Chapter 249

Vorbuk was quiet for a long time after hearing King Micah's words. It was not something that could be easily taken in. Instantly he understood why King Micah had always acted strangely when Bredret tried to talk about King Micah. The reason that King Micah had reacted strongly to the gift from Duke Heket was because King Micah was from the same race. It wasn't just a rare object for him to see gifted to another but rather it was a cruel reality that King Micah's race was rare and considered valuable to criminals who'd seek King Micah's race as if they were a golden goose.

"Why are you telling me this?" Vorbuk asked him even though he understood that King Micah was just being honest with someone he knew would need to know eventually. During war against the god Chynir meant King Micah would have to eventually be honest with Vorbuk about what he was. It could not be hidden forever from him unlike the others.

"Unlike myself," King Micah hesitated to respond as he thought carefully about it himself as if there was more to his reasoning, "you can not hide what you are from the world around us."

"What does that have to do with..." Vorbuk was confused by the king's sudden words.

King Micah did not stop talking there, "Perhaps what I feel towards you is a sense of understanding as someone from a race that lives in hiding from the cruel reality of humanity, therefore, from one unusual king to another I only wish the better for our cooperation in the future."

"You're a big talker when you're drunk, huh." Vorbuk mumbled to himself as he listened to the rambling king beside him.

King Micah's long blue hair blue in the breeze of wind as his voice was deep and calm, contrary to the words he spoke, "Life can be a very lonely thing. The life of a blue phoenix is one that is dreadfully full of solitude. Trust can not be easily given to others. Companion beasts are similar in that aspect of life however in the end you are bound to give share your life with another eventually. You will bind yourself to someone and share in their lifespan. It is almost poetic."

"That will never happen." Vorbuk denied the very thought of being bound to another for life.

Companion Beasts did not only share the lifespan of their owner. They did not simply live and die at the same time as them. A bond with another was something that mutually benefited both sides because it was a form of sharing the power of their souls with each other. If the beast's owner went on to gain a name for themselves among society it would naturally benefit the beast as well. Not all companion beasts were intelligent and able to gain human-like forms but those that could often grew to make a name for themselves out of their talent and become famous alongside their owners.

The reason companion beasts stood out alongside their owners was because the talent of the owner also came from the companion. A companion beast's skills could be used by the owner of the beast. That meant if Vorbuk ever bound himself to someone he would be sharing a part of his soul with the person. It would give the person the ability to use Vorbuk's mana for themselves and as long as Vorbuk lived he would share in the death of his owner when the time came. In some ways the companion beast and the owner would even be able to feel each other through the bond even if they were far apart.

In some sense to be a companion to someone was similar to becoming a servant. A few differences were there but to Vorbuk it felt very much the same. He did not like having servants himself even though he already had marked two vampires. Of course there was no way he could consider putting himself into that position for someone else even if they tried to call it something else and change a few aspects of the bond. It still felt the exact same.

"You never know," King Micah's voice broke the silence, "one day you might change your mind for someone."

"Who could ever make me want to gamble my life and death like that?" Vorbuk smiled as he found the thought funny. His life was important to him and he could not imagine gambling it away for someone else. No matter how much he fought to protect those around him he still felt it impossible to give his life so easily for them in that manner.

King Micah looked as though he could see Vorbuk was thinking as he slowly opened his mouth and spoke, "Being willing to give your life for the sake of another does not always need reason. It could be the princess you so dearly cherish, the prince of whom you consider a friend, or it could even be that general, Daryl, but one day you may find yourself in a situation in which you decide that sharing your life with them is more important then worrying about how much time you could have left if it means you'd never see them again."

Vorbuk felt a tight clenching feeling in his chest, "You make it sound almost tempting." Bullshit. Vorbuk wanted to internally swear at how everyone worried about him. He knew he was not mortal like the others. Living as a beast among the mortal races was not something easy for him when everyone felt the need to remind him of his harsh reality.

"You could always consider me." King Micah smiled innocently as he spoke those words.

Vorbuk could hear the sounds of the others heading back from the lake. They were bickering about things that he did not care to listen. Hearing the words that King Micah said made him ponder the king's intentions momentarily. Not having a close relationship with King Micah he still had to be cautious of his intent.

"I think I would rather not." Vorbuk replied bluntly to him. His sharp reply stabbing into King Micah's conscious.

King Micah did not have it in him to pressure the offer on Vorbuk. He was also not someone who was desperate for more power. If Vorbuk had accepted the offer he would have taken it seriously however the offer was only given half heartedly. The offer the king had given Vorbuk was simply one he'd spoken on a drunken whim.

"If you change your mind later-" King Micah started to tease.

"I wont." Vorbuk interrupted without hesitation.

"Very well." King Micah replied.

"Are you trying to steal Vorbuk from me?" Prince Leo's voice cut through the air like a knife through butter. It felt like the area had gotten a bit warmer suddenly. Was Prince Leo's anger making him radiate heat like a heater?

That's scary. Vorbuk thought the prince was like a volcano. Harmless when calm but if he could warm a vicinity like a heater when he was rattled did that not mean his fire element was getting stronger?

No, now isn't the time to ponder over that thought. Vorbuk felt like everyone was a bit sensitive after drinking together. King Micah obviously became more outspoken when he'd drank, Bredret just acted out like a selfish child, but would Prince Leo loose his temper towards King Micah over something like this? Vorbuk felt worried the more he thought about it.