Chapter 371 - The Birth of the Chosen One (1) (unedited)

(Regaleon's POV)

The wind was blowing hard on my face while I was riding on top of Tempest. He was flying as fast as he can to the direction of where Alicia was.

"We will be there soon, do not worry." Tempest told me to calm me down.

But I was feeling the anxiety eating me up inside. I do not know what Gladiolus was planning, but I am much more afraid of High Priest Hector more than him.

"You know that I cannot calm down unless I see Alicia safe with my own two eyes." I said to Tempest.

"I understand." Tempest sighed and we continued our journey.

When we were about to get there, I heard a faint voice calling for me from below.

"Leon… Leon…" The faint voice called.

I looked down to see a speck on the open waters.

"It's Anatalia." Tempest recognized her with his good eye sight.

"Let us go down." I ordered. I thought that Anatalia has some information that she needs to tell us.

Tempest agreed and swoop down from the sky and hovered just above Anatalia.

"What is it, Anatalia?" I said in a hurry.

"It is Alicia…" Anatalia had a grave look on her face that made my chest clench.

"What?! What happened to Alicia?" I asked with a frantic look. 'No, am I too late?' My mind was whirling with negative thoughts that I cannot seem to stop from forming.

"She is still under the sea, far from the enemy's clutches… but…" Anatalia paused.

"Tell me Anatalia!" I shouted in frustration. Anatalia had a shocked and frightened face after I shouted at her, and I felt sorry in an instant. "I am sorry for shouting. Please forgive me. I was just feeling uneasy." Anatalia shook her head.

"No, I understand." Anatalia replied with an understanding look. "I swam to Alicia's location as soon as the battle at the beach ended. I saw her and she was… she was in pain. Leon, Alicia is in labor and is about to give birth!"

I was shocked hearing Anatalia's words. It just gave me another reason to go to where Alicia is right now in haste.

"Tempest, let us move… quickly!" I ordered. "Can you swim there fast?" I asked Anatalia.

"Do not worry about me. I will be there in no time." Anatalia said. "Go!"

Tempest flapped his huge wings that made ripples on top of the water. We gained altitude once more and was in full speed. Not long I can see the pillar of light shining brighter than it ever was. Around the pillar, I can see the azure dragon circling around. It was not new to me to see him guarding the area, but what surprised me was that there was someone riding on top of him.

"Tempest, can you see who is that on top of the azure dragon?" I ordered.

"Certainly." Tempest replied.

I linked with Tempest and used his eyes to look in the far direction. That was when I saw who was riding the azure dragon. It was no other than Gladiolus.

"Master, it seems that the azure dragon has chosen a master with the royal blood." Tempest said.

"Let us tread carefully, Tempest." I said to him.

Tempest flew nearer the pillar of light carefully. Not long, the azure dragon and Gladiolus saw us. When were just meters away, we stopped and looked at one another.

"Just as expected, you are here." Gladiolus said with a solemn look.

Gladiolus face was more serene since the last time I have seen him. It seems like he had solved his inner turmoils and made his decision by himself rather than following his mother's every word.

"We meet once again, Gladiolus." I replied. "So, you are chosen to be the azure dragon's master."

"I was surprised too, that I was chosen to be this ones master." Gladiolus replied calmly. "After being chosen, now I know what my path is. This one I named Virgil, has explained to m."

I was confused with what Gladiolus was speaking when Tempest started to explain.

"Master, I was going to tell you after this battle is over but I think it would be test to tell you now." Tempest said.

"What is it Tempest?" I asked with utter curiosity.

"We, the four sacred beast had now found their rightful masters, the memory of our past reincarnations dawned upon us." Tempest explained. "We were destined to be with the Almighty One since he was born. We are here to assist him with his mission. But when he died, we also went in the cycle of rebirth until his reincarnation is born once again. Before he was to be born, we are to choose our masters, ones that will be tasked to accompany him in growing up. Our masters will be the Chosen One's mentors and guardians until he comes of age. Our consciousness has chosen the masters that would help him grow to be the smart and strong man he is destined to be, so that he can then finish his mission as pertained to him by destiny."

I heard every word that Tempest had said. I processed it inside my mind, and understood why Tempest and Snow chose me and Alicia to be their masters. We were to be the parents of the reincarnation of the Almighty One and will have the mission to raise and guide him in the right path. That also means that the black tortoise had found its master as well, and I was curious as to who that person is. But what made me curious more was why Gladiolus was chosen as one of my son's guardians?

'Does this mean that he is now on our side?' I thought while looking at Gladiolus with a doubtful look.

"I have already accepted the mission that I was given, King Regaleon." Gladiolus said while I was staring at him doubtfully. "I promise to be a faithful guardian to Alicia's child, whoever the father may be. But before anything else, I want to say to you that my feelings for Alicia is pure and true. Before I fully give up my feelings for her, fight me. If you defeat me, then I will acknowledge you as Alicia's husband and the father of the Chosen One. If not, then I will take your place by their side."

"Your words still infuriates me." I said with a grin. I felt irritated by his words but I still maintained my composure. "Very well, I accept your challenge. But if I win, I want you to erase any lingering feelings you have with my wife. I will accept you as a guardian to my child, but I do not want to see you any where near my wife." I said with a chilling voice.

"… I accept." Gladiolus had a pause before answering, but at least he gave me his word.

"Then I will take your word." I pulled out my sword. Our final battle with each other was about to begin.

**

(Alicia's POV)

I woke up with the pain in my belly. It was so excruciating that I clenched my fists hard with every interval.

"Ahhhh…." I screamed in pain.

When the pain subsided, I looked around and saw that I was still under the sea. The only difference is that I could now see the sky from where I was lying.

"H-How long has it been?" I asked myself. I looked at my stomach and it was now big and bulging. I knew in an instant that the pain I was feeling was labor pains, I was about to give birth. Then I felt another round of pain shot on my stomach.

"Ahhhh…." I screamed once again. I can feel beads of sweat running down my forehead.

When it subsided, I had time to breath. "Leon… where are you.?" My voice was pleading.

I was all alone in this cold place and was about to give birth, but Regaleon was no where to be found. I can feel tears trickling down my cheeks, wanting to see my love.

Then I saw flashes of red and blue light clashing at the sky. I tried to focus my sight on those lights when another round of pain shot.

"Ahhhh…" I screamed louder than before. I gripped anything that was around me and all I can touch was sand.

After another break, I looked at the dancing red and blue lights and recognized the red light. It was no other than Tempest. If Tempest was here, then Regaleon was just near. I felt relief knowing he was close but then felt worried as now I can see that Tempest was fighting with someone up in the sky.

"That means Leon is fighting up there…" I said when another round of pain came.

The intensity of the pain was getting higher and higher, an indication that the baby was about to come out. I opened my legs wide with the feeling that my baby will come out any minute now.

"Ahhh…" I screamed hard and I was about to bite my lips when I realized someone was right beside me.

My mouth had bit someones arm and I can taste the blood on my lips. But I cannot focus on the person because I was feeling the intense pain. When the pain subsided, I loosened the bite of my mouth and looked at the person beside me. I saw Anatalia's face distorted with pain.

"A-Anatalia…" I was surprised that she was here. "S-Sorry…" I tried to apologize that I bit her arm.

"It is okay Alicia, do not worry about me." Anatalia caressed my head gently. "This pain is nothing compared with what you are feeling now. Here, chew on this. This will help you gain strength while in labor and will prevent you from biting off your tongue. Do not swallow it, just chew."

Anatalia put something fishy and salty inside my mouth. I did not know what it was, but I trust Anatalia's words.

"These are seaweeds I got from the sea bed. It has properties that can help you regain your strength." Antalia explained. "Now listen to every word I say, okay? Just breath in and breath out. If you feel the pain of the contractions, do not fight it and just push. Understand?" I nodded as confirmation because my strength was starting to fade with the amount of pain I was feeling.

After chewing on the seaweeds Anatalia placed on my mouth, I can feel some vitality coming back to me. Anatalia spread my legs and examined me down there.

"Alicia, you are fully dilated. I can feel the head of the baby." Anatalia said. I felt another sharp pain and felt the need to push. "Do not stop it, just push as your body is saying."

"Ahhh!!!" I screamed while pushing.

"That is good, now keep going." Anatalia said while holding my bulging stomach helping me push.

Then the pain stopped and I breathed heavily.

"Breath in and breath out." Anatalia instructed and I do as she says.

I cannot believe I was about to give birth here and now, and without Regaleon by my side. I looked up and saw the lights still dancing on the sky when another pain shot up.

"REGALEON!!!" I screamed at the top of my lungs.