33 In a Distant Region

In a distant region of a far-off prefecture, a grandiose city sat in the middle of a mountain range. On the mountainside, a vast, golden palace stood with a view of the entire city. Within a large chamber at the central point of the palace, a golden, razor-hide dragon rested on an oversized pedestal.

"Your highness! Your highness!"

"What is it? Spit it out," a low, tired voice answered.

"Sir, it's the High King Krasc. He has arrived and bid for an audience with his majesty," the human servant was timid and afraid to hear the response.

"What!? I told you all to accept no visitors until further notice!" the low voice grew louder and frantic.

"I'm sorry your highness, but we didn't have the authority to stop his majesty and he has already entered the palace. We should assume that he is on his way to this very throne room," the servant then shut up, waiting for the king to lash out and kill him as he had done with others.

"Right you are!" the chamber doors swung by the entering high king. He was a large lion, four krin tall and ten krin from his nose to the tip of his tail. His fur was a glacial blue and his mane a frost white. This was the High King Krasc, a Frost-mane Lion. "Brak, it's been ages. How have you been?"

"Your majesty Krasc, forgive my servants' cold greeting. I shall punish them immediately," his clubbed tail lifted high up, ready to swing.

"No need, no need. It's not worth slaughtering such pathetic lives. Just be gone, would you," Krasc glanced at his side as the straggling servants scrambled out of the throne room. "Now for the matter at hand. How are you, Brak?"

"I've been doing quite well. Business here in Scale City has been booming. I'm getting richer with every passing moon," Brak went off about some side topics that weren't worth looking into.

"But what happened to you? We had some reports that a heavily injured Razor-hide dragon flew across the province towards your Scale City. This wasn't you was it? What on earth could've caused such a thing to happen to you, a low-king?" Krasc cut through the tangents, not leaving a way out.

"Oh, that? I was merely training by myself in the forbidden mountains to the south when I was ambushed and forced to leave early. There's no need for you, the High King of the Frost Mane Province to check up on me. I'm sure you're busy handling the many matters of the regions under your care or handling his majesty Lord Zrand's business as a high king over one of his ten provinces," Brak insisted that he need not investigate further.

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"Brak," the disinterested voice stopped Brak's rambling.

"Your majesty?"

"Cut the crap. What happened and who did this? I must know of all matters involving those under my jurisdiction, which includes the likes of you. Shouldn't I know if you were trying to do something unthinkable, like snoop around in other provinces or leave the prefecture without permission?" Krasc wasn't a patient man.

"I'm sorry your highness, I was in a hurry and had to act last minute. If I hadn't left when I did, I would've missed my chance," some words slipped out from Brak's tongue due to fear.

"Oh? You were in such a hurry to the Forbidden Mountains that you had to leave so suddenly? Please, do tell. Also, come down from there, a high king has no reason to look up to you," this wasn't Krasc's first interrogation.

"Umm…" Brak had still not fully healed from the holes in his chest and currently had them bandaged. If Krasc saw the wounds, he would know that it came from a life or death battle with too many blows to have been a simple surprise attack.

"Hurry up. And don't try to hide that injury on your chest. I've already heard all about it and how blood rained from the sky wherever you passed," Krasc made his objective very clear.

"Fine," disheartened, Brak walked down, "I'll tell you the truth. Please forgive my rudeness, I have been waiting to recover and make a trip to Misty City to inform you of the events."

"That is fine. We can pardon any error, as long as you tell me the truth. And hopefully it's something worth my journey here," Krasc knew he was lying, but leaving him a pardon in exchange for the truth would make things much easier for the both of them.

"Your majesty, what I'm about to say may surprise you and I hope that you do remember that the news came from me, Brak." He had to say it either way, but he at least wanted a small piece of the reward on Dioro's head if he was still alive.

"Hmm? It seems this is quite valuable information. Very well, I shall determine its value and reward you for it after hearing you out," Krasc showed a greedy grin.

"Thank you, your majesty," Brak bowed before carrying on. "It was Dioro who fought and wounded me. I encountered him while handling some personal matters and I ended up like this." He stood on his hind legs and undid his bandages to show him the terrifying wound.

"Dioro, the former mortal champion?" omKrasc was stunned to fall upon such wonderful news. If it were Dioro, with Lord Zrand's assistance Krasc could take him out and claim the reward. He also saw this as a chance to get closer to Lord Zrand by finding and killing the murderer of Lord Zrand's son.

"The same," Brak was relieved to see Krasc in a good mood.

Krasc led Brak to the side as they sat together and ordered someone to bring them Brak's finest wine. They now looked like brothers recounting each other's tales of glory. "Brak, tell me everything."