Estoff Wraith
In recent times, there seemed to be a lack of action, aside from the tournament that took place every seventh day. Therefore, I find myself compelled to recount a tale filled with intrigue and danger.
Several days ago, I received intelligence suggesting that Hyperion Inc., a company specializing in military weapons, was conducting dubious experiments involving dragonoids. These majestic creatures were being utilized as mere guinea pigs, all in the pursuit of profit. It became apparent that all the company's research and inventions served the interests of their shareholders and their insatiable desire for financial gain.
The prolonged inactivity of Arcadia prompted our decision to embark on a daring operation—to liberate the dragonoids held captive within the confines of Hyperion Inc.'s facility. This would be our first mission since the participation of Amphere and Airelina in the tournament. Notably, it marked Amphere's inaugural involvement as the enigmatic Black Phantom. Although I remained uncertain about the motivation behind his decision, Amphere volunteered to join our ranks, expressing a curiosity in witnessing how we bring oppressive corporations to their knees. However, deep down, I suspect there may be more to his involvement than he initially divulged.
Gaining entry into the facility proved to be a breeze, especially with my vice-commander, Airelina Frembell, by our side. Being a Futuretech Dragon, her capabilities seemed boundless. With a mere flick of her wrist, she could transform her hand into a laser drill capable of effortlessly melting steel fences and creating holes in concrete walls. The mastery of her skills extended to hacking security alarms and cameras with ease, as if she possessed an innate understanding of their inner workings. It was as if she had a Wi-Fi connection in her head, effortlessly downloading the blueprints of the entire facility. Additionally, Airelina possessed the uncanny ability to detect heat signatures, allowing us to evade guards without leaving a trace.
After a brisk fifteen-minute journey, we arrived at the imposing door leading to the main laboratory. This formidable barrier was equipped with a complex security system, requiring a twenty-four-digit password. It was unlike any ordinary code, incorporating ancient symbols, Japanese and Chinese alphabets, Middle Eastern characters, and even shapes such as stars and rectangles. The sheer complexity of the code would leave most hackers, even those equipped with high-speed hacking software, with their brains spinning in confusion.
However, much to our astonishment, Airelina lightly touched the keypad, and the door obediently swung open, accompanied by the resounding voice announcing, "Access granted." Amphere's jaw nearly hit the floor at this sight, and I must admit, I shared the same sense of incredulity.
"I told you this is my jam, totally!" Airelina exclaimed cheerfully, her enthusiasm infectious.
As the clock struck past midnight, the main laboratory appeared deserted, devoid of any signs of activity. Along the walls stood a series of life-sized glass tubes, each containing the unclothed forms of dragonoids. I couldn't help but feel a mix of awe and discomfort as I gazed upon the naked bodies, their features permanently imprinted in my mind.
"Are they... all dead?" Amphere's voice broke the silence, his disbelief evident. I could only offer a shrug in response. The fate of these dragonoids remained uncertain, as it was difficult to determine whether they were deceased or merely suspended in a state of temporal stasis. Nevertheless, it was a far cry from the horrors we had encountered in the abusive power plants, where the grotesque nature of their operations left an indelible mark on our souls.
Airelina approached one of the glass tubes and pressed a button located beside it. With a mechanical hiss, the tube opened, and the limp dragonoid body fell into her waiting arms. Placing her index finger on the dragonoid's neck, she turned to face us, a glimmer of hope in her eyes. "He's alive," she announced.
In a display of her newfound powers, Airelina swept her hand through the air, causing all the remaining tubes to open simultaneously. The bodies descended, some landing face-first, while others landed on their stomachs. Although the impact seemed painful, it was not enough to rouse them from their slumber.
"How are we supposed to transport them away from here?" Amphere asked, her voice filled with concern. Her gaze swept across the room, taking in the sight of roughly fifty individuals in need of rescue. "Don't tell me we're supposed to carry them out one by one?"
A glimmer of confidence flickered in my eyes as I formulated a plan. "We don't need to," I responded assuredly. Turning towards my earpiece, I urgently sought contact with Richard, our ally stationed in the towering skyscraper overseeing the area. His expertise lay in creating teleportation circles, offering us a means of escape. "Richard, can you teleport everyone here?" I inquired, my voice laced with anticipation. "We'll need a radius of... thirty meters."
Regrettably, Richard's response shattered our hopes. "I'm sorry, Estoff," he confessed, a tinge of disappointment in his voice. "I can only create teleportation circles with a diameter of three meters. Unless... well, unless I can transform into a Dragon. But transporting them in groups of three or four would drain my strength rapidly. Until then, it's simply impossible."
A sudden wave of apprehension washed over me as I heard the sound of clapping hands, reverberating ominously in the room. My sweat turned cold as the noise pierced my ears, signaling that we had been discovered, trailed by an unseen presence.
"Estoff Wraith," a voice echoed, dripping with familiarity and authority. I recognized it immediately: General Kyle Leviticus. Standing beside him was his formidable dragonoid companion, Elumina.
The tension in the room escalated further as I surveyed our adversaries. It wasn't just General Kyle Leviticus and his dragonoid companion Elumina. To my dismay, the student council president, Duchess Reina Fleuret, had also joined their ranks, accompanied by her own fearsome dragonoid. What made matters worse was the presence of Amphere's closest friend, Rudolf, alongside his lover Kyrie. Their hands firmly gripped their swords and other weapons, poised for an imminent attack.
Airelina, quick-witted as ever, swiftly transformed her face into a haunting metallic mask reminiscent of a skull. Amphere, on the other hand, donned the formidable Black Phantom Costume, her figure emanating an air of both power and danger. In contrast, it seemed that my own identity was the only one at stake, a consequence of my ill-conceived move. Overconfidence had led me to believe that we could complete this mission with utmost stealth.
Now, however, there was no turning back. The die had been cast, and I knew that my position as a Pentagram Knight would undoubtedly be stripped away. That is, if anyone managed to leave this place alive.
General Kyle's voice reverberated through the room, laced with rage and disbelief. "I thought you were merely a supporter of the Dragonoid Rights Bill. But I was wrong about you," he bellowed, his accusations sharp as daggers. "You're nothing more than a bloody terrorist! A MURDERER!" His words echoed with a mixture of fury and madness, punctuated by an obnoxious, deranged laughter.
Maintaining a veneer of composure, I replied through gritted teeth, determined to stand my ground. "I told you, I will free all the dragonoids," I declared, forcing a smile that concealed the gravity of the situation. Turning my gaze towards Elumina, I added with unwavering conviction, "And I will ensure your liberation as well."
With a surge of determination, I lunged forward, drawing my broadsword from its sheath on my back. The blade gleamed as it sliced through the air in a swift side thrust, aimed directly at Kyle. However, with unnerving agility, he evaded my attack by swiftly veering to the left. In that moment, time seemed to slow, amplifying the intensity of the confrontation. The general's unsettling smile and manic eyes pierced through me, as if delving into the depths of my very soul.
Meanwhile, Rudolf clashed swords with the formidable Black Phantom, their blades clashing in a symphony of steel. Their dragonoids, equally matched in strength and ferocity, faced off against each other. Though I longed to witness the clash of these two exceptional knights, my focus remained fixed on the battle at hand, my personal struggle against this relentless demon.
In a sudden twist, Kyle called out a command, his voice resounding with authority. "Elumina! Activate Vesryn Pulse!" he shouted, swiftly retreating from the fray.
A look of anguish crossed Elumina's face as she bowed her head, her denial evident. Tears welled up in her lovable eyes, streaming down her cheeks as she pleaded with me. "Estoff, please, put an end to this! Cease the fighting for my sake! I have already come to terms with my fate!" Her words resonated with a mixture of resignation and desperation, tugging at my heartstrings.
The pain of witnessing the torment inflicted upon Elumina by Kyle, her rightful partner as a dragonoid, was unbearable. The fact that she should have been assigned to me when I became a dragon knight made the situation all the more infuriating. I could accept her serving under another knight, but not under that lunatic, perverted general!
"Why won't you listen to your one and only beloved, Estoff?" Kyle taunted, his words dripping with venom. "Elumina's heart aches every time she witnesses us, so-called 'best friends,' fighting over her!"
His taunting proved to be the final straw, shattering the fragile restraint that held back my fury. Anguish and anger mingled within me, fueling a burning fire that surged through my veins. My grip on the sword tightened, my knuckles turning white, as I propelled myself forward, propelled by the sheer force of my emotions.
"You are not my best friend!" I bellowed, my voice laced with rage, each word punctuated by my righteous indignation.
Driven by a mixture of rage and determination, I swung my heavy sword relentlessly, abandoning any semblance of technique. This man, this Kyle, deserved nothing less than death. Yet, despite my ferocious onslaught, he deftly evaded or parried each of my strikes with ease. His agility and skill were matched only by his sickening enjoyment of our battle.
"Since you're my best friend, perhaps I can share some moments with my woman! Hahaha!" he jeered, his words dripping with malice.
"Shut up! You will pay for everything!" I retorted, my voice seething with venom and the weight of my righteous fury.
With a surge of strength, I unleashed an uppercut slash, slicing through the air and catching Kyle's right elbow. Skin peeled away, exposing raw flesh, but to my astonishment, he showed no sign of pain. Instead, he retaliated swiftly, thrusting his slender sword into my right shoulder. Blood sprayed across the floor, painting a gruesome picture, but even the searing pain failed to dampen my determination. My fury propelled me forward, launching a barrage of reckless attacks. In the chaos, I managed to graze his right cheek, causing blood to flow freely, mingling with the drops that fell into his open mouth.
Both Kyle and I instinctively leaped back, creating some distance between us. It wasn't a retreat or a moment of weakness, but rather a desperate gasp for air. Our relentless exchange of lethal blows had taken its toll, leaving us both panting and weary. In that intense moment, I couldn't help but yearn for the presence of Gilliard, whose Vesryn Pulse could have been unleashed to obliterate this despicable adversary.
However, my attention was quickly drawn back to the immediate battle at hand. I noticed the absence of Reina and her dragonoid. Were they perhaps calling for reinforcements? But such thoughts were irrelevant in this moment, as the primary concern was the fierce clash between the two young knights.
In a synchronized cry, Rudolf and Amphere announced the activation of their Vesryn Pulse. The air crackled with anticipation as their powers surged forth.