In the First Realm of Hell, within the Chamber of Proving, Umbra still lay motionless, death mana storming around her while gods and spirits alike stood as close as they could, Mortia still stabilizing her.
Scry had just finished telling Kai’s story, with Arthraxius and Kai’s spirits confirming the details.
“I’ll be damned. I cannot believe that Tenebris went through all that trouble just to find a successor to her son’s power. But she was always clever, that one... And damn emotional…” Mortia sighed.
Then she exhaled more deeply. “I see. Well, if my student’s soul is linked to a successor of the God of Souls, then all this makes more sense. She allowed the link to take root, and now it is too deep. They are one now. Scryus, if I were you, I would prepare for the worst. The rest of you as well,” Mortia warned.
“If you all think that you can live with your anchor gone, you are sorely mistaken. You are all still fine only because he has yet to give in!” Mortia warned.
“Sister!” Seleneth cried out. “I cannot lose you again!” he begged.
“Foolish brother. I was lost long ago. What exists now is only here because of our inheritor. If he perishes, I should follow along, as it is a mother’s duty!” Viridya spoke solemnly, still cradling the egg.
“Aye, young Kai has given us freedom and hope, feelings we have not felt in eons. We are ready to depart alongside him!” Gui nodded, the other beasts nodding in agreement.
“I have already died. My last life was not a good one, yet he redeemed me, used my power to bring forth justice, and honored me better than I would have myself. He even let me laze around while he did all the work. Whatever should happen, I will follow,” Silver spoke solemnly.
“I do regret not being able to see my brother’s demise, but alas. At least I was able to find my own successor. I just hope that crazy Liliya doesn’t follow us too soon!” Solivus spoke, his pigeon form melting into his smaller godly form.
“Are you all insane?!” Scry roared. “Nobody is going anywhere! Let me hear this nonsense one more time, and I’ll slap some sense into all of you!”
“Brother speaks true. When have you ever seen my Kai give up? I watched him when he was but a speck of dust in the grand scheme of things, and look at him now. Primordials are following him. Have some hope that the son of a dragon, nay, a true dragon, will not fall like this!” Arthraxius growled.
“Alright. I see that you are all crazy. I do not dislike that. Milis, bring forth the Tears of Summer. But this is the most I can do to help!” Mortia warned.
“Mother, you must be joking!” Orcus shouted. “That is only to be used in cases of emergency. Eiron said so!”
“My brother will understand; he can cry some more.” Mortia chuckled, and Milis nodded before leaving.
***
A few moments later, Milis returned with a small glass vial filled with emerald-shining liquid. Barely a few drops remained within.
Mortia grabbed it and waved Viridya over. “Give me the egg. Don’t worry, I won’t harm him,” she said gently.
Viridya paused for a moment but, with a loud sigh, unwillingly placed the egg into Mortia’s pale hands.
Mortia laid the egg next to Umbra and let two drops of the pure life liquid fall onto them before moving away from the vortex of death.
The lifeforce of a Primordial merged into the two, and a large shell of intertwined vine-like veins slowly covered them and started pulsing gently through the darkness.
“Now it is up to them. Come, let us sit.” Mortia waved her hand and summoned chairs and tables, alongside food and refreshments.
***
Within the egg, Kai floated in his draconic-headed form, observing the snakes fight one another. Enormous serpents, the very representations of everything he had amassed so far.
Then a surge of vitality flowed into him, and from his head a new translucent body grew, dark blue and scaly.
Seeing it up close, he realized it looked exactly like what the lake serpent would have become if it had evolved further.
So, this is me? A snake man? He chuckled slightly at the ridiculousness of the situation. Then his gaze fell upon the serpents, and he noticed an additional serpent appear in the middle of the chaos.
Ten beings representing water, thunderfire, earth, wind, life, light, deathly darkness, soul, time, and finally the last one, a crimson flaming serpent that made space shatter wherever it moved.
Space? So, the power of space was within the Eternal Flame all along, brought to life by what I grasped back then? Kai thought, not entirely sure how that had happened.
How should I stop them? They are fighting each other to the death for control of my soul.
“Brother! Where are you?!” Umbra’s voice echoed through the world of the egg.
“Umbra?!” Kai gasped.
Crack
Ripple
Umbra dove through the egg’s shell in her simple Tigerhawk form.
“Brother, you went and fought gods without me?! I should fight you here and now!” she roared.
The serpents ignored the two completely as they continued their bloodless battle.
“I am sorry, Umbra. It just happened...” Kai spoke regretfully.
“Something always happens with you, huh?” Umbra growled.
“You know, ever since we met, you were always the one watching over me, never allowing me to be the one protecting you, even though I am the older sister in this story. You always had to go and be a hero...” She exhaled.
“You speak quite eloquently now,” Kai noticed.
“Well, I am not the same as I was either, now am I? How can I stay in place when you are soaring even higher than most gods?” she replied, sounding offended.
“But why are you here?” Kai asked, confused and slightly afraid of the answer.
“My brother, you and I have been one ever since back then. Who knew that your soul was not quite right, huh?” She cracked a small smile.
“Through the soulbond we became one. If you die, I die, and I never thought that you would be the first one to go. I truly am a lousy sister.” She exhaled heavily.
“Umbra, you are my anchor, my first family in this damned world. The one who took me in when I had nobody. You brought me to your home and taught me how to grow stronger. Luckily, I survived that.” He cracked a smile.
“I missed that smile, you know, you fool.” She lunged at him, and they embraced.
“You are the best sister one could ask for, okay? Never say that! It’s the other way around. I am a bad brother for leaving you alone for so long.” He cried.
“That you are, but it’s fine. I don’t hold grudges.” She winked.
“Haha, since when?” He laughed.
“Now that is my old Kai.” She smiled back.
“Now, you crazy brother. What is our next plan? We cannot just roll over and die. We have gods to kill and worlds to save.” She roared.
“We do? I thought you would not be interested in heroic deeds.”
“As long as battle is involved, I am interested. Now then, speak, brother.” She said it as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.
“I was told that I need to find out who I am and what makes me, well, me, and become something new, whatever that is.” He shrugged.
“Well, that is easy then. You are Kai.” She spoke as if it were the clearest thing ever, her tail whipping around playfully.
“I am Kai?” he questioned. “I am Kai!”
His heart raced, and he closed his eyes as he repeated the same old mantra. I am Kai.
The scenes of his life on Earth, his studies, his track-and-field days, his gaming days, and his family. It all flashed before his eyes.
Then it all changed in a flash of light, and he saw Beastworld, Umbra, Scry, Arthraxius, even Tusk and Lupus and the other beasts.
He saw fights to the death and quiet moments before the Arcanum with just the three of them.
Then it switched to Lisa, Nerva, Liliya, Xarion, Zara, Lucius, Kram, Hansen, Harrietta, all of them, even Bjorn and Arama, and of course Florian.
He saw the lives of gods and men; he lived through them all; he sensed them all shaping him into something new.
He saw himself grow from a simple draconic human to a Dracorious, a true dragon, and in the end, a Hydragon.
He saw gods fall and mothers lose their children; he even fought the Enemy, his Generals, and his armies.
Demons fell, beasts roared, and men marched into battle.
And in the center of it all was he, a small kid from Lakeland, one who liked to mess around, be with his friends, and above all, one who liked to win.
Win at anything he did. Be the best wherever he could be, and even if forced into something, he would do everything he could to come out on top.
I never saw myself like that, from an outsider's point of view. So, in the end, that was what pushed me forward. I must say it is kind of disappointing. I would’ve thought I was more heroic than that. But then, I guess it doesn’t matter what motivates me as long as it helps others.
Oh! He gasped.
That’s it! Kai is someone who pushes through to win, but not for victory’s sake, rather to prove that he can do it, to prove that despite everything, he can come out on top.
I see. That’s what none of the lives I lived through had.
Lupus feared being weak and dying; that’s why he needed power.
Viridya lived a life of leisure, and when she was needed the most, she did not have the power to change anything.
Florian feared being lesser. He feared being forgotten by history. That’s why, when he needed to push through and learn, he fell into darkness, taking the easy way out.
Solivus trusted his brother too much, even though he knew who he was.
Gaeruda ran from the demons even though he could’ve won if he had stood his ground.
The Four Beasts took Kaleth for granted, and he gave in to sorrow and temptation, while Progenius and Tenebria chose to hide in grief instead of fighting.
And what would Kai do?
Kai would fight until the end. He would push through the fear. He would not laze around; he would prepare for everything, and he would win, at any cost necessary.
He would win for those who gave up, for those who are afraid, and for those who cannot fight.
“I am not a dragon, or a god, or, unfortunately, a human. I am Kai, the one who carries it all, the one who wins. And yes, I am a serpent, a serpent that never gave up but pushed through, from an egg to a vast lake, always seeking a higher realm.”
His voice echoed across the egg.
“That is why my soul, in the end, took this shape. I am not a malicious Hydra, or a proud Dragon, or a frightened human, or an entitled god.”
He straightened. “I am the one who carries the universe within. The one who never stops. I am Kai, the serpent that carries the World and swallows it if needed, the World Serpent!”
He spoke his truth.
The scales fell from his body like tears, revealing a pristine form beneath.
His pale skin was now crisscrossed with faint scale-like markings, barely visible to the naked eye.
His now long hair turned pitch black, like a living shadow.
His eyes shifted back to their old amber shine, yet remained slitted like those of a dragon.
His body grew to two meters in height, his muscles tight and explosive, while his fingers and toes morphed into a blend of human and draconic clawed limbs.
Then he descended with Umbra by his side in her human form, a scythe resting in her hand.
“Brother, it is nice to see you back. Though some of the things you said were quite embarrassing.”
She grinned. “‘I am Kai, the World Serpent!’” She laughed loudly, making Kai blush.
“I was caught in the moment; leave me be!” he snapped back.
They descended before the ten serpents, which now finally regarded them as opponents, each glowing with the power of its concept.
“You take five; I take five?” Kai smiled.
“Sounds like a plan!” Umbra smirked.