Arc | Chapter. 96: The Darkness Within

Arc | Chapter. 96: The Darkness Within

Faral was training someone that had been placed under her care. Even though she looked like a normal human to those that watched her; in reality she was the Dragon of Wind. A dragon of legend, a mythical creature whose mere name commanded respect.

However, she didn’t care about any of that at the moment. Her status was irrelevant in the eyes of the person she was currently serving; Arc. But even if her status was relevant, it wouldn’t change the duty she had right now.

And that was⁠—

Faral kicked, and the adventurer woman blocked though she went sliding back. The woman, Meika, was a panting mess.

Training Meika.

It was something Arc had asked of her, and Faral didn’t mind complying. To some extent she was growing fond of the woman, though fortunately or unfortunately Meika didn’t actually know anything, whether it was Faral’s identity or anything about Arc.

Sure, Faral was extraordinarily strong in the eyes of Meika, and was treated as such, but to some extent she found herself missing the… reverence she found with the elves.

Well… I suppose I can’t have everything…

Faral shook her head as she lowered her guard. The training session was over, one look at Meika and she could tell. She was on the brink of collapse.

Faral clapped her hands. “We are done here.”

“More…” Meika breathed. “I can keep… going.”

Faral gave Meika a look, and the expression on the woman’s face was tired but her eyes were eager and waiting for more. It was oddly nostalgic, but unfortunately this time around it was best to rest, her instincts told her so.

“No you can’t,” she said with a tone of finality.

“Right…” Meika let out a sigh and nearly collapsed at that moment.

Faral shook her head and turned to look at the sky, she didn’t know how she felt about the current life she was leading but decided she wouldn’t let it affect her either⁠—

And a creeping feeling ran through her spine. Wrongness. It was something that shouldn’t be there. It was as if a dragon was born, but also different. Forbidden.

A prickling feeling ran through her arm along with the cold air of the surroundings.

Something… was wrong.

She didn’t know what happened, but the world suddenly felt different.

“Faral…?” Meika asked between pants.

She blinked. “It’s… nothing.” A breath left her. “Let’s just go back.”

Meika seemed concerned but didn’t voice her worries. And Faral didn’t really know what was wrong either, so she tried to put the weird feeling to the back of her mind.

* * * * *

Elsewhere, many dragons had similar reactions, but one in particular was confused.

Malz, the Dragon of Shadows was confused.

“The Dragon of Darkness has been resurrected?” She tilted her head. “But it’s like… not even a real resurrection… that is…”

And she trailed off as a sense of worry hit her. It was happening in the same direction that Arc had left in…

* * * * *

The dragon before me was the Dragon of Darkness, or the decayed remains of it…

Its skeletal figure covered the dark sky, its whole body was covered with rotten tissue that hung from its bones; a decayed creature of legend. Its red floating eyes stared right ahead⁠— or more specifically at me. I could feel its gaze bearing down on me, almost like a primal hatred, but I decided to ignore it as I looked up towards the Hero of Necromancy.

“Well?” I asked. “Not attacking?”

While I couldn’t see his face through the robe, I could certainly hear his displeasure as he replied.

“I’m just admiring the fact that I overprepared for such weak people,” he sneered and raised his hand, commanding the three undead before us, raising his hand. “Kill everyone but the Heroine of Frost.”

With that they dashed. I blinked in surprise as Giselle and Jake immediately got engaged in battle.

“You’ll regret this!” The Heroine of Spiders sneered as two undead went after her and the spider.

Meanwhile Jake raised his spear and flashed me a smile. “You can deal with him.”

“Sure…” I agreed as I quickly stood alone on the battlefield.

The other undead pushed my two companions far away, and the old man⁠— he was ill-suited for the occasion so he had quickly ran away. However, I didn’t blame him, I would’ve done the same in his position.

So, here I was, standing before the Hero of Necromancy and his flying dragon⁠— it landed before me with a majestic aura of death and famine.

“Not running?” the Hero of Necromancy asked.

“I see no reason to.” I shrugged. “Just waiting for you to attack.”

“And if I don’t?”

There was a pause as I raised my brow. Confusion blaring through my mind.

“I thought you were intent on killing us?”

“Perhaps your friends, but you?” He placed his hand on his chin pensively. “I haven’t spoken to a hero in so long. How is Earth like, now?”

“Shit,” I answered simply. “So you just want to chat before fighting me?”

“I suppose so,” he said as he sat on the Dragon’s Skull. “In reality I’d rather not fight you, so unless our goals collide I’m inclined to negotiate something.”

“Right…”

I was… confused. This guy was just weird. Wasn’t he insulted and annoyed just a few moments earlier? I mean… in a sense I was weird too for just entertaining him, but this was just⁠— I didn’t know.

“Well, what are your goals?” I asked.

“I shall conquer Draliz⁠—”

“Therefore we can’t negotiate.” My cold voice reverberated through the air as an ice spear appeared within my hand.

“Wait, wait, wait,” he said in a rush. “Let’s just talk first, indulge me for a second.”

I closed my eyes for a moment, deliberating whether it was worth it. I hadn’t actually spoken with any heroes⁠— perhaps the Hero of Shadows, but I had been intent on killing him as soon as he showed up…

A sigh left me. “I guess I can⁠—”

And at that moment, the Undead Dragon of Darkness swiped, blackness engulfing my vision as I barely managed to dodge through [Quick Step]. My eyes grew wide for a split second before annoyance settled in.

The Hero of Necromancy stood up from afar and clicked his tongue.

“You’re one of those battle freaks.”

I didn’t reply as I raised my spear. Now I was more annoyed than ever, but I was facing two SS Tier beings, not just one, so I couldn’t exactly go for it.

However, I still braced myself for a bloodied battle.

* * * * *

The Hero of Necromancy had never met the Heroine of Frost before, but she was weird. Everything about her was weird. She wasn’t inherently blood-thirsty yet had the same battle senses as some of the most violent heroes he had encountered across the years.

He didn’t understand, and unfortunately he had missed his chance to dispose of her. For some reason however, he found her existence jarring. Perhaps it was the modern clothes she wore. But on Earth, he had nothing and yet she still adopted fashion from that place?

It was ridiculous.

The woman was ridiculous. She still decided to fight him and the dragon he had resurrected?

Was she insane?

What kind of hero thought they could win a two versus one? It was almost disrespectful, but the Hero of Necromancy chalked it up to her being delusional and inexperienced. She had probably arrived in Arlas not too long ago and had yet to find an SS Tier hero, which was just great. It meant he could get some rather easy levels from killing her⁠—

Though revival skills were always annoying.

He shook his head and immediately began to attack.

The Undead Dragon of Darkness manifested his powers multiple times. But they were easily repelled by the Heroine of Frost⁠— it was odd. She wasn’t exactly attacking, and she was just defending. It was irritating, and it was infuriating⁠.

The Hero of Necromancy kept pushing to attack, but nothing seemed to work. Numerous S Tier undeads joined the battle, he summoned arms to hold her down and she broke right through them with a swipe of her spear.

Wasn’t she a mage?!

At that moment, the Hero of Necromancy realized⁠— she hadn’t been cocky, she just didn’t consider him a threat. Which was still just as stupid in his eyes.

He watched as numerous attacks failed to even touch her, all while biting on his nails.

He didn’t understand her…

But he couldn’t let this go on.

He had to show her her place!

Gritting his teeth, he slowly knelt in his place and touched the skull of the Undead Dragon of Darkness; while the dragon wasn’t as strong as it was in its prime it surely would have an effect on the heroine and put her in his place. He was sure of that, and with glee he immediately muttered under his breath.

“[Fall].”

At that moment, the Heroine of Frost paused and parried numerous arrows. A mass of darkness was now surrounding her lower body, locking her in place and making her helpless to what was about to happen.

A small grin crept upon his face, now came the second SS Tier skill⁠—

“[Darkest Claw]!”

The arm of the Undead Dragon of Darkness was wrapped in a pitch black mass and a moment later it struck⁠—

The ground exploded. Undead died. Bones flew. And the sky itself became nothing but an expansive abyss as reality itself seemed to lose color. The ground had fractured and dirt was sent flying.

At what he just witnessed, the Hero of Necromancy couldn’t help but grin to himself, she was probably in a critical state. He watched with glee as the smoke curtain cleared and⁠— she was standing there, a single cut on her cheek with a drop of blood streaming down.

“Are you done?” She asked, wiping the blood off her cheek as she stared at him. “This is disappointing.”

Her blue dead eyes bore into him, and at that moment the Hero of Necromancy paused. It reminded him of those people, it had been decades and yet their gazes were seared in his mind.

He stared back at her as his heart began to pump with anger. He hated that gaze, he hated the way she was looking at him.

“Well anything else?”

And that⁠— made him snap.

“What the fuck is your problem?!” he screamed. “You have the same gaze like those people.”

“Those people?” she asked with a frown.

“Yes those people!” The Hero of Necromancy continued. “You all look at me as if I was trash, all of you, my employer, my family, my fucking everything⁠—” He felt angry and he wanted to kill her now. “I’m a hero, how dare you look at me in such a way.”

The Heroine of Frost sighed.

“That is because you really mean nothing to me.”

Her response made something… break within him.

“Of course, you wouldn’t get it.” He said emotionlessly. “You must’ve had quite a great life back in Earth didn’t you? Look at your clothes, you must miss that place? Ridiculous.”

“I don’t miss it,” she snorted. “I told you it sucked.”

“No, you’re just an antsy young adult who is probably rebelling against their parents and even blames them for what happened to you during training,” he scoffed.

“Blame them? I don’t blame them for anything, and watch your words,” she said more coldly than ever.

The Hero of Necromancy chuckled to himself. “Let me tell you something. Whatever it is that your parents did, they did it because they love you. So get over it.”

And there was no reply as the woman looked down. The wind grew colder as the Hero of Necromancy just shook his head. He didn’t even know why he was wasting his time like this. But it didn’t matter.

“You really are a brainless kid.” He sighed. “But it doesn’t matter…” He trailed off as he felt his heart rage at her gaze just before that. “Because I will fucking kill you⁠—”

“Whether you beg or cry, I won’t care.” She interrupted.

The voice coming from her mouth was laced with nothing but venomous anger. Then she met his gaze. The Hero of Necromancy paused seeing the emotion within her now somewhat red eyes⁠.

What he was seeing unsettled him.

It was hatred in its purest form.

And it was all directed at him.

“I hope you’re ready to die, O’ great hero.”