I left the town with a quest paper in my hand that I asked the innkeeper to read to me, according to him, this was a quest to eliminate a group of goblins settled in the forest near town.
What is a goblin anyway?
"Excuse me, sir knight." Someone called me.
I stood face to face with a woman holding a boy in her arms when I turned around.
"How may I help you, Miss?" I asked bowing politely.
"Is it true? Is it true that you healed a blind man?" The woman asked hesitantly with a hopeful glint in her eyes.
What does she mean by it? Yes, I healed an injured beggar, but I doubt I cured his blindness; my miracles do not possess such power.
"Miss, I merely healed that man's injuries; please don't believe the rumors that they tell you." I replied turning around, but the woman grabbed my wrist, stopping me.
"Please, my son is sick! I don't know how much longer he has to live! Please help him!" The woman begged with teary eyes.
I paid more attention to the boy the woman held after Hearing this. He was sickly pale, with dark circles under his eyes, discolored fingernails, and dangerously thin.
I once again remembered the Defilement Valley, so many sick, physically and mentally, abandoned by the world and left to rot.
"Fine, I will heal him." I held my Talisman in one hand and placed the other on the boy's head, then cast Recovery.
"It's done." I said walking away. I hope she doesn't blame me for anything that happens next.
-XXXXXX-
Suddenly, the boy's appearance changed; the color returned to his skin, the dark circles disappeared from his eyes, and his eyes opened.
"Mommy, what happened?" The boy asked his mother who looked at him with teary eyes, hugging her son tighter.
"Thank you! Thank you!" The mother praised the knight, but when she looked around, he was already gone.
-XXXXXX-
It looks like this is the place. I thought as I hid amid the bushes.
A small circular camp composed of wooden tents adorned with bones and fabrics stood in front of me, with a larger tent in its center and three smaller ones around it.
Small green-skinned creatures with pointed ears and noses inhabited the camp. Most wore pieces of worn leather armor while some wore bone pieces and covered themselves with rags, they also held daggers and bent rusty swords,
This shouldn't be difficult, but how will I prove to the guild that I killed the Goblins? Maybe if I take their heads? It should suffice.
I held the Guillotine Ax in my right hand and the Silver Catalyst in my left one. Then I pointed the catalyst at the camp and cast Flame Throw repeatedly.
Flaming projectiles rained down on the tents, the goblins panicked when they saw this and tried to extinguish the fire. Meanwhile, I cast Cloak, becoming invisible, and ran towards my objective.
-XXXXXX-
The goblins stood unprepared; flaming bolts came out of nowhere and set their camp on fire. They tried extinguishing the flames, but unfortunately, there was not enough water in their camp for that.
Two goblins were in front of a burning tent without knowing what to do. Suddenly, the head of one of them flew from its body until it hit the ground a few meters away.
The remaining goblins stared terrified at their comrade's body that fell to the ground, but there was something strange, part of the blood that spurted from the wound floated in the air.
Suddenly, the thing where the blood had splattered revealed itself, a knight named carrying a short-handled great ax.
The goblins quickly drew their daggers and swords and leaped towards their enemy, but they should have run instead, as Edric beheaded them with a swift blow, staining his armor with blood.
After decapitating the goblins, the knight stored their heads in his bag, but footsteps caught his attention.
Looking around, Edric realized a group of goblins surrounded him while a bigger goblin, probably the leader, stepped forward.
The leader stood tall enough to reach Edric's chest; and wore a wolf pelt cape, a human skull for a crown, and carried a rusted battleax.
The leader pointed its ax at Edric and all the goblins jumped towards the knight, but he cast Wrath of the Gods with his Talisman, releasing a shock wave that shook the camp and crushed all the creatures that jumped towards him, leaving only the leader alive.
The leader, upon seeing its underlings killed, roared and jumped towards Edric, who aimed his catalyst at the goblin and cast Ignite, releasing a flaming blast and throwing the monster away.
Edric ran toward the goblin and swung his ax at its neck, the monster ducked, dodging the blow, and tried to cut Edric's legs, but he rolled backward, avoiding the attack.
The leader then jumped with its ax raised above its head and descended it toward the knight upon falling, but Edric blocked the blow with his Adjudicator's Shield.
The goblin's blow bounced off the shield, throwing its arms back, and breaking its balance. Edric's ax approaching was the last thing the goblin saw before everything went dark.
Seeing that the fight ended, Edric cut off the goblins' heads and stored them in his bag.
-XXXXXX-
I returned to the guild to confirm the success of my mission, everyone stared at me upon entering, but I ignored them and approached the counter, ringing the chime.
DING!
"Yes, how can I help… Edric, are you well?!" Reha asked worriedly.
"Yes, I am, why the question?" I replied confused.
"You are covered in blood!"
"Don't worry, the blood isn't mine. I completed my mission and would like my reward, here is the proof." I turned my bag upside down and several bloodied goblin heads landed on the counter.
"AAAHHH!" Reha screamed, bouncing back in her chair like a scared cat.
"Can I have my reward now?" I asked outstretching my hand.
Reha slowly handed me a small bag with some bronze coins with a trembling hand. It was not much, but I can't complain since this is my first mission.
"You have my thanks!" I said before walking away.
-XXXXXX-
"You will clean up this mess!" One of the guild staff said, approaching Reha and handing her a mop and bucket.
Crying and trying to clean the blood and goblin heads off the counter was all that Reha could do.
-XXXXXX-
It's been five days since I started doing missions and I finally rose to D-Rank after completing several E-Rank quests. A bronze plaque stood around my neck and now I headed toward my current objective.
A group of bandits had robbed a merchant caravan that traveled toward the city. It seems that they are a known group and hid themselves in a cave.
According to the mission description, the reward will be greater if they are captured alive.
"Hey, you!" Someone called me.
I saw an old man sitting in a wheelchair pushed by a younger woman; probably his granddaughter.
"Please heal my legs, I have lost movement in them due to an accident at my work!" The old man begged me with ashamed eyes.
Why are people searching for me to be healed? Are the priests of these lands refusing to use miracles? All church members knew basic healing miracles in Boletaria.
Never mind, my Fragrant Ring will regenerate my magic anyway. I cast Recovery on the old man and then left. Now let's take care of some bandits.
-XXXXXX-
the old man's eyes widened, he felt something he hadn't felt in a long time, his legs. The old man jumped out of his wheelchair and danced down the street, hugged his granddaughter with teary eyes in the end.
What Edric didn't know is that his miracle not only healed the old man's legs but also cured all the aches and pains in his body that came with old age.
-XXXXXX-
"You bastard!" A bandit screamed as he tried to slash Edric with his scimitar. He did not finish his blow as a punch to his mouth knocked out several of his teeth.
Edric wielded an Iron Knuckle in each hand, a flat piece of metal with a handle to hold with a closed fist.
The Stonefang miners used this weapon to dig tunnels and extract ores with punches, and now Edric used them to capture the bandits alive and acquire a greater bounty.
"AAAHHH!" With a war cry another bandit ran toward Edric with a raised scimitar.
Edric elbowed the bandit's stomach, making him bow, hooked his chin, throwing him up, and grabbed his arm, hurling him over his shoulder toward the ground.
"Fire!" The bandit leader shouted with his back turned to the cave hideout. A line of kneeling crossbowmen stood in front of him, firing at his command.
Edric quickly removed the Adjudicator's Shield from his back, raising it and running towards the bandit group.
The crossbow darts were not strong enough to pierce the shield, and the leader ordered his men to fire again at the approaching knight, but they weren't quick enough.
Edric collided with the group, throwing them away while the leader tried to draw his scimitar, but his nose buried in his face was all he got, falling unconscious to the ground soon after.
"Hm… There must be a rope here somewhere." Edric said, searching the hideout and finding the item in question amid the stolen goods.
He then tied all the unconscious bandits together and dragged them towards the guild.
-XXXXXX-
CRASH!
I kicked the guild door open as I had my hands full dragging the bandits and heard the comments from the other guild members around me as I approached the counter.
"Did he defeat this band of bandits by himself?" A pointy-eared person with a bow asked.
"Defeated? More like beat the shit! Look at them! Black eyes, swollen faces, removed teeth! It looks like a mob lynched them!" A short man with a long beard spoke.
"He had help from someone." A man wearing dark leather and a hood commented.
I didn't care; the important thing was that I completed my mission, so I rang the bell on the counter.
DING!
"Hello, how can I help… Oh! It's you." Reha said emotionlessly.
"I came to receive my reward." I said, handing the rope to Reha, who accepted it and handed me a coin bag, a mix of bronze and silver coins, and a welcome raise.
I heard Reha call me as I left the guild.
"Hey, what is this rope for?!" Reha asked.
"To keep the bandits tied." I replied and left shortly thereafter.
-XXXXXX-
"Bandits?"
Leaning over the counter, Reha saw a group of beaten men unconscious on the floor. She jumped back surprised and stared between the rope in her hands and the bandits.
"That idiot, why didn't he take those criminals to the guards?!" Reha screamed as she kicked one of the bandits to relieve her frustration while one of her coworkers shook her head in disappointment.
-XXXXXX-
A week has passed since I did D-Rank quests and now I've risen to C-Rank with a silver plate hanging around my neck. I feel as if I'm delaying to rank up, I won't be able to request Demon Five's mission at this rate.
My locomotion is another problem I face, as not all missions happen nearby. The mission I plan to complete is located in the Land of Sands.
A creature called Ankheg attacked the few villages in the land, the guards cannot stop it and the demon Two is unavailable, contrary to the information given to me about her.
Now I need to enter an airship station, whatever that is, to reach the Land of Sands.
I noticed a group of people in my path on the way to the station, a woman holding a baby, a man with crutches, and an old woman leaning on a boy.
Where are the clerics of these lands? Does the church charge absurd amounts to heal someone with miracles? I sighed, thinking to myself.
"Excuse me you are…"
I didn't let the woman with the baby finish, I just touched the child and cast Recovery. I did the same with the man and the old woman. I don't know why people come to me instead of a cleric, my miracles are not that powerful.
"Wait…" The old woman spoke, but I didn't stop to listen. I'm wasting time here, so walked faster toward my destiny.
"Thank you!" The group shouted behind me, and I couldn't help but smile beneath my helmet.
-XXXXXX-
Why wasn't I told that an airship is a type of flying ship?! I thought as I gripped the guardrails on the side of the ship with all my might, slowly crushing them.
This type of transport was impressive, despite the height. The bottom part consists of a large wooden and metallic ship, without masts, and with shining green sigils on its hull.
There were two large metallic balloons covered with green symbols attached to the top of the ship, and rotating metallic objects below and behind it.
According to the captain, these objects are called propellers, speaking of him, here he comes.
"HAHAHA! Fear of heights?" The captain asked, slapping my back as the quick wind muffed his words.
"N-no, not at all." I replied, trying to hide my fear.
"HAHAHA! Don't worry boy, a few trips and your fear will soon disappear. You'll realize how wonderful the sky is!"
"I hope, captain, I hope! Can you tell me how much time remains until we reach the Land of Sands?!"
"We have two days of travel ahead of us!"
Two days?! I won't rank up until the party happens at this rate. I need faster transport!
"I recommend you enjoy the view, kid!" The captain said as he returned to his crew.
He's right, maybe appreciating the view will help me enjoy the travel.
-XXXXXX-
He was wrong! I made the mistake of looking down and realized the height I stood!
Enough! I'll spend the rest of the travel in my cabin! I thought as I ran toward my accommodations on the airship, a small room with a bed, a desk, a trunk, and a window.
I lay down on the bed and slept for most of the journey.
-XXXXXX-
Finally, I arrived at the Land of Sands, a desert full of sand and ancient ruins as far as the eye can see. I passed through a small village and asked about the situation.
They said that Intoner Two would normally deal with the Ankheg, but she never appeared in public again upon her return from Cathedral City.
Now here I am, walking through the dunes in search of this creature. Fortunately, the sun and heat didn't bother me.
Suddenly, the sand below me shook, there was something underground. I rolled backward but flew away due to the thing that came out from under the desert.
It was a giant ant with a carapace on its upper body, six legs, two on the back, two in the middle, two on the front, and two arms with pincers at the end. There were two large pincers on its mouth's sides and two antennae on its head.
That must be Ankheg.
-XXXXXX-
The Ankheg looked around until it noticed Edric. Letting out a mighty roar, the monster slid across the sand towards the knight, its armored head serving as a battering ram.
Edric rolled aside, dodging the blow, but the Ankheg turned around, still trying to crush him. The knight repeated his previous action and allowed the monster to pass him again.
The Ankheg stopped its attack, allowing Edric to slash it across the right side with the Blue Blood Sword, three powerful blows toward its legs and torso.
The Ankheg then pivoted its body, its left pincer open, ready to bisect its assailant. The knight rolled back, but the monster did not stop, its body sliding across the sand as it repeatedly attacked with both pincers.
Left, right, left, right, one blow after another, the Ankheg made Edric retreat, then threw its armored head back, opening and closing its mouth's pincers, before throwing its head forward, trying to smash its enemy.
Edric rolled back one last time and the blow hit the ground, creating a great sand cloud. Jumping from the cloud, he pierced the Ankheg's right eye, making it screech and thrash in pain.
The knight lost his balance and the monster swung its left pincer in an arc as he stood up. Seeing the incoming attack, Edric raised his shield, but the crushing strength behind the blow threw him away.
The Ankheg then made regurgitating noises and spit a jet of liquid toward Edric. Upon seeing the jet approaching, he rolled across the dunes, grabbing his sword on the way, as the place where he stood previously hissed and steamed.
"Hm… That could be a problem." He pointed his catalyst towards the monster and cast Soul Ray.
Three rays left the catalyst, two hitting the Ankheg's armored head, leaving burn marks, but not piercing it, while the third hit one of the Ankheg's antennas ripping it off.
The Ankheg roared again and dove to the sands below, disappearing underground. Edric placed his shield on his back, stored the Blue Blood sword in his bag, and withdrew a Greatsword.
There was no sign of the Ankheg, it was quiet, very quiet. Suddenly, the sand shook in the distance and Edric saw something coming towards him, so he braced himself as the creature moved underground.
The monster leaped out of the sand, its body flying towards Edric with its mouth open, ready to devour him. But a great fireball came from the sky and hit the Ankheg's right side before it could devour its enemy.
A large shadow formed on the surface of the desert. Looking up, Edric saw a shape blocking the sun.
This shape dived towards the desert's surface and collided with the sand, raising a large sand cloud. When it dissipated, the knight saw a familiar black dragon.
"We met again, human." The black dragon said amusedly.
"Quite a coincidence, isn't it?" Edric answered sarcastically, turning towards the Ankheg.
"It's not a coincidence when I can smell you from across the desert."
"Seriously? Do I stench that bad?" Edric asked as the Ankheg rose.
"I wouldn't say stench, since as I said before, you smell of something old."
The Ankheg snapped out of its confusion and roared toward the knight and dragon.
"I see you are in trouble. I wouldn't mind helping, for a price of course." The dragon smiled.
Edric growled in irritation. He could defeat the Ankheg, but a dragon's help would make the fight easier.
"What is your price?" Edric replied.
"When we kill this beast, I would like you to cook its meat for me."
"You flew all the way here just to receive free food cooked by me?"
The black dragon looked around, trying to disguise that Edric guessed exactly why it had come to the Land of Sands.
"No, I searched for a strong opponent to entertain me; finding you was pure coincidence."
"Coincidence, of course..."
The Ankheg slid across the sand towards the dragon and Edric.
"Hm... I accept your help."
"Well done human, you should be honored that I, a black dragon, one of the greatest warriors, if not the greatest of the proud dragon race, choose to help you!" The dragon boasted proudly, puffing out its chest.
"You like to hear yourself talk, don't you?" Edric said, running towards the Ankheg.
"How daring." The dragon replied, turning toward the knight and seeing him running towards the monster.
The dragon, not wanting to stay out of the fight, flapped its wings and took off.
The Ankheg leaped from the sand and dove towards Edric, but he rolled aside at the last second, dodging the monster.
Raising to his feet, Edric swung his greatsword and cut off the middle leg on Ankheg's left side.
Roaring, the monster spun around, trying to cut the knight with its pincers, but the black dragon collided with its body, pushing it back with a head-butt.
Taking this chance, the knight raised his Greatsword and swooped down towards the Ankheg's left hind leg, slicing it off as well.
It tried to use its pincers, but the black dragon bit its right pincer and ripped it off. Running out of options, the Ankheg spit acid on the black dragon, who didn't have time to dodge and used one of its wings to protect itself.
"AAAHHH!" The black dragon roared as the acid melted its scales and tore its flesh while the Ankheg approached, spitting more.
Seeing this, Edric ran towards the dragon, landed on its back with a great leap, and stepped on its head with the greatsword pointed downward toward the Ankheg's armored head.
The monster carapace offered no resistance as it struggled, trying to get Edric off of it. The knight planted his feet on the Ankheg's head and held the sword firmly. Eventually, the creature fell dead, its brain pierced by the sword.
Edric removed his sword from the Ankheg's head and turned towards the approaching black dragon. Suddenly, the dragon spun its body, hitting Edric with its tail and sending him away.
"What passed by your mind you bloody lizard?!" Edric asked as he stood up.
"Never climb on my back again! I will not allow a human to ride me!" The dragon said with bared fangs.
"Fine, I will allow the acid to melt you next time!"
-XXXXXX-
It was already night in the desert, the dragon and I sat by a fire beside some ruins. I roasted some meat pieces while the dragon licked its wounds.
"Is it ready?" The dragon asked.
"You know the answer." I replied and it went silent.
I couldn't help but think about the time remaining, it will be two more days of travel to return.
I won't rank up at this rate, the quest locations are getting farther and farther. Travel by land is not an option and airships are not fast enough. I need something faster like a…
I breathed deeply about what I would do, I swung my Rapier towards the dragon, the piece of meat flew and the dragon ate it, then I asked a question while it chewed.
"Could you carry me for my future missions?"
"What do you mean by that?" The dragon asked with interest.
"The Intoner known as Five will have a party in a month, and she desires a bodyguard. I need to be an S-rank in the guild to request this mission, but I won't reach this ranking in time due to the distance of the missions. I would like to know if you are willing to carry me to the mission's location."
"Hm... And why do you seek out one of the Intoners?"
"To kill her."
"And why do you want to kill her?"
"I do not wish to kill only Intoner Five, but all other Intoners. There is a dark power within them, I cannot allow that power to exist, for the sake of the world."
"The Flower is the power that you felt."
"The flower, what is it?"
"The flower is a creation of God, just like the dragons, but we are natural enemies. The flower aims to destroy the world, but I have no idea how those girls acquired its power, and they won't control it for long."
Another monster created by God. First the Old One, and now this flower, what cruel God is this who wants to see the end of the world he created?
There is another thing that bothers me, the Intoners are human, but according to the dragon, they are not possessed by its power, yet.
Will I have to kill another rational human? Will the history of Astrea repeat itself? Will I have to kill a good person for possessing demonic power?
"Continue."
"The Intoners control their power for now, but The Flower will corrupt them slowly, twisting their minds and releasing calamities across the world. If a dragon devours The Flower, it will gain great power and its form will change, yet I refuse to devour such a disgusting creature."
"Dragons can change form?"
"Yes, in two ways, by devouring a great power source or winning enough battles. I prefer the second way to devour the flower. Unless, of course, you're willing to let me devour you?"
"I will break all your teeth if you try." I said, removing the Dragon Bone Smasher from my bag and placing it beside me.
"HAHAHA! I like your determination, it wouldn't be fun if it was that easy!"
"You still haven't answered my question. Will you carry me on missions?"
"What do I receive in return?"
"Roasted meat and the chance to face strong foes."
"Hm... I accept it, but I will not carry you on my back."
"Good enough for me."
"I will not help you kill the Intoners; I have no interest in your human affairs."
"I don't see a problem with that, I can fight for myself."
"I'd like to see you say that when facing The Intoner's regeneration."
"Can Intoners regenerate?"
"Yes, from any wound, even if you cut off their heads, they will still live on and regenerate over time. You need the power of a dragon or something that counteracts their regeneration, and as I said before, I have no interest in fighting Intoners."
I put my hand in my bag and removed a Katana. I felt the sword draining my health and unsheathed it, watching its blade reflect the moonlight.
The dragon became interested in the weapon as it approached the blade and smelled it.
"Smell of curse." The dragon grew.
"Yes, this is the Magic Sword Makoto, a sawed-edge katana. This sword has a curse that causes wounds that never heal, but in return, drains the health of its user. That should be enough to kill the Intoners."
"You amaze me more and more, to possess such a terrible weapon."
I didn't answer the dragon and stored the blade.
"We will return to the guild and acquire more quests tomorrow. I hope I can count on you."
"I don't see any problem as long as I have enemies to fight and meat to eat."
"Perfect, let's rest for today, we'll travel early tomorrow."
I heard a snore, when I looked aside, I saw the dragon already sleeping. I think it's better to do the same, I leaned against one of the ruins and tried to sleep, but some thoughts wouldn't leave my head.
Are Intoners as bad as I believe? I thought they manipulated the people of these lands, but their happiness seems genuine, they talk about how terrible their lives were before the Intoners arrived.
Am I doing the right thing? It wouldn't be the first time I've killed an innocent for the sake of the world. Intoners, whatever happens, I want you to know that I don't do this out of hate, but because it's my duty as a Slayer of Demons.
-XXXXXX-
I finally rose to B-rank, a gold plaque hanging around my neck now, it only took three days thanks to the black dragon.
Now the dragon carried me on its paw towards the Land of Forests, a creature called Manticore terrorized the local population, last seen near the village of Oslebelle.
"Dragon, what is a Manticore?"
"A large creature with a human face, a lion's body, a scorpion's tail, and bat's wings."
It sounds like one of the Old Monk's monstrosities.
"Fly lower, let's search for the Manticore!"
"If you insist."
The dragon did as I said while I removed my telescope from my bag and observed the forest below. Eventually, I saw a village hidden among the trees, this must be Oslebelle.
"I found the village, I propose we land!" I said pointing to the location in question.
The dragon flew towards the village, circling it and descending slowly, reaching its center before gliding slightly above the ground, then opened its paw, releasing me, where I landed with the dragon beside me.
The village was quiet.
Looking around, I saw houses built among the trees or inside them, with doors and windows in the trunks and wooden bridges above me, the village also had small paths made of stone with grass around it.
Where were the people?
"Greetings, is there someone here?! I am Edric, a guild member, and came to slay the Manticore! There is no need to fear the dragon, it is accompanying me!" I said, showing the gold plate around my neck.
Something moved behind one of the windows and shadows walked on the bridges above me.
Suddenly, the doors opened and several people left their homes, men, women, and children, they were slender, fair-skinned, and had sharp facial features, their most distinguishing one being their pointed ears and youthful appearance.
"Who are these people?" I asked the dragon.
"These are the elves, have you ever seen elves before?" The dragon answered.
"No."
"Where did you come from exactly?"
I didn't have a chance to respond as one of the elves stepped out of the crowd and approached me, he looked older than the other ones but still had a youthful appearance.
He had shoulder-high white hair, and wore a white shirt with a brown coat over it, brown pants, gloves, and boots; he also carried a wooden cane that he used for support.
"They only sent you?" The elf asked me.
"Yes, but the dragon is with me too." I replied, pointing at the being behind me.
The dragon noticed that the elves around it were afraid, so it released smoke from its nostrils as if ready to spit fire. All the elves cowered in fear while the dragon laughed.
"Well, a dragon's help is still better than no help at all. My name is Tiberius, Sir Edric." The old elf sighed.
"Only Edric is good, could you explain what happened here?"
"A Manticore made this area of the forest its territory a few days ago, the creature sees us as food and no one can leave without being devoured. Sometimes, the Manticore invades the village in search of food, that is, us, but we are not the only ones affected, our neighbors, the fairies, abandoned their home near the Great Tree where the Manticore made its nest."
"Hm... Could you tell me the location of that Great Tree?"
"Yes, through that gate, follow the trail and you'll reach it." Tiberius pointed to a large wooden gate on the other side of the village.
"Thank you, Sir Tiberius. Now come, I can tell you are excited to face the Manticore."
"HAHAHA! You read my thoughts." The dragon replied, following me. Tiberius ordered the elves to open the gate and we walked through it.
"I wish you luck Edric." Tiberius said as the gate closed.
-XXXXXX-
The dragon and I walked along a path for some time, trees the size of towers surrounded us as the sun barely shone through the dense foliage. Strangely, I heard children's voices on the way to the nest.
"Who is this human?"
"He is different."
"He is not human, he is something ancient!"
"A creature, a strange being!"
"A demon bathed in blood!"
"A slayer, a monster, a mighty beast!"
"He smells like magic."
"A strange magic."
"Powerful magic."
I searched for the source of the voices, but I couldn't find them.
"And who is that?"
"A dragon!"
"A cruel dragon!"
"A foolish old dragon!"
"A Stinky Dragon!"
"I don't stink, your annoying pests!" The dragon yelled upwards.
"You stink a little." I replied dryly.
The dragon opened its mouth to say something, but small lights shone around us, red, blue, yellow, green, and more.
"What are those lights?" I asked curiously while trying to touch one, but it avoided my hand.
"Fairies, annoying and arrogant creatures, they think they are better and smarter than all other races of Midgard." The dragon said, swinging its tail and scaring some of the fairies.
I stared at the dragon upon hearing that statement.
"What?" The dragon frowned.
"Nothing."
I turned, walking away, but stood face to face with one of these fairies standing at the edge of my helmet.
It looked like a small human that would fit in the palm of my hand, she had small wings of blue light, pink hair that reached down to her back, green eyes, and fair skin.
It wore fabric clothes that would fit on a doll, a sleeveless white shirt, and a red skirt, but no boots or gloves.
The fairy looked at me with interest, cocking her head aside curiously, walked across my helmet towards my face with her arms behind her back, then stood inches from my face.
"You are weird." She said, leaning forward and touching my helmet with both hands as she tried to peek inside.
"It's not the first time I've heard that." I replied as the dragon and I walked down the path.
"You are between something human and non-human. Several people are inside the same body, but simultaneously, you are not a mixture of consciousness. I feel ancient magic and the power of great beings. Who are you human?" The faerie asked as she sat cross-legged on my helmet.
Suddenly, the number of lights around me increased, and fairies talking simultaneously surrounded me.
"Hey, you fool, tell me how you got like this!"
"Humans are always seeking more power, but will never be satisfied!"
"I wonder how he got that way. How many people did he kill? How many terrible things did he do to become so strong?"
"He smells of blood, steel, magic, death, and poison!"
"Dragon, can you tell me why the fairies are so interested in me?" I asked the angry dragon.
"Everyone in Midgard felt you when you appeared out of nowhere. It's hard to explain, but the power you carry is something from time immemorial, something similar but different from the creations of God I faced in my youth. You are like a beacon to those capable of sensing magic." The dragon explained.
The dragon is talking about the souls and Demon's Souls in my body, souls of warriors, demons and their superiors, the Archdemons, absorbed and transformed into strength, spells, and weapons. I think that's why they referred to me as several people in one body.
The Old One and the demons were created by a God, but I'm not sure the God the dragon is talking about and the God who created the Old One is the same.
Meanwhile, the faerie on my helm was still waiting for my reply.
"I am Edric."
"E-edric… Eeedric… Edric!" The fairy repeated my name.
"Hm... Strange, usually faeries insult your entire bloodline instead of trying to learn your name."
"My name is Eupherbia." The fairy said, pointing at herself.
"I… Eupher… Eupherbia!" I fought to pronounce her name.
"Yes, that is my name." The fairy replied, flying around me.
"Tell me Edric, where are you from?"
"I originate from Boletaria."
"I never heard of this place."
"It seems as if no one has heard of it. Boletaria must be a distant land for the people of Midgard, probably across the ocean."
"That explains why you are so ignorant of Midgard." The black dragon grunted.
"And what are you two doing here in the Land of Forests?" Eupherbia asked again.
"We came to kill the Manticore." I replied, making Eupherbia go silent for a few seconds.
"This is dangerous, the Manticore is a terrible monster that drove us out of our home, the great tree, and made it its nest."
"Why do you worry so much? This is not normal for your species." The black dragon glared at the fairy, who cowered in fear and hid behind me.
"Mind no attention; it is just a grumpy old dragon." I said as she stopped hiding and landed on my left shoulder while the other fairies talked again.
"They will die!"
"The monster will eat them alive!"
"The Manticore will tear them to pieces!"
"No one will hear their screams!"
"RRROOOAAARRR!" The black dragon roared, making the fairies fly away scared.
"HOW DARE YOU SAY THAT I WILL DIE?! I AM A BLACK DRAGON, THE GREATEST WARRIOR OF MY RACE! I WILL NOT FALL TO A PATHETIC MANTICORE!" The dragon screamed for everyone to hear.
Eventually, we saw a light up ahead, revealing a circular rocky clearing overlooked by the path we walked. Therefore, we jumped towards the ground below.
CRACK!
Suddenly, we stepped on a bone pile upon landing. Looking around, we saw an area covered in bones, probably the victims of the Manticore.
A great tree stood on the other side of the clearing, the biggest I've ever seen, with a hole in its trunk and two large rocks on each side, this must be the Manticore's nest.
"This is the place." I said to the dragon.
"Yes, I can smell death." The dragon answered.
"T-the M-manticore is just ahead." Eupherbia stuttered scared, leaving my shoulder.
CRACK!
I heard bones cracking behind me and felt a familiar dark sensation. Turning around quickly, I pointed my sword directly at the face of someone I didn't expect to find so soon.
"Hello, we met again!" Intoner Three said, smiling at me.
"Lady Three!" A bizarre-looking old man shouted as he ran towards us.
He had slicked-back white hair, along with a mustache and beard, purple eyes, and wore gray clothes with a coat and scarf. The sandals that made him twenty centimeters taller were one of his most distinguishing features together with the large metallic rings he held.
Suddenly, the old man pulled Three behind him and pointed his rings at me with distrust shining in his eyes.
"Lady Three, step away from that man, there's something wrong with him!"
"I know Octa, and that's why he interests me!" Three replied, walking past the identified old man.
I readied myself to draw Makoto from my bag and end it here and now, but a roar interrupted us.
"RRROOOAAARRR!"
It came from the hole in the tree trunk; it seems that our discussion drew the Manticore's attention.
Heavy footsteps echoed through the clearing and a large creature left its nest, it had a human face surrounded by a lion's mane with a lion's body attached to the head, it also had a scorpion's tail and bat wings.
"I'll deal with you later; I have greater problems now." I said to Three, turning to Manticore.
"See you later!" Eupherbia said, flying away and hiding among the trees.
"Hump! Fairies, cowards who show their true colors when in danger." The black dragon grunted in disgust.
"I hope you don't mind if I join the fight since I believe this is an opportune time to study you." Three replied, snapping her scissors anxiously.
"There is no other way. I hope we can have some fun later, Lady Three." Octa said, spinning his rings.
-XXXXXX-
The Manticore roared and flapped its wings, leaping towards us as the black dragon did the same, intercepting the creature mid-flight. The two rolled across the clearing, but the Manticore pushed the dragon away with its paws and they both stood up facing each other.
The monster reared up on its hind legs and tried to slash the dragon across its face, but Edric cast Soul Ray, hitting its face and interrupting the attack, leaving a scorched wound and making the monster retreat in pain, while Octa's Chakram cut its back's right side, drawing blood from a deep wound.
The dragon spun its body, hitting the Manticore with its tail and throwing it away. Edric used the opening to cast Homing Soul Arrow and run towards his enemy.
"You have some interesting magic, how does it work? Does it come from your body? Your mind? Did you have to study to learn this? Or were you born with it? Is it an inheritance from your lineage or the result of experiments? And the silver wand in your hand? Is it the source of your magic? Did you assemble it? Or did you buy it from someone else? Can you cast spells without it?" Three gleely asked question after question, trying to satiate her curiosity as she ran beside the knight.
"I wish Lady Three would show that much interest in me, it makes me a little jealous." Octa commented, looking down disappointed.
"Concentrate on the fight in front of you!" Edric exclaimed as he approached the Manticore.
The soul arrows fired and hit the creature's face, allowing him to slash the monster from left to right just above the nose. The Manticore roared in pain and tried to pierce Edric with its stinger, but he raised his, shield blocking the attack.
The creature applied more strength behind the attack and pushed the knight back, who planted his feet on the ground and entered into a battle of strength against his foe.
"How did you acquire such strength? Through training? Surgery? Magic enhancements?" Three asked as she stepped on Edric's shoulders, using him as a springboard, and landing on the Manticore's back, slicing it with her scissors.
The Manticore focused on its current assailant and struggled, throwing Three away. Fortunately, Octa caught her before she hit the ground.
"How about we go to my room after we're done? I have studied the art of pleasure lately; I can take you to heights with just my hands." Octa asked sultrily, putting Three down, but she ignored his rants and ran towards the fight.
Blow after blow, the Manticore pressured Edric, trying to slash him to pieces, but he blocked the attacks with his shield. Eventually, one of the blows landed on the side of the shield, knocking it from Edric's hands and slashing the knight's chest soon after.
"Hump!" Edric grunted in pain as he rolled away from the next attack, retrieving his shield on the way, and healing his wounds due to the regenerative enchantments of his equipment.
Suddenly, a fireball fell aimed at the Manticore, who took flight, dodging the flaming projectile, and soared high in the skies toward the black dragon.
Meanwhile, Three stopped beside Edric and pestered him with her questions, again.
"Can you regenerate? How do you do it? With magic? Magic items? Or is it something natural?"
Edric ignored the incessant questions and removed his White Bow from his bag, cocking a White Arrow and aiming at the Manticore fighting the dragon.
Unfortunately, Edric's actions piqued Intoner's curiosity, which led to even more questions.
"How did you do it? Is this bag enchanted? Is there a limit to the size and amount of items that you can store?" Three asked, reaching a hand toward Edric's bag.
SLAP!
"Ouch!" Three screamed in pain, rubbing the hand Edric had just slapped.
"Stay away from my equipment! Why don't you focus on the fight instead of wasting time asking questions?" Edric demanded, returning his sights to the Manticore.
"Fine, but I want you to answer my questions later!" Three replied, watching the Manticore fight the dragon.
The dragon and the Manticore collided several times, but neither gained the upper hand. Colliding once more, the black dragon bit the Manticore's neck, who did the same to it, taking both towards the ground.
Edric followed the fall with his bow, firing the White Arrow spinning with an air spiral around it.
The dragon released the Manticore and kicked it away with its paws, allowing the arrow to pierce the monster's left wing, leaving a great hole, and taking its ability to keep itself in the air.
The Manticore collided with the ground, raising a large dust cloud. Edric didn't give the creature time to recover and ran towards it with his sword ready as Three and Octa acted in accord.
The knight slashed the Manticore's head as it tried to pierce him with its stinger, but he blocked the blow with his shield.
Octa then threw one of his Chakrams toward the monster's tail, slicing it off as the Manticore roared, but soon fell silent when Three slit its throat with one of her scissors.
Finally, the black dragon dove with its mouth wide open, sinking its fangs into its prey's flesh with all its might, slamming the body repeatedly against the ground. This continued until the light disappeared from the Manticore's eyes, making the dragon roar victoryously.
"Did you have fun?" Edric asked, approaching the dragon.
"Surely human, today we will have a feast!" The black dragon boasted, looking at the large body at its feet.
"HOHOHO! That fight sure got my blood flowing, especially to my nether regions." Octa laughed, thinking about Three's reward in the future.
"My interest in you only increases, I would like you to stay overnight in my sanctuary if you don't mind. There we can talk properly and you can answer my questions." Three said, trying to pull the knight by the arm, only to have Makoto pointed at her neck.
"Do not approach me, demon." Edric said menacingly, moving the blade closer.
"Lady Three!" Octa yelled surprised, preparing his Chakrams.
Three smiled widely with a disturbing gleam in her eyes, the gravity of the situation not affecting her as every action Edric took became an opportunity to learn more about this mysterious person.
"It's okay Octa, today's experiment was a success. I hope to see you again Edric." Three waved goodbye, walking past Octa, who looked at Edric and the black dragon one last time before following his Intoner.
"I expected you to cut off Intoner's head here and now." The black dragon said.
"It is not a fortunate time. I must fulfill, but I also need to be patient, since a better opportunity will arise. Now, let's prepare the Manticore, but leave the head whole, I need it to prove that I completed the quest."
Suddenly, Eupherbia flew from the trees before Edric and the dragon could carry off the Manticore's body.
-XXXXXX-
"You are alive, and killed the Manticore!" Eupherbia landed on the edge of my helmet again.
"Look, the little coward returned when the danger ended." The black dragon mocked.
She would say something, but several fairies appeared around us, interrupting her, while a brighter fairy stood among them.
"What a surprise, the stupid human and the stinky dragon send the Manticore to hell! Now you can leave my kingdom and never return!" The fairy demanded arrogantly.
"And who are you exactly?" I asked, half-closing my eyes, trying to see beyond the light.
"I, you ignorant human, am the Fairy King, and you should be kneeling in my presence, but I am willing to overlook your transgression if you hand this traitor over to me." The Fairy King pointed at Eupherbia, who hid behind me.
"Traitor, what did Eupherbia do to be considered one?"
"Do you think the Manticore chose our tree as its nest purely by coincidence? No, that accursed traitor had the bright idea to prank the Manticore, and she fled here when it raged and tried to kill her, bringing the monster together!"
"Is that true?" I asked Eupherbia.
"Yeah." Eupherbia replied ashamed.
"Now, I will prepare for her execution if you hand her over."
"Are you going to execute her?"
"Of course, I will not let the damage done to my kingdom go unpunished!"
"Well, I wouldn't look for other ways to have fun like pranking a Manticore if you weren't all a bunch of motherfuckers!" Eupherbia screamed, pointing at all the fairies around her.
"GASPH!" They all sighed at what they heard.
"Yes, that's true! You are all sons of a bitches who only know how to talk shit about each other."
"Fuck you!" Eupherbia said, pointing to a fairy.
"Fuck you!" Eupherbia said, pointing to another faerie.
"You're cool!" Eupherbia said, raising her thumb to a fairy, who returned the gesture.
"And you!" Eupherbia said, pointing at the Fairy King.
"You are nothing but a fat, incompetent swine that ran the Faerie kingdom down since your father's death. You raise taxes, take most of the food for yourself, execute or exile all who defy your will, and you care little for the security of the kingdom. If you wanted to, you could have faced that Manticore the very day it arrived, but you're nothing but a coward who hides behind the bravado of courage. Then FUCK YOU!"
Eupherbia's face was bright red with anger while she breathed heavily from her speech, but the black dragon's laughter broke the silence that followed.
"HAHAHA! That's what I talked about, the true nature of fairies!"
HAHAHA!"
The laughter of the faeries accompanied the black dragon's laughter, adding to the Faerie King's shame and indignation.
"DO YOU DARE?! I AM THE KING OF THE FAIRIES! THE WISEST, THE STRONGEST! NO ONE COMPARES TO MY GREATNESS! I WILL ORDER YOU ALL TO BE EXECUTED! I… I… I…"
CHOMP!
The Fairy King never finished as the dragon's row of teeth approaching was his last vision before he died, meeting his end by becoming the black dragon's next meal.
All the fairies went silent, paralyzed by fear and dread. Suddenly, they all fought each other.
"THE KING IS DEAD! I PROCLAIM MYSELF AS THE NEW KING!"
"NO, I AM THE KING!"
"YOU ARE WRONG, I AM THE NEW KING!"
"Will they kill each other to decide who becomes the new king?" I asked the black dragon.
"They are fairies, selfish beings who betray their fellows at the first opportunity. Let's go, I'm tired of wasting time with them." The black dragon replied, dragging the Manticore's body.
"Eupherbia what are you… Eupherbia?" I looked around, but she was not anywhere.
-XXXXXX-
Edric would have seen two small legs entering his bottomless bag if he had looked down at his waist. He then shrugged and accompanied the dragon off the clearing as there was no time to waste, the party day approached and he still hadn't risen to S rank.
-XXXXXX-
The Law of Causality dictates a link between event A and event B, provided that the second event is a consequence of the first. Some call this fate, causality, or the cause and effect principle, which holds that current circumstances are the result of past actions.
For example, the wind carries large golden robes that once belonged to a monk. Eventually, it takes the robes to a river where it is carried by the current, later, on in the same river, a fisherman catches the robes.
Seeing the quality of the clothes, the fisherman considers selling them for a great price, but first, he takes the robes to his wife to wash. After washing the robes and hanging them on a clothesline, a thief stoles them, selling them to a merchant.
The merchant travels to the Land of the Forests, but is unable to sell the robes, as all those capable of feeling magic say they have a bad feeling when they approach the item.
Frustrated, the merchant throws the robes away, which causes the wind to carry them again until they enter the shrine inside a large tree, landing at the feet of a purple-haired girl.
The girl approaches the robes with interest, only for them to leap like a snake and wrap around her body. The girl tried to fight, but soon stopped and laughed; she laughed at everything the robes showed her.
A monk dressed in yellow, a large tower, creatures created from unholy experiments, and everything she ever wanted to create the perfect doll. The robes also showed her the needed ingredients to create these dolls.
The girl heard a call, the call of something ancient, the call of an animal, the call of a starving child.
"Bring me more souls."
END OF CHAPTER