Chapter 51: Fire And Frost[1]
A few days had passed since the fight against the Dragon Tribe. Xior had recovered as well as the other humans. He was sitting inside the broken building of the Dragon Guild in Aegis city.
Maria was brought in urgently as she was the only one who was able to order around Rain. When she saw Rain her face lost its light, he was pale, his body covered in scars and worst of all his left arm missing.
But he reassured her that he was fine. Now they are all sitting together eating breakfast Maria made for them.
Xior was shocked to see that she could cook, and too this good. By now it was apparent that Rain and Maria were not only colleagues but were married.
They had kept it a secret from everyone but Xior and Becca came to know about this from her reaction. Becca had some suspicion of them dating, but never being married. That was shocking to her.
"So, after a decade we know how to clear the tenth floor?" Maria asked.
"Yes, yes we do. Though it’s not something to be happy about." Becca replied.
"Becca is right, dear there was involvement from the higher floors as well." Rain said as he opened his mouth as Maria fed him the breakfast.
"This is unexpected, do we know how high are the ones interfering?" She asked.
"The eighty first floor and above." Xior declared from the opposite side.
81st? Maria rubbed her temples as Xior’s voice resounded in her ears. That was beyond her expectation. Only the Hunter Association Chairman would be able to put a fight from beings that high in the tower.
But he was old now, his body was withering despite all that power he can’t do much now.
"Maria, don’t worry about the future. We’re going to topple over this damned tower my dear." Rain said and gave Maria’s hand a peck.
"How can I not worry my stupid husband. You remember the fall, right? We had to leave our families behind. You also remember your time in the military, right? When you were in the advance team for clearing out the highest ranked monsters that roamed the old world after gate breaks." She paused and took a deep breath.
"We’ve seen so many lives being lost, so much blood being spilled so I cannot help but worry for us, for all of us." She continues as she looks at both Becca and Xior.
She is reminded of her younger self when she met Rain the first time and took him into the Dragon Guild.
Xior looked at their relationship like his with Becca, they were husband and wife but at the core they were just like them.
"Don’t worry Maria, humans will never see something like The Fall ever again. You may be the first generation of hunters but you can leave your worries about the future with us. We will make sure to clear this tower and give the god of this tower a nice beating." Becca said with her fist raised.
Xior looked at her and smiled, before he could say anything Becca took the initiative and blurted out random stuff.
Maria and Rain looked at each other and then at Becca and laughed, they didn’t think she would say something heroic. She was always laid back and wouldn’t talk much with anyone except for Xior.
But now the growing flower was finally blooming. Xior was her anchor who helped her change and become better.
*****
Xior and Becca walked towards the highest mountain in the region, it was isolated and located away from everything.
Camps had been set up at the base as the tribesmen walked around doing their work. Alice along with Kayla managed the whole camp.
The Dragon Heart was kept inside a case on the right while the scale was on the left side. It was finally the day that humans would clear the tenth floor.
After a decade of controversy and then the sudden bloodshed, it was time and Xior and Becca will be the one to do it, both were shaping up to be the top hunters from the new generation.
"Finally you guys are here." Kayla ran towards them and hugged them individually.
Becca was shorter than her so she lifted her up while with Xior she tried to lift him up but he overpowered her and swept her off her feet and lifted her up.
"One of these days i’ll win against you Xior! Mark my words." Kayla exclaimed as it was Alice’s turn to greet them.
Alice hugged and patted Becca’s head like a mother would, Xior lowered himself and Alice embraced him, stroking his hair.
After the greeting both of them were taken to the respective tents where the items were kept.
"As soon as we brought them here, they started burning and freezing." Kayla said.
"Yes, it seems that this is related to the clearing of this floor. You both have to carry these in unison to the top while they are burning and freezing respectively." Alice explained.
Xior touched the Dragon heart with his hand and his skin burned but healed quickly due to his skill.
Both of them changed into appropriate clothes for the final walk up the mountain. Xior wore fire resistant trousers while Becca wore simple gym clothes.
They made their way towards the starting point of the mountain, they looked up to see it reaching the clouds and a huge dent on the side.
This was the same dent caused by when Rhogar fought against the Nameless before his wife and daughter were taken.
They opened the cases and grabbed the items, Xior’s hands burned instantly but he didn’t let go and endured the pain. His skin kept burning and healing.
Becca’s hands froze as soon as she grabbed the scale, yet she also didn’t let go. They looked at each other and took the first step.
They trusted each other enough that both knew the other would die than to make a mistake. Alice and Kayla cheered them on from behind, their figures vanished as they started their final ascent in this place.