It felt as though my heart had momentarily ceased its beating, and for a few seconds, I slipped into a state of unconsciousness. Then, I was roused by a sensation of coldness enveloping my body, as if it were mending all the wounds I had sustained. The feeling was like an elixir flowing through my system, knitting my flesh back together. I could almost hear the mending of my skin, the flow of my own blood orchestrating its healing symphony. In an instant, the pain that had consumed me started to fade away.
"Don't let go..."
Killan's whisper echoed in my mind, and I realized that I was still alive, my body intact.
I opened my eyes, finding myself engulfed in darkness within the dominus's stomach. A luminous sphere of ice emanated a soft glow, casting light within the creature's belly. Even in this macabre setting, I could still see the repulsive liquid that filled the dominus's stomach, a grotesque mixture of acid, innards, and who knew what else. Yet, strangely, the stench seemed to have dissipated.
An immense icy energy enveloped me, a protective shield that Killan had surreptitiously bestowed upon me. All the doubts I had about the prince vanished as I floated within the dominus's stomach. Memories of the night I had seen him with Kenru in the Shita lane flooded my mind. Perhaps he meant to convey something important that night—something related to the reason he had come to Mors.
Killan was more than his charming exterior suggested. I had noticed his reserved nature, yet his observations were keen. He was being groomed to become the next king, and as such, his knowledge surpassed that of many. He should know more, he must know more.
He might have discovered something about his mother and the gauntlet. Perhaps that's why he had followed me to Mors, as part of his investigation.
But what role did Princess Lanuza play in all of this?
Questions swirled in my mind as I felt the gentle undulations of the liquid within the dominus's belly. The sphere of ice, which encased me, trembled as the serpent's body moved. The motion repeated, over and over again.
I experienced the sensation of being tossed against the walls of the dominus's stomach. The reverberations of its movements echoed through me, a rhythmic pattern of turmoil. My icy enclosure jostled within the serpent's stomach, each impact sending shivers through me. The repetition was relentless, each instance more powerful than the last.
Several times, I felt the icy sphere collide with the inner walls of the dominus's stomach. Each collision was accompanied by a resounding thud, indicating the impact of the dominus's gut against the object within it. The sensation was jarring, causing the contents of my stomach to churn. The dominus's violent motions seemed to protest against my presence, its digestive system struggling to cope.
Suddenly, the massive serpent began thrashing before me, a display of its displeasure at my resilience. Once again, its scaly body enveloped the icy sphere, and it attempted to shatter it with its powerful tail. But no matter how hard the dominus struck, the sphere remained unbroken.
I needed to be cautious. Once I left the protection of the icy object, I would be vulnerable again. Gathering my strength, I focused on activating the gauntlet on my palm. The distinct blue glow illuminated my skin, spreading from my hand to my chest. I could feel the energy flowing through me, revitalizing my weary body. An image formed in my mind—a sword, a weapon. I imagined its hilt, the guard, the blade, and its sharpened edges.
In response to my visualization, the gauntlet's energy manifested into a sword—a blood sword. It was a weapon of immense power, forged with magic and history. The blade gleamed with a brilliant silver light, its edge shimmering with a promise of sharpness.
The blood sword! I exclaimed internally, astonished by the fact that I had successfully conjured the legendary weapon known to be wielded by a valiant warrior from Cairos—a neighboring nation to Springgan. Apollo had shared stories about it, expressing his dream to create such a weapon one day.
Empowered by the gauntlet, I held the blood sword with ease. The blade's edge gleamed, a testament to its lethal potential.
Just as the icy shield surrounding me shattered, the dominus seized the opportunity to consume me. Its jaws opened wide as it lunged towards me. Reacting swiftly, I positioned the sword's blade against my shoulder, ready to strike as the beast drew closer.
"Hisss!"
I held my breath as the dominus drew near, and then with a powerful motion, I swung the sword with all my might. The blade cut through the air swiftly, cleaving through the serpent's body. The dominus thrashed wildly before its severed body sprayed forth black blood. Its head and body crashed to the ground simultaneously, lifeless.
I took a moment to catch my breath. The blood sword vanished as swiftly as it had appeared, leaving me with a sense of awe and relief. My knees gave in, and I collapsed to the ground as the dominus turned to ashes. I planted my hands on the earth, feeling the weight of exhaustion. A mixture of sweat and tears streamed down my face, mingling with the residue of the creature's venom and my own effort.
"I survived the dominus... I survived the dominus," I repeated in a mantra, my voice interspersed with tearful sobs.
My sobbing ceased when I noticed strands of white light emerging from the dominus's ashes. Similar to the jaguar's soul in the river, these threads of light began to rise, forming the image of the serpent. Slowly, the serpent's ethereal form slithered in front of me, and then it started to move around me. A cocktail of nervousness and fear churned in my chest as the serpent's spectral face drew close to mine.
With bated breath, I faced the dominus's spirit. I held onto the nearby grass. Suddenly, it lunged at me, and I felt its essence enter my chest.
A scream tore from my lips. I felt an amalgamation of coldness and electric energy coursing through my chest as the dominus's spirit invaded my being. It was as though my strength was draining away, and I was losing consciousness. Gradually, the entire spirit of the serpent entered my body, and I could sense its presence in every fiber of my being.
My heartbeat quickened. I needed more air in my lungs. I struggled to describe the sensation coursing through me. It was as if my body had become weightless, my vision sharpened, my hearing, smell, and touch heightened.
The dominus is an enhancer! I realized, a revelation dawning on me. I had just defeated a powerful enhancer and absorbed its essence.
I rose effortlessly to my feet, my movements now three times as swift as before. I could feel my senses attuned to an almost supernatural level—my vision sharper, my hearing acute, my sense of smell and touch heightened.
However, now wasn't the time for complacency. Camp Meridio awaited my return. I needed to get back to base immediately.