The Sky Domain Part 2

Alduin woke up with sand going up his back. His body was wet and his brain was foggy. He could see the cloud sea in front of him and could feel the coarse sand underneath him.

"Did I drift here?"

Alduin remember what happened. His eyes began to water up as he remembered what happened to his fiancée and his village. He fell on all fours and started punching the ground.

"Damn it! It should have been me... No, she is still alive. She must be. She should have regenerated by now and she'd... be taken to the emperor..."

Alduin remembers the nature of the sky emperor. If that's where Arleth was going, she was in dire trouble.

"I have to get to The Heavens!"

When Alduin tried to get up, he fell back down again and cried in pain. He looked at his right leg and realized it was broken; completely bent backward. He hit the ground again in frustration. He was pissed off and sad. What right did the Sky emperor have to have such power? Because he was born that way? What made his life more important than Alduin's villages?

Alduin just lay there. He didn't really have anywhere to go. At least, he thought so. But suddenly, he heard growling from behind him. He looked back and saw a giant forest and there was growling coming from the trees. Out from the trees came a giant tiger-like creature. It has a white body with navy blue stripes. It had two massive tusks and had four eyes.

The beast started walking towards him while growling. Alduin began to back up in fear. He couldn't do anything. He couldn't run. He couldn't fight. All he could do was lay there and be consumed.

The beast looked over Alduin's shivering body. The creature began to wrap his teeth around his head. Alduin's life began flashing before his eyes. He saw his wife cooking and feeding him while complimenting him early in the morning. Was he ready to leave that behind? No, he wasn't.

He moved his head and grabbed onto the beast's neck. It tried to shake him off, but Alduin held on tightly. Alduin swung onto the back of the beast, and the beast ran into the forest. Alduin still had one of the tessens. He slashes the beast back, making the beast's eyes dilate with pain. It crashes into many trees, trying to shake Alduin off as Alduin stashes through the beast, trying to reach its heart. Pieces of bark began to slice up Alduin's body and a branch knocked him off the beast before he could fully cut through his back.

He didn't have synergeta, so he couldn't activate the energy blade on the war fans. If he could, he could have broken through the beast in two or three hits. But even 15 slashes later, he wasn't even halfway through the beast skins. If only he was as strong as his parents or was a Magenta like Arleth, he could have won. But that doesn't mean he can't survive.

The beast circled back and charged at Alduin. He folded the fan and used it to block the bite from the beast. He couldn't hold it back for long. As the beast raised and brought down its colossal claws, Alduin dived to the way as the tree behind him was cut down in an instant.

Alduin tried to stand as the beast looked back at him. The pain was immense and he was barely able to stay continuous, but he still managed to stand. If he was going to die, he was going to die fighting.

But suddenly, the beast stopped. He sat down like a dog in front of him. Which was odd. Alduin looked at him confused.

"What is your name, human?"

The creature spoke to him. This shocked him.

"Uh... huh?!"

"Oh, my apologies. I'm a Nhumi."

Nhumi's were weapons. True autonomous artificial intelligence with no purpose other than war. They can be activated by forming a soul contract with a user. But usually, only royalty and very high commanding officers get them. What was one doing in seemingly the middle of nowhere?

"Huh?"

"It's fine if you don't want me to tell me your name. My current name is Derozues."

"I-I'm Alduin."

"Alduin, I feel a burning passion and a great loss in your heart. I understand the feeling. You have love, fury, longing, and justice in your eyes. So, I humbly ask for your help."

"You just tried to kill me!"

"Forgive me for that. I thought you were an intruder."

"A what?"

"Please, follow me and you'll understand everything."

Alduin hopped on Derozues back, which was always healed up completely, and rode on him to their destination. Alduin didn't fully trust him yet, but it was better than being alone at the mercy of worse creatures.

Derozues brought him to a small hut. Outside, there was a little boy. Couldn't have been taller than 4 feet. He had chestnut eyes and reddish-brown hair. He wore a tunic and was chopping away at with like a lumberjack.

Derozues walked up to the boy and bowed his head.

"Young master Connure."

The boy named Connure looked up at Derozues and smiled. "Uncle Derozues, you're back! Huh, who's this man?"

"He's here to help your father."

"Really?!"

Alduin was still confused. Derozues did talk about his master on the way here. A knight of The Heavens, who was betrayed.

Derozues walked Alduin inside the house. There, he saw a sickly old man, lying on a bed. He had beautiful silver hair and had more wrinkles than someone who sat in a bathtub for 30 years. He had very defined muscles, but could barely open his eyes to see.

"Huh, Derozues. Is that you, old friend?" The old man spoke up.

"Yeah, master. I have returned."

"I feel bad for you always taking care of me like this."

"It's no worry."

"And who's this young man?"

"This is Alduin. I found him in the forest."

"I'm guessing you brought him here for a cross bond..."

Cross bonds were extremely rare. The only reason Alduin even knew of one is because his father was a Nhumi and his mom told him how they met. A cross bond happens when both the owner and the Nhumi sever their soul bond and link the Nhumi to another willing soul. It's a very dangerous process and can often lead to one party experiencing brain damage or even potential death.

"Hold up, I didn't agree to this!"

"What's your story, Alduin?"

"Huh?"

"Why is your heart so active? How did you get that broken leg?"

"..."

Alduin sat down on the bed and told them everything.

"That's just like that bastard king. So full of hate and desire."

"I-I just want my fiancee back. I'd do anything to save her."

"Then bond with me." Derozues said while getting up in Alduin's face. "I can give you the strength to get your partner back."

"Why are you so adamant on this?"

Both of the two of them went silent. Alduin felt the atmosphere get awkward. Pressure came onto his heart, but he persisted.

"Tell me."

"Do you know what happens when Nhumi dies?"

"No, I don't."

"When one like me dies, we can always just reincarnate with a new user with the same personality and such. But we lose all memory of our previous lives and everyone who wasn't our owner also forgets we ever existed."

"T-that's awful."

"And unfortunately, it's the truth. I'm sure you of all people understand losing someone dear to you."

He was right. When Alduin woke up, he was filled with pure fury. He didn't want revenge. He just wanted to see Arleth's smiling face again.

"I do understand."

"Than we can help each other out. I'd you bond with me, I get a little extra time. And if I bond with you, you'll get the strength needed to save your girl. Plus, you'll gain a small regeneration factor, so your leg will heal in an hour, max."

Alduin looked down at the ground. He really didn't know what to do. On one hand, he really wanted to do this. On the other, he's seen what this can do. He saw what happened to his mom. She was turned into a vegetable after doing a cross bond with his father.

If not for a kind magenta in the area with healing powers, my mom would have lived out the rest of her days mentally handicapped. And if that happened now... Alduin wouldn't be able to save Arleth. He wouldn't even be able to save himself. But, he needed to get healed fast.

"I'll do it."

"Great, let's get started. State your name again, human."

"Alduin. Alduin Albion."

Suddenly, a glowing blue orb forms between us all.

"Do we touch it?"

"Yes."

The three of us all reach out to touch the orb. It was such a weird feeling. Alduin couldn't describe it, but if he had to, my body felt like his blood was being replaced with cotton candy. He started to feel lightheaded, but he pressed on. After a couple more seconds, a seal was placed on his hand.

"The process is complete. You're my owner now."

Alduin's leg started to reform. It wasn't fixed yet, but he could feel it fixing itself at an alarming rate.

He looked over at the old man. He looked even more tired than before.

"M-Master..."

The old man put his hand on Derozues' head and scratched his ears.

"It's ok, old friend. My time has simply come. It was becoming painful to hold on, but now that you'll be safe, I can finally go in peace."

"I'm going to miss you."

"Don't. I don't want you to part with me in tears. Hold your head up high. The end of my life is simply just a new beginning. Hold your head up high. Alduin, I have one request. Please, make sure my son is safe. You don't have to take care of him like your own kin, but please... make sure..."

And just like that, the old man's heart had stopped. He took his last breath and slouched over. Derozues tried to hold back his tears as he let out an honoring roar. Alduin placed his hand on the old man's hand.

"You help give me the strength to save my loved one. So now, I'll do the same for you."

A few minutes later, we all walked outside and had a burial for the old man. On his grave wrote, "Fidel Gavent, loyal friend." Next to his tombstone was another one that read, "Kyrie Gavent, a true family woman." The boy began to sniff. He couldn't have been older than 14.

"W-Why..."

Alduin put his hand on the kid's shoulder and he started to let out a lot more tears.

Alduin understood the kid's pain. He was only 17 but was also claimed as an orphan around the kid's age. To this day, he still can't forgive myself for the fight he had with his mother before she was killed. It hurts. It truly does.