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"Hahh… Hahh…"
Aberno's breath became heavier as his heart started to beat slowly. His body lost most of its senses, his broken bones pierced through his muscles and flesh, and he was bleeding through many areas of his body. He began to experience the pain and agony of dying. After having done so many atrocities in the Demon Continent, he finally learned what was experiencing the same despair as that of those people that went through the same things.
But deep down, he couldn't help but cry, he didn't wanted to die. In fact, when Ninhursag looked into his eyes as he called for his mother and his father, for a small moment, she saw Zack on him. What could have happened if Zack didn't had people to be with him when he lost everything? What could have happened to him if he was always alone? Would… he had become someone like Aberno?
"Mother…"
Although it was only for a few hours after being born, Aberno recalled the warmth and comfort that his Orc mother gave to him when he was born. This warm, and comfort, and even the small kiss she gave to his forehead when he was drinking from her milk, he recalled all these memories now, feeling the warmth of his mother, which he missed so dearly… He didn't even had a whole day to enjoy having a mother before she went away.
Her warmth was no longer there, and he felt cold, and alone. The other Green Skins roughly took care of him, feeding him raw meat, sometimes tree sap, and the milk of cow-like monsters they captured, but he never felt the same care, the same warmth and comfort that he felt in those small brief moments…
"I miss you… mother…"
Aberno had completely drowned on his own last thoughts, as he began to hallucinate, recalling his past as a baby, Ninhursag quickly realized that he was also a victim in all of this, a child that was lost. Ninhursag's heart felt a strong pain, as she stopped moving, her mind was telling her to kill him already, but her heart was telling her that he was but a child, a misguided child that was never able to find anybody.
Although his offer back then was stupid and sounded as if he were an asshole, perhaps deep down he just really wanted somebody to comprehend him… However, he had done way too many atrocities to be forgiven, but it wasn't as if Ninhursag or the other Heroes knew what he had done in the Demon Continent, they could only assume, and only knew that he came here to avenge his father.
But who brought him here? Who lured him here to do something so reckless? It was nowhere to be seen… And as Aberno weakened and was in the brink of death, the Green Skins suddenly regained their individualism, and realized what they were being forced to do, they panicked, and began running away as fast as possible from the heroes, dispersing across the jungle while ignoring Aberno, who's mind seemed to be in another place.
"I guess… You were not so different from me." Thought Ninhursag, as she sighed, turning back into her normal human form, she slowly walked towards Aberno.
"Mother… Fa… father…"
"…"
Ninhursag walked near Aberno, looking at him with pity. She sat down at his side, and suddenly embraced him into her arms, letting his weakened and dying body rest on her strong and muscular arms. His yellow-gold eyes slowly began to lose their light, as tears started to flow like rivers from his crystalline eyes. Ninhursag warmth comforted him, as he recalled his mother more clearly… Ninhursag wasn't going to save him, but, deep down, she wanted to give him a bit of comfort, so his painful life wouldn't end as painful as he lived it.
"Ah… Mo… ther…"
Aberno's life memories started to flow through his mind. His birth, the few hours he spent with his mother, how he grew up with the green skins, how he learned to fight, and to kill… how he learned about his origins, how he conquered the lands, and how… how dull everything felt. Deep down, amidst his last bits of consciousness, he wished he could had been given a second chance.
Perhaps… if he had been born as a different person. Perhaps if he wasn't a Demon, or perhaps if he was born as a human, an elf, or something else.
The last Blue Demon's life ended in the embrace of his enemy, as Ninhursag looked at his lifeless face with pity. She felt some regret, and also a strong sense of sorrow within her heart, but also, she felt like she did… what she had to do.
"Rest in peace… You were a fine warrior. I hope… you can find your mother and your father in the afterlife."
Ninhursag closed the dead Aberno's eyes, as she let him rest over the floor. She didn't knew what to do with him now. Should she eat him? Should she dig his grave? Deep within her own instincts, she felt like the thing she had to do was obvious… She looked around, making sure nobody was looking, as she decided to let Alberno live within her and give her strength as she continued within her journey. This was a ritual that the skin changers did to honor those they hunted.
And while she did what she had to do, with a bitter face and forcing her own mouth to chew and her throat to gulp down, she looked into the bright jewel in the chest of the Blue Demon, and decided to keep it as her catalyzer.
Meanwhile, a small little blue slime lurked around the trees, watching the end of Aberno, he seemed to sigh in relief, as if he knew about him but didn't really wanted to encounter him.
"Phew… I really thought he had come to bring me back to the Demon Continent… No way I am getting back there…" He thought, as he slowly moved back to his new master. "After all, it's way more fun to be with Aquarina and Sylphy, hehe!"
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