Whispers of a Dead Empire

A part of me felt what could only be described as disappointment. That was too easy, yet it was one of the most difficult things I had ever done. Maybe if I just sat there and actually focused on things like I should, then I would have known that I could do that.

But that is neither here nor there. At least I managed to further my soul training a bit. I sighed, pushed myself off the ground, and dusted off my pants. I had a dull headache that seemed to throb in the rhythm of my heart. It wasn't anything unbearable, but it was there.

I glanced around the room and saw that Nyx was sitting on a bench and was passed out. Her head was pressed against the wall, and her flesh was covered in a glistening sheen of sweat. Poor girl must have worked herself into exhaustion.

I grinned, walked over to where she was sitting, and sat next to her. I wasn't nearly as tired as I thought I'd be, and the best part was that my body wasn't sore. In all honesty, I was still ready to go. But, at this moment, I had another thought.

I reached out to Nyx and pulled her gently into me. The second her head softly pressed into my chest, her arms shot out and wrapped around me. She murmured softly as she nestled her head into my chest before falling still again.

I reached up and ran my hand gently through her hair as I sat there, letting her use me as her pillow. I felt bad that I didn't spend as much time with her as I could, but I've been so busy lately that it's been hard. A part of me was considering switching to something like an eight to five, or something of the sort, so I could make time for the people in my life. Then I realized that the adventurers outside don't care about that, so my job would never truly end.

I reached up with my other hand, cupped her face, and tilted it up so I could see it. Her skin had finally fully shifted into an olive hue, much like mine, and many of her draconic features had faded as the more human ones took the front seat.

She looked a lot like me, yet she still seemed to have her own thing going on, which was good. I had a feeling that she was going to be a looker when she got older. Though, I'll be sad when she gets to that point. She won't be my sweet little Nyx anymore. Not that she was sweet or anything now, but it was still the idea. I honestly hope that she never changes.

I pushed some of her hair back, leaned down, and gave her a gentle peck on her forehead. Her flesh was warm and a little clammy, which was to be expected. She was a little busy for the last few hours.

She stirred slightly as I pulled her back into my chest and rested my head on hers. Maybe I'll take a nap, too, while I'm at it. A little break won't hurt. But I need to make sure that I get back to training. After all, I promised Alessia that I would do this, and the idea of letting her down bothered me. I don't think I could bear the idea that she would be disappointed in me.

I took a deep breath and closed my eyes, enjoying how close I was to Nyx. I could feel her warmth radiating from her in steady waves and her heart strumming in her chest. It all made me so happy. So, for now, I'm just going to relish this the best I can.

"Come on, Mother, let's keep training." Nyx's voice tore me from my torpor, and I opened my eyes. She was still pressed into my chest, but her arms wrapped tightly around me. As if she were scared that I would vanish.

"Okay," I murmured as I sat there for a few seconds longer. My heart was so full, and for once, I didn't feel the quiet fangs of depression. "Your weapons should be done spawning in. Do you want to try them out?" I asked as I sat up and decoupled from her.

"Yes!" Like usual, excitement boiled through her veins like a restless sea, and she jumped from the seat. "Come, come." She reached back, grabbed my hand, and pulled me along to where the weapons I made for her sat.

I grinned as I stood behind her and watched her stare at each of them. She reached out first to the small war hammer I made for her. Once it was in her hands, she gave it a small test swing before staring at it again.

"Do you like it?" I asked as I walked around her.

"No. It doesn't feel right." She sighed as she set the war hammer back down on the table. "It feels strong, but it doesn't feel good."

I reached the end of the table and picked up the weapon she had just dropped. I had to agree with her there. It felt strong, but something about it just rang strangely with me. It was off-putting trying to imagine myself using a weapon like that. I enjoyed using my swords and, above that, my fist. It felt primal and right to me.

She picked up the mace next and gave this one a few test swings before another sigh left her lips, and she placed it back down on the table. "This one too. It's the same thing." She placed it back on the table roughly, causing all the weapons to jump slightly.

I could feel her frustrations at not finding the right weapon. It's one of the biggest reasons I did what I did for so long. The very fact that I couldn't decide led me down that path. But unfortunately for her, time was a luxury that she didn't have. I needed her to be ready for whatever the world would throw at her. So if she didn't like the next weapon I made for her, I would need to figure something out, but I wasn't sure what was left for me to make.

Nyx reached out and grabbed the battleax, and she gave it a test swing. The blade whistled as it cut through the air. In the blink of an eye, her entire demeanor changed a bit, and a grin slowly started to split her face, revealing a row of perfectly white teeth. "Mother, this feels strong, and it cuts. I like it, but can I have something slightly different?" She asked as she brought the ax back up to her face. The smooth metal surface glistened in the faint torchlight as she waved it around.

"Sure, what do you have in mind?" I asked as I leaned forward across the table. I released a sigh that I didn't realize I was holding. Thank god she chose because I didn't know what else to do for her.

"I want something a little more dragon-like and elegant." She gave me a curt nod as she passed the weapon over to me like she was a runner passing off a baton. The nerve of this child, I swear.

"Try saying that nicely." I replied as I rested my head in my hands. I really needed to hammer in her manners. An uppity child running around is not something I can tolerate.

"Mother, would you make me a more dragon-like and elegant weapon?" She asked again but still kept her puppy eyes locked on me.

Well, would you look at that? It was some progress, no matter how small it may be. Baby steps it is for now, at least. "Of course. Thank you for being so polite." I smiled and walked over to where my sports bag sat. "Now come along, and tell me what you want so I can draw it out."

It took ages, but eventually, I figured out what she wanted. Instead of a broad-headed ax, this one would be thinner while retaining enough to ensure it was stable enough for use. The blade would curve down from there and drop quite a bit. Honestly, it reminded me of a giant fang with how it looked. It wasn't my cup of tea, but if it made Nyx happy, then that is all that matters to me.

Without having to ask, I knew I needed to make the metal a mix of purple and black since those are her two go-to colors. But the next question was, what kind of metal would I make these out of? What kind did I have again? I sighed as I sat back and looked through my menu, trying to figure out what was at my disposal.

I really wished I was a metallurgist so at least I could figure out what stuff was better to use for weapons. After all, I would only give Nyx the very best, and anything less would not do.