NOVEL NEXT 32) Getting answers
Chapter 32
All of us are now sitting at the table with tea and snacks. Lucy and I on one side and Tiamat and Odin on the other. We have a little bit of small talk before we get into anything serious. Finally, though I look at Odin’s eyes and ask, “So I have questions about a lot of things, but there is one that concerns me the most.” Odin leans back and motions for me to continue. Lucy and Tiamat who had been talking about how we first met paused their conversation and paid attention to Odin and me.
I take a breath and begin with my questions. “What is the true meaning of my eyes and why do Lucy and Melora also have them? Do you two really not know or are you hiding things from me?” I ask with the last part coming out with hurt tone in my voice. Odin has a complicated expression on his face and looks at Tiamat who just sighs and nods. But before they could speak, we all feel the ground shake and then a knocking on the door. Lucy and I are confused and become guarded, but Tiamat just growls with irritation. She gets up and opens the door to reveal a person that would be hard to describe. She looks like a mink but has traits of various animals. Then it clicks in my head who this is. “Fauna? Why would she be in my parents’ domain?”
Tiamat growls and stares into Fauna’s eyes for a few tense moments before another rumble outside is heard and another person arrives next to Fauna. This one is a man with wings, and I immediately recognize the playful look on his face. My eyes widen and look at Lucy who has the same look as I do. Then I look at Odin and see his eye twitching in annoyance at the arrival of who I can only assume is Pan. “Hello Tiamat, Fauna. It has been too long since my eyes have been graced by both of your beauties and even at the same time. I feel blessed just being in your presence.” I hear a crack on the table and see Odin gripping it and damaging it. I look at his face and see deep annoyance plastered on it. I chuckle silently and look back to the door where Fauna rolls her eyes, and I can only assume Tiamat does the same from her body language since all I see is her tattooed back because of her opened backed dress.
Tiamat finally speaks up to the two and says, “Why are you two here? I have my cute little dragon and his new mate here and we only have a limited amount of time before they have to go back to Marble. You two are taking my precious time away from them.” Lucy and I start to feel pressure on our souls from Tiamat releasing her aura. Odin then stands up and places a hand on her shoulder to let her know that she is making us feel uncomfortable. Then he looks at the new arrivals and says, “Yes, I agree with my wife. You two are taking up our family time with them.” Fauna finally speaks up for the first time and says, “Then I have every right to be here then. My family is in your domain and if your offspring is anything like Tiamat then he would have taken his time responding to my request I gave to my followers and the Head Priest at the temple in that back water town.” Pan nods and says, “My child may not be here, but she is currently living with him, so I think I have the right to see her future mates as well.” Confusion consumes me as I know they are talking about me but have not a clue who they are considering their children. I look at Lucy and then it hits that they are talking about her and possibly Melora.
Tiamat grumbles and looks Odin who just sighs in exasperation and nods. They step aside and let the two inside. They all sit around the table again with Tiamat and Odin across from us and Fauna sits by Lucy with Pan next to me at the ends of the table. I look at Odin and am about to ask what is going on, but he puts his hand up and says, “Let’s get the introductions out of the way and then continue with your questions. These two will be able to confirm some of you suspicions I am sure you have.” I close my mouth and look at Fauna waiting for her to say something and introduce herself, but she just keeps staring at Lucy with complicated eyes, so I turn to Pan and see him busy with the snacks on the table. My eye twitches and I look back at Odin who just shakes his head and says, “Just go first I suppose. They are gods so they do not really have manners.” Tiamat chuckles at her husband’s little joke while the other two just stare daggers at him for a few moments before going back to the snacks and staring at Lucy.
I grumble to myself and decide to get this started. “Hello, I am Ladon, Son of Goddess Tiamat and God Odin.” I grab Lucy’s hand and squeeze it. She looks up from the table where she was trying to escape Fauna’s uncomfortable gaze. I nod for her to introduce herself and she squeezes my hand for comfort to soothe her nerves at the appearance of two new gods in our mists. She clears her throat, which seems to bring Fauna back from her present thoughts, and says, “Hello, I am Lucy, Daughter of the former Moon Rabbit Clan in the kingdom of Akan.” “What do you mean former clan? They should still be guarding and using my dungeon.” Lucy nervously replies saying, “Um, Lady Fauna, um, we were wiped out by bandits. We are no more, and I think I am the last one from my clan.” Suddenly unbelievable pressure descends upon the cabin making the logs creak and crack. “ENOUGH, FAUNA. YOU WILL HARM THEIR SOULS!” Tiamat yells as her aura cancels out Fauna’s.
Lucy and I are breathing hard, but I still move Lucy behind me to protect her as best I could as I stare at Fauna with hatred starting to build from her harming Lucy. Fauna notices that she is affecting Lucy and I with her aura and immediately recedes it and looks at us with apologetic expression. “What do you mean your clan was wiped out by bandits, Lucy?” Tiamat asks the shaking Lucy, which I notice and bring her into my lap to make her feel safe and glare daggers at Fauna. My opinion of a cool and collected woman going out the window. Before Lucy can reply I say, “What do YOU mean, Mother? You are all gods, no? Shouldn’t you all know already or at least read our minds?” Tiamat looks over at Odin who nods. “They are just titles little dragon. Titles given to us by the ancient humans who survived the impact of mana colliding with this realm’s laws. And we cannot read minds, but emotions and pretty much what a person is thinking based on said emotions.” Mine and Lucy’s eyes widen, her fear forgotten by the bombshell of news dropped on us. “But y’all are so,” “What? Powerful? Seemingly all knowing?” Odin says to which I nod my head. Odin shakes his in a defeated manner and says, “If we were powerful and all-knowing then we wouldn’t have lost the Realm of Mystic, nor would we have had to use our last resort to escape our enemies and bring about a disaster to this realm.” I see the regret in eyes and hear it in his tone.
“If you are not all gods then what are you exactly?” Lucy surprises me by speaking up and Fauna is the one to answer her. “Little one, we are but refugees trying to make a new home for ourselves and help make up for bringing doom to so many worlds and clusters in this realm.” Lucy has a confused look on her face mixed with awe at learning there are more worlds than just Marble. I smile and say to her, “When we get back, I’ll try to explain and fill in the gaps, okay bunny. In the meantime, we need to move the conversation along so we can get answers to our other questions before we get off track.” Lucy positions herself sideways in my lap and nods at me. I turn back to Odin and say, “We can come back to that line of questioning later, yes?” Odin and Tiamat smiles and nods so I continue. “What is the significance of my eyes, and does it have anything to do with Lucy’s and Melora’s? Are my instincts going to bring me closer to more with the same eyes?” They all smirk at me and Fauna is the one to answer the second part of my question. “Dragon, I was the one who guided you to my daughter and Pan asked me to do the same with Melora since you were about to burn her alive in that tent. His words not mine.” I gripped the chair from her words and note the significance of them. I feel Lucy breathing harder and hold her tighter against me. “As far as the significance of all of your eyes, well it is simply a trait from us that come from the Realm of Mystic. From what Odin has told us about what you have discovered by yourself is they help those in this realm see mana on a fundamental level.” Pan says from my left as I turned my head to look at him.
“Odin may be the wisest among us and has delved deeper into the art of magic, but I am the one who has become one with mana and bend it to my will. Hence the fae’s bodies being made from mana itself. Though when it comes to the raw power of mana, dragons,” He looks over at Tiamat and smiles making her roll her eyes and look away, “Dragons are by far the most powerful compared to any other.” I think to myself for a moment as everyone stays quiet to wait for me to collect my thoughts. “So, someone has been interfering with my actions. But they just said they are not gods so how could Fauna use my instincts without me knowing?” I look over at Fauna and feel my anger rise at being used. “Why are you looking so angry dragon, and it seems to be directed at me?” Fauna asks to which I reply shortly and with a growl, “You used me.” She blinks a for a few moments, and I see out of the corner of my eye that Tiamat smirks. “What do you mean I used you?” Controlling my anger as best I can I say, “Though I am glad to have met and fall in love with Lucy. You still used me. ME a dragon and son of Tiamat! How were you able to do that? If you can do that then that means someone else could as well.” Fauna just smirks at me and says, “Oh little dragon how naïve you are, yes?” I am taken aback by her mockery of me as she continues, “We may not actually be gods, but we are many years beyond your comprehension and have learned quite a few things. How do you think we were able to bring about new races into a world where humans were the only sapient race, hmm?” She takes a sip of tea and nibbles on a cookie before saying, “As for why I used you to find my daughter. Well, we are not omnipotent, and I lost track of her until I found her a slave in Melcox where you just so happened to be. I knew about you from Tiamat continuous bragging about you when she would visit so I simply tweaked your instincts as a dragon to be drawn to her and later on to Pan’s child Melora. I did not control you and you could have simply ignored the feeling, but you didn’t, and the results are as you know.” I start to sweat from the feeling of powerlessness in front of the so-called gods and how they can manipulate me on their own whim even if it is not absolute control.
Lucy touches my cheek and brings my face to hers so that we are looking into each other’s eyes. “Are you regretting being with me?” I look into her eyes and think. “Why would she think that? Yes, Fauna and Pan used me to find Lucy and Melora but is it so bad. But what if they can manipulate our feelings for each other as well. That can’t be possible right? Emotions and instincts are not same thing, right?” Before I answer her, I ask Odin, “Can y’all manipulate feelings towards something or someone?” Odin smiles knowing what I was getting at and says, “No son. What you feel for Lucy and even Melora are your feelings and yours alone. We can read emotions, but we cannot read minds or in any way control emotions.” I nod and still looking into Lucy’s eyes I say as sweetly as I can to abate her worries, I say, “Never.” She smiles and kisses me with as much love as she could send through it. When we separate, she says, “I guess this will ease your tensions toward both Melora and I about being controlled, yes?” I chuckle and say, “Yes, bunny, I feel weight being lifted off me. Though the notion that these gods on my left and right have used me has left me rather irked.” Lucy chuckles and rubs my cheek, “Stubborn dragon. Just let it go and look at it as a gain and not a manipulation.” I look at her confused, “Gain?” She nods her head and says, “You gained me, your mate, and a friend, possibly something more down the line.” I open and close my mouth trying to come up with retort due to my stubbornness but cannot and just grumble.
Odin and Tiamat chuckle at me and are impressed with Lucy at being able to pacify me. I sigh and just hug Lucy close as she smooths my soul hair. When I finally feel like continuing the conversation I ask, “What is void magic and are there monsters that are able to speak in common that you all know of?” The gods all go wide eyed with surprise when I mention this. Odin narrows his eyes and asks, “How do you know about this son? You should not have knowledge about magic of the void, yet.” I look at each of them confused and say, “Have you not been keeping an eye on me lately?” Tiamat shakes her head and says, “As much I would like to little dragon, we are busy with the world we are on right now.” I tilt my head and say, “We not in your domain?” She chuckles and says, “We are, but a domain is just where our location is, and we are currently on the planet closest to Marble and within what you know as the golden lock zone.” I widen my eyes in realization and say, “We are on Mars?” She smiles at my amazement and says, “Yep. We thought we might as well make this world habitable since there were signs of it having life in the past and with mana now in the cosmos it is far easier to do than what your past scholars thought.” Before we got further off-track Odin speaks up and says, “Back to void magic, please. How do you know about it, son?” I shake my head of the questions I wanted ask in my excitement of them terraforming Mars and turn to face Odin.
I explain about the Ogres speaking broken Common and how it and the Drake Wyvern used void magic and how I was injured. I even showed the title I received from defeating the wyvern and mentioned how they talked about their ‘Strong Gods’ versus ‘Weak Gods’. Odin puts his hand to his chin and seems to go into thinking while Tiamat looks at me with a concerned face. Fauna and Pan have worried looks on their faces while looking at Odin. Odin finally sighs and says, “It seems either they are making plans for something or are simply trying to undermine our work. I have not heard of any other sightings from the others on the other worlds.” Odin looks at me and says, “Thank you for bringing this to us son. We will start looking more into this and I am glad that you are safe and even came out on top when facing a void user.” I raise an eyebrow and say, “Are you going to elaborate?” He looks at Tiamat who just sighs and nods. He looks back at me and says, “The ones who pushed us out of our realm are called Voidans. They were more of a cult at first and gradually gained power using the void element. They believed that everything should be erased and begin anew. In actuality, the leaders just wanted control and power over everything in the Mystic, using broken people who either lost hope in everything around them or power-hungry individuals. They are tyranny incarnate.”
I look at both Odin and Tiamat in the eyes and ask, “Are they the real reason you two brought me back with my memories intact?” They at each other and then back at me and smile at me. “Little dragon, I picked you from all of the other souls because I saw the dragon slumbering inside of you. Your soul blazed the brightest among millions of other souls still inside the Well of Souls. You still have your memories because your soul is rare.” I lift my eyebrow and Odin speaks up, “When the others created their races some of the souls kept their memories from before they died but this happened on very rare occasions. You are one such case.” I look between them and just nod my head accepting that my soul holding onto my memories from the past is just a coincidence.
With most of the important and heavy questions out of the way finally. We finally go into some light conversation before Tiamat and Fauna take Lucy away out of the cabin to talk. Now it is just Pan, my father, and I left at the table where Pan pulls out some beer. “Anyone want a cold one?” I look at Odin who just nods at me, so I take one and express my gratitude. “Thanks, Pan.” He smiles and nods as we pop the bottles open and take a swig. As I drink, I feel the familiar taste of my favorite beer from before becoming a dragon. “Holy shit this is good. It tastes just like my favorite beer.” Pan smile widens and says, “I glad to hear you like it. It is my own brew and is laced with mana to better suit the person’s taste.” I sigh and say, “I still can’t get used to magic sometimes. I am still learning more about it, but I have no talent for spells that deal with everyday things.” “Yes, well, dragons are like that.”
Odin says taking a swig and placing the bottle down on the table. I grin and look at Pan and say, “So Melora is your daughter and Fauna is Lucy’s mother. Does Melora know about you?” Pan’s face finally breaks his usually playboy expression and becomes sadden. “Yes, Melora is my daughter and like Fauna lost track of Lucy. I too lost track of Melora. She, she does not know I am her father.” Taking a swig before I ask, “And why does she not know? Who is her mother?” He looks up at me and says, “I would like to speak to her myself before I divulge our family’s affairs to you, dragon.” I narrow my eyes at him and say, “That’s fine, I guess. Just know that she is our friend, and it is up to her whether she will seek you out. I don’t know much about her, but I know she has been through a lot.” Pan smiles and nods. We go back to drinking and talking about the Voidans and I share stories about the time before the Chaos of Mana.[Lucy’s POV]
Tiamat, Fauna, and I are walking throughout the meadow of flowers as I admire the various colors and beaty of them. Eventually I hear Fauna’s nervous voice sound out. “Lucy.” I look up from kneeling down while admiring the flower and look into Fauna’s eyes. I sigh and stand back up and say, “What is it, Goddess Fauna?” She looks a little hurt from my reply but quickly fixes her expression back to a gentle smile. “Fauna is fine or maybe you could call me mom or mother.” I narrow my eyes and say, “Mother? If you really are my mother as you hinted in the conversation with Ladon then why am I just now hearing this? A mother doesn’t abandon their own to people who shun and called her cursed.” My voice heated and labored as I let my thoughts be known. Fauna’s face becomes strained from the complex emotions going through her mind at my response. Tiamat is a little further away giving us some space for the uncomfortable talk about to happen.
“Lucy, I had my reasons for leaving you with the clan to protect the dungeon. They were supposed to train you and prepare you for the world. I never imagined my leaving you with them would bring you heartache.” I look at her as if she is stupid and cannot believe that this is supposed to be a god. My entire expectations of them have come crashing down when Ladon and them started talking. “Why would you leave in the first place? Why would a mother abandon their own child? And if you really are my mother, then who and where is my father? Why would he abandon and not protect his own child?” Tears start to form at the corner of Fauna’s eyes as she replies with a trembling voice, “When you were conceived, it was still when we were still in the Realm of the Mystic. My husband, your father, was killed in the war with Voidans. Leaving me a widow and single mother. You were the last piece of him that I had, so I cast a spell on my womb to keep you safe until we found a world where you could grow up in. I, I, I couldn’t keep you with me because the burden would be too much on you. I wanted you to free from the scars the war left on all of us. Though it seems that worse scars were brought upon you in that clan.”
By now Fauna had tears rolling down her cheeks showing her remorse. I just look at her with indifference and just shake my head letting my emotions that I usually have control over seep out. “Scars? You have no idea what scars I have. They shunned me, abused me, and took every chance to tell me I was cursed and would amount to nothing. And then, then I was put into slavery for what? For catching the fancy of some slaver who saw me nothing but coin.” I narrow my eyes at her and say, “You lost your husband in a war, but you chose to lose your daughter. You know nothing of scars you caused me. The only one in my life who has seen me for who I am, who I truly am, is Ladon. If wasn’t for him, I would have died and lost hope in everything. He is my family, my mate, my dragon.” As I finish my rant, I look at her and see tears still streaming down her face. I take a deep breath and ask, “What do you want from me, Fauna?” She smiles gently at me which just makes me feel nauseous, and she says with a small voice none would think would come from a god, “To make things right, to have a chance at a real relationship with my daughter.”
My eyes widen at the audacity of this woman. I am about to tell her off when Tiamat comes over and places a hand on my shoulder. I look up and see her looking into my eyes as she says, “Lucy, I know you are hurting and overwhelmed by the events and surprises of today, but perhaps it would be better to think things over before continuing your beratement of her, yes? Things are not as simple as they seem nor were they back then either.” She looks back at Fauna and says, “You should also give her some time. It may not tomorrow or even a year from now but be patient and let her come to grip with things.” I look at Tiamat and just decide to follow her advice for the moment. Fauna just smiles and wipes her tears away.
Fauna starts to come closer but decides against it and just looks into my eyes and says, “I will let you think on things my little bunny. Just know that I have never, nor will I ever stop loving you or thinking about you. When you are ready to talk just come to one of my statue’s or better yet defeat one of my dungeons. Farewell for now.” I see her kneel and then jump into the sky disappearing with a sonic boom soon after. I look up at Tiamat who smiles at me and grabs my hand guiding me around the meadow. We are silent for a while until Tiamat says, “So how is being with a dragon.” My ears blush deeply as I hear Tiamat laugh at my expense.
[Ladon’s POV]
I hear a sonic boom outside and Odin tells me that Fauna has left. At this time, I am starting to feel the effects of being here in my soul form. Pan stands up and says, “Well I believe their time is up and I should get back.” He turns to me and says, “It was nice meeting another dragon again after so long. It is always an experience to be in one of your kind’s presence. If I may ask something of you before depart each other’s company?” I nod for him to continue. “Please watch after Melora for me. She has not had a good life recently and though she hides it well, she is hurting deep inside.” We look into each other’s eyes until I nod. He smiles and turns around to see Lucy and Tiamat in the doorway. “It was nice to meet you again Tiamat and you as well Lucy. Company with such beautiful ladies is always a mood lifter no matter the occasion.” He gives them his best playboy smile and both Odin and I grip our chairs in annoyance of him. Tiamat rolls her eyes, and Lucy does not even pay much attention to him only giving him a small nod before making a bee line for me and sitting in my lap hugging me close taking in my scent.
I look down in slight confusion but say nothing and just hug back letting her know I was here for her. Pan leaves and we hear another sonic boom noting his departure. Tiamat sits beside Odin and kisses his cheek making him smile as he grabs her hand. “I meant to ask this a moment ago, but why are you not one of the main gods.” I ask Odin. He gives me a side grin and says, “I don’t like to at the forefront of attention. I had enough of that in the Mystic.” “Ah, I see.” We stay silent for a few moments and then I ask another question that has been nagging at me lately. “What is the true reason for the system? Does it help absorb soul essence of the defeated or is it really to help mortals to combat against monsters?” Tiamat smirks and gives Odin a knowing look who just looks at me dumbfounded. “Um, sometimes son you are too insightful for your own good. You know that.” Lucy chuckles at that finally lifting her head from my chest. I shrug my shoulders and say, “Well I have a lot of questions for no one around to answer them with certainty. Might as well use the remaining time to learn the reason for it.”
Odin sighs and says, “Haa, the system was put in place to help the people of this realm to hold their own unlike the mystic. The system will only help individuals up to point, though. I suppose you can think of it as a tutorial to help people until they break through a stage wear the system is no longer necessary or able to keep up with a person’s progress.” I contemplate his words and say, “So until our mana core can no longer be measured?” He sighs again and nods. “Yes, exactly. Once a person reaches a certain point with their core, their aging slows, spells become so powerful they can level a mountain, and the body becomes indestructible compared to the ones who are still using the system.” I good wide eyed in surprise at the meaning of his words. “I see.” Lucy looks at me and says, “What do you see? You two are confusing me.” I smile at her and peck on the lips and say, “Basically the more powerful we are the more time will have with each other. That is the important thing to understand about all that.”
Lucy smiles the brightest smile and says, “Then let’s become so powerful that even time cannot defeat or separate us, my love.” I give a dragon’s smile and say, “My thoughts exactly, bunny.” I kiss her again we hear an aw sound from Tiamat we separate and blush in embarrassment for losing ourselves in the moment. “They are so cute, love. I can’t wait for the grandbabies.” Tiamat grabs Odin’s arm shakes it in her excitement. Odin chuckles and says, “Neither can I, love.” He looks at us and smiles before saying, “I think it is time to wrap up our time together.” I nod and stand up with Lucy our hands holding each other’s. “Thank y’all for answering my questions.” Odin waves dismissing my thanks and says it was no problem and to come anytime to talk. We start hugging and saying our goodbyes and then Lucy and I are back in our bodies back in the church mentally exhausted from being in the presence of such powerful beings in our soul forms.