The Grey Chronicles Part Two: Under Siege.

Epilogue: The Birth of the Black Arbiter.

Castle of Glass, capital city of Machinae One, May of 8097 AL.

Soluna screamed, throwing her head back against the bed. Alex watched, mixed excitement and fear threatening to overwhelm him. The doctor stood between her legs, a nurse on either side of her.

"Push!" the doctor shouted, "I said push, dammit! It's like you're not even trying!"

"I. Will. Gut. You." Soluna panted between breathes, staring venomously at the Stonehaaryn doctor. "Like a fish. Like a fucking-MOTHERFUCKER!"

"That's just a contraction, sweetie," Korana said, holding her daughter's hand. Soluna's fingernails dug into her wrist, drawing blood. She didn't care. "It's only the hundredth you've had-"

"SHUT UP!" Soluna howled, Alex shivered and continued watching. "FUCK, why did I let you talk me into a natural birth?"

"Alright, one more push, I can see his head," the doctor said, ignoring her. "One, two, three!"

She screamed her head off, her eyes screwed shut while tears streamed down her face. Then the room fell silent except for her panting. She quivered, trembling from exertion. A baby started crying.

"A boy, you're halfway there sweetie," Korana grinned as the doctor held her grandchild. Alex cut the umbilical cord, then Soluna held out her arms.

"Give him to me," Soluna smiled at the sight of him, all thought of her pain gone. The nurses wiped the baby boy off with a clean towel and handed him to the new mother. She took him, a feeling of euphoria flooding her body as she held him for the first time.

"He's got such beautiful eyes," Alex stood beside her, nudging one of the nurses aside. "They're so green, just like your father's."

Alex was right; the baby's eyes were a manic green, just like his grandfather's had been. A few tufts of brown hair stuck out in several directions, his pudgy face looking around. His pupils were huge, and blacker than any he'd ever seen. The newborn examined all of them, taking in the new sights with interest.

"His name," Korana said, a tinge of sadness crossed her face at the mention of Salem. "What are you going to name him?"

"Bart, his name is Bart," Soluna looked up at her husband. "After the hero, the one from the old stories."

"Bartimaeus," Alex smiled at his wife. "Bartimaeus Augustus Williams."

Their happy moment was interrupted by another contraction, and Soluna almost dropped her firstborn. She cried out again, groaning from the pain the massive cramps caused her; his brother was on his way. Bart was one of two; She was having twins.

Outside of the castle, in the courtyard, a single willow tree stood there. Its tallest branches sat level with the bedroom window. The night was dark, the moon full. Perched on the topmost branch was a raven, its plumage darker than any abyss. Its emerald eyes watched the baby, watched her baby; the Mistress of Night grinned at the sight of the child, she grinned at the thought of what was to come. The goddess of chaos imagined what he would become; the Fifth Disciple, the Champion of Night. The raven cawed, taking off and flying into the night air, the breeze chilled it to its bones. The Raven Queen laughed, so very ecstatic to see her grand scheme coming together after thousands of years of planning.

Then, another voice screamed in the castle; Briarios shuddered in his bed, awakening from nine months of nightmares and torment at the hands of the Dark Mistress. She'd kept him comatose, waiting for the time when he was needed again. Now was the time; the Black Arbiter had come, the Champion was born. He would need to be guarded against those that would see her plan fail, she had waited too long to lose now.

The twins Erin and Blairerushed from the door of Soluna's room to that of their brother. Inside theyfound Briarios, screaming at the top of his lungs, drowning out every sound inthe castle except for the ringing in his head, and the voices that tortured himstill.