Tales Of The Mighty Dragonair

"I- I know that, clan head, but these mages are the future pillars of their clans. Losing them here would make large disturbances inside their clans, creating some trouble to us," Forij stuttered before he found the right logic to speak out from.

He was used to doing this all the time, using twisted logic for his benefit, justifying his cause. He usually succeeded in using the clan's interests to his benefit, making even his enemies unable to talk back or refuse his suggestions.

However, this time he was doomed to fail, as he was speaking to the clan head, someone who had already experienced a lot in this life. Obrim looked at him with his one eye, a cold look that caused the atmosphere of this area to drastically change, while he asked in a very calm, very domineering tone:

"Are you saying that mere weak slaves can cause troubles to us?"

Forij's body suddenly trembled, unconsciously, when he heard the cold and threatening words of his clan head. Obrim might be old, might give others the feeling of being merciful and careless to many things, but he knew, very well knew, how tyrant and merciless this clan head was!

He swallowed his cold frozen saliva, as he tried to think of a way out of this crisis. His son had begged him to act, do anything to save these bunch of mages, or else their faction would lose the support of their clans, the same clans that helped them do their dirty work in the shadows, and had great impact on their current place in the clan.

"May I have a suggestion?" Suddenly Edmory, the grand elder, spoke, attracting everyone's gazes, and Forij's extreme enmity and hatred, "if little Forij wants to save those weaklings so bad, then I think a proper price should be paid in return," he said, while giving his old best friend a meaningful glance, a glance that Obrim knew what was behind it.

And so, Obrim nodded, silently agreeing on Edmory's suggestion to keep on. "I think the appropriate price should be that the previous clan assessment of the future sprouts to be eliminated, and a new one should be done all over again after one year from now," Edmory added, with a very calm, extremely mocking smile over his face.

"How dare you?!!" Forij bellowed out, instantly, in a reflex, without even thinking about his next words except when he said them. his face suddenly swollen up in rage, a rage he had to control right now or else the loss might be much more severe.

"That's not appropriate, if you allowed me to express my opinion," Cesila suddenly spoke up, joining the fun as well.

"Oh, our esteemed guests always have a voice to express indeed," Obrim's eyes shone as he turned to smile back to Cesila standing on his side. Her intervention here might be a small action from her, but to him it meant she was starting to take role in the clan.

For her, she never cared about clans or guilds, as she always lived her entire life solo, with no companion whatsoever. She just got irritated by this greedy little insect in front of her eyes, as he wanted to stop the damage without paying the appropriate price for it.

"I believe my new disciple should get something back out of this deal, isn't this fair?" she said, with a calm tone and cold face, glancing over Forij who suddenly realized he had just thrown himself into a pack of wolves.

"H-He will get a sword and a pocket world as a reward," he tried to act humble, so late unfortunately, as Cesila had already set up her mind, as she replied:

"These are his own, he gained them rightfully so far. If so, then let this competition continue, and we all shall watch him kill all of your beloved mages, until he comes out from the stage and claims his rightful reward."

Her words were met by the nodding and approving of Obrim and Edmory, making Furij realize he had to bleed more so he could save the future of his son. "Sure, he is a real hero, a sprout mage that should be supported. I think this enrichment pill is going to be a good encouragement for him," he said, while taking out a small box made of a shiny crystal like ore, with a small ovoid green pill resting inside it.

This was a good thing indeed, but in the eyes of Cesila and Edmory, that wasn't even close to be noted. Cesila was an outsider, so she didn't know what that snake had in his possession, so she just side glanced over Edmory, who nodded in understanding, as he said to Forij:

"I think I heard that you had a fortuitous encounter a couple of months ago, and managed to gain access to the Tailonmeng secret realm. I even heard rumors about you gaining the supreme treasure of the throne room of the long lost tailonment clan, having the legendary tailonmeng cauldron, isn't that correct?"

The words of Edmory were like very painful poisonous darts in the ears of Forij, but he had controlled himself better this time, hiding his intense rage and very explosive reaction. "Sure, great elder is correct indeed."

He didn't add a single more word, while Edmory and Cesile just glanced coldly and seriously to him, without opening their mouths. It was obvious what they were demanding, and he was trying to make his mind just accept the logic in losing all this, in exchange for saving his own son's future.

"So, the price will be the return of the status of each sprout to what it was before the last conclave, and give Rayan's friend the tailonment cauldron?" Obrim asked, finally breaking this awkward silence.

The way he made his declaration added more fuel to the fire of anger already ignited inside Forij's soul. However, unwillingly, he nodded, feeling already their blades' coldness being inserted into his heart, making him bleed and causing him pain.

"Great, Edmory, you go and stop the fighting now, and I will announce this agreement to the clan afterwards," Obrim said, feeling some refreshing after this sharp, unexpected, turn of events that all played into the benefit of his clan.

"Sure, I will go now," Edmory said, but Cesile suddenly asked, "may I come with you?"

Edmory didn't dare to reply, as he glanced over his friend, who nodded in a face that showed nothing, hiding his inner excitement from everyone. "Our esteemed guests are always welcomed to partake in any activity inside our clan. Edmory, take our esteemed lady to the stage, and make Rayan calm down his friend before he kills everyone inside."

Obrim wasn't really caring about any of those weaklings inside the stage, he just sent Edmory a message, and Edmory got it right away.. "This way, my lady," Edmory said, in utmost respect, while Cesile just marveled how meticulous Obrim was for his clan.