Chapter One-Hundred and Thirty: Ultimatum

Drake wanted nothing more than to just relax for the remainder of the night. The 'excitement' was just a little too much for him. Sure he had done some daring do, but he would much rather just sit and practice his magic at this point.

Not to mention that he was sure Claire would be better off not being traumatized as much as she had been recently.

Which brought up another point Drake was going to have to deal with soon.

Quickly after everything was said and done, Natto poked fun at them both. Claire had fallen asleep on Drake's bed. Drake was sure it was from mental exhaustion this time and not the overwhelming stack of trauma she was accumulating.

And another problem was that she had fallen asleep holding onto Drake. Making it incredibly difficult to do anything.

"Man… It feels like I'm back in high school, all the responsibilities of having a significant other but the very, very, very small amount of the benefits…" Drake sighed.

"You had a girlfriend in school did you?" Natto asked in disbelief.

Drake let out another sigh, already regretting saying something about it.

"Kind of?" he answered, looking down at the soundly sleeping Claire, her chest raising and lowering gently.

Natto's head turned in confusion, "What exactly is, kind of?" she wondered.

"I was a pretty naive kid back in school, even that late into the game," Drake said reminiscing, "And a girl I knew basically said we were a couple when we weren't to piss off another guy, the one she really wanted."

Drake ignored Natto who was currently holding her hands to her mouth trying not to laugh, and continued with his story.

"Basically it ruined my entire high school social life and I didn't even know it was happening. I thought we were just friends hanging out," Drake shrugged with his free arm, "And I only found out through other friends who were asking about why she and I broke up. Was a real fun time learning I'd been used like that."

Natto gave a deep exhale before she spoke.

"Th-that is very unfortunate," she said half giggling.

"Fuck you."

That is part of the reason it took me so long to actually start dating after high school… Well, it is what it is. At least it was a good life lesson. Drake thought somberly.

Their conversation was interrupted by three figures stepping into Drake's Aura sphere, his head turning in that direction.

He was relaxed despite what had just happened, but only because one of the figures was too large in size to be anyone other than someone he had come to trust implicitly.

The voice came from the tent entrance a moment later.

"Cool to come in? I don't hear any more screaming so I'm assuming you finished up?" Bjorn asked through the canvas.

Drake summoned a light green magic circle in front of his face, whispering into it.

"Yeah, all done. Big happy ending, and smiles all around. Just keep it down a bit. Someone in here is sleeping," Drake said, hoping his little magic trick worked.

When no one responded and they instead walked inside as quietly as they could he knew it had. But his casual demeanor quickly changed to one of cold calculated ferocity, his eyes shifting colors.

"Honestly I thought it was going to be Theo and maybe Chelsea. But bringing these two? Is it supposed to be a present or am I about to get snuffed?" Drake asked sarcastically.

Bjorn shook his head.

"Look bro I'm all for you defending and getting vengeance. I don't like people dying, but I'm not dumb enough not to realize things have changed, and they weren't the best standards for human decency," Bjorn explained, "But Shigure here. Even if he's young still leads a bunch of people so I can't have you jumping off the handle and trying to kill him."

Drake scoffed, "I can't even if I wanted to. But the rest of the so-called 'Leaders' and the little assistant that still owes mine an apology, that's a different story," he said, his every word dripping with icy venom.

Shigure quickly stepped forward in front of Uta, his hand pushing her behind him.

"I know you are still angry and I am sorry that this has happened. But as I said we had no part in it!" he said desperately.

"No, you just happened to try and go behind my back resulting in one of my most dear friends and someone I consider family even if they try to eat me out of house and home on a daily basis, getting injured by your own negligence and cowardice to not just ask me yourself," Drake spat, his Wind Magic circle sputtering with a little more power.

"I-I understand that," Shigure said bowing his head down slightly.

"Yeah but does she," Drake asked, a second magic circle forming under his feet, an earthy brown shifting with power, spikes of jet black erupting and pointing themselves at Uta and Shigure

Bjorn whistled, "Neat trick."

"I'm becoming more creative," Drake huffed in passing, still staring at the pair between his spell.

Uta growled and glared behind Shigure, staring daggers into Drake.

"What she said insulted my Master! I would be remiss to not be justified in retaliating!" she spat.

"Wrong answer," Drake said, one of the spikes inching closer, as Shigure maneuvered in front of it, "Try again."

Shigure's face began to sweat, his emotions painted clearly on his face that he was not sure if he would be allowed to live at this rate.

"Sir, Shot-" he tried to say but was cut off by another spike inching closer, Drake's face obviously not enjoying the conditionally added word of respect now that Shigure wasn't in control of the situation.

"Stop with the Sir, we've been over that you don't like me. And I'm sure after today you like me a lot less, especially after I killed half of the Coalition Leaders. Even if they were dirty. Also before you ask, yes, Adam is dead. It's a bit unfortunate he didn't let me hurt him more after everything," Drake explained his face showing how much mentioning the name disgusted him.

"W-what did you do to him?" Shigure asked, not able to help his curiosity.

"I ripped his head off and he burst into blue flames. Was something right out of Legend of Zelda when you beat the creepy witch bosses. Same weird voice and everything."

Shigure's face twisted in confusion, obviously not understanding the reference.

"Oh come on, that game isn't that old! Even speedrunners still play it. Fine, Breath of the Wild?" Drake amended, Shigured face showing understanding now.

Drake scoffed, but his aura refocused and pressed on the pair again.

"Back to it. I've lost most of my gentle heart for the night, and don't get it twisted. I'm going to kill the rest of those sack-of-shit leaders the moment Claire feels better because people like that just continue to cause problems. I've seen those movies, and everyone hates those characters. So either she can own up, or she can go night night for however long it takes an Assistant to come back," Drake explained.

"Can we not talk this out…?" Shigure asked.

"Are you really trying that hard to just not apologize for something that is your fault? Honestly…." Drake sighed, the spikes disintegrating around them, "You are going to die before you are able to learn to own up to your mistakes man. Do you not understand that this whole situation is directly your fault?"

Shigure frowned as Uta's scowl deepened.

"What do you mean? It was Adam that did this, along with the other conspiring leaders vying for power. I had nothing to do with it!" he said, raising his voice.

"Shhhh…." Drake said using his aura to press down on him to shut him up, "I said keep it the fuck down," Drake sighed, shaking his head, Shigure and Uta nearly falling backward from the pressure, "You are the leader of this little gang, that means anyone under you is your responsibility. When a snot-nosed little bastard hits your kid, you don't blame the kid, you blame the moron who raised him. Get where I'm going with this?"

Shigure grounded his teeth despite the overwhelming points Drake made, combined with the power he was exerting on the pair. But stayed silent.

Drake shook his head, giving Bjorn a glance as he shrugged.

"You can't be serious…" Drake said, tipping his head back into a sneer, "Then I'm going to give you a choice. You are either going to fall in line or you are going to leave."

Shigure and Uta's eyes widened.

"What? What makes you think you have the authority to do this?!" he said, panicking.

"I'm stronger than you, and you refuse to take responsibility for your subordinates despite being in the head honcho position. You can't enjoy all of the benefits without shouldering the responsibility that comes with it. Leaders must be held accountable for the actions of the ones they hold power over," Drake said evenly.

"Nonsense! I won't be held responsible for what a few idiots did, I told them to back off! I told them it was a mistake!" Shigure said, his voice beginning to rise again with his emotions.

"It's still your pile of shit to scoop up. You may not be able to keep your people in line, but I sure as hell will," Drake finished.

"You sincerely intended to take the entirety of the Outpost I built up myself because of this?!" Shigure questioned.

Drake scoffed, "Either that or I kill your assistant then put you out on your ass alone for the rest of the tutorial. I can't hurt you, hurt you. But as you can see my Aura works just fine at suppressing you. So suffering because of it seems to be a gray area."

Claire began to shift on the bed, her hand finally releasing Drake's as she rolled onto the side, somehow catching Natto by surprise when she pulled her in like a hug pillow despite her struggle to get away once caught.

"Ah! Unhand me wench! I am not a thing to be hugged! Although I am cute and fluffy enough to be considered one… But unhand me!" Natto protested.

Drake laughed momentarily, rubbing his wrist.

"God that girl has an iron grip…" he mumbled but turned back to Shigure, finally able to close the distance now that he was free, "So what's it going to be Shigure. Fall in line, or lose everything?"

Shigure grimaced and recoiled, shrinking under Drake's eyes.

"You are a demon in human skin! Do you not understand what you have already done to this camp tonight?" Shigure spat, trying his best to deflect and shift the blame.

"See," Drake said leaning in, "That's the difference. I know full well what I have done. And I accept the consequences. And when my penance comes, I will bear the full responsibility as I should. But it won't be today, and it won't be from you."

Shigure tried to look to Bjorn for help, but the tall brawny giant only shook his head.

"Sorry bro, I have no dog in this fight. I was never a part of the Coalition in the first place. Just wanted to help out and save people. But after tonight, with so many people having died and turned to Ghouls, only to have possibly been stopped had you not prevented me from killing Adam earlier," Bjorn's expression turned serious, "You reap what you sow, and you're getting off easy."

With no one to turn to, Shigure slumped to the ground, Uta putting her hands around him concerned.

"Fine… I give up… The outpost is yours, and the people are now for you to lead and protect…." he finally conceded, his head burrowing a hole into the dirt, his teeth gnawing at his bottom lip in frustration.

"That's good. But I still need an apology from her," Drake said, pointing at Uta.

"Is it not enough that you have dishonored my Master to such a degree? Now you wish to disgrace mine as well?" Uta sneered.

"He did that all on his own. Same as you when you lost it and decided to injure my family. I've killed people for less, so count yourself lucky," Drake spat, his hair shifting to a brilliant yellow as he moved, pulling her away from Shigure in an instant, "Because if I truly was the demon you say I am, you would already be dead."

Uta's eyes grew several sizes when she realized what had happened. Finally conceding the point like her Master had.

"I'm… I apologize for my transgressions… Please do not separate me from my Lord…" she muttered.

Drake looked over to Natto, who was struggling to dodge the growing trail of saliva dripping from Claire's mouth above her head. They caught each other's eyes, and Natto nodded, finding the words adequate.

"Well, I think it was a shit sorry but she says it's good enough," Drake sighed, his hair going back to black as he released Uta's arm from his grip.

A voice creaked out in a high-pitched plea from behind Drake a moment later.

"P-Please…. Save me from this blasted woman… Shot! Do not turn away! Shot….. Ahhhh the drool, the droooooool..." Natto wailed.