Chapter 54 The sacred mountain...

After four more minutes of running, Issei and Eclair reached their destination and noticed a man with emerald green eyes and red hair standing with his arms crossed.

"Brother, is that you?" Asked Issei.

"Hm? what do you mean? can't tell?" Asked Ddraig with a raised brow.

"Well...you finally shaved that beard of yours and your hair is shorter than before, you look at least fifty years younger!" Shouted Issei.

"Hey! I didn't look that old!" Shouted Ddraig back.

"Sure....."

"So what are we gonna do?" Asked Issei.

"We are leaving this island today" Answered Ddraig.

"Alright, where to?" Asked Issei.

"You said you need power right?" Asked Ddraig.

"Yes, I do need more power, as much as I can get no matter the cost" Said issei with a determined look.

"Good, you remember that we gained our skills and powers not by leveling up right? so that's not the only way to get stronger.

we will need to find an isolated place, a mountain would be the best choice where no one could interrupt us" Said Ddraig.

"I might know a place, but I don't know the exact location" Said issei.

"What do you have in mind?" Asked Eclair.

"Sacred mountain once inhabited by fairy dragons" Said Issei shocking Eclair.

"But.....I thought it was just an old legend, I thought that the mountain didn't exist as many legendary adventurers and even previous heroes tried to find it but ultimately failed, so everyone thought that it never even existed" Said Eclair.

"Believe me it exists, it's somewhere in the middle of the sea, the reason why those adventurers and heroes didn't find the mountain was because they didn't have access to the mountain and only the ones who had access could locate the mountain" Said Issei.

"How....how do you know all of this?" Asked Eclair.

"That doesn't matter, what matters is that we should hurry and leave because the wave will start...wait....how long was I out?" Asked issei.

"Hmmmm about half a month" Replied Ddraig.

"Then we have no time! the wave will start way too soon!" Shouted issei.

People walking nearby heard Issei shouting and gave him strange looks as if he was a madman.

"Calm down brother, the wave starts after two and a half months so you don't have to worry about it now, just focus on getting stronger" Said Ddraig.

"How do you know that?" Asked Issei with a confused expression.

"When Eclair left Melromarc Motoyasu returned and got information from him that the next wave will start only after three months now two and a half" Said Ddraig.

"Oh...then when are we leaving?" Asked Issei.

"We'll leave one hour from now, so go get ready, we will meet at the beach on the east side of the Island" Said Ddraig before leaving the duo.

"Well that's that, now let's go and get ready for our trip" Said issei.

"Right" Replied Eclair and the both of them left to their rooms to get their stuff and buy supplies for their trip.

After an hour Issei and Eclair met Ddraig at the beach.

"Ready?" Asked Ddraig as he transformed into his dragon form.

"Of course we are ready! let's just hurry up, you snail!" Roared Issei with a smirk.

Ddraig grew a tick mark on his forehead as he glared at Issei.

"I'll burn you to crisp if you say that again" Threatened Ddraig now with a booming voice.

"Oh yeah? I bet you're too slow to even try that" Said issei.

Suddenly Ddraig inhaled a lot of air and unleashed scorching flames at Issei.

"Issei!" Shouted Eclair as her face doned a worried expression.

Once Ddraig stopped thr attack he was met with laughter.

"Hahahaha! well that was fun, but we should get going now for real" Said issei as he walked out of the smoke cloud.

"Wha-" Eclair was completely lost for words.

She just witnessed the same powerful dragon who defeated the last wave with ease unleashing a powerful fire breath that almost cooked her even if she took cover from afar not affect issei at all.

Even his clothes were completely fine....no, they were a little different..

"Did ya forget that I'm resistant to your flames just like you and Albion?" Asked issei with a smug grin.

"Course I didn't forget ya idiot! that's the reason I confidently used my strongest flame! I knew you'd be completely fine....well I thought that at least your clothes would be damaged at least to some extent, did you enhance them or what?" Said Ddraig.

"Ah no i didn't enhance them, actually I forgot that my clothes were not resistant to any kind of flames so while I was covered in the smoke cloud I changed to new ones haha" Said issei as he scratched the back of his head.

"Wait...where's Eclair?" Asked Issei as he looked around until he spotted a frozen Eclair.

Issei walked up to her and taped on her shoulder.

She jumped from the sudden tap.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to scare ya there, are you okay?" Asked Issei.

"What...what just happened!? what did I just witness!?" Shouted Eclair.

She shouted so loudly that she made issei cover his ears.

"Don't shout you woman!" Roared issei.

"We were just playing around jeez" Said Issei.

"Playing around!? I thought he killed you!" Shouted Eclair.

"He is my brother he won't kill me" Said Issei.

"You sure?" Asked Ddraig from behind.

"Of course! you're too weak!" Said Issei confidentiality.

"Oh you little!" Roared Ddraig but before anything could happen Eclair stopped them.

"Enough! let's leave this island already! we have limited time to train before the last wave hits!" Shouted Eclair.

"Alright alright! let's get going...what a mood killer" Said Issei.

Eclair just glared at him in response.

Eclair and issei got on top of Ddraig and took flight to find the sacred mountain.

They didn't know how long it would take but they hoped to find it as soon as possible.

-Line break-

A week has passed faster than the trio anticipated.

During that week Ddraig didn't make any stops as there weren't any lands just wast sea, but he was strong enough to fly for at least a week and a half.

Issei and Eclair would mostly sleep or talk.

But after two days of flying Eclair started to have nightmares and panic attacks while asleep.

Probably because she never flew before.

Right this moment she was having one too.

She was trying to breathe as much air as she could as if she was suffocating and was sweating profusely and crying as well as repeating 'no' all the time.

That became issei's routine now to help her calm down.

He would slightly shake her so she would wake up, as soon as she did he hugged her and started to comfort her with a soothing voice and his warm touch and it always helped her but she never talked about the nightmares.

issei and Ddraig respected her privacy of course and didn't pry.

Another day of nothing passed.

While Ddraig trusted Issei's decisions because Issei was like a miracle maker in his eyes but Eclair wasn't so sure about this anymore.

"Issei, we should probably stop wasting our time on this...I don't think it's even real" Said Eclair.

"No....it is real and we will definitely find it....I got access to it, plus we can't turn around now" Said issei.

"No issei, I think it's time to stop this" Said Eclair in a more commanding voice.

"I said no! we will find it, you want that or not! if you don't want to we can drop you off at Melromarc or something if you are not happy with my decisions" Said issei with a sudden outburst.

Eclair shuddered from issei's cold glare and just accepted his decision.

"Alright fine.....but hurry up, we don't have that much time left" Said Eclair with a sigh of defeat.

Issei just nodded while Ddraig boosted himself to pick up the speed.

'I hope he knows what he's doing' Thought Eclair as she laid down to take a nap.

Four hours later.

"Is...is that it?..we finally found it! we found it haha!" Roared issei's voice.

Eclair opened her eyes and looked at Issei.

"What are you so happy about?" Asked Eclair with a sleepy voice.

"We finally found the sacred mountain!" Said issei.

"Wha!? where!" Shouted Eclair as she started to look around and saw nothing but the sea.

"Issei....are you okay? did you sleep at all? there's nothing here.." Said Eclair.

"Brother, you should really take a rest, I don't see anything either" Said Ddraig.

"What do you mean!? it's right there!" Shouted issei as he pointed to his right.

Eclair and Ddraig became worried for issei's health as they still couldn't see anything.

"That's it Issei, time to sleep" Said Ddraig with a stern voice.

"Wha!? but!" Issei tried to argue but it didn't work.

"No issei! you really should sleep" Said Eclair with a glare.

She was really worried and she didn't know why she was this worried but that didn't matter right now.

"I don't even want to sleep!" Roared Issei.

That was true he had enough sleep and he didn't need to rest for now.

"Issei! don't be like a child! you are a grown man and you should know when to rest and not to argue with the people who are trying to help you" Said Eclair as she grabbed his wrist.

Issei yanked his wrist and his wings popped out and he took flight towards the mountain that only he saw.

"Issei! Shouted/Roared both Ddraig and Eclair as Issei flew away very fast.

Ddraig followed Issei and tried to catch up.

"Brother! stop this nonsense!" Roared Ddraig.

"No! it's right here!" Roared Issei and a screen popped up for Issei.

Ddraig was about to catch Issei but before he could Issei mumbled something and a large hole in the air appeared in front of them.

Issei flew in without any hesitation Ddraig followed suit.

As the hole closed behind them Ddraig, Eclair and Issei, looked around and a large mountain was in front of them with a lot of cherry blossom trees.

"So.... beautiful" Whispered Eclair.

"I knew it was here" Said Issei.

Issei landed on the beach with Ddraig right behind him.

Eclair got off of Ddraig as he transformed into his human form.

Issei turned to look at them with a huge knowing smirk.

"I told you~" Said Issei.

"Yeah yeah! don't be such a dick about it" Said Ddraig as he glared at Issei.

Issei just continued to smile as he looked around but that smile.

They saw a trail and decided to walk on the trail.

Soon Issei's smile disappeared as they reached what was supposed to be a small town.

"What.... happened here?" Asked Eclair with a horrified expression as the trio saw burned down buildings that were almost overgrown with greenery and...bones of the dead.

They saw big dragon bones, small hatchling bones, even bones of the ones who died in their human forms.

Ddraig and Issei were furious when they saw hatchling bones.....they couldn't accept that.

"Unforgivable!" Roared Ddraig.

Issei looked around and flicked his fingers.

The moment he did that all of the bones lit up in crimson flames until no bones remained.

Issei and Ddraig closed their eyes for a moment to pay their respects before continuing their exploration.

They were walking in silence until Eclair spoke up.

"Um...Issei, may I ask something?" Asked Eclair.

"Ask away" Replied Issei.

"How did you know the mountain was here? how did you see it while me and Ddraig did not?" Asked Eclair with a confused look.

"I think I know why, I was the only one who had access so I could see the mountain and enter its barrier" Replied issei.

"So it was a barrier, weird that I didn't sense it" Said Ddraig as he was deep in thought.

"Maybe ancient or special magic of the fairy dragons?" Said Issei with a shrug.

"Yeah maybe" Replied Ddraig as they continued to walk in silence.

They were walking around until issei suggested to split up and search for anything valuable.

Issei was walking around the ruins of the town and felt pity and anger and he swore to kill Dracul on Kiyomi's and other dragons that lived here behalf.

He was walking around until he saw a not so damaged but overgrown with greenery shrine.

He carefully entered it as it was not stable and could've collapsed on him any moment.

The shrine wasn't that big so he wasn't there for too long.

He walked further inside until he reached a wall with markings he did not understand and scrolls on the ground.

He took one of the scrolls and unrolled it and saw paintings and the only word he understood was 'prophecy'

In those pictures he saw a bunch of dragons that he guessed were fairy dragons and one blood red western dragon with what looked like a crimson halo.

That was weird so he thought of showing it to Ddraig and Eclair but before he could do that the scroll disinterested into dust right in Issei's hands.

"Guess it was pretty old" Said Issei as he tried to grab more scrolls but to no avail as they disinterested instantly upon his touch.

"Well, no need to stay here I guess" Said Issei as he was about to leave but he saw a scroll that looked like it was glowing.

"Hmm? what's that?"

Issei walked to the scroll and carefully grabbed it.

He opened it to look inside and much to his surprise he was able to read it.

: Only the worthy one can read these ancient scrolls and obtain their most desired wish with the help of an ancient ritual called sacrificial wish :

"Sacrifice Huh?" Said Issei as he looked at it and saw a picture that looked like a castle.

"This is interesting" Said Issei.

Suddenly he heard the shrine make noices that he didn't want it to make so he ran out just in time before it collapsed on top of him.

"That was close" Said Issei as he looked at a destroyed shrine.

"This sacrifice thing sounds not pleasant, but if the seals won't be removed any time soon I won't have enough power to protect everyone even if Ddraig is by my side so...if this sacrifice thing really works I can either remove the seals or get more power" Said Issei as he put the scroll into his inventory.

"Better not tell Eclair and Ddraig about this otherwise they will stop me from doing this ritual" Said Issei as he started to walk forward.

He was walking for ten more minutes before he reached a cave that had a small entrance but big enough for issei to squeeze through.

He decided to investigate it so he just squeezed through.

It wasn't that deep but it was dark inside because it was getting darker outside.

He reached a small opening like a small room but it was too dark to see so he lit his finger with a small flame and looked around.

He noticed many paintings on the walls that looked like kids drawings.

Then he saw the biggest and most beautiful painting of a white dragon with pink features just like Kiyomi but there were more dragons that bowed down in front of the white one and saw a name written on its side.

"Kiyomi...." Said issei as he read the name.

He realised that it was her painting and that the dragon in the painting was probably the queen of the fairy dragons and the mother of Kiyomi.

"I guess it was a kids hideout" Said Issei as he was about to leave but he saw a dagger with a note.

:Wish of a dragon:

"Convenient much? I bet this dagger is related to the ritual" Said Issei a he grabbed the dagger and put it into his inventory.

He left the cave and the sun was almost completely set so he decided to meet up with Ddraig and Eclair and take a good rest before tomorrow.

They only explored the Lowest level of the mountain that was pretty big, that's why Issei decided to split up and cover more ground.

Issei walked to their meeting place and saw Eclair and Ddraig sitting with a campfire and waited for Issei's return.

"So you finally returned, c'mon give us the food" Said Ddraig as he was really hungry.

"Alright, wait up pal" Said issei as he took some of the meat from his inventory and gave it to Ddraig and Eclair.

Issei was surprised once again as he expected Ddraig to just instantly swallow the meat but instead he started to cook it like Eclair.

"Something wrong Ise?" Aksed Eclair as she saw Issei looking weird at Ddraig.

"No it's nothing" Replied Issei as he sat besides them and started to cook his own piece of meat.

"So you found anything?" Asked Issei.

"I found this necklace with a note that I did not understand" Said Eclair as she gave issei a necklace with a single dragon wing.

The note read that it was for the ritual too.

"I found this" Said Ddraig as he took out a scroll from his pocket dimension and gave it to issei.

"I didn't understand what it said either but I thought that I should give this to you as you always somehow manage to figure things out" Said Ddraig as he started to eat his dinner.

"Alright, thank you pal" Said issei as he put the scroll into his inventory together with the necklace.

"Did you find anything?" Aksed Eclair.

"Well, I found Kiyomi's painting of her mother and a dagger" Said issei as he showed the dagger to Ddraig and Eclair.

"That's all?" Aksed Ddraig.

"For now. I hope to find something more tomorrow" Said issei.

Ddraig narrowed his eyes as he looked at Issei suspiciously because he had a feeling that Issei was hiding something from them but decided not to pry so he let go of the feeling.

"Well, I guess we should go and rest" Said Issei.

"Yeah I'm really sleepy" Said Eclair with a yawn.

"I'll stay and watch for now, we still don't know what beings could be lurking around here" Said Ddraig.

Issei nodded and laid down on the sleeping bag just like Eclair.

They didn't sleep inside them because even tho it was a mountain it was pretty damn hot there.

Eclair and issei fell asleep pretty quickly while Ddraig just started at the fire.

" 'Sigh' What are you planning brother..." Said Ddraig with a sigh as he looked at him through the flames.

[To be continued]....