Divine Beast Ascension

Chapter 448: Hey! Razor Brat!

Half scoffing and half laughing, Bradok shook his head and looked back at Warak, “If your ancestors were gathered and slaughtered to the point of near extinction, would you not hold a grudge?”

“I definitely would.”

Agreeing with Warak, Bradok nodded, “Exactly. But the moment any of us mention it, the easy solution is to just kill us, to kill anyone that dares remind people of the genocide. Since they’ve already gone so far, it’s easier to live with blood-stained hands than to try and scrub them clean.”

“That’s one reason why we needed to come here,” chimed in Eeole, “because Bradok and I need to confirm something with your mid-god ancestor.”

“... I see. Then, shall I call him?”

“Yes.”

Warak stepped forward, replacing Bradok as he rested a hand on the smooth soul stone. An abrupt eruption of power filled the room and a suit of jagged essence armor covered Warak’s body. “Great Ancestor, it’s I, the current clan chief! I call upon you for an audience!”

.....

“...”

“Great Ancestor, it’s I, the current clan chief! I call upon you for an audience!”

“...”

“Great Ancestor-”

“HEY! RAZOR BRAT!! Get out here already!” Eeole’s shout shook the entire tower, but not the sturdy soul stone.

“WHO DARES!!?” A new voice roared and billowed, “Which insolent weakling dares insult the clan’s greatest ancestor?!”

The soul stone began to glow brighter. A massive dragon started to take shape as a strange energy emerged from the stone. That dragon head snarled and leered at the four men standing before it. “WHO!! Who dares-”

“I dare, Razor Brat! Do you dare insult me further?!” yelled Eeole, not backing down at all despite Warak’s quivering gaze.

“Who-”

“You dare not remember me?! RAZOR BRAT!”

“... Hmmm...” Snarling, the dragon head honed his gaze on Eeole. It took a moment but the overbearing stare of the dragon suddenly stifled. “E-Eeole?!! Why are you-”

“Shut up and apologize before I snuff out the last of your soul!”

“Y-yes, Senior Eeole! This brat apologizes for his brazenness.”

Warak and Bradok were speechless. One was shaking while his mind’s slate was wiped clean of all thoughts. The other was staring in awe at Eeole and his domineering presence. Jarrit, however, didn’t seem surprised by any means.

“Good. I accept your apology, Young Durik,” Eeole sighed with a slight nod. “Now that you’ve calmed down and acknowledged your senior, it’s time we get to business. Don’t you notice something odd about the people gathered with me?”

The dragon head suddenly imploded. Yet the energy didn’t dissipate. Instead, it twirled and tumbled until a human form was created from the ethereal glow. “Hmm... Oh?! A gorilla! A king gorilla!”

Before anyone could say more, the figure suddenly dropped to his knees and bowed to Bradok, throwing Warak’s heart into the depths of his stomach.

“Please! I, Durik, long to apologize for the trouble I’ve brought to your ancestors and kin.” Not even lifting his head, Durik continued, “Please, I’ll have my offspring agree to anything you desire, so long as it won’t lead to the extinction of our clan. Please, accept the apology of a long regretful and deceased mid-god.”

Everyone turned their attention to Bradok. The gorilla’s jovial, carefree attitude was suddenly gone. In its place was a stare longing for Durik’s second death.

“Let’s hear him out properly, first,” interjected Eeole, speaking before Bradok could reply. “Then, after learning the complete truth, you’ll make your decision, Bradok.”

“... Very well...” Bradok grumbled, swallowing the rage and fury of his endless, slaughtered ancestors.

Getting back to his feet, the spirit body turned to Eeole. “For you to come here, and to bring a gorilla, I have an idea of what you want to ask.”

“And that is?” Eeole asked with a half grin.

“What really happened that day.”

When Eeole nodded, Bradok clenched his fists even tighter. Jarrit remained silent at Eeole’s side.

Warak, however, finally spoke up, “Great-great-grandpa, what’s going on? How do you know Eeole so well-”

“Don’t speak his name so casually!” corrected Durik. “You’re but an early-god yet you wish to speak with him so casually?!”

“It’s of no offense this time. For now, let’s speak without formalities in hopes of gaining a clearer understanding between each other,” stated Eeole, getting Durik to calm down.

Sighing, the enlivened spirit looked at his great-great-grandson and answered, “Brat, Eeole’s always stood atop the world, long before the quadrants were formed, even while Dominus reigned over us dragons!”

Thud...

Warak fell to his knees.

“As the Master of Shadows, Eeole, along with Kartzal, the Master of Toxins, is one of the few people you must never cross!” explained Durik. Yet, only Warak was startled and shocked to hear so. “Of course, he was alive in my day! For him to still be standing here is a testament to his dominant abilities and perseverance. If you have the ability and the luck, and it seems that you do given these circumstances, you’d best not ruin this chance to ally with him, Brat!”

“Y-yes, Great-great-grandpa!” Warak gave Durik a humble bow.

“Good... Now. What’s your question, exactly?” Durik asked, turning back to Eeole. “I can’t sustain this form for long, so-”

“You don’t need to worry about that.” Eeole waved his arm, engulfing the soul body with an ethereal grey energy. The soul body became cleared and more detailed. There was even a hint of color appearing from the figure’s clothes and skin. “Now, speak without any worry for time.”

Warak was startled time and time again. Witnessing such a strange ability and solidifying his ancestor’s soul so easily, it was beyond anything Warak could comprehend.

Durik relaxed and enjoyed his stronger form. “Very well... Now, what’s your first question?”

“What happened that day?” Bradok questioned. “And I want to hear as much detail possible.”

Getting a nod from Eeole, Durik stepped back and sat between the group. The others followed suit. Then, Durik met Bradok’s unflinching gaze. “... Alright. I’ll explain. And, Brat, listen carefully cause you won’t get another chance to hear this from me!”

“Actually, you won’t need to say a word.” Eeole pressed his fingertips against his forehead, drawing out a milky white bead of energy. “With a mental link, all you have to do is recall the memories.”

No one had a chance to refute as Eeole flicked the energy toward Durik’s soul body. It wasn’t particularly fast, but the strange energy caught Bradok’s, Warak’s, and Durik’s attention right away. That’s because they couldn’t understand it whatsoever. There was only one fact that Warak and Durik were certain of. That it wasn’t essence. Bradok could only assume it was energy similar to what was in Oli’s formation.

But that bead of energy soon entered Durik’s forehead. Then, it burst back out and three smaller beads of energy rushed into Bradok’s, Warak’s, and Jarrit’s heads.

They all closed their eyes out of instinct. Suddenly, every fiber of their beings was refocused and absorbed into an illusion. But it only took a few seconds for that illusion to become reality, for their senses to link up to Durik’s memories, letting them stand, sense, and feel the same things Durik recalled from his past.