The Calamitous Bob

Viv was summoned — sorry, 'invited' — to visit the palace the very next morning. Guess it had taken them that long to clean the carpets. She picked Marruk and the One Hundred as official guards, then went in without anyone giving her much shit. Walking by the statue, she reflected that it might look good to people who had never been exposed to art in their gods-forsaken life, and thus couldn't know that more didn't necessarily mean better or that there was, indeed, something called good taste. It suited Arana and Marus' little slice of hell just fine.

The interior of the palace itself was just as cramped and overwrought as she was led to believe. A main hallway made a show of the empire's glorious past, from ancient paintings to statues of long-dead sovereigns. Viv was actually interested in some of those relics since they seemed to date back to the heyday of the empire but were considerably less disintegrated than what she was used to. Taking a better look around, she found trapdoors and enchantments, movable walls as well as the marks of secret mechanisms. This wasn't just a show of wealth, it was also a death trap. Potentially meant to hold out against a mob.

A part of Viv worried that Arana might just lose patience and try to off her here and now, in which case this would be a short operation indeed. It didn't happen. A smarmy guide led her through winding passages to yet another small, crowded throne room where emperor Marus ruled over a court of sycophants. They eyed Viv with polite condescension in the same way old money considered the arrival of upstarts in their midst. Viv didn't take umbrage. She would be purging them soon anyway.

It was telling that the palace seemed to be missing a ballroom. Even the small, vertical seat of her power in Sinur's Gate could handle three hundred guests around the inner courtyard if she were to throw a party, and space was at a major premium in the high city. No, Arana was not a party kind of girl.

"Cousin," Marus said, "it gladdens me to see you again."

The use of 'cousin' confirmed they planned on killing her. He would only condescend to call her his equal if he was reasonably sure he could make her pay for the audacious thought. She wondered how they meant to do it.

"I hope yesterday's visit pleased you, and showed the grandeur of —"

Blah blah blah. Viv tuned out the platitudes to feel the place with her mana senses. The enchantments were strong and well-maintained, but they lacked the innovative spirit that came with elaborate traps. The palace defenses didn't rely on magic, which confirmed her opinion that Arana's grasp on the mages might not be as absolute as it was on the army.

Mages. Can't control them, can't live without them. Well, not fully. Viv navigated through the diplomatic fake speech with answers that flowed smoothly thanks to hours of training with Lady Azar. It wasn't difficult anyway. It was clear Marus was leading her into a trap.

"Our concern for our people pains us as they fall victim to the depredation of monsters. You have proven yourself capable of leading a hunting expedition when you fended off the white beast burning one of our villages. The empire would like to call upon your skills to bring an end to the threat once and for all."

Ah so that was how they planned on killing her.

That was fine. Viv wanted to go after the little twerp to teach him not to torch children anyway.

"I agree. The dragon must not be left unchecked after attacking humans so indiscriminately," she concurred, and she could see a triumphant sneer bloom on Marus' handsome face.

"However, I will need assistance in this endeavor."

"Cerus will lead you to the lair which we recently discovered."

"I will also need Frosthawk's help."

Marus hesitated. The courtiers exchanged hesitating glances. Everyone was aware that something was going on, yet no one held enough cards to understand the implications.

"Frosthawk is required here for his duties."

"None of which are as important as defeating a dragon," Viv stated with conviction.

"I will order a cadre of our finest mages to accompany you."

"As will Frosthawk since he trained them," Viv quickly replied.

Then she tilted her head in a way that indicated this was non negotiable.

"You intend to send me against the world's apex predator. Surely you can spare your court mage to help me lay down a trap. Otherwise, I would be questioning how committed you are to… what was it? Ridding your people of the depredation of monsters."

The courtiers whispered, angry and provoked. If Viv had been a noble, this would have been suicide, but this empire had a dearth of elites and she was not under their command. They didn't seem ready to handle that.

"We agree," Arana said.

She smiled. It wasn't nice.

"We shall ask for volunteers as well, from Cerus' ranks. You may depart to get ready. Your escort will be ready very soon."

Viv turned away, leading her soldiers back out.

"They didn't offer supplies," Ban said with annoyance. "Lucky we don't need 'em."

"I wouldn't eat anything they sent us anyway," Viv replied.

"Aye," Ban replied, then after a pause. "Cunts."

***

Ban's opinion of the locals notwithstanding, Viv was actually glad to see a hesitant Cerus and a fuming Frosthawk join her on the way. Cerus brought a couple of sheepish volunteers but Frosthawk brought only a backpack and an attitude. He didn't even have a horse, which she assumed were reserved for more important people. Viv left him stew in his outrage at first. Cerus pointed to a road heading south along the sea, a remnant of the old imperial days where people built them with some effort. A pine forest occupied the entire left side, thick and old, past the fields. It smelled pleasantly of pine.

After ten minutes, Cerus joined her.

"I, errr, that is, the mage, archmage Frosthawk, he told me where to go. It's a small village to the south, along the coast next to the Winter Teeth. Those are two small mountains with a missing top. That's where we're going. We've been trying to track the beast to find its lair but the mages found a way. Something about, well, the archmage can tell you more. It will take three days to travel there barring any interruptions."

Cerus gave her a meaningful glance.

"I am sure we can promptly deal with anything we encounter since I am, for independent reasons, rather invested in the defeat of this dragon."

"Oh, errr, if you say so," Cerus said, then he returned to the vanguard.

Zero-Five soon appeared from the forest, walking casually under the collective gaze of Cerus and his men. His mask looked particularly smug today.

"Report?"

"Pursuers followed us until they were sure we were following the road. They are currently falling behind. They are a spy path, not a scout one," he said.

"We are being tracked? By whom?" Cerus asked while Frosthawk approached, his curiosity overcoming his anger.

Zero-Five looked to Viv for approval. He only obeyed her. Well, and Irao, she supposed. She nodded.

"Men in dark clothes with turbans and veils covering their faces," he replied with a shrug.

Ninjas, Viv thought.

"The Eyes of Arana. Oh no, we are in serious trouble!" Cerus said with fear.

Viv rolled her eyes.

"Of course they will follow us, you fool." Frosthawk spat. "You and your 'volunteers'."

"We come to face the dragon," Cerus said defensively.

"You are an idiot. Arana is looking for those who show a little too much initiative, and now they have revealed themselves. And you let them come."

"We rise to defend the empire!" Cerus roared.

Viv deployed leadership this time. It felt strange not using intimidation.

"As much as I agree with Cerus in principle, Frosthawk is correct in assuming this was a test. Anybody present with me for an extended period of time will become the target of suspicion."

"You knew and you still called for me!" Frosthawk spat.

"We are loyal subjects, surely they wouldn't do anything?" Cerus objected.

He was the kind of guy who thought the evil tyrant meant well as long as he was not directly the victim, and now that he was, it was all just a misunderstanding that would get cleared quickly, Viv thought.

"You are being a little naive, friend Cerus. Some people will sacrifice competent underlings and valuable resources so long as they retain control of what's left."

"You understand Arana surprisingly well for someone who so readily attacks her!" Frosthawk yelled.

He was getting really worked up.

"Yes, because I intend for her to die."

"Die!"

He laughed bitterly.

"Die. You know nothing of her. You young fool. And no, you have dragged me down with you."

"I would argue that you know very little of the world outside."

"We are not in the world outside! We are here! Within her grasp! Not to some, fancy, outlandish place you utter mor—"

"Quiet."

Viv deployed her wings, which she had kept tucked so far. Her aura came to rest on the entire convoy like a heavy clawed hand on their shoulders. Frosthawk's words died on his lips. He gulped with difficulty.

Viv leaned down from her impassive horse, under the amused looks of Ban and Zero-Five. Her intimidation didn't affect her the same way because they were her claws and fangs, the weight behind her words.

"The outside world is here. I am it."

She leaned back, satisfied for now. Frosthawk glared but he didn't fight her on this, though she did feel a kernel of resolve pushing back against her influence. The archmage wasn't just a teacher, but a warrior as well.

"Now that we have established a working relationship, would you like to ride a horse? I have a spare."

"We do not have a working relationship!"

"Too bad," Viv replied with a shrug.

"Yes, I would like to ride a horse, please."

It took only a few seconds for Viv to signal her aides and for one of them to bring a riding horse, smiling knowingly all the while. It soon proved very obvious that the archmage had not ridden one in his life, as everyone could tell, but he was too prideful to admit it. Viv felt sorry for the horse. As for Frosthawk, his arse would hurt for days and he deserved every second of it.

"So," he said irritably. "Are you not going to plead your case with me?"

Viv watched him with polite interest.

"Plead?"

"There is no need to grow metaphorical scales over semantics, woman. You know what I mean."

"Semantics is important during negotiations, however, I am waiting for… another arrival that I believe will help me make my case."

"Why are you even here? To rule?"

Viv considered the question.

She was playing nice so far, but it was true that for the first time since its inception, New Harrak was going to do something that was objectively immoral according to modern standards. She was going to invade a foreign country — arguably reunite but, yet again, this was semantics. She was usurping the local government for the benefit of her own nation. It was, ultimately, the last step she would take towards being a local ruler. Not an outlander trying to import modern governance. An actual, bone fide monarch.

And she was fine with that.

Mostly because Arana was nasty.

She wouldn't have done it when she arrived. Over four years of contact with some of the worst the world had to offer had changed that.

"Yes, I am here to remove them from power. The question is not whether or not I can, but how much will it cost."

"So let me ask you, do you rule over… New Harrak, was it, because you are such a powerful individual? Do you believe that your arcane might makes you superior since you can bend reality to your will? Long has this continent waited for a mageocracy…"

Frosthawk was testing her. He was being very obvious about it. Viv wondered how someone who was so bad at acting could survive for so long under Arana. Maybe that was the point. Froshawk was competent yet an abysmal schemer while Cerus was desperately naive. They were not dangerous to her.

"I led people when I was only on the second step. This isn't about arcane might but about leadership, not the skill or the ability to move people. It's also about politics, which is the art of making different groups agree on a common purpose. My second in command has no arcane or martial abilities whatsoever. And I can tell that you do not want a mageocracy."

"Indeed, no. I would not."

Frosthawk considered the road. The path so far had stayed remarkably similar: the sea to the right, beyond rocky outrcroppings. A forest lay to the left. Sometimes, they came across fishermen villages. They did so now, and Viv took a moment to watch the boats sail in the distance with a colorless lens spell. For all that they appeared decadent, those Old Harrakans sure knew their ships, especially since she doubted those had been built with a lot of nails. It gave her a bit of hope.

"So, how did you track the dragons?" she eventually asked Frosthawk.

"One of my apprentices followed. The dragon leaves a massive mana signature when it hunts. We merely waited in a spot where it was often seen, then tracked its signature until it faded. By doing this a few times, my apprentices reached the edge of the Winter Teeth, and stopped. They are too weak to confront such a powerful foe. While you apparently can…"

Froshawk still harbored doubts.

"Probably a natural cave he enlarged for his personal use."

"He?"

"Yes. The dragon is male. And yes, I fought it off myself."

"Hmmm."

Frosthawk ruminated on this for a moment. Cerus whispered by his side that it was true, according to the village elder, to which Frosthawk told him exactly what he thought of third hand accounts.

"Even if you are that strong, I will still not defect."

"Because she has your family?" Viv innocently replied.

Terror filled Frosthawk's features. Viv waved her hands immediately lest the old man fell off his horse.

"I haven't seen or heard anything. It's just that tyrants tend to be extremely consistent."

"Not just them. My mages. Their families. We are all… part of a web. And Arana endangers all of us. Curse her…"

He frowned.

"Is this the point where you tell me you can guarantee their safety?"

Another test?

"I do not wish to make promises I am not certain I can fulfill. You will need to tell me what you know while we ride and while my people keep an eye on our followers. It would be wise if you keep a distance at camp. That way, their suspicions will not arise too quickly."

"Even assuming you can save them, Arana is mighty. She has a thousand well-equipped and well-trained men with her, not to mention her assassins. We would be overwhelmed."

"New Harrak is strong. Stronger than you think."

Viv felt a light pulse of mana from the side and smiled.

Impeccable timing.

"And I can prove it. Here!" she said, pointing at an empty spot in front of her.

Frosthawk frowned.

"Are you deran — AAAAH!"

A burst of mana heralded the opening of a mage gate, and from there, he emerged, looking gorgeous in armored robes.

"Did you miss me?" Sidjin asked.

"Every hour or so. Frosthawk, meet Sidjin, my paramour and the creator of the gate spell."

"A pleasure, fellow archmage," Sidjin said with the unctuous tone of the consummate courtier.

Yep, it was going well, but as the two mages immediately went into the techniques behind portals, she couldn't help but remark upon herself.

Even when attempting subterfuge, Viv's first and most obvious reaction was always to try and find the right person for the job. It kept working, but it also meant she depended on others to solve her problems.

Maybe it wasn't so bad. After all, she was using her best tools for the job.

***

One hour later, Viv rode behind what proved to be an extremely animated discussion.

"It cannot be done," Sidjin insisted, "because the mana consumption curve of connected portals increases at the speed of one eighth of the distance squared for every mile, thus making extremely long passages unsustainable."

"But what could cause this then? Not the Seveno constant, or the spell would not function at all."

Viv leaned forward on her saddle.

"That's because of the curvature of the earth."

The two idiots looked at her, offended at her interruption. Sidjin recognized her smile and predictably went off at the same moment.

"Woman, don't you dare."

"It's 'cause Nyil got to dig through rock to connect the portals in a straight line, see?"

"What? Preposterous!"

"THAT IS NOT HOW SPACE MAGIC WORKS AT ALL!"

"But there is a grace distance of a league and a half where consumption is minimum," Viv replied, the very image of winged, abyssal-eyed innocence. "That's because we're digging through air, then the curvature means we have to dig through rocks."

The two froze in their tracks. Viv had no idea if she was correct or not. It only mattered that they believed she might be.

Sidjin choked on his fury while Frosthawk opened and closed his mouth in a solid rendition of a beached fish.

Most excellent.

She shrugged with the most insufferable expression she could manage. A second later, insults and imprecations washed over her, speaking of witch logic and other harmful stereotypes but she didn't care, for she had already won. Sometimes, it took a nerd to lure another nerd. With this, her nerd collection had expanded by one. New minion: obtained. They could whine and protest all they wanted.

Viv rode on.

***

While the two were still arguing, Viv began her subversion of Cerus. It immediately became apparent that it would be an uphill battle.

"Arana is harsh but fair. She might be misguided on occasions, yes, however the same can be said of any leader."

"Harsh? What is the punishment for failure?"

"Not death, I know what you are saying. Death is the penalty for treason. I have… failed several tasks, and I am still here."

"And are some of the tasks perhaps impossible to realize? Unrealistic given the resources available?"

"We are meant to be pushed to our limits in the service of the empire."

"No, you are meant to be under constant pressure and in a state of panic, so when she forgives you for an inevitable failure, all you feel is abject gratitude. Is she unpredictable, kind and motherly one time and stern and terrifying the next? Are you always on your toes around her?"

"I, that is, of course, a powerful advisor such as she…"

"Those are the tactics of an abuser. She will have you doubt yourself and shake with terror."

"I do not serve her. I serve Marus and the empire!"

"But she gives the order," Viv insisted.

Cerus retreated into his own annoyance, and Viv knew this was going to take some time.

"Your Majesty," a gruff voice said from the side.

Viv turned to see that Ban had joined her. The dry old man glared at her with his usual 'you're my boss now but just step out of line and I'll shove my pilum up your rectum' look. So he was in a good mood, probably.

"Yes?"

"Lemme talk to the lad."

"Oh, of course."

"C'mere boy," Ban said, grabbing the slightly taller Cerus by the shoulder and directing him away like he was five years old. Viv felt mighty pleased to have, once more, competent and motivated minions who were mostly loyal so long as she didn't ask for too much. Truly, the empire prospered.

***

That night, they made camp in a secluded valley nestled between two small mounds, not far from a village where Viv bought fresh fish for only a few iron bits. The villagers were absolutely ecstatic to get iron, and Sidjin went as far as using some advanced magic to make basic tools.

"Mana-intensive and it makes for inferior products, but it helps in a pinch," he said.

"You are very resourceful."

"I strive to find a way to achieve anything with colorless mana. Perhaps one day, it will be the most used hue."

Viv didn't think it would for a single second. The unintuitive castings required will and fine control. Most people wouldn't bother. She kept her remark to herself, however. There would always be a blue caster with a need to make fire and this would help a lot. They already had a repository of colorless spells safely recorded within Sinur's Gate's library.

Zero-Five confirmed that Arana's agent had caught up, and that they had placed themselves atop the cliff to keep an eye on Viv and the Old Imperial underlings. As such, Viv made extra sure to have both Frosthawk and Cerus' borrowed tents set at a distance in complete isolation. Anyone looking would assume she either hated them, or found that they had questionable hygiene. Either way, this would give the appearance of conflict.

After a nice grilled fish dinner, Zero-Five gave his complete report. The hadals had been extremely busy for two days, but now she would get a better picture of what she was up against.

"They sent many runners. Paths dedicated to speed. We could not follow them all so we followed two. Others went east, and north along the sea. We found two things."

His mask was solemn tonight. It couldn't be too good.

"There is a village of prisoners farther north, on a large island a little off the coast. We found the ships carrying food to them, as well as some reports. There is another island called the jewel island, but it is hidden."

Viv thought about it for a second.

"They may have the larger gulag, well, island, for the common law criminals and the potentially dangerous opponents and their families. The jewel island hides something more. I suspect valuable hostages might be held there."

Zero-Five shrugged. The axeman wasn't exactly a keen strategic analyst. He preferred a more direct approach.

"The other runner was too fast but we found out he was going to a… favored village. The one that harbors 'general' Kobanis' family."

"Favored village?"

"That is the term they use. They have iron."

"Likely the place where the loyal guards are drawn from. It would make sense then, because in a revolution, they would stand to lose the most. Those we cannot convert. You will still find someone to scout the area."

"Huh?"

"Find where the villages are. I know what to do with them."

"Huh."

"As for the villages north, they are too far from us right now. Frosthawk also mentioned during the day that they were spread out. I give up on them for now since we don't have the resources to spread out that far. For the southern ones, my understanding is that they hug the shore so I will show myself there to begin with. I would like us to start on the eastern villages, those that lead back to New Harrak. We will be… congratulating them on the reunification of both inheritor states through the sharing of tools. Yries-made. I know we have surplus. Let Sidjin know since he is the one operating the network right now."

"Understood."

"Good. And let them know that I am going after the dragon and could use advice on, well, everything."

Viv was confident she could undermine Arana, but going without her advisors to prove she could be subtle when she wanted to was a waste of lives she couldn't afford. She would at least bounce ideas off of them.

***

"Grandmother, the scouts have returned," Marus said, waving a deciphered text with a lazy hand.

"It is as you suspected. She is trying to turn our people against us."

"It is always as I suspect," the older woman replied.

She was poring over reports in her office at the heart of the palace. Poorly made bark paper covered every available surface, pins linking them to one another. There were people, projects, ideas, conspiracies, clans, all bound together, all a massive spider web of feelings, loyalties, and influences. Control was about all of it. Nothing could escape it, or control itself would be lost.

The newcomer was but another hurdle.

"She gave Frosthawk a horse."

"Lent, I assume, though it confirms my fears that she is indeed a distant Paramese and not a particularly obnoxious southern tribe trickster."

"The Eyes report that they talked, but the mage told her off."

"He is old and cunning. Her design must appear awkward and demeaning to one such as he. He knows the price of betrayal."

"They report that they built a separate encampment."

Arana nodded. She expected no less.

"She will still try to turn him around. The Eyes must keep a close watch."

Arana surveyed the corner of her domain that covered magic. Mages were a necessity, especially in times of turmoil. She could ill afford to lose one of the Frosthawk's last scions, but if it came to it… She picked one of the images. Irlan. A placid man. A suitable replacement if it came to it. If Frosthawk proved loyal, she would wait another two years before… retiring him in favor of the younger, more malleable candidate. Otherwise… well, she still had his family. He would accept death rather than see them perish, and if needed, she would ship the ring fingers of each and every one of his children to convince him. She had resorted to this tool before.

Such a headache, but that was the price of safety.

"I have ordered the soldiers to stay mobilized. I believe we should have them march east. Just in case," Marus stated.

"A wise choice, Marus. I believe the village they saved, the one under one Elder Osso?"

"Yes?"

"It was fully destroyed by the dragon."

"... I see. I will give the order. We should avoid destroying too many villages. The crops…"

"Hunger will pass. Revolt would not. Please have your men find any contaminated villages and deal with them. I want to know where she came from, so have them find it for me. Follow the trail east. My Eyes will assist them in this regard, my grandson."

"What if we find them? Should we invade?"

"I believe this would be premature, especially since we do not know if they are the client states of adversaries we would be better served not provoking. No, finding them first is enough. We can worry about absorbing them once their troublemaker here has met her demise."

"What if she… doesn't?"

Arana reclined in her chair.

"What is my second lesson?"

"Look at the motives. She is not motivated to kill the beast. She merely needs to pretend she did, and so long as the dragon doesn't—"

"Not hers. The dragons. The creature is a predator. They flee rather than fight a tough prey because being wounded can lead to their death. It is simply not worth the effort. The same cannot be said if said prey follows them to their lair. There, the dragon will be backed into a corner, and when it is…"

"She will either die or flee with her tail between her legs."

"She cannot fool the Eyes. They will know if she lies."

Marus remained silent. Arana considered him with approval. Looking for points of failure to remedy them was a good quality in a planner. Her grandson was learning.

"How have the people received the news that the… Kark, was it?"

"Yes. I found a record of them in the archives. An unruly people."

"That they are dangerous savages with a taste for imperial women. This rumor has taken well. I am concerned about the 'empress' herself."

"The world that came after the fall is a decivilized one, and anyone who pretends otherwise is a charlatan at best, and a traitor at worst."

"I see. I will pass on the word."

"Good."

***

The next day, it took some time for the Eyes of Arana to fall behind, but they eventually did. Zero-Five reported this to Viv mid-morning while they were taking a short break.

"They are being very sticky. How many are there?"

"Three, rotating often," the masked hadal replied.

"They must be sending word back to Frostbay."

Zero-Five shrugged again. He wasn't being very cooperative with the non-murderous stuff. Viv wondered how long his patience would last.

"I have decided to keep our discussions a secret from Arana," Frosthawk finally said from the side.

He was rather grumpy this morning, though Viv didn't know if it was due to Sidjin's departure since he should not be seen, the lack of coffee, or his natural predisposition.

"I appreciate it as a gesture of trust."

"Indeed."

"Though I would point out that she will kill you if you share this in case you are compromised, and she will kill me if she can anyway."

Frosthawk grumbled something in his beard before conceding the point. During a break, Cerus finally confessed about his family and how they were, and he had trouble saying the word, threatened.

Then the dam opened.

"General Kobanis recruits his goons from Arana's clan. They are a lazy, entitled lot… So rude and disrespectful!"

"Loyal to a fault," Cerus confirmed. "They wouldn't want to lose all of their steel. They have a lot of it. Most of it, in fact."

Viv collected information as fast as she could, and it was… complex. The villages were too spread out to revolt, and there were a lot of them. The Remnants didn't exactly have a census but it was abundantly clear there were at least sixty to seventy thousand souls spread out among the cold plains that hugged the Harrakan mountain ring. It was several times what Viv's New Harrak currently had. She was basically a toad trying to swallow a bull, and yet the Remnants were so weak and disorganized… Of the loyalist forces, there were several she could finally identify.

The villagers, weak, scared, and untrained, but who could potentially provide shelter and information.

The Guardians, led by Cerus. They were only loyal because their families lived spread out in a few villages near the capital that were vulnerable to raids from nearby southern tribes. Raids that were only prevented by troops stationed there, and even then not that well. Easy.

The mages, led by Frosthawk. They would follow the old archmage, but his family was in the jewel island and no one knew where it was.

The Eyes, a group of spies Viv had absolutely no way to turn and that she would purge with prejudice anyway. They were basically a dictatorial secret police.

The last element was Kobanis' army. Even inferior to her heavies, fighting them inside of Frostway would still cause a lot of destruction, which she would rather avoid if at all possible. Fortunately, she had an idea. She started formulating a plan, then perhaps the others would have ideas as well.

***

During her trip south, Viv did her best to win over the villagers, mostly with modest gifts of tools which they appreciated enormously. The difference between having one hammer and two hammers was not as significant as the one between one hammer and zero hammers. The same was true of saws, steel knives, and other specialized instruments that made life so much easier. It wasn't too suspicious of her to have brought those, she hoped, and Zero-Five confirmed that no villages had been burnt after she left it. So far.

Soon, she stopped worrying about the coup. There was the small matter of defeating a juvenile dragon. On the day before they arrived at their destination, Viv secretly left her camp to attend a meeting set up near one of Sidjin's portals, inside the pine forest. She gated there, only to find… a lot of people.

Quite a lot of people.

It was like a fae gathering, well-dressed mysterious people gathering in muttering clumps in the middle of the wilderness while reality was twisted nearby. The most notable pair, however, was made of Arthur and Solar. They stood at a distance and a little away from each other. Arthur seemed incredibly uneasy. She did that thing where she trampled the ground without realizing it. As for Solar, he was his stoic self.

"Greetings, Viviane," he greeted first.

Mother.

"Your daughter and I have aligned on a very important point, though for different reasons. I will leave you to it."

And just like that, he turned away to leave through his portal.

"Well that was quick?"

His mate needs help with their spawn.

Mother.

It is important.

I felt his aura near the village.

He really is my brother.

The two walked closer to each other. Viv patted Arthur's neck like in old times. Of course, now it was considerably larger.

"We, ah, never talked about it. Also about what I did… Feeding you…"

Cannibalism is common in spawn, if the parent leaves them to fend for themselves.

It is… an insult among dragons.

Judgment told me so.

She seemed dejected.

"I'm so sorry."

Yes.

I am, too.

Because he is cruel.

Like our mother was.

Judgment talked about her, also.

He may have been alone for a very long time.

Mother, I would still like him not to die.

It was a request. Viv nodded. It would probably be easier to force the dragon to submit or to flee rather than just straight up kill him anyway. As for him being an ally, she really wasn't sure it could be done anyway. He was… really an asshole. Even for a dragon.

"I'll try."

Then, you must face him alone.

The dangerous blade master agrees as well.

You must defeat brother in single combat.

Viv didn't have to think long to realize Arthur was right, though it seemed like an incredibly dangerous idea.

"If I face him with allies, he will see us as humans. Cooperating together to fight a dangerous predator."

Yes.

But since you carry marks...

"Then if I defeat him in single combat, I would be like another dragon claiming dominion."

He would listen, if only out of fear.

But only you can do that.

I am smaller than him.

His… primitive mind will not understand.

But you carry the mark of the nurser.

"I will try. It will take some planning though, and I may have postponed it for too long."

The others have thought in your stead.

They are ready.

Go talk to them.

Viv patted Arthur one last time to make her way to one of the largest groups of casters she had seen since Helock. Abenezigel was here, his size allowing him to look over heads. There was also Sidjin, Lana, Rakan, and Frosthawk whom Sidjin had apparently smuggled away from his tent, then many of the ladies under Lana, and Rakan's most senior trainees. The glances were unusually hostile.

"Am I bothering the conclave?" she asked.

"Could you please stop making a mockery out of space magic?" Rakan asked with false outrage.

"A mutiny!"

Frosthawk tensed immediately, however the mood relaxed with a few laughs then so did he. Sidjin approached her with a new harness.

"If you want to win this, you are going to need a lot of tools, but mostly, you will need to fly very fast. But before we do some tryouts, there was somebody who wanted to talk to you."

Viv hadn't noticed him, her keen senses overwhelmed by so many mana signatures. Lak-Tak was here. His thin mustaches quivered with excitement.

"Err, you're here for… Oh. Ooooooh."

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