Chapter 509 – Beyond the Veil

Asterios held Noir in place with his aura until the Dragon girl let out a resigned sigh.

“Okay.” She murmured, meeting his eyes with a hint of hesitation. “Can this… stay between the two of us?”

Withdrawing his authority, he answered with a gentle smile. “Of course. I would like to assure you that you have nothing to worry about from my mates, but I understand that you still don’t fully trust them. Take your time to collect your thoughts.”

Snapping his fingers, he summoned roots from beneath them to form a small bench with a backrest, courtesy of Tia. Gesturing towards it, he invited her to sit down, and they took a seat together. She still looked fairly anxious, so he brought out two thin wooden mugs from his spatial storage, followed by a full jug. Offering one to his black-haired companion, he filled her cup with a clear liquid, doing the same with his own before dismissing the pitcher.

Noir sniffed the watery fluid, wrinkling her nose a tad. “Don’t you have anything… stronger?”

That made Asterios chuckle lightly.

Because, of course, the fierce draconic lady would be fond of just as ferocious liquor.

“I guess I could fish out some fine dwarven spirit Patriarch Grotger dropped us on my birthday.” He smirked at her lightheartedly. “However, what you are holding onto isn’t simple water. It’s a family recipe. My mother always made it for me during the most stressful periods, like the hardest tests and exams during my academic years. It’s meant to help you relax. At the same time, it’s more refreshing than you would expect. Try it.”

Not entirely convinced, she listened to his suggestion nevertheless. Tilting the mug a bit, she took a tiny sip. Her eyes widened immediately, a shuddering breath leaving her lips.

“This is…” Noir gaped at the drink with clear surprise.

“Told you.” Asterios patted her back while laughing. “Now, make sure to drink in moderation. The refreshing chill that you are feeling is unfortunately accumulative, so taking too much at once—”

As he was warning her, the mesmerized Dragon girl managed to inhale three big gulps, stopping only when the tankard disappeared from her hand. She snarled at him, attempting to retrieve her stolen property, then froze.

Literally.

Her entire frame shivered like in the middle of the coldest winter. The exhale that left her trembling lips carried a trace of whitish mist as her shaking arms wrapped themselves around her body in search of any amount of warmth.

“—will end in exactly this,” Asterios finished his sentence, trying his best to hide his amusement.

She glared at him wildly, but in her current state, it looked more comical than threatening.

With his other hand still on her back, he rubbed warming circles over it, sharing his hot crimson energy with her, supplied by Tia’s soothing regeneration. In under half a minute, the side effects of fast consumption disappeared almost entirely. He held the mug to the recovered Dragon girl, and she took it back angrily, soon taking another, tentative sip.

Once again, a calm sigh rolled off her lips. “How is this made?”

“My mother always says with love.” Asterios rolled his eyes. “But, I can get you the recipe next time. It’s one of those rare things she hasn’t turned into a viral product, keeping secret only for those she holds close.”

“Would that be okay?” Noir took a tentative peek at him.

“Yeah. No sweat.” He nodded confidently. “I know you haven’t been around for long, but she already considers you family. She’s quick to make connections like that. It pushes some people away, but those who stay learn rather quickly that it’s the best decision of their lives. There’s no one with a bigger heart in this realm.”

Inclining her head back at him somewhat absentmindedly, she faced the forest ahead of them. They sat in silence for a few minutes without her partaking in the fascinating drink even once more during that break. It was obvious she was lost in her thoughts.

“What’s on your mind, partner?” Asterios bumped his shoulder against hers.

Noir blinked at him vacantly before scrunching her nose at being caught so distracted. “I’m still taken aback by everything, from what happened with my Heart, to how you got so strong while growing up in such a soft environment. Everyone knows kindness is a weakness.”

“What if it isn’t?” He raised a challenging brow at her. “It can be hard to accept for someone who lived their entire life under a different belief, but you can’t deny seeing at least some evidence supporting this notion yourself in the recent weeks. There is a place to be kind and ruthless, respectively. And I plan to make sure my future draconic children understand that.”

“What if that stunts their growth?” Noir asked.

“I don’t think it will do more damage than sealing their Hearts right after birth.” Asterios smirked, making her wince. “Remember that I’m fairly new to this whole True Dragon thing. And I’m still making decent progress. Now imagine if Red didn’t block it, dropping me into Kindra’s lap uninhibited. How much stronger would I be with the usual support and love that human parents usually shower their descendants with?”

She paled delicately. “That still wouldn’t get rid of your aggressive urges and nature.”

“I murdered a petty thief when I was slightly bigger than a baby.” He leveled her with a deadpan stare. “There would be plenty of outlets for those. As I said, there’s time for kindness, and there’s time for ruthlessness. The important thing is learning which is when. Like you did a moment ago inside your spiritual self.”

Noir directed her gaze into the grass beneath their feet. “I just used Black as leverage.”

“Great minds think alike.” Asterios snickered.

“Huh?” She turned to him again.

“I used Red to get my Hearts’ attention too. It’s only natural. For the three of us, Red is a central figure around whom most of our collective grievances gather, just like Black is for the two of you. I want to kick his ass for what he has done, and you want to kick her ass for what she’s done. And our Hearts align on that,” he explained calmly. “What matters most is the way we approached it, making them an offer instead of a threat, seeking an alliance, treating them like a friend. Because, in the end, if you aren’t going to be kind to yourself, who will?”

His last words had a noticeable impact on her, stunning the Dragon girl once again during their conversation. She brought her mug to her lap and peered into it distantly. This time, he didn’t interrupt her, allowing the pensive Dragon girl to consider his message in the comfort of her own mind.

Soon enough, Noir released a deep sigh, shaking her head. “I was supposed to explain myself, yet here I am, delaying the inevitable with insignificant chatter.”

“Hey. This is nice. I like talking to you.” Asterios rested a palm on her thigh. “Besides, you know I won’t let you off without answering, so you can enjoy your final moments of peace for as long as you want. I don’t mind.”

The corner of her lips curled up ever so slightly.

“I can’t keep you down here forever, or your mates will get mad at me for obstructing you from fulfilling your responsibilities.” She finished the last bits of her chilly drink, returned the mug, and stretched her arms over her head. “To start from the beginning, I used everything you provided me with, from the meeting with the Noctis, through receiving their blood, ending with all the hints and pieces, to figure out where that bastard might be. It turned out he lived like a cockroach somewhere in our realm, which wasn’t that shocking considering his color. That’s when I sent out Slaves and Servants to sweep the entire dimension.”

He held her gaze to confirm that he was following.

“But, as you know, I don’t have any personally. I had to move my Mother’s forces. It wasn’t that big of a deal, and they got it done. However, they aren’t loyal to me. And I’m sure they have been intentionally slacking off as per her orders, dragging this out. I don’t know how long it would take to find him at that point.” Noir’s fist trembled furiously. “Thankfully, after the incident four days ago, I got a hold of that spy of his and struck their connection, pinpointing his general location. I was so much closer to skinning that skunk. Yet, I was just as much in a pinch. I had no one I could trust for this final sweep. I didn’t know what to do. Until you gave me that ring.”

With a flick of her wrist, she brought out the spatial jewelry.

“That was when I made my decision. I was going to use the Cradle of Twilight.” She took a peek at him, finding the curiosity she was expecting to see painted over his face. “It’s an ancient artifact, possibly even older than my mother. You know how in our Ancestral Plane we can see as far down the volcano path as we want, but looking up, we reach the end almost right away, at the mountain of our direct parent?”

“Yep. We’ve gone through that a few times.” Asterios nodded.

“One of the Cradle’s features is the ability to peer into the full lineage, no matter which way. As long as they share a drop of blood from an Onyx bloodline member, their volcano will be there,” Noir revealed.

“Does that mean you can see past your mother’s volcano?” His brows rose in astonishment.

“Kind of.” She grimaced. “That’s where things turn weird. Something is there, but it’s all woozy and distorted. Flying into that region makes you feel… drunk. I almost lost myself out there the only time I was ever allowed to try the Cradle out. Mother didn’t let me anywhere near it for about two hundred years afterwards. She forbade me from ever even thinking about that anomaly.”

“Sorry to hear that. I’m glad you got out fine.” Asterios smiled at her comfortingly. “If the legends are true, she comes from those prismatic ancestors, right? Maybe they are all dead, and that’s why you can’t see anything. Or something is interfering with the artifact’s power, making sure no one is able to investigate the past. My gut is telling me that the veil conceals a great mystery that could shine some light on their disappearance. Or even lead us to some survivors.”

“I think so too!” Noir leaned closer to him, her black eyes sparkling with excitement. “But, I couldn’t find anything about it in our archives, and I obviously didn’t get another chance to examine the weird shroud again. Even if I did, nothing would have most likely changed. It definitely needs… something special to withstand its influence… Or someone special… Someone special…?”

She frowned as they gazed at each other, then her pupils shrank into thin needles. He didn’t need to be a genius to catch on to her line of thought. They had to be both thinking of what they had seen inside him after the attack on the blue nest. That definitely felt special.

Catching herself staring, she cleared her throat, her eyes escaping to the side. “I’m getting distracted again. And the Cradle is in Mother’s treasury anyway. We can’t get you there even if we wanted to.”

Asterios chuckled quietly. “Honestly, I’m intrigued, but you are right. Let’s continue with our main topic and leave that one for later. And, if we ever get a chance to check that Cradle out, I’ll gladly be there to test myself against that bizarre zone.”

Noir appeared appreciative of him not delving into a detailed debate right now. Though he could tell she was itching to discuss their findings and theories together. That studious side of her was quite charming. It reminded him of Grea’s fascination. No wonder the two seemed the hit it off, even if they constantly insulted and attacked each other at any given occasion.

“Regardless, the Cradle also allows the user to easily find the volcano of the person they are looking for as long as enough spiritual signature is provided. That requirement was fulfilled by the remains of that female and the serpent she summoned with the Dragon’s power,” Noir continued. “So, I met my mother directly to gain access to it. I knew it would be unbelievably hard to maneuver around her sharp intuition, but I believe I succeeded in diverting her attention towards false leads. Albeit, not without sacrifices. She must now be aware that I’ve found a powerful backer who can elude her information network and even possibly possess the skills to mend her injuries. I’m sorry.”

“It’s all good.” He reached out to ruffle through her hair purely from habit. “If it helped you achieve your goal without getting hurt or worse, it was worth it.”

The faint growls woke him up in the middle of patting her, but she didn’t bite back, letting herself be touched, most likely out of guilt for revealing too much information. He brushed his fingers through her dark locks for a little longer, then withdrew before it felt like he was messing with her on purpose.

“She let me go and didn’t stop me from using the Cradle, so it did.” Noir fixed her hair to its previous state and sent him a glare. “With its help, I was within his volcano in a flash. Borrowing the artifact’s power, I pierced into his Ancestral Plane, briefly taking control of his body and mind. It was only for a bit, but I found his exact location and verified that he is the rat we’ve been looking for. I finally got him.”

He watched her carefully as a vicious grin took over her face.

“And then, you fought.” Asterios hummed.

“No. Yes. I mean, not directly.” Her head whipped towards him. “I haven’t gone after him right away. He obviously realized what was happening and showed up in his Inner Sanctum to defend himself. My aura usually overshadows his numerous times, but it was already drained by the high price of using the Cradle of Twilight. With the added disadvantage of being in his domain, I was pushed out, suffering a considerable backlash. But, not without messing that fucker up in response. He thought he could try to invade me back. Pathetic idiot.”

Noir’s shoulders slumped just enough for Asterios to notice.

“Now, I’m at most at one-third of my usual spiritual strength. Sure, he is not that much better off, but it would still be stupid and reckless to launch an assault in such a state. Especially alone. He has a small army stationed around him. I don’t have a single Slave.” She gritted her teeth in frustration. “And the worst of it, I need at least a week or two to recuperate.”

Which, considering the declaration she had made four days ago, would push her greatly past the deadline coming up in three. If she wished to be true to her word, that was how long she had to bring that man to Ast’s feet. He was glad she hadn’t sworn on her Heart. That could have pushed her to launch a suicide mission, which could potentially expose his existence when he inevitably showed up to save her, possibly running into her mother doing the same.

There would have been no hiding his control over Noir by that point. And in those dire circumstances, he doubted Black would be of sound enough mind to listen to any of his excuses and explanations. In her eyes, he would be as much of a threat to her daughter as that other male, if not more.

Asterios leaned into the backrest and gazed into the fake sky.

“You didn’t fail, you did well. From what you said, I don’t think he will run, but rather choose to hunker down even more. We finally got him, as you said. All thanks to you.” He intentionally didn’t look at her to lessen the burden she experienced. “Now, we wait and plan. Your spiritual offensive bought us time to do that. Which is fortunate, because we need that time to take care of the Clash of Forges and resolve our matters with the dwarves. You can focus on healing up and forming a strategy for our raid on his lair. You might not have any subordinates, but you have us. We’ll destroy that scumbag together.”

He thought he had worded himself well, but she still surprised him by jumping off the bench and spinning to face him with a heated scowl.

“I’m not letting you sideline me for this because of a little hiccup! I might be weakened, but even one-tenth of my strength is enough to turn their pitiful mountain range into a pile of steaming rocks!” Noir stomped violently, and her aura burst outwards. “I even already infiltrated that miserable assembly that calls itself a resistance just as you said!”

It was his turn to blink at her blankly. He hadn’t expected that outburst. His intention wasn’t to set her aside for this operation, but that was how it must have sounded to her. She was distinctly not used to being shown consideration and concern, associating it with everything she did rather than the specific thing it was directed at. And he couldn’t really blame her for it.

Still, it would only make her feel ashamed again if he pointed it out now.

So, Asterios stood up, matching her glower and stepping right up to her, their gazes locked in an intense contest as he let out his own authority.

“Are you sure?” he asked with a firm tone.

“I’m not lying,” she replied with a snarl.

Making a show of searching those captivating dark eyes of hers for a moment, he lessened the pressure.

“Good.” Asterios put a hand on her shoulder. “Because this would be much more difficult without you supporting us. I’ve grown rather fond of having such a capable partner by my side.”

“Partner this, partner that…” Noir grumbled under her nose, mellowing out slightly. “You really love that word…”

“I can stop if it bothers you.” He grinned at her.

She shoved a finger up his face, shaking it indignantly, then huffed and whirled around, marching away with her hands tightened into fists.

Noir stopped to throw him one more stink-eye over her shoulder. “Call for me when it starts.”

And with that, she disappeared into a crimson gate, escaping back to her home realm.

Asterios rubbed his forehead.

She could be a real piece of work sometimes.

But, he couldn’t really deny the pull towards the feisty girl.

Maybe that was why he was unintentionally teasing her so much.

She did bring a certain dormant part of himself out of slumber with her sheer presence.

Hopefully, the beast wouldn’t fully rouse in the middle of their trip to Wintercrown.