Chapter 21 - A long day

I stared up to the morning sky, letting the cold air sweep my mind away.

Resting against Daron’s cold corpse tensed my back through the night, and his rotting smell was pungent. I noticed birds flying high above, Making an A in formation. I couldn’t care anymore.

The sounds of the party wrapping could be heard from a distance. Their dragons were getting prepped for launch.

Indulging in rest, I let myself lax. No energy or intrigue fill my body.

The group had already packed. The fire was ash and the meat we could salvage was wrapped and stored. Eyes took a glance eat me and I made myself known, uncomfortable to conversate.

“Toshiro. You and the Goddess are with me.” Audrey called out.

I nodded. I noticed the Dragon she was prepping had familiar tassels. The intimidation it brought back the memory of when I first met Gideon. She inherited her father's dragon... But my own daughter...

I shook loose that thought, avoiding that rabbit hole that kept me up through the night.

Layla watched me, her lower lip recoiled as she bit down, unable to approach.

“Hey...” Lard made his approach. I wasn’t surprised he was to first to come up to me. “Things got intense last night. But I still entrust the Goddess to you, much as you put your trust in me. Don’t forget that.”

He expressed himself genuinely. I could only nod, on which he returned mine with his own.

With the site cleared, we mounted our dragons. Their powerful winds shook the trees. The ashes of last night's fire scattered to the winds.

We took off, flying towards our destined goal.

I let myself get lost in thought. My mind wasn’t racing, if felt slow and meticulous as it beat me down.

My teeth clenched, my lips fiddled back and forth between my teeth. I could feel tension in my shoulders. I let the cold wind act to both free me, and act as punishment.

Nothing is working. I can’t shake this pain loose.

As my frustration grew, I felt the Goddess’s grip tightening. Her arms wrapped around me as we flew, her arms had a little more meat on her bones, but they still hurt. Her chest was soft on my back, she buried her face in embrace.

My face tensed before loosening up. I felt a little better.

We took our first break. Landing in a valley, everyone took to the water, enjoying the fresh stream.

I sat back, finding a tree to shade me. I noticed Layla’s eyes take glance, nervous to my presence.

“Last night was eventful.” I wasn’t surprised by my second guest.

Audrey leaned against the tree, watching as the others took their sips. Ari and Ira kept splashing each other.

“You-”

“I don't want to talk about it.” I stated bluntly. I found a pinecone and was slowly ripping out the spines.

“Hm...” Audrey grunted, sounding like her father. “You missed Gideon’s burial this morning... With his legs left in the cave that’s all we had to put in the dirt...”

“Hm...” I grunted back in a similar fashion, unable to think of a response.

Audrey sighed.

“I think you can fix things with your daughter.”

I froze. I had just ripped out a spine as Blubber and Lard got caught in Ari and Ira’s games.

“I never even met her before... I missed that chance long before I had a clue.” I averted my eyes looking to the far away forest.

Audrey now sighed. “Dads can be real fools sometimes.”

“Huh!?” I received a flick in the head despite the offence I took.

“You may be smart Toshiro. But you’re also an idiot.”

I rubbed my head to her sudden insult, confused by her vague words. Audrey made her way down to the river. I witness her tackle Ira and Ari as they tried to make an enemy of the group via splashing. I let out a weak chuckle.

We returned to the skies. Those who had soaked in the rivers water shivered. Ari and Ira were slapping one another. Lard and Bubber shared in freezing pain. Wilfred relaxed as Conrad took his place in suffering by Layla’s hand.

I noticed Conrad had his arms reattached much like his foot was before. I was curious to where they would have gotten more of the Goddess’s essence.

I could feel Audrey fight through the pain of the cold. With her helmet damaged in the fight of Doran, her blonde hair let out a mist, flowing through the air as it obscured my vision.

With another stop, we found ourselves at a settlement camp.

“Oh, Gideon as his warriors have stopped by!” A man cheered, tapping on the tents of fellow adventures.

“Gideon!” A woman cheered, others made their way over as the dragons made landfall.

“Audrey?” One of the men were surprised by her riding of the dragon.

“Where is Gideon...?” The woman asked. The group went silent.

“Gideon is dead. But with his efforts, Doran has been slayed.”

“Doran...?” They murmured between one another.

“The beast is dead?” A man asked for confirmation.

Audrey nodded.

“HOORAY!!!” The adventures cheered, few in number but their spririts were high.

“We must celebrate!” One prompted.

“I am sorry.” With everyone dismounting for a long-deserved break, Audrey declined. “We are on our way to the front lines. We wish to bring an end to the Demon King.”

I looked upon Audrey as she stated our goal, my heart felt pain.

“Oh.” The woman was amazed. “Then, let us at least provide you with rest. Come, come, we were getting ready for a cooked meal.”

“Oh boy, I bet its chicken.”

“It’s always chicken.” Ari and Ira pushed each other as they argued.

The group made their way, following the adventures, Layla stood by, looking to my distance. I met her gaze before averting, choosing to wander away for a moment of peace. Her eyes didn’t glance for a moment, rather, she let herself get lost, looking for any reason.

I watched from afar. Everyone enjoyed their meals similar to the celebration of Doran’s defeat. The siblings danced, Lard and Blubber enjoyed their succulent meals. Audrey and Wilfred kept their composure but laughed in the moment. The adventures asked of stories of the battle, Lard went red as the Woman approached him. I let out another chuckle.

“You should join them.” I felt the annoying presence of the Goddess, mumbling between her chewing.

“We’ve been separated for a while now, and you’ve just met them. Where do you come from trying to give me advice.”

Elvire swallowed a large chunk, chocking as she slapped her chest, life slowly returning to her withered cheeks.

“It’s exactly for that fact you should listen to my advice.” She stood strong. “I only known them overnight, but you spent a good chuck of time getting to know them.”

“A day or a week is not enough time to getting to know someone.”

“Pff.” Elvire brushed off my words. She joined be against the tree, enjoying the shade.

“You can be real dumb sometimes.”

“Huh?” I stared back at her, confused by her familiar words.

“We had countless time meeting on that hillside. Endless amounts of interactions, but here we are. Barely knowing each other.”

“Thats different, each meeting for me was different with losing my memories each time and all.”

“Yet you always stayed the same. Lying to keep the upper hand. Never losing that part of yourself.”

My eyes wandered to her statement, thinking back.

“I guess I really did lie every time, huh...”

“Hm-hm.” She nodded, finally hearing me admit it so forwardly.

“When did you suspect that of me?” I was curious.

“Oh, I knew from the first time you did it.”

“Huh?” I was taken aback, surprise by the reveal. “What gave it away?”

“The orbs.”

“The... Orbs... Do they... Talk to you...?”

“Pfft!” I felt hurt.

“Ahahaha!” She laughed quietly, trying not to hurt my feelings. “No silly! I’m the Goddess for a reason, and the orbs do not lie.”

“So... they do talk?” I was getting more confused.

Elvire shook her head as she chuckled. “When a person is bord, the cultivation of souls' breeds a vessel. One where someone who would perfectly fit with attributes that intermingle from their parents.”

“Oh... Kay...” I was following.

“When that person dies, that mix takes form as a new soul, ready to find a new vessel that builds off of their old. Well... Sometimes memories sneak their way into their soul. Maybe their life had one big moment or event. A piece of art or a song engrained into their very spirit. When that happens, the orb they lived in seeks them out, while the others float away.”

“Wait... So, their old world chooses them to come back. Simply because there was a strong attachment to it?” I reiterated.

Elvire nodded. “I presented those who had this connection but disliked their world. Sometimes the attachment is one you want to be cut free from.”

“And... I’m guessing-”

“You never once had that attachment.”

I stared dumbfounded, seeing the Goddess’s eyes being truthful, I reflected on that.

An itch I felt back on the hillside was scratched, so many things fell into place with her explanation.

“When my daughter died... Did you present her a new world to be born into?” I looked to the clouds, awaiting her answer.

“When her vessel was ready. Two souls clashed. Most of the time they merely kick the other one back to its previous orb. But...” Elvire bite her lip, unsure to say what was on her mind.

“But...?” I pondered.

“Their previous orb was destroyed... Someone had a problem with their existence and destroyed a realm for their own satisfaction, forcing their souls to fight... Causing their merging and death.”

My eyes widened, the revelation dawned on me. “I destroyed that realm... I both killed, and birth my own daughter's story...”

Elvire let her eyes avert, feeling both relief and dread.

“I told you my name, long, long ago... We made a promise, the time you remembered your old lives, without that feeling of attachment you desire... I would give you a world filled only with joy...”

“A world of only joy...” I pondered the idea. A memory so ancient even in my boundless reincarnations did it feel old. “Can I ask then instead... That you would give that gift to Mallory...?”

Elvire looked to me in astonishment, our gazes met. She could only see the desperation reflect.

“Y... Yes... I promise...”

I felt satisfaction.

Turning my attention back to the sky, I let my mind ease. I felt content in my request.

I was forced a bowl by Wilfred. He refused to see me go hungry.

After the nice meal, the adventures gave their farewells as we took off. I noticed Lard was still red in the face, The woman’s waving had him shy.

We took off once more into the sky, the clouds dispersed by the dragon wings.

I could still feel Layla’s gaze, the day had gone without a bit of conversation. The sun was ready to hide once more, bringing twilight to the land.

We prepped for a night's sleep. I kept distance still, hoping to have a peaceful sleep knowing I was going to stay up in a rabbit hole of thought.

Blubber set up tents as everyone cooked the food, he was kind enough to pitch mine where i requested.

“There.” He nailed the last pike.

“Thank you, Blubber.” I gave a slight bow.

“Don’t think about it. If it wasn’t for you Doran would still be out there. Stripping us of what made our lives here fun.”

“Hm...” I didn’t think about that. “If you don't mind me asking... What was your ability?”

“Mine?” He questioned. “I had the blessings of ramming. My body when charging could blow away castles by the force alone... Sadly, it took one of Doran’s blaze attacks to strip me of that, and a part of my soul...”

“You saw something... Something from you old life you were running from...”

Blubber nodded in confirmation, his eyes drooped. “But... Without my ability Gideon still took me under his wing. He should that we didn’t need our abilities to stand up and do our duty... He was a great man...”

I understood that the more time passed on without him. His strength went beyond battle. “Thank you again... Have a good night's rest.:”

“And you the same. Hopefully we’ll have this realm saved by tomorrow's end.”

I lowered my gaze, unsure how I felt about that.

I wrapped myself in my blanket Blubber provided, settling in for the long night.

Rustling got my attention. I snapped from my wake, never realizing I actually fell asleep. My tent door was agap, my blanket showed something underneath as I felt its movements and warmth.

“Huh!?” I flipped the blanket off my intruder. “L- Layla!?”

“Shh!” She covered my mouth in protest. “Give back the covers, its cold!”

“W- W- What-”

She forced my hand down, wrapping us in the blanket as she buried her face into my chest.

“What are you doing in here!? What are you doing?!” My mind was in a race as I whispered loudly, feeling her arms tug me down for comfort.

“I’m... I’m making my own story...” She stated.

“Huh!?” I yelped as our bodies embraced.

She wore more casual attire for sleeping, her skin was soft as it rubbed against my own. I could feel her chest pressed against mine as her breath moistened my shirt.

“You...” She gripped my collar, reminding me of all the other times this has happened. “You are a serious troublemaker.”

“E- Eh?” I was surprised not to be called some form of dumb.

“You claimed to be God when we first met. Insulted the priest anf creator of the town. Lost to him in a fight. Proposed such an outlandish idea of impregnating the Goddess and...” She paused, trmebling as her grip tightened.

“And... You let you own daughter walk away...”

“What...” I felt her body tremble. I was thrown in a loop by her words.

“You’ve been so depressed. I can tell, you’ve had something stuck on your mind, long before we ever met...”

She is not wrong.

“But that has never stopped you before. Your crude ideas, your outlandish words and actions... They all have been you, no matter the absurdity.” Her voice cracked. “So why? Why throw that all away because you made a big mistake? Why would you hide yourself away, getting caught in the past...?”

I realized what I’ve been doing this whole time... All because of Layla's words.

She squeaked. her face turned bright red as I fully wrapped my arms around her.

“I’ve been such a fool.” I chuckled. Layla was in panic, unsure of what to do.

“I thought my own daughter was a cultivation of my actions. As if she was a reincarnate of my cruelty and detachment.”

“Uh- Yes- Um-” She stuttered, nervous beyond words by our hug under the covers.

“But I was wrong... She is no less human than me or you... The suffering I had caused was not of natural consequence... But my own negligence....”

“Um! Yes! Uhh!” LAyla squirmed, her body fidgeting as her brain imploded.

“Thank you.” I loosened out embrace, giving her a genuine smile.

“I’m uh... Happy to help.” She stated in her customer service voice.

“Go get some proper rest.” I ordered, freeing her from my grasp.

With a silent nod, Layla made her way up. Her head was overwhelmed, it looked as though steam was shooting out of her head.

I rolled onto my back, looking to the crevasse where the tent sides met.

“Not of natural consequence...” I repeated the sentence, feeling a sense of bliss overcoming. With the shutting of my eyes, I felt relaxed, ready for the next day.