Chapter 7 - A Twisted Fate

[A man of no beginning is a man with a countless destination.]

Sargaroth let out a breath of fire that takes form in a stream of a heat beam. In the nick of time, Rein is finally able to get a hold of himself and reacts in time. He swiftly jumps vertically, flying upwards for about ten meitel high.

From above he can see the line of the bursting stream reducing anything in its path to ash before the dragon finally stops. Rein doing airsteps, a move which kicks the air after hardening it by compressing it with magic. He took numerous steps backward, creating distance between him and Sargaroth.

" How I have been waiting for this moment! You whom inherited the blood of Lorentheus! "

Rein was astonished. He had guessed that dragons were a highly intelligent creature, but he never expected it to speak in his tongue. Yet what puzzled him was about how the dragon is familiar with the kingdom, enough to speak the name of the founding father of Edessia.

" Ruthless beast like you have no right to even speak his name! "

Suddenly out of nowhere, so quick that even Rein has no time to fully react, the dragon thrust its tail. Even though Rein has already put up his shield, the thrust was too powerful to be faced head-on. Inevitably, the tail pierced through Rein's body all the way to his back.

" You are gravely mistaken, puny human. Not only to spit on his grave, I, Sargaroth, even have EVERY RIGHT to kill all of his descendants! "

Rein is struggling to cling to his life. Almost all of his internal organs were crushed. He couldn't even, breath let alone talking back to the dragon. His mind is fading, the wound is too fatal to survive from.

" Hmm... "

But the dragon hummed instead. As if it’s waiting for something. While Rein who was inflicted by a mortal wound, drenched in blood like a waterfall and could pass away any second now.

" What an intriguing anomaly... "

The dragon pulls away its tail, leaving Rein falling on the ground. Before he spits a green-colored flame to the dying human. Miraculously his wound slowly enclosed as if it was reversed to its previous state. After a while, he beginning to regain his consciousness.

" K-Kuh... "

From afar, Eris has returned to the scene. She is badly injured after being swept away by the previous gale. Her head bleeds and her left leg is broken. Even so, the pain has subsided for a while after she witnessed the horror that befalls her beloved. She forced herself to walk and get closer to Rein, regardless of the presence of the dragon.

" R... Rein! "

Eris called out. Both Rein and Sargaroth turn their eyes on her. Rein who has finally wide-awake is now in a panic, 'It will kill her!' he thought to himself. And his hunch was correct. Sargaroth spits a fireball towards Eris, but this time Rein was ready.

" Eris! No! "

" You may grieve in your death for interrupting me. "

" Come, Faelmir! "

Rein stood up and dash as fast as he could, he threw away half of his magic gems and converted them into high-pressured wind magic that gives him a movement boost by sending him flying forward. While the rest of the gems were used to make a wall using earth-bending magic and imbue his sword with fire element magic.

" Eris! Stand back! "

The fireball makes contact with the earth wall that Rein has created, but it doesn't stop completely. Knowing this would happen, Rein takes his stance and courageously stand his ground.

" Sky art: Unwavering Blade! "

Rein powerfully swung his sword vertically from his head down to the ground, creating a wave of energy with a flame attribute that slashed up the fireball in two. His attempt can be considered a great success, for it only leaves Eris and himself with a little burn that is entirely mitigated by their leather armor.

" What do you think you're doing! Don't you see how vast the difference in strength between the dragon and us?! "

Eris didn't say a word but she hugged him instead. Rein deeply cherishes her affection, but this is not the right time for that. He pushed her away and slaps her in the face before he holds her collar.

" We'll both die if you keep this up! Clear your head and get the hell out of here! Get back to the palace and inform them about what happened! "

" B-But... I... "

" Run! Now! "

" No! I won't! I... I will stay here with you! "

Suddenly Sargaroth flails his tail to the ground, emitting a shockwave that tosses away Rein and Eris into the air. Eris accidentally stared into the dragon's eyes and in that very instant her body stopped mid-air and unable to be moved, as if she was chained to something invisible. Then she feels like being squeezed like a lemon, so powerful until she finally knocked out unconscious.

" You should've heeded his warn, foolish girl. "

Rein put up his sword and maintaining his stance. He had promised the king to carry out this mission without fail. Now is the time for him to show his resolve.

" Sky Art: Sky Piercer! "

Rein unleashes a storm of blade wave towards the dragon. Sargaroth casually moved his tail to ward off Rein's attack, but unexpectedly his tail is injured and bleeds even if it's just a little.

" Well well... it seems to me that we have a lot of things to discuss. "

Sargaroth casually spits fire at his tail causing it to regenerate just like Rein's wound before he grabbed Eris with it. He then lowers his long-serpentine neck to take a closer look at the human who picked his interest so much.

" I assume that you have learned to mind your manners. haven't you? "

Rein had no choice but to go with the flow. Considering Eris which had been taken as a hostage and his own powerlessness to stop the dragon, he thought that maybe his mission to lure and stall the dragon is not meant to be accomplished through brute force.

" ...What do you want? "

Sargaroth grins at the submission of his foe. He moves his tail forward, staring at the girl whom the human before him cared so much about. But Sargaroth saw nothing special and immediately lose interest in her.

" As a token of appreciation for your willingness and a reward for being able to stop my fire, I'll let you hold on to this frail toy of yours. "

Sargaroth released Eris from his grasp and Rein hurriedly ran to catch her as she falls. Rein tend to her wounds and torn his sleeve to tie her on his back in a piggyback. Sargaroth didn't heal her for he doesn't deem her worthy, instead, he patiently waits for Rein so that nothing else can bother them.

Rein finally finished, and he stares sharply at the dragon's evil eyes.

" First thing first... Who are you? And why do you still alive? "

" I am Laharlal Rein, Lord Commander of the Sky Kingdom of Edessia. As for your second question, I'm afraid that I fail to comprehend the essence of your inquiry. "

Sargaroth growls, unsatisfied with Rein’s answer. Yet, it doesn't seem like he was lying. For if he was, then the mighty dragon would immediately know.

" I have seen and killed both mortals and immortals, those who are bound by age and those who are not. I've also seen those whom have been summoned forth from the realm of the dead by a dark-forbidden art as well as those who possess extraordinary regeneration capabilities. But you...

You are something else... something different. It is as if you have cheated your death itself... Tell me more about yourself. "

Rein didn't even know what the dragon meant by his death. But in order to fulfill his mission, he has to craft an answer that is interesting enough to buy some time for the Librarian of Ormouth to seek a way to kill or repel the dragon.

" I, like any other high-ranked officer, came from a distinguished noble fami- "

Before Rein can finish his sentences, Sargaroth roars in anger. The dragon knows that he's trying to deceive it. Sargaroth circling Rein and Eris with his colossal body, trying to make clear of who is in charge and who isn't.

" Try to deceive me for the second time, and I'll make sure that it won't only be the both of you that would be turned to cinder. "

" I-I was born into a poor family... I've been fighting ever since I was breathing. Against famine, against sickness, against those who oppressed us. Until one day I met the king and decided to serve him. That's what made me who I am now. "

Again, Rein's answer didn't satisfy the dragon. Sargaroth didn't find the answer which he was seeking, but on the other hand, he's also aware that Rein isn't trying to deceive him this time.

" I have come to a conclusion that you might know nothing about yourself, or you have your memories altered, though the chance is a little bit low on the latter one. "

" ...What do you mean? What makes you say that? "

Sargaroth stopped and take a deep breath from his nose, exerting his exceptional-other worldly sense of smell.

" Because you had his smell. Lorentheus blood flows within your veins. Albeit a bit... lacking. "

" T-That is impossible! I am but a man of no royal bloodline. "

" Then what of that sword of yours? "

Rein was taken aback, how much actually this dragon knows regarding the kingdom? Without him realizing it, his curiosity grows even more than Sargaroth. He feels as if the dragon held some answers about himself. About his uncommon strength that might rival that of the king. About the truth of his birth. About his relation with the founding father. There's so much question that hasn't been answered. Thus, he decided to harness this once in a lifetime chance to its utmost.

" How do you know about Faelmir? "

" How do I know? Hahaha!

That sword of yours was made of my own teeth! Forged by my own flame! And blessed with my own strength! It might be the only thing that could pierce through my skin in all of Aerdrin! Even though it is but in a size of a toothpick... "

" ...I find it hard to believe. "

Sargaroth is enraged. He slams the ground and brought his face closer to Rein's. He feels terribly offended by the statement. For he might be many things, from a creature of vast knowledge to a ruthless obliterator. But he has never been a liar.

" Are you taking me for a liar?! "

" ...N-No. But it just doesn't make sense... Why would you want to make something that could hurt yourself, knowing the alliance of old are marching against you? "

" Hmm? The old alliance? Marching against me? "

Sargaroth laughs in amusement at how ridiculous what the little human has said. But on the other side, it also maddened him about the fact regarding how stories are passed down on this wretched realm.

" ...How fool of you to rewrite your own history through falsity and deceit. I suppose it is the nature of yours after all.

I, Sargaroth, was an ally to you humans. "

Rein is speechless. His question led to another question, and the next question led to another one as well. There are so many things that he doesn't know. 'What a little world I live in.' he thought to himself. But in truth, that is not the thing that he should be worried about right now. Because Sargaroth has already had enough of him.

" Now that my thirst has been quenched, although barely... I have no use of you anymore, Laharlal Rein. "

Rein knows well that he will not survive this. But what choice does he has other than to stand and fight? And so begin, the inevitable battle between the two.