Chương 1249: 1279 - Reunion III

"… can hardly believe some of what you did was even possible! How many hidden powers do you have?!" Despite how demanding he could've sounded, Gwarim was nothing less than enthusiastically friendly, so Leon had no problems answering, at least in his own way.

"Many."

"Heh," Gwarim responded.

"Good answer. But in all seriousness… by Khosrow's balls, how did you do that transformation? It didn't seem like an illusion, and you're way too human to be an Ascended Beast…" Smirking, Leon said, "Many possibilities lie in Inherited Bloodlines. I've been blessed to have had some revealed to me. And knowing that something is possible is enough to get someone at least halfway there, if not more." Gwarim stroked his beard before nodding sagely.

"Well said." He moved on to energetically breaking down Leon's duel with Bennu, praising them both effusively for what they accomplished during the duel even though Bennu wasn't present to hear his words. Leon appreciated it, but he couldn't help but let his attention drift. He sat in a private chamber within Storm Herald, having returned to the ark despite the opening ceremony continuing since it was ground he could control.

The Great Dragon Clans were going to approach him at some point if only for the show he put on, let alone for the fact that Serana had accompanied him back, and being in Storm Herald gave him as much of an advantage as possible. But it wasn't only the Great Dragon Clans that concerned him; the Phoenix Clan might not take kindly to his victory over Bennu, and revealing so much power to so many people might inspire some to act against him, overtly or otherwise.

His life was sure to get significantly more complicated after such a debut before so many Lords of the Nexus. There would be no time for resting on his laurels when he returned to Artorion; the Great Strand of Rhea had to be secured, and swiftly, if he wanted to protect himself and his people. For the moment, though, he allowed himself to relax with his friends. In the room with him were Gwarim, Archelaus, his Paladins, and his highest-tier advisors.

Clear Day was still absent, but he was sure to hear about that soon and return to Storm Herald. His wives were with Miuna and several of the Ocean Princess's handmaidens in another private room, remaining close to Serana. His mother hadn't taken news of his father's death well, and as much as she wanted to get to know him, she had told him that she needed some time alone to compose herself. Leon was happy to give her that time.

Now that they were together, he intended to ensure that their time wasn't so limited that they had to talk before they were ready.

"Leon…" Archelaus whispered as Gwarim continued on to all in the room who would listen, "you are a thirteenth-tier mage, now. Congratulations." Leon blinked before flexing his fingers. With a frown, he concentrated and channeled his power, forming over long seconds a slender, short, and brittle needle in his hand.

"I suppose I am…" he whispered.

"Hardly feels like it."

"Some thresholds are subtle," Gwarim said.

"How does it feel?"

"Not much different," Leon stated.

"I'll have to train a bit with this and maybe I'll have more of an answer for you, but at the moment…"

"I understand," Archelaus replied.

"Though, once we return to the Nexus, I hope we'll be able to speak at greater length."

"Of course." Leon nodded at the other man, and then sighed as he leaned back in his seat. He intended to rest his mind for a few minutes, but he'd barely finished his exhalation before he felt attention from within his soul realm, a light brush against his magic body that served as a subtle question. Answering it, he cast his consciousness into his soul realm, and opened his magic body's eyes in his Mind Palace.

There, he found the Thunderbird waiting for him, and beside her was the inscrutable form of the Great Black Dragon himself.

"My boy!" the Thunderbird exclaimed, rushing to take him into her arms as he rose from his throne.

"You've ascended once again! And you beat a Phoenix a tier stronger than you! Even in brighter times, such a triumph would've been celebrated for weeks on Minos!"

"Such victory is to be expected from one of my blood," the Great Black Dragon commented.

"Note, Feathered Nuisance, that Leon won with my power, not yours. And that is how the duel will be remembered." The Thunderbird's embrace took on a more possessive air, the Thunderbird herself glaring back at the Great Black Dragon.

"I've trained this boy! Practically raised him! You've hardly given him the time of day, attempted to withhold the power that is his birthright, denied him any semblance of legitimacy until recently, and now that he's making a name for himself, you want credit?!"

"I want for nothing," the Great Black Dragon tersely replied. Scoffing, the Thunderbird was about to reply when Leon shook himself out of her arms.

"What should I be expecting? After that duel, I'll be the center of a lot of attention…"

"The Phoenixes are traditional allies of my Clan," the Thunderbird said.

"There's nothing to worry about!"

"That was a long time ago," Leon argued.

"And I've just beaten their heir quite publicly. I don't regret doing so, but…"

"Worry more about his Clan," the Thunderbird said as she threw a dirty look at Leon's other Ancestor.

"If you think his attitude doesn't reflect on his Clan, then you're lying to yourself." The Great Black Dragon audibly scoffed.

"Power is the greatest determinator of how my Clan behaves. As you have defeated the hatchling Phoenix—""Hatchling?" Leon interjected.

"He was a thirteenth-tier mage! Young by your standards, maybe, but at that power, he was easily one of the most powerful beings in the universe!"

"As are you, now," the Thunderbird said proudly.

"Your power has been proven," the Great Black Dragon pressed, ignoring their other comments.

"They will acknowledge you."

"Really?" Leon skeptically asked.

"So easily?"

"Has your experience with my brothers' Clans not shown you of the unity of dragons?" Leon frowned, thinking of Jennifyr and Varon. They'd welcomed him wholeheartedly. Nyra, on the other hand, hadn't. Perhaps that could be explained by her youth, but it was a crack of doubt that further contemplation only widened.

Ryker had been welcoming enough, but that doubt introduced by Nyra only made Leon suspect that Ryker had something to do with the duel—Bennu heard of his attempts to meet with Serana from someone, after all. A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation. More than that, he and Fain had still abandoned him and his father on Aeterna, indirectly dooming Artorias not just to death but also to sixteen years of poverty and exile in the Northern Vales.

Leon had fond memories of growing up there and could envision a future where he gave up his crown to live in that way once again, but he still acknowledged what a fall it was from his father's previous station.

"I've learned to take as little for granted as I can," Leon stated.

"I'll believe that the Great Dragon Clans will accept me when I see it."

"Wise," the Thunderbird said.

"Power is the key to everything, but those who are already powerful often balk at sharing what they consider to be theirs."

"You know nothing of dragons," Leon's least-favorite Ancestor growled.

"I know enough," the Thunderbird protested.

"But I'd rather talk to you, Leon. My boy, you've ascended again! And in such dramatic fashion… I can hardly think of a better venue for you to have seized greater power!"

"My home, in private, would've been better," Leon quipped. She pinched his arm, eliciting a cry of surprise from him." My blood deserves to shine in the spotlight! To show their power to all who can see! To reign supreme, untouchable and inviolate! You're on your way there, my boy. You're close, so close, to the apex of power! Now, if only we can help you have children and propagate the Clan…" Leon gave her a thin smile.

"We're working on that."

"Of course, my dear. Of course. I'm sure it would go faster if someone were to help more!" She gave the Great Black Dragon a yellow glare, her eyes narrowing to slits through which her irises could barely even be seen.

"I have already given you the key to resolving this issue," the Great Black Dragon said with exasperation.

"You have yet to fully embrace your draconic side. You are more than an oversized lark; act accordingly, and all your problems will fall before you." Leon was about to respond, as was the Thunderbird, when he felt a hand on his shoulder. A pulse of his magic senses revealed it to be Red, and he quickly returned to his physical body, leaving the Thunderbird and the Great Black Dragon to continue bickering over his fertility issues in peace. Hopefully, they could come up with something, but he doubted it.

This was an issue he'd have to solve on his own. When he opened his eyes, he found the wyvern staring at him intently. Her face was carefully schooled, but he knew her well enough to see the slight tightening around the corners of her lips and the way her fingers twitched and know that she was joyously nervous.

"Red?" he asked.

"What is it?"

"The Dragon Princess has asked for you," the wyvern said. She looked like there was more she wanted to say, but she held off for reasons that were her own.

"Come with me, then," Leon said.

"Anzu! You too!" His adopted brother, quietly chatting with Daryun and Zhang, called out, "Right!" At the same time, the ghost of a smile flickered across Red's face. A few words of parting were then exchanged with everyone else in the room, and Leon, Anzu, and Red made their way through the ark's trapezoidal halls to Serana's chamber. She was in a room on her own, with Leon's wives and Miuna in the room just outside. The ladies quietly welcomed him as he entered, then parted for him to join his mother.

As he opened the door, he noted Miuna's handmaidens scrambling to get some privacy screens up since Anzu was present, but the Ocean Princess just waved them away. Entering alone—Anzu and Red waited just outside to give him some time alone with his mother—Leon found the room's lights off and Serana standing by the projected window, her figure dark against the bright light of Belicenion.

She was faced away from the door, and Leon imagined her eyes locked on the distant armada of Great Dragon arks visible in the light of Belicenion's sun.

"Mother," Leon said as he closed the door behind him.

"You sent for me?" Serana turned around, her golden eyes shining like lanterns in the darkness of the room.

"I did. Do I need a reason?" Leon grinned, recognizing the challenge.

"Did I ask for a reason?"

"Your tone did, even if your words didn't. Can a mother not want to spend time with her only child?" Leon advanced, Serana doing likewise.

"Sure, but I—" His words were cut off when she threw her arms around his waist and held him close. She didn't cry, but he could sense her desperation and grief in the way she held him, and his tongue fell still. He embraced her back, and for a long moment, he simply relished the fact that this was reality.

"So long…" she whispered, her voice breaking.

"I dreamed of this so often… I imagined breaking myself free and flying to you and Artorias. But those were fantasies. After so long… I feared my husband and son had died, but I still held out hope. And now… My son, my boy, my little Leon… To have you here is a dream come true. To know I can never hold my husband again is a nightmare made real." Leon tightened his embrace, but after a moment, Serana released him, and he did the same.

He lost sight of her for a second as he blinked away the stinging in his eyes, and when he focused again, he found her looking up at him.

"Sit with me," she said.

"Tell me of your life. You have introduced to me your beautiful wives—all of them lovely girls, even if a little low in number—""'Low'?" Leon jumped in, a little affronted." My son deserves a monopoly on beauty," Serana declared.

"Artorias might not have approved, but—"" But I'm happy," Leon again cut in.

"I don't need any more wives than I already have!"

"Not even Miuna? A Princess, daughter of the Ocean King… Say the word and I'll kick his teeth in until he agrees to a marriage…" Leon inhaled slowly and just as slowly exhaled, letting his frustration flow outward with that breath.

"Why don't we start at the beginning?" he said, ignoring her comments entirely as he sat on a nearby sofa. She smiled and sat next to him, her eyes gleaming with expectation. That gleam dimmed as he launched into a long description of the Forest of Black and White and his and Artorias's life there, but soon brightened again as he described Artorias's power and skill.

She didn't interrupt him, allowing him to continue on until he reached what was, perhaps, the first major milestone he reached in his life: awakening his blood.

"… a lion?" Serana whispered, sounding perhaps a little let down.

"A large one," Leon said.

"Fairly high tier, too. I still have the coat that Father made from its hide." He stood and conjured the white coat, which, thanks to his meticulous maintenance, was just as lustrous as it was when Artorias had first given it to him. She relaxed her judgment when he described its power, size, and how he'd managed to kill it. It seemed like the injuries he'd sustained in bringing it down soothed her, strangely enough.

'Has to know that it was a challenge, I suppose…' He continued from there to his awakening, and what he'd seen after the ritual.

"… You speak of the Thunderbird quite fondly," Serana noted. [As is right!] the Thunderbird shouted from within his soul realm, though only he could hear her.

"She's been of immense help to me throughout my life," Leon said. Serana cocked her head and narrowed her golden eyes.

"How so? Do you mean that she… speaks with you?"

"Often," Leon confirmed.

"And she's trained me quite a bit, too. I'm sure I'd still be a pre-Apotheosis mage on Aeterna if it weren't for her help and guidance." His mother's eyes turned away, and she folded her arms across her chest. A frown pulled at her lips, and Leon thought he could guess why she seemed upset.

"The Great Black Dragon was a less present Ancestor," Leon revealed.

"Aloof at the best of times. Entirely absent most other times. In his worst moments, he actively stifled me and denied my heritage." Serana's glare sharpened, and her eyes returned to him.

"What do you mean?" she hissed.

"He, too, sought to keep us separate?" Leon stroked his chin and leaned back, his expression contemplative.

"Not really…? More like he didn't like that I existed at all. With multiple bloodlines. Bit jealous, he is. Since I… since I was raised as a member of House Raime, it was that style that I've learned and stuck with all my life. And that means a heavy reliance on lightning. If I abandoned that part of me to focus entirely on fire, I think he would've come around. Come around more quickly, anyway." Serana's frown only deepened the more he explained.

Before she could say anything, though, a knock came at the door, and a moment later, Elise popped her head in.

"Leon, my love… we have some Great Dragon Clan members outside the ark asking for admittance…"

"Who?!" Serana demanded as she shot to her feet. Leon pulsed his magic senses, and he could sense his mother doing the same. Immediately, he recognized Jennifyr and Varon, as well as half a dozen others outside of Storm Herald's hangar.

"I guess they couldn't wait until tomorrow," Leon said.

"I don't see any from your Clan, mother."" Our Clan," she gently corrected.

"And no… my father and cousins aren't with them…"

"Should we turn them away?" Elise asked.

"No," Serana immediately said sharply.

"They're here for a reason. And that reason is likely you, my boy. Let them see you, let them know you. They… they might be able to help me force my father's hand…" Leon nodded, and Elise relayed his order: the Great Dragons were to be let into Storm Herald.