Alright, off to a fast start for this chapter. I'm sure some of you are excited about the return of the Dragon Slayers.

I was hesitant to bring them back but they were quite popular, particularly one person amongst them. So, I changed my mind for you guys. Originally, they weren't going to be in the rewrite, but this was one of the few times that I could make things work while actually making the plot move satisfyingly.

Also, one last thing, there has not really been any romantic confirmation regarding Issei or Vali, so please don't get carried away. There hasn't been anything that has caused enough reason for romance to have sparked for anyone besides Arthur x Elaine and Bikou x Kuroka x Lianshi. I understand that everyone likes their ships, but I really don't want this story to become a battleground for ship wars or anything like that. Let's try to relax and have a good time here.

Let's all be respectful and please, PLEASE, let everyone have the right to have their own opinions. Don't push your own opinion in other's faces and get angry because things aren't going the way you want. I had pairing arguments between readers happen in the original story and it also happened in one of my Fire Emblem stories. I would like to avoid having that happen here before it can really begin.

Anyways, I hope you enjoy the chapter.


Chapter 22: Immediate Escalation

The Kingdom of the Dragon Slayers was exactly as he'd expected: extremely cold, but very beautiful. In the distance, was a massive city with a sparkling castle of marble. A city was built around the castle, with a large wall forming a magical barrier around the perimeter like a cylinder of transparent glass.

"So, tell me why you chose to arrive so far outside the kingdom?" Kuroka grumbled.

"Because, the Dragon Slayers probably won't like it if we just pop up in the middle of nowhere in their home territory." Vali explained.

"I-I-It's freezing." Lefay's teeth chattered.

Issei opened his palm and created a navy flame, a trick that he still remembered from Sun Wukong. Immediately, the fire's warmth spread around the area, melting some snow as the cold almost became nonexistent.

"When did you learn how to do that?" Elaine asked.

"Learned it from Sun Wukong. I've been practicing with it nonstop since then. Don't touch it, though." Issei warned.

As they walked over to the front gates, which had the symbol of a sword and spear crossing together over a dragon.

"State your business." A voice boomed from nowhere.

"My name is Vali Lucifer and I've come to fulfill our end of the bargain with your king."

The voice didn't come again as silence fell. Just then, the gates began opening, with two armored guards stepping forward.

"You may enter. Take the central path to the Palace. Be warned, foolery and outrageous acts will not be tolerated." One guard warned.

Vali nodded as she and the others walked in.

"Oh, wow, it's beautiful here." Lefay gasped in admiration.

"It's like the entire kingdom's sparkling." Kuisha nodded.

Indeed, it was like a gentle blanket of crystals was laying on the tops of buildings and the plants all over the kingdom. It looked like snow, but Issei had a feeling that it was something different.

"Don't venture off. We're going to head straight for the Castle." Vali ordered the Peerage.

"The same to you all. We don't want to tick anyone off. Just keep your eyes to yourselves and we can avoid unnecessary trouble." Sairaorg turned to his own Peerage.


The Castle was typical of any other kind. Dozens of floors upon each other, with shimmering glass windows and towers. However, there were statues of dragons placed on pedestals all over the structure, with even more figures of dragon slayers stationed around the radius and the city.

"Wow, they must be as stoney as the statues that they've erected." Bikou noted.

"Maybe it's just a design aesthetic." Lianshi shrugged.

As they passed through the white doors into the castle, everyone felt eyes on them. It was like being watched by dozens of birds that were waiting to take flight and attack. Maybe Rizevim was right to be so cautious.

Inside of the castle, the floors were checkered, with numerous paintings honoring past Dragon Slayers, were hung up. Enchanted torches were lit around the entire building and several intricate designs were made into the interior. Stairs that led up to higher levels were on each side of the room, with one hallway stretching from the other side of the room.

"So, if they're this uptight and suspicious, do we really need to help them?" Kuroka asked.

"They didn't seem too willing, but if it's the Khaos Brigade, then I don't think anyone would argue against it. Besides, if we can capture the enemy, we can extract more information." Arthur replied.

"You may not pass until you have presented proof of business." A knight stopped them.

Vali handed her a letter with Rizevim's seal and signature. After reading it carefully, the Knight nodded to the other guards, opening the door to the Throne Room.

It was like a hall of white stone and crystal. The pillars holding up the room were like sapphire. Chandeliers hung from the ceiling and windows allowed anyone to look outside from eight different points. At the far end of the room, sat a middle-aged man with a pointed brown beard and mustache. His hair was long enough to reach his shoulders, and he wore golden kingly armor with purple accents. His eyes were gold, giving him a mystical feel around himself.

The Queen looked like she was in her early thirties, with purple hair, grey eyes, a fit and lithe body with a red dress, silver and gold jewelry, and a diamond crown fit for one of her station. She looked a bit younger than her husband, with a more active physique.

"Welcome to Drakenrond, Vali Lucifer and Sairaorg Bael and their entourage. My name is Vorda Gradfaraig."

"It is an honor to meet you both, Your Majesties." Vali bowed.

"Formalities are of no need here. Your leaders have promised us aid in repelling the invaders in exchange for custody over them. However, I see that they only sent their future and not their leaders. Tell me, how will you help us in this matter?" King Vorda asked.

Issei couldn't help but feel a bit ticked off by his snooty view of them.

"We have clashed with the enemy multiple times and each time, we've always fended them off. Not once have we faced a sound defeat."

"And yet, they always escape, or so I'm told." King Vorda added.

"It was through circumstance and other escalating problems that allowed all that." Vali reasoned.

"And can you guarantee the safety of my people?"

"No, we cannot. However, we can promise that we'll do our absolute best to protect as many people as we can. We won't make promises that we can't keep." Sairaorg responded.

"Hmph, very well. Understand that we also have another pressing issue at our borders. At this moment, the neighboring settlement of dragons is looking to begin conflict with us. So, if the Khaos Brigade attacks during this time, then please understand that we can't evenly spread our forces everywhere." The King warned.

"Pressing matters?" Vali inquired.

"It's none of your concern. You need only keep to your end of the bargain as we keep to ours. I understand that information is invaluable to your Alliance, so you'll have it if you apprehend the deviants from your pantheon." King Vorda waved her off.

"Very well. However, if there are any suspicions toward your alignment, then understand that we will take our leave or retaliate if things are not what they seem. It will also depend on the actions that you take against us." Sairaorg warned.

Issei could feel so much tension in the air that he could nearly taste it. The King obviously didn't trust them, and none of them knew if this was a trap or not. So, why were they here again?

"I see. Well then, until the enemy arrives, you will be on standby within the kingdom. You may go as you please, however, your conduct is expected to be proper. Any troublemaking made here will be met with appropriate repercussions." King Vorda sternly said.


With that out of the way, everyone was shown to their quarters. It was like an old western castle, with everyone getting their own room. Issei's was like his old bedroom in Kuoh. A moderately-sized room with a bed, dresser, desk, table, closet, and a window. It wasn't too fancy since it was merely a guest room, not that he minded.

"Why do you look so tense?" Sairaorg asked as they all met up in the Castle courtyard. He was mainly looking at Issei and Vali.

"Well, we're in the place that has stuff that's strong against us. We can't help it." Vali said.

Being in Dragon Slayer territory was enough to explain why they weren't too comfortable with being here. Their weapons were all geared toward killing dragons and beasts, which naturally equated to Issei and Vali being more susceptible than the average person.

"Oh, right." Sairaorg sheepishly chuckled.

"So, shall we get going? Who knows when we'll be back here? So, while we're still on the King's good side, let's explore the city." Vali ushered.

"Thank goodness, Sairaorg's been making us train with him nonstop for the past month." Coriana Anrealphus sighed.

She was a beautiful young woman who wore a business suit. Her long blonde hair was tied into a ponytail, which matched her golden eyes.

"Sounds like him." Vali and her peerage nodded.

"Hey, is this the time to diss me?" Sairaorg looked at them.

"Right, right, no bullying Sairaorg." Vali chuckled.

"Hey, if I did the same to you, you'd start crying." Sairaorg snickered.

Vali blushed and slightly glared at him.

"You wouldn't dare."

"Yeah, there was that eye-spray incident." Kuisha noted.

"And the crying." Kuroka added.

"And the new incident where all of Vali's friends get shrunk in half if they keep talking." Vali grumbled.

"Also, make sure to keep an eye out. The Khaos Brigade likes to send in spies to infiltrate enemy territory. That's how they've snuck into so many places to wreak havoc. Rogue mages and exorcists are also posing in order to get past security. We've no idea who might be real and who might be an enemy." Sairaorg warned.

When they got to the city, Issei was amazed that despite all of the snow-like particles in the air, it was completely warm and comfortable here. It made relaxing much more fun and it made him notice a few things.

When he looked at the two peerages together, he noticed that they all seemed much closer than he'd expected. It was like watching a group of childhood friends play together into adulthood. They ate, drank, laughed, and went around together like it was second nature.

That was when he noticed something. Sairaorg and Vali seemed to be spending the most time together. Now that he thought about it, Vali, Rias, Sairaorg, and Sona were all childhood friends. Maybe that allowed something more to bloom? Or was it still in the works? Or was he overthinking it and they were just really good friends?

As Vali and Sairaorg walked, they had their own little chat as everyone spread out to the shops.

"So, now that I think about, we haven't talked one-on-one in a long time." Sairaorg awkwardly started.

"Yeah, a few years since we had a real talk. I mean, we did meet up at the restaurant with Sona and Rias that other night. Still, how've you been, really? Has your mother…" Vali trailed off.

Sairaorg's face became a conflicted for a bit.

"Nothing's changed. The medicine had no effect." Sairaorg shook his head.

Vali looked utterly dismayed and disappointed.

"I'm sorry. I really thought it would do something."

Sairaorg smiled at her reassuringly

"I'm already more than thankful that you even thought to try. A lot of people deserted us when my mother passed, but you and your family always looked out for us. I can't ever thank the Sitries enough for taking care of my mother and I can't thank the Gremories enough for financially backing us up. I also can't thank your grandparents enough for sorting out the politics with my family. If it weren't for them, my mother and I would probably be dead on the streets." Sairaorg said.

He then cleared his throat, a bit of bashfulness on his cheeks.

"I also can't thank you enough for being there for me. During those times when my mom wasn't available because of her illness, you were always sticking around. You'd always play with me too. You probably the first one. Thanks to you, and the others, it all helped make me who I am today. Thank you."

"Y-Yeah, of course." Vali mumbled.

She turned away, trying to hide the embarrassment coloring her face.

'You also helped me become who I am today.' Vali responded in her mind.

When they got to the Park, Issei's expectations of some quiet were shattered. As they passed by, Issei couldn't help but hear a strange sound from the huge slide the kids were playing on. It was creaky, janky, and clattery. It put a bad feeling in his gut. Looking at the washers and bolts, they looked like they were about to fall apart.

'Those kids need to get off that slide right now!' Issei realized.

The slide was massive, enough to fit in at an amusement park. If that thing fell, none of those kids were going to be left unharmed. Issei and Sairaorg made a rush for the slide.

"Wha?!" Vali looked at them as they disappeared.

"Everyone! Get off the slide!" Issei shouted.

As one child jumped all over the slide, the construct immediately fell apart. Sairaorg blitzed for the bottom of the slide, holding it up with his amazing strength. Issei created clamps to piece the slide back together, making it as good as new. With a bit of heat, he melted the metal together as Sairaorg moved the slide back to its original position.

Just then, the two noticed that all of the kids had been evacuated to the sides. That was when someone walked over to the both of them.

She had long purple hair tied into a ponytail that draped over her left shoulder that went with her golden eyes. She wore a black shirt with rolled up sleeves, a white skirt that reached her knees, and brown boots. She also wore a jeweled necklace that had opal gems and a silver chain, with her hair ribbon made of extremely fine silk.

"Are you two okay?" She asked.

"Yeah, we're fine." Issei responded.

"Thank you for helping the kids. Who knows what would've happened to them if you hadn't spotted the slide coming loose." She smiled gratefully.

She shook their hands gently.

"Let me thank you for saving them." She said.

"Oh, it's no problem, miss. We're just tourists." Issei graciously declined.

"Well, the way it goes around here is that we repay the people who do good to us. Don't worry about price. Name it, and I'll do my best to help you." The young lady said.

"Well, would you happen to know any good food places around here?" Sairaorg asked.

"Of course, let me take you there."

"Oh no, don't trouble yourself. A point in the right direction is all we need." Sairaorg shook his head.

"Humble guests, I see. Well, then, it's a little restaurant called Sharp Tastes that's three blocks down the road, on your left. It's got good prices for the amount and taste of the food that you get."

"Great, thank you." Issei bowed before leaving with the others.


When they got to the restaurant, Issei sat down at a booth as everyone else filed into the other booths. As they ate and drank, Issei contemplated. This scene was something he could get used to. Going on missions, trying to help people, hanging out with his dearest friends, joking together and experiencing life together…It was getting hard to imagine his everyday life without them. He was just so used to it. Then, he remembered his parents, and the warmth and trust they had in him. He wanted to spend time with them, he truly did, but he couldn't live both lives at once, not without exposing the truth.

"You look upset."

Sairaorg sat across from him.

"No, I was just thinking about something private." Issei shook his head.

"Brooding?" Sairaorg asked.

"Not really. I'm not that edgy." Issei laughed.

"No, I didn't think you were the type. So, what's on your mind?" Sairaorg asked.

Issei wasn't too keen on sharing too many personal things with Sairaorg, so he pulled whatever topic he could out of his head.

"Tell me…how exactly do you all know each other, if I may ask?" Issei asked.

"Well, we all met a long time ago. Vali and I met as kids when Rizevim brought her to come visit me and my mother. My mother and I are outcasts in the Bael Clan since I wasn't born with the family's signature Power of Destruction. I'm sure you've seen Rias use it. Her mother is from my Clan, so that makes her my cousin." Sairaorg explained.

Issei nodded for him to continue.

"When I was born, my mother was moved away from the main household and placed on the outskirts of the land. It was considered shameful that I was born without my clan's power, so she was blamed for it. So, we were treated as if we'd never existed. My father took a second wife and had another son who'd inherited the clan's power while we got sidelined. We were abused emotionally and physically, so when Rizevim and the Four Satans found out, they removed my father from his position and reordered the family's hierarchy through…forceful means. So, after things calmed down a bit, Rizevim decided to bring Vali over to my place so that I could learn to make friends. All through my childhood, I'd been bullied and beaten since I was different, so you could say Vali was my first friend. After that, we started hanging out more and more until it was time for her to start traveling with her grandfather. She said that she also wanted to get stronger, so we didn't see each other for a while." Sairaorg explained.

"I see. I'm sorry to hear about all that." Issei sincerely said.

"Ah, it's fine. I'm kind of glad that I did go through it. If I hadn't, I'd probably end up like the spoiled brats in my family. I was humbled and taught to never give up, to be compassionate, and to be strong. That was what my mother always wanted me to learn, anyways." Sairaorg smiled sadly.

Did something happen to his mother? Issei saw how sad Sairaorg's eyes looked. He used to sport those eyes too. It was a lonely look. However, he didn't want to press those buttons for Sairaorg if they were painful.

"So…does that explain why you and Vali, well…" Issei teased.

"What?" Sairaorg blankly looked at him.

"I mean, you two seem really close. You blush together, make jokes, know a lot about each other, and the list just goes on." Issei shrugged.

"W-We're nothing like that."

"The fact that you stutter proves otherwise." Issei smiled sadistically.

"I've heard that you play Mr. Troll and also Mr. Nosy. I can't believe the rumors are true." Sairaorg fired back.

Issei's smile dropped.

"Oh…they told you."

"Lefay spilled all of the beans. You know she can't keep a secret." Sairaorg raised his hands to gesture as if it was an obvious conclusion.

"Hey, leave my baby out of this." Issei immediately engaged in Dad Mode.

"I'm just saying." Sairaorg raised his hands.

"And I'm sure your affection for Vali is no secret either." Issei snickered.

"You just don't stop do you." Sairaorg gave Issei a sour look.

"Those two should've never met." Vali sighed, blushing furiously as she listened to them talk.

Sitting with her at her table was Kuroka, Kuisha, and Elaine. Sitting behind them was Bikou, Lianshi, Arthur, and Lefay.

"Well, what do you expect? Sairaorg's surrounded by people who treat him like royalty or are extremely courteous with him. When Issei gets comfortable, he treats you like he would anyone else, a person on even ground. Issei's the first person to get on his level and tease good-naturedly. Kind of like you and him." Kuroka chuckled.

"You'd think they'd talk about that stuff in private." Kuisha sourly said.

"Well, that's Issei. Eccentric, but well-meaning. He's just teasing Sairaorg." Elaine laughed.

"Considering all that your King has gone through with other people, I'm sure he's just happy that he now knows somebody that he can just be buddies with. No leader and subordinate relationships, no reverence to social class, just two boys being boys." Vali sweetly smiled.

"Aw, look at her, being all sentimental. She's going to start crying soon." Kuroka pinched Vali's cheek.

"Stop that!" Vali yanked Kuroka's tail.

"NYAAAA!"

Kuroka reacted so strongly that she accidentally slapped Lefay in the forehead.

"Would you rather we tease you like how your Pawn is teasing your childhood friend?" Elaine asked.

"Hey, what about you, Miss lack-of-class?" Vali asked.

Kuroka gasped and froze in place as her words pierced her.

"Gah!"

"Vali, Kuroka's really sensitive to that right now." Elaine whispered to her.

"She thinks she's losing to Lianshi." Lefay whispered from her table.

Looking behind their booth, Lianshi was spoon-feeding Bikou some food. If they looked hard enough, they could see rose petals and sparkles in the air.

"Wow…taboo…" Kuisha noted.


After everyone ate, Sairaorg and Issei went up to go pay the bill.

"Oh, we just received a call. Your bill has already been paid." The Cashier said.

"What?"

"The Princess told us that the bill was on her. There's no need to worry and thank you for coming."

"Princess?"

"Yes, Princess Izalana. She has purple hair and golden eyes. She's also Captain of the Dragon Slayers."

"Oh!" Issei and Sairaorg realized who it was now.

It was that girl from earlier. If that was the case, they were definitely going to see her again.

As they exited the shop, everyone stopped by an ice cream parlor. Apparently, the milk they used was from dragons, which gave it a strong milky taste that went refreshingly with the cream and other flavors.

"You've got some ice cream on your cheek, Vali." Sairaorg wiped some off with a napkin.

"Ooooh." Issei went from behind, stirring the pot as everyone else joined in.

'Freaking troll.' Vali moaned in embarrassment.

Slowly, Vali lagged behind, walking next to Issei.

"You just wait till you get a crush on a girl." She warned.

"Oh, so does this mean that you do have a crush on Sairaorg?"

"Why are you the only one being so loud about it, I wonder?" Vali groaned.

"I'm just that kind of guy. Besides, beating around the bush never did anyone favors. Take it from a guy that's been blindsided by things nonstop for the past half year or so. Take your shots while you can or life will just keep making it harder and harder. Time is never anyone's ally." Issei advised.

He probably missed out on a normal life thanks to all this and time really was making it harder and harder to get it back. If he was to be honest, he found this life kind of scary, but he wouldn't give it up for the world now. Still, he regretted not joining Theater Club.

"Issei…" Vali was at a loss for words.

"So, if you ever need help with anything, whether you just want to talk or want me to hit someone, then just tell me. I want to be there for you however I can, just like how you were there for me." He patted her on the shoulder.

"Well, you could stop trolling me, for starters." Vali huffed.

"Sorry, can't promise that one. I love messing around too much to do that, haha!" Issei laughed.

"I'm your King, you will obey me!" Vali pouted.

"FREEDOM!" Issei retorted with a Scottish accent.

Just as they were walking down the street, Issei noticed something. There were a lot of people here, more so than before. Issei felt a powerful spiking feeling in his chest. He felt uneasy as a cold and aggressive feeling sprouted in his heart. The tingling of his skin and that foreboding feeling… It was the same feeling he had whenever there were hostile intentions around him.

"You sense it too?" Vali asked.

"Yeah. We're surrounded." Issei nodded.

"The attack was never given a date. To think it would be today. I guess we won't be wasting time, then." Kuisha said.

"So…we all got our stuff?" Sairaorg asked.

"Like you even need to ask." Bikou took a hairpin out of his pocket.

"You can stop this charade now." Sairaorg smirked.

He liked peace and quiet, but a good fight was always something he relished too.

Immediately, dozens of people turned toward them, surrounding them.

"So…the King has a serious security issue." Corianna noted.

"Or, the King was never our friend." Liban Crocell, Sairaorg's Knight suggested.

He had long blond hair and wore knightly armor over a tank top, exposing his shoulders, with a form that was neither skinny nor buff.

"Regardless, we're going to have to clear these people away before we do anything else. It's still too early to assume." Sairaorg interjected.

"Bastards. They're making sure to keep us around civilians." Lianshi scoffed.

"Then it's the standard plan for that. No showy or exploding moves. We don't need to cause collateral damage." Vali ordered.

Soon enough, a random mook charged at them. Planting his fist into the ground, Sairaorg sent out a shockwave that sent him flying into the air. That started the entire fight. Issei watched as he masterfully punched, blocked, and kicked his way through ranks of enemies. Yet, none of his attacks were fatal. So, at least, he wasn't without mercy in a fight.

Issei focused in front of himself again as he created a pair of chain blades from his gauntlets. Swinging them around, he was like a blender, slashing away at enemies that tried to cluster around him.

Just as someone was about to pounce on him from behind, something like a meteor came crashing down. Issei darted around to see what it was. Standing there was a Dragon Slayer, a Dragoon, who had their spear rammed into the enemy's back. It was obviously a woman since not even that armor could hide her curves. She had long purple hair that flowed out from her helmet, with her eyes glowing gold. Her armor was designed like a dragon's, having a dragon-like helmet and sharp, angular aesthetics.

"Your Majesty." Issei bowed.

"Aw, how'd you know?" She lifted her helmet.

"I recognized your hair and eye color. Also, the Cashier told us about you paying our bill." Issei explained.

"Well, we'll talk more later. First, we need to clear these spies out."

Izalana took to the air before coming crashing back down, blasting the ground with a shockwave made from her spear. The blast was so strong, that any foe struck by the wave was sent flying into the sky.

Issei dodged a blast of magic before seeing that someone was aiming right for Vali. Creating a giant shield from his armor, he threw it in front of her. The blast bounced off the shield as Vali caught it, smashing the assailant's face in with the disc.

"Thanks!" She said.

Just as Issei's back was turned, someone was about to attack him too. Coming to his rescue, Sairaorg grabbed them by the head and flung them into the sky. Using a mana-enhanced attack, he punched a shockwave that threw a cluster of enemies into the sky.

While Izalana was fighting in the air, taking out several enemies with her spear, Issei spotted 3 people about to strike her from behind. Opening his palm, he blasted them away with a beam of navy mana. She flashed him a thankful smile before getting back to work.

Despite all that, dozens of new enemies just kept appearing from the streets. Fortunately, none of them were strong enough to pose much of a threat to Issei and the others. If anything, if they were just part of a scouting party, then it made sense that the stronger players wouldn't be here, yet.

After the battle was over, Izalana and her Dragon Slayers turned toward the others.

"Not bad. I guess there was plenty reason for you all being sent now." She grinned.

"So, is there a reason as to why so many enemies managed to sneak in here?" Issei asked.

"Well, as you saw, it was bait laid by my father. We'd already suspected that the Khaos Brigade would've sent out scouts to analyze the layout of the Kingdom. Thanks to that, we had the people put into safety zones that would be away from the fighting. Also, we knew that there had to be a catalyst to flush the infiltrators out. That catalyst was you all. If you all showed up, then it would pressure the Khaos Brigade to act because if you're here, then their plans would go awry." Izalana explained.

The gig was up almost as quickly as it'd been devised, so there was no point in hiding it.

"So, we were merely puppets for your father."

Izalana bowed her head.

"We apologize for our dishonesty. However, we wanted to keep things under wraps as much as possible. We needed to see just how far the corruption went with the Royal Court." She apologized.

"No matter. The Khaos Brigade has been flushed out and we need to stop them. Intel said that the Khaos Brigade intends to summon something. Do you know what it is?" Sairaorg asked.

"I might." Izalana mused.

"We'll talk about that later. We need to find the ones who let them in." Vali said.

"We already took care of that. When you two set off the fighting half an hour ago, we managed to apprehend spies. It wasn't easy, because they were about to break the barrier protecting the kingdom." Izalana sighed.

"Milady, it'd be best if we begin cleaning up. These matters should be reserved for later." A Dragon Slayer advised.

"Right. Come along, we'll continue talking back at the Castle."


Izalana had changed out of her armor and into more casual clothes as she sat across from Sairaorg and Vali, sipping tea while in a private room.

"So, explain this whole thing to us. What are you hiding that the Khaos Brigade would need? This time, we want the whole truth. If you've seen just how powerful the Khaos Brigade is and you've seen how far the corruption goes, then it'd be wise if you answered." Vali demanded.

The King really was pushing his luck. He was treating them like fools. He had them immediately get plunged into combat as a way to flush out the Khaos Brigade. After that, he had his own forces clean up the enemy after most of the work was done. That wasn't everything, he wouldn't even tell the exact reasons as to why the Khaos Brigade was targeting them in the first place.

"For generations, the Dragon Slayers collected parts of powerful creatures from our hunts. Bones, blood, flesh, souls, memories, whatever could be harvested was taken. Centuries ago, my ancestors created a weapon from the many dragons that they slew. It was intended to defeat and suppress all Evil Dragons but things went wrong and it went berserk. We called it Rayzwormr, a combination of dragon and armor. It gained intelligence and tried to wipe out its creators after it realized what it was. They couldn't defeat it so they sealed it away. The key to its seal is a special flute that we've hidden. When blown, it will summon the Rayzwormr back into this world. That's probably what they're after."

Vali and Sairaorg looked heavily displeased with that.

"Along with that, we have a vault of legendary weapons as well. If anything, that's probably another place of bounty for the Khaos Brigade. As for the Dragons neighboring us, they see Rayzwormr as an afront. I agree with them. It was wrong of my ancestors but at the time, it was their only chance to defeat the Evil Dragons terrorizing our lands. It was because of those Evil Dragons that my forebearers had to migrate to the North." Izalana said.

"So, just how exactly was Rayzwormr created?" Sairaorg asked.

"The souls of dragons were bonded to bone and metal." Izalana hesitantly answered.

Vali gasped internally. The reason was because she owned something that was intensely similar to that.

'Those immoral buffoons…They practically recreated the process of creating a Sacred Gear…Bonding souls to weapons…' Albion scowled.

"Why didn't you destroy it?" Vali asked.

"We were afraid that we wouldn't be capable. If we summoned Rayzwormr back into this realm and failed to kill it, it'd go on to destroy everything. So, we preferred not to take that risk." Izalana relented.

"And what is your father's plan to deal with all this? Why are you telling us and not your father?" Sairaorg asked.

"He plans to keep the seal in place. To be honest, we don't know if the Dragons will destroy it if we give them the flute. There's too much uncertainty and too much risk. We don't know if the abomination will be destroyed or used, so we'd rather not do anything until we know for certain. As for my father's secrecy, he's suspicious of strangers. The problems at our borders are constantly bothering him and he knows that a fight's coming. He doesn't know who to trust right now after so many of our politicians converted to the enemy." Izalana admitted.

Sairaorg and Vali looked at each other. They weren't supposed to get this deeply involved, but there was only one thing to do. They had to help find a way to stop this whole debacle. The Khaos Brigade wanted to steal Rayzwormr. The Dragons wanted to destroy Rayzwormr. The Dragon Slayers wanted nothing less than a conclusive ending to Rayzwormr. It wasn't imperative that they didn't let the Khaos Brigade succeed if even Dragon Slayers were uncertain of how to defeat it.

'You can do it.'

Issei nearly jumped out of his skin when he heard Rexis' voice in his head. He still wasn't used to it and he never knew when to expect it.

'What?'

'You can destroy that abomination.'

'Didn't I almost die the last die I did something like that?'

'Yes, but you've grown stronger since then. Besides, this creature won't be in the same league as an Avitur. Of course, I won't push for you to destroy it, but understand that if all else fails, it'll fall on you to do it, as the one who has the power to do so. Bonding a deceased soul to a weapon is a crime against the principles of life. I'm more than certain that that creature is merely lashing out in pain because there's nothing else for it.' Rexis explained.

Issei kept his mouth shut. He wasn't going to make a false promise, either.

"We will deal with the Dragon matter. All that we ask, is that you keep to defeating the Khaos Brigade." Izalana stated.

"Yes, of course." Vali nodded.

"I'm sorry that we used you, but it was the only way to try and clear away one problem so that we could move on to the other. We're a small isolated kingdom all the way up in the Northern corner of the world. We can't handle fighting an army of dragons, mages, Sacred Gear wielders, and an ancient weapon at the same time." Izalana apologized again.

"It's fine. It was your father who made that call. Besides, we'd have eventually fought them anyways." Vali shook her head after rationalizing everything.

"However, please keep in mind that we won't tolerate any more deviance. If your father wants something, then he's going to have to come out with it." Sairaorg declared calmly.

Issei was surprised that Sairaorg was this aggressive and forewarning with negotiations. With every hint of ambiguity, Sairaorg kept them from being thrown off their feet by alluding to retaliation or desertion if promises weren't met. The King didn't seem to eager to be of help to them, so it made sense, but he expected Sairaorg to be a bit more passive.

While Sairaorg and Vali would like to help as much as possible, they couldn't just let the King get away with whatever he wanted. Their time with politics taught them better than to simply act upon their desires. They had to be logical and they had to play things safely until they could make bolder move. That was probably why he refused to show his face to them right now. He wanted the Alliance out of his hair as soon as possible with as little involvement as possible.

"That should be enough for today. Let's all wait until the next prompt comes. Our internal investigation is still continuing, among other things." Izalana stood up.

Vali then turned around.

"For now, let's get to collecting information. The locals probably know something about the unusual behavior recently. Let's make sure we get all that we can so that this is done as soon as possible. We'll meet back here later this evening to discuss what we find."

Issei was about to walk away, only to stop as he heard a distant noise. It was like a high-pitched shriek that didn't belong to any normal animal. It unsettled him deeply as he felt uncomfortable tingles go up his spine. Danger was coming.

"Did you hear that?" Issei asked around.

Izalana nodded.

"Yes. That was a dragon's cry." She stood up.

Opening a magic circle, Izalana called to one of the guards at the wall.

"Report."

"Your Highness, there've been many reports of dragon's roaring and crying. However, there's been no movement from the Dragon's settlement. It might be an internal affair." A guard responded.

"Still, we don't want to rule things out. They've been growing more erratic recently. I get the feeling that they're going to make their move tonight. Notify all authorities. Prepare all knights for a possible enemy attack. Upgrade security at the Vault and mobilize every able-bodied warrior. I will arrive ASAP." Izalana ordered.

"You should get ready. It looks like we're going to have a long night ahead of us." She said to the peerages.

Issei knew that Izalana was on the mark. That annoying feeling of danger approaching was bothering him again. That always meant that something was coming.


Yeah, things were really fast this chapter, but trust me, this part of the arc will be no less than 3 chapters, maybe 5 at most.

Anyways, I hope you had a good time and thanks for reading as always and I will see you at the next update.