CHAPTER 127: A BEAUTIFUL NAME

XENON WINGATE

PRESENT DAY

Blood crawls out endlessly to the ash-gray hair of the dragonoid girl who is wearing a witch’s attire. As of this moment, Z is laying flat on her stomach, unable to move or breathe. She’s completely unconscious, with her heart-stopping the moment the Dracaryx stopped its activation.

However, her condition is just normal. She’s not on the brink of death or even danger. What’s abnormal is the condition of her knight, whose lower body, stomach, all the way to his left arm has been crushed by the gigantic teeth of the Elder Ancientech Dragon.

“F-Fuck it…” The dying tall blonde man chuckled three times, with his third chuckle spitting out blood from his nose and mouth.

“Alphonse!” I immediately went to his side and checked on his condition. I also deactivated my Vesryn Pulse so that Serena could move freely on her human form.

“Senor? Senor!” Danielle worriedly talked through our earpiece. “What’s happening in there!? Are you guys alright!?”

“Serena, Z, and I are fine. Z’s heart temporarily stopped due to the Dracaryx. However, Alphonse is in grave danger!” I cried out loud.

“How bad is it!?” Danielle asked.

I looked at Alphonse’s body, and there’s blood gushing out from the last visible inch of his body. His lower half is completely crushed by the teeth. I tried to destroy the teeth with my weapons, using a hammer, a lance, a sword, and even a gigantic knuckle. However, all attacks rendered no scratches or dents.

“Damn it!!!” I cried out loud. “Danielle, send medic immediately!”

“We can’t send any more people to your side! The colossal dragon is no longer opening its mouth!” Danielle said. “Get me to Alphonse’s channel! Get me to-”

Suddenly, the communications were cut with a sea of static. No matter how many buttons I press on my earpiece, I could no longer have any communications from the outside. 

“Shit!” I slammed my fist on the wall that is made of teeth. I tried to look around the mouth of the dragon, but I couldn’t see anything that would make it open its mouth. We’re completely trapped inside, and now that we are shut in, we are on our own.

“S...Stop it… fucker…” Alphonse laughed, completely ignoring the blood sprinkles from his mouth every time he talks. “I could no longer feel my body... My left lung is even halfway crushed… My spine has been shattered… This is the end of me, Xenon…”

“No! No! Don’t give up just yet!” I cried out loud as I gripped on his wrist. I can no longer feel the force on his hand, which makes it real that he is now paralyzed completely. I felt his pulse, and it’s losing its strength in an alarming manner. “I’ll get you out of here, no matter what! I’m going to pull you out if I have to!”

“You fucking sadistic bitch, Xenon…” Alphonse smiled weakly. “At least make my death a little less painful. I know that this is already my end. Just let me…”

Alphonse failed to finish his sentence as he coughed out lots of blood. His nose is already dripping a mixture of red liquid and mucus, and it’s only getting worse as he stressed his lungs to speak out.

“Sir Alphonse…” Serena held her aching chest upon the sight of our dying friend. Her eyes unleashed sorrowful tears that crawled on her cheeks.

Alphonse’s coughs are loud enough to echo in this room-like mouth of the Elder Ancientech Dragon. Such loud noise made the dragonoid wearing a witch’s hat open her eyes, and she was horrified upon the very sight of his master at the brink of death.

“M-Master Alphonse!? Master Alphonse!!!” Z cried as he immediately stood up and grabbed his master’s hand. 

“Ah…” Alphonse continued to smile as he sensed the warm hands of his dragonoid with the last ounce of consciousness he had left. The glow on Alphonse’s eyes started to fade, but still, he is forcing himself to live a second longer than he’s supposed to. Slowly, he opened his lips to mutter his dragonoid’s name. “Zheastinaleoj... is that you…?”

“M-Master! Y-You… You finally said my complete first name!” Z cried. She immediately caressed Alphonse’s head and dipped it to her chest.

“Of course… I will never forget your beautiful name…” Alphonse whispered. “It’s the most beautiful name that I have spoken. It fits well for a beautiful girl like you…”

“M-Master Alphonse! Please don’t go! Please don’t leave me!” Z cried non-stop. “I cannot imagine a world without you, Master!”

“I… I’m sorry… Zheastinaleoj… I could… no longer… take care of you… from now on…”

As every second passes by, Alphonse’s condition becomes worse. The glow of life on his eyes no longer exists, and his face is starting to pale. His heartbeats now only pulse once every five seconds. Eyebags materialized on his pure and innocent expression.

“Xenon… Xenon… Where... are you?” 

The moment Alphonse muttered those words, all hope was lost in me. I could no longer suppress my tears when I heard that sentence. 

Alphonse is facing right in front of me, but he can’t see me. It just means that he has lost all the blood on his eyes and brain.

“I’m here, Alphonse. I’m here.” I held his hand.

“I… I’m grateful…” Alphonse gave a wide smile. “...I’m glad… that you are here at my final moments… my friend…”

“No! Don’t speak like that!” I cried.

“Thank you… for accepting me… in your life… even though all I did… was to be arrogant with you… Thank you… for being so considerate… about my potty mouth… Thank you… for not leaving my side… even though I always… treated you like trash…”

“Sir Alphonse, don’t speak like that…” Serena cried.

However, Alphonse did not stop. He continued to deliver his gratitude with the final ounce of air on his lungs. And that last sentence struck my heart the most.

“Thank you… for being my best friend…”

“Yes! You are my best friend!” I gripped his hand tight. “Hang on…”

Suddenly, I heard a soft click from Alphonse’s hand. It was the chains he has always used in battle, and it seems that he removed it not by accident. He wants me to accept his chains as a parting gift.

“T-This is…”

“Now go… Xenon… You’re the only one… who can stop this thing…” Alphonse closed his eyes and made the brightest smile he could ever give. Alphonse rarely smiles, and out of all his bright expression, it is sad that I can only see it at the brink of his death.

“B-But…”

“Go… before this thing… kills more people… The fate of the world now rests in you… my dear best friend…”

Suddenly, a familiar gentle and warm hug was made to me from behind. It was Serena, and she’s slowly pulling me away from my dying comrade. “Xen… we have to go…”

“Alphonse… my best friend… thanks…” I muttered with a forced smile on my face.

I looked at Z, who still refused to let go of his master’s arm. When she noticed that we’re both gazing at her, Z spoke with a tired smile on her face.

“You go on. I’ll stay here for my master until he exhausts his last breath.” Z said. “Good luck with your final fight, Serena, Sir Xenon.”

“Yes! We promise that we will end this abomination once and for all!” Serena forced herself to pump up. Even though she's soaked with tears, she still managed to smile.

As I stood up on my own and prepared to leave, Alphonse cried with his final breath. He raised his fist, trying to point it at me.

“Go fuck that shit up… Xenon…”

“Yeah!” I made a fistbump.

As I turned around, I saw a deep dark hole at the far end side of this mouth. If I’m not mistaken, this bottomless pit is the esophagus of the Elder Ancientech Dragon. This place where we are looking more like ruins than a piece of dragon’s head. There’s not even a hint of the flesh nor bodily liquids inside.

“Activating Partial Dragon Form.” I held my heart. 

At that moment, Serena spawned her horns, wings, and tail. Without any worries about anything we may face, we dived downward. The magical energy levels rose up to the limit as we venture deeper towards the Elder Ancientech Dragon’s chest. Danielle is right about this thing being powered up by the Vesryn Pulse.

Our descent only lasted for a minute. We finally found ourselves landing on the platform that looks like a wide hall or throne room that has been ruined and forgotten for eternity. The wide room consists of several dragon statues on its walls, and the ceiling looks like a cathedral’s painting of ancient dragon’s history. There are glowing runes on the floor that form an abstract sun-like sigil with a cross on its center.

At the far end center of the room is a throne that looks like a melted metallic dragon statue. There is someone sitting on the throne, and it was something… or someone familiar.