Beyond the Bloodline

[You say that like it’s something to be proud of…]

Estea heaved a sigh because of Jamie for the nth time today, wondering why she even made the decision to call him over in the first place.

‘Could I have actually missed having him around and just used this as an excuse to talk to him?

It couldn’t be…right?’

The Incarnation felt a shiver down her spine at that thought, quickly shaking her head while vehemently denying it to no one in particular.

“That’s because considering my circumstances, it very much is.”

Jamie’s words pulled her out of her sea of thoughts and for a moment she considered retorting, only to remember that all people who had lived as long as Jamie did have one or two mental screws lose.

“Anyway, thanks a lot, Estea.

I played around too much and exhausted my energy, leaving me no choice but to use a sword.”

[Couldn’t you have gone with a non-space attributed technique?]

The Hybrid only shrugged his shoulders, his gaze trained on the massive spatial rift in the ‘distance’ as he replied.

“Because of my Void Manipulation abilities, my energy-based attacks would always distort space on default.”

[Then you could have just used a different weapon.

You could have even used the Silver Spear you took from that dragon you killed on New Year’s Day.]

For a moment, Jamie wondered what she was talking about, only to remember that the Silver Spear that the Dragon had stabbed him with fell into his subspace along with its corpse after the fight.

Nevertheless, his thoughts moved on from the unnamed dragon and towards another set of dragons that he was pretty familiar with.

“Come to think of it, those particular dragons still hate my guts, right?”

[Same as ever.

It’s generational at this point. Never gonna die out anytime soon.]

“That’s pretty bad, ain’t it?”

[No shit.]

Both the Hybrid and the Planetary Consciousness both heaved simultaneous exasperated sighs, their shoulders slumping in unison.

The light of remembrance suddenly flashed across Jamie’s eyes and he turned his gaze towards Estea and asked a question with very questionable phrasing.

“Hey, Estea. You know everything that goes on in you, right?”

[…you know there’re a million other ways you could have worded that.]

She made that statement with a lightly contorting expression, prompting the Hybrid to review his previous question and then rephrase it accordingly.

“You know everything that happens on your surface, right?”

[That sounds a lot better. And yes, I do.]

As the Planet itself, the Estea Jamie was talking to knew everything that was currently happening on the Planet, from the Vampire twins playing virtual tennis on the plane, to the Werewolves reporting to their Higher-ups, and the not-so-random witch cackling maniacally somewhere in Astrovaria.

“You know who was it that spread rumours of my location, right?”

[Yeah, why’d you ask if you already know that I do?]

Jamie took a moment’s pause and stared at the woman tilting her head in confusion as she looked at him before asking the last question as casually as possible.

“Mind telling me who it was?”

[Oh. It wa-!]

Estea suddenly stopped speaking mid-way, her expression changing from one of light surprise and melding into one of mischievousness as her lips curled up into a grin.

Seeing this, Jamie had one line of thought.

‘Ah, fuck.’

Estea leaned back in the air as if she was resting on a chair and crossed her legs, tapping her fingers together as she asked.

[Now, then. Give me a good reason, why on me that I should inform you of what you wish to know?]

‘Should have seen this coming.’

Even though he knew it wasn’t gonna work, the Hybrid still made an attempt with fingers crossed.

“Because I’m one of your really old friends?”

The grin on Estea’s lips vanished and her expression turned incredulous.

[Really? Notwithstanding if that was the best you could come up with, do you genuinely believe your own words?]

“Yeah.

You don’t consider me a friend? I’m actually hurt by that.”

Jamie placed his hand on his chest with a shocked expression, taking a few steps back for an extra effect before lowering his head and beginning to sniffle.

Seeing this, Estea only rolled her eyes before moving over to him and flicking his forehead.

[Jamie Westley.

You have caused a lot of trouble for me in the past.

So, you do realise that at this point, I am someone who would take advantage of any situation—no matter how small it is—to make you feel even the tiniest bit miserable.]

Her words had Jamie’s eyes blinking with an expression of genuine shock as he replied.

“Between you and those dragons…I think you have it out for me more than they do.”

[Isn’t that obvious?]

“…I was actually hoping you’d deny that.”

The Hybrid replied after a short pause, while Estea once again put a bit of distance between them, twirling a few locks of her starry hair in her hand as she began talking.

[As I was saying, this is a situation where you have questions. And I have the answers to those questions.

I know who revealed the information of your location, I know why they did it, I know why they did it. Heck I even know why you were at the bottom of the Arnmouth Ocean in the first place, and not in Estudiam where you were supposed to be in your castle.]

Estea created a holographic projection of a castle slowly sinking down the depths of a massive body of water that was presumably the Arnmouth Ocean as she spoke, clapping her hands to dismiss it a moment after before continuing.

[I know the locations of all the other Hybrids—something you’re definitely after. I even know why dear Olivia was in Clurg with her brother, what she was looking for there and why she was after it.

I know why she had a hand in the dungeon break that occurred there, and many other questions you want answers to.]

After speaking, she suddenly leaned forward, so much that her face was barely a few inches away from Jamie’s before questioning.

[But guess what?]

“You’re not gonna tell me?”

[Oh, I’m definitely not gonna tell you.]

Seeing the smug expression on Estea’s face, Jamie crossed his arms lightly before leaning back and saying.

“You do realise I could just read your records, right?”

[…]

Estea went silent for a moment after Jamie spoke, blankly staring at the Hybrid with her starry eyes. In the next—

[Pfft!

BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!]

—She suddenly burst out into laughter, guffawing as if she had just stumbled upon the most uproarious jest in the galaxy.

[Read my records? With what Authority?]

The mirth in her eyes was unconcealed as she struggled to hold back the laughter that threatened to spill out as she spoke.

[Your current soul is too weak to withstand your own Origin core.

I bet you can’t even use your Pseudo Authorities, and you say you want to read my records.]

Twirling around in the air, the planet’s incarnation created a bowl of popcorn in her hands and tossed a handful into her mouth as she concluded.

[Go ahead, try your luck.

When your Knowledge Origin Core fractures in the end, just know I have tickets to the front row where I can watch and laugh.]

“…Has anyone ever told you that you have a really bad personality?”

[Yes. You were not the first nor would you be the last to do so.]

Jamie sighed and shook his head while the incarnation wolfed down her popcorn. He faced downwards and controlled his expression so Estea would see how unbothered he was and figure out he had some sort of backup plan.

Looking back at her with a poker face, he asked.

“Seeing as you only called me here just to shout out at me and then to make fun of me, can you send me back now?”

[…]

Estea went silent once more, and the expression on her face changed. The popcorn bowl in her hands disappeared and she looked visibly displeased while gazing at Jamie.

“What?”

[Isn’t this the part where you’re supposed to beg me for the answers you want?]

“Dear, dear Estea. Do you think I’m the kind of person who’s gonna do that?”

The Hybrid shrugged his shoulders with an expression of nonchalance as he continued.

“I have all the time in the universe to find out what I want to.”

The incarnation pouted in displeasure upon hearing his words, making her look like a child whose prank did not go the way she wanted.

[Tsk…you’re not being fun.]

The sight of Estea sulking like a child made Jamie laugh lightly, much to the woman’s displeasure. She frowned even more before waving her hand at him, causing his body to start turning transparent.

[Just get out of here.]

Jamie looked at the legs of his astral body that were fading away into particles of light with light surprise on his face as he didn’t expect her to send him back so easily.

However, at the last moment, before his head had completely disappeared, she suddenly turned towards him and spoke.

[The person who told the Vampire and Werewolf Kings about your location…]

Seeing the Hybrid’s eyes widen lightly, the expression on Estea’s face eased a little as she continued.

[It was your wife.]

As soon as his ears caught those words, Jamie’s vision blacked out.

◇ ◇ ◇

Jamie’s eyes shot open and he found himself back on the plane. The credits of the movie he was watching were already rolling but he paid no mind to it and pressed two of his fingers to his forehead.

“What the fuck do you mean, Estea?”

He sighed in light exasperation as he paused the movie on the screen while speaking.

“I’ve never been married.”