Son of the Hero King

What was the first thing she heard?

“This is the first time I'm doing something like this. I wonder if I was able to do it well.”

What was the first thing she saw?

The sight of an ethereally beautiful woman, standing tall and proud with every bit of majesty existence had to offer.

Even though she did not understand everything, perhaps she wasn't able to understand anything, she already ‘knew’ one fact from the moment she came into existence. This being was her mother. Her creator.

For divine beasts, from the moment they were born, they were already bestowed a certain level of knowledge by their progenitors. Their predecessors. Their parents.

The name bestowed to her was… Kiyohime.

She did not know what this name meant or even if there was any importance to it. She just knew that the moment she was bestowed that name, she obtained the power to control the element of water.

The authority to rule over all the seas.

———

“You are old enough now. It should not take long for you to become a King.”

Her life was calm. It was complete.

She only lived with that woman, Tiamat, her mother. The only one she could look up to in all the realms.

During those years, she witnessed many sights and went through many experiences. All new, all wonderful.

She saw how a world with one large sun was slowly changed into one with many little small stars.

She observed how the world was divided into many layers and how floatings islands and sea came to be.

She even helped in the creation and development of this world. For she felt like it was her duty, her destiny to be a helping hand to her progenitor.

“Listen to me Kiyohime, One day, this world shall be entirely for you to command.”

How happy she had been when she heard those words. She still remembered it vividly as though it had happened just yesterday.

The two of them would sleep together, wake up together, eat, and simply live happily with each other, or well, that's how she interpreted their interactions. Tiamat would teach her how to fight and how to use her powers and she would take care of Tiamat in return.

The sky was their roof and the ground and the immeasurable seas were their bed.

It was a simple life, a fulfilling life. A very simple life for sure, however, it was also perhaps the happiest time of her long long life.

That happiness, that serenity, their quiet and fulfilling time together… It didn't last for long, however.

“Now that our world is set. We need more people to inhabit the lands.”

Kiyohime looked blankly at her mother. Not understanding her reasonings. Nor did she know what to say to her creator.

Why did they have to populate this world?

Weren’t the two of them more than enough? Why did they need to add anyone else?

Was she useless? Did she do anything wrong?

Kiyohime felt uneasy. But she did not voice her thoughts out loud due to fear. She feared and revered her Lord.

It was not her place to do so after all. Tiamat was her lord, her creator, and her empress. Perhaps those more than a mother she can ever be.

“I hear and obey.”

That was all she needed to say.

Like this, her younger brother was born.

His name was Fafnir.

Kiyohime did not like Fafnir from the get-go.

The precious time she could spend alone with her mother was interrupted by that unknown and loud young boy.

How could she be happy in that state?

So she asked, “Mother. He is so weak and useless. Why did you create him? Why do you take care of him?”

Tiamat looked at her with an unfathomable smile, “You were also born weak and useless, weren’t you?”

It was like a shock had run through her body. Her brain had stopped all functions at her slight rebuttal.

Indeed. Even now she couldn't match the great power of her mother. Why then was she created? Why was she protected?

“Take care of your brother, like I have taken care of you.”

Kiyohime never forgot those words. Now awake she did the first thing she was taught by Tiamat.

She beat him up.

Simple and brutal trashing.

But she did not simply inflict gratuitous violence upon him.

She taught him. Took care of him. Helped him grow both as a warrior and a person.

The years passed and their numbers increased. From two they became four, and from four they became eight.

The first eight dragons.

Kiyohime had long since forgotten what her mother's embrace felt like.

But she did not mind. After all, Tiamat loved her the most out of them all.

She was the Eldest Dragon. She was the one with the most authority. She was the only one who had been personally taken care of for a long time by Tiamat herself.

Time continued to pass. War came and went. The number of pure and mixed dragons continued to grow and the reputation of the Dragon grew as well.

Lustful, greedy, prideful. This was how the dragons were seen. But there was one thing no one could ever go against.

They were strong. They were the strongest of them all.

But Kiyohime never changed.

She was the Dragon Queen. The second most influential among all the dragons. She had taken care of and raised nearly all the dragons.

This was her greatest pride.

But her pride was brutally shattered one day.

On that fateful and dark and grim day like no other…

———

“Marduk! Why are you doing this!?”

The fight was happening in a dying world. They had cornered the rebels under the order of Apsu.

Marduk was one of the cadres and also one of the dragons she enjoyed training the most. He was truly like a son to her or perhaps a younger brother of sorts.

This was why. She could not understand.

Why? Just why were they doing this? Why were dragons spilling the blood of others dragons? Why did they have to kill each other?

“Please! I beg you! Just stop. I will plead to mother. I am sure she will understand. You and the other can still be forgiven!”

She begged in tears even as her gigantic dragon form flew down and made sure to keep him down.

The fight opposing the two dragons was bringing the dead world to the brink of its destruction. Using her powers, Kiyohime alone had made sure that this world would never have water ever again, encapsulating and accelerating the already accelerated end of this world.

But she did not care. She could not have the leisure to hold back against Marduk when trying to restrain him.

Marduk laughed, “My queen…You know very well it is impossible. That heartless monster will never pardon us and I do not wish to be pardoned either.”

His words were like knives that were plunged straight at her heart.

What should she do?

She knew what she had to do and this was all the more mortifying to her.

“Why…?”

“Because we had to. We are just weapons. That heartless monster does not care about our well-being. She only cares about reaching greater heights. Our life or death is just an afterthought. Why do we have to fight a war we care not about? What does it matter to us whether Chaos or Order wins?”

Kiyohime gritted her teeth, “Thus are her orders.”

“Then you are nothing but a tool my dear queen.”

Kiyohime closed her eyes, “I guess no further discussion is possible.”

“Any possible form of discussion had been impossible for a long time, perhaps, there were no possibilities from the beginning…”

Kiyohime sobbed. But she did not look away.

The moment Kiyohime changed her objective from Restraint to Elimination… Marduk had no chance.

The fight was swiftly resolved and Marduk was executed.

Changing into her human form. Kiyohime slowly approached his dying body.

“Any last words?”

“Haha… Even at this moment, you are too kind.”

Marduk laughed with difficulty before finally closing his eyes, “It’s truly a shame. If you were the empress… This rebellion might have never happened.”

Kiyohime expression was hollow. Wherever she looked, she could see the dead bodies of her compatriots. The people she raised and gave her love to.

“You finally killed him.”

Kiyohime looked startled. She knew that she could not whimper about her fate. The one who should feel really sad was Tiamat. After all, she had to witness her children kill each other.

Surely she must be feeling crushed. Even more so than herself.

This was what Kiyohime naively thought.

But when she looked up, spinning her mind to find the words to console her surely heartbroken mother…

‘Ah…’

Tiamat's expression was apathetic.

Even though her children were killing each other.

Even though she had to kill the one who might have become her mate.

The Empress showed no trace of sadness. Not even the slightest vestige of a falling tear.

“Destroy their bodies. Those pesky necromancers are becoming more numerous.”

“Is it all you have to say!?”

Kiyohime screamed. For the first time in her whole life, she raised her voice against Tiamat.

“What might you mean? Should I be weeping because of mere traitors?”

“But… They are your children! Even if they took the traitors aside, what about those who fought for you!? Are they not even worthy of a word from you.”

“They died a worthy death as warriors.”

“Hah…. Hahaha…”

Kiyohime felt something break inside of her at that moment and could only laugh dumbfoundedly.

“Truly… You are truly a heartless monster as Marduk said. He was right all along, huh?”

“Watch your words.”

Kiyohime lowered her head in silence and Tiamat shrugged before walking away, “Kill all the last traitors. Marduk’s daughter and put an end to this farce.”

“I refuse.”

*Step*

Tiamat stopped and gave a deep look at Kiyohime who looked back at her fiercely.

“Do not make me repeat myself. All traitors are to be killed.”

“I refuse. She did not kill any dragons. Her crime is not worthy of death.”

The standoff between the two dragons became tense. All the other dragons were flying and wondered what they should do if the Queen and the Empress were to fight.

In the end, a small smile flashed on Tiamat's face before she walked away,

“Do as you wish. You can also spare the other traitors with minor offenses if you so wish. But mark my words. One day, you will regret this decision.”

Kiyohime stayed silent as she watched the departing and somewhat lonely back of Tiamat, her mother.

This was her first victory against her mother.

But this victory did not have a sweet taste to it. Only a very bitter one filled with sadness, despair, and unceasing remorse.

A few thousand years later, as Kiyohime had to kill her brethren once again, she could only smile sadly.

Was her decision back then wrong? Was this second rebellion caused by her indecisiveness?

She did not know. But she had indeed learned her lesson.

Even so, she did not believe that Tiamat was right.

This was why, remembering Marduk's words, unbeknownst to everyone, Kiyohime took a very important decision in her heart.

One day, she would….

END OF VOL 10