Chapter 679: A Parent’s Duty
Death is very far away from Tehom. Both literally and figuratively.
Since the Nevi'im make up 98% of society and can no longer die underneath Abaddon's power, the days of them fearing an eventual end are over.
However, they still remember the departed that they cannot get back.
When Abaddon seized Helheim, less than 1% of deceased souls from Dola were actually there.
For those that were, a couple were offered the chance to return back to life. Most had to remain dead.
Lillian decreed death to be a natural thing for all creatures.
Nevi'im are the height of unnatural beings.
She personally forbade the wanton resurrection of any who had already died of natural causes.
Those who passed had fulfilled a very intricate and beautiful cycle. As such, they had earned their rest and eventual reincarnation.
The few who were allowed to be resurrected immediately were those who she took special pity on.
Such as children who were murdered or those who died in horrible accidents. Those who had never really had a chance to live.
Needless to say, this was a difficult pill to swallow for many.
Nevi'im are immensely powerful beings. In Tehom they are greater than most gods.
And yet for all of their power, they were learning that there would be some instances were they were not free to exert it.
Just because they defy the laws of nature and physics, doesn't mean that everything else can. Nor should they make it.
It was a bit upsetting for some, sure. But it was also eye opening. It was humbling.
As such, Nevi'im honor death immensely.
It is one of the few forces that, though it may no longer bind them specifically, is still quite worthy of reverence.
To honor their departed lost ones, they build rather large cemeteries.
Sometimes, they can sit and observe their departed for days or weeks at a time.
Four hundred miles north of the Tathamet manor, there is a large open field laden with large boulders.
Two very large dragons could be seen sitting alone within the grassy plain.
One was a very large eastern dragon that almost perfectly resembled a snake.
It's scales were a beautiful glossy purple color like newly formed amethyst. Their beauty was a thing of the grandest wonder.
Her face, despite being monstrous, possessed an alluring beauty that would provoke quite the strange feeling of attraction in any human that lay eyes on her.
The dragon beside her was much different.
Not only was he larger, but he had a western build that was packed to the brim with muscles.
Everything about him was overtly bold and powerful. He exhuded intimidation from every pore on his body.
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The dragon's spine was lined with rocky stone-like blades that were sharp enough to trim the beard of god himself.
His four massive wings were wrapped around his feminine companion like a blanket sheltering her from the cold.
Their gazes were locked on the same place for what felt like eternity.
It wasn't until the wind whistled overhead that they finally lifted their gazes upward to investigate.
Seras landed right before the two of them in her own frightening scaly appearance.
Abaddon landed a short distance away, just to give the family time to talk.
Seras walked up to both of her parents and to their surprise, she nuzzled them affectionately.
If Hajun weren't in such a somber mood, he would have already fallen over from cuteness overload.
"Dask… Opsola. Svabol re wux tirir tenpiswo?" (Mother… Father. What are you doing here?)
"Yth.." (We…) Kirina glanced at the boulders nearby that the two of them had been staring at for a long time.
Seras inspected the graves and found that they seemed to be recently created.
And judging by the number, as well as the attitude of her husband and parents, that could only mean one thing.
"You didn't…" She muttered.
Kirina lowered her head as if she were ashamed.
"…I am only sorry that it took us so long to do it."
"I don't understand. Why would you do this??" Seras questioned.
"…Because for a long time your father and I didn't believe that we could have a child together.
And when you were born, I made a promise to you that I would protect you from any harm regardless of the origin or circumstance…"
Seras shook her head weakly. "M-Mother, I would have never asked you to harm your children.."
"They ceased to be my children when they harmed you so horribly! Your father and I should have done this a long time ago!"
Hajun, great mountain of stone that he resembled, finally spoke.
"She speaks true, Seras. Nobody should have been allowed to harm you to such a degree. Nobody."
Though he wasn't actively apart of the conversation, Abaddon was still listening.
He had his own personal thoughts on the matter, but he didn't voice them for reasons only known to himself.
However, he did notice something about his in-laws that he had never even noticed before.
They were completely insane.
He was also a parent and he loved his children immensely.
If their circumstances were reversed and he was in a predicament where any of his children were being mutilated by the rest… he would not know what to do.
No parenting book prepares you for something like that. (He knew because he read a lot when Thea was first born.)
Hajun and Kirina found out that their daughter was still suffering from her past and they took immediate, lethal action.
Was it strength or insanity that allowed them to do such a thing? Abaddon was more inclined to believe that it was the latter, but perhaps it was a bit of the former too.
As their overlord he knew he should condemn them. They had killed his citizens in cold blood while ignoring their current status and position.
But as the man who loved their daughter with every fiber of his being, he wanted to thank them for doing something he had fantasized about for hours at a time.
The only reason why he never did, was because Seras had expressly asked him not to.
She claimed she didn't think about them. That they were just ants in her past.
And he believed her because she seemed so sincere at the time.
He never knew what just a single sighting of them would do to her.
"I do not want to bear this responsibility…" even though Seras thought herself out of tears earlier, she proved now that she still had more to bear.
"I will not be the reason why you have to carry the blood of your children on your hands… it is a burden too big for even my shoulders."
"No, Seras. Please understand that you have not forced us to do anything. We did this of our own accord. And we alone will bear all of the responsibility."
Hajun wrapped both his wife and his daughter under his massive wings.
Together, they all shed tears for the cracks in their family that they had yet to heal.
This scene was a complex one, but endearing nonetheless.
After this, Seras would certainly never be the same. And perhaps now, she would have the relationship with her family that the years of trauma had taken from her.
-
"So then what did you end up doing with those two?"
"… Officially, Generals Hajun and Kirina will be stepping down from their respective positions to reflect on their actions in closed off seclusion within the mountains."
"And unofficially?"
"…I've been bringing them food and wine everyday these past couple of weeks. And I cannot wait for them to come home."
Kanami chuckled without looking up at her brother.
"You've turned into quite the family man, brother. I never would have anticipated it."
Abaddon briefly recalled his childhood spent with his sisters.
It's true he wasn't always the most talkative and outgoing brother back then.
Perhaps since he was the oldest, he inherited exactly half of his father's power. His body couldn't keep up with it.
But Malenia and Kanami inherited approximately 40% and 35% respectively.
The worst thing that ever happened to them as kids was accidentally falling down the stairs while they were playing too much.
And though he loved his sisters immensely, young and immature Exedra was jealous of them a little bit. It caused him to close himself off from them once he was older.
It wasn't until he married Sif that he opened up to them more and cultivated their relationships at her advice.
And he was glad he'd done so. The bond he had with both of his sisters was invaluable to him.
"Family is important, is it not? This is all we have."
"So sentimental… pass me that axe."
"You have telekinesis?"
"Just do it, shithead."
"Flat-chested bitch.."
"What was that?!"
"Nothing, dear sister." Abaddon smiled innocently.
Abaddon did as his sister instructed and handed her a large battle axe that was almost as wide as he was.
This was the pre-battle ritual the two of them had started ever since Abaddon had developed his powers and began going on crusades.
They have all of the members of the Euphrates turn in their weapons the night before a big battle, and the two personally sharpen and 'bless' them.
It does quite the wonders for morale.
But this time, the two had a very particular visitor joining them.
"Zzz…."
Kanami's eyes went to the sleeping woman on her bedroom floor.
If she didn't have perfect eyesight, she would definitely believe she was mistaking the sight of Seras for someone else.
Never would she have imagined that she would see her sister in law curled up like a newborn kitten in her brother's lap- sleeping her life away contentedly.
Seras wasn't much of a sit down kind of person.
If there was free time, she usually did some crunches or one handed push ups once she'd been sitting too long.
She was the kind of woman who almost always had to be improving.
And war preparations typically stirred something within her blood. The night before a battle made her extra jittery. (And handsy)
"I've never really seen her like that before… What exactly did you do to her this time?" Kanami chuckled.
Abaddon knew what his sister was implying, but he couldn't really take credit for Seras' recent change in personality.
In fact, they'd actually been having less sex and spending more time together kissing and hugging like 9th graders.
It was quite cute.
Abaddon brushed aside some of Seras' hair as he smiled at her fondly.
"My love is finally healing… And for once I had nothing to do with it."
Kanami stared at her brother with a bit of pride in her eyes.
She opened her mouth to tell him that she was proud of the man he had become, but somehow something entirely different slipped out.
"Simp."
"Kill yourself."