Mocca Dexter - Part 2

“My… Mistake… The same as before…”

Once again, I’ve failed to consider the nature of another creature. I never stopped to think about how they might feel, what they might want, or what they might truly wish for.

(No… NOO!!)

*SHWOOOSH!!!*

With the anti-air cannons turned off, I quickly fly my way towards the east gate from high in the sky.

 East City Gate 

It only takes a few minutes for me to arrive at the east gate. Plenty of adventurers and guards are stationed around the gate, desperately trying to hold the line against the enormous beast. Many of them are trembling at the thought of what they know is a suicide mission, yet they remain where they are because there are things they must protect.

I descend and land on the ground. I walk up to a guard who’s watching over the field.

“You! Status report!”

“─! Y─yes Ma’am! Currently, a boy is firing few arrows at the beast, staggering it’s footing and not letting it hurt the woman who's being chased.”

*Step step step step*

“Hurry, hurry!”

Two adventurers pass through us, going directly towards the beast.

“Y─you two! What are you doing! Get back this instance!” The guard tries to go after them, but I stop the guard from moving.

“Let them be, if they wish to try and help, let them go. Keep an eye on the situation, When the beast gets close, fire the cannons. Once it’s stunned, tell the ground units to commence an all-out assault.”

“Yes ma’am!”

I look back at the adventurers, they seem to be pestering Kohaku-kun with something.

Then, Kohaku-kun suddenly transforms into a large bird, twice the size of an adult ostrich, and takes flight toward the woman being chased by the beast. She stumbles and falls, desperately crawling along the ground as the monster closes in.

The adventurers follow behind him, Kohaku-kun grabs the woman by his talons, saving her from the beast’s feet. Suddenly, one of the adventurers starts shooting at him.

“─!!, what are they doing!!”

The guard on the watch tower responds to my question. “They seem to be firing at the boy who’ve turned into a bird, ma’am! The woman carried by his talons appear to be on fire, perhaps he's trying to lure the beast with a smoking hot bait away from the gates.”

“─?!, He’d never do such a thing!”
(Does the guards not know what he is?)

*ROOOOAAARR!!!*

The beast walks up to the adventurer who shot at Kohaku-kun. The situation seems dire, so I've decided to rush over.

“Keep holding the line! Do as I’ve told before!”

“Yes ma’am!”

*Bzoom!* *Fwooosh~!*

I quickly take flight and hastily fly towards the beast. Kohaku-kun who’ve turned into a bird pushes the mage shooting at him, saving her from the beast’s grip, in exchange for him to be in its stranglehold instead.

His transformation broke, the beast turn him upside down, and─

*SLAM!* *SLAM!* *SLAM!* *SLAM!* *SLAM!*

“─!!!, KOHAKU-KUN!!!!!”

“Ah… Miss… Mocca…”

(No… For the love of god, no...!)

*Chomp!* *CRACK!* *CRUSH!*

The beast puts the boy in its mouth, and starts eating him.

“NOOOOO!!!!!”

*shwoom~* *Clank!* I pull out my staff, and aim straight at the beast.

“SUN STRIKE!!!!”

*BOOOOM!!!!*

A ray of hot beam falls from the sky, hitting the beast on where it stands. The ground became smoldering hot as a crater forms from where the beast was.

… *CRASH!*
But the beast survives, and crawls out of the crater. Its scales are glowing and smoking from the heat of the blast, yet the monster moves as if it didn’t even scratch it.

*ROOOAAAARR!!*

The monster looks at me, up high in the sky. It can’t reach me, so I shoot some more spells at it.

“TAKE THIS!!”

Multiple magic circles form behind me, firing spells one after another in a relentless barrage.

*GROANS!*

The beast staggers from its footing, only to quickly stand on its feet again.

*GROWL!* … *ROOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAR!!!!!!*

“─?!”

Then, by the sheer force of its deafening roar, the ground splits and shatters around it, turning the once-pristine land into a wasteland in an instant.

*WHAM!*

It put its front legs on the ground, grabbing a large boulder from within the dirt.

“Wha─.”

*ROOOAAAR!*

Its deafening roar tears through the air toward me. The sheer force of the sound wave throws me off balance mid-flight, sending me flailing helplessly through the air.

“Ahh~!”

*SHOOO~!* *BOOF~!* *CRASH!!!*

The beast throws the boulder directly at me. Hitting, and causing me to crash to the ground.

*Boom!*

“U─Ugh…”

*ROOOOOAARR!*

The beast quickly charges straight towards me. And then─

“… FIRE!!.”

*BOOM!* *BOOM!* *BOOM!*

The cannons mounted along the gate walls open fire as the beast finally comes within range.

*ROOOAAAR!!!*

The beast lowers its head and raises its front legs, shielding its face from the barrage.

*Boom!* *Boom! *Boom!*

*…Shaa~*

I get up, seeing smoke covering the area where the beast was.

“Finally…”

(Kohaku-kun… I’m sorry.)

...

… *CRASH!*

“─!!”

*ROOOOOOOOOAAAR!!!!*

“W─what!?! Impossible!”

The beast somehow survives the cannon barrage, which firepower is triple that of a single sunstrike. It opens its jaws wide open and roars towards us. Then, from within its jaws, I saw─

“… Kohaku-kun!”

The beast hasn’t chewed nor swallowed him. He’s stuck inside its fangs like a piece of food stuck between its teeth. Perhaps the beast is too distracted after I attacked it with my spell that it forgot Kohaku-kun in its maws. His body is battered and bloodied by the monster’s deafening growls.

I quickly aim my staff towards the beast.

“MAGIC MISSILE!”

*BOOM!*

“GROUND UNIT! COMMENCE ALL-OUT ASSAULT!”

“YES MA’AM!”
“OOOOHHH!!!”

I aim my staff once again.

"FROSTCAGE!"

Ice starts forming beneath the beast's feet, covering its entire leg and rooting it with ice.

*rumble* *rumble* *SHATTER!*

But the beast is powerful enough to destroy the ice holding it down.

Adventurers and guards start surrounding the beast, attacking it with magic and stabbing its feet with blades.

*Shoo~!* *Shoo~!* *Shoo!*

Multiple magic projectiles fire from the back lines straight towards the monster. Then─

… *ROOOOOOOOOAAAAR!!!!*

“Wha─ What the─ AAAAGGHH!” One of the adventurers fall into a crack in the ground, formed by the beast’s thundering howl.

*CRASH!* *SPLAT!* The adventurer immediately gets crushed by the beast’s heavy stomp.

*Shwing!*

“AAAAUUGGHH!" Multiple men gets flung from it swinging its front legs.

*Swoop!*

“AAAHHH!” More people gets thrown by the swing of its tail.

(Wha─ what is this monster!?! How is it still standing after all that?!)

*ROOOOAAAR!!*

“AAAAAGGHH~!”
"UUUGH~!"
"AACK~!"

The beast’s roar unleashes a powerful shockwave, sending everyone around it flying and taking out dozens of adventurers in an instant.

“Th─this is hopeless!”
“Someone, help me!!”
“Ugh…”

Guards and seasoned adventurers are now sprawled across the field. The mages are beginning to run out of mana, while the beast remains standing strong.

(N… No…)

*Thud*

I fall to my knees as my legs give out beneath me, overwhelmed by the cries of the people I’ve sent to their deaths.

“KEEP HOLDING THE LINE! DON’T STOP FIRI─ AAAGH!” One of the mages tries to command the others, only to have a large boulder fly straight at them.

*CRASH!*

“No…” I sit there, frozen, staring at the beast as it tears through everyone around me, one by one.

*ROOOOOOOOOOOAAAARR!!!*

“Th─the kingdom is done for… Everyone, RUN!!!!”
“AAAAAHHH!!”

The survivors start fleeing toward the kingdom’s walls. A magical barrier forms in front of the gate as they get inside.

*SLAM!* *Rumble* *Rumble* *CRACK!*

“W─What the?! it took off a huge chunk of the earth?!” A drone operator sees what the beast is doing.

*ROOOOAAAR!* The beast carried a massive rock above its head that it somehow pulled out of the ground, then─

*SHOOOSH~!* *CRASHH!!!*

It then throws the giant rock straight at the barrier, cracking and destroying the barrier in an instant.

"N─NO WAY?!? IT BROKE THE BARRIER??" The kingdom's command center goes into disarray. with the barrier gone, the kingdom is left unprotected.

“RUN FOR YOUR LIVES!!!”
“NOOO!! I HAVE SO MUCH TO LIVE FOR!”

Everyone start fleeing as fast as possible, while those foolish enough to try and hold the beast to give the survivors more time to escape gets crushed and flung everywhere.

“No… NOOOOOOOOOO!!!!” I froze still, not knowing what to do. More and more people perish right before my eyes.

*ROOOOOAARR!!*

The beast opens its mouth once again to release yet another thundering howl. I view the inside of its mouth… Witnessing what most likely is a corpse of the boy I’m supposed to protect.

“Ko…haku… AAAAHHHHHHHHHH!!!!”

“…”

Hearing the cries of someone in despair would trigger the instinct of any phoenix to quickly rush to their aid, especially when it comes from someone important to them. Yet, the situation hardly allows for such a response, as the only phoenix nearby is already trapped inside the beast’s jaws.

“Ah… Ah… Is this… My punishment?” *Sob* *Sob* Tears start flowing down my face.

“…”

*ROOOOOOOAAAAARR!!*

*SHOOOWSH~!* *CRASH!*

“AAAAGGH!”
“I’M HIT! I’M HIT!!”
“Ah… Augh… Please tell my wife I love her…”

The beast throws more rocks my way, it shatters into pieces as it hits the ground. Few small shards of rock cuts my body but the larger pieces flies by, hitting the adventurers and guards behind me.

"Waah~!... AAaaahh...." *Sob* *Sob*
(It’s… Hopeless… Even the maguses are having trouble with two of these monsters invading their institute… what hope… do I have…)

“…”

*GRRRRR~!*

"AAAAHH~!"
(I relied on Arthemia the last time I was this hopeless… But this time… I’m all alone.)

“…” *Twitch*

*CRASH!* *CRASH*

The beast charges towards me, with the boy still stuck on its teeth. I could’ve saved him if I was a little stronger. But alas, I am far too weak to even save my own self.

*ROOOARR!*

"Ah...!"
(Seems like… It’s the end for me too.)

“…m” *Twitch* *Twitch*

"..." I look down as my tears falls to the ground.
(I’m sorry… Kohaku-kun… I’m sorry… Everyone…)

*ROOOOAAARR~!!* 
The beast grows bigger as it moves closer. I stop crying and close my eyes, accepting my fate.

*CRASH!* *CRASH* *CRASH!* *ROOOOOOOAAAARR~!!!*

...

...
(Goodbye...)

“…─!!!!”

*FWOOOOM~!*
Suddenly, the boy inside the beast’s mouth erupts into a raging flame.

*ROOOAAARR!!!*

The beast opens its jaws from the sudden flame which spontaneously burst forth.

“MISS MOCCA!!! THE MOUTH! HIT DIRECTLY INSIDE THE MOUTH!!!”

“─!!, Kohaku-kun!?!”

“AAAAAAAAHHHHHH~!!!”

Through a multitude of miracles converging within the same space at the same time, the boy somehow survives what should’ve been certain death, responding to my desperate cries. It is as though he has looked death in the face, rejected its embrace, and defied it simply by refusing to die.

Fire grows from the boy’s dying body. No, I should say, the flame rises from within the ashes.

“AAAAHHH!!”

*SWOOM~* *SHWING!* The fire that burst out of the boy’s body hardens and transforms into the shape of a huge spike.

*GROANS!*

The beast tries to bite the boy, but fails as the fire spike keeps its jaws wide open by stabbing the roof of its mouth.

*Clink!* I Immediately stand up and aim my staff towards the beast’s mouth.

*Shwoom~* *Shwoom~* *Shwoom~* *Shwoom~*

Multiple magic circle forms at the tip of my staff. Mana from the air starts gathering into my staff.

(I only have one chance!)

“By the heavens that heed my call, gather, condense, converge. Let no creature stand before my might!!”

The sheer force of the spell shattered the ground beneath my feet as I channel the ultimate attack.

The beast wails around trying to turn its face away from me.

“─!!, FIRE SPIRIT!”

*Boop~* *BOOM!*

A fire spirit explodes against its face, leaving its gaping maw directly in my line of fire.

(…!! ...Thank you, Kohaku-kun!)

*GROANS!*

"─!!!, Arcane Ultima Missile!!!"

*BZOOOOOOOM!!!!*

*SHWOOSH~!* *CRACK! *CRACK!*
The ground splits in half from the approaching beam of magic that’s aiming straight for the beast’s mouth.

*Shwing~* … *BOOOOOOOOMM~!!*

*GROANS~!* *CRASH!!!*

...

The spell strikes the monster directly in the throat. A brilliant beam of magic erupts from within its body, the creature burning from the inside as the light tears through it. At last, the monster collapses to the ground, defeated for good.

The sheer power of my spell completely blows apart its mouth, tearing its lower jaw off and sending it crashing to the ground along with the boy.

“S─SHE DID IT!!!”
“HOORAAY~!”
“THANK GOD FOR LADY MOCCA~!!!”

The crowd erupt in cheers as the impending doom has been taken out.

“KOHAKU-KUN!!”

*Shwoosh~!*
I quickly fly towards Kohaku-kun.

*Rustle*
I grab his body, and cast healing magic as I embrace him in my arms.

“Kohaku-kun! Hang in there!”

(My healing magic is only basic, I have to bring him to the church!)

*Step step step* A couple of adventurers walks towards me and the boy.

“W─wait! That boy! He was trying to kill my friend!”

“Yeah! He might’ve pushed me away from getting eaten by that beast, but he set our friend on fire!”

Instead of gratitude, the boy somehow gathered malice from his heroic deeds.

“Wha─, what are you talking about?!” I set the boy down. *Grip~!* and grab the adventurer with a dagger by the collar.

“He’s the only reason that you’re still standing here and not become a beast’s meal!”

“Y─y─yeah but… My friend! She’s on fire!”

I look at the woman that’s covered in flame.

(That fire... it’s slow and smooth looking.)

I tighten my grip on the man’s collar.

“YOU!! THAT’S A─.”

It's quite common for people to mistake a phoenix, especially a young one for a regular fire bird. Without the radiance to show their holy flames, which they'd acquire from being enlightened and becoming an adult, the boy looks nothing more than a crazed pheasant spewing fire to a helpless victim.

(I realize that simply telling him that it’s a phoenix fire wouldn’t cut it. I need to make sure that the message comes across completely.)

I push the man to the ground, and carry the boy within my arms.

“… LISTEN! ANYBODY THAT HAS ANY ANIMOSITY WITH THE BOY…”

The crowd of guards and adventurers looks towards us.

“... SHALL HEAR FROM THE CHURCH FOR PUTTING HOSTILITY TOWARD A PHOENIX!!!”

“─!!!”

The crowd become dumbfounded and starts whispering to another.

“A─a phoenix?”
“So the fire is actually a healing flame?”
“Didn’t that mage just shot a fire ball at the bird?”

*whisper* *whisper* 

“A… A phoenix?!”

The adventurer that was aggressive to the boy is now pussyfooted, not knowing what to do after hearing that he was trying to attack a phoenix.

The mage that shot at the bird trembles in fear, realizing what she has done.

(… They’ll most likely will go unpunished since it’s in a phoenix’s nature to forgive.)

But I simply can’t have it. Someone who’s done wrong must be punished somehow. I’ll talk to the church to at the very least slap them on their wrist.

“…Urk.”

“─!!, Kohaku-kun!”

*Boof~!* *Swooosh~!* I quickly ascend with a flight magic and fly toward the church.

“Haitora-kun! Stay alive, I’ll take care of you!”

(Please… Stay alive, boy!)