Chapter 127 - Reunion (1)
It took a couple more minutes of walking but soon we were nearing the familiar landscape that brought back a mix of emotions. A couple happy memories that were followed by annoying memories of a certain golden arrogant dickwad.
As we neared I saw mother in her garden. She was smaller than I remember but ofcourse back then everything was a bit bigger than me. I smiled and increased my pace towards her.
"MOTHER! I'M BACK!" I yelled towards her, she looked up at me with a look of confusion before her eyes turned to look at Gaia and her face lit up with a smile as she rose up and came over to hug Gaia.
"Oh Gaia, my baby how are you? Wait... You smell different? Like your essence itself is tainted? What happened to you, and who is this that you brought with you?"
"Mother...." Gaia looked with pity towards me and I simply shook my head. I didn't think that my own mother wouldn't be able to recognize me but it seems I've changed quite a bit since then.
"Mother this is Vexsus, He has come home."
"Vexsus?" She looked at me and asked with a shocked/confused look. I nodded with a shy smile. "Hi mom, long time no see."
It was a minute of solid silence or atleast it felt that way before I could see tears starting welling up in her eyes. "Vexsus, oh honey, look at you.... You went through so much haven't you my poor baby...." She was holding back a sob as she could see something that I couldn't. I didn't feel any different but to the eyes of a mother who knows what was revealed.
"Come here honey, I missed you so much." Than with a flash her whole body shrank and and turned into a Green scaled Dragonoid. I ran over to her and got a giant hug in return, I felt like a weight had been lifted as I felt a mothers love yet again. It was like someone wrapping my soul in a warm blanket and cradling it.
"I was so worried about you Vexsus, Hold on let's go get your father and we can sit down and have a nice reunion. SOLACE GET OUT HERE!" She yelled towards the cave entrance and soon a huge Red dragon came lumbering out.
"What do you want woman, this cold air is making my membranes hurt."
"You old bastard two of your sons are here to visit the least you can do is quit hiding and come out to see them."
The dragon then looks down towards Gaia and then over at me.
"I can tell that that is Gaia... Albeit something is wrong, but that one over there smells nothing like a son of mine." Ok, Ouch.
"Come look closer, you know your senses have been weaker than normal you old bastard. I promise it's Vexsus and Gaia, A loving mother will always remember her babies."
I looked at Gaia with a raised eyebrow and he chuckled. This woman just really said that even though she needed Gaia to say something first... Shameless.
"Hmmmmm." Solace leaned down after he came up to us and gave me a good look over. "You do seem to kind of resemble my son Vexsus, but if you are then why do you smell like a completely different Dragon? I should be able to smell my bloodline coursing through you but I smell nothing."
"That would probably be because of the amount of bullshit I've gone through in the past year and change. I first got betrayed by that dog you gave me away to, then after I escaped I was tricked and almost sold as a slave, only to end up in a dungeon where I met some people who became my family, then got betrayed again by a companion that turned out to be a maniacal madman scientist, got trapped as a gladiator for a year, had a whole brood of children only to have 90% of them killed by their own mother..... Then reunited with my family, built up a small base in the middle of a jungle... and a few other things aswell... SOooo yea I might be a bit different than the old vexsus."
Mother had a look of shock at how nonchalant I was about the whole thing. But she only sniffled as she gave me a hug again.
"This proves nothing and could possibly be lies." Father said as he still had a questioning look in his eyes.
"I taught you how to make a more powerful breath attack ya old fuck. This is getting a bit annoying and frankly I'm hurt that my own father doesn't recognize me but still I'm Vexsus, I was hatched prematurely because one of you wasn't watching the nest properly and I was almost taken away by some creature but instead got cracked against that stone wall out there. I was beaten and humiliated by your other children except for Gaia here and the whole time you did nothing to defend me.... I have a few more examples if you would like?"
I was getting ticked off but I was trying to hold it in for the sake of having a happy family reunion.
"Hmph, I guess you are Vexsus, Only the Runt would dare talk to their parents like that."
"Fucking excuse me old man? I'm not the runt If you want power I will show you power right here and now, I went through a shit ton of mental stress and trauma I earned the power I have now and will not tolerate being disrespected by anyone, even if they helped in my birth." I felt anger rising up in me and could see that this was going nowhere. I just turned and left.
"Gaia, you can stay here if you want but I have a job to do. I'll be staying at the inn in town. Mother, great to see you, Father..."
It took me until Center of the village until I was calmed down enough to think. I knew I stepped over the line and was fully expecting Father to lash out but why didn't he? I could tell he was just as powerful as always but if so then why not put his brat of a son in his place?
That was when that tingling feeling like I had a few bugs poking around me. I noticed slight movements in the shadows around me and knew i was still under surveilance. I needed to hurry this mission up and get back to my home. I would much rather deal with trying to convince Kitsoma to accept that I got another woman pregnant..... Yea that's a whole new ball game but still.
"Tell Aurum that I will be coming to see him tomorrow morning." Then I walked into the tavern and got a room for me and possibly Gaia, once inside the room I found that it was big enough for me and the rest of my followeres to fit comfortably. The room had a large excess of pillows just on the ground, I'm assuming they dealt with alot of Dragons staying versus Humanoids.
I just laid down and closed my eyes hoping I wouldn't be totally wrecked by Wrath.....
As the feeling of falling unconsious finally overtook me I felt myself get pulled like a leaf on a strong breeze. I opened my eyes to see that I was in a room covered with green and purple wallpaper. In it was a large bed and a table with 3 chairs. Sitting in 2 of those chairs were my Sins. Gluttony and Wrath or better yet, Gula and Ira.
"Fufufu, welcome Vexsus, As promised I brought you hear so that you and Ira could have a chat about the deal between you two. I'm still digesting your delicious offering so I will be off and give you two some... Privacy." She smirked at me before disappearing in a flash of green.
"Mortal.... I think we should renegotiate the terms of our agreement." Ira spoke to me in a stern but also softer tone than the first time I met her in person... Or spirit or whatever the hell was going on here.
"Ok? I'm up for it, I'm fine with the same level of power you have been giving me in exchange for the souls and body of the ones I use your power on so why the meeting? Do you need more souls? I can't give you mine like I said bef...."
"Mortal please stop.... I have been talking to Gula about you and she convinced me to co-brand you along with her. I would give you full access to my power and I would gain essence like Gula does from your actions. But where as she needs you to eat with your abyssal stomach, I would gain essence from your emotions. When you feel anger or extreme passion I would siphon a bit of that raw emotion in exchange for fueling your desire for whatever it is that caused it."
"Hmmm. This sounds a bit to good to be true Ira.... If I can call you that?" I instantly regretted calling her by her name as her whole body lit up in skin bubbling flames but it quickly died down as she turned her head and shyly nodded.
"I don't mind for the one I'm branding... and no it's very fair, I feed off your emotions and in return I enhance them, either that will give you power when in a fight, or..... when you're.... with your wives....."
"Did the room just get hotter or is it just me?" A flash of green and out pops Gula.
"Sorry to interuppt but time is up. My energy has run out and Vexsus has to go back until tomorrow night."
"But,but,but. I didn't even start on the branding process.... How are we supposed to continue now..." Ira seemed to take on a spoiled princess tone as Gula said that.
"Don't worry dear sister, By tomorrow night I should have finished with collecting enough energy to fuel another visit like this and even longer next time. Just be patient and get prepared for the ritual ok? Bye Vexsus, I expect another good meal soon."
And just like that the space around me faded away into existence but before it fully went black I could have sworn I saw Ira smile a little as she was looking at me.
"Wow, so cute." I couldn't help but say and quickly I saw her face turn shocked before she turned her face downwards and I felt a rise in tempature again.
----After Vexsus Left-----
"Are you sure about this Ira? It would mean that you're placing yourself against the others? You are already established in this world and have many souls to draw from. I only have Vexsus and He is very important to me.... Can you promise that he will gain more than enough to balance out the problems this will cause him?"
The blushing Ira still had a smile on her face as she looked up at Gula. "I swear, The brand I'm giving him is the Highest Tier. Given enough time, he could even wield me as his own power if he got strong enough...."
A shocked expression came over Gula.. "IRA, ARE YOU SERIOUS? That basically means he will take over your soul instead of the other way around.... how could you think he is worth it? I mean I trust him as my vessel and branded subordinate but to go that far? That is insanity..."
"You should know that I am not just the Sin of Wrath... I'm also the God over Emotions... Specifically Passion, What that man showed me the other night with that succubus.... that level of passion has never been witnessed in quite awhile. this world is filled with schemers and all manner of evil doers. But in the heat of the moment his true passion arose and he devoted himself to creating a love child and being with that woman... I think it's well worth it."