Disclaimer: I own nothing but my original characters and works. All other characters and worlds belong to their respective owners. If you recognize something it isn't mine.
Chapter 5: So you're saying we're not related?
-Tiamat-
Outside, Tiamat remained silent, her expression stern as they began the journey back. Only when they'd traveled far enough from the hotel did she finally speak, her voice edged with reluctance.
"I'll say it again, I don't approve of your arrangement with Grayfia," she admitted, not meeting his gaze. "But I trust you'll make your own choices. You're free now, in ways you haven't been before." Her tone softened, pride mingling with a hint of resignation.
"Just remember the weight of each decision and if you ever decide otherwise let me know." She said letting her son know that if he ever ended the pact with Grayfia and the devils as a whole responded negatively that she would have his back, but for now any problem that arose while he was associated with the devils would be his own to handle as long as they weren't fatal.
Emrys nodded, understanding his mother's concern. He knew this new freedom came with responsibilities, and while he valued her wisdom, he was also determined to carve his own path. "I understand, Mother. And, thank you."
As they continued in comfortable silence until they reached the edge of the Familiar Forest, the verdant expanse alive with magic and the faint whisper of spirits among the trees welcomed Emrys once more. As they entered, a familiar figure waited sitting on the roots of one of the ancient oaks, his posture as relaxed as ever, though his sharp gaze was focused entirely on Emrys.
"Yo." Emrys greeted the familiar figure who helped him recover from near death and the man who she considered the most dangerous devil to ever live beyond the past or present Lucifer.
Ajuka Beelzebub, with his piercing eyes he scanned Tiamat and her son with the faintest hint of a smile, returning the nod. "Emrys. Tiamat informed me you had some significant news." He gestured for Emrys to step closer, already examining the intricate seal that marked his presence. "Mind if I take a look?"
Confused at how Ajuka knew, Emrys looked at her in confusion to which she responded by taking her phone and giving it a shake to which her son nodded in understanding, truly she was thankful for the convenience of technology. Emrys held out his arm as Ajuka's hands hovered over, his aura pulsing faintly as a small magic circle appeared and he analyzed her son.
The silence stretched, the spirits among the trees that were chattering non-stop around them seeming to hold their breath as Ajuka's magic brushed over Emrys's own energy. Stepping back after a moment with a thoughtful expression.
"It appears your two bloodlines have reached an equilibrium," Ajuka said, his tone intrigued. "The internal conflict within you has… resolved itself, creating a stable unity."
Tiamat felt a strange mix of relief and curiosity. "Do you know what caused it?" She wanted to know why her son had such problems to begin with.
Ajuka's brow furrowed, the faintest crease in his otherwise calm expression. "I suspect it may have been influenced by his time spent sealed and disguised as a human. Those years could have allowed Emrys' draconic natures to adapt without the stress and external stimulation they took on your body and slowly balanced out." Which didn't make sense to Tiamat considering his natures should have balanced out since birth if not shortly after, especially as a dragon, Emrys simply wouldn't have been born if those problems affected him while he was forming within his egg.
Emrys, however ignorant, simply nodded. As his human years had likely been a reprieve, a time when he no longer felt pain and suffering from simply existing, he'd even found a girlfriend. Who he now wasn't with, she'd have to ask for the full story later.
Ajuka clasped his hands behind his back, his gaze settling on Emrys with a hint of approval. "Whatever the cause, you are stable now. Embrace it and be careful. This state may be rare, even unprecedented. But if maintained it can be a source of strength unlike anything seen before." Ajuka's insight, and the newfound freedom of her son filled her with joy.
Tiamat felt anticipation as she looked at Ajuka, her eyes bright with the question that had impatience written all over it. "Ajuka. Can you undo the seal now? With his bloodlines at peace, I don't think he needs it to keep them contained anymore."
Ajuka's expression softened, a mix of regret and resolution flashing across his face, which confused her. "The seal… wasn't designed to come off. When I placed it, its purpose was singular. To contain his bloodlines and to prevent any threat they might pose to him. I left no opening for unsealing even for myself as I had to assume that if anyone ever tried to remove it, they'd likely do so with ill intentions, aiming to destabilize his magic and ultimately… take Emrys' life."
-Emrys-
Emrys felt the weight of Ajuka's words settle on him, his shoulders tensing with the realization. The seal that had restricted him, caged him, but it was meant to be absolute. With no way to escape, no way out. He wanted to respond, to voice the frustration building within him, but the words caught in his throat. What would he even say? Fuck off undo it anyway to the man who helped him in his time of need? Even if he was a prideful dragon it didn't mean he was ungrateful.
Sensing his disappointment, Ajuka's gaze softened further. "However, there's something else you should know, even in darkness there is light and your body has already begun adapting as it is redirecting its resources."
Emrys looked up in hope as confusion settled over him, but as he thought about it a memory of the previous night came to mind. When he grew stronger while having intercourse with Grayfia. "What does this mean?" He asked Ajuka as the devil seemed to have all the answers.
"It means," Ajuka replied, his tone steady but encouraging, "that your strength, both physical and magical, are being redirected, now that your bloodlines aren't draining them, your energy is being channeled toward gradually dissolving the seal. It's already beginning to undo itself, slowly but surely."
"That's why last night I had a boost in strength." Emrys realized thinking for a second that sex was the reason he grew stronger, which in the universe wasn't very far fetched considering Issei grew stronger poking breasts, but this didn't seem to be the case in his situation, for which he was thankful.
"So… over time, the seal will unravel?" he asked to make sure he understood the devil properly.
Ajuka nodded, a hint of satisfaction in his gaze. "Precisely. Your own vast energy reserves will slowly erode the seal, layer by layer. It will take time, but eventually it will wear away entirely, leaving you fully free. And in reality this is the best option as it allows you to get used to such immense strength in increments. Because let's say I was able to fully unseal you now, not that I can, your control over your strength would be abysmal and the damage you'd cause would be catastrophic."
A sense of cautious hope stirred in Emrys. This wasn't the immediate solution he'd hoped for, but it was a path forward, one he hadn't dared to dream possible just days ago. As he looked from Ajuka to his mother, standing nearby with a proud but protective gaze, he felt a renewed determination settle within him.
Ajuka placed a hand on his shoulder, meeting Emrys's gaze with a faint smile. "You've come a long way to reach this point. Many would have fallen into despair facing similar challenges. Let it unravel naturally and by the time the seal is gone, you'll be ready to wield that power and you have a great teacher right behind you." he said, motioning toward Tiamat who was trying and failing to keep a grin off her face.
Emrys gave a slow nod, absorbing Ajuka's words. He could feel the pulse of his own strength. He realized his body immediately redirected his energy as within a day he'd already gone from the peak of humanity to supernatural levels. The journey would be one of patience and control, one he was all too excited to face.
Tiamat's gaze remained fixed on Ajuka, her piercing eyes gleaming with a mix of concern and curiosity. "How long, then, until the seal fully breaks?" she asked, her voice steady but carrying the weight of her motherly protectiveness. "And when it does, how powerful will Emrys be? While nearly fully matured his strength should still grow beyond what it already has below the seal, and his bloodlines have stabilized so they can finally be used."
Ajuka regarded her question with careful thought, his brows knitting slightly as he weighed his words. "If his body continues adjusting at its current rate… I'd estimate around a year until the seal is fully dissolved," he replied. "As the months pass, his strength will increase in stages, each one a significant leap from the last."
Ajuka turned his gaze back to him, appraising Emrys with the curiosity of someone observing a rare phenomenon. "In a month, Emrys should reach the level of a high-class dragon. By the third month, he'll stand at the level of an ultimate-class dragon. By the sixth month, he'll be as powerful as a Dragon King." Emrys listened with a sense of astonishment, each milestone feeling like a gate opening toward his potential. Ajuka's next words made him even happier than body Grayfia did last night.
"According to my calculations once the seal is fully undone, Emrys," Ajuka continued, "you will likely have strength on par with the Heavenly Dragons themselves." He paused, his gaze shifting, a faint smile tugging at the corner of his lips. "And that isn't taking into account any growth you encounter this year. Plain and simply, you have the potential to grow beyond even that, but even if you don't and go into hiding for a year you'll emerge unrivaled."
The way he described his gradual unsealing was a euphoric moment for Emrys, but the last sentence made him hesitate, realizing he could simply die for a year and come out to an easy life with little to no challenges. "He will do no such thing." The voice of Tiamat said with a vicious smile on her face.
"A year from now, my son could stand beside beings like Ddraig and Albion… or even surpass them." Tiamat muttered while looking at him, her tone shifting to one of gentle astonishment. "He isn't going to spend the time leading up to that moment hiding from everything. Power like that isn't just a gift, Emrys. It's a responsibility. And it will demand more of you as it grows as power invites challenge, so as you grow stronger more people will want to kill you before you can grow to your full potential and don't think just because you'll have all that power that you'll ever be able to match up to me because I'll be training my ass off to put you in your place."
At first he was stunned because Tiamat read him like a book, but a smile pulled on his face as he understood she simply wanted what was best for him, though the concept of her training to rival a Heavenly Dragon seemed far fetched he wouldn't put it past her to do so only to continue beating his ass. He would have to work on his poker face though as everyone seemed to be able to read him.
"I understand, Mother," he said firmly, excitement exuding from his body that he tried to keep contained. The idea of one day standing among the legendary dragons and even carving his own legend, filled him with a sense of purpose he'd never fully felt.
Ajuka offered a small nod, acknowledging Emrys's readiness. "As long as you remain patient, embracing this growth as it comes while not the safest would be the wisest course of action, you'll find yourself ready when the time arrives. The seal is self-limiting, so each increase in power will come in increments which gives you the chance to adjust with each increase. I'd recommend focusing on the basic and magic control as they will be the most affected."
Ajuka offered advice which seemed to be exactly what he was going to do because overloading a spell or using more power and accidentally harming or killing someone could be a pain in the ass for Emrys.
Tiamat placed a hand on his shoulder, a fierce pride along with excitement rooted in her eyes as she gazed at him. "We'll see this journey through together, Emrys. You have a long year ahead… but I'll be there, every step of the way."
Emrys smiled as gratitude filled him. This was his chance to finally utilize the power he was born with a path of strength, purpose woven together. He only hoped that Tiamat wouldn't be too tough on him, because the way she said she would be there every step of the way was as concerning as it was inspiring.
Ajuka gave a nod, his expression still calm but with a hint of satisfaction at Emrys's readiness. "If anything changes, like speed at which the seal deteriorates or you notice anything unusual, contact me immediately." he said and with a respectful nod to Tiamat and a final look at him, Ajuka vanished in a flicker of magic, leaving the mother and son standing amid the quiet trees of the Familiar Forest.
Tiamat watched Ajuka's departure before turning to Emrys, a gleam of challenge in her eyes. "So, Emrys, now that you know what lies ahead, how about a test? I want to see how much you've learned and you didn't forget that you hung up on me right?" Her tone was light, but her eyes held a fierce spark.
Normally when Emrys noticed the sudden shift in Tiamat's demeanor he found a way to escape, but he was feeling more confident than ever, especially after learning that his full power would rival Ddraig and Albion, so at the current moment he wanted to feel the thrill of the challenge. "There's no time like the present," he replied, his fingers flexing in anticipation.
With a nod of approval, Tiamat took a step back, her own aura flaring to life as she reached into the magic around her, unraveling the seal that kept Emrys in his human form. The air buzzed with energy as Emrys welcomed the familiar sensation of scales, muscle, and bone shifting, growing, expanding with a rush of raw power.
In moments, he stood towering above the forest, his dragon form immense at sixty meters tall and seventy meters long. His scales shimmered a light red that seemed so polished that they almost reflected their surroundings. The ground gave slightly beneath his weight, and he felt the power humming in his veins when in his dragon form that felt nostalgic.
Though his aura was nowhere near as fierce as his imposing form suggested, it was stronger than before, brimming at the level of a peak low-class dragon and his physical strength was on par as he no longer struggled to even lift his head like before he got the seal. Emrys knew he wouldn't be doing any backflips or tail stands yet, but being able to move his monstrous frame was already great progress.
He raised his massive head, meeting Tiamat's gaze with confidence. Tiamat responded by shifting herself, making a show of her own transformation, she flared her magic making her human form glow a bright blue before it grew rapidly and in moments, she emerged in her true form.
A sleek build compared to Emrys' own form, slightly smaller at forty-five meters tall and fifty meters long. Her scales shimmered like sapphires, the air around her thrumming with an almost palpable force. And if any human were to base the intimidation scale of the two Emrys would undoubtedly win, but it was obvious to any supernatural creature that the intensity of Tiamat's aura was leagues ahead of his own as it washed over Emrys, heavy and daunting a testament to her title as 'The Strongest Dragon King'.
The sheer weight of her power made Emrys's legs buckle slightly. It was like standing against the relentless force of a storm, the pressure threatening to crush him if he let his concentration slip. Yet, something in him stirred, a stubborn determination that pushed him to hold his ground.
"Impressive," she murmured, her voice rumbling like distant thunder, each word laced with approval. "You've truly grown stronger and it has only been a day, but let's see how well you wield that strength."
Emrys shifted his stance, digging his claws into the ground for balance. "I'm ready," he replied, his deep voice resonating through the clearing. His muscles coiled, his senses sharp as he prepared himself, feeling the subtle yet undeniable increase in his power.
With a slight nod, Tiamat gave him no further warning. She surged forward with a ferocity that left Emrys scrambling to respond. Her claws flashed, her movements swift and precise, her strength controlled but still overwhelming. Emrys countered with a swipe of his own, feeling the satisfying clash of scale and claw that he hadn't experienced in years, the forest around them echoing with the sounds of battle.
For Emrys, it was a test not only of his strength but of his instincts, every movement a lesson on how to wield such power effectively. And as they fought, he could feel himself improving as he got used to wielding such strength even as Tiamat's strength threatened to overwhelm him, in that moment he still felt that he stood a chance.
With such an amazing fight happening he felt as if he could do anything as he felt himself grow twice as strong, so he took a deep breath and charged a breath with the thought to win. At least that was before he felt overwhelming strength push him back making him stand on his hind two legs and turn only to see a thick blue tail feet from his face and unable to react he simply fell unconscious from the hit.
-Tiamat-
Tiamat stood over him, her gaze contemplative, feeling a pang of pride as she looked at her son, but also a spark of something else. A strange realization struck her, one she couldn't ignore. Emrys's aura… his energy, his very essence was familiar, yet different in a way that tugged at something deep within her.
There was an anomaly, a slight inconsistency when it didn't match her own. Which she first thought was due to the issues with his bloodlines, but now that it was solved she still had yet to sense any familiarity and with the way his strength suddenly increased at the end she grew more sure.
Intrigued and slightly unsettled, Tiamat shifted back into her human form and collected a small sample of Emrys's blood and a few scales from his side. She needed answers, and answers she would get. Holding the samples close, and with a use of magic, Ajuka appeared at her side once more with a questioning look on his face.
"Nothing about the seal, but I need you to test these real quick." She said handing Ajuka both Emrys and her own samples and after some tests, Ajuka frowned. "Strange… the results show no biological match between you two," he murmured, confused as he re-ran the test dozens of times.
"How is that possible?" he asked, glancing at her. "If Emrys is your son, his DNA should match yours in some way." he stated and the allusion of her needing to steal someone else's child was highly offensive, but she understood and didn't let herself show her anger.
Tiamat met his gaze, her own expression unreadable. "It is possible," she began, her voice soft but steady, "because Emrys I didn't give birth to Emrys, nor did I mate with anyone to create him." She took a slow breath, gathering her thoughts. "I… created him. My mother, the Primordial Goddess of Creation left me the ritual on how to create life and she also gifted me a portion of her essence as the ritual only works with it. So I collected the essence of Ddraig and Albion after their slaying by the three factions and here Emrys is."
Ajuka's eyes widened as he realized the magnitude of her words. "You combined the remnants of Ddraig and Albion essences… with your mother's essence?"
Tiamat nodded. "The only two I'd ever considered worthy of creating a child with were dead and sealed. Ddraig… he once promised me a child in exchange for treasure to defeat Albion." Her gaze grew distant, her expression darkening with old memories. "But that treasure was destroyed, and Ddraig was killed, leaving me with only that unfulfilled promise. I held a grudge against him and through him, every Red Dragon Emperor that followed."
Ajuka's lips curved in an amused, almost disbelieving smile. "So that's why you've had such… an 'interest' in Ddraig's hosts all these generations?"
"Yes," Tiamat replied, a glimmer of amusement in her own gaze. "But Emrys… he's different, even if he was made from the remains of those two." She gestured to the samples, the scales and blood from her son. "My mother's essence was included to help balance out the opposing natures of the two and it did work at least initially as he was able to be born, but even it didn't give him the capacity to fully contain the warring Heavenly Dragon bloodlines."
"What doesn't make sense is that he should be related to me at least biologically, we should be siblings, but I didn't sense any familiarity of either mine or my mother power, that's why I connected you." Tiamat asked, confused at the anomaly which she understood little of as she knew next to nothing about life creation only following the original Tiamat's instructions.
"Hmm," Ajuka looked back at the results, absorbing the revelations. "So Emrys's incredible strength and magical potential don't stem from you directly. They're rooted in Ddraig and Albion themselves." He thought for a moment, piecing together the puzzle. "It's no wonder their energies fought within him."
"They're polar opposites, natural adversaries in every sense, but I have an idea of what happened to the essence of your mother. When Emrys was developing in his egg rather than simply mixing Ddraig and Albion's remains, the essence was most likely used to strengthen Emrys body directly to even contain the two forces as it was impossible to merge the two. It chose for them to coexist with Emrys even if it may kill him later on in life because without a strong enough body he probably wouldn't have even been born."
Tiamat's expression softened as she looked down at her son, unconscious but safe. "In my attempt to fulfill an old wish… I brought their rivalry into him. I never intended for it to become such a burden."
Ajuka placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "Whatever the circumstances of his creation, Emrys is here now, and he's going to be thriving soon. Somehow he's already achieved a balance of two powers thought to be opposite. My only worry is everyone else's reaction to his true lineage if it ever leaks and the way he'll go about mastering the abilities of not only one, but two heavenly dragons."
Tiamat looked at Emrys, her fierce pride tempered by a quiet understanding. "Yes… He'll be stronger than I could have anticipated and as he continues to grow, he might even surpass the legacy that brought him into existence. Truly he is the spawn of a dragon."
"Indeed, now I'll have to return back to my lab to run some more tests to see if they're any other problems or incompatibilities, but even now I still see nothing wrong with his vitals or magical signature. When he starts using his abilities make sure he doesn't strain himself too much. I'll let you know if I find anything." Ajuka said with a look only the mad scientist of a devil could have as he had the samples of the anomaly that was Emrys.
-Emrys-
Waking up to a sore face, a dizzy mind and pain was not something Emrys was used to given that he'd normally always healed by the morning no matter how hard he trained the previous day. However right now he felt as if he went twelve rounds with Ophis itself.
Thinking on the second strongest being in the universe he didn't assign the Dragon God a gender considering it traveled the world in multiple forms including, but not limited to an old man with nuts that hung so low they made clapping noises when they hit his knees, a big brolic black man who humans tried capturing as a slave which led to the dragon god nearly destroying the United States in annoyance.
And at one point Emrys heard rumors that Ophis took the form of a terrifying octopus monster, but unfortunately it decided to do so in Japan after the bombing of Nagasaki and Hirsoshima which led some mentally unstable humans creating the infamous tentacle porn. After that to this day it had been reported to be in the form of a little loli girl which he found baffling as she chose to wear a gothic dress with no front and only tape covering 'her' nipples.
Considering his random train of thoughts, Emrys was almost certain that he had a severe concussion and minor brain damage from the smack he'd endured; the only thing he was thankful to Tiamat for was that she left him in his dragon form. Ever since his initial sealing she'd forced him into a human form and he was a lot more comfortable in his original form.
"You want to get smack again you little shit?" The voice of his mother dragged him out of his current train of thought as he fully opened his eyes to see her sitting on his snout in her human form, munching on a dragon apple.
And had there been no fuzz in his mind he may have thoughts before speaking, alas he wasn't so he didn't, "The only thing little about me is the amount of fucks I give and-." He spoke with a brash smile and he was once again hit on the head.
*Smack*
"Owww." he muttered, now definitely sure he had brain damage, "You can talk like that to me when you're not the one who just got knocked out by a love tap." The voice of Tiamat sounded in his ear as she now stood on his head.Emrys neither saw nor felt her move showing just how vast the power difference between them was.
"Why are you in your human form?" He asked confused as Tiamat like himself preferred being in her more imposing form as it warded off annoying pests.
"Because I find it hilarious that 'Emrys Welsh', the Dragon who will surpass the Red and White Dragon Emperor, is being stepped on like a bug by someone so much smaller than himself." She said grinning as she stomped on him a couple times with enough force to make him feel the impact.
"Now do you regret hanging up on me?" She asked with a smug look on her face that looked like it belonged, perhaps it was the biology of a dragon that made them look best when prideful or maybe it was the memories of the absolute degenerate, but right now he was beyond attracted to her.
Internally he had to admit that the Human Emrys affected him more then he'd like, especially his attraction to the human female body and with all the kinks that horny fucker had the thought of an attractive woman dressed in skin tight black leather stepping on him was enticing, but she was his mother which left him feeling conflicted and disgusted. For now he had to give a response.
"Nah, it was funny." Emrys wheezed out with a toothy smile gracing his face which he was sure looked rather comical on a humongous dragon, but it seemed as if his mother didn't have the same sense of humor.
*Boom!*
Looking at his body which had just been launched through hundreds of trees Tiamat smiled as if she just told the funniest joke ever told, "Hehe, now that's funny." She replied and even then Emrys heard her and while he wanted to make a smart remark or disagree he physically couldn't as his body was slowly shutting down again to recover, the only thing that kept him from dying to the blow just now was his durable dragon form.
"Anyway… I learned some interesting news." She continued as she was once again seated on his snout the dragon apple again being munched on as she looked at him with amusement that showed no sympathy for the state he was in, but as he couldn't even open his mouth he tried to talk with his expression.
" (☉__☉) "
"Well long story short I was never your mom and was supposed to be your sister biologically because you're the result of a ritual I did from the remaining essence of Ddraig and Albion after they died along with my mom's was used as fuel to strengthen your physique and that's pretty much it." She said casually, comfortably patting the scales she was sitting on as if to comfort him.
"..."
"...?"
She must have been expecting him to have an exaggerated reaction to the information and he would have, had he been able to move, however as she saw that beyond a baffled expression he didn't do anything else Tiamat looked confused as she squinted slightly before realizing that he couldn't.
So she summoned a small vial that fit into her hand and tipped it over with the liquid falling onto his scales which was quickly absorbed. Emrys realized it was a Phoenix tear as his injuries were healed enough for him to speak, but it was most likely diluted as the healing item only brought him back enough to speak.
"Shocking huh?" She asked with a cheeky grin that said she didn't fully heal him on purpose wanting him to remain in pain.
"So you gathered the remains of Ddraig, the Red Dragon Emperor, Albion, the White Dragon Emperor and your mother, the original Tiamat, the Primordial Goddess of Creation and Chaos to make me." Emrys asked incredulously at the absolutely baffling story of his birth that sounded like it was straight out of a comic book.
"Correct." Tiamat nodded, finishing the apple and wiping her hand on his scales which irritated him, but even at full strength he couldn't confront her head on so he stayed quiet and continued.
"So I'm your brother instead of your son biologically?" He wanted to know if he had to call her 'Onee-chan'.
"No." She responded not offering to expand on it, but Emrys wasn't going to let this topic pass as he was more confused now then when he first woke up.
"...Why?"
"Ajuka said it was because as a dragon you had incredibly high adaptability and that led to your body realizing the essences of Ddraig and Albion couldn't be combined, so it used my mother's as fuel to strengthen your body to withstand the clashing. So there's no biological relationship, but don't think just 'cause we're not related means I don't care for you. I mean I still took care of your egg and raised you for eighteen years. That's got to count for something."
"That's true." Emrys nodded as he agreed that she still cared and raised him with love and care and even now he still loved her, "At least now I know why I'm a different color." He said chuckling always having wondered what color is bad must have been for him to turn out light red
"Yes you seem to be a mix of both red and white." She said looking at him as if to memorize his injured visage lying beneath her, however her words stirred a thought in his mind.
"So if I'm basically the child of Ddraig and Albion who's the Dad and who's the Mom?" He asked and she didn't respond as her face which had been focusing solely on him was now frozen as contemplated his words and she didn't seem to respond for
"... BWAHAHAHAHAHAHA! Shit! HAHAHAHAHA! I can already imagine those two. Hell if they weren't both male they probably would be you parents the way they always had a hard on for each other."
{In Tiamat's mind}
"DDRAIG I HAVE COME TO CLAIM YOU!" The White dragon emperor roared as tried to mount the Red Dragon Emperor in the moment he wasn't paying attention.
"YOU MUST BE CONFUSED ALBION! I WILL CLAIM YOU!" Ddraig would roar as he escaped and faced off Albion.
"DDRAIG!/ALBION!" The two yelled clashing as they tried to mount each other over and over again eventually scarring every other supernatural being who came to see what the commotion they caused.
Tiamat even considered the two trying to face off the Dragon Gods together with the power of love… Hehehe.
{Exit Emrys mind}
The thought made him want to laugh, but it still hurt to breathe, so he held off, but Emrys was just going to consider Ddraig and Albion butt buddies from this point forward and when he inevitably meets them in the future he'd at least have something to lord over them.
And now he had a theory on why he even got the memories of an alternate version of himself. The Primordial Goddess Tiamat having both the divinities of Creation and Chaos and since he was made of her essence the creation aspect was most likely used to strengthen his body like Ajuka theorized which made sense as when Issei absorbed the Divine Diving fragment of Albion he was told that his life span was cut short by Ddraig with just a fragment and since he was contained both he likely wouldn't have even survived development in his egg otherwise.
That led him to the second divinity of Tiamat, Chaos. A primordial force which existed before existence itself and something that no one fully understood. It may have affected some cosmic force that led to him gaining the memories of another Emrys as even now he knew that there existed universes beyond the dimensional gap, like the one where a robot god killed Great Red. He hoped he wasn't in one of those universe's though as the thought of facing such a being was mind numbing.
He'd have to prepare and with that thought he tried to draw on his powers in an unusual way both the boosting ability and dividing ability filling his body. Dragon magic was limited to innate abilities unlike devil magic in that you could do almost anything as long as you imagined it and had enough magic to act as fuel as he boosted his recovery rate and divided his injuries. He was just glad that he learned human magic to use basic spells.
At first there was some resistance, but it slowly faded as his body became accustomed to the powers and like magic he could feel himself healing at the cost of some stamina and a miniscule amount of magic. However even as they slowly healed his body something was missing and as cringe as it was he went with his instincts.
"Boost! Boost!"
"Divide! Divide!"
He repeated aloud feeling the chant made it easier to channel the power as he uttered those words and while he wanted to continue he physically couldn't as his body couldn't sustain the legendary abilities in that capacity while injured and low on magic. Emrys' would likely be able to use both abilities more when he fully recovered and wasn't put near death by his technically adopted mother.
Tiamat looked at him and was visibly impressed by the quick display, "Huh, the second you find out about your lineage you can use their abilities?" she said with an infuriating smile which made it clear that she was taunting him, looking for a challenge as she was getting excited, but Emrys could tell she was genuinely impressed. Even he didn't know why it came so easy to him, but he was elated.
"Kinda needed to so I could stand, you really don't hold back." He bit back standing up and rubbing his stomach where cracked scales were falling off, new ones already growing in their place.
"Well next time you know to show more respect. 'Might makes Right', so don't start thinking about back talking me until you can back it up." She said wagging her finger at him as she straddled his snout so she wouldn't fall off his body.
"Yeah yeah." was all the response he gave her knowing if he gave a witty or smartass comment he'd proably be knocked out again.
"Don't make me hit you again." She said baring her teeth at his giant form which looked rather comical as she was still barely six feet tall, but he knew that if he got beat again it would take days to heal, so he simply raised his arms in faux surrender.
"Anyway I wanted to ask why'd you broke up with the red-head and started fucking the albino?" She asked curiously.
As he went to respond the image of an albino rabbit popped into his mind as he put it side by side with an image of Grayfia, though her hair was more silver then white the similar shade and same red eyes made it a rather apt comparison. He chuckled internally thinking that if Grayfia chose to continue their relationship he'd make her wear a bunny suit.
But he wasn't going to keep his mo-Tiamat waiting, "Well I caught her in bed with another guy, so I just left and sent her a text that said we were over and after that Grayfia came to the bar where I was drinking to 'comfort' me and you know the rest." Emrys explained not seeing a reason to hide anything.
"..." She remained silent looking at him as if he had grown another head and Emrys wanted to make a comment, but knew it was best to simply keep quiet.
"I don't remember raising a bitch?" Tiamat said, standing up abruptly and jamming a finger between his eyes with enough force to make him stumble slightly.
"What?" He asked baffled by such a reply.
"I said I don't remember raising a bitch! I mean seriously, you let yourself be disrespected by that little fucking bat?! Smack both of them around! Even if you're weak, do something! Don't just let yourself be disregarded like some fucking nobody!"
"Well I just didn't see the reason to cause problems for something I decided wasn't worth my time or trouble. It was a couple minutes before my power reached harmony and she wasn't even on my mind at that point. Not to mention with her brother being Sirzechs Lucifer I didn't think it would be worth the trouble, for you or I." Emrys said feeling shame as he went on with his explanation.
"Who fucking cares?! You know I have your back, but for you not to attempt anything at all shows your attitude in the face of power! Don't forget at your core, when your backs against the wall, you are a dragon. Even without the physical might or magical might you still need to have the heart of one." She ranted and Emrys swore he could hear her blood pressure rising as she spoke.
"I'd never slept with Rias, so I didn't see the big deal as I had yet to claim or mark her as mine." Emrys said, trying to explain himself.
"...Wait, so you gave your virginity to Grayfia even though you were dating Rias for over a year?" She was baffled at the prospect and he knew why as most males especially dragons going through puberty had particularly high libidos.
"She said she wasn't ready." Emrys quietly muttered knowing it was a weak excuse and in reality he could have pushed Rias into sex within a week of dating her, but he was insecure in himself.
"I find this both infuriating and hilarious and I don't know which to express first… I mean seriously, you get strung along and cheated on by that bat only to run away and only after feeling more confident in yourself do you sleep with someone who just so happened to be her Sister-in-law?" She asked incredulously and when it was put like that it was rather amusing.
"After I slept with Grayfia she explained that it was all a misunderstanding as Rias was using a technique devils created to heal the man she was in bed with who she happened to reincarnate as her pawn." Emrys explained the full situation, not wanting his mother to think he was truly cheated on.
"Huh? Even then at that moment in time while you didn't know that information, your first instinct was to leave without facing the problem head on, but since that was before you learned that you would gain your power we won't dwell on it, but what are you going to do now? Are you going to get back with her?" Tiamat wanted to know what his decision was now that he knew all the information.
"I doubt it. She seems like she has too many problems and I didn't feel confident in dealing with them." Emrys responded what he thought at the time knowing of the future she and her peerage faced from canon.
"What problems could she possibly face that are so
"..."
"Answer me you little shit." she grumbled as she raised her hand and knocked it on his head with enough force for him to feel it.
"I have a theory that as your mother was the goddess of both Creation and Chaos, I inherited both. The Creation aspect strengthened my body and the chaos aspect gave me visions of the future of an alternate reality." He explained not bothering to say that he saw the universe as an anime and that everything they thought was real was fiction, because it didn't matter. He thought therefore he was, and the notion of him being in a book didn't matter to him.
"That doesn't answer my question directly, but what do you mean you saw an alternate future?" She asked with a confused look on her face.
"After I broke up with her, I was sitting on a bench trying to process her in bed with another man. When my powers suddenly came to a balance, but when that happened at the same time I saw the future centered around Rias. So I suspect that both have to do with the divinity of Tiamat." He explained though honestly even to him it sounded like a load of shit, but it was the best he could come up with.
"And what did you see?" Tiamat asked, curious about the future and he debated for a bit before decking to tell her as two minds were better than one and she was the one person he trusted fully to never betray him.
"Devil politics that include her marriage, both the Red and White Dragon Emperors being the strongest in history, the three factions forming an alliance only to be attacked by terrorists who are empowered by Ophis. A different faction within the same terrorist group trying to use Yasaka to try and summon Great Red. That same group also betraying Ophis and nearly killing it with Samael while creating a second Infinite Dragon God, named Lilith, along with the son of Lucifer unsealing Trihexa. Those were the main ones at least." he explained the general plots he saw not bothering to mention the robot gods as that would only make his far fetched statement even more ridiculous and if those events came to be he would tell her the rest.
"I-I…" Tiamat paused, unable to comprehend the words he uttered before she smacked her own face and brought out her wings quickly flying in front of his face making him pause. "So you're ending a relationship because you had a vision of the future, with the Gremory Heiress being involved in all of those events?" She asked disregarding the talk of future events to a later point in time.
"Yeah." Emrys nodded, still trying to decipher if she believed him or not.
"And what were you doing during the vision?" She asked and that question made him pause as it clued him in that she genuinely believed him and was curious about his role in the future.
"I wasn't in any of them or that reality." Emrys answered and he knew it was the wrong answer as he simply saw Tiamat disappear from his sight before he felt a heavy weight fall on his back sending him crashing into the forest floor on his belly.
"You fucking coward! So what if the three factions, the heavenly dragon or even Ophis itself comes after you. You need to man the fuck up! Hell I wouldn't be surprised if Rias actually slept with someone else if this was how you acted." She rattled off insulting him for his cowardice as she didn't raise him to be like that.
"..."
"I'm not doubting you Emrys, but who even knows if what you saw was true? And even if it was, who cares you weren't even in it, so change what you saw. I raised you from an egg. I know you didn't tell me everything and are scared of whatever you saw, but if this is how you want to act you're better off sealing your power all over again and living in a backwater village until you die." Tiamat ranted before finally taking a breath as she tried to control her anger.
"..." He still had no response as he hadn't given it much thought beyond the basics of seeing someone strong and troublesome and wanting to avoid such trouble and now he realized that she was right. He wanted to take the easy way out.
"As much as it disgusts me to say this," Tiamat said, gagging a bit, "Do you still love and care for Rias?" she asked with visible frustration on her face.
"..." Again he didn't have an immedetae
"Answer me you little shit."
"Yes." He replied as he still had all of those memories with her along with the feelings that were slightly dissipating.
"Then why the fuck are you simply going to let her go? So what if you face the three faction, those two heavenly fuckers or Ophis and Great Red themselves! You can fail and fall to each of them again and again, but what you can't do is not even make an attempt! So fucking do it, because trying and failing at least means you put in the effort and you weren't afraid, but not trying at all is the way of a coward and that isn't what I raised you to be." She ranted, drilling him on how a dragon should act.
And now Emrys could only stand there looking at the visage of Tiamat in front of him. It had only been a day and yet so much had happened and even now he was looking back and realizing how much his attitude and personality has changed.
He realized it was true that he was scared and who wouldn't be with the information he knew. Hell before he even knew of the future something fundamental in him changed when his power was sealed. Because even when his bloodlines were killing him, deep down Emrys still knew he was leagues ahead of every other dragon his age and older and had something to be proud of. The power he held as a child outclassed what most other supernatural beings could ever compare.
Hindsight and an outside perspective from Tiamat really put into picture how much Emrys had changed since he moved to Kuoh beyond the environment. It was gradual and without him even realizing it his lack of strength slowly seeped into his mindset.
The most prominent and perfect example would be Rias and her peerage. Hell, if his younger self told him that he would turn down Akeno and Koneko simply because he didn't feel strong enough, the little dragon would probably hobble over with his dying body and smack him over the head.
It was on a fundamental level that Emrys changed and as Tiamat said, in his youth he wouldn't take shit from anyone and now before gaining the memories of the 'Degenerate Emrys' he simply walked away ending the relationship. And sure it caused him less stress, but more over anything else it was because he felt he couldn't do anything in that situation.
As a child while he was strong and growing stronger his bloodline problem offset it all and made him constantly worry about being a burden to Tiamat, which made him strive to grow stronger and face the challenge head on. However after he got sealed he knew it was most likely going to be over and lost confidence in himself as he was stuck powerless in the human world, a burden to Tiamat. But he didn't want to be that dragon anymore.
And deep within he made a promise to himself to be proud even in the face of danger. Even when facing someone who outclasses him in power, because that was his 'ego' and it would carry him through difficult times. Ophis itself could threaten the Emrys and he'd tell the shapeshifting fuck to turn into a big titty goth girl and suck on his cock.
-Tiamat-
Sure she sent him away after getting sealing his power and even now while she wouldn't have liked it, it also wouldn't have been the end all be all as Emrys didn't fight back and simply ran away as she still would have protected him, but he was going to be strong and it was infuriating to know that her son who was now going to be one of the most powerful creature to have ever existed was acting like a baby-back bitch.
Having talked some sense into him she also wondered if this is what it felt like to be a mother as normally she would just go with the flow and Emrys the smart dragon that he was picked up on the right habits without any problem, but his time as away from her corrupted him with the mindset that doesn't belong to someone of his stature.
She could see the light in his eye change after the pep talk reverting him back to how he used to be before being infected by the mindset of a weakling. Hell she wouldn't be surprised if in a couple months he was challenging her for control and now that he knew they weren't related biologically he might try to claim her too, not that she would make it easy for him.
After that episode was averted, she briefly wondered if she should inform Ajuka about what she learned, but decided against it as Emrys seemed reluctant to share it himself and if what he saw was true she'd trust his judgement and allow him to share it when he felt comfortable.
Now the only question was why he saw those 'visions' of the future in the first place. As the timeline of Emrys getting his power back along with seeing visions couldn't be a coincidence. The baffling part was that he himself hadn't been a part of any of them and from what she knew, just his lineage would thrust him into the spotlight all around the world. Now she could only train and prepare for the future that seemed uncertain.
{Six days later}
-Emrys-
Having recovered and done nothing, but train with Tiamat the past couple days. He was confident that he could boost himself up to match the peak of mid class dragons or maybe even a high class dragon. Everyday he could feel his power growing even as his body was constantly pummeled by Tiamat.
And tomorrow he would be going to Kuoh to visit Grayfia and see if she made her decision on if she was going to continue being his cum depository. Now that he couldn't perform the ritual with a majority of his magic still being sealed he knew that the excuse went along with it and although she said it wouldn't matter, he knew devils lie all the time and she would seek benefits. Especially if he was going to be asking her to cut out her physical relationship with Sirzechs.
However that wasn't his main focus as beyond all of the drama and politics that the outside world contained, the only thing he was focused on right now was his dragon breath, because previously it was normal dragon fire with no special attribute, but now it was different and the innate abilities of Ddraig and Albion were legendary for their lethality. Taking a deep breath he channeled both within as he charged them within.
"Boost! Boost! Boost!" He chanted, feeling his power swell as he debated on continuing to power up, but decided against it as he didn't know how much damage it would do and he was testing his power right next to his own home.
Feeling slightly bloated from the raw power now within he unleashed it in the empty clearing as purple flames shot out from his mouth, but as soon as they started they stopped, the drain being too great for Emrys to sustain for any period of time beyond a moment.
Falling to a knee as he struggled for a second before standing tall once again he looked to where his attack landed, seeing the rather pitiful flame that wasn't even a foot in diameter. However while the size was lacking the potency wasn't as even from thirty meters away he could feel the sheer heat of the flame that was turning the surrounding ground into liquid before slowly dissipating.
Using his special flames from Ddraig mixed with the reduction ability of Albion made for a devastating attack that he knew could kill even the strongest of gods, but even after boosting himself to his max it was still a pitiful amount.
Rather than feeling sorry for his current state the feeling of excitement filled Emrys. The flame itself while small could injure and kill any being except the dragon gods even with such a small amount.
Now he needed to explain to Tiamat why the greenery was dry and arid along with a small molten crater where they lived. He simply didn't want to look for another spot and walk back exhausted, but he couldn't tell her that.
"Emrys, tell me why I shouldn't rip your tail off and fuck you with it?" The voice of Tiamat echoed as he slowly turned his head to see her in her dragon for at the edge of the clearing where she was growing dragon apples… Fuck.
AN: Hello all and welcome back to another day of writing random shit. Hope y'all liked the chapter and continue to support me. Any feedback would be appreciated.
With Tiamat gathered the remaining essence of Ddraig and Albion there won't be any twice criticals or the divine diving equivalent. Also the abilities work differently for Emrys then they do Issei and Vali as he doesn't use a sacred gear nor does he have Ddraig and Albion to help him, so it's going to work off stamina not willpower. So when Emrys woke up from getting his ass beat by Tiamat his health and stamina were low, so he wasn't able to use the abilities much initially and neither boost nor divide can restore stamina.
(Also) The flames of Ddraig are said to be hot enough to burn gods and the reduction ability that comes from Albion is said to be a venom so potent that it reduces all organic matter and slowly burns away at the soul. Emrys' normal dragon flame, while powerful, aren't anywhere near as potent as his crimson flames, but he can also use them along with the venom individually. The flames are red and the venom wasn't described in color so I made it blue and blue + red= Purple.
Still deciding on how the two dragons will react to Emrys, whether it's disgust or anger, maybe even joy as they have a legacy in the world beyond themselves being sealed. Idk yet so…
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