It's hard to stabilize the current blessed population.
Between those who may still be lost within the wastes, and others who likely died defending their countries, the world has never looked so bleak for them.
Not to mention the fact that they cannot effectively reproduce.
They can have children, sure, but the kids born from those unions are only a bit stronger than regular humans and do not inherit their parents' divine abilities.
Even Camille is no exception to this rule, as she bears neither Luna's, nor Malachi's blessing.
However, what if there was a way to tie the individual powers of blessed to their bloodlines, and not just their individual selves?
And what if there was a way to increase their fertility rate as well?
Far fetched though it may seem, such a thing would literally drive the blessed from being a minority in the world to a stable majority in just a couple of generations.
Especially when considering how they tend to take more than one partner and draw in the attraction of others.
"That is what the building that was destroyed was... A hospital designed to cure our kind's only genetic weaknesses and help secure our future in this world.
We have a current rate of success that stands at around 98% for new births... It's existence was supposed to be top secret." Arias explained in a grave voice.
"Jeez, why is everything so complicated now..?" Anna complained. "Why can't they have just decided to blow up a 'Build-a-Bear' headquarters or something?"
Joanne patted her daughter's head in pity. "You really were never going to end up following in my footsteps, were you?"
"Well, I dunno. We did kind of end up fucking the same man."
"...I regret even bringing this up with you. Why do you take such pleasure in embarrassing me?"
"A small payback for the years of abandonment, ma." Anna beamed with pride as if she were the funniest woman alive.
Meanwhile, Joanne deflated with shame and had to rest her head on Bianca's shoulder.
"...What an interesting family dynamic you have here." Arias muttered.
Morgan didn't like Arias very much, but even he had to nod his head in agreement at such a statement.
"Not important." Mal waived his hand dismissively.
"How would the other side have known about that hospital if it's supposed to be so top secret?" Bianca questioned.
Arias had something similar happen to him.
Both men glanced behind them and found Mal with his hand outstretched.
A swirling red energy was dancing in the center of his palm; catching the attention of both men.
"What... did you do?" Arias asked in genuine confusion.
Malachi clenched his fist and absorbed the energy into his body.
A red current traveled along his veins until it reached his brain and disappeared. He winced slightly before his face returned to normal.
"Just my little way of helping you gents keep cool heads... One time only I'm afraid."
Morgan had no idea what Mal had done, but he felt incredibly mellow.
It was almost as if he had been through the most relaxing course of yoga imaginable.
"Look... I think we can all agree that there is a problem in the world that needs fixing." Mal began. "But we have to find the right way to do this. Ideally, together."
Morgan and Arias glanced at each other momentarily before coming to a deep understanding.
""Not a chance in hell.""
*Sigh*
Malachi had no idea what the future had in store for him, but he was 90 percent sure that these two were going to make it as difficult as humanly possible.
-
Malachi tried to persuade the two men to swallow their pride for a bit longer before accepting that it was a far too big a task for one night.
So, he sent the girls back to their room for the night so that they could rest, and in the meanwhile he returned to the base to find Celeste.
It was around 3 am, and while the place should have been very quiet, he could already hear faint sounds of arguing.
'Good to know that she is awake...'
Malachi turned a corner and found Celeste rampaging against the young and beautiful dragon princess, while his sister and Aisha tried in vain to calm her down.
"I don't want to hear any more excuses! Take me to wherever my daughter is right now, Thea!"
In hindsight, Mal now beginning to rethink just which situation would give him the bigger headache tonight.