Sasha was the first to wake up. Yawning and stretching her muscular arms, she made her way down the stairs. "Morni-"
The tall tomboy stopped. Salem and Oswald were still staring at each other, neither having moved a muscle out of sheer distrust for one another. Salem looked exhausted, dark circles appearing under her eyes. Oswald... He was wearing a helmet. His eyes weren't visible. In fact, Sasha was ninety percent sure he had fallen asleep and no one noticed. "... Am I... Interrupting something?"
Salem shrieked in surprise, snapping her head in Sasha's direction. "O-oh... You startled me..."
"Did you not sleep?" Sasha inquired. Salem didn't respond - she had started staring off into space, a distant look in her blue eyes. Sasha brought her hand close to the princess's face and snapped her fingers, bringing Salem back to reality.
"Wha...?"
Sasha shook her head. "Nevermind. I'm gonna step outside for a sec, get some fresh air."
Sasha stepped outside the door, taking a deep breath as she watched the early-rising dwarves chat as they worked. Sasha hummed thoughtfully. The dwarves really were hard-working people. She kind of admired it, in a way. Her attention, however, was ensnared when a trash can tipped over in the alley.
"U-unyu... Everything h-hurts..."
Vao stumbled out, holding his bruised head painfully. He looked up at Sasha, nodding his head towards her. "Morning, m-mate..."
Sasha sucked air through her teeth. "They fucked you up, huh?"
Vao nodded. "They threw rocks at me... It reminded me of my eleventh birthday."
Sasha blinked. "... Huh?"
Vao leaned against the wall of the tavern, taking a painful sip from his flask and clearing his throat. "Yeah... On my eleventh birthday, I did something naughty and my mum threw a bunch of rocks at me."
Sasha chuckled. She could use one of Vao's funny stories right now. "Naughty? What did you do?"
"I burned down half of my school."
Not funny.
"W-what!?"
Vao scoffed. "Oh relax. It was an accident. And it was only half. That's like, two classrooms."
Sasha really didn't know how to react to this. "How do you 'accidentally' burn down a school!?"
"It was only half! Open your ears!" Vao snapped. "And it's easy to burn things down on accident. Wot I was doing that day was showing Ruby a cool trick my dad taught me. I was juggling torches. Only I kind of forgot to learn how to juggle. I still don't know how."
Sasha took a few deep breaths, turned on her heel, and walked back inside. Vao decided to loiter about outside, drinking as he chatted with the occasional passing dwarf.
Sasha leaned against the bar counter, watching as Yin came down the stairs. "Elf," he hissed.
"Bitch."
Yin's face shifted between a mix of rage and trying to make a comeback. "Go to hell!" He eventually screamed.
Before Sasha could insult him again, they both looked back at the stairs when they heard a yawn. Verde emerged from the darkness, a sleepy look in her eyes. "Good morning, everyo-"
"Shut up! You're worse than the elf, you common whore!" Yin screamed at her. Almost immediately after he finished his sentence, a glass bottle shattered against the side of his skull. Vao stood in the doorway, dusting his hands off.
"Cunt."
Verde stepped over Yin as she made her way over to Vao. The cleric picked himself up from the ground, reaching into his pocket and pulling out a handkerchief. He pressed it against the bleeding wound, glaring at the witch hatefully.
Salem blinked a couple times, realization beginning to settle in. She reached forward and waved her hand in front of Oswald's face. There was no reaction. Filled with fury, she swatted the top of his helmet.
"O-ow!"
"You were sleeping!?"
Oswald looked around in confusion, his gaze finally stopping on the princess. "... Oh. Sorry, you just weren't worth the time. Your ghastly appearance gave me unpleasant nightmares."
"Excuse me!?"
Oswald clapped his hands together as he stood up. "Now, where is my hot cocoa?"
Salem growled. She wanted to punch him. But perhaps it was best to let it go for now. After all, they had a long day ahead of them. With a sigh, she stood up too, staring at her friends tiredly. "What time is it?"
"Uh... Like... Six, I think," Sasha answered. Salem nodded.
"Okay, we have time before we meet up with Roman. I was thinking we could take care of some last minute shopping."
Oswald crossed his arms, not hearing a word Salem had said. "Where is my hot cocoa?"
"Oswald, can you please focus?" Salem whined. Oswald scoffed at her and didn't say anything, continuing to search for his beloved drink. Salem growled, turning back to the others. "Stupid addict... Alright, what do we need to buy?" She asked them.
"What about explosives? We could use them," Yin suggested.
"Let's set off bombs in a cave. Bloody brilliant idea, Yin. You fucking piss monkey," Vao snapped.
"... Did I do something to you?" Yin asked sourly.
"Mate, you just made me look smart. Even I know better than to bomb a tunnel while I'm in it."
Yin blinked a couple times, and Salem could swear she saw the moment of realization. Leaving Yin to his existential crisis of how Vao outsmarted him, she sighed. "Anything at all? Do we have potions?"
"Ah!"
Salem turned to Oswald. "We do?"
The knight shook his head, crawling out from underneath the table. "No, I found my thermos. I can finally get my fix. I'm so 'quirky', as the coffee shop ladies would say."
"You aren't quirky, you're addicted," Salem growled.
"Ladies?" Vao asked with a dumb grin. Sasha beat him over the head with a stick. Verde mouthed out the words 'thank you' to the giant. Salem was getting annoyed.
"Does no one have anything they need to buy? Once we're inside those mines we won't be able to get anything!"
"Can we get a dog?"
"Oswald, what... Will you stop mocking me!?" Salem screamed. Oswald knew what he was doing and it was painfully obvious. "Come now, princess. We should get a dog."
Salem completely ignored him. "Alright then, we aren't getting anything!" She growled. "Let's go."
Knowing Oswald was taking pride in angering her, Salem was seething as she followed everyone out the door. But as soon as they stepped into the sun, his armored hand touched down on her shoulder and pulled her back, out of earshot from the others.
"Go ahead. Get angry. Drop the facade. Show them what you really are."
Salem felt her blood run cold. Every danger signal in her mind had gone in an uproar. She could feel the murderous hatred in his voice. But even still, she held her ground. Turning her head, she glared through the slits of his helmet visor.
"I won't lay a finger on them. And what about you? Showing such hostility to someone you've never met?"
She could hear Oswald huff in amusement. He leaned forward, so close she could see his brown eyes through the visor. "I know more about you than you think. I've yet to find any monster nearly as disgusting as you, Cnimbrerh."
Salem didn't respond. Oswald had won by uttering that name. Primal fear had taken over her body, stole her thoughts and filled the gaps. Cnimbrerh was the name of the eldritch parasite that had plagued her body in the First and Second Timeline, before being killed by Yin. There was no way Oswald knew that name. There was literally no possible way he knew that.
Oswald didn't say anything. He just patted her shoulder and moved ahead, catching up with the others. Salem watched in silence, her body trembling.
He was dangerous.
Yellow eyes watched from far above, higher on the mountain face. On the upper walkways of Ragna, he watched with that wide, toothy grin that never seemed to falter. And next to him was the Royal Executioner clad in his bulky armor of frigid iron. The executioner was leaning against the railing, his arms folded across his chest.
"... They're really going to do this investigation," the man muttered in what sounded like disbelief. Jack's eyes widened, betraying his excitement. And yet, his body language said otherwise. As he always did, he remained perfectly calm and collected, unfazed by his own thoughts.
"Oui. After all, it is their job. Am I wrong, monsieur?"
"..." The executioner was silent for a long moment. Until finally, he asked the question that had been on his mind. "... Just what did you wake up in that mountain, Gulden?"
It was Jack's turn to be silent. But unlike his partner, it wasn't out of worry. Instead, he started walking along the walkway, following the adventurers from above. With a grunt, the executioner followed him. "Hey, Jack. I asked you a question."
"Are you going to force an answer out of me?" Jack hissed in an almost playful tone. The executioner shivered. With a sigh, the smiling man put his hands in his pockets. "... Cela n'a pas d'importance... You'll see soon enough. Oh, I can't wait, I can't wait..."
Whatever Jack had done, it was dangerous. That was the only thing the executioner knew. Jack was dangerous. The man stopped, his yellow eyed gaze shifting back to the executioner.
"As much as I'd love to watch... We shouldn't stay here," he cooed. "I would be fine, but you? It looks dark, mon ami..."
The executioner felt a shiver run down his spine a second time. But he still held his ground. "And if they survive... Whatever it is you woke up, what then?"
Jack's smile widened. "I'd be so happy... It would mean they truly are the threat Pope Iris says they are... He might even let me have a turn to play."
"Play?"
Jack didn't answer. He looked at the ground, a quiet giggle escaping his lips. The executioner took a careful step forward. "... J-Jack?"
Jack finally looked up at the armored man. His expression was enough to make the executioner take a couple steps back, his blue eyes widening under his featureless helm.
"Yes. Play," Jack whispered. "Because no matter what they try, they can't kill me."
...
Roman was waiting for them when the adventurers stepped into the mine, a cigar hanging from his lips and a pickaxe resting on his shoulders. He nodded his head when he saw them. "It's about time. I thought you ran away," he jabbed in a friendly tone.
"Did we disappoint you?" Salem fired back. Roman took his cigar from his mouth.
"Not really. Kind of relieved, actually. I don't feel like going down there alone."
"Vao?"
A new voice entered, the adventurers turning their heads to see the dwarf woman Vao had been talking to approaching. She was covered in dirt and had a pickaxe strapped to her back. The thief grinned. "'Ello!"
The dwarf laughed. "That funny accent always cracks me up. I had a great time last night. You were amazing..."
Yin looked sick. He clamped a hand over his mouth. But to his dismay, Vao continued the conversation.
"I could show you another few things after I'm finished with this quest," Vao snickered. The dwarf winked at him.
"I'd like that."
Yin gagged, walking away to lean against the wall. With a wave goodbye, the dwarf woman returned to work. Vao turned back to his friends, a wide grin stretching across his girly face. Verde looked crushed.
"N-no... I can't... I can't win..." She whimpered. Vao didn't notice, skipping back to the group. Roman raised a brow.
"... Are we ready, or are you going to run off to get laid again?"
"Nah, I'm good. Now if she was a goblin? I wouldn't be able to resist."
"Good- wait... What? You actually... With a goblin?"
"A goblin noble!"
"It's a long story," Salem interrupted quickly. Roman gave Vao one last weird look before nodding his head.
"... Yeah... Alright... Let's just... Go..."
Roman was at a loss for words. The party followed him down the mineshaft, the rhythmic sound of pickaxes breaking through rock and the voices of dwarves as they sang their mining shanty. And before long, the voices faded behind them, silence overtaking the atmosphere. The only sound was their footsteps echoing down the long abandoned tunnels, and the crackling of the torch Oswald held in his hand.
"... What do you think is down here?" Yin spoke suddenly, repeating the question he had asked the day before.
"Who knows?" Roman muttered. "Whatever it is, it's strong enough to take on a bunch of golems. Not a good sign..."
"Maybe a horde of cave trolls?" Oswald suggested. Verde shook her head.
"It cannot be. Trolls are known for defecating where they stand. I do not smell dung here."
As they threw out ideas, the minutes turned to hours. And suddenly, the air grew hot. It was without warning. Sasha took off her helmet to wipe the sweat from her forehead, letting out a sigh. "Is there... Lava down here or something?"
"No," Roman panted. "It shouldn't be this hot... Just what the hell is going o- where are you going, Goblin Fucker!?"
Vao had broken into a sprint, blasting past them with gleeful laughter following. The adventurers wasted no time in giving chase.
"D-did the heat get to him!?" Salem shouted. Her question was answered when the cave opened up into a massive cavern, revealing why Vao had gotten so excited.
All around them as far as the walls was more gold and treasure than they could ever have dreamed of. Yin was shaking.
"O-oh my..."
"Holy fuck..." Roman breathed. "I-I didn't even know this was down here... Why would the ancient dwarves leave this!?"
In their awe, they forgot about the heat. They forgot they were even on a quest. The riches had come so suddenly that they were blown away. Salem bent down and picked up a necklace, holding the warm metal chain in her hand. It was solid gold.
"I-is this... A hallucination...?"
"I'm rich! I'm bloody rich!" Vao cried happily. "I can finally help pay off my mum's mortgage! She'll smile! She won't even need to beat Uncle Qrow!"
Yin was already at his older brother's side, scooping up the coins and letting them fall through his fingers. "V-Vao! We... W-we're...!"
"Fucking rich!" Sasha screamed. She had already started collecting jewelry. Roman was greedily stuffing whatever he could into a sack. Even Oswald had started pocketing money.
The only one who remained suspicious was Verde. The witch didn't feel right. Walking on the piles of gold, she furrowed her brow curiously.
It didn't make sense why all of this would be down here. No one in their right mind would abandon this. "... Be on your guard, everyone," she warned.
"I could pay for my own guards with this!" Yin laughed. Verde ignored him, bending down and brushing the gold aside. Underneath was some sort of strange iron chunk she hadn't seen before. She brushed more, noticing a visible pattern.
"... Are these... Scales...?" Her heart stopped.
Holding hands, Yin and Vao skipped together across the treasure. They stopped in front of a massive pile, greed the only thing in their minds. Who wouldn't be greedy in this scenario? They were standing on millions. Yin reached into the pile, pulling out a diamond encrusted crown. Vao snickered. "Wot are you going to do? Buy the Royal Capital?"
"Yeah," Yin joked. "Totally."
Clink. Clink, clink, clink!
The gold pile began to crumble and fall, burying their feet. Yin and Vao watched, their smiles fading. The crown the cleric held trembled, and finally fell from his hands with a loud clank.
It was huge. Staring back at them with a narrow, slit-like pupil, the eye glared at them with animalistic fury. The ground began to tremble again, the heat rising at a steady, yet dangerous pace. Mountains of gold toppled, revealing the charred bodies of golems underneath as the beat rose from the treasure, towering over the adventurers.
"W-what..." Salem's voice trailed off, her face going paper white.
"O-oh... Sh-shit..." Sasha whispered. Oswald had been next to her, left completely speechless by the sight. And as for Roman, the dwarf had fallen to the ground, staring up at the gigantic monster with a mix of awe and terror.
"Dragon!" Verde screamed.
...
Far above the dragon's lair, the earth trembled again. The dwarves stopped working, stumbling as the vibrations only grew. The bartender of Stonehill Tavern ran outside, looking around warily. Murmurs of confusion resonate through the crowds.
"Earthquake?"
"The hell? What's up with the mountain?"
At the stone keep where he oversaw his city, King Port emerged from the entrance, his face wrought with worry. He turned his gaze towards the face of the mountain, only able to listen as the tremors grew.
CRACK!
The city filled with confused cries when a large tear scarred the side of the mountain. Smoke was starting to sleep through, thick and black.
CRACK! C-CRACK! BOOM!
The side of the mountain exploded into a thick cloud of fire and smoke, smoldering debris falling from the sky like hail. The confusion of the dwarves suddenly turned to screams of horror as the shape flew through the hole, blocking the sun for a split moment and engulfing the city in its shadow. King Port stood frozen, his jaw wide open. As the dragon let out a thunderous roar that shook the earth, he finally snapped back to reality. He sprinted to the walkway's railing, his teeth gritting together.
"Arm yourselves! Prepare the artillery! Make every cannonball and ballista bolt count!" He screamed. "Do not let that thing destroy your city!"
The dragon beat its massive wings, ascending into the air at amazing speeds, nearly throwing the adventurers off its back. Hanging on by a chain that had been wrapped around its neck, they had survived the explosion by sheer luck.
The wind blew Salem's platinum blonde hair back, the princess squeezing onto Sasha as tight as she could.
"V-Vao, do something!" Verde screamed. Her left hand was slammed down on top of her head, being the only thing keeping her hat from flying off.
"The fuck am I supposed to do!? Ask it nicely!? Hey, mate! Can you not eat us!?"
The dragon reared its head and roared at them. Vao looked back at his friends. "She's pissed because we were stealing her shit! It was nice knowing you, cunts!"
"It's a girl!?" Sasha shouted over the wind. "Vao, do your thing!"
"My thing?"
"Fuck the dragon!"
"Oh, piss off Biceps!"
Yin had been holding onto Oswald's leg, his mouth wide open in a scream. He was looking at the ground, watching everything grow smaller and smaller beneath them. "God of Light, help me! I don't care what happens to the elf or the witch, save me!"
"You asshole!" Sasha screamed angrily.
Vao blinked a couple times, an idea popping into his head. "Yeah... That'll work! I got an idea!"
Roman groaned. "Something tells me it's stupid!"
Vao laughed. "No, it's a really good one! Let go of the dragon!"
Everyone looked at the thief like he grew a second head. Yin was red in the face, veins snaking up his neck. "Now isn't the time for your crap, Vao! We're about to die, and you're sitting there spouting off nonsense again!"
"W-will this plan really work!?" Verde shouted up at him. Vao shrugged.
"Maybe? Do you trust me?"
"I... I do!"
"What are you-" Yin's voice trailed off when Vao suddenly let go of the chain, flying off the dragon's back and free falling through the air, replaced by a scream of horror. Verde immediately let go, fully devoting herself to whatever Vao had planned. Sasha growled.
"To hell with it all, I'm going out on my own terms!"
Salem's eyes widened in horror. "Wait, wait! I'm holding on to you-" Salem screamed when Sasha crossed her arms, letting go of the chain in the process.
Roman sighed. "You know what... I kind of hated my job anyway."
As Roman flew past them in a ginger blur, only Oswald and Yin remained, the knight remaining the only thing keeping them locked onto the monster. Yin looked up at Oswald, begging for mercy. "Please don't let go! Please! P-please!"
Oswald laughed heartily. "This takes me back to a different time, Yin! Fighting big monsters like this, I mean!"
"W-what!? When have we ever done that!?"
"Don't worry about it!" Oswald shouted. "I'm just rambling! Anyways, sorry!"
Oswald finally let go, sending himself and the healer falling through the air. Vao laughed from nearby, stretching his arms and legs with a cheer.
"Yahoo! I've never felt a thrill like this in my life!"
Yin opened his eyes, wiping the tears away. He could see everything - the desert even farther east, the ocean to the southwest, and even a bit of the Great Swamp. He had never seen anything like it. To see the world from so high above was something new, something that, for a short time, chased his fears away. Salem glared at Vao, her blue eyes filled with fury. "Well!? Was this plan just so we could all die together!?"
Vao giggled. "Nope! Talking to the dragon was wot made me realize this!"
"Realize what, exactly!? Are you gonna call Georgie!? The hell is that cat going to do up here!?" Yin screamed.
Vao shoved his fingers into his mouth and blew hard, his whistle piercing through the air. And then there was silence, with the exception of the wind blasting past and the beat of the dragon's wings.
They watched as a blur of feathers swooped down, snatching Vao and Verde out of the air. And then Roman and Oswald. Then Sasha, and lastly, Salem.
The princess was awestruck as she held onto the huge creature. It felt like fantasy. It didn't feel real. But the cry of the great eagle confirmed it. They were riding birds. There were only four eagles. Vao and Verde were on one, Yin and Salem on another, Oswald and Roman on the third, and Sasha on the fourth.
The air trembled as the dragon let out another deafening roar, a gout of flame bursting from its maw like an inferno. It was coming back for them, it's reptilian eyes blazing with fury. From below cannons fired and ballista bolts soared through the air, none of the projectiles even scratching its scales.
"Knock that thing from the sky!" Oswald shouted. The adventurers let out their cries as the eagles screeched and flanked the monster. Salem turned to Yin, screaming over the wind.
"Take control of the eagle!"
"I-I don't know how to fly this thing!"
"I've got a bow! I can attack it! So just figure it out!"
Yin let out a cry of terror as Salem moved her hands away from the giant bird's neck, reaching under her cloak and fishing out the weapon. On the other side of the dragon she could see Verde preparing a spell, Vao chatting away with his eagle. He was too far away for her to hear, though. Salem and Verde's eyes met, sharing a knowing look.
"Yin, get me closer!"
The cleric patted his eagle, his lip quivering. "U-uh... Fly a bit closer?"
The eagle screeched in response, gliding towards the dragon. Salem snickered. "All that crap you gave Vao, and you can understand animals too?"
"I can't! I think it understands me!"
Salem remained silent, nocking an arrow and pulling the string back. With a deep breath, she calmed her nerves. And on the exhale, she released. As the arrow sang through the air, Verde finished charging her spell and fired a bright blue beam from her staff, the current ripping through the air like a missile.
SMASH!
The arrows and magic crashed into the dragon's sides, the monster beating its wings in the air and creating a gust that nearly knocked the eagles from the sky. There wasn't even a dent in its scales.
"That isn't fair!" Vao screamed as they regrouped.
"It's a dragon! Its scales are like steel, and it's resistant to magic!" Roman shouted. "We'd need to get under the scales somehow if we ever planned to take it down!"
"How!?" Yin screamed back.
Sasha suddenly smiled. "I got an idea! Vao, we're both really strong, right!? Fly over the dragon's back with me!"
Vao just nodded, their eagles rocketing forward, hovering over the overgrown reptile. The thief glanced at the elf warrior, raising an eyebrow. "Wot now?"
"Jump!"
"Wot."
Sasha had already leapt off her eagle, her hands outstretched. With a heavy thud her plate armor rattled as she grabbed onto one of the chains wrapped around the beast, looking back up at Vao encouragingly. The thief glanced at Verde.
The witch shook her head. "You can't seriously be considering thi-"
"I slipped!"
Vao threw his hands in the air and rolled off the bird, landing next to Sasha. The dragon finally took notice of them, letting out a furious roar that nearly burst their eardrums. Vao glared at the giant, his lips curled back in a wince. "O-okay, wot exactly are we doing!?"
Sasha responded by drawing her great sword, wiggling her eyebrows. "Use your axe and peel these scales off with me! Like a can of sardines!"
"Ooh, I love sardines!"
"... Ew..."
CLUNK!
Sparks blew away in the wind as their weapons lodged underneath the scales, the dragon's eyes going wide. Salem pointed her finger at it, the eagle rocketing forward. "Keep it distracted! Don't give it a chance to throw them off!" She screamed back at the rest.
Arrow and magic, Salem and Verde threw whatever they could at the dragon's head, Oswald and Roman flying close to smack it with their weapons. The dragon was beginning to grow angry. In its thousand years of life, it felt humiliated for the first time. With a pillar of fire it spewed flame at Salem and Yin, the cleric jerking hard on the eagle's neck. The bird's tail feathers began to smoke and smolder, but it escaped just before it could burst into flame.
"Now! Push!" Sasha roared.
"Right-o!"
Grunting, Vao and Sasha pushed their feet into the dragon's back, their blades beginning to inch forward. Peeling the scales off the dragon, the creature let out a shriek of agonizing pain. With one final cry, they ripped their weapons up, scales sparkling through the air as they fell to the ground below.
Dwarves ran through the city in panic as it rained scales, the natural body armor piercing through the stone streets like paper. King Port rolled out of the way just as one slammed into the ground where he stood half a second ago, his heart racing. But with a quick deep breath, he stood back up and took charge. "There! A weak spot! Aim for its back!"
"H-how are we supposed to do that, My Lord!?" One of the guards shouted. "The dragon is above us!"
Port opened his mouth to speak, but no sound came out. Shaking his head, he pointed back to the sky. "Hit the dragon!"
Far above the dragon barrel-rolled, throwing Sasha and Vao off its back. Sasha's eagle was there to catch her immediately. But the thief gasped when he felt something brush his ankle, looking behind him in horror.
Sasha laughed as she caught up with the others, sheathing her bloodied weapon. "That should make it easier! Right, Vao!?"
There was silence. Sasha looked behind her with confusion. "Vao?"
Verde screamed in horror, pointing to the sky. One of the chains had wrapped itself around Vao's ankle, the femboy flying like a kite as the dragon soared through the air. Yin's eyes went as wide as dinner plates, a scream erupting from his throat. "V-Vao!"
Vao was dangling behind the dragon, his arms flailing helplessly around him. He was too far away for them to hear what he was saying, but they could hear his shrill scream.
Woosh!
Salem nearly fell off the eagle as Yin rocketed forward, his hand reaching out for his brother. They finally grew close enough to hear what he was saying.
"I can't die! I can't! Mum'll be sad!"
As they drew closer to grabbing him, the dragon reared its head around and blew a ray of flame at the eagle, forcing it to make a sharp turn away from the thief. The dragon didn't even seem to notice he was stuck. Before Yin could make a mad dash for Vao again, a cannonball whipped past, nearly taking him out. It soared over Vao's skull, the thief sobbing uncontrollably. He really loved his mom.
Oswald gritted his teeth under his helmet, changing course back to Ragna. He had to stop the dwarves from firing any more artillery before they killed Vao.
Verde threw everything she had at the dragon, creating a bullet hell of magic. But no matter what she tried, she couldn't reach its weak spot on its back. The dragon would only fly higher than her. With a deep breath it breathed another inferno, nearly wiping out Sasha. The elf's eagle burst into flames, forcing her to jump off and land on Verde's bird. The eagle's charred corpse fell through the air until it splattered into a mess of burnt guts on the grass far below.
King Port stumbled back as Oswald's eagle landed on the balcony, Roman hopping off to join the guards. "Peter! Stop the artillery! Someone's stuck on the dragon!" He shouted.
"H-how do you know my first name!?" Port shouted back. Oswald growled.
"Don't think about it now! You're about to kill someone, and it isn't the dragon!"
Port gulped, nodding his head. Running forward he raised his hands in the air. "Cease fire! Cease fire! The dragon has taken a prisoner!"
The cannons went quiet, the guards waiting on their king's orders. Port turned to Ozpin, pointing a finger at him. "You have ten minutes to get whoever is up there down. My city is in danger, and I must prioritize its safety. If you can't get him down, we will continue to attack."
Oswald nodded, patting the eagle's neck. The huge bird screeched before taking off again, beelining for Yin and Salem. Sasha took the opportunity to jump next to him. "We need to get Vao down, NOW!"
"We're trying!" Yin screamed back. His eyes widened again. "What the hell is he doing!?"
When they looked back at Vao, he was climbing the chain, pulling himself closer to the dragon. He gripped the back of its neck, screaming something at it.
"Let me go, you twat!"
Without warning the thief socked the dragon in the eye, an earth-shattering roar of agony escaping the depths of its throat. With a beat if it's monstrous wings it ascended, quickly disappearing through the clouds. "Where is it going!?' Salem screamed.
Verde's face began to pale, her hands trembling. "Don't tell me... It's going to dive bomb!?"
High above and out of sight, Vao screamed in utter horror as the dragon rocketed through the air, the bitter cold biting away at his skin. The dragon reached the crest of its height, hovering in the air. For that moment, Vao took a look around.
"W-woah... The world is really pretty... You get to see this any time you want? I'm a little jealous..."
The dragon grumbled in response. Vao gave a small smile. "You think I'm pretty? Even though I'm a guy?"
The dragon whipped its head around to stare at him with existential dread. With a scream of fury it stopped beating its wings, falling through the air like a missile.
Back below the clouds, Verde flew next to Yin, pointing down at Ragna. "Yin, we need to get down to the city!"
The cleric glared at her, his body beginning to tremble. "But Vao! I knew it! I knew it! You're going to let him die, you filthy slut!"
Verde growled under her breath. Now really wasn't the time for Yin's bullshit. "No, you idiot! If it lands on Ragna, thousands of people are going to die! We need to get down there and raise a barrier! With the two of us, we'll have just enough power to stop it from obliterating the entire city!"
"Go to hell!" Yin screamed at her. "I'm not abandoning my brother! You little backstabbing piece of puke!"
Salem raised her hand and belted it across the back of the cleric's head, catching him off guard. She grabbed the back of his robes and shook him hard, her face turning dark red. "Shut up! If that thing hits the city, it's not just dwarves who die! Vao dies too, you fucking idiot!"
Yin looked like he wanted to argue, but he didn't say anything. He jumped from his eagle and landed next to Verde. As they flew down towards Ragna, he grabbed her ear and pulled hard, eliciting a yelp from the witch.
"If Vao gets killed, I'll turn you in to the Church," he growled. "I know you have a reason for avoiding the Church. I'll make sure that whatever it is, you go back to that life. You hear me, ugly little bitch?"
Verde swatted his hand away, her face remaining as still as ever. "... Shut... The fuck up..." Her voice was dark, her tone filled with fury. The emotion caught Yin off guard, but only made him curious.
The eagle landed in the center of the city, the two jumping off and standing in the center of the courtyard. Just as they looked up, they saw the dragon coming back through the clouds, soaring through the air. Verde and Yin raised their staves, beginning to prepare their barriers. For Yin, a holy barrier of transparent gold. And for Verde, a grid of blue. Sweat rolled down their foreheads, bracing themselves for the blow.
SMAAAAAAASH!
The barrier flickered dangerously as the dragon made contact, nearly shattering through it. In an instant Yin and Verde's mana was drained, nearly crippling them as the dragon bounced off, flying back into the air with a heavy sway. Yin fell to his knees, exhausted. He glared at Verde - and widened his eyes with fury. The witch was gulping down a bottle of blue liquid: a mana potion. When she finished, she stood back to her feet and climbed back on her eagle, shooting Yin a blank stare.
"Sorry. I only had one," she mocked. "Did you want it? That's too bad."
Yin clenched his fists so tight his knuckles popped. "I'm going to make you regret this, witch! You'd better watch your back!"
"Good luck with that, Church mutt," Verde hissed. Patting the eagle's neck, the massive avian beat its wings through the air, propelling itself and Verde into the air, leaving Yin in the city. The cleric gritted his teeth, his eyes going bloodshot. He was going to make her pay.
The dragon teetered through the air dizzily, a loud ringing rattling its brain. Vao was sitting on its back, hallucinating stars. Crashing face-first into a barrier didn't only affect the dragon, it seemed.
Salem took advantage of the dragon's concussion, flying in close before leaping off her eagle, her boots slamming against its back. Vao screamed in surprise.
"Oh, piss! I'm seeing triple and I'm not even drunk!"
Salem shook her head, darting to his side and working away at the chain. He tangled himself good. With a loud clunk, she managed to pull the linked metal away, pulling him to his feet.
"P-Princess, thank you! I thought I was going to di-"
Vao's gratitude shifted to terror when Salem pushed him off the dragon, her eagle scooping him out of the air. Her platinum blonde hair being swept by the wind, she turned her focus towards the fleshy wound Sasha and Vao had left when they stripped the dragon's scales off. She could see the scarlet blood oozing from the deep cuts, pulsating like an organ. She stepped forward, drawing her rapier and pointing it forward.
The dragon was beginning to recover, quickly realizing what Salem was doing. With a roar that nearly blew her away, it tried to roll. But Salem was faster. With a leap, the princess launched herself forward and thrust her weapon forward. The blade cut into the pulsating mass of flesh with a surprising amount of resistance, nearly breaking her focus. The dragon shrieked as it flew erratically, becoming more desperate to get her off.
SPPPPLLLCHH!
Blood arced through the air when Salem tugged her rapier, tearing through the dragon's back. With a thunderous howl the beast teetered in the sky, slowing down just enough for the cannon-fire and ballista bolts to strike its scales, chipping them away.
Thud.
Salem jerked her head back to see Oswald standing back up. He had jumped onto the dragon with her. She couldn't see his eyes, but she knew he was glaring at her. "Will you stop screwing around, Salem?"
The princess shrieked when he drew his sword and charged forward, immediately dropping to the ground. But Oswald wasn't aiming for her. With a thrust of his cane sword, he managed to pierce through the cracks in the scales left behind from the cannons. His sword pierced through its wings, cutting straight through and tearing a hole. With a monstrous cry the dragon beat its wings through the air, but nothing was stopping it from falling. With its wings damaged, it had lost its advantage, falling towards the field in front of the mountain like a meteor. Salem and Oswald threw themselves from the dragon, landing on their eagles safely.
BOOM!
Dirt and grass flew into the air like a smokescreen when the dragon smashed into the ground, its legs trembling as it stood up, glancing at its injured wing. Fury filled its massive body - it was angry.
The eagles landed, the adventurers climbing off and drawing their weapons. King Port stood on the wall of Ragna, throwing his arm forward. "This is it! Final onslaught! Fire!"
Without its air advantage, the dragon wasn't able to move away in time. Cannonballs crushed its scales to debris, human-sized ballista bolts piercing the soft flesh underneath. The beast reared up on its hind legs, glaring down at the adventurers below. Salem gritted her teeth, charging forward.
"Are you stupid!?" Oswald screamed. But Salem wasn't listening. She pointed at Vao and Sasha, and then at the dragon.
"Throw me!"
She jumped into the air, the elf and the femboy catching her feet and pushing her up as hard as they could. With their combined strength, Salem went soaring into the air, quickly becoming eye-level with the unscaled monster.
Her rapier moved in a blur, slicing off the dragon's flesh, one sliver at a time. Its jaws opened, a blast of fire singing her clothes. Salem flipped through the air and aimed her weapon, stabbing the blade into its throat. With her weight, the blade cut through the monster as she descended back to the ground, splitting its stomach wide open. The moment she touched the grass she booked it for safety as the dragon toppled over.
Thwooom...
The dust hung in the air for what seemed like an eternity. But when it settled, the dragon was nothing more than a corpse.
Salem staggered for a moment before collapsing to her knees from exhaustion. Sasha was pumping her fists in the air, raw adrenaline coursing through her veins.
"Holy shit, princess! That was amazing!"
Vao laughed in agreement. "You're a fucking badass, mate. I'm just happy I'm still alive! Now mum won't be sad!"
Verde was on all fours, trying to catch her breath. "T-too... Much exer... Exercise..."
Behind them, the city had erupted in cheer, dwarves preparing for a party. Yin was grumbling as he watched, his glare resting on Verde.
Aside from Yin, the only one who wasn't celebrating was Oswald. The mysterious knight crossed his arms, stepping up to Salem. The princess looked at him, a sly smirk crossing her lips. "Ha... T... Told you... I won't let... Them get hu... Hurt..."
"You've still proven nothing."
Salem felt a cold sweat roll down her back. Oswald's tone was dangerous.
"Saving them once means nothing with everything you've done," he hissed. "I'll be watching you, Salem. And when the day comes that you act on whatever you have planned, I'll see to it that your head lies in a filthy ditch."
...
When the adventurers stepped through the golden gates, they were met by the overjoyed dwarves. Verde saw Yin from a mile away, instinctively scooting closer to Vao.
"Hm? Wot's up?"
"It's... Nothing..."
Vao raised an eyebrow, but shrugged his shoulders. Behind them, Sasha was watching with heavy breath. She nudged Salem, pointing at the pair with a giggle. But the only look she got from the princess was a stare of visible concern.
"You!" Yin screamed. "You filthy little magic casting piece of crap!"
"Woah, woah, wot's got you so mad?" Vao asked confusedly. Yin pointed violently at Verde.
"That ugly tool left me in this city of subhuman trash!"
"I only had one mana potion," Verde explained. "You didn't ask for it, so I drank it-"
"You never told me you had one! When did you even buy it!?"
"When I went on my walk the other day."
Yin looked ready to pop. But he took one look at Vao and took a deep breath, letting it out slowly. He fired one last dirty look at her, his lips pulling back in disgust. "I'll get mine, Slutty. Just you wait."
Verde didn't flinch from the threat. She knew Yin was incapable of doing anything as long as Vao was standing right there. But as the cleric stormed off, the thief spotted a group of dwarf women waving at him. One of them was the lady he had met in the mines. A stupid grin crossed his face, the thief walking towards them. Verde sighed when Yin disappeared from sight.
"... I'm glad you were here, Vao... Maybe you'd like to... S-spend some time with... Huh?" Verde turned around, her eyes widening in horror when she saw him walking away with the dwarves. Her knees trembled, buckling out from underneath her. "N-no... Why me...?"
Salem walked past them, leaving Sasha to console Verde. With a groan, Oswald followed. The princess looked back at him. "If it upsets you that much, you don't need to accompany me," she called back with annoyance.
"Fat chance I'll let you wander off on your own," Oswald growled. "Not to be rude, but I would rather take a cactus and sodomize myself with it."
Salem spun on her heel to face him, jabbing a finger into his armored chest. "I think you meant to be rude. Am I right?"
"Yeah, very right," Oswald hissed.
The two stared each other down, muttering insults back and forth. Not far off, Yin was sitting down and catching his breath. He had a mana potion in his hands, brooding in silence. He just sat there, watching Verde with his usual sour look. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Vao entering a building with a group of dwarves. When their eyes met, the femboy gave a happy wave. The cleric growled under his breath.
"Ugh... This party is full of sinners," he hissed. "A thief who can't keep it in his pants, an ugly little witch, and a worthless subhuman... Am I the only normal one?"
"What're you mumbling about?"
Yin looked up to see Roman walking towards him, a beer in each hand. The dwarf tossed him one. The cleric caught it, staring at the bottle in disgust. "I don't drink," he grumbled.
"Relax, would you?" Roman chuckled. "Lighten up; you just helped kill a dragon. You should be celebrating."
"I'm sorry, but does it look like I want to celebrate with your kind?"
"My kind...?"
But before Roman could get angry, King Port's voice bellowed out over the city. The dwarf noble was standing on top of the wall.
"May I have everyone's attention!?"
The chatter fell silent, all eyes turning to the king. Except for Vao, obviously. He was busy. Port leaned against the railing, a warm smile crossing his lips.
"I would personally like to thank the adventurers who have come all the way to Ragna. Without you, I doubt our city would have fared well against that dragon. Honor, bravery; all of those traits and many more were displayed today. For the rest of the night until the sun rises, we will celebrate this victory. Will our adventurers please step forward? That includes one of our own; Roman Torchwick."
Yin shot Roman a dirty look before stomping away, standing next to Oswald as the others began to line up. Port stared down at them, his thick eyebrows furrowing. "... Wait a minute, wasn't there one more of you?"
"He's making friends!" Roman shouted up at him. But Port didn't seem to get it.
"Surely he could do that another time?"
Yin noticed Verde staring at the ground, a grin spreading across his face. He looked up at the king, raising his voice so he could be heard. "He's out enjoying himself with a group of women!" He watched Verde hide her face with her hat, glee filling his body. If he wasn't able to hit her, he was going to make her hurt in other ways.
The dwarf men in the crowd erupted in cheer and applause, some of their wives belting the back of their heads with open palms. Port cleared his throat.
"... Very well," he muttered. "Then pass this word to him when you get the chance! I declare these adventurers the title of 'champions'! For your courage, you will always be welcomed into our city of Ragna!"
More cheer. Port held up his hands, silencing the commotion. "Please, enjoy this celebration! It is in your names! Let the festivities begin!"
As the party began to start, Yin quickly made his way to Verde and pulled her aside. The witch yelped as he dragged her down the street, pushing her against the side of a building. Verde could feel the hostility radiating from Yin in waves, shaking her bones.
"Vao isn't far away," Verde hissed. "If you touch me, he might see."
But Yin chuckled at her threat. "I know. That's why I'm not going to punch your lights out like I should. I just want to 'talk'."
It didn't take a genius to know his words didn't mean well. Verde pressed against the wall when he stepped forward, leaning down to stare at her. "I saw how you reacted when I said Vao was busy whoring himself," he snickered. "You have the hots for him, don't you? Answer me, or I'll make you answer."
Verde was quiet for a moment. With a shaky sigh, she stared up at him, meeting his glare with one of her own. Or at least the best she could do. "What of it?" She replied with a hint of venom in her voice. "It doesn't concern you, Church dog."
"I beg to differ," Yin growled nastily. "He's my brother. The same brother you cast a spell on."
"I never-"
"Shut. Up. I'm talking," he interrupted. "I just want you to know this: give it up. Vao isn't attracted to you."
Even though Verde knew Yin was just bullying her, it still hurt to hear him say that. Yet she still held her ground. "Can you read minds? That sounds an awful lot like witchcraft. Are you a heretic?"
She knew she got under his skin with that comment. His face darkened, his breathing becoming more forced. "You really think he actually gives a damn about you!?" Yin nearly shouted. "Think about it - he's out sleeping with women, not here talking to you. You throw all those hints, and he ignores them. He doesn't like you the same way you like him."
Verde didn't answer. Yin smirked, knowing he had already won. He jabbed a finger into her forehead, his smirk widening. "You're ugly, you know. You might tell yourself that you're not, but why else would Vao sleep with a goblin? Why would he sleep with a dwarf? To get the image of your creepy face out of his head. You never show emotion, you're too quiet. You're nothing but an ugly creep, Verde."
"V-Vao has called me cute," Verde tried to argue. But Yin just laughed.
"You think he meant it? Vao is a liar. He just didn't want to make you feel bad," the cleric taunted. "I'd bet if he never ran into you, he'd have left you in that filthy swamp where you belong. Why don't you go back? Go back to the bog you live in, and don't look back. You aren't welcome in this party."
Verde could feel a lump growing in her throat. Instinctively she tried to pull her hat down, but Yin yanked it off. "Look at me. Look at me, look at me! Look at me, you nasty, repulsive whore!" His hand shot out, his palm slamming against her chest and pinning her to the wall.
It was instantaneous. The moment she was pinned, the memories came flooding back to Verde's head. Memories of that sick man, the one who had caused her to live alone in the swamp. Her skin flushed snow white, her eyes widening. And finally, her gaze rested on the sigil of the Church that was sewn to Yin's robes. Before the healer could even react, Verde's lips parted into a horrified scream.
Yin jumped back in surprise. He didn't even have time to say anything - the moment she saw the chance, Verde bolted into the alley. The cleric gritted his teeth, giving chase.
"You aren't getting away!" He screamed at her. The witch turned to push a trash can over, slowing him down. The cleric kicked it out of his path, his eyes blazing with fury.
...
Vao stepped out of the building with a happy smile. He adjusted his leather shirt before poking his head back inside to say goodbye to his new... Friends. Standing back outside and taking a deep breath of fresh air, the thief glanced around.
"Right-o, time to find another nice lad- yegh!?"
His words crumpled into a strange noise when someone crashed into him, nearly knocking him over. He looked down to see Verde already behind him, running away into the crowd. Before Vao could follow, Yin burst out of the alley, their eyes meeting. The cleric's angry expression melted away, his shoulders relaxing.
"... Vao."
The thief looked back to where Verde ran, and then back at Yin. "... She had tears in her eyes," the femboy hissed quietly. "Did you... Do something?"
"Nope," Yin lied. He lied as naturally as he walked. Vao stared at him for a moment before taking a step back.
"Lying cunt. Let me find out, mate," he growled. "Let me find the fuck out."
Yin watched as Vao took off after Verde, a shaky sigh escaping his lips. He knew the witch was too scared of him to snitch, but there was still the possibility that she would. And if she did, Yin would likely have to fight Vao. Not an easy task; the only advantage Yin had was that he was faster than his older brother. Vao was far stronger. He turned - and bumped into someone new. Someone he hadn't seen before.
The first thing that he saw - and the first thing that genuinely startled him - was the wide, toothy grin. Piercing yellow eyes stared back at him, an unrecognizable emotion flickering within them. But if he really focused, he could almost see... Excitement.
"Bonjour... Monsieur..."
His voice was calm, collected. And yet, it was filled with danger. This man was a walking red flag. Yin could feel a cold sweat breaking out on the back of his neck, every instinct in his body telling him to run away as fast as he could. But he was frozen. Frozen in sheer terror. The man leaned forward, the corners of his mouth widening.
"Monsieur? Are you feeling well?"
An audible gasp escaped the cleric's throat. The strange man snickered softly.
"My name is Jack... Jack Gulden," he breathed softly. "I wanted to congratulate you for slaying a dragon."
He stepped closer, and with each step Yin's legs felt weaker and weaker. That seemingly unending grin burned itself into his memory, and before he knew it Jack was standing in front of him. He stood shorter than him, and yet he remained intimidating. Jack's smirk twitched, stretching just a hair wider. "It was a beautiful display, monsieur... May I ask your name? It is only natural you give me yours after I gave you mine."
Yin was horrified to find he couldn't speak. His breath had caught in his throat, his body beginning to tremble. Jack leaned closer, his eyes growing wider, his yellow eyes filling with an almost euphoric glare. He was enjoying this.
"Monsieur... Your name...?"
His breath assaulted Yin's nostrils like gas. Nauseatingly foul, his breath reeked of death. His teeth were slightly reddened, saliva beginning to build up. And yet despite how he looked, Jack remained as patient as ever.
"Y... Y-Yin," the cleric finally squeaked. Jack hummed, taking a step back and never taking his eyes off of him.
"Yin... Oui, that is correct."
Yin had no idea what the man was talking about, and his instincts told him he didn't want to know. Jack sighed, finally looking down at the ground. "... Perhaps we will see each other again... Non, we will see each other again. I do hope it's much sooner than I expect. I'd love to play with you-"
"Yin?"
The healer jolted at the sound of the new voice, whipping his head around. "P-princess!"
He finally had an escape. Without a moment of hesitation, he quickly jogged to the noble's side. But Salem looked confused. "What's wrong?"
"Th-that man..."
"... What man?"
Yin turned to point at Jack. But when he turned, he felt his heart sink. The strange, terrifying smiling man was gone. As if he had never been standing in front of Yin, he had disappeared without a trace. "H... He was... Wha..."
Salem looked down at him worriedly, pressing her hand against his forehead. "... Are you alright? Do you have a fever? There's no one there..."
Yin could feel a cold terror gripping his chest. Somehow, in a manner of seconds, Jack had managed to escape. He blinked, even going as far as rubbing his eyes. But Jack never came back into view. He momentarily wondered if it had been a hallucination induced by the stench of alcohol and sulfur that cling in the air, but such thoughts were quickly brushed aside. There was no way that feeling he felt had been his imagination.
Salem sighed, patting his back. "... I think you need some water," she said softly. "Come, let's go find a place to cool off. I heard they have an Adventurer's Guild in Ragna. I figured you might like to relax around humans."
Yin just nodded, giving one last glance behind him. He didn't see Jack. But in the back of his mind, he could still see that haunting smile as clear as day.
...
Iris sat at his desk, sifting through the pages of his book, his wizened eyes focused on the words imprinted on the paper. Rojo and Glenroy were not present - they were preparing for the festival. Only Leaf was in the office with the Pope. The Archbishop flicked his cigarette into an ashtray before lighting another, his blue eyes fixated on the ceiling.
Slam!
Leaf jolted, but Iris didn't even flinch. In fact, he barely even noticed the sound of the door. However, he still answered. "Good afternoon, executioner... Your report from Ragna?"
Inside the armor, the man was breathing heavily. His body trembled, and Leaf could almost smell the sweat. "That man," the headsman hissed. "Jack, he's a maniac..."
Leaf growled, pushing away from the wall he leaned on. "For Light's sake, what did he do now?"
"D-dragon..."
"... 'Scuse me?"
The executioner looked up at Leaf, his breathing growing more and more raspy, more delirious. "He woke up a dragon and lived."
"Ahh... The legend of the slumbering dragon," Iris mumbled distantly. "So Jack... What of Ragna? Was it destroyed?"
"No, Your Holiness," The executioner breathed. He was catching his breath. "The dragon was killed."
"Good. It would be bad if the Church lost it's main suppliers of weaponry," Iris noted. The executioner sat down in a chair, focusing on calming his rampant nerves. With a soft thud Iris finally closed his book, setting it aside. "... Archbishop?"
"Yes, Your Holiness?"
"You are dismissed. You may return to your duties."
Leaf bowed before leaving, a cigarette hanging from his lips. Iris waited for a few minutes after the door closed before turning to the executioner. "It's just us. You can remove your helmet, now."
Clunk.
The black iron helm was set on the floor, finally exposing the executioner's face. With dark red hair and pointed ears, there was no doubt he was an elf - a scandal, if his identity was ever discovered. But the most noticeable feature was the scar that crossed over his left eye, the eye itself being opaque and blind.
Iris leaned back in his chair, folding his fingers across his stomach. "Jack left you with quite the impression, didn't he? Mr. Taurus?"
Taurus nodded, taking one final deep breath. "... He did, Your Holiness... He's a psychopath if I ever seen one..."
"Are you having doubts of whether you can trust him or not?"
"I... I am..."
Iris nodded, patting his stomach to a tune he had made up in his head. He stood from his chair and folded his hands behind his back, walking towards the window and staring out over the Royal Capital. "... I can understand that. But I assure you, he has his reasons for siding with us, even if he isn't a member of the Church. As long as you do not go against us, he will stay his... Desires."
"D... Desires?"
Iris was quiet for a moment before a deep sigh escaped the depths of his lungs. "That man... He's a demon who wears the skin of a man," he growled. "But even still, he is a valuable ally..."