Away ⥃ Nishimura Riki

.Twenty-Seven.

THE MOON GLOWED brighter as the night deepened and the group of vampires ffound themselves split into two: Niki bickering with the dragon and Seulhyun talking with Mrs. Kang. The latter group had a smile etched on their faces as they talked about their recent events in their lives.

"I must say," Kang Heejin said, "I always knew you were a gorgeous lady, but I never thought you would catch such a big fish.." Her eyes darted to the vampire beside the dragon, arousing an interesting reaction from Seulhyun.

Her face gone red as she strongly denied her assumptions, shaking her head. "We're just acquaintances. Nothing more!" She opposed.

Heejin raised her brow, unshaken by her words as her body language says otherwise. "I mean, don't you think it's romantic? Two vampires are alone in the middle of the forest with a bonfire in front of them." She asked, "I'd say this is where the two main characters usually share a kiss."

Seulhyun grimaced. "Ew! Why would anyone want that?"
"Who knows." Mrs. Kang shrugged.
"Not me."

As Mrs. Kang accepted her defeat—she stood no chance against her stubbornness anyway—her gaze fell on the divine dragon, "That's a Gemstone Dragon. It is categorized in one of the strongest magical dragons. For all I know, they are not often found on the surface since they spend their time in their cave, sleeping or gathering resources."

"It feeds off of gemstones, thus its name."
Seulhyun jaw dropped when she heard the last given fact. It eats gemstones for food? How can she afford or find those costly stones?

"Judging from its tail, you got yourself a male since it's longer in length. Also, they tend to be harder to please." Mrs. Kang added as the corner of her lips tugged upwards from seeing the younger vampire's expression.

She swallowed her laughter and said, "Don't worry. They can hunt for their own food. Besides, they're carnivores so they don't only gemstones- and they don't eat every day. There will be a season for all dragons to go hunting for food for around a week, then they'll eat to their fullest."

"Usually, that will last them for another two months."
Seulhyun nodded, writing notes in her head as she concluded that she doesn't have much to worry about except for the hunting season. "Alright. Thank you, Mrs. Kang." She thanked.

Mrs. Kang hummed, glancing back at the prince and dragon behind her. The young prince was arguing with the dragon over a ridiculous topic. From the look of the dragon's face, it looked fed up by the vampire and vice versa. She couldn't help but snicker at their silly antics.

Her happiness was soon replaced by guilt as her stomach twisted, reminded by the mission she was given. She couldn't do it. Inhaling a sharp intake, she faced her loyal student, ignoring the vows she had sworn to the King.

"Seulhyun, I need you to listen carefully." She spilled.

.•.•.

The prince sighed as Seulhyun jumped on her dragon which she decided to name Bud. "Are you sure about this, Outsider?" He questioned, showing his doubts full on display.

The brunette nodded, earnest with her decision. "What if she was lying to us?" Niki reluctantly climbed up her dragon as he found it difficult to find a comfortable positions with all of the scales.

"King Aspian invited us for a truce. He wouldn't dare to plan an ambush against us. it's an inevitable loss for him." 
"Yeah, but I don't think Mrs. Kang would lie to us."
Niki sighed for the second time. "And if she did?"

He scooted closer to the girl causing their legs to stick to each other. Seulhyun huffed. She, too, was unsure with her hasty decision but the way Mrs. Kang had delivered the warning was way too serious to be a joke. "We'll have to discuss that later then."

She interpreted the loud beating of her heart as a sign of fear since it was her first time riding a dragon, however she knew that wasn't the main reason. Her back was resting on his chest by the lack of space on the dragon.

"Up we go." She told Buddy and they coursed up the sky. She visibly gulped when she felt a pair of arms snaking her waist as a small scream left Niki's mouth, yet she refused to believe it. It was because of flying.

She gulped because of flying.

Did she really fall for someone so out of her league?

"Over there!" Niki pointed as a group of knights were seen stationed around a tent. "The meeting must have started already!" He shouted against the wind. Seulhyun agreed.

She tapped on her dragon, "Take us lower, Bud." She told and the dragon obliged. Niki squinted his eyes, skimming the area as he searched for any suspicious movements. "Can you see?"
"Yes."

In that moment, a group of knights from the Enlypse Kingdom collapsed and a thick fog travelled across the perimeter. "Get me down." Niki ordered; his voice gone stiff.

Huh? "That's not possible!" The trees are way too tall for Buddy to get them in a safe distance to jump off him. Even if he did land successfully, it won't be a injury-free landing. She can't let that happen!

"Get me down, Seulhyun, now!" Niki demanded.

By that time, most of their knights were failing to fight as they struggled with the mystifying fog. Seulhyun held her breath, motion her dragon to follow Niki's command. Under her breath, she muttered a resistance spell over Niki, but she was cut off.

"Buddy, send her back to Enlypse." He ordered to which the dragon growled, "And Seulhyun, don't wait for me."

In a blink of an eye, he was gone. her back was met with the chilly air, taking all the oxygen out of her lungs. 

He jumped.

Niki just jumped off the dragon.

"NIKII!!" 
She covered her eyes, refusing to see him land in the battlefield as her dragon took a sharp u turn. Whimpers emitted the girl as her head fell forward onto Buddy's head. Her companion huffed in discomfort as he felt the negative emotion haunting him. 

It's not as long as the other one but 👍
Next part soon

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