Odale suddenly awoke within a black abyss - a void of nothingness. Everywhere he looked, there was not a single ray of life or sign of life....
....
He locked eyes with Arabor and Iyka, who had been in the middle of what looked to be a card game, whoever were seemingly interrupted by his sudden appearance.
[Iyka] "Okay... Who is that?"
Iyka asked, looking at the Primal Dragon of Abyss. Arabor examined Odale, his gaze shooting across the whole body of the newly arrived lich.
After a bit, he sharpened his eyes onto the robe or clothes that the lich was wearing.
"I recognise that robe... You are the Prince of the Fire Kingdom of Ordial, correct?"
Odale looked up at Arabor, nodding.
[Odale] "That is correct - I... Was the Prince of the Kingdom of Ordial."
Arabor lifted an eyebrow before placing his cards down.
" 'Was'? Does it not exist anymore?"
Odale shook his head in denial.
Arabor was a bit surprised upon hearing these news. He had been sealed away 3 and a half thousand years ago, and before he was sealed away the Kingdom was still existent...
Did it somehow cease to exist while he was sealed away inside that prison dimension?
Iyka looked at him sceptical before looking at Odale.
[Iyka] "You're gonna introduce me or what, Lord Arabor?"
She asked with a slightly sassy tone.
"Hm? I don't know his name. I am only familiar with the family, not their members."
Arabor explained before scratching his chin.
"I believe that I had even made a pact with one of the members before, but I cannot remember with who..."
[Odale] "That might have been one of my Ancestors, since I was told that the pact was made around 8 centuries ago when I was young."
Odale interrupted, looking up at Arabor, who gazed down at the lich.
"Right. Apologies for my lack luster memory - You live as long as I have and you can't remember every little detail."
He stated looking at Iyka who had a slightly sour expression on her face, confusing Arabor as he thought whether he had said or done something to upset her.
Odale on the other hand simply gestured to the Abyss dragon that everything was alright.
[Odale] "It's completely understandable Lord of Abyss."
He said afterwards.
Iyka looked at Odale with a slightly surprised expression while Arabor looked a bit proud of the title he had been referred to by just now.
"Y'know, I think I like you Prince of Ordial."
Arabor stated, before laughing lightly. Iyka rolled her eyes, noting to herself how Arabor seemed a bit full of himself sometimes, how did not comment anything and simply looked at Odale.
[Iyka] "Mind telling us your name now?"
[Odale] "Right, my apologies. I am Odale Ordial and as Lord of Abyss has already stated, I was once the Prince of the Fire Kingdom of Ordial."
He introduced himself, placing his right arm onto his chest before bowing slightly forward.
Iyka returned the gesture a moment later.
[Iyka] "Well, Odale - You may call me Iyka, I am a proud member of the Kitsunes."
"And you already seem to know me, however I will introduce myself anyways. I am known as Arabor, The Primal Dragon of Abyss."
The primal dragon added after Iyka, which finished their introductions.
Odale then looked at the two again, before looking around.
[Odale] "Could you tell me where we are?"
"Inside of Faofas Soul Space or more accurately, Mind Dimension."
Arabor immediately replied.
"I assume that since you are here, You made a Soul Pact with Faofa?"
Odale looked a bit surprised by this assumption.
[Odale] "Exactly... I-I did... But how did you?-"
[Iyka] "Apparently Arabor is able to see what is going on in the outside world by looking through Faofas eyes."
Iyka cut Odale off, explaining the phenomenon. Odale looked a bit surprised by this, however almost immediately changed to a thought filled expression.
[Odale] "I see... That would mean that Lord of Abyss' connection to Faofa the Hope is very strong.."
"I suppose you could say so. After all, I did entrust my entire power and soul to Faofa for safe keeping or at least, until he finds a suitable host for me."
The dragon stated.
Iyka looked at him unimpressed - technically, she had not made a single Soul Pact with Faofa. The only reason she was in here was because apparently his [Devourer] skill devoured the remainder of her soul before it could disappear.
Odale on the other hand, had just created a Soul Pact with Faofa, and since he technically wasn't in the same situation as Arabor or Iyka, he was the only one who Faofa could call out.
I mean- One was a dragon who had just entrusted Faofa with his entire being while the other one was someone who hasn't even made a pact.
Odale looked at Arabor who bragged about him entrusting his soul and power to Faofa, before overthinking this statement.
After a moment, he looked at the dragon in a slight panic.
[Odale] "B-But Lord of Abyss! A suitable host for someone of your caliber would only be a body with an incredible Magical Energy capacity! One that could outclass even the God Vessels which the Gods use to roam the world!"
He stated in a panic, peaking Iykas interest.
Iyka then looked at the Primal Dragon with a smug face.
[Iyka] "Hear that Dragon? You won't get out of here unless Faofa practically breaks the laws of physics!"
She laughed, however Arabor looked at her with what could be interpreted as a 'smug' look as well.
He then laughed a bit, causing Iyka to go silent as well as Odale to look at Arabor in confusion.
The Dragon then crossed his arms proudly.
"Oh you poor, poor fools. I am not worried about something like that - I know that Faofa will find a way to set me free — one way or another!"
Arabor stated, confusing both of the other individuals.
[Odale] "What do you mean, Lord of Abyss?"
"...Oh nothing."
Arabor simply stated, exhaling.
It wasn't worth exerting his breath to explain the entire little details of this entire thing.
Iyka moved over to Odale, whispering to him.
[Iyka] "Yeaah... I think that dragon has finally lost it."
She whispered, looking at the less smug Primal Dragon with an unimpressed stare.
Odale looked at the dragon as well, however in his mind, he simply wondered - What was this dragon up to? What did he even mean by that sentence of his?
...Could there be more to this, that he simply wasn't sharing? Surely he hadn't planned out everything with Faofa before hand.
"But that's the future. Right now, I have a question for you Mr.Odale."
Arabor stated, dragging the attention of both Iyka and Odale.
Odale sort of 'gulped' before hesitantly asking.
[Odale] "What is it..?"
Arabor turned dead serious, before looking at the lich with a determined gaze, which was also filled with amusement.
"Would you mind..."
He flicked his tail.
A scary aura appeared around Arabor, which made both Iyka and Odale sort of afraid of what this dragon was about to say next.
"Joining me and Iyka for a game of cards?"
He finished his question, the scary aura suddenly vanishing as he did, as a deck of cards appeared in his dragon hands, which he carefully began to shuffle.
Odale and Iyka remained silent for a moment. Iyka was silent because she didn't know what she had expected from this dragon that on their first meeting had asked to play chess with him, while Odale was silent in disbelief that the dragon made such a big deal out of an invite for a game of cards.
Arabor looked at the lich with a happy expression, which also was strangely inviting.
After a few more moments, Odale sighed.
[Odale] "Sure I suppose. It doesn't seem like there is much else to do here anyways."
Odale replied making Arabor sort of celebrate at his agreement.
"Fantastic! Then allow us to begin a new round of this game together with Iyka."
He stated, beginning to shuffle the deck of cards in his hands a bit faster, before dealing them out to each player.
After the dealing was done, he placed the remaining deck down onto the 'ground' before picking up his cards.
Then, probably the most unexpected and one may say, intense game of cards began between a Dragon, a Kitsune and a Prince.
Meanwhile...
In the world outside...
Deep within a giant volcano, located just west of Ordial, a gigantic figure of what looked like a monster seemed to be looking into a crystal ball, watching the result of Faofas battle against the Fire Prince.
Upon the defeat of the lich, the monster breathed out smoke from its nuzzle before sharpening its deep green eyes onto the orb.
[?] "Utmost interesting..."
It noted to itself, before laughing lightly.
[?] "Hopefully he comes to visit me soon..."
The monster added, before laughing - it's laughter echoing throughout the volcano, followed by a loud growl, which shook the giant volcano and the area around it.
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Hey! Apologies for this chapters shortness.
It simply was supposed to serve as the explanation to what happened to Odale after the Soul Pact he made with Faofa and the reactions of Arabor and Iyka to his arrival.
Anyways, see y'all in the next chapter:
49.-
"End of The Raid & The Guildmasters Suspicion."