Chapter 49
He finally got some alone time…
Toji was out in the woods of the domain with Lady Tiamat at his side. "The children have grown up well, it's nice to see the boys getting along with their older brother. How are the girls doing?" she asked.
"I've been teaching them various self defense measures. They are strong enough to hold off one of their brothers. So I say that's good in my books." He explained. "You looking for another litter or something?"
She snickered to it. "No, but I think it's time for a chance of pace. Kiyoshi hatched… I sensed him do so just a short while ago, and I hear Yuuji just waking up but desperately looking for him…"
Toji paused but heard a low roar filling the domain. It's resonating!
"Shit, he going to be okay?"
She waved it off. "Oh just find, he's just full of hormones right now. He will see Kiyoshi has a hatchling for a while until he regains himself. But, it's for the best, his father is his best defense right now until he is ready to learn how to be a dragon."
"So, hatching works around here… who knew?"
He kept walking but paused when she didn't follow. Toji turned as Tiamat became rather serious. "I don't know how much longer peace will last here. My uncle… is getting desperate and I fear war will come sooner than later."
"We got the Itadoris, my kids and now the curse womb kids…"
"I don't want children brought into this war." She decreed.
Toji paused for a moment. "Well, what about these dragons your sons raised in their shadows? Didn't they drop them off somewhere?"
"Ether and they cannot fight for me,"
"HUH?!" Toji demanded. "Those ungrateful bastards?!"
"Toji, you need to understand, dragons born on earth can fight for earth. Despite the fact my sons have raised them here, these dragons were not born from earthly realm dragons. They still answer to the heavenly realm."
"People can change sides, hell, look at me!" he protested.
"It's not how it works. Not for dragons, you are bounded to the land in which you were originally born from. They don't have to fight, but if they do, their instincts would be to protect the heavenly realm… my uncle's doing no less."
He paused to consider it all. "Well, between the Itadoris and our kids, we should be able to handle it…"
"Toji, I asked Sukuna to help me break my own rule of this world. For when a rule is in place, I cannot go against it, the same with my Uncle in the heavenly realm. However, this new trick that Sukuna had inspired to me, only proves that I can bring back the earthly realm dragons."
Was that what this was about? Was Kiyoshi the canary in the coalmine?
"So…" Toji asked in a hinting tone. "What does that mean?"
She smiled to him. "Toji, the reason why I had everyone here eat the meat of the fallen dragons was to test them. Consuming the flesh of a dragon is no easy feat and yet, you all appeared to have done so with great ease…"
"Well, the curse womb kids really made that shit good…"
"Only those with a powerful constitution can do so." She said bluntly. "It matters not how the meat was prepared, the fact is, mortals shouldn't dare to eat it. Those who are not strong will not be able to digest or handle such a meat… but everyone did here without problem."
"So, we got iron stomachs or something?"
She smiled once more, when suddenly. She flicked her finger oddly. Jumping out of his pocket was the chrome marble he kept from the fallen dragon. It flew right into her hand as she inspected it. "Good, it's been cleansed…"
For some reason, Toji was getting a bad feeling about this.
Tiamat then peered at him oddly. "I wish to test something out, Toji and I was wondering if you would be gracious enough to help me?"
His stomach felt weird, was that the curse he contains in him acting up?
"What would that be?" he asked.
She presented the orb to him. "I want you to swallow this, and then, trust me"
His instincts were screaming this is dangerous. This isn't right and yet… how could he refuse her?
Without hesitation, he grabbed the chrome orb and swallowed it.
Nothing happened.
"Okay, now…" Toji suddenly choked on his words.
His heart has come to a complete and utter stop as darkness enclosed around him…