I hope to have another lucid dream, but I'm sleeping too deeply this time. I guess it's for the best because when I wake up again, my headache is much more manageable. I'm really glad that I don't need to go to the bathroom anymore because I'm lying squeezed between Erik and Gotrid.
I'm relieved that they took me being confirmed to be half-alien well and I feel sorry about hiding the truth from them. Maybe I should have told them after all. Who else should I ultimately trust than my partners? They support me in everything I do and are taking care of me all the time, no wonder I hurt their feelings by hiding things from them. Will they forgive me?
However, while I do regret it, I also don't. Liana said it clearlyâif they knew, they would try to stop me for sure. I did what I had to do for the benefit of Draconians and Celestial overprotectiveness would only get in the way.
"Are you awake, my Emperor?" Cien asks from behind the curtain that envelopes our bed, whispering.
"How could you tell?" I don't understand because I hardly moved.
"Your mana emanation changes a tone based on whether you're awake or asleep, Your Majesty, we can tell for quite some time now," Cien explains and silently opens the curtain. "Are you thirsty?"
"A bit," I admit and, careful not to wake up my partners, I sit up. So they can tell, huh? That's potentially problematic, there's no faking sleep anymore.
Cien hands me a glass of water using telekinesis and I drink it to the bottom. I do feel much better and my current headache is at the intensity I'm able to tolerate. I hand over the emptied glass and thank her.
"Are you angry with me as well?" I ask even though I can feel it from her.
"Yes," she admits openly. "I'm angry that our embodiment of magic is constantly throwing himself in danger. I might not be in the Imperial Guard, but I do consider myself to be your protector, my Emperor. How would you feel if the person you wish to protect with all your being always tries to sabotage your efforts?"
I bite my lip. She has a point. Gotrid can protect himself, but if Erik tried to run away on a whim the way I sometimes forget myself during my flights or refuse the guards I assigned to him, I'd be seriously angry and worried-sick.
"We know that you do things only with the Draconian best interest in heart," she continues. "You hid the truth from us because you wanted to get information from your father and you knew that we would stop you. Yes, we would. Your safety is much more important to us than getting intel, when will you finally understand that?"
"I know that I'm the embodiment of magic, but you're over..."
"No, we're not overprotective," she doesn't let me finish. "You're the only one who can handle a race of proud conquest-hungry magic casters. With you gone, Celestials would go berserk and we would be at war with humans already. You lead by example and we're honoured to keep our vices in check when following you. Nobody else can give us that. Just look at other Draconian races."
My first reaction is to ask what she means by that, but then I realise that I do know. I just don't want to see it. Patriarch Deminas keeps to himself in Russia and generally doesn't care about his people in other countries. The Dragonkin are forming guilds, happily trading with each other, but seeing only crafting and technological advancement that goes with it.
The Earthborn King and Queen Werden and Twyla have their people much more united, but their only concern is the environment and bioengineering. There isn't a day humans don't see the Earthborn rallying against the exploitation of nature and they are gradually retreating into forests, starting to build their unique habitats.
Clawfangs are as wild as it gets, having no interest in politics and often antagonising the locals. While they generally respect their Supreme Alpha Emi, the packs are scattered across the world and Emi can't oversee them all. Regrettably, Clawfangs don't listen to orders Emi would convey to them impersonally.
Celestials are in total opposition to that. My word is the law for them so I have no problem coordinating Celestials all over the world. The Celestial Emperor holds absolute power. If I died, would they be able to choose another Emperor to replace me? Would they accept Liana for that role? Or does it have to be the embodiment of magic and they wouldn't accept anyone else? What's the embodiment of magic to them anyway?
I still fail to fully comprehend its meaning. In the game, it was just a fancy title that was mentioned in our lore, but nobody took it seriously. I was respected and admired as the best player, but I certainly wasn't revered. I bet the Divementis themselves didn't count on the ingame Celestial Emperor becoming a literal embodiment of magic after they launched our transformation.
The embodiment of magic. I know that I am that because all my cells are overflowing with mana and when I connect to Gotrid or Liana, they don't come even close to how I experience magic. Did I develop such a mana capacity thanks to my perfect immersion ability? Or because I'm half-Divementis? Both?
"Go back to sleep, Your Majesty, you're still hurting," Cien says gently. "You need to gather your strength."
"In a minute," I say and close my eyes.
I just want to quickly check on everyone. I must have been sleeping for at least two days so I'm concerned for our safety. The shield is holding just fine, several guards are retaining it and there are crystals strategically positioned across the mansion to power it up.
I don't feel anything suspicious or hostile so I relax and send my mind outside the premises. It seems to me that I'm gradually able to reach further and further. I wonder how far a trained Divementis can reach. How far does my father have to be to enter my dreams?
When I reach my current limit, I hover there for a while. I can feel the whole neighbourhood and I'm surprised to find out how many Celestials there are. Did my subjects, who didn't fit in the mansion, desperately try to find a rental in nearby houses? Just how devoted are they to me?
I try to look for a Divementis mind, but I get nothing. Either they are positioned even further or they can shield themselves somehow.
"What are you doing, hon?" Erik startles me by suddenly speaking up and hugging me. I was so focused on the distance that I didn't notice he woke up.
"Oof, don't scare me like that," I twitch.
"You were somewhere we can't reach you again," he gets saddened.
"Just checking our surroundings," I say, "making sure we're safe."
"It's three in the morning and you're working?" he raises his eyebrow.
Then he doesn't say anything and just keeps hugging me. He wants to make sure that I know he's fine with me being half-alien. He doesn't understand what a Divementis is, but he's still prepared to accept everything about me, even the parts I'm not aware of yet. I get so moved by it that my eyes get wet.
"I could always see it, you know," he whispers.
"See what?" I ask because I don't want to be reading his thoughts all the time. Some things are better to be said aloud.
"Your thinking," he explains and gently rubs the feathers between my wings. "You have the Emperor's mindset, but you don't think like a pure Celestialâlike Gotrid does. And don't let me get started on how I can never comprehend the way you experience the world. Half-Celestial and half-Divementisâwhat a divine combination."
"Y-you!" I blush and my jittered emotions wake up Gotrid.
"Love? What are you doing in the dead of night?" he yawns and sits up.
"I couldn't sleep anymore," I admit.
"But you're still hurting," he hugs me from behind and envelops me and Erik in his wings. I'm happy that Erik doesn't protest about it anymore.
"I'm sorry for keeping things from you," I feel like I need to properly apologise.
"We're scared, love," Erik sighs. "How can we protect you in your dreams?"
"It's something I have to do on my own," I say, trying to sound determined, but I realise that my wings are shaking.
We stay in Gotrid's feathery embrace for a long while until I calm down. I wonder if it's the Divementis thing to rest in the partner's mind or exclusively mine. How does it work when they can't feel each other's emotions? What do they share? I'm so glad to be an empath on top of being a telepath. It was always a burden for me, but not anymore.
Despite the late hour, we don't feel like going back to sleep. Our cuddling gradually transforms into making love and when we eventually fall asleep, I keep all of us connected.