Upon arriving at the riverbank, Rayed would take a moment to sit down on the edge of the river on top of a stone. He took off her shirt which had been torn and then folded it to use later for kindling. He would look at the rivers flowing stream and just think a second on how to explain what just happened to the children. It didn't help that they now saw his battle scars from many moons ago in a past he didn't talk much of. Labelle would look into his direction and wonder if she could help, but ultimately the circumstances weren't up to her.
Nala did her best to cheer up the mood as she made very primitive fishing rods for everyone to use and also allowed herself to go right back to her true form as a massive snake for them to ride on. This did excited the children and so naturally they just forgot about what happened for the moment.
Some of them used magic, wanting to still be better at such a fun gift. Other children got in the water to play and splash, and eventually even walked over to rayes splashing him wit cold water.
This did make him a bit happier and it was a distraction. As much as she didn't want to share part of his past, he couldn't hide it forever. He got in the water, which was never to high at only knee deep for him, and just at the waist for the children, he played with them splashing water around them.
Smiles and laughter were heard so the other kids that were doing their own separate thing joined wanting to play as well.
It was a break, from the usual hard work of teaching and learning, of working and gathering. It was just a simple outing, meant of fun.
As the day neared its end, Labelle prepared a fire, and was instructed to use the destoyed shirt to help keep the fire up.
Around the fire he sat down on the grass and would watch as they other joined him with Nala going back a human form and more complete thus time as she sat up on his lap.
Amber, the human girl spoke up first. "Is this, the part you talk to us now?" She was always so forward and bold with what ever she choose to do or wanted to do.
He could only chuckled, as she unintentionally sparked his humor. "Yes. It's time I tell you a bit about what happened, and while I do. I'll tell you children about yourselves."
They all looked to each other and, the reality was they didn't know their parents, and now their guardian, someone who was their instructor and caretaker was telling them, he knew more about them.
"I didn't keep it a secret that I'm a demon lord to you children... so you probably think or assume they other you may hear off are just as nice or thoughtful. But it's the opposite. Demon lords are the cruelest and most violent kind of demon. Many demons even get killed simply because of the misunderstanding a demon gains the power to be one. In truth, we demon lords are born as lords right from the beginning. It's tragic. But beside that little bit of history... I happen to be the demon lord of curses... the very progenitor of all curses in this world. In other words children. I'm one of the first ever demon lords to have exist in this world."
Non of them could grasp that sort of time. But from his tone, his words, what he meant they all can conclude the very same thing. That he must have lived such a long time.
It explained how good he was a magic, as fighting, at nearly everything he did to take care of them and protect them. With all that time, one surely had to have master many and all things.
"Earlier today, I was attacked. Which is what you all saw when I was flung to the river... which I am sorry you had to see... non of you should see that sight. And my attackers were this time and era's demon lords. I'm known among them as the oldest. And it code in demon lord circles, to always gather when war is motion. As of right now. Demons are at war with the other races... and in some way shape and form... your parents have been taken by these same demons." Rayes would regret the actions his fellow demon lords committed.
They all listened, as he explained why their parents were killed.
But ultimately the demon child would asked. "Wait... how does that explain me?" Crow asked wondering why he would be taken from his parents, if he was demon kind too.
"Actually, you... a demon lord also. Only still a fledgling..." rayes said.
While he should have been excited, Crow would understand why rayes tone has been it has. Suddenly he could understand only a small part of guilt he feels about demon kind taken the lives of his friends parent's in front of him.
"You all come great parents... if I'm honest..." he said. "Amber... your parents were once heros... they fought amazingly in battle... defending their country... and in the end, slayed more than a few demon lords together. And I'm afraid to you I've been most cruel. While I could have left you in the care of your home country... your parents asked of me to never let that happen." He lowered his head to her. "The same goes to all of you." He added. "In some way... in so.w form... I was tasked with raising you children..." he raise his head and stare to the ground.
Amber was stunned to hear that, and as much as she wanted to ask why, she saw how vulnerable he was being. So instead, she asked. "Lord... Rayes."
"Yes?" He looked to her.
"Can you tell me... stories, of my parents, if you knew them..." she asked, deeply hopeful she could hear such stories.
Which he smiled. "Yeah, in fact... I wanted to keep it secret, but... ealier today, I bought books... fairly tails of this generation... and I made sure to find them for each of your backgrounds... with the exception of you crow, and those tails, contain stories of who very likely were each of your parents... front them respective nations. I hope you all read them, with hope of understanding how great your parents were..." he would tell them.
Labelle saw them connecting, and Nala raises her hand. "I'm just as old as master here believe it or not!" She had such a silly grin happy about such a smile. "In fact master here found and raised me too."
"Woah!" They all awed, as Nala could quickly lift the mood. "How did you meet?" They asked.
Nala then put her fingers to her head to think even rotating her head at an angel. "Hm..... maybe.... 10,000 years ago?!" She then opened her eyes and looked back to rayes. "Right?"
All he could was chuckle and pat her head. "That's right... she was a black snake, no bigger than a broom believe it or not. Weak and injured. And at the time, I decide to heal and nourish her back to health... I would help her back on her feet and ended up keeping her. At the time we couldn't understand one another and always fought with each other, but after a battle with one of demon lords, she died for me... I of course felt awful for letting that happen... they I learned... every 1,000 years or so... she returns. Believe it or not, she is still immature in this time and era... long before she would circle the entire world till she could bite her tail." He explain.
They all were amazed and surprised. "No way! You can be reborn?" Crow said.
"Yup! And every time I do, I come right back to master." She smiled and leaned onto rayes.
"I actually met the lord not so long ago..." Labelle wanted to join, sitting beside rayes and wrapping herself around his arm, and leaning onto his shoulder.
The children were all enjoying story time as they listened with awe around the fire.
"We only met a few hundred years ago." Rayes said. "By then, she was already a mature dragon... and a queen."
This through the children off after such a revaluation. "What!?" In sync they all yelled.
"Haha" Labelle chuckled. "Yes children... I was once a queen... and I come from a line of dragon kind so old and noble it dates as far back as masters origins. However, time passes as you understand... and in all that time, my noble line became one of corruption and evil. At one time yes... we fought for the world and it's inhabitants... but now we stay away from all conflicts... in other words... I saw my kind... as weak and worthless... but I could not leave or abandon my dragon castle, or role... until... this man here... came along" Labelle looked at rayes with nothing but admiration and respect as she leaned her head away and kept her eyes solely on him. "He saved me from a life so boring, secluded and with my only purpose was to give heirs and children. I could not stand it... and when he noticed this. He challenged my would be husband and won a duel." She laughed. "And shortly after this man didn't know what to with me... he just won me over and as his prize I could do nothing but hate him." She then leaned back on his arm. "But, he still took me. He showed me a world outside the suffocating realm of dragons... and I loved every bitnof what I saw... what I did... I fought with your parents, I fought against demons and monsters... it felt like my noble line was put to use with you people... and here... this feels like I'm doing something I'm meant to, not just for my lord here... it something I would not trade for anything else." Labelle said and both Nala and her cuddles rayes.
He could only feel a little embarrassed, but proud of his choices.
The children would see what a clumsy side of him and which Amber then asked after they all settled. "Lord. So... how did you turn out so different? And will Crow be alright and no be as bad the other lords as you said?"
It was a big question, but one he would smile and nod. "Yeah... Crow won't turn out the way the other lords do. I can assure you of that. Because, I'm the one raising him. All of you. The age for demon lords has long passed... we don't need anymore evil... now... as for my history... well... it was a time I was alone... soul searching... I forgot the Era, but... I met a woman... so many many years ago. She changed me... back when I was still feared and reveared even amon demon lords at the time who were far stronger than I. This woman, was the last of her people. A kistune. Or fox spirt. She was far kinder and stronger than I ever was, and even in our battle, she spared my life.... I could do nothing but submit to this woman. I had a life with her, not children. But... a life together. She made me understand humanity. What it means to live as them. This very home. This entire plot of land we are on. Is her sacred home." He said softly.
Amber would realize she asked an awful question. "Sorry, I didn't mean to bring up such a moment..."
"Thank you, for reminding me why I'm here." Rayes told her.
"Huh?" Amber was confused, but knew he wasn't mad, which made her smile realizing this was a good thing. Not that he ever did get mad.
"My wife... this fox woman... her name, Fiona." He then remembered a time with her. "As much as I'd like to share... I rather not even it comes to her... those moments are mine and mine alone." He said clearly teasing each if their curiosities.