Do you really not know who I am?