506

"Screw me sideways, if she catches me, I'm not afraid of losing in a confrontation... But, if I do take damage, and Robin feels it through [Robin's Desire] I have a feeling we would end up plunging our kingdoms into a war..."

Two golden fangs appeared within his hands as his muscles were itching for a fight, whether it would be in self-defence or an act of total-aggression, Asai failed to finalize his thoughts as the totem continued to irritate his skin like ants to sugar.

As the human silently lowered his stance, like an assassin who was ready to pounce upon its prey, the carpets that adorned the floor suddenly flapped aside as another giant emerged out of a hidden-passageway.

[??: Lvl 80]

"Good to know?"

Intently watching the newcomer trigger a hidden-lever behind one of many swords that decorated the stone-walls to conceal the path, Asai slowed his breathing as adrenaline continued to spike in both nervousness and excitement. 

"What game are you playing at?" Two dual-sided axes appeared within Hera's hands, as her fiery-red eyes glared at the woman who sported similar traits.

"Oh please, as your little sister, shouldn't you treat me nicer? Not even a hi, how are you? How have you been? Not a speck of warmth at all... Instead, you've been licking the ass of that human who desecrates our holy land with his disgusting presence?"

"Look. There's a war looming over the lands, we should give them our axes before the fighting reaches our kingdom. Better to burn their lands than to shed upon ours."

"Stop lying sis, stop chatting shit. Those fish-men aren't a threat and you know it, how gullible can you be to listen and wholeheartedly endorse the ramblings of a weaker race? There's nothing special about them, they have blue-skin and that's it! How scary can that be!?

I refuse to acknowledge this non-existent threat to our mighty-kingdom. And no matter how much you shove into the throats of my vassals, I refuse to allow your deliberate spreading of fear."

"Kara, you know it, I know it, everyone knows it... This isn't really about the kingdom is it? It's about how Rhet loves me more than you right?"

"You god damn slut, we're talking politics, and as per usual you try to shift the topic over to Rhet?"

Breaking into laughter, Kara Travarre suddenly threw a small throwing-axe out of her storage-ring, an pre-emptive strike that was easily repelled. Whether it was due to Hera's skill and battle-experience, or due to that volatile nature of their relationship, Asai continued to watch the little family-feud unfold. Unsure whether anything he would learn from their squabble would be useful, he started to look for a window to leave.

As the two continued to argue, and throw insults at each other, Asai became increasingly annoyed, as apparently, Kara was the reason why their kingdom's decision was taking so long.

Thankfully, Tanuki had sensed its master's distress and caused further ruckus by raiding their kitchens, true to its name the trash-panda dived through bins and barrels, causing all assortments of waste to spill as pots and pans clashed and clinked.

The marching over multiple guards echoed through the stone halls as silence befell the two sisters, who were both married to the same man and competing for the king's attention and heart. Finally having a moment to calm themselves from the pointless bickering that would garner no change, the two stormed out and went their separate ways. Leaving Asai to be the sole person remaining within the room, without much thought, he dipped into the passageway, and continued to explore, in search of anything that would answer his questions.

...

Silently traversing through the dimly lit tunnel, that appeared to be a single path heading north, Asai soon found himself emerging out and into an icy-cavern, similar to the many caverns he and Robin had explored. The only difference being the carpets of fur that outlined a path further in, which led to smaller cave-systems as he continued to stride within [Hide]

[??: Lvl 95]

To Asai's surprise, upon emerging out of another tunnel, he found himself face to face to a large dragon. Completely caught off-guard, he froze in his tracks as his mind tried to figure out where exactly had he gone wrong. From memory, Thrud, Hodr and Ryu, the sentient dragons in which he had come across thus far all radiated auras of overwhelming divinity. Like beings who simply shouldn't and couldn't exist within the realms of man. On the other hand, the dragon that stood before him was smaller, much smaller, and radiated no such aura.

Having turned the gears within his mind, and compared his experiences to the blue dragon before him, he also wondered as to why he couldn't see the name.

Before he could speak, or to strike, believing himself to be caught, a third-party emerged from the carpets of fur. 

[Rhet Travarre: Lvl 99]

The man, equally dressed in white-grey fur, crafted from the native beasts that lived within the desolate-frozen land, rose before dipping once more in prayer.

Evidently, the man wasn't using any magical forms of stealth, but was merely highly camouflaged with the floor he kneeled upon.

"Oh celestial dragon, your servant has done as thou asks! When, when will you bestow upon me boons that will empower me, improve me, make me the king of kings!" King Rhet Travarre, the current reigning monarch of Draftt desired more than to be just another king who was frozen and kept in a display of ice-coffins, he wanted honour, prestige and glorification on the levels of the dragons or gods in which the people of Etton prayed to.

"Soon, simply do as the heavens has ordered, and I shall deliver upon you the boons in which you seek. The time is not yet ripe, be patient son, for your service and loyalty has been recorded and remembered." The blue dragon, as if tired of entertaining its visitor, closed its eyes as it slept.

With such an blatant finish to their conversation, Rhet bowed a few more times as he planted his forehead into the ground, before rising and leaving. Passing right on by Asai, who had remained an observer, as the giant's loud footsteps faded into the distance, Asai caught sight of the dragon peeking with a single-eye.

"You. You can't see me huh? Nor can you red my thoughts right?"

The blue dragon, satisfied that its visitor was gone, rose before turning around, making its way deeper into the cavern as Asai silently followed.