I don't own anything except the Takahari family
The morning after Dart, Rose, and I rejoined the others, we headed back to the Undersea Cavern to pursue rumors of a Sea Dragon.
Once inside, we found a whirlpool blocking one of the paths leading to the interior. The noise we heard there was not encouraging: the distinctive roar of a Dragon.
"The rumors were correct," Rose said. "The Blue-Sea Dragon, Regole. You know what we'll find there with it," she added, looking pointedly at Ryan, Karen and I. We had fought Dragons mostly on our own, so we knew how dangerous they were. Worse, it meant that there was a Dragoon nearby, if it was behaving in such a manner.
At the sound of the roar, Meru had slumped, looking scared. "C'mon, Meru." I said. "We've gotta get to Lideria to reach the Prison Island anyway. We can leave you there until we've deep-sixed that thing."
My comments had the intended effect: Meru leapt to her feet, whirled around, and glared at me. "No way! I can handle this thing!"
"If you're sure…" Ryan said for good measure.
"Of course I'm sure! I'm not afraid of some old Dragon!"
Karen spoke more seriously. "You should be, Meru. Believe me, you should be." Unlike Meru, who hadn't been able to get anywhere near the Starburst Dragon, Karen knew from bitter experience how deadly a Dragon could be. She'd nearly been killed acquiring her Dragoon Spirit, and it was only because of Shana's healing magic that any of us were still alive.
It was only two hours later that we arrived in Lideria. We spoke to the mayor, who, despite thinking us insane, opened the cave with the water level controls for us.
I went in first, and stopped dead. The katana on my back, which, since the Phantom Ship, I had enchanted with kuji magic for the detection of vampires, was shining so bright I could see it through the scabbard.
The Masamune was out of its scabbard in an instant, and I quickly glanced around, my gaze falling on a lone bat hanging from the ceiling. "Von Schneider. I might have known. But I must say, mein freund, that you have the worst timing I have encountered in an inhuman being. I'd love to kill you now, but I've other things to do. Now get out of my way."
The count let go of the ceiling, returned to his semi-human form, and smiled. "I don't think so. Remember, you have to aim for the heart. All I have to do is bight you in the throat. And then you'll be one of us. In order to wipe us out, you'll have to kill yourself, as well."
"Just shut up, you old bat! I'm busy, but you're in my way. It'll be my pleasure to cut you down!" This time I watched for the signs of a dagger being drawn, and it was well that I did: he tried the same trick that he'd used on the Phantom Ship, throwing a stiletto at me right am.
This time, however, my sword was already drawn, so I casually swatted the knife out of the air with the blade. "That trick won't work this time, Draco. You'll have to get at me the old fashioned way."
"Very well." Von Schneider drew his broadsword. "Let's see if you can beat me this time."
I shook my head. "You know, von Schneider, I 'd have thought you'd have learned something in your centuries of life: you can't beat a ninja at swordplay." Tossing the Masamune to my left hand, I reached for my other katana with my right and pulled a shuriken off the handguard. To create an opening, I batted his sword aside, then threw the shuriken into his throat. "For the last time, get out of my way!"
Despite the blood flowing freely from his wound, the vampire calmly yanked the shuriken out of his neck, then literally snapped it in half. "Nice try, Takahari, but not good enough. Have you forgotten that that won't stop me?"
I laughed. "Oh, but it will, Draco. I coated that throwing star with garlic. You'd better go find some help, or you'll never leave this cave alive."
For the first time since I had encountered him on the Phantom Ship, von Schneider was actually frightened. He quickly lurched past us, falling with a scream into the water.
I turned back to the others. "He's probably going to live, but the way is clear. Let's get that water taken care of, and go kill a Dragoon."
We returned to the Undersea Cavern a few hours later. With the water level lowered, we were able to get to the Prison Island where the Dragon was supposed to be.
I wasn't worried about Draco showing up this time, given the bad dose of garlic poisoning I'd given him. It would be just us, the Dragoon controlling Regole, and, probably, Lloyd. At least von Schneider will be away for long enough that he won't have a chance at Lloyd. The last thing we need is a Wingly that can only be killed by garlic and heart wounds.
When we reached the Island itself, I noted without surprise the two figures standing there. Lloyd and… Lenus. Figures, given that she's water-based.
Lenus was handing Lloyd the Moon Dagger when we interrupted. "Lenus, back off. Lloyd," Dart said, "you're not getting away this time!"
"I'm afraid I have other things to do right now." Lloyd jumped back. "I'm the one who burned your village! I deprived your friend of his life! You hate me, don't you? If you survive, pursue me in Mille Seseau." With that, there was a flash. When it cleared, Lloyd was nowhere to be seen.
When Ryan moved to pursue, Lenus blocked his way and shook her head. "Wait! It was nice of him to offer, but you're gonna have to decline!" She held up an object that I knew all too well. "Because you'll die here!" There was another flash, and then Lenus stood there in the armor of the Blue-Sea Dragoon. Regole was coming up behind her.
"Scatter!" Albert yelled. "Transform!"
Midway through the transformation, Lenus and Regole teamed up to hit us with a wall of water, doing the most damage to Dart, being fire-based, but he recovered quickly. "Explosion!" He chose a spell that drove back most of the water and battered both of our opponents.
"Hmph! Not bad! But I'm still better!" Lenus launched herself at Karen, aiming her twin blades for a head cut, hoping to kill my sister in the same way I had offed numerous people in the past. Karen managed to divert the strike, but was hit in the gut nonetheless. "There! How'd you like that!?"
"I didn't!" Karen lashed out with her foot catching Lenus in the head and knocking her back. "Try this on for size! Supernova!"
"Diamond Storm!" Our spells, hitting simultaneously, slammed Lenus into the ground and nearly pulverized Regole.
"Meteor Strike!" Kongol unexpectedly cast a spell of his own, crushing Regole to death.
Lenus spun around. "Regole!" she screamed. "How dare you! You've killed my Dragon!" She leapt back into the air, aiming for me. Unfortunately for her, my armor was diamond, and her blow glanced off.
Mine didn't. I swung the Masamune while Lenus recovered, and her head bounced from her shoulders, landing in the water near Regole's corpse. One of the last surviving Winglies was dead, and the Blue-Sea Dragoon Spirit liberated.
Author's note: I know, another short chapter, but the next should be better. Naturally, that wasn't the last that will be seen of Count Draco von Schneider; he'll continue to be a nuisance for most of the story. Please read and review, and let me know if there's something I should be doing differently. ~Solid Shark
