In the bottom of the Elven Fortress, the discarded scales of the many Centaurs they felled would rattle noisily as the intruding adventurer group surrounded Jackson’s party. With their Mages surrounding Seiness, they looked to the three other older women with terrified looks as the hands of the two Vampires and Bahamut’s fingers ready to pull the skin off the skull of their strongest vanguard.
Around them, the guts and dead Centaurs started to peel off their scales and the floor only got more and more hidden as a sea of blood encroached on their shoes. Elizabeth with her left hand closing into a fist makes the littered blood turn into tentacles making everyone panic as they look around to see the sentient liquid had started to crawl from the bottom of their bodies.
Jackson trembles with a bleeding nose as he raises his hand. “Tsk.” The Queen then opens her left hand and the blood all collects itself into small mounds and turns into sparkly white roses that fly into the top of the spiral.
“Now… let’s all calm down. Elizabeth, Alana, and Bahamut. Let’s not kill him. We must be diplomatic, remember?”
“My Lord, this cretin just dared to lay his hands on you. Say the word and we shall rip him open. I have my reservations on who to execute and those I am willing to break personal rules for. This is one of those.”
“Master! Just let us kill these people and get to Seiness alraedy!”
“I agree, M’Lord. For a young man, he had the gall to jump into an ongoing battle and dare raise a fist to you. This cannot go on.”
With a bruised right cheek and a fist to his neck, Jackson takes a breather and takes a good look at the man.
“Wait a sec! You're the guy at the Guild building right?! Don’t you remember me?!”
“I do, and you were already an odd one from the start. But to think you also meddle in others' Quest. I don’t care if you girlfriends here can murder me without a thought. People like you need to learn how to respect the Code of Adventuring.”
“Look, dude. It's a mistake. I am here for the scales!” He then reaches for his belt and shows the sack he has. “See! I am not here to do whatever you were supposed to do!” Looking at it, the young red haired man breathes out. “Is that so?” He said this nonchalantly even though an extremely devious aura was coming out from behind him.
Behind him, Bahamut’s fingers were ready to grip his hair, the nails of her pale hands ready to sink into his skull while Alana’s hands were shaped like a piercing blade with her fingers closed, ready to go through his back and pull his spine out, while Elizabeth had one hand on his neck and another on the back of his face.
“It would be kind if you could tell your women here to let go of me. I thought you were their servant for a moment there.”
“C’mon. Let’s all calm down now. Hands away and let me check on Seiness.”
With reluctant faces, the three women let go. With Elizabeth and Bahamut both rushing to check on Seiness who was hiding behind the corpse of a Centaur shaking profusely as a two Mages was right over her cover, with a blue staff and an orb made of spherical water like liquid that was shining lifts up his wand and powers it down and another having an endless fire on the tip of his wooden staff. “Alright, everyone, calm down. Boys, let’s regroup.” The multiple other Vanguards that was on the flanks lowers there weapons and the Mages in the back turned to the two women that was walking straight to them.
Elizabeth held the man's hand on the staff. He turned to her and the woman made him blush and turn beet red as she went right up his face, cupping his chin.
“The fight is over. Do not dareth to hurt’eth the youngin’. Or be prepareth for thine’s eternal slumber to be met with… brutally.” Shivers was sent to his spine as Bahamut checked Seiness and breathed a sigh of relief. “She’s fine. Come on.” Holding her hand, the Priestess immediately ran behind the Dragon as she stood her ground
The other person, a mage with a fiery staff, grabs his party member's arm. His robe has bits and pieces of plate armor on it as he wore fingerless gloves and a pointy hat with armored tips. “Just apologize, let’s get out of here. Those aren’t normal Vampires.” Seeing the women, he bows and forces his party members to do the same. “I apologize. I’ll talk to Clive later. Please do forgive of our transgression Noble Vampire.”
“Don’t talketh to me about forgiveness. Talketh to thy Lord. Thine rudeness would make one hold his neck on the guillotine, but My Lord’s kindness knows no bounds.”
He bows and takes his friend away as they walk to the two party leaders. Both of them stood a meter apart from one another as Jackson placed his hands on Alana's shoulders. The Countess helps him up as she goes to his back and helps him stand in a stable manner.
She then starts healing him as he speaks. “That was one hell of a punch. Even here, teenagers are still as dumb as rocks.” He spits some blood out and everyone once again panics. Jackson in his full plate armor just raises his hands. “Don’t worry, they won’t do anything.” looking up, he could see the other Mage, one with watery designs on his robe sitting alongside an Archer. The slender man had already just sat on the edge of the spiral.
“Huh. I knew there was something different with you.”
“Can you tell me what the punch was for?”
“It is in an Adventurer’s Code to not mess with an already taken quest. I mistook your presence here. I didn’t notice the sacks you had. I apologize. I am willing to pay whatever price you want.” Clive immediately bows his head and then proceeds to grovel before him. “I truly would like to apologize from the bottom of my heart.” Jackson just ignores him as Alana helped him walk around the man and to the party of 8 that has intruded on them. “And exactly what are you people here for?”
He points at the various holes the Winter Centaurs came from. The lightness abyss that goes deeper into the Fortress. “You guys are planning on going deeper?”
“Uh huh! And every last thing we kill and bring home is about fifty silver coins. Hence I am taking the skulls of the creatures here.”
“Woah woah, but we take the scales, right?”
“Isn’t your quest just to take the ones they have discarded, correct?”
“Why you son- Haaaaah… alright.”
“Master?! We killed almost eighty percent of the Centaurs here!”
“She’s correct, M’Lord. This youngster shouldn’t be allowed to merely take what is ours.”
“There’s more than enough scales on the ground for us to take. Let’s not escalate this further. I’d like to go back home without having to kill something that walks on two legs.”
“Tsk. Be lucky Human. Master is forgiving today thanks to the presence of the younger girl.” With Seiness holding her hands, the Dragon proceeds to take her to the Queen and hands her over to the blonde as she starts looking at the corpses of the Centaurs.
Jackson who breathes out as the tense atmosphere calms checks on her. “Seiness, you good?” Holding Elizabeth’s hand as they both walked to him, the Priestess nodded. “Yes, Lord Jackson. I am fine.” as if his hands automatically move, it rests on top of his chest as he looks up and closes and opens his eyes slowly. “Phew… Since this is your first time, I hope you take the good lesson out of this encounter.”
“Hm!” The two then got near one another. With Jackson opening his hand for a shake. Clive breathes in and takes his hand. “I am surprised at how big this place is though.”
“Oh, it's very big. We plan to reach the teleporter room in two days if possible.” Hearing this, and knowing what Elizabeth told him, he tilts his head in curiosity. “Teleporter? The Elves use teleporters? Is it in the style of the Demon Labyrinths?”
“It’s an upgraded version. The Elves took what the Demons of Vitas built and put something better. The teleporter here connects to the rest of the Fortresses all around Geraldia as a fail safe.” His grip with his helmet tightens as the man’s left eyebrow lifts. “Could these… still be functional?”
“Oh, if you can, yes. Try going to the vents, you can still feel some hot air passing through it. The Elves built everything to last here. Those teleporters aren’t any different.”
“Interesting… interesting… thank you, Clive. I’ll be sure to put this in the back of my head.”
“Why? Are you investigating history?”
“Yes and something more. Also, how come there’s no loot?” Clive just giggles and rests his elbow on the pauldron of his plate armor, squeezing just enough to avoid the sharp protrusions. “This is one of the most visited Dungeons around here. Unless you visit the Departments where maybe some useless stuff remains, you won’t really find anything anymore since everything that can be taken home has already been.”
With a dejected look, the man raises his arms as if to surrender. On the back, Elizabeth with Alana just stood next to one another, with the Queen having her arms crossed as Seiness ran off to Bahamut, who was inspecting the Centaurs, taking apart their armor and taking the shiniest scales out of the rest. The blonde woman just squints at the two party leaders getting along all of the sudden. “It’s so odd.”
“What do you mean, Your Majesty?”
“Even with My King back then. I just don’t get it. How do Males could transition from wanting to brutally murder one another to mutual respect in such a short amount of time?”
Alana just looks at Jackson and Clive, the two already cracking jokes like two ole’ friends as the vanguards take to the perimeters. “I take it this is what they call the Brotherly Conduct of sorts, Your Majesty.” She in return replies with a scoff as she looks around to see the thousands of scales littering the ground. “Ugh. This is going to be problematic. I really do not want to share these with these peons.”
“Your Majesty, lest we make more enemies, it's better to give up and separate now. We have Seiness with us after all.” Sighing, the Queen takes to the sack on her and starts to pick up what was on the ground.
On the rear, Bahamut has stood in front of the Warlord Centaur, ripping off its head and skinning it with her bare hands. The Adventurers from Clive’s party just looked in shock as the pretty lady could be so gory and show no emotion at all as her veil was splattered with blood. “What? Fear of the blood tends to create fear of the flesh. One’s soul should not be bothered by the very essence of all living things.” Even Seiness just held her staff close to her as the Dragon did as she pleased.
Taking the skulls of the stronger Centaurs, even Clive didn’t dare to oppose her as Jackson then starts to collect the scales below him. With Bahamut using magic to accumulate large swathes of them as the group of 8 adventurers from another party started to skin and methodically take the Lesser Centaur meat and bones. With specialized bags, they organized the skin, bone, and the meat into different ones.
The Mages were carrying backpacks that’d clang as they walked, with the utensils and cast iron pots for cooking hanging by the back while the Vanguards usually carried two pairs of bedrolls and extra weapons and parts. For what it is, the Knight could see how well thought out their group is, and everyone knew what their task was and their place in the team.
Seeing the two Vampires and the strange lady in Black clear up the large open area in such a short time took their attention. Leaving only a small part that’s around Seiness’ perimeter as she tried to use Wind magic like Bahamut in sweeping large amounts of scales in one go.
It filled up the sacks quickly as she threw the Warlord Centaur skulls into a void alongside the Ancient Elven Halbert she took from them.
The adventurers were only on their twentieth Centaur while Jackson was already busy having to manage the sacks. As the five they bought were already overflowing with it.
“Hmmmm… Bahamut. If you turn into a Dragon. How many sacks could you theoretically carry?”
“Ahhhhh… let us see, Master.”
She then walks into an open space, a whoosh of air then comes out of her as it throws the scales and corpses into the sides. The woman turns into an armored Black Dragon. This made the eight adventurers who were minding their business to become shocked and dazed by the sudden appearance of the legendary creature. With Clive standing in pure awe of her.
They then started to load the sacks on her back. Fitting eight in total. With that, the Knight then walks to the broken wall, peeking inside as the two Vampires secured the load. Looking in, the large vast hallway had enough space for multiple carriages and had still working lighting on the ceiling and floors. The crystal lamps are still fully functional even after all these years.
“How do they get here then?” Clive then walks up behind him and also peeks into the broken front wall. “They usually move the boulders there and would discard their scales into the floor and return to it. I don’t know why they became so angry with you people.” The Knight then puts his hand on his chin as he walks into the hallway proper.
Already, he notices something interesting. A well preserved segmented breastplate that’s placed on the floor. Looking around, he could see scratches had reached the ceiling. “Oof, someone did not have a good day here.” Following it, he could see a curved sword wedged in between the pipes running along the center of the ceiling. He opens his palm and a blast of magic is emitted and hits its pommel making it drop into the floor. Picking it up, he inspects the weapon, dusty and long beyond its point of usefulness, it still has the markings of its manufacturer and some letters that look like a messed up zig zagged numericals with a slightly angled dash between the third and eight numbers.
“Don’t take that. This is technically my Quest area.” He then politely drops it into the floor. “That’s sad. Lots of stuff here I could take home and add to my collection. Tsk, this is why I always aim for uncharted dungeons.” He sighs and turns around. “Nonetheless, good luck to you kid.”
Jackson, donning his helmet then waves at him as the other adventurers follow their leader into the hallway. He just walks back into the bottom floor of the spiral as Bahamut starts to flap her wings. Barely fitting in the large silo as she took to the skies. Reaching the top floor in no time where she then downsizes herself.
Even with her being only the size of a van, one with an overloaded rooftop. They still had to dismount. Helping the Dragon squeeze through the bulk doors as some of them had activated and got stuck midway in closing.
Jackson had to go into their control panels and figure out the odd symbols there. Though thanks to Elizabeth and her ancient knowledge, she figured most of it out. While in some cases, Bahamut had to breath fire and melt the hardened alloy steel used for the bulk doors.
In Between all of it, he’d check for the guard rooms and random doors only to find everything has been completely wiped. All that remains were the most needed of things to keep the lights on inside the ancient fortress. With no traces of Elven gear or memorabilia anywhere. The closest thing he saw akin to it were some S shaped chairs that’s connected to a concrete table. Unable to move it away, he just sighs at the situation as they got closer and closer back to the main entrance.
Seiness being still shaken up was regulated to mostly holding Elizabeth’s skirt or hand at different times.
Without long, they’ve reached outside. Morning hadn't come and light snow was falling from the skies. “Wake up in the morning my ass.” Looking at the white coated land, he could see the traces of the adventurer party. Their horses and pack carts were hidden away in the forestry while their main camp was set up a good hundred meters away, totally hiding it away.
Bahamut then returns to her Human form. Making a large ruckus as the eight sacks of scales fell and she stretched her arms and then bent her back forward. “Ahhhhhh… I haven’t cargoed that much in such a small form in a long time now.” The Dragon then proceeded to waltz into their camp. Sitting by the log chair and with a stare, lights up the campfire. She then looks to Jackson who was busy checking all the sacks. “Ahem.” He instantly turns to look at her and she just patted the open seat next to her.
Looking at the two Vampires, Alana was already looking in their food stocks while Elizabeth was with Seiness, the two preparing their stuff for breakfast. With a sigh, he removes his armor with the chainmail underneath it and leaves only the jet black padded jacket and pants.
Sitting next to her, he starts patting her head and rubs her chin. “Ehehehe… Doing this in a Human form makes me feel like I connect with you more, Master.” She then leans in as Alana plops down their breakfast into the cast iron pan, with Seiness hollering around their plates. Elizabeth then put in the utensils as the strips of meat started cooking alongside some eggs and thyme.
As they wait, the cold front calms down and Bahamut starts to ease on heating everyone as Jackson starts to get tired from pleasing the Dragon. “You did great back there, Seiness.” She nods as the Priestess removes her hat, exposing her black wolf ears. “But that was scary though… I’ve never had a Staff to be pointed at me like back there. My life seemed as if it was going to be over so quickly.” He flicks his finger, making her ears prop up as he smiles at her. “Just remind yourself to keep your head on a swivel. Always. But aside from that, you didn’t break from formation and did your job in the backline. I am truly impressed.”
“Keep my head in a swivel…?” Her left ear then drops as she tilts her head. “What do you mean by this, Lord Jackson?” He then stops patting and rubbing Bahamut’s chin, making her grab his hands as he avoids her and stands fully up in the snow. “It’s a saying in the military.” He then looks to the skies and then looks at her. “Oh! I remember, this is a good example of it.”
On the open Turkish desert, Jackson with a cast on his arm sat on a small tent with a radio. In his honeycomb camouflage fatigues, the man looked over a can of Hereford corned beef cooking over an electric stove. Stirring it, he smiles as if he had with him one of the great meals someone could get in the frontlines.
Coming in his tent was a soldier of taller stature, the exoskeleton inside the fatigues showing his immense height as he looms over the Colonel. “Sir, Command said they’ll need an extra MSR set up for tomorrow’s offensive.” He just continues over his corned beef not caring for the man. “Sir?”
Finally done with his stir, he adds small cubes of potatoes into it and turns to the soldier. “Aamir, come here.” doing as he is told, the man then squatted in front of the electric stove. “Do you know that this is some of the best gourmet shit you can get in this stupid ass war?” He just turns to the brown skinned man with a thick beard and hands him a plate. “Ah, I am Hindu, sir. I can’t eat this.” he then shrugs and smiles to himself. Packing his plate with all of the corned beef as the flap to his tent opens.
Just as he was about to eat it, his mouth already fully opened and the spoon, mere inches from his watering tongue, another soldier with a pair of Laser designators on his hand came in. “SIR! I THINK A JET GOT THROUGH THE FORWARD RADARS!” He sighs and drops his plate into the electric stove and follows him outside.
“I swear, Ranbir. If this is nothing, you will be cleaning latrines-” before he could finish, the loud noise of the S-400 launcher parking near his tent drowns out his thoughts as behind him, a massive four lane super highway was taken up by a huge non stop flow of supply trucks. With one lane only being used for the opposite path, mostly taken up by tractor trailers hauling damaged tanks and husks of hulls back to the rear to be repaired.
The soak of the desert sun seems to be melting even the very rubber of the heavy 8X8 launchers, with the Colonel with his fair skin standing out like a vanilla ice cream in a sea of golden sands. With the tendrils of the heat of the day was enough to make even a trained soldier in the conditions to only last for a few hours outside.
Ranbir then hands him his Laser designator as he points to the mountains far in the horizon. Taking it, he puts the device up to his eyes and scans the area finding nothing. He then looks to the man and shrugs as the S-400 complex hand starts to make a louder noise, the hydraulics of the legs pumping in as it extends and the main tubes are slowly lifted vertically into position.
The crewmen and soldiers of the Air Defense platoon quickly ran to their supply trucks and covered it with a desert netting as they dug fighting positions in the middle of nowhere. Where only the skulls of dead birds could watch them work.
Skimming the horizon once again, a silvery gleam catches his eye as he decreases the zoom. The Laser designator quickly then locks into the signature of a F/A-18 Super Hornet exiting out the mountain range. It flew so low its drop tanks were only a meter from touching the sand as it kicked up a huge storm behind it. “H-H-HOLY SHIT!” He then runs to the people in the back, grabbing the CO of the Air Defense Platoon and pointing at the incoming jet.
He then quickly goes into his radio as the pair of 2S6 Tunguska behind them activates its radar. Jackson then realizes he wasn’t wearing his helmet as the tracked anti air vehicle moves in front of the S-400 launchers. As he was about to run back to his tent, he noticed the jet coming straight at him and the AA vehicle’s missile tube popped open. “AH FUCK!”
He first looks to his tent, but sees it too far, he then turns to the trucks but it was already loaded with the crew. He’d then go back and forth as if he was dancing in the sand, unable to do anything, he instead drops his head into the sand and starts digging into it. Just enough to cover his ears as the Tunguska opens fire its air to air missile which the Super Hornet dodges with a burst of its countermeasures. The flares create a sparkly show in the golden nothingness. An angel of death unnoticed by the uncaring heat of the desert.
Its two twin-barrel 30mm autocannons then started to fire in a burst. Rumbling the ground and air around him as he kept burying his head into the sand. Screaming as the spent casings started raining around him.
A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.
But it wasn’t done and the 2S6 then started firing in full auto and all he could hear was a massive explosion. After a few seconds, he looks out of the hole and notices the jet was torn apart but a Paveway was tossed on them which made him run for his life alongside Ranbir and Aamir. The two hiding on the left side of the Tunguska tracked an anti air vehicle as the guided bomb hits directly into his tent and explodes.
Walking out of cover to see the aftermath, he can only drop to his knees as he screams to the top of his voice. Like a man who just lost a lover right before him.
“And that’s why you must keep your head in a swivel, always. Don’t be like me at that time. Ugh. That was good corned beef and all gone.” But rather than earnest listeners, Jackson instead got laughs and giggles from everyone, even Seiness unable to control herself. “Lord Jackson, I could never imagine you being confused on where to go and panicking. It seems so out of character for you. You’ve only been so cool so far.”
Alana then stands up. “M’Lord, if you want to make a point with a story, you should make one that doesn’t seem like a comedy.” Everyone then looked at the Countess. Her straight and long black hair flowed like a river of seamless threads as she swirled around like a ballerina and sat next to Seiness. “How about this then. Back when I was in University, two men used to go after me almost everyday.”
Walking through the ornate halls of the University. Alana wore a knee length skirt with a blouse that’s crimson in its colors, her hair wasn’t like it is now. But instead in the style of twin tails on it. Minding her own business, the Countess, yet to be titled as such, walked to the main study hall where she stopped by the entrance. Quickly scanning the inside. “Tsk. Persistent man.” She then turns around as a Vampire comes out of an aisle between the bookshelves. Immediately, the girls in the library whisper amongst each other. Grasping at the sight of the handsomely beautiful man. “Is that Sir Percival?” whispered one girl to another. “I think he's after Lady Minuit.” while others didn’t even utter a word and was just awestruck by him.
With a cape drooped over his left shoulder and a golden chain holding it together and polished buttons, the classic clean cut with a strand of hair coming out of his bang like a fang, the man's white blonde hair he has was as striking as his pose and aura. He smiles as he walks out to the hallway and turns left. Looking at the twin tails of Alana. “My… a feisty one ain’t she?” He then disappears as the doors close on itself.
Walking to the main hall, Lady Minuit then notices an old face. Sir Don was in the middle of a crowd of women and she looked around immediately and an exposed ray of light coming out of the huge windows of the University was opened and as Donnatello turned to her direction, she was already gone.
Flexing her body, the Vampire efficiently climbed to the second floor, turning into a black Bat and slipping through another opened window. Poofing back into her normal form. She was in the main classroom area now with sessions still ongoing.
Popping out of the stairs was Sir Percival. Instantly lifting his hand in a friendly manner and a smile that could ensnare even a Demon. “Ah! Lady Minuit! How we meet once again! May I invite-” before he could finish, she was already gone and he started looking around once again. He merely sighed as he walked in a certain direction with a smirk to his face.
Reaching the roof, Alana meets someone there. Her medium length blonde hair as she sat by the edge, eating her lunch all alone. The woman stands up and bows. “Miss Minuit. Pleased to meet you again.” she then returns the gesture with her own bow. “Miss Aquitaine. How goes your luncheon?” proceeding next to her, she rested her books and started reading at her own pace.
Victoria then lifts her face to look at the heap of text she had bought with her. Many of it being stories of Knightly men and their adventurers. With a handful being Vampire stories. “Hm. Miss Minuit, you sure love those stories don’t you? Have you tried reading about Lord Desmon’s Poems?” she shrugs as the woman sighs and stretches her arms. “Ah, no. Poems bored me. But these Novels, they excite me more than anything.”
“Though what makes you come here? I oddly remember you having your own spot in the University Restaurant.”
“I would be there if it weren’t from those two.”
“Ah, I might have heard of them. Though Lady Minuit, you sure have gotten good at avoiding them. I’ve heard that Sir Angelo is the descendant of Généreux and is quite adept at catching people.”
“That is true, Don is quite a catcher. But his skills have its limits. One of them is if he is busy dealing with other people and his focus is off. Disappear before he could get a wind of you and he won’t have the time to track you down.”
“And… Sir Daunt was it?”
“Ah, Percival. He is persistent but he takes it slow. He acts as if he has all the time in the world to chase after me. Sooner or later, something else will take his attention and he’ll try another time.”
“Though… to think you have such choices for marriage. I believe your parents are very happy with this result?”
“Hmmmm… I believe so.”
She then rests her book on the edge and hugs her legs. “May I call you Victoria?” immediately, the woman bows and then lifts her head and looks at her with a smile. “Of course. Though may I call you Alana?” she returns it with a nod and the two stand up and formally exchange elegant bows. “Good. Now, may you invite me to maybe… a tea party after classes?”
Hearing this, she giggles. “I believe this will be a constant from now on?” Alana then lifts her hand and rests it on her shoulder. “Yes. I need to read without anyone getting in my way. I will bring as many macarons or biscuits as you wish.” hearing her, Victoria just laughs and nods. “Of course. Please be sure to come as much as you want.” The two then smiled at one another as Alana went back to reading and she went back to eating.
“So Seiness, if you are aware enough, you can even think of an alternate way to avoid getting caught.” Jackson on the other hand just wipes his face with his hands. “Geez, were they that annoying?”
“I really didn’t mind it as much.” Alana then stood up and returned to the campfire. “Being chased by the two most handsome boys in our year wasn’t bad at all. It just got annoying at certain times, M’Lord.” he then smiles and shrugs. “Of course.”
Standing up also, he then walks over to check on the meat and eggs. Letting its smell reach his nose as he then sat in front of the fire and reached his hands out. “Though, what made them wake up early I wonder?” Elizabeth then crossed her legs and arms, tapping on her forehead upon the query. “My Lord, I believe something woke them up instead.”
“Hm?” Looking over his shoulder, the blonde woman then leaned forward to him. “Bahamut, had you felt any disturbance before they stampeded across the bottom of the spiral? I also found it odd that they woke up like that.”
“I only felt a line tremble, Bloodsucker. I chalked it up to the plates just moving a bit more violently than usual. We are in the mountains afterall and lava is not far underneath us.”
“Well… I do believe it might be those Adventurer’s unknowingly doing something and alerting them. They do have the means after all.”
“Now, now, Elizabeth. We can’t be cursing people like that. It was a misunderstanding after all and if what you say it's true, they couldn’t have possibly known. They were probably planning on reaching the bottom before morning to start exploring the Dungeon before the Centaurs woke up.”
“Hmph. You are too kind, My Lord. But for someone as hot headed as that, he needs a good beating. He probably did something with a spite of anger, maybe upon finding out that they weren’t alone? Which could then lead to him believing that you were after his quest?” Jackson then shrugs and sighs. Crossing his arms. “Elizabeth, even still, it was just a misunderstanding. You need to learn to forgive and forget. Seiness, don’t be like her, alright?”
The Priestess just nods as she goes with Alana in preparing their meal. “He probably was looking forward to this quest seeing how young and sparkly his eyes were. Just understand this is how young people are.” the Queen just sighs as she relaxes herself once again. Jackson on the other hand rubs his chin. “Elizabeth, since you're a master of espionage. Do tell me.”
“Oh, what is this about, My Lord?” Curious, she then stood up and sat next to him. The two then sat on the fire as snow lightly dropped around them. The old wood that’s been overused by the previous visitors of the Fortress wasn’t forgiving to it but it's warm heat was more than enough to give comfort to everyone in the party.
“Do you think they're using teleporters, maybe? What that red hair said, that they could still function… don’t you think they might be using it?”
“Hmmmm… it could be, My Lord. You did say these Elves you fought were far too professional and can be only hired through special means. Add in the fact that they were inside the city all of the sudden and the Holy See no longer reporting on where they could’ve come from.”
“But, would the Elven Government actually let state sponsored assassins properly use their own fortress teleporter? Wouldn’t they go in through something less conspicuous? Bahamut, when you were tracing the underground of Janishaire, was it laid out like the Fortress?” The Dragon who was on the verge of sleeping wakes up for a second and nods. She then closes her eyes and returns to her rest. “Interesting… this could be it…”
“My Lord, we’re talking about the Elves here. Even if you were to properly capture one of those assassins and make him spill the truth. The Elves would merely ignore it and move on. But it wouldn’t be a far-fetched theory for them to do this.”
“I am not that well versed with High Elf culture but are they really this brazen even with their attempts? And…” he turns around to see Alana and Seiness were busy cooking while Bahamut was stretching her wings and tail, trying to get the perfect position to rest. “Why would they be so afraid of Seiness? Do they think if Beast folk were to join the Holy See, it’d be a large threat?”
“My Lord, their former perfect Empire was toppled by a force of Humans and Beast folk alike. Right now, the differences between the two kept that from happening again. Hasn’t the UN told you anything about what they could be planning?”
“They have lots of plans. But nothing over the top… so far. Though I’m sure the UN is hiding something from me. Wouldn’t surprise me if they have something grand planned up after the End Times.”
“Oh they do. I’ve dealt with them more than anyone here and there, not one to shy away from moments of grandeur when drawing up arrows on a map. Most of all if they wish to even reach a fraction of the perfection they used to live before the destruction of their Nation.”
“But then, who would give them access inside the Holy See’s offices? They knew where to go and what to do. Bahamut even pointed out to me that they have the keys to the place.”
“They could’ve easily paid someone off from the inside, or there might be some Humans who are against the Pope. My Lord, the Holy See is a vast religion. It encompasses most of Humanity, you should know more than anyone here about the disagreements that could happen inside these Man Made institutions.”
“You have a good point. I just wanted to see another angle to this. But at least we now have a general idea on what might be up. The Elves, the Holy See working together to stop something like this, the Fortress Teleporter... Heck, it's not even something grand like a true truce between the Beast folk and Humans. What the Agents told me, the Pope plans on using the Beast people as…” he turns around once again and sees that Alana and Seiness were almost done preparing their food. But they were still busy with their tasks. “Shields, meatshields. That’s what the agents told me.”
Elizabeth puts her hand up her chin. After a few seconds, she starts nodding.
“Hm. That could totally happen, My Lord. It wouldn’t even be hard at all since the Beast folk in Geraldia would get a fast track to entering towns and cities. They’d even be eligible for military service and become Lords if they survive their time. They would come flocking to the Holy See ready to lay down their lives for an easy way in Human and Elven society.”
“Exactly. So wouldn’t that mean the Elven Empire wouldn’t even need to do anything? Or are they unaware of something this obvious for those who have the big picture?”
“I wouldn’t put it past them, My Lord. You might be looking at the big picture, but the Elves would’ve been looking at the bigger one, even outside the frame.”
“Is that so? Hmmm… these people are far more formidable than I expected. Doesn’t help that people inside the Holy See might also be in it. Making this twice as hard. Seiness is under good hands though, but for one man to handle all this.”
“I recommend continuing with our current path, My Lord. An opportunity will come. The End Times are nearing, right? Then the Elven Empire must also be on a time limit. For as perfect as they are, they still make mistakes. For now, let us play this game and when the time comes, we must deviate and form our own path. As always.”
“Alright. Next thing is that party Alana’s been invited too, and I might try visiting the University too.”
“Hah. My Lord, I already know what you're thinking.”
“N-No. You got it wrong.”
“Pfft. Men never change.”
“I need to train that Noble, right? I might be able to pry more about who might be against this. Those Priests, the ones with Blue and Gold are Nobles, correct?”
“Hm. That is correct, My Lord.”
“I’ve only seen one so far. Seiness!”
The girls’ wolf ears perk up and she immediately turns to face the man.
“Y-Yes, Sir Jackson!”
“Come here.”
Setting down the wooden bowl. The girl approached the fire and sat on her knees. Her hands together and a straight back, she was as elegant as ever.
“Who’re the ones in charge of the Holy See in Janishaire?”
“It would be Bishop Seus Regelus and Rival the Third, Sir Jackson.”
“Ah hah! And this Bishop Seus guy, what’s his job?”
“He’s in charge of the main Cathedral, planning community activities to parades and the Holy Week, Lord Jackson. He also ordains newly trained Knights coming from the Hohe Spitze region.”
“So that Noble I just met, he’d get ordained by him?”
“Hm. Either him or Bishop Rival, Sir Jackson.”
“Is that normal? Wouldn’t the King be doing that?”
“Gareth’s culture puts a lot of emphasis on Religion too, Lord Jackson. Bishops have the same power as Dukes in some places even though many of them could be as low as Barons in terms of bloodline. But since Deus Vrax has given them power to heal and create killing lights of his level, they are seen as higher.”
“So this guy is not just some schmuck in Priests clothing, huh.”
“L-Lord Jackson! Bishop Regelus also helps the poor, he is the one still pushing for giving daily alms and food to them.”
“That doesn’t mean much. The UN also helps the poor, gives out our technology to better others, and yet, we’re doing heinous things behind the scenes. Don’t be naive Seiness, maturing is when you know that not everything is truly white and black.”
“W-white and black?”
“It’s a saying on Earth. One day, you’ll get what I mean. Don’t trust these organizations and the people leading them. Unless you know for sure that they're truly doing these for real.”
“Lord Rival I know would never be Evil, Sir Jackson!”
“Maybe, maybe not. I am not one to say that. But let that be a reminder, alright?”
“O-Okay.”
“Hm. Let’s eat up. I can smell the egg and beef strip from here!”
As they ate breakfast, the morning star came up to the horizon and the sweet embrace of light hit them all. As the ray of light hits around them, Jackson starts to undo the sacks and looks inside them. “Does anyone have any magic that could count this?” Alana then walks forward and flicks her finger. A number popping up on top of the sacks.
Jackson’s eyes lit up as his eyes sparkled in joy. “Hoooo boy! This is a good pack home! Seiness! Ready your bank account! You’ll be rich after this!” Seiness, who was also looking at the number, just held her staff close to her body, and a smile on her face. “I… I will be sure to inform Lord Blast about this!” He then turns to the Dragon who was already in her original form. “Ahhhhhh… Bahamut! Bigger size!”
“Haaa… Master, just be sure I won’t get shot at by arrows and magic.”
“As long as it makes us do this in one run, then go for it.”
“Master, with my size. The city would panic more than before. At least when we exited out, my size was only a fraction of a square. But with this, I’d be as large as one.”
“No worries! Just keep it low. The city walls are very high, so it wouldn’t be trouble for us to get near.”
“Ohhh, a challenge. Hm, then let us depart, Master!”
Riding back on top of Bahamut. With all their gear secured and Paul back into his suit. They flew back in direction to the city of Janishaire.
To the surprise of the man, the snow was melting right before them. As the foreign Sun got hotter and hotter and the white coat that once spread far and white even on the high altitude of the plateau was disappearing. Flying above, the huge Dragon sang an ancient air as it flew through the lively forest. With the squirrels and smaller creatures coming out of their holes to check around their homes.
The sky was so clear that he could make out the greenery was starting to peek out from the once endless blanket of white alongside the critters coming out of their long hibernation. The clouds on that morning were so scattered that he could even see the long river that runs from the ocean hidden in the far horizon down to the areas in between the rocky snowy mountains covered by the shadow of the one flying above and the plains that sat on the other side of the valley. “Humans back then were really something to skid down that and impress their Elven commanders.” and flying alongside the Dragon were large birds, one of them being the size of a bus with white sleek feathers and brown ones next to it. Its long three aerials swept on its back as Bahamut just turned her face to them and then back forward. Ignoring the winged creatures with short beaks but big oval bodies flying alongside her.
Seiness was also enthralled by the sight of the snow melting away and the changing scenery right before them that she was on the edge of the scales. Her eyes were full of wonder and life to it as she gave the biggest smile so far. The clear water from the ponds below were mirroring the droop of the tree branches as a tear drop from her eye at the birds flying alongside them. Jackson, who had walked back to the main body, stood next to her and had his hands on his hips as he scanned the vast openness. “Wow, this place has way more foliage than I expected.”
“Hm! Lord Jackson, this is the most wonderful part of living in Janishaire!”
“Oh man, it seems to be. The forest goes all the way down to those rivers way below us. This place must look like something straight out of a picture book when it's in summer. I can’t wait to see all the trees come to life like the ones already below.”
“Yes, Lord Jackson! And even when the Star is high above, the temperatures are still low enough. Though some of the citizens may complain about the heat, it doesn’t even touch the usual one I felt in Meridia.”
“Oh, same for me. Like even with your Sun all out like that. I don’t feel it at all. I am still cold as heck.”
“Could it be that you came from a region that’s similar to mine, Sir Jackson?”
“Oh no. It’s a place called Southeast Asia. It gets very hot there, but you get used to it. It's not uncommon for us to be drinking hot coffee or making hot soup in thirty five celsius weather.”
“Southeast Asia? What’s that, Lord Jackson? Some sort of country?”
“Is a section of Earth’s Asia. The Southeast portion of it. Lots of people and lots of cultures.”
“Ohhhhh… I often forget you came from a different world altogether, Lord Jackson. You seem very well accustomed here, even though it's only been a year since your kind came to this place. You seem to be so in tune with us and our societies.”
“I could say that for many others. I swear I have walked past some low level players in Janishaire but I never noticed it since they all blended in with the city far more than I could imagine.”
“Many of us were shocked when the strange people started coming out of nowhere. We didn’t know what to do, but we were calmed when we saw you all wielded swords and shields like we did and used magic that’s a bit more potent, but it's something we were familiar with. It was only then when your machines started showing up did some become afraid.”
“Yeah, most of the community is like that. Dark World is an Eastern game, so many of us really tried to get into the whole European Medieval Magic Fantasy setting. If you were to see a picture of me back on Earth, it's a day and night difference. Haaaaa… I never expected that I’d end up seeing a sight this beautiful in this avatar.” With a smile on his face, he sighs at the sight before him. “I hope I’ll carry this till the day I die. It's beautiful, truly.”
Afterwards, he turned to face the front, the vast mountain range was clear as day. Even at the farthest peaks, he could clearly make out. It was as if the air was glassy that bright morning. With not even a single plume of smoke to block the wonderful carving of the natural lands that eases far through the curvature of the planet, with the skyline being easily made out even through the naked eye of the man.
Awakening in the morning were the smaller birds of the land, the strange purple and red giants with piercing peaks seemed familiar to him. As if he had seen them before. They’d oddly fly around in formations at the top of mountains with shrines to them, some having large vertical stonehenges that’s marked with something.
Elizabeth walks up behind him and taps his shoulder. “W-Woah!” He jumps, almost slipping as she catches his collar with her hand.
“Ahahahah, I can never get enough of your reactions, My Lord.”
“Stop sneaking up on me! I could’ve died there!”
“As if, My Lord. You won’t die as long as I am here.” She then looks behind him and sees the scenery that was appearing before them. Well, what do you think, My Lord?”
“Of what?” He then turns his face around to where she was looking and then to her. “The sights? It's wonderful. Now can you let me go?” She then lets go of her tight grip on his collar, making him catch his footing again. “The birds, I meant. It seems that you’ve found them quite alluring.”
“Yeah. Those are some large ones while the smaller ones seem to be orbiting around those odd looking structures far away. They could easily grab a kid if left unattended.”
“They usually don't do that, My Lord. Don’t worry. Unlike a Calf, Human children can fight back with its hands.”
“That’s good to know. And their feathers? They look incredibly big.”
The giant birds, curious of the even larger Dragon, went up close to it. Riding the air with it while those unable to catch up were hit with a massive wake from the heavy armored wings of the Black Godly beast as it continued to fly straight towards one direction.
“I believe Lord Rival has a feather of them, Sir Jackson.”
“Really? Dang. I kinda want one too. Or even turn it into a pen!”
“My Lord, that’d be a comically large pen.”
“Why not? I think it’d look pretty cool if you ask me. Then who not the smaller ones far away?” He points at the formation of birds with piercing beaks, all together as they orbited a shrine at a peak. “I love how the ends of the feather are blue and yellow while the rest is red or bright blue. Their bright beaks also look like it was painted over with some color changing paint. What kind of bird is that? They're so colorful I can make out their features even from here!”
“Oh, I know why that is, Lord Jackson!”
“You’ve been taught well, little woman.”
“Hm! It’s due to them needing to attract mates! It changes color since Females of their species could be very choosy with their Males. This is a great sight, Sir Jackson! Since their beaks are only this bright when they first awaken! These are Gynlenth Parrot Birds!”
“Wow, so they wake up and are already ready for some action huh? Kinda like some Vampires that I know…”
“Oh please, as if you didn’t like it, My Lord.”
“I’m just saying. I ain’t denying it.”
“Pfft. Countess, have you counted our profits yet?”
“I have, Your Majesty. We could easily earn up to five thousand silver coins with these. That’d be a thousand to each of us!”
“Oh, then we shall dine in luxury tonight!”
“Nuh uh! I ain’t wasting our money just like that!”
“My Lord, we could easily still have a few thousand to spare.”
“As if this is my first time going out to the Inn after a successful run. All it takes is one to get drunk and start offering free drinks to everyone!”
Elizabeth and Seiness just giggle as Alana joins in their small circle.
“You seem awfully serious about this, M’Lord. Bad experience?”
“Oh yeah. That’s why I only do this when I know the Bar guy.”
“I’ll be sure to take up the extra tab, M’Lord. I do have money and influence here. It’d be no problem for me to get a cheque from my branch here.” Hearing this, Jackson immediately walks to her and holds her hands. Bowing his head profusely. “Y-You don’t have too, Alana. I’ll… I’ll take it all. Please, let me pay for everything.” Alana blushes and smiles with an earnest look to her. “M’Lord, you are so cute. You’ve been taught well by your parents.” With her striking back, he anguishes in her lovely words, the man completely awestruck as he lifts his hands to protect his face from showing an embarrassing expression. “Baah… I have no money…! I mean… I do!”
They all just laugh as Bahamut smirks and soon, the sight of the Fortress city comes to the horizon. The lone cannon pointing downward as its empty platforms became mere tourist sights and the painted white walls of the city gleamed in all its might as the summer star came to kiss it with its light.
They soon reach the outskirts of Janishaire. With Bahamut having to clip the top of the trees. With the Dragon telling them to prepare as she suddenly poofed into her Human form. The two Vampires had to catch all their things while Jackson used wind magic to break their fall. With Seiness raising her hands in excitement.
After an hour, the Knight with Bahamut has brought their carriage train to the forest. Loading up the second open top one with the sacks as they rode back to the Adventurers street. Near the road that enters the main road from it, he noticed there was a UN Humvee there, the players in Human and Elven form wearing their body armor and blue helmets, their assault rifles slinged to their back or hips were giving out pamphlets translated in common.
As he passed by it, he noticed the four soldiers were wearing armbands that’s in the color of the Nobility. The blue and red while they spoke in the local dialect as if they’ve been there for decades already. Many of the people were curious by the wheeled armored vehicle and would flock to touch and feel it. But Jackson just ignores it and steers Junior into the street there looking for and enters the Adventurer’s building with a big stride and smile as he comes to the front counter.
Appearing before the receptionist, he taps the wooden counter and then points to outside. With a curious expression, she goes outside and sees eight large sacks overflowing with shredded Winter Centaur Scales.
Alana walks up to her with a piece of paper.
“May I ask what’s the current price for one piece of scale? I calculated it and it should be around five thousand silver coins at least. These aren’t mere used ones, but fresh gleaming ones. We also have thicker ones from those larger and more stronger Centaurs, whatever you call them.”
After eight long hours of counting and checking, with the Adventurer’s Guild having to call in people from the Church. The group made it out with 5.3K Silver Coins and the Blacksmithing Guilds plaque of servitude. With no sleep at all, Jackson was at the end of his life upon returning back to their hotel room. The man crumbled down on the floor as he crawled to the sofa and hugged the pillow there. Not caring to remove his woolen tunic and pants.