CJ's birth certainly made Ashton and Aria's world more colorful. Each day that passed made them feel satisfied with their current lives. The fact that they're able to act like a normal family was a blessing, and this was because of the peace that's been established in the world. Making all their efforts worth it.
Due to the specialties of his birth, CJ wasn't an ordinary child. Well, that's to be expected since he's not just the son of a Spirit Empress but also the son of the Strongest White Mage that has ever walked this earth.
Aria delayed CJ's birth for almost an entire year, in the time frame, the child's growth was inhibited but that doesn't necessarily mean that it harmed him. If anything, that delay caused CJ's entire being to be nurtured more than the norm.
His mother wasn't shy about nurturing him. She had consumed all kinds of resources that Ashton gave to her to ensure that CJ would wound up healthy and strong despite delaying his birth.
Aria would certainly sacrifice her own longevity if needed be just to ensure that CJ would be nurtured to her standards. This wasn't a choice to her, it was a certainty. Thankfully though, it didn't have to go that far.
Due to his parents' efforts, CJ had many things going on for him. He could speak words despite his vocal cords not being developed yet. He was doing this subconsciously through Mana Transmission.
Let's not forget, Ashton was the Child of Mana, it's one of the Virtues he gained many years ago. This trait was inherited by CJ along with his innate connection with the Spirits. Therefore, he is loved by both Mana and Spirits. They were even seen dancing in celebration upon his birth.
While it's true that CJ knows nothing about the existence of mana, his being loved by it already causes mana to do what he wants. Such a frightening talent, really. But nothing about this fazes his parents so that's okay.
At this point, CJ's only a few months old. He's still being pampered by Ashton and Aria but to their mild surprise, CJ was already showing signs of awareness.
He responds when he can whenever they're talking to him. He could even 'tell' them what he wants through unconscious Mana Transmission. He's also starting to recognize things like his favorite toy, sound, etc.
These are all the special things about CJ so far, but this was only the beginning, that's for sure. CJ still has a lot of growing up to do, and because of his heritage, there's bound to be more surprises along the way, so both Aria and Ashton have to prepare themselves for that.
***
"...how long will you be gone?" Aria asked while cradling their son.
"A month at most." Ashton replied, kneeling in front of her while making faces at his son. Kissing CJ's forehead he stood up and said: "Don't worry, I'll send frequent updates to West Two and he'll inform you."
"Alright. Be careful out there, don't force yourself if you can't. You've already done enough." Aria gently smiled at him.
Ashton nodded d, and he kissed herefore disappearing from her view.
In an instant, Ashton found himself standing in the vacuum of space which did nothing to harm him. He hovered over the Blue Marble Planet, admiring it for a minute before releasing a blinding brilliance that swept through the entire solar system.
Judging by the fluctuations he released, he could've easily shattered a planet or two. Fortunately for everybody, Ashton has meticulous control over his strength, allowing him to release his power without harming anyone.
What followed his act was a curtain of aurora blending with the very essence of Space and Time. This curtain seeped deep into the crevices of the Solar System surrounding the Blue Marble Planet, forming a delicate veil that hides the gem amongst the rocks.
This...is no different than an act of God. And that's not entirely wrong since Ashton reached the realm of the Divine God already.
Ever since his return from Elstar, and even amidst the war against the Celestials and Hypogeans, Ashton has never stopped cultivating. He didn't rest his laurels and let fate decide his outcome, he took full control of his life, allowing him to achieve the height that no human before him achieved.
The Celestial God truly never stood a chance against him. By the time the war started, Ashton had not only leveled the playing field, but he had also already surpassed him. That's why he was able to manipulate Amen like a toy.
But that's no longer important at this point. Amen has already perished and the Abyss has been sealed.
The reason why he's doing this now was because it's part of his contingency plan for his kind.
Having the awareness of a God allowed Ashton's perception to cross great distances. Far beyond this Solar System and Universe, he could sense several life forms which differ from his own.
It didn't cause him panic, just wary. And for the sake of his peace of mind, he might as well use this chance to make sure that the invader incident won't happen again.
At least...not while he's still alive. This is why he decided to scatter Dream Seeds across their Solar System that formed a veil hiding their world. With this, he would be instantly alerted if any of the species he sensed arrived within his jurisdiction.
Ashton can't really tell if he's genuinely immortal or not. Sure, so long as somebody still remembers him, he will be alive, perks of being the Divinity of the Dream Law, but he can't tell if this has its limits or not.
Besides, he didn't reach this stage for True Immortality anyway. He had no desire to be as such. All he wanted was to preserve his kind and guide them until they could stand on their own within this wild universes. Also, he just wanted to be there for his family and live in peace and serenity for as long as it was allowed.
He won't die until he achieves both, which he's certain of.
Ashton wouldn't be alone anyway. Blake, Mary, and Alice were already Cosmic Emperors. In due time, they'll reach the same stage as him so they could keep him company.
As for Aria, well that depends on her. While Ashton certainly wants to her to accompany him all the time along with their son, he knew that he couldn't force the idea onto her. They'll talk about this in the future, but for now, everything's fine as is.
"...my, you have certainly grown a lot."
Ashton was alarmed for a second. Someone managed to get this close to him without his notice so it's understandable, yet after hearing the voice, he lowered down his alertness.
He turned around and saw the familiar face of his benefactor, the Beast God. Well, his incarnation at the very least.
"Yo, long time no see." The Beast God greeted him.
"It's been a while, Sir. I still haven't thanked you enough for all the help you've given me." Ashton performed a curt bow.
"Oh, stop with the formalities." The Beast God's incarnation waved his hands, "It's just a slight effort for me anyway. You're the one who did the most so give yourself some credit."
Ashton refrained from saying anything, but he did smile at his praise.
"Right, I checked your work with the Abyss, good job with that. That headache was finally dealt with thanks to you."
Ashton wasn't entirely surprised that the Beast God was aware of the existence of the Abyss. If anything, he's already expecting that the Beast God knew more than he did.
Besides, despite achieving the Divine God realm himself, it was clear to Ashton that he was far from being the Beast God or the Death God's match. This world truly goes beyond his imagination so he wasn't surprised at all.
"I wish I could've gotten rid of it entirely, though." Ashton sighed, "The seal was only a temporary measure. Something that will only last so long as I'm here. I don't want to imagine what would happen when an accident happens."
"Now that's a dilemma that all of us are worried about." The Beast God sighed as well.
That statement surprised Ashton.
"We're strong Ashton, but not that strong." The Beast God smiled wryly. "While our mere presence could potentially destroy a universe or two, the Abyss is far more resilient than that."
"It's an existence that dates further back than the birth of Chaos itself." The Beast God continued, "It's only normal that you alone can't eliminate it. Many have tried before you. Hell, we even teamed up and we still couldn't do it."
"The best we could do is to seal it. So don't wallow in disappointment. You already performed the best course of action against it. As for what happens in the future, leave it be. We could only do what we can for now."
"I understand..." Ashton sighed after receiving the Beast God's explanation.
"Anyways, congrats on being a father." The Beast God smiled. "Cherish that, not all of us hahavehat kind of luxury."
"Thanks, and I will. It's my dream after all."
The Beast God laughed and said: "Right, I'll leave you to it. Also, when you have time, come visit us. You've done everything you can here anyway."
"I will, eventually."
"I look forward. Well, then. See you later, Dream God."
"See you later, Beast God."
