Author note: I do not own the Last Story...

Yes, I'm aware I should be updating other fics. But this fic kind of wouldn't get out of my head until I wrote it down, so...XD Again, like all of my other fics, expect updates to be pretty sporadic...XD This fic was inspired by me seeing some original concept art of the Last Story characters, as well as watching bits and pieces of stuff from the game Hyrule Warriors...XD I don't own those, obviously...

Warning: Post-game, AU, various pairings, alternate versions of Last Story characters, violence, swearing, etc.

Constructive Criticism would be great, and I hope that you read, review and enjoy! Thanks! XD

The Alternate Story

Prologue. Alternate minds, alternate hearts

There was the sound of blades clashing in the military wing.

Dagran loosened his grip on his sword temporarily, before he gripped it tightly again, blocking a blow from Therius. The two had been training together for the past hour, silently but fiercely. Therius had always been a silent warrior, but Dagran had to take time to become more silent in battle. It was better to stay silent when fighting one-on-one rather than yelling all the time and not completely focusing on taking down the opponent.

Unfortunately, despite being a knight of Lazulis, Dagran still had yet to get used to the heavy knight's armor. He was thankful that he had the Outsider's power to help balance things out, but the ex-mercenary swore that he would get completely used to the armor someday soon.

Therius glanced at Dagran struggling with his armor as he panted a bit, putting his sword back in its sheath, hidden underneath the long, white cape he wore over his white armor. "You still have trouble with the armor, Sir Dagran?"

Dagran sighed. Despite it being just the two of them, White Lord Therius could still be so formal-even when with his wife Calista, Countess of Lazulis Island. The ex-mercenary put his sword back where it belonged in its sheath, before responding. "I'm afraid I still do have trouble, Lord Therius. But I'll make sure to keep using it more often. I should be used to wearing it about by now, after all."

Therius nodded quietly in acknowledgement. "Continue to use the armor, Dagran. I am sure that you will eventually grow used to it." He spoke quietly. Ever since General Asthar's death, Therius had taken up the role to mentor Dagran in the ways of being a knight, just like Asthar had done with Therius and Zael.

Before Dagran could respond, a Gurak with familiar bronze-amber eyes and ash-blond hair rushed into the military wing. His long, flowing black coat trailed out behind him as he approached them. He wore a dark crimson tunic underneath, four swords strapped to the black sash about his about his waist, his black metal boots clinking a bit as he approached them.

The White Lord Therius turned to him. "What is it, Zesha?"

Black Lord Zesha panted a bit, before recomposing himself and speaking. "Calista needs to speak with all three of us immediately, Therius." His voice held a slight bit of raspiness still-it was something Therius had gotten used to ever since he was married to both Calista and Zesha. Zesha's voice held more raspiness than usual, though. If that was case...something was surely wrong.

Therius and Dagran said nothing as they left the military wing with Zesha, soon finding Calista in her office-like room, complete with a desk and several holograms of the land surrounding Lazulis Castle.

Calista had the high-collared black dress on today, the thigh-length dress that had those few stripes of gold going all the way down to the hem and trailed to the floor at the back of the dress. Long black boots that went from thigh down with similar long gold stripes matched her dress. Black sleeves with lace at the ends covered the entiriety of her arms except for her shoulders, and Therius was aware that the dress also exposed most, if not all of her back.

She never wore black all the time like Zesha did, but she didn't wear white all the time like Therius. Sometimes she would wear a silver dress, or perhaps a more comforting blue. When she was sad enough on a particular day, she would wear gold.

"The land is decaying again...and apparently the word on everyone's minds is Zangurak."

Dagran noticed Zesha flinch at the word 'Zangurak.' The late Lord Zangurak had died a year ago during the War of the Outsider, and ever since then Zesha had moved on to become the King of the Gurak and marrying Calista and Therius. Perhaps, Dagran thought, Zesha feared of what Zangurak could do if...

"Y-you believe that the organization everyone is speaking of...Crescent Night, that is..." Zesha trailed off. "They're actually going to..."

Calista nodded, turning to Zesha. "Crescent Night will be trying to resurrect Zangurak, Zesha. They were so 'kind' to send me a note found sewn to a murdered maid's body today." She gave the bloodied note to Zesha so he could read it.

The true King of the Gurak, Lord Zangurak, will rise, and we will make sure of it. Prepare to fall.

There was no signature with the note. Dagran bit his lower lip at this. "So, the rumours are true after all.." He muttered quietly. "I was hoping that those rumours would be false..."

Therius glanced towards Calista quietly. "Do you think that it might be part of that prophecy you read about one time?"

"The one in which heroes from a world that is an alternate version of ours comes here to help us? Yes, I'm sure. In the prophecy it said that a certain organization would try to resurrect one of our greatest foes and the only way to stop them was to bring in these alternate versions of us to help us stop them..." Her eyes seemed to light up for a moment. "Do you think in that alternate world that Zael is alive there?"

Dagran sighed. "If Zael was alive, that would probably mean in that world that I'm dead." Zael was, after all, the person that had brought Dagran back to life. Dagran remembered temporarily dying, and then...then the next thing he knew, he was awake and alive in Lazulis Castle with the news echoing through his ears of Zael saving him. He swore to become a real knight in Zael's place-after he got through Zael's death, of course. That took a while-almost a year, if he was counting correctly. And for a month, now, he had become a knight of Lazulis, with help from Therius.

"Let us not get too far into our own thoughts. We need to focus on doing what we need to do to keep the people of both Lazulis and the Gurak Continent safe." Therius spoke up, cutting into Dagran's thoughts. "We can't let the past get to us. Holding onto it brings more pain than necessary..."

Neither Dagran or Zesha said anything, but Calista let out a breath.

"I know that it's painful. That we don't want to get into anymore fighting. But if this is the only choice we have, we have to take it."

The other three knew silently, unhappily, that Calista was right. They needed help.

Zael wasn't sure what had happened as he slowly opened his eyes.

"Calista...?" He called out weakly, getting up from the ground. Where was he? He was in a room, yes, there were people in it looking at them, they looked kind of blurry...and people on the ground with him that he could see crystal-clear, one of them being his wife Calista.

"Zael? Zael!" Zael turned to face Calista, who was sitting up slowly. "Are you alright?"

Zael nodded. "I'm fine, thanks...kind of dizzy..." He held his head with one hand as he heard Sir Therius' voice come into existence.

"What the...what was that just now? That flash of light..."

"It teleported us. We're in a different place, I know it." It was Lord Zesha speaking. He had taken over as King of the Gurak after Lord Zangurak's death and put together the peace treaty between the Gurak Continent and Lazulis with Calista. What had they been doing again before right now? Yes, organizing more trade routes, Zael remembered.

Before Calista could speak up, that was when one of the blurry figures in Zael's vision spoke up.

"Zael...?"

Zael froze in that instant. That voice-that voice was familiar. And it could only be that person's voice...

Zael turned towards the blurry figure that had spoke, the blurriness fading.

"...Dagran?"

Dagran stood in front of Zael, except he was dressed differently, wearing the armor of a Lazulis Castle knight except for the helmet. The expression on his face, however, was somber, sad-his entire face expressed that. He just stared at Zael, before looking down.

"Right. I forgot. You're not...you're not Zael. Not of this world, anyway. He's dead."

Zael stared. "Wait..what?"

A second Calista (one that was wearing a black, high-collared dress that was short at the front and long at the back) spoke up. "I know this is probably strange."

"It's more than strange, honestly." The second Therius spoke up, "It's bizarre."

Sir Therius stared at his counterpart. "Agreed."

Both Zeshas were just staring at each other, unsure of what to say.

"Wait...who are you?" Calista finally managed. "Where are we?"

The alternate Calista sighed. "You're in our world...alternate to yours, as you can see. And we need your help."