Lucifuge Manor — Training Grounds
A heavy silence hung over the training grounds of Lucifuge Manor, thick with the weight of impending conflict. The air pulsed with magic, charged by ancient wards inscribed in the stone beneath the dueling circle, ready to flare at the first clash of power. Rune-etched barriers hummed as the torches around the arena flickered in anticipation, casting shadows that stretched like serpents on the stone.
At the head of the ring, Grayroad Lucifuge stood, draped in ceremonial robes of shadow-woven silk, silver thread gleaming faintly under the dimming twilight. His expression was carved from stone, his gaze cold and unflinching, as her voice rang out across the field with the solemnity of a long-held lineage.
"By ancient accord and custom of House Lucifuge, this duel shall decide the future of alliance and engagement."
His words echoed in the charged air, resonating with the weight of history.
"Combatants, state your terms."
Lucien exhaled, his breath a thin mist in the cool air. Barefoot on the sigil-scored stone, he locked eyes with his opponent. His crimson gaze was steady, unwavering, and focused.
"Terms?" he asked, his voice calm as still water before a storm.
Across from him, Velzaria Tiamat strode into the ring. The air around her shimmered with heat, and every step seemed to scorch the earth beneath her feet. She stormed forward, a tempest of flame and pride, momentum wrapped in molten steel. Her armor caught the sky's inferno and turned it into a blade.
"No fatal wounds," she stated, her voice molten and metallic, a challenge wrapped in the heat of her being. "The winner decides the fate of this engagement."
Lucien's lips curled slightly into a smirk. "Deal."
"BEGIN!" Grayroad's whistle shattered the dusk, and the world erupted.
Clash of Flames and Shadows
Velzaria did not waste a moment. With a roar, she summoned her Draconic Wrath, a swirling inferno of molten fire that erupted from her body like an unstoppable storm. Her gauntlets blazed with the heat of a thousand suns, flames licking across the obsidian sky.
"Dragon's Roar: Inferno's Call!"
The air vibrated as the flames shot toward Lucien, forming into a massive wave of fire that threatened to consume everything in its path. The ground beneath her feet cracked and bubbled with molten rock, as if the earth itself bent to her will.
Lucien smirked, his crimson eyes glinting as he vanished into the shadows, melting into the darkness like a phantom. His presence seemed to ripple across the battlefield as he flowed through the cracks of reality, the flames of Velzaria barely grazing him as he shifted.
"Eclipse Waltz!"
Lucien's body became a blur of silver and black, his form flickering in and out of existence, leaving behind afterimages that danced around the flame-wreathed Velzaria. With a blur of motion, he struck from impossible angles, his shadowy blades slashing with lethal precision. Velzaria countered with molten fists, her gauntlets flashing with fire as she swung, barely missing as Lucien's shadow-dancing form dodged her attacks.
"You move well," Velzaria growled, her voice a mix of respect and challenge. "But I'll make you burn for it!"
With a flick of her hand, Velzaria summoned her signature Tiamat's Fury, a dragon-shaped blast of flame that shot from her hand like a comet, crashing into the ground where Lucien had been just a moment before. The ground exploded, sending debris flying in all directions.
But Lucien had already vanished again, reappearing behind her, his presence cold and heavy, like the weight of an ancient legacy.
"Shadow of Reckoning!"
Lucien's voice was low as the air around them shifted. A dome of living shadow expanded outward from him, silencing sound, dimming the light, and warping time itself within its radius. Inside the dome, the world seemed to collapse, flickering as memories and regrets manifested. Velzaria's eyes widened as shadows formed into phantoms of her past, twisting and turning, whispering of betrayal and loss.
Her breath came in shallow gasps as the shadows closed in, phantoms clawing at her with cold fingers. Each strike from the shadows bypassed her defenses, aimed directly at her will. A spectral brand formed on her chest an imprint of Lucien's judgment.
Velzaria's molten gauntlets flared to life again, her wings erupting in a burst of flames as she tore through the phantoms, her fury and pride burning hotter than the memory-filled shadows.
"Dragon's Wrath: Infernal Fury!"
Her wings expanded, massive and filled with fiery power. The flames surged in all directions, tearing through the dome of shadow with a blast of molten energy that seemed to reach to the heavens. The shockwave rippled through the ground, cracking the very earth beneath them.
Lucien grinned, dodging the blast at the last second, but he was clearly impressed by her strength. "You're relentless," he said, his voice steady even as the heat of her flames licked at the edge of his shadow-formed armor.
Velzaria's Tiamat's Pride ignited, a force of energy that merged with her dragon-shaped inferno, sending out waves of destructive heat. The air warped with intense pressure as the two forces collided.
The Final Strike
As the dust began to settle, both fighters stood, panting, their bodies marked by the intensity of their clash. Velzaria's fiery gaze locked onto Lucien, her pride and fierce warrior spirit still burning.
"Crimson Requiem!"
Lucien's voice cut through the tension, and in a moment, a spiraling sphere of destruction erupted from his hand. The air hummed with a violent melody, the ground beneath them trembling as the crimson sphere shot toward Velzaria.
With a flick of her wrist, Velzaria unleashed her Dragon's Wrath in a desperate bid to match Lucien's attack. The two forces collided, the air screaming with raw power. The explosion of energy echoed across the arena, sending shockwaves of power through the surrounding wards.
When the smoke cleared, both warriors stood, though Velzaria's smirk had faded. The sphere of destruction had torn through her fiery defenses, leaving behind only smoldering remains. Her body was singed, but her pride was undiminished.
"Well damn, Lucien," she growled, wiping blood from her lip. "Seems you are worth more than just a pretty face and clever shadows."
Lucien stood tall, shadows still swirling around him, a quiet smirk playing on his lips. "You weren't the only one with a test to pass."
System Resonance
[Mission Complete!]
Velzaria Tiamat's Loyalty Secured
Bonus Rewards Unlocked:
2 000 000 Demonic Credits Draconic Affinity Upgrade Access to Dragonkin-Territory Features
Lucien stepped back as Velzaria rose, dusted in grit and blood she wore like medals.
She halted inches away; the heat between them crackled like a forge.
"From now on I'm yours. We will share meals, battle's, and a bed for now on." Her voice was low like distant thunder. "And may the gods pity whoever tries to pry you loose from me my dear mate. "
She licked a bead of blood from her lip.
"You passed the test, Lucien. Now brace for the consequences."
Post-Duel Reactions
On the sidelines, Ghislaine chuckled, crossing her arms. "This is better than any training session I've ever had."
Yue blinked, impressed by the intensity, "So… she's yours now?"
Kuroka sighed, rubbing her temples. "Great. Another dragon to deal with."
Yamato, her expression as unreadable as ever, grinned. "I'll take the challenge. Dragons are great sparring partners."
Lucien massaged his temples, clearly overwhelmed. "Is this really my life now?"
From the sidelines, Rias smirked, watching with amusement. "You're getting popular, Lucie."
A whisper brushed in Lucien's mind. It was Lilith, her voice low and filled with quiet warning:
This path will demand strength...
It had conveniently omitted the clause about dragon women moving in.
New Affinities and Responsibilities
[Dragon Favor – Stage II Unlocked]
Title Acquired: "Drake-Touched Sovereign"
Effects:
Amplified affinity with dragons & dragonkin
Command over lesser draconic spirits
Passive fire resistance & partial immunity to dragon fear
Certain ancient wyrms will now acknowledge your bloodline.
A wave of golden light passed through Lucien's body as the sigil took hold, disappearing as quickly as it had come. The ground trembled slightly as Velzaria looked at him, her awe replaced by something deeper, a more serious respect.
"…That wasn't my doing," she murmured, more to herself than to him. Her eyes studied him with newfound wariness. "You're more than a Gremory heir with clever shadows. The ancient wyrms now. recognize you "
Lucien exhaled, though there was a quiet tension in his voice. "Surprises all around."
"Real power is never planned," she replied, tracing the ember-mark on his skin before it vanished beneath his collar. "Dragons won't just know your name; they'll feel it."
Watching Eyes
Deep within a warded chamber in the dead of night, the flickering light of the obsidian orb reflected off Grayroad Lucifuge's pale face. The orb shimmered as it showed the outcome of the duel between Lucien and Velzaria Tiamat. The ancestral wards, which had been quiet for so long, suddenly pulsed with power.
His fingers brushed lightly against the surface of the orb as he initiated a frost-blue crystal link. The cold of his touch seemed to freeze the very air.
Grayfia's voice crackled through.
Grayfia: "Report."
Grayroad: "He defeated Velzaria Tiamat. She kneels. Dragon Favor advanced."
Grayfia's voice was calm but not without weight.
Grayfia: "Then the primordial flames acknowledge him."
Sirzechs: [Joining the conversation] "Our son moves faster than most young devils his age."
Grayfia's voice softened.
Grayfia: "And forges bonds none foresaw. I will leave at dawn."
Grayroad nodded slowly, cutting the link, murmuring to himself.
Grayroad: "So the board resets… and the stakes rise. I just hope the young lord is ready."
Toward the Familiar Forest
Later that night, beneath the pale moonlight, the party moved toward the Familiar Forest. The air hummed with the heavy weight of ancient magic. As they walked, Velzaria Tiamat strode beside Lucien, her aura radiant and fiery. There was also a sense of protection that followed her every step. It was clear that she was no longer just a challenger. She was a protector,half-guardian, half-claimant.
Kuroka, ever perceptive, narrowed her eyes at the fiery dragoness.
Kuroka: "She's guarding her hoard already."
Yue looked between them and nodded, her expression pensive.
Yue: "The bond is strong."
Yamato, carrying her kanabō, grinned, her presence always ready for a fight.
Yamato: "Long as she's ready to brawl, I'm happy."
Rias, always quick to tease, couldn't resist.
Rias: "Try not to collect another powerhouse before lunch, Lu-Lu."
Lucien sighed dramatically, but there was a glint in his eye.
Lucien: "No promises."
At the edge of the Familiar Forest, the living gate beckoned them to a portal of nature, where ancient roots intertwined, and the air felt thick with forgotten magic. Zatouji, the forest spirit, drifted gracefully from the canopy, his beard made of leaves and vines swaying gently with the breeze.
Zatouji: "Welcome, Crimson Prince. Few nobility arrive so prepared, and hardly ever with a dragon at their flank."
Zatouji's eyes gleamed with ancient wisdom.
Zatouji: "What creature do you hope to bind?"
Lucien stepped forward, his gaze steady and resolute as he met Zatouji's ageless stare.
Lucien: "Something worthy of me, of them, of the future we're building."
Zatouji smiled, his eyes glittering like dew in moonlight, the very trees themselves seeming to lean in as the forest shifted around them.
Zatouji: "Then tread with care. The forest remembers, and tonight, it listens."
As the spirit spoke, the gate yawned open with a creak, revealing the shadows of legend beyond. The air thickened with magic, and the deep, ancient woods of the Familiar Forest beckoned them forward, its secrets, its dangers, and its creatures waiting to be discovered.
The party stepped forward into the unknown, the sounds of the forest blending with the whispers of the past. The forest darkened, shadows stretching long and deep. Lucien felt it then, a force awakening inside him, older than bloodlines, older than war.
The Familiar Forest had begun to listen.