Chapter 78: The Storm (2/2)
“For once, I agree with the fiend,” Flying Miel said. “Giving governor power to an archfiend of her caliber, this is bound to backfire!”
Vainqueur, who hadn’t paid attention to that part, frowned. “If a new minion wishes to become another meatshield against the fairies, then I welcome them with open arms,” the dragon said, proud of his all-inclusive policy.
“At least limit her powers!” Miel protested. “Like red tape! Nothing better than red tape!”
“Well, if you hadn’t shown me that a democratic council didn’t work in Murmurin, maybe I would have considered it,” Manling Victor replied. “But since iron fists can maintain order here, she will have the freedom to do as she wishes within her borders, within reasons. Same as you for your territory.”
“If it comes to it, Miel, I will kill that fiend myself,” Knight Kia reassured the angel, but not much.
“Do you agree with this?”
“No, absolutely not,” the paladin replied. “But I am only an ambassador and thus my powers are limited. However, Vic gave me permission to carry out the sentence, if she steps out of line. And believe me, when she inevitably does, I will cut her down.”
“As Manling Victor suggested, most of you will be granted an area to manage, with the power of a sous-chief of staff,” Vainqueur declared. “As the most sensible among you, Corpseling Jules will manage Murmurin while we cross the ocean.”
“I have found that an army of the undead do wonders to enforce peace and quiet,” Jules added.
“Now that the matter is dealt with,” Vainqueur said, impatient to leave. “It is time to track down Furibon, who is evil and will be destroyed.”
Under the gaze of his minions, the dragon moved to enter the Piggybank, his eyes set on only one thing.
“El Dorado, here I come!”
For most of the trip, Vainqueur elected to stay on the ship’s back, even as a thunderstorm arose.
The trip had been incredibly boring. For hours, the Piggybank had crossed what seemed like an endless ocean, albeit one full of giant fish, sea serpents, and other creatures. Vainqueur thought they would stop at this large island called Atlantis on their way, but the ship only passed by its coast.
The dragon understood the need for quickness to reach Furibon before he could poison El Dorado, but he wouldn’t have minded a little activity. Beyond the dark thunderclouds and the raging waters below, the dragon had nothing to entertain himself with.
Yet…
Why did he feel such disquiet in the atmosphere? His dragon instinct kept telling him something terrible would happen soon.
Eventually, his loyal friend emerged from the ship, struggling against the wind to join his master. “The weather is not very good, but the duergar captain said that we should reach the Dagger Coast soon,” Manling Victor said. “I heard it is full of pirates, but nothing we cannot handle.”
“If thieves are eager to donate their money to me, I will gladly accept,” the dragon replied.
“Afterward, we will make a stop at the Thaoten Empire in the south,” the Vizier said. “From what I gathered, they could help us find El Dorado since they are familiar with the jungle.”
Vainqueur only vaguely listened, for he couldn’t help but glance around, at the thunderous skies. He could sense a distant, yet increasing, pressure around him.
“Your Majesty?” Manling Victor asked. “Is something the matter?”
“Do you not feel it, minion?”
His chief of staff glanced around, sensing it too. “That tension in the air…”
And that smell… the smell of a fomor, but not just any of them...
Vainqueur froze upon recognizing its owner.
King Wotan.
Dragonbane.
“Minion,” Vainqueur extended his wings, suddenly on edge. “Get back into the ship.”
“What?”
“Get back into the ship!”
A thunderbolt struck the ship’s wing, making it tremble. Manling Victor barely held on by using his scythe to cling to the metal. Vainqueur immediately activated [Fire Crown] and [Spell Purge], bracing himself for a fight to the death.
“[Supreme Thunder: Dragonslayer]!” a thunderous voice echoed through the clouds. “[Maximize Lightning]!”
King Wotan’s [Lightning] attacks will ignore Resistance, and inflict additional [Dragonslayer] damage!
[Lightning] element greatly strengthened!
“We’re under attack!” Manling Victor shouted, casting buffing spells on himself.
“By King Wotan!” Vainqueur added with a fiery roar, glaring at the thunderclouds to look for the challenger, “The worst of the fairies!”
“Huh? A fomor? Then why… why did the name appear on...”
Friend Victor didn’t finish his answer, as the enemy flew into sight, emerging from the thunderclouds seething with bloodlust.
A titan among the fomors, King Wotan was a giant who matched Vainqueur himself in size. Riding a giant, six-legged silver horse racing on the air currents, he looked even more fearsome. His skin was silver, but without the metal’s shininess, and he wore very little in the way of clothing beside a winged helmet and a regal mantle—which couldn’t match the beauty of Vainqueur’s own.
Mostly because the fomor wove it with dragonscales.
Wotan’s visage superficially looked like that of a manling, with a long golden wizard beard. But while his right eye had turned white, the skin still bearing the scar of Grandrake’s claws, the left one radiated with a golden glow. A twenty-foot long crimson spear, shaped from a wyrm's spine, cackled with lightning in his hand, hungry for blood.
Following in his wake were his thralls, the Valkyries. Armored, vicious copies of princesses meant to bait dragons, the creatures flew through the skies thanks to white wings. Each carried a spear and a shield, their face hidden behind a closed helmet.
“Vainqueur Knightsbane.” The storm lord spoke as he reached the Piggybank, his voice booming and imperious. His Valkyries immediately formed a defensive line between their master and the ship. “I have come for your head.”
Vainqueur responded by blasting him with a fireball, a projectile which Wotan swiftly deflected with his spear. The dragon’s eyes bulged in surprise.
No one can deflect dragonfire! Not even that cursed golem could fully resist it!
“You declared war on my kind and broke the peace agreement, which bound my Gungnir to my trophy wall,” the fairy lord spoke without condemnation, only vicious eagerness to fight. “This is retaliation for your transgression… and me settling a debt.”
“Here to lose another eye then?” Vainqueur taunted him. “I will complete Grandrake's set!”
“You are welcome to try. [Charged Attack].”
His spear coursed with almighty lightning. Once, Vainqueur wouldn’t have cared, confident that he could take even this infamous dragonslayer and come out on top. Grandrake once demolished him, and the emperor had grown bigger than the princess hunting pioneer.
And yet… yet something felt dramatically different about this fairy. Vainqueur could sense the raw, absolute power within the spear; an overwhelming strength which he knew, deep in his bones, could harm him.
The dragon, spurned by an ancient survival instinct, immediately flew toward the mighty fomor to cast him down from his horse. He unleashed a stronger breath, but three Valkyries instantly formed a triangular barrier of light to protect their creator. To Vainqueur’s surprise, the shield held against his flames, although barely.
The dragon let out a roar and decided to charge through that protection, trusting his [Spell Purge] to shatter it. Four Valkyries moved to intercept him, cladding their spears in light.
Friend Victor immediately flew after his master, repelling the flyers before they could stab him in the back with his scythe. “[Shining Majesty]!” Vainqueur roared, his scales unleashing a brilliant flash. A perfect picture of his marvelous hoard burnt the Valkyries, blinding them with glory. The dragon’s mere touch caused the shield to collapse into nothingness, incinerating the fomor’s minions.
Yet they had brought their master enough time.
“There it comes!” the storm king shouted over the sound of roaring thunder, as he raised his spear to the skies, “The supreme lightning, which guarantees victory!”
Vainqueur didn’t have time to react, as the skies turned white.
“[Spirit Shield]!” Friend Victor summoned a purple shield above them, just as a massive, mountain-sized thunderbolt fell from the skies upon both fighters and the Piggybank.
“[Ragnarok]!”
A flash of light swallowed Vainqueur upon impact, and then…
Silence.