/ Duel Universe
/ Author: The Cowboy of Oklahoma
/ Ch 42.1: Adventurers
/ word count: 1091
Spirit Castle
This is ludicrous, I'm on a mission with my worst human enemy that, apparently, thinks my decision to join the Navy ruined his life. At this point, I wouldn't be surprised if he had connections with the Brethren. He wants every opponent he faced the last time he was here to go on a 'secret mission' with him to defeat the very beings that gave him his current power capabilities. Bullshit! I can smell a con from a mile away and he reeks of one. But the council doesn't want to waste this opportunity for a chance to rid our expedition of a threat we cannot tolerate. So here I am, standing shoulder to shoulder with Steve Bensen, hated rival and wielder of three of the most powerfully destructive cards I've ever seen. On my other shoulder is my ex-girlfriend Shelly Carson, and her adopted sister Akiza Izinski III. Akiza is the one I'm most worried about, her last encounter with malevolent monsters left her with some psychological scarring and abuse. Shelly will do what she can to keep her sister safe, but even she struggled against the power Steve revealed. I'm the only deterrent we have against his inevitable betrayal, but even that may not be enough to keep him in line, it appears that he's more or less gunning for me, and I believe he is willing to use the girls as a distraction.
"Ready for this, Captain?" Steve whispered, his voice dripping with venom.
"Shut up or you'll never live to see the outcome!" I spat back.
"Highly unlikely, Captain, seeing as you need me for this little excursion. I'm your guide, remember? So I don't think you'd kill me, again, before we even get started." He snarked.
"I never said I'd kill you here. Once we're on the ground, it's open season on anyone named Steve!" I explained. He didn't like that remark and finally turned to face front like a good soldier should.
"As I was saying, General," Dark Magician Girl told General Marcellus, "we will be delivering the assault team by dragonwing. None of your loud transport vessels will do when stealth is paramount!"
"Our 'loud vessels' have a stealth option that makes them barely louder than your dragons while in flight! And we can track where the vessel goes from orbit. We can use one of the corvettes as a relay and artificial satellite, monitoring the team and report back if additional forces are needed! We can even stage backup on the corvette itself so the deployment won't have to travel far to reach them!" He tried to explain, but she wasn't having it.
"Be that as it may, General, we cannot allow your vessels free roam over our world! There is a reason your vessels, the Device we're helping your people to create and the Encampment are in close proximity to this castle! We do not want you to know everything about our world!"
"Then you're just hiding secrets from us, but you, apparently, know everything there is to know about us and our world!?" General Marcellus retorted begrudgingly, "this hardly seems fair, your Highness!"
"We know so much about you and your world because 'We' never lost track of you! You, humans, keep forgetting your own history and the alliances you once made because it wasn't presently needed and when a generation or two goes by, it is forgotten almost completely! Now if there is no other matter to discuss at the moment…" she left the remark open as a challenge that no one responded to, "then it is settled! The assault team of these four humans and one monster shall disembark for the fiend's stronghold by dragonwing led by Sage with Eyes of Blue. You will take them to a safe drop-off, and then pull back a league so as to not be detected."
"Stupid monster tagging along…" Steve grumbled under his breath.
"Yes, your Majesty." Was the curt response from the man in blue and white robes, wielding a staff and dragonwing blade.
"Good, now adventurers, we send you off with high spirits and high hopes for your success! Go swiftly with these mighty monsters, and be well" Dark Magician Girl suddenly sounded off with practiced pomp and vigor.
And at her conclusion, Sage turned and abruptly walked right past us, prompting us to turn to follow. I made sure Steve was in front of our little troop, where I can keep an eye on him. Outside several dragons were waiting for us at the landing pad area, the largest being an actual Blue-Eyes White Dragon! As we emerged from the castle proper and approached, it turned its head in Steve's direction and growled menacingly.
"Looks like he wants to carry you in its mouth, Steve," Shelly pointed out giddy in the fact she might see him get ripped apart by these dragons, "nestled safely between its teeth!"
Steve scoffed and stepped up to a dragon with dark-teal green scales, white bone-like armor, and flowing orange hair. It growled but lowered its head for him to get on, "looks like I get my own Chaos Emperor Dragon."
"Big deal, I'll take this one," I said as I walked up to a familiar red-scaled dragon with a black underbelly, "Kiryu, a reliable creature."
"Please, I do believe this group can use a 'woman's touch!" Shelly announced as she approached a dark-red scaled dragoness, if the eyelashes were an indication, with teal spikes protruding from its shoulders, "what's this one's name?" She asked our guide.
"She is a Dragonmaid, Tinkhec. She is actually one of our newest species of dragoness," Sage explained.
"Sounds perfect!" She exclaimed.
"I want the fuzzy one!" Akiza announced to the group. We all turned to see what she was talking about. A light purplish dragoness, covered from nose to tip of its tail in soft fur, "ooooooit'ssocute! Can I keep her!? Akiza asked while hugging its big soft neck furs, "what's her name?"
"Ah, another Dragonmaid, Nudyarl. Sister to Tinkhec."
"Just like us, sis!" She was so excited.
"Yes sis, just like us. Now, what about Moon?" Shelly asked.
"I wanna ride with mas…," Moon began but was cut off by Sage.
"The Maiden of Moonlight is to ride along with me," Sage announced.
"...oh, okay then," Moon's wings and ears drooped a bit but did as she was bid.
"Now onward adventurers! To glory and victory!" Sage announced as our dragons took flight and the rest of the wing that was present, shortly followed.