Arc | Chapter. 74: Reunion (Patreon)

Chapter. 74: Reunion

A sigh left me. This was annoying, but I was certain⁠— almost sure, that the Hero of Flames was going to be quite injured for quite a long time. That was because I still tried to improve upon my SS Tier skill, and just like how I could freeze injuries, I could leave them and prevent them from healing.

The question was… how long would that effect last?

I estimated that it would be permanent, but I wasn’t too sure. In the end, I wish we could’ve killed him but I only stabbed his eye, and he was much more durable than anyone else I had ever fought.

“To think he heals like a phoenix,” I said, shaking my head. “How dumb.”

“He’s quite durable, I must say.” The Dragon of Water said, shaking his head. “Impressive.”

“It’s annoying, more of a cockroach than the Hero of Shadows,” Malz said scoffing.

“Well, he should be out of commission for a while.” Regis breathed out now in his human form.

“Keyword should,” Faral said, shaking her head now in human form as well. “I don’t know what should happen now, hope he dies from injuries?”

“Maybe,” I agreed half-assedly.

I didn’t really know if he would die or not, any normal opponent would have long died from what he was put through. But in this case, I wasn’t so sure. However, I didn’t care if he came back. I already had to deal with the Hero of Shadows, even if the Hero of Flames came it wouldn’t make much of a difference.

I just had to grow stronger.

That was all.

I did feel like if I took a different approach I could certainly kill the Hero of Flames, so perhaps it was best to seek him soon. That I wasn’t completely sure of. I didn’t even know where he was to begin with. A sigh left me as I watched the dome of ice surrounding the building slowly cracking.

My skill was coming to an end. The entire building had been destroyed, set ablaze and frozen multiple times. Only pieces of it remained standing, the rest was nothing but rubble. Shaking my head I turned around and I headed in the only direction I cared for. Malz followed after me and so did Regis’karr, before Faral joined and lastly the Dragon of Water.

It didn’t take long before we reached Ceylon who was panicking looking around the ground.

“Where is it⁠—” And she lunged a piece of wood away. “Ah!”

She lit up as she hastily pulled several scorched pouches. The sight made me raise my brow.

“What are those?” I asked from behind.

Ceylon tensed for a moment in surprise before turning around beaming with a bright smile.

“They are⁠—” And she opened her eyes pausing. “Who are you… all?”

* * * * *

Ceylon stared frozen and confused. Two familiar faces were there, Arc and Regis’karr. The former looked at her with confusion while the latter gave him an apologetic look. Then there were three others…

A man of weird clothing and creepy vibes, his main theme being blue. Even making eye-contact with him gave her a bad feeling. Not only that but the bandaged body reminded her of Alderman which was an extra negative impression.

Then there was the woman at the back, a woman with robes and green hair. She gave an air of dignity and almost an uncaring feeling, majestic even? Ceylon wasn’t so sure, but she made slight eye contact with her before turning to the last person, and who she found most peculiar.

A woman of raven black hair, pale skinned with dark lipstick, her features were… attractive in a weird way and she wore somewhat revealing clothing, but somehow she didn’t give that kind of impression. Instead it was an impression that Ceylon found to be compassionate. The woman was looking at her with a small smile and even gave her a small wave.

It was strange and weird to her.

Though, out of all three strangers the black haired lady seemed to be the nicest, however, Ceylon still felt confused⁠— extremely so. Who were these people tagging along with Arc, were they perhaps… heroes?

“What are the pouches?” Arc asked.

Ceylon blinked. “Mythril coins; the entire worth of all the everlasting ice⁠— nevermind that, who are the people behind you?”

The black haired woman piped up. “I am⁠—”

“That can wait, let us leave at once,” Arc said, sighing. “Gather all the pouches and then hold onto me; we are leaving before my skill ends.”

Ceylon nodded and hurriedly stored the numerous pouches in the ground, then as she stood up she realized every single person present was touching Arc, which made her feel a bit… weird. Why were they all so familiar with each other? Meanwhile, Arc was extending her hand, which Ceylon took without hesitation.

“Alright,” Arc nodded. “We are leaving now, [God Step].”

And in a single moment they vanished. Ceylon felt nauseous for a moment as they found themselves in a random alley, away from people. Though in the distance she could hear chaos and the sounds of people fervently shouting and discussing things⁠— just muffled chaotic noise that confused her to no end.

Everyone immediately let go of Arc, except for Ceylon⁠— she was confused, and disoriented about everything. After a few deep breaths, she too separated herself from Arc and faced all of the people present⁠— faced her companion.

“So, who are these people?”

“These people are…” Arc hesitated for a moment before shaking her head. Then she turned. “Malz, come here.”

Ceylon blinked as the black-haired woman approached, she looked older than Arc but maybe by five years at most. Ceylon watched as Arc made Malz stand in front.

“This is Malz,” Arc began as the woman nodded awkwardly. “And she is also known as the Dragon of Shadows.”

Ceylon paused, and Malz, the Dragon of Shadows smiled, proffering her hand.

“Hi, I heard about you being Arc’s companion, hope we can get along.”

Ceylon shook in greeting. “Right, nice to meet you. Malz.”

Malz smiled gently. “You can call me Mally if you prefer, I hope to be around for a long time.”

“Right…”

After that, Malz moved to the side as the other woman was presented to her. Their eyes met, and before Arc said anything, the woman began.

“I’m Faral, the Dragon of Wind, and Arc’s servant for as long as she sees adequate, pleased to make your acquaintance.” With those words, Faral bowed and moved out of the way.

Ceylon blinked, seeing how brisk that meeting was. Arc nodded uncaring for what had just happened, before gesturing to the robed man in the back, who⁠— had a slave collar? Ceylon blinked in confusion, then a moment later Arc spoke the inconceivable.

“And that is the Dragon of Water, he is my slave.”

Ceylon’s mind completely paused. For a moment she heard nothing but white noise before she shook her head in trepidation.

“Slave…?”

“Yeah,” Arc

It was… impossible. Ceylon didn’t believe the words for a single second; she had just been introduced to two legendary creatures, and two Grand Dragon Elders, but now the third had been introduced as a slave?! Wait⁠. Ceylon paused. Faral was a servant too⁠—

“What the…?” Ceylon worked her jaw trying to make sense of what was happening.

Two Grand Dragon Elders, both subservient to Arc⁠— Arc had left in a journey that hadn’t lasted more than three days, and she was back with three Grand Dragon Elders including Regis’karr. That made half of the members of the legendary and highly unknown faction. Then, Malz grinned at her.

“Oh, and Arc is our great dragon queen, the Dragon Queen of Frost. She killed the Dragon of Frost and declared herself as such,” she said overjoyed.

Ceylon paused⁠—

“Arc did what?”

“She also used brute force to make us do all of her whims.” Regis’karr breathed. “Threatening to kill some dragons if they didn’t comply.”

“Oh, yeah!” Malz piped. “That was so badass.”

Meanwhile Ceylon’s brain just buffered.

“She threatened to kill some dragons…?”

“Yeah, I essentially declared war on the dragons doing that,” Arc said nonchalantly.

“Essentially declared war…” Ceylon murmured in disbelief.

“Well,” Malz began. “The outcome is that you are the queen of all of us, isn’t that great?”

“Arc is a queen…” Ceylon slowly nodded. “Ah, I see.”

Of course it made sense. It was Arc. In three days she had subdued a large group of mythical creatures into being subservient to her, not only that but she had enslaved one of them, and another one had become a servant⁠— oh and she had killed the highest standing dragon amongst all of them.

It just made sense.

Why wouldn’t it?

It was Arc after all.

Ceylon chuckled. “Well I can’t say that isn’t out of the ordinary.”

“And the gate to the forgotten places was opened, upon her command,” Faral added.

Hearing that Ceylon just bitterly chuckled again, feeling a small part of her remaining common sense break.

She remembered that.

The Forgotten Places, the thing that Regis’karr seemed to be extremely wary of that could potentially consume the world. Arc had gone and opened the gate to that thing⁠—

It just made sense.

It was Arc after all⁠—

“Anyway what is this about the ice?” Arc asked.

Ceylon blinked, being brought back to reality as she realized that⁠— she was still in this situation and that she wasn’t dreaming it.

“That, I’ll explain,” she sighed. “Then I’ll ask you to explain what the fuck happened that lead to all of those situations.”

“Sure,” Arc nodded.

Another sigh left Ceylon and she began to regale the short tale of how all of the everlasting ice had been sold.

* * * * *

Meanwhile elsewhere, a chittering and grating sound resounded⁠— distorting and breaking as fractured screams echoed through a place that was long forgotten.

“I will k̸i̸l̶l̵ you⁠!” The Hero of Shadows hissed in anger. “I̸ ̸w̵i̷l̶l̴ ̵k̷i̷l̴l̵ ̵y̵o̵u̶ ̶a̵l̵l̴!̴”

He could feel his flesh changing and his body shifting in different ways, but it didn’t matter to him. All he had was one goal in mind.

Revenge against Arc, against Uwell, and against the world.

And until then, he wasn’t going to die until he accomplished his goal.