Arthur got out of the Imperial Palace ans saw how Ashina was already parting to her mission, with all her bodyguards as companions. Arthur got close to her and said:
"Goodbye, and please, be careful".
Ashina said to Arthur a few words, then parted.
"Let's begin the adventure", -Arthur said to himself-
"Well, knight-commander, the Great Gate is situated in the Jerall Mountains, for what I know. It happens that I've a property there, my Temple. There I have equipment and some really good katanas, made by one of the Keepers of my Clan, Haohmaru. If our team needs swords, this is the place to go...In fact, I'd like to go there first if you agree, as I'm going to send some spies to tell me what's the situation in the surroundings of the Gate before going to it. I don't want to have problems or fall into an ambush just in the beginning".
And without saying anything else, or allow any of the knights to reply, Arthur took out one of his two combat knifes, the smallest one, and hurt himself on the hand, allowing some of his blood to run free though his hands.
Arthur noticed that the knights were shocked. "Well, if they have never seen a Blood Summoning, it's not my problem. They're going to be even more surprised when I do it".
He then made a handsign, and stomped his bloody hand into the ground, while shouting:
"Shehai Yoseku!"A bloody red mist appeared, and from it three bats quickly took flight. Arthur smiled, with the first true happiness smile he did in ages.
"Desmodus, Vlad, Luna, nice to see you" -said Arthur to the bats-
"Well, if it issn't Arthur! Sso much time hass passsed ssince we lasst met!" -said Vlad-.
"Yess, indeed, do you find me any nicer now, Arthur?" -replied Luna-. Arthur allowed her to put in his arm, and fed from the blood he still had on his hand, as he always did with her.
"Whaaaa! Jusst when I finally managed to get ssome ssleep, now they ssummon me..." -said Desmodus-
"You managed to get ssome ssleep until two hourss ago, and you sslept for eleven, lazzy flier!" -replied Vlad to Desmodus-
"But I'm sstill ssleepy!" -claimed Desmodus, with childrish voice-
"Listen, Vlad, Desmodus, Luna, this is important" -said Arthur-. "I want you to travel to the Jerall Mountains, aproximately to the east of the Snow Dragon Temple, until you find an odd giant magical door. Locate it's exact position, and scout the area looking for everything, and especially everything that would look abnormal, then report to me. You know how to find me, wherever I am".
"OK, chief!" -energically said Vlad-.
"Dismiss!" -shouted Arthur, and the three bats dissapeared in lightspeed.
"Well, shall we begin our way ourselves? or do you have anything to do before do it?" - asked Arthur to the knights-.
[off-topic]the idea of the bats comes from the excellent http://www.tesnexus.com/downloads/file.php?id=23194 mod. Many thx for this great work! (and yes, I know it's a bit Naruto-inspired, but I've always liked their "summoning system"
).[/off-topic]