Return to Jorgaldur Volume III: blood warrior

The ancient guardian

The vampiress was unable to look away from that eye that seemed to pierce her soul and reveal all her secrets. It was partly like that, though not because of a strange power, but because of experience and wisdom. There was plenty in that huge green eye.

Almost five minutes passed, in which she stood completely still, without knowing what to do. That being was too powerful, and she was trapped. Perhaps, with time and effort, she could manage to climb back up one of the tubes, but it wasn't something she could do quickly.

She didn't know what that dragon was, if it was friend or foe, if it was alive, or like one of the blood knights. A similar aura was arising from the huge pool, but not from it. It seemed like they were trying to turn it into something, but they hadn't got it yet.

"You aren't like them. I don't perceive malice or greed in you. Also, there's a strange power within you. Mmmmmh. I see. You're a visitor. What're you doing here?" she felt the voice of the huge being in her mind.

It was an ancient voice that seemed tired, as well as insightful. Not for a moment she thought of lying to him. Gjaki was sure that she couldn't deceive him. Also, from his words, it didn't seem like he was siding with her enemies, so she decided to trust him.

"I wanted to know what they were up to, so I snuck in. I didn't expect to find... a dragon..."

"Oh, yes... I'm still a dragon... What's left of it... I'm old, much older than you can imagine. I was born here, and I came here to die. Who would've imagined that they'd try to corrupt me, to use my body as a tool? What greater humiliation could there be for one who has witnessed the passing of the ages?"

The vampiress stared at him without saying anything. The dragon seemed to want to talk.

"I've traveled the skies and seas, I've defended this world from its enemies. Didn't I at least deserve to die in peace!?" he kept quiet for a moment, and stared at her again, "What about you? It seems that my oppressors are your enemies. How's that?"

"They attacked my mansion and my family. I want to prevent them from doing it again," Gjaki confessed.

"Not for revenge but for protection, for love. You're noble, but not strong enough yet. Mmmmh. Even with my thousands of years, fate is still impossible to predict. I didn't expect to be surprised again by it. Who would've thought that we'd meet!? One who's leaving, and one who's just arrived. One who was born into this world, who's been a part of it for millennia, and one who comes from another. Mmmmh. Without doubt, it's the best, it's fate. Kill me."

"Kill you!? But... What...!? How...!? I can't do that!" she panicked.

"Ha, ha. You're a child with good heart, and an unfathomable fate. Without a doubt, it's the best way to die. What's more worthy than becoming the power of the youths? Don't worry, I came to die, and the end is what I want. If you don't, there's a chance they'll get it, that they'll make me their puppet. My strength isn't what it was, but I'd still be a danger to the world. Are you going to allow one of the guardians to become what he's always fought against?" the dragon asked solemnly.

"I..."

"Don't hesitate. You'll be doing a favor for me, for yourself, for those you want to protect. This's my heart, destroy it. I would've done it myself, but I was afraid to make things easier for them. If you do it, they'll no longer have anything. Don't hesitate to take my scales, my bones, my teeth. They're old, but still powerful. After my death, they'll be nothing more than an empty carcass. What greater honor than to be useful to the future?"

A huge heart came out of his mouth. It was several times bigger than the vampiress. She approached hesitantly. She didn't want to kill the dragon. Strangely, Gjaki liked him, so she looked at him uncertainly.

"Don't hesitate, do it. Don't make me beg, it'd be unworthy of me. I'd appreciate it if you did it with your own hands, it'd be my greatest honor," he insisted.

She finally nodded. In his voice, she could feel his sincerity, his desire to die, and for her to be the one to do it.

The vampiress relied on Scratch, Blood Overload, Spearhead, and Steel Claws to pierce with her hand the huge organ that was still beating outside his body. Next, she cast Sanguine Extension, and repeated the process with the other hand.

She didn't quite understand why, but her eyes were shedding tears. She had just met him, but Gjaki felt that she was losing someone dear, that the world was losing him.

"Don't cry, child. You've done what you should. Thank you. I leave the world in capable hands," the dragon said goodbye, before his presence completely vanished.

Suddenly, she felt an enormous power that was filling her. It was similar to the experience she normally got, but too abrupt, too powerful.

She fell to her knees while screaming in pain, while squeezing herself with her hands, while hugging herself. The vampiress was feeling as if all of her body was going to explode from the inside, that each fiber, that each cell, that each hair was going to blow up. She lost track of time. Gjaki didn't know how long she was like that, resisting the pain, panting, feeling her body at the limit of what it could bear.

It took her a while to catch her breath, to feel her hands again, her fingers, her legs, her fangs. Somehow, she had changed, all her body was more powerful. She had raised 28 levels at once. The vampiress was back at level 100.

It was an unexpected gift, most welcomed even though it had been incredibly painful and sad. She turned to the dragon corpse, and knelt before it, as a sign of respect and gratitude. He had given her the power to defend her kin, the power to face her enemies.

She didn't get up until a strange noise was heard. Soon after, huge boulders began to fall into the pool of blood.

The vampiress looked at the huge corpse then. She was reluctant to do it, but not only had he asked her to, but she wasn't going to leave it to her enemies.

Therefore, she waited while the little Gjakis dismantled it, and took the scales and bones. They were fast and efficient, but the body was huge, so it took all day.

There was no sunlight there, though it was unimportant now. Only huge boulders kept falling, which soon another little Gjaki started picking up. They were valuable minerals that she had no use for, but she wasn't going to leave them there either.