Sat atop the altar and just looking around proved quite difficult, as his eyes struggled to differentiate the real world and the intersecting dimensions which permeated reality like a murky custard. It took a few seconds to learn how to switch sight between these layers, but moving away from one just brought another into view. Only after a minute of pure trial and error had he adjusted the mana and great runes in his eyes to now focus on reality once more.

Fortunately, he didn’t have to amend anything, just reposition it all. That didn’t make the experience any less annoying.

Unlike his fight against Lostradus where the divinity’s full power acted as both a lens and filter to these extra dimensions, he had to create that filter himself. Nothing else seemed to change, in theory, as he took a step forward and then down the altar’s ramp.

“It has been a while since we’ve seen a True Will absorb the half-light spears… you’re a lot more vicious than you appear, Akevorax,” said the First elder, ending the silence between them all as the process ended. His amusement was not at all hidden.

Except Dreisetno just scoffed at the remark, adding on, “The brat’s been leeching blood from half the population, how is he anything but vicious?”

No one argued against that, they all dealt with the series of complaints generated through his belligerent actions. And yet no one wanted to punish him for something so minor, in the first place, they had to balance out the fact that so many dragons belittled him for a whole month. If they defended those same dragons after such an attitude, it might only push him away even further.

Besides, the clan had always valued those willing to risk their lives and seek greater heights. Weaklings who sat and hid were only good to fill ranks in a real battle.

From the side, Bolnarstinum moved forth to address him in that far more formal tone. He said, “While we won’t ask about the situation with your bloodline, as much as Elder Casstilandri may wish to scoop out your insides, there is another matter which may help your heart.” As he spoke, Akevorax clearly appeared a bit lost as the dragon focused on the imminent changes brought to his Soul, in hopes to keep their attention he added, “You will need a fair bit of time to digest the results of the dragonstone as well, even if your bloodline is untouched.”

“Yes… Interesting, I didn’t know Starlight and Origin Force combined so cleanly. Are they similar in some way?” While he asked it aloud, it was clearly a question suited for the Nexus. Just to make sure the elders got their answer, he added, “What is it you prepared?”

“It’s best you went on your own, but it’s just that cave on the north-eastern mountain,” Bolnarstinum answered clearly and with a claw pointed in that direction. Additionally, on the rocky mountain itself, he saw a bright red light flare up, giving a location.

“I’ll try to be back soon,” he turned around and gave a quick send off to the group. As a personal preparation given to Akevorax, they saw no reason to impede on it. All the while, as he flew over there with ease, the Nexus’ answer corrected an assumption made from the start.

[They don’t actually merge together all that well. What you’re seeing is just a mixture of the two with complete saturation, like mixing powdered sugar with flour. They look identical and thus cannot be distinguished in a mix, but that doesn’t make them merged]

“So it only really bonded with my body then, I wonder if it could even improve those sacks as well,” he thought of the matter briefly but hardly took it to mind. The dragonstone improving his Origin Force production no longer made sense given this information, and even if it did work, he couldn’t see the improvement being that impressive. He quietened down and entered the cave, looking about the lit, spacious room for just a few moments.

When he finally caught sight of the other dragons already here, a single extended huff of air gave away all the frustration and reluctance in what followed.

“I had not expected this… Why were you brought here? Mother, Father.” While he tried to maintain a state of emotionless distance from them, some age-old emotions seeped through regardless. The two clearly changed a bit, blue scales now deeper shades in their own measures, and each dragon now revealing more amplified horns or wings, but they still appeared almost identical to that time long ago.

“How has it been only seven years? This is more than just impressive, then again, who could predict it?” His mother started them off, her sterner voice still unpleasant in his heart. And while she only gave a compliment, that voice still grated as he heard it.

“You’ve truly done excellently for yourself. It certainly is a haughty name though,” the other’s softer tone instantly calmed him, as always. Letting go of old emotions wasn’t as easy as he gave it credit for, and while he thought that he’d left this long behind him, reality told otherwise. A slight chuckle adjoined his father’s words, in a way it was also far more human like the dialogue he was used to with Jaren.

“An envoy invited us back for some reason, though I can see why now. Congratulations on your ascent as a dragon, obtaining the dragonstone is a great achievement.”

“You can show more emotion than that. Like either of us even reached the top 10 in our rankings,” his father sarcastically mentioned. And while she sighed at that, it was one of embarrassment rather than regret.

While such a conversation was lighthearted by good measure, the growing knot in his heart told him to burn this atmosphere to a fine ash and make way for what he really wanted to resolve. However, it came with the obvious recognition that it permanently soured any chances for a relationship… Though, did dragons ever truly care about that with their young?

“Will you really not apologise?” The aggressive tone shifted things immediately, and his mother looked adrift in confusion and furrowed brows. With a hint of roughness, he couldn’t hold himself back from saying, “Will you pretend you’ve forgotten?!”

“What is this in regards to? Certainly, I was a bit apathetic on that day, but I don’t think a quick euthanization was that cruel of a suggestion.”

The innocence she supplied only aggravated him further, drawing out the same anger he showed towards the one-minded dragons who looked down on him. “And what of the months filled with dispirited words and insults prior to that!?”

“Now you’re lying to my face? How could you possibly remember what happened so long ago?”

“I remember it all clearly enough. Saying there was no point in showing affection, and that a mishap wouldn’t survive long. How a quick death was my only fate! How I was doomed to be another statistic!” At this stage it was hard to draw out any sort of kind words, all he wished for was an apology and acceptance of her incorrect judgement, yet here she stood to gaslight him!

Before the situation worsened further, his father spoke out, “Child… She means you cannot possibly remember something so long ago. Where are you getting these memories from?”

“From the three months in an egg atop some cold mountain. You should remember it far better given that I was by your side almost all the time,” he responded harshly to the pair, growing beyond dissatisfied by the reality of this situation.

“That’s still impossible! Your consciousness does not awaken until a week before hatching,” she spoke with absolute certainty, and it was with this explanation that his argument faltered.

“You’re clearly wrong then, I was awake for months prior to you dropping me off.”

His father jumped in, once more moderating the situation, “While that explains how you remember, you still shouldn’t be able to.”

“Then how could– Nexus! An answer. Now.” His anger turned cold as he switched the main focus of the argument on its head. Especially for the two adult dragons, it was their first time seeing anyone demand something so clearly from the Nexus. And yet, he got exactly what he asked for… Even if the resulting information annoyed him just as much as what happened back then.

[This may have been our fault… We accelerated your mental and soul development to look at the two at more depth, just in case you did die at birth. Though, we never knew that it resulted in you waking up so early and forming memories while still gestating. We do apologise for the mess it caused]

“You fucking… Are there any other experiments you ran that I still don’t know about?”

[No other major experiments, in general we tested and observed a lot of your physical processes where possible. Also, we keep tabs on Raccelline as per internal requirements]

Just a protocol to watch all potential Exeters, something obvious enough for him to figure it out. It summed up the involvement in the Nexus, and also explained why he received attention from it so early on. Even prior to its discovery of his assimilationa ability… Perhaps just the fact he survived was enough.

Finally, he turned back towards the two adult dragons, both of them only past their 4th growth phase, but couldn’t find any words to say. In the end, disappointment ended the conversation. Just as he looked down on the nobody dragons who despised him, it took no time to extend that feeling to his parents who refused that fault. Well, his father at least cared enough, but he found the situation inexcusable in the end. He couldn’t let go so easily, but part of him still wanted things righted… It wanted a perfect result.

“I don’t think there’s anything else that we need to talk about. I’ll take my leave,” With a forlorn expression, he just flew off and left the mountain. For a split second he wondered if either of the two would hold him back, yet they did not… Just sat there as they discussed between themselves.

When his golden yellow body finally disappeared, his kind and gentle father said, “Was there a need to be so harsh? I feel it likely he may never speak to you again.”

“Why not take his side then? You were always so happy to coddle him even with the odds we were looking at,” while her words sounded so harsh and cut-throat, part of it was also filled with grieving. Naturally, he picked up on this too.

“Is it wrong to give some love and affection even if it’s for a short while? Even if he wasn’t long for the world, surely you care about your own child?”

“Just like so many hapless dragons on their first… Do you have any clue how much it hurts to lose them after letting your emotions run loose? And why did it have to be him? His odds were the worst, and yet somehow almost all my others died…” Her voice emptied, as she too thought back to those early days where an egg meant everything to her. The heartbreak which followed that loss was hard for a dragon to understand, it was often the first time they truly felt such a thing.

And yet he replied, “What a pathetic excuse.” Immediately earning a glare from her that many dragons might have shared. Yet he carried on, “Akevorax was my second… My first died just a few months into the elimination phase. But still I would make sure they all receive the same love and attention they deserve. It’s cruel and cold to have nothing in this world, and there is value in the immaterial.”

She replied, so sure of herself in the common decisions amongst dragons, somehow unable to comprehend his decisions. “You know the pain and yet choose to bring it unto yourself? Why does it matter if most of them die, it’s a wasteful reality.”

“You don’t know, but I was actually raised by humans… It was actually rather awkward at first, a small pair of children happened to find my egg just after I received the blessing of dragons. After I hatched, they just thought I was a strange and docile lizard, but since they cared for me I stayed quiet around them and just lived like that. Of course I revealed my identity in time, but the way they treat their children, and myself, isn’t something I can let go. Joyous. That’s all I’d describe it as.” As he lectured softly, she frowned repeatedly as though finding the situation reprehensible, and yet could not belittle it in any way.

But she mentioned, in a troubled voice, “In all those months you never once mentioned such a thing.”

“Ah, that was a habit after my first mating. I used to be a fair bit more talkative, but dragons don’t appreciate that. Besides, I can’t disagree and say I had high expectations of him… But even so, that couldn’t justify him never feeling some warmth in the world.”

“You two seem far too similar. With how he interacts with the Divine Blood and those others,” she shook her head and cut it off there. It wasn’t her place to get involved with her child’s life anymore, in fact, this was for the best.

“If he were like me, then it wouldn't be too late to admit your faults to him. Personally.”

“But this is preferable. Of course I am proud, but that past cannot be undone with just words. He owes me nothing, and it’s all the better if things stay that way.”

“And people say human women are overly emotional,” he rolled his eyes and let the matter go. It really wasn’t his place to convince her otherwise even if the few times that cold veneer broke to reveal a soft spot for a living child. She didn’t truly resent him for being the one who survived, rather blaming fate for these results.

A depressing choice to make, even for dragons who tried to maintain a distance from their children.

“So those are your true thoughts… It is commendable but so stupid at the same time,” a third voice echoed out from within the cave. One which struck the two dragons silent as they never realised he returned. However, even as their respective eyes glowed in different colours, they failed to find anything. Both even thought it might have been an array projecting his voice, yet found nothing still. Akevorax ended the conversation on his own terms, “Farewell, both of you. And do try not to die, your odds are increasingly better than mine these days.”

As they still questioned his appearance in the cave, a blast of wind hit their faces and a sonic boom followed, not too far outside the cave, the dragon with golden wafer scales appeared once more.

“Mmm, I must apologise. He asked very kindly for me to push you, but what a frightening kid he is,” his father spoke cheerily with a light grin, pleased by the results. Although he figured that Akevorax was still listening the whole time, not a single moment had he expected the child to be just halfway across the cave from them, barely a distance of 20 metres.

As for his mother… It was fine whatever she thought.

There was no need to hold so much resentment against her with the truth now known. And while she wanted to say something, as a dragon with truly minimal encounters, it was just hard to talk like the two who spent so much of their lives around sociable humans.

“I’d say he behaves more like you though. Our experiences and speech might be similar, but everything else is just too different,” he gave an answer as she struggled to find the words. Part of her disagreed, and that she’d never do such a thing, that he was far too warm compared to someone shut off like herself. But that decisive and almost vindictive attitude lined up far too much. Just as some children took on the worst aspects of their parents, some happened to take on the best. She didn’t doubt the reason he was able to survive, just hoping that more dragons were like him instead of the trash which stayed in the Dragonlands all the time.

She truly resented those bastards who hid their whole lives and targeted her child with more guts than them all combined, but, just like his father, was too weak to do anything. At least he definitively came out on top and, most importantly…

He survived all the ridiculous tribulations sent his way.