Forty years later
Enriched vines covered the wood. A melodic stream of water spread through the area, bringing forth trees that would be glowing to the naked eye.
Gentle winds passed through those trees of unforeseen heights, with tiny kisses shining light on young branches.
In the middle of such a serene landscape, a much smaller tree, brimming with life, provided shade for a green, mossy cabin. The bugs around the cabin glowed with a golden halo, showing small signs of intelligence as they watched the scene before them, like an audience at a live show.
The cabin windows were strangely tinted, preventing onlookers from seeing the inside. But the soulful humming from the surrounding birds performed well for an opening act.
As though foreshadowing the upcoming changes, the ever-flowing water reflected the different seasons occurring in the forest.
The scene, undeniably mystical.
A divine beauty lay screaming on a wooden bed, her voice sending shivers down the dark-skinned man's backside. His slim, muscular physique shuddered as he took small glances at her legs. Gulping subconsciously, the man's grey eyes watched the beauty and midwife, his hands clasped behind his back to hide the sweat dripping from his palms.
The midwife stood indifferent to the scene before her as she calmly proceeded to the woman along the mossy wooden planks. Due to her vast experience, her future actions were almost robotic.
The wooden planks trembled more and more as the woman prepared to push, making it a race between the baby's delivery and the cabin's demolition.
"Argh, these monsters want to destroy me. Come out one at a time, or you will not have a mother!!"
"Honey, take it easy", the handsome male said, his soothing, hoarse voice and well-practised smile projected a warm radiance.
"Talk any more, and you're Argh!"
"My what..."
"Your Argh!!"
"OK, I got his head... my lady, please push slowly so I can wrap his body with the blanket," the midwife claimed, displaying an embroidered white blanket with the words "Ether" highlighted in purple.
"Arghh! Keee! Kee!" panting heavily, the baby slid out and landed in the midwife's arms. In a matter of moments, the midwife rinsed the baby and swiftly covered the baby with the blanket, handing him over to the anxious male.
Their eyes met, and the gold reflected in the father's grey eyes. The newborn's expression showed signs of confusion as the father's face contorted from commercial to flowing tears.
Placing a small kiss on the newborn's head, the father gently patted his back before taking a long look at his son as if imprinting his face into the forefront of his mind.
However, the beautiful scene of a father looking into his newborn's eyes took a drastic turn.
The newborn's fist clenched tightly.
The oxygen around the group began to decrease rapidly.
The midwife's breathing hastened, as her fingers turned bluish.
Little black specs of mysterious light began breaking apart the wooden planks in the cottage.
The baby, on the other hand, smiled as he watched the little black specs merge with each broken plank. Forcing the dark-skinned male to perform numerous hand signs with his left hand, creating a fluorescent cube that protected the group.
The changes occurred immediately, bringing the group to a state before the first child was delivered and as though the previous changes were an illusion.
Oblivious to the growing chaos around them, the midwife and beauty continued about their business, preparing her to deliver the next child.
After locking eyes with the smiling baby once more, the man carefully placed him in a carrier basket covered in blankets. Rubbing his hands, he took a deep breath, unable to contain the overwhelming emotion in his chest.
Their surroundings, however, changed drastically as thunderous lightning tried to penetrate the cube. But the lightning reflected off the cube and onto the plant life, which prevented the midwife and beauty from losing concentration as the midwife rinsed and covered the second child.
~~~~
Internally, the man sighed as the wrinkles on his forehead slowly disappeared. "I didn't expect that I would have to go to this extent just to keep us safe."
The man, though, realised that the barrier wouldn't protect them much longer.
Grasping his secondborn from the hands of the midwife, he felt as though his body was pressed by the boundless ocean. Planting a kiss on his son, he placed him next to the first child. Allowing them to hold hands as noises around them rose.
After the midwife carried out the third child, a foreboding sign of a purple phoenix created by fire and smoke could be seen in the distance.
Displacing the sun in the sky.
The midwife covered the child, giving her to the beauty as she took in deep breaths to calm her beating heart.
"Dear, look at our children," the beauty said nervously.
"Wonderful, they are wonderful indeed," the man said, carefully carrying the first and second child as he embraced his wife.
Watching the family, the midwife smiled, "Well, since my lady is fine, my work here should be finished. So, if you'll please excuse me, my village needs me." The midwife calmly said, wiping the slight sweat from her forehead.
"I'll send your payment once everything here is done," The man smiled, waving the midwife off.
"On behalf of my village and I, thank you," The midwife curtsied,
casually walking away from the newly formed family with a graceful smile plastered on her reddish cheeks, and now only inches away from the edge of the barrier.
She took a deep breath, her skin stood on edge, and her heart froze. She took a glance at her sweating palms, paused for a moment, then shook her head as she took a step out of the barrier.
Watching her hesitation, the beauty shouted, "Please, wait!"
"Argh!!!!"
But it was too late. The midwife had stepped out of the barrier, which had torn her to shreds by the chaos outside.
"They would have tortured her on her way back; this was the only way she could have died peacefully, and I have already given her village the payment promised," the man said remorsefully.
"We will discuss this later." The wife said coldly.
"But it wasn't..." the handsome male pleaded. However, the man's pleading was interrupted by the commotion his newborns were making within the barrier; watching his newborns affectionately, the sombre mood couldn't help but lighten.
"Look at their smiles, Grey."
"What should we name them?" the beauty said, wrapping a black cloth around her waist to complement her black sleeveless top.
"Rose, since you asked, I've been thinking of going with Demios for our first as he will represent the change the world needs.
Miko for our second as his love will protect the change,
And finally, Hyde, as his joy will make that change last.
Demios, Miko, Hyde", Grey repeated, gently placing his forehead on each of his sons as he affectionately called out their names.
"Demios, Miko, Hyde... my own sons; my bond is telling me those people are close by,"
"Indeed, with our sons being cursed, they are sure to have sensed us by now. Besides, this barrier is draining large amounts of Orbis."
"Cursed?" She lightly tapped the fluorescent barrier around them. She clenched her fists as she finally saw the severity of the chaos outside the cube.
Her eyes flashed red "I didn't know that having children would cause the world to hate so strongly."
"It's not the world that hates us, but what we have done to ourselves; that's why we ate it," Grey said solemnly, carefully observing his wife's facial expressions.
"Changes are happening within me. We need to talk about this later."
Grey then hastily stretched out his arm and moved it horizontally.
Creating a misty fissure in the air, Grey carried two of his newborns and disappeared. Rose followed closely as she took Hyde, then had one final look at the place where her sons were born, a swamp filled with towering trees and a waterfall that would instantly make anyone feel at peace.
Now, pure chaos.
"Welcome to your new home." The tree that gave them shade smiled as it slowly began to decay.