Welcome back to The Injustice Wars. Last time, trying to contrast the dire straights we're getting into today, we had a nice bonding moment between Dracia, who if you'll remember is actually reading the account of this conflict in her mother's journal, and Blaze, her aforementioned mother. And you may remember that at the end of the last chapter, I said there was more to do in the present day before we returned to Year Five of the titular conflict. Well, today, we find out what we're doing here. So, what exactly is happening? Read on to discover...

(Our scene resumes the morning after we left it, but we don't rejoin with Dracia quite yet. Instead we pick up with Sulfur, who appears to just be exiting some sort of dojo setting, complete with a towel draped over his shoulders, talking to Raygarro)

Sulfur: Nice spar, Raygarro.

Raygarro: You're no slouch yourself, Sulfur. Hard to believe you're the same guy who used to start screaming "NOT IN THE FACE!" the second somebody tried to throw a punch.

Sulfur: (Rolling his eyes) Do you have to remind me?

Raygarro: Just joking around with you. (Remembers something) Oh, by the way, Dracia said she wanted to see you once we wrapped up. Sounded important.

Sulfur: (Now starting to sweat harder) She did?

Raygarro: I don't think it's anything serious. Considering she takes over the NIL in a few days, I figure she just wants to spend as much time with you as possible. Look, I don't know for sure, she just wanted to see you.

Sulfur: (Wipes his brow with the towel) Thanks.

(Fast forward a few moments, and Sulfur has left the dojo seeking out Dracia, eventually finding her in an empty room in her home. Only she's surrounded by some strange accoutrements, one of which is a dagger, and a circle of magical sigils)

Sulfur: What's up, Dracia? You said you needed to see me?

Dracia: Yeah. Thanks for coming, Sulfur.

Sulfur: (Noting the strange assortment of items) So... what's going on?

Dracia: Sulfur, I want you to be honest with me.

Sulfur: (Sweating buckets again) About what...?

Dracia: I know you're worried about me, taking over the NIL at week's end.

Sulfur: (Sighs in relief) Was it that obvious?

Dracia: At least it was when Mom proposed the possibility.

Sulfur: Well, Blaze was dead on.

Dracia: I need to tell you this first, I felt the same way about you. We're going to be worlds apart once I take my new charge, and between me running the NIL, and you taking over the Element Guard, we're probably not going to have much time to talk to each other.

Sulfur: That... had occurred to me.

Dracia: Well, I've got a solution. I think.

Sulfur: Is that what all the rest of this stuff is for?

Dracia: Exactly. I saw this in one of the grimoires in the library. It's called a Bloodpact.

Sulfur: Well that's an ominous title.

Dracia: It's not near as threatening as it sounds, trust me. It's just going to provide us a way to check up on each other.

Sulfur: Are you sure it'll work between universes?

Dracia: Love knows no season, no clime, and no universe. I know that much. So it should work.

Sulfur: (Still a bit wary) Ooooookay? What does this do exactly?

Dracia: Well, if we do this right, it'll create a pair of charms that'll glow so long as we're both alive and love still remains between us. Plus, it'll allow us to communicate telepathically or via dreams when one of us holds one.

Sulfur: (Starting to warm up to the idea) Sounds... charming, in a Chronicler-y sort of way. Alright, you've convinced me, let's go with this.

Dracia: (Kisses him on the cheek) I knew you'd agree. Now, I've already got most of this set up, all we need is a blood sample from each of us, drawn fresh.

Sulfur: A little off-putting, but I'm game.

Dracia: Alright, join me within the circle of sigils.

(Sulfur steps into the circle)

Dracia: Now, once I infuse the circle with Aether, we'll both recite an incantation, then use this dagger to draw the blood samples by cutting a slash into one paw. Then we touch the cut paws together and the spell should do the rest.

Sulfur: I'm trusting you that this won't summon some eldritch beast.

Dracia: It won't. (Summons Aether into her paw) Now then, shall we? I'll go first, so you know what to say.

Sulfur: (Gulps his nerves down) Okay.

(With that, Dracia plunges her Aether infused paw down onto the circle of sigils, energizing them, before taking up the dagger)

Dracia: I, Dracia, do hereby pledge my love eternal to thee, Sulfur. (Slashes a small cut into her other paw) Let this bond of blood mark my unending devotion.

(With that, Dracia hands the dagger to Sulfur, who nervously takes it, but ultimately steels himself to finish the ritual)

Sulfur: I, Sulfur, do hereby pledge my eternal love to thee, Dracia. (Slashes a small cut into his paw) Let this bond of blood mark my unending devotion.

(With the cut made, Sulfur sets the dagger down and both he and Dracia touch their cut paws together. As their now enchanted bloods meet, the circle of sigils begins to flare, and soon droplets of their blood levitate from their paws, two from each person. Once they hit the air, silvery metal starts to form around them, slowly turning into a pair of charms, one resembling a blooming rose and the other a pair of crossed swords, the blood droplets settling into each charm as a chain of silver forms behind them. Once the charms are completed, they levitate to their respective owners, the crossed swords to Dracia and the blooming rose to Sulfur, settling around their necks as the sigils stop glowing and the two dragons cease touching paws, revealing their cuts have been healed)

Sulfur: (Notes the charm around his neck) It... worked?

Dracia: it certainly looks like it did. But there's only one way to test it.

(With that, Dracia grasps her charm, and suddenly Sulfur notices a warm sensation in his heart)

Sulfur: Did it just get warmer in here?

Dracia: (Letting go of her charm) No, that means it worked!

Sulfur: Hold on, let me try it the other way.

(Now Sulfur grasps his charm, and Dracia immediately feels the same warmth to her heart)

Dracia: Warmth in the heart, just like the grimoire described.

Sulfur: (Letting go of his charm) Whoa. That's weird. But... kind of nice.

Dracia: My thoughts exactly. (Puts an arm over his shoulder) Thanks for going along with this, Sulfur.

Sulfur: (Pulling her into an embrace) Not a problem at all, my love.

(And with a kiss from the two bonded lovers, our tale ends for today)

And that looks like a good spot to wrap up for now. Just a little scene of these two forging a way to keep connected between universes. Admittedly, I did sort of steal the Bloodpact from Fantastic Beasts 2 and 3, but it fit too well based on my memory of those movies. Thankfully, these ones won't be broken so easily. Anyways, next time, we're back to action as usual. So be sure to tune in for that! Same time... same channel!