Reincarnated as a Dragon – The path of the Dragon God

“Invitation? What sort of invitation?” Henry asked.

The gothic-esque little girl, Victoria, grinned in response to Henry’s dubious gaze and tone. “I can assure you that it’s nothing of the dubious sort.”

“Forgive me if I find that hard to believe.”

“You are forgiven, Lord Henry. But please, be at ease. Her Majesty simply wishes to have a peaceful talk with you.”

“I’m not buying your peaceful narrative until you give me a sound reason as to why she’s suddenly taking a non-hostile approach.”

There was no change in the girl’s expression. She kept her smile. “Lord Henry, Her Majesty is a peace-loving person. That is all she wishes for. But only under her rule can peace be achieved.”

“Even toddlers can tell a better lie,” Henry retorted dryly. “I have only just reduced one of her subjects into ashes yesterday, a subject that she sent to… deal with me.”

“Her Majesty had confessed that she had been remiss. A confrontation with you would not lead to peace regardless of who the victor is. Which is why she wishes to have a peaceful talk with you, Lord Henry.”

“I feel like we’re being mocked,” Alani muttered.

Henry turned to Rayne. “What do you think?” he asked.

“Why are you asking me?”

“She’s your ancestor and I feel that she’s more like you than anyone else.”

“You’re asking the wrong person, Henry. But if you seriously want my opinion, then I will say that she’s luring you into a false sense of security before springing her trap. It is what I will do if I wish to take you down without losing any more of my subjects.”

“Nonsense,” Victoria baulked but not losing her smile. “Her Majesty hates deceit of all things. Admittedly, that idea has crossed my mind but Her Majesty had warned us of attempting any form of deception.”

Rayne scoffed silently.

“Lord Henry, you should know this to be true. Her Majesty is aware that you and your lovely ladies knew her story.”

“Of course, she does but so what if she’s aware?”

Victoria continued to smile, unthreatened by Henry’s tone. “I have done my part. I have conveyed Her Majesty’s intention. As for what happens after, it will be at your own discretion and disposal. But do be warned, you are now in Verugo.”

“Verugo?”

“This very valley, Lord Henry. This land marks the beginning of Her Majesty’s conquest for peace.”

Before Henry could manage a retort, Victoria turned into a cloud of black smoke and disappeared into the distance as if the winds had carried her away.

“Welp… this is not how I expected things to go,” Henry admitted with a wry smile. “This has just made things complicated.”

“She doesn’t want to fight. That’s a good thing, no?” Alani asked.

“That is if she’s being truthful.”

“Perhaps my dear ancestor has realised she’s not your opponent and she’s now looking for alternatives to a direct confrontation,” Rayne surmised.

“Or maybe she’s being truthful,” Henry ventured his own guess.

Rayne raised an eyebrow. “Your thoughts went full circle.”

“Maybe she does desire peace or at least she desires peace for those that are under her rule. We are in her dominion and from the looks of it, she has been hard at work. I would want to avoid fighting too if I was in her position.”

“But this is all very questionable,” Alani said. “Henry, you told me Vishara was betrayed by her friends and subjects in her past.”

“That is true.”

“I would expect her to be more wary of having subjects or people by her side. But from what we have seen, she already has quite the following.”

“There’s a difference,” said Rayne. “A huge one. These are her direct subjects. They are most likely her thralls. People that she turned into vampires personally. They can’t betray her. They are unable to. Physically, mentally, and spiritually.”

“Even in death?”

“The texts only speculated about that part but most likely so. She’s basically building an army of willing slaves. And we might have entered into a small nation that is composed of only her thralls.”

“We saw settlements in this valley. Could they all be vampires?”

“A very huge possibility but they could also be mere servants. Unturned but their mind has been dominated by her.”

“So, whichever they are, they are all her willing slaves in the end?”

“Yes, that is correct.”

“Ah…” Alani looked at Henry. “What do we do?”

Henry sighed. “We have come this far. Rayne, Alani, I’m sorry for bringing the two of you with me but—”

“No, Henry,” Alani answered immediately.

“But I haven’t—”

“I know what you want to say and my answer is no. We can’t keep hiding in your shadows. I do not wish to be your trophy, Henry. I want to be your companion, someone that you can look to if you are ever in need of assistance.”

“Alani… you could die.”

“Only if you let it happen, Henry.”

“That’s not fair.”

“Everything’s fair in love and war.”

Henry burst into a chuckle. He lunged forward and smacked his lips against Alani’s own. The latter didn’t resist and accepted the kiss and also the tongue that came wriggled roughly into her mouth.

“You two can’t be serious,” Rayne scoffed in disbelief.

Henry parted the kiss from Alani and pulled Rayne into his arms. Before he could gave her a kiss, his lips were pushed away by Rayne herself.

“No,” Rayne snarled. “There could be people watching.”

“Oh? So, you’re saying it’s fine if we’re alone? Then, you need not be worried. We’re the only ones here.”

“You don’t know that.”

“But I do.”

“No,” Rayne declared and squirmed her away out of Henry’s arms. “Have some decency.”

“Alright, Henry. That’s enough teasing. Just let her wallow in her dishonesty. We still have a long road ahead.”

Rayne shot a glare at Alani.

“It won't be so long of a road if we take the sky path,” Henry said and he took both Rayne and Alani into his arms as he leapt high up into the sky. He then assumed his true form and tossed the two girls onto his back. Both of them landed on their feet.

“Whoa! How did I do that?!” Alani exclaimed in surprise.

“It’s nothing to be amazed about,” Rayne muttered grimly.

“Don’t fall now, you two,” Henry cautioned the two and sped towards the nearest settlement. It would take them half a day to reach the small village on foot but they arrived within minutes through the sky passage on wings.

As the trio neared the village, the people within began to panic. Chaos ensued. The mothers quickly took their children and ran back into their houses. Those without children stayed outside. What appeared to be a scene of chaos quickly turned into an orderly congregation of a militia. Each of the villagers who made their stance was armed with whatever object they could grab ahold of.

Henry landed right at the borders of the village. He let Rayne and Alani disembark from him but he did not take on his human form as they trod into the village.

A pair of beasts appeared from the sky, seemingly out of nowhere at first. The pair landed right in front of the three harshly and yet, they did not make the slightest crack on the ground. The beasts were made of stone but they were moving like any other living and breathing creature of flesh.

“Huh. Gargoyles. That’s new,” Henry mused impassively.

“Hostiles!” hissed the Gargoyles.

“Did these two guard dogs not get the memo?”

“Stand down now or you will be destroyed!”

“Is this how your precious sovereign treats her guests?” Rayne scoffed.

The Gargoyles were taken aback at the Zeva’s words. “Her Majesty’s guests?” They blurted out.

“What? Did she neglect to inform the two of you stone beasts?”

“Insolent!” snarled one of the Gargoyles. “You will address Her Majesty with respect.”

“She can have it when she earns it.”

“Guests or not, insolence towards Her Majesty shall not be overlooked!”

Before the two Gargoyles could make their first offensive move, Henry enveloped the area with the aura of his immense presence. The Gargoyles immediately ceased their hostility and froze on the spot.

“I do not know if this is some kind of a farce or something but my patience is very thin as of now. I will say this once. We are Vishara’s guests and I expect to be treated as such. You two should be the ones standing down.”

The Gargoyles looked defiant but their bodies betrayed their resolve and will. They weren’t put under a paralysing spell by Henry. His mere presence kept the Gargoyle pair from moving even their fingers.

“Let them go!” someone shouted.

Henry turned towards the source of the voice, which came from behind the Gargoyles.

It was an old man. A farmer, to be exact, with a pitchfork in hand, trained at Henry.

“He sure has some guts.”

“Great Beast, I do not know where you come from but you will regret laying your claws on us!” the old man continued to shout and step forward, unperturbed by Henry’s presence. “You are not welcome here! Go back!”

“Correction, old man. We are invited,” said Rayne.

“As if I will fall for your lies, demon!” the old man snarled.

“If you think I’m a demon, then clearly you have never actually seen one.”

“I don’t care what you are. Leave us alone! We ain’t done nothing. We have no quarrel with you, whoever you three are.”

“What’s the problem with his old man?” Alani grumbled.

“People are problems,” Henry muttered in response. “More so if they are stubborn and under a misunderstanding.”

“How should we go about this?”

“We’ll play their game.”

Alani frowned in confusion. “I don’t understand.”

“We will be stubborn and we will misunderstand them.”

“That’s… puerile.”

“That’s the whole point,” Henry said and assumed his human form. The overwhelming pressure from his presence dissipated.

The Gargoyles were able to move again but they did not lunge at Henry. Instead, they backed away from him.

“Smart,” Henry sneered at the Gargoyles before turning to the old man, who was staring at Henry with his mouth and eyes agape at the transformation that just occurred in front of him. Henry spared no words for the old man and simply walked past him.

Rayne and Alani followed behind Henry. The two were confused but they didn’t question.

The old man snapped out of his daze eventually. “Stop right there, you three!” he shouted.

Henry stopped and glanced over his shoulders, meeting the indignant gaze of the old man.

“Didn’t you hear what I said? You are not welcome here! Leave before you regret setting foot—”

Henry didn’t wait for the old man to finish and resumed walking.

The old man continued to shout after Henry but the latter kept on walking as if he heard nothing. As the trio trod deeper into the village, the armed villagers gradually surrounded them until they were completely encircled. The three halted their steps as their path was blocked by the crowding villagers.

“Is this Vishara’s intention?” Alani asked in a whisper.

“If it is, then she’s a fool,” Rayne answered with a scoff.

“Perhaps she’s trying to show us what she has achieved,” Henry surmised as he peered at the encroaching villagers. Fear could be seen in their eyes but none of them was backing away.

“Are these villagers fearless?” Alani questioned as she drew her sword.

“There’s a fine line between bravery and stupidity. I would say this is more of the latter. They appeared to have utter confidence in Vishara.”

“Don’t you spout Her Majesty’s name in vain!” Someone among the crowd shouted.

“An insult on Her Majesty is an insult on all of us!”

The crowd chorused in agreement, raising their arms.

“What a bunch of fools,” Henry sighed.

“What did you say?!”

Henry snapped his gaze towards the one who challenged him. “I say you all are fools. Complete idiots. Blind fucks. Retards.”