Chapter 126 - Heading Home (Fin)

----Back to the Present-----

"Like I said did you have to kill the innkeeper?" Gaia asked once again while staring at me munching on some bandits who tried to rob us.

I sighed before I swallowed the hunk of calf I was chewing on and then spoke.... Manners first kids.

"What if I told you that I needed to sacrifice his body and his soul in order to keep my own? A part of my power is borrowed and in exchange for that borrowed power I need to sacrifice the body and soul of whoever made me activate that power. It's a bitch of a deal but bottom line is someone elses soul for my own."

That made his face pale as I said that. I knew that there was probably a gentler way to say that if I needed to say that at all but time was ticking and we only stopped here for lunch. Which reminds me...

"Hey you three? How ya holding up back there?" I turned my head to look towards the three newest members of my forces and smiled as I saw them still clashing against a few bandits who were lucky enough to not fight me or Gaia.

"Master....Help....Please?" The woman who I learned was named Sara asked me in between her blocking a giant greatsword that a big bulky bandit was swinging at her. To her credit she was blocking and diverting the strikes like a professional but I could see the exhaustion that it was causing. I looked at the other two and saw the same thing. Pori who was another human swordsman was in a deadly dance of dodging with a nimble little bastard with a wicked smile on their face. Rickey the ratman was the unluckiest out of the three because he was fighting a guy who was dual wielding two katanas and seemed to flash out of sight with each step. 

"Gaia, what do you think? Should this be a trial by fire? Or should papa dragon go save his hatchlings?"

"Ok, first, don't say that ever again... Second, we need them and it looks like they need us so I'd say go help them."

I nodded and got up from my manwich and started walking over. I let out a wisp of my Aura as a dragon and watched as a visible chill went down the spines of everyone around me. The bandits stopped and looked over at me with a look of fear in the big one, a look of worry from the dual wielder, but the nimble/crazy one had a look of excitement. That one could pose a problem so I picked up a stone from the ground and popped it in my mouth.

They all looked at me funny but what was happening was that inside my mouth I was super heating the rock with a weak version of [Breath of the Sun] to turn the stone into a lava loogie that I then Spat out at the crazy one and watched as it landed right on their forehead. At first nothing happened as their nerves registered what was going on, but once that happened.... It was like watching a three stooges show where everyone was banging up against eachother except this guy was ramming up against trees as he waS trying to remove the molten lava from his face. 

"That is a harsh way to go... Did you really have to shoot lava at them like that? Also how the hell did you just shoot lava? I'm an Earth dragon and you're a spatial dragon so how the fuck Vexsus?"

"Correction, Spatial/Smoke. I may not use it very often but my first element was smoke. And I just used one of my other skills to super heat the rock in my mouth and turn it to lava. It's simple science... Well except the part where I used magic... But all the same."

"Yea whatever you say.... Now about the other two? Should we capture them and make them work for us? We still need to build our forces for the upcoming war."

"Ugh, don't remind about that, first I have to deal with that prick Necro, then I can focus on the war. Just go capture them I guess, I need to go do something for Gluttony real quick while the thoughts still in my mind."

Gaia nodded before running at the bandits and with a speed that only I could see he tied up and subdued the bandits and was in the process of talking to them. The three swordsman were off to the side huffing and puffing and resting from the fight.

I stopped caring as I walked over to the 3 bodies I left untouched after I killed them. I planned on giving these to Gluttony, I didn't know if she wanted their souls or not but I figured she would be happy with the flesh for now.

*Gluttony can you hear me? I know I have been a horrible subordinate but I have a few offerings here that you might enjoy. Just let me know how to give them to you and I will.*

A small screen appeared in my vision of one of my skills.

[Hidden Skill: Abyssal Stomach - Able to consume vast amounts of materials for use as sustenance.]

Hmm, so does this mean she can use what I put in there? So far I haven't really used that as my body itself has been somehow able to keep up with the vast amounts of food I eat. But maybe this whole time the extras have been going in there? Damn, so many things I don't know about my Sin skills.... Ahwell screw it...

I just focused on the bodies in front of me and used Abyssal Stomach to consume them, I forgot how powerful it could be as not only the bodies but also a few meteres in front of me was consumed aswell. Trees, ground, everything was sucked in at a fast pace before I ended the skill.

I didn't feel any different but waited in the hopes of some kind of sign.

*Ugh, Gluttony says thank you for the meal. She needs time to digest your offerings and turn it into energy, In exchange for turning me into a messenger she said she would bring you to me tonight... so prepare mortal, for a very long talk...*

"FUCK ME! THIS BITCH IS GONNA KILL ME DAMMIT!" I screamed at full volume to the point the air vibrated.

Gaia came running up to me in a hurry and a panic. "Who Vexsus? Who is going to kill you!?" He had a firm grasp on his spear as he looked around with a vigilance, but after a few minutes of silence he looked back at me with a questioning look in his eyes.

"It's Wrath, In exchange for sending me a message from Gluttony for whatever fucking reason... She agreed to give Wrath alone time with me tonight."

"Wrath? Gluttony? Are you talking about the god's of this world? I know you are a Sin Holder but are you telling me you have the power of two Sins?"

"Well at first it was Only Gluttony, but then somethings happened and Wrath joined the party and added a small addition of hers to my brand. She's the reason I have to sacrifice those I use my power on, well specifically those who I use the power of Wrath on. You know when my body gets huge and there is like a red flaming cloak around my body? Yea that's Wrath giving me a bit of her power. But this time I sacrificed the three bodies to Gluttony but in exchange I now get to spend the night with the Sin of Wrath who wants nothing more than to flay my skin and sip my soul from my body like a leech...."

"...." Gaia just stood there staring at me as I rant and rave about the possible destruction I'm going to be a part of later tonight.

"Come on man, let's go, I want to atleast be in Pride village before I die. I can feel that another few hours of walking and we will see it."

I was dreading tonight but I just pushed that to the back of my mind as I started walking.

[Quest Complete Congratulations!]

[Recieved Reward: Visit of Sin]

[P.S. Sorry ????]

Ugh these gods are playing a dangerous game now.... I'm not particularly fond of being traded like a pig at auction.... 

*You'd better give me something for sending me to the grinder like this Gluttony.*

I sent that mental message before I sighed in defeat.

-----A few hours later-----

"There it is Gaia! There is Pride Village!" I was getting excited as I saw the giant huts that made up the Village of the Dragons of Pride. Gaia could only smile and chuckle as he watched me get pumped up.

"Calm down brother, we still don't know exactly how rotten things have gotten while under the rule of our siblings. We need to take this slow and be prepared for anything." 

"I know, I know, but can't you feel that Gaia? Can you not feel that sensation of peace in your soul that came from stepping into our homeland? I know I wasn't here for long but still It's like something deep inside me finally relaxed!....  Dammit, Gaia, take the followers and step back, family has come to welcome us home." The smile that was plastered on my face mere seconds ago was now replaced with a calm, yet alert stare as I felt movement from in front us and appearing from thin air comes a green scaled Dragonoid with feminine features.

"Welcome home stranger, it's been so long since I last saw you... Little Brother." The figure in front of us then turned their head from me to Gaia.

"Gaia, welcome back, have you realized your mistake and come to seek forgiveness? I'm sure Aurum can forgive you for betraying him."

Gaia stepped up and with a closed fist hit his chest and puffed it up and with confidence spoke. "I will never ever betray Our ELDEST BROTHER ever again. It is you and the other siblings who have betrayed Vexsus, You should seek forgiveness now before things end up how it usually does when brother gets angry."

"Pfft hahahaha, You really think just because this shrimp finally grew up and was able to aquire a bipedal form that I would seek forgiveness? Fine, before I prostrate before you Vexsus, why don't we go say hi to the real oldest brother."

She then turned around and before she could walk any further I stopped her.

"Marico.... Don't do this. I came to collect on behalf of the Necromancer Necro. Tell Aurum his side of the bargain has come due."

Shew whipped her head around and glared at me with visible anger.

"To think a mere errand boy demands anything from me..." Her snarled face quickly takes on a calm expression. "Follow me visitors and enjoy the delicacies of Pride Village. Gaia, I'm sure mother and father would be beyond surprised at your visit." With a wave of her hand the air roiled around her and she disappeared.

Gaia looked at me with a questioning look. "Do we really have to do this?"

"It's all for Hannah Gaia, the more time we take dealing with these assholes the longer she is left in the care of the villanous dick cheese."

He chuckled as we started to walk forwards and I could feel a few sets of invisible eyes following our movements.

I looked back at the four humans and one ratman that continued to follow in silence and gave them a quick speech about how they needed to keep their heads down while here and not to cause trouble. The former bandits gave me a look of unruliness but a quick wisp of aura shut them up quick.

"Welcome to Jur...I mean Pride Village." I waved my hand forwards as we all walked through a giant archway gate that was in front of us. Beyond it was massive huts built to withstand the full size of dragons and some that were made specifically for Dragonoids with outer decks for full sized dragons to eat and relax at a tavern like setting. I could hear the laughing and jovial atmosphere slowly die down as all around I saw heads turning and staring at the newcomers that were followed by non-dragons.

One of the full sized dragons came up and smiled. "Ah, I see you have brought offerings for King Aurum, As his taste tester I need to sample the offerings before you give them away." Besides the obvious lie, He wasn't really fooling me since he had a waterfall of drool coming out the side of his mouth.

"I'm sorry good sir, but these creatures are not offerings, they are my followers and will be treated as such. But instead I was hoping you could help me find a couple people... Their names are Solace and Nitali? Their son Gaia has come home and wants to see them."

He looks me up and down for a second before chuckling. "Hahaha, you're not Gaia... Who are you?"

"I'm Gaia, Can you please point me towards where mother and father are? I really miss them." Gaia spoke up after I gave him a quick glance hoping he would catch on.

"Ah, Gaia long time no see, I thought that was you but you smell funny? Corrupted almost? like a piece is missing to? Hmmmm, either way go up towards the mountain and they should be still in the same home they've always been in. Solace only comes out to hunt now and Nitali only comes into town to get supplies before going back to being a hermit again." The dragon then pointed towards the nearby mountain and then turned to resume whatever he was doing.

"Let's go brother, I'm sure mother and father will be quite surprised with how you look now."

"Yea, I got a few things I need to go over with them anyways."