Hitsugi no Chaika Vol 2 Prologue

At first she did not even realize what she saw.

Small stone stele was her knee … and looked too rough to be called a tombstone.

Even stele it is difficult to call – just a stone mounted on the side of the road. It is unlikely that someone put him at least some effort. There was not even an inscription. This stone is placed on the ground as well as the child puts on the floor cube. Because of this horrible negligence seemed buried their dead man did not feel him no pity or respect. If she did not know what exactly is this stone, just pa.s.sed to the target.

– It’s … it? .. – Hardly said Dominic Skoda.

Due to the heavy leaden clouds landscape around it was painted such gloomy colors that afternoon did not look like himself. A tombstone of this darkness looked even more pathetic.

– Y … yes, it’s … the grave of Mrs. Lucia – confirmed rustic old woman accompanied her to this place.

She did not dare raise his wrinkled face … and her voice could be heard deep fear.

Of course, some of this was due to the fact that she spoke to the ruler of the land, who returned in triumph after a long and hard war … but much more rustic old woman scared monster huge figure standing behind Dominica.

It combined two contrasting colors in his body – silvery white and absolutely black.

Huge black monster wings were folded and hang over the head with a long neck. The size is much greater than the cow and the horse … rather, it was so huge, like eating their lunch.

But, unlike the beasts … the location of the limbs and head had been more human.

However, “humanoid” it prevented the call is too long neck. His arms and legs were also balanced in length does not like people. On the head, something resembling a horse, had a pair of horns. But most important: almost half the length of the creature held the tail – a body that is least a.s.sociated with the human body.

It was like people, but it was not a human being.

He had wings, but it was not a bird.

He had a tail, but it was not an animal.

What other word than “monster”, we can describe this creation?

Oddly enough … most of all when you look at this monster attracted attention not its shape.

His fur is not covered. Not smooth skin. Some called it “scales”, but it is not that the scales which were snakes and lizards … it was made up of enormous smooth plates connected to each other. Most of all, she reminded plate armor worn by mounted knights.

That is why people gave this monster a name.

They called them “dragoons” that is, armored dragons.

The sight of these monsters was so terrible that the man was next to him, it was hard not to be afraid to talk. Perhaps the old woman was worth more praise for the courage – because she did not run away screaming, and could lead to Dominica here. Even the Dominic barely stay on his feet, when I first saw this dragoon.

– Lucia … – dazed, barely discernible Dominic whispered name of the person buried under that tombstone.

Lucia, her younger sister, was the last living member of her family.

“Sister. Sister-ah … “

She loved her sister. His only relative, related to her by blood.

When she closed her eyes, her smiling face itself floated out of the darkness.

As soon as there was silence, to hear her voice in my head.

“Look, what a flower. It is great to come to your hair. “

“Oh yes. We need to visit the grave of his father and mother … “

Skoda was ruined knightly family.

More specifically, their estate was disappointingly small area … it hardly fits the description of “knightly family” houses, and even a peaceful life in its territory has been difficult to conduct. They were the typical “rural aristocracy” with a tiny estate.

His father, who had to work to strengthen their family status, went to war even before Lucia has reached the age of reason, and never returned. Although the family and called “chivalry”, the people that give birth to it, had their strengths and weaknesses. Dominic did not just think about the fact that her father, perhaps, was not born for battle.

As for the mother … she died from the disease within a few years after my father disappeared on the battlefield.

Like her father, she was a person straight to stubbornness. On raising two daughters and content Skoda estate modest income tax she took a lot of effort. So many that a relatively simple disease became fatal for her.

“Sister, have shared with us today duck.

Wait a little, I will make your favorite mustard sauce. “

Since then, Dominique and her sister Lucia remained huddled together and under one roof.

Of course, no matter how small they may be an estate tax on a quiet carefree life they missed … at first. Soon after that the village that belonged to the Skoda family, began to delay payments, if not evade taxes. Suppose they were to know, but the head of the family died in the war, leaving behind two girls who are under 20 years. And because they lacked even the servants, a village att.i.tude towards them was very dismissive.

And Skoda family did not have enough power to punish is disrespectful.

Dominic realized that this can not last forever.

The war was for many years and obviously did not want to end.

Moreover – the front line is constantly s.h.i.+fting, and one day could become a battlefield and home of Dominica and Lucia. She knew that because of poverty they may well throw his native kingdom, and that is why the fear of being in the thick of war stalked her every day.

“Sister. Sister, why are you … “

On that day, when she said that goes to the front, Lucia looked at her sad eyes.

Dominica is not just once or twice thought to back down … but his decision to leave to fight and not canceled.

Shot to fame on the battlefield, it was able to increase the size of their holdings, or move them away from the front line. And the peasants would be imbued with due respect to the Skoda family.

In Dominica, there was no support, on which it could rely in this time of war, and no other way to protect my sister she could not think.

“Sister. When will you be back?..”

Of course, in spite of the chivalrous origin, proper military training Dominic has not received.

The man who was supposed to teach her martial arts, that is, the father, died, and to hire a good teacher required a substantial sum of money … that it simply was not.

That is why its ability to be glorified in war is very limited.

Or rather, accurate to say that the opportunity she had only one.

It is from the very beginning has been deprived the right to choose.

When she was asked to give the service of his body, she went for it.

In other words…

– Lucia … – Dominic fell to her knees in front of a small grave. – But … the war is over.

She was able to distinguish himself, received the award in the new estate and returned to their homeland in triumph. But…

– Why do you…

– Uh …

It seems that the old woman, still staring at the ground, all the while muttering, talking about the details of the death of Lucia, Dominica … but almost did not hear anything. It was too hard to take even the fact that her sister had died. About something else she could not think.

All her life she dedicated to her.

In Dominica, there were no other people, for which she could live.

It is thought that that would be with her no matter what, she will always fight for his sister, allowed to sacrifice your body and not become a strong soldier and n.o.ble knight, and choose a much more terrible way to get on the battlefield.

And because of that she fought and earned a great reward.

But…

– I…

Was she wrong?

Maybe if she stayed with her sister, even if she could not avoid death, Dominic could at least be with her in her last hour, or did die with her?

Surely life Lucia extinguished by the fact that each moment of expectation seemed to her an eternity.

Surely she was dying, full of deep despair and loneliness.

And when the thought came into her head … she could not restrain himself.

– Ah … ah … ah-ah-ah-ah-ah ..!

Dominic wept, sitting opposite the tomb.

She beat her hands the ground, dressed in armored gloves, not thinking about what they are stained, and crying. Her grief filled so strong that she had no idea what to do with it. She just continued to punch the ground, filled with unbearable feelings.

And then…

Oh-oh-oh … oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh! ..

The overcast skies over Dominica roar.

Covered in silver armor dragon he threw back his head and let out a mournful, wailing roar … as if he was crying with her.