Odette and Alvino fight side by side. Odette transform her arms into vines and bound the dragon, while with every punch Alvino was creating an explosion to deal more damage to the dragon.
At least that's what they're expecting.
The body of the dragon is fluid or like slime making every blow by Alvino weak.
The two of them backed up for a while to catch breathe.
"Odette, you should attach it to."
"Yeah, it looks like my vines can grip into its gel body... Limit its move, I'm going to whip it to death."
The vines grew sharp thorns into it.
"You got it."
They once again challenge the dragon who's comfortably floating in the air right now.
Alvino produces fairy dust right into its face creating a huge explosion. The explosion created smoke that cover the vision of the dragon.
Alvino targeted next to its abdomen by fairy arts, even though it's not effective it gets the attention of the dragon.
From above, Odette using his hair whipped the dragon's body. As they expected the vines really work towards it. Its screams that echoed were the proof.
She combined the vine hands that were full of thorns and rotate them like a grinder.
The dragon changes its form once again into a long but small body, in order to evade the attack. It swirls in the grinder to Odette's body. Its body grips Odette's and blows a breath attack once again. Fortunately, Alvino quickly blocks the breathing by transforming his body into the same as the dragon.
"Odette, can you do something to break free from its grip?"
Odette nodded. Then she started chanting a spell.
"Biyaya ng Kalikasan, naipinagkaloob sa akin.
Ipakitaangiyongkapangyarihan, Limitasyonko ay wasakin!
Bulaklak ng Ilaya, kayo ay mamukadkad!"
(Blessing of Nature, Bestowed into me.
Manifest your power, Break my limit!
Flowers of Ilaya! Bloom!)
After chanting that, a greenish-yellow flower bloomed on the body of the dragon. Immediately after that the dragon's body squiggles.
Odette uses this opportunity to slip out.
"What a beautiful solution."
"Those flowers will cause irritation as long as it's on... its body..."
"Odette! What's the matter?!"
Odette lost her strength just after she finish talking.
She fell down but fortunately Alvino catch her.
"I already use three original spells. I used up most of my mana."
"Can you flutter your wings?"
"Yeah, I just need a little break."
"Okay, just grabbed into me... But don't get flustered over it okay."
"You should be thankful that I don't have any strength to punch you at the moment."
ROAR!
As they were conversing with each other, the dragon roared loudly that they needed to cover their ears.
They look back at the dragon and saw the creepy grin on its face once again.
"It's been a while! Alvino!"
A creepy voice can be heard coming from the dragon. Both of these eyes widened but Alvino tensed up his entire body.
"Alvino, what's going on? Why's that dragon know you?"
Odette was still confused about the situation.
Alvino whose frightened earlier blurted out a loud laugh.
"I should have known that it was you! It's just your a big fat dragon when I first met you."
"Alvino? You know that dragon?"
"Yeah! In the last mission of getting the second artifact. He was the reason why most of our soldiers died."
"What?!"
A grim expression appeared on her face.
"That's right. Right at this moment, I can still hear their lovely voices as my dragons were preying on them. After that Alvino sends them to their death."
"Wait! What are you saying? The report said that they were been ambushed that's why most of our soldiers died." The confused Odette asks.
The dragon laughs loudly.
"That's true we ambush them... but we didn't even get a single one of them. Until Alvino ordered them to charge forward and obtain the artifact even hundreds of dragons were waiting for them. When he obtained the artifact he didn't even look back to his soldiers who had been eaten one by one by my dragons."
"Alvino? Is that true?"
Alvino keeps his mouth shut, which makes Odette wary of him.
Artifact. It's the item that reveals to them the truth behind the dungeons. Including the top of the Tower to the Eternal Garden.
It's also the reason why they found out about the Enchanters' Phantasm.
Upon hearing what the dragon said. Odette was starting to doubt if she should trust Alvino.
"Tell me, why didn't you use any of your original spells yet? Are we just buying time for them?... If the dragons were the only thing they'll up against, Albericht, the new recruit, and the mages of the castle will be enough to handle them. We don't need to send Gerald and Fiery there... Wait. The dragon that cut off Fiery's hand. Don't tell me!"
"Yes, the dragons similar to the ones who attack us are here." Albericht who stayed quiet till now said.
"So you knew all along that they're here? Are you sending all of us to our death?!"
"No. Those dragons have their own judgment once been overwhelmed it might run away on their own. With the three of them there, I think there's a small chance they can survive."
Odette swayed his arms away and fly on his own. She pushed herself to fly even she can barely flutter her wings.
"How about us?!She asked. "Tell me am I just a pawn to you?"Odette said with a sullen expression.
The dragon was just looking at them. Alvino turn back his body to normal cast a spell to turn his arms to fairy dust and smack the dragon's head. His hand penetrated into the body of the dragon and create an explosion from the inside.
The dragons head splattered all over the place,in exchange of Alvino's hand.
But the dragons head was slowly regenerating.
After seeing this, Alvino smile mischievously, "Remember when we first got our blessing, how we were pleased while hunting dragons, how we enjoy fighting in the wars. We didn't have anything back then that's why we were ready to die anytime. But after I got my children I suddenly have goals on my own. I want them to live happily. To be free of beings who are against their existence, I wanted to see them live happy life. I wanted all of those so badly that I can sacrifice my own comrades into achieving that."
Odette grimaced.
"Why are you saying all that?" Odette asked
Her mind is racing and her chest is tightening.
On the other hand, Alvino didn't answer her question.
"I have one selfish request for you. I knew this request was hard considering how you feel. But I hope you'll proudly say yes for once. Since this is the last time I'm going to hear you say that."