Chương 14: The Knight and The Lady
So…
Hello! XD
I expanded the history and lore of our characters. I knew that I had to intertwine every single lore in order to avoid leaving some holes in the fabric of the story. I also decided to add another hero, but only one.
Judging from the title, you will think, "Yes! Lancelot and Odette! Woohoo!"
Or, "Arcturus, Lancelot is so gay. He doesn't deserve Odette. Put her with someone else."
Or maybe, "I DO NOT WANT THESE TWO ANNOYING HEROES. EVER!"
Probably, "Meh, just go on. This story is fun, anyway. I will just watch the review section fan the flames of war." *grabs popcorn
C'mon, folks. I really need to put this pair. And besides, they have a key role in the story. Remember these lines?
Two Blond Lovers in the place called Swan
Are destined to die, before the Rising Sun
Great. Now some of you are probably saying, "They're going to die? NO! DON'T YOU DARE, ARCTURUS, OR I WILL SKIN YOU WITH A NAIL CUTTER!"
Or, "They're going to die? YES! DO IT, ARCTURUS! SKIN THEM WITH NAIL CUTTERS!"
Or, "They're going to die? Oooh! Interesting! But how?" *grabs popcorn
I already know how they're going to die. It's up to you to find out before they do. I am giving you guys a couple of chapter to think of your answer. Take note, the clue is the last line. 'Before the Rising Sun.'
"Aha! So, they're going to die before the sun rises? That means early morning! Boom! Deciphered! Checkmate, atheists!"
Prophecies have double meanings. Think wisely.
And besides, I'd like to prolong the agony for a bit… per se.
I also don't want to leave out the other ships, too.
"Nervous?" Rafaela asked Freya. "You seem like it."
It was nighttime, and most of the heroes are on guard duty or asleep.
"I am concerned with the Vikings and my other comrades, that's all."
"Franco is aiding Bane and Yi Sun Shin in their travels. His ships are going along with theirs to fend off the water demons. So far, they're fine," the angel assured. "However, we should remember that the walls of the Land of Dawn have ears."
"Alucard seemed keen to know his mystery man," Freya switched the topic.
"It is necessary for him to expect his arrival, but we should not tell his identity," Rafaela warned. "He should know for himself."
"But, Rafaela. We haven't made contact with him for decades! We don't know how greatly he has changed! If he grows too we-"
"Shh! Alucard arrives."
Sure enough, Alucard and Ruby comes into the citadel in order to get to the library.
"Hey now, it's all right!" Alucard comforts. "I am pretty sure there are some tissues here somewhere…" He was escorting a crying Ruby, who was still in shock due to Alpha's story.
He sees Freya and Rafaela on a nearby pillar. "Hey, guys! Um, what's the path to the library again?"
The former replied, "Second left door from here, then third right passageway, and after that, the first left, and make the second right."
"Uhm… thanks?" He walks forth with Ruby, disappearing in sight.
"Speaking of which, Ruby shall meet a relative of hers in the future. I am sure he sought refuge in Swan, and that his curse has now been slightly altered," the angel continues.
"We just have to make sure that he, Lancelot and Odette are ready for departure," Freya reminds. "When Johnson and the others arrive there, they shall leave right after daybreak."
"I'll make sure of it. Never fear."
Back to Mr. and Mrs. Steal Your Health Points (Really bruh? XD)
Without Alucard's telepathic abilities, the pair wouldn't have made it to the library.
"Phew! Man, has anyone thought of putting signs in this place? Maybe even a map? Jeez." He helps Ruby into a chair. "Hey. You okay?"
The girl shakes her head. "N-no…"
"Yeah, I feel you. It was a drag to hear Alpha's backstory. It made an impact on you, huh?"
"Y-yeah… It just reminds me too much of home."
Alucard became cautious. "Hey. You don't need to bring it up. But if you do, remember that I am here. The whole group is here. We're not going to discriminate."
Ruby opened her arms wide and hugged the Demon hunter. She buried her head on his shoulder. "Can we be like this for a minute?"
"Um… yeah. Sure." He put his arms around her waist and they became locked in an embrace. After a few seconds, their longing grew, and their grip grew tighter.
(Yeah? You thought I was being cheesy, huh? PSYCHE!)
Alucard closed his eyes, but saw something else.
Without control, he got past Ruby's psychotic mind. He inevitably saw through her past memories. He saw himself transported to Ruby's old village.
"Wait, where am I? I'm not doing anything! What's this?"
Ruby put herself out of the hug. "Alucard? Are you alright?" Her action immediately cut off the transmitting thoughts. She began to hyperventilate.
"Ruby, calm down. You're absolutely fine. Take it easy." Alucard noticed his glowing greatsword. The runes on the sword became bluish-white. After a while, the glow ebbed.
"Woah," Ruby said. "Do that again."
"Do what again?"
"Grip my arm with your demonic arm." Alucard did, and the transmission continued. He pulled himself away after a split second.
"You can't control it?" Ruby asked.
Alucard replied, "No. This might be inevitable. Ruby, I suddenly accessed your past memories. You will feel my telepathic intrusion. Is it alright if I continue?"
"Don't worry about me, Alucard. I am beginning to worry about you. If anything, it's best to go forth."
"Alright then." He warns. "Here goes nothing." He held Ruby's arm. And the visions flooded.
Due to Ruby's cooperation, the surge of memories didn't jam straight through Alucard's mind. They slowly played itself one by one.
"Okay, what do you see?" Ruby said.
"Nothing yet… though, I am surprised I can still hear you."
"Let's try to focus. We don't want something to mess up."
After a few seconds, Alucard began to see the whole of Ruby's old village.
"Okay, I am seeing the village now. Nothing too bad is popping up. Still can't see you, though."
Alucard walks around, eyeing the folk. He tries to find a younger version of Ruby, but fails.
Ruby suggested, "Have you tried finding the bakery?"
"The place where we first met! Thanks for the heads-up."
"Anytime."
It didn't take long for the Demon Hunter to do so. He found the bakery and tried to enter the door, but passed through it instead.
"Since it's just a memory, you have much more freedom, I guess."
"Makes sense. Woah, I am seeing myself here."
Alucard sees his younger self waiting in a short line. He reaches up to the cashier and speaks inaudibly, giving a couple of silver coins. The other people were looking at Alucard (the younger version), most specifically his arm. He may not hear his younger self's words, but he sure did hear the commotion.
"You see that kid there? He's a Demon Hunter. Funny how he is recruited whilst sporting that ugly arm. Probably a fricking joke," said a bystander.
A widow told her son, "Keep your thoughts to yourself now, but stay away. That Demon Hunter has something nasty up his sleeve."
Alucard remembered when he was being discriminated by the other folk due to his arm. He didn't get fazed, though. He kept thinking to himself, "Physique is never the basis of a person's intentions."
He simply walks out of the bakery with a medium basket of bread.
"Ruby, are you seeing this?"
"Yeah," she nods. "We're almost going to converge. Let's watch."
Alucard begins to walk out of the alley when he gets confronted by three adolescents.
"Ey, what you got there, kid?" the one in the middle asked. The young Demon Hunter knew he was into some trouble.
"Nothing. Just food," he replies. "And besides, I need to get going. Excuse me."
The boy in the left cornered him. "Oh, you're not going anywhere to do some wicked rituals, pisspot. Best we end you here and now, right?"
"I don't want any trouble. I am going to get framed for all this chaos when I put the three of you down, anyway," young Alucard says as he turns around to walk away. Suddenly, the boys yanked the collar of his coat and pinned him to the wall. He barely struggled, and kept his cool.
"Listen here, pisspot. I don't care whether you're a Demon Hunter or not. I care about your fricking arm and how you got it. Must be a hellspawn, are you? Huh? Tell it to me, freak!"
"If I were what you assumed, we wouldn't be here, right?" Alucard spat. "And besides, you shouldn't pick on the wrong person to begin with." He quickly raised his right leg and kicked lefty in the… um… yeah. Yeah. Lefty lost his grip on Alucard's neck and doubled over.
Alucard set down the basket on a nearby crate. "Who's next?" The person on the right reached for the basket, but Alucard elbows him on the gut with his demonic arm, swiftly punching the other with the same arm. The one on the middle quickly encircled his arms on Alucard's limbs and torso, trying to prevent any movement. Righty charges, and Alucard steps on the body of Righty to backflip off of the middle boy's grip. He began to land a series of punches and kicks to both assailants and dodged both of their attacks.
The trio was left bruised and decided to run away.
"Yeah, good for the three of you!" Alucard shouted. "Go back to your mothers, you imbeciles."
"Hey, you alright?" The young Alucard turns around to see a girl wearing a white dress and a red hood.
"Yeah, yeah, I'm fine."
"That's you and me," the present Ruby voiced out.
The young Ruby eyes out Alucard's demonic arm. "Um, where did you get that?"
"Long story. It's causing a bit of hysteria in your village, so I think I should go," the young Alucard hurriedly replied.
"Wait! Don't go."
"Why not?"
"You're not really busy today, are you?
He thought. "Well, this is my free day of the week, and I just thought of buying some bread for my friends and all."
"See? You don't need to hurry. And besides, your friends can wait. You're from the Demon Hunter clan, aren't you?"
"Yeah. We rarely make negotiations outside our boundaries. Us kids are trying to fix those old practices in order to get along with outsiders, but with me in the mix, it's going to decrease the good rep."
"Pfft," Ruby snorted. "People are scared of anything that they think is evil in nature. Now, it may be true that you have an arm like that, but I don't think you're a bad guy."
The young boy stepped back in amazement. "Wow. First time I ever heard that from anyone, much less someone my age. Last time I've been outside, people tried to stone me to death."
"Tough life. Hey, before I forget. What's your name?"
Alucard put his hand on the back of his neck.
"You seem doubtful to say it to me," the present Ruby abrupted. "I couldn't blame you, though."
"Things were so different back then," said the present Alucard.
"I am Alucard. You?"
"Ruby. Just got home a few weeks ago for my grandma."
Alucard's eyes widened. "So… you're the girl who-"
"Yeah. The wolf thingy. Don't mention it. It's gross."
"Sure." In the corner of Alucard's eye, another adolescent comes into view, wearing a similar uniform.
"Oi!" he called. "Don't flirt around, bro! Victor is calling us!"
"Ugh, that's Yinsen, my best friend. I have to go, Ruby."
"It's alright, Alucard. See you next time?"
"If this is the last time we see each other, then we seal this with a high five?"
"Gladly." The pair clapped each other's hands and waved as they left. The scene dissipated into nothingness.
"That's it? Is there anything else, Alucard?"
"Erm… no…"
In the darkness of their thoughts, a small growing light comes into view.
"Here goes another one," Ruby warns. "Alucard, whatever you may see there, just watch. Don't say anything."
"What? Why?" As the scene shifted, he realized.
The peaceful village that he witnessed earlier became an infernal blaze. People were running around. The Demon Hunter saw a dispatched pack of wolves, shredding the folk with their claws and teeth in cold blood. Multiple houses were on fire, and the smoke blotted out the sun.
Alucard went around, trying to find Ruby, or at least, the bakery. He saw the bakery burnt to a crisp as the baker hopelessly defended himself against a wolf with a broken shotgun.
"Darn! This gun is no use!" he complained as he threw it to the wolf's skull. The animal easily caught it by the teeth and crushed it. It proceeded to pounce on the baker and rip his face. His screams echo around the perimeter.
(Um… kids? This is just the start of the violence and gore. Ruby's backstory is no joke. Believe me. Skip the parts if you want to. However, I shall place no indicator or any other warning. ABSOLUTE VIOLENCE ALERT. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED.)
"Where is Ruby in all this mishap? Think, Alucard, think!"
"Grandma? Where are you?! Help me! Please!" a voice called out from the distance.
"Heard her. Now, time to find her."
Alucard ran through the fire unharmed, trying to find Ruby. He sees an elderly man with an axe and a farmer's scythe run to Alucard's left.
"That's the old man who saved them!"
He eyes the man's actions, and is confused to see him enter a burning house with a straw roof. He exited right on time tugging Ruby before the burning roof collapsed from above.
"Are you alright?" he asked.
"Mister, where is Grandma? Is she alright?" Ruby questioned, her eyes filled with tears.
"I found her. I made her wait by the main gate to keep her safe. Here, hold this farmer's scythe. I didn't find a better weapon, but I hope that shall give you time." Ruby nods and follows the old man.
They sprint through the fiery path and dodge the incoming wolves. Ruby tries to look away as she sees a pregnant woman hopelessly runs as she is chased by a wolf. Another wolf corners her and leaps on her chest, the claws sinking to her ribcage.
"Don't look, Ruby! Don't look!" the old man orders.
It was easy not to look, but the screams of help and despair will scar the girl throughout her life. It only gets worse as a grim scene envelops as they reach the main gate.
Alucard sees Ruby's grandmother, wearing a shoal. She was old, and her face was full of wrinkles. However, she is backed up against a wall, because three wolves are present in front of her, threatening to bite her if she came any closer.
"Wait there, ma'am!" the man yelled. "I am coming!" The old man charges through, slicing off a wolf's neck. He cautiously dodges the swipes of the other assailants. He cuts off a hand and slashes with his axe to chop off a head. Ruby stays back, protecting her grandmother.
The old man was breathing heavily. "Are you all right?"
"Yes, thank you for the help!" the widow replies. "Let's get out of here!"
"I don't think that will be happening any time."
Alucard was seized with nervousness. "No way."
Blocking the entrance was the wolf king Haas with four of his henchmen on both of his sides. The alpha wolf was technically larger than all of the other members, but Haas was a living nightmare. His fur was thick and crazed, and his canines and claws were much longer and sharper. His mouth was coated with fresh blood.
"I want you to die first, old man," he snarled. "You killed one of our brethren, a good hunter. But I know I'll gain more satisfaction when I kill her first."
All four of his companions charged straight, but they weren't going for the old man.
They were going for the grandmother.
"No!"
Ruby was blocking the way. The wolves snapped their jaws at her, but she didn't budge.
"Off!" She yelled. "Off! Get back! Get away!" She blocks off a claw swipe with her medium-sized scythe.
Haas laughs. "Ah, the little red riding hood. How'd you like it if we rip your grandma to shreds?"
"Back off!" Ruby threatens. "If you want her, then you'd have to go through me."
"Then so be it." Haas charges and swipes Ruby down, hitting her right eye. Ruby yelps in pain and gets knocked down, her socket bleeding terribly.
"You won't get away with this!" The old man foolishly runs straight to cut Haas, but the wolf king simply stabs his gut with his claws.
"Tsk tsk tsk. My prey never really learn, do they?"
The wolves began to devour the man and the grandmother. Ruby was in the distance, trying to close her ears. She sat on the ground.
"No… No… Grandma! No!" she begs. "Don't leave me! Please! No…"
The wolves licked their lips as they finish their meal. They eyed down the girl, not knowing what was happening in her mind.
"These wolves… they… they killed my friends… my family… they destroyed my home…" she whispers, crying. Ruby began to shiver tremendously. "The screams… the screams! Make it stop! Make it stop! Make it stop!"
Alucard, hopelessly watching, nearly had the urge to protect her.
"Ruby… I'm… I'm sorry… so sorry…"
"Shall we get the girl, gents?" Haas asks. "Let's chew her nice and slow."
"The blood… the fire… snarls… I… I c-can't… shut up… shut up! Shut up! Make it stop!" She pounds her temples.
The wolves began to step back.
"Why hesitate? Kill her like you mean it!" Haas orders. One of the wolves whimpers and cowers. He began to sense something bad.
"I am… I am… these animals… these monsters… they…"
The scythe next to her grew a dark aura. Haas began to realize what was happening.
"All the pain… the violence… and screams… they… shall… they shall pay! They shall! They shall! I'll make it stop! I'll… MAKE THEM PAY!!!"
Ruby swiftly grabbed the scythe and yells, swinging the scythe to an unaware wolf, slicing its throat clean. The wolf lay dead on the ground. The scythe transformed, gaining its infamous details.
"You'll die… for my family… and I'll make you dance," Ruby says, but that wasn't her voice. Something… someone else was talking. "I'll make you pay… and I'll kill you all."
Haas began to fear. "Kill the girl! Use anything if you must! I want that girl dead at my feet at this very hour!"
Ruby just stayed in her spot, wielding her scythe. Two wolves charged at the same time, but Ruby's aura intensifies. This disorients the assailants. They charged one at a time. Ruby poked through the first wolf's skull and sliced the other's legs. The crippled wolf whimpers as Ruby shreds through its belly like a grater, spilling the intestines and blood.
The fourth wolf stays behind Haas, its fur standing on end. Haas snarls at the girl and sprints, seeking to land its jaws on Ruby's torso. She easily dodges the attack and cuts Haas claw, leaving a deep gash. She kept mumbling, like she was attacking while in a trance.
"My grandma… You're going… to pay for her screams!" Ruby charges without thought and stabs Haas on the back with her scythe. Haas howls in pain, trying to find a way to knock Ruby off his back. The fourth wolf pounces on her, but she keeps the wolf aloft with the covered end of her scythe. She pushes the animal off and proceeds in stabbing Haas's shoulders and spine. The sounds of breaking and cracking bones can be heard.
Ruby hops off of Haas and spins quickly with her scythe, pulling the wolf king within her reach and leaving huge gashes on his side. It also cut the jaws of the fourth wolf, killing it.
"Don't you run, Wolf King. Don't you run from me!" Ruby taunted. "Come here, little mousey! The big cat is here to rip his prey! Don't you run from me, mousey! You still have blood to offer!"
"Who are you?! Leave me alone!" Haas pleaded. "Let me go, and I'll let you live! Please! Leave me alone!"
Ruby didn't respond. Haas could barely walk. She continued with her assault, shredding Haas' massive body without mercy. The little red riding hood has gone feral, and to top it off, she began to sing a creepy song.
"Ruby has a little scythe so she could chop up wolves. The wolf king Haas has blood to pay and has sins to absolve…" she kept chanting this as Haas slowly died out of his injuries. The flames began to die out from the village.
"Oh, Wolfy! It's me, Ruby!" she said.
"What have they done?" Alucard thought, his hands covering his mouth. He wanted to let go of the present Ruby's arm, but his thoughts grew wild, and he began to think that he when he pulls away, he might see the same girl that has single-handedly killed the wolf king.
The girl he couldn't recognize. The girl who was insane.
"The blood… this blood… ah, it cannot be spilled! No, no, no, no, no, it can't! Must be swept clean… My devilish reminder… of the joy and suffering…" Ruby cuts open Haas' belly, displaying the organs. She fishes out the wolf's heart from the bloody mass and puts it near her face.
"The screams… they demand vengeance. The wolves shall pay… and they will scream… for me…" Her mouth opens.
Alucard couldn't take it anymore. He let go of Ruby's grip. He began to hyperventilate. He forcibly shut his eyes. He didn't want to look at Ruby. He was afraid.
Ruby inched closer, making a blank face. "Hey, hey. It's okay! Don't worry, I am fine."
Alucard quickly hid under the table. "Don't! Okay?! Don't! I don't… I can't!" He began to cry.
"Hey, it's okay! I'm fine! Trust me. I'm fine! You don't have to worry about me," Ruby encouraged.
"I… I sh-shouldn't have left early… I could… We could've saved you! But no! We left you like this! It's all our fault. It's all my fault! I should've listened," Alucard moaned.
Ruby felt awful. "No, don't say that! It's not your fault. You didn't know. You're beginning to sound like Hayabusa."
"Ouch, Ruby," Alucard replies. "That hurt."
She smiles. "Don't take all the blame. All of it was uncalled for. Not even Victor would've known. And besides, Estes' runes got me covered. And if that doesn't work, you're all here. You said it yourself, we're family."
"We're men of sad stories," Alucard stated. "We live with the past."
"And yet, we can change the future." The two hug it out. And it felt nice. Probably unnecessary… but deserving.
Until…
The library door suddenly burst open. Alucard and Ruby tucked their heads under the table. They cannot be seen, of course. They'd also hear the sounds.
"-rry about that now. He'll handle himself just fine," a voice said.
"Karina," Alucard whispers. "Who's she talking to?"
"I guess you're right," another voice replies. "I just don't want to be another burden in his life. I want to help, but he keeps closing himself."
"That's Kagura," Ruby adds.
"Hey, I may be the hater of the group, but I feel you. It's not that easy, even for me. At often times, you have to live with the pain, which is a downer."
"I think you have an appropriate reason why you dislike Miya," Kagura switched the topic.
Karina raised her eyebrow. "What makes you think that?"
"My umbrella senses thoughts and memories, though it requires the cooperation of the target in order to fully comprehend it. I just know it's there, and I'd always be correct."
Karina exhales. "Y'know who she was, right? The best archer in the Land of Dawn? The one who asked help from Selene, the Moonlight Goddess?"
"I know much about her. You could just cut to the chase."
"It's just that… she keeps owning the spotlight. When she saved the rest of the elves from the evil orcs, she received technically all of the attention. Us Night Elves weren't given credit at all. We're left in shambles. Miya herself didn't recognize."
Kagura lowered her face. "You have a proper reason to dislike her, but… you really don't do you?"
"I don't. She was my inspiration! I just hope that she could at least see what's really happening around her. I am also a bit jealous of her skill. I can't help it. She seems too perfect," the assassin exhales.
"I understand," Kagura says, putting her hand in Karina's shoulder. "I believed the two of you would be a cutthroat pair. You just have to fix the little feud in between. After that, it's all good."
"Yeah… I guess you're right. It's probably for the best." Karina then widens her eyes. "Is someone here?"
"Who? I don't feel… Yeah," Kagura replies. "Someone is here."
"We're going to die, we're going to die," Ruby said. "We're so going to die-"
"Shh!" Alucard interrupts.
"Hmm… eh. It's probably my imagination," Kagura said. "C'mon, let's get out of this place. Creeps me out."
The pair walks out of the door. Alucard and Ruby deeply exhaled.
"Jeez, that was too close," Alucard heaved. "I'm gonna need a break for now."
"That was intense," Ruby laughs. "Oh man, just imagine if Karina saw us. She'd probably chase us down even if it'd take her years."
"Nah, she's going to skin us like sheep!"
The two were in a laughing fit, until their drowsiness began.
"What time is it? We'd better get going," the Demon Hunter urges. "Somebody would probably try and find us."
He looks at Ruby, and notices she has been staring at him. "Uh, you all right?"
She brushes a lock of his white hair back in place, then puts a finger on her lips. "Shh. It's okay. I'm not insane. I'm fine. I'm just… I can't explain it."
Alucard tries to read her mind, but she sealed the link off. "Ruby, what are you saying?"
She cups her hand to his face and leans close. "Thank you for everything, Alucard. Thank you for defending us whenever I lose control, or when we all need it the most. Thank you for being there for me, no matter what. I thought I'd owe you one." She smiles, and it dawns on the Demon Hunter.
Alucard's eyes enlarged. His face suddenly flushed. He couldn't think straight. His breathing sped, and he tried hard to keep cool. But all he could think is…
"You… you…"
"Ruby…" he stammers. He couldn't speak. "I… I… uh, um… I lo-"
And their lips locked.
Meanwhile…
HA! YOU THOUGHT YOU'RE GETTING MUCH MORE SAUCE? WELL, GUESS WHAT? SUFFER.
Don't worry, mates! This ship (as well as others) will get more S A U C E in the next few chapters. (Yeah, I'm one for dank memes. Just, not the offensive ones, though.)
Don't fantasize now. I don't want you to get nosebleed.
"How long have we been tracking Grock down?"
Miya, Zhao, Natalia and Tigreal rode Johnson, who was in car mode. They've been tracking Grock for five hours. They traveled quickly, covering a few hundred kilometers. Now, they're in a barren landscape.
"Nearly five hours," Natalia replies to Miya. "We have to keep tracking him until something else happens. The Ocular Sun cannot uncover Swan's secret location. We ourselves have to get there."
A few minutes have passed when the first… unnatural phenomenon occurs.
Miya looks through the car windows. "Something is off here."
"What makes you say that?" Zhao replies.
"I think I saw a glimmer." She looks cautiously at Grock, who walks without hesitation. In a matter of seconds, he passes through what seems to be a near-transparent barrier that seemed to swallow the stone titan. Grock vanishes out of sight.
"Welp, that's reassuring," Tigreal said. "Johnson, can you scan the perimeter?"
"No. Some magical force is being a hindrance. All I know is that we can get through the same barrier without issue."
"So, what next?" Zhao asks.
"We must… get through?" Johnson replied in doubt. "Look, we cannot call in Estes to help us. We could just rely on blind luck."
"Just get through it," Miya orders.
The car moves slightly faster. The glimmering barrier became much more visible when they got closer.
"Contact in 3… 2… 1…" Johnson counts. Natalia closes her eyes as they pass the barrier. They felt like they were consumed by a huge bubble. After a split second, Johnson stops.
"We're here."
The group looked around.
Due to the slight unintended alteration of data in the files, I can't seem to properly describe Swan. Though, I'll try my very best.
It's true that the land was placed right next to Swan Lake. Birds of the same name flocked around its clear waters. The townsfolk were wearing decent (and somewhat fashionable) clothes. Yun noted that these people weren't really poor or rich. They all seemed alike. Their houses were spacious and the food was rich and delicious.
But… that's not the center of attention.
"Grock in Swan! Yay!" the stone giant cheered loudly. The citizens heard this and immediately saw Grock. Fortunately, they weren't afraid. Though, the commotion emerged.
"Is that a stone titan?" a kid asks his father. "Cool! Is he here to return a tower?"
"Never saw one in my entire life," an adult says to his friends, drinking wine. "This is surely one surprise.
"Swan's a legit place," Tigreal compliments. "We just have to find Odette and Lancelot."
"That's easy. They're in the Royal Castle," Miya replies, pointing to the majestic citadel in the heart of the city. "Let's go."
Since the people were too busy paying attention to the excited Grock, it was easy for the heroes to wedge in the group without worry of being noticed. They walked around the clean streets. In no time, they reached the citadel.
Johnson says, "Swan Lake is behind this structure, along with a huge garden. Biometric scanners can't identify anything else."
"Can we access the garden without going through the castle?" Zhao asks.
"Unfortunately, no."
"Guess we'll just knock instead." Tigreal walks up a small flight of stairs and lifts the brass handle of the door. He knocks clearly.
"Hello? Anyone home? We're from the Land of Dawn. We'd like to speak with His Majesty."
The door opens, revealing a maid. "Yes, someone's here. Who is it?"
"We're from the Land of Dawn," Natalia replies. "We'd like to talk to the King."
"Ah, don't worry!" the maid answers optimistically. "I'll inform him immediately. Why don't you come in?"
"Thank you," Johnson thanks. The group walks in to the castle.
The castle was awfully similar to the one back at the Land of Dawn in terms of structure. Though, it didn't glimmer. It didn't have huge tapestries. Wanna know what it contained?
A bunch of swans.
Don't get me wrong, it is the palace of Swan. Heck, the pillars are decorated with abstract images of swans in a delicate, flowing manner. If the Land of Dawn enforced fortitude and bravery, Swan exemplified grace.
And the portrayal was well-sought.
The maid pointed to the sofas. "You may seat there and wait. I'll inform the king of your presence."
"Thank you for your time," Zhao replies. The maid bows and walks to the opposite direction.
"So, we gotta wait?" Miya asks. "This place is cool, though. Like the themes."
"Yeah," the spearman adds. "The people here are really into swans. What's up with that?"
The palace door opened again. Out came a man, most likely a knight, with long, wavy blond hair, wielding a long fencer's sword. He wore technically lesser armor, unlike Tigreal, the most prominent being the shoulderguards. He wore a leather suit and stockings. His shirt is only buttoned halfway. Zhao nearly had the urge to laugh, but then, admired the portrayal of the knight. Though, he felt he seems familiar.
"So," the knight starts. "You're here for the king?"
Tigreal's eyes widened. "Lancelot? Is that you?"
Lancelot laughs. "Still the same Lancelot, old friend."
Tigreal chuckles and embraces the fellow knight. Natalia smiles.
"How's Swan, mate? I hope you're not too caught up with street brawls."
"Nah, Tig!" Lancelot assures. "I'm done with that. I don't want to make a mess in front of m'lady, you know that, right?" He eyes Yun, Miya and Natalia. "Hmm, who are your companions?"
"Ah, we've met in the Land of Dawn," Tigreal replies.
Zhao holds out his hand. "Yun Zhao, Son of the Dragon. Your fencing skills are incredible, Lance. Never seen such skill before."
Lancelot takes Zhao's hand and shakes it. "I've heard tales of the legendary spearmen who travels between worlds to promote royalty and peace. It's an honor to meet the same man in person."
"Miya, the Moonlight Archer," the elf greets. "And this is Natalia, Tigreal's partner in covert missions."
"It's nice to see the famed Lancer," the assassin, compliments. "May we forge perfect alliances in battle."
"I hope so too, my comrades," Lancelot replies. "And who's this dude?"
"I'm Johnson," the cyborg says. "I'm the car."
Lancelot scrunched his eyebrows. "How can you be the car?"
"Long story."
"The King isn't really busy for now. He's actually sick, by the way."
"What?" Zhao reacts. "Is he alright?"
"It's just the sniffles, he'll be fine. Anyway, Odette is still in the garden. I may call her if you wish."
"Let's let her take her time," Miya suggests. "Lancelot, have you heard of the prophecy?"
"Yes, I have," Lancelot says. "Don't think that Odette and I haven't resolved the issue. We're ready to die."
"That's what we feared," Natalia adds. "The two of you will perish. The prophecy is vague. We just wanted to make sure you were safe."
"Trouble and danger always comes around, Nat," the fencer remarks. "And besides, the both of us have done enough good in this life. We'll be fine."
Zhao grins. "Lots of good times, mate? You lucky bastard!"
The group laughs. "You darn right I am!"
The maid returns, clearing her throat. "Dear visitors, the king now presents himself to you." She points to the man behind her, wearing simple white robes and a marble scepter. He looked more like a priest than a king, and he looks middle-aged.
"Welcome to Swan!" he greets, smiling. "Usually, this is a secluded, secret place, but we've expected your arrival, along with the stone titan. We have prepared ourselves for any attack, so the citizens aren't that cheery. Though, the stone titan's appearance will certainly make the front page of our newspaper."
Johnson chuckles. "Thank you for letting us communicate with you, your Majesty. I assume you know why you are here."
"Why, yes, of course. We know of our relevance to the prophecy. I have been gathering my armies for a long time."
Zhao becomes troubled. "Um, sir? You don't seem too troubled. Aren't you nervous?"
The king glances at him and says, "I have to admit, Son of the Dragon, that we were beyond terrified. For countless times, we have tried to defy fate and keep Odette here. We panicked even more when Lancelot arrived, bleeding out. But, we knew what has to be done. None of us are afraid to go now. We just had to wait for the right time."
"My Lord, where is Odette?" Lancelot asks. "I've been planning to see her."
"Ah, she's back at her bedroom, my boy! You can wait in the halls if you wish. She wouldn't mind." Lancelot bows to the king in a graceful manner, and walks up the grand stairs.
The king rubs his nose and sneezes. The maid hands out a handkerchief, helping the king wipe his nose.
"Thank you. You may go and enjoy your free time," he says.
"Thank you, my Lord. If you need me, feel free to say it." The young maid leaves the castle.
"Things would've been a lot better if I hadn't got the sniffles in such bad timing!" the king exclaims, laughing. "I heard that you were to escort Lancelot and Odette to the Land of Dawn at daybreak tomorrow. I accept that proposal."
"Thank you for everything, my Lord," Tigreal replies.
Someone walks down the stairs. Natalia thinks that it's Lancelot, but it appears to be someone else. She could see that it was a buff man, wearing a golden-brown trench coat as his top, and it was left open, exposing his bare chest, which was topped off with three long claw marks. A modified shotgun was hung on his belt, filled with silver bullets. He had a trimmed beard, and the sides of his hair stood, like the ears of a wolf. He puffed a large cigar. Natalia also noticed the mechanical gloves the man was wearing.
"So, who ought to be the king's visitors, this time of the day?" he asks.
"Ah, you're already awake, Roger. These visitors are from the Land of Dawn. They will assist in escorting Lancelot and Odette tomorrow."
Johnson whispers to Miya, "It's Clint's mentor! You have to tell the others."
Roger catches Johnson's words. "You do know you talk loudly, right?"
"Ah, darn it."
"It's alright. I knew that you have known me at some point. Allow me to introduce myself. I am Roger, from the Wastelands." Roger holds out his hand to Tigreal, which was firmly shook.
"What brings you here?" the knight asks.
"A bit of hope and luck, I guess. I didn't know this place existed," Roger replies. "Let me tell you something. I remembered that there was some sort of old prophecy which marks some sort of event. Was it a war?"
"You're right about that," Natalia replies. "I didn't know the man we were finding until a friend of ours talked about you in a dream."
Roger smokes his cigar. "Hmph. Don't think I don't know who that was."
Miya's eyes widen. "You know Alucard?"
"Yes. I have been in touch with the Demon Hunter a couple of years ago. Saw that kid minding his own business. He's a humble person, the kind of boy that wants to do great things in life. Shame that fate has been cruel to him. He probably thinks he's being a burden."
"Roger is a hunter of his own will," the king adds.
Something else still nags Tigreal. "Wait. The last time you were with Clint, you told him to shoot you when something wrong happens."
Roger stopped smoking. "It's a long story. Only a few could comprehend."
"Heck, Roger. Even we have trouble deciphering the text," Zhao jokes. "I'm sure we can handle this one."
"Can you believe me?"
"Sure!" Johnson enthusiastically says. "I've seen much more confusing stuff… like that stone titan."
"Can you forgive me?"
Before Zhao could reply, a bit of commotion could be heard.
"-and I have some new friends that I'd like to introduce you with. They're cool, believe me." Lancelot descends down the staircase with someone. She wore a small white tiara with a matching dress. She wore long socks and sported a pair of blue eyes and long, blonde hair, like Lancelot's though it is less wavy.
"Um, you're Odette, right?" Tigreal asks. "Y'know, Lan-"
"Yes, I am! I assume you're his best friend, Tigreal?" Odette interrupts.
Miya was slightly shocked. "That's one good voice! Jeez. Seems relaxing."
"Eh," Roger snorted. "Get used to it."
"Now, don't be too killjoy, old man," Lancelot jokes. "Seems like we've got a lot to catch up on."
For the next few hours, the group chatted a lot, telling some old stories. It was an overflow of memories, but Roger barely conversed, often smoking his cigar.
"He doesn't give a damn much about his health, huh?" Natalia starts, looking at the Hunter. "I mean, look at him. It's the 4th cigar that he's smoking ever since we got here."
"Actually," Johnson contradicts, "his lungs are fine. No pollution from all the poisonous chemicals. Even for a middle-aged man, this is a record."
"He's hiding something," Miya replies. "I just don't know what. All I can remember is that Clint was ordered to kill him when things get out of hand."
"Why? Is there a problem?" Zhao asks. "Can you scan, Johnson?"
"No anomaly detected."
"Well, it was by chance that he got here," Odette answered. "He needed to seek refuge, so we gave it to him. He volunteered to help in a few patrols, though it's much more preferable to keep him inside. I, Lancelot and my father know why."
"If you've been wondering, ladies and gents, Roger is a werewolf," Lancelot adds.
Natalia reacts. "A werewolf? So… the legends were true."
"Hey, we witnessed the Fountain of Youth, the Empyrean Turtle, the descent of Rafaela, and you say the legends are true?" Miya says.
Tigreal adds. "If anything, then it just assures that the world is crazier than all of us. Just imagine all the stuff that we've been feeling. Anyway, can you elaborate, Lance?"
"So, here's the thing. Mr. Smokes is actually a good-to-honest man. Awesome hunter. Protecting peaceful magical creatures and weeding out the evil and wacky. Also had a daughter, but she got caught in a wide wolf ambush. Sad news. I just forgot the name… it's um… it's… Reggie? No wait, that's a boy's name. Could be wrong…"
Zhao immediately stood up. "Ruby?!"
"Yeah, yeah… something like…" Then it hits Lancelot. "Wait, you know her?! Like, before she died?"
"Bro, she's still alive! She's back at the Land of Dawn," Tigreal adds. "Roger is going to be happy when he sees her."
"Then we shall tell him now!" Odette suggests.
Johnson rejects. "Best we keep it secret. More like a surprise."
Odette replies, "Good idea."
"Back to the main topic," Lancelot reminds. "Anyway, as I can recall, he's off for a simple mission. Though, when he hears of the attack, he immediately sprints off to the village. Unfortunately, the place was newly burned down. However, a couple of wolf bodies matted the place. The Wolf King, known as Haas, is also hacked to pieces, with his guts trailing around."
Miya, Johnson, Tigreal, Zhao and Natalia looked at each other. Odette takes notice of this.
"Is there something wrong?"
"Um, nah," Natalia lies. "It's just that… there's only one person in that village who could've done that."
"Ruby? You've got to be kidding me," Lancelot scoffs.
Zhao snickers. "You'll see."
"As I was saying, Roger made a vow to find the wolves who killed Ruby. By coincidence, he saw the ferocious White Tooth, a huge lone wolf nicknamed for his white fur and his canines, which relatively seemed like snake fangs. Since White Tooth was busy eating, Roger snuck up on him, then SHICK! A simple stab in the heart. It did kill the animal, but the curse of the moon was put into Roger. Every time the moon is full, he becomes a werewolf, savagely seeking prey anywhere. To protect his friends and family, he exiled himself."
"Also," Odette finalizes. "when he got here, the curse frequently triggered, like every three to four nights, until it occurred daily… Until he was able to control the curse. Because of that, he can transform as a werewolf whenever he needs it. Though, that may spark some bad memories for Ruby."
As the last word came out of the princess's mouth, a warning horn blared.
"What's that? An invasion?" Lancelot asks.
Odette sighs. "Seems like it. I hope it's not that bad."
"With all the stuff occurring, nothing is always good," Miya replies. "Let's go."
The group walks out of the castle, running for the walls. The Royal Guard units are being dispatched, while the citizens wait in their homes, worried.
"Wait, where's Roger?" Zhao asks. "He was just on the balcony, right?"
"Probably hid for now," Odette replies.
In the gate of the castle, a few rows of shielded spearmen were lined up, anticipating the attack. Just right over the elevated ground arose a few demons.
"There was a count of fifty Morphlings. Why would it be scattered?" The squadron leader asks.
"Ah, it's just some Morphlings," Johnson states. "Too easy to kill."
The group spots half a dozen looking down on the row of soldiers. After a while, their knees crumpled, and they fell down dead.
"Um, what?" A random officer reacts. "Can anyone check if there was any… um… casualty?"
"Someone's also there," Johnson adds. "It's… a wolf? Kinda? I don't know, the sensors are choppy due to the concealment field."
Out of the blue appeared a werewolf with a frightening face. It was buff and muscular, and it was racing for the entrance. The soldiers began to panic, so decided to stand their ground. Miya readied her bow…
That is, until she found out the wolf was wearing pants.
"Don't panic," Miya orders. "He's a friendly."
Zhao squints. "Miya, don't tell me… that's…"
"Yeah."
The wolf charges close and suddenly rolls over, transforming into something else. After a while, the ferocious wolf became a human, wearing a golden-brown coat, wielding a blunderbuss.
"So," Roger starts. "now you know who I really am."
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