(Img Src: Zerochan/Dante)
Gold Rose Meteor
The Golden Rose is a very special flower that blooms every hundred years on the highest peaks of Megalith wastelands. Grown on soil enriched with dense mana, the flowers never wilts.This makes it a favourite snack for the meteor dragon Aurequaza, who always feeds on it to near extinction.
It is believed that a peculiar metal ore is produced from golden rose, which has the ability to project force fields. This is the metal which Alucard and Lyssra have set to find.
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April 21, Year X739
Northern Mountains, Megalith Wastelands.
Lyssra's PoV
After climbing for almost an hour, we finally reached on the peak of the mountain. All around the icy summit were massive pillars of crystal jutted out from underneath piles of snow.
The serene moonlight refracted through these crystals to display a magnificent rainbow. I looked in awe at such a spectacular sight.
Lyssra: "This place is beautiful!"
Alucard: "Yes, yes. It's all very shiny. But we need to be very caref-"
Ignoring him, I walk towards the rainbow to get a closer look. But he pulls my collar from behind.
Lyssra: "Hey! what was that for?"
Alucard: "I'm sorry, but did you forget there is a Motherfcking Dragon here!? This is a demon boss territory Lyss! You can't just go running off ahead!"
Lyssra: "Y-You're right. I'm sorry. I don't know what I was thinking."
Alucard: "Greeeaaat. Now stay behind me, once the dragon comes out - hide behind one of those giant crystals. And don't come out."
Lyssra: "What?! Are you nuts?! You can't fight that thing alone! Let me help-"
Alucard: "JUST DO IT!!"
His blue pupils stared straight into me, and in that instant I understood that he was saying it for my sake. I held my breath and nodded.
Lyssra: "Okay, let's go."
I really don't get this guy. He is a douchebag for most of the time, but those pure caring eyes he makes once in a while... makes me feel so conflicted.
Walking behind him, we soon arrive in the center of the mountaintop. There was no dragon yet. Instead, there was an enormous hole, at least thirty feet across. The sides of the hole were made of glittering ice and they seemed to extend vertically into nothingness. It was too dark to see the bottom.
Alucard: "Wow, that's deep..."
He kicked a small piece of ice over the edge. I saw it flash as it fell into the abyss, but no sound came back.
Alucrad: "Don't fall in"
Lyss: "I'm not going to fall!"
I retorted. In the next instant, a screech rattled from behind, ripping through the air dyed in rainbow light.
Alucard: "Lyss, take cover now!"
Lyssra: "Uh, on it!"
Obeying his command, I hid behind a large nearby crystal. Soon a giant Dragon appeared from the direction we came from. Shimmering with golden radiance, Aurequaza looked even more beautiful than terrifying. Its large, ruby-like eyes glared down at us from above.
Alucard calmly drawed his sword and took a battle stance. As though that were the signal to begin, the dragon opened its jaws wide and unleashed a blast of white flames.
Lyssra: "Look out! It's a breath attack!"
Alucard: "What?"
The flames engulfed him, creating a massive firestorm. He blocked the blazes with his huge sword acting as a shield and quickly moved away from the scorched area, escaping unscathed.
Lyssra: "Oh thank god! I thought you were toast! Why didn't you dodge it?"
Alucard: "Oddly enough, I was a bit distracted!"
He replied with a annoyed tone.
Lyssra: "Don't blame me- BREATH ATTACK!!!"
White flames engulfed him again.
Alucard: "I HAVE EYES! Shut up!"
*Groundbreaker*
Impossibly, Alucard jumps high enough to eclipse the moon and hammers down dragon's skull with his massive sword. The force was so great that the flying reptile crashes down onto the ground below.
Unbelievable. He is really strong....
Making his landing, the swift gladiator dashes towards the fallen beast, launching multitude of sword strikes faster than the eye could follow. The dragon tried to fight back with its claws, but the blows were simply too slow for Alucard as he dodged them easily.
Alucard: "The outcome is clear"
The dragon shot more fire breaths at his direction. Effortlessly evading the attack, Alucard's right hand start to glow a fierce crimson red.
*Demonic Pact - Fission wave*
An enormous black wave emerges from his sword and slices the winged creature, resulting in a massive spray of blood.
Lyssra: "That was amazing!"
I stepped out from behind the crystal pillar, giving him the appreciation he deserved.
Alucard: "Aw, COME ON!!"
Lyssra: "What? It's already over-"
At that precise moment, the bloodied dragon beats it's wings powerfully. They clapped together loudly in front of its body, sending the snow beneath the beast upward in a huge flurry.
Lyssra: "Oh no."
A few yards in front of where I stood dumbfounded, Alucard stuck his sword into the ground and tried to say something. The next moment, he disappeared into the flurry and I was flinged up into the air by a wall of wind.
Damn... a gale attack!
Fortunately, the attack itself wasn't that strong, and I suffered very little damage. I spread my arms to maintain balance as my landing approached. Except that when the snow cleared, there was no ground below. It had knocked me directly over the gaping hole in the center of the mountaintop.
My mind stopped working. My body froze.
"No way..." I mumbled as I fell, helplessly extending my hand into space -- only to have a white bandaged palm firmly snag my fingers.
*Pursuit*
Without a moment's hesitation, he had jumped in after me and grabbed my hand mid air. I could feel him tug me up to his chest. His other arm circled around my back and drew me close.
Alucard: "Dammit, Lyss! You had ONE JOB!"
Lysra: *frightened confused voice* "W-Why did you jump!?"
Alucard: "Just hang onto me!!"
He shouted into my ear, and I squeezed both arms around his torso. And so, the two of us plunged straight down the center of the massive hole, holding each other tight.
________________
The chilling snow on my face reeled me back into senses. I opened my eyes, to see myself laying on top of Alucard, his head oozing out blood.
It hurts!
My hands were twisted in a wrong angle. I tried to scream, but the broken ribs that pierced my lungs made me unable to.
So this is the end?
I looked at Alucard again. He still clung to me tightly... Ah.. I didn't wanted to move either. Immersing in his warmth, I closed my eyes for the last tim-
*Demonic pact - Devil heart*
Suddenly the throbbing pain all over my body just vanished. I could feel my hands again. My lungs didn't stinged, I could breathe without agony... It was like the suffering earlier was just a dream.
Opening my eyes second time, I see Alucard glaring at me intensely.
Alucard: "Lyss, you okay?"
Lyssra: "Y-yeah, I think so."
Alucard: "Great. Then would you mind getting the HELL OFF ME?!"
Lyssra: "Ah, sorry!"
I quickly got up. With a groan, he slowly rose to a sitting position.
Alucard: "Thank you. Well, seems we should celebrate. Have a drink, on me."
He took out two elixir vials from my pouch and handed one to me. I pulled out the stopper and downed the sweetly sour liquid in one go before turning to Alucard
Lyssra: "So.. what are we celebrating using my potions?"
Aucard: "Well, you didn't manage to kill us, which seems like a groundbreaking achievement for you."
Lyssra: *Sadly* "Yeah. I suppose it is."
Alucard: *sighs* "This whole thing's been a wash. Let's just teleport out and call it a day."
Lyssra: "Yeah, you're right. Coming out here was a stupid idea."
I waited for him to initiate the teleportation. But he just stared at me with those deep azure eyes.. after several long minutes, he finally spoke -
Alucard: "What are you waiting for? Take out a teleport crystal."
Lyssra: "Huh? I thought you got one?"
Alucard: "Do you really think that I can afford something costing in millions?"
Lyssra: "And why do you think I can?"
Alucard: "Because you are Lyssra Dawnforge, the smithy princess known to make the most legendary weapons throughout the Empire."
Lyssra: "Those legendary weapons are useless if can't sell it! With so many strict laws imposed by Church, it's very hard to earn decent money being a legendary blacksmith."
Alucard: "You DON'T have a teleport crystal."
Lyssra: "That's what I said."
He just gave me a blank expression and then starts to laugh hysterically.
Alucard: "OH GOOD! That's really what this day needed! Dying cold and alone in a pit!"
Lyssra: "Hey, you're not alone. I'm still here."
Alucard: "AND THE GOOD NEWS JUST KEEPS COMING!"
Lyssra: "Look, do you wanna keep giving me shit, or do you wanna figure out a way to get out of here?"
Alucard: "Oh, don't think I can't do both; I am QUITE the multitasker."
Lyssra: "Is that so? Any bright ideas then?"
Alucard: "I'm, uh... I'm working on something."
He looks up with determined eyes. Removing the bandages of his right hand, he reveals a ghastly decaying black arm and lifts it up.
*Demonic pact - HellBound*
I couldn't believe what I was witnessing. A huge spectral arm had appeared above his back.
As he waves his rotten arm forward - the phantom hand takes off at full speed, crashing into the side of the wall far above.
Pulling back his forwarded hand the apparition condenses, hauling Alucard upwards. Soaring into the air he summons another ghostly claw and latches on to the wall further above. And so, he continues to climb the icy walls at a rapid pace.
Lyssra: "Holy crap. He might actually-"
Suddenly his spectral hook cracked away, around third of the way up the wall.
Alucard: "Shiiit!"
He came falling down directly over my head, his arms flapping uselessly.
Lyssra: "Oh, never mind."
I stepped out of the way, and with a smack, there was suddenly a humanshaped hole in the snow where I'd just been standing.
Alucard: "I used *coughs blood* pact too much..." *falls unconscious*
Lyssra: "Alucard? Alucard!"
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Precisely five minute later - Alucard was slumped against the wall with a second potion stuck in his mouth. I sat beside him, looking intensly at his rebandaged hand.
Lyssra: "So what's with that arm? And the huge claw of beast it summoned?"
Alucard: "....you're not disgusted by it?"
Lysrra: "I've been through my own set of repulsive burn scars, so no."
Alucard: "You're really weird."
Lyssra: "You're the last person I want to hear that from."
Alucard: "Sure *looking at his right hand* Tch, it will take some time before I fully recover enough energy to get out of this ditch."
Lyssra: "Then we have to spend the night here?"
Alucard: "Yeah. Have anything to eat? I have cookies in my coat."
Lyssra: "Actually they turned into crumbs after the crash."
I pulled out a pack of crushed cookies from his coat.
Alucard: "Meh, good enough for me."
He started to dig snow below him. Making two huge snowball, he mixed all the cookie powder in them and offered one to me.
Lyssra: "T-Thanks."
I took the proffered snowball and felt its chills spread through my hands. Taking my first bite, I could already feel my body charged up with high magical energy. The dense mana in the snow may not satisfy my hunger, but it provides my body enough vitality to go through the freezing night.
Lyrssra: "You know, all things considered, this was actually a pretty fun day."
Alucard: "Oh? And how do you figure that?"
Lyssra: "Well, sure, things didn't go exactly as planned..."
Alucard: *sarcastically* "Pfft! Hahaha!"
Lyssra: "But, I mean think about everything we did today! We climbed a mountain, fought a Dragon..."
Alucard: "Um, excuse me? I fought a Dragon. At best, the Dragon fought YOU."
Lyssra: "Honenstly I haven't had this much fun in my life."
Alucard: "Heh, this is nothing compared to Nost Gal."
Lyssra: "Is that so? Tell me about it then."
Alucard: "Sure, but before that-"
He pulls me and hugs me from behind.
Lyssra: "HEY! WHATS THE BIG IDEA?"
Alucard: "The cold is gonna get a lot stronger. If you don't want to get frostbite, stay like this."
How can he say that with a straight face!? Isn't this embarrassing for him?! Hugging a stranger in an unfamiliar place.. why does it feel so gentle?
Alucard: "You good there? If you really hate it this much, I-"
Lyssra: *blushing intensly* "It's-It's fine. Just tell me the story of Nost Gal."
Alucard: "Uh, okay."
He folded his arms behind his head and began to speak.
There was a story of how he was got attacked by the northern tribes and chased by the valkyries. There was also a tale of fighting the Kraken who had such a high health, it took two whole days to kill him off. And the story of a crew of a hundred pirates, who had to divvy up their spoils through a dice competition...
They were all thrilling tales with a touch of humor to them. And together, those tales told a story of their own: that Alucard was indeed one of the strongest heroes in the land of dawn.
Lyssra: "Hey, ...can I ask you something?"
Alucard: "So polite, suddenly... What's up?"
Lyssra: "Why did you save me? There was no guarantee you'd survive the fall. Infact, it was way more likely that we'd both die. So... why...?"
His mouth tightened for an instant but relaxed just as quickly.
Alucard: "If I had to watch someone die, I'd rather die protecting them. But really, as if I'll die by a stupid pitfall trap."
Lyssra: "You really are an idiot. No one else would be like that."
But despite my bold words, I could feel the tears threatening to well up. Something twisted and pulled deep within my chest, and I fought to calm myself.
Those were the first time I'd heard such honest, straightforward, heartwarming words.
It might be the pent-up longing for human contact, the loneliness that had built up for months after not leaving my shop, which formed into massive waves that threatened now to throw me off-balance.
But this soothing warmth of his.. I had already fallen for him.