Nathaniel woke up to the sight of another dragon, this one screams the sight of everything, like a star that shall never go out.
"You're awake now," the dragon said with a look of amusement.
"Umm...hi," Nathaniel said, confused, wondering if he was still in the same spot he fell asleep in. He turned, saw that the Abyssal Dragon was still there.
"She's asleep, she won't wake up anytime soon no matter how hard you try," the dragon said with a look of boredom as he took a glance at her.
Nathaniel was confused. 'She was awake and listening this whole time... it just looks like she's asleep, but I can feel her awake... is he not aware that she's just ignoring him?'
Not wanting to put the dragon on the spot, he just pretended that she was asleep. "So... um, what's your name?" Nathaniel asked, hoping that he could keep the conversation going.
"?" the dragon looked at him, pondering something.
"..." the dragon began to shine bright, the light blinding Nathaniel.
"?"
After the light dissipated, the dragon took the appearance of an androgynous man of modest stature with black hair and blue eyes. His long hair was littered with white specks that made it resemble the night sky.
"My name is Veldanava," he introduced himself with a charming smile.
'Why does it look like he's going to be a condescending ass? He's beautiful, sure, but I feel like he's going to have an ego beyond the stars,' Nathaniel looked at him deadpan.
"Cool. My name is Nathaniel," he introduced himself with a look like he'd rather be anywhere else.
"Well aren't you cold and blunt," Veldanava looked at him, a bit hurt. 'Why is he acting like Ophis, all cold... acting like I'm the disappointment.'
"So what are you doing in the void, Nate?" Veldanava asked, because he could only think of one other person who reached the void and stayed—God, and she was just boring.
"I woke up here, don't remember who I am but my name. I looked around, saw her, and then I walked... thought about some things. About what type of music I like, books. Then I counted down till I reached her. I think the number I left off around was 10582376967983858392050748672756904. Then I saw she was sleeping, and I thought to myself that I'm tired too, so I fell asleep. And you woke me up," Nathaniel said simply, recounting everything he remembered.
"You spent 26 years counting and walking, then probably a couple more years sleeping. I'm surprised you haven't flickered out of existence. I will say—you do have some damage done to you," Veldanava said, noting Nathaniel's lack of details about himself.
"I have some... some damage done to me?" Nathaniel looked confused.
"Before I answer that—what is your dream?" Veldanava looked at him with utmost seriousness.
Nathaniel stared at him, unsure how to respond. 'How should I answer that question when I don't understand it? At the end of the day... I don't know enough to have a dream.' Nathaniel turned and looked at the Abyssal Dragon. "What type of dream were you having?" he asked.
Veldanava looked at him like he was a fool. "What are you doing? She's asleep. She's not waking up."
Nathaniel ignored him, continuing to look at her.
At that moment, she opened her eyes and said, "Dreams are stupid. I prefer the peace and the quiet."
Veldanava was surprised that his sister was talking to somebody so... inconsistently pointless. It was one thing if it was his other three siblings, but it was just Nathaniel. 'How did he know she was awake... when I wasn't even aware?'
Veldanava narrowed his eyes at Nathaniel, frustration burning quietly in his heart.
"You're cold and blunt. But isn't that your dream right there? To be in this void... to have the peace and quiet of infinity and nothing?" Nathaniel asked, not fully understanding why she called her dream dumb.
"I don't have a dream," she said, not understanding what he was talking about.
Nathaniel looked at her, then pondered. "You're a dragon that lives in the void, but you must've seen other lives, right? You must've seen them grow up, grow old... understood what they did and why they did it. The choices of their lives and dreams. I'm asking you because... I don't have any of that. I don't have memories. I understand concepts, but I don't know them. But you... you do have the ability to dream, don't you? You understand emotions. Connections. I don't!" Nathaniel looked at her like she was the one speaking nonsense.
"Pfft—" Veldanava tried to hold it in, but the corner of his mouth twitched "oh you are amazing that is an answer I did not expect, I think I have a good understanding of what your dream can be".
Nathaniel didn't understand what he meant, on the other hand ophis was pondering what Nathaniel said.
"what part of what I said was an answer I didn't have an answer because I simply don't have the knowledge or understanding to give you that" Nathaniel had Frustration flickered across his face, like he was trying not to snap.
"honestly I was expecting you to say that you want to live as your dream, but that's not the case you want something more, you want a story to tell. I'm going to reincarnate you, but at this moment I'm officially adopting you." Veldanava arms twitched, a gleam of excitement breaking through his usual calm.
"wow wow wow wow calm down calm down explain first" Nathaniel said as he tries to grab him but at that moment he realize that he doesn't have arms Nathaniel could tilt his head and say, "is this what you meant by damage".
"Wait—can you repeat the question?" Veldanava blinked, trying to gather his scattered thoughts.
"is this what you meant by Damage Done" Nathaniel told him with a deadpan look
"Oh you mean that yeah, you have the appearance of a white spirit with cracks in your entire being but that doesn't matter you're basically a newborn baby" Veldanava like it wasn't a life-threatening.
Nathaniel tilt his head and say "next question why are you adopting me and why are you going to reincarnate me"
"oh that simple I like you, the way you have that fire burning to you even though you have nothing to go off of to my older sister was amazing" Veldanava he said while having a face of entertainment while he look at ophis, meanwhile she's looking at her brother to shut up.
Veldanava seeing that look in her eye decided to stop talking for now.
"you might be right I might be taking it to advantage of the peace and quiet to the point that I forgot to have a dream" ophis said to Nathaniel with a look of consideration." so I shall give you access to my concept all that I ask is that you let me take part of your journey" she said with warmth in her eyes.
Nathaniel didn't understand so he had to ask "what choice do I have"
"oh the whole reincarnated and you're going to be my adopted son you don't get a choice in that regard but we will set you up and grant wishes"
Veldanava said, now dressed in a sleek business suit—like some divine CEO of creation.
"My first gift in this setup is going to be this sword. The Sword of Origin. This blade's properties allow it to cut through almost anything without issue—"
He held the weapon out, the air around it rippling.
"—and it can destroy the very fabric of reality."
Nathaniel blinked. 'That sounds... excessive. Cool, but excessive.'
Veldanava continued, adjusting the cuffs of his blazer.
"My second gift is the Eight Leaves One Blade sword technique. A style forged by the legendary Yun Ka-fai. A masterwork blend of Eastern swordsmanship philosophies—swift, fluid, deliberate."
He pointed a finger dramatically, almost like a stage magician about to pull off his grand finale.
"And for my final gift… the spark of my power and body. Not enough to overwhelm you, but enough to give you the potential to become someone like me."
Nathaniel stared at him. 'Someone like him? Tall order. But... okay.'
"now then any wishes?" Veldanava said waiting like he's a dad to give his son the best present ever.
"wait I also want to give him a spark of my body and Power" ophis said not wanting to be left out like a mother who did not want to get out played.
"oh we might make some chaos with him, anyway any wishes?" he ask as to seen if any more fun could come out of Nathaniel.
"can you seal my memory and this power?" ask Nathaniel.
"WHY!!!" Veldanava yelled not understanding the wish
Nathaniel looked at him and simply said "I want to be a normal kid at least for a while if you're going to reincarnate just put in a Fail-Safe is that if I'm ever truly ever going to die it will the seal will break that way or putting a time limit I get my memories back of you two."
"I can work with that the time limit would be 17 years but your body will still be a humanoid dragon" Veldanava said with a look of stubbornness not backing down.
"that fine" Nathaniel accepted
"well then goodbye Nathaniel we will be watching" Veldanava said with a proud look of a father
"goodbye" ophis waved away with a claw
drowsiness took over Nathaniel as he began to sleep as a shell form over him
"I'm going to give him to the one above all he has a amazing Multiverse" Veldanava said.