Oryx

So, a few days have passed since Didact told me of the Griffons, and I was still waiting on that prisoner list to use to take a select few, those whose crimes can never be forgiven by any, and the Didact and I, in an attempt to not want to kill every single politician we had met with over the last few days, Puddinghead and the others excluded from that count, were taking a walk through the nearby forest that bordered the village we were in, me using my sword as a sort of cane.

The sun was high in the sky, and we had been in the forest for some, simply walking and speaking of inconsequential things, when we began to hear one thing we didn't expect, and that was crying.

"Yes, I hear it too," Didact said, preempting my question. "And yes, I find it odd too. Think we should check it out?"

"I do not see why not," I replied. "Besides, what creature can defeat the two of us?"

"A good point," he said, and we made our way to where the crying was coming from. The forest was not thick enough to impede our process itself, and only a few animals, each smaller than one of us, tried to stop us, only to be either killed by Didact's Signet or become a part of my Taken forces. Still, it took us the better part of an hour, as I was unable to fly because of the thick canopy.

At the end of it, with ten Taken bears and wolves-not Fallen houses-around the two of us, we entered a small clearing in the trees, or at least of their trunks, leaves still overhead. In the center was, oddly, two of those rocker things you'd put babies in, I don't know what they're called, in the very middle. One was colored sun yellow with silver accents-can someone say eye sore- while the other was dark blue like the night sky with silver accents. That one actually looks good.

"That's odd," Didact said. "Why would someone leave infants here in a forest?"

"Perhaps there's a shield spell?" I asked, walking over to the eye sore one, only to be sent flying backwards. Looks like I was right. "Speak a word, and I'll remove your will," I growled.

Didact, however, chuckled. "Noted," he said before activating his helmet. "Armor's reading a force barrier. Anything that touches it is repelled back, while anything of a certain speed strengthens it. Reminds me of a DC superhero. Rocket, I think."

As I got back up, I said, "I prefer Marvel. More of them are just ordinary people, no powers. Iron Man, Hawkeye, Widow, War Machine, Iron Monger, hell even Doctor Doom. You could argue Ant Man, to a degree, and Thor, seeing as how he is from a different world that simply has advanced technology. And that's off the top of my head. DC relies too heavily on powers. Only non powered ones I can think of are Robin, Nightwing, Batman, Speedy, Green Arrow, and Luthor."

"Deathstroke?"

"Healing Factor," I replied, walking back next to him. "Didn't you see that Death battle?"

"Fair point," he replied. "So, anyway to break the field?"

"Break, no," I said before I focused on the Darkness, and created a shadow of myself, which had my mind in it next to where the two babies were, picking them both up with the shadow, and teleporting it and them next to us before putting them down, and returning to my body. "Get around, yes. Oh, and I forgot: Captain America is another non-superpowered point for Marvel, as he came from a cocktail of drugs that simply enhanced, not gave."

"Ah, go to hell, Oryx," he replied as we looked at the two infants, both of whom were sleeping, small horns coming from just above their foreheads and were wrapped in blankets slightly darker. "Aren't these two the infant form of those two worthless morons who ruled this world in the show?"

"It was a single country, but I believe so," I said. "You know, it is probably a good thing Alad forced us to marathon to season five, or I wouldn't have an idea as to what to do with them."

"And what would that be?" my friend asked.

"Adopt them as our own, and ensure they do not have the shitty morals that allow one to walk over them, and rather have one closer to ours: fight to protect what you love, and that, sometimes, it is better to have the moral low ground than the low ground."

"Then what will we call them?" Didact asked. "I refuse to call them by celestial bodies."

"Well, I do remember Alad saying something about a displaced where another name for the solar one was Sekana."(1)

"So, you're adopting the solar one?" he asked, to which I nodded. "Then I wonder what I'll call my new daughter," he said as he took the night one up in his arms, holding her like one would an infant. Helped he had a dog before we came here. I did the same with my new daughter. "I suppose I'll call her 'Balance of Eternal Night.' So, are we going to raise them as sisters, or cousins? Because even before we came here, the two of us and Alad were practically brothers."

"I believe cousins would be best," I replied as two of the Taken wolves stalked closer. Knowing they wouldn't harm her, I lowered the newly dubbed Sekana close to them, allowing them to nuzzle her, making the child giggle in her sleep before waking up, revealing maroon eyes. "Doggies," she said before hugging the muzzle of one of the wolves and giggling again. An admittedly cute scene, considering. Even made me do a lighthearted chuckle. "Well, there goes seeing that milestone," I said as I stood fully once more. "I think it best to return to the town, now. We need to announce that you have an heir."

"I suppose," I said. "Come on." With that, the two of us, the Taken animals following us and our new daughters held in our arms.

A few hours later, Didact and I were in the main room where the negotiations took place in. Sekana and Balance, short Balance of Eternal Night, obviously, were in rockers next to where we were sitting for negotiations. Why negotiations? Well, the party we had sent to that other forest, as it was mostly pegasai, was able to get there quickly, and make contact with what was there. They returned two days later, which was five days ago by the way, with the envoy of the race that was found, called changelings. The changeling group, or Hive, as their delegate called it, had heard of our feat, Didact an dme defeating the Windigoes, and their King had decided to come for negotiations. I don't know why he didn't send someone else, but he wants the risk, he'll get the risk.

Their king was named Zulu-an odd name, even by Hive standards-, while the group was called Shadow Hive. Of what he's told us so far, his Hive is not as adept at infiltration as others, which is also another reason why he wanted an alliance this soon. This one, if everything went to plan, was to be the final round of negotiations.

All parties were here, except Puddinghead, who was currently working on a whole power transfer thing to both Didact and I-simpler if there are two who have no potential bias against one race than three with one potentially having one-Puddinghead's idea- and there was a lot of paperwork there.

Zulu was what he described as a typical changeling in appearance, with black chitin protecting similarly colored skin, and he was wearing steel armor colored black, though lighter than his chitin, with green and black robes under the armor, something akin to what I was wearing, honestly. "So, King Zulu," I said, "given what we've covered over the past few days, I can only think of one thing we haven't gone over, and that would be integration of your military into ours."

"Yes, I can see that being an issue," Zulu said. "Especially given the rumors and legends centered around my kind. Still, I imagine, with time, the Hive and your people will be able to live in peace and work well in the military."

"I already have an idea for that," Didact said. "King Zulu, if you could contact your generals through your hive mind, there is something I wish to discuss with them."

"Of course, Didact," he said. "Green Mist, contact the generals, and take the Didact. I want you as the in between."

"Sir," Green Mist, one of Zulu's guards, and being an odd one with green chitin, said. "General Didact, if you'll come with me." Yeah, I had made Didact my general and current second in command. Hey, if you had to choose between someone who led a galaxy wide army or a single person who has never seen an actual fight, who would you go with?

Anyway, the two left, leaving me, Zulu, his guard, Sekana, and Balance. "There is something I have to request of you, Zulu."

"What?" he asked.

"Any and all prisoners of your Hive that have done crimes so heinous they can never be forgiven."

"Why?"

"A way to grow my army, and help put any taxes you have towards stuff other than prisons," I said, white and black flames licking off me as i spoke.

Author's Notes:

1:My first displaced, actually.
And yes, that DC vs. Marvel thing was just to add some words, but also to help give some more character to the two as they are still early in their displacement, and haven't yet entirely. . sunk into the personality of those they have been displaced as, and show what they like when it comes to heroes. Believe me, it'll come back later, but more important.
Also, Shadow Hive and Zulu belong to Gargon94. Green Mist is mine.
Next chapter will be the battle.