Eating Your Weight: Finding Common Ground

I opened my eyes to once again find myself in the team of dreams. I looked up at the sky, already knew what I would find, and smiled at the beautiful sight I saw above me.

“Crazy that something that pretty exists in my soul of all places.” I said, staring at the swirling colors above. After taking a moment to admire it, I jumped down from the thick root I had appeared on, heading towards the base of the tree where I knew Nidhogg would be. Jumping in this place was like being on the moon, floaty and almost dreamlike which, duh.

I came to an easy stop in front of the base of the tree where Nidhogg was curled up against the tree. I looked up at him, taking in his dark scales shadowed against the pale bark of the tree he once used as a chew toy.

A single orange eyes was facing in my direction, a slitted pupil following me as I approached, “So are you done brooding?”

The millenia-old being huffed, exhaling steam from his nostrils as he let his displeasure be known, “I do not brood.”

“Uh-huh.” I put my hands on my hips, giving him a look, “Then why have you been ignoring me every time I try to talk to you. I mean, I actually had to come in here which was a bitch and a half to figure out how to do, and you won't even actually look at me, like what gives? We're supposed to be partners, right?”

Nidhogg made an odd noise, a sound rumbling deep in his chest like someone starting the world's largest engine. It took me a moment to realize he was laughing, and I scowled at him as he finally turned to look at me with both eyes.

“Partners?” He asked, amused by the very motion, “What could possibly give you that idea? A creature as powerful as me treating a mere human as an equal is laughable notion.”

I rolled my eyes, sitting down on one of the fee roots that weren't as thick as a truck, “Look dude, Miyo gave me the rundown on how this whole Sacred Gear thing works. We're stuck together until I die and I don't have any plans to do that again any time soon, so why don't we just work together to make things a bit easier on both of us? Or at the very least, maybe you could stop being such a prick all the time?

Nidhogg’s laughter cut off and his eyes narrowed, “Watch what you say, human.”

I snapped, pointing at him, “That! That right fucking there! You're stuck in my arms for at least the next sixty years, the least you could do is call me by my name which I know you know!” I crossed my arms, “Keep that shit up and I'm giving you a nickname like shit-heel or something sufficiently insulting!”

The dragon huffed, unphased by the threat as he rested his head on himself once more, “I have heard all manner of insults in my long life. Each more creative than the last. Even with your altered lifespan, nothing you could possibly manage to think of could surprise me.”

That brought me up short, dousing the fires of my indignation and replacing it with confusion, “Altered lifespan?”

“Did you think the changes to your body would have no side effects?” Nidhogg asked, “You are more dragon than human now, though not by much. That amount is still more than enough to increase your lifespan a thousand fold however and as a result, you now have the potential to live longer than the devils coming to take your head. If you do not meet your end in battle, you will live for tens of thousands of years at the very least.”

His words rang like a bell in my head as I sat there, gaping at the dragon. I slowly looked down at my hands, completely unsure of what to think. Ten thousand years? That was longer than recorded human history! I was going to live that multiple times over if someone didn’t put a knife through my neck?

The thought was mind-boggling. I hadn’t even imagined that I’d make it to my mid eighties before I croaked from some form of heart disease brought on by eating too much junk food. To hear that I was now practically guaranteed to outlive my entire family and quite possibly every single generation that came after me absolutely blew me away.

Nidhogg continued, heedless of my stunned state, “Though impressive to most, to me, your life will be a mere speck in the grand scheme of things. By my very nature I am ageless. I am destined to survive Ragnarok and will likely live to see the stars themselves be extinguished. A few thousand years is nothing.”

Shaking myself out of my stupor, I glared at the overgrown pool noodle, “Why the hell didn’t you tell me that before you scaled slinky!?”

Nidhogg stared at me bemusedly, “You are angry? I was under the impression that all of you humans coveted immortal life. It has driven your so-called greatest mind to madness and driven even more to their inevitable deaths. What I have given you may not be true immortality, but I have still blessed you with a gift that many have and will continue to die for.”

“Yeah, the borderline agelessness is pretty freaking cool, but the fact of that matter is that you didn’t fucking tell me about it!” I shouted, actually incensed as I leapt from my seat, “As a matter of fact, you haven’t told me jack shit since we made that contract. I’m starting to wonder if I should even bother to hold up my end of the bargain at all!”

That finally got a reaction out of him. Nidhogg uncurled himself, rising upwards and looming over me with eyes blazing with outrage. I stood firm in the face of his anger even as he leaned closer to me, baring teeth that were each taller than myself twice over, “You would dare back out of a contract already formed? I have given you my power, as agreed, yet you will not fulfill your end of the bargain? In that case, why should I not devour you right now.”

“I mean, you’re welcome to do that if you want. Might be a little dry but by all means, eat up.” I said, unphased, “Hope you don’t mind going to sleep for another three thousand years though. I’m the first host you’ve gotten, right? How long do you think it’ll take to get the next one?”

Nidhogg didn’t say anything in response to my words but he also didn’t back away. Taking this as a good sign that he wasn’t about to swallow me or something, I continued in a softer tone, “Look, I just want you to be upfront with me. Tell me about what I should expect to deal with while you’re squatting in my soul. I don’t know anything about this guy I’m supposed to be hunting for my contract but I have a feeling he’s not someone lightly messed with. I get that you don’t consider us partners but we’re still stuck together and I’m still the one doing the heavy lifting and I don’t want to trip over shit because you’ve been keeping me in the dark. If you want me to do this, we’re gonna need a bit of transparency here..

Nidhogg stared at me as my speech concluded, his orange eyes piercing through my literal soul even from feet away. I could still feel his power pervading through the air, wrapping around me and attempting to choke me with its mere presence, but I ignored it, meeting his gaze solidly and showing no fear in the face of her possible death. I didn’t know if he could actually kill me in here, but given his nature, I wouldn’t be surprised. It would be game over if I backed down now.

“You are very brave for a human. Foolish, but brave.” He finally spoke, and his voice was different. I would dare to say there was even a hint of respect behind his growling tone, “Perhaps my power made you more like a dragon than I had intended.”

Nidhogg backed away, coiling back up in what I assumed must just be his favorite way to sit or something because he was almost always curled up like that, “What do you want to know?”

I laughed, ignoring the sweat practically streaming down my back from the stunt I just pulled. “A fucking lot, actually, but how about we start with who this contract is all about? Who do you want me to beat the shit out of and more importantly, how strong is he?”

“That is not an easy question to answer.” Nidhogg said, “The being that my vendetta lies with is in a very similar situation to myself. Trapped, with no hope of escape.”

“He’s in a Sacred Gear too?”

“Indeed. Though unlike myself, he has had the luxury of having dozens of hosts throughout the years, and they have since earned a name for themselves throughout the supernatural world. A title, beholden only to them. Sekiryūtei.”

“Sekiryūtei?” I repeated, “Red Dragon Emperor? Damn, that’s badass.”

“The Sekiryūtei is the title held by the wielder of one of the thirteen Longinus, known as the Boosted Gear. It has the ability to double the user’s power every ten seconds, with no known limit except the wielder's own power.” Nidhogg explained, “It is a powerful weapon. Even in the hands of the weakest human, it can potentially grow to surpass the strength of the very gods. And it is all thanks to the being trapped inside of the gear, and the true recipient of my vendetta. Ddraig, the Welsh Dragon.”

Of course it was another dragon. I’m not sure what I expected, honestly. I crossed my arms, “So considering the fact that I’m not gonna be able to invade someone else’s soul and beat up their partner, I’m guessing that the one with the Boosted Gear is the one I’m gonna have beef with?”

“Yes.” He rumbled, “That will satisfy my vendetta. For a time.”

“And how do you know if one is even alive right now?” I challenged, “If Sacred Gears have to be inherited by random chance, what if its still in the system or a baby has it?’

“That is unlikely. Like I said, unlike me, Ddraig has already had countless hosts and will likely have countless more when all is said and done. Even if it is in the hands of an infant, it doesn’t matter. I will wait however long I need to to ensure my vendetta is satisfied. And with your lifespan, that will not be an issue.”

I nodded, rolling his words over inside my head, “So is Ddraig the one who killed you and got you shoved inside here? Is that why you hate him so much?”

Nidhogg laughed, “I am destined to survive the end of all things. Even the power of the Welsh Dragon is nothing in comparison to the dangers that will be released with the advent of Ragnarok”

“Well that’s clearly not true.” I said, gesturing towards him, “I mean, you died and now you’re here.”

That brought Nidhogg up short, and for once the dragon seemed to be at a loss for words, “...Indeed I am..” He said slowly, as if realizing that fact for the first time, “But Ddraig wasn’t the one to send me here. Though powerful, he couldn’t land a finishing blow. We both escaped that battle with our fair amount of wounds, but a victor was never decided. Yet that fool, despite knowing that victory was never his to claim, touted said false victory to all who would listen. That was a sin I could not abide, and on that day my vendetta took hold of my very soul.”

He snarled, baring his teeth angrily, “But before I could seek him out and finish the job I started, that fool went and got himself killed by the leaders of the three factions during one of his regular spats with Albion, another of our kind. He was slain and shoved into the Boosted Gear, and my thirst for revenge has gone unsated ever since. Even I would not lower myself to fight a mere human.”

“Until I came along to act as a middle man.” I finished.

“Yes. You are the instrument of my revenge. A conduit of my power that I will use to deliver justice upon him for what he did.” Nidhogg eyed me, “You will defeat the Sekeryūtei, and all will know of my superiority and of his lies. Then my vendetta will be satisfied.”

“Wait, then who got you put here if it wasn’t him?” I asked, confused as to how he had met this fate.

Black lips curled angrily in remembrance, “It was a group of leeches, seeking out my power to use for themselves. I let my guard down and they used a powerful ritual to slay me and attempt to bind my spirit to their leader.”

That didn’t sound good. Anyone powerful enough to get the jump on Nidhogg and actually kill him wasn’t someone I wanted to meet, “I’m not gonna have to fight them too, am I?”


“No. I doubt they are even still alive. The majority of them were mere mortals, after all.”

I sighed, “Well that's something at least. I didn't want to have to deal with that on top of the contract.” A smile broke out on my face, “And now I actually know who I'm after! Imagine that. Now all I have to do is get you to say my name and we'll be best friends!”

I was joking, but Nidhogg actually surprised me with his retort. He snorted with amusement, closing his eyes, “If you actually manage to impress me, I might befoul my tongue with your name. Until then, you are just a human.”

I stared at him, stunned at his declaration, before a wide grin grew on my face.

“We'll see how long that lasts, then!” I laughed, “You're stuck with me for damn near forever in my eyes. That's more than enough time to impress the great brooding one.”

“Human…” He growled threateningly.

“Talk to ya later babe!” I winked cheekily, before focusing closing my eyes tightly and focusing on waking up. I was gone before he had a chance to retort.

{ — The Next Morning — }

The next morning at breakfast, I told Miyo about what happened, telling her all about what I had managed to find out about my contact, as well as the little victory I had managed to score with my favorite grumpy dragon.

Needless to say, she thought one was a little bit more important than the other. The wrong one in my opinion.

“So you have to find and beat the Sekiryūte?” Miyo asked, completely ignoring my victory. The woman's face was disbelieving and slightly worried, and I ignored the disappointment I feltbin favor of answering her.

I nodded, “Yep. Apparently Nidhogg and the dragon in his gear have some kind of beef and the last time they fought there wasn't a definitive winner. When he got sealed, Nidhogg never had a chance to get revenge or something so now he wants me to take it out on the current wielder.”

“That'll be harder than it sounds.” Miyo said as I took a bite of rice, “The Sekiryūte didn't get a title like that because they were weak. If they're left alive long enough to train with their Sacred Gear, then they're usually in a class of their own.”

She frowned, “Not to mention, finding them is a different matter altogether. As far as I know, the current one hasn't even been located yet, meaning they probably haven't awakened.”

“But it shouldn't be that hard to find them when they do, right?” I asked, pointing my chopsticks at her, “If they're that powerful, then the factions have to keep tabs on them. I doubt someone walking around with that kind of power would just be left alone.”

“You’re right there. But it could still be years, if not decades before another one awakens.” Miyo retorted, before biting her lip, “Another possibility is that they're just hiding, growing stronger in secret so they can fight the Hakuryūkō.”

“Hakuryūkō?” I parroted, “There’s a White Dragon Emperor too?

Miyo raised an eyebrow, “He didn't tell you? The Sekiryūte and Hakuryūkō have been mortal enemies for as long as the titles themselves have existed. Where the Sekiryūte wields the Boosted Gear powered by the Welsh Dragon, the Hakuryūkō is the wielder of Divine Dividing, powered by the Vanishing Dragon, Albion. Ddraig and Albion's rivalry is legendary, and it was their fighting that got them killed and sealed into the Sacred Gears in the first place.”

She closed her eyes, thinking, “It's said that when a wielder of Boosted Gear meets a wielder of Divine Dividing, there are no words exchanged, just fighting, almost always ending in one of both of their deaths, not to mention that of those around them. There are measures in place to keep tabs on each of them so on the occasion that the meet, casualties are limited to just the two of them.”

Wow, an on-sight death rivalry? Talk about intense. I leaned back in my chair, “So you're saying that if I don't get to this dude first, then this white dragon guy is gonna punch his clock before I can?”

“It's a possibility.” Miyo nodded, “Though like you said, it isn't like you couldn't simply wait for the next one. You have thousands of years to do it.”

Miyo had taken the news of my new lifespan a little bit better than I had. Being ever the pragmatist, she just saw it as more time to get stronger. I hated to tell her that most of that time would be spent sitting on my ass like I had the past fifteen years. You know, once this whole contract was taken care of.

“Either way, you're nowhere near strong enough to pose a challenge to someone like that for now.” Miyo said, getting up to put her dishes in the sink, “We'll have to intensify your training.”

I leaned back in my chair, watching her pass me by. A very specific part of her, “Yeah? Are you gonna reward me again if I do a good job?” I asked, eying her up.

“Perhaps.” She said, making me pause. She put her dishes in the sink and turned, smirking at my shocked expression, “You'll just have to try your best and see what you get in return.”

She turned to walk out of the room, and I noticed that there was a bit of extra sway in her hips, as if she knew I was looking and wanted to encourage it.

That was another thing that I had learned over the last few days. Alongside being a former exorcist and a borderline prodigy when it came to water magic, Miyo apparently had a bit of a playful side hidden underneath that stern countenance. Since I had been exposed to the supernatural, it was like all of the hidden aspects of her personality were slowly forth.

As I watched her walk out of the room with her skirt swishing playfully around her legs, I wondered what else she might be hiding just under the surface.