Ari

Chapter 117: Sealed Babies

I was relieved to meet the Supreme God in my dream. I felt like my chest became lighter, though I'm still grieving. I accepted and faced reality faster with his help.

"My dear... Welcome back! How was your talk with Father?" my mother asked in a calm and warm tone.

"He should have let her rest first before summoning her," my father sighed in a low voice.

"You're right, but I believe He's just worried about her. She's His beloved granddaughter after all," she replied with a saddened tone despite her smile.

"My dear, are you still tired? Are you hungry? Would you like some water?" Dylan asked with worry.

"I'm well rested and I don't feel hungry as of the moment," I chuckled and smiled miserably with teary eyes.

"My dear..," he mumbled in worry.

"I'm all right because she'll be alright somewhere. I just need a little more time," I responded with tears in my eyes.

My parents also cried and hugged me trying to console me without uttering a word. We were all equally hurt since we love Ayla more than she thought we did.

"Mother... If it's not excessive... Will you allow my people in Nirvana?" I asked on a whim to divert the mood.

"You can use your ring to open the portal for them no matter where they are," she replied with a smile.

I was ecstatic and excited as I smiled with teary eyes.

"Mother... Thank you so much." I whimpered.

"Welcome my dearest," she replied.

"Dylan... How long are you planning to seal my grandchildren? You know it's not good for them to be kept sealed for a long time, right?" my father whispered to Dylan, but I could still hear it due to my heightened senses.

Immortals have heightened senses when in stress, especially during battle that could last for days even after the battle.

"Lev!" my mother scolded as she looked at my father sharply.

"But, my dear... She deserves to know as soon as possible," he argued.

"F-Father? What do you mean? Dylan?" I asked in extreme confusion.

"We'll leave you to talk on your own. It is not our place to meddle with matters regarding the family of your own," my mother sighed as she dragged my father away.

"Dylan... What did Father mean?" I asked.

He suddenly faltered, knelt to the ground and said while lowering his head, "Please forgive me... I had no choice. I placed a suppressing seal on our children to protect you during your battle."

"W-When did you do that?" I asked in confusion.

"When you fell ill as we arrived in the Horned Owl Tribe," he answered.

"W-Wait... B-But we haven't mated since we left your palace," I asked in disbelief.

"I'm sorry... We were equally baffled about the situation, though we initially anticipated the possibility of your pregnancy. I wasn't allowed to take any birth control and the palace not only allows the female to be fertile, but could negate simple birth controls," he explained.

"I clearly checked Lowell and Mac. They didn't have the insignia," I said.

"Lowell said he tried an improved birth control and suppressant he was formulating but he couldn't let the others take it because he wasn't sure if it could have any side effects. Also, Macan said he used a method we couldn't understand," he explained.

"What method?" I asked.

"Wi... With... *sigh* Pardon. I couldn't remember the exact term he used," he said.

"Was it withdr— never mind. I get it. I don't know what to think, but please lift the seal right now," I ordered.

"As you wish," he responded as he stood up, then walked near my bed.

He cupped my face with his hand and pressed his lips gently against mine as I instinctively placed my hand on his chest. I was a little surprised that I almost pushed him away, though I fought the urge to realize he was just going to lift a seal.

I suddenly remembered the time when I was ill as he was mumbling something I couldn't hear. It must have been when he sealed my children in fear.

He pulled away with a flushed look as he smiled at me in tears, "Would you like to see the insignia? It was quite unique that all of us were baffled."

"Yes... Please..," I answered in anticipation.

He loosened his clothing and showed the insignia beside the crest on his chest. It was an image of a baby crouching in a fetal position.

I was in awe for a moment, I forgot that I was still grieving.

"What about Dillon?" I asked in curiosity.

"Same as mine," he answered briefly.

My mind was chaotic. I felt happy, but felt guilty for being happy. I felt confused and I suddenly had an unbearable urge to see all of them.

"I'm relieved. Will you teach me how to open a portal?" I asked.

He grinned and nodded then kissed my forehead.

"Just think of them and place a little power on the ring while pointing to a flat surface," he explained as he held my hand and pointed it to the glass door of the balcony.

I closed my eyes following his instruction.

"Dillon... Lowell... Mac... Brother... Tora..." I mumbled, then opened my eyes.

They entered the portal one after another with confusion.

"Ari?!" Tora cried as she jumped into my arms.

"Careful!" Dylan warned nervously.

"Why? What happened to my sister?" my brother asked as he sat beside me with a female hatchling in his hand.

"I... I just lifted the seal," he explained.

"What seal?" Tora asked as she pulled away in confusion.

"The seal that suppressed the growth of the children in her womb," he explained.

"Wait! Children? She's pregnant? Since when?" she asked in confusion.

"My sister has been pregnant since after the wedding... I couldn't tell you since I don't want you to feel stressed and worried since her pregnancy was quite unique," my brother answered.

"If she's pregnant the same as I was, why didn't she lay the eggs when we stayed in the Winged Horse Tribe?" she asked in confusion.

"As Orson explained, her pregnancy is unique in this world. It was similar to the pregnancy of humans in our previous life, she might need almost a year to bear the children inside her womb before she could give birth to the babies," Macan responded.

"B-babies? Do Immortals bear babies? Not an egg?" I asked.

Dylan shook his head and said, "It was the reason we were all baffled."

"Do my parents know?" I asked.

"Roughly, I guess they do, judging on how your father easily identified your pregnancy," he replied.