First Demonic Dragon - Chapter 1267: Memory Loss

Chapter 1267: Memory Loss

– A few minutes before…

“So… you are my husband. Or you used to be. And a husband… is a person who does what exactly?”

Bashenga shuffled uncomfortably in his seat. He would have given nearly anything to know what exactly he was supposed to say in that moment.

“A husband is… a partner. I stand by your side and support your victories as if they are my own. In our union… we support each other. We honor and exalt each other. I am your sword and shield. You… are my reason for living.”

Gaia’s reincarnation didn’t seem quite to understand the full breadth of what she was being told. Even if it sounded nice.

“All that you have told me sounds… pleasant. But I do not understand why I would need a husband.”

“…You don’t. No one does. But we make the conscious choice to stay together because… we enjoy each other. And in that enjoyment, the fractured world around us becomes a little bit more bearable.”

Bashenga unfolded his arms for the first time in several minutes.

A grey, magical dust billowed out from his palms. Gaia’s incarnation was immediately entranced by the beautiful sparkle.

But the real show in the magic was not in the dust itself. Rather, what it showed her.

She saw visions of a woman within the dust. Brown-haired, green-eyed, maternal, and unwaveringly gentle.

…And apparently more than a little bit chaotic as well.

“…It seems as though this person was quite a lot to handle.” She finally said. “You seemed to have had some difficulty with her.”

“The difficulty of her is what made her exciting.”

“Judging by these scenes, you seemed rather indifferent to her. Frustrated even.”

Bashenga’s eyes became largely distant. “I am known to be very indifferent to most things… It is…rather difficult for me to express myself. But I have always loved Gaia, even when I would not admit it to her, or myself.

I often thought that was just the way I was made to be, but… I have learned that anyone can endeavor to change themselves if it is their heart’s desire. It is one of my greatest regrets that… I did not try to tell her how I felt sooner.”

Bashenga dispersed the dust and the memories along with it.

He closed the space between himself and the former Earth goddess, dropping to one knee and taking his hands in her own.

“…I am aware that you are not her. And yet, our tether remains. I have and will always love Gaia. But I believe that I am fated to love you as well. If you should allow it, I will stay by your side until Oblivion takes us all.”

Gaia’s reincarnation stared at Bashenga for quite a while. Her thoughts were a total mystery to him, but he hoped that he had managed to reach her with his sincerity.

If he hadn’t… then he would have to try something else. Though what that might be… he wasn’t sure. He only knew that he would take nothing off the table.

However, it appeared that wouldn’t be necessary.

“….When I was born, I knew very little. Only that my name was Everdra, and I am the spirit of the Immortal Earth. Through my actions, I give voice to the flora that grows on my skin. I announce the purpose of the soil that makes up my body. I save and protect those who would honor and exalt me. I shepherd those who have lordship over my aspects.”

“…It is lovely to meet you, Everdra.” Bashenga said after a long pause.

The green goddess stared at Bashenga for quite a long time. Her eyes scanned over the details of his face rather carefully.

She had already seen many people in her time. None looked quite like the man before her.

“…” Abruptly, Everdra grabbed Bashenga by the face and kissed him.

The apocalyptan god was briefly caught off guard. Not by the suddenness of the action, though that was certainly unexpected.

No, Bashenga was surprised by just how different the woman felt from Gaia. Her lips were softer and fuller, too. She kissed, not with a hunger, but with a curiosity. It was as if she were trying to understand the depths of Bashenga’s feelings rather than stoke a fire in him.

Though, honestly, her kiss had that effect whether she intended it or not.

Everdra pulled away abruptly. When Bashenga opened his eyes, they had a slight glossy hue.

“…That was…?”

“The woman in the visions did that, did she not? I assumed it was some kind of custom, but its significance escapes the mind. I would have hoped that would have brought more details to light, but it appears that will not be the case.”

Bashenga had no idea of what to make of this development.

While he was stunned, Everdra pressed her fingers together nervously. “Ah… so… What do we do now?”

Bashenga sat cross-legged on the ground in front of her.

“I suppose… Whatever we like. We do not have to concern ourselves with the war or anything else going on on the surface right now. We should live as our hearts desire.”

Everdra seemed to be thinking about something rather hard. The expression she made as she brooded was one that Bashenga found to be rather cute.

Suddenly, the goddess slapped her fist in her palm as she reached a conclusion.

“I believe that I would like to go find more worshippers and bring them into my sanctuary. O-Oh, I also want to exterminate all traces of the blight that is spreading through my body. And spread fire and torment to any who would dare to cross me on it’s behalf.”

Bashenga blinked slowly.

“….Okay then.”

Everdra looked around at the destroyed lands around her.

“And… maybe rebuild my forest too.”

“…Probably for the best, yes.”

–

K’ael felt small, rubber-like hands on his face.

They pulled his cheeks in awkward directions. Thumbed his nostrils like they were looking for gold, and tried to get a peek underneath his eyelids.

K’ael’s eyes slowly fluttered open with a subtle groan.

The very first thing he saw was a small, black-haired baby with wide, innocent eyes.

Upon seeing him wake up, Agheel gave his brother a smile filled with pink gums. A line of drool dribbled out of his mouth and landed square on K’ael’s forehead.

“….When did you get here, Usurper..?”

“Usurper? What kind of name is that for your adorable baby brother?”

With his baby brother in his arms, K’ael sat up when he heard the voice of a familiar man.

His father was sitting on a white mattress with him for some reason. Under each arm, he held his sleeping grandsons. They slept with their faces buried into his neck, their small hands covered in traces of sugar and crumbs.

“Father..? What are you doing here, and what’s…”

Rubbing his head, K’ael looked around the forest. Or rather, what used to be the forest.

His brother was walking around with a woman he didn’t know, creating bioluminescent grass and flowers in places where there was only soil.

It looked like they still had miles upon miles of land to cover.

To make matters even stranger, there was a large fortress in the middle of this plain. K’ael could see many soldiers from the Green legion taking up residence there and helping with the setup.

“What… Happened here..?” K’ael asked quietly.

Abaddon gingerly placed his grandsons on the mattress one after the other. He then manifested a blanket to cover them while they rested.

Once they were settled, he turned back to his son. His gaze was unusually warm and patient. “What’s the last thing you remember, my boy?”

K’ael rubbed the back of his head as he tried to recall.

“Well, we had just arrived, and… There was this thing attached to a tree. It was like an eye covered in some kind of parasitic black goo. It seemed like it was feeding on the tree somehow, but… We did not exactly have time to assess before it engaged us.

It summoned these gross warriors from within itself, and they fought to keep us away. I know that I was engaging one of them, but… Ane seemed distressed for some reason, so I stopped, but then…”

The dragon scratched his head in confusion. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t pull up any more memories.

“I…I can’t remember anything else. What happened??”

Abaddon grabbed his son by the back of his head and pulled him in quietly. He rested his forehead against his child’s.

“Nothing, son. Just got knocked out for a moment, is all. Luckily, your older siblings had things under control.”

K’ael’s eyes became complicated. “…I see. So I was a hindrance then.” The bitterness within his voice was palpable.

“No. You provided a distraction that the others used to clear the forest for the last of that infection. You did good, even if you didn’t do things perfectly. just be a little more careful from now on, alright…?”

K’ael nodded slowly, the bitterness in his heart only barely subsiding.

Abaddon released his son and placed a hand over his chest. His voice somehow became even more sentimental than before.

“Hey…. You know that you’re my son, right? And I accept you. Every part of you. No matter what.”

K’ael blinked slowly, his brain still recovering from the time he’d just spent asleep.

“….Father, I am not gay if that is what this is about.”

“….”

Abaddon could only shake his head as he stood up and walked away. Grumbling something under his breath about how kids were so much more trouble than they were worth.