Revenge. This is what I was born for, I'm sure of it. Why else would I, out of my entire race, be allowed to start over again? Maryuoh Garv gave me an incredible opportunity. The opportunity to take revenge for the wrongs done to my people. All I had to do in return was help him on his pursuance, yet I could never do enough to repay him for giving me that second chance. The chance to bring suffering and death to the Gold Dragons.
Then Garv-sama was killed. The other Mazoku cast him out and had him destroyed by that pathetic excuse for a human, Lina Inverse. I can barely say her name without spitting on it in disgust. What right did she have to judge Garv-sama? What did she know of his quest? Almost nothing, I presume. And so I concentrated my revenge on her. The Gold Dragons would get theirs soon enough, but Lina Inverse was a problem that had to be eliminated immediately.
I vowed to take up Garv-sama's quest and bring Dark Star to this world. Conveniently for me, Arumace of Dark Star's world sought out my assistance. He plans to collect all five of the light weapons and seal Dark Star away. This is fine for him, but my agenda is slightly different. I will help him collect the weapons, and then I will bring Dark Star to this world. Utter annihilation of all that lives. Such destruction is music to my ears. I will not be content until everything on this world has been destroyed. Only then will I have avenged the deaths of my people.
So I followed Arumace's commands, which not surprisingly led me straight to Lina Inverse and her companions. Foolish beings. I confronted them right away, not wasting any time in letting them know that I would kill them. They were quite shocked, I suppose, to find that I was a servant of Maryuoh Garv. This gave me a little time to identify the witch's companions. First I recognized was the keeper of Golu Nova, the swordsman that protected her. He knelt near an unconscious-looking blond woman, to whom I paid little attention. The witch was also accompanied by a strange-looking blue man, a shaman of sorts. And lastly, a young female.
My eyes rested perhaps too long on the latter. She was a small, fragile-looking human with midnight-colored hair and wide, innocent eyes. Just a kid, I noted.
By then, Lina Inverse was attempting to affront my attacks. Such great delight I took in striking her, and in blasting her male companions. But a small twinge of guilt was felt as I grabbed the smaller female by her raven locks and tossed her aside like one might discard a piece of trash. Her face scrunched up in distress, a cry of pain tearing from her lips.
I ignored the guilt that washed over me and continued to taunt my adversaries. The blond man, so protective of the little witch, tried to fight me with Golu Nova. Just as I'd anticipated. I would have taken it from him, too, had the blue man and the young girl not interfered. However, I soon had more pressing things to worry about. That annoying priest Xelloss decided to show up and try his luck against me. Hmmph. I hadn't expected him to be there. The odds were not with me that day.
Luckily, my servants Grabos and Jiras created quite a distraction, giving me enough time to speak with Arumace. Too easily he gave me his light weapon; he is much too trusting. I would not betray him that day, but the time would eventually come. He is a nuisance to me.
I confronted my foes once again, this time armed with my new weapon. Lina Inverse's swordsman was foolish enough to challenge me; there was no way he could win. And so we crossed blades. I did not expect the sudden eruption of power, nor did I know the two blades alone could open the Gate. I suspect this is why Arumace intervened, revealing himself to the enemy. At the time I was angry; I had almost gotten them!
The foolhardy humans tried to attack my otherworldly ally while he instructed me to leave. I was not used to taking such orders from him, but I decided to comply that once. Lina Inverse's companions were gathering 'round, shocked that their magic did not affect Arumace. I noticed the raven-haired girl, who was not quite paying attention, and an idea struck me. Teleporting behind her, I caught the girl off-guard and grabbed her suddenly, keeping her tight within my grasp.
As I'd expected, her companions cried out with alarm. I spoke playfully to them. "A hostage situation makes this all the more fun, don't you think?" I laughed. "If you want to see her again, Lina Inverse, then dare to find me. Remember, I will kill you soon," were my last words before disappearing from their view.
I had frightened my captive greatly; she kicked and scratched at me while I carried her through the maze of hallways I call 'home'. This was understandable, but quite annoying. She was lucky I had the decency to make up a room for her, one with a bed so she wouldn't have to sleep on cold stone. I tossed the girl into her chamber, not bothering to put a magical lock on the room. There was no way she'd be able to leave my domain on her own.
"You can stay here," I told her with a laugh, "until your friends come for you. If they come for you."
She scuttled away from me quickly, fear dominating those innocent blue eyes. "Why are you doing this?" she demanded.
I shrugged, vaguely amused by the bold tone her voice had taken. "Can't you figure it out? This is to trap your friends, of course," I told her as I left the area. "You are my prisoner now."
A few days passed before I saw the girl again, my two bumbling servants taking care of her basic needs. Foolish little human, she was trying to escape when she accidentally came upon me during one of my meditations. The child probably thought she could leave without me noticing, but I spoke first. "Going somewhere, little girl?"
She froze. "N-no, not really..."
I watched the expression on her face with interest, it was like she was a kid who'd gotten caught raiding the cookie jar. She was really quite ambrosial. And rather attractive, too, I noticed, what with all that dark hair and those thick lashes. I briefly wondered what the humans called this precious creature. "Do you have a name?"
To my surprise, the little imp leapt onto the nearest table and thrust a clenched fist into the air. "I am Amelia Wil Tesla Seiryuun, a champion of justice!"
"Seiryuun? You're part of the royal family, then."
"Yes!" she declared triumphantly. "Part of the system of justice! Of burning justice! And when my father finds out what you've done, his justice will be swift! For it is wrong to kidnap innocent girls! Going against the code of justice..." And so she continued.
My mood was beginning to sour. The fact that this...child was spouting off such nonsense irked me. How could her family stand to teach her such ignorance? Humans were always like that, bringing judgement upon everything. It angered me that they spread their views to that poor girl. "What do you know of justice," I spat out vehemently, barely noticing that my lips had curled up into a snarl. "What gives you the right to judge? What gives you the right to inflict punishment? You humans think you know everything...but you know nothing at all! Just your petty concepts of 'right and wrong', shoved down the world's throat. There is no justice, only death. Tell me, what do you think your justice can do, hmm? What could you possibly be doing with it?"
She answered me in a small, meek voice. "We only try to make things better." It wasn't until then that I noticed I had her backed against the wall, pretty much yelling in her face. Her expression was startled, afraid... I backed off immediately, feeling a large twinge of guilt.
"Leave this place," I commanded gruffly. She complied, fear in every action. Mentally I cursed myself for feeling guilt; it was a trait I'd hoped was nonexistant. I trait I'd wanted to purge from my very being. I could not feel guilt if I was to avenge the deaths of Garv-sama and my people. Yet I still felt bad...she was just a little girl. An alluring little girl.
I shook my head in despair. Why were such thoughts entering my mind? I was usually not observant of the appearance of females. In fact, I don't think I'd once noticed a female like that since before my people had been murdered. Why would someone like her be any different? This I wondered for some time, and to this day I have yet to discover the reason.
My next encounter with the girl, Amelia, occured soon after. I'd had those dreams again, daymares about the Golds descending upon my people. The Ancient Dragons brutally slaughtered by them, myself left to die under the hot sun. Blood and gore everywhere, the world dyed red before my eyes. I snapped out of my reverie screaming, sweat dotting my brow. Amelia must have heard me talking in my "sleep", for I found her trying to wake me. I felt surprise at seeing her there, then anger and a mild confusion. I didn't like being seen in such a vulnerable state. "What are you doing here?!"
She stammered a little, fear once again entering her large eyes. "I-I was trying to escape again," she answered honestly. "I heard shouting..."
"Mind your own business next time," I snarled at her, still feeling the horror from my daymare. My body was trembling slightly, sweat dripping down my face and into my eyes.
Amelia continued to speak, afraid. "I...heard you talking. Are you really an Ancient Dragon? And everything...did all those terrible things really happen?" she asked, eyes full of concern.
I closed my eyes, my visions returning to me. Dragons. Gold scales. Gold. Gold smearing out my people's existance. Death. The cries of a thousand lives cut short, a thousand more not yet born. Even the dragonets still in their eggs never had a chance. I didn't notice that I was shaking violently and whimpering, the memories clouding my mind. Somewhere in the back of my brain I realized that Amelia was hugging me tightly, trying to stop the shaking, and I shoved her away. My thoughts were muddy with death and the hatred for life. "Mind your own business!"
She tenaciously grabbed at my arms, trying to stop me from pushing her away. "Stop, Valgarv - " The first time she used my name... "Listen to me! Listen!" she cried over and over, embracing me firmly and finally snapping me out of my trance-like reverie. "Please...please stop!" the girl begged, covering my trembling hands with her own. "Please...let me help you!"
That wasn't the last time she tried to comfort me. She appeared to take it upon herself to get me talking. I was angry at first, angry that she could be so calm and think that she could ever understand me...or what I went through. After all, she was a mere human. But her kind words had already begun to soften my heart and I gradually revealed my troubles to her, little by little. Her desire to help me was astonishing. I often wondered why she even bothered, why she cared. Why would anyone care what happened to me?
There wasn't any reason for me to harm my little prisoner. She wasn't my enemy. She wasn't Ryuzoku nor Mazoku. I had no reason to hate her. In fact, I kind of craved her pity. I liked having those innocent eyes focused only on me, her attention all mine. I wonder if that's why I allowed her to hear my story. Perhaps it was because she actually cared, unlike anyone else I'd ever met.
I suppose that's also the reason I took her to my bed not long after. And many times following that, as well. An odd turn of events, yes, but one beneficial to both of us. I know it is not love she feels toward me, but I don't care. She is fond enough of me, and her cries of pleasure each night I visit her are enough to quell my craving for love. And perhaps someday her fondness will turn to love...
I've decided to let her live after I call Dark Star. He can destroy the entire world for all I care, but I want her to live, as my companion. I won't let him touch her. I wonder...when this is all over, when my revenge is complete...will we have the chance to start over?