Dragalia Lost: Shattered Light
Chapter 7: The Riptide's Maiden
The sylvan forest was crawling with fiends far different from the ones in the Mistholt. Raptors, small flying crow-like fiends swarmed above us, peppering us with volatile shots of water that ruptured the ground beneath us like they were comets. They also threw small hurricanes towards us that blew us off our feet if it collided with us. Thankfully, Eleonora easily shot them down.
"Be on your guard for the wolves. The moment they knock you down with their flying dash attack, they'll pounce onto you and try to eat your face off," Eleonora warned as she launched an arrow through a giant rat, pincushioning it. Those guys had razor sharp claws, pointed teeth and frequently carried mean infections. Getting touched at all by the rats was lethal. With Eleonora's ranged advantage however, they were once again no issue as long as we stayed together.
"Hah!" A giant basilisk whipped it's head at me, fangs first. I stabbed my spear blindly and skewered it through it's neck, moments before the teeth hit my chest. If this was the type of fiends the Empire would be unleashing onto the world, I didn't know how we would stand a chance, "Another one down. How many more are there, Eleonora?"
"Not too many. Just a few wolves, raptors, rats and one big Cyclops ahead," The sylvan reported as she dropped down from a tree, bow at the ready, "We'll proceed as usual"
"Right. Me as the vanguard and you as the backline supporter. We got this"
"My bow will make quick work of them, so don't fear being overwhelmed," Eleonora nodded before frowning, "Come to think of it, do you have your skills at the ready?"
"Huh? Uhh, yeah. Why?"
"Skills are bursts of your elemental spirit. When you activate that burst, it expels out of your body briefly," The sylvan archer explained, "And that expulsion shields you while your skill is in motion. Keep that in mind"
"So what you're saying is that I should draw the attention of the fiends and unleash my Luna Breaker to keep myself safe while you hail arrows onto them?"
"Precisely. Your skills and mine combined will decimate the fiends fast," Eleonora nodded, her bow glowing green briefly, "Now let's wrap this up"
"Right. Here we go," I charged ahead towards the group of blue fiends, arcing my lance behind my back and calling forth my shadow spirit within. As the wolves snarled and begin to pounce, the tip of my Mailbreaker burned with purple flames.
"LUNA BREAKER!" I shouted and leaped, smashing the flaming spearhead onto the group of monsters, incinerating them in the eruption of ebony fire. The wolves and raptors were destroyed, but the Cyclops and rats still remained, "Elenora, now would be a good time!"
"GARRR!" The Cyclops roared, leftover scars and flames still marking his body as he raised his club to smash me. The rats lunged at me, but I swatted them away my spear shaft before dropping it to draw my sword. I sliced off one head of a rat before darting away to dodge the club. The second rat raked it's claws across my arm, but it was luckily protected by my gauntlet. Another slice and it was down.
"Eleonora?!" I called again and turned to see her locked in combat between five goblin fiends. I had to finish this Cyclops myself then.
"ROARR!" Taking advantage of my distraction, the Cyclops swung his club in a wide arc, crashing it into my helmet and crumbling me to the ground like a stack of bricks. My head rattled and I felt blood mat my hair, but it was a miracle the helmet survived the impact. I stood up unsteadily, sword up to fight the Cyclops. I learned in training that swords naturally have the advantage over blunt weapons like axes and clubs, so I should be able to overcome this. Before I could make a move however, the Cyclops began to crouch.
"Jump!" My instincts screamed at me and I made a mad dash away as the Cyclops jumped off the ground and belly-flopped where I used to stand, nearly flattening me. My lance got crushed in the process however, so I was stuck with my sword for the time being. The Cyclops was starting to get up, so this was my chance.
"Die!" I cried and slashed my blade over the fiend's hard face and neck, cutting in a flurry of blows. I yelled in determination as the Cyclops roared in agony, struggling to rise with me wailing away at it's face, "Haahhh!"
With a decisive stab, I gorged the Cyclops's eye out before drawing my sword back, surrounding it in dark energy. As the fiend roared in pain, holding it's eye socket, I drove my shadow-filled blade right into it's chest.
"PHANTOM STRIKE!" I cried as my second skill was unleashed and a burst of darkness shot through the fiend's chest like a cannon shot, leaving a massive hole that pierced it's heart. With a surprised grunt, the Cyclops collapsed to the ground with a mighty thud and dissolved into particles of dark mana. I panted, trying to get my bearings before I went to check on Eleonora. I distantly remembered fiends like Cyclops being classified as "boss fiends" in monster fighting class and I just took down one of them by myself.
"Adrian!" Eleonora's voice broke me out of my thoughts and I turned to see the sylvan walking up to me, riddled with dirt and scars. Still, she bore a proud smile, "Are you okay?"
"I should be asking the same question! You got dogpiled by five fiends back there. How did you kill them all?" I asked, marvelled by Eleonora's rather pristine condition despite everything. Suddenly my Cyclops slaying didn't seem as impressive, seeing as it was a singular foe and he was rather slow. Eleonora dealt with five quick goblins that can knock you out in one hit.
"You underestimate how well a sylvan fights in their home environment. We were born and lived here our whole lives," The sylvan replied smugly, "I simply perched myself onto a tree branch and picked the fiends off one by one. Easy peasy"
"Huh. Suddenly being human doesn't seem that great, especially since you guys live far longer too," I said, sheathing my Ensorcelled Sword. My Mailbreaker was gone, so the blade was all I had now, "What do us humans even have over you sylvans?"
"How should I know? I've never interacted with humans before I met you and Rodrigo," Eleonora chewed her lip, "Only thing I can say is that you humans have more ingenuity. Alberia was a result of your kind after all"
"That's true," I nodded before walking out of the grove, "Well, seems like we're done here. Let's get back to Luca's village and plan our next move"
"Right behind you"
When we arrived back at the sylvan village, only Euden and the other non-sylvans were present strangely. All the villagers were missing.
"What's going on?" I asked while Eleonora scorged around for spare arrows.
"Someone spotted Imperials troops en route to the forest refuge, so the sylvans are setting up an ambush for them while we sneak around and bait Emile away from his army," Euden explained, "Our main goal is to take out Emile and Mercury, so we need them somewhere away from Imperial support"
"Sounds good. So what's the plan to bait Emile away?"
"While the sylvans occupy and pressure the Imperial troops, we'll sneak through the forest and into their backlines to confront Prince Emile," Elisanne replied, "Then we'll provoke and bait him further down Myriage Lake so he's entirely away from Imperial troops. Then we'll strike"
"Ready, sylvans? Let's show those imperial dogs what they get for destroying our village!" I heard Sarisse cry from the western edge of the refuge, "Aim...aaanddd... LOOSE!"
"The battle started! Let's move everyone!" Euden called and we all followed his lead, pushing through the dense forest that bordered the battle between the sylvans and the Imperials. Arrows whizzed through the air, cutting through the enemy soldiers one by one. They were caught completely by surprise and were in disarray.
"It's a sylvan raid! Battle positions!" One Imperial yelled.
"Wha?! No! Stay here, you fools!" I heard Emile's voice screech through the air as our group cut into the open, approaching Emile's backlines, "Don't you dare leave me undefended when there are arrows flying through the air!"
"Sire, if we don't go on the offensive, they'll overwhelm us!" An Imperial commander argued before turning his attention back to the battle, "Armored units, to the front! Defend the lesser infantry! Someone get a torch to burn this forest down and expose the sylvans! Then, kill them all!"
"Idiot! You dare defy me?!" Emile screamed, but the commander already ran off to join the fight, "...Fine. Fight your damn battle, then, but I'm not staying here to die! I'm getting out of here!"
"What a useless excuse for a prince... Fall back, everyone!" Sarisse commanded, "Keep your distance! All of this is for nothing if we get caught!"
We watched as the sylvans subtly withdrew from their positions, leaving behind nasty surprises for the Imperials in forms of bombs and explosives. The moment they dropped down from the trees, they harassed and harried the enemy soldiers, slowing them down immensely.
"Gah, this is ridiculous! What's so hard about taking out a small group of filthy rabbits?!" Emile screamed in frustration, "What kind of soldiers are you?! Take a torch and burn this damn forest down! NOW!"
"Emile, the sylvans are more clever than you think they are. The moment they see a flame, an arrow's going to pierce through the torchbearer's heart," A beautiful blue dragon warned as she materialized next to Emile in a flash of blue sparkles. That must be Mercury, "Exercise prudence. By acting the way you are, your soldiers aren't fighting as hard as they could be"
"How dare you howl orders at me?! You may be one of the Six Greatwyrms, Mercury, but you'll never be as great as I!" Emile boasted and I could see Mercury mentally slap her head from a mile away, "You are bound to me by our pact, Waterwyrm, and you shall do as I say"
"I seek only to remind you of the stakes. You're senselessly throwing your troops in to try and stamp out the sylvans. They will all perish if you hold back yourself," Mercury continued, "This situation demands force. Show your men you have the makings of a ruler, and they will remember it forever. They'll fight harder as a result"
"Yes... This is indeed the perfect chance for a show of force!" Emile grinned madly and grew his Featherblade. Euden creeped towards him and we followed suit, "Come with me, then! The hunt begins!"
"If it's a fight you want, Emile, I'm happy to give it to you," Euden interrupted as he drew his own sword. Emile whirled around, surprise marking his face.
"Wha?! Euden?! You're a stain upon our family, traitor!" Emile's grip on his sword tightened. However, he didn't move or even command Mercury to attack us. He was hesitant. Or afraid, "I can't believe you dare show your face"
"And you have forgotten your pride as a royal and instead bring suffering to innocents everywhere," Euden countered, venom itching into his tone, "So which of us is the true traitor here?"
"Ha! What drivel. I am merely doing the bidding of our father...YOUR emperor. I am completely in the right!" Emile shot back.
"An empire of torment is no empire at all. You'll rule over nothing but bone and ash. How can you not see that?" Elisanne growled, "Or are you so blind and prideful that you only seek glory for yourself?"
"Hold your tongue, or I'll part you from it!" Emile cried, anger lines forming on his face. His grip on his sword tightened even further, but again, he didn't lunge. Any normal person would have impaled Elisanne here and then, but Emile didn't. He was a coward who didn't believe in his own skills, "I'll slit your tongue out with this blade if you say another word!"
"Let's see you try, Imperial dog" Ranzal taunted and Emile looked like he was about to explode.
"Rrrr, fine! You wanna fight? I'll give you one!" Emile roared, "I'll send you straight to hell, where you can lament your fate for lashing out against me!"
"Gotta catch us first!" Euden grinned darkly before taking off in a mad dash southeast of the Forest Refuge. The rest of us followed suit as Emile screamed in anger.
"You're not getting away!" The prince yelled before sprinting after us. Mercury reluctantly followed along as well. As we ran through the boardwalk, fiends popped up to harang us, but we slew them with ease.
"Let's make for the cave by the waterfall over there!" Euden pointed to a mountain left of us, "We can corner Emile and Mercury that way!"
"First, the fiends. Move aside!" Ranzal took the front and cut down line after line of slime and goblin fiends. Two basilisks leaped out of the water however and fired powerful jets that knocked the mercenary down, "Oof!"
"I'll clear the way. Rest easy," Ku Hai stepped forward, letting wind mana gather around his Grassrunner sword, "Keen Blade!"
Curling into a closed off position, Ku Hai surrounded himself with wind mana before hurling himself through the air. The basilisks could barely manage a tiny spit of water before Ku Hai crashed into them, blade first. They fell and dissolved into dark mana faster than I could even process it.
"Incredible! Keep it up, Ku Hai!" Eleonora encouraged as she let loose arrow after arrow, weakening the tougher fiends and showering the lesser ones. We were just about the reach the cave, with the only thing stopping us being a small group of goblin fiends and a giant basilisk. The basilisk in particular was what was known as "menaces". Smaller than boss fiends, but bigger than normal ones. That wasn't a problem for our two wind adventurers though.
"Soaring Flicker!"
"Viper Bolt!'
While Ku Hai's flurry of sword strikes sliced apart the fiends with ease, Eleonora's poisoned arrow rocketed towards the giant basilisk and split it's head open. The sylvan archer then followed up with Vendetta Arrow, pincushioning the fiend through it's neck. It didn't even get to fire off a single attack and it was already done.
"Inside the cave, everyone! We're fighting Mercury and Emile there!" Euden commanded and we all charged inside, not even sparing a second glance behind us. When we reached a large, empty chamber inside however, the duo were waiting for us, "E-Emile?! How did you get here?"
"Oh Euden, you should use your pactdragon more liberally. They are more than just fighting machines after all," Emile grinned smugly, "I simply had Mercury teleport me here with her powers. Such a shame it only works with water, but we still made it here first"
"So what then? We still lured you away from your troops. You're cornered," Elisanne pointed her lance at the blonde prince, "Not even a Greatwyrm can stand against us. We tote two wind dragons of our own"
"Fool! You wouldn't know the strength of Mercury even if it slapped you in the face!" Emile shot back, "For that, I'll show you now. Mercury, have at them!"
"I must do my duty," Mercury said solemnly as she charged towards us, intent on stomping us down. Instantly, we scattered and the wind adventurers stepped forth onto the offense, "Prince of Dragonlight, show me the power that has earned the Windwyrm's respect"
"Oh, I'll show you. I'll break you free from Emile's wretched control no matter what!" Euden opened his palm, summoning the Midgardsormr pactstone, "Midgardsormr, I invoke thee! HaaaAAAAH!"
A brilliant green light swirled around Euden, lifting him into the air and transforming him into the mighty green Windwyrm. Roaring in challenge, Midgardsormr charged and tackled Mercury, the two of them struggling against each other like they were wrestling.
"It doesn't have to be like this, Waterwyrm. We're old comrades. We do not need to come to blows because of humans!" Midgardsormr's regal voice boomed throughout the arena. It didn't sound like something the Windwyrm would say. Euden must have been speaking alongside him, "Cede your pact to Emile before it's too late!"
"Prince Emile made me a promise: a promise to protect my domain with his wealth and power. I cannot ignore that chance!" Mercury headbutted Midgardsormr, ending their stalemate and pushing the Windwyrm back. Before he could regain his bearings, Mercury shot a powerful blast of water from her mouth, making Midgardsormr crash against the cave wall. The wind adventurers attacked Mercury from behind, but were swiftly knocked down by her tail.
"Cleo, healed the injured. The rest of us will take Mercury!" I rallied and we surrounded Mercury on all sides, stabbing and slashing the Waterwyrm with all our might. After they were healed, Ku Hai, Eleonora and Ranzal joined the fray. They were having the most luck, shearing off scales and flesh with every blow. The Waterwyrm was having none of that.
"Waters… heed my command!" Mercury intoned and began to pulse with a swirling whirlpool around herself.
"Aqua Spiral! Everyone, back up!" Euden shouted through Midgardsormr and all of us fell back as far as we could. Unfortunately, the whirlpool sucked some of our teammates in and it was about to blow.
"Ancient Aegis!" Cleo called, casting a blue shield over Ranzal and Ku Hai, but it wasn't needed. The swordsman pulled out his dragonstone and muttered the summoning incantation quickly.
"Roc, sally forth! Protect us!" Ku Hai declared, summoning the mercenary dragon to our aid. Flapping her wings, Roc projected a swirling tornado around Ku Hai and Ranzal, shielding them from Mercury's torrential Aqua Spiral that shook the cavern around us. Water shot everywhere and they flew through the air so fast that it actually knocked some of us down. As Roc faded to light from taking the attack, Mercury turned to Ku Hai and Ranzal.
"Hydrocannon!" Mercury called, preparing to blast another spiral of water from her mouth. Ku Hai and Ranzal scrambled around to avoid it while Eleonora peppered Mercury with arrows, but it wasn't necessary. Euden was back and body slammed Mercury out of nowhere, interrupting the Hydrocannon. Raking his claws over Mercury's stomach, he drew bloody wounds that made Mercury shriek in pain.
"She's broken! Pile on everybody!" Eleonora yelled. Elisanne blessed us all with Brave Bastion and we went to town, wailing on the poor Waterwyrm while she was down and struggling. Skills, blades and magic flew from all directions and I could barely keep track of the fight at all. All I could see was what was right in front of me: Mercury's bloody side. I stabbed the Greatwyrm again and again, throwing down Luna Breakers and Phantom Strikes whenever my body agreed with it. We were definitely claiming victory today.
"Tornado Tail!" Euden cried and he spun around in a circle as Midgardsormr, generating a fierce whirlwind that knocked all of us backwards. The cyclone slammed into Mercury and sent her flying towards the back of the cavern, crashing into a shallow pool of water and her own blood. The Waterwyrm looked like she was down for the count.
"WHAT?! How could my dragon lose to insignificant dregs like you?" Emile cried in both surprise and rage, "Get up, you beast! You can still fight!"
"Emile, stop! You're hurting her!" Euden yelled as he returned back to human form, "She can't fight anymore. It's over"
"Silence! Don't you dare mock me! As if it weren't bad enough being lorded over by our other siblings, now I have to deal with YOU?" Emile roared, resentment and pure hatred oozing out of his voice, "I cannot abide it! None of you are stronger than me. NONE OF YOU! I've barely shown you a sliver of what I'm capable of"
The prince marched over to the fallen Waterwyrm, smacking her with the sheath of his sword like it was a whip, "Now get up and continue fighting. NOW!"
Suddenly, an arrow came whizzing by from behind us, nearly clipping Emile in the shoulder. He yelped, turning to the adversary by the entrance of the cavern.
"Who did that?! Whom ever did, show yourself! I'll crush the life out of you with my bare hands!" Emile threatened and Luca of all people strode towards the prince, aiming another arrow at his face.
"If you're smart, you'll stay where you are. Lay one more finger on that dragon, and I'll put an arrow through your eye," Luca threatened back, centering his aim more on Emile's face.
"You… you wouldn't dare!"
"Why do you come to my defense, sylvan? I nearly killed you the last time you thought to challenge me," Mercury said weakly as the water around her slowly washed over her body, healing her grievous wounds. Just like Midgardsormr and his wind mana, Mercury could naturally heal.
"Perhaps you did, but you didn't finish me off. You held back and spared me," Luca replied, not taking his eyes and bow off of Emile, "The least I can do is return the favor. But the real reason I came here is for one simple question, Mercury"
"... What is it?"
"Euden stands tall because he's willing to fight for this world's future even as it continues to try and crush him underfoot," Luca began, "Can you stand tall, dragon? Or will you continue to bow to this poor excuse of a master who pummels you like a common barnyard animal?"
"Are you asking me to question my pact?"
"No! I'm asking you to fight for who you want. I cannot believe that a Greatwyrm, the greatest of all creatures, would actively want to fight for someone who treats them less than dirt!" Luca cried, "Please cut your ties with him. It's for your own benefit!"
"Ah, but I'm already receiving benefits from it. A promised one, at any rate," Mercury stood up, nearly completely healed from her wounds, "I fight for a beautiful land of azure seas, which I treasure above all else in this world. Emile promised to use his wealth and power to keep the ocean safe"
"Urghh… to hell with your oceans!" Emile cried desperately and Luca's finger twitched, ready to fire his arrow, "You're up and healthy, so KILL THEM NOW! Unleash High Mercury for Ilia's sake!"
"... What did you just say?" Mercury turned towards Emile, eyes burning with quiet anger, "Did you just say "to hell with your ocean"? The very one you swore to protect?"
"Yes, I did. And so what?! Let all the water in the world turn to swampland. It means naught to me. You are my slave now, dragon!" Emile declared and Luca's arrow flew, nearly nailing the prince in the head, "Eep!"
"You lied to me, and thus do you dishonor the sacred bond between dragons and your bloodline," Mercury glared at Emile, the waters around the cavern resonating with her rage. It shook with her primal fury and Emile trembled in his boots, "You two-faced fiend…"
"You see, Waterwyrm? Emile isn't worthy of a pact with you. Your power isn't meant to be used on such petty ambitions!" Euden cried, "You are a Greatwyrm. You are meant to protect the world and control the very elements that sustain our lives! Being a slave to Emile is beneath you!"
"Then who should I devote my power to? When I rose onto this continent, I left the seas behind. In my stead, I need someone to protect my home"
"I'll do it!" Euden declared boldly and Emile gasped in horror, "I understand how important a home is. As do the sylvans. So let ME keep your home safe. You don't need Emile"
"Hm, you would take his place? An interesting prospect…"
"Wait, what?! Do you know nothing, you fool?!" Emile shouted at Euden, "Mercury is MY pact dragon and mine alone! You can't just steal her away from me!"
"Prince Emile, I will ask you this. What is the Dragon's Parting?" Mercury turned to the disheveled prince and his expression quickly turned from anger to utter horror.
"The Dragon's Parting… NO! You… you can't do that!" Emile cried, "I forbid it! We have a pact and you're not allowed to break it!"
"If the Dragon's Parting does not kill me and dissolve me to mana, then I'll know it wasn't a true pact at all," Mercury began to glow with blue light as we all stepped back, "And I can believe it wasn't. Prince Emile, our time together was brief. I do not regret this"
"Mercury, you idiot dragon! Don't try this!" Emile cried hoarsely as the light around the Greatwyrm grew stronger, "STOOOPPPPP!"
A brilliant white flash illuminated the cavern as Mercury severed the pact between her and Emile. When the glare faded, Emile watched in horror as his blue pactstone cracked and crumbled to pieces in front of him. His pact with Mercury was officially undone.
"It is done. Our pact is no more" Mercury intoned and Emile sank to his knees, utterly consumed by despair and hatred. It was a beautiful sight to see.
"Waterwyrm Mercury, let's be quick about this. Form a pact with me and join along with your former comrade in the War of Binding," Euden said formally and Mercury nodded in understanding.
"First, answer me this. Prince of dragonblood, for what reason do you fight? Why do you seek our power?" Mercury asked, "You already wield the power of Midgardsormr. What purpose do you need of two Greatwyrms?"
"To defend all that I love. I just lost someone dear to me because I lacked the strength to protect her," Euden answered genuinely, "So please… give me your help. I need to save both my sister and my kingdom from it's tyranny"
"Hm, I can see the resolve in your eyes. And there is no deception in your voice either," Mercury smiled lightly, "You shine like a true king and thus, are worthy of my blessing"
"Give unto me your trust and I swear I'll return the favor"
"Very well. Prince of dragonblood, I am Mercury. Mistress of the seas, ruler of the waves and queen of the ocean. I cede my strength to you and your allies," Mercury intoned and blue light shined between her and Euden, connecting them together. The light surrounding their bodies condensed in the middle, forming a shining blue crystal identical to Midgardsormr's pactstone. Euden grabbed hold of it, taking it as his own.
"A pactstone? B-b-but that cannot be! How is it possible?" Emile moaned. I was tempted to walk over and shut him up myself. Permanently.
"I was able to break my pact with you because your motives when forging it were untrue. Simple," Mercury reprimanded the fallen prince, "The next time you deal with a dragon, especially a Greatwyrm, beware of the consequences"
"You've betrayed me! I will never forgive you for this!" Emile screamed, deaf to Mercury's words. Before the Waterwyrm could reply, Harle strode into the cavern, clapping. All of us turned our weapons against him, but he simply drew his Dainsleif, letting the dark miasma flinch us in our tracks. A group of five Imperial soldiers came in soon after, surrounding Harle for protection.
"Ha ha ha! Poor Prince Emile. He lost his dragon!" The Alberian general laughed heartily. Emile steamed and grumbled, discontent.
"Where the hell were you this whole time, Harle?!" The prince cried, frustrated, "Ughh, whatever. Kill these maggots and get my fool dragon back!"
"Not this time, Prince Emile. Let's let this loss slide for now, hm?" Harle smiled before turning to Euden, who was still faintly surrounded by Mercury's power, "The real surprise is you, Euden. Multiple dragonpacts? And both with Greatwyrms! What are you, Alberius the Founder?"
"What do you want Harle?"
"Ah, sharp and straight to the point. I was hoping for a longer conversation," Harle feigned discomfort before clearing his throat, "I came to retrieve Prince Emile and give you a warning"
"Retrieve?!"
"Why, yes!" Harle turned back to the blonde prince, "You and Mercury mysteriously disappeared from your unit's backlines not too long ago! You caused quite the shock, to say the least. Some were even celebrating!"
"Harle… your warning?" Euden reminded the general, getting impatient.
"Ah, right. You're too late," Harle deadpanned, watching the shock in Euden's face, "Emperor Aurelius has taken full frontal action on the world and his first objective is to destroy the governors of the elements"
"He's destroying my fellow Greatwyrms?!" Mercury cried in outrage.
"He would never do that! ...At least, my father wouldn't," Euden countered, "No one is insane enough to take on a Greatwyrm solo!"
"Well, Emperor Aurelius seems to want to challenge that notion. You can come outside to see the results for yourself," Harle smiled jokingly before looking at Prince Emile again, "Now then, we must take our leaves. Ta ta!"
And with that, Harle and Emile were escorted out of the cavern by the Imperials. Once all of them left, I spoke aloud:
"Why didn't we just kill them here and there? We had the firepower for it"
"Killing Harle and Prince Emile wouldn't have changed much. If anything, it would of just provoke the Empire to us even more," Elisanne reasoned although her expression was painful, "As much as I wanted to kill those men myself, it would just cause more problems"
"And I believe Emile can be reasoned with. He's still my brother, after all," Euden added as he recalled Mercury into her pactstone, "I'd prefer him not dead"
"Oh! Forgive me, Your Highness. It was out of place for me to wish upon his death," Elisanne apologized quickly and Euden smiled, shaking his head.
"It's alright Elly. I can understand your reasoning," Euden opened his palm in front of Elisanne, summoning the Mercury pactstone, "Also, I'd like you to have this"
"Mercury? You want me to have her as my companion dragon?" Elisanne asked, confused, "Surely there are better candidates for it, Your Highness! You wielding two Greatwyrms at once would be a massive boon!"
"Elly, Mercury's a water dragon. She directly conflicts with my own fiery elemental spirit," Euden explained, holding out the pact crystal to the Paladyn for her to take, "You are directly attuned to her however. You'll make the best use of it. Please take it"
"A-alright. I accept, Your Highness," Elisanne took the pact crystal and it glowed faint blue, resonating with her spirit, "I hope we can get along. I vow to be better than Emile ever was"
"I trust that you will, Elisanne. You have the Waterwyrm's strength at your disposal," Mercury's voice echoed throughout the chamber, "Now then, make for Mount Adolla. Brunhilda, the Flamewyrm is in danger"
"So Harle wasn't kidding when he said Father was starting to stamp out the remaining Greatwyrms…" Euden looked troubled, "Okay everyone, we'll regroup at the Halidom before sending a party to Mount Adolla. We can't let the Flamewyrm fall!"
"YEAH!"
With that, we left Myriage Lake in good spirits. Luca and Sarisse, grateful for our aid, joined along with us and we rode full speed back to the Halidom. Our next destination was the fiery crags of Mount Adolla…
And so, Chapter 2 of the main story is finished. Unlike the last chapter, which was mostly filler and dialogue, this one featured a fight against Mercury to spice things up. Hopefully that made it exciting. Seeing as a lot of the adventurers will be on standby for the next in-game chapter, I may split the parties to deal with events and such to keep things interesting. If you want to be notified of when a new chapter comes out, favorite and follow. If you want to leave constructive criticism, leave a review. Until next time!