-Morning. Nefiru's POV-
The day brightens on a cold morning with mist permeating the forest, and the warm sunshine bathes the landscape already bustling with animal activity. Meanwhile, I await with my Spirit retracted for the audience of my revelations to process the disclosed sensitive information.
"Sooo... You picked the traumatized girl because she wouldn't betray you like in the past? To leech from the Nobles?" Shaila asked perplexed.
"Yep! I had to get captured for the Taming process to trigger the Fragment security system and acquire all human memories, then go about finding you which wasn't difficult since only your family could buy me in Sulow town, and you wanted pets..." I answered enthusiastically.
Although the third Guardian had to intervene since the feelings after the mind wipe weren't enough to guide me. I deduced.
"I see... I see..." The girl muttered with a serious tone while nodding and crossed her arms. "HMPH! I was just another tool when you found Sister first." She snorted and turned away pouting.
"Hey, hey, come on, don't be mad... That was a coincidence." I softly requested moving my foreleg where she sits closer.
"Hmph! I'm not mad!" She snapped avoiding my gaze.
"You were my only option in the whole world?" I comforted.
"...Still upset." She said peeking from the corner of her eye.
"Well, I'm sorry that it's not a romantic story. But technically, the one who decided all this was the previous personality or what was left of him... Not me!" I reasoned.
"You... became a slave on purpose?" Erina asked taken aback.
"I was in a hurry... I couldn't afford to grow up as a normal Dragon, and this ungrateful girl was gonna be taken away." I replied.
"Geh! I'm kidding! I'm kiddiiing~ " Shaila revealed mischievously.
"Grrr! Why you little--!" I snapped and pretended to bite her head.
"Eeek~!" The girl shrieked stopping my jaws with her hands. "Ngf! Maybe a typical girl wouldn't understand, but I don't need some special event to forgive youuuu." She announced.
I halted my playful bite and kept breathing on her face, blowing her silky hair...
"I thought hard about my past, present, and future too, you know? To me, it looks as if I abandoned my beast body, my mate, and any family we had...just to meet you." She deduced.
"The hell? What kind of conclusion is that?!" I doubted.
"...I DON'T KNOW!! OKAY?" Shaila yelled pushing my snout down.. "I don't know...it just...feels that way. Maybe this is my role to play in your timeline..." She theorized.
"BLAH! I won't trust Time!" I angrily said. "...There hasn't been any contact from the future, and nothing but terrible things happen... Also, it's not decided yet who that cosmic entity is." I reminded.
"Don't you always do things for a reason?" The girl shrugged.
"Nay! Time can't be that easy to master... Guardian said it can change outside of your perception, and other travelers would make our timeline even more uncertain..." I elaborated.
"I just...want to believe in a purpose for all this pain," Shaila said with downcast eyes.
"I lost faith already. Why would I do all this crap to myself?" I countered feeling frustrated.
"Maybe it's necessary since tragedy brought us together and it's undeniable that you are my soul mate..." She correlated.
"Oh, Yeah? What if Gray Mate appears?" I posed.
"My loyalty for you won't change." She sternly replied.
"Straight answer, huh?" I muttered.
"...And hesitate with your trust issues?" She retorted.
"Thy knows me well," I said and smirked.
*Shulp!* I gave a quick lick on her face.
"Brrrb--psh! Who's acting like a dog now?" The girl retaliated wiping the slobber and turned serious again. "Hey... Gray Mate is truly gone, isn't he?" She asked with a somber expression.
"...It would be strange if he isn't." I surmised.
"Augh... Only Rayan would have his memories then." She assumed.
But how intact would they be? I wondered and realized.
"I don't think memories are easy to extract, but he could still use them against you..." I reminded.
"I know that plot well...I won't fall for some leftover recollections." The girl dismissed. "Stop doubting me!" She snapped and softly hit me.
"Alright. But don't let your past stray you..." I advised.
"Don't worry. Don't worry." The wolf girl waved a hand dismissing. "It's true that I remember a great deal, but like you say...the information density of these memories is very low compared to the new ones, so even recalling everything won't be enough to overtake me." She explained.
"...Unlike me. When I recalled my human memories, the young dragon was completely erased. I even remember the fear when he realized what was going to happen..." I call to mind with nostalgia.
"It was just an abrupt change... We inevitably change from day-to-day." Erina comforted.
"Mother was so cold after Father died..." Midas lamented with flopped ears.
"HUNF! Weaklings depending on me have no right to complain. " Erina coldly rebuked and snorted.
"Wuu..." The golden wolf wailed on the ground.
"Oi!" I glared at Midas. "You are acting too much like a human child!" I criticized.
"Wuo?! If a former human says so..." He muttered depressed.
"Dragon--" Raging Wind protested and stopped with a glare from Erina.
"You depend too much on your Mother, and have very little experience despite your age." I examined. "It will help listening to human stories, and my partner's lessons..."I recommended.
"...I'll take your advice." He approved.
"You know, Nefi... The simplicity of beasts is also why memorable things prevail through lifetimes. During the life with Gray Mate, I was aware of past lives too but chose to ignore them, and now, I can recall memories of having older memories within them, and so on..." Shaila revealed.
"Er... Memory inception?" I retorted.
"Hm-hmm." The girl nodded. "It's confusing with fake ones, but immersing in these recollections takes me further back in my existence and it makes me feel...Old." She described.
"An old hag for sure." I teased.
"Gekh! Stap it." Shaila uttered annoyed.
"Hehe. But Wolfie... you should just accept what it means to reincarnate so many times." I chuckled and advised.
"Heum..." The girl sounded with a defeated expression and nodded. "Uh... What about Nefi? Did anything remain from the past thousand years?" She asked confirmation.
Hmm... It seems the Fragment automatic recovery is responsible for my lack of memories, but that remaining part before rebirth could either be my doing or Guardian's... I conjectured.
"...Only the dream waiting for Urifen and watching you grow while the rest are just feelings that connect with my new life, but you can imagine how hard it is to differentiate that." I answered.
"Ohh... Like a trigger... Hmm-hmm..." The girl pondered nodding and got up. "I want to show you something," Shaila announced and walked to the middle of the lair. "Hold on... This is difficult to replicate from memory." She said and started concentrating on a large mass of magic.
I turned to the golden wolf behind me.
"What about Erina? Does it bother you what I did?" I inquired.
"WUo? Why? You did nothing to affect our deal, and revealed your discoveries." Erina tilted her large head questioning. "Though such enemies are unnerving..." She said with a hint of shame.
"I understand. Your tribe will be safer with Shaila." I assured.
"Not to worry. Having a purpose beyond survival is a good thing, and the fact that you can surely become a Divine is enticing enough to help you." The golden she-wolf reassured.
"Hurkff! No way." The green wolf snorted.
"HUum.. The rest of the tribe won't know everything for their own good..." The golden she-wolf announced.
"We already know enough to have trouble sleeping." Midas retorted.
"It's ready!" Shaila called our attention activating her magic.
The wolves were stunned when a holographic figure of a three meters tall Gray wolf appeared in seconds with a resolution that could pass for a real beast seen from tens of meters.
"What's this!!?" Erina barked surprised.
"A-a perfect light illusion...!? Amazing!" Lightwater appraised.
"Why the big fuss?" The green wolf questioned.
"...Remarkable. It's not a flat image which light users make with difficulty..." Midas explained.
"Of course it's hard! We have to give the Elementals many different commands simultaneously, but keeping a shape like that is too much..." The healer argued looking at the projection.
"Indeed. I can only do it small with my light talent..." I growled.
"She's abnormal!" The wind user declared. "And who's that supposed to be?" She inquired.
"That should be me... Gray Mate." I revealed.
""Ohh!"" Lightwater and Midas sounded impressed.
"Wrouf! What did Shimmer even see in such a plain beast?" The green wolf assessed.
"This pup... Some beasts just seek happiness regardless of the partner...like her." Erina surmised looking at Shaila.
"Although others just accept arranged pairs or submission like Beta Wind 4 with Realm Dragon." The healer added.
"Safi... She will be missed." I muttered.
The hologram vanished, and Shaila turns back with a confused look.
"...You did what?" She questioned narrowing her eyes.
"Er... I-I needed a guide, and accidentally proposed..." I recounted.
"..." Shaila keeps quiet and turns around. "Come here." She beckons.
*Krshh! Krshh...* I get up and walk to the middle of the lair where the girl is concentrating once more.
Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.
"Soo... Did you remember anything...?" She asked after a moment.
"Notin.' It was just a bigger version of a common gray wolf from Earth," I replied.
"I see..." Shaila sounded disappointed. "Okay, it's ready... I practiced for this one..." She announced extending her arms in front.
Within seconds, a holographic pure white wolf form, and the level of detail continued to increase surpassing the previous figure.
"Oh! A different one." Lightwater celebrated.
"Is that...?" Erina asked.
"Shimmer..." I identified.
*Krshh! Krshh...* I walk around inspecting the beast reaching three and a half meters tall with sparkling fluffy fur and ended facing it from behind Shaila.
"What...do you...think?" The girl asked struggling to maintain the phenomena.
"Beautiful. I would bang." I praised jokingly.
"It would...break..." She informed.
"Huh?" I uttered confused.
"Touch it." The light user instructed.
I complied and extended my neck over the girl.
*Shhuulp!* I licked the wolf's snout and felt something brittle.
...!! Dwoahh!!? It's solid!!? A wolf made of crystallized light? I realized and snuggled it. Hhhmm... The hairs are superficial, thick as broom fibers while the texture-...I can't feel it, but it's not quite like glass and disintegrates after breaking off... I appraised.
"Amazing." I praised. "Can you move it?" I requested and step back.
The girl nodded and complied.
*Zuu! Zuu! Swish!* The figure moved a step forward and shook the tail slowly
"Wait Wait Wait Wait!" Lightwater blurted getting up and approached from the right. "May I?" He asked permission while Erina probes with her magic.
We nodded and the healer extended a paw towards the light she-wolf.
"WUO-!!? This is light!!? Am I actually touching it? How can it be in this state??" He questioned switching his gaze between us.
"It's Crystalized Light! A rare High-Rank ability even among light users where you have to force the duality of light to behave like particles only. So, of course, it's unknown to you all." I announced.
"Freak! Freaky magic!" The green wolf insulted.
"Such talent... And yet, our healers dare be arrogant... No wonder Wind mate is envious." Midas casually commented.
"GRR! I'm not!" The she-wolf denied snarling.
"HUum... It's impressive, but she can do powerful light attacks too." Erina commended.
"Wuok! Teach me! Oh, great one." Lightwater requested prostrating.
"Materializing light?" I shook my head growling. "Even I have yet to do it." I announced.
"Huhuhu..." Shaila laughed haughtily.
"HUNn... It requires knowledge, talent, and luck..." The healer sounded dispirited.
"Nah, you can learn it in time. But it's not very effective in combat under Rank 7 since it requires high concentration, lots of Mana, and tremendous multitasking." I said and poked the trembling girl in the ass.
"Yes... That sound unnecessarily difficult for Beasts that prefer simple and quick attacks..." Lightwater deduced.
"Wuff! And it's hard enough coordinating pack members with different magic abilities..." Midas supplemented. "But we have also witnessed the advantage of combining magic effects on several occasions..." He affirmed.
"OH! But sharing that burden in combinations had good results!" Raging Wind asserted.
"Yes yes... You two are improving..." I praised.
The green wolf wagged her tail slightly and raised her head proudly.
"...True, multitasking does have the downside of slowing down your mental capabilities, BUT it will make you unpredictable and flexible in fights." I declared.
"Flexible? I don't get it." Midas
"Then ponder on it." I lectured. "In the fight against the humans, I had to use a complex magical process to increase my fighting capabilities or else..." I related.
"Wunf... In other growls, we have to practice..." The dual color wolf concluded.
"Nefiru..." The girl struggling in front of the light construct suddenly called me. "Say my name." She ordered.
"What, are you a drug lord?" I retorted.
"I submit. So, say my wolf name." She reaffirmed.
"...Shimmer." I complied.
"Now, repeat..." She instructed. "Become mine for life." The girl said in growls.
"...Become mine for life." I repeated.
"I, now belong to you." She announced.
"I, now belong to you," I said the same.
"Gah!" Shaila uttered and fell on her knees while the light wolf vanishes into flickering particles. "Huff! Huff!" She panted sweating profoundly.
"Are you okay?" I ask concerned.
"Y-yeah... That was exhausting... Mana's gone... Hauf~" She informed calming down.
I infused Magic into her body and a deep voice came behind me.
"That's how we choose a life-long companion," Erina revealed.
"I see..." I acknowledged.
"I gave my previous lives to Gray Mate, and we died..." Shaila said getting up and turned around. "Now, I gave my wolf side to you, so that no doubts remain." She announced.
*Shulp! Shulp!* I licked the girl's face.
"Ugh... Wash me!" She demanded covered in slobber.
I enveloped her body with water before performing micro-electrolysis.
"Hyahah~ Ti-tickles!" She shrieked wriggling inside the bubbling liquid.
*Frooosh!* The water washed away and clothes became dry.
"Pheww~ That's refreshing... Who needs to take baths and wash clothes with a water magician around? Huehue..." She mused.
"Oi! I'm no washing machine or a shower!" I complained.
"I'm thirsty... Water." She demanded.
"...Or a refrigerator!" I protested and made an ice cup.
"Hm? You are my house!" She declared.
"A house huh?" I muttered and lowered my body. "We should get going. You have papers to transport, and I, an Urifen to find." I announced.
"...Already?" Shaila said with a reluctant look. "Erm... Shouldn't HE remember and come find you?" Shaila scratched her head and asked.
"No, there's no guarantee that he will on time or at all, and I owe it to him now that I realized the plot," I explained.
*Krruuummm!* A stone wall suddenly sealed up the exit of the lair.
I turned my head right and glared at the golden beast behind me.
"You think I wouldn't notice that you aren't planning on coming back...?" Erina spoke narrowing her eyes menacingly.
"Is that true?!" Shaila demanded.
"Hah... As expected..." I sighed admitting.
"WHA-? A-aren't you going to prepare?" The girl demanded.
"Psh! Prepare?" I scoffed turning to Shaila. "I'm not sure what we were hoping to accomplish with what little information we knew, or were allowed to know from Guardian, but it was too naive... Thanks to Lightning affinity, my progress surpasses any pre-rebirth estimation or the intelligence of preceding personalities, and according to my calculations, I cannot get out of this mess in time." I elaborated.
"Time?" The girl tilts her head wondering.
"Yes. There's a high probability that Rayan will ascend before I EVEN reach halfway to Demigod, EVEN with plenty resources at my disposal which isn't EVEN the case at the moment." I explained.
"T-that... Un... He's a millennium ahead with other unfair advantages, and there's no escape from a Deity... How terrible..." Shaila interpreted lowering her head.
"Then what will you actually do?" The golden she-wolf asked.
"We'll find a place where Rayan can't find us and live as common Dragons. It won't be difficult for me being a low tier hybrid, but a Human will call attention, so you can't come..." I declared causing shock in those who could understand.
""WHAT?!"" They shouted in different tongues.
"YOU CAN'T LEAVE ME!" Shaila bawled.
"...All that knowledge, intelligence, and talents, and you're just running away!?" The golden wolf reproached.
"You can't give up just because he's been winning! You were NOT born into a flying reptile to run away from problems." The girl admonished.
"I'm not giving up because I want." I shook my head denying. "Unless the variables change, ranking up is just playing into his hands, and I don't want to find out if this is the last harvest without means of defending." I lectured.
"Then do something you haven't done in the past. Use that head of yours to find options." Erina advised.
"Oh, but I did." I look behind saying. "I'll sucker-punch that asshole!" I said with hatred. "I'll find a dimensional breach and with a bit of luck, get lost for eons in Spacetime with the Fragment." I described.
"A large Mana Vein?" The she-wolf realized.
And the ancient forest to the south where the last Demigod ascended is my best bet...hoping Guardians don't interfere, of course. I affirmed.
"Wait wait wait... Suicide? That's your new plan? IT'S TERRIBLE!!" Shaila yelled disapproving.
"I'm afraid, I can't let you do that," Erina said in a serious tone getting up. "I'll break your wings if I must." She declared approaching.
"ERINA!" The white-haired girl shouted reproving.
"Shimmer, Males cannot act this pathetic... You'll thank me later." The earthen wolf said looming over me.
"Haahh... Think what you will, but it's impossible to win..." I sighed and hopelessly spoke before resting my head on the ground.
"Impossible?" Shaila said walking around my head and sat on my left foreleg. "Nefiru, seeking infinity IS an impossible task--this is just a hurdle. And you have US." Shaila declared opening her arms.
"Not if he's like this..." Erina denied.
"Not helping!" The girl rebuked.
"Get real gurl. You do not fight a Demon Lord with villagers--you stay the hell away!" I countered.
"I don't know what that means but it sounded derogatory." The golden she-wolf interpreted and placed a heavy paw on my back.
"Ah! I know! You could contact the Dragon Demigod... He should hate Rayan enough to help you." Shaila proposed.
"Nah... My hybrid blood is strong, but I'm just an ordinary Dragon without any Bloodline perks. No high ranking dragon will listen to me." I turned her down.
"Augh... Nefi... Please reconsider that course of action..." She requested with her face twisted in displeasure.
"Face it. Too many know about us already, and the information will leak to Rayan eventually." I affirmed.
"No... You haven't pondered enough because you are depressed..." The golden wolf declared biting one of my wings.
"Back off!" Shaila ordered the giant wolf and turned back to my eye. "It's my job to cheer him up... And I know how to make a pervert feel better." She announced.
The golden she-wolf retracted her jaws slowly while drool drips on my back.
*Swish!* The girl sitting on my foreleg took her garments off and used light magic for warmth and illumination.
"Oiii! Cover up!" I admonished cradling her body against my head.
"Nefi... Beasts don't even understand what's appealing about a human body." She admonished.
"Most of us." Erina corrected.
I released the nude girl and she crouched in front of my left eye, but I just stare at her crimson face denoting better awareness of such actions.
"Ar-are you going to-to p-pass on embracing me as a w-woman?" Shaila asked embarrassingly.
"I'm sorry... But we must part ways to live peacefully." I closed my eyes and spoke with a sad tone.
"Nooo... NO! Wh-what if I get strong enough and defeat Rayan for you?" The girl sounded desperate.
"You'll never be powerful enough to get past his armies, and he'll just use you against me..." I announced and opened my eyes.
"Do-don't say that... It-it hurts to be useless... Sniff! I'll--I'll make an army... E-even if I--Ugh!--Have children with...with people! Sniffle!" She announced sniffling with tears rolling down her cheeks.
"GRR... This is why I just wanted to disappear. Good job Erina!" I condemned looking behind.
"WUO?! I'm at fault?" The she-wolf said startled. "Shimmer just showed that she would do anything for her male." Erina casually affirmed.
"Augh... I-I don't want to die, but--but you can sacrifice me to win and find me after... T-this 'me' doesn't matter in the grand scheme..." The girl proposed in dismay.
"Are you stupid? You don't fucking need me!" I angrily rebuked.
"A life without Nefi...? I'm supposed to...forget all our hopes and dreams?" Shaila questioned with a swollen face. "That's unfair! You liar!" She accused.
Hmm... Wait... Shaila can be my insurance and merge my Soul instead, so the Fragment gets lost in the Plane... She could even create me after evolving... I conjectured.
"UGHHH! FINE! Fine... You win. I'll stay and fight."I announced and caused the girl to brighten.
"Hurrayyyy~! I did it!" Shaila rejoiced jumping on the spot with her silky hair moving around loosely.
"GOOD!" Erina delightfully said and dismissed the wall blocking the entrance before retreating south.
"Oi! Are you done being girly? Where did your shame go?" I retorted.
"Ah! Y-yes..." She abruptly stopped and spoke in a low voice before meekly sitting down.
"I have a condition," I announced.
"A-anything..." She replied with a nervous smile.
"Should the time ever come where we are cornered, you must not hesitate to devour my Soul." I dictated and her face changed.
"...U-uh... Er... Umm... Nngg... I... Okay..." The light magician scratched her head thinking and accepted.
"A cowardly action, still, but we just have to make sure it never comes to that, and although Shimmer can't give you an army... WE CAN." Erina declared and the other wolves stood up.
"That is what we do..." The green wolf affirmed.
"You guys-... ARE IDIOTS!" I growled an insult and got up. "But...I'm proud to have you as my allies." I acknowledged gazing at each beast.
""OWOOOooOOOWHOOO~!"" The wolves loudly howled.
ARGH! This is a fucking closed space! I protested watching Shaila cover her ears. Erm...They all have such high expectations of me, but I'm too ordinary for the task, and a single wolf tribe isn't gonna do shit against the Tinkers. I affirmed and looked at the roof. I can't win as I am--I must become overpowering! I MUST! I HAVE TO! I WANT TO!... LET MY WILL REACH INTO THE COSMOS ANYONE OR ANYTHING THAT CAN HELP ME--! I desired from the core of my being and my thoughts were interrupted.
-Shaila's POV-
"Hehe--eh? Nefi?" I chuckled and noticed Nefiru stopped moving. "Nefiru! NEFIRUUU!!" I called but there is no response.
"The dragon broke again!" The obnoxious female spew.
"This isn't a prank..." I muttered approaching the Blue Dragon worriedly.
"STOP!" Erina barked and pushed me back with earth magic.
"Oww!" I protested from the painful tug on my bones. "What is it?!" I asked the old beast.
"Something's wrong..." The golden wolf replied raising her hackles.
"As always!" The green she-wolf retorted.
"I sense danger..." Erina announced and backed away along with the others.
"What do you--?" I questioned and noticed his waving hairs are slowly stopping. "No way... Time slowed down...!!?" I realized.
"WHAT?!" The earthen she-wolf blurted astonished and threw some pebbles at Nefiru.
Without making any noise, the rocks slowed down a meter from the Dragon and gradually broke apart in seconds until the particles couldn't be seen anymore.
"Gasp!" I uttered feeling the muscles on my face ache from the cramped expression that I was making.
"...Everything about him is dangerous. We have to be careful or won't even know what killed us." Erina sternly warned.
"Y-yeah..." I acknowledged stepping back.
AH! My clothes! I lamented the nightwear being disintegrated on the ground. Why is the floor intact? Is it removing anything foreign...to protect Nefi...? I deduced.
"Why is this happening? A Deity?" She asked.
"I-I don't know what's controlling Spacetime, but he's okay in there..." I surmised.
"Let's hope--" The she-wolf spoke when motion returned to the frozen dragon.
"...I ACCEPT! GRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!!" Nefiru's roar resounded inside the enclosure and felt it in our bodies.
""You are back!"" Erina and I said.
"Huh? Where did I go?" He asked confused.
"You don't remember? It was really weird! Time slowed down around you for a minute." I explained.
"Seriously?! I don't recall anything other than being desperate like never before..." He recounted.
"...You just roared like a beast asserting dominance." Erina described.
"I did? Uhhm... My throat IS a little sore." He confirmed.
"Uh-huh... Well, you are fine--" I spoke and my relief was interrupted.
*Buzz... Brrzzt! Shryshsrysh!* Small lightning bolts appeared on his scales while mostly on the hair.
"He lost control of Elementals again!" The green wolf asserted.
"Er... No... This is like the magic process in my head, but the whole body now, and it's enhancing my nervous system like 'Boost.'" He reassured and inspected his body. "Innntereeesting~ I get the feeling, Lightning won't hurt me anymore as long as I have Mana..." Nefiru admired before his body took another change.
The purple markings of Lightning element increased their area dyeing even the metal scales as if aggressively seizing Nefiru's body from the Water and Light Affinity that were pushed to the edges...
"WUO?! Re-awakening?!" Erina asserted.
But the greedy Element wasn't done, and the large eyes of the Dragon started glowing with different shades and glints of the dominant color making itself known in an intimidating way.
"Umm.. Y-your eyes are glowing purple..." I informed.
"Yes... I'm seeing weird things too..." Nefiru said blinking as if bothered.