Enduring Pain

Taking note of the change of demeanor in the now tiny wolf boy, Jody's emotional guard was also lowered. Of course, that feeling of kinship was silently influencing him.

Jody crossed his arms, becoming serious for maybe the first time in this life, "I am willing...uh, what should I call you? Your majesty? No, this feels too distant."

"I am Prince Sylvester Sylknarious Tricko, heir to the Sephiroth of the Anubis Great World. It will be fine if you call me Sylvester. You may also refer to me the way my tenth brother does. I originate from a time long after your own," replied Sylvester while sighing once more.

He then proceeded to tell Jody about his past.

Sylvester and Xavier Tricko were two princes from a place they called the Anubis Great World, in a star system called the Legendary Domain. However, according to Sly, there was no legion of true pharaohs in his time.

The brothers were both variants from the ancient fey race, born of the same parents but with slightly different god beast bloodlines. When the younger prince was born, their mother had already become a hero somehow. Apparently, it's challenging for god beasts to have children, but not for the hero race. Jody wasn't skeptical about this as they had the word "god" in their name. Would the birth of a deity be a simple matter? This being said the birth of these two geniuses within 20,000 years of each other caused an intergalactic stir. They were incredibly rare because they both perfectly inherited their father's bloodline. This was supposedly more impressive for Xavier than anyone else, as he had a half-hero bloodline.

The importance of this ultimately escaped Jody.

Their father was a World Devouring Sky Jackal and the great monarch of their world. Jody couldn't begin to imagine how strong one must be to rule a great world of the Legendary Domain. This was because he only had a vague understanding of such a place, thanks to his titanic master. Of course, he could just ask the brothers about his doubts. However, he wouldn't interrupt someone's life monologue just to ask such a question.

After all, they shared a head. Why rush?

Sylvester said that he grew up as a real phenomenon, the most genius descendant in centuries and heir to the throne. Jody found this to be arrogance until Sylvester commented that his own fame could only be eclipsed by his younger brother's sudden and dramatic increase in prowess. Their mother was originally a fey from the Infinity Black-Wing Phoenix clan and one of the most influential members of the ancient god beast race. However, after becoming a hero, she was shunned by her own people. Only the Sephiroth of Anubis Great World supported her transformation.

Jody had some fundamental knowledge of these two races in his inherited memories. From the hero race came the human and elf clans. So Xavier's mother was basically the same race as Jody, but it was unknown whether they were the same sub-race. A powerful immortal king plotted against Sylvester because he injured her famous disciple in a galactic competition, winning endless glory. Until this immortal king ended his glory ruthlessly. However, due to the interference of his younger brother Xavier, they somehow escaped being fully sealed at the crucial moment.

Only the two brother's souls were still afflicted with a powerful voodoo curse seal and cast into the void. But Jody felt like this wasn't the entire story...merely he simply didn't care enough to ask more.

By the end of his tale, Sylvester had once again put on his usual mask of indifference, "Of course, the real reason she attacked me is because I had stolen her precious item. She would stop at nothing to gain sway over this item. This is the part of the story where I met you, in the river of time. However, at that time, you were sealed as well."

Ah, see? There was more to it.

"I can hear your thoughts, you idiot," Sly said in exasperation.

"Since we were both sealed, why do you have memories of that time while I don't?" Jody rubbed his nose embarrassed as he had forgotten his thoughts were an open buffet for these two.

He did not actually doubt anything Sylvester told him, as he had experienced having his soul sealed and being launched into the void personally. This was something he could never forget.

Sylvester indicated the green and black flames dancing a few meters away with his eyes, "My mother is the offspring of a genuine Infinity Black-Wing Phoenix. I have inherited the flames of her nirvana. Due to this, I was somehow able to regain my consciousness and eventually facilitate our escape. Thanks to my Sky Fall Flame, we can all return to our homes one day, but I will need your help. What do you say?"

"But why me? Why did you choose to save me specifically?" Asked Jody.

This was the part that confused him the most. Where would he have time to help another random soul while trying to free himself? It was illogical.

"Why, indeed. The answer is actually quite simple. I did not need to try and save you. You followed me on your own. Bringing you or not bringing you, I did almost nothing to decide," Sylvester landed on the only mid-sized asteroid in this space, where Xavier was last seen burning.

Sylvester very casually walked over to the nirvana flames and absorbed them all into his maw. The fire vanished, revealing a sleeping Xavier, who was curled into a little ball. After the fire retreated, Xavier woke up and stretched his little body.

"Good nap. Sly, why'd you ruin the coup? That's lame, bro," asked Xavier seriously.

"Be serious for a moment, X." Sylvester bit Xavier on the butt, who yelped as he was scolded at the sky pup. Sly ignored him, saying, "Xavier Grindarios Tricko, this is Jody Trill. He is our new partner."

Jody still had his head lowered in deep thought.

Before long, he said, "Is it truly possible to return? Are you certain of this?"

"I cannot answer you. What I know is this: We may not be able to return to the exact same time and place, and we may not ever be able to become the same people we were before. However, as long as we possess enough strength, we can certainly return to seek our answers," said Sylvester.

"How would you know what answers I seek?" asked Jody, unconvinced that any of this was in consideration of himself.

"You dummy. You are a host soul who has retained past-life memories, yes. But more importantly, you are also the Main Soul of our new life. Most host souls function as a mere subconscious. You, on the other hand, are always consciously who you choose to be. That is an advantage transcendents possess in this world. This is the space within your mind, and it can be considered your consciousness. You are us, and we are you.

"There is no longer a difference between our desires. Technically. The fact that my desire to return is stronger than ever proves that this is also your own desire. This is the only way we could so easily co-exist here. In such a situation, why would we be unaware of your thoughts and feelings?" This time it was Xavier who answered him eloquently, catching Jody slightly off guard.

He did feel a bit silly, as after Xavier said it aloud, he now felt these things to be rather obvious.

However, Xavier's next words embarrassed him, "We know all about that so-called Lulu and your obsession with her. Did you seriously get a female subordinate to record it whenever Lulu put on her makeup, cooked, or even masturbated while you were gone to war? That's a little sick, bro. Are you a closet pervert? They don't have stalking laws where you're from?"

"What!? I did no such...I mean, look, I was only curious...life was quite hard at the time. Have you ever been in a trench hole surrounded by men for weeks on end? ...Look, whatever, what would a brat like you know about love?" Jody harrumphed after stumbling through his words.

Sly had told him that Xavier was at the age equivalent to eight years old at the time of his demise and sealing, while Sly was eleven. Jody wondered how his vitality had been affected now that he was awakened. Would he also age slower like X?

"Brat? Your grandfather, I, have spent 85 years in my great world. This is not something you, little chump, can fathom," said Xavier haughtily. However, his wolf-like ears suddenly drooped, and his expression sunk almost imperceptibly. "In fact, I do understand loneliness and love. All too well."

"...." Jody was speechless.

Didn't this make X older than himself, no matter how one spun it? He felt flabbergasted by this inordinate number and looked to Sylvester for confirmation.

"In fact, god beasts age at a rate 100 times slower than that of you, an inferior hero," Sylvester sneered as he glanced at his sad puppy of a little brother, "Well, X is half hero, a fey. So, that's around ten times slower. Although I am also fey, my bloodline is pure, so i age ten times slower than him still. At any rate, less of this, yeah?"

Jody was, in fact, eager to change the dialogue, "What kind of strength are we talking about here? How powerful do we need to be?"

"More powerful than you can currently fathom. Comprehend the fourth zone of the hidden sky's eighth layer, and we will finish this conversation," Sylvester casually gave Jody a goal that the latter could not see clearly.

Jody grimaced, but Sylvester continued while looking at the dragon egg on the other side, "I must say, I am quite surprised you could make that guy submit to you entirely. He was quite arrogant and unruly. I feared he would scatter your soul into dust or at least cripple you for awhile. Perhaps, even the great I could not hope to defeat him in real life. However, as a soul, he is not my match."

"If you're so great, why have we been reincarnated?" Xavier sneered under his breath.

"Unfortunately, you are pathetically weak. Therefore, before you leave, we have gifts for you," said Sylvester in his signature cold and indifferent drawl.

Jody was excited instantly, but he retained his composure. It seemed that pretending to be a kid had affected his temperament a bit...especially considering he wasn't exactly pretending.

"Just summon the grimoire on the outside, and you will receive them naturally. The same can be said for your fusion; merely summon your artifact, and you will simultaneously unlock its first feature and receive the gift from your Fused Soul."

Xavier Tricko's scarlet pupils then looked Jody deep in his eyes, "Thanks for choosing the grimoire, Temp Host. I know you're aware of who it actually benefits the most. But make no mistake! It's still no loss for you. Fusing with three god-level existences is incomparably dangerous, and who knows when you would've woken up? That's if you even woke up, at all."

"That's a thing, too?" Jody asked in shock.

"Of course, it's a thing. After all, we would not have been willing. Unless you have a divine power that could counter our own, you would have been annihilated. Mn, I truly agree with myself. Synchronization will serve us all far better. Plus, you never have to be alone! We will help you with all our strength, and you'll find that a grimoire can be the most powerful artifact."

Xavier spoke with great fanfare.

"Especially this weird joint you've got. How many tools do you know that can grant mere souls a corporeal form? Well, I guess a bumpkin like you wouldn't understand the significance just yet. Anyway, this thing is like a cheat code already. Add in our powers, and it's pure mayhem."

Jody smirked at Xavier and nodded.

Honestly, he had quite a good impression of these two brothers. Plus, he was pretty confident that he and the dragon had somehow switched roles and that Sylvester was the cause. This meant that Jody would have ended up as a mere combat soul had things gone down their natural course. He wondered what type of combat soul he would have been.

Jody soon shivered at the thought of this. So, this meant he really was a fallen one?

Still, he relaxed a lot after considering the circumstances.

It was true that they were all in the same boat, and he was chosen to take the helm as the captain. For this, he was grateful, though he questioned his own qualifications for such a role. He looked at the wolf puppy, gazing indifferently back into his eyes, and spoke confidently, "Strength has always been my greatest desire. I will continue to rise until I topple the heavens and tear down the sky!"

"Is that the extent of your ambition? You'll need far more than that to tear apart the fabric of spacetime and transcend this reality, Trill loser. Is this a game to you? Well, whatever, I suppose it's a start," Sylvester once again failed to spare Jody any dignity at all, "With me here helping you, achieving greatness is merely a matter of time anyway."

"Okay, you should head over to the other side now. Normally, your space and ours should be separate. However, since your fusion is on the legacy level, it gets to exist within your space," pouted Xavier before running and jumping up as he disappeared into the third page of the grimoire.

"To be more specific, your consciousness has already fused with the consciousness of that oversized lizard," mocked Sylvester.

"Legacy level?" asked Jody, who felt some sort of incomprehensible anger from Sly calling Janair Mazi a lizard.

This anger was so intense that it made his head feel like a jackhammer was assaulting it. Merely he couldn't focus on that right now. This had reminded him of something! When he asked Trippy about the "dual" and "perfect" statuses, Trippy ignored him and simply answered for the "legacy" status. Thinking up to here, he subconsciously looked at Sylvester.

"You'll figure it out," Sylvester lay on the ground and closed his eyes.

Inwardly, he was surprised that Jody had such control over his draconic rage. Dragons were said to be unable to physically contain their rage, for if they didn't express it, they would suffer a backlash. It was beyond the young prince's expectations that Jody neither raged nor experienced a backlash. Of course, the prince hadn't realized that enduring pain was Jody's forte. He didn't consider a mere migraine as anything significant.