There was a long pause, and Draiss tried, one last time. "Barid. That future I told you about? I never existed in it. It was just you and Verdelet, until that portal tossed me into the death throes of that existence.<br/><br/>Get in touch with that dragon lieutenant of yours, and please have him release Hlal immediately. Or me and mine will be coming for every dragon he has there. Also, this plane isn't benefiting from your protection, so if you could expand it a bit more, the barriers around it should be coming down inside of a week for you.<br/><br/>I am sorry, old friend, but the fate you want leads where I and mine are not welcome, and can not follow. I will resist, peacefully, as long as your lieutenants behave themselves. But too much more action on their part against mine, not me, mine, and I will send a messenger to discuss the rules. In the old ways, Barid. Just like the first time."<br/><br/>Another pause, much shorter, before Draiss laughed softly. "Besides, this way you get your blaze to glory, and I get mine.<br/><br/>Personally, I blame Verdelet for all this. She drank your potion that cursed you with true immortality, and you got mine, which was the closest to yours. I had to drink hers. I am just grateful the potions were all meant to do the same thing. Otherwise, we all would be screwed even moreso now."