(One Week Later)
It's been a week since I came back from the Sand Grotto, I was told my team was being given a break since we cleared two dungeons pretty fast. Actually, both my team and the Twin Horns were inside the castle. This was a rare thing, because civilians weren't usually allowed inside.
Over the past week, I've spent a lot of time with my family and friends, and I'm pretty sure something is up. They've been treating me differently, not in a good way. If I had to guess, Elder Virion wanted to make sure I was okay mentally, which I understood since I wasn't. I was starting to lose my mind, I knew it, but I didn't care.
Of course, I acted like I was fine, I didn't want them to pull me from the field, not that they could or anything. I would just find a way to get back out there. I haven't done any training; I've just been absorbing power from the Serpent.
I'm taking the Serpent giving me power as a second round of bonding with the Beast Will. I could tell that I was getting stronger from the power it was giving me, but I didn't understand why all of a sudden it just handed me over more of its power.
Elder Virion did announce to everyone that I killed one hundred Alacryans, I told him not to, but he said if I wanted to keep everyone's respect, that I needed to take credit for this. He wasn't excited about it, but thought it was necessary.
All of the time in the castle gave me time to think about the future. I told myself that I couldn't touch Lance Olfred at all, because he would lead Arthur to Retainer Uto. I was starting to change my mind on that, yes, Arthur takes down a traitor and a Retainer, but he doesn't kill Uto, Seris does. How much information is he handing over to Alacrya? If I said something now, what would change? You have to think that in time Arthur and Uto would meet still, and that Seris would still kill him. I haven't decided yet, I really haven't even talked to the Lance.
If I get to kill him though, that would be nice.
"I'm here to see the council." I told the two guards standing in front of the council room, they all knew me. I'm the only Blood Deviant inside the castle, of course they did. The council wanted to see me for some reason. They nodded their heads and opened the doors for me.
I walked in, and sitting inside was pretty much everyone. Why did they want to see me? Both Kings and Queens, all the Lances, Aldir and Elder Virion. I approached them and stood in the middle of the room. I lowered my head, and then looked up.
"Virion, thanks for coming." Elder Virion spoke. "You probably are wondering why you are here." I nodded my head, I turned to Lance Aya in the shadow, and gave her a smile. I spent a lot of time with her, she seems to care a lot about me. "There are two things we would like to talk about."
"Okay." I shrugged not knowing why they were taking this so seriously.
"How are you feeling?" King Eralith asked me, I turned to him confused. "After killing one hundred troops by yourself." They never really spoke to me about it, they just told everyone what I did.
Now that I think about it, they did that for motivation, I mean hearing that a kid killed that many Alacryans by himself, would motivate any soldier, a kid is doing your work for you.
I shrugged. "Normal." I was hoping I found more of them, I wanted to kill more. I had a Serpent to feed, which was slowly becoming me. I was growing into the serpent, obtaining its purpose and attitude. "Do I seem different to you all?"
"No, which is why we are worried." Aldir answered for everyone. "Usually, after someone does what you did, they suffer from some sort of symptom, but you seem good as new." I'm just good at hiding things, also who wants to tell other they like killing.
"I don't know what to tell you all, I'm perfectly fine, I killed Alacryans, people who would have killed me if I didn't. I had to, or I would have died, maybe that's why I don't feel anything." My right hand was twitching a little, thinking about killing. I bit my lip, so a smile didn't cross my face.
"Still." Elder Virion gave me a worried look. "I know you, Virion, you wouldn't tell anyone anything if there was something wrong." I noticed that Lance Bairon wasn't giving me a glare like he usually did, he didn't have any emotion on his face, but that was better than usual. "However, since you did what you did, we can't just take you out of the field. It just proved your point, that you should be out there."
"Thank you." I answered, getting the respect I deserved.
"But." He spoke up again, and then stopped. "That doesn't mean you can disobey orders still, you need to make sure to listen to Helen and Victoria, Veer, they know what they are doing."
"I know." I pointed to my head. "You know it was my idea though, to kill the Sand Demon, I came up with the idea." I smiled at them all, not caring who they were, the highest ranked people in Dicathen. "I'm smarter than I seem."
"Oh, we know." Elder Virion told me. "I've always known, you are very smart, Veer, your mind works in mysterious ways." At least they knew it. "That's why we wanted to make sure you weren't suffering after killing that many people."
"I understand, but I promise I'm fine." I scratched my head, I wanted to be covered in blood again, human blood. I didn't know why but being covered in blood made me feel so good. It was like a sense of home, not a good sign, but it is what it is. "There's no need to worry anymore." I could see the looks on all their faces, they still were worried.
"Alright." Elder Virion stood up. "Virion, we would all like to see your skills in action, some of us haven't seen you fight." They wanted to see me fight? That doesn't feel right, but okay. "Would you mind demonstrating to everyone against a Lance? It will also help us judge where you are at, compared to them."
"Fine, let me fight Lance Varay." I responded quickly, she was the strongest, and the last time we fought, she whooped me. Well, didn't whoop me, but didn't really try.
"Are you sure?" King Glayder asked me.
"Yep." I started jumping on my feet. "I'm ready, I've learned a few tricks since we last fought Lance Varay." I turned to her. "You better not take me lightly." I cracked my neck; I was looking forward to a rematch. I wonder if they wanted to make me a Lance, I doubt it, but if it means I can do the things I wanted, then I'll accept it.
"I won't." Lance Varay said seriously. "I was taking you serious last time." It didn't seem like it, I wasn't able to land a hit on her.
"Virion." Aldir's third eye stared at me. "I have something to say." I nodded my head. "You haven't asked me about Arthur, do you not care, or do you already know what he is up to?"
What kind of question was that? "I care, but I know that whatever he is up to, he is fine, there isn't much I can do. Why do you ask? Everyone in here knows I care for my brother, why question it?" Was he testing me? Did Kezess ask him to do that, did he have suspicions that maybe I was a reincarnate?
I was a Blood Deviant, but that did bring up a serious question. If Agrona brought Arthur and Nico to this world.
Who brought me here?
I never really thought about it, was it possible Agrona brought me as well. I don't see why he would do that, and that would mean he messed up the processes of reincarnation twice. I also came after Arthur, so it doesn't make sense.
"Virion?" Elder Virion woke me up from my thoughts. "Do you mind sparring now? We are all here and interested."
"Sure." I turned away from the council. "I'll meet you all down at the training room." I walked out of the council room and made my way to my room. I wanted to change, the clothes I had on weren't comfortable.
I walked these halls already so much; I knew all the shortcuts. It took me maybe four minutes to get back to my room, and when I did, I changed into my fighting outfit. I had my usual armor on, and I swung my cloak on. I fought so much with it on, that I enjoyed wearing it, and this thing looked amazing with blood on it.
My door opened and Ellie walked in. "Knock, I just finished changing, you were lucky." I told her, as I ran a hand through my hair, trying to get it off my forehead for a second.
"Sorry, but we shared a room for most of our lives, I'm so used to just walking in." She sent me a smile. "Why are you putting your armor on? Are you leaving?"
I shook my head no. "The council wants to see me spar against Lance Varay, so I'm about to go do that." I gave her a bored look and slipped my shoes on. "I should be back in thirty minutes."
"Why are you so relaxed? You are about to fight a Lance." Ellie sat on my bed and stared at me complexly.
"Because the enemies ahead of us are going to be way stronger than the Lances." I tied my shoes and turned to her. "You should come down and watch, bring Boo."
"Okay, but what do you mean the enemies are going to be stronger than the Lances, how do you know that?" I started for the door.
"I just do." I didn't know how to explain it, I just did. "Let's go." I opened the door and waved for her to get up. She shot up and walked towards me.
Boo was standing outside. "Boo, we are going to watch Veer fight." Boo nodded his head at my sister, and we all started to walk to the training room. "If the enemies are truly stronger than the Lances, we are in trouble, aren't we."
"Time will tell." I sent her a smile. "No need to worry, El, you have two brothers who are going to be the strongest mages in Dicathen. We won't let anything happen to you, and I'm sure Boo won't either." I gave him a look, and he nodded at me. It was weird talking to a bear, still trying to get used to it.
"I know, I wish I could help you guys." She was going to start pouting, but I stopped her.
"You will, give it time, you may not be able to reach us in strength, but you can still protect us." We turned down a hall, and standing in the hallway were three of the Lances.
"Are all the Lances here?" She asked me as we got closer, they all looked at me as we approached.
"Yes." I told her, as we stopped in front of them. "Good afternoon, Lance Olfred, Lance Mica, Lance Bairon." I bowed my head, and Ellie did the same.
"Mica is excited to see the Blood Deviant in action." She smiled brightly at me.
I wanted to laugh. "I'm honored."
"Likewise, I have heard a lot about you." Lance Olfred said with a smile on his face too.
"I hope good things." I scratched my head, I had to act nice to him for now, and then turned to Lance Bairon. "I wanted to thank you for rescuing me, I haven't seen you in a while, so I never got the chance."
"I was only doing my duty." Lance Bairon said with a serious look, like usual, but he didn't sound angry. A step in the right direction I suppose.
I proceeded to walk into the training room, everyone else was inside. In the middle of the room was Elder Virion, Aldir, and Lance Varay. I went to them; Ellie and Boo joined the royal families. It looks like Princess Kathyln, Prince Curtis, and Tess were here as well.
Why were they making a show out of this? Was this some Lance test? Imagine.
"Virion, get into position." Elder Virion told me, and I stood across from the Lance. "No killing, but anything else goes." I summoned my sword out of my mana ring and surrounded it with blue fire. "Start when you both are ready."
Elder Virion and Aldir backed away from us, so that we were the only ones in the middle of the room. They stood behind mana shields, protecting them from any stray attacks.
"Let's talk first, Virion." Lance Varay summoned an ice sword in her hand.