Lloyd's P.O.V.:

I had four arms, my Oni side was showing. I was fighting Ryder, who was now a teenager. I didn't want to hurt him, but I couldn't stop myself. I was holding him by the neck and he was struggling to stay alive, no weapon in his hands. It was like there was this darkness taking over me controlling my every move, but I was completely aware of what I was doing.

"Father... you don't have to... do this." Ryder said struggling. "I'm your son!"

"I have no son." I looked him in the eyes.

"AHHH!" I screamed as I bolted up from my bed before I figured out what happened next. As if I didn't already know.

It was all a dream? No, a nightmare! I had to catch my breath. My wife had heard my screams and woke up.

"Lloyd, are you ok? What's wrong?" Kira said as she comforted me.

"I... I had a nightmare." I looked at her. "I... I almost hurt our son. I couldn't control myself. It was like this... this darkness taking over me."

"Lloyd, calm down. It was only a dream."

"B-But It felt so real." A tear rolled down my face. "The last thing I want to do is hurt him or you, but what if I don't get a choice?"

"What do you mean?" She asked.

"My father was bitten by the great devourer."

"True, but you never were."

"But the venom still flows through my veins, and Ryder's too for that matter. What if one day I can't control it? What if Ryder gets hurt because of me... or worse?"

"Lloyd, listen to me." Kira put her arms around me. "You might be your father's son, but you are not him. You're father was a good man, it was the great devourer that made him do those horrible things."

"I know that."

"Right. You are the most kind-hearted person I know, and I trust you would never hurt me and Ryder."

"But what if I..."

"You won't." She took my hands. "Lloyd, I love you and I don't feel any safer anywhere else then right here next to you."

"I love you too Kira." I kissed her. "Thank you."

"Of course." Kira smirked. "Plus even if you did turn evil, I could totally take you down if I had to."

"Yep, that's true." I laughed.

Kira was the best at pretty much everything, especially making me feel better when I needed some encouragement. I loved her, and she loved me. I don't know how I survived this long without her. She and Ryder were my everything.

Kira didn't know if she was an elemental master herself or not, but her grandmother was the master of healing. It was possible for powers skip a generation, so I wasn't sure what power Ryder was going to get, if any.

I didn't know much about the elemental power of healing, and I couldn't find anything on the original master or the element in any of my uncle's books. From what Kira tells me, her grandmother's name on her mother's side was Aurora and she was the original elemental master of healing. But that was all she knew, so we looked up her maiden name, Yost, but we still didn't find anything.

"Honey I have to ask you something." Kira said. "What would you do if we had more than one kid?"

I had no idea how to respond to that. I just got her back two days ago. In all honesty I remember we talked about it before she disappeared, but I didn't think the idea was still in her head. Back then I was all for it, but now I wasn't sure.

"Oh uh... I don't know I..." I stuttered.

"Lloyd." She looked at me.

"What?"

She looked at me again. She gave me a look that basically said 'take a hint.' Then I realized what was happening.

She wasn't asking me for a baby, she was telling me about a baby.

"Oh." I said realizing it. "Oh boy."

I got out of bed and started pacing back and forth around the room. I was starting to panic.

"You ok?" Kira asked me laughing.

"Of course I'm ok." I was still pacing. "Why wouldn't I be ok? We're going to have a baby."

"Relax, we can do this." She tried to calm me down. "And this time, I promise I'm not gonna run away. I missed out on so much of Ryder's life, I'm not making that mistake again."

"If this is your way of making up for leaving us then..."

"Lloyd, I'm sorry. You know I didn't plan on being gone that long."

"The point is that you left at all. Ryder was only two years old!" I started yelling. But I took a deep breath and set down next to her. "Kira, I'm so sorry I didn't mean that."

"It's ok, I know I messed up." Kira was starting to cry. "This is a surprise for both of us. I just want to be there for you, Ryder and the baby from now on."

"Ok." I took a deep breath. "I'm really sorry I flipped out like that, I think I'm just stressed."

"That's alright, I'm a little stressed too." She kissed me on the cheek. "Good night Lloyd, I love you."

"I love you too, good night." I replied.

We got back into bed and Kira fell back asleep, but I couldn't sleep at all. The news about the new baby completely distracted me from my nightmare, but at the same time it kinda made things worse. Now I wasn't just worried about hurting my son, but now I was worried about hurting my new child too. I hoped Kira was right about me not becoming a monster, but the fear still haunted me.

It came to be 3:00 in the morning and I still couldn't sleep. I decided to text Zane, the only one who I thought would be up at this hour and the only one who wouldn't get mad if I woke him:

————{{{Lloyd's phone}}}————

Lloyd: Hey Zane.

Zane: Lloyd? Why are you
not getting your required
8 hours of sleep?

L: Because so much is going
on. I'm kinda freaked out.

Z: What is the matter?

L: You remember how I was
telling you about Kira turning
up last week?

Z: Yes I remember.

L: Well now she's pregnant.

Z: What?! How did
that happen?!

L: That doesn't matter! What
I'm worried about is turning
into my father and hurting
Ryder and now the baby.

Z: Turning into your father?

L: Yeah. My father was evil
and he tried hurt me, so what
if that happens to me too?

Z: What brought this on?

L: I had a nightmare where I
had four arms, I looked just
like him. I almost hurt my
son. I couldn't do anything
to stop it! It was like... like
something was controlling
me.

Z: And you think that this
could happen for real?

L: It felt uncomfortably real.
It was almost like it wasn't
a dream. It's hard to explain
in a text. 😓

Z: If you are implying that
you are afraid of the Great
Devourer's venom taking over
you, then why don't you come
by here first thing tomorrow
so I can run a few tests? Maybe
I can figure out why you are
having these nightmares.

L: Ok, I guess it wouldn't
hurt. Thank you Zane.

Z: Of course.

L: Ok, thanks again.

Z: No problem. Feel
better Lloyd.

L: Alright. See
you tomorrow.

Z: Ok bye.

L: Bye.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

I hung up the phone, I wasn't exactly sure what tests Zane wanted to run, but I was glad he was willing to help. I didn't think it was anything serious, but I wanted to be sure. With a baby on the way, I wasn't taking any chances.

—————————————————

Hey you guys, I'm so glad you're enjoying the story! Since it's a fanfiction, I flipped a coin and their baby is gonna be a girl so put name suggestions in the comments. If I pick yours you'll get a shoutout! Thanks! 😉