XVI - Two Careless Heroin Integrity

The triad of ravenous dragons circling the academy above, not attacking yet as if they waited for someone to step out. 

One of them, an emerald green with reptilian pupils glowing in aggression, its head uniquely shaped like a heart or triangle that is similar to vipers, its jagged horns glinting from the light as It threw its head and let out a loud piercing cry.

SKREEEEEE!

Quincy and Sarah pulled themselves away from embrace, sharing whispers.

"W-w-what should we do?! Those dragons are trying to devour us!"

"Calm down, Sarah! Somebody's coming to stop this!”

"But look, nobody's coming!"

Students flinched, each clutching their weapons tightly as the air suddenly grew heavier, panic rippled through the hallway.

Charlotte looked up at the translucent ceiling where the ravenous dragons remained circling as their massive shadows swept beneath the panicked crowd.

Oh no, what should I do, a standard paladin won't handle against the three full-grown elemental dragons. she thought to herself, her brown-golden eyes wide as her heart pounding against her ribs.

I need to use Lancelot's plate—now!

Before Sarah or Quincy could ask about the plan to scare the massive creatures away from their presence.

Charlotte spun on her heel and sprinted down from the hallway surrounded by crowds, heading towards the lower subterranean vaults.

Aurora shifted her gaze towards her, calling her out as her mismatched eyes widened in utter disbelief watching her knight bolted out from nowhere. She called out and followed after her.

"Charlotte?! Wait—where do you think you're going?!"

"Aurora! Charlotte! Where are you both going?!" Quincy and Sarah called out in unison, stared helplessly as watching them vanished from the crowd.

"Oh no…they're gone." Sarah mumbled under her breath, her gaze lifted up towards the translucent ceiling. 

"What happened to them?" Quincy asked nervously as they exchanged confused glances at each other.

"What should we do?" Sarah questioned, swallowed nervously as she stared at the translucent ceiling from above.

Charlotte didn't stop, her cape trailing behind her as the heavy boots tapped rhythmically against the cold floor as she rounded toward the vault stairs.

She didn't glanced back despite Aurora shouting behind her, as she gathered her long sleeves while chasing her.

"Hmph, you Dummy! Don't you dare to leave me behind!"

Her dark blue hair whipped through the air, her tiara gleaming as her instinct kicked in.

Suddenly as she burst through the archway that led down to the private vault, heels clicking fast while stepping—but ended finding the heavy vault doors sealing shut with sharp CLANG! no guards guarding the door, the heavy doors bathed in a bright pulse of ancient magic.

She skidded to a halt, gasping for breath, she realized—she was late, leaving her stunned and stared at the lock doors.

With a low snarl, she rushed towards the heavy doors, slammed her fist against the rain forced door while the crimson streaks on her hair flickered in cyan light, sparks dancing before it vanished by their own.

"Charlotte! Open up! What magic are you doing here?!"

She slammed her fist several times harder but still nothing. 

She pressed her palm firmly against the surface and called her name furiously.

"CHARLOTTE!"

Suddenly she gave up, breathing heavily as she stared at the locked door with defeated huff. 

"Hmph! Fine, enjoy locking yourself here, Dummy. I'll handle those creatures with my fans without you!" she scoffed, turned her heel and sprinted down from the empty hallway with her war fans snapped open preparing to fight the elemental dragons by herself.

꒰ა ✦ ໒꒱

Aurora stepped out from the gates of Asahi Academy. 

Her battle attire fluttered gracefully behind her in the sudden draft, her gaze narrowed, staring at the ravenous dragons remained circled from above, her mismatched eyes flared in determination despite the internal fear hidden.

"Hey, pesky dragons!" she called them, her war fans reflected from the sunlight.

Suddenly the ravenous dragons froze, their pupils slitted as they suddenly shifted their gaze onto her, dressed in battle attire.

The emerald dragon with a triangle shaped head hissed, tilting its head as it gestured the others to follow, recognizing the princess before them.

With a loud guttural cry, they snap off their wings before they angled upward, dividing straight toward her.

ROOOAAAAR!!

Their aggressive cries echoed, making them flinch but Aurora didn't flinch, stared at the three massive ravenous dragons.

With a sharp snapped both of her war fans in loud synchronized CLACK. Her mana swirled around her as she prepared to fight them.

"Trying to pick a fight with me?" she murmured, her dark blue hair flowing behind her.

"Well…fine, then I hope you won't cry in front of me, you insolent beasts."

Crowded students observed her from behind the gates, with their eyes wide in disbelief.

What the—?! This girl is insane.

Yeah, she's out of her mind! We have to stop her!

No way, I could feel her Dawn Wing mana getting stronger...

Quincy and Sarah clasped their hands together as they prayed silently for their friends safety with their eyes squeezed shut.

Please, Aura… you can do this.

I hope you defeat them.

From the crowded area Aria, Aurora's younger sister silently watches her from the crowd with a melancholy look forming on her face. Her own mismatched eyes wide in both awe and terror.

Sister… I know you can handle them since you'd told me you are powerful.

With a swift graceful motion, she fluttered her eyes closed, tiara gleamed as began to move in dance-like sequence while using her fans, but this movement is more improved than from her past, moving fluidly and deliberate as she weaves the air precisely.

She summoned her energy through her veins as both fans grew brighter than usual, feather-shaped blades shimmering from her mana energy.

With her mismatched eyes snapped wide, with a sharp flick of her wrist, she unleashed her first attack—a sudden violent gust of blade-wind led towards them, then struck directly at the leader's snout.

The massive beast screeched in agony, then it tilted its head in sideways from the sudden force released by Aurora with only her two war fans.

It let out a guttural snarl, smoke flared up to its narrowed nostrils as it whipped its tail and rushed toward her in terrifying speed, jaws snapping as it prepared to devour Aurora whole.

Aurora's determination vanished, staring at the upcoming dragon with eyes widened in terror, she held the ground, raised her fans to shield herself.

Aria squeezed herself out from the gates, rushing toward her sister, shouting her name with her own mismatched eyes widened in horror. She called her out, voice echoed over the roar of the wind.

"Aurora!"

Aurora felt her heart pounding against her chest as the blur of scales and smoke drawing in the distance. 

Her defensive stance wobbled after she drained so much mana energy from the wind blade.

Her cat ears suddenly perked up at the sound, her mismatched eyes widening in horror, seeing her younger sister rushing toward the danger zone to reach her.

"A-Aria?! W-w-what are you doing!? Stay back!"

"No! I would never leave you, sister! Because…I love you!" Aria shouted, tears streaming down her cheeks.

"You are my sister, so I cannot leave you alone, neither can I!"

Aurora's heart swelled in warmth, memories of their childhood flash through her mind, she'd remember her past, sparkling surge of strength back into her tired veins, thanks for her sister's bravery.

Little did they realize the dragon's jaw widened, smoke pouring out from its throat, its massive shadow covering the two sisters.

"Aria!"

Aurora screamed, her sisterly instinct kicked in, without hesitation she lunged toward her sister, shielding her from the dragon's perilous jaws, raised her fans, preparing to hit as she had a chance to attack the beast with the last remaining of her mana energy.

A blur of silver and gold as the Lancelot II—the silent paladin arrived.

The dragon thrashing in agony as it struggled to snap its jaw shut against the sturdy silver and gold shield of Lancelot II. 

Beneath the helmet, Charlotte gritted her teeth beneath her mask, as her boots planted harder against the earth.

Just a hang on tight!

She glanced a bit past her shoulder at the two sisters huddled behind her.

Aria mouthed silently.

Thank you, Sir Lancelot II!

Beneath the helmet, Charlotte smiled, a real smile curl on her lips before she turned her head away back at the thrashing dragon.

Aurora gasped in disbelief, her mismatched eyes wide as she stared at the familiar brown-golden eyes beneath the narrowed slits of the heavy helmet.

"You…! Again?! After Charlotte locked herself in that massive door. And you came here!?"

The silent paladin didn't say a single word, she simply flexed her gauntleted arm that drove her shield upward to toss the dragon's heavy head back.

She motioned Aurora with her broadsword.

Now, Princess!

A surge of renewed strength, Aurora snapped both her fans open, feather-shaped blades catching from the sunlight one last time before the climax.

"Ugh, for interrupting my family moment—taste this!"

A concentrated cyclone of wind erupted from her fans, blasting the dragon back into the sky.

With the defeat of the flap of its wings, its reptilian pupils slitted, glaring at Aurora and Lancelot II one last time before fleeing alongside with its other two dragons away from the academy gates.

The student interrupted into loud and cheering applause.

Yey! They did!

They save the academy! Woohoo!

Thank you, Sir Lancelot! Even Miss Chu as well!

Aurora collapsed on her knees, but Aria caught her by pulling her into a tight embrace.

"You did it, sis… you did!"

"You complete, Dummy. Don't you dare to do that again, understand?"

"Yes, sis. I-I'm sorry, I couldn't resist while watching you get hurt." Aria sobbed, leaned her face against her sister's shoulder.

As the crowd surged forward to celebrate the safety of the academy, because of Aurora—her bravery and selfless act to protect her younger sister, and Lancelot II, the silent paladin as well. Honoring both of them as heroes.

Aurora looked over her sister's shoulder to thank the paladin without her name—only to find a spot empty.

Huh? Where is she? she thought to herself with a confused look forming on her face.

In the academy roof, Lancelot II gave a faint familiar nod before she stepped into the shadows.

Aurora smiled warmly against her sister's hair, heart full while she tightened her grip.

Thank you. Lancelot, you idiot.