First Demonic Dragon

Capítulo 1117: Impossible Task

Maybe it was Life’s influence, but Izanami had found herself becoming more sociable as of late.

She and Isabelle had formed a rather close relationship since she had come to stay.

Izanami knew just how much it meant to Audrina to have her sister around, so she liked to think she was doing her part to help make her feel more comfortable here.

That also meant she could figure out what Isabelle was doing rather quickly.

“I know I’m being weak. He’s a vindictive, hateful, evil bastard who conspired to kill his child and her entire family…”

Izanami hoped that Isabelle wasn’t waiting for her to disagree with her. She was perhaps the one who had the lowest opinion of Dagon in the entire house.

She was spiteful like that sometimes.

“But what am I supposed to do if I look back and remember when he wasn’t like that. When he wasn’t poisoned by his bottomless ambition, he was a decent man. A decent father.”

“He killed your mother.” Izanami finally said.

Isabelle kept her gaze locked on the small rodent in her hand. She had given it the plague so that Dagon would have the runs after eating it.

“…I know. And I won’t forgive him for that as long as I live. But I want to understand why he did something so heinous! He loved our mom, I know he did!”

“Perhaps he did at one point, but ultimately, he loved power more. There’s nothing else that can be said in his defense.”

Isabelle lowered her head uncomfortably.

“…You think I’m being an idiot?”

“I didn’t say that at all. I think you’re trying to put something back together that doesn’t want to be fixed.”

Isabelle brought a hand to her head. Her entire body trembled with anger and grief.

“It’s not as if I don’t hate him too..! But god damn it, sometimes I look at Lailah and her mother, and I’m so jealous that I don’t know what to do with myself! I know that even Valerie and Darius had their issues before, so why and Audri and I the only ones who don’t get to have our parents in our lives?!”

Isabelle dropped the rat and cried into both of her hands.

Her body started to fumble over, but Izanami caught her and held her as she cried.

Izanami knew she was the last one who could be of sufficient help when it came to parental issues. But she understood where Isabelle was coming from.

Sei was probably the worst kind of mother that there could be back when she lived on Dola. Lailah was subjected to such strenuous abuse that it eroded away at all of her confidence and self-worth.

It wasn’t until losing everything that Sei had an epiphany and started on the path of redemption.

Lailah had done a lot of soul-searching about her mother. Though she still had a level of resentment for her, it’s harder to hold onto it now.

Sei had spouted countless apologies. Spent many late nights bending over backwards to make things up to Lailah, even if she didn’t have to.

Sometimes, Lailah would make a joke or two about her abuse. Sei could never say anything in response and lowered her head to accept it instead.

Then, because she was a much softer woman than her face would have you believe, Lailah usually hugged her mother and offered her a kiss.

It was difficult to say whether the path their relationship had taken was right or wrong.

Lailah was not obligated to forgive her mother, and doing so did not make her morally superior to a person who would not have made the same choice; at the end of the day she had done what was best for her.

What Isabelle was missing was the knowledge of the Herculean efforts Sei had gone through to be forgiven.

Izanami didn’t believe Dagon wanted to be forgiven that badly. In fact, if things ever came to blows again, he would probably go right back to scheming and plotting against them as if nothing had happened.

It was hard for Izanami to feel bad for a person like that. But she also understood that in that moment, this really didn’t have anything to do with Dagon. It was about what Isabelle felt she needed.

“Fuck, I’m so pathetic… I should just be like Audri and let all of this go for good…”

Izanami shook her head.

“You and your sister are two different people. You are allowed to have different outlooks on things.”

Isabelle looked up at Izanami, dejected and wet-faced.

“Sure… but I don’t know why the way I look at things seems to be so wrong all the ti-”

“What if I helped you?”

Isabelle stopped sniffling. “…Helped me how?”

Izanami bit her lip, uncertain if she was about to overpromise something.

“I’ll… talk to Audrina. If she’s okay with it, I’d really like to find your mother for the both of you.”

–

Death came without knocking or announcing itself.

Instead, it was fast and terrifyingly silent. But the aftershocks left in its wake were haunting.

“Courtney!”

Apophis tackled his sister out of the way as another wave of energy emanated from their prey.

Screams filled the air as some dragons weren’t swift enough to make the change from offense to defense. They were burned out of existence layer by layer.

Courtney had never seen so much death. This horrendous scene had effectively shaken her up to her very core.

“Are you alright?! Look at me!”

Courtney’s vision was so blurry that she could barely focus on her brother. It was almost like he wasn’t there.

Apophis’ face had become a little bit manlier in their time here.

His face had a few distinguished wrinkles, and a beard of dark purple stubble had started to cover his jawline.

He held Courtney’s face in her hands and shook her frantically.

“Courtney! Respond!”

“I-I’m okay, it doesn’t hurt…” She stammered.

Courtney was bleeding heavily over one eye. But after checking it over, Apophis was relieved that it wasn’t as bad as it looked.

“I told you, be careful! You have to keep mimicking my movements and-”

“I…. I can’t do it.” Courtney hid her face behind her hands. “This thing is insane, everybody keeps dying, and we aren’t making any progress at all with-”

“We knew it was going to be crazy, that’s why Dad sent us down here! Don’t start getting watery-eyed on me now, just keep up the fight and then-”

“I CAN’T!” Courtney shrieked. “I’m tired, I’m hungry, I can’t even raise my arms anymore, and every time I try to hit that thing I freeze up and-”

“That’s your human life talking to you! You’re a dragon now! The best kind there is! You don’t need to eat, you’re just used to doing it! You’re not tired, you have way more energy still left to burn! And you can’t be scared, because our dad is way uglier than this guy!”

Courtney was still trembling like a leaf.

Another shockwave came, and Apophis employed a drastic action.

Throwing himself in front of the blast, Courtney was horrified and screamed out at him with everything bottled inside of her.

“Nooo!”

Lunging, Courtney repaid her brother for saving her by tackling him out of harm’s way and allowing the wave to pass them by.

“W-What the fuck, why would you do that!?”

Apophis held her face affectionately.

“Needed to show my baby sister that she’s not as helpless as she thinks!”

“By almost killing yourself!?”

“Okay, look, maybe not my best plan, but it worked!”

Courtney raised her sore arm to punch her brother.

At that moment, Mira flew by them with a rare look of stress on her face.

“Hey, are you guys alright!?”

Apophis waved at her. “We’re fine! Just a little bit of coaching going on here!”

“Well, do it in a way that doesn’t give me a heart attack!” Mira snapped.

“Seconded!” Thea snapped from faraway.

The eldest sister was as beautiful in her armor as she was dangerous.

When her hands were covered in black, clawed gauntlets, she looked beside her at an equally armored Thrudd.

After nodding at each other once, Thea flew headfirst at Azathoth.

Charging the power coursing through her fist, Thea clenched her hand so tight that her knuckles popped and struck the creature with her unrestrained power.

Her successful attack accomplished the feat of wresting the first horrified scream from the creature.

Millions of eyes started to open all across it’s body. However, the creature wasn’t fully awake yet.

In synchronicity, Thea and Thrudd dropped their blows on the flesh of the great horror.

Each of their fists sounded like hydrogen bombs against the creature’s grotesque, ever-changing skin.

Thea was the first to notice when the creature was starting to charge back up again.

She would quickly grab her sister by the waist and shoot off the creature like a rocket before it could fire off it’s next defensive wave.

“PROTECT THE PRINCESSES!”

Billions of nevi’im soldiers acted at once and erected a barrier to protect Thea and Thrudd.

The wave exploded on contact with the barrier, but through some major miracle, Thea and Thrudd were both unharmed.

They then turned back around to launch the same set of attacks once again, this time with greater speed and velocity.

But before they reached it, Thea looked back at Courtney and showed her that signature nonchalant smile.

“Don’t give up yet! We still need you!”