Valverno knew it had belonged to the four witches he battled a few times before. Two were killed by Marina, with her teeth. And that would mean the dried blood were from the witches Marina killed and ate, out of sheer anger of seeing some bronze jewels the witches carried with them and Marina stated those jewels were souls of deceased Sirens.
The other two witches were killed by the hybrid and he knew no red liquid poured from them when he killed them. So, Valverno was standing on the spot where he and Marina killed the sisters of Belverda. And he has no regrets killing them: stealing youth of young kids for the witches to stay young. It was that kind of magic made the witches stay alive and never die, and Valverno decided it was time for them to pass to the Realm of the Gods.
As Valverno was standing near the altar and the statue of the Crystal Dragon, he picked up the scent of three different people coming from behind. He turned and saw exactly three people standing behind him. He thought he would have to search for the three clan leaders himself but they found him instead.
The clan leaders were behind him and Sora. And yet there was another man standing with the three clan leaders. Valverno remembered the man wearing the bear fur named Orinù. He didn’t learn about the names of the other two clan leaders: the woman wearing the feathered dress and the fat man wearing light armor.
“Welcome back, Vaeludar,” said Orinù. “We are humbled to have you back. As a reminder, I am the clan leader of the Eagle Clan. We are known for our great sights for seeing far away. Great skills for an army of scouts and archers.”
“We all do,” said the woman wearing the feathered dress. “It has been six months the last time you have been here, and I’ve never introduce my name. I am Kelda, clan leader of the Tigress Clan. My clan is known for being all female, and the warriors in the clan are all women and we fight with great brute strength.”
“And I am Bjorg, clan leader of Cheetah Clan. We are known for our speed and our skill of a spear. We have the testacy for having more stamina in our battles and running a great distance without breaking a sweat.”
The three clan leaders bowed their heads before their savor before rising their heads back up to view him.
“What brings you here?” asked Kelda.
Valverno stepped forward. “Here to seek your help against some foes I’m going to be facing against than Lusìvar. I need an army to overwhelm forces of two foes.”
“After these six months, you need our help?” asked Kelda.
“And our armies are what you need after you refused our loyalty.”
“Not loyalty or armies a hybrid needs. It’s unity of an entire island. Something has happened with King Uragiru; he has joined forces with Lusìvar.”
“What?” the clan leaders gasped.
“King Uragiru? The king of the island? This man who knowns the entire island has joined forces with the Dark Warrior King?” asked Bjorg.
“How is this even possible?” asked Orinù.
“I had always known he would do something, as did all his ancestors,” said a man’s voice.
Behind the three clan leaders, a middle-aged man revealed himself to the three clan leaders and Valverno. The man standing for them and the clans leaders was none other than the man Valverno hoped to meet but on the island of Isle Maeli: Teutates.
GATHERING ALLIES
Valverno never knew he would be seeing Teutates in the Northern Region and he thought the man would be on the island of Isla Maeli. He expected to meet with the clan leaders of the five clans and try to rally them to march south against King Uragiru. And to his surprise, the distant relative of King Uragiru was among the three of the five clan leaders.
With Teutates among the three clan leaders, Valverno could have an easier playing politician and have an easier alliance in a short amount of time. This could work 2+if he could get Teutates to cooperate with him.
“What’s the matter? Saw a ghost?” asked Teutates.
Valverno heard Teutates’s voice spark with severity and arrogance. Teutates’s voice could have made a rabbit die of fright. Valverno stared at Teutates who was staring back with bitterness at the hybrid.
Valverno needed an alliance with the harsh man, and it seemed it was going to be tricky trying to negotiate with the man. It seemed Teutates’s reputation has a harsh and angry man did precede him. Valverno heard the man always hated mythical creatures and did with magic, and he did seem to hate King Uragiru after the battle during Valverno’s wedding day; Teutates had a heating argument with the king about the security of the city.
There was no way Valverno was going to let fear get the best of him. He tore down a Dragon with five heads. He tore down the King of the Titans. If he could fight with brute strength against giant monsters, he could fight with fighting words. Acting as a force to be reckoned with, he could easily persuade Teutates to join an alliance with the demigod.
“Teutates,” Valverno firmly said. “I didn’t expect to see you in the Northern Region. What are you doing here?”
“I might as well be asking you the same question.” Teutates and Valverno engaging talking turned into a staring context. Both people were exchanging deathly glares, if they were ready to attack each other. So much for making a bad first impression.
Orinù stepped forward closer to Teutates’s and Valverno’s eyeing context. “This man is here because he wanted to be here.”
Teutates and Valverno had turned away from each other and stared at Orinù. Orinù looked at both of them, knowing he could have become a prime target of interrupting their staring
