Simo

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With Ynos unconscious, the rest of us engaged in idle chatter for a while. Immy asked us about our experiences on the frontlines, the battles, and everything. Her words prompted me to recount our 'adventures'.

As I spoke, vivid images formed in their minds, of leaping from one world to another, fighting alongside mortals, deities, and fellow dragons, immersing ourselves in the chaos of battle. Occasionally, Sidus added his perspective, offering additional insights that enriched our shared narrative.

Immy and Essie were captivated by our tales, their eyes sparkling with curiosity and wonder, as if we were weaving the most captivating of sagas. Breta, usually more reserved, also joined the conversation at Immy's urging.

Gradually, the weight of our father's loss began to feel a little lighter as the warmth of our shared history enveloped us. Laughter and fond memories flowed like a soothing balm for our souls.

Sometime later, Ynos awakened, his face bearing a tinge of embarrassment for his earlier actions. His silent remorse spoke volumes, a sign of his ability to reflect and grow from his experiences.

Our harmonious conversation continued, five dragons and one goddess gathered as equals. The atmosphere was light, and at one point, Essie playfully descended to the forest below, returning with two massive bird-like creatures clutched in her claws.

"Grandmother said that conversations should be accompanied by good food!" Essie proclaimed with an infectious smile.

Ynos' laughter rumbled heartily, "Indeed! It's been a while since I last hunted anything," as he eagerly prepared to dive into the meal, only to be halted by Essie's intervention.

"Wait! It's not ready yet!" Essie chimed in, her excitement evident.

"Hmm? What do you mean?" Ynos inquired, his head tilted in bewilderment.

Essie, ever the expert, proceeded to deftly pluck the feathers from the massive birds with her wind magic. Then, with a flourish of her dragon breath, she ignited a small fire.

Understanding dawned on all of us. "Oh," we exclaimed in unison.

"It needs to be cooked for a bit, then it will taste better!" Essie explained enthusiastically.

"So, roasting it with fire makes it taste better?" Ynos queried skeptically.

Essie nodded with conviction. "Yes!"

Immy chimed in with her agreement, "I tried that when I was in the mortal realm. It was indeed very tasty!"

"Some of the Gods do it as well," Essie added, glancing playfully at Breta. The goddess responded with a nonchalant shrug of her shoulders.

****

"So what do you think the elders will do?" Ynos suddenly asked. The two massive birds were already reduced to nothing but bones as we sat there full and satisfied.

"An all-out assault is unavoidable," Sidus replied. Immy glanced at him but otherwise said nothing.

"Perhaps," I muttered.

"But how did they manage to reach this far, with their numbers nonetheless?" Immy asked with a frown.

"Maybe they had a way to disguise their auras?" Ynos replied while scratching his head.

"You really think, thousands of Shades could just, 'hide' their aura and sneak through our territory unnoticed?" Immy shook her head.

"It's definitely suspicious," Sidus agreed with a nod. It was rare for the twins to agree on something, but this time it seemed like none of them was in the mood to start any fight.

"Then what do you think happened?" Ynos asked with a frown.

Breta subtly glanced at me for a second before she turned her attention to her spear as if the current conversation did not matter much to her.

"I don't know, that's the thing…" Immy replied with a sigh.

"M-Maybe—" Essie began, and all eyes turned to her as she composed herself and continued, "Maybe they were already here?"

Ynos's frown deepened, it was clear he didn't understand what she meant. But I did, Sidus, Immy, and even Breta had our eyes widen slightly in surprise.

"I don't understand," Ynos shook his head.

"What she means is, that the Shades were already in our territory from the beginning. They didn't sneak in," I explained.

"But in that case, how come we didn't see them?"

"Just because they were already in our territory doesn't necessarily mean they were all in the same place," Immy added.

"So… They were here, then they regrouped and attacked the main world?" Ynos asked hesitantly.

"It's just a guess," Sidus shook his head, and we all nodded in agreement.

"Either way, they still needed something… or someone to cover their traces, for them to reach all the way here," I spoke.

A moment of silence suddenly descended on our group as everyone fell into deep thought, each lost in their own mind. It was Essie who surprisingly broke the silence, her voice was a little bit hesitant, but still hid a hint of anticipation, "Will we be sent to the frontlines?"

Immy gently placed her tail on her head and spoke, "I'm sure you won't be sent anywhere dangerous, so you don't have to worry—"

"No!" Essie suddenly interrupted, her voice loud and her eyes clear.

"I-I want to be with everyone!"

I chuckled at her enthusiasm and replied, "Look at you, already so grown up and wanting to fight off Shades,"

"I'm not a child, older brother!" She replied with a rare frown, albeit that only served to make her look cuter in my eyes.

"Yes, yes, of course you are not."

"I'm serious! Y-You guys don't take me seriously! Even grandmother! But I can fight! I also want to get revenge for father…" She said and lowered her head.

"Of course you will, you are a Dragon, just like the rest of us, and if there was any battle, you'd be flying by our sides," Ynos suddenly spoke with a serious expression.

"Really?" His words made Essie raise her head and glance at him in surprise.

"Of course, with the magic you displayed, those bastards stand no chance against you," he answered with a nod.

A wide smile stretched across her face before she hesitantly glanced back at me, "I'd be honored to have you watch my back, Essie," I said with a light smile.

"Hmm," Sidus nodded lightly to the side while Immy affectionately patted her head with her tail.

"T-Thank you! I will do my best to be of use!"

"I'm sure you will."

Just then, we all instinctively turned our gazes toward the direction of the cave. Mother and Grandmother were coming out. 'Did they finally finish their discussion?'

"Let's go," I turned to my siblings and Breta before speaking. They all nodded and we quickly made our way to the cave, where we found both Mother and Grandmother standing by the entrance.