Chapter 501 – Failure Is an Option

As soon as the barrier had gone down and the Ladies of Dragon Valley descended upon the arena, a group of Lesser Dragons followed. Serpent-like creatures swirled from all around and dove towards the battleground, each seating a rider clad in armor bearing the palette and insignia of Dragon Guard. Half of the flying beasts remained in the air, circling the entire stadium, while the rest formed a protective ring around the most important people of Glimmervale.

In the center of everything, Ast’s draconic body shifted back to his humanoid form while obstructed by a mix of red and black mist. Though his bare chest and shredded pants didn’t display any visible injuries or scars from the recent experience, it was obvious the wounds dug much deeper, both into flesh and in psyche alike.

Tina slipped underneath Asterios’ front as the other girls gathered around, looking up at his unnervingly expressionless face, eyes closed and lips shut in a tense line. She hesitated briefly before reaching out and stroking his cheek gently.

“Are you… alright?” Her voice and touch caused him to flinch away for a second, but he quickly brought himself back and nodded.

“Just… give me a second…” he replied with a raspy voice. “It’s all still catching up to me… Healed senses, nerves, and such…”

It took him less than a minute to finally open his eyes and gaze back down at Tina’s concerned expression. She and the others continued to be unnerved by how normal he outwardly appeared after suffering that much damage from point-blank.

Ast’s head turned towards Bryn, and their eyes met. “Thank you for that bit of healing back there. My acquired regeneration might work fast, but it unfortunately lacks the soothing effect of actual magic. Feeling every bit of oneself regenerate gradually… might require some getting used to. I guess this was an opportunity to learn, at the very least.”

Grea’s soft scoff reached his ear, and he glanced her way, finding his favorite professor avoiding his gaze, hers clearly glistening.

“Can’t stop thinking about learning from experience for even a fucking second, you freak.” To the outsiders, she might have sounded mean, but the shaky grip she held on her arms told another story. “Though I might be partially to blame for it, so I’m not much better.”

As the winged lady pulled the demon woman into a reassuring side-hug, the fiery-haired princess leaned closer to him. “How are you feeling? Should we escort you out and get more people to check on you?”

“Back to my peak, I think.” Asterios slowly stretched around. “Noticeably more tired, however. And hungry. Coming back from half-dead must have drained an absurd amount of energy.”

~Half of yours and half of mine,~ Tia commented in their minds, her shadowy form emerging from the ground nearby. ~Just one would have been enough, but I boosted the regenerative power through the entire duration of the explosion. I didn’t want to take chances.~

“I appreciate it.” He smiled at her fondly. “Even if I had somehow survived on my own, it would have taken a long time of healing to fully recover. Not to diminish Bryn’s prowess in the slightest.”

The Valkyrie in question lightly shook her head in understanding.

A deep sigh traveled through their minds before Tia continued. ~I really didn’t want to rush things after I’ve received so much already, but everyone here should be aware that we are very close to, if not at the cusp of stepping into the big leagues. If I’m to properly serve as your Dryad, I need a proper, corporeal body. With its help, and our deep connection, I can make you nearly imperishable in battle.~

“I owe you this much and a lot more.” Asterios touched her smoking cheek with the back of his hand. “We might not be able to lay low for much longer. After dealing with the dwarves and the last seal on my memories, it might be time to come out with all. I wanted us and the rest of the realm to get ready for the return of True Dragons, but our enemy could ruin all those plans with his direct involvement.”

“That thing was serving the evil Dragon, wasn’t it?” Miria pointed out cleverly, not the slightest bit joyful about her smart connection.

“It would certainly explain why Adam’s upper parts were those of noctis features instead of High Elf,” Althea stroked her chin thoughtfully. “He might have been captured rather than destroyed, then similarly converted into a slave to those elves who in the past became noctis, originating from the very same master.”

“He did mention something about control and compulsion, and how he had to act quickly, not to mention the regards he passed onto me,” Asterios added.

~There must have been some kind of a problem with the enslaving ritual due to Adam’s characteristics. He was closer to an artifact than a living person. But that’s a story for another time.~ Tia peered up into the audience, and everyone followed her focus, locating it on the VIP section, specifically Queen Civienne.

“Should we stop the tournament, then?” Silvia asked. “By all rights, an incident of this scale and gravity is more than enough to excuse the resumption of any proceedings. The security of the nation’s leader is of utmost importance.”

“I’m sure no one would mind or blame us,” Asterios said, letting his eyes roam over the spectators. “But, at a time like this, it would benefit us not to show weakness, instead prevailing through adversity. There’s a lot of attention on us that extends further than this town, or even the kingdom in the middle of which it’s located. Unless you have any doubts about further safety and the final challenger.”

The girls shared a look at that, growing slightly less tense as they exchanged small smiles.

“Worry not, my Lord. The last contender can’t be any more trustworthy.” Selene allowed herself a musical chuckle. “Though they might be a bit of a surprise.”

“After all that happened today, nothing is going to surprise me anymore.” He grinned at her. “Let’s wrap this mess up. There are a lot of meetings to be had and discussions to be done.”

Stepping forward to the closest person, Asterios wrapped Tina in a warm hug, then lifted her chin for a chaste kiss. One by one, he repeated the motion with all his lovers, comforting both them and himself in the process. It was nowhere near enough for what they had all gone through, but they were aware of the gazes on them, so no one wished to make a scene.

Afterwards, the ladies were escorted back to their lounge by the Dragon Guard. The members of Dragon Valley’s most elite squad remained above the festival, one or two individuals sent away to continue patrolling the other areas in case of follow-up attacks.

The lone floating island housing the host of the competition descended to the ground. Viona gracefully hopped down the spiraling stairs that extended from it and moved to Ast’s side, holding the voice artifact out to him. She too seemed fine on the outside, but he didn’t miss the worried look in her eyes as she stealthily investigated if he was truly okay.

Receiving the magical tool, Asterios directed his attention to the masses.

“We could choose various ways to address everything you’ve just witnessed, but I would rather we be honest,” he began with a controlled tone. “As you might have realized, this wasn’t a scheduled part of the show. Or a stunt gone wrong. It’s shameful to admit, but regardless of all the efforts we put into security around this grand event, an intruder managed to slip through and make their way into the ranks of the tournament’s contenders, putting not just me but everyone gathered here in real danger. For that, I sincerely apologize.”

Bringing his arms along his body, he made a deep bow and held it there for a good moment. People kept relatively quiet, save for faint murmurs and whispers which were hard to decipher. Yet, the general mood wasn’t the worst.

When he straightened up, everyone went silent again, waiting for him to speak again.

“If anyone feels unsafe after what they have seen, my subordinates will assist in escorting you to your dwellings or the city’s borders. An emergency quest will be posted in the local branch of the Adventurer’s Guild, where you shall be able to sign up for additional protection back home. Dragon Valley will cover the cost of this assignment, and the present adventurers or mercenaries are more than welcome to partake in it,” Asterios added. “All you currently need to do is raise a hand and remain wherever you are so as not to cause chaos all around the coliseum’s paths and rows.”

His announcement evoked some more chatter, but he pushed through it.

“That being said, it doesn’t mean the celebration ends here.” He spoke louder to reach everyone. “If you wish to stay, we will be proceeding with this attraction and all the other planned events. Naturally, with heightened security and focus. But your time in Glimmervale doesn’t need to be cut short. The earlier offer will remain valid not just for today but for two more nights, so there is no rush to take advantage of it. You can still enjoy everything we have to provide and secure a safe return.”

Making an intentional pause there, Asterios observed the gathering. Such generosity surprised the crowd no lightly. As he unhurriedly spun around, the number of people taking his offer immediately was much lower than he had expected. Sure, there were a few people raising their hands here and there, already getting picked up by the riders of the Lesser Dragons, but the general percentile was incredibly small.

They decided to trust in him. Therefore, he had to keep showing his trust back.

“Now, before we continue, I believe we should at the very least touch upon what happened.” Asterios spread his arms to gesture at the carnage around him. “Perhaps you will sleep better knowing that this wasn’t exactly an act of terrorism against our nation, but rather… a direct assassination attempt.”

Gasps echoed throughout the field.

“I was the sole target of the infiltrator. And there is a high chance that he would have simply vanished after taking care of his task. But, he didn’t seem to expect his target to overpower him this heavily. Thus, it’s partially my fault he ended up detonating his source through a forbidden spell. I should have done a better job at restraining him, predicted some kind of a trick in case of his failure, even if I was afraid of something exactly like this happening if I immediately struck down the opponent.” He sighed heavily, and the sound passed into the artifact.

Noises of protest and groups of spectators defending him broke out of the whole, making him show an appreciative smile. Not all words were directed at him or bore a positive vibe, though. Hearing his explanation, people were starting to grow suspicious, even glancing towards certain sections of the audience, if not pointing fingers entirely.

“You can all rest easy knowing that, as we are speaking, my loyal subjects are already launching a thorough investigation of today’s occurrence.” Asterios interrupted them immediately. “While some of you might be aware that the challengers taking part in these fights are representing individuals from the Human Kingdom, it would be wise not to antagonize any of them and tarnish King Welrond’s reputation before a proper conclusion is reached. I personally believe in the friendship our nations share, and while humans, both noble and common, can get a bit greedy sometimes, I’m more inclined to believe that they too are victims of these circumstances. Let’s not give our real enemy the satisfaction of pitting friends against each other, shall we?”

His opinion and plea appeased the majority of conspiracy theorists, albeit not entirely, which would have been rather unexpected.

“Instead, we should focus on those who made it possible for all of us here to come unscathed out of what seemed like a calamitous situation,” he added, gathering all attention to himself once more. “It sure feels like a miracle, doesn’t it? And while some of you might believe it, I wasn’t the sole reason why it does. Certainly, my power, which came from all the contracts and bonds made with incredible familiars channeled into one task of protecting everyone, played a decent role in it. Without them, I wouldn’t be standing here. And without Lady Selene, Lady Bryn, and Lady Grea, the initial protective barrier wouldn’t have survived for long. Look to them if you wish to express your gratitude to someone. I failed to stop the explosion and almost got myself killed in the process. They risked their health to protect all of you. Just like many others who didn’t step directly into the light.”

Just like that, the whole arena turned to the section reserved for the lord’s closest aides and family. A round of loud applause followed, kept up for a good minute, if not longer. Showered in so much attention, the heroines retreated into themselves a bit, self-conscious about it. They hadn’t expected him to put them on the spot like that.

“Now, now. Let’s tone that down a bit, alright? I can’t have you guys embarrass my precious ladies that much. I tend to get jealous rather easily. You don’t want me to step into the stands, do you?” Asterios smirked, evoking a wave of laughs. “So, without further ado, I’ll relay the speaker to our lovely Viona and get ready for the final match. Who knows, after the previous, exhausting two battles, they might actually have a chance to win?”

With one more bow, he did as he had said, squeezing Viona’s wrist sneakily in the process. She nodded, much less tense now, and twirled around, running up the mechanical stairs, already riling up the crowd with her commentary.

Cracking his neck, Asterios located his greatsword, which had been blown away during Adam’s fatal struggle. Fortunately, it survived the explosion, just slightly coated with soot. Flicking his wrist, he made it fly into his palm with a meaty thunk. Spinning it a few times, he sheathed it behind his back, where it hovered slightly above his skin without any support, just like the Spellsong masterpieces tended to do.

Expectant thudding shook the ground as people started slamming their feet into the floor. Taking the hint, Asterios turned his gaze to the opposite entrance. The heavy gate retreated into the ceiling and revealed a fairly slender silhouette. When his next opponent stepped into the light of the day, Ast’s eyes widened, and he couldn’t hold back a snort.

It was none other than Noir, in all her dark, sinister glory.

The fierce female True Dragon marched up to him with her hands tightened into fists at her sides and gaze locked on the ground. Simply walking with the gait like she was about to throw herself at her adversary at any given second made her emanate a threatening aura that was capable of silencing anyone, no matter how far and safe they were.

She stopped a fair distance away and just stood there menacingly.

“Why are you…” Asterios began, then shook his head with a snicker. “That’s a stupid question. I feel like an idiot for not expecting this ploy. You are a descendant of the Onyx lineage in the end.”

“How…” Noir responded quietly through gritted teeth.

That was when he noticed that she was shaking. He had completely misunderstood her demeanor, from clenched fists to cast-down eyes. It should have been obvious.

His brow furrowing with concern, Asterios took a step forward. “Hey, is everthing—”

“HOW CAN YOU LAUGH LIKE THAT?!” She snarled at him viciously, making him jerk back. “YOU ALMOST DIED OUT THERE!”

Blinking owlishly at her furious expression, he showed a wry smile.

“Well, it’s not the first time that happened. Both for me and for you, undoubtedly. There’s no need to dwell on it just yet, and as they tend to say, the show must go on.” Asterios shrugged lightly. “And it’s not like this is your—”

“THE THING IS, IT IS!” She cut him off, swinging her arm to the side. “I KNEW SOMETHING WAS WRONG WITH HIM! I FELT THAT BASTARD’S ENERGY IN HIM! AND I DID NOTHING!”

Ah.

So that was it.

The reason she was so angry.

Not at him, but at herself.

Noir’s inner draconic nature must have convinced her to leave things be. Just like he hadn’t, she must not have felt any real danger from Adam initially. Letting things unfold and watching from the sidelines as someone’s scheme was unraveled must have appealed to her very being, with her being certain that Asterios would thwart the other Dragon’s plans.

And now she was consumed by guilt for almost getting him killed.

Taking a deep breath, Asterios faced her firmly. “We were both fooled. No one expected the mastermind to catch onto my identity. But again, I guess starting a nation crazy about True Dragons and thinking things would continue as they were was stupid. I’m the idiot at fault here, not you.”

The scoff that returned to him made it clear she didn’t agree.

“I had one job! ONE!” Noir thrust a single finger at him, then let her arm drop to her side, along with her gaze returning to the ground. “If only I had found that fucker’s lair just like you ordered me to, none of this would have happened… But no, I had to let myself be distracted by the idea of having FUN untangling childish dwarven resistance games which aren’t even close to a worthwhile level… Just because I stepped out of that blasted castle ONCE…”

She was brooding again. And she would most likely snap at him once more if he tried to console her.

He needed a different approach.

Swiping down his face, then through his hair, Asterios reaffirmed his stance.

“So, that was a lie.” His painfully calm voice made her freeze. “You told me your slaves are scouring the realms. Or you intentionally sent the most incapable ones.”

“I would never do that!” Noir snarled at him again, stomping right up his face. “I sent the best of the best! Of mine and Mother’s forces! It took me hours to make a solid, inconspicuous reason! And I keep sending more every damn day!”

“THEN WHERE’S THE PROBLEM?!” He growled right back at her, hitting his forehead against hers.

“I SHOULD HAVE BEEN OUT THERE MYSELF!” she shouted, pushing against him, her sharp fangs on full display.

“AND HOW MUCH WOULD THAT CHANGE, HUH?” Asterios didn’t give in, matching her equally. “HOW MUCH WOULD A SINGLE ADDITIONAL DRAGON RAISE THE CHANCES OF SUCCESS IF THEY ARE ALL JUST AS COMPETENT?!”

She started pressing harder, then suddenly paused. Seeing that, he didn’t back off, growling even louder. Keeping their foreheads still locked in this battle for dominance, she let her eyes drift south.

“Not… much…” Noir admitted reluctantly through her teeth again.

“THEN STOP BEING A LITTLE BITCH ABOUT IT!” Asterios poked her in the chest as he yelled. “YOU FUCKED UP? DO BETTER! YOU ARE THE PROUD DAUGHTER OF BLACK THE ALTERROR! COME UP WITH A NEW PLAN, MAKE UP FOR YOUR MISTAKES INSTEAD OF ACTING LIKE A PATHETIC WIMP!”

Her defiant growls gradually receded, and he pulled away, continuing to glare at her from slightly further than right in the face now.

“Are we understood?” he asked, crossing his arms over his chest.

A faint murmur answered him.

“I asked if we are clear.” Asterios repeated with a harsher tone, causing Noir to swallow lightly.

“Yes… sir…” She nodded a tad, lowering her head.

“Good.” He nodded to himself too. “Now get your ass ready for a beating. I’ll make an example out of you so that everyone knows what it means to fail me.”

Noir raised her gaze slightly. “Are you sure? The last battle must have taken a toll on you. Perhaps it would be better for me to just forfeit.”

“Oh?” Asterios smirked at her haughtily. “Getting cold feet now? Not as confident in your battle prowess as in your skills in bed, are we? I see, I see. Just turn around and scamper away with your tail between your legs until you can ambush me in the bath or something. Certainly a much more fitting plan for a dirty Onyx like you.”

A low growl escaped Noir’s throat as she was being boldly shamed, yet she continued to keep her head down. Still, Asterios could see the corner of her lips curling up ever so slightly, and the moment she realized that, her scowl became much more natural.

“Bastard!” She punched his chest strongly enough to send him skidding backwards, then materialized her newly received artifact weapon with a threatening swing, evoking some awed oohs from the spectators. “I’m going to cut your dick off so hard it won’t ever grow back again, Dryad or not!”

Brandishing his greatsword too, he chuckled amusedly. “What’s with you people and being hyper-focused on my cock today? Is everything else about me really so unremarkable?”

Unfortunately, there was no time to seek answers as one very incensed and at the same time quite attractive female was already speeding his way.