First Demonic Dragon

- Nexus of Creation, The Tree of Life

Yesh couldn't exactly say why, but he felt a bit on edge today.

Which really wasn't something that should happen when you are the source and maker of all.

Asherah seemed to notice his nerves, but she lost the chance to ask him about it when a visitor suddenly drew both of their attention.

A shadow passed over the faces of the couple and Abaddon descended on his massive leathery wings.

Even before he opened his mouth, the couple could tell something was wrong with him.

His face was unusually tense and inflexible, and his claws were fully extended.

His bare feet touched the grass of the tranquil space, and while they didn't reject his presence, they did wither just a bit.

"…Did you know?" Was all that he asked.

Asherah generally sounded pretty much the same all the time, but right now there was a nodule of concern in her voice that did not escape his notice.

"Know what, Tathamet?"

"He… broke… out." Abaddon responded through clenched teeth.

Yesh's earlier gut feeling was now being brought into fruition. freeweɓnøvel.com

He didn't even want to ask Abaddon who he was talking about. He didn't want to hear him say that name.

This would not be the first, or even the last time that Lucifer or one of his variants escaped hell.

But whenever he broke out, disaster always followed humanity shortly afterwards.

If Lucifer was free, he was either on earth already, or would be there soon.

'…We didn't know.'

"… l see."

Abaddon sat on his knees in front of Yesh and Asherah.

And then, he did something that neither of them could say that they even expected.

He hugged them.

He wrapped his broad arms around both of them at once in a kind and genuine gesture.

"I don't believe that I ever properly thanked you for what you have done for me. You've both given me more chances than I deserved and for reasons I'm not sure I even fully understand.

But I am grateful for it nonetheless. I consider the two of you like elder relatives in my family and because of that I want to do whatever you ask of me.

But I can no longer honor your request to spare your son after what I have almost lost at his expense. It's an inexcusable premise that I won't overlook.

I hope that you will forgive me, but if you do not then it would only mean my recklessness has finally caught up with me. I was bound to pay for it someday afterall."

After getting everything off his chest, Abaddon vanished without waiting to hear a word in response.

There was nothing left for them to say.

-

Lillian wasn't really expecting for her being pregnant to change her day-to-day life so much.

Which was shocking, because she had seen all of the wives before her be treated in the exact same way.

Though this time came with a bit less of the signature tender, overbearing affection, and bordered more on overt sexual harassment disguised as hospice care.

"Lillian~"

Lillian covered her eyes with her hands as her cheeks turned red.

"You're not fooling me anymore, Val! My legs don't need a massage!"

Valerie was shamelessly undeterred and continued to slide the soft pads of her fingers up Lillian's smooth legs.

"You never know, a woman's pregnant body can be very fickle, sweetheart. This might be the key to prevent you from getting any of those annoying aches and pains that Tati had."

"Y-You're not fooling me! You just want to see them again!"

"And would that really be so bad~? Come on, just one quick peek for me."

Lillian's face just turned redder and redder.

Eventually, her skin became a glowing orange and her lips faded away.

But all that Valerie was concerned with was the fact that her legs had turned into eight very large tentacles.

"Wow~ They're so pretty!" Valerie licked her lips.

"D-Don't touch them!"

"I'm just appreciating them!"

"It doesn't feel like that's all you have in mind!"

"Oh? Then what does it feel like, darling?"

"Somebody help me, I'm being harassed!!" Lillian called.

"Don't be like that!" Valerie pouted. "I was just curious about these new appendages of yours and.. I wanted to know if they had any other uses?"

"Val.." Lillian rubbed her temples in exhaustion. "Why are all of you like this..?"

"They just look so strong, slippery, and flexible… and I can't stop wondering how these suction cups would feel on my-"

*BANG!*

"OWWW WHY?!?"

Valerie was so preoccupied with harassing Lillian that she didn't hear Erica come in with a very small visitor in her arms. She didn't notice Erica chop her between the horns either.

Bashenga didn't want to say that he was growing used to walking in on his parents harassing each other… but it was already far too late for him to pretend that such a thing still made him squeamish.

"I can return at a later time if-"

"Don't even finish that sentence, little man." Erica placed her finger over his lips. "Your mother may play a lot but she won't actually do anything…without your father here."

Erica muttered the last part, but Bashenga still heard it all the same.

"B-Besides, whenever one of us is carrying, we always take a break from our marital acts until the delivery is over." Erica added.

"So that is why I was not born with a dent in my cranium. How considerate of you all."

The girls all wore embarrassmed looks as Erica placed the young baby on the bed.

"W-Well, since I've got all this excess energy now, I think I'm going to go for a run." Valerie stood up.

Lillian raised a brow. "You don't work ou-"

"To the market. For new kinds of alcohol and snacks!"

"Ah, that makes more sense." Lillian nodded.

As Valerie left, Bashenga waddled over to Lillian and looked at her stomach, back at her, then at her stomach again.

"… I had not believed the words of the others until right this moment. You are actually carrying a human child."

"I am indeed, baby boy." Lillian smiled. "Are you excited that you will no longer be the youngest?"

"Does this mean that I will no longer be referred to by unbecoming nicknames such as 'Stinka-Muffin'?"

"Probably not!" Lillian smiled.

"Then I unfortunately remain painfully indifferent all the same." Bash rolled his eyes.

"Aww, come here."

Lillian scooped up the young boy in her arms and placed one of his little hands on her stomach.

"Can you feel it? She's not growing as fast as you, but she's growing well all the same. This one's going to be a fighter."

Bashenga stared at his mother's stomach for a few more moments before he was unable to swallow his curiosity.

"…How does something like this happen? I am aware that the potential for genetic spontaneity can be relatively common among deities, but this is a far stretch."

Lillian smiled bitterly as she ran her fingers through her son's hair.

"Well… before we got to your sister, she was very badly hurt. And most of her power was taken away as a result.

I was a little bit… upset when I learned of this and I used my own power to help her.

I sacrificed my body.. and some other things to make sure that she remained healthy and that no one could hurt her again.

But your sister still didn't have enough energy when she was implanted in my body, so I had to make the choice to give her a form that would be the least demanding for her."

Bashenga nodded along as if he was following his mother perfectly. "A human one."

"Atleast until she gets a bit older and stronger. Then your father will likely give her a choice the same as he will Courtney. So long as they both want it, of course."

"…I see." Bashenga muttered.

Lillian smiled and gave her son an affectionate nuzzle.

"You sound a tiny bit upset, dear. Are you finally beginning to feel that familial bond that we pride ourselves on?"

Bashenga's body tensed up. Even though Lillian couldn't see his face, she could guess the expression he was making.

"…I would hope not. Lest I become as sappy and irrational as the rest of you."

Bash went poof and vanished in a cloud of dark smoke and left Lillian behind; giggling in amusement.

"He's coming around to us. I thought it would take a lot longer given his usual disposition."

Erica finished changing into her bathrobe and crawled into the middle of the bed with Lillian.

The two of them lay with their backs against the headboard of their bed; enjoying the silence of their bedroom as well as each other's company.

"I assume that you were there again?" Lillian asked.

"…I was." Erica admitted.

"You should tell the others what you've been thinking about. They would hear you out."

Erica nodded as she rested her head on Lillian's shoulder.

"I'm aware of all that. Just give me a little more time before I potentially blow our family apart."

"Erica, you wouldn't-"

Erica softly stole Lillian's lips before she could finish telling her something that she already knew. Their kiss was long and sweet, just enough to thoroughly erase the past two minutes or so.

When Erica finally pulled away, she gave Lillian an affectionate smile before resting her head on her thigh.

"I'm going to take a little nap. Wake me when it's dinner time?"

"…Of course, dear sister."

While Erica silently dozed off, Lillian affectionately ran her fingers through her curly red locks.

'You're clever, but you're not as slick as you think you are, sweetheart.'