"Alright then." Prince Drake crossed his arms against his chest, the ever-present smirk never leaving his handsome features. "Since we both aren't so sure of our strength, why don't we have a little spar to determine who's stronger?"
As he said that, the grin on Drake's face widened even more, revealing his razor-sharp teeth. After his training session in the coliseum, he had been summoned by his father, where he first heard about Nox.
At first, he was shocked that his sister had brought a human into the Dragon Realm. However, he soon learned from his father that this so-called human was far stronger than he let on.
It was rare for Drakos to take an interest in someone. Drake couldn't even count the number of times his father had praised anyone.
Though he was sent to challenge Nox and test his strength, the competitive dragon in him wanted more than just a spar. He wanted to see what this human was truly capable of.
Drake studied Nox's expression, an expectant gleam in his eyes. At this point, Zara also realized her father must have sent her brother, but that didn't make her feel at ease.
On the contrary, it made her even more worried.
Her brother was incredibly powerful. Though his fame paled compared to the princes and princesses of the Fire Dragons, Shadow Dragons, Lightning Dragons, and Light Dragons, he was still a force to be reckoned with.
He had been instrumental in the last battle against the corrupted Dragons and was considered an underdog in the upcoming Kingdom Tournament.
Zara wasn't thrilled about this fight.
Though she had witnessed Nox's prowess, she wasn't certain who would win between the two.
There were several reasons for this, but the main ones were experience and environment.
Drake was older, more experienced, and had honed his battle instincts through countless fights. But beyond that, they were standing in a frozen region—Drake's domain.
It was no secret that Frost Dragons thrived in icy environments. Their strength and abilities doubled in the cold.
Zara furrowed her brows, glancing between the two. The tension was palpable. Nox hadn't spoken for a while, which only heightened the anticipation.
"Now, now, I'd be disappointed if you were scared," Drake teased.
"No, not scared." Nox chuckled. "I was just thinking of the appropriate skills to use in this fight."
"That means you accept?" Drake asked excitedly, like a child who had just received a new toy.
"I accept," Nox nodded. "As long as it's a friendly match. No killing, obviously—just a bit of fun."
"Yes. Hardcore fun," Drake laughed, slamming a hand on Nox's shoulder as if they had been friends for years.
Zara watched them with a helpless expression, massaging her temples before letting out an exhausted sigh.
"I hate both of you."
Frostpire Royal Coliseum
After agreeing to the fight, Nox and Drake headed to the coliseum, which was only a few miles away from the Royal Tower.
Drake had suggested carrying Nox, but Nox politely declined and instead mounted Zara. There was no deeper reason—just personal preference. Totally not because he didn't feel comfortable being carried by another male.
Minutes later, they arrived at the coliseum. A few dragons were still training, but after Drake spoke with the officials, everyone was politely asked to leave.
Zara, now in her humanoid form, took a seat in one of the stands with the best vantage point. Her heart pounded against her chest as she waited in anticipation for the match to begin.
Though she loved her brother dearly, she was wholeheartedly rooting for Nox to win.
As she sat there, Zara suddenly sensed a presence behind her. Alarmed, she turned quickly, only to find five familiar figures.
"Princess Zara? Is that you?" one of them asked, disbelief in his voice.
The one who spoke was a dragon who had fought Drake earlier that day.
"Yes, it's me. How have you been?" Zara smiled warmly as she recognized them—her closest friends.
One of the individuals, a girl around Zara's age, shrieked at the top of her voice before rushing over and pulling Zara into a tight embrace.
"I missed you! Where did you even go? That stupid Drake wouldn't tell us a thing!"
"Did you offend the king? Did he throw you into a dungeon?!"
Zara felt a massive headache forming at the barrage of questions.
She tried to speak, but her voice was drowned out by their chatter.
"Wait, wait!" one of them interrupted with a confident look. "I know what happened. That Water Prince kidnapped you and tried to make you his wife, right?"
"Then what happened?"
"That's what you should've asked in the first place, ugh!"
Seated in a private booth high above the coliseum, King Drakos Frostpire swirled a glass of liquor in his hand, the drink filled with millions of tiny ice particles.
Sipping slowly, he glanced at his daughter and her friends before shifting his gaze to the two figures standing in the arena.
The training grounds still bore the scars of the previous battles.
The king's lips curled into a sadistic smirk.
"Kid, I hope you're as strong as I sensed," he muttered, his piercing gaze locked onto Nox. "You're in for a world of pain."
Nox and Drake stood in the middle of the fighting platform.
A deep crater, formed from Drake slamming an opponent from the sky, was still visible. Ice chains and spikes littered the field.
Nox's gaze lingered on the destruction. He couldn't help but ask, "If you don't mind me asking… what happened here?"
"Oh, just a little spar between me and my friends," Drake said nonchalantly, gesturing to his group.
"Okay then, the rules are simple," Drake rolled his shoulders back. "We fight until one of us yields or can't continue. No outside interference, and no killing."
"Good," Drake said, but then his expression shifted.
The playful light in his eyes dimmed, replaced by something serious—something predatory.
"Don't hold back because…" His voice dropped an octave, his entire presence growing heavier.
And without further ado, the Dragon Prince and the half-human, half-Valkyrie clashed!
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