Authors Note1: Please don´t be confused, some of the events in this chapter happen at the same time even if I have written them one after another.
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The people of Orario had had a lot to endure in the past few hours.
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Monsters ran amok, Evilus attacked again, the three great Familia´s fought in the streets against them...it was almost like the dark times were back.
But some people were lucky without knowing it or even thinking it couldn´t get any worse right now.
Eina Tulle was one of the latter variety, she hadn't made it to Babel or her home in time. So like many others, she tried to hide in the city or fled from the danger. Never before had she seen such strong monsters, she saw adventurers dying before her eyes...as well as citizens. Eina was not just in panic, she was traumatized by these events. Only one instinct was in her, flee.
Screaming in fear, she ran through the smoke filled streets, a bone sheep without any javelins, following her. The monster felt that she was prey and no danger, so there was no rush. There was no one that could help Eina, most houses were barricaded or...broken up...
Oh no, oh please no! I don´t want to die! Please!
Tears filled her eyes, the clacking always behind her.
Bell! Where are you?! I beg of you, save meeee!
Eina Tulle´s death was only moments away as it came even worse. A titanic scream tore the sky above her and she heard something massiv falling, something that dissolved the smoke as it fell right onto her...
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!"
Eina saw the black dragon falling...there was no way she could evade.
It´s over...
Tears streamed down her cheeks.
Bell...I always wanted to say that to you...I lov-
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Causing an earthquake, the giant dragon slammed onto the street, landing right on his wings, breaking them in countless places, blood spurted through the air, his giant body crushed the bone sheep...
and...it was so unlikely that even luck couldn´t be the cause anymore...he missed Eina Tulle by an arms length...
The force of his impact flung her back...right into abandoned baskets of laundry...so she landed unhurt, but with the shock of her live. It was too much for Eina, she passed out. It might be better for her that she didn´t saw what would follow here.
The dragon screamed in pain and rage, his instinct forced him to move, he screamed even more as his crushed wings moved...he wouldn´t be able to fly anymore. The golden spear that stuck in his two muscles snapped and broke into two parts, still sticking in his muscles.
PAIN! MUST KILL! REVENGE!
The dragon was about to lose his mind...Bell Cranel had nearly stopped to exist, leaving an enraged black beast behind.
He threw his head back and roared into the darkness...underground...something reacted to his presence and was on his way...something even bigger than the dragon.
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Ryuu had heart and felt the enormous impact.
Bell! I´m so sorry, I´m so sorry! There was no other way!
She felt guilty even though it had to be, they had to get the dragon out of the air or she would lose her love forever.
"Sorry white hair, Meow..." Ahnya looked as guilty as Ryuu.
"No Ahnya it´s my fault! You just did what I asked you to do."
"But that didn´t changed what I did to him just neow, Meow!" Ahnya was gasping, using "Gae Bolg" had an enormous cost.
The cat-girl shook her heard to get clear again. "Meow, let us hurry!"
"You´re right!"
They sped up more.
"I wished Mama Mia were here already, Meow..."
They followed the streets, Ahnya stayed behind Ryuu since she lost her weapon. Again and again they saw monsters chasing people, everytime Ryuu jumped forward, Justice Lumina shone and bathed her in white light, far brighter than normally in this darkness.
She almost looked like a figure of light that jumped out of the darkness, striking down the monsters and continued running, to save more people. After the tenth encounter, they stopped counting, Ahnya had picked up any weapon she could find.
Ryuu wanted to get to Bell as fast as possible, but she couldn´t just ignore the people in need on their way.
Please...don´t let me be too late..
"Ryuu? Someone is meoving in the same direction as we are, Meow."
Ahnya´s animal senses were even better than Ryuu´s elven.
"Mama Mia?"
"No...smells like dog...Meow...I smelled that before."
Ryuu focused more on her ears...yes...quick steps behind them...steps that caught up.
"An enemy?"
"Meow...that or someone that wants to hurt white hair."
"What makes you think that?"
"Dummy Ryuu, Meow! A giant dragon falling out of the sky and someowns running in that dinyaction...can you think of other reasons, Meow?"
I was...just scolded by Ahnya...
Ahnya had scolded Ryuu before, but this was the first time she was right.
"Ahnya...have I ever told you how smart you are?"
"Are nyou making fun of meow?"
Ryuu smiled softly while they ran. "No."
Ahnya looked perplexed...then she puffed her chest. "Good good, auxiliary detective Ryuu, Meow!"
That was something Ryuu envied Ahnya, no matter how bad the situation looked, Ahnya was in a good mood...most of the time. Once...only once Ryuu had seen Ahnya truly enraged...it was frightening.
"OUT OF THE WAY!"
A loud male voice came from behind them...a voice they had heard yelling in the pub a long time ago.
"Wolf!" Ahnya´s ear twitched and she looked over her shoulder. "MEOW! He has dragon killers with him!"
Ryuu´s eyes widened, as she watched over her shoulder, the Werewolf had some special blades attached to his boots.
"Dragon killers?"
"Yes, Meow! Order made weapons that deal massiv damage against anyathing scaly and even meowre to dragons!"
"How do you know that?"
"Ryuu..." It was rare that Ahnya sounded so serious...a second later her usual quick-tempered scolding was back. "Are nyou forgetting who the nyautiful Ahnya is, Meow?!"
She had indeed did not think about that, despite her carefree behaviour, Ahnya still belonged to the elite of the Freya Familia, not the highest ranks but Ryuu was sure if Ahnya would still work for Freya, she would be level five or maybe six. Ahnya never completely left the Freya Familia...it was complicated, but Freya had said to her, she was unwilling to lose her "cute little kitten". And Ahnya also didn´t knew how much Freya loved her,
she loved all of her children, but Ahnya had a tiny special place in Freya´s heart, since whenever she was with her as Syr, things never got boring. Ahnya was one of the few people that could entertain Freya so much or made her laugh.
The only one that made Freya laugh even more, was Mia in the past.
And Ahnya would never know what Freya did for her every year, whenever a complicated time came for Ahnya, called "Heat", she got restless and very cuddly...in that time she was forbidden to work and had to stay in her room. The last year they had forgotten to tell Bell that and when he went upstairs to use the bathroom, Ahnya´s door was open a bit and as he looked inside and asking if everything was okay, he was pulled inside and Ahnya clung to him in the next second, snuggling against him purring.
To his luck, Syr had heard that and came to rescue. And that was what Freya...or rather Syr did for Ahnya every year. When the most dangerous time of her heat came, Syr helped her getting rid of it in her own uniqe way. Since Ahnya´s mind was so fuzzy in that time,
she had no memory of it, but the next day her heat would be over and she felt...just great. Freya took care of her "cute little kitten" very much in her way and she was really...reeeeally good at it. And making sure nobody of their co-workers noticed it, since she had to use her true form for that...and her very skilled fingers...not that Ahnya remembered anything. But the goddess was adamant on one thing...she wouldn´t do it if Ahnya wouldn´t enjoy it very much.
Reluctantly, they stopped and turned around.
"You are from the Loki Familia, right?"
"Out of my way you dumb cat and stupid elf!"
Tch!
"Shaaaa! What are nyou planning, Meow?!" The fur on her tail stood on end.
"I said out of the way!" Bete made a step forward, Ryuu felt the danger and raised Justice Lumina.
"Not one step further...we see what you have on your boots."
"Are you planning to stop me from finishing off that dragon?" Bete bared his fangs.
So Ahnya was right..
"Stay nyaway! You will nyot get him, Meow! HISSSSAA!"
"You will not lay your hands on him!" Ryuu got into fighting stance, she would protect Bell.
Bete cracked his knuckles. "You think you two can stop me? I won´t hold back, if you fight me, you die."
Bete couldn´t know it, but he was under a special influence ever since he saw Bell´s transformation. The snake had a posinous, rot effect Miasma. The black dragon had an aura of rage around him, everyone who got near him would get more and more angry the longer they were in contact, until they turned into blind berserkers. But since Bell´s personality had an influence on the dragon, it didn´t affect women. And the other males weren´t long enough in his presence. Bete on the other hand had taken the wave as it was born...the effect came slowly but Bete was close to losing control so he got more and more aggressiv. The other thing he wasn´t aware of, seeing that dragon triggered the trauma that Bete had received when he was a child, as a dragon destroyed his village.
So what he said was no joke or exaggeration, he was ready to kill them.
"Ryuu...go, meow."
"Ahnya?"
"Go...he needs nyou, nyou can´t waste time here meow." Ahnya´s expression darkened.
"I can´t leave you here!"
"Meow said GO!" That was the first time Ahnya screamed at Ryuu. "Don´t worry about the nyautiful Ahnya! I have often enough fought against my brother, Meow!"
Ryuu was torn...she wanted to rescue Bell, but she couldn´t just leave Ahnya here.
"Nyuu..." That was Ahnya´s unique way of speaking Ryuu´s name. "Don´t worry about me...I just found a handsome nyoung man! Do nyou think I want to die now?" The cat-girl grinned.
"Ahnya...argh...thank you! Don´t you dare get hurt! I will come back as fast as I can!" Ryuu turned around and ran off.
Bete lowered his head. "I won´t hold back, even if you surrender now..."
"Shaaaa!"
Ahnya showed no sign of fear...but deep inside her she was whimpering and crying...she was afraid of Bete...very afraid.
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Ahnya fought as hard as she could...but in the end she didn't stand a chance against a level six adventurer.
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Not even five minutes later Bete had his hand closed around Ahnya´s neck and brought her to his face. "Don´t enter the battlefield if you are not prepared to fight!"
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In his rage, he raised his other hand to finish Ahnya off. She was still happy that she had bought Ryuu time.
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For a moment a loud cat scream could be heard...and blood splattered on the ground.
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Ryuu ran and ran, her surroundings and perception blurred.
Bell...Bell...Bell!
All her thoughts were with her love.
She only noticed marginally that her sword started to glow again, she heard the death screams of monsters and heard them exploding to dust, but Ryuu didn´t noticed the monsters itself. Her focus was so strong, that she didn´t remembered what she did at the last street. Taking corner after corner, she ran as fast as she could and without noticing it...slaughtering dozens of monsters and saving many...many people. The people noticed her...a shining figure in white clothes and with a glowing weapon...two wings behind her...came out of the darkness, as if she had heard the prayers of the people to save them.
To the hopeless people in need...it was like an angel had descended.
Hurry...hurry!
A strange feeling crept into her heart...
What i-
The flow of time got so slow it nearly stopped when Ryuu ran around a corner...and she saw Shakti kneeling on the ground, a wounded member of her Familia in her arms and looked up to a giant Spartoi with four arms, that brought down his sword.
"SHAKTI!"
Ryuu´s body moved by instinct, without her notice, the gold in her garment flashed and gave her a small speed boost. In the last second, Ryuu jumped in front of Shakti and blocked the sword with crossed swords, going down on one knee due to the sheer force.
"Gnnnnhhh!" Ryuu gritted her teeth, the Spartoi was extremely strong.
"Ly...on?..." Shakti sounded so weak, she was wounded over and over.
"I´m here...Hrrrnnngh!" With a loud scream, Ryuu pushed back the Spartoi, evaded the second blade by hair's breadth and jumped into another direction to distract the huge monster.
"Lyo...n...r...un..." Shakti sagged.
Ryuu was focussed on the giant Spartoi, that rotated his head and raised all four of his swords...her ears twitched lightly as she heard more monsters approaching.
This is bad...
She could just run away...but Ryuu would stop being Ryuu if she let Shaki...an old comrade...die here.
Bell...wait for me!
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"GRRRRRRRRR..."
The dragon shook his body, the pain on his back only made him more angry.
DESTROY! KILL! SLAUGHTER! MAIM! KILL! BURN!
He was beyond enraged, someone had dared to attack him, his wings hurt like nothing hurt before and it stank. The dragon was close to one of the holes, the miasma was just about to spread...to a certain girls luck.
Stinks...danger for the female...
To her luck he didn´t saw the unconciouss half elf on the ground.
With a sinister face, the dragon dragged himself to the hole, the Miasma meant nothing to him.
Black...bad...danger for female...BURN!
The white hair at the back of the dragons head started to glow...white light particles started to gather there.
Gong...
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Protect...Female...
Gong...
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Crush-Destroy everything!
Gong...
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The glow got stronger and stronger, the white shine clearly visible in the darkness.
Gong...
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ENOUGH! DESTROY RIVAL-PREY!
Gong...
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It was like a perversion of the sound that brought so much hope and made so many people happy.
Gong...
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The dragon positioned himself right next to the hole, his head hovering above the darkness...the light on the back of his head got so strong, that everything around him turned white instead of black.
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The dragon opened his maw as wide as he could, the light particles came faster and faster, wandered from the hair on the back of his head into his maw.
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BRIGHT BURNING BLAZING STAR CANNON!
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Yes...Bell Cranel´s personality still had influence on the dragon...
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The light got faster and faster...then with a scream so loud it was heard in all of Orario, the dragon fired it´s ultimate attack into the hole, a ray made of pure white flames.
The ray shot into the hole...deeper and deeper down. The flames it was made of spread around the city...every tunnel the Snake had dug was connected to each other...and to their core at the 37th Floor.
The tunnels were filled with these pure white flames, cremating every single monster in these tunnels, burning and hurting the black snake wherever it was. They rushed down...and down...and down...
Down on the 37th Floor, in the special room with the carved in runes, hundreds of monsters stood there and were about to climb into the tunnels, the room was close to the collosseum and the nature of the dungeon lured them to the hole to pain the surface.
The runes and the Miasma blocked the dungeons self repair mechanism...
In this giant army of monsters a roaring rushing firestorm poured out. Even though this place was named the white palace, such brightness didn´t belonged here. Hitting the ground, the flames gushed to the sides, cremating even more monsters and...then they reached the runes.
The heat rose and rose and rose and finally the runes cracked and shattered. There was a backdraft and the whole room exploded, destroying even more monsters. Flames as white as Bell´s hair destroyed the runes and the source of the Miasma...shattering the tunnels and finally...
finally the tunnels started to close...at least those in the dungeon.
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Out of every hole on the surface, a bright pillar made of flames shot into the sky. Twelf points in the city had these holes and now...the unlimited supply of monsters was broken...only those on the surface remained, which was hard enough.
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After shooting out a big part of his energy, the dragon stopped the flames and closed his maw, panting.
Now his Prey-Rival had to come to him, he couldn´t dug down into the dungeon anymore and the flames must had hurt him...
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Stomp...Stomp...Stomp...
For a moment the dragon stopped...something was there...
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Stomp...
His hearbeat rose...
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Stomp...
The dragon became restless..he felt something strange...
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Stomp...
His head shot from one side to the other.
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Stomp...
His instinct let him grit his teeth.
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Stomp...
Danger...enemy!
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Stomp...
Whatever he heard, it came closer.
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Stomp...
Run-Flee! DANGER! ENEMY!
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Stomp...
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A figure came out of the smoke...and for the first and only time in his life...the black dragon screamed in fear and staggered back...here was his natural predator, the only thing in the world he was afraid of.
"Boy..." Mia cracked her knuckles as she came into sight, wearing an armor. "We two need to talk..."
RUN-FLEE! ENEMY! MURDER-KILLS US!
The dragon backed away growling, even if he was afraid the urge to destroy rose.
"You made Ryuu cry, boy...I told you what I will do then..."
He backed away more, growling.
"Hooo? You dare growling at me? I have to teach you some manners...about not to make your wife worry..."
"RRRRRRRRRRAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!"
Seeing only one chance, the dragon jumped forward and snapped at her, maybe he could defeat her with a sudden attack but...
SLAP!
Without even using her fist, Mia Grande slapped the snout of the dragon with her right hand, sending him fly into the rubble that was once an intact house...a dragon that had more than one-hundred times her weight.
"YEEEP!" It was a very undragon-like cry of pain.
"Be a man for the gods sake! Pull yourself together and come back to her! Do you really want to be such a monster? You can hear me right boy?!"
"Whimper..."
The dragon jumped at her again, more and more afraid, he couldn´t fly anymore and turning his back to her and flee would mean death.
"Good...I will keep you company until Ryuu gets here...time to teach you manners boy..."
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Mia Grande...the only thing the black dragon feared...gave him the beating of his life.
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At some point she even clung to the dragon and spanked his butt...he screamed out with every hit. In this moment, his yelps sounded more like a young boy getting disciplined by his mother...
Despite the grim situation, Freya couldn´t help but giggle when she saw the interaction between these souls, with every spank of his butt, the darkness in the dragon, gave way a little.
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"Huff...Huff..." Ryuu panted, protecting herself against the giant Spartoi demanded everything from her.
She dashed, ducked down, jumped, blocked and did every trick in her arsenal...just to stay alive...and the whole time she heard more monsters approaching.
Shakti tried her best to move, but her right leg was sticking out at an unhealthy angle...she was so close to blacking out she wasn´t even able to scream in pain.
It is as if I´m fighting a Monster Rex!
Starting counter attacks was out of question and also tricking the giant. With his three faces he saw everything around him.
What a monster...
At least she had managed to get the Spartoi´s attention.
One of the swords came down, Ryuu jumped out of the way, holding her swords crossed at her side to counter the blow that came from there. With two swords countered, there were still two left.
One brushed her leg, sending pain through her body. For the other one, Ryuu managed to duck her head and avoided this way to lose one of her ears.
Ouch...
Ryuu didn´t knew how long she could still go on, she wanted to rush to Bell...but if she fled now, Shakti as well as hundreds of Citizens would die, every second she held out here, saved lives.
Still her whole body was in pain, she had taken more than one hit, only her garment and Justice Lumina had protected her so far. No open wounds were on her skin, but it was only a matter of time now.
Her whole back was hot, she had taken a hit there that had let her scream in pain, but she felt no blood.
The Spartoi raised his swords again and walked slowly towards Ryuu, this monster wasn´t a mindless beast, it was highly intelligent and it enjoyed playing with her. Ryuu readied herself...then the Spartoi turned around and ran towards Shakti.
Oh dear gods, no!
When Ryuu made the first rush step...she noticed her mistake, other Spartoi jumped forward to attack her, she whirled around in her step, showing her back to the giant Spartoi only for a moment. He immediately turned around again.
It´s a trap!
Ryuu´s eyes widened, the time went slower and slower, the deadly sword came down and she couldn´t evade anymore, Ryuu was circled by Spartoi.
Bell...I´m sorry...
Ryuu Lyon had used everything up her sleeve...but it wasn´t enough...
An intense pain exploded in her back as the sword crushed down on her...
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"Ack!" Ahnya gasped for breath, she couldn´t fight against Bete´s overwhelming strength.
She saw his fist approaching...it was over.
Ryuu...I´m sorry, Meow!
Ahnya squeezed her eyes together as the fist came.
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A loud thump was heard and blood splattered on the floor...Ahnya fell.
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Huh?
Her eyes opened, the end of a silver spear had collided with Bete´s head and send him flying. Ahnya´s mind had become too hazy due to the beating she had taken...the thoughts just wouldn´t connect anymore.
This is...
Her fall was stopped before she hit the ground, two strong arms caught her, one holding a silver spear in hand. She looked tired up and saw black hair...and two cat-like ears.
Al-...
A young tall cat-man held Ahnya in his arms and stared morderous to the werewolf that was getting up.
"You dare?!" Bete was enraged.
"You hurt my little sister...you will pay..." His tone was controlled but no less threatening, he hissed more than he spoke.
Allen...
Allen put Ahnya down gently, leaning her against a wall, in the next moment he vanished and with an angry howl he lunged at Bete. Freya had told Allen that Ahnya´s life was in danger...he should think himself what he wanted to do. As soon as he left Freya´s room, he ran with all the speed he was famous for to save his little sister.
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For a moment an intense pain exploded in Ryuu´s back...then...
CLANG!
What?...
The blade of the giant Spartoi was stopped by...nothing...it just had stopped mid-air. And not just his...every blade that was swung after her from the other Spartoi had stopped.
LION!
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Confused Ryuu looked up...sparks flew through the air...white sparks...
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The sparks gathered together...forming a long blade out of light...
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The blade was held diagonally and held the giant blade of the Spartoi in place...more and more light gathered...forming the whole blade...the long handle...two hands without gloves holding it...arms...shoulders with shoulder guards...an upper body with a chest plate that really only covered the chest...hips with a long belt and a cape at the side...legs in short pants and long leathern boots and...a head.
A very familiar head...with normally long red hair, bound to a long braid...with every detail on her body perfect, except that she was made of light, Alise Lovell manifested in front of Ryuu.
N-No w-w-...
It didn´t stop there, figures of light appeared around her.
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In front of her body a small figure with a big shield appeared. A friendly smiling round face, hair bound to a long braid, a wide body, clad in thick armor, a hammer in the right hand, blocking two Spartoi at once. A female dwarf...
Asta..
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Next to the dwarf manifested an even smaller figure, wearing short pants, leathern boots and skirt, a short shirt with only a piece of armor at the side, two long leathern gloves and held two ring-like weapons with many blades attached to it.
The head had short hair and a smug grin. A prum...
Lyra...Tears gathered in Ryuu´s eyes.
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Next to the prum came a young human woman clad in a normal armor with blade and shield in hand, the head covered by a helmet.
Noin...
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Next was a human girl with a long robe and a rod in her hands, raised up to block a bone-sword. She was a mage...
Ryana... Ryuu sobbed.
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On the other side of the dwarf manifested two figures at once, another human girl with leather clothings and two long daggers and a young elf, also clad in a robe with a rod in her hands.
Cecil...Celty...
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A tall amazoness became visible, holding along handled ax with both of her hands...her clothes were hard to describe, she had a strange sense of fashion.
Iska... Ryuu´s lower lip started to tremble.
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On the other side of the circle that formed around Ryuu came a tall beast-girl with wolf-like ears and a tail, wearing only light clothes, showing much of her skin, holding a long sword with a blade as wide as Ryuu´s thigh.
Neze...
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A last figure completed the circle...a young woman with long hair and a kimono, one side was pulled down and revealed her right arm, holding a Katana at her side, her feet were in far eastern sandals.
Kaguya... "*Hic*"
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Outside the circle, in front of Shakti manifested two additional figures, both were human girls. One wore a bright robe and held a rod as well in her hands.
Maryuu...
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And the last one...
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A young woman, wearing long stockings with plate boots, short pants with a cloak-like wrap at her hip, a black shirt with a deep cleavage, a short jacked that had only a right sleeve, two half open gloves, short hair, a lovely smile and...
holding the twin of the second sword Ryuu carried...Sacred Oath.
Ardee...
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Hands off our little sister!
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Eleven voices spoke in unison.
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The memories of her dead friends had manifested around Ryuu, protecting her from the monsters, everyone made out of light. She felt the Falna on her back pulsing.
"Everyone..." Tears filled Ryuu´s eyes.
Astrea Familia! Push them back! Alise´s voice rang clearly in Ryuu´s head.
With a combined warcry, the young women around Ryuu used their weapons to push back the monsters, making room around Ryuu.
I...I...
Ryuu couldn´t believe what she saw.
Ardee´s form stood over her wounded sister, while Maryuu´s rod emitted light onto Shakti...healing magic.
You will not hurt Lion or my sister!
The memories of everyone... For a moment Ryuu wanted to cover her mouth with her hands, the sight around her moved her heart.
Oy Lion! Don´t just stand there!
That´s right you useless elf! Stop daydreaming!
The monsters overcame their confusion and started to attack again.
Lion! Alise´s voice got louder.
"Yes, I´m here!" With a rush movement, Ryuu wiped her eyes and readied her swords.
Astrea Familia! Strike down these monsters! By the blades and wings of justice!
By the blades and wings of justice! Ten voices answered Alise´s and...
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"By the blades and wings of justice!"
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Ryuu Lyon raised her swords and charged into the battle at the side of her beloved Familia...one last time!
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As she felt the healing magic enveloping her body, one of Shakti´s eyes opened. She saw foggy shemes of light and Ryuu charging into the monsters...her eyes wandered up and...they widened as she noticed the one figure of light she could see clearly.
"Ar...dee...?"
The figures face moved to her, grinning as she winked.
Hey big sister!
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The shemes on the places were just memories...right?
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The monsters attacked fiercly but they had no chance against the light-ghosts. One pierced Iska´s form with a bone-spear, but she didn´t react and cleaved the monsters head in half.
Kaguya´s form jumped towards a Spartoi, using a skull-sheep as stepping stone, her lips moved voiceless and with a strike too fast to be seen, she beheaded the Spartoi.
Ardee´s figure whirled around her wounded sister, striking down every monster that came near, defending her while the other healed her and the surviving members of the Ganesha Familia.
The giant spartoi roared, ran forward and tried to reach Ryuu, it noticed that it had to be her, that made this possible.
Oh no you don´t! Alise´s ghost stepped in between, followed by Lyra, Kaguya and Neze.
Lion! We will strike down this big guy here!
"Yes!" She felt alive like never before, energy pulsed through Ryuu´s body, all her pain was gone and her heart jumped in joy.
With a fierece roar, the five young woman charged the giant Spartoi, who swung his swords, roaring himself.
But the giant Spartoi was not like his underlings, his swords gave of a dark aura and the ghosts had to evade or block, he could hurt them...but his main target was Ryuu.
Guah! That big guy is tough! Alise cursed ... if you wanted to call it that.
The bigger they are, the easier they fall! Lyra attacked on of the lower arms.
Everyone, together! Lion, get ready!
"Understood!" Ryuu jumped back with the others., readying both of her swords and started to sing.
"Wind come to me..."
Kaguya! Neze! Lyra! Go!
No one except Ryuu could heard the roar these four women made. Lyra started the attack, she ran forward and threw something onto the ground before jumping to the side.
The orbs exploded like her real tools had done, blinding the Spartoi for a moment.
Goooooo! All four ghosts attacked in unison, each one of them blocking on of the arms of the giant Spartoi, pushing them to the side and revealing it´s chest.
Lion!
Lion!
Lion!
Lion!
"Daaaaaaaaaaah!" Dashing forward as fast as she could, focussed on her weapons, light and wind gathered around them.
Ryuu jumped with a fierce scream, both swords raised in front of her.
Goooooooooo! Every ghost screamed in unison.
By the blades and wings of justice!
Justice Lumina and Sacred Oath pierced the damage chestplate of the giant Spartoi...going deeper and deeper and eventually piercing the magic stone.
"Gueh..." The Spartoi staggered...then he exploded into dust, leaving behind a magic stone that was thrice as big as Ryuu´s head...
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Ryuu made a somersault, landed on her feet and turned around. Silence followed on the place, the monsters were all destroyed.
She looked around...the ghosts of her friends stood up or walked slowly back to her.
"Thank you everyone...even though you are just memories...thank y-"
Ryuu stopped when she felt a hand on her shoulder.
"Celty?"
Her friend that consisted of light smiled to her. Lion...
Another hand touched her hand...it was Maryuu. Lion...
One after another her friends came to her, at first touching her arms and back lightly, then they started to hug her softly as a group.
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Ryuu Lyon didn´t know this, but no one except her could see her friends really, scared citizens looked down from windows and just saw Ryuu in her white garment, her split cape flowed like wings behind her, enevloped by light. She was like the single spot of light, hope and justice in the dark city.
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"An angel..."
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Ryuu felt gentle warmness in her, hugged and protected by her Familia.
"Thank you...my friends." I know you are only memories...but still.
The ghosts smiled...and then one after the other they started to vanish...until only Ardee and Alise were left.
Ardee was still at the side of her sister, who had stopped bleeding due to the healing magic.
Bye bye, Lion! Take care of my sword. Waving while she smiled, Ardee became see-through and then vanished.
Huh? Did she just...
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Hey Lion...
She turned her head to Alise´s ghost.
You look good, little sister.
"Alise...you...don´t tell me!" This time her hands covered her mouth. You are just memories...right?!
Good to see you are doing well, Lion...I have to go now...we will always watch over you...little sister...
Alise´s smile put the sun to shame.
"A-Alise...I..."
Lion...go and save your man...you two look cute together.
"Alise..."
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Bye bye...Lion.
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With a last wave of her hand, Alise vanished.
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It was the only time Astrea had ever lied to Ryuu, the text for the passive part of her Skill "Memento Mori" didn´t said "Memories"...it said "souls"...
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The Astrea Familia had come to save their "little sister" so she could go on and live. Now they could rest in peace.
After that, the skill vanished from Ryuu´s back...it had fulfilled it´s destiny.
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Sniffing, Ryuu wiped her eyes again. Then a giant pillar of white flames shot into the sky a short distance away.
Bell!
"Lyon..." Shakti moaned as she opened her eyes...she was still wounded but nothing life-threatening. "Take this..."
She threw something to Ryuu, a bundle of two potions.
"Go...save him..."
"Shakti?! H-How?"
A smile came to the womans lips. "Ardee told me..."
Ryuu saw people running into their direction, member of the Ganesha Familia.
"Go, Lyon!"
Ryuu turned around and ran into Bell´s direction.
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Shortly before Ryuu arrived at the dragon, Mama Mia heard the pained, panicked scream of a cat...of Ahnya.
One problem child after the other!
She couldn´t wait for Ryuu, Mia ran into the direction of the scream, filled with worry about Ahnya.
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Only moments later Ryuu arrived at the place where Bell had fallen down.
"Bell!"
With a worried yell, Ryuu ran towards him...as the ground beneath her feet exploded and the giant black snake...horribly burned...burst out of the ground and jumped onto Bell, who had hurt it so badly.
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Now the black beasts would face each other.
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But not everything looked grim as both, Ryuu Lyon and Bell Cranel had used these incredible skills, twelve pillars of white fire shot into Orario´s sky, piercing the clouds and a star shone between them.
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The unlimited supply of monsters was broken.
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Their commander destroyed.
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The counter-attack of humanity had begun.
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Authors Note: I hope you liked the chapter, the scene with Ryuu´s Familia was something I had in mind ever since the beginning.