Chapter 89 DARIUS' LOCATION

Darius wanted nothing but to cheer his mate up for he felt a little guilty for leaving her alone at home thus even if Bunny had run farther, he speed up walking to caught up with him but after taking a few steps towards the little creature, his entire body momentarily froze and a familiar voice penetrated through the inner depths of his mind. Both his fists clenched tight as he listened to the words it said.

'You want your mate back? Let's have a deal!'

Darius narrowed his eyes. A dangerous look flashed on his face. He raised his head, sweeping his hard and penetrating gaze around but he didn't spot anyone nor he felt Vladimir's presence nearby. For a moment, he tensed up but after a little contemplation, he decided to ignore his remark and ressumed on chasing after Bunny.

As the creature huddled in the corner, he picked it up and brought it in his arms gently. The little creature nestled in his arms comfortably as he scratched its little head to calm him down. After that, he went back to the border and stepped into the forest without further ado. He hasten his footsteps as he felt uncertainty building up inside him. He might not feel Vladimir's presence nearby but he was certain that he must probably be watching his movements the entire time. The fact that he managed to mindlinked him with such words was enough to make his mind restless.

He could tell that his father's voice sounds confident as though he was actually telling the truth. He didn't believe him though but knowing his father's character very well, he was definitely up to something unpleasant. He wanted to find out what it was but for now, he had to go back to Mystica as he didn't want her to worry about him. He made a mental note that he would deal with that matter next time.

As he walked through the narrowed path heading towards home, Bunny wriggled himself out of Darius' arms and he bent over to drop him off to the ground gently. Bunny scurried ahead of him and Darius couldn't help chuckling as he watched his mate's little friend getting farther and farther.

'That little sneaky thing, was he trying to compete with me?' He thought as he playfully raced after him towards the hut.

On the other side of the border...

Vladimir, accompanied by his subordinates, stepped out of a huge tree after watching his son's movements for a long time. He grinned smugly as he thought. 'That witch's conceiling spell is not bad after all! Darius failed to locate me indeed but I succeeded in locating him! That unfilial brat!'

Gnashing his teeth, he focused his gze at the certain spot where Darius had vanished after stepping in. The very same spot where he actually spotted Darius' little mate, Mystica coming out chasing after a furry creature just a while ago. Now he finally understood why they couldn't find them even if they had turned the entire Aerouant Kingdom upside down. Its because they have found a place that he himself never been able to find!

Greed shone on Vladimir's narrowed eyes after his discovery!

He had lived his life a couple of centuries, conquering places after places he desired but he never was informed that there could be a place like that. A place where it was completely out of his reach. No one, even his great grandfather, the oldest dragon patriarch who lives numerous centuries ago, the first blood lineage of the Cage clan has told him about such a non-existent place. Even his father didn't mention about it before he died therefore, he felt confident and powerful enough that he has conquered all the Kingdoms of the entire Realm. Not until now did he realize that he hadn't gotten fully control of all the places he wanted in his grasp.

The look on his face shifted as he thought that the place could be more interesting compare to the places he used to admire in the past. It filled with eagerness, confidence and determination as he began to imagine the things he could get and all the possibilities of becoming even more powerful if he could conquer that place. Such thought heightened Vladimir's arrogance to no end. However, before his thoughts began to wander, he recalled that his son had already the access to that unknown passage, the confident look on his face vanished little by little as another thought gradually formed in his mind.

'Could it be that the former king of Aerouant Kingdom purposely hid it from him and instead told his son, Darius to have an upper hand against him in the future?'

He recalled that his father had high tolerance when it came to Darius. His father had watched his eldest grandson in the training field singing praises every now and then with his little achievements. Vladimir seldom witnessed his farther scold his eldest son and instead he was frequently given him an earshot, telling him that he lacks parental guidance towards Darius.

Having such memories recalled aroused Vladimir's supicion. Was that really possible? Was he really treated unfairly by his own father?

His was deeply engaged in his nonsensical thoughts when he heard one of his slave's enthusiastic voice rang in his ears and it successfully snapped him back to his senses.

"Woah! Did you see that?!" That certain slave questioned his fellows in a very high pitched voice full of amazement. "Master Darius vanished without a trace! He was so amazing!"

The rest nodded in a daze, staring at the wilderness ahead. The shock in their faces was evident that they couldn't speak a word for a moment.

Vladimir narrowed his eyes and a look of disdain flashed across his face. He glared at his blabbering slave sharply and it successfully shut him up.

The slave cowered under his blazing gaze and his face turned deathly pale in an instant. He felt a deep sense of fear rising inside him.

He had been serving as Vladimir's subordinate for almost half of the century and he was aware what would happen if he succeeded in pissing his Lord off. He, would never consider the fact that he had worked himself hard for him all those years and with a flick of his finger, he would never hesitate to spit out his flame to burn him down right there and then.

"Are you looking down on me?" He spat dangerously. From the surface, he looked calm and composed but deep within, his mind was completely in disarray thinking that countless possibilities of him being plotted and toyed by his own father and son were taking his sanity out of control. "Tell me if you have a final death wish and I will gladly comply to your request!" Saying these, his eyes darkened and his face shifted to a murderous look intent.

He didn't like these lowly creatures showing signs of acknowledgement towards Darius because it could only meant that he could swayed them so easily using such a trick. Even if he was his chosen heir, he still want his slaves only to be loyal to him and not to his son therefore, if he spotted a flaw of betrayal within his highly trained subordinates then he wouldn't mind burning him right there and then before it divides quickly and completely ruin his entire cultivated authority.

Trembling, the slave stammered as he kneel down upon Vladimir's feet, almost kissing his muddy boots. "Please for... Forgive my insolence, Lord Vladimir!"

The others followed suit, fearing that their high and mighty ruler will sweep them off the realm in an instant. They kneeled and bowed, with their faces slammed on the ground as they waited Vladimir to speak up.

A devious smirk formed on the corners of his lips as he watched his slaves waving their loyalties into his face due to extreme fear. The dark look in his eyes faded a little. Somehow, he find his slaves' stunts a little comforting, therefore, he raised his chin, aiming the certain spot where Darius vanished and spoke.

"Enough wasting your nonsense!" He barked as a plan worked its way into his cunning mind. Then he pointed his finger ahead and instructed. "Go and follow Darius!"

The slaves stood and straightened up themselves at once. They nodded their heads in unison before they scurried towards the certain spot.

Vladimir watched them with excitement as they prepared to go one by one.

"I'll see you in the other side!" He nodded to Vladimir and grinned smugly at his fellow subordinates before he lifted his foot straight ahead.