Even though Sol was a little detached, it wasn’t as if he was blind to everything. He felt himself being transported to another place.
“Don’t stop. Just listen to me.”
Just as he was about to leave his mindscape despite the pain he might feel again, he was stopped by this voice that directly sounded in his mind.
“We are currently in the secret place where the blood pool is. This is the place where everything will begin. Whether or not the work we put in prior to this was worth it.”
The water in Sol’s mind became a little turbulent, but he stayed silent and listened.
“Your body is currently going through change to adapt to the contract with Isis. This is the best occasion to bring in further change for your evolution to become a Duke. But you should also understand that this is extremely dangerous. One simple mistake would mean death. But…You already knew this.
“Either way, when this begins. You need to focus on the truth. Focus on your power and believe in yourself no matter what. This is the only way to obtain what you truly want.”
Tiamat chuckled to lighten the atmosphere. “I wish you good luck and hope that next time we see each other, you will have taken another step.”
Tiamat seemed to fall silent before she spoke once again one last time in his mind,
“I also want you not to forget. Whatever you learned about your so-called future or whether your Fate is bleak or not. I want you to remember what I said during our first meeting.”
Her voice showed a level of caring that would have astonished all her children, “It’s okay to give up. You are not forced in any way to succeed at creating the impossible. As long as you wish so, I will take care of you and protect you all your life. I will never let anyone decide your Fate. Not even myself.
“Don’t be distracted by the what-if, should-have, and if-only. The one thing you choose for yourself – that is the only thing you need to focus on.”
Once she uttered those words, her presence in his mind completely vanished. It was as if she fleed because she was embarrassed by her own words.
Standing up in the vast void of his mind with the sea beneath his feet and the sky above his head, Sol couldn’t help but laugh lightly. Most of the pressure in his heart was gone.
Humans were truly mysterious beings.
Sometimes, rather than hundreds of words of encouragement were not as valuable as the simple knowledge that everything wasn’t on your shoulder.
At this very moment, Tiamat had chosen her words very well. Giving him once again a way out, helped him reaffirm his determination. He knew what he wanted and knew how hard he had to fight to obtain it.
“Let’s do it.”
He would succeed.
No matter what.
—-
On the outside world, Tiamat was standing alone as she slowly put Sol's naked body in the blood pool.
The normal pool was filled with the blood of different dragons that died during the war. This was a way for the old generation to bless and strengthen the future generation. Tiamat had also added a little bit of her blood to it to boost the overall quality.
But the current pool was different. The blood in it came exclusively from all her direct children, Blaze included, as well as the blood of all dragons that have managed to reach the King level.
Furthermore, during the last few weeks since Sol came to the Dragon territory, she had been steadily pouring her own blood into it. Though she stopped doing so after Skuld warned her about Ymir's possible attack.
Even then, with how much she already put in it, she was sure that Sol would become a completely changed man once he went out.
Of course, it was impossible for Sol to absorb all the blood in it even if he wished. The amount of pure energy in that pool was enough to make a few stars explode. Even a King level wouldn’t be able to absorb all this energy. But this didn’t matter. She just needed Sol to absorb as much as possible and the transition from one level to another was the best possible.
‘It might even strengthen some of the abilities he got from that little phoenix.’
She was brought out of her musing as she felt a presence behind her,
“Why did you say this at the end, Tiamat?”
Turning around, Tiamat looked down at the intruder, a pink-skinned short woman, and immediately frowned, “Skuld. I do not believe I have asked you and the other two to wait outside?”
“I wanted to. But I couldn’t help myself. After all your words were truly surprising.”
Tiamat simply continued to look down on Skuld with an impassive face, her eyes showing a calculating light which caused Skuld to chuckle.
“Are you assessing how much me and my sister are worth now? Deciding whether to get rid of us since we have no use now? Or perhaps you will kill us after we finish weaving the web of time?”
“So you knew I wanted to get rid of you?”
Since they were at this juncture, Tiamat showed no intention in hiding her hostility anymore. But she was curious,
“Since you can see the future so well. Why provoke me even though you know it does nothing but increase my killing intent?”
“Because I hate you.”
Skuld stopped there, not uttering the rest of her thoughts for she knew that if she did, she would surely die.
After all, she did not simply hate Tiamat. From the very bottom of her heart, she despised her. Tiamat’s existence is a stain on her eyes and every second Skuld had to spend next to Tiamat made her feel like she was drinking from a poisoned well.
Even as she spoke such vicious words and thought of even more vicious things, the smile on Skuld's face never once slipped.
“What a surprise. I feel exactly the same.”
Tiamat was not Sol. While she acted as if she believed in Skuld, this was simply because she did want to prepare for all possibilities. That was all.
In the first place, the term ‘betrayal’ was created because only those in whom you believed could betray you. How could an enemy betray you? Only allies could.
Slowly the killing intent of Tiamat began to feel the room. Like a cold chill, it invaded the body of Skuld, making it shiver in fear. But while her body betrayed her, her mind was all the more clear.
“I really want to kill you right here right now.”
“But you won’t. Because I still have my use.”
“Indeed. While you and your sister are weaving, Sheherazade will bless your work with her Wishes. This should increase your power in affecting time. Pushing us toward the most desired end.”
“This is also why you don’t want us to approach darling.”
“You are right. While I am gone, this place will be off limit, I will make sure of it.”
Silence fell and the tension was slowly about to bring a result no one would have wanted, when…
“Kyaaa! I can’t believe it! The true Tiamat!? Oh, my goddess! Oh, my goddess! This is so fricking cool!”
All tension as well as Tiamat’s killing intent suddenly vanished because of the sudden outburst.
Following those screams worthy of the most extraordinary fangirl, Sheherazade flew in the room accompanied to Verdandi who sported a tired expression.
‘How can such a small fairy have such a loud voice.’
Watching Tiamat show a strained smile as Sheherazade began to pester her, Skuld couldn’t help but chuckle.
‘I owe her.’
This intervention was rather in extremis. Just a few seconds more and they would have come to blow. Or rather…Tiamat would have put her in her place. Skuld knew that she was no match for the Dragon Emperess.
Massaging her temple, she groaned a little.
“Sis.”
Verdandi was a little startled at the sudden call, “What’s the matter.”
“Use your power. I cannot observe the most immediate future anymore.”
There was only one reason why Skuld's future sight was restrained now.
‘Demi-gods level powerhouses are on the move.’
(AN: I was stuck for a few days, preparing the overall Outline for Vol 9. I believe what I got now is good. I hope you will also like it.)
