Eternal Emerald Dragon

Chapter 450 - 449 - Consequences

"I see, well it could have been worse."  Lind sat with Annabelle and Leia in his office.  The young Illusion Python looked subdued but he smiled at her project image of a golden haired top half that likely reflected her mother's human form.

"You are my disciple and are very diligent.  I have no complaint with your work and while you were sent as an ear of your mother you have fought for us hard.  You heard her satisfaction and I hope you live up to both our expectations."  Leia was technically much more powerful than Lind at tier 6 but she blushed deeply at his praise.

"Thank you Sect Master!"  Her tail flipped a bit happily before she left the office.

"Are you sure about this?"  Annabelle was not happy to know they had a spy among them but Lind only smiled and waved it off.

"They are not humans.  Matron wants to know what is happening and temper her children.  It solves both issues and she accepts they could die.  Honestly, I am happier knowing who is spying on us at the moment compared to the future."  Annabelle could only nod as the current roster of demons, humans, and aether children were carefully selected or all ascended from the lower world.

"Lady Gua was not thrilled but left it up to you.  Still, Leia is nearly as good as me in illusions."  It made a lot of sense but they had not expected the bloodline to have a trace of dragon in it.

Lind had no race memory to pull on but Ethry confirmed there was a race of dragons that excelled at illusions.  They were terrifying enemies as unlike Annabelle's or a formation plate's version, there was no distinction between illusion and reality.

He wanted to see such illusions and Annabelle greatly agreed.  He still thought she held too low of an opinion on her skill level.

A glow suddenly grabbed their attention and Lind became serious.  Annabelle moved behind him before he infused his aura into the jade stone.

An ice gateway appeared once more as Lady Frostfang emerged with her son in tow.  He normally would take up the whole office but he had reduced his size.  He now had a scar on one side of his face.

Lind frowned deeply at that.

"Lord Frey, my son has decided to head out on his own.  He, however, would like to request the 4 slots be allotted to some of my pride."  Anger was clear in Lady Frostfang's voice but Lind slowly stood up and looked into the dark eyes of the prince.

"Why are you choosing to die?"  There was no question Zhudao would kill him and consume him.  If not her, there were no doubt many others that would happily eat the bloodline of Lady Frostfang.

The boy tried to look away but Lind grasped his maw and yanked it forward.  Lady Frostfang felt vindicated as the aura of a dragon filled the room at that moment.

"I accepted you to enter my sect.  I did so knowing the possible consequences.  Answer me, now, why you spurn such an offer but have the audacity to demand I let others in."  Lind had no idea if the prince had the ability to live in the sect but he would have an accounting.

"I-it is for my daughter and her friends."  Surprise flashed through Lind and he felt the coldness in the room plummet.  Clearly those 3 females from before had not simply followed the prince!

At a rough guess, such a daughter could be no more than an Iron or Gold Tier at best.  That was assuming the prince was diligent in helping her hunt.

"Sigh, may I ask why your daughter was not with you last time?"  Lind knew very young cubs were treated much more carefully than the prince had been.  He was of an age to hunt on his own, but a true young cub would be heavily protected.

Why was she not with him?

He looked at his mother who, if her glare could kill him, would have been dead several times over.  Lind made a strong mental note about being open with his mother about any grandchildren!

"I did not know why we were coming here last time!  I would have brought her but she is very young!  She is only in the Soul Realm!"  Now real shock entered Lind.  He was dealing with a real baby!

LInd could understand that but confusion filled him.  The 3 lionesses with him previously were nearly Sky Realms.  They could have given birth long ago so why was his daughter so young?

"Tell him, now!"  A very firm voice came from Lady Frostfang as the prince now looked very terrified.  Why was he afraid of Lind?

"Her, uh, mother is very stubborn and refuses to let me take her in."  Lind cocked his head.  Who would refute the order of the prince?  His eyes lit up as he understood.

"She is not part of your pride?"  Lady Frostfang nodded but looked apologetic.

"She is a good friend and mighty warrior.  She has only been here in the last 30 years or so."  Lind felt his blood freeze as he slowly turned back to the prince.  His aura flared but there was no mercy in his eyes now.

"This mother, she would not happen to have a name would she?"  Named beasts were not rare but normally only happened once they reached the Sky Realm.  Tamed beasts obviously had names but natural beasts took names as time passed.

Lind looked harshly at the prince who actually whimpered but no one in the room had any for him.  Annabelle suddenly leapt forward and grasped the back of the lion's neck.

"It was you?!"  Lind got his confirmation in that moment.

"Sigh.  REYA!"  He called out a name with Qi behind it.  A moment later a tier 5 Sky Realm human appeared to kneel in front of him.  As time had passed, the young woman had become more even tempered but her devotion to Lind never wavered.

"Master Frey."  He nodded then pointed at the unusual sight of Annabelle nearly crushing the throat of the young lion.

"Serena's mate is here and I would like an explanation of why her daughter is not here at this moment."  Reya's crimson eyes narrowed at the lion but she swiftly nodded before slipping out the balcony to find the wandering giant cat.

"I apologize most humbly for my son's–"  Lind held up his hand to stop Lady Frostfang.  That revelation changed some things but it did not explain one thing.

"Why did you choose to die?"  He repeated his question and Annabelle let up on her grip for him to answer.  The lion looked up at Lind and shivered at the cold dark green eyes.

"I walked away from Serena with our child.  Her blood is royal and I expected her to rise with me."  If it was possible, Lind thought Annabelle and Lady Frostfang would rip the young lion apart.  He, however, was deeply confused.

Serena had become a loyal friend and close friend to Annabelle as she advanced.  She was almost to the peak of tier 6 now but he had never known about any of what was revealed today!

How much had he missed of other friends?

Were there children or other things he had neglected with all the issues of his cultivation and the sect keeping him occupied?  Lind did not want to be that kind of friend or man.  He found the young lion reminded him to renew his old bonds.

"Where is she now?"  Lind's voice was neutral but clearly restrained.  Lady Frostfang swiftly ripped open space and a tiny little cub appeared.  The prince and Lady Frostfang were both golden colored but the little cub was almost viridian in coloring.

Air Qi was mixed with water but light was also there.

A sudden blur swept past Lind as Lady Frostfang did nothing to stop the new lion in the room.

Serena was larger than the prince but he saw she was snuggling the tiny cub that happily wagged its little tail back at her.

"MOMMA!"

"DAUGHTER!"

The sounds made sense to Lind and other aether beasts but few would understand them.  Lind was shocked the Soul Realm baby could put such intent into its roars.

Lind then realized the missing piece of the puzzle in front of him.  Bloodline suppression.  He exerted it himself but he only then understood the implications of what the prince had done.  The cub was clearly gifted with 3 harmonious elements and would be very powerful if she could consume other beasts to grow stronger.

The prince had taken his daughter from Serena who likely wanted to raise her within the sect.  The anger of the prince made much more sense from before now as well.  Lind walked over and saw the tiny cub duck within her mother's embrace much tighter.

"She looked very healthy, Serena.  You should have told me and I would have helped without question."  He gently patted her large head as her eyes watered before rubbing happily against him.

He had been kept in the dark either for her pride or others seeing how much he carried.  He had to change that.

"All of my friends are important to me.  Never hide their troubles from me again."  He spoke aloud but Annabelle swiftly nodded.  She had not known the whole truth but she knew Serena had been giddy about her pregnancy but then the child was gone.

She had not gone to Lind because Serena insisted on resolving it herself.  She knew Lind would care but now he made it clear.  He would not abandon anyone and if he had the power, he would help.

"Have Ethry help you get her good resources.  I sweat to help anyway I can."  The happy wagging of Serena's tail nearly shook all the shelves and Lady Frostfang could only frown more deeply at her son.

"Lady Frostfang.  I am afraid I must retract my offer."  Lind's voice was now cold.  His anger was apparent but the little cub poked her cute head out.  She had the innocence of youth but then saw the prince cowering.

"Don't bully Papa!"  Lind froze before kneeling down and looking at the precocious cub hissing at him.  Serena was worried but he smiled warmly at her.

"I am not bullying your Papa, but he did a bad thing.  Bad things have consequences.  He hurt your Mama.  I will not harm him but neither will I help him.  He is on his own."  Lind's choice was not surprising but then all were shocked when an elixir was placed in front of the prince.

"You gave a precious life to my good friend.  You could have been welcomed openly as family but you spurned that.  Still, I know what it is like to have a complicated family.  Do not go off and die, but fight.  Your daughter loves you and wants to see you again."  Lady Frostfang was stunned as she felt the power of the core and elixir in front of her son.

He would grow much stronger!

"Your mercy is appreciated, Lord Frey."  She bowed to him as she felt touched at his care.  He bowed to her and then had a thought.

"I give you a week to say goodbye, but she will not leave the sect.  Also, does she have a name?"  Serena shook her head as the prince confirmed.  Lind then looked at Annabelle.  "I am sure someone might have had ideas.  As long as she likes one, let her choose."

Annabelle was crying as she ran to Serena and the cub surprisingly jumped into her arms and nuzzled her.  Her scent was all over her mother.

"Aunty!"  Lind laughed before he sent the meaning to Annabelle.  The warm scene dispersed the ups and downs from before.  The prince had a rough road to survival but Lind had a bottom line.  Lady Frostfang also spent time with her grandchild before she had to go.

No restriction existed for her but the prince was forced to leave after a week.  A month later Lady Frostfang left and chaos ensued.  Lind looked on but Zhudao never paid attention to him.

The fate of the prince was a bloody battle but Lind saw he survived by limping away into the human city.  He left the island to find his own path.  He hoped to see the prince again but at least he could relay that her Papa survived.  The Wild Heart Isle settled for a time, but battles never ended there, only reduced in scope.

The next battle of Moebius Sect loomed ever more on the horizon.