The Rules of Blood

Volume Two ; Chapter 101 (317) - The Firstblood Ascendant

Golden was the bracelet that now stood on Blanc’s wrist, after failing countless times to convince Sera to keep it for herself.

At one point, they even started arguing like children, but as luck would have it, Velakia was there to not only calm the situation but also solve the siblings’ quarrel.

It was now the seventy-ninth day since his departure from Blood Maroux’s mansion, and in front of them stood the second-largest city in the Domain of Blood Xeladar.

“Levir Pasa,” muttered Blanc as he looked at the city gates in the distance, “Our last stop before we get to the boat.”

Velakia exhaled sharply, feeling her shoulders somehow relaxing even more, despite the deep sickness she felt since early morning.

Blanc smiled, turning towards her, “Nervous?”

“Not yet,” Velakia matched his smile, “Too early to be getting nervous now.”

Blanc looked at her, still unsure if Lucien’s words were true or not. He had tried asking subtly, but nothing came of it.

And because Velakia was showing no signs of pregnancy, he didn’t push it further either, as it would be a pity to taint their relationship now, near the end of their journey together.

“Then, Sera,” he turned to look at his sister, “As agreed, I will buy you a defensive artifact from here.”

“Do you have enough gold for that and to return to the Domain of Blood Maroux?” Sera sighed, still angry at her younger brother.

“I have everything planned out, sister,” Blanc chuckled, “So you just enjoy yourself.”

Sera sighed as she started to walk forward, her complexion a lot better now that a week had passed since they left Blood Seraph’s estate.

However, since they passed into the Domain of Blood Xeladar, Blanc found himself checking their backs a lot more than he used to.

He did not know the reason or what he was looking for; he just understood that something felt off.

Did Lord Ali send someone to trail them? Did he do it to ensure they passed smoothly through the Domain?

He did not know.

“Iste beni?” asked Lendros, matching his view.

He had asked him if he was fine, but Blanc only shrugged, not knowing the answer himself.

Either way, inside the city, he might get rid of this weird feeling.

Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

“Tuns beni,” Blanc nodded towards Lendros, letting him know he was fine in Iskahese, “Iah.”

With a ‘come’ in Iskahese from Blanc, they began catching up with Sera as they went towards Levir Pasa.

“A pleasant surprise to see all that Iskahese you’ve heard has come to good use,” Velakia smiled, placing her arm around his, “How much can you understand now?”

Blanc chuckled, “Not that much, but I understand the basic sentences. How is my accent?”

“Off, like the first words of a child,” Velakia began laughing, “But when you come to Iskahul with your wives, I’ll make sure to get rid of that weird accent of yours.”

“In that case, I will make sure not to do it properly to stay there as long as possible,” Blanc smiled.

“Feel free never to leave,” Velakia’s eyes went wide, “There are enough islands for all of us.”

“I bet there are, but I cannot even think of such a thing happening before we rescue my father and older brother. I’m sorry,” Blanc muttered.

“Do not be,” Velakia smiled sadly, “Not for doing something that I would do too.”

“Either way, we’ll have to come to get engaged,” Blanc tried to lighten the mood, “And we’ll stay there for a bit to settle everything properly. So you’ll have time to show us Iskahul properly.”

Velakia nodded, “Can’t wait.”

“Will I be able to come too?” Sera asked, grinning towards Velakia, “Or is this trip only for Blanc and his wives?”

“Nonsense,” Velakia shook her head, “Please, come as well, there are many beautiful things to see and experience in Iskahul.”

After speaking with the guards at the entrance of the city, they were allowed inside Levir Pasa.

And what welcomed them forty feet away from the entrance was a large stone statue by which some men and women knelt, praying.

Blanc took the hood off his head, dragged his hand through his hair, and bowed deeply to the statue.

“Let his reign be remembered until the Heavens Shatter once more,” Blanc muttered in the wind, with Sera bowing as well to his left.

“Who is this?” Velakia asked, approaching Blanc from his right.

“The person you were sent to meet, my dear,” Blanc straightened his back as he looked at the face of the crying man, “The High Monarch, Caleon of Imperial Blood Corin.”

“Why are they praying to a man?” Velakia asked, pointing with her head towards the kneeling people nearby.

“The Firstblood Ascendant,” Blanc muttered, “He was no man by the time he died.”

“What do you mean?” Velakia frowned, turning to look at Blanc.

“Who knows,” Blanc placed his hand atop his heart, before bowing once more, “Let’s go, we have supplies to buy.”

Velakia turned toward the face of the statue once more, staring at the High Monarch’s tears as he was depicted looking and stretching his hand toward the sky.

And she couldn’t figure out how the man who held the seat of power of the Senvia Empire was crying.

Blanc’s words echoed in her mind.

He was no man by the time he died.

It was a heartbreaking thing to say. But the High Monarch of the Senvia Empire did have a heartbreaking past, after all. Perhaps that was why the statue depicted him crying.

Still, she would find no answers by staring at the stone, and so she turned her attention back to their surroundings.

That’s when she realized that some of the people praying were looking at her.

Feeling sick and embarrassed, she bowed lightly as Blanc had done earlier, and together with Lendros and Tahreni, who stayed by her side, started walking toward Blanc and Sera, who awaited on the other side of the statue.