Gate: Thus the Reich Empire Fought There, Revised

Chapter 13: Intercession

After a few hours of rest, Dehan and his dark elves awoke the sleeping dragon riders. Jean and Suzaka donned their armor and met outside in the camp. There, the dark elves stood on edge, bows drawn and eyes fixed on the cave.

"It sleeps." Dehan muttered.

"Oui, retreat deeper into the forest in case the worst happens." Jean said.

Dehan paid little mind to what he said. Instead, he stared at Yao, who stood beside Suzaka. He opened his mouth but stopped halfway, likely realizing it was a fight he would not win. Instead, he got to his knees before the samurai.

"Please, bring my daughter back alive."

"Hai, you have a samurai's vow."

At that, the dark elves disappeared into the woods, and Jean led their party toward the cave. To his disbelief, while Tuka remained close, her determined expression showed no fear. Instead, she stared at the mountain with a soldier's discipline and held her christogram close.

"Tuka, are you not afraid?"

"No, mon amour, Saint Circe has interceded for me. I no longer fear death, let alone that monster. Let us be rid of it." Tuka said

"Oui!" Jean almost shouted. Silver restrained herself from howling lest she wake the Flame Dragon. Yao, too, had a skip in her step as she scouted ahead for them.

"Yao, remember, don't do anything foolish. I made a vow." Suzaka said. His voice hardening.

"I know. I'm just ready to end this monster after everything it's done." She growled with a hand on her sword.

Suzaka wanted to chuckle a little, but the foul stench overwhelmed his senses. The others gagged with him even before entering the cave. The hissing of thousands of flies soon filled the air, grading their nerves. Once inside, Jean, Silver, Tuka, and Yao used their magic to light up the darkness and revealed the swarms of flies. The vermin scoured what remained of several dozen skeletons littered across the cave.

Tuka muttered some words, and flowers started to grow around the cave walls, lighting their path and clearing away much of the stench. Soon enough, breathing became an easier task as more and more flies cleared out.

Then, they saw him. Tuka went still as a foul exhale flew past them. Curled up in the cave's rear, surrounded by black skeletons, lay the Flame Dragon, its chest rising and falling with each breath. Jean reached for the wood elf, but she took a deep breath and retained her composure. Yao gritted her teeth and gripped her sword tight.

"Alright, let's be quick and silent-" Jean started.

"I'm afraid I can't let you do that." A feminine voice giggled.

The party and their dragons almost jumped. They searched the cave until spotting the source. A demonic-looking girl loomed over them atop one of the skeletons. She had midnight blue skin with yellow paint across it and black horns protruding from long white hair. But what caught Tuka's eyes were the bat-like wings, lizard-esk tail, and claws. This was her, the creature from her dream.

"Who are you? What's the meaning of this?" Suzaka asked while gripping his sword.

"I am your reaper!" She whipped out an enormous scythe and flew straight at Suzaka.

Yao tried to intercept her, but the samurai already had his katana ready. Suzaka knocked the scythe away and then kicked her through the air toward Jean. The monstrous girl yelped and tried to regain herself, but Jean coated his sword in silver light and hurled her through some of the bones in a single blow. She staggered to her feet, head spinning.