Rider
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Hot and cold
🕑 Added 2022-10-18 11:00:06 +0000 UTCIt took another half a day until Seth opened up his eyes. Looking at the bed he was in and the three girls resting with their heads on his blanket, he understood how badly he had screwed up and started speaking with the system.
‘That was unexpected. How is the damage?’
<91% damage. Host source almost crumbled and was only kept whole by your divinity. Alexa and Pearl had managed to patch the leaking destruction energy, but it would still take a long time for it to heal.>
<Host soul also sustained 26% damage from the destruction energy running rampant inside, but I have already recovered the memories.>
Seth closed his eyes for a moment, realizing how close he was to actual death, and asked: ‘How did we miscalculate so badly?’
<We did not. The destruction divinity remained active for 2.2 seconds, which increased the estimated damage.>
‘2.2? How? I was sure to shut it in after 2 seconds.’
<Inconclusive. It might have been the divinity itself refusing to stay dormant. The recent growth of the other energies and will might have provoked its pride, seeking to establish dominance.>
‘I see. Keeping my will untainted would not be as easy as I thought. How did the girls manage to fix the leakage?’
The system explained Pearl and Alexa’s process to save his destruction source.
‘And you’re saying Alexa was the one who came with that plan?’
<Affirmative. All things considered, it was the best solution at that moment.>
‘Tell me about it. I really owe her one.’ Looking towards the sleeping Maya, Henrietta, and Tiana, he added: ‘and not only her…’
‘What happened happened. Nothing I can do about that now. How was the operation?’
<A complete success. 102 421 people have been eliminated, forming all the criminals deemed irredeemable by the records, as well as spies from other kingdoms.>
‘At least something good came from all this mess. Did anything of notice happen over the time I was out that I should know?’
<The kingdom was initially in slight panic after the disappearance of over half of its population, but most people have already linked it to the arrival of a new king. Since they quickly learned that most of the people who had disappeared were the worst criminals, they got over it quickly and resumed their everyday lives.>
<The people that followed host from the Oath capital have all been sleeping in their ship quarters since Pearl has been busy taking care of host. Henrietta has created a ladder linking the top of the palace to the ship’s deck for easy access.>
<Your parents are also behind the door, waiting for news of host’s condition.>
‘As expected of Blood Kingdom’s population. Not even the disappearance of half of their population did much to move them.’
Seth nodded and lifted his head with a wince to rub Maya’s head. The sudden movement didn’t go unnoticed by anyone in the room, and all three girls raised their heads simultaneously.
Seeing Seth smiling wryly toward them, Henrietta and Tiana started crying while Maya bent forward and kissed Seth’s lips.
After having her share of his lips, she asked with worry: “How are you?”. The other two also listened intently.
“I’m fine. Sorry for worrying you all.”
Maya nodded calmly and turned toward the other two: “Can you give us a moment? Also, announce Hilda and Nash of Seth’s recovery on the way out?”
Henrietta and Tiana briefly kissed Seth before leaving the room to announce his recovery to his parents.
Maya’s face morphed like magic into one of complete distress as the rims of her eyes reddened, and she said in a heartbroken voice: “Why? Why did you have to be so stupid and activate your divinity?”
Seeing the heartbroken look in her eyes, Seth forced himself to sit up and hug her to his chest. He knew that she had figured everything out, with the halving of the city population and his condition. It was, after all, not that different from his argument with Iris, just worse.
“I’m sorry. I made a mistake.”, said Seth with a sigh.
Maya tightened her hug and mock punched his back a few times as tears finally started leaving her eyes: “We could have done it together. We could have killed all those people with no need for you to hurt yourself. Why don’t you speak to us before? Why must you do everything on your own? Didn’t you say you wanted to walk this path to the top alongside us?”
“We are not simply beautiful decorations to brighten the looks of your throne. We’re ascended, just like you, and we can help carry some of your burdens. We might not be former gods, but we’re also not useless. Please give us a chance in the future. Please, Seth, don’t make me go through that again.”
Seth also started sniffling while nodding in her arms, realizing he still hadn’t gotten rid of his habit of doing everything on his own. The two stayed silent, crying in each other’s arms, until Maya finally managed to weep all her sorrows away.
Sitting up, she wiped the tears from her eyes as she said: “You’re so lucky you’re injured right now, or I would have beaten you up myself.”
Seth sighed with a nod and said: “And I would deserve it. I’m sorry again, Maya.”
Maya nodded and looked towards the door. Cleaning herself up using her energy, she said: “I hogged you enough. It’s time for the others to have their say as well.”
For the next half an hour, Seth was stuck in bed, getting assaulted by every other person he was close to, ranging from his lovers to his students. After assuring everyone gathered in the room of his well-being, they all left, and Seth saw Hilda and Nash walk in.
Hilda’s eyes were somewhat troubled, and Nash had a wry smile, knowing full well how angry and worried his wife had been.
“Mom, Dad.”, muttered Seth, sitting up from the bed. He had no reason to stay in bed; it was just that everyone was pestering him to rest some more, so he remained there.
Hilda and Nash frowned when they saw him standing, but they didn’t say anything as they came closer.
Seth’s face also turned awkward, knowing full well his mother was here only because he ended up hurt, but she was still as mad as before, apparent by the color of her aura and her eyes that had a hard time settling on him.
Seth opened his mouth to speak once his parents drew close, but to both his and Nash’s surprise, Hilda raised her hand, and a loud slapping sound broke the room’s silence.
Hollie, listening at the door, relaying to Maya what was happening inside, also froze as the slapping sound reached her ears.
As Seth raised the palm of his hand to his cheek, which was now growing red with a faint palm mark on it, Hilda finally spoke: “You brat. After fooling around under the skirts of so many women, you dare give us the fright of our life by almost dying out of nowhere?”
“Even more, all your women knew what had happened, but whenever we asked about it, they would all beat around the bush and refuse to answer.”
“Tell me, right now, how did you end up like this, or I’m taking Nash, and we’re walking back north.”
Seth was still reeling from the stupor of his mother hitting him; an idiotic smile appeared at the corner of his lips. Something about the slight tinge of pain coming from his cheek felt incredibly refreshing.
Seeing his mother about to explode in response to his dumb smile, Seth nodded and looked toward the room door. “I’ll tell everyone. Come inside.”
Aware they had been caught, Maya opened the door. She walked inside, followed by Hollie, Tiana, Henrietta, and surprisingly Aleena, who couldn’t hold in his curiosity and joined the peeking party.
After Aleena, who walked in last, closed the door, Seth walked back toward the bed and took in the looks of everyone there.
Since they already knew the truth, Maya and Hollie were the most at peace out of everyone, followed closely by Aleena, who had her suspicions but never actually heard the truth from Seth.
Tiana, Henrietta, and Seth’s parents seemed much more curious about what Seth would say.
Seth’s expression grew serious as he started telling everyone there the story about his past life. Since they were all important to him, he felt it was time to tell them the truth, even more so with everything he had in his plan for his future empire.
He knew he could have gotten away with keeping it from them, but after coming so close to killing himself earlier, Seth felt they should all know.
He kept it brief, vaguely explaining his journey after leaving his house, his attainment of divinity, his purposeless roaming, and his reason for traveling back in time.
Maya and Hollie once more seemed undaunted, but Aleena’s eyes shone bright enough to lighten up the room.
‘He admitted it. He really is the God of Destruction.’ She said to herself, the chair she was sitting on trembling under the pressure of her excitement, but not everyone had the same reaction as her.
Tiana looked shy; once she understood that she was part of the so-called harem, he traveled back in time to make. Henrietta was somewhat downcast to find the fate of her and the Oath kingdom in the past, while Seth’s parents felt the most extensive mix of emotions out of everyone.
Hilda’s face was unchanging, but a torrent was raging inside her. Her heart ached at finding out her son had abandoned her and Nash in the past timeline.
She wondered if they had somehow pushed him away, just as she suddenly realized she was doing now. And, even if she didn’t understand much about gods, she was also somewhat proud of his achievements.
Nash was also left saddened by Seth’s departure, but he had a question in his mind and asked it right after, breaking the stifling silence that occupied the room.
“What happened to us? After you left, I mean.” There was a trace of blame in his words when he mentioned Seth’s abandonment.
Seth sighed, knowing there was nothing he could do about the path he walked in the past, and he told his parents about their sad fates.
“I’m sorry I didn’t fulfill my filial duties, and I hope the two of you would find it in your hearts to forgive me.”, said Seth in the end, actually bowing towards the two.
Nash looked like he wanted to say something, but a cold and trembling hand found its way into his, and he stopped to turn and look at his wife.
Hilda’s eyes were bright red, barely maintaining her composure, as she shook her head to signal him to stop.
“I understand now, what’s with all the sudden changes after your fifteenth birthday, but you must also understand it’s not easy for either Nash or I to deal with all this.” Looking at Seth’s saddened face, she continued: “Don’t worry. We’re still your parents, and we love you more than we love ourselves. That’s not going to change no matter what.”
“We just need some time to come to terms with everything. You’re already a lot older than we are, so I understand why our words don’t hold that much weight with you. We won’t try to impose our convictions upon you from now.”
“I’m sure that, will all those years you have lived, just like with Maya, you probably know better than we do. We appreciate you telling us the truth.”
Once her words ended, Hilda turned around and started heading out of the room, her back looking more hunched than it had ever looked.
With everything she said, Seth understood that he hurt his parents again more than he even hurt himself.
Heaving a deep sigh, he said: “When I reached the tower and was about to give up on everything, the first thing I heard were yours and father’s voices, asking me why I left you all behind. So if you think your words hold no weight in my heart, you are wrong. Your words are what saved my life and made me come back.”
Hilda’s body shook, and her steps stopped briefly before walking out of the room. Once they were gone, Maya approached Seth and grabbed his hand: “I’m sorry.”
Seth shook his head and caressed her hand lovingly, turning towards Tiana, Henrietta, and Aleena.
Aleena took this as her clue to speak and suddenly jumped from her chair: “When are we heading for other worlds?”
Her stupid and innocent question gained a wave of laughter from everyone there, removing some of the tension in the room, and Seth replied with a chuckle: “After you finally join my harem.”
Aleena blushed and nodded: “I’m ready.”, eliciting another wave of laughter from everyone there. Seth looked at Tiana and Henrietta before speaking again.
“I’m sorry for holding onto this for so long and not telling you two the truth sooner.”
Henrietta’s eyes were somewhat sad as she lowered her head and asked: “Are you going to save Oath this time?”
Maya saw Seth’s expression change and released his arm as Seth walked forward and hugged the melancholic Henrietta to his chest: “Why do you think we traveled all the way here? We’ll save Oath, but I still don’t know what would happen with your family…”
Henrietta nodded and didn’t ask anything else. She felt sad when she heard all her family died under Iris’s source detonation, but she didn’t know if those feelings were for her fate, the kingdom’s, or her family’s.
She loved the kingdom she was born in, but when things got to her family, everything was a puzzle, even for her.
Tiana, who was shyly staying on the side, feeling Seth’s gaze land on her, asked: “C-can I also stay by your side?”
“Do you think I took you with me just on a whim?” asked Seth, extending one of his arms toward her.
Tiana shyly moved towards the outstretched arm and buried herself in Seth’s arms, together with Henrietta.
Having the two girls in his arms, Seth raised his head and couldn’t help but wonder to himself. ‘Will I be able to do it?’
Comments
Christian Mordal
Hopefully he listens and understands that he doesnt and shouldnt do everything himself.
