Final Chapter

The Head of the Snake

The time had come. The battle to decide the fate of the kingdoms had now begun. But not in the way most would soon conceive it to begin. Instead of starting with the clashing of blades, it began with the clashing of voices.

Grendel appeared before Dain and Lana, with the Daímonas in hand. It was already stained with blood, most likely the blood of those who tried to stop him before. "So, The breath and mind decide to meet the fangs in the final battle. But where is to be the wings, or the white rose?" Grendel asked.

"You will know in due time, Grendel, traitor to mankind. But for now, we are your opponents." Dain replied.

"I know what you wield, heir to the sun. You've become quite the big talk recently, having been able to "control the stars themselves, and call their power to his hand." Does that sound about right?" Grendel smirked. "But I know all you are is just a boy. A naive boy who believes he alone can control the fate of the universe."

"And you can?" Dain asked, Grendel's smirk fading. "I've grown up, Grendel. I now know I could never control the universe on my own. So that's why I made friends, because I know I'm not strong on my own."

"You know, it's never wise to admit your flaws to your enemy." Grendel stated mockingly.

"Good thing you're not my enemy, right Ron?" Dain said with a grin. Suddenly, Grendel kneeled with a pained expression. "I knew you were still in there."

"P-Please, Dain. Nayru." Ron grunted. "I can't… hold him back forever. You have to… destroy the-" Ron reeled back, agony now expressed in his eyes.

"Stupid fucking boy! I'll show you true strength, fools!" Grendel shouted. He then lunged at the two, slashing at Dain first, who parried the strike and saved Lana in the process.

Grendel looked at them, fangs bared and bloodlust in his eyes. A never ending need to murder and slaughter, no matter what race or species. The face of a true megalomaniac.

Lana shot a bolt of fire dust onto Astéri, which made it shine as bright as a star. The light temporarily blinded Grendel, which opened up their attack. Both Lana and Dain slashed at Grendel, both hitting their marks. Grendel retaliated with a slash at Dain, But Lana blocked it, allowing Dain to hit the sword to the ground and allowing Nayru to jab at him. Knowing the tides were not in his favor, Grendel fell back to give him some breathing room.

"I'll admit, you've gotten stronger since our last fight. But that won't save you." Grendel said, the Daímonas flying back into his hand.

"Really? Cause it looks like you're the one who's losing right now." Dain taunted.

"Oh, don't worry. The more you hit me…" Grendel licked his teeth, spinning his blade and tearing the ground, "the stronger I get."

"Dammit, I forgot he still has Ron's body." Dain said as Grendel flew at them at blinding speeds. His clash was stronger than any wind, causing Dain to fly sixty feet away. Grendel then slashed at Lana, who blocked the first strike, but couldn't counter the next one. Grendel flew fifty feet into the air and stabbed at Lana's chest, but Dain pushed her out of the way. In the distance behind Grendel, the grass rustled. 'They are in position. Perfect.' Dain thought. "NOW! BRIM JAW!" Dain shouted. Suddenly, Grendel's feet were tied in vines and a white blur rocketed to the sky. The blur was followed by a maelstrom of arrows that ravaged Grendel, as Summer used more vines to lasso his sword arm to the ground.

With the sturdy vines around his body, he was trapped.

"Do you see now, Grendel? When we work together, we can defeat titans. Surrender, and let this battle end." Dain said.

"I… I will…" Grendel gasped, the vines choking him. He was close to falling to his knees, but somehow, his strength prevailed. "YOU KIDS WILL NEVER DEFEAT ME!" Suddenly, his strength flared, and the vines snapped. The Daímonas created a shockwave that pushed everyone away from him. By the time they recovered, Grendel held Summer at the throat. "You want to see strength, Dain?! I SHALL SHOW YOU STRENGTH!"

"No!" Dain exclaimed, but it was too late. Grendel plunged his blade into Summer's chest, and threw her to the ground. Her body became limp, and her white hood crimson.

"Summer…" Lana gasped. She gritted her teeth. "You bastard!" Lana shot dozens of ice Dust bolts at Grendel until his entire body was covered in a thick layer of ice. But he broke through it with seemingly ease. He walked toward Nayru as she continued to pelt him with Dust round after Dust round.

"Lana, run!" Dain shouted.

"I have to prove my worth to you, Dain! I have to kill him! For Summer!" Nayru shouted, drawing her blade as she rushed him. But her blade seemed to cause no effect. Hyouga flew above and shot a single arrow at him. It pierced his aura, but he didn't even stagger. He simply pulled the arrow out without even showing his teeth.

"This fight is between me and Tyson, girl. Get out of my way." Grendel said with a grizzly voice.

"Then fight me, you worthless scum!" Dain shouted. Grendel shot a glance at him.

"Very well then. But first, some ground rules." Grendel smirked. He kicked down Nayru and encased her with his own ice Dust. Then as Hyouga flew above, he grabbed her leg and threw her down and encased her arms and wings in ice. "None shall interfere. A battle between the sun and the moon."

"Very well." Dain said, sweat coming down his forehead.

"And the prize shall be those two's lives. Whoever wins shall decide their fate." Grendel said, a wide grin upon his face.

"That's-!" Dain tried to retaliate, but then Grendel dug his blade into Hyouga's shoulder, who cried out in pain.

"If you don't agree to my terms, then they'll die either way." Grendel chuckled.

"You fucking mad man." Dain growled. But he sighed. "Fine. I accept your terms."

"Good." Grendel said, removing his blade from Hyouga's shoulder. "And lastly, gladiatorial rules. The victor may also decide the fate of his opponent."

"Very well then." Dain nodded. For the first time, Grendel was honorable, and their auras were equal. The test was now of tactics and strength. The sun and moon clashed with each other, night and day becoming one in a great eclipse. Each clash provided light. Their movement was that of light, the fight went unnoticed by most.

Fire and lightning lit up the sky during the eternal eclipse. Each time they collided, the world lit up. Chaos from the dragon returned as the field caught fire. Eventually, their auras were depleted. And they were left exhausted, facing each other with their blades shining brighter than the moon itself.

"Do you see… the futility… in all… of this?" Grendel breathed.

"I do." Dain coughed. "But it won't… stop me. I'll never stop fighting you. Never!" Dain shouted.

"The soul of Tyson lives within you yet. You never change." Grendel grinned. His blade shone brighter.

"Dain, the soul of Grendel lives within the blade. The heart of the moon contains all of our souls." Tyson said.

"I see." Dain said. He steeled himself for the next attack he would do. But it failed, as Grendel blocked his strike and slashed his waist. Dain could no longer stand, and fell to the ground, clutching his side.

"Ahah Ahaha! I emerge victorious! And what to do with you and your friends…" Grendel laughed. "I know! I'll cut your heads off and feed them to some Beowolves! A fine feast you'll provide." Grendel then raised his sword to jab Dain in the heart to finish him off.

"Then do it. But we'll just return one day. If we die here, we'll be reincarnated, and we'll kill you." Dain snarled.

"Then I'll enjoy killing you for eternity." Grendel laughed. But as he thrusted his blade, it did not meet Dain. Instead, an arrow hit the blade and made it hit the ground next to Dain. And then they saw Lana with Hu and Ryle in hand. The fire from their battle had melted the ice that held them down.

"I thought I said no interference!" Grendel exclaimed.

"You did, and I abided by the rules. After all, the fight is over." Lana said smugly.

"You were always a-" Grendel snarled.

"Pain in the ass? Yeah, I get it a lot." Lana smirked. Then Grendel fell for the bait and plunged his blade into Lana, but it didn't go in. An aura of white covered her as the blade skimmed off her harmlessly.

Hyouga weakly held up her hand as blood began to stain her shirt. She said nothing as Lana used Ice Dust to stick the sword to the ground.

"It's over, Grendel. Without the Daímonas, you're a fish out of water." Lana said as she pointed her blade at Grendel.

"You think I can die? Phahahah! I am immortal, you stupid child! I can return to this world for the rest of eternity!" Grendel laughed as he rose to Lana. She jabbed at him, but he took Ryle and spun it around, making it jab Lana instead. But Grendel didn't see Hu in her other hand as she returned the gesture.

"Don't seem very immortal to me." Lana smirked. "And for a few thousand years of wisdom, you're not very perceptive either."

"What are you-?" Grendel growled, but then he heard footsteps behind him. Dain stood with the Astéri in hand, ready to stab.

At the center of the Daímonas.

"NO!" Grendel exclaimed. But his reaction was far too late, as the heart of the moon was destroyed. And the earth shook violently as the ground of Beacon Field cracked with the moon in the sky. And the eclipse ended, and light returned to the world.

But Dain and Lana lay next to each other. With one hand over their wound and the other hand with the other's. "We… we did it." Lana smiled.

"Yeah. We killed Grendel." Dain smiled back.

"If only… if only we could've lived through it." Lana coughed.

"But you know, it's good to be with you at the end." Dain said.

"Gods, Why did you have to make it awkward?" Lana laughed.

"I-I'm Sorry." Dain said quickly.

"I'm messing with you. I'm glad to be with you in the end, too." Nayru smiled. Another hand joined theirs.

"Don't leave me out, guys." Ron said weakly.

"Oh, come on dude. We were having a moment." Lana said.

"Like you said, I'm always a pain." Ron laughed, then coughed.

Lana laughed. "Yeah. A pain to the very end." Then another hand was joined.

"Don't suppose there's room for another pain, Huh?" Hyouga smiled.

"Lucia, you were never a pain. Most of the time." Dain said. Hyouga laughed.

"Good to know I at least participated." Hyouga said weakly. Dain then saw the shoulder wound in her shoulder was bleeding fast. As for Ron, he was completely missing an arm and a leg. The fact he was still holding on proved his strength and will.

"Well, it's a shame this is how we went. Fighting each other." Dain said.

"But I'm glad it went this way. This way, nobody wins today." Ron added, making everyone realize the truth in his statement.

"Yeah. Yeah, at least Salem doesn't win today." Lana agreed.

"And… Huh. I can't hear Tyson anymore." Dain added.

"Really?" Lana asked. Dain nodded. "Well, I guess that makes us equal."

"Yeah. A perfect ending, if you ask me. Just wish.. that I could've held up to that date." Dain sighed.

"Something tells me I missed something." Ron said. Everyone laughed.

"We'll catch you up to speed in Elysium." Dain smiled. Then, the final hand joined them.

"If it's all the same, I'd like to join in that conversation." Summer smirked.

"Summer. I thought… well, at least you're here for the end too." Dain smiled. The earth then shook again, and water began to wash the blood from them.

"Looks like that end is fast approaching." Summer said.

"Well, here's to a great life of adventure. See you guys… in…" Ron said, but before he could finish his sentence, he passed.

"Ron…. I'll see you there." Dain said. Then he saw Hyouga's eyes close, and soon after, Summer's, whose final words were, "Like the rose petals, we scatter." Then it was just him and Lana.

"Finally. Just the two of us." Lana smiled.

"Yeah. I guess…" Dain said.

"Come on, dude. Just say it." Lana urged.

"I love you, Lana." Dain said. Lana smiled.

"I love you too, Dain." Lana said. They then shared their final breath, and their lips met as the ground gave way. Their lifeless bodies plunged into the new lake before Beacon. And in the sky, the cracked moon moved for the sun. For the next day, their funerals were held in Beacon.

Summer was given a grave on a cliff on Patch, while Dain, Lana, Hyouga, and Ron were given graves in the Emerald Forest, at the edge of the green light that shone from Beacon tower in the morning. So at dawn, their graves would shine for all to see.

And so now you see the turning of a teams' hearts, and the struggles they faced to destroy a great evil.

For now you know the story of Team DRHN, and how they helped shape the world of Remnant.