Chapter 9 ─ Dragoon Knight

Isel had just transformed into a Naga, his objective was to kill them all and he began by attacking the pro-war faction that was closest.

He approached them and started by stomping on them with his legs or tail and using his teeth to tear their flesh.

The place was in chaos and everyone began to flee, even the knights.

Jason went to the queen so she could escape with her daughters.

"Your Majesty! Take the princesses and flee!"

"Y-yes. Let's go girls!"

The queen took her daughters' hands and fled with the others, Alex stayed by his side.

"Hey, you're not thinking of facing that thing, are you?"

Jason with trembling hands said:

"If it's not me, no one else can do it."

"Go with them, Your Majesty and the princesses need someone to protect them in any case."

Alex bit his tongue in frustration.

(That's why I went to that dragon, to get power and avoid this, but I don't know if he really gave me his power.)

With frustration on his face, he ran after the girls.

Once the dragon finished chewing the last members of the faction, he turned his head towards Jason.

"It seems that even as a monster you recognize me."

"Hah...you..."

He was astonished that it could talk.

Isel—now transformed into a Naga, jumped directly at him.

Jason dodged it, he had no magical power nor would he know how to use it if he could.

Therefore, the only thing he had to fight was his sword in hand.

Jason cut the dragon's tendons but because its scales were so hard, it was his sword that ended up breaking.

"Damn it!"

He ran towards a spear dropped by a guard and pointed it at the dragon.

The latter seemed to laugh.

"You look so pathetic now."

The dragon began to speak in a macabre voice distorted between Naga and Isel.

"In the past you were someone to be feared, now you're nothing more than a scared baby."

"I envied you for years but I realized too late that being human made you weak. Now I'm strong and can rule this country as I please and kill whoever I want!"

"Like those women!"

The dragon tried to leave the place but got stuck in the doors, Jason lunged at him to try to kill him but the spear also broke.

"His body is really tough. Not even an orc has skin this hard."

The door began to crack and he grabbed onto the dragon's tail.

The door broke and the dragon flew through the palace destroying everything.

◇◇◇

While hanging from its tail being smashed against walls and ceiling, Jason began to remember his childhood.

His parents were as loving as his brother, it was a caring family until the war started.

All the men except him, for being small, enlisted for combat.

He was proud of his father, but after a few days he received a letter from what was then the father of Count Belkman indicating they had died.

This brought sadness to his family where his mother couldn't bear losing her husband and firstborn.

The pain made her lock herself in deep hatred for the kingdom, so she took her life telling her son to take revenge on the kingdom for taking his entire family.

Jason as a small child watched his mother hang herself in the middle of the living room.

This event made him grow with resentment towards the kingdom and years later when the war resumed, he enlisted and a few months into that war it ended as he made his name and became feared in the kingdom.

Time later in his family's territory he went to the cemetery, there he met a woman who was also leaving flowers for the dead, she was the daughter of a soldier, due to their equal situation they fell in love and married.

After having their first child she wanted to name him after the principality's hero, Jason liked it and wanted him to become a knight.

But she said no "Now that I'm a mother, I understand more my mother's suffering in her last days, my child and husband's lives are the most important to me, that's why I want you two to be with me forever."

"The death of our families made me see that war does nothing but take your loved ones and fill you with hate, but this one was born without the hate we have, that's why I want him to grow up kind and full of love, not full of revenge desires."

Jason understood that wanting him to be like him would lead nowhere, but would only make the cycle repeat and see his loved ones die, so with a smile he told his wife:

"I'll leave the knights soon, to focus on being with you. I'll earn less but we'll be happy."

"As long as we're together, nothing else matters."

Jason smiled again after many years, he had regained the family he lost.

But it wouldn't last long.

Right after what would be his last mission he returned home, there he found his wife and son dead.

"Ethel!!"

"Alexis!!!"

He was filled with rage and a hatred that completely blinded him. And in his wife's hands was a hair, the beer smell was recognizable, it was Isel who came to kill them.

His wife still alive asked him a favor:

"Darling, please, live in peace... I understand what you're going through... but I don't want to know that because of us... you'll return to being a mon...ster--"

His wife died before finishing her last words.

His family's last wish was for him to live in peace since they didn't want him to end up like them and the cycle to repeat, as he must live for his family.

He couldn't bear it and focused that hatred on the kingdom to avoid killing Isel.

(Killing him would be impossible since he's Count Belkman's protégé and I'd be dead before even touching him as they'd call me crazy.)

And so we return to him being smashed against a stone statue and the remains flying through the air.

Jason's body was full of bruises and blood poured out in heaps.

(Now I realize that maybe killing him before wasn't a bad idea.)

(Although he got rid of the pro-war faction and Belkman was still a threat.)

Jason noticed they were getting closer to the queen and her daughters in the long hallway leading to the exit.

(I don't have the strength to defeat him, at least I have to make sure they escape.)

The dragon threw him with all its strength and he flew in front of them to cut them off.

It stopped flying and landed behind them, Alex stepped forward to confront it.

But his hands were shaking.

Even if he was a soldier who fought dangerous armed enemies, they were nothing compared to a dragon that could breathe fire and resist his bullets like they were flies.

Jason stood up and walked forward, using his hand to take the sword he gave Alex for defeating him.

He looked back, remembered all the moments they spent together, even if he had lied and deceived and taken advantage of them.

He truly loved them, they were his new family.

"There's a lot to say, but I'll just say this."

"Alex, I love you like the son I lost, you're my second son and I'm proud of you. Make sure to become a man who can protect them all."

"Eh? Jason?"

Alex didn't understand what he was trying to do and before saying anything, Jason ran at great speed with the sword in his hand to cut the dragon.

"Even if I can't kill you I'll tear off one of those wings!"

With all his strength he lunged at one of its wings and pressing the sword with all his might only managed to make a slight cut.

The dragon got angry and with one bite tore off Jason's dominant arm.

A large amount of blood came out and then with the horns on its tail it hit him straight forward.

Jason lay on the ground with an arm torn off and a pierced abdomen.

Blood poured out in heaps.

"Aaaaaaaah!"

Alex screamed with all his might and then said a word he had never said before in his life.

"Daaaaaaaaad!!!"

Jason was a game enemy, someone he hated a lot, but over time he developed a bond he never had with his former father.

When he was before him on his deathbed from alcohol poisoning, with his last words and tears on his face he said "I'm so sorry for not being the father you deserved."

Alex felt nothing except a strange pang in his heart. But right now, his new "father" lay bleeding on the ground with the same sad expression for disappointing him so much.

A rage he had never felt before totally invaded him.

He felt like every fiber of his being was screaming "kill" but the enemy before him couldn't be defeated by ordinary people.

He needed someone strong to do it.

Someone like the game characters, but no one would help them.

Only he was the one who could do it.

And then...

(Yes, that's what I felt when they tied me up like a pig.)

(...!)

Alex was transported to a dark space where there were more and more flames.

The flames grew and formed Lindwurm's body.

(Finally you understand what I felt. You feel the helplessness, the frustration, the pain, the anxiety, you feel like a damn lamb being skinned alive and you can't do anything to stop it.)

(That's why I'll tell you this secret because it would be embarrassing for you to be killed by a Naga.)

(My power is my curse. Becoming a dragon is actually the power you wanted.)

(But surely losing your humanity won't help you, but as I said, I don't want you to lose to that lizard.)

(You can change the curse at will. You can turn it into your weapon, but once you do you'll be bound by the requirement that involves using it... do you agree with that?)

Alex wiped his tears and looked at the dragon with eyes full of courage.

(I accept. No matter what I have to do to get power!)

(Hahahaha that's how you talk. My power is simple.)

The dragon grew and raised his hands as he declared:

(Your imagination! Imagine you want to become a dragon and use it!)

(That's the great secret of my power, I wanted to become big and strong and I achieved it.)

(Now you imagine something big and strong and use it as armor to cover your body.)

(Use it all and don't hold back! Hahahaha!)

The dragon became a tornado of fire, Alex understood he had to walk into it.

But he thought about it.

(How can I take the form of a dragon and use it as my own?)

(There must be a way to use it as armor...)

(Armor... this world is from a game, that's why there's an armor that Zach used in the battle against the Demon King.)

(I really liked that armor, and to this day I still remember it.)

Alex walked towards the vortex and after touching it he was enveloped in flames.

(Using the dragon's power as armor for me. The only way to do it is the same as that.)

The real Alex was surrounded by a whirlwind of fire coming from his feet.

The girls were terrified thinking the dragon had attacked him but suddenly the whirlwind disappeared and they saw him there.

"Rex-kun?"

"Rex..."

"A-kun... is that you?"

Alex was wrapped in some armor similar to one of the Super Sentai characters he watched as a kid.

But this armor was the same one the capture target Zach used in the game.

A beautiful crimson red armor, with small folding wings, arms and legs similar to dragon claws, a tail on top of his sword and a helmet shaped like a dragon's head.

Golden lines ran through the body but all met at the same point, on the chest there was a bright green crystal.

It was called in the game "Dragoon Knight".

"Finally I got it, the power to protect them all."

Alex's voice could be heard clearly inside the suit, as if he was using a mask.

The inside of the suit was like another dimension.

He was floating inside a sea of flames and through the screen in front of him he could see the same as the others.

Walking was the same with and without armor, so mastering the limbs was easy.

The dragon laughed when he saw him.

"Hahaha what is that thing? Some kind of costume? Die you idiot!"

Using its tail it hit him against the wall and he broke into several pieces.

The girls screamed his name.

In the middle of the dust and debris Alex stood up brushing off the remains as if nothing.

"It didn't hurt if you're wondering."

"Now let's see..."

Using a slight impulse as if it were a race he launches at the dragon against its stomach.

The dragon's belly sank even though normal attacks didn't hurt it.

They broke several pillars and walls but Alex was intact, the dragon was in pain.

"What the hell are you?"

It said holding its stomach with its wings.

"Why are you holding your stomach? Don't you understand we're just getting started?!"

Alex began to beat the dragon's stomach.

The punches contained all his rage.

"How dare you attack the twins, Ange and especially my father!!"

"I won't forgive you even if you got rid of Belkman for me!"

The blows were so strong that the stomach pain was comparable to being hit with a brick.

Using its tail it threw him aside and in pain it spread its wings and took flight.

"Damn it, it flew away."

(Use your wings)

"Lindwurm?"

The dragon spoke to him from inside the armor.

(Imagine spreading wings, and that they're propelling you.)

(Then imagine you're falling from a waterfall but you choose where to land and move in an endless background.)

"You say it like it's easy, but let's do it, I always had a lot of imagination for nonsense."

Alex imagined what to do.

From his back the wings unfolded and began to fill with flames.

They formed dragon wings and began to flap little by little wobbling.

"Come on... imagine you're watching your favorite anime show where they fly. It must be the same principle."

Alex opened his eyes and realized that the dragon wings were leaving a slight trail of fire with which it propelled itself similar to a rocket.

"Wah! This is amazing! I'm flying!"

"No, I shouldn't get excited now."

In the distance he saw the dragon fleeing.

"I won't let you escape!"

Following Lindwurm's advice he imagined falling forward and immediately the wings caught his thoughts.

Alex was sent forward as if a truck had hit him.

"Ahhhhhhhhh! This is so hard! Why didn't I take flying lessons?"

Alex was losing control as the armor flew straight to the dragon who noticed he was being followed.

"What a persistent bastard you are!"

The dragon spread its wings intensely and flew higher so he couldn't follow.

"Damn it, it's too far and I can't keep it steady."

Alex looked like a drunk man steering from how he zigzagged.

Then he thought of something.

"Hey Lint I have a question."

(I'm Lindwurm to you. What do you want?)

"If imagining being strong gave me this armor. Can I use it to create weapons?"

(...)

(In theory you can, I never used it.)

"Good, imagine a weapon that can defeat him..."

"Imagine it..."

Alex thought of the only weapon that could defeat such a dangerous dragon.

The same spear that pierced the Crimson King's heart was in his hands.

But the tip was different, it looked like a dragon was hugging the tip, wrapping it with its tail along part of the spear's length.

"If the spear called Dainsrave was what condemned you."

"Then I'll use the same spear for you to defeat my enemies and I'll call you..."

He pronounced the spear's name as he threw it with all his might.

"Dragrave!"

The spear caught fire and like a fire dragon it crossed the sky until it approached the dragon who couldn't believe what he was seeing.

They reached the clouds and after a while a bright red light followed by a fire explosion was seen in the sky.

The Naga dragon that had made a contract with Isel to take revenge on humans since like Lindwurm it was also cast into the forest centuries ago.

It fell charred turning to ashes with each second.

Alex won using the power he so desired.

After smiling at his victory he remembered Jason and went back to the palace.

◇◇◇

Jason was being attended by the twins and the queen who were trying to prevent his death.

"Hang on Jason!"

"Jason, don't go."

The dying Jason told them:

"You shouldn't... strive for someone like me... responsible for your father's death."

"Don't say that!"

Mary raised her voice, the tears wouldn't stop flowing.

"That day when you returned, we thought you had killed our parents."

"...!?"

Both the queen and he were surprised by that.

"At first we were terrified of you, but seeing how everyone treated you for not being able to protect them made us wonder if we were wrong."

"Since you always spent time with us we thought it was a way to atone for your sins."

"We secretly hated you, but you were also someone dear to us."

"But now that we know the truth..."

"Don't you dare leave us too!"

Anne burst into tears like her sister.

"We already know you had nothing to do with dad's death so don't say you killed him."

"Just shut up and wait for some healer or doctor to close this wound... Mary the blood won't stop!"

"I know!"

"Jason!"

The sisters were with red eyes full of tears.

Jason felt both sad and happy about this.

(Truly, what wonderful girls they are.)

The queen expressed sadness for not being able to do more than a tourniquet on his severed arm.

"I'm sorry Jason... because of us you're like this."

"Don't apologize Your Majesty... I'm the guilty one here..."

"If I had killed those bastards years ago none of this would have happened..."

"No, if you had done that you wouldn't have met Alex... my son."

As if summoned, Alex fell to the ground crashing.

He got up and still had the armor.

"Hey how do I take it off?!"

(Like you took it off, just imagine it like you put it on.)

Then the same pillar emerged from the sky like thunder and fell on Alex removing it in the whirlwind.

He got a little dizzy and ran and then tripped before reaching Jason.

"Hey, hang on, you can't die like this!"

Jason looked at Alex and tried to raise his last hand and couldn't.

"Alex—Rex, I'm glad you're my son. A shame I won't see you again."

"Don't say that! You'll get better! You're a monster in human form, don't say you won't get out of this."

"Just once... say it again... who am I?"

The twins and the queen were crying while watching the blood that wouldn't stop flowing.

Alex with all the pain in his heart, biting his lip until it bled told him the words he so wanted to hear.

"It's you. Jason, you're my only father in the world, so please don't die."

"You have many fatherly duties left to do."

With a smile on his face and his gaze fading, he said:

"I'd love to do them but now it's impossible..."

After saying those words, his eyes closed as everyone shouted:

"Open your eyes please!"

"Don't close them Jason!"

"Please don't close them!"

"Jason I order you not to close your eyes!"

In the end, those eyes that only saw a cruel life destined for a simple villain, closed upon seeing the family he lost twice and managed to get after erasing his desire for revenge that the game had imposed on him.

Just like the chaos of that day. The pro-war faction, Isel, Count Belkman and now Jason, died to leave a new era in the principality. Saving it in the process.

____________________

If you liked it a lot, the red armor is inspired by Hyoudou Issei's and the spear by the protagonist of Re:Monster.

See you in the epilogue that marks the end of this arc and volume!