Chapter ?3271 Blood Stained (Part 2) One second the Guardian was in front of Zinya and Kamila and the next she was past them like they were made of smoke. There was no need for magic or violence, her existence and means were beyond what mortal minds could understand. "And when that day comes, I'll kill you with my own hands." Salaark grabbed Kigan by the neck without him offering any resistance. Even if he were still at his peak condition, the Dark Phoenix knew he was no match for the Overlord. She could Blink farther than he could Warp, walk faster than he could fly, and was stronger than his twin cores made him. Yet. 'It's over. I deserve everything Mother is going to do to me. The Dark Phoenix thought. I won't be there to see the Master's plans come to fruition but I know he'll forgive me. I've fulfilled my duty and that's enough. It must be enough.' The white flames engulfed Kigan from head to toe and he gritted his teeth to withstand the agony. Yet there was none. The Rebirth Flames closed his wounds and restored his body. Kigan's mass returned to being that of a Divine Beast and his life force was whole again. "Yet that day is not today." After healing him, Salaark took a few steps back to give him space. "Today you are not the Bloodstained. The lost son I know and hate would have run away at the first sign of danger. "He would have brought shame to my name and Nest like he has done since the day he betrayed us. When confronted with his crimes, Kigan Bloodstained would have screamed and struggled like the cornered rat he is. "You, instead, have fought to protect these two women and put your life on the line even when you understood you had no chance of victory. "I don't know if you did it because I made Kamila an honorary member of the Nest or because she's Lith's wife and Elysia's mother. I don't know if you simply did it because there's something between you and her sister. Honestly, I don't care." Usually, being this close to a member of her Nest was enough for Salaark to read his mind. To share their thoughts and feelings. Kigan, however, was beyond her Blood Imprint bloodline ability. Not only was he still part Eldritch, and the Overlord's powers had no influence over the undead. Kigan was also part Balor which messed up with her readings further. The two fallen bloodlines shrouded Kigan's Phoenix blood like a thick mist. Salaark could spot vague figures and hear muffled sounds but that was it. It was the reason Leegaain still ignored Vastor's identity as the Master even after meeting Zoreth in person so often. Her Eldritch nature devoured every smell and energy trace lingering on her body. That and the influence of her troll core limited what he could read through the Dragon scales to her most surface-level feelings and immediate thoughts. "Today, you have acted like a proud member of my Nest." Salaark's gaze softened as she looked Kigan straight in the eyes. "You have fought against impossible odds, defended one of my helpless Hatchlings, and submitted to my judgment. "Today, you are Kigan the Dark Phoenix and I am your mother. Today, you made me proud, son." Kigan fell onto his knees, more wounded than from any blow even a Guardian could inflict on him. Kigan clenched his chest to suppress his burning heart. He wanted to tell her how ashamed he was of his past actions. He wanted to let his mother know that he had overcome the madness of the Abominations and how much he missed her and his sibling. He would have accepted any punishment, given almost anything to redeem himself just a bit in her eyes before accepting the blade of the executioner. Almost. Opening himself to the Blood Imprint would have also meant revealing the Master's identity and all the plans the old Professor had shared with Kigan. The Dark Phoenix refused to atone for a betrayal by perpetrating another so he shut up and swallowed his feelings. "Thank you, Mother" He kept kneeling and slammed his fist on his chest. "I'm a bit confused." Kamila said once it was clear that no one would get hurt. "Are you forgiving him, is this a temporary truce, or what?" "A truce, Featherling." Salaark turned to Kamila, cooing to her womb with guttural sounds that reminded her of the clucking of Elina's chickens. "He can stay until sundown. After that, I'll hunt Kigan down like the rabid animal he is. "I can't taint the day of my beloved Hatchling's conception with filicide. Isn't that right, Kha'hak?" "Hey, no cheating!" Leegaain put himself between the Overlord and the baby. "If I can't teach him how to say dad in Dragontongue, you can't teach him how to say mom in 𝒇𝙧𝙚𝓮𝔀𝓮𝒃𝙣𝓸𝒗𝒆𝒍.𝙘𝒐𝒎 Phoenixtongue!" "What cheating?" Salaark scoffed. "It's called poetic justice! You ruined Kamila's first childbirth by making sure that Elysia's first word would be dad. It's only fair that the baby boy's first word is mom!" "It's a ridiculous argument that makes no logical sense but I wholeheartedly agree." Kamila nodded. "It sure would help me deal with the baby blues if I catch it again." "Nonsense!" Leegaain said in outrage. "Think of Lith. How do you think he would feel about it? You can be angry at me all you want but he's innocent in all this." "That's true." Kamila sighed. "I guess I'll have to talk about it with him first. Please, Grandma, refrain yourself from pulling a Leegaain. I appreciate the intention but as Grandpa so opportunistically pointed out, it would hurt Lith like it hurt me. "That wouldn't be justice. Just me being a Leegaain." "Stop using my name as if it's some kind of insult!" The Father of All Dragons spoke in a soft and soothing voice, no matter how angry he was. He was already in grandpa mode and the only thing he cared about was the baby. "It kind of is." Salaark chuckled. "Don't worry, Kamila. Our little one can't hear anything yet." Kamila didn't like all those "our baby" more than she liked the Guardians caressing her stomach so much but she could only grit her teeth and smile. "Another baby so soon?" Now that the situation had calmed down, the full scope of the revelation hit Zinya like a ton of bricks. "Elysia is barely over six months old and you struggled so much with depression after your first pregnancy" 'Kami is already having her second baby while I can give none to Zogar, I don't care what he says about his experiments. I know he's just trying to make me feel better. His previous wife gave him children so he is not the problem. 'Maybe I'm too old or maybe all the beatings Fallmug gave me broke something inside of me that not even magic can fix.' She inwardly added, fighting hard to hold back her tears. "I know." Kamila sighed. "We wanted to wait a bit longer but we had no choice" "You mean the Guardians wanted a baby boy so bad that they forced you and Lith to make one?" Zinya was flabbergasted and horrified.