Something Immortal

71: Savior of Return

The rain pounds harder, as if heaven was punishing the world. Thunderstruck like a glint of the knife coming down fast, the Serpent Peak trembled and the endless pit spread wider and wider and all the souls of the undead, the wraiths, the Draugar, and all the behemoths of the land came out to spread their diseases...

Suddenly overwhelmed by the hordes of the undead, the billowing smoke up in the north had grown darker, and a horrendous howl followed by the sound of flesh tearing away from the bone, a cry for help.

Som watched in horror as Kali could no longer control himself and his whole body shifted and transformed to his ancient form---only this time, he was much bigger, darker, with glowing isosceles slits that used to be purple turning into a white-blue with all the colors of the flame combined.

This form was three times the size of his usual form and the biggest of all the Draconian race anyone had ever laid eyes on. Phaibun cackled---he won! He had turned Kali into Naga. However, Som knew that this wasn't going to end well for him or for any of them.

"You're not going to win against him!" Som told the outcast of the Draconian race.

Phaibun only smirked, he was far too gone to even believe he stood a chance against the World-Eater. "I don't care. He may no longer destroy this world because of your child but he can still spread oblivion in this world. In his awakening, this very world you protected, Firebird, would soon be pervaded with the creatures of the netherworld," he laughed in madness. "And I---half-blood son of the Lord Vercin shall terminate the World-Eater and become a God!"

At what he said, he too transformed fully to his ancient form and the world had a glimpse of Lord Phaibun's serpent-like skeletal frame. Som shook his head and knew that there was no way he could win against Kali or Naga. Touching his womb, he felt the presence of the other Dragon inside of him and grimaced.

There were only two choices left for him at the moment---either he risked losing everything and resetting this world once more, thus losing his unborn child. Or, he could turn himself fully into the Phoenix God he was meant to be and defeat Naga himself but would end up losing Kali...

Som must admit that the repercussion that came with both choices was something he did not wish to have...

✧༺♥༻∞

"You're Aster Fay?"

Confined within the monolith for hours, Ilarion and Malee had no recollection of how long they were gone but they remembered well that moments earlier, they were having a serious discussion with the Sage Zelda Galizur and it was followed by an intense battle.

Now, standing in front of them was not the Sage but the estranged brother of Som and Sri. Technically, Som's twin, but not really. For they do not even share the same physical structure let alone the connection most twins have.

In simplest terms, they were the opposite of one another...

"We don't have time for this," Aster spoke, his instinct was telling him that they need to reach Som as immediate as possible. "Som needs us."

"Oh, so now you're on the side of Som? Have you not admitted that you fed us lies by making it sound like Kali as Naga was meant to devour his own child? Then you changed your narrative when a piece of my memory came back."

Aster's expression went perfectly still and everyone turned their gaze on him. Ilarion continued, "Forgive me if I say that I'm reluctant to put my trust in you."

Marko sided with Ilarion and said, "You didn't want that child to be born?"

Ilarion, "No, he didn't. That child's birth meant a clean slate."