Book 4: Chapter Ninth Tactic of Slaying a Dragon: “Do As You Please”
Book 4: Chapter Ninth Tactic of Slaying a Dragon: “Do As You Please”
A large amount of dark element rushed continuously into my body, even forming a current like a tornado around me, blocking Ecilan and everyone else off. Woodrow and the others hadn’t come inside the cave in the first place. Now, they even backed up several steps. Only Ecilan was still desperately struggling, wanting to rush inside.
Following the onrush of dark element, the holy element that originally overflowed from my body was slowly pushed out. However, this process wasn’t painful at all. On the contrary, it had a comfortably carefree feel to it; I even wanted a little more of the dark element… The more the better!
“This is too wonderful!”
Finally, after I absorbed almost all the dark element in the valley, I gave a satisfied sigh. I had never felt so good before, and it was almost as if my entire being was filled with power, almost as if… There is nothing in the world that is worthy of my fear!
Just then, Scarlet’s small figure slowly began to surface. She skipped toward me, tilted her head up to stare at me and said, giggling, “Grisia, how do you feel?”
“I feel… that you are very annoying!”
A gigantic hand suddenly shot out from the side, grasping Scarlet tightly, like one would grasp a tiny rat. However, this was nothing to be surprised about because I was the one who had used dark element to create such a massive hand; the hand was under my complete control.
The gigantic hand brought Scarlet before me. I stretched one of my own hands, lightly patted her cheek, and said, smiling, “Therefore, you should disappear, alright?”
Just then, a strange grin surfaced on Scarlet’s face. There was no trace of hate; contrary to that, Scarlet happily said, “It seems that you have finally returned!”
Hearing this, fury burned in my heart. I roared at her, “Stop saying things that I don’t understand! You really are very annoying. Disappear forever from my sight!”
The gigantic hand abruptly dragged her away from me into the sky, and then squeezed tightly… I had originally been expecting to hear her cry and scream, but sharp and mad laughter took the place of the screams that should have occurred. In the midst of what could have been either loud laughter or a scream, the gigantic hand strongly squeezed and her entire being blasted apart.
“Sun! Why did you kill a little girl…?”
Ecilan rushed forward. Halfway through his question, he said with greater surprise, “Sun! Y-Your hair has changed color! It’s turned black!”
“Has it?” I touched my hair, not even bothering to turn around to reply, “I can’t see colors, so even if you say that it has turned black now, I have no idea what color it used to be.”
“It was golden!” Ecilan immediately answered.
Then, he walked up to me and stared at my face in slight worry. However, after a glance he loosened up and merely asked, puzzled, “Your face hasn’t changed, but why do you have your eyes closed?”
I laughingly asked in reply, “Why should I open my eyes?”
Ecilan was rendered speechless, and said with hesitation, “You don’t need to open them, but I want to see whether your eyes have also changed color…”
GRROOOAAAAAARRRR!
I started. Ecilan whipped out his Divine Stick, vigilantly facing the target while crying out in alarm, “What was that noise?”
“A dragon… I can’t believe there’s really a dragon!”
After Iacchi shrieked aloud, the three of them ran to my side in surprise and fear, literally using me as their bodyguard.
I said crossly, “What? Now you’re willing to come over? Weren’t you all staring at me in fear just a little while ago?”
Hearing this, all three showed an expression of embarrassment. Igor stammered out hurriedly, “B-But, your hair suddenly turned black and you look like a completely different person. You look as if you’d take a knife and slash at us at any moment. Of course we’d be terrified!”
Woodrow doubtfully said, “Also, didn’t you have your back toward us the entire time? How could you see our expressions?”
I shrugged my shoulders and said, “I can see everything as long as I spread my sensing ability far enough. I can even see that dragon. Such a beautiful dragon of the dark element, though it’s not as beautiful as my Eternal Tranquility, as it still has some impurities. It appears very furious, but that’s not surprising. It must be living here because the valley overflowed with the dark element! However, now the dark element has been completely absorbed by me. Of course it’s furious!”
After the three of them heard the end of my speech, the confusion on their faces didn’t decrease at all. Instead, they looked more stunned than ever.
Although I saw this, I felt too lazy to care about whether or not they understood as I studied the far away dark dragon with my sensing. I laughed lightly. If there really is a dragon, then I can follow my original plan, although there seems to be no need for it now. The plan does seem pretty interesting though, so using it to pass the time might be a good idea.
I casually called out, “Ecilan.”
When he heard me, Ecilan turned around and stared at me in distrust. After I smiled at him, he gasped out quietly, “Sun…?”
He slowly tilted to the side and finally fell onto the floor, unconscious. I corrected him again. “My name is Grisia.”
“Grisia, you caused the Ice Knight to faint?” Woodrow cried out in alarm.
“How did you do that?” Igor asked, stunned.
Iacchi softly squeaked, “You even know how to use the Spell of Paralysis?”
I laughed and said in excitement, “Not only the Spell of Paralysis! Just now, I remembered quite a few useful magic spells!”
Woodrow suspiciously asked, “But why did you cause him to faint?”
“If I didn’t make him lose consciousness, how are we supposed to continue on with the plan?”
Woodrow gaped and asked, “You still plan on continuing with it?”
“Of course,” I answered matter-of-factly.
My original plan could basically be boiled down to a single sentence… Think of a way to seriously injure all of the holy knights, including Blaze Knight and Ice Knight.
These holy knights hadn’t brought along clerics who could heal injuries. Once they sustain any serious injuries, they would definitely need quite some time to heal. Then while they stop to heal those injuries, naturally we would escape to the ends of the earth and sell off the unicorn.
However, the hardest part of the plan was… How are we to seriously injure “a walking god on earth”?
This problem had caused me quite a headache. Luckily, Iacchi had supplied a good “weapon.”
Iacchi had suggested the Valley of Trizer, which had not been far from us. Apparently, a dragon had taken up long-term residency there. According to Iacchi, if we were to toss Ecilan near the dragon’s jaws, Chikus Blaze would have no choice but to rush over to save him. After all, it was Ecilan himself who had said, “The Twelve Holy Knights will never abandon the Twelve Holy Knights.”
When the moment came, we would wake the dragon up… and then we would be able to watch a dragon-human clash on the sidelines.
Between a dragon and two of the Twelve Holy Knights — which is stronger?
No matter which side was stronger, as part of the Twelve Holy Knights, both should be able to escape from the dragon’s jaws. Yuna and Sybil both reluctantly agreed to this point, and thus also reluctantly agreed to the plan.
However, after seeing the actual dragon, I realized that two of the Twelve Holy Knights probably wasn’t enough to put up a fight against it. The two of them put together aren’t even as big as the dragon’s claws!
If we left Ecilan by the dragon’s side and lured Chikus Blaze over, could the two of them really survive… No matter what, a battle between a dragon and holy knights, ha! That would definitely be interesting.
“You easily subdued Ice Knight.” Woodrow said darkly, “There should be no more need to use a dragon to seriously injure him. Why do you still want to go on with the plan?”
“Because it’s fun!” I answered simply. I beckoned the unicorn, Whitey, who was off to the side and said, “Whitey, come over and carry Ice Knight.”
As Whitey slowly trotted over, Igor suddenly shouted, “Why has Whitey turned black!”
“Turned black?” I was startled, and murmured to myself in slight interest, “So, the dark element is black in color? Then the holy element is white? Or is it gold?”
When Whitey trotted over, I suddenly remembered that it used to eat the “holy” element. But now, I can’t gather it anymore. If that’s so, will it still listen to me?
However, Whitey had also turned “black.” In my eyes, its holy element was no longer present. In fact, it was filled with the dark element… Just like me.
I held out my hand and dispersed a little dark element out of my body. Whitey lowered its head and started to lick the dark element, as though it didn’t notice any change in its food. However, it didn’t seem as bubbly and annoying as it used to be, as it simply and silently ate the dark element. This was really a little hard to get used to.
“Does this mean that we have to change its name to Blackie?” Igor stared blankly at Blackie as it ate.
I rolled my eyes at him and said crossly, “I already named it. I don’t want to remember a second name.
“Let’s go!”
When Whitey finished eating, I loaded Ecilan on top of its back, turned my head and said to the rest of them, “Let’s go look for the dragon.”
“But, but Blaze Knight isn’t here yet, is he?” Iacchi shrieked, “You don’t mean to fling Ice Knight to the dragon’s side now, do you? The dragon’s already awake!”
“Blaze Knight has arrived.”
Awhile back, I had already seen him on the other side of the forest: the knight of fire with his sky-high holy and fire elements. I smiled lightly and said, “He also brought along Sybil and Yuna!”
I appeared in mid-air, but I had no intention of descending as I merely floated. Then, I lowered my head and faced the group of holy knights. Blaze Knight was at the front, and at the end of the group was his vice-captain. Sybil and Yuna, on the other hand, were protected amongst them in the middle.
“Hi Chikus!”
Blaze Knight stopped dead in his tracks and stared at me blankly. This time, I no longer wore a mask.
Half a beat later he said, “Your hair… And why are your eyes closed?”
Not waiting for my answer, he kept on questioning, “Are your wounds alright? Didn’t you take Ice along with you? Where is he?”
The tone of his voice is like he’s talking with an old friend, but I don’t know him! I hate the feeling of not knowing anything! I roared, “Shut up, Chikus Blaze, I don’t know you at all!”
“You really lost your memories?” Blaze gaped and mumbled, “Looks like it is true, you’ve never correctly called my name before.”
Startled, I couldn’t help asking, “Then what do I call you?”
Because Ecilan had also said something similar, I was curious. It’s purely curiosity. Regardless of whether or not he’s lying to me, there’s nothing wrong with listening!
Blaze Knight stared at me then lightly said, “You rarely call me by my name, but I rather you didn’t… You always call me Freakus.”
“I must do that on purpose…”
“Everyone thinks so too…” Blaze Knight said, “You get almost everyone’s names wrong, except for Judgment’s.”
“Grisia, you really are the Sun Knight?” Off to the side, Sybil half-shrieked, “There’s no way!”
“Why not?” I coldly stared at her and in a threatening tone said, “Now do you know who you shot an arrow at?”
Sybil drew back, her entire body almost hidden behind the holy knight before her.
Blaze frowned and asked, puzzled, “Sun, there’s something really wrong with you… Where exactly is Ice?”
I uncaringly said, “Somewhere where if you keep on talking with me, he could possibly be eaten till there are no bones left of him.”
Blaze flinched, finally reacting. He sucked in a deep breath. “You couldn’t have…” His entire expression twisted, and he roared in disbelief, “You couldn’t have thrown him to the dragon? Sun!”
“That’s exactly what I did. So now, Chikus, what are you going to do?”
I asked this leisurely, but as soon as I finished he demanded immediately, “Where is Ice?”
“You really plan on going to save him?” Stumped, I asked suspiciously, “Do you know what type of creature a dragon is?”
Blaze Knight didn’t answer me and asked again, “Where is Ice, Sun?”
I raised my eyebrow and instantly pointed a direction for him, not believing that he would really rush to the forefront of the dragon without hesitation.
“Take care of the two of them.”
Blaze Knight gestured at Sybil and Yuna to me, then waved to his holy knights and immediately moved in the direction I had pointed. What surprised me even more was that the other holy knights followed him without hesitation, as though they were only going to slaughter a normal monster and not a fierce dragon.
Seeing that he and seven holy knights were really going to head over there, I yelled incredulously, “Wait a minute! You really plan on going over to save him? Could you really be following what Ecilan said, ‘The Twelve Holy Knights will never abandon the Twelve Holy Knights’? Just because of this phrase, do you really plan on heading toward your death?”
“He said so?” Blaze Knight didn’t turn around and only faced me with his back. He swiveled his head a little and asked, “Do you know who the first person to say this phrase was?”
I shrugged my shoulders and gave random guesses, “The God of Light? The Pope?”
“It was you.”
I started, but Blaze Knight had already run in large strides toward the direction I had indicated, seemingly unwilling to waste a second more. All I did was stare blankly at his departing back.
“Grisia?” Sybil moved up in slight fear and asked, “Aren’t you going to help them?”
I came back to my senses and told her coldly, “Did you forget who threw Ice to the dragon? It’s impossible that I would go and save him.”
“Y-You really are the Sun Knight?” Yuna asked in disbelief.
Again with this question! I roared angrily, “How would I know? I don’t even know who I am! I don’t know whether I’m a good guy or a bad guy, whether I should protect the two of you or take my revenge on you and kill you two liars immediately… I don’t know anything!”
When I finished roaring, the two women looked frightened. Both of them had backed up quite a bit, not daring to stay near me in the least!
After quite some time, Sybil gathered up her courage and implored in a soft voice, “Grisia, go over and help Blaze and the rest of them!”
I coldly told her, “You don’t have the right to tell me to do anything! Don’t forget, you shot me with an arrow! That I’m not thinking of killing you is already a miracle. You actually dare to make a request of me? Who do you think you are?”
Halfway through my words, I saw Sybil with her head drooped, looking as though she felt guilty. However, just when I was thinking of bringing my tirade to an end, she suddenly and fluidly drew the bow and arrows that were slung across her shoulders, and then shot volley after volley of arrows at me while shouting, “Stupid Grisia! What are you being so vicious for!”
“What are you doing?!” I hurriedly used the dark element to forge a shield, blocking the scores of arrows aimed at me.
Sybil didn’t stop shooting; she looked as though if she didn’t finish using up her entire sheath of arrows on me then she wouldn’t be satisfied. As she shot she scolded, “I was just scared that you would really kill them! That time, you actually treated those holy knights like that, even wanting Blaze Knight to cut himself with his sword… You really are too over the top!”
With Sybil as a precedent, Yuna also started speaking out loudly, “That’s right! Those holy knights were already very, very tired, and you were obviously taking advantage of that! To look for the Sun Knight, to save Ice Knight, they had already lost track of the meaning of resting! However, even so, they were still willing to carry us and keep on moving forward! Although Blaze Knight kept scolding on and on, he never left us at the wayside… They only wanted to hurry and save Ice Knight, and then continue looking for Sun Knight. That was all they wanted!”
Sybil used up all of her arrows, but she still held onto her bow. Two lines of the water element flowed down from her eyes and she said, choking, “In the end, the person they were looking for was actually…you, a despicable bastard who almost killed them!”
I was suddenly struck speechless.
Yuna unhappily said, “That day, after you disappeared, Blaze Knight stood rooted to the spot and stared for a long time, and he kept on mumbling…”
“Mumbling ‘How could it have been you’?” I reflexively thought of this answer.
“No!”
Both women glared and yelled at me simultaneously, “He was mumbling ‘I actually cut Sun’!”
“Go and save Blaze Knight!” Sybil yelled.
“And Ice Knight!” Yuna added.
Both of them spoke even more seriously and strictly, “Go and apologize properly to them!”
… I suddenly felt that both women were even scarier than Blaze Knight.
Just then, the dragon’s roar sounded from a distance. Both of them immediately turned pale by a shade and yelled together, “Grisia!”
“Okay, okay! I’ll go over.”
After all, I had originally planned to go over and watch the bout. Might as well conveniently fool them and let them think that I was going over to help.
Following that, I flew toward where the dragon was. While flying, I spread out my sensing ability to find out what had happened.
Although I had brought Woodrow and the rest of them to the cave where the dragon was, I had left them in a passageway that was too small for a dragon to enter. Thus, the dragon had not even noticed us. I also told Woodrow and the rest to take care of Ecilan and not to do anything before I arrive, didn’t I?
So why…The image I saw was of Ecilan and the rest of them forced into a corner of the cave by the dragon. They were relying on Ecilan’s ice wall to defend against the dragon who was relentlessly trying to burrow into the passageway entrance with its head. It even opened its humongous jaw and was spraying corrosive dark element toward the entrance.
What on earth is going on? I really don’t understand. I only left for a moment; how could it have turned out like this?
And this Chikus guy. Even I could hear the dragon’s frustrated roar, yet he really did lead the holy knights and rush to where the dragon was without a single plan in mind… Dammit! As brash as he is, he shouldn’t be this brash!
Dammit!
I hastened my flying speed and rushed toward them.
When I reached them, I saw the seven holy knights protecting Woodrow and the others as they walked out of the dragon’s cave. However, Ecilan and Chikus weren’t among them.
I suddenly stopped before them and said coldly, “You plan on running away, abandoning the Ice and Blaze Knights?”
“It was Captain who forbade us to reenter and get in the way!”
The vice-captain… No! All seven of the holy knights had their eyes open so wide, it was as though they might crack open. All of them had their hands fisted tightly, as if withstanding something.
“Captain ordered us to immediately evacuate all citizens. The dragon has already been completely enraged; it will definitely kill everything within sight, and definitely chase after us…”
The vice-captain couldn’t continue after saying this. I also understood; by the time the dragon started coming after them, their captain would probably already be in the dragon’s stomach.
I turned to Woodrow and the others and scolded viciously, “What were you doing? Didn’t I say not to do anything before I arrive?”
Woodrow looked as if he had been scared out of his mind. He stammered, “I-It was a little girl! She suddenly appeared and released the chains you used to bind Ice Knight, threw us all into the dragon’s cave, and she even took away Whitey. I-If not for Ice Knight distracting the dragon, we would have all been killed. But his right leg got splashed by some acid that the dragon spat out…”
Was it Scarlet? Didn’t I kill her? I really have been too careless.
“All of you leave!” I told everyone, “Go get Sybil and Yuna on the way, and then hurry up and scram out of this valley!”
After hearing my words, the holy knights revealed surprised expressions, but immediately after, hope seemed to burn on their faces. They nodded to me and immediately took Woodrow and the rest of them away.
I breathed in deeply and sensed the situation within the dragon’s cave. Ecilan and Chikus had good teamwork; they didn’t move together but ran on both sides, splitting the dragon’s attention. If one of them were almost caught, the other would purposely fling out spells to irritate the dragon.
However, this move was only used a few times before it stopped working; whether it was Ecilan being unable to keep up the pace any longer, his magic attacks too weak, or the dragon was unwilling to be caught by the same trick anymore — it kept on chasing after Chikus.
Chikus ran with all his might. Luckily, he was really too small a target for the gigantic dragon, so it was really difficult for it to attack him. Although it was dangerous, he didn’t get squashed by the dragon’s feet either.
He ran and roared out to Ecilan, “Ice! Run!”
Ecilan half-dragged his right leg: his leg had already rotted very severely, but it was still getting worse, as the remaining acid still had some effect. Although he tried his best to avoid showing a pained expression, the rapidly dripping water element on his face betrayed him. Even so, he tried with all his might to use Ice Bolt to attack the dragon, wanting to draw the dragon’s attention again.
He yelled back, “Blaze! You’re closer to the entrance, get out first!”
These two… What show are they acting out?
I couldn’t listen anymore and flew into the dragon’s cave, purposefully flying lower. I held out my hand to Chikus and yelled to him, “Grab my hand!”
“You’re not Sun! I don’t need the help of some fake like you!”
After seeing me, Chikus flinched and then completely ignored the dragon at his back. He even had the time to roar at me, “Sun would never throw Ice to a dragon!”
He, he even forcefully swatted my hand away… This bastard! I almost exploded in anger.
“Blaze!”
Not far off, Ecilan wanted to walk over. But by this time, his right leg had nearly rotted down to the bone; he could only drag his foot as he moved forward, and it was impossible for him to increase his speed.
I again held out my hand to Chikus and said monotonously, “I’m saying this for the last time. Grab my hand.”
The answer Chikus gave me was to swat my hand away again. My face dropped and I immediately flew away. Just then, the dragon used its tail and swept Chikus out. He crashed into the wall heavily with a loud thud.
When he slid down to the floor, his entire body was facing downwards. He didn’t even twitch.
However, he coincidentally landed somewhere close to Ecilan.
“Blaze!”
Ecilan rushed forward, held Chikus, and frantically tested for his breathing. When it seemed that he was alive, Ecilan let out a relieved sigh and hurriedly carried him over to a small hole besides the cave wall.
Just then, I was still floating in mid-air. The dragon opened its mouth and roared at me, but it didn’t attack me; it looked as though it was somewhat distraught.
It was most likely confused because the dark element surrounding me was even thicker than that of undead creatures. It looked as though it didn’t know whether it should attack me or not.
Finally, the dragon gave up on attacking me, turned its head around, and rushed toward where Ecilan and Chikus were.
Hmph! If Ecilan begs me to help him, then I’ll think about it; as for Chikus… I won’t even consider it!
“Sun, help…”
Once Ecilan noticed that the dragon was rushing toward them, he immediately cried out loud for help. Satisfied, I was just about to save him until I heard the latter half.
“…save Blaze! His wounds are very serious. Hurry and help him!”
What the hell is with this? Can’t these people just think about themselves? I furiously roared, “If it’s to save you, I’d think about it, but for him… I won’t even consider it!”
Ecilan flinched, but he immediately returned to his senses because the dragon was already crashing into the hole in which he and Chikus were at. He shoved Chikus inside and used his own body to shield him. Then, he continued using Ice Wall to block the rotting gas that the dragon’s mouth was breathing out.
Really, enough is enough! I don’t want to care about them anymore! Might as well go and look for Woodrow and the rest of them!
I turned around to fly away…
“Sun! Please, you have to at least save Blaze!”
Hearing Ecilan’s heart-rending cry, I again stopped flying, and floated about in mid-air… I was the one who decided to abandon them, yet why am I feeling less and less happy?
Tch! I really understand myself less and less!
“Chains of Darkness!”
I turned around and released a large amount of chains in a breath, almost filling the entire dragon’s cave, binding the dragon securely, finally stopping its movements. It looked very unhappy indeed, aggressively fighting against the chains and roaring.
I floated to the hole where Ecilan was at. He was striving to haul Chikus and drag his rotted leg along. I looked down at him and said disdainfully, “You are really very weak! Can you really be called one of the Twelve Holy Knights?”
Ecilan didn’t pay any attention to my insults. He held Chikus in his arms and said fervently, “Sun, hurry and save Blaze. If you use Ultimate Heal…”
“Kneel down and beg me!”
Hearing this, Ecilan flinched and revealed a disbelieving expression.
“Why are you so surprised?” I laughed and said, “I have no reason to help you without any conditions, do I? I only want you to kneel down and beg me. Just by doing so, you can save two lives. Isn’t that worth it?”
“Of course you have a reason.” Ecilan shouted, “The Twelve Holy Knights will never abandon the Twelve Holy Knights. That’s the reason! Sun, haven’t you remembered?”
“I don’t remember.”
I carelessly said, “However, it’s fine if I can’t remember since I don’t care anymore. Let the past be the past! From now on, I want to travel all around the world and do whatever it is that I want to do!”
“Besides the Holy Temple, you aren’t going anywhere!”
I flinched and unconsciously turned around. Upon seeing the speaker’s figure, I blurted out loud.
“Lesus Judgment.”