Eternal Emerald Dragon

Chapter 1084 - 1083 - Blessed Child

Katara was screaming as pain lanced her body.

"Papa is coming! He promised!" Jur was holding her hand as Nana prepared steaming tubs of water and fresh towels. Ranger was helping gather materials at her command.

Nana was a sea of calm to the room as she showed great experience.

"He will come indeed but we need to be ready." Her bestial features were less pronounced than Jur or Chu but she still benefited from the senses beyond a human.

Thus, she felt his arrival since her head was clear.

"Well done, both of you. Ranger, leave the room and keep all out unless Chu arrives." Lind surveyed the room and found they had anticipated his needs for the moment. He paused and thought of something. "If a Maiden comes, let 1 in and 1 only. They can decide who."

He would not dare to choose who could enter but they would understand the limits of the situation.

He began to prepare as it would not be an easy birth. He had to keep Katara alive until the end. His fingers glowed and he was supremely glad he had not wasted Qi earlier.

Weavings leapt up around him and he summoned several artifacts as well. They were cylinders on wooden tripods. He arranged them at equidistant points of the room. The instant he infused his Qi, the tainted Qi practically vanished!

Jur, Nana, and Ranger were shocked! How had he done that?!

"Nana, keep that water hot and some warm towels as well. Jur, keep supporting Katara. You are doing well." His words encouraged them. Nana even nodded as she acknowledged his clear experience.

Lind examined Katara and frowned at what he saw. It was indeed time but the drain on her vitality was greater than he had feared.

"AAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!" The pain was also more than it should be but he did not skimp on examining all aspects of her. He found the cause quickly. Her elements were running wild! She was being torn apart!

He quickly summoned ruby red, sapphire, topaz, and all colors of elixirs. He gave them not only to Katara but to himself. He was going to need all his power for what was to come.

He conjured several healing flows on top of the elixirs soothing her body. The relief was clear but the process could not be stopped. It was now or never.

"Katara. It is beginning. Speak now." He was curt but she appreciated it.

"Ranger, you handsome bastard. Take care of our child. Tell them all about how crazy I was and how I am so glad I was their mother." She smiled at him as the demon flinched. He bowed low to her and took on the words directly.

"I was always going to stand by your side always. I will raise our child with all I have and tell you all about us when I see you again!" Lind paused at his words. He almost wanted to tell him about souls and new lives but held back.

"Jur, your Papa has a stick up his backside. Get him to relax would you?" He nearly choked on those words! Jur smiled as tears were falling down her face.

"I will always love Papa!" She had grown so much but she remained childish. Katara smiled through her sweat slicked face.

Her hair was sticking to her skull but the elixirs were doing their work as his healing conjurings were keeping her stable.

"Brat, you are taking some liberties aren't you?" Lind smirked as he prepared for the labor to truly begin.

"I will do all I can to succeed. I promised you after all." She smiled at him before she became serious.

"The sect is not your friend. You might make some connections but they are far more self centered than you are used to. Use a heavier hand and don't let those other powers walk all over you trying to hide your true power. I want my child to see what you said would come to pass." He looked up and nodded solemnly.

"We will begin soon, is there anything else?" Once they started in earnest, it would take all her concentration to control her Qi with him helping. The birth would be that dangerous.

She pondered and nodded.

"If I live through this, I want to hold them. Please let me have that." He had not needed to be told that but he smiled as nodded.

"Then we begin." He began to control multiple streams of Qi in ways that left the rest of the room in awe. True experts usually hid their full capabilities but at that moment everyone truly realized what a Crystal Tier was capable of.

⬧⬧⬧⬧

"What–what is that?" The Maidens were not alone in feeling the profound storm of QI atop one of their towers. It was felt far and wide as Lind made no effort to restrict it. He could not afford to contain the Qi or it would endanger the baby.

Still, those with keen senses could only tear up as they recalled what it was once like to have their full power. It was Immortal Qi with no taint to it at all!

While it was impressive, no one knew what it was all for. Further, it was maintained as the day went on which seemed flat out impossible! The current age had made it that Immortals could only go all out for a few hours at most!

How was one going so strong after a full day?!

It then continued for 3 more days! Duke Petryn and Teegan looked at the war tower in awe.

"How is he that powerful? How can anyone stand up to him?" Teegan smiled up at him.

"There is a vast difference in power and its use. He taught me that even the weakest cultivator could kill a stronger one with a simple blade and good timing. Difficult, but not impossible." He turned to her and saw her dark gold eyes were looking at something in the past.

He put an arm around her and she smiled as she nuzzled against him.

"Still, for bringing a life into the world, why is he going so far?" Teegan then teared up at his question.

"I doubt that is just for the baby. I think he is doing everything in his power to let War Maiden Katara see her baby born." All the tension faded from Petryn as sadness overcame him. A newfound respect rose in his pale eyes as well.

The fact he would go so far for a friend made him very glad his sister was his master.

"Delenn, wherever you are, revenge should not consume you." It was a fear he had gained as time passed. Gareth was dead and now his older brother was implicated. Nothing good would come of it but his report had already confirmed previously repressed memories of Nest's activities.

The man had vanished but all knew he would return in some form. He had betrayed them all!

⬧⬧⬧⬧

Delenn looked far to the south and her face softened. A small bandit camp was decimated around her but it was not her doing. The blood was long dried and the corpses taken by beasts long ago.

She was using it as a base camp as she pursued Nest. She hoped he would lead her to the true culprits but he seemed to know he was being followed lately. She did not care. She had planned for so long for her revenge and she would not let it go.

"We will meet again, my apprentice. So try not to take all the fun until then." She returned to her map and planned on the dark wooden barrel as the sun began to set on the horizon.

⬧⬧⬧⬧

Lind was exhausted. He had never fought so hard just to keep someone alive. It was not like an injury or a broken connection between soul and body. It was like something massive, just beyond his senses, was claiming Katara.

It wanted to take her and nothing he did could stop it. He could only defer it for a time.

The baby, thankfully, had no complications. It was actually doing quite well if not for the fact its mother kept dancing so near death!

The final stretch was in sight. Blood soaked towels were traded out for clean ones. Nana looked exhausted but Chu was now there as well as a Maiden who specialized in healing.

She was impressed at his skill and stayed out of the way. Ranger had never stopped guarding the door but Oz had joined him at some point.

Lind focused as Katara was nearly at the end of her life. The storm of Qi flowed in her body was all that was keeping her going aside from her own will.

"Push one last time! You can do it!" His words seemed to reach her as she bared down and the partially born baby seemed to slip out. His hands were swift and firm as he caught it and severed the umbilical cord. He tied it off and quickly handed the baby off to the Maiden.

She washed it and wrapped it in warm towels.

"A baby girl. She is a demon." The pale lavender skin was hard to make out but he trusted her judgment. Lind stopped the flow of blood and healed the physical injuries. She still lived!

"If I may?" He carefully took the crying baby from the Maiden and came up to the left side of Katara's body. Her face was pale and her eyes unfocused but he took her arms and wrapped them around the baby that instantly calmed in her presence.

"Your daughter is here." Katara's eyes cleared as a smile crossed her face.

"Hello munchkin. You be good for your daddy and don't cause too much trouble. Also, thank you for being my daughter. I love–you." Life was fading but his storm of QI continued unabated. Ranger had come up to replace Jur at some point.

He carefully took the baby into his arms as tears formed in his eyes. She smiled up at him before all life faded from her.

[As True Lord of the Dragon race, I bless this child.] Lind suddenly felt an impulse and followed it. Compared to before, it cost him nothing as his aura washed over the child and he realized it was free of tainted Qi!

Her body was cleansed! He was shocked but then did not delve too deep. He had a greater duty to perform as he ceased letting his Qi flow. He sent a prayer to the spirits to watch over her soul. Exhaustion washed over him but he used the cot to steady his body.

A life had faded but a new one had arrived. He smiled at the now sleeping baby as Ranger held Katara's hand. Jur was crying in the corner in her mother's arms.

Nana wept as well but the Maiden merely bowed in respect. He sighed as there was much to do.

"Rest in peace my friend." He downed an elixir and prepared the next steps that had to be done. The world did not stop just because he wished it to.