chapter12
Floor 1 Infiltration
A man passed through the forest and came to a hidden building like he had been here for many times. The two earthling guards stood straight as soon as they saw the man. Before they took a bow, the man signalled them to stop and asked.
Enkidu: Where is Enlil?
Earthling: Lady Enlil is not feeling well. She’s now resting in her room. Do you need me to find her?
Enkidu: No need. I’m going to continue my spell research in my room. Tell all the earthlings not to disturb.
Earthling: Yes, sir.
When Enkidu moved forward, he didn’t notice that the feather accessory on the earthling slightly touched his bracelet.
???: ACHOO——!
A sneeze out of the blue had made the situation awkward. The earthlings became alert.
Enkidu: “This...This might ruin the plan if I don’t do something about it..”
Enkidu: ACHOO——! ACHOO——!
Enkidu made a few exaggerated sneezes, as if he was emphasizing that the sneezes were from him.
Enkidu: Ahem...Looks like my body can’t take that much workload…
Earthling: Well...Please take care and get well soon, master Enkidu.
With Enkidu’s fast reaction, he managed to resolve the situation. Yet he strided all the way back to his room, relieving only when the door was shut.
In the meantime, mist was oozed from Enkidu’s bracelet. In the blink of an eye, the bracelet was transformed into a man.
Cang Bi: Phew. That scared my scales to erect.
Enkidu: ...‘Cause you’re useless…
Cang Bi: Huh? What did you say?
Enkidu: ...Nothing.
Cang Bi: Hmm...So what should we do now? It takes Enlil’s blood to decipher the fear-controlling spell programmed in the earthlings. Should we go get it now?
Enkidu: No. That’d be too obvious, and we don’t know the situation of Leonard and the others yet. Let’s find out where they are first. Speaking of which, can you really locate them?
Cang Bi: Of course! I taught Leonard to blow the dragonistle before just in case.
Floor 2 I Promise You
Twinkling stars were all over the sky, shining on the two figures on the flatland. A lean figure was wielding a long rifle, while the robust one dodged the attack agilely by unleashing elemental tornadoes.
The two were indulged in attack and defense. Rather than a battle, they looked more like some kind of a dance, which had the moves graceful enough to catch the audience’s eyes. The dance eventually ended when the young man pointed the gun at the robust man’s forehead.
Cang Bi: Oh, I lose again. Leonard you’re very strong.
Leonard: No, you’re way better than me in terms of strength. Not to mention you’re not in the dragon form. You lose because you’re too soft.
Cang Bi: Huh?
Leonard: We the combatant earthlings are trained to kill. Ever since our birth, we’re taught to win at all costs emotionlessly, not even our lives matter...I thought it was the truth until I met you. And you showed me that battle doesn’t mean everything.
Cang Bi: Leonard…
Leonard: Anyways, I must free us with my hands.
Cang Bi: ...Tomorrow will be abducting the Eldus named Kingu, right? But it’ll be very dangerous as a bait once you get caught.
Leonard: There’s nothing we can do about it. I’m the only one who can do it.
Leonard’s words were unable to eliminate Cang Bi’s anxiety, whose mind was occupied with bad imagination.
Cang Bi: “Although Yan Pu told me that this is strictly forbidden, the situation is different this time. Just do it first. I can take Yan Pu’s punishment later!”
As Cang Bi made up his mind, he leaned close to Leonard, pressed on his shoulder and——
Leonard: WHOA——! W-W-Why did you blow my ear!
Blushing all over the face, the embarrassed Leonard scowled at Cang Bi, who signalled him to be quiet. Despite the perplexion, Leonard muted himself. Next second, he was mind-blown by the unprecedented sensation.
Leonard: What kind of...sound is this? So familiar...like I’ve heard it a long long time ago…
Cang Bi: That’s the sound of elements. Not all creatures can hear it. You can only because I breathed out into your ear.
Leonard: This is...amazing!
Cang Bi: I’m not supposed to teach it to other species, but I’m afraid that there will be accidents tomorrow...Now I’ll be able to find you whenever you blow the dragonistle.
Leonard: Dragonistle?
Cang Bi: Yes, like this.
Something exquisite and graceful sounded as Cang Bi whistled, as if it was narrating the memories of this world. With the eyes closed, Leonard enjoyed the sound until it faded. He became sentimental when he looked up to the starry sky.
Leonard: There are so many things in this world I don’t know about...I hope I can discover them with my own eyes.
Cang Bi: Then...travel with me when everything is settled. Travelling will be so much faster when I’m in the dragon form.
Leonard: Really? Sure! Then let me protect you during the trip.
Cang Bi: Remember to bring enough food though, or someone will be hungry.
Leonard: Dude!
Looking into each other’s eyes, Cang Bi and Leonard smiled. When Cang Bi reached out his fist, Leonard figured his intention out immediately and gave a fist——Pop! Their fists bumped together with bright smiles on their faces.
Cang Bi: When everything is settled, we’ll travel the world together!
Leonard: Cross my heart and hope to die!
Floor 3 No Matter What
Inside Enkidu’s room, Cang Bi told a story between him and Leonard. Enkidu crossed his arms and pondered after hearing it out.
Enkidu: So you mean you’ll know where Leonard is as soon as he blows the dragonistle that is inaudible to Eldus and earthlings.
Cang Bi: Exactly. Let me blow it now. Leonard will respond when he hears me.
Cang Bi took a deep breath to blow the dragonisle, but there wasn’t any responses after a while. As time went by, the frown on Cang Bi’s face became tighter and tighter, at a point that Enkidu decided to speak.
Enkidu: Stop. Maybe he’s already——
Cang Bi: No! It can’t be!
Cang Bi: “We still have the promise! Leonard will be fine!”
Cang Bi’s relentless effort eventually got repaid as if his resilience had moved the destiny. The responding dragonistle was weak, shaky and almost inaudible like Leonard had spent all his strength to do it.
Cang Bi: I heard it!
Enkidu: Where are they?
Cang Bi took Enkidu to where the dragonistle had sounded. Although the dragonistle had almost stopped for a few times, Cang Bi didn’t stop whistling. His persistence eventually led them to a secret dungeon underneath the base, somewhere even Enkidu didn’t know.
After Enkidu taking down the earthling guards, Cang Bi shape-shifted from the bracelet to the human form and stormed in.
Cang Bi: Astrid! Leonard!
All Cang Bi had in return was a deadly silence. The earthlings being kept in the dungeon showed no response to their visit, sitting on the floor in a trance.
Cang Bi: “What is going on...Leonard!”
Looking around anxiously, Cang Bi hurried over as soon as he found Leonard at a corner of the dungeon, leaning against the wall with a pair of out-focused eyes. No matter how hard Cang Bi had shaken him, he couldn’t be woken up.
Enkidu: ...I’m afraid that Enlil had put them into eternal fear by enhancing the fear-controlling spell.
Cang Bi: How could she...This is ruthless!
All of a sudden, Cang Bi heard a vague dragonistle. It was from Leonard, who spent every bit of his strength for it.
Cang Bi: “You never forget our promise even when your will is stripped…”
Cang Bi: Trust me, Leonard. I’ll free you all!
Floor 4 Conspiracy Subdued
Inside a luxurious hall, there was no one but a pink-haired lady, who was sitting on the throne with her legs crossed. A sweet grin appeared on her gorgeous face.
However, there was an ominous malice concealed in her grin. To be precise, it was a kind of long-accumulated hatred. Soon, a tanned man dragged a black-haired man into the hall and stopped at the center.
Enlil: Aw, Enkidu, you’re back. I heard that you’ve found something.
Enkidu: Yes. I captured the runedragon who messed around before.
The black-haired man moaned when Enkidu tossed him onto the ground.
Enlil: Enkidu, you lived up to my expectation.
Enkidu: I’ve sealed his power to keep him from shifting back to the dragon form. Enlil, I know you hate them. I’ve captured him alive so that you can kill him by yourself.
Enlil: Hehe, this is excellent. It’s a good chance to test this prototype weapon made of the elemental beast’s blood.
Enlil slowly descended from the throne, walking towards Enkidu.
Enkidu: “So close...We’re so close…”
Enlil’s pace stopped right in front of the stairs. Then she looked at Enkidu with her head tilted.
Enlil: Right, I almost forgot to ask you. Enkidu, I remember that you’re quite fond of an earthling named Elpis,
Enkidu: Hmm...What’s wrong with her?
Enlil: Nothing. I just hate her. And if I kill her, will you be upset about it?
Enkidu: Upset...Why will I? It’s the fondness that makes me unable to forgive her...Enlil, you do know what I hate, don’t you?
Enlil: ...Foolishness.
Enkidu: Ha. You know me well. Elpis is just a tool. All she had to do was enjoy my indulgence, yet she was foolish enough to betray me.
Enkidu: Sigh. I was too naive to believe she could understand the divineness of us the Eldus. Turns out she brought this filthy runedragon...Tut!
Squinting at Cang Bi on the floor, Enkidu stabbed his knife into Cang Bi’s shoulder to vent his resentment. The blood splattered immediately, staining the white carpet into blood red.
Cang Bi: Ahh!
Enlil: Aw, don’t kill him. I still need him to test my weapon.
Enlil dropped her guard and moved forward. All of a sudden, she felt a tremendous pain from her neck——Cang Bi pulled the knife out from his shoulder and stabbed her quickly.
Enlil: Hmm...You…
Cang Bi: Pay for what you’ve done! Enkidu, do it!
Cang Bi circulated the energy to wrap himself up with mist. In the blink of an eye, Cang Bi regained its dragon form, ascending off the ground. In the meantime, Enkidu muttered some kind of miraculous language. As soon as the words were spoken, mana was consolidated into an encirclement, trapping Enlil!
Enlil: Enkidu! You...You lied to me!...I should’ve known that you all Eldus are the same...I was careless...I underestimated your cunning...but I won’t lose this time...I’ll make you regret!
