Higgins: "Any news?"

Operator: "No, sir. Everything's been out of order for over a month..."

Hissa came to bring the commander a lunch tray, his little one slung over his shoulder and sucking his thumb.

Higgins stood up: "Oh, what a handsome little boy... he has your eyes, my friend..."

He wanted to caress him.

"Beware, they're like wild lizards at that age and you have to watch your fingers...his teeth are razor sharp...they're half human and their humanity is gradually awakening.

But the little one had a good character and let himself be stroked by uncle Higgins. He purred like this.

Hissa was hoping for a tip, a clue, just a word.

They had coffee together while the little one chewed on a dried sinew to make his sharp teeth. He'll do it all the time in his life as a human raptor...

Suddenly another collaborator appeared in the room, glasses on his nose and a piece of paper he was looking at. He hadn't noticed that Hissa was in front of the commander. Probably because of her skin...

"There was carnage on the other side of the world. A garrison, a village and a whole herd of horses and cows gone. The fighting must have been terrible. They found a trail and a videotape. The monster was like a kaiju. Godzilla... but with hooves. Everything was crushed. Even the underground tunnels were overturned. Not a single survivor.

The village was the same. They were mostly Japanese settlers...

Same tracks on the ground.

Higgins: "I have a guest... a little more attitude please..."

"Oh, sorry Mrs Hissa, congratulations for your child!"

Higgins: "Any sign of the monster... the five-headed giant?"

Turning to Hissa who was watching.

"No... no tracks..."

Higgins: "They're hungry... it's carnage..."

Then he thought aloud: "They're cunning. Appearing and disappearing without a trace or survivors... guerrillas..."

If Ivan were really alive.

When Hissa came out after snacking together, she pulled out a handkerchief... "If it could be true that he was alive????!!

She quickly went to find Argentrix to give her a secret report.

Argentrix, who had regained her strength and iron will, welcomed Hissa as a human and they hugged each other.

"Mother Hissa (mother-in-law), did you check everything for my expedition?"

"Yes, my darling, but what you want to do is crazy. The dragons might be mad at me, but I'm also Ivan's mother... and I'd do anything to get him back. Here we have a trace, a faint hope, but he's in the other world, surrounded by those filthy Axis forces...

I can't go with you, I have Ivan's little brother, and if he were older, stronger, I swear I'd go with you. But it's suicide for a baby to go on a trip like that...

You're my daughter, too, and you're strong, stronger than you think. Don't be afraid, even of their trembling goddess. Don't forget that you have her blood in you and if you show that you are braver than those golden cowards, she will know the difference. She won't hurt you. I'm sure she won't."

Hissa hugged Argentrix like it was the last time they'd ever see each other.

Argentrix: "I love you, Mama..." She wiped away the lizard woman's tears and kissed the little one on her back.

Then, looking at the little one! "I adore you and I promise that one day my children will play with you."

Then Hissa gave Argentrix one of her scales as a pendant.

"If Ivan doesn't recognize you anymore, maybe my scent on this scale will help him. Give it to him when you find him, he'll know I love him, and if we're separated forever, he'll have a little piece of me. It's not much, but I know he's always loved warmth and love more than great tricks."

Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit.

Then Argentrix turned to Tania, still a raptor, and kissed her.

Then Tania whispered in her ear... I'm also your rival... If I find him before you, husband or not, be careful... I also love Ivan...

Then a moment later: "But you too! And she grabbed Argentrix by surprise and stuck her tongue in her mouth."

Her strength was terrible, that of a dragon.

Argentrix, all red, got up: "What's wrong with you?"

Tania: "I've always loved you... It goes without saying that I'm coming with you. You'll need an elite military guide to survive in enemy territory!"

Argentrix was breathless! Tania was in love with both of them! It was against her morals, but she couldn't blame anyone who had feelings for them. She also thought that if she disappeared, who would take care of the eggs if they were separated.

Tania could become an aunt, or a concubine... This was common among dragons, the protection of the young being a necessity when the males were fighting for territory and sometimes there were deaths.

Then Argentrix answered: "Tania, I know you have feelings, but I want to be the first, I want to know if you are worthy of being part of our life. It's not just about sex and adventure. We started a family."

Tania understood. "I'm sorry I made a gesture."

Argentrix: "I understand your feelings. We're not rejecting you, but I'm still mourning... it's not the right time." she caressed Tania who collapsed in grief.

"Georgiiiieeeeee!!!! how I miss him!!!! how I miss him!!!! what a terrible death.... I'm so lonely!!!!!"

Argentrix consoled Tania. Hissa returned, drawn to tears.

Then she grabbed Tania by the leg. "Come and taste with us... this will be our farewell dinner."

Fomalhaut was paranoid, but less of an asshole than his peers. He felt his daughter had abnormal activity for her condition that was so precarious just days before.

they'd go out, fly back and forth to the base and back again and again.

This aroused his suspicions and he soon understood the reason: She was setting up a suicide expedition to find Ivan or what was left of him.

He meditated for a long time and thought, "If I stop her, she'll hate me... And she will anyway. I, too, would return heaven and earth for Aurona."

What a dilemma.

Then He packed his things and left Aurona a note next to their nest (made of pillows and American pillows and sofas!).

He decided to follow his daughter on the sly to help her in case she needed help. He was awkward about everything but he was an excellent dragon warrior.

He loved his wife but he didn't want to lose his daughter either. He watched Aurona one last time and knew how to slip out of the nest to go and rob the storeroom and stuff himself with cakes and other greasy joyous things.

He did as usual and, unfortunately for her, Auronne did not wake up. She had no idea that she might never see her daughter or her husband again.

Then, as he left, he came across her egg and dropped his bag.

Left as always and Auronne woke up with a start and saw her male crying in front of their eggs, the two little silver sisters.

She saw the satchel and a fright crossed it. She understood that a drama was going on.

"You were leaving? Where????? Answer me!" Visibly disappointed and angry.

"Helping Argentrix... She's leaving to get Ivan..."

Auronne: "Everything! I want to know everything if you want us to stay together!"

Fomalhaut: "She's mounted an expedition... She's leaving on the Hound, the first interdimensional cruiser... ...replacing the larger rocket train on a scientific mission. They're going into Ethernia space to search for other worlds. Sinistrar told me there are other inhabited planets in the system.

Auronne slapped Fomalhaut and then squeezed him between her paws.

"You wanted to protect the little one... even if it meant sacrificing our family... You're a great daddy but I'm mad at you and I don't blame you...

Go to her but promise me you'll come back...

Save the child!!!!

I'm going to delay the hatching as long as possible so you can be here when they hatch...

Fomalhaut cried and asked Aurona's forgiveness.

"Go before I collapse in tears..."

They kissed one last time, as a farewell and when Fomalhaut flew away, Auronne took her eggs against her and sang a lullaby while she cried her male.

Fomalhaut kept a tortoiseshell as a pendant from his wife and she too against their hearts.

He arrived at the base very active and used his magic to blend in with the scenery and embarked as a simple soldier.

Tania had reduced her size to the maximum and Argentrix, dressed and disguised as a marine, held her military bag in her lap, Tania being reduced to a teddy bear inside.

---

In the underworld, I was at the Iron School of the Archidemons...

But in my head, well my heads, we were debating and I came to the following conclusion:

If I'm an arch-demon or at last if I have the body of an arch-demon... if demons exist... angels too then...

"Professor Demodragon..."

The monster who was devouring poor souls turned around, a human leg in toothpicks...

"What do you want?"

"Am I a demon or not??"

The monster thinks for a moment...

Technically, yes, you have the body of an arch-demon, but you don't have a crystal or a demon heart to feed...

"Do you need human lives? Are you hungry for people?"

Me, "no... I prefer animals."

Demodragon: "So you're a dragon, or a hydra to be exact. You have elemental crystal hearts, but no demon crystal.

That has advantages and disadvantages.

Let's say you have the right to live on this physical plane and this elemental body allows you to go everywhere.

I'm limited by contract or evocation. My plane of existence is in hell and here it's like an all-inclusive vacation. But sooner or later, angels will intervene to thwart Mother's plans.

Your role is also to serve your mother's cause and mother's cause. Don't forget that you owe her your life many times...

Your primary job is to survive no matter what the cost.

Then you have to save your wife and join her, which is still to be done and you're not ready yet.

You must also manage and control all your powers but be careful not to incur the wrath of the Gods. All they ask is that you fail like mother.

You alive, a dragon, you have the right to be here and they can't hunt you but a demon can.

You must draw Mother out of her prison. You love her, don't you?"

"But what if she's pure evil?????"

Demodragon: "Which human reached out to you? Who was there to save you? Who killed you? If you'd stayed with the dragons... you'd have survived but you wanted to get involved in a war that wasn't really your own... Instead of being a soldier, you could have done something else..."

Demodragon had planted the seeds of doubt in my head.

His arguments were valid and Tiamat loved me and I loved Tiamat.

She respected me because I didn't want to be a demon, I wanted to be me. She offered me 50% of her body. She didn't even flinch, it must have been so painful.

Then I pulled myself together.

"Demodragon, worst of all, for me, now you know what????"

"It's the moans of your human prey. I feel guilty for not trying to save them. It weighs heavy on me, so do your dirty work away from me and do it quietly.

Then Demodragon grinned, "In two months, your mommy will come into your dreams to talk to you. And see if you've made any progress. And you're nowhere near meeting her demands."

Me: "My dreams?"

Demodragon: "Look at that...! You don't know anything yet. You're just a baby that just stood up.

Me: "And what's your agenda?"

Demodragon: "Decorporation, astral travel and combat, and journeys to the elemental planes, summoning and minion control."

Gulp! Everything new and it was whip guaranteed!