The Drake Blood Tales

"Wait, what?" said Fordragon.

"Yeah, you heard me right," Teuchi replied.

"No... no... no, I mean, I haven't read the last part, and the chapter just ended," Fordragon said, flustered.

"What???" Teuchi asked, clearly confused.

"Ju... just tell me what you just said," Fordragon stammered.

"I said I never claimed I was after more than one person," Teuchi repeated.

"Oh, I see. Good, then," Fordragon said calmly.

"No, it's not good. I never said I was after more than one person, and yet you referred to their. That means you assumed I was after more than one person," Teuchi explained, his voice rising in irritation.

"Are you after more than one person?" Fordragon asked innocently.

"Yes," Teuchi admitted with a nod.

"Well then, I see no problem with that," Fordragon replied casually.

From the window, the group inside watched the exchange in amazement.

"Wow, a mind trick?" Maya whispered, impressed.

"Nah, my brother's just an idiot," Fallion said flatly.

"No lies detected," Blanchette added with a smirk.

Teuchi's face darkened with anger. "No... you didn't know I was after more than one person, so you couldn't have assumed I was after more than one person—unless you already knew! That's impossible unless you've been hiding something!"

"...Can you please write it down? I think I lost track somewhere between 'one person' and 'more,'" Fordragon said, scratching his head.

Teuchi's face turned crimson with fury. "Saburo... take his head," he commanded.

"Yes, my lord," replied Saburo, one of Utakata's commanders. As he drew his katana, a palpable sense of dread filled the air.

"Wait, wait! You can't kill me!" Fordragon said, holding up his hands.

"Yes, I can," Saburo answered emotionlessly, advancing steadily.

"Oh no, you don't!" Fordragon taunted, trying to mask his panic.

But Saburo ignored him, his blade glinting as he approached.

"Uh... you were supposed to say 'yes, I can' again," Fordragon muttered nervously as the reality of the situation sank in.

Fordragon realized a physical confrontation was unavoidable. Just as the tension reached its peak, someone called out, "Yarinaga forces are coming!"

The announcement startled Teuchi, his expression shifting from anger to alarm.

"What could those rebels want?" Teuchi said, his brow furrowing in thought.

"My lord, don't worry. We have more men than they do. We're ready to deal with the rebels," Saburo reassured him.

"Heh... ehm..." Fordragon cleared his throat, taking a sip from a glass of water.

It was a subtle gesture, a reminder that they were ready to face whatever came next.

As Saburo was about to escalate the situation, Fordragon stepped in.

"Don't fight here. We're at a disadvantage, with mercenaries in front of us and Yarinaga on our backs. It's suicide," Teuchi said, his tone serious.

"Very well, my lord," Saburo replied, reluctantly leading his troops outside to face the confrontation between Yarinaga and Utakata.

"Well, I guess luck is on your side, Mr. Crow," Teuchi said, before turning to leave.

"Phew, we're saved!" Maya exclaimed, visibly relieved.

"On the contrary," Blanchette replied, her face grim. "They'll open a conflict regardless of the outcome. No matter what, we'll have Utakata on our necks."

Fordragon, who had returned to the building, quickly gathered the team and told them to prepare for evacuation.

Then, he set out to prevent any unnecessary conflict between Yarinaga and Utakata.

As the two forces finally met outside the city, Kouga Yarinaga could be seen, glaring at Teuchi Utakata.

"Lord Yarinaga... it's been a while. I see you brought your little army," Teuchi shouted.

"Lord Utakata, I'm surprised. I thought I'd never see you again for another fifty years. Unlike others, you only leave your stronghold when there's something to plunder," Kouga Yarinaga retorted, his voice loud.

"Still big-mouthed, I see," Teuchi sneered. "Even with thousands of people wanting your head."

"Looks like confrontation is unavoidable," some of the samurai whispered among themselves.

Not long after, Fordragon appeared, riding his eagle.

"Ah, there he is," Kouga said, recognizing him.

"Well, well, the Crow," Teuchi called out. "I think it's the best time to ask you. Which side do you pick? Unless you've already chosen, you shouldn't be here."

As Fordragon landed with his eagle, he drew his blade.

"And neither of you should be here," he said calmly. "This place isn't under Utakata or Yarinaga."

"Well, you're right," Kouga acknowledged, "but our main concern is the cultists. Their activity has been growing lately. Despite their numbers, Utakata hasn't made a single move towards them. Makes me wonder—what are the Lords of Utakata hiding?"

"Oh, that's rich coming from a faction that I've never seen fight the cultists," Teuchi snapped back.

"Oh, please," Kouga taunted, "Lord Utakata, your numbers are barely enough to keep up with Yarinaga, let alone the cultists. Meanwhile, all the military might you have is being directed specifically at the Night Raven Guild—a mercenary group that actually fights the cultists. Is that something the Lords of Utakata are hiding? Or are you simply too afraid to face them?"

A few Utakata troops shifted uncomfortably, murmurs running through them. Could their leaders be involved with the cultists?

"And let's not forget," Kouga continued, "you rejected the Paladin Order's request, drove them out of your territory, and then, suddenly, the cultists began to appear specifically in your region. It's all too much to be a coincidence."

Teuchi's face turned red with anger. He was itching to give the order to attack Yarinaga, but Saburo quietly warned him that now wasn't the time.

Suddenly, a flash of light illuminated the sky. From above, a figure with magical wings descended.

"IT'S THEM! IT'S RAVEN BEAK AND LADY BIANCA!" shouted several soldiers.

The two landed not far from Fordragon, their arrival causing an impact that startled the animals, including the samurai's horses.

"So..." Bianca shouted as she stood up, brushing herself off. "I was having a nice time until I got an urgent message."

"The grave danger threatening our beloved Crow," Raven Beak said, rising to his feet, his tone serious.

From afar, Blanchette looked unimpressed.

"They really only care about Crow, don't they?" she said, her tone flat.

Ning An and Saito nodded in agreement, sharing her sentiment.

As the elderly couple—Raven Beak and Bianca—walked toward the crowd, a small, radiant gold magic circle appeared beneath their feet, glowing with power.

Fordragon, looking unamused, whispered to them, "You two really broke your ankles for that entrance, didn't you?"

"Yes," the couple replied, their voices dry.

Yarinaga's and Utakata's forces were stunned by the appearance of these two legendary figures.

"Now this is getting interesting," Kouga remarked, his eyes narrowing in thought.

"Hm… so these two decide to show up as well," Teuchi said, clearly annoyed.

Raven Beak and Bianca exchanged a tense stare, the silence heavy. A single mistake now could spark bloodshed. Before things could escalate, Fordragon broke the quiet.

"So... as far as I know, you two both hate the cultists," Fordragon said.

All eyes turned to him.

"Yes, you aren't wrong," Kouga replied, his tone firm.

"As much as I hate these rebels, I agree," Teuchi added with a scowl.

"Very well then," Fordragon continued. "Rather than fighting each other, why don't the two of you form an alliance? At least until the cultist problem is resolved."

Kouga let out a bitter laugh. "Ha! Bold of you to assume we would just ally with these... honorless tyrants," he said, glancing at Teuchi.

"Tch. As if you're doing anything about the cultists. Every move they make benefits you rebels," Teuchi shot back. "It's almost as if the cultists are working for your purpose."

The two factions glared at each other, neither willing to back down. Seeing things were about to escalate, Bianca stepped forward.

"As far as we're concerned, this little conflict between the two of you is actually benefiting the cultists," Bianca said, her voice cool and composed.

Raven Beak also stepped up, his voice calm but firm. "The cultists have found shelter and a false sense of peace in the ongoing conflict between nations. In short, the two of you have been unintentionally helping them spread their influence. It's one of the reasons they have become nearly unstoppable."

Both factions were struck with realization, and the tension in the air thickened.

Fordragon spoke again, his voice steady. "As I've said before, the only way to solve this problem is to focus on the cultists first. They defeated the Paladin Order once, and their influence has only grown since then. The entire continent of Arkhari has fallen into chaos due to the cultists' reach. This concerns me more than anything."

Kouga Yarinaga took a deep breath before speaking. "Well, I don't mind an alliance, as long as it's focused on fighting the cultists, not plundering villages. The only reason Yarinaga has been able to send men against the cultists is that we can't march through Utakata territory without getting ambushed."

Teuchi took a moment to think deeply.

"Well... I can't simply decide everything by myself," he said after a pause. "However, as far as Utakata's safety is concerned, it would be foolish to send the majority of our troops against an unknown foe. Our decentralized command structure makes it difficult to focus an attack on the cultists. Each lord has their own territory to defend, their own battles to fight."

Bianca, who had been listening intently, spoke up. "Well then, I suggest we arrange a meeting. Not just between Utakata and Yarinaga, but with all the lords and rulers of Arkhari."

This idea surprised everyone. Even Fordragon seemed to pause, deep in thought. The matter of dealing with Utakata was still unresolved in his mind.

"...Well, I agree, but it's all up to Utakata now," Kouga said, voice raised, breaking the silence.

Teuchi nodded slowly. "Very well, I will contact the other lords and try to persuade them to join. But when and where will the meeting take place?"

Raven Beak and Bianca exchanged glances, both pondering the location.

Fordragon stood up, his voice confident. "Not far from here, in the capital city of White Cloud Country, Shaanxi. We'll meet in front of the statue of the hero Chika."

The two factions exchanged looks, but neither showed any signs of rejection. Even Raven Beak and Bianca seemed to agree.

From afar, Blanchette watched the entire meeting with a scowl.

"Why the hell does he have to say Chika's name like that? Is she really that great? Or is Crow cheating on me with Chika?!" she shouted, her frustration evident.

Ning An calmly responded, "Relax, Blanchette. The hero Chika passed away a couple hundred years ago."

"Wow, never knew a woman could be this jealous about her man," Fallion remarked, clearly surprised.

"Oh, Lord Fallion, you'll be surprised... you'll be surprised," Samhain replied, shaking his head.

As the two fighting forces returned to their respective territories, Raven Beak and Bianca approached Fordragon and embraced him warmly.

"Oh, Crow... you truly are the successor we've been looking for," Bianca said with a smile.

"Come now, tell me... how many children are you and Blanchette going to have?" Raven Beak joked, his tone light.

"Wait, wait... I think we skipped a lot of steps and jumped straight to conclusions," Fordragon stammered.

"What?? No, no way. The skipped steps are optional, you two are already a good couple," Bianca insisted with a wink.

Just then, Blanchette walked up to them, clearly irritated.

"Mom, Dad, I'm your child..." she said, her voice dripping with sarcasm.

"Of course we love you too, darling. Right, honey?" Bianca replied, trying to smile.

"Yeah, of course, honey. We love you too, Blanchefleur," Raven Beak said with a grin.

"It's Blanchette!" Bianca hissed, flustered.

"Yes, Blanchette," Raven Beak added, giving a knowing look.

Back at the base, as everyone returned to safety, Blanchette suddenly grabbed Fordragon's arm and dragged him to a nearby room.

Raven Beak and Bianca exchanged smirks, thinking to themselves that they would soon have grandchildren.

Inside the room, Blanchette pinned Fordragon against the wall, her expression a mix of frustration and jealousy.

"I'll ask you three questions," she whispered, her voice a little tense.

"One, what about the deal you made with Yarinaga?

Two, what are you going to tell Mom and Dad about your brother?

And three, why did you speak Chika's name so gracefully but never say the same about me?" she asked, pouting.

Fordragon blinked in realization. Blanchette wasn't jealous of other women. No, she was jealous of Chika, the hero.

"One, I'm still going to go through with the deal with Yarinaga.

Two, I'll personally introduce my brother to them.

And three..." Fordragon paused, searching for the right words.

Blanchette's jealousy was evident, and Fordragon could feel it.

"Three... because Chika the hero is a savior to many people, a cherished hero in the eyes of others. But you..." he paused, smiling warmly, "you are mine alone. Your beauty is for me to cherish, no one else."

Fordragon gently pulled Blanchette into a hug and stroked her head, his words soft.

Blanchette's face turned a deep shade of red, and she buried her face in his chest, overcome with emotion.

"You still... remember you promised to take me on a date, right?" she murmured, looking up at him with shy eyes.

"Yes, I remember. And I'll keep that promise, after I tell your parents. Just you and me," Fordragon replied, his voice full of affection.

As they cuddled, Fordragon heard a faint voice in his head.

It was Fallion's voice, speaking through the resonance.

"Wow, wow... I know you're smooth, brother, but this actually surprised me. You've truly grown up now," Fallion's voice teased, clearly amused.

Fordragon's face flushed with embarrassment. He quickly spoke through the resonance, his mind racing.

"FA... FALLION!!! WHEN DID YOU ENTER MY MIND?!" Fordragon panicked in his thoughts, horrified that his private moment had been interrupted.

"Well, you're the one who linked us when I read Dad's diary, remember?" Fallion replied casually. "Guess you forgot to unlink it. Just another of your recklessness, huh?"

"I swear, brother, if this gets out, I'll end you," Fordragon muttered, clearly frustrated.

"Oops, too late. I've already told the group how smooth you are. And we're expecting a baby within the year!" Fallion said, his voice dripping with mischief.

As the two couples finished their cuddling, Fordragon and Blanchette entered the room, their faces still bright red. Raven Beak and Bianca exchanged a knowing glance, immediately noticing their flushed cheeks.

"Well, if you two need a room, you're welcome to it. Mom and Dad can wait," Raven Beak teased, a grin spreading across his face.

Fordragon, despite his embarrassment, smiled and tried to keep his composure. "No, it's alright, Dad. Crow and I already have things scheduled," Blanchette said with a half-smirk, though Her face was still flushed. "Also, there's something important Crow wants to tell you two first."

Inside Fordragon's mind, he couldn't shake the thought.

"Damn it, Fallion.

Damn it, Fallion.

Damn it, Fallion.

Damn it, Fallion..."

.