Crash!
Ryuu flinched as if she had been hit and grabbed her chest, the plates she had carried broke on the floor.
"Oy Ryuu what are y-...Hey! What´s wrong?!" Mia stopped her scold as she saw her horrified face.
Ryuu´s heart felt as if it were being crushed, a sharp pain was in her chest.
Immediately she knew the source of that pain...even if she didn´t knew how.
He was in pain, she felt it.
"Bell!"
.
.
Every single activity in Orario came to a hold as the titanic roar echoed through the street.
The whole city became silent for a moment.
After that...panic.
In every district of the city, the people screamed in fear, followed their instincts and ran to their homes, not one person had seen the source of the scream, but it was easy to imagine what it was.
.
Although ... that no one had seen it was wrong.
Bete Loga had followed Bell, he wanted to give him a paypack for the punch. Horrified he had seen the transformation...even a die-hard adventurer like him hade to choke at the sight and the sound of it.
He had heart the breaking of Bell´s joints as his legs and arms took on a new form. Bete had seen the fear and rage in these rubelite eyes as the transformation took more and more of his human form away.
And he had seen as the black dragon raised his head, blood from his transformation still dripping of his body and screamed in rage and pain.
The boy was gone, what remained were bloody clothes and a towering monster. The black dragon was at least twelf meters heigh if he stood on his hind legs. He was panting, weakened from his change..but Bete was experienced enough as an adventurer that he would not attack such a beast alone, especially since his scales were black.
"Rrrrrrrrrr...Uuuuuuuuuu..."
Bete´s ears twitched, the dragon had just talked...sort of. Meaning it was either highly intelligent, it was because he arose from a human...or the boy was still somewhere in that beast.
"Doesn´t matter...he is a threat..."
There was only one option to secure the safety of the city...killing that dragon.
"Well thats our job, I should tell Finn."
Another thought came up in Bete...a black dragon...that monster should give them a huge amount of Extelia.
"Whether this is your true form or you were just unlucky...it´s always you weaklings that make the most problems."
"Uuuuuuuuu..."
The sound of the dragon changed...it sounded more like he was...calling...something.
"Uuuuuuuuu..."
He shook his head...then his gaze fell on Bete.
Time to fall back!
Bete didn´t wait for the reaction of the monster, he turned around and ran as fast as he could to deliver the information he got to the captain of the Loki Familia.
But the dragon didn´t chased Bete, he just sat there and shook his head from time to time.
.
.
.
Bell was confused.
He was there and yet he wasn´t...it felt really strange. Sometimes he could move his giant head.
Is...this me?
Then the instinct of the body kicked in...he began to spread his wings.
What is happening?
Bell´s mind became blurry again.
Inside his head were three different voices, one was his own...confused and in pain. The next one was still screaming about killing...that was the black beast. And the third one...that was the living dragon creature...the natural body, this voice couldn´t speak clearly, only in needs and desire, it was more like an animal. All of the consciousness´ mixed with each other, influenced the others.
Bell´s peaceful nature fought with the black beasts rage. The black beast made the dragon wild. The dragon made Bell´s desires more primal. Again and again his consciousness slipped away, came back and was filled with pictures of Ryuu in different situations. His strong love for her gave the dragon a direction for his desires and needs. And it gave the black beast a target.
What...happened...where...am...I...?
Maim...kill...burn...
Find the female...protect... Bell saw a picture of Ryuu in his arms, smiling.
Why did this happen? I am scared...
Destroy...
Find the female...feed... Bell saw a picture of Ryuu while they ate, cuddling.
Female...Ryuu?
Ryuu...find Ryuu...
DESTROY EVERYTHING!
Find the female...mate...Bell saw a picture of Ryuu lying naked under him, moaning.
No! I will not harm the people I love!
Hungry...
I...I...
Fly!
Show dominance..
Find the female...multiply...Bell saw a possible picture of Ryuu, pregnant.
Where is Ryuu?...
DESTROY LOKI!
Find the female!
Ryuu? Yes we have to find my Ryuu/Female...our Female/Ryuu!
Protect your female!
Ryuu...I love you.
Do we smell that? Threat! Threat for the female!
Where is Ryuu?
Threat? Rival! Wants the female!
I have to find Ryuu...I must protect her...
Rival? We have no rivals! Prey! Hunt, present for the female!
Prey?! Fight the prey! Murder-Kill Yes-Yes!
I want to be a hero...not a monster..
Find the prey! Protect the female!
Find the female! Destroy everything else! Even the black dragons voice agreed now.
Find the female...our female!
Ryuu...I must find Ryuu...she is in danger...
Find our female! Protect her!
Find our female! Protect her!
Find our female! Protect her!
The control over the body changed in a rapid manner, the controlling consciousness was a mixture of the dragon, Bell and the black beast, all three were now of one opinion.
Find Ryuu. Protect her.
An hour after the black dragon was born, he ended his dialoge with himself.
With another scream, the dragon threw himself into the air, flying higher and higher and stopped about one hundred meters above the ground.
"Uuuuuuuuuuuuuuu!"
.
.
Most of the people in Orario screamed in terror when they saw the black dragon. They saw as his head swung down...as if he was searching something.
Far higher above the ground, Freya stood at the giant window of her room and looked down. She was the second person that saw the black dragon...she had also seen the transformation in her own way.
Bell´s soul orb was nearly colorless before, only a teint of white and some green that came from Ryuu. Now a black color was spreading inside his soul, the other parts started to glow and push against the darkness.
He was fighting on his inside.
"This...is not good."
The door to her room was thrown open.
"Lady Freya!" Ottar came rushed in, already with his sword on his back.
"Yes Ottar, I have seen him."
"We must secure you, our home is getting attacked!"
She nodded. "I thought as much...secure the area."
Freya went to the door, grabbing her veil on the way.
"Lady Freya?"
"I must talk to Ouranos, now."
"Yes lady Freya."
.
.
"Kill them! Kill everyone that belongs to Freya! Destroy her everything!"
Hundreds of masked and robed figures came out of their hideouts in or under Orario and stormed to their destinations. The homes of the Freya and Loki Familia. They had already broke down the fence around Freya´s Mansion...but now they had to face her many children. A fierce fight broke out and blood was shed on both sides...and both sides didn´t cared about that. One was willing to die for their beloved goddess, the other was willing to die for the greater truth. The fight should have been easy to win, but every single one of the highest member of the Familia went to Babel as soon as they heard the first scream.
They would protect their goddess, not her home, she was way more important.
Evilus was back for revenge...
.
.
.
An hour before the black dragon started his fly, the ground under Orario quaked, one of the main streets cracked and began to lift. The people fled in fear, as stone and rubble fell down from whatever came out of the street.
A giant black snake with a head similar to the dragon pushed itself out of the hole and hissed loud. Only two people were left in the street, both from Loki Familia. They were just there, because they couldn´t run away fast enough.
"Wh-What is this?!" Anakitty flinched in fear.
"Aki! We have to run!" Raul grabbed her hand and tried to drag her away.
Both were strong adventurers, but Anakitty couldn´t run right now, due to her big round belly and it was too dangerous for Raul to carry her, for a while now she didn´t went to the dungeon after she and Raul had come closer...and the more than obvious result. The head of the snake, a mixture of dragon head and that of a lampton, swung around to them. The snake was around thirty meters long, both couldn´t know this but it had shrunk over the last months to concentrate it´s strength in a smaller body.
"Hisssss..."
There is no other way...
"AKI MOVE!" Raul drew his sword and ran towards the snake.
"Raul!"
"I will distract it! Please run!"
"What is with you?!"
"Aki please! Save our child!"
Anakitty could see the tears in Raul´s eyes, he was worried about her and his unborn child. Crying, Anakitty turned around and fled as fast as she could in her condition. It was the last time she would see Raul alive...
.
Raul Nord managed to distract the giant monster for ten minutes...alone! Enough time for his beloved to escape...
.
But alone he had no chance and the snake was fast, the Loki Familia was not here yet.
Raul got weaker and weaker due to the closeness of the beast. After using all options, he tried to flee himself, but the snake cornered him in seconds.
"Aki...I love y-!"
Two gigantic jaws closed around him before he could finish his sentence and the snake simply swallowed him. Graciously his death only took seconds.
.
Raul Nord died like a true hero, protecting the woman he loved so much and their unborn child...which he would never met. His last thoughts were with his small family, that he hoped was safe...
.
The help that could have saved him...arrived ten seconds too late...
.
Anakitty would cry for days when she discovered what happened.
.
In the snake´s head there were only two orders. Destroy everything that is important to Loki. Take everything away from Freya.
"HIIISSSAAAA!" The black snake hissed more than it screamed to the sky, then it vanished into the hole again, feeling the presence of something dangerous.
Out of the hole that the snake left behind, black smoke streamed onto the streets, a similar smoke that came out of the snakes body now.
Miasma.
One of the strongest abilities a monster could have.
Deep, deep inside the hole...
Clack-Clack-Clack...
.
.
Inside the Loki Mansion, a huge tumult broke out. Everyone had heard the screams and a something about a black monster. Whatever they were doing, they dropped it and ran to get their weapons.
"Everyone don´t panic! I want to see a controlled line-up, we have practiced for that day! And call Ais to me!" Finn was as calm as ever as he gave orders to the Familia.
Since they were the strongest Familia, it was their job to fight such a beast. With great experience, Finn sat up his command post.
"I want all informations on that table, fast! Gareth! Take four of us and go find Raul and Anakitty, they´re in the city. Riveria, gather our mages, if it is truly a black beast this will be hard!"
"Captain! We are under attack!"
"By whom?!"
"Masked figures are storming at the fences! They have murder in mind! We can hold them back for now, but there are man!"
"Get me Raul here as fast as you can! Tione!"
"Captain?"
"You coordinate the defence here until Raul arrives, then you come to us in the city, we will encounter the black beast!"
"Understood!"
"CAPTAIN!"
"Speak!"
"Monsters! There are monsters spotted in the city!"
"What kind of?!"
"Skull sheep! Dozens and dozens of skull sheep!"
"Are they running amok?!"
"No, some are headed to the Freya Familia´s home ,but most of them running to Babel!"
"Who defends Babel?! Loki is there!"
"We got informations that the Freya Familia protects the place, even more masked figures are there!"
Ais came running down the hall. "Finn you called for me."
"I did, Ais please wait in my office for a moment, we have a special job for you."
"Understood!"
.
After the first orders were given and the Loki Familia was mobilizing, Finn, Gareth and Riveria went to Finn´s office were Ais waited.
"Finn?"
"Ais...please listen to me."
The blond girl nodded.
"A black beast is attacking the city, from the first reports it is a giant snake...with Miasma."
She nodded, Ais understood what that meant.. "What will I do?"
Finn looked to Gareth and Riveria. "I think it´s time."
Gareth nodded. "Aye."
Riveria nodded too. "I agree...Ais?"
"Riveria?"
"This is for you." Riveria turned around and went to one of the bookshelves, she did something and the shelf swung to the side, revealing a weapon and armor stand.
On the armor stand was a silvery armor with many more plates than Ais´ own armor had and a long sword in a scabbard. The armor was made for a female body.
"This is..."
"Our trump card. It was always meant for you."
Ais looked at Finn. "Me?"
"Yes...you are the only one that can fight such a beast from close distance, your wind will protect you from the Miasma for a while."
"Will I go alone?"
"No, Riveria and our mages will help you from the distance."
"And the others?"
"Will fight the monsters and...Evilus."
They all heard the description of the attackers...they all knew what they were.
Gareth and Finn went outside, Riveria closed the curtains as Ais started to undress.
Riveria reached Ais one part of the armor after another. "We casted over two dozen spells into that armor and ten in the sword. This will not do all the work for you but it will protect you. The armor and sword are made from the finest materials we could get and the best smiths in the city made the parts."
Every single part was made by a master smith who specializes in that specific piece. There is no better armor set to find in all of Orario."
"Thank you...I promise I will defeat the black beast."
.
.
Even a skilled Familia like Loki´s needed some time to get ready for such a battle, little by little groups set out to meet the enemy.
And just as the main group wanted to move out...three people arrived at the Mansion. The first two came before the third one.
"Captain! Someones there!"
"Who!"
"The Emperor!"
Finn ran outside, at the outside of the fence, light fights were in progress...nothing big so far. A bulky shadow jumped over the fences from another direction. The Familia members around Finn were alerted and readied their weapons.
"Ottar? Wha...Anakitty!"
The giant man carried the crying, heavily pregnant woman in his arms and that very gentle and carefully. Anakitty´s right ankle was red and swollen, she had sprained it on the run.
"I found her trying to run away from the snake."
"*Hic* *Hic* *Hic*" Anakitty cried uncontrolled as they took her gently from Ottar.
"Bring her inside hurry!...Ottar, I have to thank you."
"I wouldn´t leave her alone in the city now...especially not after your man "High Novice" fought so hard."
"Raul?! Did you see him?"
"Yes. He fought the black snake to protect her."
"Did you help him?!" Finn looked agitated.
.
"I was too late."
.
All color vanished from Finn´s and the others faces.
.
"Raul is..."
"He died like a true warrior." Ottar nodded with his serious face. "Excuse me now, I have to return."
Finn looked shaken. "Thank you..Ottar."
The first sobs and cries could be heard...in a few moments everyone in the Loki Familia knew what happened to Raul. Finn clenched his fist.
"Pull yourself together! We don´t have time for that now! Raul protected Aki, so we have to protect Orario!" It sounded cold...but they saw the pain in Finn´s eyes.
Minutes later, Ais, the mages moved out to find the black snake and confront it.
.
"Oy Finn!" Bete had needed longer than intended to return, he was forced to rescue some weaklings...and children...on his way back.
"Bete! Finally!"
"Have to tell you something, you won´t like it!"
Despite being such a rufian, Bete was smart enough to step to the side with Finn as he told him about Bell Cranel.
"By the gods..."
"What do we do now? Two black beasts? That´s a joke I can´t laugh about!"
Finn looked surprised for a moment as his thump twitched. "Is the dragon attacking?"
"No, he is still in the ruins."
"Bete come with me for a moment."
The werewolf shrugged his shoulders. "Sure."
Both went away further, so that no one else could hear them. "Bete, keep the identity of the dragon for yourself."
"Okay?"
"No matter what turned Bell Cranel into that beast, we can´t risk him loosing control...and he will lose control, that is for sure. I don´t want the others to hesitade when we do what has do be done."
"You mean..."
"Yes, we will protect the city at all cost...even if that means killing Bell Cranel."
.
.
Ryuu ran as fast as she could to the Mansion, Mia needed no other reason than Ryuu´s shocked face to let her go.
Please be safe! I don-
She stopped and clasped her hands over her mouth, shocked. The maingate of the estate was torn down from the inside...as well as the door.
Ryuu jumped over the rubble and ran to the house. "Bell! Lady Hestia! Anyone!"
Her heart made a leap when she saw someone with red hair in the door. "Oh Miss Lyon! Good to see you are unhurt!"
She walked towards Welf, he was busy with fixing the door.
"What happened? Was there an attack? Where is Bell?"
"That´s a good question, it was no attack, that was Bell."
"Wh..Bell?"
"Yeah...he staggered out of your room, mumbling something. After he put on his shoes, he ripped the door out of the frame and...well you see the gate.
"But why?!" Ryuu was more than worried.
"We don´t know, but a short time later we all heard that scream...and look there comes smoke from the city."
Welf was right, from different points in the city, smoke rose to the sky.
"Where are the others?"
"Lil´Lily and Mikoto are out to secure that lady Hestia is safe, the others are arming themselves, we heard rumors about some attackers in the city, calling themself "Evilus".
Ryuu´s heart froze.
No please no...not again!
"Mr. Crozzo, I will go and look for Bell."
"Good luck...and please bring him home."
"I will." Ryuu ran upwards to her room, the door was just open, not destroyed.
After changing from her work gear to her normal shorts, shirt and leather boots and long gloves, Ryuu grabbed her cloak and Justice Lumina.
Bell!
When Ryuu jumped out of the window, she saw the dragon for the first time, up in the sky.
.
.
Fwhp! Fwhp!
The dragon´s head wandered from side to side, flapping his wings slowly to keep himself aloft. The desire to destroy and kill got stronger and stronger. It was thanks to Bell´s luck that he survived the magic attack in the first place and that his consciousness wasn´t devoured from the start.
"Rrrrrrrr..."
Small creatures ran through the city...not worthy of his attention. His prey wasn down there...somewhere. He howled again, announcing his absolute dominance, then he flung his wings and shot down. Screams came out of the city...a pleasant sound.
Destroy...
The dragon opened his maw and shot an electrical fireball onto the street...he hit an empty area, but sent people flying with the shockwave.
"Uuuuuuuuuuuu!"
His head shot around as something flashed at his side, a blue thunderbolt shot from one of the rooftops and hit him in the flank.
Kill...
"Grrroooooooo!"
The dragon followed the fleeing adventurers that had attacked him. He opened his maw again, showing his giant teeth...he was only a few feet behind a woman that was screaming with fear...then he lost his interest and turned off to the sky again.
His murderous desires got stronger by the minute...but they weren´t strong enough to destroy everything...for now. Unknown to him, only visible for a person that would stand in front of him, his eyes changed constant, they kept their red color but they changed from a humans eye to that of a dragon and back...soon only the dragon would remain...and destroy everything.
Something caught his eye...one of the running creatures.
Female?
Folding his wings again, he shot down.
.
.
Ryuu followed the signs that marked Bell´s way from the Mansion, if she rememberred correct his old home was somewhere in this area.
Where are you Bell? Please be safe!
"Uuuuuuuuu!"
So loud!
Ryuu covered her ears and continued to run, she couldn´t see the dragon, he was somewhere over Orario. Everything felt so surreal.
Is that really happening? Bell...where are you?
After following his footsteps, Ryuu arrived at a crater...it was the remains of an old church.
Wher- What is this?!
There was something on the ground.
At first she ran...but the closer Ryuu came, the slower she became.
No...No...please...No...
Clothes...bloody clothes...Bell´s clothes...
"No...please..." Standing in front of the ripped, bloody clothes, her eyes widened more and more.
Oh dear gods...please...no...
Ryuu saw clawmarks all over the place, looking at the rubble and the whole place...something had been here...something big. Her gaze went upwards, for a second she saw the black shadow over the city.
No...that can´t be true...
All strength left her body, Ryuu collapsed to her knees...with a trembling hand she took the bloody shirt.
"No...why..*Hic*..Bell..."
Her mind became blank...she didn´t know what to do...she could just stare at what seemed to be the remains of Bell.
"on..."
Bell...no...
"yon..."
Why...why you?
"Lyon..."
Please...no...I can´t...not again...
"RYUU LYON!"
Finally the voice came through to her.
Ryuu looked up...a figure in a dark robe stood a few meters away from her and looked at her, she couldn´t see the face, only a hand...a bone hand.
"Who are you?!" Instantely she drew Justice Lumina.
"Stop please! I mean you no harm! I came looking for you Ryuu Lyon."
Something on that figure looked familiar...
"You are...the mage from the past?"
"Yes...we have met once, I am an acquaintance of Bell Cranel. My name is Fels."
"Fels?...You gave Bell these magical tools."
"Indeed."
"Wh-What do you want?"
"I have come to tell you, Bell Cranel is alive...for now."
"WHAT?!" The yell that came from Ryuu was very abnormal for an elf.
"I´ve got the details what happened yesterday with you and him in that hideout."
"Ah...yes."
"I got some more informations...but that is not important. I have a theory, the item that was used against him, was a curse."
"A curse? B-But your cube..."
"It was sleeping...until today."
"W-What does that mean? Where is Bell?!" Ryuu sounded desperate.
Instead of answering, Fels pointed up to the sky, where the black shadow was visible again for a moment.
"Wh...I...Do you...no way...that..."
"Indeed Ryuu Lyon, that dragon is Bell Cranel...and we must hurry if you want to save him."
"What shall I do?"
"First, we must prepare you."
"What do you mean?!"
"I have something for you." Fels put his hand inside his cloak and took something out, a wrapped bundle...and a sword.
A very familiar sword...
"This..." Tears gathered in Ryuu´s eyes, it had been years since she saw that sword. "This is..."
"The "Sacred Oath", if my information is correct...and it is correct...that sword belonged to Ardee Varma...and was gifted to you."
"B-But...how?"
"There is more." Fels opened the bundle and Ryuu looked even more shocked.
"This...how did you get this?!"
It was a white battle garment...Ryuu´s old battle garment from the war against Evilus. When she had turned her back to justice, she had given that outfit to Asfi to keep an eye on it...until the day she was ready to wear it again.
"Why...how?"
"Let´s just say I had a talk."
"When?"
"A while ago...I wanted to test a few things."
"Test?"
"Yes..a hobby of mine. But that is unimportant right now. I took the liberty of making a few changes, casted new spells on the garment for more protection against...among other things, Miasma. And I changed the size, since your body has matured over the last years."
"B-But.."
"Ryuu Lyon, if you want to save Bell Cranel you will need this...and we don´t have much time, the real danger is something else."
Ryuu looked confused for some moments...then she pulled herself together. "Tell me what to do."
.
.
.
Lefiya felt very bad...she ran with the other mages of the Loki Familia over the rooftops and streets of Orario, in search for the black snake. She was frightened but willing to fight.
The dragon on the other hand...
Lefiya hated to earsdrop but since she was an elf too, her ears were very sharp. She heard what Bete and Finn had talked about.
That black dragon...is Bell Cranel? I can´t believe it...
It just had to be a mistake...right when she finally started to like Bell Cranel...since he wasn´t after Ais...this happened.
Should I tell the others? Or...
"WATCH OUT! TAKE COVER!"
The yell came too late, a black shadow fell over the running mages and something gigantic crashed onto the street that Lefiya was running on.
Eh?
Lefiya lost the ground under her feet...she flew a meter through the air, then she hit the ground and managed to land on her feet...just barely.
What, what happe...
.
As she turned around...Lefiya´s thoughts came to a hold. The black dragon was right in front of her...literally right in front of her!
"Rrrrrrrr...uuuuuuuuu"
To his growling, there came a strange sound.
"Awawawawa..." Lefiya staggered a step back, but the dragon followed her slowly.
The young elf could only look into those rubelite eyes...eyes that looked indeed so much like Bell Cranel´s. Sheer panic filled her...and...Lefiya was not ashamed of it...she was about to wet herself from fear.
"Lefiya!"
"We have to attack! Help her!"
"Idiot! We will hit her!"
"What is that dragon doing?!"
The dragons head rose for a moment and he let out a titanic scream as if he wanted to say "SILENCE!".
His head came back down again...moving closer to Lefiya, who bumped with her back against a wall.
"Please...don´t..." Her knees were trembling.
I don´t want to die!
Tears gathered in her eyes, she was never before in her life that frightened.
"Rrrrrrr...uuuuuu?" The sound almost sound...like a question.
What shall I do? What can I do? I have to flee!
Lefiya was about to make a decision when...
Sniff...sniff... The dragons head came closer and...he smelled her.
"Hawawawawa..."
What will he do? Eat me?
The panic got too strong...Lefiya whimpered. "Please...don´t eat me..." Her voice lowered to a whisper. "Bell Cranel..."
The dragon sucked in the air around Lefiya...he came so close that his nose almost touched her stomach. The other member of the Loki Familia didn´t dare to attack.
"Rrrrrr...uuuuu?"
Is he trying to...speak?
Lefiya opened her eyes...she wished she hadn´t done it, she looked right into the opened maw.
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!"
Her fearful scream came to late...before anyone could react...the dragons tongue came forward and with one long lick, he covered Lefiya from head to toe in his saliva.
Uuuuaaaaaah! Groooooooss!
Lefiya´s whole body shuddered as the long tongue slid along it.
"Nnnnnnoo...Rrrrrrr...uuuuu..."
.
Slowly and...carefully? The dragon pulled his head back, turned around and walked a few dozen meters away before he jumped into the sky again.
.
Trembling and crying, Lefiya sunk down to her knees...the shock was too much for her and she lost the fight against her bladder.
"Wwwwuaaaaaahh! I have been deeeefiiiileeeed! Aaaaaaaah" Lefiya covered her face with her hands, for an elf there could be no greater shame than what just had happened to her.
Bell Cranel licked and defiled my body! I can never become a bride now!...I will get you for this, Beeeell Craaaaaneeeeel!
Lefiya sobbed and cried in the big puddle of saliva...and something else. Never before has she been so ashamed.
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Authors Note: Hey there, I am very thankful for all of your Reviews again. I know you want to know it this takes a bad ending or not, I won´t spoil it, I write as fast as I can, so you can read it Asap. Hope you stay with me till the end.