Miu decided to seek out Orion of Five Tails the very next day.

If anyone could help her decipher the water god's enigmatic message, then it would probably be her red-furred friend. Orion, through his many, many wayward wanderings and delinquent adventures, possessed a talent for keeping his furry ears close to ground. He never failed to catch wind of the latest goings-on between mortals and immortals before trouble crept his way. Miu hoped he might be able to point her in the right direction.

As the spherical white sun ascended into dawning lavender-pink skies, Miu emerged from her burrow like a woodland nymph. Her feet were bare as she stood amidst a forest of foggy mist and lush, leafy trees. Leaves and branches seemed to sway and sigh towards her. Her tails swished happily. She couldn't help but preen a little. Not even nature could resist her loveliness.

Just then, Miu felt a sharp tug in her chest as though she was being reprimanded by some godly force for her vanity. She tilted her face skywards and glared at the heavens.

Petulantly, she grumbled, "Just because you do not desire me, my lord, does not mean that I am undesirable!"

Miu waited for a response and felt a tad disappointed when she received none from Cassian.

Ah, well. It was time to summon the five-tailed bastard, anyway.

Swiftly, Miu proceeded to snatch three eggs from a nearby bird's nest. She picked up a fallen tree branch to draw a circular Hestes' glyph into the fertile black soil. She placed the eggs inside the circle.

Over the next few moments, she began to chant in the ancient language of sirens and witches. The words lifted from her tongue in a melodic, lyrical manner. Miu had barely finished her summoning spell when Orion appeared inside the circle with a puff of smoke. He promptly popped all three eggs into his mouth, shells and all, and swallowed them in three very audible and eager gulps.

Miu eyed him with amusement. "My dearest Orion of Five Tails... your appetite never fails to amaze me."

He grinned at her. "Thank you for the delicious snack, Miu of Seven Tails. Eggs... are my favorite!"

"I am happy to hear they were to your liking," Miu said with a punctuated sigh, "but you ought to know by now that I never feed you out of the goodness of my heart..."

Orion chuckled. "How may I repay you for these three eggs, then, my seven-tailed queen?"

She leaned towards him and whispered, "I have heard... murmurings... of 'dark, grave matters' brewing across the realms. Do you think there is any truth to such rumors?"

"Dark, grave matters, you say?"

"Indeed."

Orion continued in smug, pretentious tones, "Hasn't darkness always existed in all of us? Isn't conflict and suffering and strife the natural state of humans, demons, and seraphs?"

"Naturally," Miu replied dismissively, "but have you chanced upon anything... peculiarly dark... or particularly grave... as of late?"

Orion's playful demeanor gave way to a slight frown. "Well, now that you mention it..."

Miu's eyes widened with interest. "Yes? Go on!"

His lower lip jutted out. "I think Keela might be plotting my death again!"

Miu immediately reached over to smack him upside the head.

He screeched in protest, "Ouch!"

"That is not what I meant, you fool!"

Orion rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. "Must you always be so violent?"

"If I was not so violent," she growled, "you and I would have died ten times over from minor demons like Keela by now! You should be thankful that I possess the heart of wasp rather than a worm!"

Orion gasped, "Are you suggesting that I am a worm rather than a wasp? How incredibly hurtful, Miu..."

She rolled her eyes with impatience. "I simply wish to know if you have seen or heard anything strange during your travels around Gaia or the Under Realm... If you do not possess the information I seek, then I shall summon Keela to us right this moment!"

His jaw dropped in horror. "What? No!"

"Your former paramour possesses the power of foresight, does she not? Surely, she will be able to provide more useful tidings to me than you can..."

Orion's face wrinkled with displeasure. He mumbled, "Fine, fine, fine! Your will has triumphed over mine! I will tell you what you wish to know, Miu."

She smiled becomingly. "Excellent."

His shoulders slumped. "Sometimes I do not know why I bother to maintain this alliance of ours... I always draw the short end of the stick."

Miu didn't hesitate to remind him of her value, "You have only yourself to blame. Because you need my waspish ways to protect your weak, wormy arse."

He glared at her. "How rude! I will not breathe another word to you if you insist on being a brute!"

"Stop being such a delicate flower, Orion," Miu murmured breezily, "but I suppose I could try to bite my tongue if it hurts your feelings so. Please tell me what I wish to know, and I will let you get on your merry way."

Orion hesitated for a moment, which was rather unlike him, before finally speaking up, "I have heard... whisperings... about a golden-eyed seraph named Helios. He is raising an army."

Fear trickled through Miu. "You said his name was... Helios?"

Orion nodded. "Yes. Helios."

"Why does it matter if one seraph is raising an army? There have always been battles between seraphs and demons. It is our fate to struggle for supremacy in the mortal realm."

"Indeed," Orion readily agreed, "but, rumor has it, there has never been an army quite as large as this one."

"How many soldiers?"

"Ten thousand seraphs and five hundred thousand men."

Miu's eyebrows rose significantly. "Why in Beezlebub's name is Helios building such a massive force?"

Orion grimaced. "I do not know if my sources hold true, but... from what I have gathered... I believe he intends to destroy the Under Realm altogether... and wipe out our kind from existence. A bit mad, isn't it?"

***

After Orion filled his belly with a dozen or so more eggs, he flitted away through Miu's summoning circle in a flicker of shadow and smoke towards gods-knew-where.

His voice faded along with the dissipating black clouds, "A pleasure to see you as always, Miu of Seven Tails! I am off to my next adventure..."

Miu called after him, "Do try to stay out of trouble, Orion of Five Tails—else your appetite for eggs will surely bring about your demise!"

Her warning had been shouted in vain. The troublesome fellow was already gone. With a sigh, Miu sank to the forest ground. She wrapped her tails around her in a contemplative posture. The five-tailed fox's foreboding words floated across her mind.

I believe he intends to destroy the Under Realm altogether... and wipe out our kind from existence.

Try as she might, Miu couldn't quite bring herself to believe in Orion's wild claims. An army of ten thousand seraphs and five hundred thousand men sounded impossible to assemble. Seraphs were fiercely prideful, independent creatures while mortals were notoriously foolish and weak. A pair of them couldn't band together if their lives depended on it, let alone legions upon legions of them.

Helios would be more than 'a bit mad' for considering such a ridiculous undertaking.

A delicate crease appeared between Miu's brow as she tumbled further into her reverie.

Still, the mention of the golden-eyed seraph's name worried her. Years and years ago, he had come dangerously close to slicing off her very last tail in a very final and irreversible manner. He was powerful, ruthless, and determined. It would be foolish of her to underestimate him.

An instinctive shudder ran down Miu's spine.

In truth, Miu didn't know whether to tremble in fear or laugh at the absurdity of Helios' presumed plans. For as long as there had been space and time and matter, the three planes of Elysium, Gaia, and the Under Realm co-existed in the way of land, sea, and sky. Birth, life, and death. Darkness, light, and shadow. Every immortal being was deeply aware of these sacred triangular bonds. It simply wouldn't be possible to destroy one world without unraveling the others as well.

Miu scowled with vexation.

Did Helios truly believe he could disrupt the balance across the cosmos and triumph?

And why was she allowing some unproven prattle about a deranged, delusional seraph dampen her day?

Orion certainly hadn't been overly bothered by any of this nonsense. Miu decided that she wasn't about to let Helios get under her skin, either. Right as Miu was about to put this matter to rest once and for all, she sensed another trifling pluck upon her heart.

"What do you want now, my lord?" she growled into the forest.

Cassian's voice crept across her consciousness. Go to Lavia of Nine Tails. She shall have the answers you seek.

Such interruptions and interventions from her tethered companion were fast becoming a regular part of her daily routine. It would seem that Cassian was keeping a rather close eye on her. It would also seem that the water god was well acquainted with the nine-tailed demoness.

She inquired, "Are you suggesting that there might be a glimmer of truth to the gossip I reaped from Orion?"

Lavia knows all—was the only response she was afforded from the stingy god.

Miu frowned sullenly. "Must you always speak in riddles, my lord? It pains my senses whenever I try to decipher the hidden meaning behind your words."

Must you always test me so, little one?

Little one?

Miu grinned coyly. He had granted her a pet name. Her confidence surged.

She flirted, "But, my lord, I simply cannot help it! My affection for you drives my unruly nature to constantly poke and prod and tease..."

I would believe you, little one, if your eyes were not brimming with mischief.

Miu's grin widened and dimpled. Again, he had called her 'little one.'

"What a shame," she murmured, "because most men find my brand of mischief to be quite enticing."

I am not 'most men.'

"You must think rather highly of yourself, my lord."

I am a god, after all.

She taunted him, "Very well, Cassian, Almighty God of Water—have you found a way to break my pathetic, little love spell yet?"

He gave a stunted pause.

Regrettably, no.

She smirked. "Regrettably? I take offense. How shall I ever survive such a blow?"

His amusement proceeded to trickle over her like a light spring drizzle. Out of nowhere, the clouds overhead thickened and darkened. Droplets of rain began to sprinkle down from gray skies.

My dear lady, instinct tells me that you will not only survive but thrive regardless of your wounded pride...

Miu's eyes grew wide. Then, she laughed. "My lord, is the moon toppling from the heavens—or did you attempt to jest with me?"

She could feel the faint glimmers of warmth from his smile.

I would never.

The rain began to fall harder. Miu's skin grew slick from the moisture, her hair became damp, but she didn't care. Her heartbeat quickened.

She cooed sweetly, "I very much prefer this lighter side of you, my lord. You ought to jest with me more often!"

Much to Miu's disappointment, Cassian didn't continue with their repartee. Instead, he fell silent, putting an end to their playful banter. Abruptly, the rain ceased to fall.

Miu frowned. What a moody, temperamental fellow he was turning out to be...

Her displeasure deepened when his demeanor turned stoic and stern once more.

Alas, my lady, I do not have the luxury of partaking in merriment or revelry. You will have to forgive me.

As Miu parted her mouth to retort, he circled back to the initial matter at hand, Do you intend to seek out Lavia as I instructed?

Her curiosity spiked. "Why do you wish for me to seek out Lavia so desperately, my lord?"

She will need you if her kingdom falls.

Something in his tone of voice sent a shiver through Miu.

"You are speaking in riddles again, my lord," she murmured.

You are a clever fox. I am certain my riddles shall not stump you for long.

With that, he sundered their ties and disappeared into the void.

She wished to solve his riddle. Instantly, Miu's mind raced back to the night of Lavia's ball and how intently Cassian and the crimson-eyed fox had been locked in conversation.

Come to think of it, why would a being as high and mighty as Cassian bother to attend a demon's ball at all?

Miu sighed forlornly. There was definitely something amiss here. Clearly, it was time to pay Lavia another visit for some answers...