Villain Retirement

"What are they saying to you now?"

"Random! Random!"

"Enel, please do not bother Miss Death."

"It is quite alright, it is not often that I can interact with life at its early stages — especially someone so unique."

"...Are you saying our youngest has an ability, my dear best friend?"

"Lucifer, do not bother her — and she is not your best friend."

It was quite the surreal scenery, but at the same time, it was quite a normal one; like if one were to enter a house, one could probably see something like it 7 out of 10 times. Children, being curious about their parents guests.

That is, if the guest is literally an anthropomorphic personification of Death.

"I knew Father was special," Renna kneeled down in front of Death, "But I would have never thought that he would actually have a relationship with Death itself."

"Your father is more special than all of you think," Death gently removed Enel to prevent her from climbing up onto her face, "He exists to replace us, that is why he is the way he is — I hope you do not mind me revealing this information to them, Riley Ross."

"I do not mind at all, but I wished to be the one to tell them that."

"...You should have also told that to us, Father," Arthas raised his hand to speak, "Not only just you saying you were a serial murderer before."

"I knew it," Renna closed her eyes.

"Bullshit, this is bullshit."

And while Riley's children seemed to be welcoming of Death, Karina seemed to be completely wary of her even though she revived Enel right in front of their eyes,

"You expect Dad to just go on an adventure with you, after you trapped him in the Domain of the Gods? The Domain of the Gods, mind you, which held murderous fucks who waged a war against each other as soon as they were free!"

"Yes, that was very unfortunate — but that will never happen again," Death shook her head before finally returning Enel to Esme, who immediately embraced him; checking on his neck to see if the wound was still there.

"One of you just tried to murder my brother. Dad, you can't actually be thinking of going with her, right?"

"A deed was done, and a price must be paid," Death shook her head.

"Because one of you tried to kill my brother!" Karina wanted to erase Death there and then — no, perhaps she truly did, but she was completely unaffected.

"Karina, calm down — you're starting to sound like Hannah," Katherine held her daughter back before she could make any more hasty decisions, "And it is not our place to get in between Death and Riley, they… are primordials and exist on a plane above us."

"You have a child with one of them. Hell, all of you have a child with Dad!" Karina pointed at Esme, Katrina, and Liza, "We just got him back and he's already being taken away again!?"

"You are coming with us, Karina," Death then explained as she looked at Karina.

"...What?" Karina raised an eyebrow at Death's words, while Renna and Lucy looked at each other; obviously excited with what they had just heard.

"Are we coming too?" Both Lucy and Renna said at the same time. Arthas also looked at the two of them before glancing at Death.

"No," Death shook her head.

"My… daughter's not going to come with you," Katherine moved in front of Karina, "If Riley requires a companion in this journey, then let it be me."

"You are too weak, Katherine," Death did not even hesitate to utter her words.

"Then what about me, Miss Death?" Esme cradled Enel.

"No," Death quickly shook her head before glancing at Enel, "Someone needs to protect that child, he is very special."

"Is he… Nothing?" Karina took in a small gulp as he also glanced at Enel, "Is what Aerith'Ross said true? That one of us is Nothing?"

"Aerith'Ross…" Death squinted, "...The one who claims to be from the future?"

"Yes, she told us she's Arthas's younger sister."

"I am doubtful that she is," Death shook her head, "Traveling from the future is not possible and should not be possible."

"I knew it," Renna nodded to herself.

"But the facts present otherwise," Karina also shook her head, "She knows things, and she is also with… the other version of Paige Pearson who also knows things."

"The one who claims to be the other version of Paige Pearson is not Paige Pearson," Death once again shook her head, "Paige Pearson's personality never split, she was here the entire time — the Domain of the Gods was not able to contain her…

…She is currently outside the Multiverse, she has been for the past few centuries."

"What… the fuck is going on then?"

"That is what I and the others want to find out," Death nodded as she started walking away, "And that is why we need your help, Riley Ross — your connection with Paige Pearson can help us, somehow, somewhat."

"Is this the reason why we are going outside the Multiverse?" Riley asked as he stood up and walked to the kitchen to get some milk for himself and his children.

"You'll… see," Death nodded before turning to look at Ahor Zai, who was still completely turned off, "Elementia and I were quite shocked to see the state of everything — our absence did not just affect everyone in the multiverse, it also affected the other primordials in a way I can't quite explain. If they were humans, I would say they are losing their minds."

"Losing their minds…?" Katrina, who had been quiet the entire time since she felt she wasn't in a position to even have a word in the conversation, could no longer help herself as she joined in on the conversation,

"What does that mean for the rest of us, then? For the people living here, in the only remaining universe in the entirety of Creation?"

"I do not know," Death shook her head, "Something like this has never happened before, not in the endless iterations I have experienced, not even once. There are instances when we get mad and stay off course because of anomalies such as Riley Ross — I, for instance, have been on an endless chase with an entity known as Van."

"Will we meet him there, outside the multiverse?" Riley curiously asked.

"We might," Death nodded, "He is the one who informed me of what was happening — the current situation is… disturbing his search, he said to me. My only worry…

…is that we might meet the Eternal Child there too."

"Is… she—he dangerous?" Karina took in a small gulp.

"He is, but not in the way you think," a small hint of a smile could be seen crawling on Death's face, "I am truly just hoping we don't encounter him. He is… the complete opposite of your father in the worst ways."

"When… are we going?"

"Karina!?" Katherine could not help but raise her voice as soon as she heard her daughter's sudden eagerness when she was completely against the idea at first, "You're not going with them! I mean, why does my daughter even need to go?"

"That's right…" Lucifer blocked Karina from Death's view before covering half his face, "...Why not me, the favorite child instead?"

"You are not Father's favorite child," Renna crossed her arms, "It is me."

"No, me! Me!" Enel jumped from Esme's hands as he started jumping in place, "I'm the most interesting child, I heard it from one of the Big Eyes!"

"That—"

"Now," Death then snapped her fingers, and as she did so, a portal opened up in front of her, "One of your companions is actually already waiting for us on the other side."

"Hm…" Riley just let out a small breath before nonchalantly following Death.

"Wait, Riley!?" Katherine quickly grabbed Riley's hand before he could take 3 steps, "But… we just got together again."

"I believe that if I do not do this, then it will be impossible for us to get together again in the future, Katherine."

"Riley Ross is correct," Death nodded, "With my brothers and sisters sick… Life as all of us know it will be gone."

"That—"

"Interesting," Riley then turned to look at Death, "So, this is why you have waited this long and this moment to approach me, Death."

"...Yes," another hint of a smile crawled on Death's face, "If I approached you about this before Enel and the others existed, then you would definitely not be helping me — now, you have a reason to."

"My reason would just be different, Death," Riley glanced at Karina.

"Perhaps, but I couldn't risk it," Death then shrugged before stepping onto the portal she created, "I will be waiting for you and your daughter on the other side, Riley Ross."

"There is no need," Riley muttered as he quickly followed behind Death. Before he could step inside, however, Renna embraced him from behind.

"Father," Renna whispered,

"Please… come back."