by Virlyce
“What’s this?” The referee’s voice rang through the arena. “It seems like Tafel is building up her mana for a large-scale spell while leaving herself open to all attacks! Can Alice handle the pressure brought on by her five previous party members for Tafel to complete her spell? I’m not sure, folks, but it looks like she’s committed to trying!” The referee’s voice increased in pitch as Abel’s sword burst into flames. “And Abel leads the charge, sword blazing! Is this his signature move, Dragon Rush, that made him famous? We’ve all heard rumors about it, but how many of us have actually seen it in action?”
Alice pursed her lips and gripped the handle of her shield. Abel’s movements seemed to slow in her vision as she stepped forward, raising her arm to intercept his strike. She couldn’t let him reach Tafel—not just for the tournament win. She knew Abel: he was a vengeful person. Though it was against the rules to kill someone, how many people would be willing to go against the Fangs of Capitis? Alice roared as the rune on her forehead shone with a bright light. Her shield thickened with a yellow aura as she blocked Abel’s flaming sword. The muscles in her arm screamed, and her face flushed red from the heat billowing off of Abel’s weapon.
“You’ve gotten weaker, Alice,” Abel said, his voice flat. His sword continued to press against Alice’s shield, neither side giving an inch. “Before, you were stronger than me. What happened?”
Alice gritted her teeth as she dug her feet into the ground, drawing every inch of strength she could from her legs, but Abel didn’t budge. They both trembled as their weapons remained locked in place. “Do you want to know why I left?” Alice asked. The rune on her forehead shone even brighter. “Because I hated your guts!” Her shield slanted to the side as she twisted her hips, causing Abel’s blade to slide downwards, throwing him off balance. Alice pivoted around, pushing off of Abel’s chest with her shield before sprinting towards the axe-wielding berserker running towards Tafel.
Tafel continued to chant, white light spreading outwards from her feet. Her voice remained steady as she deflected a projectile shot from a rifle by the member of the Fangs standing by the white mage. From the corner of her eye, she saw an armored figure running at her with a whip in hand. The leather flew through the air like a snake, striking towards her head with a massive crack. She raised her sword in front of her face, and the whip wrapped around its blade. The sword hissed as if it were in pain. A massive axe rose into the air beside Tafel’s head, and she almost cancelled her chant, but Alice appeared by her side to block the attack.
Alice grunted as she shoved the axe away. She managed to say, “I demand more pay,” before reengaging Abel who had recovered his balance.
“The Fangs of Capitis have launched a brutal attack, pulling out all the stops, yet Tafel and Alice have managed to hold on! Tafel continues to draw mana in from the surroundings. There’s not many magicians out there who can chant while engaging in a swordfight! Even if she were to lose here, I don’t think many of us will be able to forget the performance she’s displayed so far,” the referee said. “But how much longer can they hold out? Just what spell does Tafel have in mind? Is it enough to turn the tables?”
Alice yelped as a projectile hit her from behind, striking her left shoulder. Smoke drifted up from the rifle-wielding Fang’s weapon, and the white mage standing beside him gave him a high-five. Alice ground her teeth together, ignoring the pain, as Abel’s flaming sword struck her shield again and again. Each hit was heavier than the last, and her arm numbed under the repeated strikes. The only thing stopping her from surrendering was the sound of Tafel’s chanting, rhythmic and steady despite the fact the demon was fending off two people.
Tafel’s blade had dissolved the whip-wielding Fang member’s weapon, and she made quick work of him by bashing his head with her sword’s hilt. The axe-wielding berserker was a lot harder to deal with, his strikes coming from all directions. He disregarded defense as his wild attacks opened up his guard, but the rifle-wielding Fang prevented Tafel from striking those flaws with well-timed bullets.
A loud cracking sound echoed through the arena, causing the referee to gasp. “Alice’s shield has broken under Abel’s Dragon Rush! It’s all over now folks! It was only a matter of time before Tafel x Vur lost, and it looks like the time is now. Fighting six people with two guaranteed their loss from the start, but despite this, Tafel and Alice have put on an extremely good fight, well deserving of their triple-S status! Alice has been thrown out of the arena by Abel, but Tafel’s still struggling. Is she close to finishing her incantation? Just what does she hope to accomplish!?”
Tafel retreated backwards while blocking Abel’s and the berserker’s attacks. Sweat poured from her forehead, but her voice remained steady. Bullets occasionally glanced off her limbs, causing bloody wounds to appear, but she ignored them. After a fierce exchange that ended with one of the berserker’s axes embedded in her thigh, Tafel’s eyes widened as her voice rose. The white light that had been snaking out of her feet the whole time engulfed the arena and shone as bright as the moon. Tafel practically shouted her last words as she parried Abel’s strike, “Large-scale teleportation!”
Abel’s eyes widened as a pillar of light engulfed the arena. The referee’s jaws fell open and closed before falling open again. “What’s this!? Tafel managed to complete her spell! It’s too darn bright right now! Even I can’t see what happened from my vantage point!”
Alice pursed her lips as she raised her head off the ground. White mages were treating her injuries—mostly burns on her arms and bullet wounds everywhere else. She stared into the light until it died down, revealing a single figure standing in the arena.
It was Tafel.
Tafel turned her head and smiled at Alice before using her free hand to make a thumbs up gesture. Then she collapsed onto the ground, a puddle of blood spreading out from her body. The white mages on standby ran up to the center of the arena, casting healing spells on the fallen demon.
“Tafel’s the last one standing! I repeat, Tafel’s the last one standing! There’s no signs of the Fangs of Capitis anywhere!”
Alice struggled to her feet and wobbled over to Tafel’s side. “That was unexpected,” she said and sat down. “Where did you send them?”
Tafel turned her head so her face wasn’t buried in the ground. She exhaled. “I’m not sure…. Somewhere far.”
“…”
“I mean, they’re probably still on this continent,” Tafel said and pursed her lips. “I think.”
14
Kondra stared at the two dragons who had landed in the middle of the cavern. “You’re back already? The dwarves have been pacified?” Her head tilted to the side as Lulu and Luke peeked their heads out of their rooms.
“Nope,” Grimmy said and yawned. He sat back on his haunches and scratched his neck while closing his eyes.
Kondra frowned. “Then why are you back?” she asked, baring her teeth.
“What?” Grimmy asked as he flopped onto his belly. “I can’t see my mother-in-law whenever I want?”
“Not when you’re on a righteous quest,” Leila’s father said. There was a wet spot in the cavern, and a green sprout was jutting out of the earth.
“I was worried about you,” Leila said, blocking Grimmy from her parents’ view. “Didn’t you feel the earthquake earlier? That definitely wasn’t natural. We could even see the effects from the sky.”
“Yes,” Kondra said with a nod. “We felt it. If I’m not mistaken, it was the power of a mountain elemental, but an elemental shouldn’t be able to harness that much energy. How strange.” Her brow furrowed as her gaze wandered over Grimmy’s body. Her eyes locked onto Lindyss, who was lying on the black dragon’s head. “Another righteous quest then. For the blessed warrior.”
“For me?” Lindyss asked as she sat up and pointed at herself.
“Are there any other blessed warriors here?” Kondra asked and rolled her eyes.
“Mm.” Lindyss scratched her head. “No?”
>
“Exactly. Recently, a massive earthquake reverberated throughout the continent,” Kondra said, her voice lowering in pitch. “The dragon matriarch believes it was caused by—”
“Are you talking in third person?” Lindyss asked, furrowing her brow.
Kondra made a face. “Don’t interrupt me.” She cleared her throat and glared at Lindyss. “The dragon matriarch believes it was caused by a mountain elemental, but under normal circumstances, an elemental wouldn’t be able to create an effect as large as the earthquake was—unless it was contracted to a being with a massive amount of mana. The matriarch suspects foul play from the phoenixes, who’ve sworn to never contract with elementals. Find the elementalist who caused the earthquake and apprehend them even if they’re a phoenix.” Kondra nodded. “Do you accept the quest?”
Lindyss rubbed her chin. “Will I get paid?”
“In honor and glory.” Kondra puffed her chest out while Grimmy snorted. “You will receive increased favor amongst the holy dragons of this continent.”
“I’ll refuse,” Lindyss said, waving her hand in front of her face as if she were batting away a foul smell.
“Excellent. I wish you luck in…. Did you just say you’ll refuse?” Kondra asked, her eyes narrowing into slits.
“C-can’t I?” Lindyss asked. She inched backwards along Grimmy’s forehead.
“No.”
“…Shouldn’t you respect the choices of a blessed warrior?” Lindyss asked, her lips twisting into a crooked smile. A vein bulged on her forehead.
“I heard your choice and respectfully refused your refusal,” Kondra said. “I’ll ask you again; do you accept the quest?”
Lindyss glanced at Leila, her eyes begging for help from the silver dragon. Leila shrugged and whispered, “Play along. When she gets like this, she’ll throw a tantrum if you don’t listen to her.”
Lindyss whispered back, “I think I understand why you fled to the central continent.”
Kondra exhaled white flames from her nostrils. “Did you say something?” she asked, her head swiveling back and forth between Leila and Lindyss. Leila whistled and turned her head away.
“I accept the quest,” Lindyss said and sighed, hanging her head. “As the quest giver, do you have any starting items to help me along? You know, something like a wooden sword or a cute blue slime or a weird creature that spews lightning out of its cheeks?”
“No. I just give quests,” Kondra said with a snort.
Lindyss sighed again. “And what can I do with favor amongst the holy dragons?”
“Lulu,” Kondra said, turning her head towards the silver dragon who was still partially hidden inside her room.
Lulu blinked. “Yes, Mother?”
“Take out the list.”
“The list…?”
“You know, the list. The one I asked you to make.”
“The one you asked me to make…,” Lulu said, saying each word slowly. “Does the list have a name?”
“Holy dragon favor exchange shop.”
“Oh!” Lulu nodded. “That list.” She scratched her head. “You were actually serious about that…?”
Kondra’s eyes narrowed. “Did you not make it?”
“Made it! I made it,” Lulu said and scrambled into her room. Crashing noises echoed through the cavern as everyone stared at the tunnel that Lulu had occupied. A few moments later, she appeared with a rock slate in her mouth. She dropped it into her paw and offered it to Lindyss. “Here you go.”
Lindyss wiped away the dragon slobber with her sleeve. She stared at the scribbles carved into the slate before raising her head to meet Lulu’s gaze. The young dragon was winking repeatedly at her, trying to be subtle and avoiding Kondra’s line of sight. “Wow,” Lindyss said in a robotic voice. She paused after each word. “These items are amazing. Oh my god. Who knew holy dragon favor could be so useful? Wow.”
Kondra nodded. “I trust that’s enough motivation for you to get started,” she said. “As a blessed warrior, you shouldn’t associate with dragons of darkness. I forbid you from cooperating with Grimmoldesser. He has his own quest to complete after all. And Leila shall stay here. Quests given by holy dragons are meaningless if any holy dragons have to take part in them. These are trials for the both of you.”
“Wait,” Lindyss said. “I understand why Grimmy’s under trial”—
“Hey.”
—“but why am I under trial as well?” Lindyss’ brow wrinkled as she frowned.
“Anyone who associates with a dragon of darkness has to be tested if they wish to remain in contact with us holy dragons,” Kondra said.
Who would want to remain in contact with someone as unreasonable as you? Lindyss thought. She sighed instead. “Why are all dragons so…? Ugh.” She shook her head. “Alright. Time to catch that stupid culprit to fulfill this stupid quest to appease this stu…pendous dragon so I can go home already.” Purple wings manifested behind her back, and she leapt into the air. “Bye.”
Lulu waved at the cursed elf as she left.
***
“Won’t you reconsider, Vur?”
Diamant’s voice floated up from Vur’s arm, causing him to turn his head away from his meal. The elementals that composed the Gemstone Merchants Clan didn’t need to eat, but after finding out their new clan master did, they had bought everything they could get their hands on. Vur swallowed a lump of yellow fruit that he didn’t know the name of. “I’m not going to pay tribute,” he said and wrinkled his nose. He glanced up at Stella, who was sitting on his head with a tiny notebook in her hands. “It didn’t taste good.”
“Okay. Mangos are off the list,” Stella said, crossing out an item on the page. “Next, you have to try the lychees.” She gestured towards a plate of red fruit with her quill.
“I know that you’re the new clan master,” Diamant said, “but you’ve never run a clan before, have you? And it doesn’t seem like you’re from around here. Why not delegate all your tasks to me so I can preserve the integrity of the clan?”
“I’m the ruler of a kingdom,” Vur said with a snort. “I can run a clan.” He bit into the lychee like it was a small apple, crunching through its rind and seed. He chewed for a bit before nodding. “It’s sweet and bitter. I like it.”
“Lychees are good,” Stella said with a nod before drawing a circle in her notebook. “But you’re supposed to remove the rind and not eat the seed.”
“I’m sure you’re a great ruler in the kingdom you came from, but you really don’t understand how dangerous the dwarves are,” Diamant said, his voice pleading. “I can guarantee the prosperity of the clan. We’re already one of the richest. Wealth will continue to accumulate as long as you don’t do anything to irritate the dwarves. Please.”
“No tributes!” Vur smacked his runed arm with his opposite hand, causing Diamant to yelp. “Stop asking.”
The door to the room they were in opened. Stella tilted her head at the intruder, a stout boulder with stubby arms and legs. “It’s not time for the new fruit,” she said.
“The tribute dwarves are here,” the boulder said. “Should I invite them inside?”
“No,” Vur said as he threw a few unpeeled lychees into his mouth before standing up. “They won’t fly as far if you do.”
“Fly…?” the boulder asked as Vur walked past it, leaving the dining room and entering a lobby of sorts. Vur had traveled with Diamant to the main headquarters of the clan. When he first met Diamant, he had been teleported to one of the clan’s rare-creature-gathering points.
The boulders and rocks saluted Vur, staring at him with unblinking gemstone eyes as he marched to the entrance of the headquarters which also happened to be a mountain—the very mountain Diamant had formed from. Three dwarves were waiting at the base of the mountain with disgruntled faces. Their expressions turned to those of confusion when Vur stepped outside.
“You are?” one of the dwarves asked. His face was green, and his nose was purple. “Where’s Diamant?”<
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“I’m Vur, the new clan master,” Vur said, crossing his arms over his bare chest. Since Tafel wasn’t around, he saw no reason to wear his armor.
“The new clan master?” the green-faced dwarf asked. “I haven’t heard anything about a new clan master.”
Vur snorted. “Well, now you have. So hurry up and pay your respects.”
“…Pay our respects?” the green-faced dwarf asked. “Do you know who you’re talking to?”
“A midget,” Vur said with a nod. Stella giggled while Diamant made strange whimpering noises. The roots of Stella’s tattoo entwined around the runes on Vur’s arm, preventing Diamant from speaking or moving.
“Is the Gemstone Merchants Clan turning against the throne?” the green-faced dwarf asked. His expression darkened as the elementals behind Vur made no motions to step in. “I see. I see. Well then, clan master Vur, are you going to pay your tribute or not? If you double the usual, I’ll be willing to overlook all your transgressions.”
Vur stepped forward with his left leg. His right leg blurred and the green-faced dwarf disappeared. “How can such a tiny body have so much arrogance?” he asked as he tilted his head up to meet Stella’s gaze. “They’re like chihuahuas.”
“Y-you!” the two remaining dwarves shouted and trembled, pointing their fingers at Vur. “Do you know what you’ve done!?”
Vur nodded. “I removed a pest.” He stepped forward and lifted one of the dwarves, shaking him like a child would shake a wrapped present. Coins fell out of the dwarf’s clothes, and Vur swept them up with his feet before dropping the dwarf. He repeated the process with the other dwarf and ordered an elemental to add the coins to the treasury. Vur patted the two stunned dwarves’ heads. “Those were your protection fees. You can leave now. Bye.”
