Something Immortal

55: The Pool of Recollection Part Two

"I'm pregnant."

"Yes, stop telling me that unless I'm going to be the father!" Ilarion was frustrated at this point and snapped at Som as they were still trying to traverse their way out of the cavern filled with hagridden race.

"Come to think of it, when did you do it?" Mica who was supposed to focus on driving the vessel couldn't help but inquire.

Ilarion huffed, "The other question is where did they do it."

Mica gasped as though memory had flooded him. "Don't tell me...all those nights you were alone with Kali at the castle you were doing it?"

"I think it's during their stay with the harpy," Malee chimed in as well, unable to hold out her tongue.

Som glared at each one of his companions with a civil malevolence. "Why are you invested in the when and where? You should be thinking how am I supposed to give birth in this..."

"Abomination?"

"Don't call my baby that!" he snapped at Ilarion who put both of his hands in the air in surrender.

"You don't even know what to call it either!" Ilarion argued. "Anyway, how did those witches know he's carrying a child?" he asked the only female on board.

Malee scowled. "Why are you looking at me? Just because I'm a girl doesn't mean I have all the answers in the world when it comes to child-bearing. And to answer your question, the black annis have an unusual appetite for children. They eat the offspring of other races and even make pelts using their skin."

"Fucking disgusting..."

"They might've smelled the baby growing inside, and if it has a draconian bloodline it'll be more palatable in their opinion. They regard draconian blood as the most powerful among all the races."

"Oh, so it's like the top of the food chain, high-grade meat," Mica declared much to Som's discomfiture. "Please, don't kill me."

"If I didn't think you're the only one who can navigate this ship, I would've kicked you out of here!"

Ilarion whispered. "This just keeps getting better and better..."

Som turned his head to him. "What is that supposed to mean?"

Ilarion and Malee glanced at each other. Drawing a deep sigh, Ilarion started to confide, "Malee and I visited one of the Grand Sages in order to transcribe the book that I took from the Dragon Priest. He was able to tell us a few chapters in the book that tells a tale about the Dragon God Naga and the mysterious deity Phoenix."

"Why didn't you tell me anything earlier?"

"I'm not sure how much of it can be perceived as truth," Ilarion explained. "The Grand Sage Zelda claimed that according to the tale, Naga wanted to destroy this world to stop him from being born."

"Him?" Som's chest suddenly constricted when he heard this. "Who is him?"

Ilarion looked at him solemnly. "His son."

It took a few moments before what he said registered in Som's head and he didn't know what to say. This child was formed out of their love for one another. Kali and him. "There's no way he would kill his own son..."

"I know and I don't think Kali's that kind of person anyway."

Mica interjected, "How do we know he's carrying a boy? It's only a lore, a story. It can't always be real."

"It can be altered..." Som whispered. "What if this is the reason why I keep resetting this world?"

Malee sighed and went to sit beside Som, comforting him by rubbing circles on his back. "Stop thinking about it for now, Som. We need to focus on why we are here in the first place. The sooner we get to the pool the clearer it should be."