The dragon's harem

As the caravan slowly drove inside, Zara and Serba kept talking as they walked into the front. “Did you see that mess earlier? Someone killed a large Tall Neck beast.”

“I know, that was us, or should I say, one of us killed it.” Zara said with a smug smile, “Guess who was it.”

“That which you spoke about in the letter? Merlin who guards the human princess?” Serba suggested.

“Half-right, she helped a bit. But it was someone else who manhandled that beast, guess who.” He whispered.

Serba looked back, “None look that impressive to me… besides that large human, the one walking in the back.” Serba immediately spotted Arad as his head towered over everyone else, even the horses. “No…it can’t be, humans don’t have that potential. Is he a mage as well?” “He’s a fighter, and he worked that thing up, blocked the tail swipe, and smacked him into the air.” Zara whispered, “I know you lions are proud and sometimes a bit arrogant, but this is advice from your proud and arrogant friend. Don’t mess with him, he’ll scale the whole village down to rubble in seconds, and you’ll not be able to fight back.”

“I hope Zank won’t cause us troubles…” Serba took Zara’s warning very seriously, he knew how powerful Zara and the tigers were, and such fear won’t come out of anywhere. In the beast land, the lions and tigers are one of the most powerful clans. They are the top of the top, and if they can’t fight Arad, there is no need for the lions to risk it.

“Yeah…Zank…Matilda is with us; I hope he doesn’t come roaring like a fool. Aron did throw his minion back yesterday, didn’t he? I HOPE that was a sufficient warning.” Zara looked down, and Serba paled, “He’s the one who threw him? It wasn’t some magic spell?”

“There was no magic, pure and raw violence.” Zara shook his head; Arad was too much for them to handle.

“ZARA!” A roar burst from the other side of the clan, and Serba sighed, “Damn it, he’s here.” Zara sighed, “I wish Aron just took Matilda with him. He’ll then deal with this idiot.” He cracked his neck, “I’m here, Zank. Come, we’ll settle this right here and now.”

Arad stopped walking and stared at them. Hearing what they were seeing, he knew that the lion walking toward them was Zank, the one behind the whole mess of Matilda.

“I don’t care about you.” Zank growled, extending his claws with a growl. “Where is Matilda? where is my mate?”

“She’s here but isn’t your mate anymore. Fuck off, go hump a tree if you’re this much in the heat.” Zara extended his claws. To the beast people, extending one’s claws, or bearing their fangs is a direct life threat. By pulling his claws first, Zank makes it clear he’s coming to kill Zara and kidnap his daughter.

Zank roared at the top of his lungs, “MATILDA! SHIELD MAIDEN MATILDA, COME OUT!” Matilda used to use a shield in the past when she didn’t want to get hit by a monster’s ranged attack.

Matilda looked out of her carriage window, reaching to the handle with her hand. No matter what, she didn’t want to see her father fight someone to the death, he might die or get severely injured.

“Stop! What do you think you’re doing?” Lucia grabbed her hand, “You’re staying here.”

“Let me go.” Matilda said with a stern face, “I’ve got a plan.” She looked at Selina, “This body is worth a lot, but still expandable.”

“I don’t know what you’re planning, but you aren’t getting out.” Lucia sealed the door with a magic lock.

At that moment, Arad grabbed the door’s handle from the outside and started twisting it. “Hmmm? Is it stuck?” He ripped the whole door out.” Everyone inside the carriage stared at him with terrified faces. “What are you doing? Aron!” Lucia gasped.

“Important matters.” He stared at Matilda, “Come out.”

Matilda smiled, “At least, he’s on my side.” She walked out.

“Don’t do it!” Lucia growled at her. “Aron, stop her. Don’t let her go.”

“Go where?” Arad tilted his head and looked at Matilda, “I got a plan. I’ll go with him for now.” She replied.

“Going with him? I brought you out to fight him.” Arad said, “Can’t have Zara fight your fight. Come on…”

Matilda froze in place, “You want me to fight him? I’m nowhere near my father’s strength, let alone that lion Zank.”

“Don’t worry, even if you lost. I’ll beat him up, I just want you to fight for your freedom, on your own.” Arad tapped her back, “It’s not freedom if someone else won it for you. You must fight back.”

“Don’t make her fight him.” Serba approached Arad and Matilda. “It’ll end up ugly, and quickly at that.”

“I’ll end up even uglier than that.” Arad looked at him, “I’ll burn this whole jungle down before I let him take Matilda. Don’t worry.”

Knowing that Arad was the one to massacre the Tall Neck, Serba had to take his words very seriously. He knew it, this man could raise hell if he wanted.

“ZARA!” Arad shouted, “Don’t bother fighting him.” Hearing Arad’s words, Zara gasped and looked back with a confused face.

“AH! A smart human, listen to him. Give me my mate.” Zank giggled, waving his claws at Matilda, “I see you brought her to me.”

Arad stood behind Matilda and put his hands on her shoulders, leaning forward and speaking right beside her ears. “Relax, and contract your muscles. Focus on my voice, you’ll have to fight him and win. There is no other way out of this for you.”

“I can’t win. Stop dreaming.” She whispered back at him.

“You’re beneath my shadow, calm down and focus. Listen to my voice, feel my hands on your shoulders.” Arad gripped her harder. “What do you feel?”

“A bit of warmth? And it hurts.” She mumbled; he was indeed gripping her shoulders a bit too

hard.

“You can win, go for it. If there is a man here that you can’t beat, it’s probably me, not anyone else.” Arad stared at her with glowing purple eyes, “Don’t bite your tongue.” “Heh?” He gasped, looking back at him. But at that moment, a jolt of pain burst from her shoulders, dropping her to her knees, gasping for air. All of her bones growled in pain like rotten teeth, and she could smell her own blood through her heavy breath. “What…did you

do?” She gasped.

“Matilda! ARON! What happened to her?!” Zara cried.

“MY MATE! You bastard, don’t touch her!” Zank shouted.

“Stand!” Arad glared at her, and she barely managed to stand, looking forward with an exhausted face, “What’s your name? What are you called.” Arad asked.

“Ma-Matilda, the shield maiden.” She growled and Arad pulled a shield for her, “Go! Remember your own name, look forward, and roar in pride. We do not take mates without

blood.”

When a human is born with a specific bloodline, like a fire elemental bloodline. There are some unfortunate times when they can’t manifest their power or awaken it. Those people had found a solution to forcibly awaken what power sleeps in their blood, and that was exposure.

Throw the fire sorcerers into great flames to burn, and drown the cold ones in the frozen arctic sea, bury the earth sorcerers alive in the dirt, and throw the wind ones above the clouds, let them fall, death, pain, and the fear of losing their lives will be the only motivation to push

them forward.

As Matilda stood with Arad standing behind her, a great shadow could be seen towering over her, writhing invisibly with power. None could sense it besides Lucia and Merlin, the two who knew of Arad’s power and could attune themselves to magic.

Lucia sighed and sat to watch, “Do what you like.” She could see it, Matilda was already standing between Arad’s claws, supported by him, and resting beneath his shadow. He didn’t just grip her shoulders earlier, he jolted her insides with a surge of his void magic, trying to forcibly awaken her bloodline.

Despite the heavy internal damage she received from Arad’s void jolt, magic could be seen sparkling inside her veins. She might not know it, no one else might know it, but it was a fact, that Matilda’s void dragon bloodline had slightly awakened.

Matilda stood, feeling her muscles aching. She could hear her heart throbbing in her teeth and ears. With each breath, the smell of blood rushed through her nose and her vision slowly tunneled forward, focusing on Zank.

“Go, Fight, win your freedom.” Arad’s voice boomed in her head and her muscles visibly expanded, tightening her clothes. The fine hair on her back stood, her ears bent backward, her tail pointed down, and her claws extended outward, the ones on her feet ripped her shoes

apart.

A deep growl escaped her throat, and a faint purple spark flashed in her eyes.