Retro-cognition

Chapter 24 - A Unique Creation

Chapter 24 – A Unique Creation

Excited, Retro walked through the gardens of Amora—he jumped over a small fence and aimed straight for the house of Lif. She'd been hesitant and stubborn but, finally, with the help of Mortitia, they found a way for him to be a parent.

It hadn't meant much to Retro as he grew up, in fact, it hadn't meant much to anyone. But after seeing all his brothers and sisters carry on their heritage, he ached for it. However, Retro didn't have those options. He was cursed with an unbearable fate. As the keeper of time, with nothing to do to help him carry on his bloodline, there was no way for him to be a parent. There wasn't even a suitable mate for him.

Lif hadn't thought of this when she created Retro. He'd been the first, and most influential of them all. Her little experiment, and for years he had resented her for that very thing. He'd despised her for the pain and suffering she'd put him through. Eternities had passed before Retro finally got someone to talk to apart from the two Goddesses of Life and Death.

Now it all was changing though. Now he could finally be a father. They'd worked together and found a way. Mortitia had molded a vessel, from her own skin, and Lif had accepted the experiments as worthy. All they needed now was the blood from him, and Lif could blow life into his daughter.

His daughter—the words still sounded weird to him. He was going to be a father.

He let out a relieved chuckle—he was going to be a father. The words sounded nice in his mouth. Retro skidded over the ground, in an almost childish glee, and he didn't stop until he was inside the house of Lif. He kneeled before her.

"Lif, Mother, I have arrived," he said. Lif's empty eyes transformed to the loved blue ones, and she smiled.

"Retro. It's such a revolutionary day for you. Are you excited?" she asked.

"More than anything, Mother."

"Very well. Let's go to Mortitia." His mother rose from her throne and walked with careful steps. He remained behind her, waiting for her to lead the way as the proper etiquette would call for.

It had been many years since he'd last visited this room. In fact, he found it hard to remember the last time he'd been here. The poisonous smell that often accompanied Mortitia filled the room, and he looked over to find her waiting for them.

"Took you long enough," she said and faked a yawn.

"Pardon for keeping you waiting, sister," Lif answered and walked over to the table where a small bundle were placed. Retro followed and saw the corpse of a child. No sign of life, and with only little color apart from blue.

"Is that her?" he asked. It broke his heart to see his little girl like this, even though he knew that this child had never been alive before. That's why they were there--they wanted to change this dead shell to a living, breathing Goddess.

"You are aware that none of us can predict her powers, right?" Mortitia asked. "She's not of natural creation, and still doesn't have a fate or destiny. Even Fatus wouldn't be able to tell you anything."

Retro nodded. This had been one of the risks by having yet another artificial created child. Only Lif could create new full blood Gods, but his mother had refused to consider that option. A part of him was okay with it, because that meant it was his blood, which would be used instead. His daughter would be only his.

"Alright. Sister?" Mortitia asked. Lif was yanked out of the all-too-familiar trance and looked over to her sister. Retro knew that only few Gods would be allowed to disturb his mother when she's watching over the world. The woman nodded, and she pulled the cloth of the child. It's small frame now entirely visible.

Retro held out his hand as Mortitia moved a chalice beneath. Lif found a sacrificial dagger and slashed across Retro's wrist. He winced from the pain, and watched as his crimson blood poured into the golden cup.

"Let's get this party started," Mortitia said, and he sent her a disgusted glare.

"Alright, alright. Geez. You're about as fun as the dead people." Mortitia rolled her eyes.

"Silence," Lif demanded.

Retro watched as Lif blew on the blood, before putting it to the infants still lips. Pouring the blood straight into the empty vessel, she whispered a few words.

Not long after, the screams of a child echoed throughout the holy room. Mortitia covered her ears, and Lif returned to her trance-like state of mind. With the sisters occupied, Retro took a long look at the child. Her brown eyes stared up into his, and once he took her in his arms, she stopped her wailing.

"Sh-She recognizes me," he said. His eyes were moist with tears, and he looked up to meet Mortitia's eyes. The Goddess of death removed her well-known cynical facade and gave him a sincere smile.

"Congratulations, dad." She giggled.

"Thank you. Thank you," he muttered. "There's no one like her in the world."

"Have you thought of a name?" Mortitia asked.

"She's unique. How could any emotion cover that?" He caressed the baby's cheek with love.

"She's not an emotion God, Retro. You can't name her after an affinity she doesn't have," Lif added. "You will have to come up with something else."

He stared between them. A name--he needed a name for her.

"Then I'll go with what I just said." He smiled at his daughter. "I'll call you Unique because that's what you are."

Unique pulled out of the memory and gasped for air. She'd been created. The memory has shown her that she'd been nothing but an experiment to please her father's biological clock. Disappointment and anger was two things she recognized from inside. Even though Retro hadn't mentioned the nature of her creation as she grew up, he'd never denied her the possibility to believe that she had a mother somewhere. Now that was ruined though. Instead of a family, she now had discovered that she had nothing more than a vessel and her father's blood as heritage.

She wiped the angry tears away and took the next picture. This was also of her and Retro, but much later in her life. She looked almost identical to how her appearance was now. She closed her eyes and concentrated. 

"I can't do anything, Passion," Retro said. "It's literally not within my power. She's gone."

The words hurt him to say, as much as it hurt his son-in-law to hear. He buried his face in his hands.

"This can't be true," Passion mumbled. "There must be something we can do."

Retro looked up and surveyed the boy. His eyes were rimmed with tears, and blood-shot from lack of sleep. Retro recognized the signs of a tortured man in the boy. For the first time, he saw himself in Passion's eyes.

"There might be something," he said. It would take time, and it would be near impossible to make Lif agree.

Passion grabbed the collar of his shirt. "Tell me."

"We'd have to ask Lif, and I have to pull in some favors, but we can get it done," Retro explained.

“Will I get to see her again?” Passion came closer, and Retro briefly contemplated head butting the guy.

“It depends, son. We’d have to talk to Mortitia as well.”

“What are we going to do?”

“We’re going to create Unique over again.”

A/N: Please don't stop spreading the story around. I will write this fast with your help. Also, if you want to, you can go back through the story and check if you voted on the chapters. 

I'd like to stress the fact that none of the help is required to read the story. This is just a way for you to help me keep at this story and have least possible waiting time for you. Thank you for everything <3