Arad stood, "We should head back. Baltos must be waiting."
"He sure is," The two brothers looked back, seeing Eris staring at them from afar. She had escaped once they started fighting and was waiting for them to finish.
They immediately teleported to her. "We're going back. You coming as well?" Arad asked.
"Yeah, I can train later. For now, we should head back." Eris pointed up with a finger, creating a small ball of plasma. "It's just that I want to play with my magic."
"It's fun, isn't it?" Gojo smiled, creating an ice dagger in his hand. "The ability to draw on air freely with mana."
"Is it that fun?" Arad looked at him, "Magic is a weapon like any other, just more versatile."
"Close your eyes and imagine. What could do if all the magic in the world was limited to a ten-centimeter cube of ice creation?" Gojo opened his palm, and ice started forming into keys, apples, a humanoid doll, a hand, a rose, a spoon, and different shapes.
"Making trinkets?" Arad looked at him, confused.
"Look," Gojo waved his hand, creating multiple tiny cubes with pegs and holes on them so they stick together. Just by stacking them, he formed an ice wall. "Even when limited to such a small size, you can still make big things by cutting them to pieces." He quickly created a small knife and an ice ball in his hand.
"You're going to fight with those?" Arad asked.
"Why not? I can be the ice cube warrior and beat everyone. Magic is like paint, and the world is our canvas. The limit is our creativity, and creativity is limitless." With one flick of his finger, he creates a doll in Arad's shape of ice. "Magic is limitless as long as you understand its rules."
Eris looked at him, "Well, wizards aren't one of the strongest classes for nothing."
Arad stared at his doll with a puzzled face. It was well made for something that Gojo created on a whim.
"I won't say that," Gojo looked at her, "Wizards are pathetic mages. Those bookworms keep their noses down and lick ink for a living. What's the fun in using pre-written spells while you can make your own?"
He then scratched his hand, "I guess, those spells are tested and optimized to achieve the most power and use the bare minimum amount of mana, so they are an easy way to power for humans who lack mana."
"We have a lot of it, or rather, we regenerate it faster than them." Arad replied, "But I'm relying on mana absorption to keep up."
Gojo smiled, "We aren't human, remember that." He waved his hand, teleporting everyone to the castle with one void step.
Immediately, one maid spotted them appearing out of nowhere in the garden and called. "Lord Arad! His majesty has been waiting!"
"I have to go." Arad rushed after her as Gojo and Eris walked at their own pace, finally reaching the throne room.
When Arad opened the door, all the nobles inside stared at him, gossiping as he walked toward the throne.
In front of him, he could see the girls lined up, except Jack, who was already sitting down with crossed legs. "Arad, what took you so long?" He asked with a smile.
"I checked up on Eris and Brother," He pointed back as the two opened the door and walked in. "We even had a short spar,"
"Gehe!" The nobles' gasps were audible. They knew Arad was strong, so having another spar with him was quite unexpected.
"How did it go?" Baltos asked from his throne.
"I lost," Arad sighed, "It wasn't even fair," He stared back at Gojo.
"I didn't cheat, did I? I just have better control than you, being older and such." Gojo giggled.
Just then the nobles realized, Arad wasn't the biggest problem in the room. It was his older brother.
Aella approached Arad with a smile. "We're already been talking before you came."
"A few surprises await you," Zephyr giggled, "I got us a nice deal with the paladins as well."
"Less of a deal and more of a treaty," Lydia said in the back, pulling Jack up to stand, "They won't interfere with you. And will hold your word first in case of a problem. Unless proven otherwise."
"He won't understand like that." Alphonse walked out from between the nobles, "You won't be chased or hunted by our forces across the country, and even if you were to be accused of a crime, we will take your word as trustworthy unless proven otherwise."
^When vampires are usually killed on sight, I guess this is quite a desired outcome. Well, I doubt they can kill me without suffering major losses.^ Arad smiled, shaking Alphonse's hand, "What should I say? Thank you. Honored?"
"Nothing, we're the ones who should be thanking you for saving the capital," Alphonse smiled.
"Not like they have a choice," Gojo said in the back, his hands behind his head. "If they were to kill you, I will erase this whole kingdom."
Eris glared at him, "Stop joking. You're not funny."
Gojo stared at the king, his eyes glowing with a blue flare. "I'm not joking," Silence fell. "Arad is currently my only family and kin who I can approach and talk with. Harm him, and you're on my list. This tiny kingdom of yours fit nicely in my jaw."
Arad thought about it, ^In his jaw... does he mean...wait...I'm a young dragon, and my void expansion grow to four kilometers. He's an adult, three stages above me(Juvenile[40km], young adult[400km], adult[...])...so his grow up to...^ He started counting on his fingers, "It's that big!" Arad gasped.
Everyone stared at Arad as he gasped, "He isn't joking. It probably would fit."
"You just realized," Gojo stared at Arad, "That black sphere of magic Arad creates, I also have one, and mine can spread up to four thousand kilometers. And inside it, countless of that beam that burned the mountains range fires down indefinitely." He stared at Baltos, "Take it as a threat, a bluff, or however you like. My point is that I'm more dragon than human. Attack my kind, and I go on a rampage."
Isdis stared at Arad and Gojo, "Let's stop the scary talk and get to the rewards. I can't wait to get back home,"
"I thought you would be running for the throne," Jack stared at her, and she almost kicked him. "That would have to wait," She said.
"Sister is right," Thomas, the current first prince approached.
Charlie pointed at King Baltos in the back, "Father is still alive and kicking. I say we have a few years to prepare before we can go for the throne. Unless one of you is as stupid as a certain someone."
Baltos laughed in the back, "Sorry, but I will stay stuck to this chair until I die. You have to rack up achievement in the meantime, currenly Isdis and Arad are at the lead with saving the capital."
If things remained the same, in a few years when Baltos dies, Isdis would inherit the throne, and Arad, as her husband would be the king. Albeit the power would remain in her hand as she's the one with royal blood.
That means only her children can inherit the throne. Arad's other wives' children albeit being the offspring of the king, cannot inherit the throne.
Baltos looked at the back and waved his hand, "Bring it to me." With his voice, two butlers approached carrying a large pillow with a flag folded on it.
"Starting from today, this would be our new flag. A symbol of peace between us and dragon mediator Arad Orion." It was the same flag with a dragon head beside the rose.
Isdis giggled, whispering to Arad. "The nation's flags are made of demon spider silk and are expensive. To save costs, I asked them to just knit a dragon symbol on the previous flag. Since we're going to have all cities and forts do the same for theirs. I hope you don't mind,"
"Why would I mind? That was smart." Arad smiled.
"And for the actual reward," Baltos stood, Kin and Gin approaching him carrying a large box with a silver key on top of it.
Baltos took the key and approached Arad with a smile on his face.
"I hereby announce that Alina's mountain range is now called the Orion Vally and is under the jurisdiction of Arad Orion as its new ruler. This change shall not affect land owned by the lord of Alina." He handed the key to Arad.
Arad took the key and looked, "Is there a hole in the mountain I should be sticking this key into?"
Baltos giggled, "No, it's just the key for that," He pointed at the chest.
"As the current king of the kingdom of Ruris, and on behalf of all its people I herby invest a portion of our wealth in the funding of the savior Arad Orion's new domain," He pointed back at the chest, "Five hundred platinum coins worth of gold and jewelry shall be granted."
"I was thinking of building a castle there, one large enough to host dragons and humans alike," Arad said.
"That won't be a problem," Baltos smiled, "I can arrange that with some help," He looked back at Kin.
"Leave it to me."
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