Chapter 180: Friends

My head was full of countless thoughts as I flew across the sky with Breta in hand. My eyes kept subconsciously glancing at her unconscious body. Her usually emotionless face was twisted into a frown. Her hair stuck closely to her forehead, drenched in sweat. I nervously gulped down as I flapped my wings in an attempt to fly faster. 

'Why am I so nervous about her?' Such thoughts kept swirling in the back of my mind. I kept my promise. I got us out of there and back here. So why am I so anxious? Why should I care if she dies? We did try to kill each other in our first meeting.

We were merely allies of convenience. I'm not obligated to save her, nor should I care for her well-being. She is a goddess, and I'm a dragon. It's only natural for us to hate each other, to be each other's enemies.

Or so It should be. So why, why am I still so anxious? Why do I want her to live? As I stared at the unconscious goddess, It was as if a veil, was suddenly lifted from my mind. 'Ah, heh. So it's like that, huh?'

Since I was born in this second life, I've always been surrounded by my new family, constantly put through one brutal test after another. I never quite made any decision for myself. My father hates the Gods, and I'm sure my grandfather does as well, but what does that have to do with me?

Ironically, the person I'm supposed to hate is the one, I ended up considering as a friend. My first ever friend, a goddess. The notion was so ridiculous it almost made me laugh. 'It is my life, after all. Why should I follow what others think is right or wrong?' 

"I'm sorry, father." 

With my mind, set, I closed in on the forest where my grandmother lived. My eyes anxiously scanned the area but still failed to spot my grandma. I hastily moved towards her favorite spot, next to the giant rock, but still no sign of her. Breta's condition was getting worse. by the second, which further fueled my anxiety.

"Fuck, hey Breta! Come on now! You have to wake up! I don't know how to get to the land of Gods. You need to tell me!" I anxiously called out to the unconscious goddess but to no avail.

"Damn it, you shitty goddess, you can't die on me after we came all this way. It'll leave a bitter taste in my mouth!" 

"Fuck!" 

'Think, think, the land of Gods keeps moving. I can find it given enough time, but,' Looking at Breta, who was groaning in pain, time was not on my side. 'I can always head back home, maybe father is awake and he can-'

"Ah, damn it. What am I thinking about, It's father. It'll be a miracle if he doesn't finish her off himself. Then just what can I do? The Shade poison isn't stopping. If anything, it seems to be getting worse." 

It was then that a sudden flash of inspiration struck my mind. "Poison, poison! That's it!" With a destination in mind, I carefully grabbed Breta and shot towards the sky, leaving the ancient forest behind.

 The flight this time was short, and soon I had already arrived. I scanned the ruined battlefield from hundreds of years ago. My gaze was instantly drawn, to the giant dragon carcass in the middle. "Amanita,"

The battlefield was still the same even after all those years. The corpses of the gods remained there, surrounding Amanita, who was at the center of it all. A part of me was curious, why did no one choose to retrieve the bodies? Neither the Gods nor us Dragons. 

I wasn't even sure if the Dragons or Gods held any sort of burial or funeral for their dead. I at least knew how dragons honored the fallen in battle by putting their statue on the royal road. But then what about the bodies? Did they simply not care for them? Was it just meaningless to bury them? I was curious. Alas, now was not the time for questions. 

I only hesitated for a second before shooting down towards Amanita's skeleton. My scales tingled as I stepped inside his giant ribcage. It was just like that time the place remained the same. The only difference was that I did not get sucked into his soul space.

'Is he still recovering?' I inwardly wondered. 

"Ugh," 

"I know, I know it hurts, just hang in there." 

Retracing my steps, I soon found myself standing in front of a familiar purple crystal. The power it radiated was significantly less than I remembered. It appeared dim and almost on the verge of dying out. Seeing that, a frown made its way across my face. 

I gently settled Breta on the ground and hesitantly stepped forward. The closer I got to the crystal, the heavier my heart felt. I didn't know why, but the feeling was almost suffocating. Confused, I subconsciously reached out to grab it, and as I did, "Ah-" The crystal crumbled. 

"What the-?"

An unfamiliar, aura flew out and swirled around my body for a few seconds before it seeped under my scales. I closed my eyes and braced myself for the pain that I was sure would most definitely come. But after a while, nothing happened. 

Hesitant, I slowly opened my eyes only to be greeted by a sea of purple. A purple world, and in the middle of it all, the hazy figure of a giant majestic dragon. I almost instantly knew, "Amanita." 

"We meet again, little one." 

I quickly lowered my head in respect, "Grand U-Uncle," 

Amanita must have been surprised as he didn't reply immediately. Just as I was beginning to feel anxious, however, "Ahahahah! Grand Uncle, he says," His voice reverberated throughout the purple world, shaking my eardrums. 

"You grew bolder, little one."

"Ah, I-"

"You even brought a goddess before me." 

"Ah, that's because-"

"You should know my relationship with the gods by now. What made you think it was a good idea to come to seek me? Seek my powers, and for what? Save a measly goddess? Hmm? Why?"

Lowering my head, I took a deep breath before replying resolutely, "I know it's selfish of me, but I had no other choice. Although she has a shitty personality, she's the first friend I made. It might be childish on my part, but I don't want her to die."

"Hahaha! Friend? Does that lass consider you a friend as well? Would she have done the same for you?" 

"I don't know, but what I do know is that I consider her as such, and I do not want her to die. So please, lend me your strength." 

"A goddess and a dragon, friends. Interesting."