Capítulo 56: Surprise (4)
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[Albert's Point of View]
A ragged and sooty Albert rolled on the snow; finally having exhausted the fiery homing pigeons mana supply. He, too, was exhausted from avoiding the pursuit of the tracking spells
He held Sam's animal hide bag; newly bought from Lyon (on Khadir's expense - again...); the half-grown kitten-cat tucked safely inside - eyes spinning from the rolling and romping flight of the athletic man.
(What kind of cat is this...??) He felt more and more stumped at the nature of the "cat" - since he met Sam; its ears, tail and snout were becoming progressively more dog-like... Then he voiced out his thoughts tot he cat. "Maybe I should call you a "colf"? "Coolf"?... Cat-Wolf...? Or a "wat"? Hahaha!!--"
Snowie pranced over on her soft black paws and bit his face.
After thrashing around on the snow for awhile and prying the death-trap off his face; he rubbed the teeth marks around his skin and planned the next steps.
(Her overall power is still lower - but I was wrong... Despite her lack of experience; she took the initiative and turned the entire battle around in one fell swoop. That; and they were already worn-out from the earlier battle...)
His eyes lit up; a mischievous grin on his face; but a serious air still in his aura. (Now... I hope things work out all according to plan... I just need to make sure our "negotiations" go smoothly for the right result...)
He whistled merrily; accidentally stepping on Snowie who ran into his path; then yelped in pain as he gained a new accessory; Sam's perennial adornment - a cat-as-a-hat.
* * * * *
[Sam's Point of View]
Sam was breathing heavily.
She stood before a mess - scattered pieces of flesh and pools of reddened snow. Bone fragments; some long as her palm, some as big as her forearm.
The 3 maids were incapacitated; Xera unconscious with both her nails snapped and an arm missing; Tina presumably dead in her shriveled up state (like a dried, salted fish) - but the worst off was the mage Tara. All that remained of her was smashed-up chunks of meat - a fate rendered unto her by her own sister.
Sam turned to survey her surroundings; and laid eyes on the 5-year old girl, silver-haired and adorable despite her wounds, kneeling beside the towering body of her mother.
The tiny girl had a grit and tenacity that surprised Sam - as well as Albert and Snowie; the man and his hat-cat just arrived at the scene. She had received multiple puncture wounds from her mother's teeth; before being beaten up and stepped on harshly by the party of 4 vampires.
But right now, ignoring her wounds, she kneeled; head bowed before her mother's fallen head.
She looked up, and upon seeing the first rays of dawn break through the far-off eastern horizon, she breathed in a deep breath; let it out and sucked in a lungful of air again.
And then she sang.
* * * * *
It started solemn; mourning. The words could not be understood by either Sam or Albert (or Snowie), and yet, tears came, unbidden.
It was a song that spoke without words; that spoke of the hurts and memories - of loss, of sorrows, of hopes dashed by the cruelties of life.
And then her voice rose two keys; gaining in volume as well as she began to stand with her song.
Magical; enchanting; beautiful; other-worldly.
Was this the song of the dragons? So beautiful; and yet so... Sad?
What had started as a low, slow and depressing melody now rose in force; her voice rising once more as the key changed from the somber minor-key to a jubilant major.
And then it was a song of rejoicing. Of dreams; of believing despite the darkness... Of hope.
Of family... Of love... Of a mother; lost.
The enrapturing melody slowly trickled off; the last notes ending in tension - not closing off.
As if; the song had not reached its end - just as the story of a life was still not finished... As if it were an end; but not an end. As if the journey and fables were only... Starting anew.
For every new beginning; could only from another beginnings end.
The man and girl stood; stationary - introspecting and re-examining everything they had been living for.
The man closed his eyes; banished his melancholy and steeled his heart - his path was not his own; but one for the sake of all mortals. He... Could not steer this ship off the course; not at this point. And... It was for the greater good of all; not just his own people or his own faction. For everyone.
The girl blinked and winked away the tears; rolling out of her eyes and landing on the red-tinged snow below. She... Wasn't very good at this thinking thing. Nor was she good at her feelings.
But she felt something... Different since she chose to help this needy child.
She felt richer - though she was still penniless.
She felt complete - though she was bleeding in various places.
She felt... Happy. Despite not having a mama of her own... She felt happy.
* * * * *
Misharga was silently kneeling before the body of her mother. Her hands were clasped together; chin bowed and silently waiting.
Sam and Albert waited with her quietly; reluctant to spoil the magical moment; and to allow the young child to finish her grieving process.
After awhile, Sam began sniffing.
She hadn't noticed it earlier due to the smell of the delicious blood the vampire princess had shed. But even *she* had her limits - it was way too revolting to lick up the soiled snow along with the blood... If she hadn't already been stepping around on it, then just maybe she would though...
No, what she smelled was not the blood - that smell was beginning to fade.
She smelled something... Meatier. Something... Juicier. More substantial.
It was definitely not on the same level of richness and flavour as the spoiled brat she had smashed into a meat patty.
(But it still smells good...)
Grrr... She felt her stomach grumbling; complaining of hunger...
But... But...
There was no way she could eat a grieving girl's mother right in front of her; right...?
Right...?
Sam's mouth watered... As Albert stared at her in horror.
* * * * *
In the end, Sam listened to her sense of rationality and decided not to further scar the poor little girl by tearing apart the body of the dead dragon to chew on it.
Albert released a sigh of relief when he realised that she had wiped away her saliva and did not seem likely to take action.
(I'll wait until the body is buried; or after the kid leaves...) She swallowed her saliva inside her mouth.
"???"
As the full rays of sunlight creeped over the mountain range; and the first beam of light touched the adult dragon's body, something startling occurred.
The body began to shrink, releasing a sizzling sound like bacon frying - despite there being no change in its temperature.
(What-What is going on?) Even Albert in his hundreds of years of life had not witnessed the young of a dragon paying last respects to their kin! (It must be a unique, hidden ritual of the dragons passed down in their bloodline memories! Exceptional! Exquisite! Truly a top-class bloodline!)
Albert beamed from ear to ear; despite whatever differences of opinion he had with the dragon race, he was excited to discover something as of yet unknown outside of the dragon race!
(This could be a world-shaking secret of why there are almost no dragon corpses in nature! And here we thought there were immense dragon bone graveyards!) Albert was almost hopping in excitement as he waited to see the outcome.
(Mmm... Dragon bacon...) Sam was obviously not thinking of something so complicated; she only had food on her mind.
Within 30 seconds, Kreagor, the adult dragon had shrunk to Sam's size - but it didn't end there.
The body began to shrink further, until it was about the size of Misharga's forearm.
And then Misharga picked the body up; her lips moving in a silent prayer for the faith departed.
"Sam, Sam!"
"What?!" She was irritable, impatient and worried that her raw materials for a meal were becoming smaller and smaller.
"Do you know how big of a discovery this is...?!?"
"I just know it's really small."
"No no no no!!! It's not small at all! It's big; so big!"
"Are you blind!" She blurted out in his face; still trying to keep her voice down and not interrupt the girl. "In what way is that big anymore?!?"
"Look! This has got to be a unique ritual in which the young receive the blessings of--"
Gulp!
Albert stopped in mid sentence.
Sam's jaw dropped; a trickle of saliva falling... Then drying up.
Misharga had swallowed her mother's body in one bite.
(!!!!!!!!) Sam was shocked, upset, aghast, stunned, astounded, amazed, appalled, astonished, dismayed, offended [Author's note: I ran out of words].
There was someone who ate faster than her?!?!?!
"At least leave some for me!!!"
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*Desolate Mage: A Legend Reborn*
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From 22 to 28 Oct; votes for Desolate Mage will be counted for bonus chapters for "No System?" as well!
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