Everyone took a step towards Fennyr and Dulkrn, claws ready to attack. Dulkrn held out a claw to stop them.

"Don't try to beat me. Unless your leader wants his windpipe removed." He had not changed well over the last few days. His scarlet scales had faded slightly, signs of slight starvation, his cheekbones were sharper than ever. He still had the remains of the vine ropes around his forearms and his muscles had lessened somewhat. All this only enhanced his bright yellow eyes and his insane smile. Although he was a different kind of terrifying than he was at the Gladnar trials, he still made everyone stop in their tracks.

Fennyr wanted to scream at them, No! Don't worry about me! Get him! But he couldn't speak.

"Now," Dulkrn turned to Fennyr, never lessening his deranged smile. "Let's have a chat, shall we?" Fennyr couldn't exactly see how they could have a "chat" with a talon in his throat.

"What do you want, Dulkrn?" Pyria demanded, her voice betraying her with a slight tremor.

Dulkrn twisted back to her. "I want the same as you. Safety. Protection. Well, as protected as you can be in the forest hell." He spoke as if she was a hatchling or mind-addled. It made Fennyr's blood boil.

"You had protection in the other group." Otner tried to sound aggressive, but a voice crack gave him away. "Why come bother us?"

"Oh," Dulkrn laughed, a high hysterical screech. "You'll have to listen to my conditions first."

"We'll never listen, whatever you say." Sulak countered.

"Such courage." Fennyr felt the talon in his neck press harder. "Is this really the time for such daring?"

There was a silence.

"Who invited the piece of weaog?" Auhek used the Old Drakentounge word for scat to describe the scarlet maniac. He seemed curiously unaffected by the appearance of Dulkrn. In fact, he seemed to find it amusing.

Dulkrn growled. "Who's the wise one? I don't like his attitude."

"I don't like your cowardly style, so we're even." Auhek smiled smugly. Dulkrn snarled deeper.

"W-Wait." Fennyr choked out. Dulkrn heard him speak and loosened the claw very slightly. "If you let me g-go, I swear, the instant we get to a town and the rest are safe, I will submit to you."

"You already did that..." Dulkrn said in a sing-song.

"Fine." Fennyr took a breath. "You can kill me."

Pyria let out a sound of refusal, but Dulkrn hushed her with a wave of his talon. His brow creased thoughtfully. "What's stopping me from killing you now?"

"Unlike you, Dulkrn, he's not alone." Grali said, eyes flashing. Dulkrn's eyes rested on her for an instant before traveling to the others. He studied Auhek the longest, judging how battle-ready he was. He assumed by the dagger by his side and his carefree attitude the ebony dragon was not someone he wanted to mess with.

"Alright, then." The crimson dragon smirked. "Your leader's life, for now, in exchange for safe passage. If something happens, I won't kill Fennyr, but I most likely will take another life."

"How can we trust you?" Azul quivered, clearly terrified.

"A-a blood oath." Fennyr gasped. The others gaped at his suggestion. The blood oath was a spell that was cast on Paridosa over a hundred years by a vengeful Na'phyn who's friend went back on his promise. In retaliation, she created the blood oath, a powerful spell that anyone who spoke the incantation and followed the ritual were bound to their promise, with dire consequences if they didn't follow through. Although many decades had passed since then, the spell remained as strong as ever.

"Oh, I haven't heard of anyone doing of those in a long while. Rather melodramatic, isn't it Fennyr?"

"Anything... to keep them from you."

Auhek brought forth his dagger. "Here, for the oath." A flash of metal, and the dagger was pointed between Dulkrn's eyes, only stopped by Dulkrn's forearm colliding with Auhek's.

"Now, now." Dulkrn purred. "Let's not have that. You're lucky the oath wasn't made yet, or I'd be forced to kill you." Auhek's face turned grave.

Dulkrn wrenched the knife from Auhek's claw and let go of Fennyr's neck, still keeping him pinned by putting his hind leg right in the center of Fennyr's stomach. He used the blade to cut open his palm. Taking Fennyr's wrist, he did the same. The pain coursed through Fennyr's arm and the blood fell on the dusty ground.

"In exchange for safe passage, I, Dulkrn Co'pell-son, swear to protect this group and not act out unless acted upon."

As Fennyr opened his mouth, he reflected what to say. Who was he? Was he still Sulfur-son since Sulfur denied him? He didn't know.

"I, Fennyr No-son," He spoke haltingly. "In exchange for the protection of...Dulkrn, I swear to offer him my life once all of my friends are safe."

They then spoke the incantation in Old Drakentounge; "Frem di Selone en'bror de frig'sin." For this I swear on my blood. And the blood of the two foes fell and mingled on the dusty ground of the fallen city.

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Hey everyone, sorry I was gone for so long. My family and I are currently moving, so I've been a little busy. I'll try to do better in the future. I know I keep saying that, but I'll try.

See you guys later!

Grace.