NOVEL NEXT Chapter 17: The Truth Revealed
Lukas lifted giant cobblestone slabs like it was nothing and at the same time manipulated the waters to lift hundreds more all around them. He had wanted to get the construction of the destroyed training yard underway as soon as possible and so he put his money where his mouth was; spending the entire morning with the construction crew.
It gave him a good chance to get more and more used to the use of his new Divinity of his, the Divinity of the Seas.
Speaking of the Seas, the people were alive with renewed vigour and the news of the Kraken's defeat had spread all across Linemall. It was true that one day, House Drakos would fall but it would not be falling any time soon; not with the newly awakened Lukas Drakos, younger brother to the missing Lord Rodan and bastard son of Lord Jaren.
What the Seas needed now was order. And to establish order, they needed power to assert that authority. But they also needed resources.
Even though Lukas doubted there was anyone in the entirety of the Seas that could even pose a challenge to him, the Seas were lacking both in power and resources.
There was a reason why so many things had gone unchecked even with someone as capable as Lady Kaitlyn as the acting Head of House Drakos.
It was not like they did not have the manpower either and Lukas figured it was about time these gorydamn dragonborn stepped up to serve the Seas. What had ensured that his mother had remained safe last night did not lie solely on the fact that Selene of Dawn was one of the strongest warriors Linemall had ever known. It was also because the dragonborn under the Kraken's control were weak and that, Lukas knew, had to change.
Lukas still was not sure if he would ever be ready, if he would ever see himself as worthy as inheriting the position of the Head of House Drakos but he was sure that he wanted the best for these people. This was a society untouched by the greed of human nature, a true community that stuck together.
He wanted to ensure that the Seas would be in good hands, even if those hands were not his.
"Lukas. He's ready to talk." Jesse Sterling stood behind him, bowing as Lukas turned to face the young boy.
The young dragonborn was like a machine. The only reason why the Merchant Guild had been as successful as it had become was because of Jesse himself.
It seemed like it had been a good idea to spare his father after all, for Lukas had gained loyalty and trust from somebody who could've become an enemy he did not want going against him. A temporary loss to the Kraken had turned into a monumental victory because that defeat had gotten Jesse on his side.
Jesse himself had requested for the interrogation of the Kraken to be assigned to him, even with everything else on his plate. The young boy seemed determined and Lukas obliged after some consideration.
After hearing Jesse's words, Lukas ordered the construction crew to take a lunch break before following after Jesse who led him to the holding cell.
"What information have you gained from him so far?" Lukas asked as they glided through the waters. "Anything of note that I should know about?"
"He has given up all the businesses that were under his control. Even the ones that I wasn't aware of. The Merchant Guild has acted upon this information immediately and all of the information seems to be true. He's also given us all of the Dragonborn who have been willingly working with and for him throughout the past 50 years. It's…a long list. I have captured and locked the corrupt nobles in holding cells until further notice. Their fates…well, I'll leave that to you to be the one who decides that." Jesse nodded as he concluded his report, clearly satisfied with his own work and rightfully so.
"It won't be up to me, Jesse. It will be up to Lady Kaitlyn. For she is still the Royal Consort of the Seas and the current Head of House Drakos I am still a Lordling. I expect you to pass on all the information you've collected during this interrogation to her as well, boy." Lukas reminded him but he was admittedly more than impressed with what Jesse had been able to get out of the Kraken in such a short amount of time.
Jesse hesitated before nodding. Honestly Lukas did find some satisfaction and comfort in knowing that the boy trusted him to such an extent. He was even starting to grow pretty fond of the kid, even if Jesse didn't act his age 90% of the time.
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The Lady Kaitlyn had decided that it would be a terrible idea to bring the Kraken back to Kuria Prison and Lukas agreed. It wasn't that they doubted Katrina wouldn't be able to hold her own if the Cthulhu tried breaking out again especially in his current state after their fight.
But everyone knew what the Kraken could be capable of and thus Lukas wanted to keep him close.
Instead, the Kraken had been put in the various holding cells beneath the Palace grounds. The moment Lukas stepped into said holding cell, he knew why the Kraken had folded as fast as he did.
The cell had been drained of water, meaning for the first time in his second life Lukas was experiencing what it was like not to be completely submerged below the waves. Lukas had thought of swimming to the surface before but had never found the right opportunity to do so.
Magical energy was keeping the water out, as if he was stepping through a portal of sorts, but instead of being cast from a magical user it was through stones that lined the door; stones inscribed by ancient runes that Lukas had zero understanding of.
The Kraken remained in his humanoid form, chained up in the center of the cell.
The Kraken was sobbing. And Lukas could see why.
Because all around the prisoner, ten chefs stood in a circle all around him. In front of each chef was a grill where all kinds of cephalopods were being cooked up. The smell of grilled squid and octopus filled the room, the sound of the meat sizzling on the grill the only other constant.
Jesse grinned diabolically as chefs would pass on the grilled seafood onto a plate before serving it up to his older brother Marshall Sterling who sat at a table right in front of the Kraken.
Marshall seemed to be having the absolute time of his life, feasting on the dishes the chefs served. The older Sterling brother ate like a pig, chewing with his mouth open and intentionally making the most obscene noises known to man for the Kraken to hear.
The very sight was nearly satanic and Lukas genuinely felt bad for the Cthulhu. He glanced at Jesse and Marshall who were cackling as he downed another plate with the Kraken wailing in desperation for him to stop.
The heat from the grills, the smell of your own kind being cooked on a grill, the dryness and absence of water, not to mention the sight of an absolute sadist chomping down on your cousins. All Lukas could think was of how grateful he felt that he hadn't been reincarnated as the Kraken.
"Alright. Enough of this." Lukas rdered, gesturing at everyone else in the holding cell. He could not bear to watch this for a second longer.
The Sterlings…they were really something. He was just glad they were on his side.
But Lukas had not ordered them to stop just to give the Kraken a single respite of peace from the endless torment he'd been put through thus far. Lukas ordered them to stop because he still had questions that needed answering. Questions that Jesse had not yet asked.
The Kraken finally raised his eyes to meet Lukas' gaze and his foe shook his head when he finally realized who was standing in front of him.
"What more do you want from me? Just kill me. Put an end to all this. Put an end to my life. Put an end to my race, dragon. You…House Drakos…has won. I have nothing more to say to you. I have told that boy everything he wants to know. Give me the mercy of at least a quick death." The Kraken whispered before lowering his gaze, defeated.
"I just need to ask you some more questions." Lukas knelt in front of him, meeting him eye to eye.
The Kraken looked uncertain, not trusting Lukas for a second. "I already told you, I answered all the boy's questions. My businesses, all-"
"I want to know who taught you the Draconic Flow." This was the question that had been weighing heavy on Lukas' mind ever since he first saw the Kraken use it in Kuria Prison. Only those who had mastered the Draconic Flow could pass it onto other dragons. Even other dragonborn never learnt how to completely control the strange power. For the Kraken, a creature who was not even of draconic descent, to have been taught the Draconic Flow; he must have had a brilliant teacher.
The chained beast seemed surprised, shocked at the question before realization hit him.
The Kraken finally cracked a smile, letting out a soft laugh.
"The one who taught me is very much still alive. And I know exactly where to find him. If you want that information, then you are not going to kill me, young Drakos. Because now, I have something you want." The Kraken grinned now, realizing he had something now. Something that could keep him from an inevitable death.
Lukas didn't like that look at all.
It was a look of certainty.
"And why in the world are you so confident that I would rather kill you than find this dragon in particular?" Lukas, for once, had no idea what to expect.
Lukas didn't like this. He didn't like this one bit at all.
"Why, you ask? Because, Lukas Drakos, the dragon who taught me your race's beloved Draconic Flow is none other than your older brother…Lord Rodan Drakos himself."