Infinite Paths: The Raging Phoenix

In the end, Terra punished Rain a bit by making him taste that gross medicine directly from her mouth… at first Rain was caught off guard, but it looked like she had time to think of many ways of roleplay while she waited for his return. Just like Seara as well, Terra almost broke Rain's ribs… for a few hours, Rain thought that he was the woman in the relationship.

"I can feel the clarity returning to my mind… you'd better keep quiet about what I did," Terra said while she was puting her clothes on.

"I was just a toy to you, huh?" Rain asked. "Not like I could boast about that to the world… why are you in a hurry, don't we have another day?"

"I am starving, and thanks to that I realized that I was out for two days… they should arrive at any moment," Terra said.

That could be a problem… It would be weird if Rain were to meet his kids with the smell of someone who just did it. Even though his kids were one hundred years old, they didn't want to even think of imagining that their parents were working on making more siblings…

In any case, just like Terra said, Rain felt the approach of group and when they saw the shelter, they raised their guards. It was weird, though… Rain could feel the presence of thirteen people.

"I forgot to mention it, but Jori, Reca and their kids are with us," Terra said.

"Didn't you guys split up?" Rain asked while frowning.

"They wanted to live in peace, but after ten years and being attacked by some ice dragons a bunch of times, they realized that it was useless," Terra said. "Since then, we have been honing our skills. I will talk and inform them of your return."

That was good, Rain wouldn't have to look for Jori and Reca anymore… he wondered how everyone looked after this long. At the same time, Rain wondered if his heart could take if everyone treated him coldly as well… still, Rain recalled something… thirteen people… didn't Dana had a boyfriend that she was about to marry before the war?

"Hmm… this might be bad," Rain thought.

Upon the arrival of the others into the shelter, the limited space quickly became crowded, leaving little room for movement. Despite the cramped conditions, the atmosphere remained joyous and filled with warmth as the long-awaited reunion unfolded.

As soon as Rain's sisters and mothers laid eyes on him, an overwhelming surge of emotions led them to rush towards him in an instant. Their expressions lit up with joy, and without hesitation, they enveloped Rain in tight, powerful hugs, expressing their immense relief and happiness at his return.

However, the eagerness and strength behind their hugs were such that Rain could feel the sheer force of their affection. The tightness of their hugs and the strength of their grips were so intense that he could hear the sound of his bones creaking under the pressure.

Despite the discomfort caused by the bone-crushing hugs, Rain remained grateful for the genuine display of love and affection from his sisters and mothers. Their exuberance and overwhelming joy at his return overshadowed any discomfort he might have felt, emphasizing the depth of their bond and the significance of their reunion after such a long separation.

Aside from Roan and Leiah who had a few strains of white hair, Kei and Gila, and Jori and Reca's kids who were fully grown adults, everyone looked the same. So, Rain smiled after recognizing them. Still, Jori, Reca, and Roan looked a bit more serious than the other, way more serious… it looked like they got a bit rougher as well and less emotional since they were frontline fighters.

"It was about damn time for you to return…" Roan raised his left eyebrow. "Terra said about the seal, but why did you take so long to find us?"

"The others were easier to find," Rain replied while he patted the heads of everyone. "I returned one month ago and during the rest of the time, I just couldn't do anything aside from waiting for my body to be healed."

"One hundred years to heal from an wound?" Reca asked. "Were you hit by that giant meteor or something?"

"I was, in fact…" Rain said. "This might take a while to tell what happened, but we have time, right?"

Following Rain's question and subsequent observation of the reserved demeanor showed by Danny and Annie, the atmosphere seemed to shift slightly, taking on an air of awkwardness. Their reserved behavior, akin to Roan, Jori, and Reca, struck a contrast to the exuberant displays of affection from the other family members.

This unexpected reaction from Danny and Annie, especially in contrast to Rain's expectations fueled by the information shared with Sealyn, added a layer of unease and discomfort for that reunion. Rain had anticipated a more warm and affectionate response from them, akin to the tightly embraced hugs he received from his sisters and mothers.

Their reserved stance seemed incongruent with the familial bonds Rain had expected to encounter. The discrepancy between the heartfelt reunions and the more reserved reactions created an awkward moment, leaving Rain feeling a sense of perplexity and a slight pang of disappointment.

Rain's anticipation for a warm hug from Danny and Annie, similar to the affection displayed by the others, remained unmet, contributing to the uneasy atmosphere lingering among them.

This discrepancy in reactions added an unexpected dimension to the reunion, creating an uncomfortable contrast between the heartfelt emotions and the reserved responses, leaving Rain feeling a mix of confusion and disappointment.

"Wow… you guys grew so much," Rain said. "You are almost as cool as me, Danny. Perhaps you are even cuter than your mother, Annie."

"Why did Annie win and Danny lose?" Terra furrowed her eyebrows.

"That is a mystery that science can't explain," Rain said. "Let's leave this question to the philosophers."