Upon the request of Lady Pyre, and the rest of the captains, Aiden acquiesced. With a gentle, warm smile stretching across his face, he nodded at them, he closed his eyes.

*WOOSH!*

In the next moment, as if a cage, the chained beast was let go, the chains unshackled, a powerful torrent of energy rippled across the landscape. A violent, powerful wind blew by them all, rooting everyone on the spot.historical

Each felt a heavy pressure descending upon them. As if the world's problems have suddenly become heavier to bear. Their sins, their grief turned just that much harder to wear.

Space distorting around their leader's humongous, towering musclebound Draconic Saurus frame. His body trembled, rapidly shifting both in shape, size, and saturation.

The scales vanishing, a smooth tanned-looking olive skin replaced it. Both the elongated reptilian facial structure, the thick strains of muscles, and claws all vanished along with his tail in rapid succession.

The towering almost 10 feet tall frame (AN: ~roughly 3 meters) reduced in size, turning much more compact, eventually shifting into somewhere just above 6 feet (AN: 1.8-1.9 meters).

His physique also shifted as it lost all the bulging strains of muscle mass, transforming his mesomorph shape into a more lithe, graceful one.

Finally as if to crown the grand transformation off, long, matte black flocks of hair sprouted from the top of his head, cascading way below his shoulder line, flowing wildly in an unfettered manner.

The team of captains was shocked beyond belief as they watched their leader's body rapidly change, shift. However, what shocked them the most was that his new look was way too similar to that of the mythical creatures of old folklore. The once-dominant race upon the face of this world, dominating the lands above.. a Bareskin!

As his transformation completed, Aiden heaved a long sigh. As the final touch to the visual treat, this technique of the rarest of legends, his eyes suddenly snapped open.

A pair of exotic-looking almond-shaped eyes glimmering in majestic golden glory stared at the team of Draconic Skink Captains and a young awestruck girl.

"[Reptilian] Woooaaaaaaah!" The ensuing silence that lasted for more than a minute was finally broken, Tolliah could no longer keep herself calm and silent. Letting go and freeing herself from Madam Dara she jumped forward and bolted towards his dear 'papa', jumping into his embrace as soon as she came into 'attack range'.

"[Reptilian] Papa!!! You look really cool! I.. I... I LOVE IT! I LOVE YOU!"

"[Reptilian] Y-you do? Aren't you afraid, horrified, or disgusted instead? I'm not of your race, you know." Caught completely unprepared for the sudden exclamation from the little girl, and instead of expecting a vastly different, opposite reaction, Aiden wasn't sure what to do or say at first.

Yet, in the next instant, as he felt the warmth of the little girl as it tightly held onto his chest, feeling absolutely no malice whatsoever, but an even greater love.. Hearing the fast-paced, rhythmic thumping of her chest.. still, Aiden could hardly believe the obvious facts.

Perplexed and confused, he hugged the girl back, Aiden decided to let go of the burning questions and just enjoy the moment.

He picked up the girl, letting her hang from his neck like a little koala, he gave her a loud smooch on her right cheek.

"[Reptilian] Are you sure, Tolliah? I.. I.. what I did was.."

Before he could finish, Tolliah placed her right index finger on his lips, effectively silencing the man. She gave an honest, genuine smile, her eyes turning happy upward curving crescents. She shook her head as she spoke in a soft, whispering tone so that only they could hear it.

"[Reptilian] Um-um.. You are my papa, I said it already! You two have become one, none of you vanished but somehow became one!" She then buried her head in his warm embrace, muttering in a muffled tone. "I love you, papa!"

Hearing her words, Aiden no longer hesitated. The questions, the doubts, the confusion wafted like a puff of smoke, freeing and clearing his mind. Casting his gaze down, he placed another kiss on the top of her head.

Meanwhile, the captains were watching silently as the two bonded once again as the daughter and.. finally, truly, and irreversibly.. as the father.

The two had been gradually lifted off the burdening, heavily weighing thoughts as they watched the family scene in front of them unfold. Their questions, -whatever many they had, along with the seeds of doubt that have subconsciously started to take root in their minds-, have been lifted.

Even Lady Pyre herself who originally spoke up, and had more underlying means behind her seemingly honest and innocent question, couldn't utter a word, but felt her heart stir, and radiate a warmness that was far too long since she felt it.

Madam Dara's eyes were hazy with all the tears that she tried desperately to hold back. Though she displayed a strong front most of the time, in reality, she was indeed hurt deep down when she learned of the truth. She didn't blame his new master about what happened, as if the roles were replaced and she would be the one kept in the dark in a lonesome cell suddenly visited by some strange creature wanting nothing but to murder and consume her.. She would undoubtedly do the same, act in a similar fashion.

Still, that didn't mean that it was easy to face reality, that it didn't hurt to know that the man you loved was no more.

However, that image slowly began to change. During the battle it already started to turn blurry, clouded.. but now and since the past week during their interactions, it slowly shifted, changed.. The mysterious being that wore the look of the archbishop, their new leader's image were gradually solidifying in her heart.

Now, the last bits of dark clouds having been lifted, the image, the exact replica of the young, long black haired Bareskin man have taken its rightful place.. Her expression, her body could finally ease up again, and let go of all the sorrow she kept tucked inside.

She cried, she sobbed.

Yet, beneath her sorrow, the tinge of happiness could be seen. Her face wasn't contorted into pain, but instead, it curved in a pleasing, heartwarming manner.

"[Reptilian] Papa.." Tolliah spoke up, breaking the ensuing silence again. She looked with large puppy eyes, her innocence shining through. With a thoughtful look on her face, she asked a question. A question that most certainly the others also had in the back of their minds.

"..Papa.. are you a.. bareskin?"

---

>>>Check out my latest novel: The Strongest Demon Lord in the Modern World<<

It's an urban modern-day styled story, with a reverse transmigrated ('Banished') immortal entity from the fantastical world of Nova!

Planned Tags and Genre: # CULTIVATION # R18 # BETRAYAL # TRANSMIGRATION # URBAN # ACTION # ANTIHERO # OVERPOWERED (romance maybe at some later point)

---

Just a friendly reminder, that from wherever you are reading , you can reach out to me using any of the below methods!

Links:

/shaele