Lord Akashiya was not surprised to hear a knock at his chamber door a few hours after the audience.
"Come in Moka."
The door opened and in strode Moka, the only child to bear his family name. He was disappointed to see her wearing her school uniform. He had brought more than a dozen beautiful gowns and dresses for her and had them sent to her room. Obviously she was still angry with him.
"Father I wish to have words with you."
"I can imagine about what subject." He was seated in a leather chair and waved her to one near him.
She came to him but remained standing. "I want you to release Tsukune from this ridiculous challenge."
"No."
Moka hissed angrily.
"Come now Moka don't be so angry," he tried to sound reasonable. "I am only trying to show him his place."
"By killing him?!" She demanded.
"He doesn't have to die Moka," Lord Akashiya said. "I assume that once he sees what Fafnir is he will simply runaway."
XXXXXXXXXX
Flashback
Tsukune paled as Moka explained to him what he was being asked to do. "A dragon?"
She simply nodded. Following the audience with her father she had brought him a back to her room to try and convince him not to go through with the challenge. "That's right, Fafnir is a dragon."
"And by dragon you mean a real live dragon? You know, a huge flying lizard that breathes fire and fights knights?"
"He doesn't breathe fire and I doubt he has had to face a knight in at least 500 years, but the rest is accurate. Plus he is an awesomely powerful magic user. Father faced him about three hundred years ago. He was able to wound him but barely survived and was forced to escape without his prized sword. It is one of only a handful of times he has ever been defeated and it is a very bitter memory for him. Do you see the problem Tsukune? My father is an elder vampire and a warrior of great power and renown and he was lucky just to survive! If you go you stand no chance."
"Thanks for the vote of confidence," he muttered.
"Idiot!" She shouted. "I am trying to get you to face reality so I can save your life! If you go you will have to go alone, I will not be permitted to help you. Up until now you have been able to win your fights relying on your vast might as a vampire to overpower your foes. Simply put up until now all your enemies have been weaker than you. With the possible exception of Hokuto, where you had help from me and the others. Here though your enemy will be far stronger than you are." She looked at him sadly.
"Let me go to my father and tell him I am ending things with you."
"What?!" he shouted. "Moka-san you can't! What are you saying?"
"Hear me out Tsukune," she said calmly. "It will only be for a few years, and then we can become lovers again. I am sure that after whatever lies Ria has told him about you he will have you watched for a time to make certain we are no longer together. He wants to punish you and humble me. After just a few years he will be satisfied I am sure and will not care if we see each other again so long as we are discreet."
He shook his head furiously. "No, absolutely not I am not breaking up with you Moka-san!"
"Listen to me Tsukune," she said urgently. "It is the only way." She leaned close to him. "I will wait for you my darling, even though it will be hard. We are immortal, what do a few years matter?"
"They matter a lot Moka-san! We're finally together and I can't bear not to be with you. I don't care what I have to face there is no way I am going to be separated from you."
She tried desperately to change his mind but he was obstinate. He would rather go and face a dragon than lose her even temporarily.
XXXXXXXXXX
"You do not know him father," she said. Despite her worries she had an amused grin. "He has more courage than he does common sense. But then that is part of why I love him so, his willingness to put himself in danger to protect those he cares about."
"If he is foolish enough to face that person then he gets what he deserves."
Moka glared at him furiously.
"Oh come now Moka, what were you expecting?"
"I was expecting you to at least be considerate of my feelings for him. Had I known this would have been the result I would never have mentioned him in any of my letters."
"Well you really should have known better then daughter. I will do what I think best regardless of my children's wishes. Really, to even suggest you are ready for a mate at your age. And to go and turn him like that!" He shook his head with disgust. "What were you thinking giving your precious blood to someone so unworthy?"
"And what makes him unworthy father?" She demanded and crossed her arms over her chest. He truly loves, he has fought for me, bled for me, risked everything for me he is the most precious thing in this world to me!"
"And what does any of that matter?" He asked coldly. "I love you dearly my daughter, but not even for you will I allow trash to enter this family."
"Trash?" She said furiously. "What sort of lies has Ria been telling you?!"
"She told me that he objected to the way we treat humans and to the illegal aspects of our family business. That his heart is soft and weak and that he lacks that necessary cruelty every vampire must have. Do you deny any of this?"
"Did she also mention that she tried to seduce him?" Moka snapped.
"No, though it doesn't really surprise me," he smiled fondly. "She always did want what you had. What does that have to do with anything?"
I have been away too long, she thought with a grimace. I'd forgotten just how cruel he really is. "He rejected her and she hates him for it."
"She freely admitted that she hated him. It did not invalidate her argument. He is unworthy of you Moka. He is too soft and too weak; you should never have turned him. Or at the very least you should never have brought him before me. I will not allow him to poison you with his weakness."
"I love him father."
"You are young you will find others to love," he said practically.
"No I will not," she said firmly.
"Then you will not," he said dismissively. "No children for you then I suppose, which is a shame. But make your mind up to it Moka. I will not consent to your being with him. Not unless he returns here with my sword in his hands."
"Father call this off, please. I won't take him for a mate."
"But you will still see him?"
She did not answer.
"You should have been satisfied with that Moka. You should not have brought him here. Now that I have met him I will not simply forget."
And so Moka was defeated by the combination of a stubborn boyfriend and an uncaring father.
XXXXXXXXXX
The limousine waited to take him. Her father knew where Fafnir's lair was and was only too happy to assist Tsukune on his quest.
"Tsukune are you sure you don't want to bring a weapon with you?" Moka asked. "We have an armory filled with swords, axes, lances, spears, and all other manner of weapons."
With an embarrassed grin he rubbed the back of his head. "I'm not really comfortable with weapons Moka-san. I'll just fight with my fists like always."
She leaned close and spoke to him in an urgent whisper. "Listen to me Tsukune, if you need to run away then do so! I will not think less of you for having to run from a dragon." She gently placed her hand on his cheek. "Just survive, that is the only thing that matters to me. Whatever happens I will find a way for us to safely be together again. Even if we have to be apart for a few years."
"We won't be apart Moka-san, I promise." He gave her a warm kiss. "I'll see you soon."
XXXXXXXXXX
From one of his windows Lord Akashiya looked down as the limousine pulled away. Well, he has some courage at least. We'll see how much when he confronts a dragon.
XXXXXXXXXX
When the limousine exited the tunnel they were on a barely paved road surrounded by deep snow on all sides. This was Iceland. This was where Fafnir's lair was. The limousine soon pulled off the road and on to the rough snow covered ground. The car must have been modified and given four wheel drive and a powerful engine because they were able to keep going without too much trouble. It was a beautiful country. There were mountains and sheer cliffs and fast running rivers. There seemed to be no trees here, all the land he could see was empty. Just miles and miles of quiet nothing.
They'd only passed a couple cars on the road and since pulling off he hadn't seen a single person or building or any sign of human habitation. The land they were passing through might have looked exactly like this when the very first Viking settlers arrived. Such a desolate and lonely place. He could see why a monster would come here.
They drove for about an hour and a half. They went over rocky trails and fields that no car had any business going near. Then finally they approached a sheer cliff of grey stone. A third of the way up it, maybe a hundred feet there was a gaping hole in the cliff side. The driver brought his limousine to a halt and spoke for the first time since leaving the castle.
"That cave is the entrance to Fafnir's layer. The master told me to wait here for one full day. If you come out I am to take you anywhere you like. Master also told me to tell you that if you return to the castle or see his daughter again without retrieving his sword he will kill you."
"Thanks so much," Tsukune said and stepped out into the freezing cold.
XXXXXXXXXX
No human could have possibly climbed that cliff wall without picks, rope and other equipment. But for someone with a vampire's strength and agility it was no problem.
When he got into the cave he noticed two things. First were the bones. He counted twenty human skulls. They and various other bones scattered all along the cave floor. It didn't take a genius to figure out the message. He suddenly smiled as he imagined what his reaction to this would have been just one year ago. He probably would have wet himself and ruin away screaming. He kicked a few bones out of the way and walked deeper into the cave towards the second thing he had noticed.
The cave didn't lead anywhere. It was about thirty feet long and that was it. There didn't seem to be any passage ways leading anywhere. And he sure didn't see a dragon here. He decided to check for any hidden passageways just to be sure. He pressed his hand to the back of the cave wall. Rather than touch stone though it went straight through. Surprised he carefully leaned forward, pressing his face to the rock. His face passed through and he saw a stone tunnel leading downward.
He stepped through the imaginary cave wall and into the tunnel. An illusion, he thought. Fafnir must have used his magic to hide this place. The first obstacle successfully surmounted he moved slowly down the tunnel. He'd gone about thirty yards when he ran into obstacle number two. He took a step and there was a tiny little, 'click.' Without warning a shower of arrows fired out of the tunnel's side. He dived for the ground and was just able to avoid most of them.
One of them had gotten him in his right arm with the arrow going clean through and lodging there. He gave a cry of pain and sat up to see the damn thing stuck through his arm. Muttering to himself he knew what he had to do, he couldn't very well leave to go search for a doctor. With his left hand he broke off the metal arrow head. He then carefully pulled the arrow out the way it had gone in. It stung like hell but he was able to get it out without too much trouble. His vampiric healing did the rest, stopping his bleeding and closing up the wound.
Getting up to his feet he continued on his way.
XXXXXXXXXX
He was hanging from the tunnel ceiling. His powerful hands literally dug into the rock surface to allow him enough grip to hang on. Beneath him was a pit filled with iron spikes and the remains of about six or seven human skeletons. After about a dozen near misses he was thoroughly sick of traps. He swung his body back and forth to build up some momentum and then leapt out over the edge of the pit.
Well that's one more I survived, I wonder how many more there are? Tsukune stopped and took a deep breath. It's close now.
The tunnel had been leading him down deeper and deeper into the earth. As he'd gone the temperature had begun to climb until it was now quite warm. He had also picked up a scent. It was like nothing else he had ever smelled before. Though it did remind him a bit of those lizard men who had challenged him that one time. When he'd first picked it up the scent had been so faint he had just barely noticed it. Now though it was thick and filled the air. Fafnir had to be close.
He continued down the tunnel and saw it beginning to open up. A hundred yards or so beyond the last trap he came into a huge underground cavern. Stalactites hung down from the ceiling and there was a small pool of water to one end of the cavern. But that wasn't what caught his eye. There was gold here and it was everywhere! The cavern was huge but there was gold over nearly all of it. They seemed to mostly be coins but there were rings and necklaces, cups and plates, statues and even gold cloth. There was so much gold it had been pile up into a vast hill right in the middle, a hill of gold.
It was quite a sight, but here was no dragon anywhere he could see. He knew Fafnir had to be here. He had no doubt about that, the scent was from a living being and it was too strong for him not to be present. Tsukune stayed near the tunnel entrance and scanned about nervously, looking not only for any sign of the dragon but for the sword. If he could spot it he would grab it and run.
"Well it took you long enough." A voice boomed. As Tsukune watched the hill of gold began to tremble and spill all over the ground. Revealing a monster beneath. "I've been waiting while I listened to you set off all traps."
The dragon Fafnir was easily a hundred feet long and maybe twenty feet high. His lizard like body was covered in brownish green scales. He had a thick body with four stubby legs and a set of leathery wings coming out the middle of his back. He had a long whip like tail that swinging back and forth angrily. His head was flat and snakelike with jaws that ran along its whole length. The head was at the end of a lengthy neck. The neck brought the head high into the air so that he could look straight down at him. Two golden slitted eyes stared down angrily.
While looking over this incredible monster Tsukune spotted something. At the base of the neck, where it joined the body, there was a sword stuck in the creature's flesh.
Fafnir stared down at Tsukune for a moment apparently waiting for something.
"Well?" The dragon said angrily.
"Uhm, well what?"
"Get on with it and attack me vampire."
"Ah, if it's at all possible I'd rather not have to fight you Fafnir-san."
A forked tongue slipped out and flitted around in seeming amusement. "Do you think you can steal from me without killing me first? My hoard is everything to me. I've lost count of how many thieves I've had to deal with over the last thousand years." The dragon's head shook back and forth. "All I want is to be left in peace to enjoy my treasure but you damn thieves keep coming here and disturbing me sleep!"
Tsukune looked up at him in surprise. "It sounds like you don't want to fight."
"Of course I don't want to fight!" The giant dragon snapped. "Do you think I set up my hoard in such a desolate place and put up those traps and illusions because I want to be disturbed? All I want is to be left alone."
"I see," Tsukune said. It reminded him of how he felt getting all those challenges while at school. Tsukune gave the dragon a deep bow. "I am very sorry for disturbing your rest Fafnir-san."
The two huge eyes blinked. A hissing laughter came out of him. "You have good manners for a thief."
"I have not come here as a thief," Tsukune said. "I have only come here to retrieve Lord Akashiya's sword."
"Akashiya?!!" The dragon howled. "You mean that arrogant little vampire who did this to me?" His head aimed at the implanted sword. "Do you know how painful this thing has been? It aches constantly!"
"If it hurts why haven't you taken it out?"
"Because I can't reach it!!" Tsukune watched as Fafnir demonstrated his plight. His front legs were too short, his tail would not reach, and no matter how he twisted his head he could not bring it to that spot.
"Uhm, couldn't you have gotten someone to pull it out for you?"
The gold eyes flattened and Tsukune got the impression he was about to be swallowed whole. "A dragon does not ask lower creatures for help."
Great, he sounds like a vampire. "Well, I've come here for the sword and nothing else. If you'd allow me too I'd be happy to pull it out of you and take it away."
"Take it back to Akashiya," the dragon rumbled.
"Well… yeah, but it would be out of you and the sword does belong to him right?"
The tongue came out and flickered about again as the tail waved back and forth furiously. Fafnir eyed him and then turned to look at the sword.
His head snapped around to look back at him again. "Very well, I'll let you pull out the sword on three conditions. One, you take it and go immediately. Two, you take nothing but the sword. Take even one golden coin and I eat you! Three, DO NOT tell Akashiya how you found me. Make something heroic up but I don't want that miserable pile of cow droppings to know I have been suffering all this time."
Tsukune nodded immediately. "I agree to your terms Fafnir-san."
XXXXXXXXXX
Lord Akashiya, Ria, Moka, and even Kokoa were all staring t him with open mouths and identical looks of disbelief. Standing in front of them was Tsukune with an enchanted broadsword resting on his shoulder.
He looked at Lord Akashiya. "So I guess this means I have your blessing right?"
Lord Akashiya took the blade from him and studied it carefully. It was his, no question; he had forged it himself using his most powerful magics. A true one of a kind weapon. He stared at Tsukune with disbelief still written on his face.
And nodded. "Welcome to the family son."