The raging flames of the white dragon burned two trenches around the capital, decimating several farms and ending with a death toll in the hundreds. Albeit that, the millions living in the capital survived the disaster.
"Bloody hell!" Charlie cried, "And that's is our winter rations gone up in flames," He stared at the burned farms right after the blast.
"At what stage the evacuation was? I sent an order for everyone to hide underground," Thomas rushed to the wall guards.
One of the guards approached them with a worried face, "Midway. Just from the walls, the scouts can spot fifty dead people. And those were barely visible bones," His face paled like ash.
"So we're talking in the hundreds," Thomas grasped his head.
"Brother, you can't expect to fight a dragon without losses. We're lucky half the city didn't get sent to see our ancestors." Charlie patted Thomas's shoulder.
"Do you know what this means?" Isdis stared at them, and they glared back at her.
"This can't end without a public statement. We might need to execute Alfred." Thomas replied.
"Killing each other is fair game, but Father was supposed to be out of it," Charlie sighed, "Let me punch that bastard once before we put him in the dirt."
"I only kept him alive since the curse wasn't done yet. Now with that dragon dead, I was intending to go crush his head." Arad stated in the back.
Isdis turned around to see him dragging the dragon's corpse with him, "Drop that dangerous thing!"
Arad swung his arm, throwing the dragon's massive corpse toward her.
The dragon's body rolled toward her feet, stopping a few meters away from her.
"This is how it ends for those to come after you," Arad said with a passive face, glaring at Thomas and Charlie.
"This is the man you said not to worry about?" Charlie stared at Isdis. She had told them Arad was only a bit stronger than the average adventurer. "He eviscerated a fucking dragon, nah sister. This is shifting a lot of power,"
Thomas stared at them, "She's free not to reveal her cards," He smiled, "We might be free from Alfred's competition, but now she's here,"
Thud! As they talked, Gojo appeared out of thin air, holding a dying old man in his hands.
"Wait! You returned?" Charlie gasped.
"The sacrifice," Gojo approached Arad, putting the old man on the ground.
Arad rushed in, his eyes shifting pink as Doma inspected the curse. "Wyvern poison, we should find an antidote." Arad glared back at the two princes and the guards, "Hurry, your father's life is on the line,"
"Wait, I already ate such a poison," Gojo smiled, "Leave it to me," He extended his hand above the old man, "Now that I know what it is, I can just delete it."
A black gust of wind rushed from Gojo's fingers, his eyes flashing with a blue light as his void covered the old man. In the same way, Arad managed to extract the elder fungus from the Loci, Gojo was far more proficient and dexterous with his void.
^He's an adult after all. This is a skill I should be able to use freely at that age.^
[It's more than that. His skill is refined by his extreme proficiency with magic. Whoever his father was, he must've been a man blessed by magic.]
Arad stared at Gojo's face, "Do you know who your father is?"
"I don't," Gojo replied, "But I have my suspicion of two. Three if something I found was true."
ZOOOO! The conversation between them shifted into telepathic magic. The language void dragons use to talk in the vacuum of the void where sound doesn't exist.
*"It's either that old man called Cain or your companion Jack. Those are the only two white-haired guys with blue eyes. But as I said, I have another theory that could be wrong,"*
*"What is it?"*
*"I discovered that one of our grandparents was a cubus. Mother should have their blood in her veins. In that way, it can be anyone as those fiends feed off men,"*
^Mom, is that right?^
[Your mother didn't leave any information about her parents or her nature with me. But if she had a succubus bloodline, she would need to feed constantly to keep herself sated. Or there will be a rampaging dragon that no one can stop.]
*"How did you know that?"* Arad asked Gojo.
*"I managed to find that mother had to deal with Alcott's mother. Apparently, she asked her to buy a statue of Gracie for her. Only succubus worship the dark lady of the shadows and lust."*
*"This is all but a theory. We still aren't sure of anything,"*
*"Eastern Lamia, a race of snake people that used to live in the east."*
*"Used?"*
*"I found traces of void magic there. She blasted the whole kingdom and only left a bottomless hole. I don't know what they did to anger her. They didn't stand a chance."*
*"The whole kingdom?"*
*"Twice as this one in size. What I'm trying to say is that Mother is an unhinged monster that only follows her desires and instincts, and she has the power to back herself."*
Arad stood, carrying the old man, and turned toward the princes. "We should head back," He approached Isdis and touched her shoulder.
Gojo teleported with Charlie and Thomas.
*"Why are you telling me this about Mother now?"* Arad asked Gojo as they walked toward the king's room.
*"Look at this,"*
Gojo showed Arad a piece of his memory, as he flew back from the northern kingdom and went above the dark elf kingdom. The sky turned black, and a massive void slash cut off his wing, almost killing him.
*"That was her void magic. I probably flew too close to her, and she attacked me."*
*"She's in the dark elves' kingdom,"* Arad thought, looking at Gojo. *"You suggest I stay away from there?"*
*"I managed to dodge the attack and only ended up with a sliced wing, but you would have died if you were in my place. Be wary of her."*
Arad nodded, keeping his brother's words in the back of his head.
CLICK! They entered the king's room, seeing him panting on the bed with the queens around him. "Baltos, how are you?" Arad asked.
"I'm fine," Baltos looked at Arad with a smile, "Kin told me everything. You almost killed Alfred."
"I intended to kill him," Arad replied, "He tried to kill you after all, and even almost gave Isdis to that white dragon,"
"And the dragon?" Baltos looked at Kin, "She can't sense its presence,"
"I killed him," Arad replied with a passive face.
"That's a lie," Charlie stared at them, "He eviscerated the poor creature. If you saw the corpse you know, that must've been a one-sided slaughterfest."
Thud! Thud! Aella, Lydia, Jack, Eris, and Mira entered the room, "Arad, how did it go?" She asked as she didn't see the fight inside the void expansion, for all she knew, Arad could be severely injured or exhausted.
"Dead," Arad replied with a smile, and everyone sighed in relief.
"AGHHH!" Baltos tried to stand, feeling his whole body aching, "Who's the old man?" He looked at the one Arad carried.
"The sacrifice used to drive the curse at you. We already removed the poison and the curse. He should wake up soon," Arad replied with a smile, "Can I get a room for him?"
Baltos stared at Gin, "Find a room immediately, and make sure a healer takes a look at him."
Gin bowed and rushed out. The king stared at Arad, "I will deal with Alfred. You can rest. You've already done enough for this kingdom."
Arad looked at his body, "Kin, can you get the maids to make me a bath? Got blood everywhere from the dragon's fight,"
Kin walked to the door, opened it, and looked in the hallway. She could see the maids and servants curled at its end, hiding and awaiting who came out.
"Get the bath ready. Arad asked for it." Kin said, staring at them. "And before I forget, he killed the white dragon, so make sure not to offend him."
The two maids who worked in the bath's changing room froze in place, feeling their souls escaping out of their mouths. They looked around, "Anyone wants to take our places?"
The other maids ran away, "No way," Not a single one of them dared take the job. "I'm ugly. just seeing my face could offend him!" One of the maids cried, running to the kitchen.
The two maids looked at each other, "At least help us fill the bath,"
"No way! What if we got it a bit too hot or cold? We're not dealing with a man that can snap a dragon's neck with his bare hands." What scared them wasn't Arad's power alone.
His calm demeanor despite the power he holds. Remembering how they found him munching on meet like a rat in the storage room. How he helped them carry water, and how some of them even shouted at him when he walked with his boots on the floor they just cleaned.
CLACK! Arad walked out of the king's room. His clothes were drenched in blood. His eyes slowly shifted to the side, staring at the maids.
The maids jerked to life, running away to get the bath ready.
"What's wrong with them?" Arad asked, looking at Kin.
"They are scared of you," Kin replied, "You're too strong. Killing a dragon isn't a feat that one man can hold alone." She smiled, "They fear that a single touch from you could kill them."
"I'm not going to. I can be gentle," Arad tapped the door with his finger, "See?"
"Truth doesn't matter here. It's only their thoughts. It will take a while for them to feel safe around you," Kin smiled, "Head to the bath. You will understand what I mean,"
***
After a while, Arad headed to the bath. He reached the door, extending his hand toward the handle. But, the door opened on its own.
The changing room maid stood behind the door. She opened it wide and bowed down, "Welcome."
Arad walked inside the changing room, and he could see the other maid standing in the corner, her eyes and ears closed.
The maid bowed again after closing the door, "Master Arad, do you wish to have us take your clothes off." She intentionally avoided the words help and need. Arad stared at her and the maid in the corner.
"You know what?" Arad smiled, "I do need your help this time. I'm a bit exhausted."
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