Chapter 7 Visit a Nymph

Dyrroth watched with boredom as Alice drained the blood of a squirming elf. She sank her sharp fangs on the boy's neck with the wildness and ferocity of a starved tiger. Her eyes were clouded with rage as she fed on the begging and screaming elf whose heart she tore away in annoyance and ate raw when there was no more blood left to drain from his body. It had been her fifteenth by now and the other elf corpses litter the floor like used clothing. Blood and bits of innards are scattered everywhere like confetti, while other alive (they won't be for much longer) imprisoned elves watch in horror at the preview of their fate. Their terrified faces were the only things that lightened Dyrroth's mood for the day.

That and his hunt in the Dark Forest with that red runt. Ah, that deserting cheating bitch again, leaving him hanging in the air (literally) to be eaten by a giant bird. He hanged there for about an hour more trying to figure out how to get the fuck down from that moving bird without dying seeing as he doesn't have a lesbian nymph friend like her to help him land and prevent ending up as a purple lasagna.

He noticed the trees down below changing as well as orcs and demons running around and killing elves. There were vines hanging from the strong barks of the tree and he saw this as an opportunity to finally land, so without further hesitation, he followed after Ruby's plan: jump.

The strong gusts of air slapped his face hard as he dived to position his body horizontally though a little tilted so that he can see the ground. He was approaching the treetops quick due to the speed of his descent and when he hit the foliage he grabbed onto the vines and slid slowly downwards.

He maneuvered so that he landed on top of an elf about to shoot down Balmond. The orc stared at him in surprise but snapped himself as more arrows rained down on them. Balmond repelled all the arrows headed his way using his large axe and crushed a stupid elf who thought he could take on an orc hybrid heads on.

"Where were you?" Balmond asked while killing more elves.

"Ehh, just went out for a hunt by orders of Selena. Any orders from Alice?" the Demon Prince replied as he joined the fighting.

"Just kill people." replied the red orc.

"With pleasure." He smirked and started to murder elves who came too close to him with not a single arrow or blade cutting through his skin. He ended up killing at least half a hundred elves and humans until Alice somehow failed and ordered for a retreat, which gravely upset him and stop his bloodbath.

In the camp, she hadn't spoken a single word to anyone and only focused on devouring the lives of those useless elves.

Seeing Alice tear another elf heart from a new victim made him remember a scene earlier.

"Leave one wolf alive. . ."

"And the sheep will never be safe."

"That cunning she-wolf." he smirked to himself as he remembered the little girl tearing out the heart of that alpha beowolf. The way she cruelly smiled as she stared at the heart in her hand with the same bloodlust he had in his eyes when he kills. She's a murderer and she enjoys being one though she may not look like it. He would really love to see her burn and wilt like fire once he gets his chance to have a match with her. He would surely make her pay for disgracing him.

"DYRROTH! Are you even listening?!" He finally snapped from his thoughts due to the witch's yelling.

"What now?" he replied unfazed.

"I'm asking you where have you been for the past week?!" she yelled again, her mouth dripping with blood. By now her torn limb had finally regenerated back and her wounds and injuries are no more as if they never happened.

"In the Dark Forest getting Selena shits she needs for a potion. What do you need?"

"Then why in the Fire Lord's scythe do you carry the smell of a girl? Have you been seeing a mortal human behind our backs?"

"Preposterous. I'm starting to doubt your intelligence because of that question. Why would I associate myself with a lowly human other than to use them as footstools to get what I want? I used the girl for her knowledge of the Dark Forest and nothing more. Now if you're done taking your anger out on me because you were bullied by a mere human, I'll better be on my way to give Selena her shit." He retaliated without fear.

"You insolent fool!" Alice's eyes bulged in anger but something stopped her from bursting in rage and attacking him. "Very well none of that matter now. I need you to do something."

"And that is?"

"Lead an attack to the Leonin Village and wipe out every single one of them. They are one of the nuisances that prevent my invasion of the elven race and because of that, they need to disappear. Go now and take as many legions as you need. That will be all." She turned her back to him and started devouring more elves. Dyrroth left immediately not wanting to spend more time with the sorceress.

"Is Alice bitching again?" He heard a cute feminine giggle from his left and saw a beautiful pink-haired elf with blue skin.

"Selena? Yeah, she's basically binge eating those elves and bullying everyone she sees. Is she on her period or is she in menopause?" He joked which elicited another cute giggle from the eleth.

"Probably on menopause. How about the things I asked you about? Got them all?" she asked with her bell-like voice. Dyrroth was serenaded by her charming voice and he gazed at her with a certain fondness and gentleness he never showed anybody else.

"I got them all." He handed her the different materials he collected thanks to a certain red-wearing maiden.

"I heard there was a girl involved, is she cute? Do you like her? How old is she?" she bombarded him with curious questions wanting to hear of romance.

"I certainly don't like her but I suppose she's sixteen or fourteen. She has a scythe-gun for a weapon, she always wears a red hood and has a wolf cub for a pet. As for cute?" Dyrroth pondered for a moment looking for a proper word to define the girl's physiognomy. "She looks like a doll with porcelain skin and big emerald eyes."

"She sounds charming! You were gone for a week, did you two have sex?" Selena teased.

Dyrroth's eyes widen at his companion's question. "Of course not, you know I only want you. I wouldn't stoop as low as to associate myself with a mere human girl."

Selena's smile turned dark. "Dear Dyrroth, so silly, so amusing." she giggled which made the demon frown.

"Thank you for these dear. You are entitled to a favor from me. Farewell for now, I will be leaving for an official business. If you meet the blond girl again tell her I said thanks." The eleth placed a kiss on Dyrroth's cheeks and left to do some things Abyss know what.

"I feel so used and stupid." he sighed to himself. Dyrroth has always held affections for Selena and often did favors for her he wouldn't do for his other comrades. He liked her beauty, admired her strength, and worshipped her cunning mind yet the eleth never seemed to reciprocate his feelings. She would sometimes direct gestures of affection to him like hugs and kisses but they were merely friendly or playful though his heart beat twice faster whenever she does perform them on him.

He really wanted her to reciprocate his feelings and make her his princess, his queen, however, she doesn't seem to want that. He was ready to do everything for her, make her the queen of the abyss, give her the Empire of Moniya, give her the crown of Moniya, and all the gold, gore, and glory of the world if only she would take him as a lover.

He sighed once more. "The things we do for love."

It was already dawn when Alucard and Ruby set out on a journey to the Empire to deliver her to her father and Ruby couldn't be more excited to see new places, new people, and finally meet her father. They rode on two separate horses with the livestock walking in front of them as well as beowolves Ruby made a contract with to help her travel her livestock. She promised them one cow and two pigs that will give them enough food for a week in exchange for helping shepherd the rest of her livestock to be sold or given in the village in the outskirts of the forest.

It only took her two days to prepare for her departure seeing as she doesn't have many things to bring with her only a few travel necessities. Alucard helped her with securing the house although he was still recovering from his injuries. Ruby told him to delay their departure so that he will have time to heal his wounds however the man was so adamant on leaving saying that the demons are starting to ascend from the abyss and wreak havoc upon the land that's why they couldn't afford to waste another day outside the Empire.

Due to his persistence and poor condition, Ruby decided to bring Alucard to Lazuli's lake to heal his wounds fast and also to bid her goodbye.

Flashback

At the Sapphire Lake, Ruby called her friend's name who instantly appeared with a sad expression on her face. The nymph tackled the smaller female and cried on her shoulders.

"Ruby, you're leaving me! I will be alone again! You were the only friend I made for the last five hundred years and yet you're going with a total stranger into a completely foreign land and leave me for god knows how long. What if you get in danger? What if something bad happens?!" the nymph wailed as her waters ripple with sadness.

Ruby patted the azure locks of her friend and whispered words of comfort to her before pulling away to meet eye to eye. "Lazuli distance is just numbers and space, no matter how far I am be it the deepest depths of the abyss, the farthest north, or another world entirely I will always be your best friend and you will always be my best friend, my greatest confidant. Distance and time will never alter out friendship, not today, not tomorrow, not next year, nor another hundred or thousands of years." Ruby cupped her friend's cheeks in her small hands and gazed at her beautiful sapphire eyes. Lazuli placed her cold blue hands on top of Ruby's warmer pale ones in affection.

Her crying had stopped at the reassuring words of her friend and she calmly gazed at the maiden's beautiful emerald eyes. "I love you, Laz." Ruby placed a gentle kiss on her friend's forehead and encased the nymph in her arms in a friendly hug which she returned with the utmost fondness.

"I love you too! You are the greatest human being ever! You deserve to be a queen." Lazuli whispered with a sad smile.

Alucard watched the intimate exchange between the two interspecies friends from the sidelines feeling completely out of place and invisible yet was impressed by the intelligent and sweet words of the red wearing girl. He cleared his throat wanting to mitigate the awkwardness of the situation and finally do what they came here for.

"Can you introduce me to your lovely friend?" The two seemed to finally snap from their fantasy world and acknowledge his presence. Ruby mouthed a weak apology to his direction and pulled away from her blue friend. She faced Lazuli and held out a hand presenting her companion.

"Lazuli, this is Alucard from the Empire of Moniya, he came here to escort me back to my father." she introduced. Alucard bowed to the mythical lady as a sign of respect and lowered his sword as a sign of no aggression or ill will.

"Alucard, this is Lapis Lazuli, the Lady of the Lake who keeps the monsters of the Dark Forest at bay, a great mage and excellent warrior, mythical defender, and my BFF." Ruby proudly introduced.

"Its a pleasure meeting a person of such great standing." he said politely.

"As do I." The nymph simply replied scrutinizing him.

Lazuli directed him a cold calculating gaze as if she was judging a mere imperfect object with one thin sharp brow raised and her arms crossed.

"Oh stop that Lazuli, he's not here to ask for my hand in marriage! We came by to inform you of my departure and a favor for my friend." Ruby giggled feeling the tension.

She voiced a question that's been nagging her since the nymph appeared. "How did you know that I'm leaving, especially with him?"

"The birds whispered songs about a foreign man clad in blue here to take you, so I sent more birds to learn his purpose and intention. Also, the fog told me." Lazuli answered.

"Wait, you speak bird? That's amazing! How come I don't know of this?"

"I don't need birds for company when I'm with you so I never really talk to them whenever you visit."

"Ohhhh, okay. Back to topic, we need a favor from you."

"Fine, what is it?" Lazuli raised a brow in curiosity.

"Alucard is badly injured due to his travels to get to me and we need to depart soon, but I don't think that he'll be able to function to the fullest with his current condition that's why we implore you to help him heal his wounds." Ruby informed.

A devious smile formed on Lazuli's beautiful lips that the two didn't notice. "Very well but he will swear me something in exchange." Lazuli directed her gaze to the man.

"Let's hear it." Alucard said looking a bit bothered at what the mythical creature might demand.

"I will bless your journey and heal your wounds but swear to me that you will hold this girl's life with the utmost importance. One thousand men or her single precious life, you will always choose her safety above all else. Your life doesn't matter compared to hers, you will allow no scratch to land upon her skin nor hunger and thirst ever fall on her stomach. You will repel every blade directed to her and catch every bullet fired at her no matter the cost. You will also choose to protect her over the woman you fancy." Lazuli laid down the conditions of her service.

"Lapis, don't you think that your terms are quite extensive for a little healing and blessing. And also why does your blessing seem like a big deal?" Ruby reasoned.

"Ruby the blessing of a mythical creature means that luck will always follow you that's why their approval is regarded with high esteem." Alucard informed walking closer to the girl.

"But don't you think that disregarding your life for mine is quite. . . too much." Ruby played with her fingers as the feeling of awkwardness settle in her shoulders. She was ashamed of Lazuli's extremist terms on Alucard that's why she lowered her head and refused to meet the man in the eye.

"It's fine, I originally intend to ' repel every blade directed to you and catch every bullet fired at you no matter the cost' that's why I'm not really that bothered." Alucard quoted the nymph's words which made Ruby giggle in amusement.

"Wonderful! Let's make a blood oath at that." Lazuli held out her hand and a gold and blue dagger appeared.

Lazuli took the dagger and cut open her palm where warm blue blood flowed. Alucard took the blade in his hand and did the same to his left hand. They both held their wounded palms with each other and uttered their oaths.

"I, Lapis Lazuli, mythical guardian of the waters of the Dark Forest, bless your journey and wish for your safety in the days to come. May no sword, no bullet, no arrow strike you down and I shall heal the wounds of this man in exchange for his oath." Lazuli chanted. Her azure blood glowed blue and started circulating their hands in a magical way.

"I, Alucard Vladimir, swear to keep Ruby Rose safe no matter the cost. One thousand men or her single precious life, I will always choose her safety above all else. My life doesn't matter compared to hers, I will allow no scratch to land upon her skin nor hunger and thirst ever fall on her stomach. I will repel every blade directed to her and catch every bullet fired at her no matter the cost. I will also choose to protect her over the woman I fancy."

Now Alucard's crimson blood glowed and circulated their hands. Their blood seemed to fight then turn into blue and red light which circulated Alucard and moved around his body. The snake-like lights went to slitter in his skin and settled there leaving glowing marks before vanishing entirely as if they were never there.

Lazuli instantly let go of the man's hand and made her water wash it with disgust. "Uuggh, disgusting! Why did I suggest a blood oath with a despicable creature." she mumbled softly with an awful face of disgust. Why did I suggest a blood oath with a despicable creature." she mumbled softly with an awful face of disgust.

"Lazuli, your end of the bargain." Ruby reminded.

"Right." Her face turned sweet when she addressed her friend.

"Please remove your clothes and step into the water." She cordially instructed.

"Women in this forest always ask me to strip. These two are really friends." Alucard mumbled sighing to himself as he removed his coat and pants leaving him with nothing but breeches covering his body and a few bandages. He stepped into the clean cold water and placed his hands on his arms in an attempt to warm himself.

"How awful. First I have to touch a human and now he enters my waters. Just great." Lazuli grumbled in disgust.

"I can hear you, you know." Alucard said with a shiver. "Are you making the water extra colder? It's freezing here even though it's still summer."

"Stop complaining and stand still." Lazuli lifted her hand and closed her eyes chanting something incoherent. The water started rippling around Alucard as if something was going to break the surface.

Columns of water rose from the surface and started circulating Alucard with an otherworldly glow. The water hoisted him in the air and started wrapping themselves around him like a predatory snake. They eventually encased his whole body cutting off his air supply. He started flailing and panicking in fear of drowning. The air bubbled from his throat making him lose oxygen.

He gasped in impulse thinking that he'll drown however instead of the water flooding his lungs to kill he was able to breathe normally. He paused and tried breathing normally and succeeded. He looked at the nymph in confusion as if asking for the reason for this strange phenomenon.

"The option of killing you is very tempting but the contract forbids me to. Also Ruby might cry so I won't." Lazuli mused with a devious smirk. Ruby only smiled in apology to Alucard as if saying 'she's not always like that'.

"Sapphire do your thing." The water glowed brighter and seeped into his injuries. Alucard can feel the bruises fading, his tissues repairing, and his bones rearranging. He took off the bandage Ruby carefully placed around his wounded torso and shoulder and saw that there was not even a scar left to indicate an injury. His old scars also faded leaving his pale skin pristine and clean.

He gazed at his woundless arms in amazement. The water started lowering him to the ground gently before returning to the lake.

"Lazuli don't you think you're being rude to him." Ruby reprimanded her friend in hushed whispers.

"I don't trust his face. He looks like one of those prince charming dicks."

"Lazuli your words!" Ruby reprimanded.

"Fine, fine, fine, but since you're leaving I think I might give you some things to help your travel."

"Whoa, gifts? I love gifts."

"Oh sure, you do especially those from me." Lazuli said fancily.

Lazuli once again held out her hand towards the water where a moderately big bubble appeared. The bubble went in front of Ruby and landed in her open palms. The bubble popped revealing a wooden basket with a red and white checkered blanket protruding from under its cover.

"Ta-da!" Lazuli sang with a proud smile on her face.

"A new basket? Oh its. . . lovely. Thanks, Lazuli." Ruby said with a smile to cover her disappointment.

"You're disappointed aren't you? Because this is a plain wooden basket nothing special. But you're wrong! This is a basket with a vast pocket dimension that allows you to store things up to the size of one whole castle and you will never feel the heavyweight."

"Woah that's amazing! This is the greatest thing someone has ever given to me! Thank you, Lazuli! Looks like I can pack my whole house in here." Ruby cheered while inspecting the basket and its contents.

The basket was elegantly weaved and light made with the finest tree. There was also a beautiful tear-shaped lapis lazuli glued to the shorter sides of the basket that made it look fancy. Ruby dropped her compacted scythe inside the basket and it disappeared completely. She lifted the basket and discovered that it's weight never changed.

"Woah, that's so cool!" She exclaimed raising the basket with stars shining in her eyes.

A sudden realization suddenly hit the girl: how does she get that back?

"Lazuli how do I get that back?" she asked with an innocent confused face.

"Just say the name of what you want to get and pull it out." Lazuli explained.

"Oh, okay. Sniper scythe!" She yelled and pushed her hand inside the basket. She instantly felt the familiar cold metal of her weapon and pulled it out seeing that it was the same way she put it in.

"This is so coooooooooll!" She says hugging her basket.

"But wait there's more!" Lazuli lifted the cover of the basket and whispered the word "Inventory". When she lifted her hand a thin white crystal tablet appeared. She double taped the dark screen of the tablet and it opened up to a list of categories. Lazuli handed Ruby the thin object to let her see what she have.

"Hmm, clothes 6,781 items, books 101,010 items. Oh, that's impressive." She muttered in amusement. "Food supply, medical supply, magical potions and paraphernalia, weapons, living objects." she raised a brow at that but choose to not say anything about it. "Herbs and other flora, Radioactive substances! Lazuli what's in that category?"

"A few torbernites and a nuclear reactor. I made sure that they won't affect the other stuff, no biggie." The nymph explained. Ruby gave her a worried gaze.

"Why would I need that?"

"Who knows?" Lazuli shrugged. Ruby gave her a frustrated look as if saying 'I want that out.'

"Fine." Lazuli took the tablet and pressed a few buttons then handed the tablet back to the girl.

"What did you do to it?"

"Sent it to the next planet or galaxy, I'm not sure."

"That's sketchy but okay. Can anybody access the pocket dimension?" Ruby asked placing the tablet inside the basket.

"No, I made it to only recognize your aura, mana, or DNA. You can consult the tablet for instructions and guidelines later, for now, take off your cloak."

"Why?" asked Ruby as she removed her red hood and handed it to her best friend.

"I'm going to give it a little upgrade." she answered holding the red cape in both her hands.

"Trace on." she chanted. Blue straight lines appeared on the red cape like the circuits of a computer activating.

"Protection from fire and heat. Install." Lazuli whispered. Small white dots appeared from her fingertips and traveled to the different blue lines. When the dots reached the edge of her cape the cape glowed white which temporarily blinded Ruby.

"Install complete. Impenetrable armor, install." The same white dots traveled along the length and breadth of her cape and it once again glowed but this time it was green.

"Install complete. Temperature conditioning, install."

Ruby can only gape in amazement at the new capabilities of her favorite cape. By now Alucard had finished dressing up and now stood behind the blonde girl also watching what the nymph was doing.

"Install complete. And for the final touch," Lazuli held out her open palm in the air and a big red heart-shaped ruby appeared. There was a gold frame surrounding it and had wings design on both sides.

Lazuli removed the silver buckle of Ruby's hood and replaced it with the beautiful ruby seal. She placed the hood over her friend's shoulder and connected the seal. Red light rippled from the cloak once she heard the lock click in place.

Alucard and Ruby gaped in amazement at what they witnessed. Truly does a mythical spirit's power astounding.

"Ruby, try taking the ruby out of the lock." ordered the nymph. Ruby complied and placed her hand over the heart-shaped gem. She pulled it with all her strength and successfully detached it from her cloak. She looked at her blue friend for further instructions but she only saw her nod in contentment.

Lazuli took the gem and placed it back in the buckle. She turned her attention to Alucard and ordered him to pull the red gem.

Alucard complied and gently pulled the red gem but it didn't budge even a little. He tried pulling it with more force but failed. He tried it for a few more times with the same result before giving up. "Why can't I get it out?" he asked the nymph.

"I designed it to only recognize Ruby's genetics and aura therefore it will ignore anybody else's but hers and mine." Explained Lazuli.

"What magic does it do?" Ruby inquired.

"It can summon me to your exact location for a matter of time."

"Why? Do you want to come with us?" Asked Alucard raising a brow to the beautiful nymph.

"I would love to come with Ruby however I can't, because I can't leave the Sapphire Lake for too long so the only thing I can do is to give you a fighting chance."

The warm smile the nymph was directing to the girl vanished, replaced by alarm and confusion. Something seemed to bother Lazuli because her eyes started to dart in different directions as if looking for something very deadly.

Lazuli took Ruby's smaller and warmer hands into her cold ones.

"Ruby, you must understand that even though these woods are perilous more so is the world outside. Here you will only be fighting monsters and beasts feared by men and demons alike but out there. . . it will be much worse. You will be fighting Evil." Lazuli cupped her friend's cheek with a gentle look on her face.

"Evil out there is terrifying and I know I haven't seen that place for centuries yet the stories the water tells is enough to make even a creature like me tremble in fear." Lazuli's voice broke in a whimper.

"Ruby you're special. Special not just every person special kind of thing but special in a magical and mythical ways I cannot explain but I know it deep in my heart. And I don't want anything to happen to you because I believe that you are born for greatness." Lazuli paused looking at the teary eyes of her friend.

"But above all else, I will keep you safe because you are my friend. You are the only person who ever talked to me without wanting my powers or my treasure but my friendship. You showed me that the race I so despised is capable of compassion and loyalty." Lazuli placed her forehead against Ruby's.

"I won't be there to protect you from all the evils of the world so I will do everything in my power to help you. Because in all the gold, diamonds, and rubies in my possession. . .this Ruby is the most valuable of all."