Chapter 4039: Bloodlines at War (Part 2) "Are you sure?" Faluel’s eyes went wide in surprise. "Why would a Griffon join a loser like Narchat?" "The same way a Bastet would." Ghirslak replied. "There was also a true Divine Beast from Verendi. I’m sure of it because I tasted their blood." "And so did I." Ufyl nodded. "The Upyr that beat me up was a Storm Griffon. I’m certain not only because of the taste of his blood, but also because of his Light Mastery and his use of Life Maelstrom." "It would explain everything." Zoreth pondered. ’Damn it, there is only one explanation for my Dragon Eyes failing to recognize Light Mastery, yet Ufyl’s didn’t.’ She actually thought. ’Nelia’s spells must be obsolete. She’s not going to like this one bit.’ "Sure, it’s possible, but not plausible. I’ve never heard of a renegade Griffon. I can’t speak about the Bastet, but if one of Tyris’ children went rogue, everybody would-" Erghak, the Patriarch of the Fire Dragons, hissed as he recalled a months-old rumor. "Jorl." "Who’s Jorl?" Lith asked. "A young Storm Griffon who managed to get himself banished from the Griffon Kingdom." Erghak replied. "I remember about him only because he foolishly angered Tyris and defied her decree multiple times before finally giving up." "How is this relevant to my situation?" Lith asked. "If that Griffon is Jorl, then he’s in a lot of trouble." Erghak pondered. "His bloodline will hunt him down and make him pay, no matter if they have to fight an entire army of Upyr to do it. "Yet only if it’s him and he really dared return to the Kingdom, which is implausible as well. There’s no hiding from the Great Mother’s eye." "Actually, there is." Lith said. "The Vurdalak blood has some sort of cloaking power. Not even Grandma could perceive an Upyr’s presence in the Desert unless she stood in front of them. And when I say Grandma, I mean Salaark." "Are you sure?" Ghirslak asked, obtaining a nod in reply. "That’s a disturbing thought." "But it also gives me a good reason to contact my Griffon friends." Erghak said. "Jorl didn’t defy Tyris’ decree out of homesickness or desire for atonement. He wanted to retrieve the treasures left in his lair before the defensive arrays weakened and someone stole them. "If his siblings go there and find it empty, it means that we got our guy and maybe even some help." "Speaking of help, what are you doing in Lutia, Erghak?" Lith asked. "I didn’t expect to find you here more than I expected Ghirslak." "You’re hurting my feelings, Little Brother." The Patriarch of the Fire Dragons snorted black smoke out of his nostrils. "Sure, we Dragons aren’t as mushy as Phoenixes, but how could we remain indifferent after hearing that your lair was under attack? "Moreover, by creating an army of Upyrs, Narchat has turned his personal revenge into a conflict between two bloodlines, the Tiamats and the Vurdalaks. Half of your and Narchat’s Divine Beast blood belongs to the Fire Dragons, Little Brother. 𝘧𝘳𝘦ℯ𝓌𝘦𝒷𝘯𝑜𝑣𝘦𝓁.𝒸𝘰𝓂 "Yet while you nourished and treasured it into something new worthy of the Father of All Dragons, the Dead King twisted it into something monstrous for the sake of power. He has defiled the very essence of our clan, and that’s something we can’t forgive." "As for me, I’m just trying to restore the honor of my bloodline." Ghirslak admitted. "I don’t care much about you, Verhen, but getting a pound of the Dead King’s flesh would do wonders for the reputation of my clan." "Whatever your reason is, I’m grateful for your presence." Lith nodded. "I-" "I’m sorry for interrupting this lovely family reunion, but we have urgent business to attend to." Lotho the Treant barged in the middle of the conversation with a Warp Steps, cutting him short. "With Feela dead, the Beast Council is in need of a new representative. "As much as I’d love to take a few days to mourn her passing, we can’t afford to have such a huge gap in the chain of command. Not with the threat of Narchat’s Upyr army looming over our head." A wave of his hand dismissed the quasi-Treantlings, sending them back to the Trawn Woods. "I agree with him." Raagu said. "Don’t worry about Feela. I’ve already collected her corpse and equipment. As her fellow representative and final comrade-in-arms, it’s my duty to return her to her family." She threw Faluel a long, meaningful look before turning around and Warping away. "What was that?" Zoreth asked in confusion. "Trouble." Fyrwal sighed. "Feela and my daughter are... were good friends. It’s the only reason Feela came here in person and dragged the rest of the Council representatives with her. "The Behemoths might hold us responsible for Feela’s death, and internal conflict is the last thing we need while dealing with Narchat." "Well?" Lotho said in annoyance. "What’s your answer?" "I politely decline." Ghirslak gave the Treant a small bow. "Nobody would trust a bloodline with a shady past like mine, and I have already too much on my plate to be the beast representative." "I decline as well." Faluel shrugged. "There’s... too much at stake for me at the moment." She couldn’t reveal that Friya had already become her Harbinger, nor put Friya and her unborn babies in danger by taking the lead in every operation of the Beast Council. "Sign me in." Fyrwal said, taking everyone by surprise. "Only as a temporary representative, though. I don’t care about the Council, only about my daughter, and Narchat almost killed her today." "That’s not how the Council works." Lotho snorted, his voice the rustling of leaves against leaves. "A representative seat is a lifelong commitment, not something you drop off the moment it doesn’t suit your needs any longer." "In times of peace, I’d agree with you, Lotho, but this is no longer the petty squabble between two brothers. No offense, Lith." Fyrwal countered. "None taken." "This has just escalated into a full-blown war and claimed its first toll among the Council Elders." The Hydra continued. "There is no time for the petty politics each bloodline undergoes to select their candidate, and all those ridiculous Spirit Duels to settle which candidate becomes the beast representative. "Or rather, we can waste that tim,e and then we will waste even more crying about the ruin that the Dead King will unleash upon our land and the people we’ll lose." Fyrwal pointed at Lutia, and Lotho’s retort died in his trunk. "In war, you need swift decisions and to act even more swiftly because time isn’t measured in seconds, but in lives. The less we argue, the fewer Awakened will lose their lives, asking themselves why there are no reinforcements from the beast Council. "I’m the best field general anyone could ask for. I’m a veteran from the First War, I own a Royal Fortress armor, and I can get Tessa to help us, who also has a Royal Fortress armor of her own. "I’ll add one more condition to sweeten the deal. Bring me anyone with better qualifications than me, and I’ll follow their lead like a good soldier. Until you do, shut your hollow and do as I say."