Tales of Astora: Legacy

Chapter 111: Gifts of the Old

Chapter 111: Gifts of the Old

"IT'S DONE! HAHAHAAHAHA!" The pale sea dragon laughed manically. "The Astral sword of Moonlight has been forged!!! I have finally done it."

In his hands, a giant great sword seemingly designed for dragon' size and made out of purely a special stone that contained an exceptional power: the moonstone. Originally a rock falling from the sky, this stone has been broken to thousands of pieces but now it has once again been assembled in a new form. The opaque colour with a faint dim blue light emanating from inside was so magnificent that once you have laid your eyes on it, it would be impossible to separate from it. One look at the two dragons staring at it and you would understand the captivation it possessed on the people around it.

"So this is what you want? This sword?"

"Yes....for so long. Can you feel it, Abalone? Its voice...its calling....it will grant us guidance on the path to Ascension." Xenes muttered as he stared and caressed the sword.

".....So what now?" Abalone put her hand on the sword, pushing it away from Xenes. "You said you will give me back my stone."

"Well it's a part of the sword now..." Xenes said.

"Don't screw with me!" Abalone grabbed her sword for herself. "If I can take it out then the sword is mine."

"....Fine! Take it! It's yours." Xenes casually spoke.

"What? You will give it to me that easily? Even though you spent so many years looking for it?" Abalone was surprised to see Xenes giving the sword without resistance "Is this a trap? You aren't going to attack me when I turn around, right?"

"Oh please! If I want to take it, you would have died long ago the moment you handed me your stone. Just take it and help the others in their battle!"

"Alright....then...I will be on my way then. Let's go Heru!" Abalone turned to her gyrfalcon before moving out toward the battlefield, leaving the pale dragon by himself.

"...Sorry, Abalone! But the Blood Moon requires one more ingredient...And I can't be it. I need to witness this for myself."

* * *

"Hello children! I am Rouge, the Sanguine Incarnation! You may also call me Madame Rouge. Enchantée!" The red woman bowed slightly as she presented herself joyfully before noticing a dazed Maria. "And here you are, my dear, Maria the Blood Huntress! Or do you prefer me to call you Marie?"

"What? Who are you?" asked Maria in awe facing this strange woman.

Her figure suggested her to be some kind of frail noble woman, the kind that could not lift even a flower with her own hands. And yet, maybe it was her bright red clothing that made her look like she came out of the pool of blood itself but the woman possessed a tremendous presence, one that made people sick upon looking at her. Even more, it was her strange beauty that stood out the most. Perhaps calling it 'strange' was an understatement. Seemingly older than Maria only a couple years, this Madame Rouge had a so fair skin without a single complexion, passing to the borderlines of an artificial forgery. And her dark eyes with two bright slit sun-colour eyes like that of a snake, a beast....they sent shivers to the spines of those who dared to stare at her.

"Do you have a hearing problem dear? I didn't see that detail in the book though....Am I missing something here?" Madame Rouge muttered. "Hum...I need to read it all again to make sure...But for now...."

In an instant, the woman disappeared from her location without a sound and reappeared in front of Maria, making her unable to react in time. Reaching her hand to the Huntress' cheek, Maria found herself paralyzed as she was slowly embraced excitedly by the strange woman.