As Milo awoke on the floor of his team’s lobby, he felt at his neck and noticed that the wound Cecil had inflicted hadn’t healed completely, leaving behind a scar as well as some stitches. He had been beaten by a mere co-captain; he wasn’t supposed to lose to anyone here. Milo was a dragon with the potential of all his clutch and a son of the Beast Blood Emperor. Nobody made a fool out of him.

Milo brought his hand down and scowled as the ground didn’t break. His hand had bounced off the ground and bruised. Resulting in even more rage filling him.

An annoyed child broke the silence. “Do you want a participation cookie? Former captain?’

“What!” Milo looked up in rage and saw White Fox holding a silver platter of strange golden bread circles with brown spots.“I mean, are you going to end your tantrum so that we can move on? Oh, former captain.”

“I oughta…” Milo clenched his fist and found he couldn’t draw on his power.

“Ought to what? Put an adorable child like me in his place. Kill me for my insolence? Kidnap someone close to me and threaten to have them killed if I don’t kowtow a hundred times or something?”

“Kowtow?”

“Right. Right. You wouldn’t know. Now, what do you want to do again?” White Fox shrugged, looked away from Milo through a rift in space, and sighed.

“Insolent brat.” Milo took in a deep breath; if he couldn’t use his magic, he should at least be able to use his breath attack.

White Fox smiled as he picked up a cookie and consumed it greedily, not at all bothered.

Power built up, and then Milo was blasted across the room. “Your magic has been sealed, former captain. It appears you didn’t notice. Wait, did you genuinely just try to kill me… Oh you don’t know how bad of an idea that is, do you.” The smile never left his face as White Fox walked towards Milo.

“You see, someone used a dragon slaying weapon on you. Which is concerning. For all intents and purposes, you have lost access to your draconic bloodline. While temporary, it will indeed last past the end of this tournament. Unless you’re willing to make a deal with a devil.” The child approached slowly.

“You’ll give me back my power.”

“Of course. But you’ll have to change who you’re loyal to.”

“I am a prince of the Beast Blood Empire. Why would I disgrace that.”

White Fox had begun to cackle like a witch, and it lasted a bit before he calmed down and cleared his throat. “Sorry, I thought you were trying to be prideful. Had you been prideful then you wouldn;t have hired bargain bin assassins to make your opponent throw the match. I also know that you want your father dead, else you’ll just become his next vessel. Isn’t that right?”

“Next vessel?”

“You haven’t noticed? The original inhabitant of his body is trying to regain control. He is failing, but he’s trying. Every day, it’s getting harder to control him. It’s what he gets for not paying his debts to those stronger than him. Sadly, you are one of the best vessels for his power and the easiest to get. With a snap of his fingers, he can have Edwin and Lisa frogmarch you to him for the ritual. I, however, don’t work for your father if you haven’t noticed.” For anyone else, the facade of knowledge would have ended when the child ate another cookie. His eyes dilated as the excess sugar gave him a rush, and he began bouncing from foot to foot.

Milo sensed something was wrong with this kid, but he didn’t think too much of it when he was added to their team at the last minute as a necromancer. He hadn’t cared about the antics that he got to with that annoying half-brother of his. Now, he felt that his father wasn’t the one who wanted him there. No, it was someone else, someone with more power and influence than his own father, who was the ruler of his lands.

“Now now. You’re spending too much time thinking. Don’t think, just act.”

“You’re a strange brat.”

“Sonny, you don’t know the half of it. Now then, time you met up with our real captain.” White Fox seemed to roll his eyes before squinting and turning towards his next destination. He then began to leave the room.

Milo got up and scowled. “That’s the hooded one’s room. I don’t know much about them, but Father informed me that they were dangerous and not to be angered.”

“Is that so? Sadly, the situation is much more complicated than you imagined.”

“Try me?”

“You’re essentially about to make contact with a version of your cousin.”

The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.

“Cousin?”

“Do you know about the shards? Wait. No. Half dragon’s don’t have shards.Silly me. Do you know your blood connection to the one who used to be known as Kyrion?”

“The one father wanted captured?”

“Yes, he is a cousin by blood due to your father stealing his uncle’s body. While Asela could be seen as your niece. That same Kyrion is also connected to the man who pulls certain strings. Like many you will meet, he has been split into eight separate beings, the intent of which is to allow one eight lifetimes of experience and wisdom. Usually, it prevents people from becoming mentally unbalanced. Sure, some real villains survive till the end, but most that reach that tier are either tired of fighting and the cycles of violence and want to retire with their families or overly ambitious.”

“I am lost.”

“The one your father serves sent two of his shards to deal with Kyrion, the first being Kyrie, who died a dog’s death on some farm. The second was the hooded figure. I’m sure you can put two and two together. I’m sure you’re also aware that they sent quite a few more people here as well.”

“I see, so the hooded figure is one of Kyrion’s and the Master’s shards. And I am to become subservient to them.”

White Fox shrugged as he stopped outside their room, knocking three times, waiting for a second, and then knocking a fourth.

The door opened as an exhausted-looking Gamodren took a few steps back. “Great brother. This one is pleased to…”

“I’m not here for you, worm. Now move.” Milo barged past him.

White Fox almost choked on a cookie and began to cough.

Gamodren bowed in quick succession. “Yes, great brother. I’m sorry.”

Milo didn’t bother acknowledging the apology.

Sitting on top of the back of a humanoid on all fours was a man with black hair and various jewelry. He looked eerily similar to Milo save for a slightly darker skin tone.

“This one greets you.” Milo stated with a bow.

“Why do you come to me?” The young man asked with a stare, making Milo’s blood run cold, and his muscles seize. Sweat began leaking from his pores, and his heart seemed too afraid to beat. Each thump reverberated in his ears.

“...ah I c-c-come t-to…” Milo coughed and saw blood splatter on the ground in front of him.

“Go on, speak up. Or do you enjoy wasting my time.” Ather leaned his head against his right hand, obviously bored.

“Icometoswearealty!” Milo continued to cough blood after speaking at an insane speed.

“Slightly slower, if you can.” Aether sighed and reined in his presence slightly.

“I come to swear myself to you.”

“Ah. You must serve me and only me, raise no hand against my family and fight my enemies even if it costs you your life.”

“Thus, I swear, or my spirit shall be broken.”

“Good. Now drink.” Aether pricked his finger with a golden knife and willed the blood to pool at the tip of his finger; he then sent the blood at the kneeling half-dragon.

“Sir. this is blood.”

“And it will make you stronger.” Aether stated.

As Milo consumed the blood, Aether did three things; the first was to place a contingency that would kill Milo should he need to. The second was to remove the dragon-slaying effect currently in his blood, which resulted in Milo coughing up black bile. Finally, he reinforced Milo’s bones and body, making him stronger and faster. In time, his draconic bloodline would regenerate, and he would be quite a beast, but until then, he’d need to recover.

“Looks like you took well to my gift. Regular people will seem slower for a bit, sensations will be sharper. Your strength will be greater as well as your speed. But you are still weaker than me. Grow your strength and I will be sure to keep you alive.Now go, I have further planning to do, I think you should meditate.”

“Yes lord…””

“Lord Aether.”

“Yes lord Aether.” Milo stood as the pressure around him faded. He then bowed and left in a hurry, leaving the three alone in the room.

Gamodren touched a sound and scrying prevention rune and smirked. “Aether, you have taken quite well to teaching to Kyrion.”

“Use every tool at your disposal, even your enemies. Manipulation is an artform and the best are con artists. Never let your enemy see all your cards unless you intend to kill anyone watching.”

“Your interpretation is much to be desired but the intent is close.”

“Never going to get used to you bowing to someone.”

“If I was acting as I normally do he wouldn’t have accepted your proposal so easily. He’d be wondering why I’m no longer being restricted by mothers command. Better to keep up appearances before I’m ready to strike.”

The room went silent before a sound of crunching ended.

“I want more cookies,” White Fox stated.

“Yes and?” Aether scowled.

White Fox pointed to the creature Aether was sitting on and commanded it to stand up. From there, the masked creature shambled towards the child and leaned down.

White Fox then pulled out a puffy white hat and removed the mask, revealing a rather bestial face with sideburns that made the chef look more like a wolf than a person.

“Young master, may I make a suggestion?” The wolfman asked.

“Shoot.” White Fox replied as he began to visibly lag.

“Maybe you should start eating vegetables. Otherwise I’ll have to make up for your lack of nutrition with more nutritious ingredients. LIke Blam Wheat and Poclo Chocolate.”

White Fox looked at the zombie as though Vegetables had killed his parents. “You wouldn’t dare.”

“Two words. Oatmeal Raisin.”

“I will put you back in the ground.” White Fox stammered at the insubordination.

“By having me dig my grave because of your noodle arms? Well, at least my conscience would be sated before I pass on.”

The child debated fighting for his right to unhealthy cookies. But he was too tired, and he’d need to drain more blood before resting. His constitution was never what anyone would call stable. But resisting his urge to kill resulted in mana rapidly saturating his blood. Turning Milo into a puppet for a few hours would have cleared him; sadly, he was still needed for the plan. At least for now, as he passed out standing, he internalized that he would poke Bastion for a bit.