The hall, which had been filled with festive energy mere moments ago, was now engulfed in a deathly silence, the three sitting on Asher's table stunned by the brutality they had just witnessed. Oberon, his throat dry, could barely swallow as he gazed at the horrific sight of Droco's mutilated body. A cold shiver ran down his spine as he thought about the possibility of meeting a similar fate. He resolved inwardly that he would rather die protecting Rowena than let these draconian bastards have the satisfaction.
Leonidas and Caelum exchanged glances, both sensing the heavy and oppressive tension that now filled the room. This was no longer a celebration; it was a display of power and a warning. Still, they couldn't help but wonder about the message Drakar was trying to convey by executing a traitor in such a public and grisly manner, and that too before them.
Lysandra's face was an impenetrable mask of icy calm, but beneath the surface, her heart was in turmoil, churning with grief and rage at the sight of his gruesome corpse.
She then saw Rhygar walking back to the platform, his hands dripping with blood while flashing a proud smile at her.
Rhygar was expecting his mother to look at him in a better light since he just killed the father of the man who tried to harass her when she was young.
But to his dismay, she didn't even spare him a glance for a moment more. Just how much should he do to prove himself to her? Maybe showing her Asher's head could be the only thing that could satisfy her.
In the midst of this tense atmosphere, Asher, maintaining his composure, broke the silence with a nonchalant shrug, "It's quite creative, I have to admit. But can we move on to something pleasant, considering the occasion?" Drakar smiled and snapped his fingers. At his command, the guards quickly removed Droco's corpse and the silver tray with the ashes of the skull, clearing the remnants of the gruesome spectacle.
"Apologies if my attempt to show my goodwill made you uncomfortable," Drakar said, his voice smooth and controlled.
Asher, maintaining his diplomatic demeanor despite the unsettling turn of events, shook his head and responded, "No. I have no doubt you meant well," He felt he just had to play along as long as possible and see where Drakar was going with this.
Drakar's smile deepened, pleased with Asher's reaction, "Good. Then let's move on to the matter that would concern the future of our kingdoms. It's been something I have been thinking a lot about for a long time," he said, his tone taking on a more serious note.
Asher and Naida exchanged a glance, their expressions betraying a hint of wariness. Drakar continued, "Our kingdoms have been trying to slash at each other's necks for thousands of years, and things could have been worse if not for the pact. But we have no reason to continue this animosity because of our ancestors' quarrels. The past is past and long gone."
Asher internally questioned Drakar's motive. A genuine alliance seemed unlikely, given their history and the recent display of cruelty. So why was he suddenly changing his kingdom's stance?
Drakar then revealed, "My father named me after Drakaris to honor him. Other than that, he also wanted me to be the one who fulfills Drakaris' wish of brokering peace between our kingdoms," he explained.
Asher casually inquired with a shrug, "Then why didn't you try to do it before?"
Drakar shook his head and replied, "Because I was waiting for the worthy one... you. You have earned Drakaris' favor, and since you conquered the Trial of Torment, the burden of enforcing the pact has fallen onto you. You have released the supreme one from his duty, and I couldn't express enough how grateful we are for letting him rest."
The hall erupted in a collective gasp of surprise, the revelation catching everyone off guard. Rhygar, Lysandra, and the other draconians widened their eyes in shock. Was the pact really not enforced by Drakaris any longer? Asher inwardly frowned as he realized other than Drakar, the other draconians had no idea about the pact being rendered ineffective. But Drakar announcing it publicly now only meant this situation was getting worse for him.
He could already feel the dozens of sharp stares falling on him from the draconians around him, especially Rhygar, who looked as if he couldn't wait to butcher him.
Eradicator's hands slowly tensed, even though she was always ready to move her hands quickly towards the hilt of her heavy sword.
Oberon's breath froze as he realized he was fucked. This alien fiend was going to let them all get killed.
Silvan's eyes were subtly shifting around as if to observe something while Leonidas and Caelum's bodies were tensed, preparing themselves for the worst.
Rhygar couldn't believe the pact was really gone the moment Asher came out of that tower. Then why the fuck was his father not doing anything to have him tortured and killed instead of holding a celebration for him?
If only his father wasn't here, he could bring Asher's head to his mother right now.
Lysandra pulled together her brows, her nerves brimming with tension as she realized Asher was completely in danger. At least before, she was holding onto the hope that the pact would at least protect his life.
But not anymore. Her gaze landed on Drakar's back as she wondered why only he knew and why he never told anyone until now.
Asher, intrigued yet cautious, probed further, "How did you know about Drakaris' soul enforcing the pact through the tower? I don't remember any of your people mentioning it before," he asked, his gaze fixed intently on Drakar.
Drakar responded with a sigh, "My ancestor who founded this kingdom decided to build here not just because of the abundance of land, but because the supreme one, Drakaris, told him to. He said he would be watching us from the tower for the years to come. The supreme one also mentioned that he would stay here until someone at least as worthy as the Devourer comes along and upholds the pact in his place."
Asher pieced together the information, realizing why only Drakar was privy to this knowledge.
It was a closely guarded secret, passed down from one draconian king to the next. Drakaris had chosen to remain near the draconians, knowing their volatile nature, keeping a watchful eye over the pact's enforcement.
Asher offered a brief smile, "I had no idea the origins of your kingdom had such a story," he remarked. Then, seeking clarification, he asked, "So are you proposing that we cooperate in respecting the pact?"
Drakar's response was decisive, "That would be in your hands. I am willing to even forge a new and powerful alliance where both our kingdoms can stand beside each other and carve a new era for our realm."
As Drakar's proposal hung in the air, his eyes held a veiled glint, "But…I would like you to show a sign of goodwill, just like I did."
Asher's brows furrowed as Drakar added in a nonchalant voice, "It's nothing much. All I would require is just the...'key' you got after completing the trial."
Asher and Naida's expressions shifted to grim understanding. It was now clear what Drakar truly coveted and why he was doing all this.
It seemed as if the 'key' must hold great importance for Drakar for him to go this far.
But this also made Asher realize that the only reason Drakar hadn't killed him yet was because he must not know where the key was or didn't want to risk it until he was sure.
Asher also thought that Drakar must not know that the key cannot be stored in any pocket space or dimension. Otherwise, he would have searched them all and their rooms.
Rhygar mumbled with an intrigued look, "A key…
what kind of key could it be…" He felt it must be something powerful since not only was it given to Asher as a reward for completing the trial, but his father also seemed very interested.
He had never seen him express such an interest in anything before. Was this the reason why he let Asher enter the tower? Lysandra also realized the same thing and knew that Asher wouldn't leave this place alive unless he handed over the key or whatever Drakar wanted.
Just how long had he been planning this? She never expected it in the least.
But the problem was she didn't know if Asher would agree or choose to die like a fool. She wished she could pressure him to just give in so that he could have a chance to live another day.
She couldn't care less about some key when her son's life was hanging in the balance. However, Asher, maintaining his poise, questioned Drakar's intentions, "Why would you want that key when I could find some use for it since it was a reward for me?"
Drakar, his gaze sharp and piercing, replied, "The key wouldn't serve you any purpose other than for insignificant matters. However, my kingdom can put it to great use because of the vast resources we have."
Suddenly, Asher was seized by a sharp, stabbing up blood. He felt a sense of dizziness and his strength getting sapped for a moment.
sensation that spread rapidly across his body. He coughed violently, grimacing in pain, and to the shock of everyone at the table, he coughed up blood. He felt a sense of dizziness and his strength getting sapped for a moment.
Naida and the others, except for Oberon, instantly grew concerned. Leonidas whispered to Caelum, "Did our king get poisoned or something?"
Naida, however, knew the true reason was not poison but something that would only serve to help him in the near future. But now…it was not much worse than getting poisoned.
Drakar's eyes narrowed, "Are you alright, King Asher? You look a bit pale. Would you like my royal physician to check on you?" he offered.
Asher, trying to downplay the severity of his condition, shook his head, "I'll be fine. It's just the backlash of exerting myself too much during the trial." He sighed internally, aware that Drakar and the other draconians had likely realized he wasn't in his best shape. He could only wonder what they might do if they knew he was temporarily crippled. Or maybe it didn't really matter in this situation.
Drakar, sensing Asher's vulnerability, pressed on, "I see... Then I assume you can give an answer to my proposal right now," he said, his presence becoming increasingly imposing.
Asher's expression hardened as he could feel Drakar's aura becoming heavier by the second, and if he gave an answer Drakar didn't like, then he had no doubt about what Drakar was going to do next.
