The Drake Blood Tales

A week after Fordragon left the mansion, Fallion sat alone in the garden, lost in thought. The morning air was cool, and the world seemed still, but Fallion's mind was anything but calm. A storm was brewing, one he couldn't quite place—something big, and yet he felt utterly helpless in the face of it.

Samhain, having just returned from an eight-month journey, approached with a stack of new books. He had spent his time studying magic at various academies, all while keeping his true identity concealed. As he approached, he noticed his young lord staring blankly at the garden.

"My lord, something bothering you?" Samhain asked, concerned.

Fallion didn't respond at first. Instead, he stood up, his posture tense. Something was wrong. The storm in his gut only grew stronger, gnawing at him. Was this the moment he had been avoiding? Was he failing his mother by not being brave enough to act? Was he failing his father by not protecting his brother?

"Samhain," Fallion said suddenly, his voice sharp with resolve. "I'm going to the capital."

Without waiting for an answer, he quickly mounted his steed and rode off, leaving Samhain standing, confused and unable to understand what had just transpired. Samhain's frustration grew as he sought out the other servants.

"Lord Fordragon returned, and none of you summoned me?!" Samhain scolded them in annoyance, but it did little to ease the tension he felt.

On Fallion's journey to the capital, he encountered travelers from far-off lands, each with their own stories. But it was one encounter in particular that caught his attention: a mysterious miko from the eastern continent.

As soon as she saw Fallion, her gaze pierced through his disguise. The realization dawned on him immediately, and their eyes locked in silent recognition. Despite this, Fallion continued on his way, not acknowledging her directly.

Her companion, noticing the exchange, asked, "Milady, something is wrong?"

Miko answered with a quiet, contemplative tone, "No… nothing yet… But tell our kunoichi to keep an eye on the person we just passed."

Without hesitation, her samurai companion signaled to a nearby tree, and they continued their journey, though the air between them had changed.

Fallion pressed on, avoiding attention as he entered the city. Despite his father's legacy, he knew that being a daemon in this city would only attract suspicion. The guards and holy pylons ensured that travelers like him were scrutinized, but he was determined to proceed quietly.

He reached the city hall and approached a receptionist, hoping to get directions to the Mage Society Hall. The receptionist greeted him with a smile, but her expression quickly shifted to confusion when Fallion failed to provide any identification.

Realizing that he hadn't turned 18 yet and didn't have any formal identification, Fallion fumbled for a moment before pulling out the pendant he had received from Noblanc. The receptionist studied it for a moment, confused, before turning to her supervisor for guidance.

The supervisor, upon seeing the pendant, smiled warmly and asked, "Did you receive this from Noblanc?"

Fallion, still unsure of the significance, nodded in confirmation. The supervisor's smile widened.

"Very well," the supervisor said. "You may enter. Take him to the administration wings," they instructed the receptionist.

The supervisor handed the pendant back to Fallion with a polite smile, then returned to her office, leaving Fallion still puzzled. He turned back to the receptionist, who had been watching the interaction.

"What's wrong with the pendant?" Fallion asked, genuinely confused by the strange reaction.

The receptionist hesitated for a moment before answering, "Oh, it's nothing, really. We were just caught by surprise. Mr. Noblanc had mentioned that someone would return this pendant. He specifically said that the person carrying it would resemble a famous individual, but wasn't exactly him."

Fallion's brow furrowed as he processed the information. "So, you thought I looked like this... famous person?"

The receptionist nodded. "Yes, that's right. We were a bit surprised when you showed up at our doorstep looking like Crow, the famous mercenary."

Fallion mumbled under his breath, "No... it's him who looks like me." Then, raising an eyebrow, he asked, "Is Crow's appearance at the Mage Society a bad sign?"

The receptionist immediately started to panic, realizing how her words had sounded. "No, no, not at all! It's just... well, you see, Crow's tale has been heard far and wide. He's a young man capable of using both holy magic and dark magic together, without any of the usual side effects. But here at the Mage Society, those two elements are considered taboo."

Fallion's curiosity deepened. "Why is that?"

The receptionist explained, her tone cautious. "Well, for one, our studies are focused on more foundational forms of mana, like star, skies, and nature. We generally avoid dangerous concepts such as life and death, creation and destruction... light and darkness. Especially since many of our members are elves, and they, too, view the mixing of such powers with suspicion."

Fallion opened his mouth to ask more, but before he could get another word out, they arrived at the administration wing.

The receptionist, with a brief smile, excused herself. "I'll leave you here. The administration will take it from here."

A young goblin greeted Fallion warmly as he entered the Mage Society's administration wing. "Greetings! You must be Sir Fallion, the one Sir Noblanc spoke of."

Fallion nodded calmly. "Yes, that's me."

The goblin smiled brightly. "I'm Jintaro Sokka, but you can call me Jin. I'm one of the administrators and guides here at the Whiteford branch of the Mage Society."

Fallion hesitated for a moment, then spoke, his tone serious. "I wish... to undo a spell that was cast on me."

Jin raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "Hmm... What spell is it?"

Fallion looked uncomfortable but answered truthfully. "I don't know exactly. But I know my mother cast a spell on me when I was a child."

Jin, sensing the complexity of the request, nodded thoughtfully. He quickly conjured a small magic ball, which began to swirl with light. Within it, an image formed—a reflection of Fallion himself.

"I'll need an astrologer and an enchanter for this," Jin said, studying the reflection intently.

After a few moments, two elves in mage robes approached. They seemed calm at first, but as they neared Fallion, their eyes widened in surprise. They stopped in their tracks, clearly startled.

The elves exchanged looks, then focused on Fallion, sensing the massive surge of power within him.

Noticing their reactions, Fallion raised a hand in a calming gesture. "It's alright," he said, his voice steady. "I mean no harm. I live not far from here. I just want to undo the spell my mother cast on me."

Jintaro paused for a moment, recalling what Noblanc had said—this person would be very unique. He then turned to the two elves.

"Are you up for the job?" Jintaro asked, his tone serious.

The two elves exchanged glances before explaining their concerns and thoughts. After a brief discussion, Jintaro nodded and turned to Fallion.

"Please, wait here for a moment," Jintaro instructed.

Fallion nodded, and after a short while, he was summoned to the main hall. There, he faced the branch leader and his companion, an older elf.

The old elf spoke, his voice calm yet commanding. "Sit down, young man."

Fallion obeyed and sat, feeling the weight of the moment.

The old elf continued, his gaze steady. "While I understand you seek our aid, do you mind if we ask you some questions? We won't force you to answer, and you are free to leave if you choose. But your answers may help us understand your situation better."

Fallion didn't particularly like the idea of answering questions, but he understood their caution. After all, who wouldn't be wary if a powerful daemon, capable of rivaling an elite paladin, appeared at their doorstep, having passed through numerous holy pylons and security measures, requesting help?

"I don't mind, sir," Fallion replied, his tone respectful.

The old elf nodded, seeming relieved. "Good. Then let me ask you this—please answer truthfully: who are you?"

"I'm Fallion Drake Blood," he replied simply.

A hushed silence fell over the room, quickly followed by murmurs and whispers that filled the air.

The old elf nodded thoughtfully, then continued, "While we know you received the pendant from Noblanc, our dear friend, I must tell you it's still difficult for the society to fully accept this situation."

Fallion nodded, understanding their hesitation. "Yes, I understand, sir. I'm here only to request help with undoing some spells my mother cast on me."

The old elf sighed, his face showing a mix of regret and concern. "I'm terribly sorry, young man. Unfortunately, we are short on curse breakers at the moment. Many of our mages have been sent to assist with the ongoing wars. The only ones left here are the two elves you've already met."

Fallion asked, "Can't they do it?"

The old elf sighed, then responded, "In theory, yes. But there's something you may not know. Our elven race has a high mana intensity. Our mana is generally twice as powerful as that of other races. However, this also makes it dangerous. Our mana can become toxic if not properly controlled."

He paused, looking at Fallion before continuing. "When someone tries to use a curse breaker, they must adjust their mana to match the target's—both the spell and the person. But an elf's mana adaptation process is slower than that of most other races. Normally, it would take around 15 to 25 minutes for us to properly adjust. In most cases, this would cause little to no side effects—aside from reducing our combat capabilities if the spells we're dealing with have a different mana type."

The elf took a deep breath, and his tone grew more serious. "But you, being a daemon, present a unique challenge. If my curse breaker were to adjust their mana to match yours—first to darkness, then to holy—it would be fatal for them. Exposure to darkness for 15-25 minutes would be deadly for an elf with low resistance, and during that time, they would have to interact with your mother's holy seal. The holy magic would burn them from the inside out. While elves are strong in magic, we are actually quite vulnerable to such forces. Our resistance is naturally lower, and it takes us more time to adapt."

Fallion listened carefully, feeling a mixture of disappointment and understanding. He had hoped the process would be simpler, but he now understood the dangers involved. It wasn't easy for normal people to interact with such powerful forces of darkness and light.

Before Fallion could stand and leave, the old elf spoke again. "However, rather than relying on others, we could teach you how to break the spell yourself."

The idea of studying at the Mage Society immediately crossed Fallion's mind.

He then replied, "I'll have to think about it first, sir. But if it's possible, I would love to learn here at the Mage Society."

The elf observed him closely before nodding to his subordinate. "Very well. You may head to the administration again and submit your application."

As Fallion was dismissed, he met Jintaro again in the hall.

Jintaro greeted him with enthusiasm. "Wow, so you're going to study here?"

Fallion nodded. "Yeah, I think it wouldn't hurt to learn a thing or two."

Jintaro handed him an application form. "To be honest, this is quite an extraordinary experience for me. Who would have thought a daemon would begin studying here?"

Fallion took the form and read through it carefully. After filling out the application, he prepared to leave, deciding to return next week to start his education.

As he made his way back, he came across a skirmish near a remote village outside the walls. Cultists were fighting with some guards.

Just as Fallion unsheathed his sword, a figure in the shadows swiftly eliminated the cultists in an instant. The guards, along with Fallion, stood in stunned silence.

The assassin then turned, locking eyes with Fallion for a brief moment before vanishing into the forest, leaving the group speechless.