The eclipse has now begun.
Lavi was in frenzy, confused and stuck in a tight position. King Earl was laughing while wallowing in all his glory, while Allen kept his darkened eyes on the dragon's continuous onslaught on the unsuspecting mythical beings and the humans. Lavi was almost down to his wits; everything he had worked to prevent was now churning in reality and claiming innocent lives. Lavi was used to the crying of people due to him being a solder of war, but these shouts for assistance were far from normal. For they were facing the most undefeated foe known to man: Dragons.
Lavi wanted to run away, he really did. Thoughts about turning yet another blind eye to this pressing situation plagued his mind, telling him to give up that lost hope and surrender to his father which he was suppose to be supporting. But that was then and this was now. This Lavi will not be taken in by his selfish demands and wants, because now there was someone in his life that he couldn't afford to lose, couldn't bear to lose, and that said person is in dire trouble. He needed to get to Allen before anything bad befalls on him, and if that happens, Lavi was sure he would not live with the guilt and regret that was going to hang around his neck for the rest of his life. Holding true to his courage and mind, Lavi quickly thought of a way to climb the steep mountain without any help. But the rocky nature was in a far more dangerous state then the Mountain of Blood, every climbing step could prove fatal for a mere human like him. But what choice did he have in this situation? Cracking his knuckles and tightening his gloves, Lavi stepped up the mountain.
And was halted by the whining that was coming towards him. A flash of flurry white sped through the Dark Forest as the trees gave way to the mighty Pegasus. The mythical being was not in battle, contended to stand in the sidelines until the situation calls for him. With the flapping of his giant feathery wings, the white horse landed beside Lavi with a soft gallop. Pegasus had something hidden in his mouth, and Lavi took out his hands to receive a bottle of aqua blue liquid. Attached to this small vial was a note written in the cryptic cursive writing of Bookman himself.
-Throw this spell on Allen. After 10 seconds, the spell will do its charm on him-
Looking at Pegasus gratefully, Lavi smoothen his back, "I need to get up there! Can you take me?"
The only answer Pegasus gave to the human ally was an accepting whine and a short shake of the soft head. Gripping his solution like it was his lifeline; Lavi tucked the spell safely into his pocket before getting onto Pegasus's bare back. Unlike Allen's rough scales scratching below him, Pegasus held only softness and comfort. Lavi held onto the reigns placed on Pegasus and pulled him upwards, towards Allen.
With a whine and a kick, Pegasus lifted off from the ground below and took to the skies with one mighty flap of his wings. Pegasus galloped through the sky upwards, as if its hooves were on solid ground. Using his riding experience he obtained with Allen, Lavi gained momentum and helped with the accurate speed Pegasus needed to overcome the excess weight placed on him. Onwards and forwards they went, Lavi already taking out his hammer and holding the reigns in a vice grip as he got ready for the upcoming battle.
King Earl laughed territorially. The thunder was clapping its mighty drums in the sky, with brother lightning accompanying him with its strikes of pure electricity. The eclipse was sitting on the sky's throne in its fullest power, darkening the earth below with its large shadow. Allen was weakening with power, totally drained from calling the dragons from their sleep and ordering them to kill the mythical beings. There were some who questioned his command at first, some who even fought against him. But Allen was their king, their eternal ruler; his every word is law. Giving them the power to attack the kingdom that was at battle with one another had taken its heavy toll on Allen, his energy scarcely remaining to keep himself upright.
"Allen!" Lavi shouted, while descending from Pegasus's back. King Earl snarled in reply to the intruder, his eyes filled with evil intentions. On the other hand, Allen did not pay any heed to the newcomer. Lavi's voice did not ring any bells in his already sleeping head as he continued to obey Earl's commands. The eclipse was at its best, at mid point in the middle of the sky with nothing but the twinkling stars as its comrades.
"Come and join me, Lavi! What use is there for you to fight me, your own father? With you by my side, we could rule the world! Come, Lavi!" Purred King Earl, outstretching hand for Lavi's own. Lavi was really tempted to take that offer as the king's words played through his mind. The offer nearly clouded his judgment, seducing him into the king's hand once more. If he joined his father, he definitely would be king of the kingdom, his childhood dream coming true. Everything he could've wanted would be summoned by just a simple snap of his fingers. There was nothing in the world he couldn't have under his palm. He would have a solid future in front of him; nothing would stand in his way.
Where the sun is no longer the sun,
Where the moon is no longer the moon,
A sacrifice made, A soul required,
Choose then,
Thine soldier of strong spirit and stronger will:
Your heart or your future.
But his heart would not be contended on just materialistic desires. Gripping his knuckles until they turned white, Lavi tried to chase away those exotic thoughts and concentrated on the one person that matters to him the most. He could have the money in the world, but that wouldn't buy Allen's truthful smile that he loved the most. All the jewelry he could have, but none would shine better than those sparkling silver eyes that he could fall deeply for. Lavi could have anyone by his side, but none would take his heart away like Allen did so quickly and innocently. He loved Allen, by death and life itself.
"My place stands beside Allen, not you. Forgive me, father,"
The king's grinning smile lay permanently on his face as he slowly absorbed Lavi's words. Then his hand curled back to his side and he bowed his head lowly, all the while keeping silent to his son's decision. Lavi expected King Earl to throw his anger upon him, calling him a traitor and shout curses upon his soul. But as those large shoulders started to shake in reply, it woke different reaction that Lavi was thinking about. The king laughed his head off, as if Lavi's solid decision was only a small joke to his side. But there it was, hiding in that heavy laughter, the sound of someone's insanity breaking free. Lavi held his hammer tighter, readying himself for the attack. But King Earl had other plans to get rid of his insolent child.
"If you want to die that badly, Lavi, who am I to argue with that? Then die you shall, but not by my hands," Directing his hand towards his new puppet, he commanded in a booming voice, "Allen, kill this perpetrator for me now!"
Against his aching muscles that screamed to be relived, Allen got up to do his master's will. With deadly eyes that shook Lavi to the core, Allen grasped a giant sword from thin air itself, heaving it with a large swing of his mighty arm. Lavi didn't have time to register before he felt a blowing hit nearly cutting off his mid-section, defending himself with his hammer in the nick of time. But the failed blow sent Lavi several steps back as the heavy blow was too strong for Lavi to hold his ground. Immediately, Lavi knew that Allen was in a whole different league then all his past opponents; Using his strength and magic that Mage Mana had bestowed upon him since young, Allen has as much experience in battling as General Cross had. Not to mention that all his human weaknesses and faults are covered completely by the speed and power of the Dragon King himself. Allen was meant to fight as much as he was meant for peace, like the two same sides of a single coin.
Quickly, Lavi took out the shaking vial when he had an opening ready. When Allen took that opening to attack, Lavi all but threw the uncapped bottle at him. As the spell reeled Allen back as soon as it hit home, Lavi circled around the surprised dragon mage. Summoning up a binding spell, Lavi casted to Allen and paralyzed him while the spell took its time to compensate. Lavi recalled reading Bookman's note telling him of the 10 seconds recharge and hoped that it would react in due time before it's too late.
But Allen would not wait patiently for 10 seconds. Breaking free of the binding spell as easily as he could in dragon form, Allen grabbed hold of his sword and attacked Lavi furiously. Lavi couldn't manage to send a single hit towards the much stronger Allen, only receiving those blows with a wall of his hammer. Deciding on relying on his defense-considering that he didn't have the openings to go offense- Lavi gritted his teeth as he received blows after blows. His mind counting down the miserable seconds that passed by him all too long.
5... 4... 3...Almost there, Lavi reminded himself. His body was almost aching to the maximum as Allen rained hits to weaken his defense. Lavi was already panting and trying to hold on to his conscious state, but the seconds slowly turned into hours for his sake. His mind tumbled forward as the last of the seconds ticked slowly by him.
2... 1...A slash sliced Lavi's upper body deeply, causing his mind to shut down completely. Allen had taken that tired opportunity and turned it against its own. Heaving the heavy sword downwards, Allen cut through Lavi's right shoulder all the way to his left hip as easily as knife through butter. As soon as the 9th second was over, as soon as Lavi's bloodied body fell to the ground, as soon as the eclipse pass through its throne, Allen screamed with all the air from his lungs into the empty sky,
"LAVI!" The last thing Lavi saw in his living life was Allen's real silver eyes filled with pain and sadness. Leaving with a silent smile on his face, Lavi garbled his words that only Allen's acute hearing could hear,
"Welcome back, Allen," with those thoughtful words, Allen felt the emptiness of his beating heart break open, as another one of his dearest friends left him on this living world alone.
The roar that Allen released out of anger emitted through the entire kingdom, as they stopped their advance to hear the agonizing cry of the heartbroken king. The forest claims its condolences as the sky above trembles underneath the heavy gaze. Magic overflowed from Allen's body and made the air around them turn heavy with grief, but the dragon mage in question did not care. For the one person that he had come to love and appreciate was now gone from his sight, now joining the ranks with General Cross. Even after all of this, after all they've been through, Allen thought the sacrifices made were too great for the victory that came along with it. Even with all the powers that he held under check, even with all the authority and ruling that he was responsible for, Allen could not trade them for the life of his best friend. Allen strained his dragon hearing, trying so very hard to hear that familiar thumping heartbeat that he took comfort in... But heard only silence.
Finally, Allen broke down and cried his heart out. Tears fell continuously from his swollen eyes, his face all red with grief and gloom. As the nature turned its ancient head towards the crying human, its rocky heart also melted at such a rare sight. For Allen was not the powerful dragon mage that time, and he was not the glorious King of Kings everyone had looked up to. He was only just a small young man, who was lamenting for the loss of his best friend.
While Allen mourned for his lost friend, he did not take notice on the flowing spirit that was coming down from the heavens above. Until the spirit wrapped its comforting hands around Allen's shaking shoulders. Allen snapped his head up to see the spirit of Mage Mana hovering beside him, that sweet smile still reflected on him. If this was another time, Allen would've gasped out loud and embraced his long-lost father in a tight grip. But this time, it was hard to be rejoicing when his best friend was gone from the face of the earth.
"Don't shed your tears, my dearest Allen. Don't cry, all is not lost," came the familiar soft voice Mana used to talk to whenever Allen was sad about something. Sniffing back that stream of tears that wanted nothing more than to escape his eyes once more, Allen smiled shakily to send a reassuring look to his father. But Mage Mana knew better then to fall for that false smile that Allen had put up to ease his tension. Hugging his son, he whispered into Allen's ear with the soft wind by his side.
Allen's eyes then widen with surprise at Mana's words. Within a eye blink, Allen hurriedly agreed to Mana's statement and quickly mumbled the spell that was to be casted upon Lavi. Placing his christened left hand above his chest where the beating heart lays, Allen mumbled the spell that would bring Lavi back from the dead, for a price. The beating heart complied with Allen's wishes, the old and long-forgotten spell aided in the process as it slowly entwines around Allen's heart.
Lavi was in a world of white. He couldn't feel anything; neither emotions nor feelings accompanied him through the march of death. Laughing lightly to himself, Lavi knew that he was dead, but he was not at all bothered at that hounding fact. His memories were there with him, and together with that came the pictures he kept of Allen. He remembered his last living thought, and the last time he glimpsed on Allen's real face before he died. As long as Allen is safe and alive, I would do this over and over again, without a doubt.He expected to see General Cross on this other side, but he wasn't the one that greeted him there.
Standing in front of him was a tall man of his early thirties, with the stature of a well-bred royal. His broad shoulders held the royal cloak of purple, while his hand held the ancient staff of mages around the world. There was a Cat's Eye jewel around his neck, its blood-red color shone brightly against the surrounding whiteness. There was sternness in this man's old face, but there was also kindness and love in those eyes. Lavi could piece together the similarities, that same smile and graceful face. How could he not? It was an older version of the one he loves, after all.
"Mage Mana, pleasure to finally meet you face-to-face," remembering his respect, Lavi bowed deeply for the mage that had brought Allen up carefully. The small thought of Allen made his beating heart a jump or two... Wait... Beating heart?
"Allen wants you back, Lavi. He's doing all he can to do just that. And if I know my own son, his stubbornness wouldn't give way to pure logic," Mana's voice was like a flowing stream with calmness and deity-like. It was easy to see that Allen had taken up from the mage in more was then one.
"W-Wait, what's going on? Aren't I supposed to be dead?" Shivered Lavi, his heart doubling in effort of beating although Lavi didn't do anything to cause it to move into life. Mana lightly chuckled, his eyes glittered brown as his voice spoke volumes of power and suppressed pride for the young ones.
"As you know by now, Allen is also part-dragon, along with his human side. This means he can do anything that defies the very fabric of science. Currently, he is now attempting to give you half his heart, in the literal sense. By the look on your face, I'd say it's working!"
"What the heck is that suppose to mean? Won't he die if he even takes out his heart?!" Shouted Lavi, panic clear in his voice. If Allen tried to even take out his heart, he would die in the process! Lavi gritted his teeth in frustration. He would be damn if he went all this way just to know that Allen is going to die anyways! Mana placed a sudden hand above his shoulders and Lavi felt his anger seep away like it was nothing. Apparently, Allen also learnt this comforting skill from Mana too, since it's having a soothing effect on Lavi.
"You hear, but you don't listen. Allen is half dragon and half man, so the normal rules of magic doesn't coincide with him. The dragons held this certain spell in tight security, for this one endangers not only the bearer but the casted one as well... But even with those odds stacked against him, Allen still wanted to bring you back..."
Mana hugged Lavi for the first time, and Lavi could feel the compassion etched in this old man's strained voice,
"Please take care of Allen for me, Lavi. I love him so much just as much as a father would to his son. Don't let him die, Lavi,"
Lavi didn't reply to those parting words. How would he reply to that anyways? Swearing by his soul, he solemnly took that promise to heart and accepted that responsibility that was given to him. Before Lavi could thank him for all that he had done, a surge of power flowed through from Mana's body into Lavi's own. Giving him the last strain of his energy, Mana bid Lavi goodbye and left the prince to tumble into the darkness that took him by the storm.
He was drowning in the sea of black, gasping for the air that escaped his lungs far too early. Lavi felt the pull from under him, wanting to grab hold of him and drag him down into its dark depths. The waves splashed furiously before him, sending him deeper and deeper into the open arms of death once again.
"Lavi! Wake up! Please wake up!" That voice overcame the thunderous applause, making Lavi regain his energy to fight back against the giant currents once more. He did not know where he was going, but that voice became a siren's call to him. It urged him in ways deeper then the grip death had on him, and Lavi doubled his efforts into living once more. All the while, Lavi followed that same voice that tugged on his heart string, never stopping until he reached the surface.
Lavi breathed out loud as if he broke the deep water's surface, his face painted blue with tiredness. Looking around, he was back on earth with the solid ground beneath his fingers. At his heart cavity, laid a dragon mark more exquisitely drawn then the one he had on his palm. Someone was panting with weariness beside him, and Lavi's now-beating heart leaped with joy at the sight of Allen.
"Lavi!" Allen all but hugged the alive prince with all his remaining energy. His face was covered with a thin line of sweat, for it took a large amount of magic power to break his heart and cast the strong spell on Lavi's body. Part of him didn't think the spell would work, that he was grasping on imaginary straws of hope. But feeling Lavi's warm body beating underneath him once more was his reward for holding on to that so-called 'lost hope'. The two hearts reunited once more, both pumping in the same rhythm as the other. Lavi was beside himself when he was embraced by the happy Allen, and gratefully sucked the warmth and heat coming from the dragon mage. The comforting smell of Allen engulfed him, soothing his soul as he ran his live hands around the solid back that he loves to hold. He was in high heaven as he held his loved one, but his eye dwells on the looming shadow that was threatening to break them apart. King Earl swung his sword to the ready upwards, his eyes sharp darkly on the loved pair.
"Allen! Look out!"
Whee! Lavi's back from the dead! Literally XD Oh, and don't you worry, it's not going to end as simple as this, I've got another plan concocted in my tiny little brain hehehe I do hope you're enjoying this chapter, it'll do me great pleasure if it does! I wanna bow down and sing praises (okay, maybe I'm exaggerating here but that's how I'm feeling right now) to these wonderful people:
shadowkiller8888,
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For all your support, here's the awesome chapter you've been waiting for! Ugh, now I have to get back to studying if I want my parents to stop hounding me XD Please review and have a nice day! =D