Ari (Child of the Beastman Goddess)

The next morning, I was awakened by the commotion. My brother was furiously nagging at Dillon and Lowell.

“*Yawn* B-brother…? What’s wrong?” I asked confusedly.

“Did I wake you up? Was I too loud? I’m sorry… I’m just reprimanding these perverts… Are you still feeling sleepy? You can still go back to sleep. It’s still early.” He inquired in a panic upon seeing me awake.

I tilted my head in confusion while trying to look at the faces of Dillon and Lowell. They looked as if they were being wronged with their ears and tails drooped downward.

“Why are you nagging at them brother?” I asked confusedly.

“Just because!” He roared in irritation.

I was taken aback by his disappointed tone. I felt some sort of discomfort in my heart.

It was me who had the two stocked with me the whole night because I was frightened by my nightmare. I know it is a big issue for minors to sleep with their guardian males. However, I was too anxious that night so I forgot for a moment about the culture of the lion tribe where we grew up.

My brother has a point to reprimand them. Dillon and I also knew it very well. Even my father will have the same reaction if he was with us.

If he was here, he would surely be furious at them and would not settle with just a simple scolding.

“B-Brother… P-Please don’t g-get mad at t-them? I-I was t-the o-one who s-stopped t-them f-from l-leaving… m-me…” I pleaded with guilt, stuttering in most of my words.

For some reason, I felt like my emotions were not stable, making me cry and tremble just because of a simple argument. I suddenly felt light-headed as the tips of my fingers and toes suddenly went numb.

The three males were shocked seeing me bawling uncontrollably.

My brother instantly transformed into his beast form and hugged me, trying to calm me down.

“Ahhh… A-Ari… Please… N-no… S-Sorry… I… I didn’t mean to scare you… Please… stop crying…” My brother stuttered in panic as he held me tightly on his thick and soft fur.

Dillon ran suddenly to the door to call for Tora, while Lowell rushed to Jael to request a female healer.

I don’t understand why I was suddenly being too emotional, but I really miss my father.

I remembered how my father tried to raise me alone despite being broken because of our mother.

I remembered how he sided with me when our mother furiously attacked me because Lindie accused me of being at fault for the boar incident.

His warm embrace despite the chaos around us. His firm body that I usually rely on whenever I was in danger. His heroic roar every time he was defending me.

His soothing voice and scent whenever I felt anxious because I was suffocating from the scent of males around us.

I also remembered his exhausted look every time I woke up in the morning or every time I faint.

I remembered how my father kept reprimanding Dillon whenever we stayed up late in my room.

I remembered how his frightening roar echoed all over the tribe on the day he learned that I just covered up Dillon’s fault during the tribunal trial.Belonging © NôvelDram/a.Org.

I remembered the day we had to leave the tribe without him for the last time while the roaring of our tribesmen kept hailing to the new alpha. I remembered the thinning presence that he had before Dillon pulled me suddenly, lifting me up in his arms while rushing out to the window.

I remembered the day my brother informed me of his sudden disappearance.

I am frightened, thinking that the reason why I was reborn in this world might be because of a huge responsibility beyond my capability. I am currently just a normal beastman who may have talent beyond my peers, but am way weaker than the gods and goddesses. How can I save my father alone?

The negative thoughts kept creeping into my mind, clouding my consciousness.

I fainted and felt as if I was floating for a long time once again in the abyss covered with the shadow hands creeping all throughout my body. I felt disgusted and wanted to throw up, but I was too weak to do so.

I felt like I was being pulled into the depths of the abyss, but someone was holding me back.

“Arie… Surgit! Quaeso…” A familiar voice screamed nervously.

It’s Ayla. I just realized that she was speaking a different language all these times, but my mind automatically translates her words to a language that I can understand.

“Surgit! (Wake up!)” She shouted while trying to pull me to the light ahead of us.

“Ayla…? Where are we?” I mumbled in confusion.

The shadow hands are pulling my whole body back. Ayla tried to use her power to dispel the shadows, but it kept on regenerating endlessly.

“Arie…! Welcome back to the abyss! Haha! Finally, you are awake! I thought you’d just stay asleep until your mortal body fades away. Ayla dear…? I know your souls are connected, but you can break off from that trivial sisterly bond of yours. Is she even more important than your real father?” Sneered a voice that I detested so much.

“Noli respicere post tergum! (Don’t look back!)” Ayla cried anxiously, pulling me hard in a hurry.

Then, she suddenly kissed my forehead in a haste.

“Ayla! No!” Sephtis screamed in surprise.

A light emerged and I felt like an insignia was burning on my forehead as she pressed her lips against it. We magically swapped places the next second and I couldn’t even react or utter a word due to confusion. She immediately pushed me away using her power, throwing me in the direction of the light while she was being swallowed by the crowd of shadow hands.

I gasped as I opened my eyes due to confusion, fright and worry. I wept hysterically, making everyone around me panic in confusion.

“Ari… Please snap out of it… It’s my fault… Please get yourself together! Father Lev is still waiting for us.” My brother sobbed as he kept blaming himself due to my sudden breakdown.

“Mommy… Please don’t cwy anymow. Guyon will owey wuv you.” Gurion babbled while licking the tears on my cheeks.

I hugged his furry little body. Stroking his scruff gently.

Blake suddenly wiped the other side of my face using his snake tale without uttering a single word.

“Your wolf and lion guardians are already preparing your calming tonic. You need to eat your meal first before drinking the tonic.” Explained the female healer.