25My legs are in pain. I'm not sure they can take much more of this off road walking. Or should I rather say running? Yeah. Running. Actually, running for my life seems to fit the bill quite nicely. As i'm currently running from a drake.
How does a lone princess end up getting chased by a drake you ask? Or why is said princess even alone?
It's probably because said princess ran away from home. Aspiring to single handedly reclaim her kingdom's former glory by defeating a Demon Lord.
What's that? How am I going to take down a Demon Lord when I'm currently running for my life from a drake? Well that's because I was taken by surprise! Un un, there's no way that dragon would be alive right now if I were prepared. All I'm doing right now is a strategic retreat. Yeah, that, a strategic retreat.
"WHHAAAA!"
Suddenly a pillar of flame passes over my head, singeing my hair. It was more startling than painful, but still, a princess needs her hair, are you really a princess if you have no hair? I don't think so.
Still, if this goes on much longer I'm seriously gonna die. Like for real. I'm not kidding. Then it won't matter if I have hair or not. I'll be dead. A dead princess in the middle of nowhere, lying somewhere along the mountain range that separates the Farmenas Kingdom from the Ingrassia.
I start to desperately look for a way out of this situation. I still have a sword at my waist, but it's a spare sword from the armoury that I 'borrowed' so it's in pretty shocking condition. There's no way it's gonna do anything to the monster behind me.
As if to agree another pillar of flame flies past. What is this guy aiming at? Actually no, keep doing what you're doing dragon-san! Another jet of flame is let loose as if he could hear my thoughts.
But wait.
Is that?
As if it's a sign from the gods the last pillar of flame pointed toward a crevice in a cliff face, it was quite narrow but I'm sure I'd be able to squeeze through. And best of all, i doubt that dumb lizard can fit through. Mwahahaha! I start making a B-line toward the crevice, putting in a final burst of speed in order to make it.
I get there.
I shimmy into the crevice.
The drake tries to reach through, grasping for me.
I think I see that it opens up into a larger space up ahead so I speed up my shimmying.
The drake looks into the crevice to see if i'm still here.
It sees me.
I keep shimmying.
The drake sets its maw in line with the crevice.
It slowly opens.
I see an orange glow at the back of its mouth.
Oh no.
This is bad.
I shimmy faster, I feel my back being torn by the rough surface of the cave wall.
The glow gets brighter.
My one arm is free! The crevice definitely opens up. I wrench myself from the tight space just as a pillar of flame roars through.
Whew. I'm exhausted. I can hear the drake's frustrated growling from outside. The fire breath from just before lit up the cave so i got a decent look at my surroundings. The cave had opened up into quite a large space, you are able to stand upright in it with some space to spare. However this cave had quite a bit of magic crystals around, an iredescent shine lit up the cave. Seriously, you could probably get very rich if you were to harvest it all.
But the most eye catching thing of all in the cave is the HUMONGOUS ASS crystal at the back. It was at least 5 meters tall. I didn't think it was possible for a magic crystal this big to exist. I was awestruck. Maybe, just maybe, if i could harvest all these crystals we'd be able to separate the kingdom from the clutches of the Demon Lord through monetary means. No. i've already steeled my resolve. The Demon Lord won't just hand over the kingdom with a little bit of cash. His nation is the wealthiest in the whole world there's no way he would.
Letting out a sigh, as i have once again reaffirmed my resolve and reason from running from my position as princess of the Kingdom of Farmenus, I decide to rest here for the time being. I take out some of my rations and eat an early dinner, ill head out early tomorrow morning if the drake isn't there.
Uuuggggghhhhh.
My body hurrrrtss.
My muscles feel like lead. Despite being a tomboy princess who took up training with the royal guards in sword play, a whole day of travelling and being chased by a drake had really done a number on my royal vessel. I really hope i don't become super muscly macho man like some of the Royal Guards.
"Haaa"
Letting out a sigh, i manage to pull myself up. And start packing my thing to get ready to leave. Once everything is packed I take a deep breath and take a step towards the exit. But something stopped me, i looked back at the big-ass crystal and felt a sudden urge to go stand next to it just to see how big it really is. You know when you see something and go "that's big" but then you go stand next to it and go "Woah, That's really big." no? Well that was my line of thought.
I make my way over and stand next to the crystal.
"Woah, that's really big."
I peer at the crystal, at a closer look it gives off a dark midnight blue sheen, and streaks of purple swam within, illuminating the inside of the crystal along with the face inside.
Wait.
What?
What was that last part?
I rub my eyes thinking i just saw something and peer into the crystal again watching the purple streaks swim in the crystal, once again lighting up the face.
"WHAAAAA!"
I recoiled letting out a very unlady like yell while I proceeded to land on my ass. I sat there just staring at the dark crystal. Now that i think about it, that's ominous as hell. An almost black crystal that i don't think has ever been recorded as existing before is in some random unexplored cave? And your royal highness just walked up to it because it was "big"? I fear for my future subjects.
Catching my breath, I stand up and dusted myself off. I look at the crystal again. The one with someone inside it. Do they need help? Are they in pain? From the short glimpse i saw, they were a girl not much younger than me, not to mention that beautiful blue hair. Is that even natural? I shook my head. No way. They are obviously in there for a reason, this whole situation is just screaming "BIG TROUBLE".
After a few minutes of inner turmoil i decide to just touch it. Just a little poke. a wee little harmless tap. Nothing more. I once again stand before the crystal i described as "that's really big" and reach out my hand to touch it.
CRACK.
"Eh?"
It cracked.
I hadn't even touched it yet.
I swear. My fingers are a good 2 centimeters away.
CRACK. CRACK.
"You've gotta be f-"
Before i could finish my cry of exasperation. The crystal exploded, and a shock wave that chilled me to the bone flung me off my feet. My body flew through the air crumpling against something hard, and my vision went black.
AN:
Yo, this is my first fanfic project so i'd appreciate any and all feedback. for future reference i have not read the Web Novel but am up to date with the Light novels (which is currently Volume 17.) so if some details later on dont match up with volumes in the future that'll be the reason.
uhhhh.
ill be trying to update at least fortnightly but it kinda depends on my horrible memory.
see y'all next chapter.