Not even in the face of death!
However, having the enemy unconditionally let him go; the difficulty of those negotiations was no less than if he had been presented with those conditions.
After much thought, the thunder dragon, who fancied himself collected and calm, finally opened his mouth when he saw Greem turning to leave.
Greem stopped upon hearing the thunder dragon speak.
"You can't give me what I want!"
"How do you know that before telling me what it is."
"I want you." Greem looked at Arms and gave a direct reply.
"Do not delude yourself into thinking that one of the great thunder dragon bloodline would bow his head to a human weaker than himself. This remains the same, even if you are an adept." The thunder dragon replied with a firm tone.
"Then what is there to talk about?" Greem twitched his mouth coldly before turning to leave again.
"Wait…" Thunder Dragon Arms couldn't help but shout.
In his hurry, he accidentally exerted force. A series of magic runes immediately lit up on the runic chains, and Arms instantly felt the pain of searing flesh.
Thunder Dragon Arms hissed in agony a couple of times, but he didn't dare move his body. It was only when the runes on the chains had been extinguished that he slowly climbed out of the abyss of pain.
"I……might not be able……to submit to you, but……I can have……my servant……take my place." It seemed the backlash from the magic earlier had caused pretty severe damage. Arms was exhausted even when speaking.
Greem raised an eyebrow when he heard this. He turned his head and took a look at Dragonborn Zacha, contained within the other pillar.
Second Grade Dragonborn Zacha had been in a terrible state when he brought into the sealing room.
The multiple weeks of starvation had turned him into rations for his thunder dragon master. Almost all of the flesh on the lower half of his body had been devoured, and even the upper half of his body had been badly mutilated.
Even Greem hadn't been sure he could save the Dragonborn when he brought him back. After all, such wounds were far too unimaginable terrifying!
In all honesty, the Dragonborn truly did possess one half of a dragon's bloodline. Despite the severe wounds, Gargamel and his shoddy potion master's treatment had managed to save the dragonborn. Zacha had almost fully recovered.
Greem had thought that Zacha would be filled with burning hatred for Arms and would be easily convinced to his cause.
But who knew? This Second Grade Dragonborn Zacha was a blockhead. It didn't matter how much Greem and Gargamel tried to incite and stir his emotions, he would never speak. Zacha still seemed to remain obedient toward Thunder Dragon Arms.
At this point, Greem had no choice but to admit the binding power that bloodline had over most lifeforms. It was beyond his imagination!
Greem had initially given up on Zacha and all thoughts of turning the dragonborn into his subordinate. Yet today, Arms' words had caused a sliver of hope to rise once again.
Though he was overjoyed, Greem kept a tight hold on his cold expression. He put on a sinister smile of disdain instead.
"You are a Third Grade dragon. Right now, you are trying to use a Second Grade dragonborn as a replacement for yourself. Do you take adepts for brainless idiots?" Greem's tone even started to turn severe at the end of his sentence.
"Of course not, of course not." A great dragon lord, reduced to being scolded and reprimanded by a tiny human adept. If this were in the past, Thunder Dragon Arms would have merely let out a dragon's breath and blasted the opponent into oblivion. However, he could only cautiously and gently explain himself now.
"I will use wealth satisfactory to you to exchange for my freedom!"
"A dragon's wealth?" Greem couldn't help but brood silently upon hearing this.
The dragons loved hoarding wealth. That was something known universally throughout the multiverse.
Every dragon would live together with their parents when they were still a whelp. However, they would be chased away by their parents the moment they came of age and forced to lead an independent life. The most direct cause for this wasn't their parent's hope for them to grow into independence, but because their parents would fear them lusting for the wealth they had worked so hard for.
That was why every dragon would build their own dragon's den and go out robbing the wealth of other intelligent lifeforms upon adolescence. Human cities, elven tree fortresses, dwarven castles, and even powerful magical creatures would be looted by the dragons as long as they were weaker than them.
Gold, jewels, rare ores, legendary weapons, magical gemstones, items containing powerful elementium energy; all of these were targets that the dragons loved to collect and rob for their possession.
When the wealth of a dragon reached their psychological bottom line, they would become increasingly lazy and cautious. They would hide in their dens, crouching atop their mountainous pile of treasures, snoring as they slept.
Dragons during this period of their life were the most reluctant to leave their dens, as well as the most powerful.
That was why Greem's heart throbbed intensely for a moment when he heard Arms' suggestion. He then looked at the thunder dragon with suspicious eyes.
"Arms, according to my knowledge, you seem to be a juvenile dragon. Moreover, this invasion into the Goblin Plane seems to be your first attempt at robbing away from your den. Do you have any wealth in your den?"
Thunder Dragon Arms' face fell apart when he heard this.
He hadn't expected this human adept to have gathered such comprehensive information about him. He looked so young. It was going to be difficult to trick the opponent now!
"I… have… some wealth in my den." It was the first time he was lying to a lower lifeform. Third Grade Thunder Dragon Arms felt as if he had dragged his name through the mud.
"And that wealth is enough to buy the freedom of a Third Grade dragon?" Greem pursued the matter.
"Enough…enough… it's definitely not enough. But… as long as you let me go, I will definitely go borrow some from my tribemates. It will be enough wealth to buy my freedom." For some reason, Arms was stuttering when he said this. There was none of his usual arrogance and self-importance.
"I have never heard of dragons lending their wealth to tribemates. Not even dragon partners would do so, would they?!" Greem was no longer suspecting. Instead, he glared at Arms with hostile eyes.
For the first time in his life, Thunder Dragon Arms cursed the vast knowledge of the adepts.
However, what he hated, even more, were those dragon bastards that went about spreading the secrets of the dragons!
Even the prideful Thunder Dragon Arms could no longer stay calm before the pressing eyes of the adept.
"I can help you rob… help you borrow…" The thunder dragon's voice finally relented.
"You mean you are finally willing to work for me?" Greem felt a slight joy at this.
"Impossible!" Who knew? The relenting thunder dragon suddenly turned stubborn when it came back to this question, "According to the traditions of us dragons, pure-blooded dragons are not allowed to become the companions, servants, or mounts of other races. Anyone who goes against this tradition will be spit upon by all dragons and lose the blessing of the Dragon God!"
"You mean… you can serve me, but you can't sign any servitude or slavery contracts?" Greem mulled over Arms' words and asked probingly.
This time, the thunder dragon didn't refute him. He didn't affirm the question either. Instead, he looked at Greem with a complicated expression and chose to remain silent.
Greem vaguely understood something.
The faith and soul of the dragons would always belong to the great and holy Dragon God.
That was a line that was never to be crossed!
As long as this red line wasn't stepped upon, Thunder Dragon Arms was more than willing to make some concessions for his own life!
Greem was
glad that he now understood the cards that Arms held in his hand.
Chapter 560 A Powerful Enemy Descends
The sun was shining high up in the sky.
The formerly peaceful market around Fire Cave suddenly turned loud and lively.
A group of adventurers returning from their hunt in the Black Forest had fortunately brought back with them five Featherwing Serpent eggs. A riotous auction broke out in the market and the camp.
Four or five adventurers with bloodstains still on their faces waited happily by the side of the auction platform. Every bid from the crowd around them caused them to cheer softly. The few merchant representatives from various places across Zhentarim were red in the face with all the arguments and hollering. They continued to wave the bidding cards in their hands even as they tugged at their collars to vent the heat.
The host sent by Fire Throne was an apprentice adept. He might only be an advanced apprentice, but he had rich life experience that surpassed his physical age. However, today's atmosphere was too intense. Even the apprentice adept couldn't help but be affected by the auction.
Just as he was about to shout and land the gavel for the final time, a shocking scene unfolded before his eyes.
A dark cloud of human forms pressed toward Fire Cave from the distant horizon.
They were still far out at the horizon a moment ago, but the next second they had all appeared above the skies of the market.
All the people inside the market and the camp quickly hurried into their tents or wooden huts, silently assessing these uninvited guests from the side. Their faces turned when they saw the appearances and clothes of the newcomers. Anxiety filled their hearts.
The Vik Family!
These were all high-grade vampire adepts of the Vik Family!
There were veteran adventurers in the camp who had traveled far and wide. They quickly recognized the newcomers with a single glance.
In all honesty, it wasn't hard to recognize these people, with their noble clothes and giant bat wings on their back. There were only so many vampire families after all.
Moreover, the vampire in the lead had a long and sharp face, a tall nose, thin lips, and a pair of strange silver eyes that shone like stars. He wore fitted pants, a red shirt, and a black high-collar coat. A black red-lined silk cape billowed behind his back. He was a person who left an impression.
The family head of the Viks, Third Grade Vampire Adept Haines Vik.
Someone quickly recognized this famous and powerful Third Grade vampire. They gasped in surprise and hurriedly pressed their hands against their mouth before sneaking out of the camp.
A total of thirteen vampires had arrived. There was one Third Grade vampire amongst them, and that was the current family head of the Viks, Haines Vik. There were two Second Grade vampires, Leicester, who had just advanced, and the more veteran vampire Toril. The other vampires were also core members of the Vik Family and publicly known as First Grade adepts.
A Second Grade adept in black robes walked along with them. It looked like Adept Fügen of the Sarubo Clan.
This domineering descent of intimidating vampires upon Fire Throne didn't seem like they were here as guests. The smart adventurers who had gathered around the market and camp started to slowly back off, exposing the small auction platform and host within the crowd.
"You are from the tower below?" The cold Haines narrowed his eyes and stared at this apprentice adept with his strange silver eyes.
"S-…sir, greetings to you. I am… Wa…"
Skra! A strange red flash of light.
Haines made a grabbing motion with his right hand while hovering in the air. Five deep claw marks instantly appeared on the apprentice's face.
"I have no interest in your name. I asked you whether you are from the tower below? One more useless word out of your mouth and I will crush you to death." A wicked expression surfaced on Haines sharp face.
The apprentice adept clasped his face and screamed, but quickly stopped himself when he heard Haines' threat. He trembled as he nodded and said: "Yes… I am."
A satisfied smile appeared on Haines' face.
"You have five minutes to go inform Greem of our arrival. Tell him to hand over that bitch and come out to kowtow before us. Otherwise, I will wash his tower with blood today!"
The apprentice adept was shocked by the loud roaring of the Third Grade vampire. He completely forgot the pain on his face. He opened his eyes wide, unable to believe what he had just heard.
"You've been poisoned by my blood poison through the wound on your face. You only have five minutes left to live. Better hurry up, or else, kehkehkeh…"
It was only upon the vampire's reminder that the apprentice sensed the abnormality of the wound.
Five minutes!
Passing through Fire Cave to reach Magma Hall, and then entering Fire Throne? Five minutes? How was that enough? However, the apprentice adept couldn't think about this any longer. His life was at stake. He activated the Hasten spell in his pinky finger ring and desperately poured antidotes into his mouth.
In the blink of an eye, he had passed through the market and dove into Fire Cave.
"He can't possibly live until he reaches the tower!" Adept Fügen coldly commented.
The calmness and coldness in his tone made it impossible for anyone to realize that he was talking about a life at stake.
"A small fry like that isn't qualified to be a messenger. He might have lived for five minutes if he wasn't running so fast, but now, he should turn into a pool of blood within two minutes." Haines laughed sinisterly.
"There seems to be movement under the ground!" Leicester, who had been folding his hands and standing respectfully behind Haines, couldn't help but give a reminder.
The cluster of elementium fire two hundred meters under the ground had started roiling ever since they arrived. It seemed like Fire Throne had sensed their aura and was drawing upon the energy of the elementium pool to increase the defenses of the tower.
The people in the camp who had still been observing the situation scattered upon seeing that the adepts were here for trouble. They quickly escaped into the woods.
The vampires had no interest in slaughtering these ordinary mortals that lived by the tower either. Instead, it was Vik Family head, Haines, who couldn't help but be intrigued when he saw the five adventurers trying to leave with their Featherwing Serpent eggs.
The eggs being held in their hands magically flew into the sky, as if they had grown wings, and fell into Haines' hands.
"Eggs of Featherwing Serpents?"
Haines lifted the eggs and sniffed them. He then casually cracked one of the eggs and sucked all the egg white into his mouth.
"The energy aura isn't too dense, but it tastes fairly fresh. Mm, take this magical crystal and leave. I'll be keeping these eggs."
The next second, a single shiny magical crystal fell from the sky and landed before the five adventurers.
Five eggs laid by a First Grade Featherwing Serpent was only worth one magical crystal?
The muscular warrior of the group turned red in frustration. He wanted to step forward to argue, but his teammate quickly dragged him away, picking up the magical crystal as they left and never looked back.
This temporary camp and market that could fit four to five hundred people became a barren land within a matter of moments.
The thirteen vampires beat their wings and slowly landed on the ground. Haines, on the other hand, landed atop a crimson carpet that the other vampires had laid on the ground. A black chair then appeared behind him, and Haines elegantly sat down.
A glass filled with red wine was placed into his right hand the moment he opened it.
Haines elegantly crossed one leg over the other and brought the wine glass before him. He sniffed the fragrance from the crimson liquid and narrowed his eyes, silently waiting for the arrival of the enemy.
No more than a Second Grade adept. He couldn't possibly be a worthy opponent.
T
he speed of a Third Grade vampire when flying at their fastest was not something that an ordinary mortal could even imagine. Killing that Second Grade fire adept wouldn't take more than three seconds. In fact, Haines wondered if the fire adept would see his movements before he died.
Perhaps this would cause the adept to die too quickly, and there would be no pain!
Mm. Then he would just slowly crush him with the slowest of movements, allowing him to experience how death descended upon him fully.
A door of fire slowly opened in a space in front of Fire Cave while the vampires were patiently waiting.
Two adepts of entirely different stature walked out from the door.
"Greem!"
Leicester immediately recognized the adept and couldn't help but call out his name in resentment. However, he didn't dare make any movements without the orders of the family head. He could only stare at Greem with his crimson eyes.
The ones that had arrived were naturally the two people in charge of Fire Throne– Greem and Gargamel.
Gargamel raised his wrinkled old face once the door of fire had dispersed and carefully assessed the group of individuals in front of him. Even though Gargamel had already known the identities and purpose of the enemy before he came out, he still felt his heart tremble when faced with such a powerful group of individuals.
If it wasn't for the mental protection that Fire Throne remotely cast on him, Gargamel might have started trembling from the unsuppressible fear.
On the other hand, Second Grade Greem was faring much better.
A layer of light flame-red light radiated from Greem's body due to the protection of Fire Throne. While he was within five kilometers of Fire Throne, any enemy that wanted to attack him would first have to break this flame barrier.
That was Greem's special privilege as the owner of the adept's tower!
Greem betrayed no fear when faced with these powerful uninvited vampires. Instead, he raised his head and greeted the old face in the sky.
"Long time no see, Adept Fügen! Why don't you come in for a seat, now that you have come to my tower?"
Chapter 561 The Ship Has Yet to Sink, But the Rats Have Already Fled
Age of Adepts c1-1513 Page 351