The Drake Blood Tales

Blanchette relentlessly fired her magic beams, punctuating the assault with devastating bursts of her Cannon of Krest. Despite her overwhelming offensive, Mu Xianshi, hidden within the massive tree, managed to hold his ground. He countered her attacks with an array of spells, ranging from elemental classics like Firebolt and Lightning Bolt to intricate combinations of gravity and radiant magic.

From within his sanctuary, Mu Xianshi grumbled to himself.

"This girl... does she really think she can win a magical tug-of-war against me? I can wield nearly every element known to the mage societies, while she's limited to radiant energy. Is she truly this arrogant?"

Meanwhile, Blanchette continued her relentless assault, maintaining her mana shield with practiced precision.

Nearby, Dofan carried Fallion's limp body while Samhain shielded them both with towering pillars of fire.

"As much as I'd like to help, those two are insane!" Samhain exclaimed, watching the battle in awe.

Before a summoned treant could strike, Gaz'mirna burst onto the scene, cleaving the creature with her flaming axe.

"Everyone!" she shouted, her commanding voice bringing a wave of relief to Samhain and Dofan. Moments later, Yanmei arrived, her expression frozen in terror as she witnessed the clash of monumental magical forces between Blanchette and Mu Xianshi.

"What the hell is that!?" Gaz'mirna yelled, her gaze locked on the chaos.

Yanmei, overwhelmed by the sheer magnitude of the mana output, struggled to breathe as her meager mana presence paled in comparison.

"Yanmei, take Lord Fallion to safety. I'll get these two out of here!" Gaz'mirna ordered.

"Understood!" Yanmei quickly hoisted Fallion onto her back and sprinted away.

As countless branches lashed out to ensnare Yanmei, brilliant beams of light annihilated them. Blanchette, without breaking her rhythm, redirected her staff into a gleaming magical blade, spinning it to unleash a radiant torrent that incinerated everything in her path.

Mu Xianshi's composure cracked.

"Does she have no mana limits?! No… I sensed her mana pool earlier. It was finite. But why hasn't she shown any signs of depletion? Is this an illusion? Is she deceiving me?" His voice grew panicked as he realized the mana he had been siphoning from Barn Grimgar was nearly exhausted.

"Very well. I'll use my reserves. Let's see how long you can hold, little elf!"

Blanchette sneered. "What's wrong? Panicking already? Your vast array of spells is impressive, but they lack depth."

"What?!" Mu Xianshi's disbelief was evident.

She continued, her voice dripping with mockery. "I don't blame you. A short-lived race like yours barely has the time to master any magic."

"You… you know nothing, you arrogant little elf!" Mu Xianshi raged, his voice trembling with fury. "I wanted only to kill that half-daemon and his party, but now it's personal. I'll take your head and serve it to your parents!"

In his fury, he paused his assault—a window Gaz'mirna and the others seized to escape.

Mu Xianshi raised his arms, chanting in a guttural voice:

"Bloom, oh Mother… Bloom, oh Father… Bloom thy life… and purify the impure of us!"

The surrounding forest began to disintegrate, the trees crumbling into dust.

Blanchette's confidence wavered as she felt a surge of mana. "It's getting closer…" she whispered.

In moments, the dense forest was reduced to a barren desert stretching as far as the eye could see. At its center stood Mu Xianshi, now exposed in his original form: a frail, aged goblin.

"Yes, I understand. We goblins are seen as nothing," he began, his voice cold and bitter. "Elves like you can spend only a fraction of your long lives mastering spells to perfection. But goblins? We barely live past twenty-five. By the time we understand even one spell, we're too old to stand."

A smirk crept onto his face as his body began to shift grotesquely.

Blanchette immediately retaliated with her Cannon of Krest and radiant beams, but to her shock, Mu Xianshi absorbed them effortlessly.

"What… the…?" she stammered, watching his form morph into a towering plant-like humanoid.

"Yes, I could have easily climbed into the League's top ten, but it would have meant destroying this forest—my life's work. And yet… no matter. I've always hated you elves. You pride yourselves on living five times longer than most races, but you accomplish less than half of what they achieve!"

Fully transformed, Mu Xianshi roared, "Behold! I am the Father of the Forest!"

The battle escalated. Mu Xianshi unleashed a torrent of spells in rapid succession, their combined intensity forcing Blanchette onto the defensive. Her mana shield flickered under the relentless assault, and she was pinned down, unable to counterattack without leaving herself vulnerable.

"Damn it, damn it…" she muttered, the ground crumbling beneath her.

In a desperate move, Blanchette snapped her staff in half. A blinding light radiated from the shattered weapon, illuminating everything within a 500-meter radius.

Mu Xianshi stumbled, blinded. "What's happening?!"

Through the light, he noticed a shadowy figure approaching.

Blanchette hovered midair, her aura radiant. She spoke softly, yet her voice carried an undeniable power.

"That's Crow's birthday gift to me." She unfolded a pair of azure, translucent wings from her back, their shimmering brilliance illuminating the battlefield. "I'll give you this much, Mu Xianshi—you pushed me farther than most. Let's see where the winds take me, with this gift of the sky."

Mu Xianshi's eyes widened in horror as realization struck. "This... this is the daughter of Raven Beak, the legendary mercenary!" His voice trembled as he felt the overwhelming difference in mana between them. "All this time, it wasn't your mana fueling those attacks... it was—"

Blanchette cut him off, her tone icy. "Yes. The mana stored within my staff—a reserve for emergencies. Foolish of me to think I'd ever truly need it."

Without chanting or moving her lips, a thousand magic circles materialized in the air, each glowing with energy. A colossal circle appeared behind her, dwarfing even the battlefield.

"Magic Spears: 10,000 Overfold," Blanchette whispered.

A storm of magical projectiles erupted, each one streaking toward Mu Xianshi with unrelenting precision.

Mu Xianshi tried to channel multiple spells simultaneously, summoning treants, branches, and vines in a desperate bid to defend himself. Yet his efforts were futile. The treants were obliterated, the branches disintegrated, and even a massive tree he conjured crumbled under the onslaught.

"No... no! This can't be! Not even Raven Beak himself could unleash such power!" Mu Xianshi shouted, overwhelmed.

Blanchette's cold gaze bore into him. "I told you not to speak ill of my parents. To think someone like you could witness Raven Beak's full strength... how arrogant."

Desperate, Mu Xianshi summoned an enormous fireball, igniting it in a fiery explosion to obscure her vision. Using the cover, he leapt toward Blanchette, claws outstretched.

But before he could reach her, her wings sliced through the air. They were sharper than blades, colder than ice, and faster than lightning. In an instant, one wing slashed through his torso, cutting him clean in two.

Mu Xianshi tried to scream, but her other wing thrust through his mouth. From its tip, a Cannon of Krest fired, obliterating his head in a brilliant explosion.

As his lifeless body crumpled to the ground, Blanchette landed gracefully beside him. She looked at his mutilated form and sighed.

"What a waste. You could have been a pioneer for your kind—the first goblin archmage. But instead, you gave in to your desires and fell so low that neither of us could recognize what you once were." She turned to leave, her footsteps heavy with disappointment.

Suddenly, vines and flowers burst from the ground, wrapping around Blanchette's arms and legs. The land beneath her trembled, and a monstrous roar echoed through the desolate field.

From the ruins of his corpse, Mu Xianshi's grotesque form emerged—a towering, nightmarish figure.

"If I'm to die, then I'll drag you to hell with me, you elf whore!" he bellowed, his voice filled with venom and malice.

Blanchette prepared to retaliate, her wings glowing as she readied another beam. But she stopped abruptly, her gaze shifting skyward.

"What?" Mu Xianshi growled, confused.

A brilliant light descended from above, engulfing the battlefield.

"Ray of Genesis!" Crow's voice rang out as a pillar of divine energy obliterated Mu Xianshi, reducing him to nothingness.

Blanchette's wings began to dissipate, their azure glow fading. She turned to see Fordragon descending on his eagle, landing nearby.

Blanchette ran toward him, tears streaming down her face. "Crow... I'm so sorry!" She threw her arms around him, sobbing uncontrollably.

"Blanchette, it's okay... hey, cheer up. What's wrong?" Fordragon asked, gently patting her back.

"I… I destroyed your birthday gift!" she wailed.

"It's just a staff. We can get a new one," he reassured her, though she continued crying.

"I don't want a new one! It's the only birthday gift I've had in 800 years!" Blanchette cried, her voice breaking.

Fordragon smiled warmly. "Alright, alright. How about this—I'll take you on a date next week. How does that sound?"

Blanchette sniffled, her tear-filled eyes locking onto his. "You promise?"

"I promise," he said with a soft chuckle.

"Good. Don't you dare reschedule," she said firmly, her tears starting to dry.

"I wouldn't dream of it. Now, where's my brother and the others?" Fordragon asked.

Blanchette pointed westward, a faint smile returning to her lips.

Fordragon carried Blanchette on his eagle, soaring across the landscape. From a distance, Fallion and the others were beginning to recover. They sensed Fordragon's approach, his presence unmistakable.

"It's him," Fallion said, steadying himself as he stood.

The group rose to their feet as Fordragon descended from the skies and landed.

"Fallion," Fordragon greeted calmly.

"Fordragon…" Fallion replied, a faint smile breaking through his exhaustion.

"Nagasaki," the assassin chimed in, grinning.

"Nagasaki?" everyone echoed, confused.

Blanchette crossed her arms, her expression skeptical. "Uh... why is he still here? Isn't he an assassin and a member of the League of Shadows?"

Nagasaki waved his hands defensively. "Wha—? Okay, yes, you're technically correct, but I'm not your enemy. I'm just a wandering shamisen player caught in the crossfire."

"Yeah, I don't buy that," Fallion interjected, his tone unimpressed.

"Come on! I didn't hurt anyone, okay?" Nagasaki pleaded, gesturing wildly to emphasize his innocence.

"No, that's a lie!" Yanmei suddenly shouted. "Master, he tried to harass me! Taking advantage of a helpless girl, all alone!"

"THAT WAS JUST A DREAM!" Nagasaki yelled, his face turning red.

Yanmei shouted back, "IT'S STILL HARASSMENT!"

Nagasaki groaned, raising his voice even louder. "AND IT'S STILL JUST A DREAM!"

"Enough! Both of you," Fallion interrupted. His tone left no room for argument. "Who are you, and what do you want?"

"I'm Nagasaki the Deceiver, Number 20 of the League of Shadows, and a member of the Assassin's Guild—one of their elites, to be precise." Nagasaki casually plucked a note on his shamisen, smirking.

"Seriously?" Fordragon said, raising an eyebrow. "That's harder to believe than the idea of me having a twin."

Blanchette snorted. "Agreed."

Nagasaki leaned forward dramatically. "Of course, I'm not here as an enemy. In fact, before I was given the contract, I'd already been contacted by an old friend of mine. I've joined you to avoid wandering aimlessly while searching for your whereabouts, Mr. Fallion."

Fallion's eyes narrowed. "What do you want?"

Nagasaki pulled out a vial and held it up. "Not much—just to give you this."

Blanchette's wings flared, suspicion flashing in her eyes. "Wait. That could be poison!"

"Ah, but there's a catch!" Nagasaki's grin widened. "I'll tell you two lies and one truth:

This medicine will kill you.

This medicine will heal you.

This medicine will turn you into an unstoppable monster that attacks friend and foe alike."

Before Nagasaki could finish his dramatic reveal, Blanchette's wings lashed out, pinning him against a tree with their razor-sharp edges at his throat.

"Wait! Wait! I'm kidding!" Nagasaki panicked. "I'm not your enemy! A friend of mine, Jintaro from the Mage Society, told me you hadn't taken your full medical prescription. This medicine is legitimate—take it daily for a month, and you'll recover. Please don't kill me!"

Blanchette stepped back but let her wings slice through part of Nagasaki's clothing. Beneath, a Mage Society uniform became visible, complete with a signed name tag.

"Norbeict Sherwood?" Blanchette read aloud.

"Yes! Norbeict Sherwood, Master Illusionist of the Mage Society's Tian Quan branch," Nagasaki explained quickly. "I was sent here a decade ago as a mentor, but I went undercover for an investigation. Only the branch leader and top-ranking members know my true identity."

"So… this whole 'Nagasaki the Deceiver' identity is…" Fallion began.

Nagasaki shrugged. "My undercover alias. I bet none of you noticed that I've never actually assassinated anyone. That's why I'm Number 20—my superiors were so impressed with my tricks, they assumed I was some legendary assassin no one had ever heard of."

"That... explains a lot," Fordragon said, shaking his head as the group began to relax.

Norbeict turned serious, addressing Fallion. "Your body and emotions are unstable—dangerously so. You need to take this medication every day for a month to recover fully. Even then, you'll need regular check-ups."

Fallion nodded reluctantly. "I see. I'll leave once I finish breaking the seal."

Norbeict frowned. "I highly recommend you return home first to recover. Your power is unstable, and it usually takes a year for someone in your condition to recover fully. And yet, here you are—already fighting at this level, facing danger after danger. It's reckless."

"Fallion…" Fordragon said, his voice filled with concern.

"Fordragon," Fallion cut in, "don't act hastily. You're my brother—"

"I've already made a deal with Lord Yarinaga," Fordragon said abruptly.

"What?!" the group exclaimed in unison.

"How could you?!" Blanchette shouted, stepping forward angrily.

Fordragon raised his hands, his tone calm but firm. "I'll take the blame for Utakata's leader's death. This way, I can ensure there's no war between Yarinaga and Utakata, and we can focus on the cultists for a while."

"No! I won't let you!" Blanchette cried. "Father won't forgive you for throwing your life away like this. Do you know how many assassins will come after you?"

"Fordragon, I understand you want to help," Fallion said. "But sacrificing yourself isn't the solution."

"I know," Fordragon replied, his voice softening. "But I just... I want a more peaceful world. We're beings who won't die naturally for another thousand years. If I can avert a war and focus on Zotho without every major faction hunting me, isn't it worth it?"

"This again…" Fallion muttered. "Fordragon, I know you want revenge against Zotho for what he did to Mother. But she wouldn't forgive you either if you threw your life away like this. I'll help you with Zotho—but first, you must decline the contract with Yarinaga."

Fordragon went silent, tension heavy in the air. Finally, he spoke, his voice tinged with pain.

"I can't… I can't hold this in anymore. Fallion, there's something I need to tell you about our resonance power. Yours awakened only recently, but mine… mine has been active since I was a child, before Mother and Father left. I honed it for years, and in doing so, I learned the truth…"

The group turned to Fordragon, waiting anxiously for his revelation.

.