Chapter 51: Treason

Words : 1056 Updated : Sep 10th, 2025

Chapter 51: TreasonZorathian stiffened. He felt something was amiss, but he couldn’t put his hand on it. He took a few steps forward and his eyes narrowed. "Just what is going on?" It was an instinctive gut feeling that had been sharpened throughout his life. He stopped walking, and suddenly his eyes widened and his hand went to the cloak on him. He ripped it free and threw it forward. At the same time, an explosion tore the cloak into shreds, the loud impact cracking the ground and walls. The guards rushed forward with fear and surprise. Zorathian himself was staring at his once cloak, now rags, drifting to the ground slowly. What... just happened? Zorathian was even more shocked than the guards. He was strong and he knew it, so how could his cloak explode without him even having an idea before? His eyes darkened. What if it had been his head or his chest? "What is it, Commander? Is it an enemy attack?" Captain Yemi asked. Zorathian didn’t answer as he connected the dots. He remembered the report about what Vacuse did in the hall. The body that he killed exploded after. Vacuse. Was this a warning? So everything earlier had been a joke. He wasn’t humbled or broken. He had simply observed Zorathian and then gave him a warning. Zorathian felt a chill. Although he had detected it at the end, if it had been planted on his body, then the result wouldn’t be good at all. Zorathian took a deep breath and turned to look at the door with a thoughtful look on his face. A Dragon is now in the Vorrakyn family. He walked towards the door. "What’s going on, Commander?" Captain Yemi asked with confusion on his face. Zorathian grimaced. "It seems... I was mistaken." Captain Yemi could only watch in surprise as the Commander and the Watch of the Vorrakyn Dragon Guard walked into the heir’s room and closed the door softly behind him. "What just happened?" he asked in a baffled tone, but no one could give him an answer. Inside the room, Vacuse was sitting on his chair. A table was in front of him with two cups and a drink. He was slowly rubbing Rith’s body, his two eyes shining brightly like blood gems. "Captain Yemi said the drink is enough to knock a Dragon out with just a single cup. What do you think? Do you think it could knock a Dragon out?" Vacuse asked. Zorathian stared at him flatly. "You should know, you are the Dragon." "I suppose I am the Dragon. I’ve tried it, but it didn’t knock me out. It did burn down my throat slowly though." Zorathian snorted. "Then it’s the good wine, then. I don’t take alcohol, though. You know, it’s bad for my health." "Oh. You mean the thing about you burning through your life force because you are a Ruler and all." Vacuse smiled. Zorathian stiffened. Nobody liked to be reminded that their life is in constant danger of expiring. He watched Zorathian as he sat. "Then, shall we start the real conversation?" Vacuse went straight to the point. "What do you want?" Everyone has something they need and want. That was how the world was set up, and that was how humanity kept moving. But the thing is, how much is one willing to do to get what they want? Zorathian smiled bitterly. "You can’t give me what I want. So I’ll ask you as well, what do you want? What do you want to do?" Vacuse shrugged. "What do I want? I’ll tell you. I want to stand above everyone else." Zorathian’s eyes gleamed. "Isn’t that everyone’s dream? We crawl and claw our way to the highest we can reach in our life. Isn’t your dream too... generic?" Vacuse’s eyes turned strange as he looked away. Too generic? Maybe. But there are lots of contexts. For one, he didn’t want to be bullied and looked down on. He didn’t want people to decide his life, and he wanted power. He thought about the power he saw in the Void Dragon’s eyes. Everything he wanted could be put into—I want to be above everyone else. "I think we can only dream as high as we know," Vacuse said, and there was no mockery in his tone. But Zorathian still stiffened. "What do you mean?" "You see that sky? It’s a height we know, but what comes next to it? You want to be a Lord? What about the Duke? The King? Or the Emperor? An Overlord? That is height." Zorathian looked at him for a long time. "Drenvar thought it would be easy to control you." Vacuse smiled softly. "What do you think, Watch?" Zorathian still watched him. "I think... you are good and bad for the family." "How bad?" "I don’t know. That remains to be seen." "You might not live long to see it," Vacuse pointed out. Zorathian looked at him flatly. "You really don’t hold back on your words, do you?" "No," Vacuse said. "What do you want, Commander? The balance of power in the Vorrakyn family has tilted, but the power the family once commanded isn’t as strong as before." Zorathian shifted. "What do you mean?" Vacuse smiled wearily. "The board isn’t big enough in the Vorrakyn family for there to be games. I am the heir, and Drenvar is the Dragon Lord. He can’t kill me because he can’t replace me, but I can kill him and replace him." Zorathian went very, very still. "You are speaking treason before the Watch!" "Shut up," Vacuse said viciously. "You’re already plotting to betray him together with some of the Vassals. I speak only the truth." Undiluted shock appeared on Zorathian’s face. Vacuse smirked and took a drink. It burned his throat. "Oh. I guessed, but your reaction confirmed it. So, which family are you trying to work with?" Actually, Vacuse did more than guess. One of the Vassals betrayed the family, but they couldn’t have done it alone. They needed the help of someone higher up in the ranks. Someone that can guarantee their safety later. If not someone within the family, then it could only be outside. So Vacuse had said it out loud, and he was lucky enough to catch something.

Chapter 51: Treason

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