Chapter 14
"Here Ryuga, drinking this special soup made from the finest herbs from this very forest should help you get some of your precious energy back." Jilen offered kindly as he handed me a bowl of creamy red soup, from the boiling pot at the fire place, after giving one to Ikuchi, who was quietly drinking her fill along with a side of bread at the corner of the room. Right after their duel, both Ikuchi and Jilen returned to the cabin together where the 2 of them began to help tend to my injuries. Fortunately the veteran captain himself was a very experienced and hardy man so he made a much faster recovery than I did. He also filled me in on everything we learnt while he was in Norvagen, and believe me….they weren't good news at all. Not only had Enigma framed me as the villain and portrayed himself a hero, but he even put up a bounty on both my head and the return of Princess Ikuchi, which would no doubt act as a bright flame and attract all sorts of bounty hunters from all over the world. It was a very difficult position the 3 of us were put in, for not only had he branded us as fugitives and outlaws as well as lying to the entirety of Norvagen, now all sorts of mercenaries and assassins, probably even more dangerous than the ones we've faced, would be trying for the reward since it was being spread across the land like wildfire by countless messengers. Frankly I couldn't decide which piece of news was bad or worse.
"Thank you very much Jilen, I really appreciate this." I replied as I humbly accepted it and began drinking it slowly. The soup was definitely delicious as the spices and flavours were gently blended together, which came as bit of a surprise considering that this was prepared by the royal captain himself, who would have thought he'd some skill in the kitchen himself. As I continued to take in each sip with appreciation and taking my stressed mind off my deep thoughts over the whole matter, I couldn't help but feel slightly guilty after seeing how little was leftover in the cooking pot for Jilen himself after working so hard to cook for us only to have me and Ikuchi take up the majority of his efforts.
As sharp as his observation was on the battlefield he quickly took notice of my conflicted feelings and decided to give me assurance that all would be fine, "Do not worry, this is more than enough for me I can promise you." He said as he began scooping up the leftovers in the pot into another bowl fro himself, "Both you and Ikuchi are still young and need more energy, the faster you both regain the quicker we will be able to leave this place."
"L…Leave!?" Ikuchi gasped in shock as she looked up from her food, "But….we only recently settled down here! We can't possible move out now under such short notice!"
I on the other hand closed my eyes and looked down, Jilen was right, after 2 close encounters with bounty hunters in a single day right here at this camp site, no doubt these attacks would only be the tip of the iceberg of what's to come. By now they would have returned to the palace and have given out our location to Enigma himself, and very soon we could see an entire mob of bounty hunters or even a troop of soldiers come out here to look for us….It was only a matter of time….
"Surely you both must realise by now…after what took place today, it's clear as daylight that this will not stop." he replied to a distraught Ikuchi, "Enigma will not rest until he has the entirety of Norvagen in the palm of his hand, and to accomplish that he will need to have recaptured the both of you in order to reestablish his hold on the kingdom. Knowing him, he will stop at nothing until he has succeeded, the only option we are left with, is to leave for a much safer place.
It was one duel after the other and right now, we knew it wasn't going to stop….
"If this cabin has already been found by Akz and Leilei, it will not be long before many more assassins will descend upon us. It was only through sheer luck and our best efforts that we managed to escape by the skin of our teeth, but I fear that luck will soon be running out for us…."
"My lady, I hope you will forgive me for putting you and your friend through this, but I swore to the royal family that I will keep the one true heir to the throne of Norvagen safe from any and all who would dare to harm her. And I will do it by any means necessary, even if I have to sacrifice my own soul to do it." He said to her.
"Jilen…."
I found it really hard to say but eventually I managed to force the words out of my mouth, "As pure and noble as your intentions are Jilen, I don't believe leaving here will make any actual difference to our situation."
Turning to me he gasped, "What?"
"I'm sure deep down, even you know it too and yet you still suggest we try doing it. Not exactly the smartest decision if you ask me." I answered.
My reply caused him to clench his fist angrily and grit his teeth, "You would call protecting you and keeping you safe….an unwise decision!?"
I was worried about his furious expression, but I had to stand up for what I knew was right, retreat was not an option for us and I had to show him why, "Think about it, it was only within a day since we left the palace that we've been discovered. That just shows how relentless and determined Enigma is and how far he is willing to go in order to succeed in his plans. Even if we do somehow manage to escape and find another place to lay low, what's to stop him from trying again? If he found us once no doubt he'll be able to do it again, and we'll just be back to square one. All we'll basically do is run aimlessly until we can't run anymore or until we finally get caught."
He however wouldn't listen as he continued to protest, "You would rather wait here and allow those monsters to capture all of us in one fell swoop!? That would be pure madness and I won't allow it!" He was quite a stubborn man….Once he set his mind to something, unless you were his superior, changing it would not be easy. "You both are coming with me even if I have to drag you both the entire way myself!" He tried to raise his hand and subdue me but fortunately as I covered my face with my hands in response-
"Jilen, you know that Ryuga's right." Ikuchi said to him which made the old veteran stop in his tracks, "As long as Enigma sits upon my father's throne in the kingdom and is sending word of that outrageous reward out to all the corners of the world, there will be no place that we can hide safely for long. No matter where we go, very soon we'll be found out and eventually we'll be dogged at every step of the way." She then sobbed as tears began to well up in her eyes, "To be subjected to this cruel fate….trapped in a cycle of fear for the rest of our lives….It's not fair….Fleeing and fearing for our wellbeing at every waking moment, that isn't something I want any of us to suffer…."
Realising what he had done, he took a few steps back and lowered himself to his knees, "I….You are right….But what else can we do?" He was at a loss of ideas and words. In fact most of us were…..in such a tough position like ours, coming up with a right course of action wouldn't be easy….
I actually had one idea already, in fact it was one that I immediately decided and thought through the moment I cut off Reiji's call earlier this afternoon, as well as my only chance to get back home. There was no turning back from this point, I was going to see this through to the end and free Norvagen from Enigma's lies and clutches, or if not, die trying. Those were the only 2 outcomes from here on and I was going to see either one of the, "This might sound crazy, but I think there may be only one way out of this whole mess, it's a long shot but it's our only hope if we're going to put a stop to this nightmare once and for all."
I then explained what was on my mind and after I finished they were bewildered and astonished beyond belief.
"Wh…what did you say!?" Jilen gasped in alarm. They expected something crazy, but what I responded with was complete madness!
"Think about it, Enigma's the one who started this whole tragedy in the first place, by taking advantage of King Avalon's poisoning and no doubt using it to his advantage. No doubt that entire event was a plot from the start…..and he knew it too." I said, "If we can somehow manage to rescue King Avalon and cure him from whatever has poisoned him, he'll be able to clear our names for sure and then we'll be able restore true peace to the land. Also, we may even be able to expose Enigma for the lies he has been saying to the entire kingdom and people all this time."
"You really think Enigma would actually allow us to do that?" Ikuchi asked doubtfully, "Now that he is the one ruling the kingdom, I highly doubt he would allow anyone to storm into his own stronghold and do as they please, let alone take back the throne from him."
"Of course he's not the kind of man that would listen to reason, which is why we may have to use a little persuasion on him…." I replied seriously as I raised my duel disk arm signalling what I had in mind.
"You plan to wage an attack against Enigma!?" Jilen gasped in disbelief, "He's now the ruler of Norvagen, an assault on him and the palace would only serve to add a true crime to your list of false claims and charges he has held against you!"
"I know I don't like to resort to using force, but under the circumstances we don't have any other choice." I retorted, "We have to fight back and prove to the kingdom that the assassination was all framed and that I'm innocent and that they've all been deceived from the very start, and that the real criminal has been in front of their eyes the entire time!"
"Ryuga may have a point there Jilen…." Ikuchi added vouching me before he could retort again, "At this point I doubt anyone would actually be willing to hear what we have to say, they've been fed so many convincing lies from that….pretender to my family's throne. As much as I hate to to admit it, there really is no other possible way to end this without any conflict or fighting….." she said feeling sad and depressed we were left with only this option.
After thinking it over carefully and realising the truth in our words, the old soldier eventually sighed reluctantly, "My lady…..I suppose you're right….." he said in agreement before heading to the door.
"Jilen?"
"Where are you going?" We asked curiously.
He turned to us, "I'm going back to Norvagen to investigate, last time I was able to infiltrate the kingdom though a secret entrance, which was the same one we used to escape from, if you remember well Princess Ikuchi." He answered, "It's very well hidden especially under the cover of the night, so I highly doubt it has been discovered as of yet. In the meantime the 2 of you should lay low until I return and confirm the situation whether if the situation will be safe to return to."
Before he grabbed the knob I spoke out after realising something immediately, "Wait Jilen," I said stopping him, "By now it's far too risky. Those bounty hunters we managed to fend off today may have already reported our whereabouts to that slime ball Enigma. And after considering all the measures he's taken so far to recapture us, I wouldn't be surprised if he's rallying troops and instilling more panic and urgency in the people so they would join the hunt as well. No way you'll be able to sneak in unnoticed this time around if that were to happen."
Jilen then hissed in frustration knowing what iI was right but then held himself back from yelling, "Then what would you propose then? You said it yourself, we have to return to take the fight to Enigma but we can't simply charge in blindly without knowing what he may have lying in wait for us behind those walls. Also we can't afford to waste any time contemplating a well executed plan of attack, we have to act now!"
"I know….Just…give me time to think for a bit…." I replied back feeling just as frustrated. As important as it was to take time coming up with a good strategy, he was right, we couldn't afford to waste too much time planning. Suddenly I then remembered something that could work, "Actually….I think I might have just the idea….." I said as I turned to my duel disk.
(Later)
Over the night sky, all was silent except for the smooth and silent beating of flapping wings in the air. Flying low over the horizon and as swift as the wind was a small squadron of shadow dragons (Consisting of galaxy stealth dragon, hunter dragon, koumuri dragon, serpent night dragon and infernal dragon) that was put together courtesy of Jormangandr and Tiamat, the perfect team of spies for working under the cover of night and darkness. As they focused hard in front of them, whatever they saw through their eyes was soon being reflected in a dragon's orb that was being watched by the 3 of us back in the cabin!
"This device of yours is most intriguing Lord Ryuga," Jilen complimented as he observed what was being displayed through the orb, "Now we will be able to see long distances through the eyes of your stealthiest spies, without risking any exposure."
"We'll finally be able to check on how the people are faring, and hopefully find out what Enigma may be scheming next….." Ikuchi added with joy and relief, as the kingdom of Norvagen soon came into view on the orb, which showed that the dragons were getting very close to their destination. They suddenly stopped in their flight path as they focused hard in front at the tall gates surrounding the whole kingdom. A number of soldiers and watch guards were patrolling along the line of the walls while fairy archers had taken positions along the borders and corners there. We even could see a pair of large siege towers being erected behind the walls, as a pair of large berserk gorillas were planting catapult turtles at the top of those towers, each armed with an arsenal of boulders and rocks to launch at any incoming aerial attacks.
"Enigma sure has been beefing up security ever since we all escaped…." I commented feeling worried about what we were up against, "Find another way around, and try not to get spotted." I whispered through the orb to which my dragons responded in agreement. Changing their direction they backtracked and flew through the forest or around the cliffside out of enemy sight, using the shadows as cover. As they cicrled around to the back of the kingdom's rear, they took notice of a small group of blade knights, armed with guard dogs keeping watch over the area. "So much for using the secret entrance…." I muttered.
"Hmmm….Perhaps you were right," Jilen admitted, "Had I not heeded your words I would have been discovered and captured by now….I was a fool to think that entrance could have remained hidden forever….."
"We'll need a new way of sneaking in…." Ikuchi added.
"I'll have them look around for an alternate route," I said. Luckily my dragons were downwind so the guard dogs couldn't smell them, so they back tracked several feet away before flying vertically upwards into the air. Taking refuge in the night clouds, staying clear of the moon's light, they glided silently above the walls before slowly descending down into the shadows of the towns. "Alright you guys, split up and look around. Also, investigate anything you find that may be suspicious or of interest." I said as the dragons began to divide and conquer.
(Dragon POV)
While Galaxy stealth dragon headed for the castle, as he was the most stealthy and the palace itself was the most heavily guarded and surveyed area, the others remained and spread out through the streets while maintaining watch from the alleys. From multiple angles we could see that numerous bandits and thieves (Like great angus or goblin attack force) had taken residence at bars or various houses, having driven out previous owners and monsters onto the streets while they continued to throw their weight around or stuff themselves with food and drink. They even went as far as to threaten shopkeepers and owners for protection money and goods, while the guards simply turned a blind eye due to their loyalty to Enigma, even if it was against their own honour. It was disgusting, but what serpent night dragon saw next took things to another level.
We saw a Guardian of the labyrinth tossing a helpless man out from a shanty looking house and onto the streets before a dark blade, captain of the evil world while his family looked on in fear from their house. "This man has been charged with badmouthing the king's honour! We have heard it ourselves! He was disrespecting King Enigma!" The guardian claimed.
"N..No! There's been a mistake!" he cried.
The captain walked over to him on his horse and smirked deviously, "Is that so? That certainly was foolish of you to even harbour such a thought." The dark blade maliciously replied paying no heed to the innocent man, "Such a sharp tongue and insolent mouth must surely be silenced. We can't have even the slightest insult to our Lord Enigma go unpunished."
The man's eyes widened in fear knowing his position now, "No! No! You're wrong! I would never say such things! It was a mistake!" he begged as he fell to his knees pleadingly.
"Save your words for the jailer, you're under arrest!" The captain yelled, "Take him away! Lock him in the dungeon!" He ordered the guardian, who nodded as he began to put on restraints on the legs and hands on the helpless man before knocking him to the ground and dragging him away by rope!
"No please! No!" He cried in fear and pain while being dragged across the stony ground.
"Father!" His young son and daughter cried out.
"Not my husband! Please! I beg of you!" The wife begged as she ran out, only to be halted by the Dark blade's unsheathed sword, which he held out to her throat! Which made her freeze instantly in her tracks and the blood from her face drain away.
"Stay where you are, unless you all would like to join him in prison too!" The captain shouted which made them freeze in their tracks. They looked on helplessly as the man was dragged away in handcuffs and chains towards the castle.
That wasn't the worst of it. As the dragons scoured the city looking for another entrance to use, all around they saw more and more people being oppressed by the guards or bandits, abusing the authority the Enigma had granted them. Some accused of hiding information about the escaped fugitives while others willingly protested and complained against Engima's new plan of action to overrule Avalon's old and traditional ways of peace, and replacing them with fear and force! All of which were captured and dragged away like rag dolls. It was truly heart-wrenching…..
What really took the cake, was when infernal dragon made a backtrack to the old secret entrance that was guarded. There he took notice of a large number of peasants gathered in a straight line. The elite goblin attack force member there began to collect what appeared to be tax money from them before having the stationed guards on the other end open the door. Their were soon lead out into the forest and never seen again, and nearby, a line of other peasants, including unhappy maiden and unhappy girl, were being lead into the direction of the castle's dungeons. After overhearing what they were saying, we soon realised that they were being arrested for being unable to pay the increased tax prices! That certainly was a complete outrage beyond belief, even the inequality and persecution in the synchro dimension was tame compared to this!
(Ryuga POV)
As we saw everything my dragons witnessed, we couldn't believe our eyes. While Jilen said nothing but turned away, I then grit my teeth furiously while Ikuchi teared up with disgust, "How could he do this? To our people!?" she cried suddenly.
"At ease my lady…." Jilen said trying to calm her down before she overreacts.
She then turned to him and glared daggers making him take a step back fearfully, "How can you expect me to stay calm while Enigma sits on my father's throne and oppresses innocent lives!? This is a complete outrage!" she screamed.
"We are well aware of that Ikuchi." I said which made her turn, "I really hate it too, every fibre of my being wants to go down and put a stop to this immediately. But as of now there's nothing we can do but do a full investigation of the situation so we know exactly what to expect and how we should conduct a proper rescue, so please, calm down…." I said gently to her. I was just as furious myself, it's unthinkable Enigma would proclaim himself a hero and yet oppress his own people for the fun of it…it truly was disgusting….but like I said charging in with blind emotion would be reckless and foolish, so for now we had to hold back and analyse the whole matter if we were going to come up with a plan of attack.
Saying nothing in response, Ikuchi then held her head down in defeat, "Alright…." she sighed as we continued to observe through the orb.
(Dragon POV)
As the dark dragons continued to disperse throughout the rest of the town, sticking to the shadows and steering clear of the lit torches so they could avoid being seen, eventually one of them broke away and took to the sky silently before he could be spotted. Noticing a bright window in the castle, Galaxy stealth dragon locked his eyes with his target as he swooped in for a better look. He then flew around to the back window so he could avoid being seen form the front. It was at the throne room and standing on the grand stage was Enigma, who was glaring down upon 5 familiar faces. Masuku, Haga, Zaki, Akz and Leilei, the top 5 assassins in the kingdom, whom he hired to capture me and Ikuchi. When they all returned empty handed he growled with anger so think you could cut through it like a solid piece of butter!
"You….all….FAILED!?" he screamed furiously, "You are the most ruthless, most skilled and accomplished bounty hunters this world has to offer! And you couldn't even capture a measly princess and a snivelling boy!? This is unacceptable!" The sounds of his angered yelling filled the entire hallways as howling rage echoed through the castle!
The 5 bounty hunters shivered and trembled in terror before the Lord of Norvagen, the one they promised to bring the fugitives to in exchange for the reward, but now they were about to face his unbridled wrath!
"F…..Forgive us sir!" Masuku cried out.
"This is merely….a minor setback!" Zaki added.
Enigma however wanted none of what they planned to say, to him, returning back with nothing to show for their failures had pretty much sealed their fates. "I don't want setbacks! I want results! I wanted that princess and dragon tamer right here today!" He screamed as his entire face flashed a deep crimson red as he yelled at the top of his lungs. He then breathed heavily from exhaustion before lowering his head, as a shade soon covered his eyes, "I ordered you to capture 2 fugitives, mere children to be exact, that could easily threaten my….I mean THE kingdom of Norvagen, and you return with…..nothing…." he said softly, yet his tone was more than enough to send chills down their spines! The malicious intent they once showed while hunting us was now replaced by outright terror, "If there is one thing I will NOT tolerate more than anything else, it's failure!" He screamed before suddenly giggling manically, "Hehehehe! You are all of no more use to me, therefore, prepare to be dismissed!" Raising his staff suddenly, 5 card erupted from the ground and began to generate vacuum portals that began to suck the 5 bounty hunters into them!
Their eyes widened with fear as the blood soon rushed from their faces, "Noooo!"
"Have mercy!"
"Please stop! We beg of you!" Unfortunately for them, their pleas and begging fell on non-existent ears as the card slates absorbed them completely!
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!" Their final cries died away in the wind like phantoms. Soon they were nothing but ancient depictions on the cards themselves, and we looked on in horror back from our cabin at the event which just took place. We knew he had the power to seal monsters into stone, but now he can do so with humans as well!? That's taking it too far! Ikuchi then buried her face in Jilen's arms not wanting to look anymore, while the both of us continued to observe carefully.
"Hmph! The most ugliest cards I have ever created Such garbage has no place in my personal collection." Enigma scoffed in disgust as a Fiend mirror and Chakra appeared before him, "Dispose of them, I never want to lay my eyes on such vile sights ever again." He ordered as the 2 ritual fiend monsters used their psychic abilities to lift the cards and transport them away to the dungeon where they would be locked away forever and never see the light of day again. After being left alone, Enigma then walked walked around in circles in deep thought and frustration.
He then sneered furiously at the thought of not being given he respect and acceptance he wanted by the people ever since he took control, "These people, I gave them protection from the monsters that ravaged their homes, shielded them, gave them technology and helped them to prosper more than Avalon or the royal family ever could. But do they appreciate what I've done or show me the respect I deserve? No, they whine and complain!" He growled before grinning maliciously, "Well no more, for tomorrow at dawn that all ends!" He then shouted as he took his staff and walked out to the balcony and looked over the kingdom and towns that lay before his gaze. "After I give them a demonstration of my own power over the monsters, I shall awaken them from their ridiculous delusions back to reality, using an old nightmare from their past! Flattening half the town or so with the very monsters they so very much feared, should be more than enough to break their feeble spirits and make them remember where their place in life is!" He proclaimed, "At least long enough until I finally establish a permanent hold on the kingdom! And to do that…."
He then looked to his staff as it opened up and revealed the chaos crystal within it. It then generated a mirror portal which depicted Leviathan's stone tablet on the other side, "Once I've recovered the princess and make both her power and the goddess' my own, as well as eliminate that wretched pest Ryuga once and for all, there will be no stopping me from ruling my almighty empire with an iron fist! I'll mobilise the greatest army of man and monsters this world has ever known, I'll march them across every country and kingdom, conquering everything and everyone who would be foolish enough to dare stand in my way! Then, all shall fear the might of Emperor Enigma! Hahahahahahaaha!" He laughed maniacally as a new and terrifying brainchild of a plan was being born inside his dark mind. Galaxy stealth dragon had been put off by the sight and so left the area not wishing to remain a second longer in the presence of the maniacal sage.
(Ryuga POV)
We then stared blankly at the orb, trying our best to process everything we had just witnessed first hand, a diabolical plot about to be put into action first thing in the morning tomorrow, with the entire world at stake…we certainly didn't have a lot of time on our hands.
"I can't believe he would do such a thing…..Desecrating the honour of the royal army by unifying it with countless bandits and criminal monsters is one thing, to not only oppress innocent people, but also to rule the entire world!?" Jilen gasped in outrage, "Not only that, he also plans on destroying entire towns and countless innocent people, and even to corrupt our beloved goddess Leviathan to use for evil!? This is madness!"
"If he goes through with this….No one will ever be safe…." Ikuchi breathed having overheard the entire statement despite not watching any of it. (Couldn't blame her though….to see such things firsthand would easily crack the purest of hearts ad gentlest of souls) "How could he….I can't….I…." She gasped in disbelief and horror at what he had planned.
I then slammed my fist on the table, "That settles it, we're not going anywhere. We have to stop him once and for all." I said decisively, "Tomorrow morning we take back Norvagen, take down Enigma and put and finish this fight. End of story."
"I agree with you Ryuga. That swine must pay for everything he has done since the very start." Ikuchi replied with a face brimming with resolve and determination, "It's time we stopped hiding and sneaking around altogether, I say we go and knock on the front door!"
"Princess….."
She then turned her face to her concerned bodyguard, "Say what you want Jilen, but I will not turn my back on my people who need me more than ever." she said, "This subjugation can not go unpunished, we must do something to save them and I won't let anyone stop me from trying!"
Jilen then lowered his head in submission to her bold statement, "For a long time your father told me to watch over the scared and frightened child that was his daughter," He then raised his head which revealed a proud smile to our surprise, "Now that time has long passed, I can see you are now old enough and strong enough to decide for yourself, and whatever choice you make I shall stand firm by your side to the end. And, I can see that the choice you've just made couldn't be more right." He then kneeled down as a knight pledging his loyalty, "I am ready to serve you….Queen Ikuchi."
"Th…thank you Jilen," she breathed as tears of joy fell from her eyes and onto the cabin floor.
It was a very touching moment indeed, with this new faith in her I'm sure Ikuchi would grow up to be a fine duelist and queen someday….Yet it still didn't change the fact about the matter at hand, "But still….." I said as I scratched my chin, "If we are going to wage an attack against Enigma while he has Norvagen in his grasp, we must be smart about this…."
"I agree…." Jilen added as he walked over to the dragon orb and observed the large masses of royal guards and enforcers crawling about in the towns. Along the kingdom gates and walls, archers and defences were being installed and amounted around every corner with guards patrolling them as well as supervising their operations, making the peaceful kingdom look more like an impregnable fortress, "With guards and lookouts on almost every post it'll be impossible to sneak back in…." He said observing it all carefully.
"We'll also need a diversion if we're going to have any chance at weakening the enemy ranks to allow us a better chance at getting through." Ikuchi said out loud.
"You can leave that to me." I said volunteering to their surprise.
"You Ryuga? But how?" Ikuchi asked curiously.
"You saw it with your own eyes," Jilen added feeling concerned that I may be overconfident in myself, despite being the strongest of us 3, "When it comes to numbers it is without question that we are vastly outnumbered and no doubt outmatched, not only by the kingdom's already present army, but also with the vast new forces that Enigma has no doubt assembled within the last few days." He said feeling worried.
I then smiled in response, "Let's just say I know exactly where to get the extra muscle we need to pull this off." I replied while eying my duel disk, "Trust me." Looking up to them I then asked if any of us had a map of the surrounding area and of Norvagen, as we began to long night of planning for the day of reckoning.
(The next morning)
As the sun stretched across the horizon and bathed the land in its light, it soon began to illuminate the great plains, forest and eventually the kingdom of Norvagen. Looking out from the palace balcony, Enigma smirked to himself seeing as the day had finally arrived, and the day his reign will finally begin! "Ahhh….Dawn….Perfect. The beginning of a new age and a new world now awaits….." he said to himself with a malicious grin as he looked below, where the great armies of Norvagen were soon mobilising together for a global conquest of the world.
Divided into 3 groups the first was made of a medium sized fraction light infantry human soldiers mixed with command knights and blade knights armed with spears and bows. A second smaller but stronger force was made of veteran warriors on horses armed with heavy armour and long lances, but was also mixed together with doomcaliber knights, elite goblin attack force, archfiend soldiers, boar soldiers and lizard soldiers. Finally, the largest faction was made out of the most powerful and vicious monsters ever which were to act as both defenders of the home frontier as well as to be kept in reserve for emergencies. These also consisted of bounty hunters and criminals whose loyalty was either bought or coerced by Enigma himself, who would show no mercy in battle against anyone who would dare threaten their master. Monsters that made up that group included green baboon defender of the forest, ancient crimson ape, yellow baboon archer of the forest, behemoth king of all animals, along with powerful long range attacking monsters such as Chakra or fiend's mirror. With a Mefist the Infernal general and the same dark blade, the captain of the underworld, organising them and making sure they kept their formations tight and impenetrable.
If the ground forces weren't enough, an air force was also beginning to be mobilised by sky scouts-which consisted of Whiptail crows, rye kishin, ryu kishin powered and a number of other flying monsters to fend off any attacks that may come in from the air. The entire army was a formidable fighting force trained to fight flawlessly on all terrains and at any cost, anyone foolish enough to face them would be eliminated in seconds. As of now the townsfolk were all safely locked up within their homes and not a single one stepped out onto the streets as the Army was soon about to move out.
Seeing that his forces were fully assembled, Enigma then smirked to himself seeing that his years of long planning were finally about to bear fruit and soon his conquest of the rule would become a reality! "Now it begins….."
"Master Enigma!" A voice suddenly shouted out of nowhere.
"Hmmm?" He then looked behind him to see one of his servants hurrying in. Seeing who it was he then scoffed at the thought it was supposed to be something important, "What do want Prometheus?" He asked uninterestedly as he walked around to the tea table.
The red sage then kneeled down before him, "Master! I have just received urgent news from the scouts that we dispatched last night! They say it's something you should hear out right now!"
Thinking for a moment, "Hmm….Very well, you may speak." He replied calmly as he began serving himself a cup of warm brew.
"They have just returned with news about that dragon tamer known as Ryuga! Apparently he is on his way here now, leading a small army towards Norvagen's front gates! Apparently we can assume that he's planning an attack on us right now!"
Enigma's eyes widened suddenly as he then spat out his tea, "What!?" he exclaimed before furiously glaring at his servant and then grabbing him by the collar and lifting him up, "Surely you lie!"
"I do not! I swear this is true!" Prometheus gasped while begging for mercy. Reaching into his cloak he then pulled out an ancient telescope, "Take this and see for yourself master! Ack!" He gasped as Enigma took the glass from his hand and dropped him hard onto the ground.
"Yes, I think I will." He said as he headed back onto the balcony and looked through the glass across the gates and over the hills. What he saw through the telescope came as an unexpected sight. Approaching the kingdom from across the hills was a small infantry of dragon foot soldiers which consisted of soldier dragon, troop dragon, axe dragonute, lancer lindwurm and lancer dragonute. Leading them was the powerful dragon tamer, Ryuga Shirogane, who rode on board a Kaiser dragon and their forces were soon approaching the castle walls. Each of the ground forces were equipped with dragon shield (Which I used to ensure none of them would get severely hurt in the battle), and a handful of the dark attributed dragons were also equipped with dragon nails as an extra insurance, while others were using dragon treasure instead.
The sight came as an initial surprise to him, but it soon was replaced with a devious grin on his face, "Oh? Has he finally decided to make a move against me? Hehehe! This is most fortunate for us and just what we have been waiting for." He chuckled in amusement.
"Sir? What exactly do you mean?" Prometheus questioned curiously as he approached his master with caution.
Turning to him with a confident smirk, "Don't you see Prometheus!? We've wasted precious time and resources searching for him, and now he is sparing us the trouble by coming straight to me." He said, "If he is heading here then no doubt the princess must be with him, no doubt the both of them are hoping to rescue that feeble shell of a fool Avalon. A mistake that will cost them both most dearly….." he finished with a devious grin.
"What shall we do about her sir?" His servant asked after acknowledging his plan.
"Not much actually," he replied to his surprise, "That foolhardy boy is practically handing her over to me and sparing us the trouble of having to search vast distances for her. All he has done is bring my victory all the more closer to realisation!" He then turned around once more and looked through his telescope, "For you to even think of attacking me and my stronghold on my day of triumph, either you are foolish or reckless."He chuckled to himself enjoying the moment, "Still your feeble efforts amuse me dear boy, and since I'm feeling unusually generous today I'll play along with your little game. Let's see how well you handle yourself and I hope that you at least put up a bit of a meaningless struggle before I crush you and your feeble hopes into dust right under my heel. Oh how I can't wait to see the look of utter despair in your eyes after it's completely gone. Hehehehe….." He then turned towards Prometheus who patiently awaited his orders, "Prometheus, you shall lead the first wave of the assault and directly engage this…'invasion' in close quarter combat." he instructed, "Defend the perimeter of the kingdom and ensure that none of them breakthrough the walls or even get past your ranks. Once their forces begin to buckle and weaken, I shall have Pandora send in the second wave, which should be more than enough to exterminate them once and for all."
"As you command master. We shall not fail you." His servant bowed in respect as he took his leave.
After he left, Enigma once more took a look through his ancient telescope and saw the approaching ground dragon forces being lead by Ryuga on top of a flying dragon equipped with dragon shield. He then narrowed his eyes suspiciously looking through the glass, "Still…..after eluding me for so long and for the superb skill you've displayed in being able to defeat some of the best bounty hunters this world has to offer, I suppose it would be foolish of me to believe this simple and reckless plan of attack would be best you may come up with or if rescuing the king may be your only aim." Lowering it down he then smiled menacingly as new scheme was being hatched up in his own twisted mind, "Perhaps I should see to it that I have a contingency strategy in the event I am correct and should you somehow manage to overcome my forces. You may think that because you hold the power to control multiple unknown summoning methods you would have the advantage, but you couldn't be more wrong." He then took his staff which lay on a nearby chair and began to walk out of the room down the dark hallways, "Very soon, your greatest straight shall be your very own undoing…hehehe.…". He chuckled to himself as he soon disappeared from sight.
(Ryuga POV)
"Well here we are…." I said to myself as we soon neared the kingdom gates and walls, which stood about a football field's length away from where we were, "Okay everyone, operation soaring dragon is now underway." I said to not just my forces but also my inner selves. (Thanks to Jin and Nushi's advice, we were able to put together both a well thought out rescue plan which would require everyone's contribution, as well as the right troops for the right task. Yamata also offered other back up strategies so that we could be flexible and be prepared just in case anything unexpected happens in the chaos we were about to create!)
I soon noticed the archers on the walls catching sight of us and were preparing to take aim, while the siege towers were just beginning to load up their catapult turtles for attack! My dragon troops soon armed themselves for battle, "First order of business, take out the wall defences." I thought to myself as I had a handful of my dragons step forward from my army and take position best they could while avoiding range of the archers. As the fairy archers and human bowmen began to take aim from their posts at the walls, I then played dragon's gunfire, which caused them all to generate fireballs in their jaws and blasted them straight at the archers! Seeing the incoming strikes all the archers leapt off their positions in fear as the fireballs blew up their posts!
BOOM!
In response the siege towers along with their posted catapult turtles began launching their arsenal of boulders! Fortunately thanks to their armour, the worst my forces felt was a mild headache after being bombarded by them! "Air raid! Commence!" As I commanded, a flock of my exploder dragons took to the air after hiding within my ground troops before dropping their bombs at the enemy towers, as soon as they exploded on contact, the siege towers began to collapse and fall like dominos! Crashing down heavily and taking down the catapult turtles with them!
After the towers toppled over, the main gates opened and I narrowed my eyes while bracing for a brutal battle awaiting us. As expected, a swarm of foot soldiers and ground knights charged out and yelling loud battle cries at the top of their lungs, and we were prepared to meet them head on!
"Alright everyone! Charge!" I called out as we moved in to engage the enemy! I stayed in the air and had Kaiser dragon fire off multiple blasts at the enemies who came out from the gates. Any forces that got past my line of fire were immediately engaged my the troops below! Thanks to them all being equipped with dragon shield, the enemy weapons barely made so much as a dent on my monsters or even shattered on contact! Despite being outnumbered, it was safe to say we were still on even footing as my forces were pretty much indestructible! I had no intention of drawing serious blood or taking lives in this battle since many of them were only misled or obeyed out of fear, so made sure to have my monsters disable or incapacitate them by attacking their limbs or paralysing them by crippling certain parts of their bodies. (Courtesy of Jin who knew how to show proper mercy to those who deserved it)
As the battle continued to drag out, eventually the royal army began to lose energy as my dragons continued putting the pressure on them all! Suddenly the sound of a horn could be heard from the kingdom as the castle gate opened up and unleashed a horde of more menacing monsters such as battle ox and battle steer and the other soldier monsters! They all mobilised as a single attack group and charged forward to the plain where we were fighting! I then narrowed my eyes, the second wave had just been unleashed, which meant phase 2 was about to begin, "Just like Jilen said….He was keeping his stronger forces in reserve…." I thought to myself seeing the hordes of stronger monsters charge out from the gate! Now it was time for phase 2 to begin, "That's our queue everyone! Fall back now!" Upon my command we all denied them a fight and retreated to the hills and mountains on the far side of the land. Thinking we were retreating and seeing it as an opportunity the enemy forces joined together into one large attack force before charging after us!
"We have them on the run!"
"Cut them down and the battle will be ours!"
"Don't let them escape!"
"For Lord Enigma!" They all shouted as they charged after us confidently over the hilly landscape. I then smirked to myself as it was like luring a moth with a flame. As soon as we all pulled up to where the hills were and disappeared behind them, the enemy forces charged onwards fearlessly thinking they had us cornered at the base of the large mountains we backed ourselves into….But boy were they wrong….
Once they began to appear over the hilltops, they had fallen right where I wanted them, "Gotcha!" I then played a series of trap cards which I had set on the field and then activated them from my duel disk! First, a giant trap hole opened up which then swallowed up a large number of ground forces that came close! Then, a series of normal trap holes and adhesion trap holes opened in the ground which further lowered the number of enemies incoming from the hills! The sounds of screams and wails soon echoed throughout the hills as more and more began to fall into the holes Jilen and I planned out the night before.
"AAAARRRGGGHH!"
(Tiamat really wanted us to use chasm of spikes or bottomless trap hole for this stage of the plan, or even a virus trap card, but we all decided that we would only immobilise or incapacitate our enemies, not kill, to her disappointment.)
Too bad they only looked up at who they were fighting and not where the battle took place. If it wasn't for Jilen and Ikuchi's advice in using the terrain to safely immobilise them instead of brutally assaulting them, this wouldn't have been possible. Finally, I used the spell fissure to make a tear in the ground between me and the approaching enemies which caused them to back away cautiously! As we revealed ourselves hiding from among the hills around us, the enemy forces had the surprise of their life! I had a number of my more powerful dragons like strong wind dragon, tiger dragon, tyrant dragon and chthonian emperor dragon reveal themselves from their hiding spots in the hills and forests, as we were prepared to turn the tide of battle once more! They then took a few steps backwards realising they had been played from the very start!
"Now! Attack!" I commanded as my dragons roared ferociously, mobilised together with my earlier ground troops and began to fire a counterattack of breath attacks and charges! While most of the enemy troops were blown back by beams and flames, others were knocked over or trampled by heavier attacks from cave dragon, backland fire dragon, rare metal dragon or golem dragon. We soon noticed an approaching aerial attack force (Consisting of winged beasts and other flying monsters like manticore of darkness or ryu kishin powered) approaching from the castle, and the knights cheered believing they would soon have the upper hand with sky forces! Once again they were sorely mistaken…
As they prepared to swoop down at us, a sudden stream of fire blasted out from the mountains which made them stop in their tracks! As they turned to its origin they were horrified to see a pack of even more powerful dragons take flight from the mountain and charge at them (Consisting of dragons with over 2500 attack points like dark horus, dark armed dragon, felgrand dragon, tyrant dragon and white night dragon) The fight became even more one sided as they started firing at the aerial squads and on the forces below! Fortunately I told them to hold back and use their weakest strength attacks so that we wouldn't destroy them. Most enemies knocked out of the sky fell down unconscious while my ground forces resorted to simple physical attacks to knock them out of commission such as tail swipes off their horses or simple ramming and biting.
Realising that they had no hope of winning, the dark blade captain and mefist the infernal general issued the sounds of retreat, "We are heavily outmatched! We can't win this!"
"We must retreat! Fall back behind the gates now!"
As they began to fall back and retreat back to the kingdom, we chased after them and soon with their sudden pull back the momentum was shifting in our favour, as we continued to dwindle their numbers slowly from the rear with continued strikes to their rear guard! As they all disappeared behind the castle gate, it then changed into a monster form (Castle gate) which was soon reinforced by a pair of golem sentries which added their defence to it. Behind the gate, the enemy forces tried to recuperate and rearm themselves hoping the gates would buy them time to launch a counterattack, as well as loading a massive wave motion cannon behind it.
We soon arrived at their doorstep and I scoffed at the simple defence they set up again us, "They think a couple of doors are supposed to stop us?" Taking a couple of cards from my deck, I soon realised it was time to bring in the big guns!
"Debris dragon! Come forth!" The small version of stardust dragon appeared with a low growl, "Tune with exploder dragon now!" Upon my command both dragons took to the air as debris dragon changed into 4 rings for exploder dragon to fly through, "The ruler's shouts echo throughout! Hammer of victory, shatter the very earth! I Synchro Summon! Flap your wings! Level 7! Exploder dragonwing!" The large grotesque dragon appeared and landed before the door with a menacing snarl! "Now for dragon fighting spirit! Go! Blast down those walls with dragon bombing blast!" Exploder dragonwing then roared as it charged forward and unloaded its special ability which caused a massive explosion! Obliterating the reinforced doors and creating a massive explosion of fire and dust which punched straight through into the town!
BOOM!
As everyone behind was disoriented and coughing from the smoke, I seized the opportunity to turn it up a notch! I threw out a number of tuners (Magna drago and dread dragon for instance), activated a number of fusion spells and even overlaid my monsters as bright lights emanated from where I was. As the dust cleared, a number of my extra deck dragons like first of the dragons, kachi kochi dragon and trident dragion had joined my ranks in place of my weaker dragons as they all charged in and joined the fight!
"They've broken through the gates!"
"We have no choice now! Engage them!" The commanders ordered as the armies had no choice but to retaliate against the invading dragons! "Don't let them get near the palace! Protect our master!" Chaos soon flooded the streets of the kingdom as war broke out on all sides! My dragons fighting back by smashing enemies into the walls or nearby buildings or getting attacked themselves! The use of cards such as stamping destruction or wingbeat of giant dragon also added to the battle and intensified the situation! Fires broke out in the fighting and many townsfolk were used the opportunity to flee the scene and headed for the safety of the hills and forests! In this scuffle, a burst breath stream from fiend skull dragon swept across the square and destroyed the front doors of the Norvagen city prison, and then released the arrested innocents back into the streets where they reunited happily with their families before escaping to safety.
I narrowed my eyes with regret at destroying several innocent homes and buildings in the crossfire as well as endangering several innocent lives, but it was a risk I had to take if we were going to move on to phase 3, "Come you guys….please hurry…." I thought to myself worried as I had kaiser dragon fly me over the destruction straight towards the palace.
(Meanwhile)
At the rear end of the kingdom, a pair of blade knights stood guard over the secret passage that was once used by Ikuchi and Jilen during their escape. At first they appeared to be standing firm and unwavering in their duty as royal knights, but underneath their helmets they were less than enthusiastic about their jobs, "Yawn.…I'm so bored. I bet even watching paint dry would be more entertaining than this…." One yawned.
"Be quiet you." His partner replied feeling annoyed, "We've been given a task by the higher orders to guard this area and make sure no one gets in! So stop whining and do your job you slacker!"
"Tch! You're one to talk!" The lazy knight growled, "You act all high and noble, but just a moment ago you were drinking bottles of vintage wine like there was no tomorrow! You're no better than me!"
"Why you…."
Before the 2 of them could get into a fist fight, a third blade knight soon ran in on the scene and interrupted their squabble, "You! Both of you!" he yelled which caught their attention.
"Huh? What is it?" they asked cursory turning to the newcomer.
"Haven't you heard the alarm horn moment ago!?" The third knight yelled in frustration, "
"Dragons have invaded the kingdom and are now overwhelming all of our forces at this very moment! They're needing all soldiers at the front this instant!" he cried frantically which came as a shock to the 2 guards.
"R..Really!?" The first knight cried before raising his fist in excitement, "Alright! Finally some action!"
"You idiot!" The second one yelled as he slapped him across the helmet making him spin dizzily! "Have you forgotten about our post!? We're supposed to stay put here and make sure no one gets by us and into the kingdom!"
"You're the idiot here!" The third knight growled as he did the exact same thing to the loudmouthed knight!
SMACK!
"OWWW!"
"What good will guarding a back door do if our frontlines are taking heavy fire from a flight of dragons!? Use your head!" He yelled, "Besides! No one would be stupid enough to enter the kingdom while there's a dragon attack! Now come on!"
"Alright! Alright! Sheesh…." All 3 knights then trotted off and left their posts to join the battle inside.
Nearby hiding in the bushes, Jilen and Ikuchi emerged out of hiding and stepped out into the open for a better look. "Hmmm…it appears they're gone now." Jilen commented focusing hard on the 3 knights as soon as they disappeared from view, he then turned to the princess, "My lady, now's our chance! Let's move!
"I'm right behind you Jilen!" she replied firmly as they both pushed the rocky passage open and they hurried through inside, "Ryuga's plan worked….Just like we knew it would…." she thought to herself.
(Flashback)
"A game?" Ikuchi and Jilen asked after I compared the whole battle plan to one.
"That's right," I answered with a nod, "You see in war both sides take turns trying to anticipate the other's moves and strategies, therefore each course of action may lead to different results or outcomes depending on who you play against. In fact, the same idea is used in duelling or even in a simple game of chess, and the main objective is to not let yourself get defeated while trying to take over your opponent's side." I explained as both my allies nodded understanding my logic, "Knowing Enigma, he's more than likely to treat every one of his forces as disposable pawns that can be sacrificed and replaced as easily as sheets of paper. So we can expect him to be utilising a large number of weaker ground forces to be the first line of defence or maybe even a distraction while he utilises stronger ones in reserve for guarding or as a counterattack once the first wave has done its part. We can also assume he won't hold on to anyone or anything once they've served their task."
"That definitely sounds like something Enigma would do…." said Ikuchi in agreement.
"I quite understand where you are going with this….frankly your deductive skills are just as impressive as both your resolve and abilities in duelling." Jill complimented impressed.
Ikuchi then began to feel insecure, "But still-"
"I know Ikuchi," I said noticing her worry, "The difference is that the stakes are very real, however, unlike Enigma I consider every one of my pieces to be replaceable." I said which surprised her, "Each one of us has a valuable role to play in this and I intend to use each and every one of the forces available to us to their absolute best.
"I agree my Lord," Jilen said out loud, "And I for one accept your leadership." He then kneeled down as he would before a higher authority, "You can be assured that I will follow through with whatever battle plan you have in mind with full confidence and faith."
"I too will follow as well." Ikuchi added at the end.
"Glad you both are on board with this." I said feeling glad to have their cooperation and support, "Alright, here's the plan-"
(Present)
As soon as they made it out to the other end, they looked upon the massive destruction and fighting which raged across the town square and seeing so many people and monsters being thrown into disarray and panic with so many invading dragons attacking at once! "It would seem Ryuga's plan to get the attention of the entire Norvagen army and have them all focus their resources and energy on him and his dragons while we sneak past them, is proceeding just as we planned…." Jilen commented while Ikuchi nodded reluctantly.
"Yes….it would seem…" Jilen noticed she harmed conflicted feelings and worry about this part in the plan so he leaned down to her and comforted her with a pat on the shoulder.
"I know what you worried about, the safety people and the kingdom's well being correct?" he asked to which she responded with a small nod, "Rest assured, Lord Ryuga would never bring himself to harm anyone deliberately. We can be certain he is showing as much self-restraint as he can, he knows that there are many innocents here being imprisoned so he is also using this attack as an opportunity for them to escape, as well as minimising as much collateral damage as possible." He said kindly, "I promise we will be able to undo all this damage when this is finished, now come! Otherwise we shall miss our chance!" He then said seriously to which she nodded strongly.
Turning to the front of them and keeping to the giant wall, the 2 of them began running as fast as they could towards the white palace in front which forth lately wasn't breached yet by the attack, hopefully it could stay that way if possible. "I sure hope Ryuga knows what he's doing….." Ikuchi thought to herself worried about my safety and for the wellbeing of the people as she observed the chaos and destruction flourishing around her in the battles raging throughout the kingdom and hearing the echoing cries of fear and panic, as they ran. She then shook her head, "No! I can't worry about that now. Of course he does! I just know it! Also, we'll fix everything as soon as this over!"
"We're almost there my lady! Don't stop!" Jilen shouted as the palace came into the view and when he noticed Ikuchi seemed distracted somehow.
"Huh!? R..Right of course!" She said as she snapped out of her thoughts. Unfortunately for her, she didn't see where she was going and she ended up tripping over an uneven tile in the road and fell forward, "ACK!" she cried s she landed on the ground!
"My lady!" Jilen gasped in horror as he ran back to retrieve her. Helping her up he noticed a small scrape against her knee, "Are you alright? Would you like me to carry you myself?" he asked with concern.
Ikuchi however stood up and shrugged it off as if it was nothing, "There's no need, I'm fine."
"Very well then…" Jilen replied respecting her decision.
Before they could make a move however, their progress was immediately noticed by a squad of rallying troops who were passing by when one of them noticed them in the distance! "Hey look! Over there! It's the princess!" As soon as that one blade knight made the call, the others soon followed as they soon surrounded both people against the wall in a semicircle formation!
"Halt!"
"By order of Lord Enigma! You are both to be taken into immediate custody!
"Any further resistance will not only be futile, but will be met with extreme force!" As they finished one of them whistled and the sounds of quaking footsteps soon approached. Appearing onto the scene was a Behemoth, King of all animals who landed with a mighty crash and let out a terrifying roar! Freezing Ikuchi and Jilen against the wall! "Surrender this instant! Or face the might of Norvagen!" The behemoth then walked in, snarling menacingly as foul saliva dripped from its jaws.
"Tch! It appears we're surrounded on all sides…." Jilen grunted in annoyance as the guards came at them and continued to box them in even more into the castle wall behind them. "My lady, maybe it's time we used….that." He suggested to his mistress.
"I'm on it." Ikuchi replied with a nod as she reached into her bag and took out a flute of summoning dragon.
(Flashback)
"Oh and one more thing," I said after we had finished putting together our strategy. I then took out a card from my trunk and activated it with my duel disk, causing it to materialise as the flute of summoning dragon, "Here take this, but try not to use it, unless it's an emergency." I said as I handed it to Ikuchi.
"Is this….a horn?" she asked looking at it carefully, "It looks quite valuable."
"A flute to be exact." I corrected.
"Why would you give us a musical instrument at a time like this? And an unusual looking one at that." Jilen asked curiously with a raised eyebrow, "While I do comprehend the importance and significance of music, I highly doubt it would do any good in a raging battlefield." he said feeling doubtful.
"Actually that's exactly what I have in mind, I won't tell you what it is though, it's a surprise!" I said with a bright smile to their confused expressions, "Believe me, its better if you try it out for yourselves tomorrow. In fact, the moment you both get into any kind of trouble or interference on the way to the palace, just blow it and help will arrive in a few moments." I added assuringly.
"You make it sound so simple." Ikuchi said feeling unsure of my claims.
"Oh believe me, it's even more simple than you guys think." I replied to them with another bright and confident smile on my face.
(Present)
"Here goes." Ikuchi said to herself remembering my instructions, "He told us not to use it except in an emergency, and this definitely qualifies as one. Please work…." She prayed as she took a deep breath before blowing into the horn which let out an echoing sound across the area. For a while nothing happened, but as Behemoth took a step forward, a part of the wall they were at was suddenly smashed down! As the dust cleared everyone took a step back in horror to see a massive five headed dragon emerge from the dust and let out a nightmarish shriek! Ikuchi and Jilen took cover near the barracks they were near, now knowing that the flute of summoning dragon really did live up to its name! The dragon then took a few steps forward, setting out a few tremors in its footsteps as the guards stumbled back in fear!
"D…Don't just stand there! Attack!" One of them commanded Behemoth, which cowered on fear at the sight of the colossal dragon before charging forward recklessly! The dragon effortlessly grabbed it with a single hand claw before tossing away across the town like a rag doll before setting its sights on the men who ran fleeing for their lives as it chased after them hungrily!
Ikuchi and Jilen stepped back out amazed at what they just witnessed, "Perhaps you should let me hold on to that. for safe keeping my lady…" Jilen suggested worried at the power that flute possessed, worried Ikuchi may accidentally misuse it. She wanted to hold on to it but then relented, but before she could do so, a large tri-horned dragon suddenly burst out of a nearby house and landed on the ground in front of them with a loud growl!
"EEEP!" she gasped as she fell backwards Jilen put himself in between the vicious beast and the princess!
"Stand back my lady! I shall deal with the beast!" He said as he stepped forward and was about to unsheathe his diadhank against the dragon! "Prepare to perish foul beast!" he declared as the dragon snared viciously.
Ikuchi took a step back nervously but after taking another look at the dragon she then stopped him in time, "Jilen wait! Stand down! He's with Ryuga!" she cried as she stepped in between him and the dragon.
"What!? Are you sure about this?" he gasped in disbelief.
She nodded, "Yes I am quite certain." As she walked slowly towards the vicious looking dragon's face, she then began to rub its snout gently, to which it responded with licking her face. "Hee hee hee! That tickles stop!" she giggled as the dragons warm but moist tongue continued to brush against her face. "Oh my you're a friendly one aren't you." she giggled to Jilen's bewilderment. Tri horn then jumped around excitedly and wagged its tail before lowering itself to the ground, "Do you want us to get on?" Ikuchi asked curiously finding its behaviour to be most peculiar for a vicious monster. The dragon then nodded and let out a low growl in response, basically answering as a yes, "Okay then…" She replied as she got on its head, "Come on Jilen! It's time we made a move of our own now!"
"Y..yes of course…" he replied reluctant;y climbing onto the dragon's back.
"Princess Ikuchi,"
"Yes Jilen?" she replied to Jilen's call.
"Remind me never to question Lord Ryuga's judgement and unconventional tactics. His creativity and unconventional methods clearly have no limits and many possibilities….." he muttered.
"Noted." She replied in agreement seeing that there may be method to my seemingly mad strategies after all….
(Ryuga POV)
"Phew we made it!" I breathed as I soon made it to the palace and we flew over the gates, "Now to find the others….Hope they haven't ran into any trouble…." I thought feeling worried as we began circling the agreed meeting spot while waiting for our allies to arrive. "Ikuchi! Jilen!" I then called out from above hoping to get a response from them. For a while nothing happened while the battles raged through the city and chaos filled the streets as civilians ran for their lives in fear, escaping their homes while the royal forces continued to fight off the invading dragons that continued to swarm in like a plague of locusts! Seeing the ensured destruction taking place around me I began to fear the worse may have happened to them until-
"Lord Ryuga!"
"We're down here!" I then heard suddenly. Looking down from Kaiser dragon, I saw them both near the entrance to the castle waving at me from on top of tri horned dragon. I then breathed a sigh of relief that they were able to make safely to the rendezvous point without a scratch.
I then landed on the ground and got off my dragon as we regrouped at the entrance to the castle front, "Phew, you guys made it in one piece." I was glad that the entire plan worked out perfectly.
"It was thanks to your ingenious and creative planning and strategies we were able to make it this far Ryuga." Ikuchi praised despite the collateral damage it came with, though it was a necessary compromise.
"In fact, I can almost picture a future where you, Dragon Lord Ryuga, shall stand tall as a powerful fearless general leading his troops into a victorious battle my lord." Jilen then proclaimed out of admiration and pride, "No doubt your name shall be engraved on the minds and hearts of generations to come."
"Hahaha….let's not get carried away now okay?" I laughed feeling embarrassed while blushing a bright red. Still….Dragon Lord Ryuga did have a nice ring to it…..
Ikuchi then came in to give me a warm hug to my surprise, "I hope you would forgive me for causing you so much worry…." she then said feeling slightly guilty.
"It's okay," I replied feeling touched for her kindness and consideration for the wellbeing for others, "What matters most is that we're all here together as planned. Don't forget, we've got a mission to complete remember?" I said seriously after.
"Th..that's right. It's time that we finished this." she replied as she looked up from me and finally towards the castle that now stood before us. Inside King Avalon was no doubt being held somewhere, just waiting to be rescued….and Enigma too was no doubt plotting something, by now he was sure to know we were here. I then raised my duel disk as it glowed brightly, as every single dragon in the kingdom transformed into a beam of light that soon retuned to my duel disk and deck no matter where they were, to the surprise of the defending royal armies and monsters who were just engaging them in close battle.
After they all were returned safely to where they belonged, ee all then turned towards the front entrance and walked across the bridge to the massive gates before us, "We may have arrived at Enigma's stronghold, but we still need to secure our position and to hold off any and all forces that may try to take it back." Jilen said with concern, as we merely accomplished the easiest step and that was arriving to the palace in one piece.
"That may be a challenge…." Ikuchi thought to herself worried while drumming her lips in thought.
I on the other hand had already came up with a solution, "Hey Jilen?" I asked.
"Yes?" he asked as he and Ikuchi turned to me curiously, "Is there something that you require of me? If so then make it quick for we have not much time before enemy forces pinpoint our location."
"Actually yes," I answered, "You said you were the captain of the royal army right? That means you've got plenty of experience in the battlefield, like in giving tactical orders and making the best strategical decisions in even the most critical moments I presume?"
He found the statement to be sudden and odd, but still answered with confidence, "Indeed, years of experience to be precise." he replied feeling quite proud and flattered, "Why do you ask?"
"Excellent," I then smiled knowing he would be more than capable for the task I had in mind for him, "Instead of an army of men and steel, how well do you think you are in taking command over a flight of powerful dragons?"
As soon as I finished my request he took a step back in bewilderment, "You want me….to command a flight….of YOUR dragons!?" he gasped.
Ikuchi soon mirrored his shocked expression and was even more so when I began to show them I was serious. Raising my duel disk, it then glowed brightly before shooting out multiple lights from its deck chamber.
Each of the lights took form as one of my powerful dragon type monsters began to materialise before us! From the sky, bright a number of flying dragons, lead by ascension sky dragon and trident dragion, began to soar out of the clouds that opened out like a massive stage curtain. Shooting down from a ray of bright light from the sun came star eater, as well as the gem dragons, hieratics and felgrands who were being lead by Neo Galaxy eyes photon dragon and Galaxy eyes full armour photon dragon! Finally, a large dark portal opened in the ground before us, and rising out of it came Beelzeus, Paradox, Dragocytos and the legion of shadow dragons who followed them. Soon an entire flight of dragons took to the field around us or even flew above us in the air and circling around the palace. Their magnificent display was a sight to behold…..
Taking a step back and nearly falling backwards, he could only look on at a loss for words, "I don't believe it….I…I must be dreaming to bear witness such a sight…." Jilen breathed almost speechless.
"Oh my….How magnificent…..I knew you were skilled and powerful, but to master and earn the trust so many great monsters with such ease must take much experience and courage no doubt." Ikuchi gasped in awe as she covered her mouth. No doubt there was a lot more she would like me to teach her when this is all over.
As they all landed around or hovered above us I made sure to get their attention, "Everyone, can I trust you all to follow along with Jilen's instructions and to keep everything under control here?" I asked to which they all nodded in complete agreement before turning to Jilen and showing submissive behaviour to him, "I'm leaving them all in your hands Jilen, can I trust you to lead them well?"
He then paused for a moment in awe, his mind was trying hard to process what he was seeing as he couldn't believe it. To be surrounded by several almighty monsters at once and to be put in command pot them? That kind of event is beyond legendary and would happen only in ancient myths! However, after hearing a series of war cries and shouts we turned around to see the entire Norvagen army regroup in the central square straight in front of us before charging forward fearlessly! (Apparently they had noticed the over dramatic display my dragons gave out upon their descent and entrances….)
Jilen then nodded firmly knowing if I could trust him with my monsters then there's no reason why he shouldn't let me down, "It shall be my greatest honour of all Lord Ryuga." He said with a respectful bow before he began to open the huge castle gates before us with his diadhank. "I shall hold our position here and monitor the situation to make sure nothing gets out of hand." he stated to us with assurance that he will succeed, "The rest is up to the both of you. Now go! Save our King! Save our World!" he proclaimed as his last few words before we nodded to each other.
As the doors fully opened, "Alright Ikuchi, let's go, time to finish this once and for all." I said to her.
"I'm right behind you Ryuga." She said confidently to me as we both hurried in through the entrance. Once we were inside, Jilen quickly sealed the entrance once more so no one could follow us. Inside the hallways were completely dark and empty, an obvious sign that there were traps waiting ahead of us somewhere in the castle….But we weren't about to let that stop us after coming this far, no matter what happened to us, we were going to finish this today! "Just you wait Enigma, we're coming for you and we won't stop until you and your maniacal plans defeated once and for all!" she proclaimed, "Mark my words, you will answer for all the crimes and atrocities you've committed against my home and most of all, my family and me!" Ikuchi thought to herself as both she and I charged forward into the heart of evil.
Hope you all enjoyed this chapter as the climax to this story draws close! This war chapter was inspired by Lord Marksman and Vanadis, also think of the dragon attacks as those seen in Skyrim.
Stay tuned and hope to hear your feedback and reviews!