The Dragon King, Book 3

Chapter 2. By A Harie

Back at the castle, it is morning. Harie has spent the night sobbing and whimpering in her sleep, under the watchful eye of Sora. Sora tries his best to console Harie's nerves, as she wakes. He hands her a drink while he nervously fumbles for something to say.

You must have had a rough life. Sora says, nervously.

I.... I was sold to many people. No one kept me very long before selling me off again. Pawning me off. Abandoning me!! Harie takes a quick gulp of the rum handed to her. Coughing a bit, she continues. It was terrible. I was used, abused, whipped, gutted and healed again and again. One man even set me on fire, laughing as I welled about in pain. She balls up on the bed, facing Sora. For all that, I can't believe all that has suddenly ended, I feel like my previous masters might return to kill me once and for all. Harie looks up at Sora, her eyes change to a violate red.

Sora stares slack-jawed in shock at the tale.

Are.... are you going to..... do you want my body too?

Sora looks around nervously. I would never.....

Those maids seemed jealous that you allowed me into your bedchambers. Surely, you don't think I didn't notice.

Sora looks down. How they feel about me and how I react to it are two different things.

You seem like a very coveted man. One who grasps the attention of many women of age. So why did you take pity on me? Haire sits up.

I felt compelled to comfort you, in your time of need.

So you would act as a shield for a lowly slave?

You are not a slave anymore.

Lord Sora, I know nothing else. I have been a slave all my life, never a moment has been my own.

That is terrible.

Harie moves cautiously to Sora's side. Would you be my master? If you would truly treat me well, would you claim me?

Sora looks away. I will not own another human being.

Harie catches his eyes with her's, her eyes begin to glow a crimson red. Lord Sora.... I... I am not human. She smiles confidently, showing her fangs.

Sora feels a tingling run up his spine as his body leans into Harie's and their lips connect. Before he can react, the room begins to spin, his eyes roll back into his head, then a sharp pain in his neck. His body hits the floor limp as he goes unconscious.

Harie slips a tube-like object into her pocket and hurries to the door, locking it. She opens a gate, as she walks towards it a hand emerges. Harie puts the tube in the hand, it retracts back, and the gate closes. 

Harie turns towards Sora. Now what to do with you? Ah, yes. Muffle. Bind. As Harie casts the spells, a magical binding wraps itself around Sora and covers his mouth. She walks over to him and pokes his face. My knight in shining armor. She giggles. Oh, how the proud have fallen. Harie picks up the rum bottle and lays down on the bed, humming to herself as she sips from it.

Later that day, elsewhere, Bruno and Elen say their goodbye as the sunsets on another day. 

I wish I didn't have to go, but my time on land is wearing quickly thin. 

It is okay. I understand. You know I will be waiting for next time.

Elen gives Bruno a hug but when she turns two glowing hands come, from a gate, and grabs both their faces rendering them unconscious, they fall, as the waves crash against their bodies. A hooded man walks through the gate and collects a sample of their blood, into two tubes. The man retreats again into the gate, quickly closing it behind him.

Returning from the other realm, Sasha walks down the hall of the castle and knocks on Sora's door, but there is no answer. Sora? Brother, are you passed out drunk? Sasha tries the door, but it is locked. She turns with a huff and goes to her room, next door. She quickly slips into bed and goes to sleep.

A little later, as Sasha sleeps, Harie picks the lock on her door and enters. Sneaking up on the bed, she casts a sleep spell and takes a sample of Sasha's blood. However, when Harie hurries quickly out of the room she bumps into Brenda.

What are you doing? Brenda glares at Harie.

I.... ah.... I was going to ask Sasha about her brother, but she is asleep. 

And who told you they were siblings?

Sora did, earlier.

Oh? Brenda smiles gently. Did he tell you her nickname for him?

No, what is it?

ALERT! Brenda shouts as she grabs a dagger from the bow behind her back and swings it at Harie.

Harie leans backward and brings her legs up, and grabs Brenda's arm in between her ankles. Harie spins in a handstand position and snaps Brenda's forearm in two.

Harie regains her stance, as Brenda stumbles back crying in pain. No offense, sweety, but you are about two hundred years too late to get the jump on me. Harie kicks Brenda through a nearby window and dives through after her.

Landing into the courtyard, Brenda falls with a crash, her dagger jammed into her leg. Harie quickly throws daggers into the necks of a few guards patrolling the area, they fall to the ground riving in pain, choking on their own blood. She runs towards the dungeon, killing the two guards at the entrance. Walking slowly down, she makes her way to the assassin's cell.

The assassin looks up in surprise. What do you want?

You have served your purpose, assassin. Harie throws a larger decorative dagger into the assassin's forehead, his body goes limp. She opens a gate to pass through the bars of the cell and uses the assassin's blood to write a message on the wall, humming to herself as she does. Once done, Harie turns and dives through a gate. It closes quickly behind her. 

On the cell wall, blood runs slowly down the stone. The message reads, The Undead King shall rise again.

"The Undead King shall rise again", an ominous message with an exact meaning. But why does Marvous want the blood of the Elementals, whose skull was in the sake, and who is the Major he spoke of? And yet still, what does this have to do with Havoc and Dremor? You will have to find out next time.