Chapter 5: 3.0 – Dilemma

A solitary Galaxy spanned across the vast horizon of darkness, its lights illuminating the icy void of space. However, this scene was  vastly different to the one I had recollected within my memory. There was no grand explosion, no rubble of rocks scattered about. Disintegration, Instead of the pulsating lights, there was now only emptiness. In a way, It was almost breathtaking to witness, certainly captivating at the least. Destruction in its most perfect form, leaving nothing behind to defile its memory. The being responsible for this, nowhere to be seen, as if the act of such indiscriminate destruction was a routine occurrence.

[A Fragment of Chaos has Successfully been Integrated]

 

…

 

…

 

[Constructing…]

 

…

 

[Construction Failed]

 

[Re-Attempting Construction]

 

…

 

…

 

…

 

[Construction successful - Gained skill Matter Manipulation[S] ]

 

 

---

Following my brief slumber, where I both heard from and received gifts from Yafel, my eyelids slowly shuttered open as I hazily scanned my surroundings.

 

I was still in the same room where I remember sleeping off in, now within my mothers arms. 

 

Surveying further there was a new addition to the room - a petite yet opulent wooden bed situated just a few feet away from the massive royal bed. It was evident that the larger bed that my mother and I were currently in was where my parents slept, meaning that this was their bedchambers.

 

Did the human residents of this world deliver babies within their household? Or was that just a noble thing perhaps.

 

The smaller bed had a wooden support frame surrounding it, almost like a wooden cage.

 

I certainly will not be sleeping in that. 

 

Do they take me for some kind of caged beast? Restrained like some animal. I mentally noted to myself to certainly act like one if they confined me there against my will.

 

As I lay down comfortably within my mothers arms, I couldn't help but have a returning, uncomfortable feeling enter my gut. I'm certain I just ate, Just where does all the energy go inside this small body, all I've done is sleep. 

 

I tried signalling towards my mother of my returning feeling of hunger by touching the cloth she had re-wrapped around her breasts. 

 

Perhaps it was some sort of biological chemical reaction incurred to foster bonds between offspring and their mothers, but as our eyes met and her loving, diamond blue gaze met mine, It was as if she could instantly read my thoughts and desires, as if a spark of fire had ignited between us. 

 

She began to open up her clothes for me to continue suckling on her breasts.

 

Upon further inspection of the room, I noticed that the maid, Lita, had regressed back to her usual cold expression. She stood rigidly in the corner of the room, appearing almost like a statue, yet nobody seemed to find anything bizarre about it.

 

Her cloudy eyes would occasionally shoot a piercing gaze in my direction, causing a soft shiver to run up my spine.

 

Quickly looking away, I noticed my father discussing something with the woman in the black robe. I believe her name was Lisette. I couldn't Quite hear the full details of their conversation. 

 

One particular sentence said loudly by my father did however catch my attention. “Begin preparations for the afterbirth ceremony, Lisette.” The mature woman named Lisette then gave a short curtsy and after giving me one final look, began to exit the room.

As she approached the unusual blackwood doors, she took measured steps with dignity. As if sensing her presence, the doors automatically opened, granting her exit from the room. Intrigued by this phenomenon, I deduced that the still glowing symbols etched into the door were responsible for the doors reaction.

 

The same symbols were also inscribed into the window, and on further inspection I could also see much smaller symbols inscribed on the bed frame, chandelier and frames running around the bottom edges of the walls.

 

My mother seemed to notice my eyes swimming dizzily across the room. Laughing softly, she looked warmly at me “Tene, you're just like your father, extremely curious about everything.” She didn't look upset as she spoke but instead looked at me with uncontainable affection.

 

As she bent down to softly whisper into my ear, her thin, velvety blonde hair brushed ticklishly across my forehead.“It's ok, it's one of the reasons I fell for him.”

 

My father had been leisurely walking towards us following Lisette's departure, observing my mother as she whispered into my ear. With a playful tone he asked “hopefully she's not learning about how vile and evil her father is.”

 

My mother rolled her eyes “bringing up ancient memories now, are we Samel.” My father simply smiled, relaxed and sat next to her on the large royal bed. 

 

Embracing both of us, my father whispered “Ancient? You mean last year.” I couldn't help but perk my ears up from that piece of information. My mother had called him a vile, evil man just a year ago, she had clearly hated him.

 

How did she get from hating a man to what I see now? Inconceivable.

 

She looked up at my father, clearly pouting. 

 

With his jet-black hair and shimmering golden eyes, my father appeared like a deity of mischief. He furtively looked down at my mother, perhaps apprehensive about whether his actions had crossed a line.

 

On second thought, I doubt a god of mischief would feel much guilt.

 

Her expression shifting instantly, my mother looked up impishly with a wide smile spread across her face. It looked like she was quite the actress, even I had fallen for her act and I had dealt with a certain difficult to read Goddess.

 

Relaxing, my fathers face reddened, looking slightly betrayed.

 

Brittle, bell-like laughter filled the room as my mother, now catching her breath, said “Well Tene, Do you see your father as a vile or evil man?” She glanced down at me brightly, clearly still teasing my father. 

 

Merciless.

 

Finally full after my meal, I tried to rotate my infant body upwards using my small pudgy arms. Finally, succeeding on the third attempt, I looked up at my parents and attempted to tell them to stop their bickering, before realising I couldn't communicate in their language.

 

“Coghouicering!” I also forgot I seemed to be absent of teeth at the moment as well.
Strange, What language was I actually speaking in then? Perhaps a Language ingrained somewhere in my memory.

 

Breaking my thought process, I looked up to see both my parents had completely forgotten their earlier grievances and were looking at me soft eyed. My mother in particular brought me into a deep hug. 

 

“Let me Hold her for a second too.” My father said, a look of urgency on his face.

“Wait your turn, Samel” My mother replied distantly. I could almost see the hearts in her eyes as she gazed at me lovingly.  

 

Ugh, that chill again. 

 

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Looking across the room, Lita 's cloudy grey eyes were staring at me with an almost deadly, intimidating glare, her fingers digging deeply into her palms. Her expression, still ice cold.

 

Despite a gut feeling of it being unlike me, I still couldn't help but avert my eyes again. Why?

 

My mother, finally begrudgingly passing me on to my father,  gently scooped me up in his tougher, more rough hands. 

 

[Conditions Met - Divine Race Unlocked]

 

[Constructing Divine Race]

 

Huh? I feel like I've heard this voice before. A woman's cold robotic voice seemed to ring within my mind. 

 

Suddenly, a strong purple glow filled the room, blinding everyone. 

 

My father was the first to react, panicking as he quickly realised the glow originated from none other than me. His golden eyes gained a sparkling lustre as he now gazed directly at me through the blazing purple light.

 

[Race Integration Failed]

 

…

 

[Attempting Reintegration into Class]

 

My mother and Lita reacted in unison, with Lita displaying an alarming level of speed as she rushed towards me. Her movements were lightning-fast, like a gentle gust of wind, causing the vases around her to sway. A murderous glint entered her eyes as she rapidly surveyed the area. Her gaze was piercing, similarly to my father, as if she could see through the dazzling purple light, her cloudy eyes taking on a shimmering silver glow.

 

my mother screamed “Samel, what's going on! Please, make sure Tenes alright!” She was struggling to look through the light, ignoring the effects on her eyesight. 

 

Stop, An unfamiliar emotion surging through my chest. 

 

Almost as if to grant my heart's wish, the bright light vanished, disappearing as suddenly as it came. 

 

[Class Construction Successful]

 

…

 

[Unlocked Class Dimensional Weaver]

 

“T–tene, are you alright!!?” My mother shouted, her voice drowned in worry. Her eyes were still dazed by the light, struggling to get a good look at me, she rubbed her eyes, attempting to focus on me. 

 

My father and Litas expressions however, were one and the same. Shock. Both of them expressed it differently but I could tell they were both equally shocked, because so was I.

 

Sprouting almost like ivy behind me were a pair of small purple, feathery wings. The same bright purple colour as from the light earlier. 

 

The wings were large enough to slightly wrap around towards the front of my body, the tips slightly visible to me. I could also feel a second pair, smaller and slightly lower than the previous two, attached to the bigger pair, like fingers attached to a hand. 

 

As if a dream-like apparition, a symbol materialised before me, hazily hovering in my line of sight. The emblem consisted of two wings, both purple in hue, intersecting at a central point, over a hexagonal overlay. The symbol was reminiscent of the carvings that adorned the room of different shapes and designs, but what distinguished it from its surroundings was a brilliant, radiant purple light that seemed to emanate from within the symbol.

 

Lita and my father, still looking dumbfounded, were staring directly at my wings.

 

huh? Are they unable to notice the symbol? 

 

Then as if to snap them out of their trance, I felt myself being pulled gently out of my fathers grasp. “Tene. Are you alright?!!” She hugged me within her embrace, my newly acquired wings feeling slightly uncomfortable.  

 

Then, slowly releasing me, she gently touched them. “Samel, what's going on?” her voice had a sense of urgency to it, her eyes pleading to my father for answers.

 

Lita, un entering her battle stance, appeared to momentarily ease as she regained her stoic demeanour. Yet, a new expression of worry faintly creased her normally frigid face as her gaze shifted towards my father, also looking for answers. 

 

My father's eyes dimmed in lustre as he seemed to have cancelled whatever had enhanced his vision.

 

Gathering himself, he now appeared befuddled as he gazed intently at my wings “I'm certain there were no traces of those wings during her birth, meaning they are either the effects of a Zodiac item or skill.” My father thoughtfully said, a hint of excitement muddled in his voice as he finished.

 

A multitude of emotions transitioned across my mothers face, from disbelief to eventual unease. Lita on the other hand seemed lost in thought.

 

“Samel, I thank Eldara it's not some kind of biological defect, But I know that look of yours Samel. She's our ONE DAY old daughter Samel. Forget it” My mother looked very annoyed as she said that. 

 

I couldn't help but ponder on the two terms my father had said. Zodiac item and skills. Since I was bareback naked right now I had to assume it was a skill. Could he be referring to the words that had spoke directly into my mind? 

 

My father clearly trying to hide his excitement coughed lightly, standing straight and trying to maintain his prior noble presence. “I'll have to ask Lissette for further details, but of course, I would never put our daughter in any kind of harm's way, she'll be allowed to walk any path she chooses” My mothers expression twitched slightly.

 

“Chooses?…right dear” My mother, clearly irritated, sarcastically responded. 

 

This might have been the first time I truly saw my mother annoyed.

 

“Look Kara, if this is a skill, before her birthing ceremony? It could only mean that she was divinely blessed by a god” As my father spoke, although he tried to maintain his expressions his voice began to rise.

 

“If it's a Light oriented god then her future is basically guaranteed.” He said, attempting to persuade my mother.

 

“But what if people mistake her for a demi human Samel, even though slavery was abolished, many of the nobles still look down on them” my mother hesitantly replied.

Slavery? The word brought a certain sense of disgust to my chest. After all, I could relate to having no sense of freedom. 

 

“Not possible, there are no demi humans with purple wings, let alone wings as beautiful as hers. The Renata tribe's wings pale in comparison and are black.” My father said, somewhat proudly as he crouched down and began to feel my wings. 

 

Wait a second. Even my mother was absentmindedly fiddling with my feathers, a slight blush appearing on her face as she appeared less irritated. 

 

Sighing, my mother seemed to have taken my fathers words in stride. “I understand, I'll trust in your discernment Samel. But she still has to figure out some way to hide them. just going outside like this could put her at risk with Illegal slave traders in the future''  

 

“Of course, I'll have Lissette acquire a Zodiac item of discernment for her. It should hide her wings. I'll still have her investigate her wings to ascertain their source though” My father replied. 

 

Lita was closely looking at my feathers while my mother and father stroked them. She was looking at my wings with eyes akin to primal hunger, as if she wanted to swallow them whole. 

 

Again? I thought to myself, for somebody who attempts to hide her expressions through a cold, stony face, her intentions were plainly obvious to read. I just hope my parents don't give her permission to touch my wings. 

 

“Lita, would you also like to touch Tenes wings?” My mother said, clearly also reading Lita's intentions.

 

Damn.