Chapter 8 - Proof of Valor

[May those who don't know when to wield a sword, know not how to wield one.]

Sargaroth walks away from Rein, creating distance between them. The dragon spread its wing and puffed up its chest, demonstrating its overpowering figure, before finally blew off a blue-colored fireball into the night sky.

" Let me reminisce the old-time, back to the day when I fought with that bastard. "

The clouds suddenly swirl and the calm wind turns into hurricane. An atmospheric phenomenon occurs over the mouth of the world's peak. Triggered by the sudden rise of temperature, lightning sparks one after another, infinitely paints the sinister sky with a beautiful horror.

" The picture is still vividly remained in my memory... Moments when the rain wasn't enough to wash away the stain and stench of the blood of his men. "

Rein take advantage of this opportunity to use all of his most powerful at his disposal. He will not hold anything back, as it would be the most foolish of an act to do so. If he had any exquisite techniques, then there can never be any better time to use it than now.

" Come forth, hero of old. Lend me your strength and together shall we sink this blade into the heart of those who threaten our heavenly realm. "

" Celestial Art: Santa Gladia! "

Rein's body glows, bathed in a bursting golden light. His left eye turns white and half of his hair grows into a long-white hair in instant. Santa Gladia is an art to call upon the spirit of a long-dead hero from ancient time.

" Oh? Whomst has awakened me from my peaceful slumber? "

A woman's voice speaks inside his head, a voice that belongs to the hero. As he hasn't mastered the art of soul merge, he cannot control the outcome of the spell. Thus, Rein himself has no idea about the spirit that he had summoned.

" I am Rein, a man who got into trouble and desperately in a great need of your help. "

" Eh? Haha... What an interesting fellow! That's quite the introduction! "

The spirit now has completely merge with Rein's body. She feels what he touches, smells what he smells, and hears what he hears. Therefore, it goes without saying that she also sees what he sees. An epic sight of a creature which she had never seen before.

" W-W-What in the world is that thing!? "

" There's no time to explain, here it comes! "

Heavy rain pours down. The dragon flaps its gigantic wing and pulls itself up, hovering above the ground. Meanwhile, Rein is ready with Faelmir in his hand. The only one who failed to conceive the tension in the air was none other than the spirit which hasn't fully comprehend the situation she is in.

" Oh...? What is this...? I've never seen something like this before. I sense someone else within you. "

Sargaroth without a doubt, possess abundance of knowledge. Yet this is the first time he had seen such a peculiar magic as it doesn't exist back in the Third Age. Thus, he decided to put them to the test. Sargaroth launches three fireballs from his mouth straight to Rein.

But Rein is able to swiftly dodge two of them, and slice the last one in two with his sword. It's as if his power and agility have been multiplied several times than before.

" For goodness sake! How can you pick a fight against something like that, especially when you have to carry a woman in coma on your back!? Can't you just say sorry?! "

" Let alone saying sorry, I'll even gladly cut all of my limbs as a token of apology if it could work that way. "

Santa Gladia merges the soul between the caster and the summoned, synchronizing their sense and mutually fused both of their capability and magic resource, consequently make it possible for one to exert powerful abilities which normally cannot be done individually.

" You are indeed... full of surprise, Laharlal Rein. Had you not been one of his descendants, I might be tempted enough to let you live. "

The dragon swung its wings and fly up high onto the sky. Rein thought that it would attempt the same trick as it did before, so he take a deep breath before casting a tender, gel-like spherical barrier around him allowing him to reduce pressure and soften any impact of the upcoming debris.

" We can be stronger if we become more intimate with each other. "

" W-W-What are you talking about?! "

" Tell me your story, Spirit. "

The spirit sounds embarrassed at first as she misunderstood his words. But what Rein meant was that they could become significantly stronger if they know each other's origins and powers.

" O-Oh yeah of course, right... Well then, behold for yourself! My name is Artelia Liona, The infamous-! "

" Protector of Heirean Empire, The Soundless Blade, The Eternal Virg- "

" A-Ah! S-Stop there! Don't say another word! "

" ...Fine, that's all I need to know. I'm familiar with the rest of your story. "

Artelia is grumbling and muttering to herself as she lost her chance to boast and to bury down the weird title which she disliked so much. It can't be helped, because Rein has learned of almost every hero that's recorded in the Grand Library. All for the sake of this day, when he had to use the art which he had carefully preserve for such situation.

" Prepare for impact, it will head straight for us, Lady Artelia. "

Rein thought that the dragon would dive down like it did earlier. Amidst the pouring rain and the wailing thunder, Artelia sensed that something's not right. And her premonition was right, Sargaroth emits a stream of red thunder from above instead of diving down to the ground.

" Watch out, Rein! "

Forewarned by Artelia, Rein quickly undo his barrier and evade the vicious attack by strongly jumping sideways in a godly reflex. In an instant, the surge of red thunder created a black crater almost big enough to make it a lake. Rein couldn't imagine what would have happened to him if he were to caught in that blood-like light.

" It's not over Rein! It'll come again! "

The dragon bombards them with the thunders it created. Rein and Artelia can do nothing but running around. Until finally it stopped and gradually descends from the sky.

" Rein, this girl's body cannot hold out much longer if we keep this up. She isn't in the state to match our speed "

" But she'll surely die if we leave her alone. "

" I might be able to save her, but it would greatly reduce my power. Is she anyone important to you? "

" ...She told me that we will get married once this is all over. "

Artelia understand that Eris is certainly someone precious for him. Hence, she channeled her mana and starts chanting her spell. Rein's left hand suddenly move on its own and pinched Eris's skin with its nail until bloods came out.

"What are you doing?"

" I'm gonna cast a powerful spell that will cost me half of my mana and render me helpless for a while. Can you buy me some time? Oh, I need to borrow your left hand also. "

" I'll think of something, please proceed. "

Artelia use Eris's blood to draw a circle on Rein's chest and starts chanting while pressing it, while Rein is focused on the coming dragon. He decided to covers himself in the mud of wet ashes and hide within the remaining trees in the area. Against such formidable opponent they need to play it smart, or they certainly wouldn't last for long.

Sargaroth finally set his foot back on the ground, only to found that his foe is nowhere to be found. He understands that one has to use one's head to survive death. Hence, rather than maddened, Sargaroth feels impressed and excited instead. It’s been a long time since the last time he had to try harder to spill some blood.

" Come on now... Be bold and fight me like a true knight would be! Or is it that you have cast your honor aside and decided to resort to such cowardice, hm? "

Sargaroth waited for a response in mockery, but it seems that Rein is smart enough as not to fall on his provocation. His grin widened; he had acknowledged his opponent.

" It was a wise decision not to be provoked... I, Sargaroth, acknowledges you, Lord Commander.

...Now where do you hide, I wonder? "

Sargaroth slowly walks around, relying on his keen sense of smell to track the puny human. There, he finally found his prey, hiding behind a large tree. Sargaroth spread his wing and then swings it, lashing out a powerful slashing wind, cutting the tree to pieces.

" Death is a certainty to those who underestimate me. "

Blood flows from behind the tree. The dragon was in joy until it realized that the blood, even though it belongs to Rein, was not the blood that come out from teared limbs, but from a drinking leather costrel that had its filling swapped.

" Hahaha! Marvelous! You truly grind my gear! As a reward, I shall answer in kind. "

Sargaroth turns his head backwards before he spewed flames to his sharp, blade-like tail until it turns bright red like a melting iron. Then he swings his fiery tail in circle, and it was like a hot knife through a creamy butter, the trees around him easily cut down in an instant.

Rein finally came out of his hidings. His hair turns back into black even though his left eye is still colored in white, indicating the weakening spirit that currently resides within him. Nevertheless, he stands tall with a fierce look in his eyes.

" Ohh... There you are! But again, you've changed! What has become of the other two? "

" Mind them not, Oh evil incarnation! This battle is between you and me. "

Under the stormy skies they stare at each other. Above the dampened soil they stand before each other. The wildering flame will bear witness to this clash of the century. Each with their own stake and each with their own goal.

In this precarious silence, Rein makes the first move.