I don't own anything. All characters and all rights belong to Ichiei Ishibumi*
M for mature topics. No children allowed. *
The Broken Boosted Gear
By Try Another Time
Three days had passed since they left the cave behind. One would think they would have an easy time finding the rest of Ddraig's treasure, but the dragon knew how to destroy expectations.
The trio found themselves in front of the entrance of a forest covered in fog which was located on an island close to the United Kingdom.
"So, tell us once more why you chose this place and why we can't simply use magic and find the treasure again without wasting time around?" Kuroka asked after seeing the forest in front of them. "This place is even worse than the underwater cave."
She didn't know why, but the place gave her weird and creepy vibes. She couldn't ignore the feeling of someone watching her from within the forest.
"I have to support Kuroka's opinion. This place is the worst one you could have chosen to hide a treasure. After all, this is the cursed island of Gael. I have read about it, and not even angels can purify this place." Raynare says. "The curse on this place is one that can't be eliminated easily, and it keeps increasing in severity with the passage of time."
Issei, who was in control, laughs slightly before he replies. "This is why it was chosen. The object that was hidden in this place could be defined as pretty unique, and it's something that I, as the Welsh Dragon, desired to protect. The curse in this place is troublesome but not impossible to overcome. This makes it the perfect hiding spot for my treasure. Just remember this, don't react, don't evade, don't defend, or attack anything that you see. Ignore everything before you and focus on me while moving forward. If you feel lost at some point, follow my roar."
"So, you know how to traverse this forest?" Kuroka asks.
"Sort of. It took me three weeks to figure out how the curse worked and how to find a place where to hide the artifact. If you forget why I said this before, please run back to the entrance and wait for me there. Close your eyes and just run. Do not engage and turn away. The more you choose to fight, the harder it will become. Flying or magic circles for escaping are obviously also out of the question. The curse affects space and even the passage of time somehow." Issei says as he looks at the entrance.
"So, how long will it take us to find the treasure? Before coming here, we bought food and other items, but you didn't say how long we would be here for?" Kuroka tries to look beyond the fog but is unable to do so.
"I don't know. The curse around the forest changes the space, as I said before. The forest is not that big if you look at it from the outside, but once inside becomes massive. Raynare might also know the legend of how this place came to be." Issei turns toward Raynare.
"I do Welsh-sama. Long before the age of man and before the first wars began, two unspecified gods fought many times. Their hate for each other was so massive that when their last fight ended in their deaths, their pantheon erased their names from the records. Their corpses which are resting deep within this forest, cursed the land. This fog is a product of the curse, and it attracts conflict. The curse eliminated armies, warriors, and diverse groups that came to the island, and once inside, they never returned. Their souls are now trapped within the forest after their deaths, thus increasing the severity of the curse. The curse is attached to the island and is not spreading out, but it's still troublesome." Raynare explains.
"Nobody remembers them?" Kuroka asks.
"Their names were erased from the records and our minds by the Bible God. We can't remember them, nor there's any sign that could tell us who they were. The other gods also prohibited the mention of their names. They have been practically erased from existence except for the island." Raynare continues.
"So why not destroy it? If it's so troublesome, it would be for the best if it were just destroyed." Kuroka guesses.
"If the island is destroyed, the curse might spread into the rest of the world. We are talking about a curse created by the death of gods. Their grudges against each other haven't disappeared to this day, and I don't think it will ever end. I also understand now why we waited three days before coming here. You wanted us to relax before we entered the forest." Raynare looks at Issei.
"That is my plan, but it doesn't mean it is foolproof. You two have to focus on just advancing and disregarding anything you see. Nothing is real, but once you engage, it becomes real. The more you fight, the worse it gets, so please stay calm and follow my orders." Issei looks at both of them.
The girls look at each other before they nod.
"If you truly want that artifact, I won't back away just because of my fear," Kuroka says.
"I'm your ally, and your orders are definitive Welsh-sama," Raynare says, although she mentally kicks herself after falling once more to control the maid syndrome.
Issei feels confident and grabs their hands. "Then let us enter but don't forget my words."
The trio steps into the forest, and their bodies are consumed by the fog.
But none of them expected the pair of siblings they would find within the massive forest.
Inside the cursed forest.
Once they set foot inside the forest area, they began to be affected by the curse. What should have been a decent size forest began to expand itself even more. The trees grew in size and prevented the sunlight from easily making its way inside, and the fog covered the area ahead of them.
"So, how are we supposed to find our way through here?" Kuroka looks around, and her instincts warn her about the imminent danger.
"Smell. Pay attention, and you can find the smell of the death gods. The area is distorted, and it may take us several days to reach them, but the smell will guide us there. Just remember my words and walk calmly. Don't rush it." Issei says before he begins to walk while following the smell.
A disgusting, rancid smell of dead flesh and blood. Right now, it was weak, but as they got closer, the smell would increase in strength. The girls follow him.
Kuroka focuses, and her nose tracks the scent. "For the love of all that is good. That's insanely bad. Is that really the smell of rotting godly flesh?"
Raynare tries to do the same but is unable to. "I can't say. My nose is not as good as yours. So what will we find on our way there, Welsh-sama?"
"You're about to see. Don't move or react." Issei says.
The girls feel an immense sense of fear, and within seconds they see the figures of undead Vikings jumping toward them. The enemies try to attack them with their weapons in hand, but their attacks go right through to them.
The girls stay frozen in their places as the Vikings continue to try to cut them down, but they cannot do any damage. This continues for a few more minutes until the Vikings disappear into the fog.
Both girls breathe out after having to endure the phantasmal onslaught.
"Those things are part of the curse. The souls trapped in here will continuously try to make you engage them in combat. Ignoring them is the only way. Don't evade, don't defend, don't attack, don't try to reason. These things gain the ability to interact with you once you engage them. The curse then becomes attached to you until you can exit the forest. If you engage and stay inside the forest, they will continuously attack you and call other beings to your position. They can't be killed, erased, or completely stopped." Issei explains.
"It gets worse the closer we get to the bodies of the gods?" Raynare was starting to form her own theories regarding the place. She had read books regarding the island and its legends, but nobody had written down the way in which to deal with the curse.
There was no treasure except for the one that Ddraig had to bury deep within the forest, but nobody knew about it. Those who had entered this place sought fame and glory, but nobody succeeded. A few beings had reached the bodies, but nobody could handle the curse.
"It does. First, it's the souls trapped within the forest. Then it starts to create illusions with the use of your memories." Issei turns towards Kuroka. "You might see your old master or even your father. Don't let your anger get the best of you. If you need it, turn away and run towards the exit. It's easier to get out."
Kuroka thinks about it, and she can't shake the feeling that it might become the worst experience of her whole life. "I'm going to try to stay calm. For the task's sake, I will keep my feelings in check."
"Good. Let's get going then." Issei takes their hands and continues to walk through the cursed forest with them.
Time passed, and the group encountered many apparitions on their way toward their goal. Giant snakes, world war 2 soldiers, fallen angels, devils, and many other types of apparitions appeared before them. Each new challenge had to be ignored and disregarded. Their bodies constantly felt an immeasurable amount of danger around them but somehow, they could keep themselves in check.
Raynare had a bigger challenge than Kuroka due to her explosive character, and more than once, she had to force herself to bite her lips or outright close her eyes. The sight of former fallen angels attacking her brought memories of Kokabiel and the traitors, which increased her anger. Yet through all that, Issei kept holding her hand while guiding her through the forest, which helped her stay in check.
"Welsh-sama has stayed so calm through all of this. He hasn't twitched or even shown surprise at anything. How much control does he have over his emotions?" Raynare was still figuring out who the current Welsh Dragon was. Ddraig and Issei were similar due to the influence that Ddraig had on the boy but they also came from very different backgrounds. Two different beings that had been united by fate. "He truly has changed since then. If it were the old Ddraig, he would surely attack everything on sight."
Raynare was old. She had been around since the foundation of Grigori and had seen many events through the ages. When Ddraig had shown up that day in front of Grigori she was sure that her whole faction was going to be erased from existence. She had seen the destruction that he was capable of and he had never shown any mercy to anybody or any kind of restraint in the past. Ddraig was feared by many for many reasons, but when he chose to spare Grigori and Azazel, she was amazed and in disbelief.
But now she was seeing all of this with her own eyes and wanted to see how far this new Welsh Dragon could go. Call it personal interest or just her determination to do a good job, but she wanted to see this story until the end, no matter what.
On the other hand, Kuroka was hoping to not see her previous master. Kuroka really wanted the mission to go well and that she wasn't forced to escape due to the obvious severity of the situation. As she looks at Issei's hand she tries to be as strong as the boy. Many types of enemies had attacked them and Issei had been the one that was seen as the calmest among them.
"I can't fail on this. He is younger than me and he is doing a lot for me. I need to show that I can hold my own and be an actual member of this team." Kuroka thought but her senses then noticed something unusual. "Issei? I am the only one that is detecting that scent and those auras?"
"No, you're not. Who they are I don't really know but they clearly don't know what they are doing." He was able to smell not only their blood but also their powers. They were strong but none could ever be a match for his team and the smell also told him that these idiots were young. His ears detected the sounds of fighting and that clearly told him that whoever it was they had broken the first and only law of the curse.
"Should we go and look Welsh-sama?" Raynare asked.
"I don't want to but they will die if we leave them in here. Remember to stay calm and don't engage until I do." Isseis said.
"Understood." Both girls answered.
Meanwhile, in another place within the forest.
A pair of siblings were fighting against a group of undead knights to save their lives. They had entered the forest with different objectives. The girl had fears about the state of the curse and the possibility of going out of control without intervention. The boy who was older had followed his sister because of the possibility of testing his skills and sword against a respectable enemy.
A concerned girl and her calm but stupid older brother.
They were far from normal humans as both held a lot of potential. She was a young magician with talent while he was a swordsman that could become one of the greatest ones in his generation.
But now they found themselves against the ropes. It had been 3 days since they entered the forest, and the challenge just kept getting harder.
"Arthur, watch out." Said the younger sister as she used her magic to freeze one of the undead knights that were closing in from behind.
"Thanks." The brother said before he clashed against another pair of knights.
They were both injured and had dark marks under their eyes. Sleeping in this forest after breaking the only rule was close to impossible.
The blonde boy continues to slash the bodies while trying to make sure that his sister wasn't caught by any of the enemies. One wrong move and this whole thing could mean the end for the pair.
The boy knew that he couldn't continue for much longer as his sword was severely damaged and his injuries became more severe each moment. "Le Fay get ready to run. I'm going to distract them and you will use that chance to run away."
"Oh no, you won't, stupid Arthur. I'm not going to leave this place without you. I won't be the one that tells Elaine of your demise. We're going to escape this together." Le Fay said as she looked around.
The enemies just kept increasing in numbers, and their chances continued to dwindle with each second.
"Please, god or whatever deity that is hearing my thoughts. Send us a miracle and I will pay any price but please send it fast." Le fay prayed.
Maybe luck was on their side that day because three figures appeared behind the enemies and made quick work of them before moving too fast for their eyes to understand what happened.
"Got you. Raynare, grab the boy and heads for the exit. Put him to sleep if it's necessary. Kuroka, try to stay close to me and keep an eye on our backs." The young boy with green draconic eyes said as he grabbed her bridal style and started to run.
"Who are you?" Le Fay asked as she tried to understand what was happening.
"The group that is saving your lives. Stay quiet, and let us exit the forest before things take a turn for the worst." The boy said.
Le Fay looked in amazement as her brother was grabbed like some kind of luggage by a French maid and her amazement increased after seeing a Nekomata wearing a red kimono running behind them.
"Issei, they are coming!" Kuroka said.
"I know keep running," Issei replied as he heard the steps of many enemies running after them.
His instincts were in full overdrive as he was forced to jump and duck to evade the projectiles that were being thrown at them. Kuroka and Raynare were doing the same.
The trio kept running for several minutes while evading the enemies that were coming after them until they exited the forest. As Issei had said, it was much easier exiting the forest than reaching the center of it.
Once outside, the siblings were released to the floor.
"You two are a pair of idiots. What were you even doing in the forest?" Issei asks as turns to look at the pair.
"With all respect although you have saved our lives, we don't know you nor are we forced to answer your question," Arthur says as he tries to stand up.
"Raynare put him to sleep before I do it myself," Issei says.
Raynare quickly sends Arthur to Morpheus's arms after using her teacher's technique. The blond child with glasses falls right onto the sandy floor, unconscious.
"Bro- "Le Fay quickly stops after feeling the power that is coming out of Issei. Her legs trembled in fear, and her eyes could not look away from him. She can't even try to use a spell to escape.
"I'm going to ask you one more time. What were you two doing here? No better yet tell me who you are. How can a pair of kids enter this horrendous place without adult supervision!" Issei's eyes look at her with a small amount of rage.
Le Fay feels her heartbeat increase even more, and her mind cannot do anything but give in. "Please forgive my brother. That wasn't his intention. My name is Le Fay Pendragon, and that is my brother Arthur Pendragon. We came to this island 3 days ago due to my research and fears. This island has been here for many centuries, and the legends surrounding it are something my family knows about. I fear that the curse might spread out into the mainland if something is not done, so I took it upon myself to do something about it. I can't let my nation get hurt if I can do something about it. My brother decided to follow me because he believed that he could find a good challenge for his skills within the island."
Le Fay says in fear.
Issei stays silent for a moment before he grabs his temples. "How old are the two of you?"
"I'm six, almost seven. My brother is 10 at the moment." Le Fay replies.
"And you believed that a pair of kids was going to figure out a solution for a curse that has existed since before the age of man. How childish. Take your brother away and return home. This is not a place for kids. Kuroka, please heal some of their injuries and get ready to go inside again. We can't waste any more time with these two." Issei turns away from Le Fay and lowers his power.
He had the answers he needed, and now he knew that the pair was even dumber than any other humans that had entered the forest before them. Kuroka starts to work right away on the older brother first.
Le Fay feels offended, but her mind quickly realizes this group is abnormal. "Are you a dragon? What is a dragon doing in here with a nekomata, and isn't she a fallen angel?" She says after she looks into her eyes.
"Stay quiet and get out of this place. We saved your lives and don't need to answer your questions." Issei says.
"Oh no, you won't. I thank all of you for helping us, but I did this for the sake of my nation. I won't let normal people get injured due to the island's curse. This thing shouldn't be left alone, and if gods aren't going to do anything about it, I will do it myself as a member of the Pendragon family." Le Fay says, sounding very determined.
Issei laughs and turns to look at her. "I'm the Welsh Dragon and have seen many things, but I'm telling you this. You can't do a thing to end that curse. This island has been cursed since before the age of man, and I believe you saw just a few of the poor souls who had been trapped within that accursed place. You might believe that your actions are those of a hero, but they are those of a fool. That curse hasn't escaped the island in many centuries, and I believe it will never do it. So stop playing the paper of a hero and go home. You have a life ahead of you; this is not a place for kids. This curse will never end."
Le Fay can feel his power again, and his eyes are so close to her that she can clearly see every detail they have. Her body was telling her to run away, but her mind was thinking. "Ddraig? That Ddraig? What is all of this? Mighty king Arthur, this can't be real! Why does he look like a kid? Shouldn't he be sealed inside the boosted gear? I have so many questions, but I can't forget this and go home. This place is too dangerous to be left alone. Arthur can't continue to fight, and I can't go back now. I need to do this." Maybe it was due to her unbreakable determination, maybe it was due to her commitment to her nation, or maybe something else was pushing her on, but right now, Le Fay was making unreasonable decisions without thinking of the effects they might have.
"I'll pay you." Le Fay said.
"What?" The dragon and crew are surprised by her words.
"I'll pay you. If you really are the Welsh Dragon, you must be really strong, and based on what you said, it sounds like you know more than me about this place, so I'll pay you for your collaboration to help me end the curse." Le Fay continues.
Kuroka and Raynare look at each other before they break into laughter.
"You truly think that you can buy his services? Girl, he is the Welsh Dragon and not some mercenary. He is telling you that this place has been cursed for a long time and that no one can handle it. Just give up for your own sake." Kuroka says while trying to pull herself together.
"Miss Pendragon, with all respect, my partner couldn't be more on the spot. Welsh-sama is not a mercenary, and if he takes a task, I doubt that the currency of your family will ever pay for his services. He is doing this for your sake, so turn away and forget about this place. This is not a curse that can't be easily solved. I have been alive for a long time, and I never saw someone finding a way of stopping it. Gods, devils, fallen angels, not a single one of the factions has been able to do it." Raynare explains.
Le Fay looks at the boy, and he shakes his head. "Just stop and don't make this even harder. Forget about this place and go back to your home."
Le Fay feels even more offended, but her mind also can't let go. Her nation was too important, and she couldn't turn back. She had the same determination as her ancestor, so she was willing to pay the ultimate price for England. "I'll pay with my life. If you can take me into the cause of the curse and protect me until I'm done with my research, I will pay with my own life. I'll be yours and yours alone. My body, soul, and whole being would be yours alone if you could help me. I, Le Fay Pendragon, offer my life to the Welsh Dragon in exchange for his help with the curse of this island. Even if I cannot end the curse, I will still pay you with my life."
Everyone goes silent. Issei and the rest of the group watch as the girl takes her coat off and bows before him without any sign of doubt, shame, or regret. Her face was buried in the dirt as she waited for his answer. She lowered herself to a point no other Pendragon had done before in the family's official records. She was offering all of herself in exchange for Issei's collaboration.
Issei is the first one to react after seeing this demonstration of idiocy and foolishness. "You're six years old, and now you're trying to play the hero for the sake of a nation? Are you hearing yourself? Don't you feel any shame? Don't you see how insane this way of thinking is? Look at me."
Le Fay raises her head and looks into his eyes. Her eyes show no fear or remorse, just a blind determination that prevents her from turning away.
Issei looks at this, and he can't believe it. "Are you this determined?"
"Yes."
"Are you willing to sacrifice your life, your future, and your own chance to find love for the sake of England?"
"Yes."
"If an invader came tomorrow to England and the army was defeated, would you keep fighting until your body was drained of blood?"
"Yes!"
"Are you insane?"
"Yes!"
"Do you care about yourself?"
".." No answer. Le Fay didn't have the courage to answer such a question.
"Le Fay, what's your answer?" Issei tries again.
".." Le Fay begins to tear up. "I do, but I can't just leave it alone. You know how many people have lost their lives in this place, and I know I'm stupid for doing this, but I can't wait until this becomes a more serious problem. Please accept me as a payment for the sake of the innocent denizens of England. I'm willing to do this for those who lack any knowledge of the danger that awaits just miles away from the coast."
Issei goes silent and curses himself internally for asking the question in the first place. "She's an idiot partner. We have to act, or she'll die in this place. The choice is yours, Issei. I'll trust your judgment." The voice of Ddraig told him. Some people are willing to go to the extreme for a goal, and Le Fay seemed exactly that kind. If he says no, she will still try alone and possibly kill herself. He curses himself for what he is about to do. "Get up and put your coat back on. Don't make me repeat myself twice for your own good."
Le Fay feels the severity of his voice, and while she is still crying, she puts her coat back on.
He approaches her and lifts her chin. "What you offered is something too precious, and it seems you're determined enough to keep trying even if I say no. So, I'm going to accept, but as a punishment, I will make sure to change your way of thinking. A girl your age shouldn't be trying to be a hero, especially not a national hero. Any life is precious, and you just threw yours away for the sake of your nation. Congrats, you gained a husband for life, but you also lost your life for a pathetic goal. From now on, I will ensure you care more about your life. Your life is mine from now and forever." Issei's instincts kick in, and he bites her neck.
Le Fay screams for a bit and tries to get away before he forces her to bite him back, thus sealing the deal. As he releases her neck, Issei turns to her. "The deal has been completed. You're mine alone from now on. This is what it means when making deals with a dragon." Her blood drips from his mouth and into the floor.
Raynare and Kuroka can't even say a word as they see their exchange.
Le Fay feels the intoxicating taste of his dragon blood, and her eyes grow wide as a result before they twitch in an erratic way. She had never experienced something like this before, but Le Fay knew she couldn't return to her former life. Her body was being changed from within. The process ends her time as a normal human, cursing her to life alongside the Welsh Dragon. She could not escape her fate as a bride of the Welsh Dragon.
She had blindly offered herself as the price for the collaboration of Issei, and he was going to make sure she changed that form of thinking even if it took him many centuries.
Her fate was sealed that day.