Mother

"MUMMMMYYYYY!"

The roar managed to echo, even in a place as large as Balthazars Cathedral. Mort lurched forward, arms flailing, trying to work out how best to hug the figure before him without either crushing or impaling her with his armour.

Mother reached up, wrapping her arms around his neck before standing back. They looked each other up and down appraisingly

Mother was a half orc of middling years. Her skin was green, a shade lighter than Morts had been, and heavily wrinkled through decades of sun damage. The lines on her face sat in a way that suggests that she frowns more than she smiles, framing dark eyes that pierce like those only a mother who has put up with years of bullshit can have. Salt and pepper hair, hacked off roughly at jawline. What appear to be sigils made of a golden metal regularly imprint her skin.

Mother broke the silence. "Lord Balthazar told me you had managed to lose the body you were born with - the one that I gave you. It pains my heart to see that true. How careless of you, Mortimer Grey."

Morts whole face drooped, and he scuffed at the ground with a foot. "Sorry Mother"

"And another thing," she continued, "what's this I hear about you having a girlfriend? You're much too young."

Morts face drooped even more. "Yes Mother"

"Well, don't just stand there. Introduce me!" Mother crossed her arms and started tapping her foot, looking over at Tabitha

"What? No! NoOOo!" Mort whined, turning a deep purple colour. "Lady Tolah is my girlfriend. She's in Tsuen. That's just Tabitha, she works for me"

Mothers scowl deepened. "Just Tabitha? Don't belittle her like that. I thought I taught you to treat others with respect"

"Yes Mother" he whimpered while squirming. Mortimer was clearly beginning to regret this encounter.

The moment dragged on for a while, Mort looking at his feet whilst his mother scowled at him. Mort eventually looked up to see her demeanour changed.

"It's good to see you Mortimer." she said, smiling up at him. "I always worried about you. I wasn't sure you had the tools to survive in this world. But not only have you survived, you have flourished. You have companions. You have a purpose. You have achievements. You have grown so much in just a few short years. I can't even imagine the sort of life you will have carved out for yourself in ten years time"

Mort just sort of shruged awkwardly. Talking to parents is always hard.

"From what Lord Balthazar has told me though, your toughest test is at hand. He wanted me to make you something to help you, a weapon of power for your coming battle. But I cannot do such a thing." Mother looked down at her hands. "I cannot use these to hack at the earths bones, and I cannot use my skills to infuse it with the Magicks of the Alignments. As you should know, that would be the antithesis of all I believe."

She paused a moment before shrugging. "He has instead reforged a weapon he called Calabolg Demonbane for you, and I have put a little part of me in there too. It contains some of my knowledge, some of my skills and some of my ways of thinking. I hope it will temper you and serve to keep you grounded in these trying times"

"Thank you Mother" Mort wiped his nose with the back of his hand while valiantly pretending he wasn't sniffling.

"Go now, Lord Balthazar awaits you. Make footprints your decedents will be proud to walk in, Son."

"Yes Mother" he hiccuped, making his way back to the party.

"...and come back" she whispered to herself

--------------

With a gentle puff, Mort reappeared with the rest of the party on the bridge before the final portal. Mitras power still infused his body. He could feel it pulse in time with his heartbeat.

Reaching out timidly, he grasped Mothers Love. Aided by the divine essence running through his veins, Mothers soft presence leak out of the scythe and brush against his mind. Her imprint started whispering things to him about what he could see, explaining concepts and sharing anecdotes, just has she had only a few short years ago.

Gradually, his grip tightened.

"Lets walk these last steps together, Mother"