Violently rustling the branches of the trees. The heavy armored eight wheeled vehicle rushes past the bushes as it takes to the main road. The rooftop infantry hatch was opened as a man in a lab coat had his wand with him. Rather than a staff, he had a silvery stick of rare metal and wood that was constantly blasting off pinpoint and direct shots of energy magic at the skies. Alongside him were two other people. An alluring blonde girl with short manly hair shooting bolts and another, a big buffed man in a red studded leather armor. Unceremoniously hip firing a light machine gun. The belt coming into its feed thrashing out the used casings on the side of the road as screams to faster were being thrown back and forth.
High above them, with the afternoon star bringing the crimson membrane of her bat wings to paint the area below with a blood red trail was a Vampire in a commoners outfit. She was buzzing in all directions as spheres made out of blood would appear to absorb the shots that’d hit her. She had a nonchalant face to her, as if not even disturbed by the flurry of attacks being shot at her. The woman was beautiful, angelic even as she spread her morbid wings to chase them down.
“They told us it was only a Duke of sorts! This bitch is on a whole other level!” screams the woman. The man next to him on the other hand drops his light machine gun and picks up a sniper rifle with engravings on its muzzle brake and barrel. With a special bullet loaded in. He aims it at the flying Vampires’ general direction and pulls the trigger. With a hot discharge of fire from the brake, the bullet flew at speeds thrice that of a normal 7.62 and it swerved violently to hit her. This made the long haired blonde to swifty turn away as another came by her. “Huh. Interesting.” She then turns her back on them and observes the two magical bullets coming right at her with insane speed.
“I believe My Lord also has some of these. My, how special am I that it calls for such measures?” She then opens her palm and the two bullets get covered with thick clotted blood that was burning to a fire. Her attempt only made them more lethal as they were now on a fiery path to her. This prompts her to drop down below where she flew around the countless trees in the countryside. The two bullets behind her on the other hand weren’t giving up and infront of her. Pieces of bark were being thrown about like shrapnel from an explosion as the barrage of gunfire and magic was coming at her relentlessly.
In Front of the eight wheeled vehicle, the driver, the man in the black studded leather armor sees a checkpoint from the Kingdom of Gareth and a long line of carriages all filled to the brim with numerous and differing types of cargo. “HOLD ON!” The grunts on the post who had never even heard such sounds were stunned by the boxy shape vehicle with thick metal and four wheels on each side while on top were three people wielding guns, and a wand. They couldn’t even process it as the heavy armor drives past them as bushes and leaves come up their faces. Followed by something sleek and golden inside the forestry.
Coming out of his tent was a Priest from the Holy See. “What in the Gods name is all this noi-” he turns around and his tent was gone, all that was left were the tire tracks of the IFV and his crushed belongings. He could only turn to the confused Checkpoint Guards as the firing was already far away.
Elizabeth, seeing that her action only made the bullets slow enough to not get to her. She instead props a grin as the Bloodsucker flies past them. The trio on the hatches were unable to fire as they reloaded all at once. “Hand me another belt Kleo!” The woman hands her a two hundred round box magazine for his M249 SAW while the man in the lab coat drinks two Mana potions in one go. She on the other hand looks down below, inside of their armored box.
With four cots that were meant for MEDEVAC of wounded troops, now personalized beds for them. She could see the magazine of Holy Bolts rattling about the interior as down below her was a small pond of used casings. Reaching in, she takes it and then could hear the jiggling sound of something heavy. Turning to her left on the bed of one of the men was an M32 Rotary Multiple Grenade Launcher. With a nod, she takes it and loads in the buffy 40mm High Explosive rounds with oddly gleaming rings around the warhead.
Popping out of the hatch, the man in his red padded armor couldn’t help but laugh. “Ahahahaha! Nice one!” She then turned around their surroundings where there was only the sound of the engine and the wheels churning the dirt path. The man in the lab coat on the other hand points at the magical bullets leaving a golden trail behind it. “There! She’s around there!” turning the grenade launcher in the general direction. She fires one shot which creates a massive explosion of dust and splinter.
Silence. After a handful of seconds, the two bullets can be seen trailing right towards them. “JAC! INFRONT! INFRONT!” The man in the red padded leather armor turns to the front of the IFV. Sitting elegantly with her elbow sat on the headlight as she stylishly leaned backwards to meet with his eyes. “Thou put up a good bit of entertainment.” as the engine bursts a cloud of white smoke and the exhaust fires off flames prompting the driver to turn it off and press the brakes.
She didn’t fall or go anywhere. Merely disappearing right before them. Leaving only a single rose in front of the IFV as they all got out. Guns up and ready for fight. They even had their curved longswords with them with intricate guard protectors and Holy Icons. The man in the lab coat even went into his special box and got out every last artifact of the Gods and put it in his pockets and chest.
“Peepo! Do that later!”
“Naw! Naw! This one is different! No way I’m gonna go out like this! Buke, this isn’t some Duke Level Vampire!”
“We have the Respawn Altar. Unless she knows about it, we’ll come back.”
With the sound of the forest gone and only the whistle of the broken radiator around the air. Even the singular movement of a branch they’d be able to hear and there was absolutely nothing. “Now’eth have seen thine’s power. Thou wilt surrender, yes?” they all suddenly turn to their right. Seeing the long blonde hair of the Vampire dangling as they looked up to see her standing upside down on a tree branch with her bat wings covering her entire body.
The three of them look at the man in the red studded leather armor and he turns around to check on all of them. “No one’s hurt? In need of healing magic?” Kleo then turns to the others and checks on them. “We’re all good Buke.” With the reply he turns to the Vampire right before them. “Will it even matter if we surrender? You're a Vampire right? What torture will you give us?” a deep womanly laughter fills the air as the shadows seemingly engulfs her and she disappears. “I’ve had my fun. Thou is lucky this isn’t in a time of war.” She was then right in the middle of all four of them. Their weapons trained at her from point blank. “And… being with a Human. I do kinda feel bad if I were to… mangle your bodies into unrecognizable cubes.” she then maniacally laughs. “Ah! I apologize! I let it blurt out. It seems that old habits do die hard… or so they say in your world.”
Buke’s eyes open wide as he turns to the Altar inside the IFV. “Do not worry, I do not plan on destroying it. Lest you continue with this charade.” Hearing this, he makes a long sigh and slowly lowers his weapon. Peepo on the other hand shows both his palms as he takes a step closer to her. “I just wanna ask but…” she then tilts her head as she looks at him. “Spit it out.” he slaps both his hands at his cheeks as he breathes out. “What do you mean by Human?”
“Ah, I am with a Human currently. I am ordered to not be as… violent as I was before. Lest the situation ask for it.”
“I-I see… and what do you want from us then? Info?”
“Indeed that is my inquiry.”
He then slowly reaches for his lab coat and with two fingers, hands her a note. “That was all that was given to us. The payment and the target.” She takes it and in poorly handwritten English it only says that they are willing to pay ten thousand in any currency and the target being the two pretty women with a hybrid Priestess of the Holy See. Returning it, she sighs as she rests her forehead on the tip of her long slender fingers. “Haaaah… it's never easy, isn’t it? How was this given then?” They all turn to Buke who opens up without wasting time.
“A person in a black robe. Told us to meet them in Gram and gave us that note.”
“How tall was this person?”
“He-he was about six foot eight? Nine?”
“Ah, I see.”
“And-and Kleo was on the treetop at the time.” She then turns to the pretty blondie in a tight motocross bodysuit and nods. “I spotted he had multiple other friends. Around six feet or less." This made Elizabeth rub her forehead as she sighs. “Very well. Be lucky that I will let thy off without much. Wilt not return, yes?” they all equally nodded. “Good.” Before long, she was gone just like a passing wind.
As she heads back to the walls of Janishaire, she lifts her finger up to her chin and while flying, turns on her back. Letting the inertia to move her forward. “They can appear at multiple places that are not connected huh. My… seems that my hunch is correct. Hm. I hope My Lord has accepted that quest for the Fortresses.” seeing the checkpoints up ahead, the grunts trying to fix the tent of the Priest, she folds her wings and elegantly lands on her feet. Quickly jogging to the back of a carriage that’s loaded with crates.
Back inside the hotel room, Jackson was quietly reading some newspaper as he ate his afternoon meal. “Huh. The English section is pretty well done for what it is.” He ate crumpets quietly, letting his hand take one while his other hand held up the paper. Completely covering his face and torso while Bahamut was walking about the living room, pacing around like she had ten million things on her mind. It has gotten to the point the patter of her feet on the wooden floor had disturbed his reading.
“Bahamut, just what are you thinking right now?” she stops and looks at him with her finger and thumb on her chin. “Master, those attackers. Just how did they get here?” He then shifts to the next page, taking another crumpet. “Probably through some elaborately stupid method that’s underground and secretive with multiple people paid out and such.” Alana on the other hand settles down on her chair and takes the ones with blueberry fillings on them.
“Dragon, just calm down already, will you? Here, eat some food.” She didn’t even protest as Bahamut went to the dining table and started eating. “M’Lord, care to put down that newspaper?” he then lowered it just to the point that his head was revealed. “What? This is like the only time I could get news from all around the world. This is my first time learning that the Hero party had reached Western Geraldia. Looks like there headed to Dragovh.” The Countess didn’t look amused, standing up and leaning forward. Her fingers touching the tip of the newspaper's top. “M’Lord, focus on eating. This is disrespectful, you know?”
He then folds it and places it on the empty chair. “Now… just where is Elizabeth still? Seiness.” The Wolf girl was far too busy enjoying the food and just looked at him with her mouth stuffed with the griddle bread. Before talking, she swallows it all and gives out a radiant smile. “I do not know, Lord Jackson!” He just facepalms. “Bahamut?” the Dragon just shrugs. “Don’t tell me we’ll have to go out and look for her? Ugh. What if she got captured again?” The Countess on the other hand just sighs. “M’Lord, I highly doubt that.”
“But still… she’s been gone for a good three hours now.” he then turns to his wrist, forgetting that he no longer has a watch on him. “Oops. Habit.”
Knocks then come to the door. A came in rhythmically, like a piano tune in which Alana immediately knew who it was. Opening it, it was Elizabeth. “Good Afternoon everyone. My Lord.” She bows to everyone and then to him. “What’re you up to? You know how long you’ve been gone? We were worried.” She smiles and bows once again. “I apologize. But I had to deal with some rodents.” Jackson then stops midway as he was about to take another crumpet. “Rodents?”
After a long winded explanation of what she just did. Jackson just facepalms upon hearing it. Leaning his back onto the chair. “God… so they thought they were hunting a Duchess? Like, that’s gotta be the biggest thing you need to know first before fighting a Vampire.” Bahamut nods as she eats an entire crumpet in one bite. “Hm. Last time, Master and I really got into the mood when preparing.” He then lightly slaps her. “Don’t word it like that! We’d be on the edge, that’s all.” He then crosses his arms and looks at Elizabeth. “Pfft. Looks like there still not used to the Vampires of Threa.”
“Indeed, but I do question the method they are taking. It seems that there everywhere and nowhere.”
“Hmmmm… Seiness, what do you think?”
“Ah… ah… I think Lord Jackson, they might be using some of the ancient Elven Teleporters.”
“Teleporters you say?”
“Yes, Lord Jackson. There are usually metallic circular things on the ground. I saw one when we went to the Gun Platform.” Elizabeth then raises her hand as she walks around the table and sees something on her chair. “Though… could the old Fortress also have this?” Seiness nods. “Yes, Miss Carmilla. They probably have.”
“I see… My Lord. What do you think?”
“Hah! Do I have news for you! We’re actually planning on taking that quest for the scale job.”
“My… what a turn of events. Very well. I am looking forward to this.”
Elizabeth was then sitting down and reading the newspaper and drinking tea peacefully nodding. “Though, My Lord. They did have some interesting weaponry that I would've loved to inspect in my lab.” She then sips her tea once again, pinky finger pointing away and only her index and middle finger holding it up. Jackson on the other hand wipes his hands as he gets up. “Seiness, after this, you’ll head home right?” the Priestess nods. “Alright. You already know what we’ll be doing so prepare. Get all your stuff together and yeah, we’ll teach you what we can.”
He then looks at Bahamut who was looking away from him. “Bahamut…” she then sighs and looks at him. “Take her home, will you? You’ve been here all day.” He then walks to the main bedroom and closes the door as he yawns. “Ugh. I’ll have to wake him up before dinner. Your Maj- Duchess, may you help me prepare dinner?” Elizabeth nods as the two get the empty plates out, leaving only one for Seiness and Bahamut. “Take it all wolf girl.” She stands up, stretching her hands far up. “Ahhhhhh… well, do you know any good street food?”
Seiness’ eyes lit up and she nodded. “Bloodsuckers! I need money!” Alana then peeks out. “Seriously, what kind of Dragon God doesn’t have money?” the Dragon just shrugs and has a dumbfounded expression. “Haaah… go into the main room. In my part of the wardrobe there’s a satchel. Just take a few silver coins please.” She immediately went to the room, making Jackson scream like a woman as he was in the middle of changing to his nightwear. “What Master? It's not like I haven’t seen you naked yet. We’ve-” before she could continue Jackson just sighs. “Bahamut. CAN YOU NOT for once? Knock. Remember to Knock.”
Ignoring the man, she goes to Alana’s satchel and takes ten silver coins and proceeds to walk back out. Making the Knight General just sigh as he sat back down on the bed now in his pajamas. “C’mon Priestess girl.” As she was about to exit, she stops. “Also, Bloodsuckers. Make sure my portion of the meat is well done.” She then closed the door and the two were away. Alana and Elizabeth just peek out the kitchen and sigh. “Your Majesty, care to tie up the Roast Beef?”
=Bahamut and Seiness goes out to check out the food scene in Janishaire. There she finds the most succulent pork she has ever eaten and it's from a Marsch Boar.
=She also finds a vendor selling Coffee that regenerates as long as you give it heat.
=Bahamut then safely delivers her back to the Holy See offices.
Walking outside the hotel, the Dragon and the Priestess looked around the busy Cathedral square. Snow was lightly falling as the robed city workers were preparing to put up the floating lamps. “Eh? It’s snowing again? Awwww…” With an annoyed face, Bahamut looked up to the skies and most of it was open and its blue color giving everyone a warm hug from their dwellings. There were only a handful of snowy clouds that were giving a sprinkle of winter in some selected areas.
Through the afternoon crowd, many of them would turn around to take a second gaze at the woman in black. The grunts guarding the front double doors of the massive shrine not even bothering to stop her as the morning reading was going. The voice of the man was strong and his tone was as stiff as the holy words he read out to the Elves and Humans that went to the Cathedral at such a late time. “It must be Bishop Regelus. He does love doing readings in this style.” The Dragon on the other hand takes a peek inside of it.
With its interior mostly made out of wood and concrete, there were stained windows in every corner of it alongside statues on the arching pillars. Many people had their sons and daughters, entire families of varying social statuses, the rich were sitting next to the poor, and servants were on equal footing with their masters. The white robed Nuns and Ministers busily went about in the sidelines while those in blue watched the organization go along the afternoon reading.
Ministers were going in and out the doors with cleaning tools. Diligently washing and brushing the porcelain walls of the structure while others were seemingly transporting food. It caught the Dragon's eye as some of them were strangely packed with cloth and were in baskets. She then turns to her left where one of the Church people exits out the door with an empty basket. He’d then bow and give it to the row.
They’d then offer whatever leftover food they had. Some even have newly baked meals to give out while others would just give money instead.
“And thus! It was said by Deus Vrax the Almighty said to his companions that he’d crest the tallest hills, mountains, the deepest lakes, seas, to even the very depths of the unknown cosmos to go and find the peace Threa has long been asking!”
On the board plastered on the front pillars were the speaker for the day, which was a man named Bishop Seus Regelus of Carthegra, the reading being “The Day Deus Vrax walked amongst the Mortals, and sought Peace.” One of the Ministers in the same hue of white as the Nuns, but instead of a long skirt, wore puffy pants that slid into snow boots and approached the strange visitor. Ignoring the Priestess that was next to her.
“Uhm… Lady, May I humbly ask why you chose Black?”
“What’s the problem with this color, Human?”
Immediately, Seiness got in the middle of the two. “S-Sorry! I forgot to tell you that the color black is seen as cursed in the Holy See.” Bahamut just had a confused expression on her face.
The young man with short brown hair then looks at her ears and then to her face that's covered by a veil. Though from her exposed neck and a section of her chest where her collar bone was sticking out, her pale skin color was clean and well kept. “As Priestess Seiness had said.” Bahamut then looked at him and he instantly felt a cold air blow past his cheeks.
“W-well Lady, if you may forgive my trespass, Black means you are either mourning or of…”
“Of…?”
“Dubious intent. As Seiness had said, Black is the color of Evil. It's the color of the Underworld. The color of curses and the darkness that engulfs the light.”
“Black is not an Evil color, Human. Maybe for your kin, afraid of what you cannot see. It might be. But that is the color everything first sees before being born. Just as White counts for the End, Black counts for the Start and the End.” Seiness on the other hand was left with an amazed expression. “W-Woah… I never thought of it like that before…”
“Exactly. Though for us Dragons, colors don’t really mean much unless it's the color of our skin. Now, where is the food going?” Seiness then starts raising her hands to block her face. “S-Sorry Minister Yus! She’s a foreigner you see…! She is with the Church though!” Hearing this, the brown haired man flicks his finger. “Ah! Could you be one of the adventurers hired to protect her? But you seem more like a proper lady to me than an adventurer…” he then sniffs the air. “You even have a nice scent to you. Seiness, just what have you gotten yourself into? You’ll make us all worried.”
She just smiles and bows down to him as one of the Nuns, wearing a white cowl and a veil on top of it whose or an older age grabs and pulls the young man away. “What did I tell you about talking to the Nobles?! Have you no respect?!” without even giving him a chance to talk, she immediately lifted her arm and pointed at the nearest door. “Go and clean the left side hallway with your friends, why would you even leave your afternoon duty? We must prepare for a cold night. Snow has fallen.” with a head down and slumped back. He does as ordered and goes away.
“Now… ahem. Lady. I am Head Nun Setella. In charge of maintaining this Cathedral and performing secondary readings at night. How may I be of service?” She then looks at Seiness and tells her to position herself properly. The Priestess doing as ordered and changing her stance to a more professional one.
Unlike the young man, Setella was prim and proper, her hands together and her back straight with a big smile on her wrinkling face.
“I am looking for where the food is going.”
“Food? Ah, its for the program.” Bahamut tilts her head. “Program?”
“Yes. We aid the poor just as Deus Vrax had done in his great travels. Not one town was left with poverty after he was done. Isn’t that right, Seiness?” the girl just nodded at the sentence while Bahamut was just about to yawn. “Also, will it be fine to take this girl with us outside?” This lit up the head nun’s face as she raised her hands, clapped both of it and then rested her cheeks on it.
“My! It's already her time. I had my first when I was fifteen. An equally young Knight from the Holy See came with me through the perilous trek. Ah, such a handsome man was he.”
“Uhhhhh….” She was seemingly taken back to time as the Head Nun was dozing off. “My… he was so handsome and heroic. I could never forget such a pretty face. Ah, if only love bloomed.” The Dragon just turned to Seiness and she was only given a smile in return. “Do you have food?”
This then breaks up the Head Nun’s dream as she was cut back to reality. “Uhm… may I hear that again, Lady?”
“Food. You smell like meat.”
“Ah, I was just in the kitchen, preparing the meal for the poor. Deus Vrax never once took the moment to not feed those in need, you know?”
“You already told me that. What kind of meat is this?”
“It's mostly the one we bought with the donations and from the families charitable enough to give their leftovers to the Church.”
“Can I have some?”
“E-Eh?” She then looks at the woman even more. Pushing away Seiness. Bahamut was tall and imposing, her voice was in contrast to it, motherly and caring. She wasn’t making eye contact with the Nun but instead, the thing that lies beyond her orange eyes. The Setella had to avoid it by constantly looking at the ceiling, painted with the images of their Saviour fighting Dragons, Demons, Human and Elven Armies, to even Gods.
Looking at her outfit, the woman was curvy and tight, her gown having a strange texture to it, a shiny black design that goes from its bottom to top, black roses with branches that seems to be more of an all encompassing cancer that eats upon everything as her palette was drenched with the color that’d eat upon the Abyss. The blackness that drowns all of Mankind's hopes and dreams, never to be seen nor heard from again. Seiness was trying to pull Bahamut away from the Head Nun, but the woman was like a hardened statue, unmoving and unimposed by anything outside.
Swallowing her saliva, Setella raises her finger. “M-may I ask, if you may humbly let me. Lady.” With a quick reply, the Dragon wasted no time. “What is it Human? Don’t tell me the food is restricted? If so, I will leave without any more questions.”
“Are you… Human?”
“Sometimes. Sometimes I am not.”
This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it
“I mean, what are you, really?”
“I am a Dragon. A Black Dragon to be exact.”
Hearing this, all the fright in the Head Nun’s eyes disappears as it instead fills with the opposite. “My! A Dragon! Such an honor to meet one of your kind. I never knew the Church would be rich enough to hire someone like you to guard Seiness. Oh, I can rest easy knowing she’ll be in strong arms.” Seiness on the other hand was absolutely tired from trying to pull away Bahamut. “And the food?”
The Setella then put the tip of her slender index finger on her chin. After a while, she points at the Priestess. “Seiness, care to do some errands?”
“E-eh? But…”
“It’s for the Dragon. We have a duty to uphold them and give them everything they need.”
“O-Of course, Miss Setella!” She then smiles radiantly at the Seiness. “Good! Just go to the market and buy more food. Meat to be exact. One of the lower Nobles had given us his weekly offering. We have excess.” Bahamut on the other hand crossed her hands, but the Head Nun was already on it. “Worry not, Miss Dragon. She’ll be back immediately. Didn’t you say you wanted food? Please, do come inside the Cathedral. The Holy See is open to any Dragon of any kind.”
Seiness then looks at her and the Dragon was just happy knowing she’ll be eating once again. Ignoring the Priestess completely. “Nice! Beware Human! My tummy is an endless Void as my Master says! I’ll eat up-”
“Ahem. Sister Setella, what is that ruckus all about?”
The Bishop’s voice rang throughout the Church. His tone was more serious and threatening as the Head Nun walked to the middle and bowed.
“I apologize, Bishop Regelus, but I was overjoyed by our guest.”
“Didn’t I say? I don’t care if it was the King of the Kingdom, they must go in here just as anyone else. Noblewoman, just what is your business here?”
“I am here for food. I am with Seiness, so don’t worry. This isn’t my first time hearing of you people.”
His left eyebrow raised, after a few seconds his eyes squinted and then returned to his previous annoyed expression.
“You don’t look like the typical mercenary… Hmph. How much did that fool spurge on a single Priestess?”
Everyone in the pews then turned to look at the woman, she was splendid. Even far away, they could see her beauty, sipping out of the veil as her shiny long black hair even put the Nobles attending to shame. Some of the women in their extravagant colorful gowns have to look down on themselves.
“Bishop, she is a Dragon! Hired by the Church to protect Seiness in her expedition.”
“A Dragon? I never took Rival to be a corrupt person. How did he get funds to hire someone such as yourself?”
“Dunno. But I was also told there’d be food here.”
“A Dragon can’t afford food? I never saw a Dragon in Human form to be in need of nourishment that’s meant for the poor.”
“Ah no. I just felt like eating again.”
“W-What?”
Burying his face on his palms, the man just gestures for them to go into the sidelines. Way out of his view.
“Ahem. Back to my reading. Do you know the lesson of this story?” one of the kids raises his hand. “Yes, you child of the Brickett family!”
“It is to always strive for peace, even if it means to go far beyond our comfortable space, we must avoid conflict and be best to look at ways without violence.”
“Correct! Lady Brickett, you're raising that child well.”
The mother with her elegantly tied purple hair with a pin made of diamonds and sapphires puts her fan up as the other Nobles leaned forward to look at her, wearing an absurd amount of make up as her husband put his chin up in a bright orange and yellow tunic, even his breeches were just as bright and colorful. Letting the annoyed ogles of the others to get soaked up by them as a door closes, everyone looking at where it came from.
On the other side, Bahamut walks into the back of the Cathedral while Seiness fetches a Food Collection Receipt and fills it up. Her nose was up in the air as she could smell the meat far away. Leaving Seiness all to herself as she prepares to go to the market. “Is that… broth? Hmmmm…”
“Oh yes. The Cathedral of the Knightly Saints usually makes broth at the start and end of the year months. It helps with the cold temperature for those in need.”
“I am surprised you are more tender than you let yourself out to be.”
She puts her hand up to her chin as she smiles next to the Dragon.
“My, I cannot let the young ones run over me. I have to be a bit strict on them. You’ll never know when they might get picked for the Corps. The Missions they go to are not good for a woman like me…”
“I do remember your Knights could also be peasants, correct?”
“Yes. They’re former Ministers. It is normal for the Church to teach the young ones about sword fighting and defending themselves. Deus Vrax’s word speaks of needing to teach oneself to fight if you want to prepare for peace.”
“Heh. That I can get behind.”
Reaching the backyard, there’s a large long table with a white cloth covering it. An oven was lit with a large pot as a Minister was mixing the soup while others were busy putting food on the plates.
The Head Nun takes one of the bowls and calmly gives it to the man on the soup.
“May Deus Vrax Bless you.”
“We live by the holy sword.”
With a quick exchange, the Black Dragon gets her soup. Without even taking a single breath or taking the spoon she was given. Bahamut drinks the entire thing in one go. Even the peasants and the servants coming in the line were shocked by her appetite.
“Another!”
After taking her fourth round, the woman sits on the thick concrete wall as the Head Nun was busy with the Ministers and Church servants in cleaning up as the rest served the last of the broth. As the final of the people were given their meal, they started to pack everything up. The fence sat directly in the center of the pillar, making space for the homeless and downtrodden to sit down on the edge as the chairs and tables were all taken.
Bruised and dirty, their eyes had the color of wonder as the woman whose skin was so clean, scent of lilies with a gown so extravagant and rich with details, a far part from their rags and mixtures of different attires. They all subsequently made space for her, not getting close to the woman as she used a spoon and partake of the soup alongside them.
Looking around, Bahamut sees that most of them were men, ranging from middle aged to old. There were few younger ones, many of them with a harsh look in their eyes as their bushy unkempt beards had litter in it, or dried spit that had made the hair sticky and seemingly glued together. But the most that stood out were the curses that were inflicted on them.
“Ah, it's these people again.” She then sips her beef broth and turns to the people around her. All of them avoided her look or stare just as they did with Jackson, except for one man. Halfway through her bowl, one of them stood up and sat next to her.
“Are you not afraid of us?”
“Afraid? Of what?”
“Our filth? Smell? How we look and act? Does your Lord not be afraid of us?”
“Hmph. As if such trivialities would bother me. I am here to eat, thus eat I shall. Master is also not that type of a person. He himself had smelled like you and looked like you before… or so he told me.”
He then leans his back on the fence. The others then came and squatted in front of her and sat next to the woman. Making a circle of the homeless and rejected.
“Just who are you, lady? You don’t seem like the other Nobles. Though you smell and look like them, you're here with us. Your Master too, just who is he? The words he spoke, he seems to not be the type to be wearing such clothing.”
Butting in from the conversation was a Non Human. “Pfft! Preposterous! You are all the same, no matter what. Human, begone already! Or is this one of your sick emotions of feeling pity for those with nothing?”
With more lanky features and smoother hair, the sharply long eared man looked at her veiled face. The quaint golden color of her eyes struck outside of its darkness for brief moments as she looked up to them and then down to her bowl.
“I am Bahamut, Dragon God of the Void, Death, Destruction, and Unmaking. Good to meet you, Elf.”
“Hah! That’s a good joke!”
“No. I am not kidding.”
“Really? Then why would a God be with us? Why aren’t you with the Nobles who spread their riches, their time day and night to pray to your kind and ask for miracles that will only make them stronger and powerful?”
“Because I care little for that. I am a Dragon God, if you fight good, I will give you my blessings. Give me something shiny, then I shall grant you a small wish.”
“Hah, I knew it. Shiny, like jewelry?”
“Could be, but if it's metal that’s polished and I like its polish well enough, I might also accept it.”
“Oh!” one of the hobos with a bent cane in the back drops his cane and goes into his pouch, reaching out for something. Everyone could hear the rattle of his large worn bag. After a while, the man took out a handheld mirror. With some spit, he cleans it with the rag that was over his shoulder and offers it. The man was smiling and nodding at her.
Bahamut then inspects it, putting up to her veil. Though the mirror was cracked, the metal it was made of was of an impressive metal.
“Your wish?”
“Fix my broken knee!”
“Hm? Ah, it's cursed with something quite intricate. Come, I’ll heal you.”
“Yeah-yeah. I-I uhhh… tried to get help before when I was a soldier of Gareth’s army. They couldn’t do anything. The Church tried but even they gave up.”
“Yes, come closer to me. I’ll fix it.”
The handheld mirror disappears in a fiery way right before them making the crowd woo in astonishment. With her legs together, she places her bowl on top of her knees and checks the man's knees. “Lift your trousers.” Doing as ordered, she could see the gaping pulsating wound, it was leaking a bit of a clear substance that smelt so bad that even the others had to look away and protect their meals.
On the other hand, Bahamut touches it. To everyone’s surprise, it instantly heals. Even the man was surprised by it. Moving his knees, he threw his cane away as he started walking around, albeit in a clumsy way, he could fully move normally. Everyone’s mouth was opened at the magic.
“Sergeant-At-Arms Raventa has never been healed, not even by the Scholars at the University… Goddess!”
Everyone then bowed their heads, much to the surprise of the Church Servants and Ministers. Prompting them to stop their duties to look at the crowd of vagrants that’s surrounding someone. One of them rushes inside where the Head Nun was busy with cleaning the plates. “Uhm… Head Nun Setella!” Her expression immediately turned into a frown. “Hm? Oh don’t tell me they're harassing someone again.”
The woman then goes inside and walks back out with a staff in hand. It was made of white porcelain and had a golden orb on its top. “Okay, what is this?!” breaking up the crowd, she walks in the center of it where Bahamut had her hand on top of the head of a kneeling man. His cap was placed in his heart. The man held it tightly as he closed his eyes.
“It was just a small disease. Odd that the Church’s healing powers didn’t do anything… ah, I see, it's also cursed. Interesting way of doing it.”
“Th-thank you! If I return to my status as a Noble, I shall build a thousand Churches and Shrines of you!”
“Now my soup is cold!”
Everyone else then bought theirs, handing it over to her to the shock of the Head Nun. Some of the Elves and Humans even use magic to heat their bowls.
“Ah, what is it, Human?”
“I apologize, Lady. I thought they were harassing you.”
“Hah. If one were to try that, they’d get burned before they could even get a touch.”
“Then… I shall be inside. Seiness should be arriving at any moment now. To all of you, extra food will be bought. So if you wish to eat more, stay here.” Bahamut who had emptied her soup raises her bowl. “Good! Send her here. Now, you, the one who offered me pearls. Come over here.”
In Front of the Cathedral, Seiness sees a bunch of Church Servants and Ministers with the Grunts gathered together, she gets into the circle quietly. The girl had a bag of carrots and potatoes on hand.
“Deacon Trenhau, are you sure it's true? That woman seems to be a rich Noble from a far away land. She must be just some high ranking noble gifted with magic.”
“She has to be. She healed Raventus of his curse. That man has been like that since I was a child.”
“That ancient curse? Raventus’ still alive? I am more shocked at that news. I thought he wouldn’t last this winter.”
“I am sure of it Sister. Someone also said she just touched the wound and it healed instantly.”
“Ew, she can touch that? For someone like her, she seems to have been bought up by a large Castle with how clean and spotless her skin was. Like the perfect Princess in the stories, tucked far away from the dirt of the real world. I’m sure she’s hiding that perfect pretty face under that veil. Hmph.”
“She must be that Goddess. I heard one of the Drifters call her Bahamut. That’s the name of the new Church that sprang up a few months ago from the Outlanders.”
Hearing this, Seiness goes inside quickly where the Head Nun immediately greets her with a warm smile. “Seiness, how was the shopping? The Mercenary tasked to protect you is amazing.” The Priestess on the other hand immediately hands her over the sacks of meat. Restless still. “Head Nun! Here are the things!”
“Hm! Good! Has anyone given you a hard time?”
“No, Head Nun. But has she done anything odd?”
“Nothing. She has been but a cherry in the open plains. Blown by the wind and gifted people with much needed nourishment.”
She then breathes a sigh of relief as she walks in the back of the Cathedral. The Bishop who was busy packing up the Holy Books into a knot just sighs at the noise coming from the front door and the crash of the door next to the Altar.
Arriving at the backyard, Seiness sees that the crowd has grown into a large gathering of people. Many of them offer anything shiny and expensive. Forcibly making her way into the heart of it, she stops in the middle as more and more people are coming. The girl couldn’t even reach out her hand as she was slowly suffocated by the large number of people. “Bahamut!”
Ragged and with a bandage over it, a hand reached out from the front. Dragging her to the Dragon who was still sitting down on the fenced wall.
“Oh, Wolf girl.”
“G-Goddess Bahamut!” She then gets pulled by her from the crowd and stood right in front of the Dragon, her legs crossed elegantly as she sat on the concrete fence foundation. “Are you ready to head home?”
“Mhm! What are you doing here anyways?”
“Well, be sure to thank Sir Yutmeyer.”
The large bald and bulky bearded man with a bandage over his right hand smiles at her and winks. She in turns properly bows like a lady.
“That’s enough. If you want to give me more tributes, go to my Church. If you want to fight, come to my Church too. I do not take away from one's ability to become a warrior. Whatever background you come from, if you just want to learn it for yourself or fight for me, then come. The doors of Bahamut are always open for those willing to not die in their sleep and fight till their last breath.”
“How do we know you aren’t just some powerful healer? Make way, you vagrants.”
She then turns her face to the outside of the backyard fence. An Elven man with shiny wavy silver hair and a beautiful face was standing pompously with a band of Knights. His voice was attractive and solemn, even his eyes were forgiving and accepting and clasped by his arms was a set of familiar robes that she swore she’d seen numerous times already in the streets.
“It has happened before. The Saints were ones that were once thought as Gods themselves. Only to later be shown to be extremely gifted in the arts of magic as they were blessed by the God that favored them. What makes you different? I am Baron Lanssea of Dartha by the way.”
“Hah, as if I have to prove anything to you.”
Bahamut just shrugs at him. Standing up and walking through the crowd with Seiness in tow. The Elven man just looked at her, not letting his chin down as he fixed his winged collar and walked near her.
“As expected. A fake. I apologize, but with your healing skills, from the way you look and sway, I must say, you are different from the others. I thought for a second that you might be some Noblewoman from a far away land.” In reply, Bahamut just opened her palm which held nothing. “Oh, look at how much care I give.” The Elf just chuckled as he stared right into her golden sparkly eyes.
“Do… you not know my name?”
“Hm?” Bahamut’s reply just made the Elf shrug. But Seiness on the other hand was lightly tugging her gowns tight long sleeves. “Goddess Bahamut… he’s…” before she could continue, the Elf pointed at her.
“Priestess, you seem to be aware of who I am. Please inform our Lady here.”
“He’s the owner of Dartha clothing. He makes expensive furs and coats. Bishop Regelus and Sir Rival have visited him on occasions.”
“See? Now, do you know I am?”
“Pfft. And?” Without giving a single care, the Dragon turns around. He then lifts her veil and leans it to take a good look at her pale triangular face. Her golden eyes were more magnificent without anything fully blocking his view, her nose just perfectly pointy and the bow to her eyes not too much, but just enough and her lips as supple could be.
“Woah…” his reaction was shared by the crowd, astonished by her looks. “Ahem.” He immediately lets go of her veil as he coughs and his expression returns to its pompousness. “Ahem, ahem.”
“Are you done? I could’ve easily killed you there, but I do not want to get violent in front of the girl.”
“Not only are you pretty, but also kind. Hm, I have my eye on you, Lady. May I ask for your name?”
“Bahamut. Now go away.”
“Bahamut… I shall remember that. Hayflower!”
A man in a tunic then came, wearing a large feathered beret, he kneels before him.
“Prepare my painting peripherals. I do not want to forget this face.”
“Of course, My Lord.”
Seiness then bows properly as she’s dragged by Bahamut away. Leaving the Elf alone. “Hm. I wonder if I’ll end up like the Artist that tried to paint the face of a beautiful maiden from long ago." His servant then returns with a huge box in hand and a backpack that serves as a mobile drafting station. “My Lord, do you mean that story of the blonde beauty?” the Baron nods. “Ah, let’s see if I can do better than the Humans that tried.”
Walking on the main street, the night was slowly encroaching on them as the Floating Heating Lamps had started to illuminate the still lively streets. “Goddess, you should really know people. I do not mean to say or stay out of my line. But Baron Lanssea is a very well known person.” She then turns to her right and notices that she’s all but alone.
Turning around, the Priestess notices her standing before a Stall selling shiny backscratchers. “Oh no!” She then runs to her and starts pulling on her elbows. “Ohhhhh! Shiny! I want that one!” Bahamut then looks to her left and sees that Seiness was stopping her. “What?”
“Goddess no! There’s uhhh… food!” This made her immediately turn away from the Vendor. “Where?”
Soon, the two walked far away from the Cathedral Square. Seiness not taking one second off of Bahamut who could sense her stares.
The night sky was soon over them, the Moon and its little friend gleaming in white as they entered the street that leads straight to the park in front of the Holy See Offices. There, many Adventures were about. Buying all the local food from the street stalls and the Dragon was on the verge of foaming from all the sweet and differing smells she’s taking in.
“Follow me, Goddess! I know something that you’d like!” She nods and lets the petite Priestess take her along for the ride. They then ended in the middle of the very lively street where there were even Mages performing dances alongside their art of the magics while Sorcercers would summon small tiny concrete humanoids to do jumps and martial arts for show.
On the stall, there’s a part of a boar. The meat looked extremely good as the Vendor, with his magic, was using it to heat up the grill. He was able to adjust it to his liking without much trouble as he gave out one order after the other. When it came to them, Seiness ordered one small portion and one large. It came with a black and red oily sauce and Bahamut didn’t even ask what it was as she gobbled it all up.
“HMMM! Very good!” She then raises her paper plate. “Another one!” Seiness on the other hand opened her palm and a Silver coin was thrown at her hand. Her eyes opened wide at the currency. “EHHHH?” She was just given a thumbs up while the muscled vendor just laughs. “I guess this is twenty more?” The Priestess immediately shrugs. “N-no. Just two more please.” the man nods as he starts counting the bronze coins.
“Wolf! Tell me, what is this?! Its very succulunent!”
“It’s meat from a Marsch Boar.”
“A Boar? So this is akin to bacon?”
“Hm. It's a very huuuggee boar!” The Priestess opens her arms wide, the Dragon just nodding. “It’s said to make meat so good that it was enough for an Adventurer to carry only a Pund of it and it will make the trek down to the Capital seem like a chore!”
“I see! And the sauce?” The vendor who had her next two portions prepared rings his bell. “The sauce is made from the Marsch blood that’s mixed with fermented soy and a bit of pepper and herbs.” Bahamut makes a thumbs up at it. “Very good!” Soon, she finishes the next two portions and lets the others buy. Waving goodbye to the satisfied vendor.
“Wow! That is very good! Do this Boar only exist here?”
“Yes, specifically in the forest around the town of Gram. But the marshlands there are frozen, so most of them are currently hibernating.”
“I see… since we’re going that way. I must try to prey on one!”
“Ehehehe… but you need permission from the Hunters Guild to do that Goddess.”
“Hunters Guild? Pfft. I am a Dragon!”
“Even still… wait, Goddess. Are you even certified by the Mages Guild?”
“What? Who needs such things? I am a Dragon that lives forever!”
Their lively conversation was radiating with positivity, the people around them just smiling at the two opposites. White and black in their colors, even the Adventurers can’t help but be infected by their positive aura from a long hard day.
“B-b-but… how did the Adventurers Guild accept you then?”
“Eh, Master used the Vampire’s allure or something and got us the ID.”
“Ehhhhh? But then, you must pass the Mages Tests first!”
“As if! I won’t do that!”
They then hear ruckus on one of the Stalls that was selling fresh fish. A loud splash as people screamed in anger as they got wet from an already cold nightly air. “OY! Watch that thing or I’ll feed it to my dogs!” running to the commotion, they notice a girl trying to explain herself to the crowd. “Abababababababa— ahhhh!” Bahamut, who ignored her while Seiness went to help the girl in short leather pants, notices something on the large wooden bucket.
It was large enough to fit an entire Human to bathe and was in it instead was a slug, shaped like a large bean. She tilts her head as it seemingly has Human-like eyes and mouth. Expressing even something akin to absolute satisfaction as it rubbed its tummy with its feet.
The crowd then stopped talking as they saw from behind the Priestess was a large Dragonic like tail coming out of the funeral gowned woman. It peered off of her skirt and then was long enough to go above her head and strike something at the other. The Vendor was trembling in her feet seeing this occur before her. A splash was then heard again and Seiness and the other young adventurer turned around to notice her scoop up the cute rounded slug with an extreme short tail and small tail fins from the water.
Bahamut then turns her face to look at the two, the crowd on the other hand dispersing and minding their own business. “This thing ate all of the fish.” the young girl in the short leather pants on the hand starts bowing. “I’m sorry,I’m sorry,I’m sorry,I’m sorry!” she was saying it so fast that Seiness couldn’t muster a reply. “Should I eat this? It looks tasty.” The Slug on the other hand starts panicking. “Hm? This thing can understand language?”
On the street, people would just see a Holy Priestess with an Adventurer both trying to force a tall woman with a Dragon tail that’s held up a slug from eating it. They all just look away and carry on their lives as if they saw nothing. “Please no! He is sorry!” Bahamut then swipes her tail to the girl, handing the slug back to its owner. “Ehhhh… that’s sad.”
“Goddess, how can you eat something that cute?”
“Cute? It’s a slug.”
“A Sitzsack Slug to be exact, Goddess. They emit Mana and are the reason why Swamplands are very fertile and full of fruits and vegetables alongside the clearest ponds out there.”
“Hah?” Bahamut just looks in confusion as the Adventurer girl bows alongside her slug that she’s holding like a stuffed toy. “Just carry on already. Go, before I change my mind.” She runs away while Seiness breathes a sigh of relief. “Maybe in this Human form I can identify this thing called Cuteness, but even still. My Dragon self has more domain than these feeble Human emotions.”
The Priestess on the other hand points behind them. “My! Is that Lord Jackson without a shirt on?!” Bahamut immediately turns around. “WHERE?!” Seiness then just laughs wildly. It reached the point her tucked tail appeared from behind her skirt and wildly flapped. The Dragon on the other hand ignores her and walks to the Park with the young girl following closely behind her, still laughing and holding her tummy from her genuine reaction.
Reaching the front stares to the door, Bahamut stood next to a stall. Her face was just in absolute blank as the Priestess kept bowing to her while smiling. “Thank you, Goddess. It's been a joy. I shall take my leave now.” As the girl entered the building, she turned to the man in the cart. “What is this?”
He takes a metal mug and stylishly flips it around, doing multiple tricks before scooping some brown powder into it. He then conjures water out of thin air and then places it on the sand that's in his cart. Swirling the bottom of the mug on it, the water starts to rise and get hot. With wind magic, he then spun the liquid around till it was properly mixed. It ended with a hot chocolate milk for her. “Five bronze coins. Local currency only.”
With the exchange she just did for the meat, the woman hands him five coins and starts sipping from the mug. “Thank you, please return the mug on the cart after you're done. My name is Elohim, if you need any help. I will be here.” The vendor then wipes his hands from his apron and sits down on a crate, Bahamut still having a blank stare on her face. “Tsk. To think I’d fall for that…” with her shoes tapping the ground, she closes her eyes. “What’re we going to do again?”
Getting back to their Hotel room, Seiness was left alone by Elizabeth as she headed off again. Bahamut who was sleeping haphazardly wakes up soon after, as Alana was busy in the kitchen cooking lunch.
“Ah, Seiness. What’s up?”
“Oh! Good afternoon, Goddess Bahamut.” The two exchange in bows as Bahamut walks up to Paul and smacks the back of his head. He was busy reacting to every piece of news he was seeing in the paper. “OW! WHAT THE FUCK?!”
“Master, let’s go.”
“Huuh…? Oh, Bahamut. Wazzup?”
“My Lord, could you simmer down? I know this is your first time reading a local Newspaper but Seiness might get disturbed. She has wolf ears too after all.”
Bahamut rubs her eyes as she fully awakens, stretching her hands out. She then sat on the chair opposite of Jackson.
“What is it? C’mon. Stop sleeping already.”
“I’ll sleep later. Master, how far is that place again?”
“It should only take a day of flying. We’ll take a break in a large town and then continue to the Fortress. Seiness, follow everyone’s instructions alright? Alana and Elizabeth are both well versed in how I do things and the protocols I have when inside tight spaces.”
“Y-Yes, Lord Jackson!”
“Good girl. You should do well if you keep up that hype. He then looks around and sees that the entire party has gathered except ELizabeth. “Haaah… just where did Carmilla go? Well, if that’s everyone, then let's break this down one last time.” He then lays out a paper and starts writing. “Our main objective is to collect Scales from some centaur-like creatures from the Elven Fortress.” He then draws their path. Leaving for the West Gate of the city and heading to Gram. “We’ll be flying in Bahamut. Saves us lots of time. She’ll transport us to Gram and then from there, walk or fly again to the Fortress entrance.”
He then stands up and goes to the sacks they bought for the vegetables and meat. “We’ll specifically be using these sacks for the job. Just fill it up and the rest is pay. Seiness, it's fine to explore but make sure we’re around or near you, alright?” The Priestess nods. “Don’t overextend yourself and stay in visual range. You are skilled and strong, but a lone warrior is but that and you can be overwhelmed easily.” With that, he then looks at Bahamut.
“Are you ready? After you take Seiness back home, prepare yourself, alright?”
Back in the present, Bahamut just yawns. “Haaaaah… exciting day tomorrow. I get to fly again!” returning the mug to the cart. “Elohim is your name, you say?” the vendor nods, having a humbling and cooling face to him. “Indeed I am.” She takes a gander at him and proceeds out. The woman walks in the dark night, heading back to the Cathedral Square with a smile to her.