| Call of the Dragons | ||
| Date Started: August 3rd, 2024 Date Finished: Ongoing Next Role-Play: Timeline: July 21st, 1588 Setting: Brimstone Crag New World Characters Involved: Rodger Lancelot | ||
| Participants | ||
| User:Yourlocalwreck, User:ThereisGav, User:Duck4war, User:Wiredsmiles, User:Lemon Jacks, | ||
The Beast Bares Its Fangs![]
The table shook as Drachen Kaida slammed her fist down onto it, the newspaper in her hand crumpling as she groaned in frustration. The existence of dragons by itself is fine. She already knew they existed. But it being known as a near fact on a wider scale was quite an issue for her. She had made her possession of the Dragon Horn quite known, and that could only bring trouble with a news paper like this.
She stood up quickly from the table, causing her chair to tip backwards from the suddenness of her movement. She began to walk briskly out of the room, and down into the lower chambers of the headquarters. Preparations had to be made for the coming attacks, and she wouldn’t let her group be caught unawares.
Roar of the Beast[]
Rocking in the ornery waters around Brimstone Crag was a high quality caravel flying no particularly unique flags. Yukine propped his foot up on the edge of the deck, silently loading large shotgun shells into the chambers on his mechanical arm as he looked into the not so distant outline of the island.
The Seven Spades Club had decided to send two of their best to ‘inquire’ about the mysterious Dragon Horn they had seen in the newspaper. The Houses of Heart and Diamond had both decided to make an appearance, not quite trusting their subordinates to get the job done without them.
“Belle!” The cyborg’s modulated voice rang out over the deck, cocking his head back as he scanned around looking for his witchy comrade. Yuki kneeled down to check the little boosters on his legs, calling out to her once again as he laughed through the prospect in his head.
“Are you sure that these new shells are powerful enough to propel me through the air? I want to descend on whoever shows up like a missile. It’ll be hilarious.”
Yukine was a prime test dummy for the House of Diamond’s wild experiments, considering most of them tended to be rather explosive. The cyborg was a tad wary of such an invention, but the mere possibility of blasting around appealed to him far too much to protest. With a bored hum, Yuki turned to glance back at the island, wondering if he could fly all the way over from the ship.
As Yukine scanned around for his partner, a suspended face appeared on his face. The upside-down visage of a witchy woman with wild black hair and hazel eyes was twisted into a gleeful expression. The flecks of red and gold in her light eyes shone with an unhinged excitement. "You called my compatriot in arms?~" Belle was riding a launcher broom as it gently blasted through the sky, keeping up with the ship. Belle rolled upright on her flying broom launcher before gently landing. As she hoisted her launcher onto her soldier, Belle sauntered to Yukine with her hips swaying. His scientist companion was eccentric and dressed like a witch, with a tactical coat and provocative and jagged body suit that accented her curves.
"Yuki, dear, are you doubting my craftsmanship? Oh! How you wound me!" Belle pouted with added dramatics as she leaned into the cyborg's chest with a sulk. Her lips were tight, and her cheeks puffed. Belle could be unserious like their Kingpin. She was as bombastic as her tech, presenting a chaotic presence. "Water under the bridge, chum! You know I can't stay mad at you." She said as she switched tones with a jesting remark. "Don't worry, Yukine. I promise the compound was tested thoroughly before I even dispatched it." Belle sat her rump on the railing of their caravel, crossing her legs with a playful wink. "Although everything needs field-testing before it can be refined. This was a fantastic moment to that. Wah haha!" She haughtily laughed at her ally.
"I feel good about this; we'll snatch that horn before dinner. What can some ritzy lady bring against a duo of badass bounty hunters, right?" She said with her expression twisting into a devious smile.
"No, I would never doubt my favorite drama queen. Just sounds way too good to be true, I'm looking forward to getting some data for you." Yukine cocked an eyebrow down at her and smiled, barely playing into her theatrics. The man slipped his hands into his jacket pockets as he watched her saunter about the deck. It was hard to be annoyed when he was finally getting out of the office for the first time in a while. The twin revolvers dangled loosely from his waist as he walked to lean on the railing next to Belle, staring out at the foreboding shore.
"Pluto clearly didn't have diplomacy in mind sending the two of us. But I've heard a lot of people were interested in this horn through the grapevine. So just...be careful. I know it's rich coming from me, but I want to keep this simple. I know we could probably kick anyone's ass but in theory, we don't have to fire a single shot...Oh yeah, Pluto wanted me to call him once we were about there."
Yuki reached into his jacket and pulled out a miniature Den Den Mushi with a striking red jacket. Tapping the creature awake, he dialed their Kingpin and held the small snail to his mask as he spoke. "Pluto, you there dear? We've just about arrived, I know you wanted to check in before we disembarked and make a mess of the place."
The echo of his snail’s purrs echoed through the dissarayed office. Papers floated in the air, the scent of gunpowder staining the walls. Hopping around in the room with one boot smoking from the three barrels poking from its toe. “Ugh, shit!” He smacked the heel against his calf, whirring the mechanics back into his shoe. His shirt and vest were wide open, barely hanging onto the edges of his shoulders.
Sliding over his desk, his fingertips flicked up and down trying to grasp the receiver until they found their purchase. Bringing the snail up alongside him, he huffed away from the phone before turning back. “There you are, took you long enough! Better not have slept in, Kachichichi!!”
Pluto turned to sit on his desk as he spoke. Crossing one leg over he let his free hand brace his ankle to pull it up just a bit more. “Did you know one of these fuckers really thought they could get away with skimming from some of the checks? I might be dumb with that shit, but I’m not stupid. Kicked his ass into the next week, it was pretty fun for some warm up today.” Turning his head, his snail mimicked Pluto flexing his muscles. “Means we got some play money too once you two get that horn, you know why I couldn’t go.” His fervor could be felt through the phone, something that probably would have been intoxicating had he come.
“Can’t let people thinking my houses need to rely on me. Sucks, but I can take the loss this time I guess.” Pluto dramatically rolled his eyes, the cocky smile on his face never faltering. “Next time both of you owe me something to blow up. I’m gonna cause some property damage if people don’t stop fucking around here when I’m around.”
“Nope, you know I can’t really sleep alone. Just a long ass trip all the way from Nopalera, didn’t even know what to do with all the free time.” Yuki smiled to himself under his mask as he listened to the other speak. “I’m glad you caught that, thank you. I knew you’d be fine, just don’t break anything. We just fixed the window from that damn crow.”
The cyborg took a few steps down the deck, his high tops creaking the pristine wood. “I would have preferred to have you here, but we’ll manage. We’ve gotten away with worse things…”
Yukine let his body slump against the railing once again, rapping his fingers against it. “We brought a lot of firepower too. Probably enough to bring down a dragon if needed? I dunno, never smited one before.”
His laughter rumbled through the den den mushi, muffled footsteps following as Pluto rose back up. “Yeah, no worries. Just lots of papers everywhere, I’ll clean ‘em up before you get home.” His tone was warm and comforting, wrapping around Yuki like a lazy hug. “If you gotta take one down, I’m expecting to try some dragon meat and to have a fucking badass mantle for our room.”
Twisting his torso, the lunarian shoved his way through the doorframe of his office. “Get that shit out of here,” he grumbled away from the call to one of junkets. Kicking against the limp body of the perpetrator, Pluto sighed. “You know that shit can stain right? One second.” Jerking his hand to gesture harshly at the man on the ground Pluto refused to elaborate further before walking down the hallway.
“Anyways- what about Belle? What's my favorite firecracker getting into on this mission? I’ll be disheartened as hell if I find out nothings scorched by the time you two get out of there.”
"Diplomacy is a powerful tool, yes, but as you said, there are many people after this artifact. Perhaps we don't have to waste a shot on receiving the treasured relic, but the defense of the possession may require force. Either way, I wouldn't worry you're spikey head about it. You have the analytical mind, and I have the ingenuity. We can think our way out before we resort to brute force. Although~ A teensy display of power never hurt, right?" Belle said, her eyes aglow with unhinged excitement.
Belle decided to sit silently as Yukine called Pluto. As the conversation continued, she wiggled her eyebrows at the beds and sleeping mentioned. Even if Yukine was too focused to look at her, Belle gave the most shit-eating grin before she made out with a fake person.
Belle continued this display of immaturity until her name was called. Her eyes perked up as she slipped off the railing, letting her boots ploink off the deck. "Hey Boss, I'm prepping plans with your bestie. We've got plenty of new gadgets to test out. Some of the explosive variety, so don't worry, bossman. We'll make a lasting impression. Weh hehehe!" Belle said, her infectious laugh coming through the snail.
Yukine had already thrown his middle finger up, not even looking at Belle as he spoke for the first bit. The cyborg rolled his eyes and chuckled to himself, setting the snail on the railing. "A lasting impression it shall be. I just hope we can get out without a scratch. Not usually my strong suit but...eh." The man shrugged and swiped the snail back between his fingers as he walked back down the dock. Snorting at the "bestie" term, Yuki shoved his free hand into his jacket pocket as the lower half of his mask retracted.
"The witch is being crude, as per usual. The horn is the real prize here...I'll try to get my hands on some dragon meat, but no promises. I hope you're doing alright by yourself." Yuki's tone lowered to one of concern, guilt still eating at him that Pluto had not come with. "We'll come back in one piece. I'll call you as soon as the horn hits my hand, mid fight or not."
He silently observed their ship approaching the shore, realizing they would soon depart for shore in a non descript manner. With a huff he covered his face once again and stalked back over to Belle, giving her a ready nod. "Sound good?"
"Yeah, sounds good. Does Pluto know that the horn isn't attached to an actual dragon? From what I know, it's just a horn, so where would we find dragon meat? Unless the wealthy crow has a freezer full of the stuff! In that case, we have more to acquire." Belle said, drumming her fingers together. "I wonder what that meat would even taste like. A naturally smoky and tender muscle would be my first guess."
Belle pondered the concept of mythological produce for a tad longer as the ship descended onto the shore with a soft thump. "Oh, ho ho ho! It's time to get what we came for and, if not, get compensated for our time. After all, we wouldn't want to leave empty-handed, right chum?" Belle yanked a priming handle, and her weapon roared to life. The engine of her flying launcher pushed ash out of the exhaust with a gust of blowback.
Pluto’s voice echoed from the snail for a few more seconds before Yuki spoke again. “Mhm. I will, I love you too, see you soon.” Yukine smiled to himself as he moved to hang up the call, stowing the snail in his jacket pocket. The bounty hunter crossed his arms and tilted his head away from the exhaust with a moody huff. "Of course he does...I think. It's called the damn Dragon Horn for a reason, if a dragon doesn't show up I'm gonna be fairly pissed. Half the reason I came on this job was to see one. We're not leaving without something of use, that's for sure." The cyborg climbed up onto the railing as the ship had gotten as close as it could to the beach, gripping his wrist mounted shotguns he double checked the new ammunition. "Moment of truth here, Belle. Watch this."
Yuki punched downward behind him and was abruptly sent flying towards the shore, the round pretty much blowing apart the caravel's ornamental railing where he'd jumped from a second prior. It was a less than graceful flight as he tumbled through the air, fighting for some semblance of control. Another blast sent him back down, quickly veering out of control and straight into the beach. He was quite visible from the ship, more or less cratered into the sand.
"Owowow. Faster than I thought it'd be." Grumbling to himself, he stood and dusted off. Setting his hands on his hips as he cracked his spine, he called out to his comrade. "I'd call that a roaring success. I'll get the hang of it. Hurry up already! Let's make this quick."
"Of course, we'll get our due regardless of scaley scores," Belle said, loading her bag with any remaining gadgets. If we find a lean dragon, we'll have a source of chewy meat on our hands." The witch said, excitedly rubbing her hands as tiny sparks flew from her fingers. Residual gunpowder coated her skin as she had quite an arsenal of compounds. Belle's eyes sparkled as Yukine launched into the air, impacting the shore.
Her eyes shone as she flew up to the crater. "Hmm, undoubtedly potent; I may have to adjust future formulas to balance the mobility. However, that would weaken its combat potential." Belle rubbed her chin as thoughts scattered throughout her brain. The witch's brain is like a computer with the sole purposes of scientific conceptualism and wit. "Eh, you handled the first test with minimal injuries. That is the desired effect within our margin of error. Well, you weren't blown into a pile of limbs."
"Agreed, let's go in the vault and cause havoc. Well, that's if talks break down." Belle revved her multi-purpose broom as the jet thrust forward, propelling the witch through the sky.
The coastline of the island began to approach rapidly, and as they got closer the shape of a small town was able to be made out. Small stone buildings littered the shoreline, built on the jagged rocks, and resting on carved out bases. The overall design was nothing special, but the business of the town was amazing. Even from the distance the bounty hunters were viewing the town from, the many shapes of people moving about the market could be seen. The sounds of bustling day-to-day life carried across the bay, setting quite a jovial mood in the air.
The docks were just as busy, packed full with the mess of ships and other floating vessels docking and undocking. However, even with the amount of ships, the docks were still open and welcoming. The long stone piers stretched out, not moving in the waves of the bay.
Belle's hat flapped in the rush of wind as the noisy engine rattled between her thighs. The witch scanned for her cyborg chum. "Yuki dear! Don't tell me I already outran you?" Belle taunted with a booming voice as she descended closer to the ground. Her feet gently dangled as she leaned forward along her weapon to search the ground. "I've spotted a town up ahead! Seems busy, with lots of movement and docked ships. There could be lots of business and open docks if we need to relocate our getaway vehicle.
Belle also looked for potential competition as she approached the town. There was no initial show of shady figures. Still, she imagined it would be challenging to find their obstacles from the safety of the skies. Such a process required intimate intention. "I'm coming in for a landing!" She bellowed as her broom slowly throttled down. Belle ran through the landing and came to a mild jog where she could pull her broom out from between her legs.
With another loud blast, the cyborg launched himself from behind over Belle’s head. This flight was far more graceful, spinning in the air before landing cleanly on his feet. “Ha! Told you I’d figure it out. I’m a damn genius.” Yukine ejected the smoking spent shells onto the floor next to him, swiftly racking more as he set his hands on his hips moodily.
“Like I’d ever let that glorified mop outpace me…Yeah, I saw it too. We don’t want to cause too much trouble, yet. People seem innocent enough. Not too sure what a member of the dragon club looks like.” With a light exhale, he stretched his arms over his head as he studied the bustling town.
“We may not see them now, but there will certainly be competition. Our faces are probably known to some by now, so be careful with who you talk to girlie.” Yukine slipped his hands into his jacket pocket as he began to walk, beckoning her to follow.
However, something mischievous had layed eyes on the duo of bounty hunters. Determined to make a quick buck, Neil sprinted up towards Yukine. It reached into his pocket and stole the first thing of importance he felt, which just so happened to be the Den Den Mushi resting inside of it. Immediately after taking it, the young child ran off, hoping to lose the two people in the thicket of shoppers and merchants.
Belle's cheeks puffed as she took Yukine's remarks with a slight pout. "I'm happy you're enjoying the new tools. You're outperforming my initial projections. I expected at least three more craters before seeing civilization." She said with some snark and excitement. Belle liked to tease her ally but was also proud of his fast learning.
"I think sustained flight is far more practical despite the takeoff time. Plush, this mop is also my special weapon." She says in defense of her gear. "However, I can concede you have one thing I don't, your shooters." She said, poking his holsters with a playful chuckle.
"Maybe they wear masks or have a pendant. I mean, there has to be some way they tell each other apart. Who knows, maybe they have dragon features. Wehe, imagine a bunch of half-dragon mutants!" Belle said with a sparkle in her eyes. "Whatever it is, I just hope it's easy to spot; we don't need any hurt civilians."
With her broom slung over her shoulder, Belle scanned the outskirts of the village. "Yeah, yeah, same for you, Yuki darling. I don't need you getting your face ripped off for a poor choice of words." When the thief ran past Belle, she watched him for a moment. "Perhaps we should've activated our haki before coming into town," Belle said, turning to Yukine. Her expression was perplexed as she expected the theft to be someone else.
"Oh, he's really getting away. Well, here we go." Her voice was calm as she started to jog after him, her slow pace in expectation of Yuki's energetic reaction.
Waving his hand dismissively at Belle's comment, a tiny laugh left Yuki as he tried to defend himself. "That's only happened like four times. I promise I'll behave this time."
The cyborg gave an oddly pensive nod in agreement, smiling to himself as he spoke. "It is a nice mop. I'll have to take it for a spin someday." Far too occupied with talking to Belle, Yukine barely realized he'd been robbed by the passerby. Getting caught of guard like this agitated him to no end. Yukine blinked as he felt the hand in his pocket, whipping around to reach at the boy's wrist. The little bastard was too quick and the robot was merely left grabbing at empty air. His hand shot back to the now empty pocket, clenching his fists in annoyance as he realized his snail had been swiped. "Seriously? Five minutes without some bullshit, I'm begging." An annoyed sigh exited him as he rolled his shoulders and bounced on his heels as he got ready to pursue.
"Alright, maximum effort."
Wisps of flames shot from the exhausts on his legs as he took off after the thief with absolutely zero regard for anyone in the way. The various shoppers could move or be moved. It usually didn't take long for Yuki to completely disregard the same advice he'd just given. The guy was already going loud already just to get his very replaceable property back. Weaving gracefully through the crowd when he could, he left Belle more or less in the dust. The cyborg called after Neil as he tracked him through the crowd, aided somewhat by the targeting system in his mask.
"Sorry kid! I only got one of those, gonna have to give it back."
Neil continued running, pressing his short legs harder and harder and harder, desperately trying to outpace the two bounty hunters. He needed this.. whatever it was. He was sure it was valuable enough. He turned into an alleyway, his bare feet pattering on the pavement as he ran, weaving through obstacles and crowds. But before he could get far, he slipped on.. Snow? He went flying, landing on the pavement, cushioned by a thin layer of snow as he fell. He looked up at the figure towering over him, a tinge of fear in his eyes.
Walking through a lonely alleyway, just simply trying to gain a quiet space to think. A woman of tall stature and stiff demeanor stomped around, her footsteps muffled by a layer of snow that formed with her every step. Normally, falling snow followed her around everywhere she went. Filling towns in a blizzard, the cold causing confusion in civilians. But... This island was different. The island was hot, abnormally so in her standards. And with heat came an absence of cold.
So while normally her snow would be more than enough to make her feel at home. Now, she was barely creating a simple path that followed her around before melting. She was at least glad that it was enough to keep her cool in her fur cloak and kimono. And once she could no longer hear the bustling sounds of the town clouding her thoughts. She began to think, "Now where would a dragon stay?"
She was here on this volcanic island for one and only one reason. To hunt the most dangerous of all sky dwellers, a dragon. A creature whose hide was so thick not even a cannon could pierce it. Breath so hot that it literally spat fire. Talons, so sharp that even steel was no match. Truly, the perfect trophy for the centerpiece of her collection.
"Hm?" The sound of footsteps soon became muffled behind her. Before shifting into a slide as something fell. As she turned her head, she saw no more than a young kid. "Get lost, kid, hell you doin in an alleyway?" She was large enough that she practically blocked the alleyway. Leaving the only way out to be back the way Neil came. But suddenly, an idea that hadn't struck her yet came to mind. "Oh wait! Hey kid, you know where to find a dragon?" She asked, reaching down to lift the boy off the ground.
Belle followed the cyborg's rampage as she caught a young lady flung by the blast. A cheeky wink to the stunned lady left her even more confused as the townperson was set on her feet. "Don't mind my, sweetie. He's just fuming since some kid stole a possession." The explanation left the girl more apprehensive as she watched Yuki disappear down a street corner. "Well, I better keep up before the local law enforcement stops us for trespassing. Tahtah!" With a wave goodbye, Belle continued to follow the action briskly.
She wasn't entirely focused on the chase either, as she took this opportunity to pick out any face in the crowd that appeared suspicious. Yukine was busy being loud and imposing, so the witch thought their presence would come with a glance from potential security for their target.
Following Yukine as he twisted through the town streets, she noticed a trailing puddle. Looking at the clear sky, the water on the roads seemed perplexing as she considered their source.
Sparks flew from under Yukine as he slid into the alleyway after Neil, the cyborg spinning into an upright position as he prepared to continue running. Instantly noticing the figure blocking the kid's path he skidded to a halt a few feet from them. Yukine pointed the barrels on his wrist at the silhouette for a split second, pulling them down with a cocked eyebrow as he recognized the woman who was reaching already for Neil. A frame like that was hard to forget.
"Oh. Certainly didn't expect to see you here, Miss Arashi. What a lovely surprise."
Yukine adjusted his coat as his hands lazily returned to his jacket pockets. A wide grin grew behind his mask as he leaned on the wall, blocking Neil's path out. "Look out, brat. You already pissed me off, but you really really don't wanna piss her off. Better hand my snail over and maybe I can convince her not to eat you." With the cyborgs tone it was really hard to tell if he was kidding or not. All Yuki offered was a teasing wink to the snowy warrior, he couldn't even help himself at the opportunity to get some payback on the kid. Not like Yuki was actually gonna hurt him over a snail.
“E-eat me? Oh shit!” Neil shouted as he heard Yukine’s threat. Even though he couldn’t tell if the man was serious or lying, it still scared the fire out of him. He couldn’t get out the way he came, and he definitely didn’t want to go near the monstrous lady standing on the other side of the alleyway. So he raised his hands up in the air, showing his surrender.
“Okay, okay. If you PROMISE not to eat me for lunch, I will bring you to where the dragons are. Okay?” Neil lied. He had no idea where the dragons were. If he did they wouldn’t still be living on this island would they? So he would just bring the trio to the volcano, and when they were busy, he’d get out of there and run. But he had to play it up as much as he could.
“Just trust me. Okay?”
"What?" Fubuki looked confused, looking to the source of the noise created by Yukine. "Oh! Hey Zucchini, how you doing?" She first said, only to hear words that only confused her more. "What? No, I don't-" She started to speak, only to pause at her understanding of the situation. "Ahem" Kneeling down, she looked at the kid with a expression of anger. Her eyes concealed by the cowl over her eyes and rows of razor-sharp teeth glimmering through her lips. "I don't normally eat people, but who knows?" Pausing for a moment, she leaned closer, to the point her wolf mask was pressing against his forehead. "I am feeling a bit hungry today." She growled, her grip on his shoulder tightening.
"So, I think it's your best interest to hand over the kind man's belongings." Thinking about what else she had to say, Fubuki continued. "Before you lead us to those dragons, of course." Her look was still menacing, listening as he spoke in fear. "Good." Speaking softly, she finally backed away. Loosening her grip only to grab ahold of his neck. Completely lifting Neil off the ground as she walked towards Yukine.
Holding Neil up, she kept him steady for Yukine to grab his stuff. Speaking to the cyborg as she did. "Wasn't expecting to see you anytime soon, robot... Oh witch lady too, what brings ya two here?"
Yukine strolled up next to the pair, swiping the snail back from his pocket. The cyborg put it away and shoved his hands in his jacket, shaking his head with a smile as he greeted Fubuki. "One day you'll remember my name. I await that day with bated breath. We're here to retrieve an important doohickey. Dragon related and important enough to deploy two Houses, I suppose. What are you doing here? We didn't call for backup."
Turning to Neil, he pressed a button on his mask to retract it and show his scarred face. Gesturing for Fubuki to put him down, Yuki kneeled to speak to him at eye level. Fortunately, he had some sympathy for the kid. Kids usually don't steal unless they're just trying to survive. "Sorry bud, I'll hand it to you for managing to get one up on me. I seriously doubt you know where the dragons are, but I'd appreciate if you told us anything you know about the Dragon Horn."
Removing a small sack of coins from his jacket, he held it between his fingers before dropping it in Neil's hand. A tiny smile tugged at the corner of his lips, rising to his feet once again. "Call it a tip from the Spades Club, and a reminder to not let yourself get caught so easily."
With amusement, Belle looked at the group as she strolled up with her launcher slung casually on her shoulder. "Man, Yuki, you sure can move. Now, who do we have here?~" She looked over the cyborg's shoulder to spot Fubuki. Her eyes started to sparkle as she waved to the women. "Hey Fubuki!!!~ How is our coolest girl doing?" Belle said, intending the pun.
"Oh, we came here to acquire a priceless relic and maybe some dragon meat for the Kingpin. What brings you here?" Bell asked as she looked at the returned property of her cyborg companion and the young man who took them. "Hey, sticky fingers.~ I hope you listen to my buddy; we're all kinda morally flexible." She teased.
“Erm..” Neil stammered briefly, looking back and forth between the trio. The man’s scarred face did indeed scare him, but his kindness and mercy warmed his soul. That was the kind of person he wished he would grow up to be. So with that in mind, he tried answering his question as best as he could. “Of course I know about the Dragon Horn! Everyone here does! It’s like, super important for our politics or something.” The boy said. He didn’t seem to be lying. Not from what they could tell anyway.
"Oh yeah, I think I heard about that. Anyhow, I'm just here to hunt a dragon; you know how rare a dragon is? Would make one helluva trophy, I tell you that!" Fubuki explained to Yuki as she abided by his request. Lowering her arm and gently setting the kid now. Even patting his shoulder once done. Before turning towards the witch with a smile. "Ha! I've been ok; you two're lookin fine as ever. And..." Squinting as she watched Yukine's wrist, "Are those new?" She asked, while she wasn't good with remembering a lot. She surely could memorize someone's weapons.
"Hm. I guess something like that would be incredibly important for politics. Guess we owe the people in charge a social call. At least try to keep things peaceful for now." Yuki pushed off his knee as his lanky form straightened out, a small grin growing on his face as he let the barrels on his knuckles poke out a bit to show off.
"Indeed they are, you've got a good eye. Built them myself, Belle here crafted me some explosive ammunition that make them quite useful. With these, I'll never be unarmed...Get it? un-armed?" Letting out a tiny cackle, the man slapped his knee as his grin widened. It was oddly humanizing, given how sometimes he hardly looked organic in the slightest.
"Ah...Anyways, thanks kid. You see anyone else askin' around, be sure to mislead them. Don't want anyone on our trail." Yukine pulled a business card from his jacket. It looked like a standard King of Hearts playing card, but had some general contact information for the Seven Spades Club. "Once you get a little older, give me a call if you need a real job. I never forget a face." Flicking the card between his fingers, it deftly landed in Neil's hands.
Belle tipped her large-brimmed hat to Fubuki as she gave a bright smile to the pelt-covered companion. "Hmm, I bet the dragon's teeth have some interesting properties. Perhaps some form of resistance I could extract! That, or a medicinal use! Oh ho ho ho!" The woman bounced on her toes as she started to craft a dozen concoctions in her mind. She almost lost herself in thought till her cybernetic companion spoke up.
"Yes! Well said, my chum! We owe these aristocrats an arranged exchange of goods." She said the unchecked enthusiasm radiating off her like a bonfire as she attempted to temper herself at the mention of a peaceful approach. "Of course, you can trust me, Yuki darling.~" This was, in fact, a half-truth. The cyborg was probably the most aware of the witchy woman's twitchy everything.
Of course, the witch couldn't keep quiet about her project as she looked at everyone with twinling and prideful eyes. "An effective formula for a compound far more potent than any run-of-the-mill gunpowder!" There was a pause as she heard Yukine's joke, trying to hold in a snorting fit as her cheeks puffed out. She tried so hard to hold it in she focused in on the sensation alone to isolate her unflattering desire to laugh at the cyborg's clever little pun.
"Let's go! We have an artifact to acquire!" Belle shouted, stepping past Neil with a bouncy stride of unhinged excitement.
“Uhh… Okay…” Neil said softly as he looked at the card in his hands. “I wish you luck I guess…?” And with that, he scattered off like a rat in the attic. In his mind, he had barely escaped death. His heart pounded out of his chest, thumping in his vision as we crawled away.
But the sky began to shake as the group of bounty hunters spoke. The clouds above head rumbled, lightning crashing through the sky. Something was happening in the volcano. Rumbling, booming. A.. Roar?
The massive shadowy silhouette of a huge beast darkened the clouds above the volcano. It's wingspan was so massive that it blotted out chunks of the land below as it gracefully flew through the air. The roar was incredible, guttural and deep as the beast made its dominance known. And just as quick as it appeared, it left the skies once more.
The plains were quiet, all people having silenced themselves at the sight. And then the murmuring started. Could it be true? Was it a dragon? After all these years? Could it have finally appeared??
Impenetrable Armor of the Dragon![]
Sitting on the deck of the ship, swaying back and forth like a child, Sam had an excited look on her face, smiling brightly like a kid on Christmas. “This has got to be the best mission ever! I get to impress an Admiral, I get to fight a dragon, and I get to show off my capabilities,” she exclaimed before springing to her feet, using her hands for balance. “Ain’t that right, Taiyaki Baklava?” she shouted, thinking the captain was nearby.
Baklava sat with his legs crossed as he sharpened a blade, trying his best to tune out Sam's childlike words. What's worse is that she was human—a half-one at least. With a groan, he looked up and stared at the clouds rolling over. "Looking for dragons, what bullshit, this could very well be a goose chase and a waste of time." He thought to himself as he continued to sharpen his blade, "Yeah, totally!" He responded to Sam with a false sense of optimism before inspecting his sword by raising it and letting it shimmer in the sun. Once satisfied, he lowered his blade and jabbed himself in his stomach, but instead of blood spilling, brown mud splattered everywhere as his stomach turned into the brown substance and swallowed the blade.
He then stood up and walked toward the front of the ship and stared out into the sea. "How long till we arrive on the island?"
Sam turned to Baklava. “Based on our speed, we should reach the island within the hour, but stay alert; we don’t know when they are going to strike,” she said before jumping over to the captain. “Enough of that talk, though. What do you think of the Dragon’s light?” she shouted, looking into his eyes, the Lepus constellation reflected in her gaze as she smiled.
"Dragon's light?" Baklava shouted, "I thought we were looking for a horn or whatever?" He still stared at the sea and never once turned to face to face Sam, as he didn't want her enthusiastic mood to spread onto him. Despite that, Baklava began rubbing his chin. Despite trying his best to ignore it, he was genuinely curious about the possibility of dragons. He heard rumors of strong pirates possessing fruits that transformed them into dragons. It filled him with a strange nostalgia as he also read about dragons from the books he read to his sister. The thought made him smile a bit, but remembering he was on duty and even worse, the possibility of Sam seeing the sly grin, his face immediately turned stone cold, brushing off his previous thoughts.
Sam didn’t believe in personal space and was still close to her fellow marine. “ I ment what do you think a dragon is like also, follow-up question: if dragons breathe fire, then do you think Ancient Dragon Zoans do the same?” she asked before backing away slowly, leaving him with the thought. She then looked at the island up ahead and stopped in her tracks as her ears started to flick from side to side. She moved to the edge of the ship. “Move us slightly starboard so we can ride the wind on our backs and reach the island faster.”
"They are probably territorial," Baklava told Sam his voice was barely loud enough for her to hear before turning his head back upon hearing the fellow Marine's orders. "Don't you dare take us off course!" He shouted, "We are currently riding the currents! Riding the wind would only slow us down!" He pointed into the ocean to the waves right in front of the ship, which seemed to be moving towards the island.
"I've seen currents like this back home, and judging by how fast the waves are moving, it's our fastest route and another thi-!" Baklava was about to continue but remembered that Sam was his superior, so his voice fell silent and his face grew slightly annoyed. "Sorry for my." He took a small pill. "Rudeness," he continued begrudgingly. "And to answer your question, I have no idea what an Ancient Dragon Zoan is." This was Baklava's attempt to sound friendly to the marine.
The marines saw the island begin to approach. The destination they were arriving at looked particularly bleak. The current they had taken dropped them off at the back of the island’s semi-active volcano. Due to the nature of the environment around, there were no human structures to be seen that could lead them to a possible starting point.
But as the ship got closer, something vague could be made out. A set of stairs on the back of the volcano, carved out of the cooled lava. They appeared to lead down into the depths of the volcano. The surrounding area was well trodden, the rocks patted down smoothly with a clear cut path back to the main island.
There wasn’t a place to dock, and the rocky coastline threatened to bash their ships apart if not handled carefully.
“Ok them well stay on course” Sam said before jumping ahead of the ship, almost running on air, before kicking her leg at the coast, stretching it like a long spring and kicking a massive gust of wind that flattened out the shore to make it easier to dock before landing back on the ship. “Think nothing of it, Baklava. I’m aware I can be a bit much for people, so if I go too far, let me know. Now, make sure everyone is ready to go ashore and has masks ready; volcanic air can be toxic.” She said, making her orders known as she stretched. “If they don’t have masks, we won’t leave the ship.”
Masks wouldn’t be needed on this day though. As they stepped onto the shore, the air filled their noses. It was surprisingly clean, no potent toxins dancing across their faces. The only thing to be smelled was a slight sulfur smell, but no matter how slight it still filled their noses.
Banging and booming could be heard from under the volcano as they approached closer. Whatever happening under there was big.
Baklava stepped off the edge he was sitting on and landed on the shore below his body, exploding into mud as it violently collided with the ground before it reformed unscathed. "Ugh!" Baklava's face winched from the stench of sulfur that filled the air. "Hopefully this shit doesn't take too long; I might puke from the smell." He waved his hands in front of his face to make the smell more bearable before signaling to the marines still on the ship to start docking, feeling the vibrations of the volcano; he only hoped it wouldn't erupt while they were on the island.
As the pair of marines dredged through the narrow stairway, they saw a large door at the end. The size of it towered over the two, even the exceptionally tall Fishman. But unlike the door the other group was facing, this one was already opened. A tremor from inside the vast room shook it open even more, revealing what was on the other side of the massive door.
Standing in the middle of the room, surrounded by a large group of fallen bodies was a man in deep red armor. His height matched even that of Baklava, his cape flowing behind him in a glorious display.Bubbling blue tinted liquid fell from the ceiling, splashing on the rock below. The man held his sword menacingly, letting it rest on the floor. It was obvious who this man was.
289,766,000He turned, looking at the pair of marines, remaining silent. The only sound echoing through the chamber was the hollow breathing coming from the armor in the center.
Taking point, she used hand signals to indicate ‘Danger’ and ‘Stay on guard’ as she approached the armored individual. “Hey, hey, how’s it going? I’m sure these guys were at fault, but anyway, more importantly, what can you tell us about the island? And how dangerous is it here?” she asked, her smile so wide that it made her eyes squint, though they were red with anticipation for Kukki’s next move.
The sound of dripping blood and mysterious blue liquid echoed off the massive walls, further indicating the silence that fell between them, and as Baklava entered the room, his eyes widened as his eyes focused on the 'thing' that stood in the center of the room: "There's no time to ask stupid questions like that!" Baklava scolded Sam as he returned his attention to the figure, "Who are you and what have you done to these people!?" He reached for the sword handle that emerged from his side.
Kukki stared down the pair of marines, red eyes peering through his weathered helm. The voice that came from the helmet was trained and regal. “You’re right, rabbit. They did deserve it. But we shan’t fret over such trivial matters. Right now, we shall engage in glorious combat. I can’t let you know what happened here after all.” The armored man said in reply to Samantha. Even through his cool tone, it was still oddly disconcerting.
“And can’t you see, fish boy? They’re dead. I killed them. For a marine you aren’t very bright.” The grizzled voice said, echoing through the room. He didn’t waste any time to allow them to strike him however.
He sped towards Baklava, whom had a far larger body to try and hit. His speed was absurd, and his massive sword, Gyunyu, swung at Baklava, aiming to cleave straight through the Fishman’s chest in one sweep.
Moving almost in sync with her assailant, Sam popped open a Crimson Rose blade, coating it in Haki to block the sword. She turned both arms into springs to absorb the shock. “Hey now, don’t tell me you got scared of me and went for the smaller fish. We’re going to talk about your attitude later, Baklava,” she said with a smile, struggling to hold the sword back for a moment before pulling her hand in to deliver a spring-loaded punch. “S10, C30,” she exclaimed as her fist released itself, sending a open claw claw strike with the force of a bullet aimed for his gut.
Baklava bit his lip with enough force to puncture his skin, but instead of blood, mud dripped out. "Getting saved by a human, how embarrassing." He thought, "You know I can't get hurt by an attack like that, so why intervene!?" He yelled at Sam before his arms turned to mud and expanded toward the floor, "And forget about my attitude! We should kill this fucker instead!" His arms exploded into more mud that spilled and spread throughout the floor of the room, moving in such a way as to avoid Sam but heading towards Kukki. "Go to HELL!" He exclaimed as the bodies covered in the mud began to sink into it, which should've been impossible due to the amount of mud under them.
“Oops. You missed.” Kukki said jovially through his helmet as Sam’s fist flew through his midsection, only striking soda. “Tsk tsk. I expect more from you, rabbit” He taunted the commodore, sounding ever so royal as he did. His sword sparked and clashed with Samantha’s dagger, competing with it even without the usage of his own Busoshoku Haki. He brought his left arm up to try and fling Samantha to the side, and into the wall nearby.
“But you.. You have a fascinating ability.” Kukki’s head tilted slightly as he looked at Baklava. “You’re a Logia, aren’t you?” He recalled his captain, as well as one of his fellow Dawns. “Why don’t you join me? Join the crew. We always have room for more powerful fighters. Don’t you feel held down in the marines? I’m sure they don’t treat your kind well.”
But even through his gentle speaking, his hand moved to counter Baklava’s own technique. It turned into a bright pink soda, pouring out a massive amount of the liquid. It coated the floor, resting on top of his swampy mud. By turning both of his feet into soda, Kukki was able to float on top of the liquid, preventing him from sinking into the mud. In a flash, his right arm flew up, coated in Busoshoku Haki. His armored fist attempted to punch Baklava in the face.
The offer was tempting to Baklava, but he had a promise to keep, and despite his hatred of his coworkers, he wasn't ready to break that promise. "Hell no!" He yelled. As he put himself in a ready stance, splashing around the soda surrounding his feet, slowly absorbed by the mud under it but not fast enough to hinder Kukki, his mind raced as ideas filled it to try and stop the attack.
One lit the bulb in his head, and Baklava smiled. Instead of Kukki’s fist meeting him, it met the face of one of the dead bodies, which sank into his mud just moments before now emerging from the front of Baklava. With the attack blocked, the smile grew: "Eat lead asshole!" Alongside his yell columns sprung up from under the soda, splashing it around and fizzling it up before they tilted until they pointed at Kukki. The mud began to fall off the top, revealing cannons underneath, which fired, sending cannonballs toward the blood-red knight.
Sam put springs on the bottom of her feet, slamming into the wall and using the springs to stay attached. Seeing the mud on the ground, she stretched her arm out with a spring to grab the ground using her seastone gloves. She aimed to touch the soda and send electricity through the ground to shock the knight, believing that Baklava would be safe since mud isn’t a conductor, while soda is.
Kukki shook his hand off, getting the smelly mud off of his finely polished armor. “The hell..? What kind of fruit power do you even have?!” Kukki inquired towards Baklava. But suddenly, the cannonballs sent flying at him were sliced in half. They didn’t explode, they didn’t make any loud noise, the just fell to the floor with a dull thud. The only indication Kukki had even tampered with them was the fact his blade had swapped hands.
Kukki continued to float on the soda, ever elegant and proper. But his acute aware mind had seen Samantha moving far before she attacked. The soda around his feet and the subsequent area bubbled and hissed, giving off horrible sounds. The electricity however, failed to reach Kukki. He stepped back from Baklava, brandishing his sword. Placing both hands on the hilt, he brought it forward. With one powerful cleave, he sent an air slash out that would threaten to destroy the entire room.
Baklava's face fell agasped; he stood frozen in shock, the sliced cannonballs landing on the muddied floor; their thud muffled, and the splashing mud moved in a sluggish pace as everything appeared to be in slow motion as he tried to process everything that just happened. "What the hell is he!?" His thoughts violently screamed inside his head as cold sweat ran down his forehead. Still dazed by his confusion, he failed to notice the knight's slice.
Sam's legs had Electro coursing through them to increase her power. The ground beneath her feet shattered as she disappeared, rushing forward to grab the back of Baklava's shirt collar and quickly throwing him behind her into the wall. She used the black seastone of her claws to push back against Kukki's blade. “You’ve got to stop picking on my junior! The others will think I can’t do my job and protect people,” she said before sending Electro through her hand to use the sword as a conduit to shock the Pop Knight.
Kukki’s eyes pierced through his helmet, staring at Samantha as she spoke. His voice was guttural and cold, showing no emotion aside from animosity. “Of course you can't; it's a king’s job to protect his people. And you're nothing more than a lowly, half-blooded marine.” The voice of the Dawn echoed in his suit of armor, speaking cruelly as he grabbed his sword tighter.
“You, and your friend, you're foolish to come to an island such as this, knowing that it's going to be populated with people just like me. Why do you bother following the orders of the men above you?” Kukki’s sword channeled the Electro through it. But before it could reach his arm, his hand separated from the rest of his body. The sword would remain in Samantha’s hand, and Kukki’s arm regrew the hand.
His hulking leg reached out, aiming to slam into Samantha and launch her into the wall.
“Those with no sense of authority are always going to fall short in the face of a true conqueror! It doesn't matter what abilities you have, what training you do. If you allow yourself to be ordered around on a whim, you will always fail!” He looked over at Baklava, briefly checking to make sure he was where he was meant to be.
Baklava's body impacted on a wall with a splat as it became mud, which sent a jok across his body, "Grah!" He groaned, "What the hell happened back there?" His irritated voice wavered as he slid across the wall, trying to get a better view of Kukki’s fight with Sam.
Sam put her hand up to defend against the kick letting both reject dials absorb the impact “I just do what I feel like!” before using her Seastone claws to try and grip his leg and slam the knight into the wall. “Besides I don't just follow orders I heard about a mission and could pas on the chance to either kill or train a dragon!”
A Dragon’s Tail[]
Tiberius and his legions were on a mission—one that was both perilous and thrilling. Their destination was the fabled island of Brimestone, a place that until recently was mostly unknown but was thanks to the News, was now known for its population of dragons. These majestic and fearsome creatures were not just the stuff of myth; they were real, and Brimestone was their sanctuary. The allure of dragons, coupled with the power to control them using the ancient artifact known as the Dragon Horn, was irresistible. The promise of harnessing such power spurred Tiberius and his men forward, driven by ambition and the desire to command these mighty beasts.
"Sejanus, I think we're almost there," Tiberius remarked, a smile spreading across his face as the island's silhouette became visible on the horizon. The excitement in his voice was unmistakable; the long journey was nearing its climax.
Sejanus, ever the composed and scholarly companion, glanced up from his book, his expression as calm as the sea around them. "I can see that, Tiberius," he replied, his tone measured and unflustered. His eyes briefly left the pages of his book, taking in the sight of Brimestone before returning to his reading. Sejanus was a man of knowledge, often preferring the quiet wisdom of books to the chaos of battle. Yet, even he could not deny the significance of their quest.
Meanwhile, the third member of their group, Orion, was sprawled out, deep in sleep. The rhythmic rocking of the ship had lulled him into a peaceful slumber. Orion was a warrior of few words, often letting his actions speak for him. Despite his relaxed demeanor, he was as vital to their mission as any other member of the party. His prowess in combat was unmatched, and his loyalty to Tiberius and Sejanus was unwavering.
"Prepare yourselves," Tiberius commanded, his voice breaking the silence. He glanced at Sejanus, who closed his book with a soft thud, and at Orion, who stirred awake, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. The time had come. They were about to set foot on the island of Brimestone, where dragons awaited and destinies would be forged.
House Rodger a dynasty of dragon riders heard about the news of new dragon sittings, or the bones of some. This intrigued them, and being collectors of sorts they sent out a representative to figure out what was going on.
A diplomatic mission more or less. There was only one who was intrigued by adventure, and that was none other than Camelot's strongest dragon.
On the high tide was a small dingy boat that approached a few ships bearing a symbol familiar to the knight's gaze.
"Looks like that battle is going to be sooner than I though..." Lancelot was laying down being shaded by an umbrella his large body was just big enough to fit, and his feet hung in the water from his size. He carried no oar or paddle instead be just blew the air from his lungs into his small sail to push his boat across the seas.
His dingy reached by a fleet ship and behold was a presumed face, "Well well well...Look what the cat dragged in!" He shouted as he sucked in a large belly of air and blew it into his sail to catch up.
Tiberius, spotting Lancelot, couldn't contain his enthusiasm. "So Lancelot, your taking me up on my offer eh?" he exclaimed, a wide smile spreading across his face as he pulled out his mighty blade.
Sejanus, however, was less than thrilled. His eyes narrowed slightly as he muttered under his breath, "Not this guy again." He closed his book with a sigh, already bracing himself for the chaos Lancelot's presence often brought. Despite the dragon knight's undeniable prowess, Sejanus found his reckless nature grating and knew that wherever Lancelot went, trouble often followed.
Orion, ever the stoic warrior, remained indifferent. He glanced over at Lancelot with a neutral expression, acknowledging his presence with a brief nod before returning to his own thoughts. To him, Lancelot was just another figure in the grand tapestry of their lives, neither friend nor foe, just a fellow traveler on the road of destiny.
"Awe the little pup is bearing his fangs, I like the blade though it looks nice." Lancelot said, "You mind If I hitch a ride with you?" The knight leaned upward and stood on his small dingy, his size made it seem like a surfboard beneath his feet.
With a single bound he jumped onto Tiberius's ship shattering his own dingy in the process. With a loud thud he landed on the deck of their ship, "Ah this is much more comfortable, easier on the lungs," he said smiling and patting his chest.
Tiberius eyed Lancelot with a mixture of curiosity and mild amusement. The sight of the large dragon knight lounging comfortably in his small dinghy, propelled by nothing more than his own breath, was both impressive and unconventional. As Lancelot's boat bumped gently against the side of Tiberius's ship, the commander crossed his arms and leaned forward slightly, his expression shifting to one of mock seriousness.
"And what makes you think you can just waltz onto my ship like this?" Tiberius asked, his voice carrying a playful yet challenging edge. His eyes sparkled with the unspoken camaraderie of old acquaintances reunited under unusual circumstances.
The question hung in the air, more a rhetorical jab than a genuine inquiry. Tiberius's tone was light, almost teasing, but there was an underlying hint of expectation. He knew Lancelot was not one to follow the conventional paths, and that was part of the dragon knight's charm—or irritation, depending on one's perspective. The question was as much about gauging Lancelot's intentions as it was about maintaining the decorum of command.
"It wasn't a waltz more of a bound, LAHAHAHA!" He joked with Tuberius, "Don't worry Tib I mean no harm...yet," he smiled. "I have come here to that island, to find the dragon horn. Claymore is obsessed with that thing, so I'm going to bring it back for her." Tiberius could tell that Lancelot's words were true, he had no malice or ill intent. He figured it would be easier to reach land on a bigger boat.
Tiberius couldn't help but chuckle at Lancelot's antics, shaking his head in amusement. Despite the dragon knight's boisterous demeanor, there was a sincerity in his eyes. It was clear that he held no ill will or hidden agendas. "You are a weird man Lancelot" Tiberius replied, the tension in his posture easing slightly.
Sejanus sighed, clearly resigned to the situation. "Just make sure not to destroy anything important," he muttered, returning to his book. Despite only meeting the man once, Sejanus was aware of the man's unpredictable nature.
Orion, as usual, remained stoic. He acknowledged Lancelot's presence with a nod but otherwise stayed silent. For him, the mission was all that mattered, and if Lancelot's presence helped achieve their goals, then he had no objections.
"Yeah you can say that, a lot of people say I'm weird..." He walked up toward the edge of the boat placing a foot on its ledge looking directly at the island in the foreground. "...The truth is just free. Free from opinions, from leashes and registrants. I'm simply free to be me. There is no shackles that can hold me..."
The knight spoke with passion, like a poet showing signs of warrior stoicism in his speech. It seemed that Lancelot had achieved something others in the everyday world wished they could have, peace with themselves. True freedom.
"You got any snacks, kinda hungry."
"No we ate all our food on the way here. The island isn't far though so we should be able to grab a bite on the island." Tiberius said as he sheathed his sword and went back to sitting down.
"Fine, no matter. I will take us there a little faster then." He started to walk toward the wheel of the ship and face the sail, "Hold onto something alright!" he sucked in air through his lungs, his chest enlarging and belly expanding, it looked inhuman. Reaching his capacity he blew the gust of air into the sail.
BOOM!
The ship was shot forward toward the island flying through the air.
The crew clung to whatever they could find, eyes wide with shock and exhilaration. The world around them blurred as the ship cut through the sky, the island rapidly growing larger in the distance. The roar of the wind and the creaking of the ship's timbers filled the air, mingling with Lancelot's triumphant laughter.
For a moment, it felt as if they were flying. The ship, carried by the sheer force of Lancelot's breath, hurtled towards their destination at an incredible pace. The thrill of the moment was palpable, a rush of adrenaline that quickened the heart and sharpened the senses.
As they neared Brimestone, the island's rugged terrain came into clearer view. Lancelot's powerful gust had propelled them far faster than any traditional sailing method could have achieved. The ship began to descend, the sea rushing up to meet them. With a final burst of speed, they splashed back down onto the water, the impact sending a wave of spray over the deck.
The ship settled, rocking gently on the waves as the crew caught their breath. Lancelot turned back to face them, a satisfied smile on his face. "There you go! A little faster, as promised," he said, clearly pleased with his unconventional approach.
Tiberius chuckled, shaking his head in amusement. "You never cease to surprise me, Lancelot."
Sejanus, slightly pale from the experience, muttered, "Remind me never to doubt your methods, no matter how... unorthodox."
Orion, ever stoic, simply nodded in acknowledgment, impressed despite himself.
As the duo approached, they would see their target destination. They had approached the “side” of the island, not the front or back. The locals didn’t like coming here out of fear for the environment and ferocious creatures that made their homes along the shoreline.
The shore itself was rocky and jagged, with a small sandy inlet patted down through the usage of it over time. The trees were dead and spiked, branches sharply turning through the air in unnatural shapes, and occasional spots of the purple grass were lit on fire from the volcano nearby. But despite that, entrance was clear.
Tiberius looked over at Orion, a wry smile tugging at his lips. "Well, isn't this just the most inviting place you've ever seen?" he quipped, his tone light despite the unsettling surroundings. "Who wouldn't want to vacation here? The view’s to die for."
Your so corny." Orion said as he held in his laugh. Despite the joke being overwhelmingly bad, the cadence and delivery of the joke made Orion crack up despite the dangerous situation they were heading straight into.
Meanwhile, Sejanus was already busy surveying the environment, his scholarly mind absorbing every detail. He walked slowly along the deck, his gaze fixed on the twisted trees and smoldering grass. "This place is... fascinating," he murmured, though there was a note of unease in his voice. "The flora is clearly affected by the volcanic activity, and those trees—I've never seen anything like them. But the fact that the path is so well-trodden… it suggests we’re not the only ones who’ve come this way, or at least, not the first."
"This place looks like shit," Lancelot said as he stared into the vast space. "All these damn rocks in the way, nothing like this one of course," he said showing Tiberius the stone knife from their last encounter. It seemed that Lancelot had crafted the stone into a real knife.
He walked onto the edge of the ship, and jumped onto the purple grassland. His propelling force rocked the massive ship as he left its reach.
A powerful wave of sulfuric stench slammed against the quartet as they stepped foot onto the island, the thermal geysers filling the air with the putrid stench. Mud ponds popped and bubbled as gas from the ground stirred them up, adding to the sound of the thermal atmosphere.
But despite the terrible climate, the signs of activity were still apparent. The dead grass was freshly walked on, paths made where it had been crushed. The few living bushes had been picked clean off their ripe berries, and a few baskets had fallen. The contents of the baskets were strewn across the ground, almost as if they had been dropped frantically. It couldn’t have been too long ago however, as the berries were still fresh and plump.
As the quartet set foot on the island, they were immediately hit by a powerful wave of sulfuric stench. The smell was overwhelming, emanating from the thermal geysers scattered across the landscape. Mud ponds bubbled and popped, releasing more noxious gases that added to the oppressive atmosphere.
"Ugh, smells like a dragon's backside," Tiberius grumbled, covering his nose with the sleeve of his cloak. "And that’s putting it mildly."
Sejanus, ever the scholar, winced as he adjusted his glasses, his eyes watering from the pungent air. "The volcanic activity here is intense. These geysers… we’ll need to be careful. The gases alone could be dangerous if we linger too long." His voice was more clinical, trying to focus on the environmental details rather than the discomfort they caused.
Orion, now fully awake and wide-eyed with energy, laughed loudly, seemingly unbothered by the stench. "Now this is what I’m talking about! We’ve got toxic fumes, bubbling mud pits, and who knows what kind of creatures lurking around. Feels like an adventure already!" His voice was a stark contrast to his usual calm demeanor, now booming with enthusiasm. He punched a fist into his palm, clearly ready for action. "Let’s see what this place has to offer!"
As they moved deeper into the island, the signs of recent activity became more apparent. The dead grass had been freshly trampled, paths carved out where it had been crushed underfoot. A few living bushes, stripped clean of their berries, lined the trail. The remnants of hastily dropped baskets lay scattered, their contents—plump, ripe berries—still fresh.
Tiberius crouched down, examining the scattered berries with a thoughtful frown. "Someone was here not too long ago. Looks like they left in a hurry," he observed, glancing up at his companions. "We need to stay sharp. Whatever spooked them might still be around."
Sejanus nodded, scanning the surroundings with narrowed eyes. "Agreed. This place may be inhospitable, but it’s clear we’re not alone here."
Lancelot moved along with the group keeping his head on a swivel, he sniffed around, his keen senses picking up faint scents of something nearby. He bent down and touched the ground tracing his two fingers he brought the dirt to his nose, "Something's here..." The knight stood up and continued among the group.
As the group looked up, the scene was made clear to them. Off of an overhang to their right was a child laying in a pit of dirt. Her leg was bent in a crooked and unnatural way, and her hands were covered in berry stains. She was softly crying, trying to crawl away from the pit seemingly.
When her eyes laid sight upon the group, they filled with fear. In sudden and frantic movements she began to claw away even faster, but it was to no avail, and she remained stationary. Something had clearly happened, but no more clues gave way to what it could’ve been.
Lancelot ran towards the child, a knight's duty was to uplift and uphold. That meant Lancelot was inclined from a young age to protect and aid others in times of need. Although not all knights fell under this, Lancelot sure did,
"Little cub! Are you alright? I won't hurt you!" He said kneeling before the girl trying to aid her. "Do you guys have any medical supplies?"
The young girl looked up at the knight, tears filling her eyes. “N-no.. I’m not alright! I was just trying to collect the Ash Berries.. And this huge beast started to chase me down!” Sukiyaki said through the tears streaming down her face. Despite Lancelot’s reassuring words, panic still covered her face and dotted her eyes. She tried to stand up, but fell over promptly, her leg giving out under her. She looked up at the knightly man with pleading eyes, but clearly too afraid to ask for what she wanted.
"Beast huh?" Lancelot forcefully picked up the small child and threw her over his shoulder, "Don't worry kid we can get you patched up, tell us where it went."
”I-sniffI don’t know.” Sukiyaki said through her tears. She allowed herself to be carried by the knight, feeling a sense of comfort from his nobility and regalness. “But if I had to guesniffguess, it probably went to my parents village.” She said, trying her best to give information. She pointed in a direction as she said that.
Sejanus, who had been scanning the area, nodded thoughtfully. "If it’s heading towards a village, we need to move quickly," he said, his voice carrying a note of urgency. "There’s no telling what kind of damage it could do."
Orion, still brimming with energy, grinned and cracked his knuckles. "Then let’s not waste any time! I’m itching for a fight, and this beast sounds like just the thing to get the blood pumping!"
Tiberius, more measured in his approach, nodded in agreement. "Let’s move. We’ll get the girl to safety and deal with this creature before it can cause any more harm."
Lancelot laughed, "Alrighty boys! Come with me! I got a faster way of getting there." Lancelot one by one grabbed Orion, Sejanus, and Tiberius while holding the young child.
"Hold on tight," Lancelot sunk his hips flexing his legs growing them in size. With a powerful bound he leaped into the air carrying the group, soaring through the skies, "LAHAHAH!"
Tiberius clung to Lancelot, half-amused and half-terrified by the sheer audacity of the leap. "This is one way to travel, I guess!" he shouted over the roar of the wind, his voice tinged with a mix of excitement and disbelief.
Sejanus, though normally composed, couldn't help but hold on tightly, his usual calm demeanor shaken by the unexpected flight. "Lancelot, you never cease to surprise me," he muttered, more to himself than to anyone else.
Orion, however, was in his element, whooping loudly with exhilaration. "Now this is what I’m talking about! Let’s go, Lancelot! Higher, faster!" His voice was filled with unrestrained joy, embracing the wild ride with open arms.
The village began to make itself clear to the small group. Clearly, it would’ve been a bustling and thriving village on any normal day. But this day was different; The buildings were caved in, debris scattered and strewn endlessly through the streets. No home was left untouched by the monstrous rampage of whatever had gone through the area. The scene was a sad sight with bloodied weapons and armor thrown about, but not a living soul was in sight. It was like everyone had just… Disappeared.
Sukiyaki gasped softly as she saw her home village completely destroyed. She cried quietly to herself, the whole ordeal of being completely happy to her life ruined that quickly wrecking her. The whole scene was solemn, the movement of settling rubble the only thing to cut through the girls tears.
Tiberius, scanning the wreckage, clenched his fists in silent fury. "This wasn’t just a random attack," he muttered, his voice grim. "Whoever—or whatever—did this was ruthless, thorough. But where are the villagers?"
Sejanus, always the observer, took in the scene with a furrowed brow. "The lack of bodies is troubling. It suggests that the attackers might have taken the villagers with them, or… worse," he said, trailing off, unwilling to voice the darker possibilities.
Orion, his usual energy dampened by the somber atmosphere, kicked at a piece of rubble. "Who could’ve done something like this? It’s like they wanted to wipe the village off the map entirely," he said, his voice heavy with disbelief.
The group stood in the ruins, the weight of the devastation pressing down on them. Sukiyaki’s quiet sobs were the only sound, a haunting reminder of the lives that had been torn apart. The silence was suffocating, broken only by the occasional shifting of rubble as the remains of the village settled into place.
"It's a ghost town," Lancelot said, turning his head towards the little girl, "Can you point us out the way?"
Sukiyaki pointed just shortly ahead, her finger aimed at the volcano just a short ways off. A path of burned grass left a trail to the base of the volcano, and a short outcropping above the end of it.
When the group finally approached the end of the trail, a large door stood in front of them. It pulsated with seeming life, and it was hot to the touch. Trails of lava fell down it, forming orange floral decorations across it.
The door was locked, and refused to budge. On the front were a collection of five buttons, arranged in a random order around the door. A decoration resembling important parts of a dragon was on each button; Claws, Fangs, Scales, Wings and Tails respectively.
Lancelot looked at the door, placing his fingers on his chin he began to ponder, "Hmm seems to be a puzzle. But how do we solve it?" He lingered on the thought waiting for the others to chime in, "Sejanus, you got glasses any ideas?"
Sejanus didn’t respond to the jest immediately. His mind was too busy working through the mechanics of the puzzle. "It’s not just about what these symbols mean, it’s about their significance to dragons. Perhaps it’s a representation of the stages of a dragon’s power… or even their growth."
Orion, ever energetic and impatient, cracked his knuckles and paced back and forth. "Why don't we just hit all the buttons? Worst case, something explodes, right? And explosions are fun."
Tiberius, who had been silently observing, finally chimed in. "Sejanus is right. There's likely a sequence to this. Dragons… they grow from their claws to their wings. Think about it: claws to hunt, fangs to kill, scales to protect, wings to soar, and tails to balance. Could that be the order?"
Sejanus perked up at Tiberius' suggestion, nodding. "That’s a logical deduction. If we press them in the order of their importance to a dragon's life cycle, it might just open. But there's no room for error—pressing the wrong sequence could trigger something defensive."
Tiberius stepped closer to the door, his hand hovering over the buttons. "Alright. Let’s give this a shot. Claws first…"
He pressed the button bearing the image of the dragon’s claws. A faint rumbling sound echoed through the rocks around them, but the door remained closed.
"Next, fangs," Sejanus instructed.
Tiberius pressed the second button, the one with the dragon’s fangs. The rumbling grew louder, and the floral patterns of lava began to glow brighter.
"Scales," Sejanus called out next, his voice calm but tense.
With a steady hand, Tiberius pressed the third button. The heat coming off the door increased, but still, it did not open.
"Wings," Tiberius said, pressing the fourth button, his heart pounding now. They were so close.
And finally, "Tails."
As Sejanus pressed the buttons, the door moved heavily. Something obviously happened behind the door, mechanical bits and bobs audibly whirring. But no visible reaction occurred on the actual door. Perhaps the combination had been wrong?
That was until it began to push itself forward, detaching from the wall. Now completely disconnected from the wall, the massive slab of stone began to fall forward, threatening to flatten the group of pirates in the narrow passage. Clearly they hadn’t gotten the riddle correct, but the system in charge of the operation must’ve been far too outdated to properly punish them.
Orion, already on edge, darted back with surprising speed, his voice a mix of excitement and panic. "Aw man, I told you something would explode! Guess I wasn’t far off!"
Tiberius, calm as ever despite the impending danger, merely took a step back and grabbed Sejanus by the collar, yanking him out of harm’s way. The massive slab slammed into the ground where they had been standing, sending dust and rubble flying into the air. The ground shook beneath them, and a loud, earth-shaking boom echoed through the passage.
Sejanus, now freed from the grasp of the stone, adjusted his glasses again, trying to maintain composure. "Well, it seems our deduction was only partially correct."
Orion, brushing dust off his shoulders, smirked. "Partially correct? The damn thing almost crushed us!"
Sejanus sighed. "At least it didn’t fully activate whatever trap was intended. We’ll have to approach the next one with even more caution."
Lancelot stood still the slab falling a few inches away from hitting him directly. The large push of wind brushed his long white hair back, "That was close," he said.
He tried to fit through the passage way but he was simply too big. He couldn't squeeze his way in, "You guys go first, maybe you can tell me if its clear or not?"
Orion, still buzzing with energy, gave a quick salute. "I’m on it, big guy! We’ll make sure it’s safe, and if not, well..." He grinned wide, "I’m always up for a little action."
Tiberius nodded, stepping forward first, his calm demeanor unwavering. He shot Lancelot a quick glance. "If anything happens, we’ll find a way to let you know."
Sejanus, adjusting his glasses with a sigh, gave a quick nod before following behind Tiberius. "Just don’t destroy the whole passageway before we get back."
With that the trio went on their way, looking for any way to clear this for Lancelot.
The group of pirates continued onwards, even deeper into the tunnel’s dark recesses. Unlike other cave structures though, this one got hotter the deeper they went. The walls were tight, barely enough room for the three of them to travel through. And there was no sign of any way to clear the opening for Lancelot. But if they continued, the passageway would continue to expand, and even seem to open up into a large room.
As the group of pirates ventured deeper into the tunnel’s dark recesses, they could feel the oppressive heat enveloping them, growing more intense with each step. The walls pressed in close, forcing them to maneuver carefully, with barely enough room for the three of them to traverse comfortably. Tiberius led the way, his eyes sharp and vigilant, while Sejanus followed closely, adjusting his glasses in the stifling air.
Orion, brimming with energy, kept up the rear, bouncing slightly on the balls of his feet. "This is getting exciting! I can feel it in my bones!" he exclaimed, his voice echoing slightly in the narrow space.
After what felt like an eternity of winding and twisting through the constricting passageway, they finally approached a larger opening. The narrow corridor widened into a vast chamber, revealing an expansive room that took them by surprise.
The floor was uneven and worn down, evidence of countless footsteps having traversed the area over time. A thick layer of dirt covered the ground, providing them with a foothold. Unlike many caves, this one was surprisingly dry, devoid of dripping water or stagnant pools. Instead, the atmosphere felt charged, almost electric, as if something significant was present in this hidden space.
At the center of the room stood a mysterious shrine, its stone surface adorned with intricate carvings that glowed faintly in the dim light. The designs depicted ancient dragons in various poses, their eyes seemingly watching the trio as they approached. The air around the shrine hummed with energy, drawing them closer, an irresistible pull that made it hard to look away.
Orion took a step forward, his enthusiasm bubbling over. "Look at this place! It’s incredible!" He glanced at Tiberius and Sejanus, his eyes wide with wonder. "What do you think it is?"
Sejanus squinted at the shrine, adjusting his glasses again as if to focus better. "It looks ancient. Possibly a site of worship or a place of power. But we should be cautious; places like this often have traps or guardians."
Tiberius nodded, his expression serious as he scanned the room. "Whatever it is, it clearly means something to whoever built it. We should examine it closely. But let’s keep our guard up."
As they stepped cautiously into the chamber, the heat seemed to intensify, wrapping around them like a shroud, and the atmosphere thickened with anticipation. Something about this place felt alive, as if the stones themselves were aware of their presence.
As the trio walked in, the chamber opened up far wider. It expanded rapidly, increasing in diameter and height. In comparison to the rocky and cavelike tunnel they had just traveled through, the opening they were now in was elaborately decorated. Ornate decorations skirted the floor, and detailed chisels were carved into the polished marble adorning the walls. Tales of dragons and dragon slayers could be read along the walls, spanning up to the domed ceiling. Every footstep of the trio echoed in the expansive chamber, bouncing off the walls and around the room.
But there was no other entrance for Lancelot to enter through. Only three doors were along the back wall, made out of beautifully crafted mahogany. Indeed, a symbol rested on each door. One possessed a crown, one a dagger, and one a net. What was to happen next was entirely up to Tiberius.