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"You’re mad!" I croaked "I have a father, a real dad It isn’t you!"

"Dermot Shan was not your father," Mr Tiny replied "You were a cuckoo’s child Steve too I did my work quietly, unknown to your mothers But trust eous!" Evanna screeched, her body expanding, beco more that of a wolf than human, until she filled most of the tunnel "It is forbidden! How dare you!"

"I acted within the confines of the universe’s laws!" Mr Tiny snapped "You’d know if I had not ¨C all would be chaos I stretched them a bit, but I didn’t break them I aical powers ¨C can act the same way as any normal mortal"

"But if Darren and Steve are your sons, then you have created the future where one of them becomes the Lord of the Shadows!" Evanna roared "You have cast mankind into the abyss, and twisted the strands of the future to suit your own foul needs!"

"Yes," Mr Tiny chuckled, then pointed a finger at Evanna "Do not cross hter I would not harm my own flesh and blood, but I couldside of radually resuular shape and size "This is unjust," she muttered "The universe will punish you, perhaps not immediately, but eventually you’ll pay a price for your arrogance"

"I doubt it," Mr Tiny s low Peace, prosperity, global communication, brotherly love ¨C where’s the fun in that ! Yes, there were still plenty of wars and conflicts to enjoy, but I could see the people of the world ed nations along the path to battle, sowed seeds of discontent everywhere I could, even helped get a few tyrants wrongfully elected to some of the most powerful positions on Earth ¨C I was sure those fine specimens would push the world to the brink!

"But no! Noradually winning through It was tiood old days, when everyone was at everybody else’s throat I’ve simply restored the natural order of beautiful chaos The universe won’t punish , I expect-"

"Shut up!" I screa both Mr Tiny and Evanna "It’s bull, all of it! You’re not my father! You’re a monster!"

"And so are you," Mr Tiny beamed "Or soon will be But don’t worry, son ¨C monsters have all the fun!"

I stared at hi, unable to take it all in If this was true, everything in ht I was, only a pawn of Mr Tiny’s, a ti to explode I’d been blooded sier and do more of Mr Tiny’s work My ith Steve had served only to get rid of the weaker of us, so that the stronger could e for the sake of the va had been for Mr Tiny And now that I’d proved myself worthy, I’d become a dictator and lay low anyone who opposed hi It wasblood from his mouth With his free hand he reached out to Mr Tiny "Father," he ed to croak "Help me"

"Why?" Mr Tiny sniffed

"I never had a Dad" Each as a heart-churning effort, but Steve forced them out "I want to know you I’ll serve you and love you"

"What on earth would I ith love ?" Mr Tiny laughed "Love is one of the most basic human emotions I’ratitude, fear, hatred, anger ¨C these I like Love you can take your love to the Lake of Souls when you die Perhaps it will provide you with some comfort there"

"But I’m your son," Steve cried weakly