Chapter 26: Phantom Fang Part 2

With a click, the double doors magnificently welcomes me and a smell both enticing and mysterious glides through my nostrils. In utter silence a rough looking man, probably in his mid thirties, nods and guides me to my way inside. Taking the flight of stairs on our right, I follow the man’s footsteps toward this varnished wooden door. The faint smell of oil bothers my nose for some reason, but I press on. The man opens the door for me and ushers me through.

I step inside without hesitation, and men of all ages appears from the shadows of this dim lighted room, each having a weapon of their own choice belted at their hips. Narrowing my eyes, I rest a hand on the handle of my Gladius, ignoring their intimidating presence as I trudge deeper.

At the heart of this room, a man with a well forged body sat on his comfortable-looking sofa, and confined in both of his arms are two women wearing bridal lingerie. Mugs of beer are pass to his lips, and I’m pretty sure he drinks most of them.

He grins at me. “What brings you back here, Reimuz? I thought we finished this conversation about your sea dwellers the last time we spoke. Just to let you know, we don’t do reimbursements,” he finishes with a laugh.

I glare back. “Depending on your answers, the consequences can be dire.”

“In other words, you’re planning to be violent? You have some gall to say that here, kid.”

His voice is starting to sound pissed, but I have no intention to make qualms. The moment I show a slight hesitation, these guys will devour me.

“Bullshit,” I say, loud and clear. “It’s common sense for people to not get involved with trouble. After all, people are afraid of death. And I am no different.”

“So, what is it that you want? You didn’t come here just to ruin my night, or did you?”

I shake my head. “Someone tried to abduct one of the girls under my wing this morning. I’m here to know if this bastard is a part of your crew.”

“So?”

“Just to let you know, I’m not here to make a request,” I tap the scabbard of my sword.

I hear him gulp, and then he sighs. “Alright, just to keep our good relations, I’ll find him, and I’ll make sure to dispose of him as well. Is that good enough?”

“One more thing,” I murmur with a nod, throwing him the small pouch of coins that came from my pocket.

He cocks his head and opens it in bewilderment. Shocked, the man shifts his eyes back to me and levels me a cool speculative stare. After a minute of confined silence, he rustles on his seat and returns the merchant’s greedy smile on his face.

“Who do you want us to kill?”

“Nobody,” I murmur, trying to sigh. “You know I’ll be leaving the city in a few days. Keep the kids in the orphanage safe till I return, and I’ll make sure to pay you some more.”

He blinks at my words. “It’s hard to believe that’s all you’re asking from us.”

“Money makes the world go round. You wouldn’t be the type to disappoint a client, aren’t you?”

“Of course not, we take pride on our reputation.”

I laugh a little. “Yeah right. Prostitution and smuggling, that’s plenty enough to take pride I guess.”

“Join us for a drink, will you?” he offers with a grin.

I cock my head and smile. “Only if you have milk.”

A girl appears out of nowhere, and behind me to boot. She wraps my arm around her still-developing chest and pulls me to sit on a fluffy chair with an armrest, right across the head of this dangerous group. The girl steps back and raises her slender arms in the air. She tilts her head back and moves her hands over her body, dancing by the small hint of light to please our eyes.

There goes that nerve wracking conversation I guess. In the end, this is all just for my self satisfaction. I am no white-knight, I know that.

Breaking my thought process, another girl appears and hands me the mug of milk I ordered. Still hot for some reason, I take a sip, and gulp it one go. The girl takes the mug from my hands and sits on my lap. The other girl, right behind her, climbs on top of their table and continues her seductive and alluring dance. The hungry wolves whistles all over the room.

I try to stand up—to leave—but the girl presses me down back on my chair.

“I won’t be anything other than a maggots meal if I don’t do my job,” she whispers, taking my hand to cup her left breast, right where her nipples must be. I am fully aware that it’s through her dress, but damn it’s still a breast.

“Don’t say that. You’re a very desirable woman. I’m sure you can find a better customer than a now penniless guy like myself,” I whisper back, catching my breath.

Curiosity—or rather, lust— kicks in my head big time. All of it starts to makes sense to me. I’m moving both of my hands up and down to her wonderful valleys, warm silk bulges on both sides of my fingers, pulsing under my touch.

“I’d like to take my chances, especially to one who has such a young and toned body,” she murmurs, giving my crotch a tight squeeze. I tingle from her expert hands and suddenly, I’m not feeling well. Celes flooded my mind.

I mutter an apology and left the place in a hurry. Heaving I run down the stairs. Opening the door out of that place, I stumble into something, not sure what, but I fall and crash my face on the ground. Damn what the hell am I doing? Coughing, I hoist myself up and force myself to return back to the smithy.

The same annoying voice rings inside my head. I think I learned a skill—or something, but I wasn’t able to properly tell. I throw myself to bed, to sleep, hoping that my mind is clear the moment I wake.

A fort in the humans territory. Attacked by a single dragon, the whole fort was engulfed single handedly in flames.

Where am I? Who am I talking to?

“Reimuz, can you take everybody else and flee? Sorry to ask too much of you since you’re only supposed to be here to deliver this sword.”

“Philippe… are you sure about this? That blade’s still imperfect you know.”

“I am a royalty after all. Despite all that happened, I still have a duty to protect my people.”

Who is this guy? Why is he talking to me so casually?

“Elaine!! Please escape with Reimuz, and take all of the remaining knights with you.”

“Noo!! If Your highness is staying then so will I. Please, order us to stay and defend you!”

He gives the girl a gentle smile. Having her full attention, the man uses his sheathed blade to knock the girl out, and surprisingly she falls right into my arms.

“I leave her to you…”

“I’ll take our leave now. I’m not gonna stop you or anything like that, but I just want you to know that she will be sad…”

“I know that… May we meet again, my friend…”

“Likewise… Make sure you come back.”

Why is my body moving on it’s own? He’s already moving further away and I’m still here? What in the world is going on? I’m confused.

“I’m sorry to bother you, but I have urgent news!”

I tilt my head at the sudden intrusion. A soldier drops on his knees in front of him.

“What is it?”

“Your highness, ‘she’ has already broken through the plaza and the guards are being slaughtered one by one. What is our next move?”

“Tell all the remaining knights to cease their attack and abandon the fort right now.”

“But… what about you, Prince?”

“Hurry up and go!!!”

“SIR!!”

From their conversation, they seem to be fighting a very powerful monster. Powerful enough to decimate a force as huge as this all by itself. I wonder, what is this monster’s identity?

The young man continue to move forward while everybody around him flees. I followed him on a whim or maybe it was his charisma?

Suddenly he stops.

Pile of dead bodies can be seen and screams of agony can be heard in a distance. Trudging through her bloody massacre, the monstrous identity is revealed.

Her shoulder length hair is colored pink, with a body armor covering only her chest area, exposing her belly button. She wears a crimson helmet paired with gauntlets and leggings that is designed to look like a dragon. Her deep blue eyes and brown skin resembles a caring soul, but her actions states otherwise. Despite her cute appearance, she produces a malevolent aura that sends shivers down my spine.

In her right hand is a head, drowned in sorrow, dripping crimson trail on her path. However that head is not just any other head. Wein Cruz—wearing a stiff grimace in his death. Soon even that last bloody trace of him was burned into ashes. Dammit!

“I humbly welcome Your majesty, Princess Viviene Valeria, the Princess of Carnage. May I ask milady what is she doing in our borders?”

In the face of such a terrifying adversary, how can this guy remain so calm? Even though he acts so humble, his actions can be seen as sarcastic. Like he’s taunting her more.

“What a fascinating human. Fine, I’ll tell you, since you are about to die anyways. I am merely here to take back what is rightfully ours. Or maybe because I can just start slaughtering the humans I hated so much. Either way is fine, don’t you think?”

He sighs. “Milady, do you know why we humans, who is considered the weakest of all the races, governs most of the world right now?”

“Why indeed? Maybe because you kept on groveling in turn making us feel pity? Hahaha!!”

“DON’T LOOK DOWN ON US, YOU BITCH!” he screams, his eyes burning with emotions. “It’s because we humans have the ability to evolve unlike most of you dragons who stay cooped up in your damn little huts! You may take this fort right now, but we will take it back, I assure you.”

“No use talking then. Only the stronger one has the right to decide what is right and what is wrong. Prepare yourself!”

Both of her arms burst in flames and after a single second, it materializes a huge sword. A similar sight in my head for some reason. The sword is covered in flames, incinerating everything nearby except for herself. However the young man merely cast all of these worries aside.

“The blade forged by the greatest blacksmith, technique inherited from the strongest swordsman, and my blood flowing from the weakest lineage. Father, please guide my path for the last time.”

He unsheathed the fancy sword that hangs on his waist, and press it firmly against his chest. It is a single edged sword adorned with jewels, with a silver hilt and a dark blueish blade.

“Do you like to read legends, Milady? I was hoping you would be able to recognize this blade if you do.”

“What are you blabbering about, human? Wait… Dragon Killer… No, you’re bluffing. That sword! The enemy of my kin!! It should have been destroyed by my grandfather!”

“Possibly, but I happen to find myself a great blacksmith who was able to forge me a new one. Isn’t that lovely?”

“So a replica forged by pseudo blacksmith. Once I’m done with you, the one responsible for forging that sword is next.”

“Well then, allow me to entertain you. Your strongest magic or my sword dance?”

In a single blink, the two forces collides, creating a massive explosion.

And I watch as the fires of hell engulf…