Breath Of Fire II: War Of The Demons

by Magus523

Ages have passed since the Second Dragon War, and as the world moves towards its next great conflict, a young man named Ryu travels the roads seeking his fortune...

38. Chapter 35: The Holy Man

Chapter 35: The Holy Man

He was right there behind the first doorway, sitting behind a desk writing, his twin bodyguards standing at either side of him.

"Habaruku!" Katt screamed furiously, kicking the door down and charging him faster than lightning.

"Yes, child?" The old man raised his head to look at her, smiled kindly, and summoned the same barrier he'd used against Tiga before him even as his guards reached for their quivers. Katt skidded to a halt just in time to avoid crashing into it, swearing, but Habaruku kept talking as if he hadn't heard. "Is there something I can help you and your friends with, Miss Chaun?"

"You can start by dropping that little wall of yours," Sten suggested, voice darkly whimsical. "I hope you don't think it's all you'll need to protect you."

"Oh, but this is a spectacularly well-designed spell, General Legacy," Habaruku said, wagging a finger at him. "A work of art, though it still required a bit of polish. Sara, the Light Dragon who became the Silver Priestess of the Dark Dragon Empire's Tiamat Unit, crafted it once she became the last to join their ranks, signaling to them that their destiny would soon be fulfilled. As skilled as she was once her mind was opened to the uses of pain and suffering, however, she made it just a little too thin, too easy to break through. This model takes more power, but it's worth it, wouldn't you say?"

"It's very nice." Nina crossed her arms, surveying the barrier with distaste. "And how long did you plan on keeping it up? Your personal supply of magic is hardly inexhaustible. Should you run, you will not be able to maintain it from any distance. And those two hired bows of yours might take us almost an entire minute, if you're lucky."

"I'm afraid Sinestre and Dexter are both far more competent than you seem to give them credit for, Princess Windia," Habaruku murmured, as the two bodyguards remained impassive. "But that's not quite what I had in mind, no. So eager to leap to violence. I haven't even said much to you yet." He sighed heavily. "It keeps happening. No matter how friendly I am to people, no matter how I try to help them, my presence alone always seems to stir conflict and hatred and violence. I suppose that's why I was named Demon Lord of War. Personally, I don't think it's very fitting. Do you?"

"Well, I suppose I should be glad you're not doing the usual 'I am blah, and I have blahed' thing," Ryu conceded, meeting his eyes. "But the 'kindly old man' act is getting old. Give us a break, will you?"

"Act?" Habaruku sighed again. "You see? As I was saying. I've known you all for such a long time, but this is the first time you've met me, and yet you already despise me. What was it that I did, to earn such hatred?" He paused theatrically. "Ah, of course. Mister Lee and Miss Parcia, and all of their number. You were friends with them, weren't you? Or perhaps more than friends?" He smiled at Katt, who snarled another curse. "And yet you did nothing to help them. You didn't even raise a finger. You let them die, and when you think about that, it's almost as bad as killing them yourselves, isn't it?"

"You dare-" Rand started to growl.

"Easy." Deis put a hand on his arm, putting a finger to her lips thoughtfully. "All of you. He told you already what his style is, as clear as day. Don't fall for it, no matter what he says. It's familiar, too. I just can't think of where from. Why?"

"Is it revenge that motivates you, then?" Habaruku continued, looking from one of them to another in turn. "For the Renegades? If so, I beseech you, my children, put such dark thoughts aside, for to devote yourself to another so is against the teachings of St. Eva. Think only of God, and how you may best serve him, as I do."

"Yeah, because we're going to listen to you?" Bow snorted.

"And why not?" Habaruku's dark eyes glittered with malice. "Have I not done you all enough good throughout the course of your lives for you to consider my words? I worked so hard, on your behalf, each and every one of you."

"Ah, how wonderful," Spar said dryly. "And here I was, thinking that your friend Barubary was our only... what's the word... stalker? Yes, I think that's it. It seems as though we are unreasonably attractive to those of a demonic persuasion. I suppose I should be flattered, but I can't quite muster up anything more than vague disgust. My sincerest apologies."

"I prefer to think of myself as more of a guardian angel, young one," Habaruku replied, chuckling. "One with interest in bringing you all together, so that you might find happiness with each other. It wasn't as easy as you would expect, providing the perfect circumstances for so many coincidental meetings without actually interacting with any of you. After all, we must obey the rules, must we not, Miss Deis?" He turned his smile to her. "I certainly wouldn't want your father to become angry with me."

"Her what?" Ryu and Bow both yelped.

"Later," she told them, eyes narrowing.

"Yeah, okay," Ryu agreed, filing it away for future reference before glaring at Habaruku again. "Let me guess your next line. You were the one behind what Aruhameral did to my hometown. It's either you or Barubary, and somehow, I can't see him as the type to hold a grudge like Aruhameral said whoever sicced him on my father did. Which leaves you. Was that supposed to shock me?"

"Oh, that was far from the first thing I did to bring you all together, or the last," Habaruku told him. "But yes, I had... history with Ganer Bateson. It was he who crippled me, you know, on the day when I opened the doors to Infinity so that my brethren might join me in this world. He and your mother, fighting together against Barubary and I... ah, I remember it as if it were only yesterday."

"That a fact." Ryu smiled coldly, controlling his anger despite its new flare. "Shame he didn't finish you off, but I'm proud of him, all the same."

"As a son should be!" Habaruku nodded approvingly. "He was a dutiful father, both in the familial and in the religious senses, wasn't he? Even after what he did to me, he still remained loyal to St. Eva, with no idea whatsoever of just who I was. I wonder if he would have stayed his hand, had he known? Ah, but that's all in the past now." He met Ryu's eyes. "And despite our past, I still respected him enough to find a new way for him to serve our mutual God, afterward. I do hope he appreciated it."

Katt and Rand each had to grab one of Ryu's arms to hold him back from the wall of energy, and still he struggled against their massive strength, spitting curses.

"Easy, buddy," Bow told him, sneering. "This guy's so full of shit it's coming out his ears. Don't even bother paying attention to what he's saying."

"How unkind of you, Mr. Dogi." Habaruku turned his gaze to him. "I have always strove to be absolutely honest about who and what I am, in keeping with St. Eva's teachings. Unfortunately, not everybody has kept to that path. Your parents... such a pity it was, that we were forced to hang them for their sins. And yours, Miss Chaun. It was quite troublesome to persuade them to follow the laws of your people, despite their faith in those laws, and in St. Eva. And then, after they finally did, the accident that befell them so soon... how sad, is it not?"

"You..." Jean said, trembling with a cold, tranquil rage that seemed wholly unnatural coming from him-his rare flashes of anger had always been boiling hot-as both Bow and Katt's breathing became slow, loud and deep. "You have been doing these things to us? For all of our lives?"

"How else was I to help you?" Habaruku spread his hands. "I knew of your grand destiny, my children, and I knew that you would need to be strong to fulfill it. And so I did my part to ensure that you would be strong. You had to be, simply in order to survive, most of you, did you not? What better way to prepare you for what lay ahead of you? I'm rather proud of you all, you know. To slay not one, but all four of my greatest underlings... that's really quite impressive. It makes all of my hard work on your behalf worthwhile, and for that, you have my most sincere thanks."

"That why you kidnapped my mother?" Rand snorted. "Because you couldn't think of any other way to screw with me? Pretty sad, and a little late, don't you think? Kind of ruins that whole 'for your own good' bullshit of yours, since it didn't do anything for me."

"Nonsense, Mr. Marks!" Habaruku wagged his finger again. "Your mother's abduction motivated you, did it not? Increased your desire to learn more magic, to explore the full depths of your potential for healing, in order to recover her. Just as your father's death motivated her to raise you sternly, so that you would grow up strong, after he proved too weak to survive that unfortunate winter illness. She did it all for love of you, you know. She told me so herself, when Brother Gabriel brought her here. I wonder, though, did she ever tell you?"
"I'm beginning to see how this is going," Nina murmured coldly, as Rand's hands started opening and closing slowly. "You prompted Necromanson to do his mischief in Windia, yes? And before that, that time when I was young, when that superstitious servant cut off my wings, prompting my parents to exile me and falsify my death... you as well, yes?"

"Oh yes, but those were both simply accompaniments to my earlier work," Habaruku explained happily. "Unlike these others, I knew when and where you would be born many centuries in advance, so it was easy to get an early start. Men are superstitious, are they not? So much so that they'll even believe that a thing as simple and silly as the color of one's wings foretells doom and despair. And look at you now. I can feel the power rising from you. You know, every one of your ancestors has been a magician of creation and healing. You're the first one trained in the arts of destruction instead. Isn't that interesting?"

"Goonheim." Sten flipped a knife idly, leaning against a wall. "You bought our services and sent me in there just to get us all killed, right? So that I'd flip out and run. And you had Shupukay right there, to prompt me. I always wondered about that. I know what she was doing, now, but somehow, deliberately setting up a losing fight didn't seem like it was her style."

"Dear, dear Shupukay," Habaruku said, black eyes misting over in recollection. "So obsessed with conquest. It was that trait of hers that made her so appealing to us, a millennium and a half ago. Did you know that she was once much like you, Prince Tapeta? Naive and optimistic, in a world full of wonder. But when those dreams were shattered by war... well, hate becomes love much easier than you would think. Such beautiful blue eyes, turned from joy to hatred... tragic, is it not?"

"I wouldn't know," Spar told him clinically. "I doubt I'm truly capable of either. If you're going to insist on going through this, I might as well ask what you did to me, then. I'm rather curious. I do hope Gandaroof's ailment and my captivity at the hands of M.C. Tusk aren't the extent of it. I'd be horribly disappointed if you didn't do something yourself."

"Oh, I knew you'd be a problem case, young one," Habaruku acknowledged, inclining his head slightly. "Beings with such limited emotions are so difficult to motivate. In the end, all I could do to help you grow up strong was ensure that you would not have many of your own kind to help you do so. I forget how many Grass Men there were in the world before I did, but I'm sure there were many more than there are now."

"I see." Spar slowly nodded, face still blank. "That would do it, yes."

"I'm afraid you were equally difficult, Prince Tapeta," Habaruku continued to ramble on, taking a Wise Fruit from a dish on his desk and popping it into his mouth, chewing it without so much as wincing. "Until Kuwadora got down to work, the most I could do was remove your mother from the picture. Not your father, though; it would have ruined everything, had you actually been forced to ascend the throne. But for fear of that ascension to shape the course of your life... that worked out much better. And then, of course, there was Deis."

"Screw it!" Ryu snarled; everybody but the Sorceress and Spar were shaking now. "I've had enough of this! I'm going to-" He cut off as Deis laid a hand on his arm, staring at Habaruku with just as much calm, quiet loathing as he was regarding them.

"I know you," she whispered, dark and ominous.

"Eh?" For a moment, Habaruku's smile flickered, but then it returned. "Well, of course you do. You're very skilled at what you do, aren't you? You've done your research. Unless, of course, you left it up to the Renegades, but that wouldn't be very fair to them, now would it?"

"I should have known you from the moment I saw you," she continued, ignoring him, and everybody else turned their heads to look at her. "Of all the bastards I've seen, in all my years on this world, I've never met anybody quite like you. I suppose it's natural, really, that after all the nations of the world finally realized what you were and spread the word to kill you on sight, you would run to my sister's service. It was the only refuge left for you, and I'm sure she was impressed by your history. And so, for three thousand years, you've continued to pollute the world with your very existence."

"Three thousand years?" Ryu murmured, mind racing. "That's beyond even recorded history. That was the time where lost technology originated from." In an instant, all the dots connected. "A thousand years before the First Dragon War. He was involved with my original ancestor, wasn't he? The first Ryu of all."

"Indeed he was," Deis agreed, drawing herself up to a greater height on her tail than normal as Habaruku watched her, no longer smiling. "No man who was ever born, or who ever will, has earned death more than you, and yet... Yuna, of the Fou Empire, you still live."

"Three thousand years," Habaruku murmured. "Has it truly been so long, Deis? Or would you prefer Ershin? If that was really you... I'll admit, I'm still somewhat unsure as to how the mechanics of that actually worked. Regardless, it looks like you've endured the years much better than I have." He smiled again, but now it was sharp, reflecting the malice in his eyes. "You were the one I was finally forced to concede on. I simply had to hope for the best, and it seems that my hopes were fulfilled. They all think of you as family now, don't they? Do you feel the same?"

"So, even you were scared of her, huh?" Rand said calmly as Deis' skin paled, but her face remained contemptuous. "Good to know."

"Fear of anything is against the teachings of St. Eva, young man," Habaruku advised him. "Put aside your false Namandian faith and walk the path of the only true God, I implore you. It is a difficult road, but it is well worth it. In truth, the reason I could not help Deis was simple. After all, what more could I do to her that she had not already done herself?" He met her eyes again. "Tell me, did you still love your sister, when you killed her?"

"That's all of us, then," Bow said bluntly. "You done? Or do you have a message for Niro, too? He's not here, but we'll be sure to bring it to him. Otherwise, how about we move this along, huh? As entertaining as all this is, we don't really have all day. If you were expecting me to stay pissed off, too bad, so sad. I'm over it. That was a long time ago, and like you just said, I've got a new family now."

"What he said." Katt slowly nodded. "But hey, we still appreciate all you've done for us. Why not drop that barrier and let us show you just how much, huh?"

"In detail," Nina added.

"Your gratitude is unnecessary, but you have my thanks in return, regardless," Habaruku told them blithely, smile growing gentle once more. "I do what I do for the benefit of others, and for the betterment of the world, rather than for any personal gain. And I am glad that you have found a family, truly. In my youth, I was foolish enough to consider such things unnecessary, but now that I am old, I have discovered a joy unlike any other in my sons, both of which have pleased me... though my daughter was somewhat disappointing. Still, I love her, as I do all mankind, even sinners such as you."

"Love." Ryu snorted, trying to put his father out of his mind, though the thought kept creeping in no matter how many times he told himself that Bow was right, and that he was long dead. "Is that what you call it?"

"Oh, but it is true," Habaruku assured him. "St. Eva commands us to love our fellow men, you see, and so I obey, as I do all of his teachings. Such a great heart our God has... but even God's kindness has its limits. Any who threaten the life of the Archpriest, the hand of God in this world, are beyond redemption. For those damned souls, our God has only one thing. Judgment. And there are those who deliver that punishment in this world. Those such as my two sons of who I am so proud." He turned his head to the staircase in the corner, and casually spoke five words that turned Ryu's mind to stone.

"Would you come down here, Ray?"

"Oh, no," Jean blurted, as Ray Braddoc descended the stairs.

"Yes, father?" He asked, turning his head to calmly look them over. The paladin wore his blue-enameled plate mail, but his helmet was tucked under his arm, allowing his long strawberry blonde hair to fall down his back, and his sword remained sheathed at his waist. Unlike every time they'd ever met before, though, none of his usual warmth was in his violet eyes, his attractive features as cold and unyielding as stone. "Are these people bothering you?"

He'd fought by their side many times before. Ryu, Katt and Rand had slain their first demon with his help, Augus Conte of Coursair; without him, they'd have been the ones in the dirt. He'd fought by their side again in Capitan, after Nina and Sten had joined up, helping them save the capital from the infestation of monstrous creons. He'd kept the secret of Ryu's ancestry, worked tirelessly to help them root out the demonic conspiracy, and been there when they'd convened with royalty and rangers at Duke Kilgore's summer home. They would have asked him to join, if he'd said yes.

And now he stood before them, St. Eva's justice, and all Ryu could think of was their fight the last time they'd met, when Ray had warned them never to raise a hand against the church again.

"These poor sinners have passed the point of redemption, Ray," Habaruku told him, shaking his head sadly. "They came here with others, intending to destroy Evrai and murder everybody within it, including the two of us. And then, when their friends were caught and confronted, they stood by and watched as they died, without lifting a finger to help them. Though our God forgives, he also judges, and it is judgment that is needed now."

"Don't listen to him, Ray," Bow urged him. "You heard us talking before, right? You were right up there. You've got to have been listening. You know what he is."

"I am a paladin, of the Church of St. Eva," Ray replied calmly, slowly turning his head to meet Bow's eyes. "My duty is to the Church. All who seek to harm the Church, or its people, are my enemies, and it is my duty to become God's wrath in this world and turn it upon them. That is all that is necessary."

"Now, now, Ray." Habaruku wagged his finger. "You don't need to pretend with us. I already know all about your friendship with these people. I know what affection you hold for them, despite their sins. But Ray..." He closed his eyes and sighed sympathetically. "Duty comes before even friendship. When you refused to defend Gabriel against them, St. Eva saw. You will not make that mistake again, will you?"

"No, father," Ray said quietly, turning to him and dropping to one knee. "I will not."

"A good boy," Habaruku murmured, looking upon him with hatred as he stood up and walked over to him, cane clacking on the floor. Putting his hand on Ray's forehead, he continued. "St. Eva, praise this young man, who has dedicated his life to your service. Grant him your strength, your swiftness, your immortality, and your wisdom, so that none may defeat him."

"What do we do?" Katt hissed to Ryu. "We can't fight Ray! Can we?"

"We may have to," Nina replied, eyes cold and narrowed in thought. "If so, we'll have to be careful not to permanently injure him. I suppose we'll have to bring him with us, as well. We can't have him going down with the city, once we manage to come up with another way to destroy it."

"Somebody else can do it," Rand grunted; he'd never really forgiven Ray for not taking their part when his mother had been abducted. "I'm not lugging him around."

"Rise, Ray Braddoc, son of St. Eva, and prove yourself worthy of the name paladin," Habaruku finished his benediction. "Show mercy to those who can still be saved, and none to those beyond salvation. Those are the vows you took, and this is the life you chose. The sword of God. As you can plainly hear, no words will sway them from their path of sin. Do what you know is right, Ray. Follow your heart, and it will lead you on the golden path of God, to his side forever. You are the only one I trust with this task, my son. Make me proud."

"I will, father," Ray promised, standing up again, as Habaruku began climbing the stairs, and Sinistre and Dexter turned to follow him.

"So that's it, then?" Ryu asked him once he was alone on the other side of the barrier, folding his arms. "Is that really how this is going to go, Ray?"

"That's up to you, Ryu." Ray crossed his own. "You are my friends, and so I will give you one more chance. Leave. Turn around, walk away, and I will say that you are all dead. Leave Evrai, and never return."

"We can't do that, Ray," Sten said calmly. "We've already lost friends. A bunch of them. Good people. Maybe not your sort of people, but good people, all the same. They didn't deserve what happened back there, in front of all those zombies." He made a short, disgusted noise. "You're smarter than this. I know you are. You can't be blind to what this city truly is. Open your eyes, Ray."

"My eyes are open," Ray replied. "And yet, I am trying not to believe what they tell me. That you are all heretics, blasphemers, terrorists. The worst kind of sinners. Prove me wrong. Walk away. Now."

"Like Sten said." Bow cocked his crossbow. "We can't do that."

"Then you will die," Ray said simply. "Or I will. One of the two. I am not so presumptuous as to assume myself invincible, but so long as I draw breath, not a one of you shall put a foot upon those stairs. You may be my friends, but all the same, you shall not pass."

"Then we shall have to take care of that," Nina murmured, meeting his eyes, as cold as ice. "Momentarily, of course. None of us actually want you dead, even Rand, and some of us are even somewhat inclined in the opposite direction. But Habaruku dies. That's non-negotiable. Past you or through you, it's all the same to us."

"Then it seems we've reached the point of conflict." Ray drew his sword as the barrier vanished. "You ask me to stand aside, while you kill the only father I have ever known? Even for you, Nina, and you, Ryu... no. I will not."

"Last chance, Ray," Katt warned him, cracking her knuckles, as they began to draw closer, all around him in a semicircle. "I'm not gonna lie and say I never thought about what it'd be like to go a round with you, because I do that with everybody. But not like this. This won't even be fun. And yeah, you're good, good enough that I'd be grinning like an idiot if it was you and me just for the hell of it, even though I'd probably lose. But nine on one? You're not that good, and you know it."

"We agree on one thing, then." Ray nodded, still impassive. "There is no joy to be had here, and there should not be. There is only duty... that, and truth." He looked from one of them to another. "You have accepted your destiny, have you not? All of you. When I saw your true form in Farmtown, Deis, my suspicions were confirmed. And now you are here... and you claim that the god you would slay is St. Eva. My god."

"Ray..." Ryu struggled with it for a moment, desperate despite everything to find some way to avoid what was about to happen. "It's not like that."

"But it is." Ray met his eyes. "Your destiny is to overthrow a God, as your ancestor did before you, and his before him, and his before him. Even Myria, whom men claim was a Goddess, was slain. I cannot allow you to do the same." For a moment, he wavered, but then his face grew hard again. "Whether St. Eva is good or evil... I have sworn my vows, and taken up my sword in their service. I am a servant of St. Eva, and I have chosen my path, as you have chosen yours. There is nothing more to say."

"It seems not," Ryu agreed, drawing his own sword and tensing himself to spring, only to pause as Ray opened his hand and let his sword drop to the floor. "Huh?"

"When first we met, I felt a strange sense of connection with you, Ryu," Ray continued, violet eyes seeming almost to glow now, as the room grew just a little darker. "Somehow, I knew we would become great friends, or mortal enemies. Soon, it became apparent that it would be the former, and I was glad of that. Until I discovered your heritage, and began to suspect the worst. In that moment, I knew that this day would come, but still I hoped that I was wrong, that my fears would prove unfounded. And yet, it is here. It's time, Ryu."

"Shit, shit, shit, shit, shit!" Deis was muttering, staring at him, her own green eyes wide. "I should have known! How did I miss that? I forgot all about that part!"

"Wait, what?" Bow yelped. "This is the destiny bullshit? That doesn't make sense! Ray's not one of us, right? And he's sure as hell not a demon, either! Isn't it just supposed to be us and them?"

"No," Nina whispered, staring at Ray as well. "No, there's always one on the other side. One who's special. One who's always from the same Clan, no matter who the rest of the enemy are."

"Many times, I asked myself, why did I exist?" Ray murmured, almost seeming to be talking to himself now, as he turned his sword hand upward, staring at his mailed palm. "For what reason did I survive in a world in which my people did not, alone and abandoned? How was such a thing even possible? To that, I still do not know... but at least I know why. It was all for this day." He slowly clenched his fist. "This is the reason for my existence."

"How, indeed?" Spar's face was calm, but its eyes were focused on Ray. "As you said, they are gone... and yet you stand here before us."

"Uh, guys?" Katt looked around, baffled. "Mind filling in the cementhead on what exactly it is that I'm missing?"

"I would also like to know," Jean agreed. "It seems to be of monumental importance, but I must confess, I do not grasp the meaning of these words."

"Blonde hair," Ryu said quietly, meeting Ray's eyes as he remembered the books he'd read about his ancestors. About the two Dragon Wars that had engulfed the world in chaos millennia ago, and about the enemies they'd faced on both occasions, the brethren to his own Clan that had become pawns of Myria not once but twice. Like the Light Dragons, like him, identical to humans in their normal forms, but with a giveaway that was universal save for one example of mutation in all history. "Purple eyes. He's a Dark Dragon."

"Indeed." Ray slowly nodded. "And whenever a hero named Ryu rises from the Light Dragons... there will always be a champion of the Dark Dragons to oppose him."

"So what?" Ryu yelled, anger and desperation mixing within him. "Like we ever actually gave a crap about this destiny bullshit? Hell no! We're just going along with it because it's the only way out! That doesn't mean we have to do everything it tells us to like good little lizards! Don't do this, Ray! Don't do this to yourself! Don't do this to us!"

"You dare say that to me?" Ray roared back, inflamed, and everybody drew back; they'd never seen Ray truly furious before. Even when angry, he'd always been calm and cold, but all of that was gone now. His teeth were bared, and his eyes blazed with violet fire, almost like lit purple coals. "Here? Now? You suggest that there is any other way? When you charge into my only home, intend to kill my father, and destroy my god? With the blade of my ancestor's brother in your hand?"

"I..." Ryu faltered. "What?" He stared at the sword he'd fished out from the ocean. "Who... your ancestor's brother?"

"You didn't even know?" Ray calmed down slightly, but his eyes still burned, and now his face was contemptuous, as he glanced at Deis. "And you didn't tell him, Sorceress of Wisdon?" Before she could reply, he turned back to Ryu. "Know this, my friend. The sword you bear was made for Jade, the Gold Lord, Commander of the Dark Dragon Empire's Tiamat Unit. It was made for him, at Zog's command, on the day they came of age together. Such was the emperor's trust in him, that he named the sword Empire."

"They took it from him," Ryu muttered, still stunned, still staring at the sword. He knew of Jade, of course; any student of history did. The Gold Lord was his official title, but in his time, he'd been more commonly called the Ice Lord, though never in his presence. Emotionless and cruel, callous and cold, he'd sent everybody he supposedly cared for to their deaths one after another before finally being slain himself once he'd released the Goddess of Lies... and yet, for some reason they'd never told the rest of the world, the heroes who had slain him had felt pity, rather than hatred, for his memory. "After his death. His sword, and the personal items of all the rest."

"Cort's monocle, the ruby one, the only thing he'd kept from his hometown. Mote's hood, that masked his age, that kept others from knowing he was only a child. Cerl's cloak, the only thing her father left her, the Dark Dragon general who caused her Clan to despise her. Zog's crown, forged from blood and steel and mad dreams of glory restored. Sara's pendant, the sign of her devotion to Ladon, whether she served the Light Dragons or the Dark. Goda's hammer, the only means he had ever known to protect those who he loved. And Jade's sword. They took them, and they threw them into the sea."

"Jade." Ray slowly nodded. "The most detestable and the most pitiable man in the world. The man driven so mad by the knowledge of his own destiny, by the awareness that he would send the Tiamat Unit to their destined deaths and do nothing to stop them, that he asked a child-Mote, the Red Dreamer-to alter his mind and erase all morality so that he could. The sworn brother and closest friend of Emperor Zog, who took his sister for queen, and trusted only the two of them until the day he died. Them, and his daughter, whose son married the daughter of two who slew both Zog and Jade."

"That hair," Deis murmured. "I should have known."

"Yes, it is rather different, isn't it?" Ray took a strand of his strawberry-blonde locks between two mailed fingers. "The red comes from Zog's line, the first Dark Dragon ever to be born with that color, who passed it to his descendents. It has faded over time, but a trace remains of him. As it does of others in my ancestry... though not as strongly as in you, Ryu." He glanced from one of them to another. "Know this, my friends, before you face me. My blood has not been weakened, as Ryu's has. Though there is a trace of Wing, of course, since then, my ancestors have all been Dark Dragons."

"Aw, shit," Bow muttered, as the room grew darker, and colder.

"My fate is sealed," Ray whispered. "I have no choice. And yet, I will not go gently into that good night. Come, my friends. Though I detest the thought of harming you, you are the only ones I would trust with this duty. Prove to me that I am not wrong. Here and now... this is my power."

And as they stared, with eyes wide, he transformed.

Rearing to his full height, he stretched his arms and turned outward, growing twice as tall as before as his body deformed, claws and scales and fangs and wings covering him. A dragon, scaled and pebbled grayish-purple, with a blunt snout over a tangle of wicked fangs, his eyes reptilian and bright. A fringe of horns circled his skull like a lion's mane, two of them sweeping backwards, twice as long as the rest, and more horns ran down his spine in a ridge. His wings were massive, and his thorned tail lashed the floor as he towered over them all.

"This is your destiny," Ray Braddoc, the only man they'd ever truly considered asking to join their number who had not, growled through more curved fangs than were natural to any beast, turning his head sideways to glare at them through one blazing violet eye. Even when crouched on all four claws, his back loomed higher than Rand's head, and his tail thrashed even higher, curiously bend inward along its length with thorns lining the underside. And then he roared, and blazing bright magical power exploded forward from him, washing over them all like an incoming tide. "This is my destiny!"

"Crap!" Katt swore as the energy storm slammed them back against the wall, burning into them like Habaruku's barrier had to Tiga. "What do we do?"

"Damn it all!" Ryu yelled as the storm dissipated. Landing back on his feet, he charged, blade in hand. "We've got no choice! Take him down!"

"What he said!" Bow agreed, taking aim and firing both bolts. "Sorry, Ray!"

"Not good enough!" Ray snarled, turning his head away, and the shots bounced off of his scales instead of sinking into his eye. A thrown knife from Sten was just as ineffective. As Ryu and Katt reached him, Jean and Spar behind them, he raised one massive claw and sent both of them flying back to slam into their friends. "None of that will avail you anything!"

"Then perhaps this will be more to your tastes," Nina replied, raising a hand, and the room grew cold as a wolf made of solid, living ice appeared by her side. Barking, its breath a frigid haze, it leaped at Ray, and behind it, Deis sent a sizzling pillar of lightning ten feet wide that scorched both floor and ceiling as it raged towards the Dark Dragon.

"Useless!" Ray roared again, and both spells were dissolved in the storm of energy he breathed, smashing them all against the wall again. "I am a Dark Dragon ascendant! Spells and weapons and strength are all futile!"

"Oh, yeah?" Rand growled; he'd tried to shield Spar and Nina with his body from the second assault, but had ended up practically crushing them when he'd sandwiched them against the wall. Running forward, he crouched and dived, curling up into an armored ball inside the curved plates on his back. "Let's see how futile this is!"

"Entirely!" Rearing back on his hind legs, Ray caught the ball in his foreclaws before it could run him down, and forced it to a halt. And then he began to squeeze, and Rand howled in pain as his scaled muscles flexed.

"Let go of him!" Katt snarled, leaping at him with battlestaff raised, only for Ray to almost casually slap her out of the air. Rolling Rand away like a bowling ball, hitting Jean, the Dark Dragon turned to catch Ryu's sword.

"Stop wasting time!" The paladin bellowed, lifting it up into the air, and Ryu with it. "You know what you have to do, to end this! I've shown you my power, and now it's your turn! Let me see the strength of the Light Dragons with my own eyes!"

"Forget it!" Ryu snapped, kicking at his head and missing. "I'm not playing this game with you, Ray!"

"Oh, you will," Ray told him, throwing him at Bow. They went down together, and as they struggled to rise, another storm of energy smashed them back and burned into them. "The only question is, how much will I have to brutalize your friends before you do?"

"We are your friends as well, monsieur Ray!" Jean implored him. "Please, stop this madness!"

"You were," Ray corrected him, turning his head to glare at them sideways once more. "But now, our crossed paths lead in opposite directions. So be it. I will do what I must! The choice is yours, Ryu! Show me your power, or they will continue to pay the price!" Another blast of energy swallowed up Sten's three hands of flame and Rand's earthquake, and when it faded, more than half of the group were slumped or staggering, unable to rise back to their feet again.

"He's too much..." Bow wheezed, as sparkling light washed over Nina and Spar, who were looking the most thrashed; the latter's arms were both bent in directions they shouldn't, and Nina was clutching her ribs and whimpering. "Healing can't keep up..."

"Spar, Bow, Rand, just focus on that!" Ryu snapped. "Leave the offense to the rest of us! Just keep us all alive!"

"They won't be able to," Ray warned him, as he, Katt, Jean and Sten all ran forward this time. Another mighty backhand sent them all crashing away, and the Dark Dragon growled, eyeing them. "All you're doing is wasting time and endangering them further. You know what you have to do, Ryu. Do it, or they will pay the price! Nina, Katt, Bow, Sten, Deis, Jean, Rand, Spar! I'll kill them all, and you'll watch them die because you did nothing to stop me!"

"Fine," Ryu hissed, temper finally breaking. Without another word, he transformed as well, becoming a drake of flame. For once, Ray took the attack, standing his ground as the fireball washed over him. Ryu landed, his magic spent, but remained standing; though he still felt exhausted, it wasn't as crippling as it once was.

And Ray loomed, scales only slightly charred, eyes as bright as ever.

"Is that all you have, Ryu?" He roared, and the energy storm crushed them all again. "Is that it? Is that the limit of your strength? Then you are lost! I won't hold back! This is everything I have!"

"No," Ryu croaked, without realizing what he actually meant for a moment, until he did. Something inside him was stirring, reacting to Ray's constant assault, waking up a little more with every surge of power from the Dark Dragon's maw. It felt like it had when he'd first awakened to his heritage as a Light Dragon, first transformed, but it was different as well. It felt deeper, more personal, more about who he was rather than what.

"The third stage is the one that's personal," Martin's voice, his ancestor under an assumed name, still alive despite all logic, came back to him. "And the dragon you become then will be given shape and form out of your own heart and soul. What you are at the end of it all, when nothing is left but yourself. You'll need to find another Dragon Clansman to draw that one out for you; doing it this way only works once per person."

"Last chance, Ryu," Ray warned him, lowering his head to eye him once more. "One of them will die, this time. You're the only one who can stop it."

"Ray," Ryu replied, just as calmly and quietly, as he pulled a few Wise Fruit from his pack and ate them. Combined with his injuries, the taste of the berries almost put him on his knees, but he managed to stay standing. "I'm sorry."

And then, as Ray breathed blazing death, he transformed.

Bigger and bigger, he rose on two legs, as his skin thickened. Along with scales, armored plates grew, thick and heavy over arms and legs, wings and torso, head and tail. They were a deep purple, save for those on his chest and stomach, which were the same golden color as the membranes of his wings, layered almost like a bird's feathers. Said wings were topped with clawed, pawlike growths of purple armor, though he couldn't move them independently of the wings.

His feet had three claws, and his hands four, all gold as well. His tail was long and thick and twisting, lined with red spikes on both sides, and tipped with a curving crimson blade four feet long. More red spikes decorated his shoulders, and the sides and tops of his head, spaced around three longer, backswept horns of the same color among frill-lake layers of plates. Though his head was long, atop a short but serpentine neck, his face was as blunt as a hammer, with no real snout and teeth extending from his facial plate. It was hard to tell, but he guessed that he had to be at least twenty feet tall.

"Holy shit," he heard Bow whisper as he stood between them and Ray, and the powerstorm raged against and around him, but did not push him back.

Opening his own mouth wide, he roared his fury in a voice that shook the building, and returned the favor in kind.

He inhaled, first, power pouring in from all around him and gathering inside his maw. And then he breathed out, and his breath brought with it complete destruction. Blue-white blasts of light flew and fell like raindrops, thousands of them all at once, obliterating everything they touched. Ray took the brunt of most of the assault, buckling and digging all four claws into the stone floor, but the floor itself was shattered into gravel everywhere the light touched, as were the ceiling and all the walls before Ryu, collapsing in an even louder cacophony than Ryu's roar.

"Ryu..." Ray hissed as his purple scales peeled away like sand, leaving bloody red ruination behind. Claws and horns and spikes all shattered, and he fell to the floor, a ravaged wreckage of a dragon. As Ryu's attack faded, and he reverted to human form, Ray looked at him and smiled through splintered fangs, one remaining eye glittering. "You did it. I knew you could."

And then in a flash of light, he was back in his human form as well, lying on his back in his plate armor, blood seeping from every joint in it.

"Ray, you..." Ryu started to say, before breaking off as his vision swam, and the floor rose up to meet him, followed by darkness.

More. We need more power. God needs more power. Give yourself to our God. Pray to God. Praise God. Sacrifice your body and soul to God. You are destined to become God's power...

"Easy there, buddy," Bow said as he snapped back awake after only a moment and immediately stuggled to rise, only to fail; his wounds and his exhaustion bore him down like a lead straightjacket, pinning him to the ruined floor. "Just let me-huh?" He looked up, surprised, as healing light poured down on all nine of them, completely restoring them all. "That you, Rand? Man, even I'm having trouble learning that spell."

"Wasn't me." Rand shook his head. "I can do a group heal, but not a complete one."

"Nor I," Spar added. "Which means..." It turned to look at Ray, as did they all.

"An apology, of sorts," the dying paladin murmured, blood trickling from his mouth. "Forgive me, my friends, for harming you. Please believe me when I promise that my threats of killing were all lies, bluffs to force Ryu to the brink so that he would awaken. I never truly would have been able to go through with that."

"Then all of this was a setup?" Sten asked as they slowly walked forward, gathering around him on all sides. "That was your plan all along? To awaken the chief's final form?"

"It was necessary," Ray explained. "To awaken the Breath of Fire in its next stage, now that Ladon cannot do so personally in this day and age. Father Habaruku called up spirits of the past, ghosts and shades of my own kind, in order for me to do so. And so I knew, that if I forced Ryu's hand..." He started to cough.

"Relax," Spar told him, its voice unusually sharp. "We can heal you, as you did us."

"No," Ray told it between coughs, before stopping. "No. You will need every bit of your magical power for what lies ahead of you, further in this cathedral. And it is already too late for me. I am beyond your power, or mine, or anybody's, to save now. By rights I should have already died, but I still have more to say before I leave you."

"Dammit, Ray..." Katt whispered, though no tears fell from her eyes. "Why did you have to go and do something so stupid?"

"Because," Ray told her. "Because it was my destiny, yes... but also because Ryu will need that strength. You saw for yourselves. The second stage is not enough. I'm guessing it has not been for some time. To overcome my..." He hesitated for a moment. "To overcome those demons who you still must face, you will need this power. The power of the dragon. As strong as I was in my own final form, Ryu, you are now stronger still. With such loyal friends behind you, nothing in this world can stand against you now. You may..." He took a deep breath. "You may even be able to slay St. Eva himself, as your ancestor did Myria. No... not St. Eva. Evans, the God of the demons. That is his true name."

"That's no reason to throw your life away!" Nina blurted out; unlike Katt, she was openly crying, face red and wet. "Damn you, Ray Braddoc! Why?"

"My path would have ended today, by another's hand if not by yours," Ray told her, shaking his head. "I am a paladin no longer. I have broken my vows, in the most sinful way possible. My brother is dead. Gabriel. I murdered him before coming to meet you, once I finally realized that his soul was truly lost. I can only hope that he finds peace in death." He coughed again, long and harsh, and everybody waited for him to finish. "And yet, despite all that I know... I have served St. Eva all my life, as long as I remember. This was the only way that I could continue to serve him without betraying you."

"A deed that heroes can only dream of, mon ami," Jean told him, tears leaking from his eyes as well. "You will be remembered as such. As a hero. I swear it to you, your story will never be forgotten. I shall write your song myself, and it will be my finest masterpiece, even if it should take me all of my life to complete."

"Thank you." Ray smiled, despite the obvious pain he was in. "But please... don't tell Kay what I did. That I killed our brother. And don't tell her that I died raising my hand against you."

"We'll tell her the truth," Ryu said firmly. "We'll tell her that you died by our side, as one of us. That you gave your life for the world."

"Thank you," Ray whispered. "It is more than I deserve. Tell me truthfully, my friends. Are the words I heard on the day when Ryu awakened truly those of Ladon? Is the Dragon God real, and is he good, and kind, and just? Is Ladon everything that I always believed St. Eva was?"

"Ladon..." Ryu struggled with it for a moment, desire to be honest wrestling with some of the things he'd heard about the Dragon God's history. "Ladon tries. Yeah, he's real, and he's a God, but he's not perfect, any more than any of us are. But even if he screws up sometimes, he keeps on trying. His intentions are good, and even if some of his actions aren't, he's honest about it when he does screw up. And what he really wants... is just to let the world be, so people can live their lives without Gods or demons or anybody else screwing us all over."

"Then I will dedicate this final act of mine to the God of my people, rather than of my life, and hope that the day will come that he returns to this world," Ray said, voice starting to fade. "The God of the Dark Dragons, and the Light. A God that is worthy of devotion, who will return that devotion in turn. No... rather, I will hope that you will bring Ladon back to this world, Ryu." He coughed a third time, chunks of flesh in his spittle along with his blood now, and when he spoke again his voice was barely audible. "A moment more, a few more words, and then I will cease distracting you."

"It's okay," Deis told him, eyes quiet and sad, causing Ryu to wonder just how many times she'd seen this before. "We're listening."

"Deis." Ray smiled again. "Do you remember that night we danced, at Duke Kilgore's vacation home? I knew there was more to you than met the eye then, but I had no idea this was your secret. I always thought you were nothing more than a myth, but I danced with you, with the Sorceress of Wisdon. Thank you for that, and for everything else. Spar, I'm sorry I never got to know you under better circumstances. The first time we met was an unpleasant one. I would have liked to."

"As would I," Spar replied, face and voice as calm as ever.

"Jean," Ray continued. "I wish more people were like you. The world would be a brighter place. Never become anything else but what you are. Sten, my church has used you and your people badly. I knew this already, but refused to accept it until now. I'm sorry for everything they've done, and hope it will come to an end."

"It's not your fault," Sten said gruffly, his hands only shaking a little. "You didn't send us there. You weren't involved. You never made any call like that. It's not on you. You're a good man, Ray. A good soldier. It was good fighting with you."

"And with you, my friend." Ray nodded stiffly. "And you, Katt. I don't know what has happened lately, to cause such turmoil in your eyes, but I wish I could have been there to help you with it. I can only hope that you find happiness once more, enough to overcome your sorrow. Rand... you, I have wronged most of all. Your mother is in a cell on the fifth floor, directly above us. I do not think she was harmed before I returned to Evrai, and ever since I have ensured that nothing was done to her. She's alive and well, and waiting for you."

"Thanks," Rand replied quietly, arms folded; it was the first thing he'd said since the fight had ended. For a moment, it looked like he was done, but then he spoke again. "Sorry about all that shit I said, back in Carmen. I might have been right about St. Eva, but I was wrong about you, Ray. You're okay." He smiled slightly, sadly. "For a paladin, anyways."

"And you are tolerable as well, for a Namandian," Ray joked weakly, before coughing up more blood and bits. "Bow. You are a better man than you give yourself credit for. All of you are, but you most of all. Silvia is devoted to you. Be good to her, and live your lives together, happily. Ryu..." He hesitated. "I wish things could have been different. I wish I could have done this by your side, rather than against you."

"So do I, man," Ryu said quietly, lowering a fist to bump against Ray's limp knuckles. "We all do. We'd have taken you on board, if we thought you'd say yes."

"Perhaps I should have," Ray agreed. "Give Niro my regards, my thanks, and my apologies, as well." And then his eyes turned to the last of them. "Nina. From the moment we met, I was captivated by you, and yet I knew that you would never return my feelings. Now I know the reason I reacted so strongly. The blood of our shared ancestor, and of the recurring factor that binds you and Ryu together. And yet, despite knowing that, I still love you, Nina Windia. Please don't look unkindly upon me because of that."

"How could I?" She whispered, leaning forward to kiss him once, softly, gently. "I can't love you back, Ray, not like that... but sometimes I wished I could."

"It's enough." Ray smiled one last time, closing his eyes. "This is enough. My duty is fulfilled, and now I can rest. Thank you, my friends... and goodbye."

And then his breathing stopped, and his eyes remained shut, though his smile remained.

"We need to get going," Sten said after a few more moments. "This room is trashed, and that was loud enough to wake them up all the way up in Windia. I'm surprised the paladins haven't come barging in already, but we should keep moving, before our luck runs out. If we get pinned down in this room, there's only one way it's gonna end."

"Yeah," Ryu agreed. "Yeah, okay." For a moment, he was tempted to leave the Empire with Ray, but then he decided that the paladin would prefer if he continued to use it against their mutual enemies. Instead, he picked the paladin's own sword up and placed it in his hand, then turned towards the stairs, his team behind him. "Let's find Habaruku."

---

"You know, this is really unnecessary," Ryu complained. "Not to mention, it's putting us both at risk when more of them find us."

"So I'll put you down when that happens," Rand Marks replied, unmoved, as he continued down the hall of the Grand Cathedral, carrying his fearless leader over one shoulder like a sack of potatoes; he'd seen Ryu pass out for a moment from sheer exhaustion, twice now, just like the others, and he wasn't going to let him exert himself until he'd had as long as they could manage to get his strength back. "No big deal. How're you feeling?"

"Fine," Ryu growled. "Enough to walk, anyways. Are you going to make me order you to put me down?"

"Depends," Rand retorted. "Are you going to make me commit insubordination?"

"Not necessary," Bow told him, sighting down his crossbow and firing as a door down the hall burst open. The well-dressed servant, innocuous save for the ugly throwing knives he held in both hands, keeled over with a bolt through each eye. The paladin following him out tripped over his corpse, leaving an opening that Katt, Sten and Jean took full advantage of. "As duly appointed second-in-command of this gang of lugs, I hereby judge that our glorious commander is in no state to perform his duties, and relieve him of them until he is capable of walking a straight line."

"Am I a lug?" Spar asked Nina quietly. "I don't think I'm a lug."

"I believe he was speaking metaphorically," she replied dryly. "At least, I hope so. I'm not quite sure I could deal with the possibility of lughood. Lugness? Lugability?"

"I kind of like it, myself." Katt smirked, dusting off her knuckles as she stepped over the mangled heap of metal and meat, and they continued onward. "I could get a sign for my door. 'Katt Chaun, professional lug.' All fancy and everything." Despite their usual joking, everybody knew that none of them meant it; their voices were all just a little too edgy, their eyes completely unamused. It was habit, and nothing more. Nobody was going to actually smile for real until after they dealt with Habaruku, and maybe not even then.

Rand had never known what it was like to truly hate somebody, with all his heart and soul, even when his mother had been kidnapped. Anger was one thing; he felt anger as much as anybody else, though he'd put a lot of work into being careful to control it. But he'd never truly wanted another person dead. He'd been willing to kill, ever since he followed Ryu home, but only when necessary, and he'd always regretted it. Willingness to kill and desire to kill were two very different things, and it was something he'd resigned himself to never being able to understand. Until he'd met Habaruku.

"I'm pretty sure being able to pronounce, 'professional' disqualifies you from being a lug, actually," Sten told her, sheathing his knives again and joining her as they raced down the hallway.

"Good point." She made a face. "How long have I been doing that? I'd have thought I'd have noticed."

"You sure he's this way?" Rand asked before anybody else could comment on that; it was a good idea to maintain a sense of when that was going to get out of hand, and know when to cut it off for everybody's good. "We're not checking any of these rooms."

"Positive," Bow assured him, glancing at Katt, who nodded. "We can smell the bastard, even from down here, and I can sense his magic, too."

"Which me and Nina can, as well," Deis added. "He's still up ahead. If there's a staircase at the end of this hall... ah, perfect." Rounding a corner, they continued up the stair they found there, to the fifth floor. "He should be right... you!" Snarling curses, she summoned up a massive blast of lightning from the ceiling towards Habaruku where he sat, behind another desk that had apparently been carried out into the middle of the hallway, going over more paperwork.

"I do have a name, you know, Deis," Habaruku told her mildly, without looking up, as the lightning struck. He made no sound, of pain or otherwise, as it obliterated him, leaving only a scorch mark... and Habaruku, standing a good ten feet back from where he'd been sitting, between his Kimoto bodyguards, who were as impassive as ever. "Two of them, in fact, although I'd prefer it if you used my current one. I haven't heard the other in so long, it would be... strange."

"Get-oh, come on!" Katt shrieked as the silver wall of magic appeared between them once more as well. "Are you going to just keep stopping, dropping that thing, and running as far as you can before it comes down over and over again all day?"

"He can't," Nina assured her, eyes cold. "A Wise Fruit overdose will prove fatal eventually, even to demons. Some of them succumbed to it during the First Dragon War. Let him play his games all he wants, so long as we keep his trail. Eventually, he'll have to stand and fight, and the longer he does this, the worse he makes it for himself when he does."

"It seems Ray's friendship with you was more important to him than his vows," Habaruku said dryly, ignoring both of them. "A pity. I had such high hopes for him, after Aruhameral snatched him up on their way to Gate, all those years ago. I raised that boy as my own son, taught him morality and faith and magic... and in time, of his heritage, and the power that was his by right. But in the end... it seems he was entirely useless. A waste of my time." He shook his head, eyes closed. "But I still love him, as a son, and as a fellow worshiper of St. Eva. May he remain by God's side forever."

"Was that all you wanted?" Rand asked calmly, forcing his rage under control; he knew what would happen if he tried to break through that barrier, and so he didn't, but visualizing the Archpriest's head splattering like a melon beneath his fists... "Would you mind moving it along? We don't have all day, you know."

"Was there something you wanted from me?" Habaruku threw the question back, smiling once more. "By all means, my children, ask. As the voice of God in this world, it is my duty to serve."

"A good assisted suicide would be nice, if you're offering," Sten said in the same tone. "If that's too much, though, you could always just cut the bullshit, drop that barrier, and we can all have a good old-fashioned throwdown. That's what it's going to come to anyways, right? Everybody knows it. Why not save us all some time?"

"Is it a dramatic showdown that you desire, then?" Habaruku asked. "Ah, the glory, the drama, the excitement! How could I say no? Very well then, if a fight is what you desire, I shall be glad to oblige." He turned away and began making his way down the hall, his bodyguards flanking him. "Up on the roof, I think. I built it specifically for such purposes. I think you'll agree, once you see it. Do try not to take all day this time."

"I'm not sure quite which is worse," Spar said clinically as the Demon Lord and his goons departed. "The fact that he's so insultingly obvious about how every action of his is specifically meant to provoke us, or the fact that he's so good at it that it's working despite our knowledge of the previous fact."

"I just want to rip his face off and make him eat it," Katt muttered, watching the wall of silver light and tapping her foot. "Along with other parts I can think of. How long are we going to be waiting here, huh?"

"Anybody got a deck of cards?" Sten snarked. "Some dice, maybe?" Katt kicked him.

"Heretics!" A paladin called from down the stairs behind them. "Pray to God for salvation and forgiveness while you can!"

"There you go," Rand told her. "Something to keep you busy."

"Yeah, yeah, I got it." She glanced around. "Anybody else?"

"I could stand to let a little more stress off, I suppose," Nina agreed, and Sten and Jean both nodded as well.

"We'll start searching the cells for Rand's mom," Ryu said, watching them go. "If he'll let me down, anyways."

"Tell you what." Rand walked back over to the corner of the hall, by the stairs, and set him down on the floor, propping his back up against a wall. "You can help if you can stand up by yourself. Sound fair?"

"That all?" Ryu smiled weakly, placing his hands on the floor. "Come on, give me something that's more of a challenge." It took three tries, but on the third he was back on his feet, swaying unsteadily. "Yeah. Getting better."

"If you say so, buddy." Bow gave him a look, but chose not to comment. "All right, let's start looking in the ones on that-"

"What's all the noise?" A familiar voice roared from the first cell on the right on the other side of the wall, and Rand's heart jumped for a moment as the pile of furs in the corner stirred, revealing a scowling face. "Bad enough that you lunatics are doing this, but can't you let me get some..." She trailed off as she saw who they were, standing up and walking over to the bars, her eyes wide.

Daisy Marks had never been a beautiful woman, but his earliest memories of her had been filled with enough joy and laughter to make up for it; it was easy to see why Rand's father had fallen for her, despite how massively muscular she was, more than any woman he'd ever seen even among his own Clan. Widowhood had turned her smiles to scowls, however, and her face was hard and angry, despite how her bun of deep red curls remained untouched by gray or white even in her fifties. She wore men's clothing, tan breeches and a purple cotton shirt, with heavy boots, though they'd taken her riding crop.

He'd never thought he'd be so happy to see the woman who'd made ten years of his life a living hell.

"Mrs. Marks," Bow said, walking as close to the barrier as he could without touching it. "We apologize profusely for the wait. Just a moment more, and as soon as this spell collapses, we'll get you out of there."

"Mr. Dogi, isn't it?" She replied after a moment, her usual scowl reappearing. "Well, I'm not one to look a gift horse in the mouth. Is my shiftless son still with you, then?" Her eyes fell upon Rand then, at the back of the hall, and narrowed considerably. "There you are! What are you doing here, you idiot? Don't you know where this is?"

"Yeah, I do, mom," Rand muttered, looking down at his feet. No matter how many times he'd promised himself he was going to stand up to her, call her out on everything she'd done to him, whenever he actually stood in her presence his nerve always left him. It had taken him every ounce of will and frustration in his body just to walk away, to leave home and never look back, without even telling her he was going. "That's why we're here. We were going to blow the place sky-high, but..." He glanced at Ryu and grimaced. "That ended up not working out."

"Then why are you still here?" She demanded, placing her hands on her hips. "I thought you were some sort of pro now! Can't you figure out what to do when a plan's botched?"

"Two reasons, Mrs. Marks," Spar explained, polite as ever; Rand remembered that she'd seemed to like the Grass Man, at least as much as she ever liked anybody, which wasn't much. "First, even if we are no longer able to demolish the Grand Cathedral, we can at least rid the earth of the Archpriest's contamination. We'll be continuing our hunt for him momentarily, once we've freed you."

"Hmph." Daisy crossed her arms. "Well, I can't argue that one. Suppose I'll just have to hope you're good enough to pull it off. What's the other reason?"

"You, mom," Rand told her, a hint of accusation entering his voice now. "We came here to save you. We weren't going to leave without doing that, any of us." There was no response to that, and when he looked up, her face was blank, almost wooden.

"Bull," she shot back eventually. "Tell me another one."

"It's true, Mrs. Marks," Deis assured her. "Locating you was our top priority, planning this, even above dealing with the Archpriest. It still is. Rand is..." She struggled with it for a moment, and Rand looked away. "Very important. To all of us."

"Even if he was, which I guess I'll give the benefit of the doubt for the moment, why would that matter?" She glared at Rand. "Didn't you already make your opinion on that clear when you walked out on me?"

"No, I..." Rand made a face. "I mean, yes, I... dammit, mom." He hung his head. "I couldn't take it any more. I just couldn't. I'm sorry." After a moment, he raised his head again and met her eyes. "But you're still my mom. I never said anything about that."

"You never had the nerve to," she snapped. "But you were thinking it."

"No." He shook his head as the magical barrier finally went down. The others were all looking at him and Daisy, sympathy etched upon their features; he couldn't force himself to meet their eyes. "That was the one thing I never thought. No matter how bad it got, no matter what you did... you were always my mom."

"All right, we got..." Katt was saying as she and the others came back up. "Oh, hey, you found her! How are we going to get her out of there?"

"That does seem to be the operative question," Sten agreed, walking over to examine the bars closely. "Guntz steel, just like in Highland. I'll have to pick the lock."

"You don't have time for that!" Daisy barked, as if the previous topic of discussion had never happened. "Rand, get over here!"

"Even I can't pull those out of there, mom," he told her, though he walked over. "They're too strong."

"Are you a coward, or a wimp?" She yelled. "Because I didn't raise either! If you can't pull 'em out, knock 'em down! You telling me these things are gonna stand up to you with a running start if you put your weight behind it? I don't think so!"

"She's got a point," Katt agreed. "Even I wouldn't be able to stop that. You'd flatten me."

"But..." Rand started to protest, then sighed. "Yeah, okay. I'll try." Bracing himself for a painful rebound, he stepped back from the cell to the opposite one, squared his shoulders, and charged. As he ran, he dived forward and curled up, the curved armored plates all along his back forming a ball. He rolled onward, picking up speed, and then with an impact that rattled his skeleton, slammed to a halt. Uncurling, he shook his head to clear the stars.

"You see?" He groaned. "I told you it..." He trailed off as he saw the bars; they were lying flat on the cell's floor, deep scars carved in the stone ceiling above from the sockets, as well as in the floor below where they'd come out the other way.

"I was the one who told you, knucklehead!" Daisy growled; she'd raised her hand and caught the bar that would have hit her in the head, apparently ignoring those that had bounced off of her arms and shoulders. "Your brain might be made of rock, but so's the rest of you! That's the problem with you! You always underestimate yourself! Not just your strength, everything else! If you'd just get up more nerve, nothing would be able to stop you!" She glared at the others. "You all make sure he remembers that, all right? He's your responsibility now!"

"We will," Ryu promised, somehow managing to keep a straight face. "We'd offer to escort you out of the city, but-"

"You?" She snorted. "You look dead on your feet! And you've got business to see to, don't you? You're all as softhearted as my idiot son, and softheaded, too! Just tell me the way out of here! I'll mug a nun on the way down for a disguise!"

"Head down the halls until you're on the first floor," Sten told her. "Staircase at the end of each one. Pretty routine. You'll come out in the nave; just head out through the front, and then keep going to actually get out of the church."

"You won't be able to leave the city normally, though," Bow told her. "Ask a townsperson where to find Brightways; they're all soulless drones, so they won't ask why a nun would need to know. The house with the busted door's what you're looking for. Down in the basement, behind a cabinet, there's some caves leading out of the city." He paused. "I'd say to watch out for the monsters, but somehow, I doubt you'll have much trouble."

"All right," she said levelly. "I can do that. Suppose I'll figure out some way to signal a ship or something."

"That won't be necessary," Nina told her quietly. "Just set a signal fire, around sunset, and we'll pick you up. We plan on riding the Great Bird out of here, and..." She took a deep breath. "I think she'd like meeting you. Meeting Rand's mother."

"All right," Daisy agreed after a long, silent moment, scrutinizing her face. "I'll take you up on that much." She walked out of the cell and past them, back down the hall. "Now get going! Don't you have a hit to take care of?" Without waiting for a response, she stomped down the stairs.

"Wow," Sten muttered. "Just... wow."

"That's what you said the first time we met her," Bow pointed out.

"My opinion remains unchanged," he shot back.

"Can't argue that one."
"Come on," Ryu said, walking forward, almost managing to pass for normal. "She's got a point. Habaruku's waiting for us. Let's try not to disappoint him, huh?"

"Unanimously agreed." Jean nodded, an unusual coldness in his eyes, as they formed up around their leader and continued up to the next floor. The hallway on the sixth level was identical to those on the three below the prison level; it stretched for what seemed to be the entire length of the building before turning right, and then again, and then again. Only after the final turn were things different; there were no doors in the walls for that last stretch, the walls bare and empty even of torches.

"I don't like the looks of this," Sten muttered, surveying it. "We didn't see anybody on this whole floor, either."

"I'll take a look," Nina offered, flying forward; with her wings, she had no need to risk setting off traps by stepping on cobblestones. She reached the stairs without an issue, and turned to look back at them. "Who's next?"

"Let me try something," Katt offered, running forward. Vaulting off her battlestaff, she leaped across the hall and landed next to Nina without touching ten feet of floor. "All right!"

"Shame we can't all do that," Sten quipped.

"I could throw you," Rand offered.

"Pass."

"Let's go, then," Ryu said, nodding. "But be careful." Clustered together, they began walking forward, careful to step only on as many bricks as necessary. As they neared the other side, Rand almost thought that they were being too paranoid, that there was no trap, and that soon they'd finally be able to get their hands on Habaruku.

And then the brick beneath his foot sunk in, and as the walls to either side came bearing down on them, he realized in an instant what he would have to do.

"Go!" He roared as the others spun, slamming them all with his huge arms and shoving them forward, out of the way. As they tumbled, he continued the motion, moving his arms to his sides and his palms out. Even then, it was almost too late; the walls slammed together on both sides of him, with enough force that he was sure he was dead. And yet, after a moment, he realized he still felt the strain of holding them back, more painful than anything he'd ever felt before.

"Rand!" Katt yelled, running forward.

"Don't!" He shouted, and she halted, eyes wide. "Don't any of you come in here! I don't know how long I can hold this!" It burned, every muscle in his arms and chest and back all screaming at him, and he had to fight the urge to bend down on one knee; if he did, it would all be over.

"That's why I'm coming back!" She protested. "I'll help you!" Before he could think up a reply, she was there next to him, shoving against the wall on the right. For the first time since he'd met her, Rand saw her full strength; her slender, iron-hard muscles stood out all over her body like cables, almost to the point of deforming her, as she dug her boots in hard enough to scrape into the floor, and pressed against the wall.

It didn't move, not even an inch.

"Come on, guys!" Bow urged the others.

"Don't," Rand told him. "You can't get past me. There isn't room." He'd almost made it to the end of the hall before springing the trap; there was room for Katt between him and the edges, but nobody else. "Shit! I really blew it this time!"

"Don't be stupid," Katt growled between gritted teeth. "This wasn't your fault. We'll get you out of this, and then..." She screamed, wild and feral, before falling to her knees as the strain on Rand's muscles grew even worse. "No!"

"I'll take care of it!" Deis offered, raising her staff. "Come on, Nina, get the other side!"

"Don't," the Princess told her, shaking her head. "Even if we were able to destroy the walls, the rubble would simply fall on him and crush him."

"Give me some more Wise Fruit," Ryu said, crossing his arms. "I can do one more transformation if I force myself."

"Don't," Rand repeated. "You'd wipe it out, yeah, but you'd kill me, too. That new trick of yours is something awesome, all right, but precision aim ain't how it works." He grunted, somehow managing to keep his arms locked. "Katt, get back over there."

"No!" She blurted, scrambling back to her feet and staring at him in horror. "I know what you're going to say, and you can forget it! We're not leaving you here, Rand!"

"What she said," Bow agreed. "We'll figure something out, just give us a minute!"

"I don't have a minute," Rand told them, shaking his head. "It's killing me, just holding it like this. Feels like I'm in a vise. Think it's tightening more, too." He grunted again. "You guys... get Habaruku for me, okay?"

"Forget it!" The Woren girl turned to the wall again.

"Don't!" He bellowed once more, louder than he'd ever spoken to her before, and she shrank away from him, surprise and hurt mixed in her eyes. Seeing that was almost enough to weaken him, but he forced himself to keep both his voice and his muscles steady. "Don't be stupid. You think I want any of you to die here, too? You think I want that to be the last thing I think? That I got you killed?"

"No," Jean pleaded, voice soft. "No, mon ami, but... I beg you, do not do this."

"Wasn't my idea." Rand told him, sweating. "But I'm stuck with it all the same. There's no way out. All there is to it. Looks like this is as far as I go." He chuckled bitterly. "We're really on a roll, aren't we? One of those days, I guess."

"That ain't funny, man," Sten told him, hands shaking slightly, and Rand realized he was probably remembering all the other friends he'd watched die. "This isn't a joking matter. Stop it. Stop it right this instant, soldier."

"Gotta laugh, right?" Rand almost shrugged, but managed to catch himself in time. "Beats crying. That's how we always did it, isn't it? Look, guys. We're pros. I knew the risks, when I joined up, and I did it anyways. Not because I thought I'd be any good at it, like the rest of you. I joined because of you guys. Because I wanted to stick around with you. I felt like I'd found something I'd been looking for all my life, you know? With you guys. And I did." He smiled, despite the pain he was in. "I don't regret it. Not a moment of it. We had some good times, didn't we? Thanks. For everything."

"Rand," Deis whispered, eyes locked on his.

"Go on," he told her, told all of them. "Get going. The rest is up to you guys. I'm counting on you to make that bastard pay. For Ray, for Tiga, for Claris, for all the Renegades. For all the people he's sacrificed to their God. And for me. Call it a last request, huh?"

"Listen to yourself, Rand!" Ryu yelled again, his exhaustion apparently overcome by sheer force of will. "You're talking nonsense!"

"What he said!" Bow agreed. "We can-"

"Go!" He roared again, and this time they all shrank back a little, even Ryu; Nina looked traumatized, and the guilt of that hit Rand like a hammer, but still he managed to continue to yell, just like his mother always had. "Get going! What are you waiting for? We all know this is a done deal! You're wasting time, and Habaruku might be getting away! You really think he's going to wait around for you forever? Get moving!"

"But Rand..." Katt whimpered, her tail limp and lifeless, her ears flat and her eyes filled with pain. "We can't..."

"Please," he whispered, his anger leaving him as quickly as it had come, and he closed his eyes. "Please, just go. I don't..." He choked on it for a moment before continuing. "I don't want you guys to see me die. Please. Don't."

When he opened his eyes again, they were gone, and he was alone.

"Heh." He chuckled under his breath. "Figures the one time I act like her..." For a moment, he considered just giving in and getting it over with, but then he realized that wasn't what he was going to do. It wasn't what any of the others would do, and that meant that he wouldn't, either. No matter how painful it was, no matter how long it took, no matter how slow it would be... he wouldn't stop fighting, not even for an instant, even if it was hopeless.

And then another voice echoed through the hall, and it took every inch of restraint in his body not to tense up in shock.

"What the hell is this?" Daisy shouted from behind him. "You got stuck in a trap? Now, of all times? Unbelievable! This isn't the time to screw around, you moron!"

"Don't come any closer, mom!" Rand yelled, trying to get his head to turn around enough to look behind him. "I don't know how far back it goes, I can't see! Whatever you do, don't step in here too!"

"You're just lucky I can't clobber you right now for that one, idiot!" Daisy bellowed. "I tell you what to do, not the other way around, and don't you forget it! Not that you ever listen! And look at you now, because of that! You can't even move a few steps forward? Pitiful!"

"It's too much," Rand growled. "Taking everything I have just to hold it like this. If I move at all, it'll crush me. It's going to do that anyways, but not as long as I can hold it back. Not going down without a fight. You taught me that much."

"Guess I did, didn't I?" She admitted grudgingly. "Heard you, down below. Figured out how to yell, too, didn't you? Let me guess, your team wanted to stay here and get themselves killed with you, until you told them what's what. Not bad, for a dimwit. Well, I'm here now. Figures even when you finally start to make a man of yourself, you still need me to save you. Come on, let's go. On three, all right?"

"Mom-" Rand tried to say.

"Shut up!" She barked. "Ready? One, two, three!" He heard her grunt, behind him, and for a moment he almost felt the pressure weaken, just a little... but then it returned, and he heard her breathing heavily behind him.

"Sorry," he told her quietly. "I'm all out of strength. I don't have anything left."

"Always apologizing," she muttered angrily behind him. "Always looking away. That's the problem with you, moron. You never learned how to stand up for yourself. No matter how many times I beat you down, even when you got back up again, you never fought back. Just ran off." After a moment, she continued. "Tell me about them. About these people you've found."

"Mom, I can't..." Rand groaned.

"Tell me," she said, and her voice was quiet and soft, enough so that he almost thought the pain was causing him to hear things. "I want to know what you've made of your life."

"They're..." Rand grasped for words. "They're a bunch of roughnecks and rebels. Street kids, orphans, outcasts and exiles. Punks, really, the lot of them. Ryu, he's our boss. Ryu Bateson. Him and Bow Dogi, they lost their families when they were brats. Grew up on their own, together. Grew up hard, and bad, and learned how to kill if they had to... but not if they didn't, and they take care of their own. They took me in. Let me join up, after I helped Ryu out, even though I had no idea what I was doing in this line of work. Gave me a room, a job... and a team."

"Huh." Daisy said after a moment. "And the rest?"

"Sten's had a hard life," Rand went on. "He was a general, until the war got to him, like it did to old man Merlo. But because it did... he picked up morals, and standards. He's trying to be a better person than he was before. Nina's just as bad. She's a princess, but they had to exile her, for her own safety, or else some stupid cult would have killed her because of the color of her wings. And she wasn't tough, like most of us, so it broke her... but I think she's finally putting herself back together."

"What about that snake sorceress?" Daisy asked archly. "I saw the way you two were looking at each other, back in Farmtown."

"Deis?" Rand chuckled; he was glad they'd gotten that straightened out, between them, before coming to Evrai. "Nah. I wish, but... she might be taken. I think. Not really sure. Still, I'm just glad to have somebody else who's an actual adult on the team. Her and Spar, the Grass Man. It's a good guy, even if it's all logic, all the time. We're the first friends it's ever had, you know? Niro doesn't count as an adult; that's our clerk, you haven't met him. Crazy old geezer, but I like him. Jean..." He chuckled again. "Is Jean. I don't know how else to say it, with him."

"And that loudmouthed catgirl?" Daisy pressed.

"Katt..." Rand thought back to when they'd first met, in the cabin on the Windia-Nanai border where travelers stayed for the night, for a price. A hotblooded, violent brat, too reckless for her own good... and too friendly, as well. "She's immature, noisy, impulsive, and thickheaded... but nothing ever gets her down for long. She's the most optimistic person I've ever met. She's like a daughter to me. They're all like kids to me. All except the ones who are older than I am."

"Then you'd better make sure they turn out okay," she told him, her voice firm and hard again now. "Better than you did, moron. You hear me? You be a better father than I was a mother, to all of them. Don't just let them walk all over you, the way I bet you usually do. Tell them what they need to hear, when they need to hear it, like you just did earlier. But don't forget who you are, either. That stupid soft heart of yours... that's what they like about you, isn't it?"

"Mom," Rand growled, frustrated again. "I'm not going to be able to do any of that. Why can't you just listen to me, just this once?"

"I am listening," she told him harshly. "The way you never did, no matter how much I yelled, you moron. You never learned to listen to your mother, that's what's wrong with you. I did everything I could to teach you how to be a man, after..." She paused for a moment, silent, before continuing. "Anyways, I gave up hope on that when you ran off, but it looks like these friends of yours know something I don't. Whatever it is, it's good for you. Stay with them. And Rand..." She lowered her voice. "You're a good man. All right? There. I said it. Will you remember that? And one thing more?"

"Yeah," Rand admitted, too tired to argue any more. "All right. I promise. What?"

"I love you, son," she whispered, and then as the light dawned, she slammed into him from behind, knocking him forward and out of the trap.

As he fell on his hands and knees, he heard a colossal crash from behind him that shook the entire building.

Slowly rising back to his feet, he turned to stare at the two walls, closed so tight against each other that not even an ant would be able to get through.

"Mom?" He whispered, as the walls leaked red.

BE A SIMPLE KIND OF MAN