Chapter XI: Awakening of the Space Bound

At first, Stryfe couldn't tell if what he was seeing was either real or an illusion caused by the trauma to his head. It was no illusion, though, as the light flew closer to the battle, the dark blue light as it came into view revealed the same woman that saved Stryfe and Dart a while ago. She was wearing armor with dragon-like wings, wielding a rapier that looked like it had Dragon scales incorporated into it's design.

As the Giganto lifted his axe, primed to strike, the woman swooped down and in an amazing feat of inhuman speed, knocked the Giganto back. She then floated above Stryfe and Dart, pointing the tip of her rapier's blade at the both of them. Then, she said a chant that would cause an unbelievable turn of events for both of the childhood friends.

"Wake up! Dragoon of the Red-Eye Dragon and Dragoon of the Space-Bound Dragon!"

Suddenly, a bright red and indigo light began to shine through Stryfe and Dart's chest plates, enveloping them in what appeared to be flames and clouds from a nebula in space. Guided by two mysterious powers, they shot up into the sky and charged straight at the Giganto, both of them beating him back until he was thrown into the ground just like he did to Stryfe.

As the flames and nebula clouds faded, Stryfe and Dart both landed back on the ground to find that they were now wearing the same exact type of armor the woman was wearing, albeit red and indigo in color. Stryfe looked at his transformed armor with astonishment, barely even able to comprehend what occurred.

Stryfe: This is...

Dart: What on earth is...?

The woman flew down and landed next to them, reverted back into her original state. As Stryfe looked at her, she simply brushed her long black hair back and gave him and Dart a slight smile. Looking around, they saw the faces of the horrified Sandoran soldiers, who were distracted by the strange turn of events.

Sandoran Soldier #1: Th, these people aren't Humans!

Sandoran Soldier #2: Retreat! RETREAT! FALL BACK!

As the Sandorans retreated from Hoax, Lavitz turned to Stryfe and Dart, completely shocked at their strange new powers.

Lavitz: Stryfe, Dart...What happened to you two!?

Dart: I...I don't know...

Stryfe: Just...what is this power!?

Woman: The Knight of the Dragon, the Dragoon was born.

Stryfe: Dragoon?

Just then, the Giganto struggled to get back on his feet, his injury from the woman, accompanied by the wounds he received from Stryfe, Dart and Lavitz earlier made it difficult for him to even stand on his legs.

Woman: I'm surprised you didn't die.

Giganto: Giganto don't die! Kongol will pay you back!

As the Giganto Kongol fled from Hoax, the rest of the Sandoran forces retreated from the town. The battle had ended in victory for the Kingdom of Basil. Then, Stryfe and Dart both heard a door open behind them, causing them to turn around to see a panicked Shana running toward them.

Shana: Stryfe! Dart!

Stryfe: Shana...

Dart: You're save...

Suddenly, a bright flash enveloped Stryfe and Dart, causing them to revert back to their normal states. However, both of them were exhausted from the strain of power that flowed through their bodies and then suddenly vanished from within them.

Shana: What happened to you!?

Dart: Seeing your face, Shana...Makes me relieved...

Stryfe: I guess...We overdid ourselves this time...Ugh...

As his vision blacked out, Stryfe fell to the ground and drifted into unconsciousness. Within the depths of his mind, Stryfe found himself floating in a white abyss, with nothing in sight from every direction possible. Then, Stryfe saw the image of a woman, a woman that he knew well.

Stryfe: Mother?

The woman's face was shadowed with the exception of her mouth, but Stryfe could tell she heard him as she smiled when he said mother. In the back of his head, Stryfe suddenly began hearing an argument between Shana, Lavitz and the woman. Feeling his heart race, Stryfe reached for the woman, but was thrown further into the abyss by a strange force.

Opening his eyes, Stryfe found himself on a bed with the woman on his bedside and Dart on another bed near his with Shana on his bedside.

Stryfe: Uhh...

Dart: Ahhh...

Shana: Dart!? Stryfe!?

Stryfe slowly lifts himself up from the bed, his head still spinning from the drowsiness of waking up so quickly. As Stryfe slowly regained his sight, his eyes met the dark grey eyes of the woman who saved him and Dart. Upon them making eye contact, she gave him a very faint, but noticeable smile.

Stryfe: You...

Woman: Hello again...

Lavitz: Have you come to as well, Stryfe?

Stryfe: Huh? Uh, yeah. Yeah.

Dart: We were...

Shana: I'm glad you two woke up...

Getting off the bed, Stryfe steadied himself and turned to face the woman, with Dart standing behind her.

Stryfe: So...Who are you?

Woman: My name...is Rose. It's nice to see you two again.

Shana: Do you know Stryfe and Dart?

Rose: I told you. I saved their lives. Well...not only once.

Shana: I want to hear it from their own mouths! Stryfe, Dart, is it true!?

Stryfe and Dart only nodded in response. Stryfe then turned his head back to Rose, giving her a small smile that caused her to show hers once more.

Lavitz: Could you two please explain? I don't understand.

Stryfe: She saved our lives.

Dart: It's thanks to Rose, that we were able to make it to Seles.

Shana: Then, the person who saved you two from the Dragon was...

Stryfe: Yeah. It's her. Which reminds me, I...we never got a chance to thank you yet.

Rose: I don't need any thanks. I wanted to do it.

Dart: I see. But what are you doing here?

Stryfe: It can't be a coincidence that we crossed paths again like this.

Rose silently took out an orb that looked remarkably similar to Stryfe and Dart's mementos, though it was dark blue in color. It also began to faintly shine as she held it in her hands, also just like their mementos.

Rose: I followed you two because I was fascinated by the artifacts you two own...the Dragoon Spirits of the Red-Eye Dragon and the Space-Bound Dragon.

Curious, Stryfe and Dart took out their mementos. As if the three orbs were responding to one another, they all began to glow brightly in their colors. Stryfe was shocked by how brightly his mother's memento was shining, as it continued to glow brighter and brighter each second he held it in his hand.

Stryfe: This is!?

Dart: What is this light!?

Rose: You two "deserve" to rule Dragons. This light shows the true evidence. From the time the Dragoon Spirit starts to shine, you have to accept your fate as a Dragoon. Just like me...

Stryfe: To think that such power was concealed in our parents mementos...

Dart: I agree.

When Rose put away her Dragoon Spirit, Stryfe and Dart's Dragoon Spirits began to lose their bright glow, reverting back to their usual faint glows.
Putting his Dragoon Spirit away, Stryfe let this astounding information sink in when Shana broke the temporary silence.

Shana: You saved them because you knew from the beginning...

Rose: I didn't know it. It was a test to see if they could be Dragoons. If you two couldn't, you'd be dead now.

Stryfe suddenly saw a confused look on Lavitz's face when he heard that.

Lavitz: How do you know about such things? These are things that nobody but scholars like Minister Noish know.

Rose: It's better than ignorance, isn't it?

Lavitz: That's true, but yours is not mere knowledge. It's a story in a legend that has been lost. The ones who led the Humans to victory in the Dragon Campaign, they were the Dragoons.

Stryfe: But was that the only reason you protected us? Just because we have Dragoon Spirits?

Rose: Honestly, I was surprised myself, but now I know why. You guys remind me of my old friends. They lived in the middle of a turbulent generation. Yet,
they were strong enough to grab their own fate. They knew the way to go, the things they needed to do, the enemy they needed to defeat and the people they needed to protect. I feel the same about you guys, so, I couldn't help but do it.

Stryfe: I think I understand now.

Dart: Me too.

Shana: Can I ask you one thing?

Rose: Yes?

Shana: Where are your friends now?

Rose: Everybody is gone now. It's all in the past.

Shana: I'm sorry. I think I was wrong about you, Rose.

Rose: It's okay. I'm used to being hated.

Stryfe: Why?

Before Rose could answer, the five of them heard a messenger from the Army of Basil screaming outside the house they were residing in.

"Is the head of the Knighthood, Sir Kaiser, in here!? The Seventh Fort is under heavy attack from the Sandorans!"

Racing outside to see what the comotion was all about, Stryfe, Dart, Shana, Rose and Lavitz met up with the same soldier that called out to Kaiser. As Stryfe looked around, he could see the scars of war were still very fresh in Hoax. Once again, flashbacks of the Neet Incident began appearing in his mind, causing him to frantically shake his head to keep the traumatic memories from overwhelming him.

Lavitz: Soldier, what's the situation!?

Knight of Basil: The Seventh Fort in the Marshland is under fierce attack from the Dragon! Due to that, the Tenth and Thirteenth Knighthoods are nearly overwhelmed! Survivors are still fighting back, but they won't last for long at this rate!

Lavitz: Where did it come from!?

Knight of Basil: From the forest over the Volcano Villude! It seems to have a nest there!

Hearing a door close from behind them, Stryfe, Dart, Shana, Rose and Lavitz turned around to see Kaiser walking toward them. Although he was trying to hide his pain, Stryfe could see a small red spot where he was gripping himself.

Kaiser: Gigantos and Dragons. It's not a fight between Humans anymore. If we don't defeat the Dragon, we won't have a future!

Lavitz: Summon the rest of the knights! We will assault the Dragon's Nest!

Rose: The Knighthood may have the advantage in numbers, but they're only human. Humans cannot defeat Dragons.

Stryfe: But if we don't do something, Basil will be annihilated!

Lavitz: We won't know unless we try!

Rose glared at Lavitz.

Rose: Do you think a wasted death is honorable or something?

As Lavitz looked away, realizing that it was a suicide mission for the entire Knighthood to attack the Dragon, Rose turned to Stryfe and Dart, smiling.

Rose: But, Dragoons can defeat it...Stryfe, Dart, you two should understand this. We have a different existence. We are beyond Humans.

Lavitz: Yes, she's right! Dragoons, which were said to have governed the Dragons, can fight against the Dragon!

Stryfe wasn't still completely sure if he could even handle this kind of responsibility. He turned his head and looked away, shaking his head slowly. Dart also shared the same doubt, as he and Stryfe had just learned that they were worthy of something like this.

Dart: I don't know...Me and Stryfe still don't know what it means to be a Dragoon.

Rose: You two feel the power from your spirits, right? That is the power of the Dragon born from within you two.

Taking out their Dragoon Spirits, Stryfe and Dart watched as both of their Dragoon Spirits slowly began glowing intensely. As the light from his Dragoon Spirit nearly blinded him, Stryfe could faintly hear a voice at the edge of his mind.

"Don't be afraid. I know you are worthy to wield my power, Dragoon."

As quickly as the glow intensified, the Dragoon Spirits began to fade back into their usual faint glows. Stryfe suddenly felt confident in himself as he grasped his Dragoon Spirit tightly in his hand. He could feel his confidence rise each second as he felt a white hot feeling race through his heart.

Stryfe: This...this power! It's so...warm!

Dart: I'll do it! I belive in this power!

Stryfe: Me too! With this power at our side, nothing is impossible for us!

Kaiser: That makes me relieved...There is nobody left who can fight in the Eighth Knighthood. Stryfe, Dart, Rose...it seems that you three are the only ones that we can depend on to save the Kingdom of Basil...Urk!

Stryfe saw the wound that Kaiser was trying to conceal suddenly reopen, causing the bleeding to intensify.

Lavitz: Kaiser! Your...your wound is open!

Kaiser: I'm alright! Stryfe, Dart, Rose! The Kingdom of Basil is finished unless we defeat the Dragon!

Stryfe: I understand. We'll fight for you, as well!

Dart: You can trust us on that!

Rose: Yes...Besides, you will need our help, whether you want it or not.

Kaiser: Shana...You...should stay.

Shana: No, I'm going too! I can help the others!

Suddenly, everyone heard a loud roar in the distance. Stryfe heard that roar before, and as the memories were coming back to him, a chill raced down his spine as quietly kept himself calm.

Rose: The Green Tusked Dragon, Feyrbrand...

Stryfe: That roar still gives me the chills...

Dart: It brings back the fear me and you felt before, Stryfe.

Stryfe: Yeah.

Rose: The real fear hasn't even begun yet.

As soon as the roars from the Dragon quieted down, the group headed back into the house they stayed the night in to pack up and head out for the journey to the Marshland. Before they left Hoax, Stryfe, Dart and Rose overheard two soldiers talking about Stryfe and Dart's amazing feat during the battle. Still unsure how to handle their new found Dragoon Powers, Stryfe, Dart and Rose had a friendly sparring session in order to get the hang of their Dragoons.

Rose taught Stryfe and Dart the basics of being a Dragoon, from harnessing their massive speed and power to using magic attacks based on their Dragoon elements, Fire and Gravity. After repeating the processes a few times, Stryfe and Dart felt confident that they could handle their new abilities. Leaving Hoax behind with a new found ally in Rose, the five travel North East back up the mountain way before cutting South towards the Marshlands...