BOOM!!!!
ROOOAAARRR!!!!!
The snow instantly melted and disappeared. Wild blue flames danced on Valerian's body and the sound of countless angry dragons sent a focused shockwave that sent Oswald flying backward in an arc.
"One."
Before he could hit the ground, Valerian appeared above him and dove, heels first, into the magus' gut.
"Two."
Oswald, who had been struggling to stay conscious, immediately jolted awake from the pain and blood escaped his mouth, crashed directly into the ground beneath him and passed out.
Valerian was not done.
A pair of his wings shot out of his back. His left wing came down with so much force that the knights who were on the left were carried by a massive gale of wind and crashed into the buildings in the domain.
"Three."
The same act happened again but this time with the right wing and the same powerful gale carried the remaining knights into the buildings on the right. Shards of armour, blood and teeth were scattered everywhere.
This was not combat. This was bullying. It was torture.
"Four."
The wings retreated into the metal-bone skeletal frames, and two more came out of Valerian's back. Val's appearance was more arachnid than humanoid with the wingless bones out.
It became clear that Valerian was counting his moves. Just releasing different levels of his aura had won him the trial but he actually intended to bully his opponents who were already half dead?
"We concede defeat!" it was a female voice. Valerian looked in the direction the voice had come from. It was the teenage girl who stood next to the king. Val turned his gaze to the king who nodded.
"Say it." Valerian's tone was low, non-threatening but cold.
"We concede defeat." the king parroted.
Satisfied by the king's sudden humility, Valerian twirled his hand and the bodies of the knights and Oswald levitated then piled up in front of the bank.
Valerian's skeletal frames retreated and so did the [Blood Domain]. True to his word the outside world was unharmed by the trial but that was only the building. Mentally and spiritually, those who witnessed the fight were not whole.
'How can the gods let such a being exist?'
'Is this the power of true vampires?'
'The devil really is in the Capitol and that foolish royal family provoked him.'
"Someone call for the healers, quickly!" the king roared.
Alexander was slightly terrified. Valerian had used draconic auras at the start of the trial. A vampire with the aura's of dragons? What did this mean? How was it possible?
In Idris, the strong were respected and feared. Even after what Valerian had done, no one was angry.
Was it not the king who set up the challenge? Was it not the crown prince who went to places uninvited? Was it not the arrogant royal knights who provoked someone powerful and connected? How could the Lord Jata not take out his frustrations on them? They had dishonoured him and even if some of them were bedridden for life who could they blame but themselves and their foolish bosses?
The masses could only hope that the king was not as cheap as he was stupid otherwise if the compensation did not measure up to Valerian's liking, that monster would definitely raise his fist and erase the kingdom of Saras.
The same thoughts were bouncing around in the king's head. He was afraid. Saras was going through economic turmoil but the king and the nobles were all personally wealthy. The only way to not create a blood feud was to dig deep into his own purse and the purses of others but would money be enough?
The king though terrified was still a king. He desired to form a strong connection with Valerian and after seeing his strength, his secondary goal became the utmost important. So what if the dignity of the crown was damaged for the rest of his reign? If Valerian backed him who would wag their tongues and fingers?
"Lord Jata, I am shocked by your talent and power. I must insist that you come to the palace and we discuss your compensation and have a banquet tonight in your honour. As a visiting noble of status and might, it is only fitting. Grant my kingdom this favour and attend."
The king's words were bordering on sincere and submissive. It was no longer a king talking to a foreign noble but more like an eager vassal trying to please his liege. The crowd was not offended to see their king appear so fragile. Instead they wanted to applaud him.
Even though there were mostly commoners the one rule that all must obey is that the weak bow to the strong.