The Drake Blood Tales

As Fallion and his companions, along with a few surviving samurai, barely escaped Rygs Lambert's relentless assault, the air on the ship was heavy with silence.

The kunoichi sat blankly, staring into the void, her expression unreadable.

A samurai approached her. "It's over, isn't it?" he said quietly.

The kunoichi gave a solemn nod.

Without another word, the samurai drew a small blade and plunged it into his stomach.

Fallion, shocked, rushed forward, trying to stop him, but Dofan and Samhain restrained him.

"No, my lord," Samhain said firmly. "It's their way."

Fallion froze, his heart heavy. Even though he knew the samurai tradition of seppuku, witnessing it was another matter entirely. After surviving the onslaught of the Rift Occult Imperator Knight, the idea of choosing death seemed incomprehensible to him.

The kunoichi broke the silence.

"Lady Miko's mission was to bring you to stop your brother. Our mission was to ensure Lady Miko's survival at any cost. Now that we have failed... returning to Yarinaga's territory would be a death sentence.

But as for you—you can still continue your journey. This will mark Lady Miko's mission as successful, no matter the cost."

Fallion sat down beside the kunoichi, his voice steady but filled with concern.

"And you? What will you do now? If you can't go back... maybe you should find a new place to live?"

The kunoichi chuckled. "Well, good luck with that. Yarinaga has spies almost everywhere on this planet. Our numbers aren't great, but they're as solid as rock. I won't last long anyway."

Dofan looked troubled, but Farid spoke calmly.

"That was a Rift Occult Imperator Knight. They're the same ones who ambushed us at Qa'stur," Dofan explained.

Samhain, still visibly unsettled, muttered, "What the hell are those things? I've lived for a thousand years, traveled the world, and I've never seen anything like that."

Even Gaz'mirna, her body patched up from wounds, nodded grimly. "As a daemon gladiator, I've fought monsters that would make the strongest warriors run for their lives. But that thing? It's on a whole other level."

Fallion, taking in the severity of the situation, became even more determined to get his brother out of the conflict. "I know Fordragon is strong, but this is too much. I won't sleep well knowing my brother is wrestling with monsters like these."

Turning back to the kunoichi, Fallion asked earnestly, "So, is there really nothing we can do for you?"

The kunoichi smirked faintly. "Well, if you pledged your allegiance to Lord Yarinaga and made me your wife, I might be spared."

Fallion immediately stepped back, his face heating up. "Uh... I barely even know you!"

Samhain added dryly, "And I don't think we're ready for a new mistress at the mansion."

Dofan grinned. "Besides, isn't Fallion already sweet on that receptionist girl from the Mage Society?"

Gaz'mirna chimed in with a teasing grin. "Yeah, even when the young lord was recovering, Tasha was the first person he was concerned about."

Fallion's face turned crimson. "It's not like that! Tasha's just a very close friend! She's always there to help me when I need it, that's all!"

Farid raised an eyebrow. "Well, my lord, you barely have any friends. The fact that she's suddenly your 'close friend' does hint at something."

The kunoichi burst into laughter. "You truly have one hell of a team, don't you? I wish my relationship with my lord had been this close."

Fallion sighed and looked at the kunoichi. "So there's really nothing I can do?"

The kunoichi offered a small, resigned smile. "It's fine. I don't blame my lord, either. He didn't get to where he is by being a humble, gentle man. Even if you made me your concubine, as long as Lord Yarinaga doesn't sever my duty, you'd still end up as one of his servants."

She looked away for a moment, her voice steady. "I've chosen my fate. I won't commit seppuku—not yet. I'll let my siblings be the ones to slay me. They may hesitate, but if they're the ones to execute me, it'll bring them more respect and secure their safety. By showing no tolerance for failure, they'll strengthen their standing."

Fallion sat in silence, deeply moved. "I envy you," he said softly. "You truly care for your family and are brave enough to protect them, even if it costs your life."

The kunoichi laughed again, this time with genuine warmth. "Getting sympathy from a daemon... that's the last thing I expected. But thank you. At least I know the world isn't all bad when someone I fought can still try to help me. Maybe Lord Yarinaga's vision to end the conflict isn't so misguided after all."

Fallion smiled faintly. "Hey, don't forget—I won last time."

The kunoichi shrugged with mock nonchalance. "Nah, Lady Miko asked me to lose that time."

After nearly six days at sea, the group exchanged warm stories about their pasts.

The kunoichi, having just finished mopping the deck, casually remarked, "By the way, just so you know, this ship is yours now. I already dumped the bodies into the ocean. The captain was hired with Lady Miko's personal funds, so it's not technically Lord Yarinaga's property."

The captain, leaning against the mast, nodded. "I need a boss anyway. After sailing under Yarinaga's banner, both Utakata and neighboring countries won't go easy on me. But I couldn't exactly refuse Miko's request."

Samhain raised an eyebrow. "Did they pay you that well?"

The kunoichi answered matter-of-factly, "Two hundred fifty thousand veraks, to be precise."

Fallion's eyes widened. "Wow. No kidding—that's about the cost of maintaining my mansion!"

He turned to the kunoichi. "How much were you being paid?"

"Fifty thousand veraks per month," she replied with a small smile.

Samhain scoffed. "That's low. Really low."

Even Gaz'mirna chimed in. "Non-combat servants are paid thirty thousand a month. Combatants get seventy thousand—and most of our missions are just patrolling borders with iron golems as backup."

The kunoichi shrugged, her smile unfaltering. "Yeah, what a life I live, don't you think?"

As the ship approached Omasu Harbor, Fallion sensed a presence waiting for them. Once the ship anchored a short distance from the harbor, the group climbed into a small boat to row ashore.

Without warning, the kunoichi began removing her clothes.

"Hey, hey, woman! Don't test me!" Dofan shouted, averting his eyes.

"I know you're proud of your body, but this is way beyond me," Gaz'mirna added, shaking her head.

"Thankfully, I'm not interested in humans," Samhain mumbled under his breath.

Fallion, meanwhile, could only stare at the kunoichi, frozen in place.

The kunoichi chuckled, smirking at his reaction. "Still not going to make me your concubine?"

Before anyone could respond, she slipped into a set of spare clothes, disguising herself as a commoner from Omasu. She then handed similar outfits to the rest of the group.

"As for you two daemons," she said, gesturing toward Gaz'mirna and Samhain, "no amount of clothing will help you blend in. Here, use this makeup. People will mistake you for orcs."

Farid blinked, impressed. "Wow. This girl really came prepared."

Once ashore, the group began their walk toward the city.

"Samhain," Fallion whispered, "does every girl in this region look like her?"

Samhain chuckled. "No, my lord. But from a human perspective, I won't lie—she is beautiful."

"I can hear you, you know," the kunoichi called out with a teasing smile. "My offer still stands if you're brave enough to take the risk."

Farid grinned. "Well, I suppose having a blooming family in Drake Blood Mansion wouldn't hurt, my lord."

Gaz'mirna nodded in agreement.

Turning to Dofan, she asked, "What do you think?"

Dofan stroked his chin thoughtfully. "Hm... Well, I don't think it's against any law or rule to have a concubine, considering Fallion is the lord of Drake Blood Mansion."

Fallion cut them off, exasperated. "Guys, can we focus on finding Fordragon first? We'll talk about everything else later."

The kunoichi giggled. "Well, I guess I may actually have a chance to live in that mansion after all."

.

As the team arrived at the inn, the kunoichi walked up to the counter and ordered a room using a cryptic passcode.

"Hey, baldy... one room for a sword, one for a shield, one for a bow, and one for a spear."

The innkeeper frowned. "I'm not bald, you know."

The kunoichi smirked. "You will be when the pheasant finishes picking the rice."

The innkeeper grumbled but tossed her a set of keys.

Instead of heading upstairs, the group followed the kunoichi behind the stairs, where she revealed a secret passage.

"Next time you visit, remember what I said," she said calmly as they descended.

They entered a hidden room with three doors and an additional one at the far end.

"Here, each of you, take a key," the kunoichi instructed. "There are three sleeping rooms. That one," she pointed to the farthest door, "is an emergency escape. It's one-way, so only use it if absolutely necessary."

After dividing the keys, they split into pairs for the night: the kunoichi shared a room with Gaz'mirna, Fallion bunked with Samhain, and Dofan stayed with Farid.

As the night deepened, Farid broke the silence. "Sir Dofan, what do you think we should say to Lord Fordragon?"

Dofan sighed, trying not to dwell on it. "Fordragon may not listen to me, Farid. It's up to Fallion now."

Farid voiced his concerns. "The two of them always fought in the past. Even when Lord Fordragon first left, it wasn't without a major conflict. I'm worried… I feel so powerless."

He paused before continuing. "When my parents became servants of the Archduke 30 years ago, I was terrified of this world. I was talentless, weak, and couldn't use magic. But the Archduke shared his knowledge with me—how to make potions and antidotes. Yet, even with all the remedies I know, I don't think there's one for mending family bonds."

Dofan stood, staring at his sword. "You're not alone in feeling helpless, Farid. I couldn't save my aunt. I couldn't stop Fordragon from leaving. But maybe… it was always meant to happen this way." He turned to Farid, his tone firm. "You, however, still have hope. Your potions are unmatched except by royal alchemists. I trust you to protect my family if it ever comes to that."

Farid smiled, grateful. "Thank you. The Archduke always said that while he couldn't give his servants power, he could give them knowledge. How to make medicine, farm, cook—maybe he foresaw this. That it's not just strength that matters—"

"—but unity," Samhain finished as he entered the room.

Dofan looked up. "Is there a problem, Samhain?"

"The kunoichi said we're being followed," Samhain replied grimly.

The three men prepared their weapons as Fallion entered. "You all ready?"

"Yes, we're ready," they answered in unison.

The kunoichi stood waiting with Gaz'mirna.

"Do you think it's Rygs and his monsters?" Gaz'mirna asked.

"I pray it isn't," Dofan replied.

"I doubt it," the kunoichi said. "They're too stealthy for that."

A strange presence crept closer, making the air heavy. The kunoichi's instincts kicked in as she felt something behind her.

The talisman I set hasn't reacted… There's no way something is behind us. But if I don't look, I can't shake this dreadful feeling.

She hesitated but then turned her head, only to see a pair of grotesque arms stretching toward them.

"No... no way..." she whispered, her voice caught in her throat.

Before she could scream, a burst of fiery energy erupted from Fallion. A pair of daemonic wings unfurled from his back, their sharp, bony edges glowing with searing heat. Flames roared from the wings, scorching the creature.

The entity shrieked as it recoiled, revealing itself as a shadowy, fiendish form.

"It takes more than that," Fallion muttered, his eyes locked on the creature as it fully manifested—a shadow fiend.

Samhain tensed. "A shadow fiend. Be careful, everyone. It can hide in shadows."

"Dofan! Gaz'mirna, behind me!" Dofan shouted as he raised his shield. Radiant light burst forth, searing the fiend and driving it back.

"Is everyone alright?" Dofan asked.

Gaz'mirna and Samhain nodded.

"A shadow fiend never hunts alone," Dofan warned. "The others will know we're here. We need to move."

"The daemon is after us?" the kunoichi asked.

Samhain shook his head. "No. Shadow fiends are feral daemons, more like animals. They hunt in packs, but they're usually afraid of light. For them to venture into a city…"

"They must be either desperate or starving," Gaz'mirna added.

"Or…" Fallion trailed off.

"Or what?" the others asked as they moved quickly through the hallway.

"Or they were driven here by something worse," Fallion said grimly, his eyes focused on the path ahead.