Outside the imposing Ruthwilfer Castle, the air crackled with tension as the battle raged between the Dragon King, Giang, and the Sinner of Lust, Lustia. The ground trembled beneath their feet, and the sky darkened ominously, mirroring the fury of their clash. Giang, channeling his draconic energy, surged forward, his fist glowing with a fierce, fiery aura.
"Die like your brother!" Giang bellowed, his voice echoing through the valley.
"Ugh!!!" Lustia retorted, her eyes narrowing with disdain. "You're the one who left Behemot to die!!"
"RAAAGGHHH!!!" Giang roared, his anger igniting a transformation. He shifted into his half-dragon form, a fearsome hybrid that combined the might of a dragon with the agility of a human. The true forms of dragons were colossal, but the dragon clan had mastered the art of transformation to interact with other races.
With a swift motion, Giang conjured a warhammer of fire, its flames dancing like a living entity. "LUSTIA!!!!" he roared again, swinging the weapon with all his might.
Lustia dodged deftly, but the sheer force of Giang's attack sent her crashing into the trees, splintering wood and sending debris flying. "RAAAHHGG!!!" Lustia screamed in fury, her demonic energy surging as she unleashed a storm of purple lightning into the sky. Thunder cracked, and bolts of energy struck the ground, some finding their mark on Giang.
"DAMN YOU!!" Giang shouted, his body crackling with energy as he soared into the air, catching Lustia by her tail.
"HAHAHA!!! What?! Finally succumbed to lust, tramp?!" Lustia mocked, her voice dripping with venom. The sensitivity of a succubus's tail was well-known, but Lustia was no ordinary succubus.
"That's the plan, whore!!" Giang shot back, spinning her around in a dizzying whirl before launching her into the sky. He then summoned spatial magic, unleashing a barrage of powerful beams that rained down upon her.
As the dust settled, the sky darkened further, resembling a starless night. Giang huffed, believing the battle was over, but a chilling voice broke through the silence.
"Not bad, little tramp."
Giang's eyes widened as he looked up, witnessing Lustia's transformation. She had grown larger, now the size of Behemot, the fallen Dragon God. "Right time to use this form, though. It amplifies my abilities threefold," Lustia declared, her voice echoing with newfound power.
"Pity it took three holy demon gods and two sinners of Wrath and Sloth to kill your beloved master," she taunted, her words striking a nerve deep within Giang.
In a fit of rage, Giang transformed into his full dragon form, his scales glistening like molten metal. "You're going to wish you were never born," he growled, his voice a low rumble.
"That makes two of us, husband!!"
Suddenly, Giang's wife, Xilang, appeared beside him, her own dragon form majestic and fierce. "My wife!! What are you—where's our daughter?!" Giang asked, concern etched on his face.
"She's with Dante. Don't worry. That boy has the eyes of a warrior," Xilang reassured him, her gaze steady.
The three combatants hovered in the air, the tension palpable. Lustia smirked, her confidence unwavering. "Well, this is better. Two birds against one stone. Or is it two stones against one bird? I can never remember the phrase humans use," she quipped mockingly.
The battle resumed, a fierce clash of titans as the King and Queen of Dragons faced off against Lustia, the Sinner of Lust.
---
Meanwhile, within the castle's stone walls, chaos reigned. Dante, a young boy with fierce determination, strapped on his gear, ready for whatever lay ahead. He turned to Zhurong, who was tearing a sleeve from her dress to fashion a makeshift strap for her sword.
"You know how to use a blade?" Dante asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Yeah, I'm not some damsel in distress. A dragon never hides nor cowers in fear," Zhurong replied, her voice steady as she finished preparing.
"Good. One thing I hate about girls is they think they need rescuing," Dante said, a smirk playing on his lips.
"Back to you, Dante. Boys always think they can act all heroic," Zhurong shot back, her tone teasing.
As they navigated the castle's dimly lit halls, Zhurong's curiosity got the better of her. "Weird weapon. Care to elaborate?" she asked, glancing at the gun slung across Dante's shoulder.
Dante, focused on their escape, replied, "It's called a gun. Me and the old smith forged it this afternoon." The old smith had left early, trusting Dante to handle himself, but he had followed them since they were just nine years old.
"Just my luck," the old smith muttered, shaking his head as they searched for a safe exit.
"Hey, come on, turn that frown upside down, old man," Dante joked, trying to lighten the mood.
"My foot!! And what's that even mean?!" the smith retorted, frustration evident in his voice.
Suddenly, Dante raised a hand to stop them. He pointed ahead, where two lower demons were struggling to grab something—or someone.
"Help!!! Help!!! I'm Taka Ruthwilfer!!! No one dares to save this young master!!!" came the desperate cry.
"Of course, it's that idiot," Dante and Zhurong said in unison, spotting Taka dangling from the chandelier, adorned in white pillow feathers, with red hair and yellow paint smeared across his lips, resembling a dressed-up chicken.
Zhurong raised an eyebrow, turning to Dante. "Did you—?"
"I don't know," Dante replied, a sheepish grin spreading across his face. He was indeed the one responsible for Taka's current predicament after Zhurong had left earlier.
Zhurong chuckled, unable to suppress her laughter at Dante's antics. "You're weird, Dante."
"What do we do? Leave him? I vote to leave him," Dante suggested, a mischievous glint in his eyes.
"Dante!?" Zhurong exclaimed, her tone a mix of disbelief and mild anger.
"Fine, we'll bring that dumb-dumb with us," Dante conceded, kicking the door open with a flourish.
As they burst into the next room, Zhurong and the old smith's eyes widened in shock as they saw Dante exposing himself directly to the lower demons.
"Surprise, ugly!!" he shouted, firing his gun in a semi-automatic barrage.
"AHHH!!!" Taka yelped, narrowly dodging the bullets as he swung from the chandelier, his eyes wide with panic.
Minutes later, Taka was left speechless as they continued their frantic escape. "This doesn't count as you saving me, dirty blood!" he shouted at Dante, indignation coloring his voice.
Dante turned to Zhurong, desperation in his eyes. "Please, just once. Just once. Let's use him as bait for all our sakes, I beg of you."
Zhurong sighed, shaking her head. "Hehe, you're a pain, Dante."
After what felt like an eternity, they finally spotted the exit to the grand meeting hall of the Ruthwilfers. "Maybe we can hide here—"
CRASH!!!
A thunderous sound erupted as Giang and Xilang, in their dragon forms, collided with Lustia, who had transformed into her true demon form. The impact sent tremors through the castle, and the walls trembled.
Giang unleashed a torrent of fire, engulfing Lustia as she crashed into the hall, her massive form staggering. Lustia, now a towering demon, glared at Dante, Zhurong, Taka, and the old smith, her eyes narrowing with malicious intent.
"So you two had a child, huh?! Well, let's change the subject," Lustia taunted, her voice dripping with venom as she reached for Zhurong.
"NOO!!" Giang and Xilang shouted in unison, their voices filled with desperation.
BANG!! BANG!! BANG!!
"ARRGGHH!!! MY EYE!!!!" Lustia howled in pain, momentarily distracted by the gunfire. Dante had taken aim, firing at her with precision, though it was merely a dust cloud that had struck her eye.
Lustia glared at Dante, her fury palpable. "YOU LITTLE BRAT!!"
"AWW WHAT?! A LITTLE KID LIKE ME MADE YOU PAIN, OLD HAG!!!" Dante shot back, his bravado unwavering.
That hit a nerve for Lustia. "Old hag? OLD HAG!!!" she screeched, her rage intensifying.
"ARGHH!!!" Lustia lunged, her massive arm crashing down toward the group. Just in time, Xilang intervened, using her dragon form to shield Dante, Zhurong, Taka, and the old smith from the onslaught.
The impact of Lustia's attack sent tremors through the ground, creating a massive avalanche that cascaded down the mountainside. "SHIT!!" Xilang shouted, using her dragon body to cover the children and the old smith from the falling debris.
As the avalanche subsided, Xilang felt a touch on her back. She turned to see her husband, Giang, who had returned to his human form, but he was bleeding from a deep wound on his shoulder.
"Giang?" Xilang gasped, her heart racing as she rushed to his side. "What happened?!"
"GIANGG!!!" she yelled, panic rising in her voice.
"FATHER!!" Zhurong cried, her eyes wide with fear.
Dante held her back, trying to keep her calm. "We gotta go, Zhurong!!!" he urged, pulling her away from the intense battle.
"NO!!! MOMMY!!!" Zhurong yelled, tears streaming down her face.
"I'm okay, my wife. It's just a little hit," Giang reassured Xilang, though his voice was strained. He turned to Dante, leaning down to meet the boy's gaze. "Dante, my boy. My wife trusts you with our little girl's safety. Can I really—"
"Say no more, Your Majesty," Dante replied, his tone serious despite his young age. "I made a promise. And I never go back on my word." With that, he pulled Zhurong away from the battlefield, leading her toward safety.
As they fled, Xilang chuckled softly, a hint of warmth in her voice. "What's so funny, my wife?" Giang asked, confused.
"Oh, nothing, love. The boy reminds me of the first Alderman Patriarch," she said, her eyes distant as she reminisced about the past. "He said he would never go back on his promise to another."
Giang looked down, a mix of pride and sorrow in his eyes. "Dammit! How mighty have the dragon clan fallen. Look at us, fighting a holy demon together. Two dragons. You and me." His voice was heavy with concern. "Lord Behemot took down two commandments of the holy demon god himself, yet..."
"Hush now, darling," Xilang said, her tone soothing. "The dragon clan has not fallen yet. Didn't you hear what Lustia said? An Alderman child lives. The last descendant. If we can find that child and raise him under Alderman ways—"
"He can be of aid to the dragon clan and the mortal races," Giang finished, his resolve strengthening.
"LIKE HELL!!!" Lustia's voice thundered as she interrupted them, her fury palpable. In a blink of an eye, she lunged at them, catching Giang and Xilang off guard. With a swift motion, she slammed them down to the mountain ground, choking them in her grasp.
The impact shattered the earth beneath them, sending shockwaves through the area. "LIKE I WOULD LET YOU FOOLS GET TO THAT ALDERMAN BRAT FIRST!!" Lustia roared, her eyes blazing with rage.
---
Back in the castle, Dante, Zhurong, Taka, and the old smith ran through the corridors, desperately searching for safety.
"Dammit! Not one room," Dante said in frustration, his heart racing.
"Hey, Taka. Is there any place you know of here?" he asked, trying to keep his voice steady.
"Well... ummm... it's my first time here," Taka admitted sheepishly.
"...WHAT?!" Dante reached his breaking point, incredulity washing over him. "YOU LITERALLY GO WITH YOUR DAD HERE AND THERE, AND YOU'RE TELLING ME THIS IS YOUR FIRST TIME HERE?!!!"
Before Taka could respond, they heard a crack sound beneath them. The floor suddenly gave way, and they all fell into the center ballroom.
Evan, Will, Diana, Iccia, and Fina looked up in shock as the group tumbled down from the broken ceiling structure. Iccia quickly used her ice magic to create a slide-like path, allowing them to glide down safely onto a snow-like pile.
"What in hell's name were you kids doing?!" Diana yelled, her voice a mix of concern and exasperation.
"Mom told us to get to safety, but the top ceiling—" Zhurong began to explain, but her words were cut off by another loud crash as the group was thrown off balance.
"Cough, cough." Dante was the first to emerge from the pile of debris, shaking off the dust and confusion.
"Zhurong!!?" he called out, his voice echoing in the dimly lit room.
"Lady Diana!!" Zhurong's voice rang out, relief flooding her tone as she recognized him.
Dante scanned the area, searching for any sign of his companions. "Why, aren't you a little brat to crawl out from that heap of garbage?" came a sultry voice that sent a chill down his spine.
He turned to see Lustia standing before him, her presence both alluring and menacing. She walked seductively, circling him like a predator sizing up her prey.
"Hmmm... I admit, you gave quite the blast to my eye, boy," Lustia purred, her gaze locked onto Dante's. "It's been... a century since I've seen a young blood look me in the eyes and shoot me."
Her eyes flicked to the guns in his hands, a mix of curiosity and disdain. "Quite the fascinating armory, child. Do care to tell me its name?" she asked, leaning down to his level, her breath warm against his skin.
"Or perhaps a kiss on the cheek to make it all better..." Lustia suggested, inching closer, her intentions clear.
Just as she was about to make contact, Dante felt a surge of adrenaline. He quickly raised his gun, and with a swift motion, he pulled the trigger.
PSSHH!!!!!
Lustia recoiled, bouncing back in surprise, her eyes wide as she searched for the source of the sound. Dante grinned, revealing the gun in his hand.
"Hahaha... oh man!! You should've seen your face!!! Hahahaha!!!" he laughed mockingly, the tension momentarily broken by his bravado.
"You little brat!!!" Lustia spat, her anger flaring.
"Yup, I'm a brat alright," Dante replied, his confidence surging as he took aim at her once more. He glanced to his left and right, noting that Giang and Xilang had returned to their human-dragon forms, both wounded but still standing strong.
"I don't know why you keep talking about this Alderman clan or whatever," Dante said, his voice steady despite the chaos around them. "But I'll tell you one thing, lady..."
The Glock slid into position, ready for action. He had no mana, but his experience from his past world fueled his determination. Dante's eyes narrowed, focus sharpening as he prepared for what was to come.
"Let's get this party rockin' and rollin', baby!!"
---
Chapter 8 — End.