Chapter 6: Drake Eater (The SI of Liberty)

Night's fallen at this point, and all of us have made our offerings for blessings, so, many of the visitors have either started on the next leg of their journey or gone to sleep for the night. As for me, I've made the horrible decision to infiltrate Nouvelle Vague's residence in order to actually speak with the dragon. I left the Colony Maker back with the group, as both of us disappearing would probably garner too much attention, whereas they'd probably just dismiss my absence as me being on a trip to the head.

I'm lucky that it's a pretty cloudy night, the drifting clouds obscuring the many moons and planets that filled Cray's skies. Of course, I could do without the smell of sulphur in the air from the nearby volcanos, but on the other hand, it means that it's a warm night and hopefully that any nonhuman guards will have trouble smelling me.

With soft purposeful steps, I try and keep myself as much to the shadows as I can, creeping a good ways behind one of the patrolling guards.

It isn't too difficult to sneak around, you know? Step evenly but softly, breathe slowly and shallowly, keep to the shadows, and keep your shape inconspicuous. Easy.

The building I'm trying to get into is the complete opposite of the temple where we made our offerings, where it was clearly Greco-Roman inspired this one is just as obviously an old style Japanese building, scaled up to be big enough for a giant dragon.

When I make it a veranda, I'm quick to climb up and into the structure itself, my… new body makes it a lot easier to climb up.

…geez, these hallways are huge, like, they go up five stories. It's ridiculous, but I guess it makes sense if a dragon lives here.

Actually, that's useful for me, guards are less likely to notice small gaps, just because of the size disparity.

Wooden floors are more difficult to sneak on, shoes will click and bare feet will slap against the floor. Instead, I slip my shoes off and shove them in my pockets, letting my socks do the muffled walking.

I have to duck into a room or into the channel for the sliding doors in order to dodge the occasional guard, but they seem to be far fewer within Nouvelle's residence in comparison to the number patrolling the outside. Still, Nouvelle has a good variety of species working under them, I've seen humans, dragomen, and even a naga.

Still, I keep exploring until I feel something in change the air.

It's odd, you know?

Like, you see it all the time in anime, manga, books, and video games, how people can just feel a change in the atmosphere. But experiencing it for myself is terrifying, like suddenly gravity's increased threefold.

I look at the nearest door and swallow the lump in my throat.

Confidence, Trent, confidence.

Sliding the door open just enough for me to be able to slip inside, I do so and try and close it as quietly as I can.

"Tell me, why shouldn't I just crush you, little intruder?"

The voice that just spoke, while deep and rumbling, is undoubtably feminine.

Looking up, I can't help but stare at the dragon reclining on what looks like a couch, a stand bearing a huge book set up before her face.

Her scales are almost entirely red, but there are golden scales amongst them, but all of them bear a metallic tint. Her blue eyes are aglow with power, and it feels almost like she could destroy me just by focusing that gaze. Her form is sleek, but power radiates from her form, even though her I still feel like making a joke about how her legs just seem to go on and on. Her posture though, that exudes power, annoyance, and curiosity… In that order.

There's no doubt, the dragon before me is the Transcendence Dragon, Dragonic Nouvelle Vague.

Breathing deeply, I answer, "Because I have future knowledge, and forbidden knowledge."

"The future knowledge, while I'm definitely curious about it, I have to wonder what one so insignificant as you could consider 'forbidden knowledge,'" The dragon rumbles, her eyes crinkling in amusement.

The pressure of her gaze seems to increase, and it feels like I have to struggle to breath but I still manage to answer, "Interdimensional Crosstalk and the existence of the Dark Zone Clan, Gear Chronicle, am I wrong in assuming that I have your attention now?"

"It would seem that you do know something deep about this world, how then, I wonder?" Nouvelle asks, leaning forward a bit to study me a bit more closely. But from the way her body fluidly rippled it was very clear that I was still on the razor edge of death.

Time to actually tell the truth.

"I… woke up in Star Gate about a week and a half ago, but on the Earth I call home we have a card game called "Cardfight! Vanguard," and we're a good ways ahead of the war against Link Joker. According to the lore around the time that I left, the disappearance of Gear Chronicle had something to do with the sealing of Interdimensional Crosstalk, although it was unsealed during by Harmonics Messiah when the Deletors attacked Cray," I explain, tripping over my words as I try and get the dragon to understand.

The dragon seems to consider my words. There was a slight swishing from her tail lazily flicking back and forth. I was about to let out a breath in relief before a single sentence stops me called, "You aren't lying to me, but what are you hiding from me?"

How?

How did she know?

I could lie, but I would probably die. I have no doubt that she'd be able to kill me in a moment.

"When I woke up in Star Gate, I didn't wake up in my own body, I woke up in the body of a Barrier Star-vader, Promethium," I admit it, it hurts a bit, if I'm honest. Even if I wasn't super handsome before, or as strong, I still can't help but miss my old body.

I'm sure that she's going to just reach down and swat me out of existence, but instead she simply asks, "And why did you seek me out, if you claim to have future knowledge? Why not inform those who are actually fighting the Link Joker?" All the while studying me like a particularly interesting insect.

"Because the Kagero clan will be left leaderless without your intervention, and because of the level of power you represent. Not only would you be a huge help against the Star-vaders, but also against the looming threat of the Deletors," Even though I was outwardly keeping this to a rational discussion, within my own head I was pleading, 'Please, listen to me, Nouvelle!'

The dragon suddenly swung her legs off of her couch, her body rolling up so she's towering over me by about forty or so feet. The tone of her voice having dropped two octaves. Annoyed, so very annoyed, "Just how will the Kagero be left leaderless? Dauntless Drive Dragon is a strong leader and has a good head on his shoulders, I doubt the Star-vaders could kill him so easily."

"They won't kill him. Have you heard any of the rumours coming out of Star Gate about Daiyusha or Ethics Buster? If not, then I hope you don't mind if I exposit a little," I have to take a steadying breath, hopefully she understands. After a moment, I continue, "You see, among the Star-vaders, there's a high ranking figure called Chaos Breaker Dragon. This Star-vader is considered abhorrent even by many of his own comrades, but he's also a terrifying genius, who created this thing called Яeverse. It's essentially the worst combination of forcing someone through a psychotic breakdown while massively magnifying their worst traits, it gets worse in that they're then forced to obey Chaos Breaker Dragon. Dauntless Drive Dragon is one of the targets for Яeversal."

"Who else," It wasn't a question, no, it's purely a demand. I can feel that through the glare she's giving me, like I'm going to be vaporized.

I swallow the new lump that's lodged itself in my throat in order to answer, "The Jewel Knight Ashlei, Ramiel of The Angel Feather, Vowing Sword of the Eradicators has likely already been overcome, Murakumo's Hyakki Vogue, Amon from the Dark Irregulars, Luquier the leader of the Silver Thorns, Granblue's Cocytus, Maelstrom from the Aqua Force, Great Nature's Leo-Pald, and Maiden of Venus Trap from the NeoNectar. They also try and revive Overlord while attempting to Яeverse him. They will manage to bring him back, but they won't have any control over him and he goes on a rampage searching for Blaster Blade."

"And they'll be a threat to Cray?"

"They'll be dangerous, to be sure, but the real danger is because Chaos Breaker Dragon will create a golem by the name of Glendios which gains the ability to channel all the negativity of those Яeversed in order to destroy a planet," Can cyberoid's sweat? Because I feel like there's a river of sweat running down my neck.

Her eyes flashed and she paused for a moment, a growling noise emanating from her throat, "And your intentions?"

"I want to help Cray win. …so I can use the Star Gate to get home," She knew I was hiding something earlier, so I might as well tell her the entire truth about this.

And now we're just sitting here, Nouvelle not making any noise but studying me closely, while I'm standing here fidgeting. Then, she broke the silence, "What do you call yourself?"

"Trent Blackmore," Even if it's not my real name, it's the name I'm using on this world, and she didn't necessarily ask my name.

She nodded, humming, "Then I name you as 'The Яogue, Trent Blackmore, rebel from the Star-vaders. As for your news, I shall consider your words, now begone from my abode."

And that's definitely my cue to leave.