Fine Vampire Noble Attire (Final Grade: 187)

  "Hah!" I expertly flourished the little attached cape attached to the outfit and struck a pose, grinning. "Blood skill: Chomp!" I declared before making a faux bite at myself in the mirror.

  Yeah, I got carried away again. Which was why I now had a wardrobe of vampire nobility attires, with both handsome princess suits or feminine prince robes. Again, if I was going to meet my end, then I was at least going to look pretty walking to my death.

  To be fair, it wasn't like I had anything else to do. Even if I did want to go out, the snowstorm had turned into a full out blizzard that made it impossible for even Frie to head outside. They were just camped in the great hall, looking a bit morose and sad. I could tell they wanted to join me in the dress-up session, but I'm sorry, I just can't make clothes that big.

  One day, remember? I haven't forgotten that promise I made once about when I could actually make and process porcelain clay.

  Anyhow, I sank into a chair and closed my eyes. By now, Kuch should be at the abandoned mining town and they were, gazing upon it buried under a thick layer of snow. Okay now, so they just had to wait here-

  When the skies above suddenly flared with color, I instinctively had them duck. Then, given they weren't immediately smote out of existence, their helmet tilted up and saw something was happening on the mountain right above. A fight, of all times, here?!

  Argh, there went my backup plan!

  But curiosity nagged at me. Now that I looked closer with my bird scout nearby, there appeared to be a large cave up there. Moments later, more color lit up from within, indicating that yes, something was going on in there. But reaching up there was going to be difficult, as the mountain slope was rather quite steep. It'd probably even give goats a challenge.

  However, that couldn't be the only way up. What were the odds, I thought to myself as I glanced at the shaft entrance in the town, that there was a way up through the mountain via the mine? Knowing the world of Shin, very good ones because the level artist had put a lot of time and effort into designing that and would like to be appreciated, thank you very much.

  It was still a long shot, especially because this wasn't exactly FLOW. But it was worth chancing and, even if it didn't work, it probably still was worth taking cover in. Whatever fight was happening above didn't seem to care about collateral as I watched a gout of flame splash into one of the abandoned buildings and incinerate it. I really would like for that to not happen and splash onto my doll. Mind made, I directed Kuch to head in and try to find a way up via the mine.

  True to my suspicions, while there was an evident main path leading deeper into the mountain, there also was a side path that appeared to go up. Had this mine perhaps even part of a natural cave system when it was found, and the settlers just built onto it? It wouldn't be the most outlandish concept. Kuch did their best to climb, their large form struggling with how the way twisted and turned at times. It was a quite tight squeeze, not helped especially with how the entire mountain shook violently around them from the epic battle above.

  It was getting more intense the higher they went. At this point, I decided to push in myself and took focused control, like I had in the dungeon. While doing so, the oversized wooden plate shoulder accidentally knocked into a support beam and the aged wood, likely rotting by now from neglect, snapped.

  Oops.

  The walls around me began to shake and crumble when the next impact of whatever fight was going on occurred. Enough that the rocks lining the side were now falling in. Ah, it's going be a cave-in! I pushed myself to hurry, this time uncaring of how many supports I broke on the way. It clearly was already collapsing, so a little bit more damage wouldn't matter.

  There was a bright light ahead I picked up on and my pace doubled. At the same time, the walls seemed to fall in on themselves even quicker behind me, with some rocks even already falling ahead to block the way out. I would be trapped if I didn't do something. I tried to suck in a deep breath without having a mouth, then dove forwards through that rapidly diminishing exit.

  I just barely made it, leg pieces clearing the obstruction moments before it became impassable as a large shard of ice dropped on top of it all. The way back was blocked now.

  This might've been a pretty bad mistake.

  That was before I saw the rampaging dragons and upgraded it a terrible mistake.

  I realized then that I actually recognized one of them. It was that illusion dragon which had defended the city not too long ago, now locked in a titanic struggle with a- was that a crimson dragon? Oh, as if things weren't already so complicated already! I watched, rooted in in place, as black and red scaled beasts brawled with one another in something that was clearly a life-or-death struggle. This wasn't casual sparring or play fighting, not with the way they snapped and ripped at each other's flesh with raw fury. I think I might have just stepped into something pretty dicey.

  One of their tails happened to swing my way and before I could react, I was sent and hit flying. I hit the wall and slid down, wincing at the definite damage I just took. That couldn't be good for the armor, I noted while rising to my feet. It was then I noticed I so happened to land right next to another dragon, that younger dark one I'd seen before too, and took in how they looked.

  ...Their wings were gone. Ripped out, and ending now in barely healed fleshy stubs. And massive wounds marred their form. They...they'd been mauled, maybe by that crimson dragon. Was this cave the nest of the illusion dragon and her spawn, and that other dragon an invader looking to kill them?

  There was a meaty smack flesh, accompanied with breaking bone, and the illusion dragon was thrown my way. Like me, she hit the wall and slid, panting hard and looking very bad. I think I knew why, as it was winter, when most dragon variants would ordinarily be weaker now and spend their time hibernating to conserve their strength. However, there were exceptions.

  And that crimson dragon, attuned to the fire that burned within, was one of them. So in a contest of strength between these two midgame colossus, it wasn't going to go well for the dragon who preferred magical trickery instead of direct confrontation. Something that she surely must have realized, but could not retreat from with her maimed child present.

  Her eyes fell upon her, as if drawing resolve to try another charge. Then they moved to notice me and I froze, noticing the immediate glacial hostility. But before she could do anything like swipe at me, I drew my wooden sword.

  And hurled it the charging crimson dragon.

  I just barely missed their head and it smacked their shoulders instead. The blade bounced off, failing to penetrate, and I withheld a pained sigh even as the crimson dragon roared in surprised pain and broke off the charge.. Not only was my aim off because of this clumsy body, but the wooden greatsword just wasn't of sufficient quality to easily pierce those protective scales. Maybe my iron one would and I drew it next without thinking.

  A paw slammed into the ice right next to me, cracking it and reminding me that I might've just drawn a weapon in front of a mother right before her own child. Her head lowered to meet mine, that distrust still there. I could hardly blame her this time, this one was probably even more awkward than finding my spy.

  But there too was a dim light in those eyes. A desperate hope, perhaps. And something felt off about her, maybe something that threw her off-balance enough to initiate dialogue. "You would fight with me, puppet?" she quietly asked. "What scheme or conspiracy do you concoct now?"

  I made sure to nod exaggeratedly to the first, and shook my head vehemently to the other. Ack, I really needed a mouth for my bodies! Hoping she would get the message, I raised my iron blade, pointed it at the injured youth, then at the crimson dragon. I wanted to make it very clear.

  I did not like people who tried to murder helpless children, regardless of species.

  "...Then our purpose is one. Make the most of my opening."

  She darted forward, magic creating illusory copies of herself that all attacked at the recovering crimson dragon. I sprinted forwards, leaning to scoop up my other thrown sword on the way. It wasn't looking good, I think it might break in a few more swings. But if that was the difference between letting a dragon youth perish or ensuring they'd lived, that was a sacrifice I'd gladly make.

  The crimson dragon, perhaps blinded in fury or surprised by my involvement, swiped at the first clone to reach it. It vanished, a trick that allow for the second, real dragon to lunge and go for his arm. They roared and focused entirely on the revealed mother dragon, trying to pummel it in a return back to a contest of brute strength where it dominated. Because they knew it was the real one, they ignored the final clone.

  The one in which I was hidden in, letting me close the distance and swing for the legs.

  Though these blades were likely several times weaker than a crimson dragon and the body much weaker too, the dark crystal I had at my core was stronger. The result was a shallow cut through the scales, and my weapons beginning to break. But like I mentioned before, I was fine with that and it damage was still damage, especially when my foe felt it!

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  "What is this?! An interruption to my hunt!" the crimson dragon roared, with a clean masculine tone to his voice. "Die like the welp-!"

  "You will not touch her!" screeched the illusion dragon and took advantage of my leg cut to break her opponent's center of gravity. He fell cursing onto the ground and she slammed onto him, trying to perhaps go for the head. I did too, ready to try for a neck decapitation.

  Then the crimson dragon's entire body glowed, and exploded into flames that impacted both my ally and I.

  We both flew back and I immediately noticed my wooden body was burning. Not good! I tried frantically to rise back up, but already, my legs were falling apart. The illusion dragon- she laid there, chest heaving, likely having used the last burst of strength just now too. And she was heavily injured.

  It meant the crimson dragon could rise up at his leisure, and turn his glare about the icy cave. First at the downed illusion dragon. Then at me. And finally, at the comatose dark dragon at the back.

  He strode, angling the child over us. "I will make it quick, and this will be over. This is my mercy!"

  No, no, no! I struggled to get up, but my body was rapidly fading. The crystal core, it should be safe, but I was going to fail. I was going to let Lighthouse down. The range, it was too great for a hasty sword throw, especially when it could accidentally hit the young dragon. I, I needed to use a knight skill, one that Mikel had used quite often in his time.

  But I was a doll, I couldn't-

  I had to try!

  Come on! I shouted in my head, and brought my iron sword down in a chop! [Holy Ray]!

  Nothing happened.

  [Holy Ray]! [Holy Ray]! [Holy Ray]-!

  The dark crystal core shivered and I was struck with a realization. That was a light aspect skill, something that Mikel as a paladin could use. That wouldn't ever work for something so steeped in its polar opposite. So, then racking my head on game skills, as the crimson dragon drew its claw back to deliver a killing blow, I shouted a different skill. One that Mikel had only used when fooling around with other classes.

  [Shadow Rend]!

  Dark energies suddenly sparked and ran through the blade as a small voice whispered into my consciousness.

  >Notification: Conditionals have been met. [Doll Maker] has evolved into [Doll Maestro].

  And then from my sword, a beam made of dark magic shot towards the crimson dragon. Because my aim was off, once again I didn't hit the head like I envisioned. Instead, I hit that outstretched arm- and cut it clean off.

  Huh. I think I just broke the level cap. Those were my final thoughts as my body crumbled apart-

  And I gasped, realizing I was in my main body again. I felt myself up, still definitely alive and in one piece. Possibly with a new skill that was never in FLOW.

  But what a wild thing to say that didn't matter right now!

  I focused back on the connection with Kuch immediately, sensing how they were now just a crystal core laying there on the ground. They were definitely out of the fight. Meanwhile the crimson dragon roared, clutching at his arm stump in a mix of bewildered rage and angry fear. His wings flapped and he took off, hastily exiting the cave in a clear retreat. I supposed he hadn't expected to lose an entire limb in the fight today.

  Then his tail smacked the outside of the cave, bringing the front down with crash of thick ice- and entombing those within. "Fine! Starve, and remember I would have granted a quick death!" he hollered and then, judging by the fading wing beats, took off into the distance. My bird scout right outside the mountain confirmed it the case.

  We'd won, and driven him off. Just barely. But now, I had two heavily injured dragons on my hands!

  I gritted my teeth, briefly torn by indecision, then made a choice. "Frie! My winter coat!"

  My doll dutifully draped the fur attire over my shoulder as I focused, clutching the party crystal. I focused entirely on the connection with Kuch and the crystal pulsed, responding. It shattered, the item consumed, and a dimensional rift began to open before me.

  It took what felt like forever for the portal to widen to its full size in the manor's great hall, time in which it felt like life was slipping away. The moment it grew large enough, I rushed through, hoping I wasn't too late. In my hand was a bag of potions that could very well be the difference between life and death. First, I should see to the older one, she looked so much worse-

  Then I stopped and squeezed my eyes shut, just to make sure. I opened them to see the truth and sighed, feeling like I'd failed.

  I realized with my own senses now the truth behind that odd sensation. Something Kuch had been unable to pick up, due to their awkward, muted senses with that body. It was likely only heightened by how skilled illusion dragons were at spellcraft. It took me actually being here, with my real body, to perceive the truth.

  "You're already dead, aren't you?" I asked the illusion dragon who now stood over her own revealed corpse.

  "I was, three days ago. And for three days, my deception has lasted, to buy time for...anything," her specter quietly told me, studying my arrival. "Puppet. You are the last I would think would show up."

  "Well, I'm here now, aren't I?" I weakly quipped and accordingly prioritized the one still alive, that dark dragon. But as I approach, I realize again there was illusion receding, one that revealed the dark scales actually didn't just reflect light- they were the absence of such, showing only deep shadow. "Hold on, is she-!"

  "A shadow dragon. You have a fine eye. I had disguised her as a dark dragon to conceal the truth from others."

  Oh, by the ten divine spirits that governed Shin, this was quite a discovery. Because a dark dragon, that was a base FLOW monster that probably topped out at two hundred if pretty experienced. An illusion dragon, mid game so about four hundred at their weakest.

  Shadow dragons and other variants of their tier had been introduced in Harbinger, and could excel seven hundred. Their debut had been one of the signs that the apocalypse had been descending upon Shin- hold on.

  W-was that about to happen here again?!

  I shook off my shock and focused. Worry about the endgame raid later! Prioritize saving a life now.

  "Cordelia, please. I'm trusting you here," I whispered as I uncorked the elixir and pushed it into the dragon's mouth. She did seem to be barely lucid enough to drink. Moments later, some of the wounds began to fade- but the scars remained and she remained too weak. The scales felt clammy, cold. "We need to move her, somewhere warm. She can't survive like this, nor trapped in here." I cursed the fact the portal was too small, because otherwise, I could maybe move her through-

  "No. Which is why I will request a heavy favor from you, and her." The ghost of the illusion dragon bent down and lightly snorted into the shadow dragon. "Mord. You know what to do."

  The young one briefly stirred, still slightly delirious from the pain. "M-mom, please don't...leave…"

  "I cannot linger much longer. Please, before a parent is forced to witness their child pass before them."

  There was silence, then the shadow dragon wrapped herself in pure shadows that engulfed her entire form. They shrank and now, instead of a young dragon, there laid a young humanoid woman. Somebody who now could be carried through the still open portal.

  Right. I'd forgotten Harbinger dragons were also capable of that. How could I have not remembered all the fan art?

  I quickly took off my coat and draped it over her bare body. She was definitely out of it now, that transformation likely having pushed her over into unconsciousness. "Frie, bring her to the bedroom," I commanded myself, Then, aware that time was running out, I looked at the specter of the dead mother. "What did you want me to do?"

  "She will be hunted again if her survival is revealed. So she cannot live out her days as a dragon, not until all becomes clear in time." She watched her child be taken away and I could see the claws tense, aching to do something. But they could not grasp what was soon to be beyond them. "Please, master puppet. I see you are kind. I pray you are wise. Teach her to hide among mortals.

  "And in turn, I offer you my body. All of it. Do with it what you will."

  I swallowed, feeling the both the weight of the request and the offered payment. I gave a single nod, but that didn't feel enough. It didn't convey how serious I was going to take this duty. "Upon the name of Lighthouse, I swear Mord shall safe under my roof."

  "Lighthouse. That old name from the epics…" The illusion was breaking up, fading into motes of light now. "Ah, to think that perhaps I would be guided to the light by one such individual...thank you."

  She vanished and left me alone in a cavern, likely passing on into the great sea beyond. I closed my eyes and exhaled, paying my respects with a moment of silence.

  Then I drew my knife and got to work.

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