Chapter 97 - Scion Of WHAT?

"Ugh…" Alexander groaned slightly as he regained consciousness. 

BA-DUMP! BA-DUMP! BA-DUMP!

He could hear his own heartbeat pounding strongly within his chest.

His entire body seemed different. It was absolutely brimming with power and he felt incredible! 

Alexander opened his eyes in surprise. 

"You're awake, Lord Alexander." Blackfire greeted him formally. He was seated next to Alexander and was the closest to him, so he immediately noticed when Alexander regained his consciousness. 

"Blackfire." Alexander nodded slightly. 

"ALEXANDER!" Aleyria cried out. She stood up abruptly and immediately ran to the bedside where Alexander was resting. 

"Hey there." Alexander sat up and said with a smile. 

"How are you feeling? Are you alright?" Aleyria grabbed his hand and asked in an extremely worried voice. 

"I'm alright." Alexander immediately assured her. "In fact, I'm more than alright, for some reason I feel incredibly… refreshed and powerful. It's a little bit weird." 

"Are you sure? There aren't any pain or discomfort anywhere?" Aleyria fussed over him like a mother hen. 

Alexander laughed and jumped out of bed. "I feel great! Don't worry Aleyria." 

He pulled Aleyria close and gave her a big hug. 

Aleyria nodded, slightly mollified by Alexander's obvious vitality and overflowing energy. She hugged him back with great relief. There were still many questions to be asked and answers to be found, but at least for the moment, Alexander was alright. And she was basking in the peace and joy that the fact brought her. 

After a moment, Alexander reluctantly released her. He stared deeply into Aleyria's beautiful eyes and gave her a loving smile. His mouth twitched a little as he contemplated kissing her right there and then.

"Alright. If you want to know why you feel so powerful, Blackfire here might be able to tell you why." Aleyria quickly turned and nodded at Blackfire. She knew what Alexander was thinking about and she was too shy to do it in front of another person. 

"Hmmm?" Alexander released Aleyria, turned and gave Blackfire a questioning look. 

"When I arrived, I found that your body was breaking down from the smallest units within you, and that you would not survive the hour without treatment. I injected my Blood Essence into your body, hoping to trigger a mutation and allow your body to find the strength it needed to stay resist the break down. However, your body absorbed my blood essence instead." Blackfire said very calmly, knowing that he had created many more questions than he had answered. So he waited for Alexander to ask the questions.

Strangely, Alexander remained silent. He merely stared at Blackfire with a strange, far-off look. 

Blackfire glanced at Aleyria, who was frowning slightly. But she didn't seem surprised at all. 

"Flamewing! How is it that you're still in my head?! Did we fail the soul transfer?!" Alexander cried out in surprise internally. 

A short giggle sounded out. "We succeeded! I am back in my body now, and I am currently flying as fast as I can towards you!"

"But… How come we can still talk this way?" Alexander asked, completely baffled by the situation.

"Well… I am not sure if I should tell you this now…" Flamewing said hesitantly.

"Tell me! Tell me now! And I have so many questions for you. But hey, before that, welcome back! Strangely, I kind of miss having you in my mind." Alexander said warmly. 

A shy giggle sounded out once more. "I… I… I..."

"You miss me too, I know. " Alexander interrupted her with a laugh.

"Heheheh… Just a little bit, mind you. I was very much relieved by the peace and quiet I had." Flamewing said rather shyly. 

"Yeah…" Alexander said as well. 

"Anyway, I uhh… About us. Ehm." Flamewing said hesitantly.

"Please do tell." Alexander said.

"We are actually… Don't be surprised ok? I had my guesses all along, but now the fact that we can communicate this way confirmed it beyond doubt." Flamewing said nervously. 

"I won't be surprised. In fact, I have my guesses as well." Alexander said calmly. 

"That's good!" Flamewing said with relief. "You're ok with it?" 

"Okay with what?" Alexander asked.

"With the fact that we're fusing into one?" Flamewing clarified her question.

"WE'RE WHAT?!?" Alexander shouted out in his mind.

"What?! I thought you said you've guessed it?!" Flamewing asked in shock. 

"I thought that you've left a sliver of your soul in my mind! But… We're fusing?!" Alexander was stunned. 

"I… " Flamewing was at a loss on what to say. And truth be told, she felt slightly rejected as well, so she started sobbing lightly.

"Hey… Why are you crying?" Alexander asked, his surprise deepening. In fact, he was also rather surprised that he could get any more surprised than he already was, which also added to his surprise. 

"You… Don't want to fuse with me?" Flamewing asked with a soft voice. 

With a start, Alexander finally realized that his reaction was rather hurtful, especially for someone who might be looking forward to fusing with him. But… Fusion with Flamewing?!?! Wouldn't that mean Flamewing would one day… disappear? She would be part of him, he knew. But Flamewing did say that fusion was where the human soul devours the dragon soul.

"It's not like that, Flamewing. It's just that… I wasn't expecting it at all. And I don't like the idea of devouring you… Not at all." Alexander said pensively. 

"Oh... " Flamewing sniffed, feeling much better almost instantly. So it was not that he didn't want her, it was that he was afraid of losing her… That was much better.

"How long till you get here?" Alexander asked. 

"Not long now. In fact, you probably can sense my location if you want to." Flamewing quickly replied.

Alexander closed his eyes and cast his senses out. Nothing.

"Look inwards, and search for a spark within that feels like… me." Flamewing said. 

Alexander did so, and immediately found exactly what Flamewing had described. A spark within his soul that felt warm and reminded him strongly of Flamewing. 

As soon as he noticed that, he could vaguely sense Flamewing's presence. North, five minutes away. 

"Let's talk when you get here." Alexander said. 

"Alright." Flamewing replied. 

Alexander took a deep breath and sighed deeply.

"Was that Flamewing?" Aleyria asked as soon as she noticed that Alexander had lost his far-away look.

"Yes." He replied in surprise. "How did you know?" 

"I've seen you with that look a few times whenever you're talking to her in your mind." Aleyria said with a smile. A slight tinge of jealousy was blooming in her heart, but she suppressed it ruthlessly. 

"Flamewing?" Blackfire asked softly. 

"Yes. Apparently…" Alexander hesitated. 

"I know." Blackfire said with a sigh. 

"We didn't know it was happening." Alexander said with a helpless smile.

"What's happening?" Aleyria asked in confusion.

"Flamewing and I… We're undergoing fusion that would make me a Dragon Knight…" Alexander replied without hiding anything. 

Aleyria looked at Alexander calmly. She was no longer easily surprised about the things Alexander told her. Everytime she asked him something, she would automatically prepare her heart for a shocking answer. She didn't even have to actively do that, it was more like instinct. Or maybe conditioning. 

"What does that mean? She'll be in your mind forever?" Aleyria asked.

"No… I don't know." Alexander answered truthfully.

"Fusion is not an equal process. Usually, the human soul will be the dominant soul, and will devour the dragon soul. This is due to the blessings of Paladinos which he gave human beings.

The memories, characteristics and everything within the dragon soul will be melded into the human soul. So in a sense, the human will become a slightly different person. 

However… Flamewing is not a normal dragon. She…" Blackfire hesitated. 

"I know. She is a Scion of Paladinos." Alexander helped Blackfire along. 

"Yes." Blackfire said with relief, thankful that he didn't have to be the one divulging the clan's secret. "She is a Scion of Paladinos.. And Magius."

"I knew it. She's a Scion Lord as well!" Alexander exclaimed. 

Blackfire nodded. "A fusion between two Scion Lords… It has never been done before." He said softly. "The effects of having so many blessings mixing together are completely unknown… Thus making it extremely dangerous."

"No, not between two Scion Lords" Alexander corrected him.

"No?" Blackfire raised his eyebrow questioningly. 

"The strange power you sensed that was destroying me from within. That was the power I unleashed by combining THREE different blessings." Alexander began.

Blackfire's eyes grow impossibly wide. "You mean…"

"I combined the Power of Perses, Magius and… Zegaro." Alexander said. 

Blackfire's jaw dropped. 

"And you're fusing with Flamewing who has the Power of Magius and Paladinos…" Blackfire choked slightly. 

"Wouldn't that give you two portions of the Power of Magius, and a portion each from the other three Gods?" Aleyria asked hesitantly. "So you'll have power from ALL four Gods? Wouldn't that make you the Scion of the… Almighty?"

Silence reigned in the room as Alexander and Blackfire looked at Aleyria helplessly.