The sigh of the huge tower set off a nervous energy within the cohort.
As Caspian guided the chariot closer, the huge structure loomed infront of them, the shimmering glass reflecting the scorching sun into every direction like a wildfire.
Ragna held the hilt of his Blade tighter, wondering if this place and his weapon were somehow connected, and if he could reach the goal of absorbing the 2000 souls, to make his weapon evolve.
Celeste moved closer to the edge of the Chariot, her eyes widening like she saw billions of stars infront of her.
And then, she spoke up.
"Something is definitely there. It feels like something is pulling me inside."
Ragna also felt whatever Celeste was describing. The Blue strings of his attribute were moving around the structure afterall.
Layla didn't do much except analyzing the tower while waiting till they arrived. But surely, she had her own set of problems to think about.
Cera had an innate understanding of the basics when it came to the Nightmare Spell, so she also knew what a Gateway was and why they were searching for it.
Caspian brought the chariot down, making it hover over the sand, being just a few meters away from the tower.
"So, we're going in ?" Caspian asked, his voice cautious but also confident.
Ragna looked at his teammates, weighting their strengths and weaknesses.
The cohort, without Caspian was already strong, and now, with him, it surely was even better.
They were all exceptional, especially for their Rank, but was this enough ? Were they strong enough ? Or should they come back later.
There was a,so the chance for them to grow stronger while in the tower ... The "boss" surely wouldn't meet them in one of the earlier floors, right ?'
"We're going going inside. Stay sharp. Whatever is waiting inside, definitely is stronger than anything else in this place.", confirmed Ragna.
With that, they walked off the Chariot, as Caspian made it dissolve into thin air.
As they neared the entrance, they heard a loud grumble emanating from the tower, as the large glass doors opened.
Caspian walked infront of them all, already trying to lead the group. But Ragna didn't really care. He was just in the back, talking with Layla and Cera about some random stuff.
As they fully walked inside, they felt an oppressive weight press down on them. They were definitely being watched.
The cold air inside was a welcomed but also creepy change compared to the absurd heat outside.
The walls were reflecting images of the cohort, but they seemed to be normal, not like what Ragna had encountered pretty early on in the Dream Realm, after he had sunk under the quicksand.
Caspian still took the lead, now also having summoned a chilled trident and still walking confidently. His eyes seemed to be scanning the area with more caution now.
Suddenly, a small creature had walked infront of them.
It was very small for a Nightmare Creature, not even reaching to their knees.
They couldn't really see how the Creature looked like tho, since the helmet it was wearing, covered it's whole body. But what they saw, was the bright light shining in between the visors.
It ran towards them, but then it stumbled.
'What a dumbass.'
Everyone just watched while Cera shot out a blood beam, cracking the helmet and killing it.
[You have slain a dormant beast, Glimmershade.]
'What was he trying to?'
And then, more and more appeared, all stumbling and dying in the same way.
After around 10 of those Creatures dying, their corpses suddenly started shining very brightly, before the light blinded them all for a second.
While blinded, Ragna suddenly felt something hitting him in the gut, making him fly back a few meters and crash into the glass.
As his vision returned, he saw his teammates looking at him with worry, except Caspian, who was already fighting whatever just hit him.
He spit out blood before standing up.
'Why did it hit me ? I wasn't even the closest.'
As he looked over to Caspian, he saw how he was fighting a creature that resembled the smaller ones very much.
It was like, the ten dead corpses, had combined into one creature, one who was bigger and stronger.
It also used a sword that kinda looked like a Nail or stinger.
The creature now also wore a full set of white armor, which shone with elegant radiance.
It moved swiftly, it's Stringer-like sword slashing through the air with a sickening whistle.
Caspian dodged to the side and thrust his Trident into the side of the Creature. It didn't do much tho, since the Creature was fully armor, making him unable to hit any part of it's body.
But directly hurting the Creature wasn't Caspian's plan. He wanted to freeze it.
The spot of the armor Caspian hat hit, suddenly started turning blue and spreading into every direction, as sparks of eyes traveled all over the figure, and then attaching to the the ground, freezing the Creature on the spot.
The Ice was already close to breaking because the Creature tried getting out, but the few seconds were everything they needed, since Celeste already arrived next it it, using her gravity to press the armor together very tightly, crushing the Creatures body, while Layla thrust her thin Katana through the visors of the Helmet.
And after that, the Creature grew Limp.
Ragna and Cera hadn't even done anything yet.
Ragna walked forward while wiping the blood of his mouth.
Before one of them could speak, the ground suddenly shook, while a pair of steps darted out of the glass walls, leading them to a higher Floor
"Do you guys think we need to clear all Floor till we reach the Main Creature and find the waypoint ?", asked Layla while pulling her katana out of the visors.
"Seems like it.", Ragna muttered, while inspecting the translucent staircase that had appeared out of the walls.
"We should go up."
Layla, Celeste and Cera followed instantly, thinking about what could happen in the next floor. But they were interrupted by the voice of Caspian.
"Why are you saying what to do ? You were the only one to get hit and you didn't even attack the Creature while we fought it."
Ragna turned around with a smile, but his mind was filled with annoyance and hate.
'What a fucking bastard ! We were all blinded by it and I was the unlucky one that got targeted by the Creature.'
"I am not trying to act like the Leader. I am just myself.", answered Ragna calmly.
Caspian stepped forward and held his Trident in fromt of himself, pointing it towards Ragna.
"I bet you're a fucking weakling, sitting in the bag of Celeste and Layla and not contributing to anything. You would have already died without them."
A vein popped on Ragna's Forehead while the Emotional Blade Attribute of his Sword made the blade shine red. His smile didn't falter but it got more crooked.
'That bastard doesn't know what I've been through. He just suddenly appears out of thin air, joins us and then acts like this!'
Celeste just watched with a slight grin, finding this argument amusing.
Layla just looked worried for Ragna, stepping in between them, before speaking up.
"You both shouldn't fight. And Ragna is really strong, you know ? Probably the strongest one of us. So let's just continue forward."
Caspian's eyes narrowed at Layla's invention, but he didn't lower his weapon.
The tension between Caspian and Ragna just rose as they looked into eachothers eyes.
"The stongest? That Mutt ? He hasn't even proven anything yet, except for how fast he can crash against the wall."
Ragna gently pushed Layla to the side before taking a step forward, making him and Caspian face off eachother.
"Why should I prove anything, especially to you ? You have just joined a little bit ago and you haven't even seen me fight yet. So who are you to tell me that I am useless ?"
Suddenly, Ragna felt a bubble out of water form around him, making him unable to breath.
(Papa, are you okay ?), asked Cera over their Mind connection worriedly.
Ragna didn't answer but just held his breath while gazing at Caspian with an unreadable expression.
He felt his blood flow into his Sword, the amount now larger because of his two cores. He just lazily slashed forward, not even being close to hitting Caspian, who now grinned because of that.
But a friction of a second later, a Blood slash, around the size of a meter, appeared out of thing air, slashing right into his chest.
He fell onto one knee, while the bubble disappeared around his head.
He pulled Caspian's head up by his Hair and gazed into his eyes.
"Do you bleed ?"
Caspian slapped Ragna's hand away before trying standing up, ignoring the pain in his chest.
"You stupid Mongrel. You don't even have a True Name so keep your gaze down."
"Keep my gaze down ? I'm looking down at you right now, you weakling. And who said I don't have a True Name ?"
Ragna kicked Caspian down, looming over him.
"I am bled into Existence, a Bloodborne Creature made to kill and transcend. I am the crimson ghost of a forbidden lineage, a person made out of flaws but fated to reach divinehood. Once I sat my eyes on you, you can trust me that I'll do anything to kill you. So shut your mouth, stand up and just be fucking useful, you bastard."
——-Author's Notes——-
Words: 1600
Sorry for the cringe ah quote at the end 🙏
Don't got anything else to say.
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