Khinn gasped spitting up blood and slamming down into the ground as he rolled across it and smashed into a nearby building breaking through.
The Dragon stood his eyes wide with rage. All his hair was gone and his suit had been reduced to a burning mess. Most of his flesh was actually dripping off of his body as he seemed to be melting and what wasn't dripping was a sickly red as part of his body seemed to have caught on fire.
Khinn might not have been able to kill it with that last attack but he hurt it thats for sure.
And Khinn still wasn't done. Even as blood and guts spilled from his stomach Khinn forced himself back to his feet. "I am... The Vice Captain of Yuma. I am a proud member of the Wandering Coin, and a member of the Lizard-Men. Like hell I'm going to fall that easily." He announced running forward with his sword and slashing it out.
The Dragon parried the strike now moving a lot slower then it had been as its body wobbled and its eyes filled with utter rage.
The two went back and forth at high speeds slashing out with their swords or claws. They were moving around the entire battlefield at speeds faster then either Davi or Squire could follow the two warriors becoming a blur as sparks filled the air. It was truly a crazy sight as their blades met over and over again.
"T... They're so fast." Squire said stunned gripping her weapon.
"Hmph." Davi let out a snicker his red eye glowing a bit. "I see Khinn hasn't changed. Hell I'd say he's even gotten a lot stronger during the short amount of time that we actually knew each other. He's really amazing. I can safely say the Hunters don't need me if guys like Khinn, or you Squire, exist."
"Davi..."
Despite his power Khinn in the end was still nothing more than a mortal and began to slow down as the creature hit him over and over again claws slashing across his flesh. Khinn gritted his teeth and stabbed out slicing into the creatures side right as it jammed its clawed hands into his chest and raised him up off the ground throwing him. Khinn hit the ground back first spitting up blood as his eyes rolled into the back of his head.
The Dragon began to slowly walk towards him its face twisting into a snarled look.
"Wait."
The beast stopped when it heard Davi's voice. Davi was back on his feet now. For a moment the Dragon took in the state of the battle field. Davi was standing but badly injured from being hit around and from the attacks that had slammed into him. Venara was unconscious. Khinn, the strongest one there, was also unconscious now. Squire was actually still conscious and awake, and compared to Davi she wasn't hurt, only banged up a little, but her eyes held no fighting spirit after seeing the little amount of effort the beast had needed to beat the others.
"What?" The beast growled.
"Thats enough." Davi said in a blunt tone.
The beast looked at him for a moment then down to Khinn. "Perhaps you are right." He said slashing his hand out and throwing the blood off of it.
"H... He's actually listening to you?" Squire asked.
Davi snorted. "I'm just as shocked as you are."
"You should know that we aren't exactly evil." The Dragon said making Davi scowl as Squire looked up.
"I find that hard to buy..." Davi stated looking around at the broken city.
"I'll admit it. As far as the laws of the world are concerned we are not good. But does that make us evil? Is a wolf who slits the throat of an elk evil, for wanting to feed? We are animals. Not just Dragons but people to. All things at the end of the day are animals. We live. We hurt others. We devour. From the moment we are placed into the souls of a person we take them over."
"Exactly. You take over the bodies of other people." Davi sighed. "Doesn't get much evil then that."
"You know as well as I do that the Blight doesn't work that way. A Marked one is someone who resisted the Blight and was then cursed. You are living proof that a person can survive the marked. When the Blight is placed into a person they have to let us take over."
"W... Why would anyone let you take over." Squire hissed out.
"Sadness. Rage. Hatred. Depression. Humans are weird. They can feel things. They can have desires that aren't good. When we are placed into a person we show them. We prove to them that we're better. Many people who can become Dragons are those who lost loved ones, those who want more power, those who just want to die. We take them over. And they are placed into a deep sleep where they can do whatever they want in this new dream world. And in return for us giving them paradise we take their bodies. Some parts of them still exist. Its more like a 80% to 20% where they're the 20% but once we level up they go into a deep sleep and lose everything. At this stage we fully take over. And we exist to save the world."
"Save the world..." Squire was silent for a moment before a scowl formed on her face. "Yeah right. Like I'd ever believe a lie like that. I've... I've seen what your kind can do. I don't care if you really think you're saving the world. You guys are still monsters. Look around this city. All the people you harmed. You claim that a wolf isn't evil for killing an animal for food, but you guys don't do that do you. You guys kill people left and right without the need for food. And you devour your own kind. Humans aren't animals. Thats something that is flawed in and of itself. Animals do kill to survive but humans can kill for fun. Dragons aren't animals. Dragons are just Humans that look like monsters!"
Davi snorted. "You're getting a bit heated Squire." He said patting her head and catching her off guard. He turned and began to walk towards the monster now giving a smile and showing his shark like teeth. Davi cocked his head to the side and held his left arm up. It glowed and began to change once more. "Fight me. Here and now. I'll bust out my strongest sword." Davi stated. "The Seventh Sword. Beast Caliber." The glowing along his arm grew as his limb began to morph. It was something else. Something his other two swords did. It wasn't just his left arm that changed though. His snow white hair began to glow and turned into a strange shade of dark green catching the dragon and Squire off guard as mana began to spread throughout Davi's body. His left arm expanded fur forming off of it as the entire limb seemed to become the arm of a massive gorilla with green fur instead of black, and razor sharp claws, as well as that ever present mouth on the palm of the hand. The limb was four feet long and nearly a foot wide with black metal claws coming out of its palm. That wasn't the only thing though. A sword began to form in his right hand. The handle came first. A bone like sword handle with a mane of green fur coming off the handle. Next was the guard which was a snapped in half ape skull that ran along it forming a mini shield. Finally was the blade. The blade was also made of bones and was straight with many jagged ridges all along it. They looked like teeth and seemed like the blade wouldn't be able to cut but would rather sever or rip. "Unless you're scared to die?" He smirked.
The Dragon let out a snort as it cocked its head to the side. "What a weapon. Yes. It hungers for blood. That I can tell with just a gaze."
"D... Davi?" Squire asked with wide eyes. "You had this sword? So you're stronger right?"
Davi gave a shark like grin for a moment. "Nope. This sword is... Honestly not that good in this situation. Its my strongest but... Well. Seventh can make this blade and do some other things but... Honestly I'd still lose in a fight to anyone here. I'm just that weak. This sword will let me battle a little bit better but... Honestly I doubt I can win. I'd take the other two and run while I hold it off."
"I... I won't leave." Squire yelled shaking her head.
"Oh?" Davi cocked his head back at her and opened his yellow eye staring at her. "You're so scared you can't even fight. But you're just brave enough to stay and die? A bit useless isn't it."
"Enough talk. I hunger." The Dragon roared firing forward. Davi's grin only grew as he turned back to face the beast and he took off at it full sprint. He swung out with his right arm swinging the sword but the beast dodged it. As he did that his left arms mouth opened wide as it made a bite towards the Dragon using its hand mouth. All the while that glowing red eye followed the dragons movements as he closed his left eye.
The Dragon was injured pretty badly moving sluggishly as he took some hits Davi's arm mouth ripping at more of his flesh. He focused on Davi's sword though as that was the true threat, him dodging every single strike Davi sliced out with. Davi was by no means bad with the blade sending out several strikes all one hand, none of which hit their true target, but did managed to leave various gashes all across the body of the man cutting him and spilling his blood.
Davi sliced down with his sword as the Dragon jumped back dodging the strike. Seconds later the Dragon slashed out with its clawed hand but Davi slammed his left arm forward the mouth opening up wide and biting down on the clawed arm of the Dragon trapping it. Without a moments hesitation Davi slammed his sword out and severed the clawed hand slashing while it was trapped. The Dragon didn't even bother to bat and eye using his new freedom to spin and slam a kick into Davi. Davi went to block it with his sword but the Dragon stopped at the last second jumping into the air and spinning around as he landed behind Davi and slashed his claws down Davi's back splitting it open and impaling his hand through Davi's back and out the front of his chest.
"Davi!" Squire yelled with wide eyes.
"You Marked ones can take a lot of damage can't you." The Dragon said putting his head over Davi's shoulder as he smirked. "Even if your heart is blown to bits you can keep on fighting. In order to die I'd have to wipe your brain out."
"T... Thats right." Davi said spitting up blood. "W... We'll stay alive until our brain is pierced thanks to our curses. M... Mine allows me to stay alive longer to. You really should have taken my head off also because-" Davi spun his blade around and slammed it into his stomach stabbing himself and the Dragon who was leaning against his back. The Dragon spat up a wave of purple blood his eyes going wide. "I... I can do that."
"E... Enough." It ripped the blade out itself and slammed its claw out throwing Davi off of it. Davi slammed into the ground breathing heavily from his gaping hole in his stomach and heart. "You might not die from that true but your body is still human. It can only take so much damage until it simply can no longer move. If you're given enough time you'd be able to heal and regrow your damaged organs and bones but as it is you're pretty much useless-"
Davi spun to his back throwing the sword forward and slamming it into the throat of the Dragon. "F... Fuck you." His left arm glowed reverting back to normal as the sword vanished into ash and his hair changed back to white the mana fading. "Well that was cool while it lasted."
The Dragon gasped grabbing at his throat as purple blood oozed out. "S... Sadly for you I'm very sturdy as well." It hissed out.
"D... Damn." Davi slowly raised up on his elbows. "Guess you're gonna kill me then right. Careful. I still got some tricks to pull."
"I believe you." The Dragon hissed out. "That said. This battle has left me injured. I'll heal once I eat you and evolve. So lets make a deal... All level 3s are required to seek out the Count when they are made. If you allow me to eat you I'll leave those three others alone. You told the girl to take them to run did you not. Let me eat you and they can live."
"Like I'd believe a lie like that."
"It's the truth." The Dragon spat out glaring at him. "We can't evolve anymore once we're level 3. We only eat to evolve. If I eat you I'll instantly evolve since you're a marked. Then I'll have no more reason to eat. You'll save them."
"Trust me. I'd go for it." Davi said sitting on his elbows. "But I can't."
"You can't?"
"My Curse. All us Marked got one. Mine is the Curse of Life. With it. I'm cursed to live."
"...Cursed to Live? You mean you can't die?"
"Oh no I can be killed. Blow my brain apart, cut off my head, turn me into a bloody paste, or just out right beat the snot out of me till I stop moving. I'd die."
"Then... What the hell does that mean... Cursed to Live?"
"All us Marked have these red eyes you know. All of us can do basic things such as minor illusions but those only work on weak minded people, or people without mana. Then we have our curses. Mine is the curse of Life... It makes my body do what it can to survive. This eye of mine is able to do weird things. It can see things and plan things out at insane speeds as well as spot the weakness of something. Life is... A pain sometimes you know. I'd like nothing more then to throw myself off a cliff, split my stomach open, drink a cup of bleach, shoot myself in the head, hang myself, let myself get eaten, or just simply starve to death... But... But life is also not fair. My curse just won't let me. As long as my body can fight it will force it to fight it will. My body won't let me stab myself, my body will force me to stop before I throw myself off a cliff, my body will force me to spit out the bleach I drink, my body will force me to devour food and drink water, my body... My body will force me to fight back if something will try to kill me. Have you ever found that when you're in total shock your body can sometimes move on its own to protect itself. Thats me. All the time. Honestly I haven't fought a battle myself in years. My curse has been puppeting my muscles and body forcing it to do the movement, and with this eye able to spot weakness in things, and react to things much quicker... Its hard for me to lose, though you have beat me down pretty good. I never saw that last attack coming. Even with a magic eye not even I can dodge something I can't see haha... As such as much as I'd love to make this deal my body would stop at nothing to kill you, or until you got lucky and killed me. Just like how you Dragons are machines programed to kill in order to survive, I've been programed to live no matter what. Its my curse. The perfect curse for someone who just wants to die wouldn't you say."
"Davi..." Squire said slowly her eyes wide.
The Dragon stared at him not with anger, not with hunger, not with hate, but with pure and utter pity. "You poor, poor creature." The Dragon mused. "I get it now. You lost so much didn't you. Your will to live was stripped away. You're nothing by a broken man. But you still had value so you were given the ability to fight even without a will to live. What a miserable sad existence you live. I truly do pity you." It chuckled. It raised its clawed arm up. "In that case I'll do my best to put you out of your misery and save you-"
"You idiot!" Squire flew past the Dragon slamming her foot into Davi's gut making him gasp as his eyes went wide and he fell back. She glared at him and began stomping on his crotch over and over again. "Damn it! This is why I hate men. You never let off whats on your chest and bottle emotions up like that. You could have told me you wanted to die you know. Be honest. Is the reason you want me to take you to Camelot because you want to die? Are you trying to get me to follow you into hell? Well are you? And... And how dare you try to get me to kill you. Thats why you pretended to be a demon when we met isn't it. You wanted me to be the one to kill you!"
"G... Guilty as charged." Davi coughed out crawling away. "I was trying to get you to kill me. Well. At first. I did enjoy our fight though. I'm sorry. Really. But... You really don't get what pain feels like. The loss of those you care-"
'Slap!'
Squire's hand slapped out hitting Davi across the face leaving a large red hand print on his face. She stared down at him as her face began to soften.
"Men really do think they're the center of the universe sometime don't they. Please just... Don't say anything." Squire let out a sigh as she stared at the ground for a moment. "Honestly why the hell is every guy I meet always an idiot. Look. I don't really get it. I doubt I ever will. Wanting to die I mean. Thats just not anything I will get. At least not if you keep it all bottled up like this. Ignoring it and putting on a fake smile. I hate people who do that more then anything. And if you really do want to die then thats up to you. But... I think its cruel to try and become friends with someone when you have the intent of ending it all."
"...You think we're friends?" Davi asked stupidly not really knowing what he should say.
"In the end its up to you how you live your life. But... Still... I'm someone who wants to be a knight. And you saved my life. So you won't get to die just yet." She announced.
"Squire?" Davi winced.
"I still have to et you to Camelot right? And what kind of human being would I be if I went back on my word to someone who saved my life." She turned back to the Dragon and stabbed her glaive into the ground sinking it into the mud. "You'll just have to wait a little bit longer okay?" She reached down to her side. "I promised I wouldn't do this but we're out of options now." She sighed as the blade began to slide out of its sheath. "Master stand with me." She whispered closing her eyes as the blade slid out a wave of white light shining out of it.
"S... So bright." The Dragon hissed out covering his face with his hands.
"Thats..." Davi was silent as the light got brighter.
"This is the light cutting blade." Squire announced her words making Davi's eyes go wide. "It was passed down to me by my Master. It just so happens this sword specializes in slaying Demons and Dragons. If not for that 'side effect' this would be a sword on par with Excalibur." She stated entering a stance. "So here and now. I'll end you. In one strike at that." She smirked.
"What do you think." The voice took Davi off guard. He looked around not finding himself on the battle field anymore. Instead he stood in a void of metal hands. Standing next to him was the black outline of a person. Nothing about them could be made out as they seemed to be pitch black. Only a pair of glowing yellow eyes could be seen. "After we failed. Do you think its worth it?"
"What do you mean by 'we' failed." Davi spat out looking away from the figure. "Just go kill yourself worthless man."
"Thats very harsh. I'm sorry-"
"Kill yourself."
"...Do you think she's the one we've been waiting for-"
"The one I've been waiting for. You don't deserve a happy ending. You're going to rot away for failing everyone as punishment."
"Right. Do you think she's the one 'you've' been waiting for?"
"I don't know. And honestly I don't care." Davi said as a smile began to form on his face. "For a moment I forgot about it. For a moment all that pain. All of it. Just for a moment it went away. I don't care about you, or the Dragons, or that damn butterfly. Right now all I care about is..."
In an instant Davi was back on the battlefield.
The Dragon hissed out glaring at her for a moment. "Like hell you will." It hissed out. It ran at her at full speed as Squire took an intake of air. She stepped forward and slashed out with her sword the space around it being twisted and bent with the sword swing.
And she also missed her target making her eyes go wide.
The Dragons stomach was mere inches away but he had stopped just short baiting her attack and leaving her stuck in her swing, a rookie mistake. He jumped back as he pointed his one arm at her the arm morphing into a black cannon as a build up of black energy blasted out at her at high speeds. Squire stared with wide eyes as the blast came at her faster then she'd be able to react to.
"Right now all I care about is seeing just how far she's willing to go. How far can she push? Okay then..." The attack never reached her as Davi threw himself in front of her his left hand out stretched as the mouth opened wide and began to suck in the attack. His yellow eye stared at her as he gave a shark like grin closing his right eye leaving only his yellow eye open. "Let's see it then Squire. Go ahead and save me. I'll put up with life just a bit longer if you're gonna bitch about it so much."
Squire gave a smile as she ran forward jumping into the air and landing on Davi's shoulder and used him to jump towards the Dragon who was left wide open.
The creatures eyes went wide but it was far to late for him to save himself as she flew through the air and sent out a powerful strike to him severing his head in a single blow and decapitating him...
"My salvation. My... Terrible ending is nearing closer." Davi sighed. "Finally."