The four Major Races

After Dali had single-handedly defeated the monstrous half-dragon creature, he rushed to Joon's side, his brow furrowed with concern as he gently placed a hand on his friend's shoulder.

"Joon, are you alright?" Dali asked, his voice low and worried.

Joon looked up at Dali, his face pale and his breathing labored. "I... I don't know what happened," he said weakly. "My powers just wouldn't work."

Dali nodded, his expression thoughtful. "We'll figure this out, but right now we need to get you somewhere safe." He bent down and scooped Joon up, hoisting him onto his back.

As Dali began to carry Joon away, Sege's voice cut through the air. "Not so fast," the prince called out, his tone authoritative. "The king wishes to see you both."

Dali paused, his gaze meeting Sege's. "The king?" he echoed, his eyes narrowing slightly.

Sege nodded, his expression unreadable. "Yes. He has been informed of your presence and desires an audience."

Dali studied Sege for a moment, weighing his options. With Joon in his current state, he knew they couldn't afford to antagonize the prince. Letting out a resigned sigh, he adjusted Joon's position on his back and began walking towards Sege.

"Very well," Dali said, his voice calm and even. "Lead the way."

Sege's lips curled into a smirk as he turned and began walking, Gamby falling into step beside him. Dali followed closely, his focus divided between Joon's well-being and the uncertainty of what awaited them in the king's presence.

As they made their way through the streets of Daldoria, Dali couldn't help but feel a growing sense of unease. The king's sudden interest in them could only mean trouble, and with Joon's powers seemingly betraying him, he knew they were walking into a precarious situation.

Dali's mind raced, trying to anticipate what the king could want and how best to navigate this encounter. He glanced down at Joon, who looked utterly exhausted, and a surge of protectiveness rose within him. Dali was determined to shield his friend from whatever dangers they might face.

As they approached the grand doors of the Daldoria palace, Dali's breath caught in his throat. Lined up in the hallway, standing at attention, were the members of the Reax Team - all 30 of them. Dali's eyes widened, and he felt a surge of trepidation pass through him.

In front of the Reax knights stood Sir Jude, Captain Amit, and Mage Spurin, their expressions grim and their hands resting on the hilts of their weapons. Dali knew these were formidable opponents, and the fact that they were here, awaiting their arrival, only heightened the sense of danger.

Sege and Gamby led Dali and the weakened Joon into the throne room, where the imposing figure of the king sat upon his ornate throne. Dali's heart pounded in his chest as he took in the sheer power and authority emanating from the ruler of Daldoria.

As they approached the king, Jude's eyes narrowed, and he suddenly launched himself towards Dali and Joon, his sword glinting menacingly.

"Enough, Jude!" the king's booming voice commanded, and the Reax knight instantly halted his attack, his sword mere inches from Dali's face.

The Reax team members tensed, their hands gripping their weapons tightly, but they remained in their positions, eyes fixed on the two intruders.

The king stood up, and just by his mere movement, Dali and Joon each gritted their teeth in fear. The overwhelming magical pressure in the room was suffocating, and Dali struggled to maintain his composure.

Joon fell off of Dali's back and collapsed onto the ground, his body trembling. Dali felt his heart beating rapidly, and he clutched his chest, his mouth beginning to bleed from the strain.

With a determined glint in his eyes, Dali pushed through the pain and forced himself to stand tall, his body trembling from the effort. He refused to succumb to the king's intimidation.

"Your Highness," Dali spoke, his voice steadier than he felt. "We mean no harm. We only seek answers and a way to save Joon."

Sege appeared in front of Dali, his expression cold and unreadable. "You refuse to bow down to your king? Who do you think you are?"

Dali met Sege's gaze unflinchingly. "I am Jaebrix Dodug," he responded, his tone calm and even.

Sege's brow furrowed, and he turned to the king, who was watching the exchange with keen interest. "Jaebrix Dodug? That name sounds familiar."

The king's eyes narrowed as he studied Dali, his gaze filled with a mixture of curiosity and suspicion. "Jaebrix Dodug, you dare stand before me with such audacity?" His voice resonated through the grand hall. "I know of no such name in the annals of our kingdom."

Dali maintained his composure, refusing to be cowed by the king's intimidating presence. "Your Highness, I'm sorry for the interruption. My cousin was just showing me around the city."

The king glared at them, his eyes filled with skepticism. "Very well, but Jaebrix, I do find you interesting. Won't you join us for the dragon skinning festival tonight?"

Joon, who had struggled to his feet, looked at Dali with a mix of uncertainty and trust. "Dragon skinning festival?" he murmured, unsure of what to make of the king's invitation.

Dali's mind raced, weighing the risks and potential benefits of accepting the king's offer. He knew they couldn't afford to antagonize the ruler of Daldoria, not in Joon's current state. Swallowing his misgivings, Dali inclined his head respectfully.

"We would be honored to attend, Your Highness," he responded, his voice steady despite the turmoil within.

The king's lips curled into a satisfied smile, while Sege's expression remained impassive, his eyes fixed on Dali. The Reax knights, including Sir Jude, Captain Amit, and Mage Spurin, remained bowed before their ruler, their hands gripping their weapons tightly.

Joon stood tall, his gaze meeting Dali's, silently conveying his trust in his mentor's judgment. Dali gave him a slight nod, then turned his attention back to the king.

"When and where shall we meet you for the festival, Your Highness?" Dali asked, steeling himself for whatever challenges lay ahead.

"The festival is tomorrow night, don't forget." The king said with a dismissive tone. The guards walked towards Joon and escorted them out of the castle.

Joon and Dali walked out of the castle and on the streets of Daldoria. "We're supposed to kill that man?!" Joon said as he gripped Dali's cloak collar and shook him. "What was I thinking?!"

Dali was pondering to himself as he was being shaken. Even though he fought back against the king's pressure, he still knew how dangerous it was. "I don't think it's wise to talk about this out here." He responded and grabbed Joon's wrist. "Also I don't remember what happened those two years after I got the power, but I do remember one thing - that pressure isn't one you can fake."

Joon stopped shaking him and looked around. "There!" He pointed at the abandoned house where he and princess Alexandraia hang out.

He looked around and went behind the building where there was a broken window. He climbed in and Dali followed suit. "This is disgusting." Dali covered his mouth. "Well, it's the only place where me and Alexandria can talk. She can't really be associated with a Dodug ya know?" He said with a sigh.

Joon led Dali through the dilapidated house and into a small room in the back. The space was sparse, but there was a sense of familiarity and comfort that surrounded it.

"This is where I come to think, to escape the pressures of the city," Joon explained, his voice low. He turned to Dali, his eyes filled with uncertainty. "Dali, the king invited us to the dragon skinning festival, but he doesn't know about our plan to stop him. What do we do?"

Dali placed a reassuring hand on Joon's shoulder. "We can't afford to antagonize the king, not in your current state. We'll have to play along for now and use this opportunity to gather more information."

Joon nodded, his brow furrowed in concentration. "The dragon festival is an annual celebration that commemorates the historical peace treaty between the dragons and humans. It was during this accord that the dragon-race was born - a hybrid of the two powerful bloodlines."

He paused, his expression turning more serious. "The dragon-race is considered the fourth of the prime races, ranking among the mighty griffins, phoenixes, and unicorns. However, the latter three have all been mysteriously sealed away for years. Some say it's nothing more than myth, but nothing is known if they ever existed in the first place."

Dali felt his forehead, which was drenched in sweat, and he groaned as a memory started to resurface. "W-what?!" he groaned, causing Joon to hesitantly approach him.

"What's wrong?" Joon asked, his voice laced with concern.

Dali panted heavily and then reached his hand to Joon's pants and reached into his pocket dimension, pulling out a small object. He opened his hand, revealing a metal scale that glimmered with an iridescent sheen. "No, remember? That monster we fought," Dali said, his eyes narrowing, "was a part of the dragon-race."

Joon's eyes widened as he remembered. "Then that means the king is aware of our abilities, and he's deliberately testing us by inviting us to this festival." His voice trembled slightly. "We're walking straight into a trap, aren't we?"

Dali sighed and sat down on the cracked floor. "I don't think so. When I destroyed the monster, Sege looked relieved, like he wanted me to do it. As if the monster was a failed project."

Joon frowned, his brow furrowing in thought. "So you think the king is aware of our abilities, but he's not necessarily trying to trap us?"

Dali nodded, his expression grave. "Precisely. He may be testing us, but it could also be an opportunity to gather more information about the dragon-race and our own powers."

Joon chewed on his lower lip, a nervous habit Dali had long since become familiar with. "But what if he discovers our true intentions? We're supposed to stop him, not play along with his games."

Dali reached out and placed a reassuring hand on Joon's shoulder. "I know, but right now, we don't have much choice. Your powers are still unstable, and we can't risk antagonizing the king and his Reax knights. We need to tread carefully and use this festival to our advantage."

Joon sighed heavily, his shoulders slumping. "I just wish I knew what was wrong with my abilities. Why did they suddenly fail me back there?"

Dali shook his head, his eyes filled with concern. "I wish I knew, my student. But we'll figure it out, I promise. For now, we need to focus on staying alive and gathering as much information as we can."

Joon nodded, his expression resolute. "Alright, then. Let's do this. But Dali, promise me one thing - if things get too dangerous, you'll get us out of there, no matter what."

Dali smiled and smacked Joon's head. "Are you crazy?! Didn't you feel that pressure, we almost died just from being in front of the king!" He scolded them and Joon winced and grabbed his head. "Ow!" Joon exclaimed but the two of them then went silent as they heard a creak coming from the door. Alexandria rolled in on a wheelchair with a surprised look on her face as she saw Dali and Joon. "Oh hey Joon! Who's this?" The girl said as she closed the door.

Dali yelped and jumped into the closet. "You said nobody would be here!" He yelled from the closet, his voice muffled from the door. "I never said that, Dali!" He yelled back but then quickly covered his mouth, but it was too late. The girl's face turned into one of fear. "D-Dali Ballo? H-here in Daldoria? You bought him here?" She stuttered silently. All of a sudden she inhaled and let out a scream.

Dali and Joon flinched but Dali ran to her and covered her mouth with his bare foot. Joon also ran and held her arms down. "You said she was cool! This is definitely not cool!" Dali said while panicking as the girl struggled. "She is! How would you react if a so-called murderer was standing right in front of her? And take your foot off of her mouth!" He yelled while trying to hold her down. "I'll have to knock her out." He said and threw his leg to her neck in an attempt to knock her out. "Wait!" Joon yelled, which halted Dali's attack. "What?" Dali said with his foot near her neck.

"Use your hand you psycho!" Joon yelled as Dali lowered his foot. "Oh right." He casually said and chopped the back of her neck causing her to fall unconscious and her struggling stopped.

Meanwhile, deep within the recesses of the Daldoria kingdom, the imposing figure of the king walked alone in a dark cave which was dimly lit by a lantern, his brow furrowed in thought.

"Jaebrix Dodug..." the king murmured, the name rolling off his tongue. "Where have I heard that name before?" He said as he turned the corner of the cave and there he saw 4 symbols on the wall. The colorful wing of a phoenix, the barbed tail of a dragon, the sharp pointed horn of a unicorn and the daggering beak of the griffin.

He went to the symbol of the Dragon's barb tail and removed some dirt and buried the metal scales of that dragon-race monster. "So, that old man that Jude killed was just a weak member of the dragon race, one who was in hiding when the 4 major races were killed. If only Jude would've given the man to me before killing him I could've tortured him to get answers about many other unsealed dragon-race members." The king sighed and covered the scales with dirt.

The king's eyes narrowed as he stared at the dragon's barbed tail symbol, his fingers tracing the intricate carvings. "The dragon-race," he murmured, a hint of disdain in his voice. "The bane of my existence."

He stepped back, his gaze sweeping over the other symbols – the phoenix, the unicorn, the griffin. "Those pathetic creatures were always too arrogant, too powerful. They had to be contained, put in their place."

Suddenly, the king's expression shifted, his features contorting into a look of pure rage. "But the dragon-race..." he spat, "they were a different story."

With a swift motion, the king extended his hand, and the dirt covering the dragon scales began to swirl and lift, revealing the iridescent sheen of the metal. "These wretched hybrids, polluting the purity of our bloodline. They had to be wiped out, destroyed at all costs."

The king's eyes glowed with an otherworldly light, and his body began to shift, his form elongating and transforming. Scales erupted from his skin, and a pair of massive wings unfurled from his back, casting an ominous shadow over the cave.

"I am the last true dragon," the king growled, his voice now a rumbling, inhuman roar. "And I will not rest until every last one of those abominations is eradicated from this world."

He clenched his fist, the dragon scales crumbling to dust between his fingers. "AND AND…AND THAT DAMNED SEGE COULDN'T TELL THAT JAEBRIX IS DALI BALLO?! I'VE GIVEN HIM ONE JOB AND THAT BASTARD'S SON IS STILL ALIVE!"

The king's roar of rage echoed through the dark confines of the cave, the sound reverberating off the jagged walls. His massive clawed hands clenched and unclenched, scales shimmering in the dim light as his transformation reached its peak.

"That fool Sege," the king snarled, saliva dripping from his elongated fangs. "How could he have failed to recognize Dali Ballo for who he truly is? The last living heir to the dragon-race throne!"

He paced back and forth, his tail lashing angrily. "All these years, I thought that wretched line had been extinguished. But with Dali still alive he carries the unmistakable mark of the Ballo bloodline."

Stopping abruptly, the king turned his glowing eyes towards the dragon scale symbol. "I should have known," he growled, "that the reason Dali Ballo evaded my grasp for so long was because he was hiding in plain sight, masquerading as a simple traveler."

A sinister grin spread across the king's draconic features. "Let me calm down, Dali is now known as Jaebrix, and the whole Reax trio knows who Jaebrix is. If I kill Dali and that Dodug especially after Jude's outburst, it'll be chaos. And the festival would've been a good time to kill him but my power isn't at its peak. After feeling Dali's pressure after 12 years, I have to admit he's strong. What exactly did the dragon tear do for him?" He asked himself and he turned back into his human form ready to walk out. "Such a nuisance." He said with a flick of his cloak and walked out of the cave.

Back in the abandoned building Princess Alexandria was tied upside down by a rope. Joon stood in front of her while Dali played in her wheelchair. Alexandria's eyes slowly opened and she struggled. "Joon, why did you tie me up?" She said softly with a smile. "Sorry, don't worry he tied me up once. Anyways, we need to know if you're cool." He explained but Dali pushed his face out of the way. "Enough, listen: I'm Dali Ballo, 12 years ago I spilt a dragon tear on my legs. I only remember a couple things about what happened 10 years ago but that's it. I didn't kill the former king, and yeah that's my introduction." He said with a smile.

Alexandria nodded, she couldn't believe that the accusations aren't true but if Joon is teamed with him it has to be. "Okay, so what do you want?" She asked while dangling from the rope. "We're gonna kill your father!" Dali said with an enthusiastic tone. Joon grabbed his face and pushed him. "I swear it's not what you think, we just want to take down the Reax trio and put your father in prison!" He nervously reassured her.

Alexandria stared at the two men, her expression a mix of confusion and concern. "Take down the Reax trio and put my father in prison? What are you talking about?"

Joon let out a frustrated sigh. "Look, it's a long story, but the short version is that the Reax knights led by Sege, and the king - are up to no good. We think they're planning something big at the upcoming dragon festival, and we need to stop them."

Dali nodded enthusiastically. "Exactly! And your father, the king, is a key part of their plan. We have to take him down before he can carry it out."

Alexandria's brow furrowed. "But my father has always been a just and honorable ruler. Why would he be involved in something so nefarious?"

Joon placed a hand on her shoulder, his gaze earnest. "That's the thing, Alexandria. We don't think your father is who he seems. There's more to him than meets the eye, and we need to uncover the truth before it's too late."

Dali chimed in, his voice lowering to a conspiratorial whisper. "I mean actually I just remember that the king was a shitty person so I'm just following Joon since he's my student!" He chuckled and raised his leg and in a flash Alexandria's rope was cut and she fell.

Alexandria let out a surprised yelp as she tumbled to the ground, her rope suddenly severed. Joon quickly moved to catch her, but Dali simply stood by and watched, a mischievous grin on his face.

"What the hell, Dali?" Joon exclaimed, helping Alexandria to her feet. "I thought we were trying to *gain* her trust, not scare her half to death!"

Dali shrugged nonchalantly. "Hey, I just got bored of the whole 'let's take down the king' thing. It's way more fun to just mess with her instead."

Alexandria stared at the two men, her expression a mix of bewilderment and indignation. "So, let me get this straight. You two drag me into some sort of conspiracy against my father, the king, and then you just decide to cut me loose on a whim? What kind of game are you playing?"

Joon shot Dali a frustrated glare before turning back to Alexandria. "I'm so sorry about that, Alexandria. Dali can be... unpredictable, to say the least. But I promise, we *were* telling you the truth about the Reax trio and the king."

Dali waved a dismissive hand. "Ehh, maybe. Maybe not. Who's to say, really?" He chuckled, earning another exasperated look from Joon.

Alexandria crossed her arms, her brow furrowed in suspicion. "Well, I'm not buying it. If you two think you can just waltz in here, make up some wild story, and then mess with me, you've got another thing coming."

Joon opened his mouth to protest, but Dali cut him off. "You know what, Alexandria? You're right. We shouldn't have dragged you into this in the first place. It's not your problem, and you're probably better off staying out of it."

Dali turned to Joon, his expression suddenly serious. "Come on, Joon. Let's get out of here. I think we've caused enough trouble for one day."

Joon blinked in surprise, but quickly nodded in agreement. "Uh, yeah, sure. Let's go."

As the two men headed for the exit, Alexandria watched them with a mix of confusion and relief. She had no idea what to make of their strange behavior, but she was glad to be free of their apparent scheme.

"Wait!" she called out, her curiosity getting the better of her. "If what you said about my father is true, shouldn't I know about it? Isn't that something I should be concerned about?"

Dali paused at the doorway, glancing back at her over his shoulder. "Eh, maybe. Or maybe not. Who knows, really? See ya Princess." He flashed her a sly grin before disappearing into the shadows, leaving Joon to offer her an apologetic shrug.

As the sound of their footsteps faded, Alexandria was left alone in the abandoned building, her mind racing with unanswered questions. What was the truth about her father? And could she trust these two strange men who had so suddenly entered her life?

With a heavy sigh, she sank down into her wheelchair, her gaze fixed on the doorway where Dali and Joon had vanished. Whatever happened next, she knew one thing for certain: her world would never be the same.