Chapter 7-The Fight to Move Forward
Dracon's Keep, 8th Floor, Gabriel's Study
It had been one hour since Gabriel had dismissed Walter and Tamura from his study, and preparations for the planned surgical strike against Bwynleah had begun. She who had ruled the Land of the Drake Riders with fear and no small measure of terror as her instruments, and if Gabriel had to be completely honest, he was looking forward to the impending fight.
An impulse, a desire he couldn't explain was driving him towards the fight with almost wild energies. It was almost akin to the expectation he felt when his teenaged self gave his virginity to his beloved Alisha. A lust for battle, combat, and blood he had never felt before was flooding his heart and mind like a tidal wave and he could barely contain it. Only the sudden tapping at the door to his study pulled him back to reality as he spoke.
"You may enter." He said as he took deep breaths to regain his control and focus.
A few seconds after he gave his response, the lvl-5 human nurse Addison-Rei stepped in and closed the door behind her with a bow of respect.
"My sincerest apologies for disturbing you my lord." She said in a low but steady voice.
"Nonsense Addison-Rei. I'm hardly busy at the moment, and you are always welcomed to an audience. Why do you think the guards let you pass so easily?" Gabriel said with a warm and kindly smile.
He hadn't forgotten the lengths that the nurse went through to help him in his time of need. Although the thought occurred to him that it might have just been her programming and settings at work during those moments, he still felt nothing but gratitude and warmth towards the girl. Thus he left orders that if she ever wanted to see him, and he was not indisposed, then she was free to do so.
The girl blushed a shade of pink before speaking again in a light, but official manner.
"I had hoped that you could spare a moment of your precious time my lord. So that I may speak with you."
"That's perfectly fine. In fact, I was hoping to speak with you as well. Please, have a seat over here." He says as he gestures towards a descent sized couch for three that was next the the conference table.
There was no hesitation as she walked over and took her seat on the couch. Gabriel sat next to her on her right as he looked upon her with a warm smile, which immediately had her blushing as soon as she saw it. Still, she kept her composure regardless and felt proud of herself that her efforts had a positive effect on her lord. Just as she was going to speak, Gabriel leaned forward in his seat, with his eyes front as he spoke first.
"I wanted to thank you, Addison-Rei. I... I was not in a good place when I had awakened. Although I cannot say I am all better right now, I will say that you helped a great deal in me regaining some semblance of stability. Thank you, Addison-Rei. I am in your debt."
As Gabriel turned to face her with a smile, the words of praise and thanks Addison-Rei was showered with very nearly made her burst into tears. She felt warmth spread from her chest, and all through her body as she looked down to her hands in her lap. After a moment she looked up to her master with a radiant smile of her own.
"Hmm? What is it? Know that you can speak freely when you are alone with me." He says to reassure the nurse.
"My Lord Gabriel, I am deeply moved by your words. It's beyond my clumsy ability to really express how it makes me feel, that my lord would waste such precious words on a lowly nurse like me. I would always give all that I am for you, and I am always at your service for whatever you desire.~" As she spoke with a smile, there was a small, subtle undercurrent of expectation in her flighty tone.
Gabriel looked upon her with a neutral facial expression as he thought to himself.
'What a headache. Should I be pleased that the NPCs are so loyal that they'd be so happy and willing to give of themselves so completely? Regardless, this might be a good time to have this talk before I head into battle.'
Gabriel lets out a small sigh as he then leans back and speaks in a calm and kindly tone of voice.
"Addison-Rei, I thank you for such devotion. However, I feel that there are certain facts about me that you and the others need to understand."
The nurse sits up and takes on a serious expression as she focuses on her master's words intently.
"When you came to me, I was not completely in my right mind. Between the effects of my grief and the [Inhibitor Potion] I was given, I was hardly in a position to make any kind of sound judgments and decisions. Although it was precisely what I needed at the time, it seems it has given you the idea that as the master of this Keep, that I would use my authority over you and everyone else to indulge in my desires. Nothing could be further from the truth."
Addison-Rei had a look of surprise, but also of admiration as she continued to listen to her master.
"I am a man that firmly believes in and respects a sentient being's right to choose for themselves whom they spend their time with. That concept is called 'consent', and I have never once taken someone to my bed who did not want to be there in the first place. Coercion of any kind to infringe on that right is despicable. Your case is slightly different, in that you were created with high levels of loyalty and devotion to me to begin with."
'Yes, that is the truth. From I've seen as created beings, I have a hunch that they will have certain gaps in their judgment and common sense due to a lack of actual life experience.' Gabriel briefly thinks before continuing.
"The loyalty and devotion you feel towards me, could very well be considered as a type of coercion. As such, for the time being I want you to think long and hard to yourself as I pose this question: do you want to come to my bed because of your apparent loyalty and devotion, or is it something you truly desire for yourself? That is something you must be able to honestly answer before I'll even consider it. Be sure to pass that on to your fellow NPCs as well. For you see, I am not so base as to confuse compliance with enthusiasm."
As Gabriel finishes saying his peace, he looks down to Addison-Rei with a smile filled with warmth and kindness. The nurse herself looked up into his emerald green eyes. They seemed to shine in the light of the magic fixtures that illuminated the room and she found herself captivated. She felt warmth, admiration, and awe fill her being as she considered her master's words, and then leaned over to place her head on his chest.
Gabriel wrapped his arm around Addison-Rei's shoulder, and she could feel his warmth and compassion from his touch alone. She took deep breaths to take in his scent before she spoke in a voice filled with happiness and contentment.
"My deepest thanks my lord. I feel truly blessed to have such a gentle master."
Gabriel softly chuckles as he had to admit the moment also had left him feeling better than he had expected.
"You are very welcome, Addison-Rei. And don't worry about giving your answer just yet. Take all the time you need. Now then, is there anything else on your mind?"
"Well... I hope I am not overstepping my bounds my lord, but if you can spare just a few more moments, I could use your wisdom and advice in a recent event that has left me a little unsure of what to do."
Gabriel could feel her discomfort and hesitation as she said those words. He then had to admit that he was curious as he spoke.
"Don't worry. You are fine. Please, tell me what troubles you."
"Well, it's about my roommate and fellow nurse Mina. She... wants me to be her first." Addison-Rei blushes slightly while Gabriel perks an eyebrow.
She then proceeds to explain the conversation she had with Mina just before the drake riders had flooded the 8th floor infirmary. (Beginning of CH.6) As Addison-Rei told her story, Gabriel listened quietly with an unchanging expression as he thought to himself.
'Okay, now this is bizarre. What she is describing is very similar to what happened with my guild-mates, and their creators, Felix and Joseph. They were best friends throughout their high school years and military service. It was through their mutual military service that I actually befriended them. After they both joined the guild there was an incident where, out of the blue, Felix confessed romantic feelings to Joseph. He was pan-sexual and everyone knew it, but Joseph was not amused since he was in a serious relationship with a female staff member from his clinic...'
Gabriel remembered that it was Felix who had created Mina, while he already knew that Joseph was partly responsible for Addison-Rei. He continued to mull over the subject as Addison-Rei herself recounted her experience.
'It caused a bit of drama for the both of them, and for me since I had to play mediator to ensure the drama didn't get any more awkward than it already had. That's one of the pitfalls of having guild-mates who knew each other outside the game. More importantly though, this shows that the NPCs are not only influenced by their original settings, but are also somehow influenced by the personalities of their creators. There are some notable differences though. From what she's describing, Mina's interest is not so much as romantic, as it's one of pure sexual attraction and trust. Oh, fer crying out loud. Magic is a pain in the ass. Almost makes me regret my fascination with it. Almost...'
He is brought back from his musings as he noticed that the nurse next to him was just about done telling her story.
"... and after we had finished helping the last patient we rested a bit and I came here to speak with you, my lord. I am unsure of what to do. Can you help me?" She had looked up with pleading eyes as she asked Gabriel that question.
For his part, Gabriel had a soft smile as he gently stroked and caressed the nurse's soft, white hair. That was more than enough to put her at ease as she smiles comfortably and happily.
"That's not a problem dear girl. I can understand your uncertainty here and I'm sure I can help you in this. But first you must ask yourself some very important questions. To begin with, what does Mina mean to you personally?"
"To me? She's a dear friend. She's a bit of a timid crybaby most of the time, but she's a good person and an excellent nurse. I trust her with everything I have from my clothes, my thoughts, and to my life."
'I thought so. That confirms my suspicions.' Gabriel mulls to himself.
"I see. Now then, the second question is, how did her confession of wanting you as her 'first' make you feel?"
"I... I felt confused, shocked, but also proud she spoke up and voiced her thoughts and feelings. She's always had a problem with that. I also felt kind of flattered and honored. I always thought that she just considered me as a friend and comrade. I never thought that she could have thought more than that."
"Hmm. Very good. Now then, as for the request itself, what are your honest feelings and views? Do you feel any sort of attraction to her as well? I can imagine you were considering granting her request as a way to not hurt her feelings or your friendship."
The nurse widened her eyes in shock for a brief moment, but then smiled as she closed her eyes and sighed in resignation before answering.
"As expected of Lord Gabriel. Yes, you are right. I did consider her request so I wouldn't hurt her feelings, even though I personally didn't want to go that far. But after speaking with you my lord, I now know that was the wrong type of thinking..."
'I see. So the NPCs can also learn, grow, and evolve. Good to know.' Gabriel mused as he remained silent and let Addison-Rei do the talking.
"... If I'm being completely honest with myself, I don't really feel that same level of attraction to her as I do with you my lord. I mean, she is cute, and she has very fair skin and all. I guess if I had to share my bed with another woman, then I wouldn't mind it being her. She does have my trust and respect after all." She says as she taps her right index finger on her chin in contemplation.
"Trust and respect are always great foundations in any relationship, so that is a good starting point. Heh. That actually reminds me of how Jon and Julia became intimate."
"Lord Jon and Lady Julia were a couple?" Addison said with a gasp.
Gabriel then briefly chuckles before speaking.
"Perhaps 'couple' is too strong a word to use in their case. They indulged in each other on a purely sexual level, with little to no romance involved. However, they were still good friends and comrades who respected and trusted one another. If you need some way to describe their relationship, then calling them, 'friends with benefits' would be more apt in their case."
"Ooooooh.~" Addison-Rei said as her facial expression was filled with both awe and understanding, at which Gabriel could only smile, thinking that it was cute.
"I trust that answers your question?"
The lvl-5 human nurse Addison-Rei then jumps up and takes a bow to her master before energetically responding.
"Yes, my lord! Thank you very much for speaking to me. It's helped a great deal.~"
"Heh. You're welcome. Now then, be sure to rest up, since you so nobly ignored the time off you were given." Gabriel says with a smirk.
"Oh! Um, I... well. That is, I just wanted to be of use and help people in need, and since I was 'given' the time off I figured it would be alright."
"That's fine Addison-Rei. No harm done. Although, if there is a next time, you would do well to run it by the Head Doctor first. Now then, go ahead and use that time off to rest up. You never know when things might get busy again."
"Yes, my lord.~" With that last acknowledgement, she gracefully took a bow and exited Gabriel's study.
He takes a moment to enjoy the warm atmosphere and her sweet scent as he breathes in a relaxed fashion. After a few moments his breathing becomes more measured and his smile slowly fades, and his expression is replaced with a focused determination. He stands up and walks to the head of the conference table, and then in a flash of blue light Tamura appears, and takes a bow of respect to her master before speaking.
"My Lord Gabriel, all preparations have been completed. We can deploy at a moment's notice." Tamura said in a soft but stern tone of voice.
"Very well. Let's move out." Gabriel replied as they both then disappear in flashes of blue light.
Land of the Drake Riders, Rurah Palace Front Gates
Night had fallen upon the Land of the Drake Riders as a cool breeze whistled in the air. For the most part, the surrounding areas were pitch black, with the exception of the city below the palace. The city lit up the horizon with a combination of magical light sources, as well as the fires of torches and candles.
At the palace itself, two guards in grey and brown medium armor, and armed with swords and shields, stood next to the front gates with boredom and fatigue clear on their faces. They yawned and stretched in an almost carefree manner as they struck up a friendly conversation.
"Oi, thank the dragons that our shift is almost over. It's been a really long day." The guard on the right commented, as the one on the left rotated his neck as he replied.
"Aye, true. By the way, how's that pretty wife of yours? You've been married for what? Six months?"
"Five months, and I couldn't be happier.~"
"Heh. So, what's it like? Doing it with an elven lady?" He said with a grin.
"He he. It's wonderful. I say it's the best I've ever..." The guard's expression turns serious as he halts mid-sentence.
His comrade was going to ask what was wrong when he too went on alert and then spoke up in a low voice.
"Oi, I don't hear anything."
"Yeah, me neither. It's a bit too quiet. That ain't normal. We should be hearin' the wing flapping of the palace's aerial patrols."
The two guards were now on edge as the only sounds that they could hear was the cool wind in the air, and the ambient noises of the city below. After a few moments pass the guard on the left speaks up.
"I don't like this. We should call for... for..." Before the guard could finish his sentence his eyes glazed over and he slumps down, falling unconscious.
His comrade followed suit before any kind of alarm could be raised. For a few minutes all was quiet, and then footsteps could be heard as a figure stepped out from the shadows. It was Gabriel that emerged with a stern and focused demeanor. He wore the same emerald attire as before, but with grey light armor under his long coat instead of the previous white button-up shirt, and with his sword on his back.
As he looked down upon the guards, he snapped his fingers and then an unseen force hurriedly carries them off and disappears. Tamura suddenly appears behind Gabriel and to his right as she takes a bow. As he glares at the front gates he speaks to her in stern and official tones reminiscent of a general commanding his troops.
"Tamura, status report."
"Yes, my lord. All of the security within the vicinity has been quietly immobilized and detained as per your orders. Given their low levels, the sleep spells should keep them all unconscious for the next four hours or so.~" She said with a smile.
"Very good. Now then, did the recon teams manage to find anything suspicious?"
"Yes, my lord. As you had suspected, they found numerous magical devices that were endowed with magic of the 6th-tier. Had the magic within been invoked, they would've caused massive explosions that would've toppled the surrounding mountains and the resulting rock slides could have easily destroyed the city below us." Tamura finished her report with both serious and grim tones in her voice.
Gabriel grit his teeth ever so slightly as his sight continued facing front, still glaring at the palace gates. After a moment, Tamura then spoke up in a voice filled with both curiosity and awe.
"My lord, if I may ask, how did you surmise that this 'Bwynleah' had laid traps of this nature?~ None of the prisoners knew of such a thing."
Gabriel lets out a deep sigh before responding.
"The reports of her rise to power and the nature of her rule were all I needed to make an accurate guess as to her mentality, Tamura. I've seen it before. If she were to go down, she would take as many with her as possible, with the resulting chaos leaving this country vulnerable to attack. It is the ultimate act of spite. If she couldn't have it, then no one else could. Not even her own citizens."
Gabriel's voice was tinged with disgust and anger as he gave his reply. Tamura herself found the concept to be quite repugnant as she herself grimaced in anger. Just as she was mulling over her master's reply he again spoke.
"Have all of Bwynleah's acolytes been found and detained?"
"Yes, my lord. Thanks to the information taken from Ohrly'ress, we were able to find them quite easily. However, if the information gathered is accurate, the magical bands on their foreheads are controlling them like puppets, and if they are forcefully removed they would die. Should Bwynleah die the result would be the same. However, it may be possible to save them using the spell, [Greater Break Item]."
"There's no need for that." Gabriel says with regret and sadness in his voice as he looks down at the ground with eyes filled with remorse and pity.
"L-Lord Gabriel?!" Tamura stammers in disbelief and confusion at her master's words.
Gabriel sighs tiredly as he responds.
"Tamura, according to the information gathered, the items control their actions like they're living puppets, but at the same time they remain conscious and aware of what their bodies are doing. Thus, for the last two years they all have been prisoners within their own bodies. They've witnessed all the horrors that they have helped Bwynleah to perpetuate. I trust I don't need to remind you of what she did with all those children?"
Tamura fell silent in pity and grief as she then began to grasp the implications.
"They were forced to carry out those acts alongside her. Even if we did free them, the psychological and emotional trauma that they have suffered would've left them scarred for life. I have no doubt that most of them would become suicidal upon being freed and those that don't would no longer be able to lead normal lives. It may seem heartless at first, but the fact is that in this case letting them die would be a mercy."
After Gabriel had finished his explanation, Tamura could only bite her lower lip as a few tears fell from her eyes. It was yet another tragedy that they couldn't correct. What's worse is that even with her death, more people would be lost. She looked up to see her master gazing at the palace gates with a firm determination and resolve.
She was in awe of her master's fortitude to see things through regardless, and then she understood that even if they couldn't be saved, they could still be avenged, and further tragedies prevented. She wipes her tears away and with a firm voice speaks.
"I understand my lord. I am ready to follow your lead."
Gabriel's sight looks to her for a moment, and then looks back at the palace gates before speaking.
"Tamura, you and the rest of our forces in hiding will remain out here to watch over and protect the people below. I will deal with Bwynleah on my own."
Tamura was immediately struck with uncertainty over her master's order. She wanted to accompany and protect her master as a guardian, as the vice-commander of the NPC guardians, and as the creation of his beloved. Although hesitant, she resolved to speak up to voice her concerns.
"I beg your pardon my lord, but would it not be a wiser to have me accompany you in this battle?~ After all, we know nothing of this Bwynleah's abilities, and if I might be so bold, we left in such a hurry that we weren't given the time to find more suitable battle gear for you in the treasury."
Gabriel keeps his attention focused on the palace gates as he replies.
"I know what you are trying to say Tamura, but the very existence of this vile filth has earned my personal attention and wrath. No one shall interfere. I will face her alone. Only my shadow demon will accompany me as a means of gathering information. Am I understood?"
Tamura could detect a tinge of hostility and anger in her master's voice as he spoke, but still felt uneasy about letting him go alone. She lets out a sigh as she speaks with a bow.
"I understand my lord. We shall not interfere."
Gabriel doesn't even speak as he steps forward to the palace gates. He places his right hand on the thick stone construction, feeling the smooth, tough surface. He stops on one particular area on the massive doors and marks it with a streak of his own blood.
He spreads his feet apart in a position reminiscent of a martial arts stance and pulls back his right fist, with his left hand hovering over it with its fingers extended straight. Then his breathing becomes more measured and regulated as he closes his eyes. His muscles tense so heavily that bones and cartilage could be heard cracking under the pressure.
After about twelve seconds of this, Gabriel's eyes suddenly shoot open with an intense focus, and he speaks in a low growl.
"Knock, knock."
With blinding speed he lets loose his right fist into the palace gates.
*CRASH!*
With a single punch, the gates break open down the middle as the dust and debris flows into the large hall that they see before them. Gabriel's posture relaxes as he stands up straight, ready to enter. He takes three steps forward before he stops once more, and speaks to Tamura in a low tone with his back still facing her.
"Tamura, I can understand your concern and worry for me, and I do greatly appreciate it, but keep in mind two things. First, when you lie to someone, make sure that they are unable to pick up on it."
Tamura could feel her heart skip a beat as he uttered those words. Her body trembled as she realized her mistake and fell to her knees, with her head low prostration.
"M-My sincerest apologies my lord! I beg your forgiveness for my offense! It is only my wish to fulfill my duty as one of your guardians and protect you!" She frantically says as her voice begins to crack.
"It is fine Tamura. Since I understand your feelings, you are forgiven. Now stand up." Gabriel says calmly.
Tamura was wide-eyed as she heard her master's words, but to keep from causing any other kind of offense she obeys and returns to her feet.
"Secondly, be aware that since I have taken this creature's actions as a personal offense to my honor, I will forgive NO ONE who interferes with this fight." Gabriel says as he looks over his shoulder and glares at Tamura with bloodshot eyes.
Once again, Tamura trembles in place as her eyes met her master's. She had no illusions as to the sincerity of his words as she bowed and spoke with her voice holding firm.
"Understood my lord. No one will interfere." She said solemnly.
Gabriel's eyes return to a bright and healthy white and emerald green as his expression softens and relaxes. He turns his attention back to the long hall before him as he slowly walks forward. As he does so he hears Tamura call out to him.
"Good hunting my lord!~"
He replies by way of lifting his right hand up for a few seconds before it goes back to his side. He surveys his surroundings and clearly sees it was a massive hall that could fit an adult dragon's size with easily 10 meters to spare in any direction. It had at least a dozen support columns that lined the hall on both sides, with each column having one magic lantern casting yellow colored [Continual Light] magic.
As Gabriel looked down at the floor, it resembled polished obsidian that gave one a dull reflection. His footsteps echoed well in the hall as he saw another set of massive double doors at the end. As he walked slowly he sank into a deep introspection.
'I'm a fucking idiot. I know all too well what Tamura was trying to say. I'm going in blind against an enemy who's abilities I know nothing about. I can count at least two and a half dozen better ways to go about this, but something I can't explain is driving me forward like this. I can feel it in my chest. I am VERY angry. I can feel hate, anger, rage, and something else I can't describe. Is this my way paying penance for earlier? This is my sense of guilt pushing me on? Am I doing this as a way to shoulder responsibility for everything? Damn it all! What's going on with me?!'
Unbeknownst to Gabriel, the answers to his questions were within himself as a voice, buried within the depths of his subconscious speaks.
/"You are partially correct, young Gabriel. I am simply taking all those feelings of yours, and amplifying them even further to agitate you. Of course you could win against that vile creature with any other means, but that wouldn't help your growth. If you ever hope to unlock the powers that lay dormant within you, without another 'berserker' incident, then you need this fight. We shall see how it turns out. Perhaps after this you'll finally be able to hear my voice..."/
Just as the voice within Gabriel's subconscious fades, his walk comes to an end as he stands in front of the last set of double doors. As before he places his right hand on it as if to inspect it, but then it suddenly and slowly opens for him. He narrows his green eyes slightly as he witnesses this.
'An invitation then? Well, I wasn't exactly subtle when I broke down the front door.'
Gabriel then accepts the gesture as he calmly walks into the throne room. As he does so he notices a pair of iron golems on either side handling the doors. When he clears the threshold they exit the throne room, closing the massive double doors behind them.
The doors close with a great *SLAM!* that echos throughout the large room. Gabriel takes a moment to survey his surroundings. The throne room itself was massive in scope, with a circular design that was 30 meters (98ft 5in) in diameter with a ceiling that was 20 meters (65ft 7in) in height.
In the center was a massive throne of marble, gold, silver, and platinum that was about 5 meters (16 ½ft) in height and 3 meters (9ft 10in) in width.
"Hmm? Is that...?" Gabriel says as he narrows his eyes.
Sitting casually upon the throne, with legs crossed and arms folded was the queen herself, Bwynleah Veinun. As he gazed upon her he gave no hint of surprise or shock at the form that was described so accurately in his reports. However, her attire was a bit different from what had been described.
She wore armor that was almost contoured to her body's shape, and was grey and dark purple in color. The light armor set had a bright sheen to it that made it apparent that is was enchanted. Next to her floated a double-bladed grey scepter that glowed with an ominous black and purple aura, and was 6 feet (1.83m) in length. The gear gave Gabriel the impression that he was dealing with a combat-type magic caster.
There was something else he noticed. An aroma that filled the air of the throne room. He took just a few sniffs at the air, and the smell reminded him of tombstones, glaciers, snow, ash, and surprisingly enough, flowers and roses. The combination of aromas was both pleasant and unpleasant, but easily ignored as he saw that Bwynleah was studying him.
As she looked upon Gabriel, her face contorted into a smile. Most people would have trouble reading the facial expressions of a non-humanoid. Gabriel however had some experience with that, thanks to his godmother, Regina, and her brother and his friend Jon, which allowed him to a certain extent, read non-human expressions.
From what he could gather, she was pleasantly surprised by not only his arrival, but his looks and strength. Her grin was perverse in nature, and her tail bounced energetically. As she licked her teeth, it became apparent that her interest in him was quite sexual in nature. Gabriel was not amused in the slightest as he remembered her treatment of the men in her country.
Behind her in an alcove, restrained in black chains, and contained inside a blue and black colored barrier was the dragon and former king, Rahkar Ailouros. Gabriel spared a few moments to size him up, and he felt nothing but pity and sympathy for the dragon.
The dragon's eyes were blank, empty, and hollow. Those were the eyes of one who's will had been almost completely broken and had given up. His anger flared when he realized the implications behind the dragon's state, but he held himself back as he then heard the "queen" speak with her dual voice.
"I welcome you stranger, to Rurah Palace. Tell me, what brings you here?~" She said in a friendly and sarcastic tone of voice.
Gabriel grimaced for a moment, as he resolved to control himself and study his soon to be opponent.
'Even if she doesn't know the specifics of who I am, she knows damn well why I am here. It's a deliberate provocation tactic. Although it's textbook, it shows she knows what she is doing. There's something else. She's supremely confident in herself. It almost borders on arrogance. She's got quite the ego too, and I can tell she loves to talk. I can use that.'
"My name is Gabriel Erin Dracon, and I presume that you are Bwynleah Veinun?"
"Oh, my.~ He he he. I seem to have become well known, even in this isolated country. So tell me, Gabriel, is it? What brings you to my humble palace?~"
Gabriel keeps his eyes locked onto Bwynleah with an unwavering gaze as he reaches into his coat pocket, and then casually throws a drake shaped adamantite badge to her. She effortlessly catches it and only looks upon it for a moment before she chuckles to herself and tosses it to the side.
"I see.~ I guess that can't be helped.~ I am surprised though. After those little darlings failed in their mission, I was expecting more than a personal visit.~"
"Hmph. Sorry to disappoint you, but most intelligent beings would not blame an entire country for the actions of one idiot."
Not a moment after Gabriel finished his sentence, Bwynleah's right eye twitched, her smile fades, and her overall expression turns serious as she silently glares at him.
As they stare each other down, the dragon Rahkar watches the proceedings from the back in his alcove. Outwardly he seemed apathetic, but inwardly he was curious.
'What is this human? I could sense him outside the throne room doors, even through this barrier. His strength and power... almost feels dragonic in nature. Is he a dragonkin? Even if that is the case, I can't see him winning. Not when she has "that" at her disposal.'
Just as Rahkar was finishing his inner musings Bwynleah speaks up with a light chuckle.
"He he he. My... aren't you interesting.~ Still, if you are so intelligent my dear, then was it really necessary to kill all of them?~"
Gabriel tightened his right fist at that provocation, and Bwynleah did not fail to notice as she continued.
"Oh, yes. I know they were all killed. *sniffs* Oh? What's this now? It is faint, but I can smell the blood of many on you. Hm.~ Such an aroma.~ I do wonder pretty thing; how many have fallen by your hands? Dozens? Hundreds? Thousands perhaps?"
Bwynleah had a smug grin as she noticed her words had an effect on Gabriel, who then started to twitch slightly, and though his mouth was closed, one could tell he gritted his teeth if they were observant.
/"Hm. Perhaps I destabilized Gabriel's emotions a bit too much. Her taunts are actually getting to him. It's too late for me to interfere now. I can only influence him when he's in a calm or neutral state. If this keeps up he'll make a stupid mistake..."/
As the inner voice fades, Gabriel draws the sword on his back, and its sheath fades as he pulls it out. Bwynleah seemed to be on guard as she marveled at his sword. It measured about 60 inches (152.4 cm) from blade tip to pointed pommel. It had a katana shaped blade design with a fine pointed tip and a blade length comparable to a broadsword. It was silver in color, and had a vertical dragon's head as it's guard with the blade jutting from its mouth. It was Gabriel's Divine Class sword, [Krysseatheum].
When Gabriel forcefully brings it down on the polished obsidian floor, the air pressure from the sword motion alone left a deep cut on the surface. Gabriel glared at his target with an unfiltered desire to kill.
'This filth DARES to compare me to her?! I don't know why, but I'm at my limit of control. Once I find an opening to attack, I'll detach my shadow demon so it can hide, and get a reading on her overall strength level. That is, if the initial strike doesn't kill her first!'
Bwynleah stands up from her throne during Gabriel's inner musings and smiles as if she was proud of herself. She lifts up her right hand and her floating scepter flies to it. In a voice that was supposed to be sultry she speaks.
"I am not completely unreasonable.~ I happen to appreciate fine men such as yourself. There might be a place for you as my love slave, though I doubt you'll be able to rival the performance of my sweet Rahkar in the back.~"
*BRA-KOOM!*
Gabriel then suddenly shoots forward with a force that cracks and destroys the floor beneath his feet. Filled with overwhelming disgust and rage he lost himself in the moment. As he came upon Bwynleah, he leaped up and forward, and used both hands to bring his sword down on her.
*CLANG!*BOOM!*
The deafening sound of metal colliding with metal resounds through the throne room, while the throne itself was heavily damaged from the force of Gabriel's sword strike alone. However, having successfully blocked Gabriel's attack with her scepter, Bwynleah was standing firm with both hands holding onto it. She had a wide grin, with her tail was wagging forcefully from side to side.
"Oh, my!~ My oh my oh MY!~ You are truly BEYOND my expectations! I can't decide if I want to keep you or eat you!~" Bwynleah said in joy and adulation.
Gabriel stood firm even though Bwynleah's strength was far above any of his or his NPCs estimates. Just as he was about to act once again, his opponent made her move.
[Maximize Magic: Chain Dragon Lightning]!
Having regained his composure, Gabriel kicks off Bwynleah, but was a fraction of a second too slow as the spell engulfs him, and blasts him back to his original position with a loud *CRASH!*.
After a few seconds, Gabriel stands back up and with a single sword swipe clears the dust that had been kicked up in his area. His green long coat and pants were singed black from the attack, as sparks continued to pulse outward from his body.
"Well now!~ I must say you continue to impress me.~"
Gabriel ignores her comment as he glares at her and considers the situation before him.
'Unless I missed something, that was an 7th-tier lightning spell that she just shoved into my face. If it wasn't for one of my rings that gave me enhanced lightning resistance, I'd have taken severe damage, and most likely been unable to move well. Damn it! I lost my cool again and very nearly paid for it. At least I was able to detach Tamura's shadow demon as planned. While I wait for it to do its job, I better use some items.'
Just as he lifted his left arm to access his inventory's pocket dimension, Bwynleah slams the tip of her weapon into the floor.
"Oh, no my pretty. I can't have you leaving me just yet.~"
[Dimensional Lock]!
A wave of black energy briefly sweeps over the throne room before it fades as quickly as it was released. For a brief moment Gabriel was taken aback as he stared at his still smiling enemy.
'She is just full of surprises. That's another YGGDRASIL spell. Normally, it can only be used by the highest ranking angels or devils, but that was in a game, and this is no game. Still, the fact she and the dragons she sent could use spells from YGGDRASIL confirms a hunch I had: I'm possibly not the first or even the only player to have been brought here before. Something for later. First things first, while the blood magic in my veins will accelerate my healing, having a few more items at the ready can't hur...'
Gabriel's train of thought is derailed as he then notices that his extended left arm is not accessing his inventory. His left eye twitches as he looks upon his enemy, who still had a wide smile on her face.
"My dear, did you think you can punch in my front door and leave just like that? Tsk tsk. You'll be staying for the duration, and since you have done a splendid job impressing me, you'll have a place right next to my sweet Rahkar. Hear that my love?~ You'll have some company soooon!~"
While Bwynleah was rambling, it gave Gabriel time to silently assess his new dilemma.
'I wasn't trying to leave, I was trying to access my inventory. From what I gathered, the inventory is like my own personal pocket dimension with near limitless space. So, in this new world, the spell [Dimensional Lock] does more than just keep you from teleporting. It also keeps you from accessing your inventory. I'll make a mental note of that, but for now though...'
His thoughts were interrupted by a mental communication from his shadow demon as it relayed new information on his opponent. Gabriel's eyes widened for a split second before he composed himself once again. It was clear the new information he had received was significant.
'I knew she was strong judging from our exchange, but this just confirms it. Level-90. That's just great. Can anything else can go wrong?'
In the instant Gabriel had ceased his inner musings, Bwynleah had raised her left arm towards a support pillar. An open palm shined with glowing purple, rotating magic circles as she chanted another spell.
[Light of Darkness]
In that instant, another, larger magic circle appeared in her hand, and a pillar of black energy, darker than the night sky, with a glowing purple aura shot out from it. When it did, it pulverized the piller into pebbles and shook the ground beneath them. While the spell was indeed powerful, that was not what concerned Gabriel as Bwynleah turned to face him again.
"I'm sorry.~ Was that creature a pet of yours?~ You continue to impress me, Gabriel.~ To think you'd have some interesting pets at your disposal, but as you can see it'll take more than that to fool my senses. He he."
"Tsk!" Gabriel clicked his tongue in annoyance before readying himself.
"You still want to fight? Very well. I'll humor you. I'll give you fair warning. You can't defeat me. You can't even kill me, as I am immortal. But I'll enjoy watching you fail."
"Hmph. Whatever."
The second he finished his comment, Gabriel charged forward once again. His opponent readied herself, but then he suddenly changed course by kicking the floor to move in a 40 degree angle to her right. Although she seemed able to follow his exceedingly fast movements, the action surprised her and was unable to block as Gabriel executed a horizontal slash that connected to her waist.
Sparks filled the air as the slash connected with her armor, but to Gabriel's amazement there was no damage to her. He hid his surprise with a focused, stoic, and determined expression as he continued his offensive.
Bwynleah's expression was one of annoyance as she regained her footing balance and composure.
[Maximi...]
Gabriel wasted no time in closing the distance to prevent spell casting as she blocked his attack. Sparks of orange flew as he then turned his sword and ran the blade across the surface of her scepter to cut at her left hand holding it. Though the attack did cut her fingers, drawing black colored blood, it did not slice off her fingers as intended.
Cocking his right eyebrow in curiosity, Gabriel deliberately lowers his guard for a split second. Bwynleah doesn't fail to notice it as she spins her bladed scepter around to deliver her own horizontal slash across Gabriel's chest. It knocks him away by 2 meters (6ft 7in), but he stops himself by ramming the fingers of his left hand into the ground to act as an anchor, with the strength of his grip nearly digging a small hole.
He takes a brief moment to inspect his chest area. Although the magically enchanted long coat he wore was torn asunder, all his chest piece had was a black streak from the blow. During this exchange, the inner voice within him spoke.
/"Damn it, Gabriel. That's a bad habit you have. Using your own body to test the enemy's strength and attack power. It's a trick you used all the time in YGGDRASIL and sometimes even in your own world. It'll get you into trouble one of these days. That's if this creature doesn't kill you first..."/
The voice fades once more as Gabriel watches Bwynleah casually stretch her neck as if she had nothing to worry about. Still, she kept her eyes locked onto him, showing that she was not completely off-guard.
'She's strong in melee combat, but not enough for me to worry about. True to form, she's most dangerous as a magic caster. Got to keep her off balance and prevent her from using anymore spells.'
As Gabriel finishes his thoughts, his opponent speaks in a flighty tone.
"My now!~ Aren't you the tricky, energetic one?~ Still, perhaps some punishment is in order."
'Ugh. She loves to hear herself talk. Speaking to an enemy in the middle of a fight is just idiotic. In this regard, she's a living, breathing, anime villain cliche...'
"Hmm? Still not talking to me? How rude.~ Well, I'll have you make other types of sounds soon enough."
The instant she finishes that sentence her mouth opens, and a black mass and a blast of cold air shoots out of it. Its speed was impressive as Gabriel barely managed to dodge to his right to avoid it. In the corner of his eye he sees what looked like black and purple colored ice freezing the ground along its path as it collides with a pillar behind him.
He then leaps back an additional 3 meters (9ft 10in) to put some distance between them and to the side to distance himself from the cold he felt. As he processes what just happened, he fakes a shocked reaction to encourage Bwynleah to monologue again to buy himself time. She takes the bait.
"Do you like it, handsome?~ It is one of my specialties called, [Void Ice]. It instantly freezes everything it touches. Best of all, it never melts unless I wish it to. Maybe you would like to reconsider this fight now?" She says in a smug manner.
Taking advantage of her arrogance and lax attitude Gabriel considers the information she volunteered.
'The wave of cold air I felt... she wasn't bluffing. The instant she launched that attack the entire throne room felt about -100ºF (-73.3ºC) colder. God only knows what a direct hit will feel like. If it wasn't for one of my rings that gave me enhanced cold resistance, I'd be shivering my ass off...'
The instant he finished thinking, Bwynleah herself decided to go on the offensive as she shot forward with impressive speed of her own. She thrusts the point of her scepter towards Gabriel face but it missed the mark as he slightly moves his head to his right. She then continues a series of thrusting motions in an attempt to land a hit on him.
During this change, Gabriel deftly dodged and parried each strike that would have skewered any lesser man. Just as he was about to counterattack, Bwynleah switched to vertical and horizontal slashes that made it seem she was dancing as she twirled the bladed scepter. It made it apparent that she was skilled in melee combat, but Gabriel's skill far outclassed hers.
Just as she was trying to deliver another horizontal slash, Gabriel countered with a vertical slash of his own that knocked her weapon's momentum off and above her head. Having created an opening, he spins forward to deliver a horizontal slash across her abdomen due to their height difference.
Again it resulted in a shower of orange sparks, but no damage was evident from his strike. He narrowed his eyes as he rolled to the side to avoid another strike. Gabriel then delivers a spin kick to the back of her left knee to destabilize her balance, but it seemed to have no effect. Instead, Bwynleah releases her left hand's grip and points a finger straight at his forehead.
[Lightning]!
The straight bolt of lightning misses its mark as Gabriel bends his head to the left and delivers a vertical slash to her arm. Again, a shower of orange sparks with no damage. He then jumps back to put some distance between them. His breathing was measured and calm as he looked upon his opponent who seemed to be enjoying herself.
'What is going on? None of my attacks are doing any significant damage. My physical strength should be on par if not greater than hers, and the weapon I'm using is among the top 20 deadliest Divine Class types in YGGDRASIL. Every time I strike, it feels like I'm hitting a wall. Something's off here. Time to do a test.'
Just as Gabriel concluded his thoughts, he leaps forward and swings his sword down.
*CRASH!*CRASH!*SLASH!*
Bwynleah stared at Gabriel completely perplexed as he demolished her throne, and tilted her head in confusion as he continued to slash at it until it was a pile of trash.
"Um, what is it that you are doing?~ Are you perhaps feeling frustrated?~"
Gabriel kept his eyes on her, and ignored her comments as he sank into thought.
'Alright. I cut through the metals on her throne with no difficulty, and as expected her lax attitude allowed me a moment to test this. Even assuming that her armor is enchanted, I already experienced with my own body fighting something enchanted in the training room. This is something different. Well, just staring at her will get me nowhere...'
Once again, Gabriel charged at his opponent, but this time she fired off another blast of her [Void Ice] to intercept him. He pivots and twists his right foot to sidestep to his left to avoid the attack and then immediately rushes forward again. The instant he closed the distance he launched multiple barrages of his own thrusts and slashes.
Bwynleah demonstrated an aptitude for blocking and dodging herself, although she was not nearly as proficient as Gabriel. For every hit she dodged or blocked, he scored a hit on her armor. A blinding light of orange sparks filled the throne room as his relentless attacks kept her on the defensive. Then the sea of sparks stopped as they both locked weapons with each other.
Gabriel pushed her back, and it became apparent that in terms of raw physical strength he had the edge. As he kept her weapon occupied, his left hand went from his sword handle to her left wrist. He latched on with a powerful and immovable grip that could crush stone. After three seconds of this he noticed Bwynleah, for the first time, showing signs of concern and even the beginnings of panic.
"UNHAND ME!" She yelled.
Her mouth started to bulge, signaling to Gabriel the attack that was coming as he then ducked and slid behind her. He managed to avoid a point blank blast of that black ice that continued to drop the temperature of the room with each use. He slashed at her back, which again resulted in orange sparks, but again no significant damage.
Despite this she leaped into the air.
[Fly]!
The spell activated and she hovered 10 meters (32ft 10in) in the air. She turned to look at Gabriel, and although she seemed the picture of calm, he could tell that she was slightly unnerved by their recent exchange.
'That's odd. I outclass her in close range combat, but until I actually grabbed her she didn't seem to care. When I had her wrist I felt something. It was faint. If it wasn't for the fact I wasn't wearing gloves I might have missed it. It was a tingling on my skin, like I passed through something. It then faded after about two and a half seconds. Is that why she took to the air? Thanks, you monstrous bitch. I now have a useful hint.'
While in the air, Bwynleah was composed and smirked as she spoke.
"Tell me something, handsome Gabriel; why is it that you fight me? I can tell with your strength, those little darlings I sent could have done no real harm to you. So why are you risking death, and/or enslavement at the hands of an immortal?~"
Gabriel grit his teeth and glared at her. The grip on his sword tightened to the point that the cracking of bones could clearly be heard. What neither Gabriel nor Bwynleah realized was that his anger and rage from before had not disappeared from his mind and heart.
Rather, he was able to focus and harness it towards a specific target. Without that outlet, his destabilized emotions had no target for release, and it made him vulnerable to her taunts. His mistake was not realizing this sooner, and his agitated state made him roar with a disgusted voice filled with venom and hate.
"You... piece OF SHIT! YOU DARE ASK WHY?! AFTER ALL YOU'VE DONE TO THE PEOPLE OF THIS COUNTRY?!"
"Hoh.~ So you know about that? How interesting. And... what of it? Is it not natural for the powerful to take what they want? As a powerful being yourself, a little rape and murder shouldn't really bother you.~" Bwynleah said in a playful and flighty tone as she smiles perversely.
Just then the air became heavy as the floor beneath Gabriel's feet cracked and broke under the pressure he exerted upon it. Heat started to escape his body as it began to glow with a green aura. Images of Relina and Gatoh flashed in his mind, and then the images of Alisha overlaps with that as he remembers the pain they had suffered, and that he suffered. With his sword still in his right hand, he takes a sword swipe position.
"DON'T COMPARE ME... TO THE LIKES OF YOU... YOU... FILTH!"
Gabriel takes a sword swipe at the air, and then his right arm suddenly bursts into an emerald colored flame that shoots towards Bwynleah. Being taken by complete surprise she is barely able to dodge the blast of emerald heat that passes her and destroys a portion of the ceiling. Meanwhile, Gabriel drops his sword and cradles his right arm with his left as he screams in agony.
"AAAARRGG! HAAAAAAAA! AAAAAAAAAH!"
Bwynleah watches the scene in both puzzlement and amusement as she tilts her head.
Gabriel's mind was now a whirlwind of thoughts and emotions as he kneeled in pain and watched as the emerald flames coming from his arm died down.
'JESUS CHRIST! Those were [Emerald Flames]?! It felt like I was being stabbed from the inside out with thousands of red-hot needles! 'The hell is going on?!'
Before he could regain his bearings, a purple magic circle forms under him, and just as he noticed it a spell activates.
[Blizzard of Agony]
The instant Bwynleah chanted that spell, a black blizzard with a purple aura formed around Gabriel. Within this blizzard, dozens of black blades formed and randomly tore into his flesh. Sprays of crimson flowed in every direction as his screams of pain echoed throughout the throne room, along with Bwynleah's laughs.
The dragon Rahkar had been watching the entire fight thus far, and at some moments he felt a modicum of hope seep into him as he saw Gabriel match, and at times, exceed Bwynleah in combat. Even more so when he saw the green flames erupt from his arm. Now however, he closed his eyes and rested himself as Gabriel's screams echoed.
'It's over. I was a fool to even think he could win. Especially when his power smelled of dragonic nature. Hmm. Hopefully that witch will spare and collar him like she said. She doesn't need his strength added to her own.'
A few moments later, Gabriel's shouts stopped as the spell faded. As the magic cleared one could see the state he was in. The skin of his arms, legs, and torso were covered with numerous cuts and lacerations as his complexion was dyed scarlet, and was on his knees with both his arms by his sides. The magic amulet he wore slowly slid off his blood soaked body as his head hung low with his long, blonde hair covering his eyes.
Bwynleah floats down to his position and releases her scepter which floats in place. As she looks down upon him with a satisfied smile she speaks.
"I told you I would have you make other types of sounds. Don't worry now. I made sure to leave your pretty face and all important manhood area undamaged. Now then, shall we enjoy ourselves?~"
She then gently picks Gabriel up and cradles him in her arms. Though she had rend his flesh, his muscles were as steel, and she took a moment to admire his blood covered physique.
"Oh, my!~ You're a tough one, aren't you?"
She then takes a deep breath, and savors his scent with a perverse moan as she speaks again.
"Aah~. You have such a wonderful smell. Now... let's see how you taste.~"
Bwynleah then drags her tongue over his abs and then up to his chest, collecting as much of Gabriel's blood in her mouth as possible. During this, Gabriel's mind was at last calm as he thinks with clarity.
'Ugh. Perhaps I should thank this vile creature. I can now focus my thoughts while she pleasures herself. Of course, once she realizes what's in my blood, I don't expect to live very long. Must focus the [Blood Magic] on healing my internal injuries and planning my next step. I now know that my [Emerald Flames] are somehow inside me, and I have a vague idea on how to summon them, but the pain was beyond intense. How do I...?"
Gabriel's thoughts are interrupted as Bwynleah shutters in utter ecstasy as she speaks.
"Dead gods what IS this blood?~ So rich! So powerful! Almost like... like..."
The queen's words trail off as her eyes widened in shock, and without warning drops Gabriel's body to the floor. As Bwynleah backs away she begins shouting with anger and venom in her voice, all of which directed towards him.
"WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU?! No human could have THAT in his blood!"
For the first time since their fight had began, she looked disturbed, unnerved, and quite possibly even frightened. Something within his blood had perturbed her to the point of even shaking in place. During this, Gabriel was contemplating his next move.
'Time's up. Can't continue playing possum for much longer. Like I figured, she's rattled from the fact I have [Blood Magic] coursing through my veins. I need to act quickly. Need to buy time for my plan to work, but how do I control those damned flames now?! They cause so much pain I couldn't even think straight! How, damn it? How?!'
Gabriel's thoughts travel at lightning speeds as he forces himself to run through a myriad of memories. Without knowing how or why, he remembers his time being trained by his godmother, Regina. She was the older sister of his friend Jon, and the one who saved him upon being orphaned. She was an excellent guardian, but when he had requested training from her, she was unrelenting and without pity, just as he agreed she would be.
During one such training session, he was being subjected to a training regimen that would strengthen his endurance. Only catch was, he had to wear a harness that would inflict continual pain upon the wearer. He remembers how his younger self reacted.
"The hell is this you albino hag?!"
*SLAP!*
The sounds of an open palm slapping a cheek resounds throughout a large, wooden construction training hall lit by a dozen candles. The "hag" came into view and it was a beautiful, shapely woman in her forties with long, white hair that went down to her waist and a well developed bust. She wore what looked like a white and blue colored kimono that only accentuated her curvaceous features.
The perfect mature beauty also had two other distinct features to her: slitted, golden colored eyes and slightly pointed ears. Much like her younger brother Jon, she was also a real, living werewolf, and Regina was how Jon and Gabriel had met. After slapping Gabriel, she spoke in cold tones.
"This is the training you wished for me to grant you. Do not complain."
"I'm not complaining, damn it! I don't get why I am in this torture contraption! It feels like it's tearing me apart!"
"Yes. And?" She says again in cold tones.
"And... what the hell is the point of this?!"
Regina sighs tiredly before responding. "Let me answer your question with another question, young Gabriel: do you think that everything in your life will come easily?"
"What? What are you going on about granny?" He growled back.
Regina's right eye twitched four to five times before she exhales and responded, but this time with more life and energy in her voice.
"Young Gabriel, you have already experienced a measure of pain when your parents died to save you from your former home as it burned. But that is nothing compared to what else this world can throw at you. You wanted this training to be ready for a life outside this valley we call home. Well, this is part of it. Learning to embrace pain."
"HUH?!"
"Don't understand? Not surprising. Most living creatures actively avoid the sensation of pain whenever possible. It is the natural response after all. But what about the soldier on the battlefield who must continue to fight, or to march on covered in wounds from battle? He does not have the option to run away from the pain of those situations."
Her words had a stern edge as she continued to lecture the teenaged Gabriel, who had briefly forgotten his discomfort as he listened intently with wide-eyed awe.
"The same applies to a mother giving birth. She does not get the option to run away from the pain and discomfort that comes with bringing a new life into the world. They both have only two options available to them. They can either lay down and die, or they can endure and embrace the pain. To use it and make it work for them, to drive them on to survival, and with that survival comes their victory over weakness and death."
The younger Gabriel then locked eyes with his godmother as he realizes the truth of her words and his countenance became hardened.
"So then my beautiful brat, will you lay down and die, or will you bite the bullet and embrace the pain to survive? Embrace the pain Gabriel. Embrace it. EMBRACE IT!"
Gabriel's mind comes back to the present as he lets out a toothy grin.
'Damn it you old hag. You got me there.'
Meanwhile, Bwynleah was approaching him with her bladed scepter in hand, rambling incoherently to herself.
"No, no, no, no. Wrong, wrong, wrong. Can't be. Can't be. Won't accept it. Must die. Must die now!"
She finishes her ramblings as she prepares to bring her scepter down on Gabriel's chest. Lost in her own thoughts, she fails to notice Gabriel taking in calm, measured breaths of air, as if to prepare himself.
'This is going to suck. The. Biggest. Donkey. Ball. Ever.'
Gabriel has a wide, toothy grin as he clenches his fists tightly as if to brace himself for something. Bwynleah looks down, sees his grin and momentarily becomes confused and uncertain at the strange sight. As if in response to her hesitation, Gabriel speaks to her in a mocking tone.
"I should thank you, Bwynleah.~ Because of you I remembered a long forgotten lesson from an albino werewolf granny that really pissed me off at times, but I still loved her regardless."
Bwynleah stood motionless in complete bewilderment at his words, and before she could react, Gabriel's eyes opened and shined with a bright emerald light. Not a second after this, both of them became engulfed in a pillar of emerald flame that erupted from his body.
She dived out of the maelstrom of flame and heat, with her armor smoking and her visibly affected by the exposure. She rolled and tumbled about a dozen feet away before coming to a stop on her hands and knees panting, seeming to be drained.
Meanwhile, inside that maelstrom Gabriel's screams of pain could be heard echoing throughout the entire throne room. After a moment, those screams changed into animalistic roars as the pillar of flame shrank down. As it did, one could clearly see he was on his feet, with his hands open and fingers crooked like they were claws. Gabriel was baring his teeth like a beast, with his canines being especially pronounced.
Bwynleah stared with mouth agape in shock at the sight. Emerald flames surrounded his body like he was a part of it. However, as she looked closely, the blood that soaked his body was burning away and the wounds she had inflicted were glowing an emerald light and smoking, as she could pick up the tale-tell aroma of burning flesh from him.
All his wounds looked like they had become cauterized as they pulsed with emerald light. He looked up and glared at Bwynleah with eyes filled with emerald flame. His roars of pain subsided, and his breathing, while still labored, began to calm down as well. To the queen's shock, all the black ice from her previous attacks in the area had started to melt and evaporate.
The temperatures of the air, while back to a normal room level, felt heavy and was difficult to breath in. Her body suddenly felt heavy as well and her skin had a hot and prickly sensation crawl all over her. Most of all, she felt a barrage of feelings and emotions that were not her own that ranged from every one that she could conceive, and others that she could not.
"UUOOOAAHH! AAAAAAARGH!"
Gabriel roars once more as he clenches his hands into fists and straightens his posture. As he does so, the shape and image of a dragon with wings spread took shape above his head and roars in unison with him.
/'Glorious Gabriel! Simply glorious! You have FINALLY learned to tap into our power! You learned to use your pain to ignite the [Emerald Flames], and your raw emotions to fuel them. Everything from your love, hate, joy, sadness, anger, melancholy, adulation, and everything in between. The pain will lessen in time, but for now, kill this WRETCH!'/
Back in the alcove, Kahkar was, for the first time since the fight had began, sitting up in awe and excitement. Tears freely flowed from his eyes as he said only two words.
"It's beautiful."
As the image of a dragon above Gabriel faded and was absorbed into his flamed aura, Rahkar lost himself in thought.
'I can feel this man's raw emotion. His presence alone makes my blood boil. The last time I felt anything remotely like this was when I won an audience with the Platinum Dragon Lord himself. Such raw dragonic power. Can I dare to hope he can win?'
As the dragon Rahkar lost himself in his own thoughts, Bwynleah was the very picture of disturbed and unsettled. She couldn't stop shaking as she gazed upon Gabriel with unmasked fear as she shouted at him.
"What are you?! How did you do this?! HOW?!"
Gabriel simply glares at her as he growls in a voice with a deep echo.
"Fuck you, that's how."
Bwynleah's face contorts with heated rage and hate as her dreadlocks started to shed ice dust of purple and black. While she grimaced, Gabriel took his left thumb and index finger, put them in his mouth, and created a sharp, piercing whistle whilst he also extended his right hand. As if summoned by that act, his sword flew back into his grip. His flame aura that was clinging to him then spread to the weapon, engulfing it.
When it did the guard, handle, and pommel changed color from their original silver to shining emerald, as the eyes of the dragon-head shaped guard similarly changed its color to a ruby red. Paying this no heed, Gabriel points the sword towards Bwynleah.
"Time to die you monstrous bitch."
To this provocation she lets out a crazed laugh.
"Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha! Were you not listening?! I am immortal you can't hope to..."
"Shut up." Gabriel calmly interjected.
"What?! How dare you...?!"
Bwynleah found her words cut off again.
"I already know your secret, so just shut up, Yogg filth."
The instant Gabriel said "Yogg", the eyes of both Bwynleah and Rahkar widened to the size of saucers. Seeing her shocked looks Gabriel continued speaking with a subtle growl in his voice.
"Although it goes against my personal policy to carry on a conversation in the middle of a fight, let me go ahead and enlighten you. Yes, I know what you are. I suspected what you were the first moment I heard your description, and seeing your ugly mug only confirmed it. And your claims to 'immortality' is for the most part correct, save for one very important detail..."
Bwynleah could only listen on in what could be described as pure terror as she realized her mistake in playing with her foe instead of killing him on the spot. Rahkar in the back was laser focused on the conversation, as his flames of hope were once again reignited.
"Should any race besides a human, dwarf, elf, angel, werewolf, vampire, or dragon land a killing blow you can transfer your soul and life essence into them. However, thanks to an ancient blood curse that was bound to your kind, any one of the previously named seven races can kill you without fear. So, anymore questions?"
Bwynleah felt a cold chill go down her back despite the renewed warmth of the throne room. This man was the first she had encountered in her fifty plus years of life in this world, that knew so much about her kind. She steeled her resolve and took a stance before speaking with a hiss.
"How? How do you know of my kind?!"
"Oh? That's an easy one. About 192 years ago, in a little place called Thailand, one of your kind was summoned by a bunch of idiots who had no idea what they were doing. For their trouble, it killed and devoured them, their troops, a whole village, and ten of the people I was sent in with. And just so we're clear, with the help of some friends of mine, I managed to kill that one too."
"NO! T-Then that means you're from..."
"Discussion is over. You die now." Gabriel hissed as he charged forward.
[Fly]!
Bwynleah took to the air with her flight spell, but much to her shock and dismay, her opponent followed her by blasting upward like a rocket with his [Emerald Flame] at his feet. Before she could react he was upon her, and had his sword at his waist in his left hand like it was in a sheath.
[Blaze Slash]
*GONG*FAWOOSH*
She barely managed to block a devastating slash attack that also released a stream of green flames that had all but melted the black ice in the area. The impact of the attack sent her plummeting back down to the ground with a *CRASH*, whilst Gabriel used the heat blown off from his flames to float in the air. He then spoke in cold, and venomous tones to his quarry.
"That's where you belong, monster. Flat on your back. Perhaps I should let Rahkar out and let him ravage and abuse YOU for a change!"
The dragon he referred to could only meekly grin at the comment. For over two years he had dreamed of this moment. The moment the monster Bwynleah would be humbled and killed, and now he allowed himself to hope once again.
Consequently, Bwynleah was gritting her teeth as she picked herself up, and as soon as she stood straight up she roared.
"ARGHAAAAAAH! I WON'T HAVE A LOWLY HUMAN LOOK DOWN ON ME!"
She slammed her scepter into the ground, and just as Gabriel realized what she had planned to do, he allowed himself to stop floating in the air, concentrated all his flames into the blade of his sword, and pointed it downward so it could strike the ground. As it did, both of them chanted their attacks.
[Flame-Fortress of the Emerald Hell]!
[Encroachment: Piller of the Loosed Void]!
The near simultaneous activation of their attacks was like the end of days had arrived as multiple streams of emerald flames shot upward. They collided with a singular stream of glowing purplish-blackness that encompassed the entirety of the room's diameter, and made it seem that the night's sky itself was falling down upon them.
Both Gabriel and Bwynleah channeled everything they had as they both roared like monsters fighting for territory. The palace, and by extension the whole mountain began to shake and tremble as these two titans clashed for dominance.
Gabriel himself appeared as if he was waning in power and stamina, whilst his foe still seemed to have mana and stamina to spare. Realizing how this tug of war would end if it continued, Gabriel focused the flames enveloping his body into the ground, and allowed them to shoot up from Bwynleah's feet. This moment of distraction was all he needed to win the clash as he pouring everything he had left into his attack.
The resulting clashes of power and magic shot upwards, destroying the ceiling, and by extension the mountain top. That illuminated the night sky with pillars of bright green flames that pushed the blackness up into nothingness.
Outside, Tamura was floating in the air with other, camouflaged winged creatures destroying the debris with magic spells and arrows loosed from magic bows. As she did this, she took a moment to stare up in awe at the green flame. Then realization hit her as she unconsciously asked aloud.
"How did Lord Gabriel produce the powers of the [Emerald Flame] without his armor?!"
Back inside what remains of the throne room, Gabriel was now on his hands and knees panting like a man who had run a marathon. Bwynleah, whilst similarly winded stood tall and proud, and smiled as if she had won.
"Well, *pant* now... *pant* you shall *pant* learn your *huff* place human. I'm going to *huff* force some answers *pant* out of you *huff* before I kill you." She said with a perverse grin while slowly walking forward.
As she did, a subtle golden light enveloped her and in that instant her fatigue seemed to have waned.
"Aaaaah.~ All Better now." She said with a relaxed sigh as she stretched her limbs.
She then took two more steps and was just an arm's length away from Gabriel as she reached for him with her left hand.
"Now then, shall we... what?!" She hisses in surprise.
Her whole body shook as she stood in place.
"I... I can't move... Impossible! What did you do?!" She growled as she glared at Gabriel who had a small grin on his face.
He stood up, still panting but not nearly as badly as before. He then deprived her of her combat scepter with a sword slash that knocked it from her grip as he then sternly and confidently spoke.
"I've taken away your ability to move freely wretch, that's what I did. This is what's called 'checkmate', Bwynleah Veinun."
She gritted her teeth at the non-answer she received and hissed in reply, and as Gabriel stabbed his blade into the ground, placing both hands on the handle, he spoke again in a calm and authoritarian tone of voice.
"Don't understand? Well, let me answer your question with another question. What did you swallow before I unleashed my flames?"
Her eyes widened with dawning horror as she realized what he was implying, but she then growled back as she spoke.
"NO! That's not possible! The power in her blood alone couldn't have done this..." She said before being cut off by Gabriel.
"And you would be correct, if [Blood Magic] was the only thing coursing through my veins. Tell me, do you know what nano-technology is?"
Gabriel receive a blank expression in response as he then pulled his sword up and walked around to her backside.
"No? Figured you wouldn't. Your kind haven't been on Earth in quite some time. Not that it matters, but the short version is you allowed me to test a theory I came up with on the fly while your spell was tearing into my body. I bided my time, and waited to see if my crazy idea would work. Heh. How ironic. The same thing that had trapped me ended up trapping you, thus saved my life." Gabriel mused with a bitter smile.
"Your rambling won't save you from my wrath human! I WILL break free!" She hissed as she strained against her frozen body.
Gabriel then reached over and grabbed onto her back, waited three seconds, and then spoke in a low, but fierce tone of voice.
"You're assuming I'll let you live long enough to do that."
The instant he finished his comment, Gabriel slashed behind her knees, which sent her toppling forward. Only her extended arms caught her fall, and now she was the one who had been sent to her hands and knees in helpless prostration.
"ARGHAAAH!"
"Hmph. Thought so. If my hunch is right, you're using a powerful magic item not of this world that boosts your defenses and increases your stamina recovery rate. Correct?"
Once again, Bwynleah Veinun was taken aback in wide-eyed shock.
"H-How...?"
"You made the mistake of reacting to me when I grabbed onto you during one of our exchanges. During that time I didn't fail to notice that my bare hand passed through a magic of some kind, and you reacted as if you were in trouble. A clever enough foe can pick up on little things like that if you're not careful, dumbass."
Bwynleah began to grimace and growl at her own carelessness as Gabriel continued her humiliation by pointing out her mistakes.
"If you had kept your cool, and pretended nothing was amiss, I most likely wouldn't have noticed and figured out that the key to breaching your defense, was to simply hold onto you for two and a half seconds. That is a very specific interval, and combined with what I saw, made me remember a very specific item that has that ability. The one that you are most likely wearing around your neck underneath your armor."
Bwynleah's trembling stopped as she froze, realizing that her enemy figured out her trump card.
"Your mistake Bwynleah, was in thinking that as long as you had that item, you would be invincible. Every item, no matter how formidable, has a weakness."
Gabriel then moved to her front and lift up her chin with his sword as he continued his lecture.
"Furthermore, you talk too much. You are so full of yourself, you fail to err on the side of caution. Not to mention your own low perceptions of humans clouded adherence to basic caution. The moment you underestimate your opponent, is the moment you fail. Well, that's enough talk from me. Time to die, Yogg filth."
The moment Gabriel said that last phrase, Bwynleah once more struggled in vain to break free, but it was of no use. He leans over with his left hand, grabs her chin, waits for a few seconds, and then positions his sword's tip near her mouth. It does not take her long to surmise his intentions as her eyes widen in terror.
"No... no..." She said almost pleadingly.
"I'm sorry, are you trying to beg? After all you have done, you deserve not an ounce of mercy. Down the hatch, and goodbye, Yogg filth." He said in emotionless tones.
In that instant Gabriel shoves the length of his sword's blade into her mouth and into the length of her body. As she spasmed and choked, Gabriel was not finished as he twisted the blade, and then with a room shaking roar he ignites his [Emerald Flame] inside of Bwynleah's body.
If she had screamed, no one could hear it as Gabriel roared from the painful recoil of using his flames. Within just a few moments, the Yogg was burned from the inside out and was turning into ash.
After a few moments, all that was left was her scorched armor that had all but lost its sheen, and a glowing gold object he could barely make out in the remains. He reached down slightly to pick it up, but then suddenly stopped as his body started to convulse. Gabriel dropped his sword and his vision became blurred as more emerald flames started to emerge without him willing them forth.
Gabriel clenched his fists and his teeth and braced himself as a shockwave of green flames erupted from his body and spread to every corner of the throne room. The double doors blew open and destroyed the iron golems behind it, and emerald flames shot forth into and out of the hall past the front entrance of the palace, and shot up from the destroyed ceiling and into the night sky like an emerald volcano.
The flames slowly receded in the span of a few minutes. When they did and Gabriel could clearly be seen, he had a look of shock on his face as he looked down at himself and saw he was now clad in his YGGDRASIL gear, [Armor of the Emerald Dragon].
"W-What is happening? How did... what was...? It wasn't just the power, but the armor itself was inside me?!"
He was in total confusion as the event took him by complete surprise. Not expecting it in the slightest, he could only look down at his hands in wonder. Then as he flexed his hands, arms, and filled his lungs with air, Gabriel's eyes narrowed as he realized other important details.
"My fatigue is gone and I feel energized. I also feel a bit stronger than before, and I can feel my vitality is greater than before I got here. It feels like... did I just level-up?!"
/"Indeed you did, young Gabriel."/
Gabriel looked perturbed as he suddenly started looking and turning in every direction in a 360 degree radius. Seeing nothing but his flames dying down he wondered aloud.
"Who said that?"
/"Hoh? Does this mean you can finally hear my voice?"/
"What the...?! Wait. That was in my head. Are you speaking directly into my mind?" Gabriel asked as he composed himself.
/"Indeed, young Gabriel. To finally be able to speak to you outside of dreams is quite fulfilling for me."/
"Outside of... wait. I know that voice. I recognize it now!" Gabriel exclaimed as he realized something important.
/"Very good. You're actually quite bright when you want to be, young one. Hmm? Tsk! It seems we won't be able to communicate much longer. The phenomenon you referred to as, 'level-up', allowed only a temporary moment of connection. It's now fading fast. How disappointing for us both, but I am confident there will be another time. Just know that I am a part of you Gabriel, and that I am your ally... "/
The voice fades with an echo in Gabriel's mind, leaving him with more questions than answers as he curses aloud.
"Tsk! Dammit it all. More bullshit to deal with. Like I didn't have enough on my plate as it is. Oooh, fer' crying out loud. "
Gabriel's annoyed expression fades as he recomposes himself with one of focus as his attention goes back to his armor that still pulses with green light and energy. He then analyzes what had happened in his mind.
'Putting aside the surprise voice in my head and the complicated shit that entails, I've got to figure this one out right now. Hmm...'
Gabriel cradles his chin with his left hand as the flames in the area continue to die down and he slowly begins to walk towards Rahkar's alcove that had now lost the barrier.
'Despite the changes I went through after my two bodies merged, it still more or less develops in a similar manner as the game. Strange. So, my level was reduced to lvl-95, thanks to what I suspect was the merger. That might have acted as a "rebirth" of sorts, reducing my level and opening up a new avenue for development. In game terms, I might have just unlocked a new specialized class, like Touch-Me's [World Champion] class or Momonga's [Eclipse] class. Hm? I feel as if I could...'
As his thoughts trail off, Gabriel turns around, and extends his right hand and wills his sword to return to him. After it vibrated for a few seconds it then flew into his grip. He then holds it with both hands, and closes his eyes in concentration. A moment after doing this his armor shimmers in green light and flame and slowly fades from view.
Looking down at himself, he sees the armor had been dismissed as he had surmised it would. He also noticed that despite his previous wounds having healed for the most part, there were still numerous scars covering his chest, abs, arms, legs, and he guessed even his back too. He seemed to pay it no heed as he focused within himself.
He could feel that his armor and its power was a part of him in a sense, and as long as he had the vigor and stamina he could call it forth at almost any time he wished. He also noticed that his flames had somehow changed the color of the floor from an obsidian to a creamy jade color. Gabriel briefly smiled at the change before moving on.
Seemingly satisfied with his experiments he closed the distance with Rahkar who had been watching him with eyes filled with awe and expectation. Gabriel then lifted his sword above his head with both hands gripping the handle.
Whilst misunderstanding Gabriel's intentions, Rahkar lowered his head and closed his eyes with a smile, waiting for an end to his miserable and empty life. That end did not come, as Gabriel then brought down his sword, and with seven blurred slashes sliced the black chains and collar that held him. They all then slid off almost in unison.
Gabriel then turned around, walked about 2 meters away from Rahkar, and stabbed his sword into the ground with the flat part facing forward. He then sat down and leaned back onto the sword in a relaxed posture. Rahkar watched him in surprise at first, but then understood that he was not the type to kill without reason, even if he had wished for it in his heart.
As Rahkar relaxed himself, Gabriel gave him a small surprise as he then reached into a small portal and withdrew a small silver container. He then pulled out a single cigarette, put it in his mouth, and then lit it with a single, small emerald flame from his right index finger. He takes a moment to take in several puffs in silence, while Rahkar looked on in curiosity and expectation.
It seemed to Rahkar that the man to his front called Gabriel was not only trying to decompress from the intense battle he had, but also trying to find the right words to say to him. Rahkar would be the one to preempt this as he spoke first.
"Lord Gabriel Erin Dracon. From the bottom of my heart, I must thank you for not only freeing me, but also for freeing the people of this land from that witch. I am eternally in your debt." Rahkar says as he bows his head to Gabriel.
"You are welcome. Oh, and feel free to drop the honorifics. As far as I am concerned we are just two people who have survived tragic circumstances." Gabriel said with a small smile, but with a solemn tone of voice.
Rahkar could not only see the truth and sincerity in his words, but he could also feel the subtle vestiges of emotion coming from his. These feelings had somewhat mirrored his own in many respects, and a kinship was starting to form between them. Although he was still curious as to Gabriel's origins, bloodline, and powers, he decided against prying into it, as the man had delivered him from bondage and misery.
"Very well. Then I shall address you as, 'Sir Gabriel'. Is that acceptable?"
"Hm. That's perfectly fine. Now then..." He pauses by taking a puff from his cigarette before continuing.
"First off, I want to offer my deepest condolences for all that you have suffered. I hope that the death of that vile filth, brings you some measure of satisfaction, though I doubt it will heal the wounds on your heart. Believe me, I know what is it like to lose those dearest to you, and to be trapped in a circumstance that is not of your choosing." Gabriel says with a bow of his head, with a few tears seen rolling down his left cheek.
Rahkar could faintly feel Gabriel's emotions and could not doubt the sincerity of his words at all. He surmised that it was probably due to whatever dragonic heritage his new benefactor possessed that allowed this to happen. He could feel a sorrow, so deep and profound that it rivaled his own. He himself started to shed tears as he lowered his head and spoke in a voice of solemnity.
"I... I thank you for your words and feelings, Sir Gabriel. They truly touch the heart and mean a great deal to me."
After Rahkar said his peace, they both sit in a moment of silence as they both shed their mutual tears of grief and loss.
During this, Gabriel disposes of his used cigarette with a flick of his index finger, and the remains burn into nothingness with a flash of green flame. He then lights another in its place and continues to silently smoke. Then Rahkar raised his head once more to speak.
"Sir Gabriel, you said 'First off', which implies you had more to say."
"Indeed. I had questions to ask, and information to share with you, but only if you feel up to it." Gabriel said softly, with his compassion and understanding apparent for Rahkar to see.
"I thank you for your concern and compassion. Truly, thou art a man of honor and of morals... Proceed with your questions."
"I see..." There was hesitation as Gabriel paused with a smoked exhale before speaking.
"Let me start by saying that the forces sent by Bwynleah, including your remaining children, are alive and well."
Rahkar stared wide-eyed at the news, but felt nothing but truth in Gabriel's words as he then lowered his head and smiled in silent thanks for the news. Gabriel had a slight grimace as he noticed Rahkar's demeanor, but forged on ahead with the conversation regardless. Sensing the change, Rahkar looked up to give his attention.
"Now then, though this is a difficult question, it must be asked regardless. Now that Bwynleah is dead, a power vacuum will be created that those within and without your country will not hesitate to exploit. If that happens, I have no doubt innocents with no stake in such struggles with be caught in the middle. Because of this I must ask you; do you feel up to taking the reins of rulership once again?"
Rahkar had a blank, emotionless expression on his face as he parsed Gabriel's words, which rang with hard truth and cold logic. One could say that he had expected this kind of question given his countenance. More than that, Rahkar could not deny that it was a fair question, as he could tell that his savior had no designs upon the rulership himself.
"Hmm... I will be frank with you, Sir Gabriel. I have my doubts that I will be capable of such a thing." Rahkar said in a monotoned voice.
Gabriel exhaled smoke as he then responded.
"I can't say that I blame you. I recently found myself in a similar predicament. However, allow me to also be frank. If not you, then who else can? One of your surviving children might be able to do it, but their presence would not nearly have the effect that yours would. You are still well loved and respected by the people. Can you truly say that your presence would not be of benefit in this situation?"
Rahkar could only grit his teeth as he realized that Gabriel's assessment was the correct one. Indeed, it would prevent a great deal of problems from arising once word got out to the people that Bwynleah had been slain, but the weary frost dragon was still unsure if he could do it given what he had been through. Before he could reply, Gabriel spoke once more with a conviction in his voice.
"Let me be clear on something else: should you decide to retake the rulership, you will not do so alone. I can provide aid to you and your country, and the aid of which I speak will come in the form of personnel to assist you in this difficult time, as well as a few resources in the short term."
As Gabriel finished his proposal, Rahkar's eyes briefly widened in surprise before they narrowed once again. Although he could sense the truth of Gabriel's words, he also sensed that he desired something in return.
"I see... If I accept your offer, what is it that you wish in return?"
Gabriel exhaled another puff of smoke before speaking.
"All the knowledge and information your country has, which includes, but is not limited to the surrounding countries, peoples, magic, currency, languages, and anything else you may know of this world. In return, I offer my help in this difficult time."
The dragon's eyes twitched as he heard the words, "this world", which had confirmed his earlier suspicions that Gabriel was an entity like those of the Eight Greed Kings of old. However, unlike them he was kind, sympathetic, and benign. Not being particularly thrilled about resuming the rule a of nation after two years of constant abuse and rape, he also had to concede he had little choice in the matter. He was just thankful for the help.
"Though it pains me to admit it, your words ring true..." Rahkar said with a weary growl.
"Very well... I agree to your terms."
Gabriel once again flicks a used cigarette into the air that vanishes in green flame and places his cigarette pack in his inventory. He then takes a bow with his head before speaking again.
"I am sorry for this, but know that you are not alone, and in my own way I know what it's like trying to move forward under shitty circumstances." Gabriel says with a grin.
The dragon Rahkar picked up on it and just let out a soft chuckle of his own.
"By the way, you don't mind if I take all those magic items the monster bitch was using, do you?" Gabriel said with a deadpan expression as he then pointed behind him with his left thumb.
"Hmph. I don't have an issue with it. To the victor the spoils. Besides, I want nothing here to remind me of her." Rahkar said with an aggressive, guttural growl.
"Don't worry. I will take care of it. *sighs* Now that we've gotten those issues out of the way, there are things I must inform you of. Things that will be difficult to hear, but they cannot wait."
Rahkar narrowed his vision and saw how hesitant Gabriel was. He was uncomfortable and filled with regret and sadness by whatever it was he had to say. Rahkar himself was filled with equal parts trepidation and curiosity himself, and thus gave Gabriel a simple nod to continue, who then let out a long exaggerated sigh before speaking.
"First, the 'acolytes' that Bwynleah had for herself. It was discovered that they wore magical headbands that controlled their actions and movements like puppets. One of my subordinates had found a way to free them without killing them, but I ordered her not to. I did so on the basis that since they were still self-aware, they would not want to live with the knowledge and memories of the horrors that they helped her do. As such, it was my reasoning that letting them die in peace would have been more merciful."
Gabriel had a dark and saddened look on his face whilst Rahkar had a knowing one on his. Indeed, it was a difficult choice, one that he found himself in full approval of, and so he spoke in soft and friendly tones.
"Do not burden yourself, Gabriel. You made the right decision. One I would have made myself if faced with the same situation."
"Umu..." Gabriel muttered with a nod, doing another long, exaggerated sigh before continuing.
"I have one other bit of news to share, Rahkar Ailouros. It is about one of your sons who had led the Royal Air Guard. The one named, Ohrly'ress? I regret that I must be the one to be the bearer of bad news, but I must inform you..."
Gabriel hesitated for a second, only for Rahkar to interrupt him.
"... That he is a traitor, correct?" He said in solemn tones and with a blank expression.
Gabriel cocked an eyebrow and gazed upon the dragon before replying.
"So you knew..."
"I didn't know exactly, but I was a prisoner for two, long years and I had ample time to reflect on the fall of my family and kingdom. Too many things didn't add up, but when I had considered a possible traitor in our midst, then things fell into place. And of all the survivors, only one seemed the most likely candidate. All you did was confirm it for me."
The frost dragon had a blank expression as he spoke, but Gabriel could detect hints of disappointment and regret in his voice. For once, he was thankful that he could not empathize with Rahkar, as he had to muster the resolve to ask another, painful question of the dragon.
"I have Ohrly'ress in chains and in my custody. The choice of what befalls him next is yours to make, Rahkar Ailouros." Gabriel said in neutral tones.
The dragon took a deep breath, and made his own overly exaggerated sigh, that filled the air with cold mist, before speaking in an empty voice devoid of feeling.
"What happens to him is no longer my concern. I here and now disown him as a son and as a citizen of the Land of the Drake Riders. Do with him what you will."
Gabriel could only nod as he understood the full implications of his words. Having said all that he needed to say, he stood up and pulled his sword out from the ground. Having placed it on his back, the sheath and harness faded into view as he then walked over to Rahkar and steadily chucked the remains of the chains in his inventory.
Rahkar Ailouros was both awed and amused as he saw this, as he recalled saying he wanted nothing to remind him of Bwynleah. As Gabriel walked away he suddenly stopped and cupped his chin in thought. Then he turned to Rahkar to speak once more.
"Tell me something, once word gets out about your liberation, there will no doubt be a great deal of questions regarding it, correct?"
The dragon tilted his head as he looked at Gabriel in confusion, not quite understanding where he was going with it. Regardless he spoke up to answer.
"Well, yes I suppose so. That would only be natural, would it not?"
"Hmm. That's a problem. For now, I don't wish word of who I am, what I look like, and what I have done to go beyond you and your Royal Air Guard. Just too many questions would be raised otherwise. Consider that part of our agreement as well." Gabriel lets out an annoyed sigh as he continues speaking.
"Still, tonight's events cannot be covered up due to your freedom and the overtly flashy show that lit up the night's sky. Hmm... where I come from, we have these things that we call 'urban legends'. I propose that we create one of our own. When asked for who or what killed Bwynleah, tell them that she incurred the wrath of another powerful dragon. Tell them, that they were liberated by the 'Emerald Dragon Lord'."
As Gabriel spoke an aura of emerald flame encompassed his eyes and rose up from his body. The aura then took the shape of a dragon's head and a low growl could be heard as he looked upon Rahkar Ailouros.
The dragon was completely speechless at the sight, and at the raw dragonic power he could feel coming from his savior and benefactor. He could swear that it was a bit more powerful than when Gabriel had fought Bwynleah. Rahkar then closed his mouth as he realized it was agape, and smiled as he gave a nod of approval.
'Gabriel Erin Dracon... you are no doubt an enigma, but if there is one thing I am completely sure of, is that the title of "Dragon Lord" is a fitting one for you.'
Gabriel's aura fades and he lets out a small sigh as he speaks.
"Until we meet again, Rahkar Ailouros." Gabriel says with a small but friendly smile.
"Y-Yes. Until we meet again, Gabriel Erin Dracon." Rahkar says returning one of his own.
Gabriel then turns and pivots on his heel and walks towards the smoking remains of the Yogg Bwynleah's equipment. The golden object he saw before was still shining in the ashes of that monster. He bent down at the waist, picked it up, and shook it rigorously to remove the remnants of ash on it as he gazed upon it with scrutiny.
The object was golden in color with an ornate star-shaped design that looked like it was made of platinum and silver, in the center of a convex, crescent-shaped plate, that was roughly 6 inches (15.24cm) in length and 4 inches (10.2cm) in width worn around the neck with a thick chain. To him it looked like an exquisitely designed and priceless royal gorget from Europe. He could feel the immense power it held as he placed it on his belt.
As Gabriel chucks the charred armor and the floating scepter into his inventory he fell into thought.
'Better have Tamura take a look at it. If it is what I think it is, then that just confirms another theory I had.'
A few minutes later, he walks out into the open night of the front entrance of Rurah Palace, and there waiting for him was Tamura standing at attention with her beautiful staff held in both hands as if for dear life. Her facial expression went through phases of shock, awe, concern, and if Gabriel was correct, even a tinge of attraction as she saw the state he was in. He had scars all over his body and no clothes save for his boots and the remnants of his pants that now looked more like short-shorts.
She shook her head vigorously and spoke up in worried tones.
"M-My lord! Are you alright?! Are you in need of healing? Do you need...!"
As she spoke in her flustered state, Gabriel lifted up his left hand to silence her before she would drone on.
"I am fine Tamura. The battle was hard fought, with quite a few surprises along the way but it ended in complete victory, with the liberation of this country and it's true leader, Rahkar Ailouros."
She had a look of respect and awe as she took a bow and looked to her master with a blushing face.
"A-As expected of our Lord Gabriel. I feel ashamed of my earlier behavior... My lord if I my ask, I and everyone outside saw your [Emerald Flame]. I wondered how that was possible without your armor?"
"Heh. A lot has happened and I'll take my time to brief you and Walter in full later. Right now however..." Gabriel paused as he pulled the object from before from his belt and handed it to Tamura.
"I need you to I.D. this magic item for me. I have my suspicions but I'd rather have confirmation."
"Oh! O-Of course. Pardon me my lord." She said as she took the object in her hand.
[All Appraisal Magic Item]!
The instant she chanted that spell her eyes widened to the size of saucers. So great was her shock that she failed to notice her master was calling out to her.
"...Tamura? TAMURA!"
"OH! My deepest apologies my lord! I-It's just that... what you have here... is a... this is a... World Class Item!"
Gabriel sighs tiredly as he then spoke.
"I thought so. And the name of the item?"
"Yes, my lord! This is the [Amulet of the Divine Star], and has the ability to grant the user protection against other World Class Items, grants 'Divine Class' protection against all other attack types, provided that the user's base gear meets minimum requirements, allows spell casting without any EXP loss, and..."
Gabriel raises his hand up to halt Tamura from continuing.
"I understand your excitement Tamura, but I already know it's effects, including its strengths and weaknesses. I just needed my suspicions confirmed."
"Oh! My apologies." She says with a bow.
"It's fine Tamura, so stop apologizing and bowing. It's getting tiresome, especially after a battle." Gabriel said with an expression of fatigue.
"Oh! My apolo... I mean, understood, my lord. If I may ask, how is it that you know of this item?" Tamura asked with wide-eyed curiosity.
"Our guild was on friendly terms with another in YGGDRASIL called 'ACE'. One of their members once spoke of the World Class Item in question that they had managed to secure. Last time I checked he and it were still in YGGDRASIL, so its appearance here is both a surprise and a mystery to me." Gabriel said in a pensive tone.
Tamura seemed in awe as she was given this new information. Like a child who had received a special treat, and her eyes widened again as another thought crossed her mind.
"My Lord Gabriel, was Bwynleah the wielder of this World Class Item?"
"Yes, she was and she was also a lvl-90 too. Beating her was a royal pain in my ass." Gabriel said nonchalantly as he massaged the back of his neck.
Tamura however was not as casual as her master. The moment she heard about the level of his opponent and the fact she wielded the item, she trembled in place, with a multitude of various emotions running through her.
To her knowledge, no one in the guild of the Dragon's Inquisition had ever single-handedly defeated the user of a World Item before. She was overcome with pride, fear, respect, and adulation for her master's accomplishment, but also was in awe of how humble he was being in the face of it. She took a bow as she then spoke.
"Congratulations on your victory, my lord."
"Thank you Tamura. Now then, as planned ensure that all of the guards we detained regain consciousness upon our departure. Also, store the World Item and this other gear I will hand you in your inventory. When we return, get with Charon and have all of these items analyzed and stored away in the treasury."
"By your command, Lord Gabriel. It shall be done."
After a moment of exchanging items from his inventory to hers, Gabriel speaks to her in a stern, but relaxed fashion.
"Well, tomorrow we have a great many things to do. Let's return home... Oh. I nearly forgot. Have Ericah Sabine's people informed of the news of Bwynleah's death, and have their gear returned to them. They are now guests of Dracon's Keep, and shall be allowed to camp on the 5th-floor. Also, have Ericah herself brought to my personal quarters. I have a promise to keep."
"A promise my lord?" Tamura said as she tilted her head in confusion.
"Yeah. You don't need to know." Gabriel said as he rolled his eyes.
'Nuts. I didn't tell her about my agreement with Ericah. Not that I need to. Still, I've got a lot of pent up energy from that fight, and she seemed more than willing. This will be an interesting experience.'
"Let's go home."
"Yes, my lord!" Tamura said happily.
Dracon's Keep, Treasury, 4-hours later...
In a large darkened room there were numerous and massive cylindrical, crystalline tubes that seemed to stretch up into a ceiling that could not been seen due to its massive height. These tubes had stacks upon stacks of YGGDRASIL gold coins within them that illuminated the space with a gold radiance despite its low lighting.
In an isolated corner of this area that could not be readily seen, were the guardians Walter Bernard Montgomery, Tamura Oakenfold, and Charon Zobach who seemed to be having a conversation that produced no sound. This made it readily apparent that magic was in place to prevent eavesdropping. Inside the area of effect (AOE) of the spell Walter spoke in his usual calm and dignified manner.
"I see... As expected of Lord Gabriel."
"Indeed. My creator and master is truly a god amongst men to have accomplished such a feat." Charon said as jets of air are expelled from his helm.
"Where is our lord now?" Walter asked.
"Oh, he is in his quarters with Ericah Sabine. He also left expressed orders not to be disturbed until the morn." Tamura said with a blushing face.
Walter had his eyes closed as he had a small smirk on his face. Then his attention was brought back by Charon speaking in a neutral tone of voice.
"So then, I take it that despite recent events the agreement remains in place?"
Walter and Tamura had stern and serious expressions on their faces as they looked at each other for a brief moment, and then back to Charon. Tamura would then be the one to speak.
"Yes, that is correct, but we must be careful. I recently learned that our lord is quite adept at detecting falsehood. One wrong word spoken out of turn and we'll have no choice but to reveal it to our master."
"Then we must be careful in that case." Walter replies as he pushes up his glasses.
"As expected of our master and my creator. A keen mind with bountiful strength." Charon says with a hint of pride in his distorted voice.
Before he finished his sentence, Tamura had a look of discomfort and worry as she stared off into space. Walter noticed this and placed his left hand on her right shoulder to comfort her as he spoke.
"How are you doing my dear?" He said softly as she sighed before speaking.
"I don't know, Walter. I know that we must follow Lady Alisha's directive to watch over and protect Lord Gabriel, but hiding this from him feels wrong." She said in a sad tone.
"It cannot be helped, my dear. We all agreed that this was the best way to protect our master, and to ensure the continued well-being of the Keep." Walter said plainly.
"Hm. As much as I hate to admit it, I agree with Tamura." Charon said with a hint of sarcasm in his voice.
"Oh? Will go against Lady Alisha's last wishes?" Walter said with a deathly glare as he spoke in ominous and cold tones.
"No. Just be aware that if Lord Gabriel asks me directly about it, then I will not hold back this information." Charon said in an unmoved voice.
Walter relaxed his posture at Charon's response as he spoke.
"That's fine then. And you Tamura? In this we must be in agreement."
Tamura narrowed her vision as she then spoke in a willful voice of determination and resolve.
"Yes. We are still in agreement. To protect Lord Gabriel and to protect Dracon's Keep, he must never know that there is a way for him to return to his world."
They all nod in unison before then disappearing in flashes of blue light.
*A/N: A very special thanks to knaka148 for use of his ideas and his references, which includes the World Class Item, and the "ACE" references! He does good work so check them out when you can spare the time. Now, review replies!*
UndeadLord22-10/31/17: LOL! Oddly specific but don't worry. You'll be surprised. ;)
RyuujiVantek-10/31/17: LOL! My friend, that question has been answered thrice in author notes, and review responses. But since I am a nice guy (according to some) I will answer this question once more only. ;) Ainz hasn't shown up yet, but will in the future. Just be patient. It'll happen eventually. ^_^
pta917-11/01/17: That is the mystery for the ages, isn't? Perhaps the finger cracking is just the universal sign to get away from someone. :P Glad you liked the chapter, and yes, the end in the cell was a tad awkward for all involved. ^_^
Totong-11/01/17: Oh, yeah. She did, and yes he does, as you saw in this chapter. Excelsior!
ArchAngel319-11/01/17: You are very welcome my friend. :) And thank you. I do have some fun for the most part. This fanfic project has always been a labor of love for me.
Fanboy 316-11/01/17: Hah. As you saw, he knew her secret before he even stepped foot into battle. And I can only hope that everyone enjoyed reading the battle. As for the incubus NPC, I agree that one isn't used that often which is why I did it. ;) Indeed, more surprises are in store and I hope to keep everyone on the edge of their seats. :)
Varcisis-11/10/17: LOL! Actually, I couldn't agree more with everything you just said my friend. ;) And you are welcome. ^_^
levelgap-11/14/17: Heh. Yeah. She was doomed from the word, "GO". And I am happy that the character of Gabriel continues to entertain you, as well as the interactions. Oh, and more detailed info of NPCs will be provided as a later date. :)
