The Dragon - Kaede

Everyone was making their way south, as I stick close to Nickolas and Alice's group, with each group having roughly 8 people. Alice was carrying a rapier at her side, wearing light, leather armor, with Nickolas opting to wear heavy plate armor while carrying a large shield and spear. It looks like our group and the rest of the groups had the same 50:50 ratio of heavy armor and light armor users. We looked to have 9 groups, so around 70 of us were making our way to this dragon. I felt the most out of place, wearing no armor except for my black dress.

Nickolas: "Do you normally wear no armor Kaede?"

Kaede: "It will only slow me down"

Alice chuckled with my reply to Nickolas.

Nickolas: "What's so funny?"

Alice: "I agree with her. Who would you want to be stuck in that metal suit. What would happen if this was a fire dragon? You'd be dead in that thing"

Nickolas: "If we are up against a dragon like that, you can just drown me in water haha"

So Alice is a water mage, I wonder sort of magic Nickolas uses.

Kaede: "What magic do you use Nickolas?"

Nickolas: "Ah you can just call me Nick if you like, that's what my friends call me. I use fire magic, but I like to stick with using my spear."

Alice: "Yup, so you'll be completely useless against a fire dragon"

They continue to banter at each other. I'm finding myself enjoying these two interact, it's like they are a married couple.

Nickolas: "What about you? What magic do you use?"

Kaede: "I use light magic"

...

For some reason, everyone in our group went silent for a moment, even Alice looked shocked after hearing my declaration. Before the silence went on for too long, I decide to cast a light ball in my hand as we walk. I never needed to use it for light as I could see in the dark, but it was simple enough to prove that I did in fact use light magic.

Alice: "You weren't kidding-"

Everyone else: "For real?!"

Nickolas: "Having a light user on this fight would make this fight a lot less scary. Makes sense now that you've already achieved B rank"

Alice: "This will be my first time seeing a light magic user in action. I'm looking forward to seeing you in action"

I disperse the light ball as we continue to march closer to the last known location of the dragon.

We all stop roughly 10 minutes away from the dragon, taking a short break as the leader of our force spoke up, we had been walking for hours so a rest like this was well welcomed.

Leader: "Right, Everyone! I thank you all once again for accompanying me to fight this dragon. You all will be doing a massive service to the country. Let's all make it back alive!"

Everyone cheers at the leader's short speech, readying ourselves of what's to come. Our group was part of the front 3 groups, as we marched on ahead with caution with the rest of the groups marching behind us. The area we were heading to had torn, burnt trees, as the forest slowly turned into scorched land. "I wonder if there was a battle here?" Coming closer there was no sign of a dragon, which was strange since the land around us still felt warm, and if it had flown up in the sky, then we would of seen. Something wasn't adding up-

?: "Ah, I remember that smell"

A voice entered my mind, looking around, I saw no one was disturbed by this. I try to think think of a response.

?: "What's the daughter of Lord Valdemar doing amongst all these humans?"

Lord Valdemar? Daughter? Whoever is talking to me inside my head knows what I am, that I'm not human, and also knows of my father... I attempt to communicate with my mind.

Kaede: "You know who I am?"

?: "Yes. I used to be good friends with your father, that is until he overstepped his boundaries so I had to kill him. But to think he had a daughter, how delightful."

Kaede: "Who are you?"

?: "I'm the demon lord, Oboris. Your friends here seem to have found one of my brethren, however I am a bit busy at the moment, so have fun with my little parting gift. Until next time princess."

Suddenly the ground started to shake as the land ahead of us started to rise, creating a dense ash cloud blocking all our vision. Was this the parting gift? And if this person is a demon lord, then was my father also one?

Leader: "Everyone on guard!"

In the next moments, the ash cloud blew straight at us, sending a shockwave as most of us got pushed back from the force. In the ash clouds place, I saw a large red dragon, with ash still falling off from its spread wings. Its head now readying something as it bends back, its mouth starting to open. "This is bad". Nickolas along with other heavy defenders took place at the front to block any attack, however seeing him at the front makes me worry, and so, I ready myself. The dragon then breathed fire in a cone shape towards the front line, looking to wipe the entire frontline in one go. In response I casted a protection barrier, stopping the fire before it could come close them, spreading the fire all around, away from us.

The fire was strong, as I could feel the force of it building up in my arms, trying to keep the barrier up till finally, it stopped, giving me a chance to recover, letting out a sigh of relief.

Alice: "Kaede..."

I was panting away, that much energy was too much to sustain, but I'm glad I could defend Nickolas and the others, who without a moment to lose, started their assault on the dragon.

The front line was getting up close to the dragon, taking on hits, rotating out with others when they needed, with the mages supporting them with magic. Alice also joined the fight, sending out water blades with her rapier, slashing cuts into the dragons wings. Smart move, not allowing the dragon to potentially take flight. It was then that the dragon swiped with its wings, pushing back the entire front line before readying itself to make another fire attack.

My body had yet to fully recover, so instead of defending, I ready myself with a counter attack. Light gathers around my hands in the shape of a bow and arrow, just like before with the kobolds as I ready to fire the moment the dragon opens its mouth. My concentration was all on the dragons mouth, waiting for the right moment. Nickolas and the others readied themselves to take on the incoming hit, with other mages casting their own barriers on them. "I hope they can last long enough". Then right on time, the dragon opened its mouth, beginning to breathe fire. Without hesitation I let my arrow fly, piercing through the fire breath going straight into into its throat, causing it to stop its attack.

Leader: "Go!"

The front line looked beat up from that attack, but I'm glad I could see Nickolas was still alive. The dragon was clearly in extreme pain as it was focused on its mouth rather than the attacks from our forces. I notice the dragon's blood seeping from its mouth where I shot my arrow. Seeing an opportunity, I attempt to control it discreetly, and to my surprise, my power also worked on a beast such as a dragon. It was too risky to use those powers here though with so many eyes watching, so I stop my control over the blood. I raise my arm up above my head as multiple light portals appear, before firing out spears of light, raining down upon the dragon. I try to make it narrow to not hurt our own forces, focusing entirely on the dragon as more and more of my light spears stick into its back.

More blood spewed out from the dragons mouth as it roared in pain. Some time passes as the earth magicians had now entangled its legs to the ground. Alice was to my side as we were both slashing out light and water blades at the dragon. Its's movement were becoming slower by the minute.

Alice: "I'll join the rest of them. Keep us safe!"

Kaede: "Yes!"

She went to join the front line as I watch her dodge its attacks from its legs and tail, slashing away with her rapier whilst also using magic. The way she fought was beautiful as I found myself staring for a few moments when suddenly, the tail that she had dodged whipped around sticking one of it's barbs into the back of... Nickolas. I quickly throw a large light blade at its tail, severing a good portion of it's tail, freeing Nickolas from it. However he collapses the moment he was free, blood now spewing out from his back. The smell of human blood rushed into my body. "Oh no. Not now"

The battle eventually ended with the dragon as it finally stopped moving. After Nickolas had been injured, all I could do was try and suppress myself to not attack him.

Alice: "Kaede! Help!"

The sound of Alice broke me from my frozen state, as she was trying her best to keep him alive. Snapping out of it, I rush over to him. Getting close to him, the smell of blood was too strong, as I try to hold my breath.

Soldier1: "Can you heal him?"

Kaede: "I-I'll try..."

Blood continued to pour out from his back, as Alice and another soldier tried to stop the bleeding. Alice looked to be on the verge of tears as she desperately tried to stop the bleeding. The urge to taste was getting worse, but I had to push through this. I attempt to cast my healing magic as the two of them removed their hands, allowing me to properly heal him. Time felt so slow, as the wound slowly started to close up, but with every drop of blood coming out from him, the harder it was to hold myself back as I started to sweat.

Alice: "You're doing great! Keep going"

I guess it looked like I was working hard to try and heal, but little did they know I was sweating trying to hold myself back. However after some time, the wound finally closed up, with Nickolas finally showing signs of life as he starts to move.

Alice: "Thank god~"

She collapsed on top of him with a heavy breath of relief with me trying to calm myself down. Like I thought... It's too dangerous to go with him to Inasdale.

Alice: "Thank you Kaede"

The tears in her eyes finally slid down her cheeks as she looked in my direction. My hunger slowly started to fade.

Nickolas: "Kaede... You were, amazing."

Kaede: "I couldn't let you die. Who would tell the story of you fighting a dragon to your sister?"

We all laugh it off together, when someone from behind me approached me, it was our leader.

Leader: "It was blind luck to have found a light user like yourself here. Would you mind coming back with us to Inasdale?"

Kaede: "I uhh..."

My heart stopped at the thought of going to the capital. What if I lose control of my hunger? But from the sound of his voice, it doesn't look like saying no would work...