Chapter 144 - The Amulet's True Powers

"Are we there yet, daddies?" Ofelia asked while in the bucket once more. She was being carried by a Vladstin empty husk. 

"Almost there, I think I saw some light from a distance." The real Vladstin answered, with the crippled Sangfroid on his back. 

"My ride is going too slow, we can barely catch up and see that light." The Beast complained, though he really doesn't mind being tied on the back of an empty husk Sangfroid. He can take a bite and drink from his neck while also being carried, two birds in one stone. 

Four real individuals traveling, along with two fake ones as servants. It was an odd sight, but then again, they have always been. Twigs snapped and dead leaves made crunching noises as they stepped.

But the higher they went, the more this pile of natural debris increased. They started as just a neat little layer to the mountain grounds, but the nearer they were to the apex, the denser the forest has become. Litter was everywhere, to the point that it reached their ankles.

"Uh..... Didn't the Wind say this is the easier route?" The Beast asked as the empty husk Sangfroid he was riding on can barely walk properly across the increasing flood of forest litter.

Vladstin creased his eyebrow. "He said it's the fastest, not the easiest. This must be what he meant."

"There must be something even more dangerous than this litter lying around." Sangfroid said. "We have to be careful."

They stayed alert until the sea of twigs and leaves had reached up to their knees. At this point, they couldn't continue walking anymore and had to climb out of this forestry ditch they got themselves in.

"I'm stuck." Vladstin announced. "Even if I go fast to get myself and my Other Self with Ofelia out of this, I'll be leaving Leron and Other Sangfroid behind."

"Maybe I should have conjured all vampire lords instead." Sangfroid frowned at the situation they were in.

The Beast agrees, but he also likes his food source vehicle. "Er... It's okay. We already have three, if you would include me."

"Shh.... Do you hear that?" Vladstin suddenly shushed them.

The Beast narrowed his eyes, since whatever Vladstin sensed, he would have sensed too. They are equally vampire lords. He widen the scope of his hearing and sight, and there was only the chittering bugs and twittering birds from a mile away.

Nothing seems amiss. But still...

They all stayed quiet, holding their breaths.

One minute.... Two minutes.....

And then....

There was a scuffling under the pile of the dead leaves that surrounds everything for yards and yards. Something is rising.....

And that something was a thorny vine!

Another one came! They shoot after one another, latching themselves to everything standing talk among the sea of leaves. They latched on to trees, on deers and wild animals... And of course, to the vampires, husks, humans, and siren.

"Ahhhhhhh!!!!!" Ofelia exclaimed as a vine hit her arm, but she luckily hid in her bucket on time. Her Vladstin piggyback ride did not react at all as it had been wrapped around by thorny vines and bleeding from multiple wounds.

Vladstin did not care, keeping his ground and walking despite the vines with his supernatural strength. He asked Sangfroid. "Are you alright back there, big guy?"

"Mn. This is nothing."

He nodded. He isn't worried, he knows of Sangfroid's constitution. A few wounds won't bother him, but if these vines keep on increasing, he would have to use his body as a shield for this crippled human. 

They didn't latch on systematically, only wrapping wherever they reach. They're like squid tentacles flailing around blindly.  They attached themselves more to useless objects and animals rather than their targets, if they truly are targetting them.

"This is not going well. My husk is getting dragged." The Beast said with a sign of panic that is real.

If only these idiots did not bind him, he wouldn't have to worry about these measly little vines!!!

He can't escape the Enchanted Rope Bind no matter what, and once his ride gets dragged down, down, down... He would also get down, down, down. And the body might perish, he doesn't have immortality like Vladstin.

All it takes is a thousand cuts plus a strike at the heart or beheading. And a thousand vines enveloping him can do that.

"Sangfroid dear, you would have to conjure something to help us out soon." Vladstin reminded.

"What should I conjure? Fire?"

The Beast rolled his eyes. "Are you stu— I mean..... Fire would burn us, Sangfroid. We're surrounded by a sea of kindling, it's not safe."

"Can't you control the fire that the Amulet conjures?" Vladstin asked, fighting back and snapping the vines that entangled him to pieces. "Since you can control the empty husk version of ourselves."

One hooked on to his face, by the edges of his lips. He snapped it with his bare hands, and just brushed the blood off his lips.

"I'll try." Sangfroid narrowed his eyes and concentrated, praying to the Amulet to bring out a forest fire that will only burn the vines but not them.

He tried safely first at the most distant vine that latched on to a deer, its beady eyes darting frantically as it was being dragged, asking to be saved...

Whooosh!

Fire came like tendrils similar to the vines. Sangfroid put his focus his attention to tell the Amulet and controlling the fires in order to not harm the deer at all....

The fire obeyed his command, just like an obedient student following the teacher diligently. It consumed the assaulting vines, but only grazed a bit of the deer's fur. The deer was free and it ran.....

Only to be latched on by another vine!

"It seems that I can, but more vines keep growing." Sangfroid gritted his teeth, and conjured more flames.

It was a battle between fire and vines. More and more rose, also causing bits of fire to grow on the sea of forest litter. They desperately need something to clear the way out, but not affect them. How?

"Sangfroid, focus on clearing the vines that latched on to us!" The Beast yelled, his intellect growing. He had struck upon a great idea. "I didn't know you could control natural calamities too through the Amulet. We could have used that knowledge so many days ago!"

"For what, Your Highness?" Sangfroid was momentarily confused, but focus all his efforts on controlling the flames.

"Sangfroid, you're basically a god with that Amulet of yours." Sarcasm couldn't help but leak in the Beast's voice. "You could conjure gusts of wind, fire, floods, and rain! Just think about it! If you use that power, we wouldn't have worried about this sea of leaves in the first place, or even how to travel!"

Vladstin glanced upon what he means, but he did not like Leron's tone. Still, he had to focus on relaying the message to Sangfroid. "Sangfroid, you could conjure tornadoes, right? At least, gusts of wind that will blow all these leaves and twigs away!"

The King of The Amulet finally realized the full extent of his powers. The Amulet of Draconia is indeed powerful. It can create things, and through the things it created, through the calamities and storms...

It can destroy the whole world as well.

His breath hitched, his breathing quick. This realization seems to be tearing his heart at the seams. This must be what the real curse meant...

Knowing you hold the responsibility of being capable of destroying everything with just one wish.

But he woke up from this dread, focusing on the task at hand. It doesn't matter for now. The Amulet of Draconia is in his hands. He will make sure no one gets it besides him, for its power is far too dangerous.

While still using the fires to burn the thorny vines, he released several gusts of wind to clean out everything. Dead leaves, burning leaves, dead branches, burning branches... And most importantly, dead vines and burning vines.

Swish! Swish!

The small tornadoes were more peaceful than the usual ones, but it still had much strength. Once it has done its work.....

Nothing can be seen.

A perfect, clear path. Just like the woods before.

"Good..... That's really good!" The Beast would have clapped if his hands were not tied. "Don't you see what this means?"

Sangfroid was in a bit of a daze. He had saved them all but....

Looking at the wreckage the fires and tornadoes have caused, it was too foreboding, too ominous not to notice.

"I know." He nodded meaningfully.

'We could all just ride on a giant tornado or wave to bring us to the top!" The Beast said, almost ironically naively in the situation. He had never considered what is currently bothering Sangfroid's right now. He was not the one carrying the burdens of such power. "We can do so and yet we only now realized.

"We also now have a weapon against whatever the Hermit throws at us." Vladstin said. "I hope it does not come to that.... but you know what you have to do, Sangfroid."

Sangfroid looked at the Amulet in his hand, which has made its mark in his palm from gripping it too tightly. The dragon inside was symbolic of divinity, regalness, sovereignty.... yet at the same time, dragons can destroy cities.

He felt like he has become a dragon himself.