Side Story 54: Family Memories.
“Any other child and you would risk everything to protect them! ‘All for our happiness,’ you told us those vows and you kept it, Eltharion! You kept them up until now; prostrating yourself against your very nature to assure a fantastical peace, as if we dragons are somehow better than other races in this matter. We. Are. Dragons.”
‘We show our worth through strength. A female wishes for their mate to be the strongest, and so does the male.’ Melloxtressa …
Those words fluttered inside Eltharion’s mind as he walked through the volcanic pathways directly underneath the Black Citadel. Alone, like the many years up until this point, the dragon emperor did not mind the lonesome road as the only sounds echoing through this magma chamber were his steps and the roaring flames around him.
Traveling in his [Elvenized (Minor)] form, as his rank SS form was far too titanic for the humongous underground, Eltharion eyed the scratch scars on the walls. Memories of his past, before the arrival of the Origin Gods and how they dragged their issues into Peolynca, resurfaced for a moment, causing the ancient dragon to feel nostalgic, only to have forget it a moment later.
What remained was both regret for what had just happened a few hours ago and the rage he felt towards the gods and, especially, his father—God of Dragons and Oaths, Kargryxmor. Although Eltharion’s brain and general biological function barely degraded despite being over 3000 years old due to his rank S evolution, nor did he suffer an illness or disease, it was his soul that made it hard for him to remember.
It was the curse of immortality and longevity, and this was a phenomenon that affected every single mortal, whether they be dragon or human. Although one’s body remained at its peak condition, the soul would degrade regardless due to stagnancy and boredom. Weakened, it would affect the immortal’s mind and, eventually, their body, even if they technically should be healthy.
The cure for such an ailment was a stimulus strong enough to shake the person, whether positively or negatively. Until this happened though, sleeping and long rests that might span years could treat and prolong one’s will to live. However … if everything failed, death would become a wish for the aging individual.
… Again. I see your faces, everybody. Our time together as siblings until we faced each other in the skies. Your cries, your last words, your regrets as your dream for an empire turns into cinder within my flames.
The memories, though, would never be lost. Similar to Hestia’s fractured soul, they were there, only buried underneath everything else.