Chapter 664: The siblings fought again.

The next morning in the Heights was strange. After Ferrakar’s announcement last night, no one knew how they were supposed to act anymore. The Steel Dragon had announced Kael’s name in front of the entire World, the people, especially the Velmourns, didn’t know how they were supposed to react to that.

Some were proud.

Some were nervous about what might happen next.

Some were honestly still trying to understand what had happened.

Some kept staring at Kael from a distance, as if he had suddenly become a different person overnight.

And some Velmourns were... embarrassed.

They had nothing to do with the Steel Dragons, honestly, they didn’t even know of his existence till now, but when the Dragon, who was supposed to protect them, returned for Kael’s sake they felt... abandoned.

Kael noticed those looks.

He didn’t blame the people, honestly, he felt overwhelmed too. He too, did not know how he was supposed to deal with the sudden attention he would soon receive from the world.

So he did what he always did.

He worked.

He moved from place to place, checked reports, asked about the wounded, gave instructions to the soldiers and made sure the newly joined tribes were not being mistreated.

Lavinia walked beside him.

Vaelor was with Ferrakar, Kael had left him there so the Father and Son could spend some time together.

Yes, he hated every moment of it. He wanted to bring Vaelor back to him, back to his arms, but he held that urge back.

He wasn’t Vaelor’s only father and he needed to realise that.

Lavinia gently held Kael’s arm as she saw him looking in Ferrakar’s direction. Kael’s expression softened as he tightened his hold on her hand.

He felt lost in her eyes, honestly, he wanted to just pull her into his arms and hug her as tightly as he could but just as he was about to do so—

"RRRROOOOOAAAAARRRRR!"

A loud roar was heard.

And in an instant, the entirety of the Heights froze.

The soldiers raised their weapons out of instinct, the newly joined old tribesmen flinched in fear, parents pulled their children closer.

Kael and Lavinia’s expressions changed as well, they both turned towards the direction the roar came from.

The shore.

Something was coming from the sea.

"Another enemy?"

Kael frowned as he turned towards Ferrakar, the Steel Dragon was sleeping peacefully with his child in his embrace.

Honestly, Kael wasn’t exactly sure if he was actually sleeping or only acting just so Vaelor could sleep, with an entity like him, it was hard to tell.

But honestly,

It didn’t really matter.

Kael knew that the moment something dangerous happened, Ferrakar would open his eyes. No one in their right mind would attack the Heights, not right now.

And definitely not as openly as this.

This probably wasn’t an enemy.

"I don’t think so."

Lavinia shook her head.

She was probably thinking the same.

"Let’s see who it is."

Kael spoke as he turned back to the shore, Lavinia nodded and quickly jumped into his arms, this was her favourite part.

Kael chuckled at that, he glanced at the soldiers around him and—

"Stay alert, don’t do anything unless I say so."

"Yes, Lord Kael!"

The soldiers answered.

Kael nodded as he jumped into the sky and moved towards the shore.

A few more followed him under Korvath’s command, they knew Kael was ridiculously strong, but the Commander still wanted to be there in case something happened, though he and his people did keep their distance.

From the air, Kael and Lavinia saw a red dot in the sky coming towards them, it made him narrow his eyes.

The red dot was fast, it was becoming larger and larger. That interaction alone was enough for Kael to sense that whatever it was, it was faster than him.

Soon, Kael could see the dot’s wings. Then, its long neck, its burning red body and very quickly, its entire body.

Deep red scales, wide wings, long and curved fangs and faint fire leaking from its mouth whenever it was breathing.

Kael recognised the beast.

A Firefang Wyvern.

And he—

He smiled.

"Inkar."

Lavinia’s expression changed when she heard that name.

"Inkar...?"

She was familiar with the name too.

How could she not...?

"She’s here...?"

She questioned, she narrowed her eyes as well, trying to see what Kael was seeing, but her senses weren’t as good.

Kael only smiled.

He could see very clearly.

"The entire family is here."

His smile widened.

"They are...?"

Lavinia blinked at that.

Kael quickly landed, waiting for them on the shore and slowly, they appeared.

"RRROOOAAAAARRRRRR!!"

Inkar roared again.

The entire Heights turned even tenser with that roar.

By now, even Lavinia could see them and she...

She didn’t know what she was supposed to feel.

Did she want to see them?

Well, she did.

Elira was one of her closest friends in her past, someone she had spent a considerable amount of time with.

But...

After being betrayed by her own father, after being thrown away by the very kingdom she did so much for,

Lavinia did not trust people easily.

Actually, if she was being honest, she did not trust anyone other than Kael.

So when she thought about the Stormholds, who she once called her friends, coming, she indeed felt... complicated.

And while Lavinia thought that way, the Firefang Wyvern arrived and landed on the snow right in front of them.

Inkar then looked right at Kael, its fierce eyes softening a little. Kael smiled at that sight.

"Long time no see, Inkar."

The Wyvern snorted, a small puff of flame came out of his nose as if he was nodding at Kael. And while the Wyvern and the Hero interacted, three people jumped down from the Wyvern’s back.

A tall woman with a calm, sharp presence, then a man with a strong build, then another woman with a slightly weaker, more slender build.

And the moment the second woman, the slender one, looked at Kael, her emerald eyes burned in anger.

And Kael, who saw that, his smile froze.

"Ah."

That was all he managed to say before the woman’s face twisted.

"You."

"Elira, listen—"

Kael took one step back.

"You little shit!"

Elira exploded.

Then she ran toward him.

"I will burn you alive!"

Seven magic circles appeared around her at once, the soldiers behind Kael nearly screamed, the tribesmen raised their weapons in panic.

Arlan sighed.

Veylara closed her eyes, as if she had expected this.

For a moment, Kael didn’t move.

He knew Elira.

She wasn’t actually going to kill him.

...probably.

Then—

Fwoop

A fireball as big as Inkar’s entire body formed above Elira’s hand, her eyes burned fiercely and Kael—

He started running.

"How dare you leave without telling me!?"

Elira screamed.

"Isn’t this a bit much for a greeting!? Have you lost your mind!?"

"I haven’t even started yet, you filthy little shit!"

Elira shouted, the fireball grew larger, Kael opened his mouth, but before he could say anything—

Flicker

The fireball suddenly flickered, then, it shrank, then the seven magic circles around Elira dimmed and...

Whoosh

The fireball dissolved into harmless sparks.

"What...?"

Elira froze as her magic circles shattered like thin glass.

Everyone went silent, Arlan and even Veylara blinked at that sight. Elira stared at her empty hands, she had absolutely no idea what happened.

She looked at Kael for answers, he was looking at the woman who made it happen. That was when Elira’s eyes landed on Lavinia.

Lavinia was standing where she was from the very beginning with one hand raised slightly. Her expression remained calm, a little too calm. Not a single trace of all those complicated thoughts she had in her mind could be seen on her face.

She only looked at Elira with an almost expressionless face, Elira, on the other hand, stared back at her in utter shock.

"How...?"

She couldn’t help but ask.

"How did you do that...?"

Lavinia lowered her hand.

"You were going to burn my husband."

She spoke, especially putting more focus on the word husband.

Yes, she was marking her territory.

And just as she expected, the reaction to her statement was instantaneous.

"Husband?"

Arlan blinked, his head snapping towards Kael.

"Husband?"

Elira’s eyes widened too, Veylara didn’t react as strongly.

Lavinia looked at the three and—

"Yes."

She nodded proudly.

Elira stared at Kael, then at Lavinia, then back at Kael.

The anger in her eyes disappeared and it was replaced with... shock.

She slowly walked towards Kael, Kael took another step back, this time, he positioned himself behind Lavinia.

"You."

Elira pointed at Kael, then, her fingers moved to Lavinia.

"Pulled Lavinia Dragonborn? You?"

Kael’s eyebrow twitched.

Arlan walked closer, his expression becoming serious, a little too serious. He placed a hand on his chin and looked at Kael with deep thought.

"That is... impressive."

He commented and Elira’s mouth twitched right that instant—

"Impressive? Is that all your brutish mind could come up with!? You should be shocked!"

"I am shocked!"

Arlan shouted.

"You do not look shocked!"

"I am shocked in a composed way! Not shocked like a tactless monkey like you!"

"Do you want me to burn you!?"

"Go ahead and try!"

The siblings fought again.