Session 50
As the Black Seraph made his grandiose declaration, J.J. struggled to push himself to his feet, but his muscles refused to cooperate. His arms trembled and his legs shook as he argued with his weary body, urging himself to get back up and resume fighting. Then, to his surprise and relief, he heard something from the crowd that lifted his spirits.
"Hell no!" someone in the crowd shouted. "You think you can just put a crown on and call yourself king?! What makes you think we're gonna accept that?!"
"What'd you do with the real Blake Marks?!" someone else added. "Did you kill him?!"
From his position on the ground, J.J. could see the Black Seraph hold his hands up in a placating gesture. Agnar, however, stepped in front of him.
"Insolent peasants!" Agnar snarled, dropping his hand to his Driver. "You dare show such disrespect to the king who's come to bring you salvation?!"
"Peace, Agnar," Blake said soothingly, gently stepping around him, and then raising his voice again. Though his tone remained soft, he could still be heard over the rising din of the crowd. "I should apologize, and clarify. The word 'king' has a connotation that suggests that I intend to rule over you, that you will be vassals, servants. I assure you, I have no intention of doing so. Rather, I intend to serve as a guardian, and a guide who'll ensure that the world is properly ushered down new path to a golden age.
"You asked me what I did with Blake Marks?" he continued, addressing the man in the crowd that had spoken up. "I am Blake Marks. As many of you know, I've dedicated my life to ensuring the growth and prosperity of Marville. Some of you work for my companies, where I've paid generous wages to everyone, from the top executives to the newest employees. Others have benefitted from my philanthropic projects, the hospitals and parks I've built, the schools I've helped fund. Thus, you know that I have always had your best interests at heart, and everything I have done has been to help you, and this city, flourish. Can any of you refute that?"
There was a low murmur in the crowd, but no one disagreed. Blake chuckled to himself, continuing calmly, "I'm proud of the work that I've put in, and I'm proud of how many of you have thrived in my city. Yet, for all of that, I still don't believe that I've done enough for you. Despite my best efforts, many of you are still unsatisfied with your lives. I should know – I've spent the last several months listening to your complaints, your woes about certain aspects of your lives. Some of you wish you could have chosen a different career. Others, while satisfied with your lives, feel that you're not good enough, that your talents go unrecognized and unappreciated. Still others want less tangible things – the ability to connect with loved ones, to protect the things in your lives that you've come to cherish.
"These are all wonderful goals, but unfortunately, they're outside your means to achieve. Whether it's because of physical limitations, lack of funding, or simply bad luck, you've been unable to live the lives that you deserve, to take up the roles that you know you were destined for." Blake straightened slightly, folding his hands behind his back. "I intend to change all of that. What I'm offering you is freedom. A revolution. The very thing the modern world was founded upon. I'm offering you self-determination and self-sufficiency. You all will no longer be fettered by the chains of a society that's been commandeered by the greedy and cruel to keep you bound beneath them. Together, we'll forge a new society, one where nobody has to set aside their dreams, their goals, simply for the sake of survival. With this crown and this tower, we will make the impossible a reality. That is what I am declaring by naming myself king. I will not bind you to me as servants. I will serve as your guiding light towards a utopian future."
"And we don't have a choice in any of this?!" J.J. heard a woman in the crowd shout indignantly. There was a chorus of agreement, though the Black Seraph held his hands up again, letting out a soft chuckle.
"I don't see any reason why you should refuse," the Seraph replied smoothly. "I'm offering you the chance to live your lives however you see fit. Paradise is right in front of your eyes, yet you would turn it down?" He sighed, shaking his head and folding his hands in front of him again. "How very human. I don't blame you for being afraid. Few people readily embrace change, particularly sudden, radical change. It's natural to fear the unknown. However, I assure you, none of you have anything to fear from me."
"What about those monster attacks?!" an elderly man pointed out. "You kind of look like one of the monsters!"
"After today, you all will never need to fear the Diemons again," the Black Seraph replied calmly. "Once you've achieved perfection, there's nothing left to fear, after all."
"How can you possibly know that?!" someone else shouted.
"Where are the Kamen Riders?!" another voice added.
Blake let out another soft chuckle, folding his hands in front of him. "The Kamen Riders are no longer a factor," he replied simply. As the crowd began murmuring worriedly, he added, "And they won't be needed in this new world. After all, while they've done a magnificent job of protecting you all and limiting the damage done to this city – and I'm truly grateful to them for doing so – they would serve no purpose in the world that I envision. For one, as I said, you all will no longer require protection. At that point, they'd merely become a hindrance to achieving your goals in life. They would restrain what you can do, attempting to impose their own misguided vision of order upon a world that needs absolute freedom for people to thrive. I don't have any intention of killing them, of course, but they will no longer be permitted to interfere in the administration of the new world."
A discontented murmur ran through the crowd. Then J.J. heard a boy pipe up, "I don't believe you! The Kamen Riders have done nothing but help us this entire time!" Several cries of agreement resounded through the growing crowd.
The Black Seraph tilted his head, seeming more confused than annoyed. "Then you all would reject paradise itself?"
"I don't believe the scams I get on my phone, so why would I believe yours?" a woman yelled. A ripple of nervous laughter echoed through the crowd. The Black Seraph, to their surprise, began laughing lightly as well.
"Very well," he said calmly, folding his hands in front of himself again. "I intend for the world to be free, so I welcome disagreement. Therefore, allow me to present you all with a choice. If you truly don't want to live in the world that I'm offering, please, step forward. I'll give you the chance to fight for this world, if you honestly believe it's worth fighting for."
J.J. grimaced. As he expected, the crowd balked, a few in the front row looking down and shuffling away. The Black Seraph slowly looked back and forth before shaking his head.
"Do you know why you hesitate?" he asked quietly. "It's because of the shackles that your world has imposed upon you. You're all too willing to let your voices be heard when it costs you nothing, yet you hesitate when the time comes to defend your positions. That's simply because your society has trained you to believe that nothing you do will enact change; thus, you lack the courage to fight for what you believe is right."
The Black Seraph sighed in disappointment, then looked up again. "I am not unsympathetic, however. When facing a potentially dangerous unknown quantity, it is natural to feel fear. Still, your will has made itself known, and I intend to honor your collective decision. Thus, I will offer you a different chance to defend your position. If even one of you is willing to step forth as a champion for this world, do so now. I shall answer their challenge, and the winner shall dictate the course of the future. So, come. Who shall it be?"
The members of the crowd began looking amongst one another, and even from his position, J.J. could see most of the crowd backing off or shaking their heads. He looked down at the diary near his hand and grunted under his breath, reaching out for it. Before he could grasp it, however, a shadow fell over him, and a heavy hand placed itself on his shoulder. J.J. looked up to see the unmorphed form of Tristan standing over him, staring grimly at the Black Seraph's back.
"Apologies for my tardiness, page," Tristan said in a low voice.
J.J. quirked his mouth ruefully. "I could have used your help a little while ago, you know," he chided Tristan. "Where's your armor?"
"I noticed when I emerged from the labyrinth that you were not wearing your armor either, and I had hoped that you had emerged victorious. Sadly, I can see that is not the case," Tristan replied. When J.J. grimaced and looked down at the floor, he added in a kinder voice, "Do not fret. The situation is grim, but it is not yet dire. I shall redress it myself." J.J. heard him let out a soft laugh before adding, "After all, I have waited a thousand years for this moment."
J.J. felt his stomach sink as Tristan began to move past him. "Be careful," J.J. called out. "He's completed the crown. I don't know what that means, but he's probably more powerful now."
"That's quite likely," Tristan agreed, pausing to look over his shoulder with a slight smile. "As are we. Rest now – I shall return shortly."
Tristan turned back around, and J.J. and Gwen finally managed to pull themselves up, J.J. grabbing his diary as he rose. Gwen clung to him as he limped out of the room, following Tristan into the sunlight, where he approached the Black Seraph from behind. Blake was still gazing back and forth at the crowd, almost daring someone to step forth.
"You seek a champion to defend this world?" Tristan announced. The crowd stared at him, and the Black Seraph and Agnar swung around to see him standing with his hands behind his back, glaring at both of them. "Then I shall happily assume that role."
Agnar snarled as he turned around, bring his sword up to rest it on his shoulder. "Sir Tristan," he growled. "The restoration of our homeland is at hand, yet you still insist upon hindering its revival?! Why?! Why have you come to hate Almencia?!"
"I do not," Tristan replied simply, pinning Agnar with a fierce glare. "Almencia will always be a part of me, and I take pride in my heritage. It was once the greatest kingdom in the world, and I am honored to have served as one of her knights." He took a deep breath, then continued, "But Almencia is gone, Sir Agnar. It died when our hubris led us to make one of the gravest mistakes in our history, and while I mourn its passing, I also accept that it has passed. In this era, new nations have risen to take its place, and they have matched and exceeded some of Almencia's greatest achievements." Tristan shook his head. "These people deserve to forge their own path into the future. They do not require our guidance, or our interference." His expression hardened as he raised his arm and pointed it at the Black Seraph. "And I'll be damned if I allow you to subject these people to the same follies that doomed our kingdom."
Agnar growled and began to swing his sword around, but he was stopped short when the Black Seraph held out a hand. He turned his golden masked face towards Tristan and said softly, "You would forsake your oath to Almencia?"
"I am not bound by an oath sworn to a forgotten kingdom, a fallen king, and a traitorous usurper," Tristan replied bluntly. "However, I shall always uphold my oath as a knight. The oaths that I took to act with honor, protect the weak, and strike down those that would threaten peace… those oaths I shall never forsake." He raised his chin up slightly, adding, "And if I cannot uphold those oaths as a knight of Almencia, then I shall do so… as Kamen Rider Aegis."
Behind the Seraph, the crowd began clapping, then cheering, and despite himself, Tristan allowed himself a small smile. The Black Seraph chuckled, inclining his head slightly, and he held his hand out, motioning for Agnar to lower his sword.
"I admire your conviction, Sir Tristan, misguided as it is," Blake replied, folding his hands in front of him again. "Very well. If you choose to stand as this world's champion, then I shall accept your challenge."
"My lord, I shall happily cut down this traitor-" Agnar began.
"No… thank you, Sir Agnar," Blake replied calmly. "I imagine that you are still wounded from your battle with Mr. Wells, and I unfortunately can't grant you the use of my own D-former anymore. You would be at a serious disadvantage against Sir Tristan, I'm afraid. Therefore… I shall face him myself."
Agnar slowly narrowed his eyes, his aggressive stance underlining what he thought of that idea. "My lord, I do not think it's wise-" he began.
"Your concern is noted, Sir Agnar. Thank you for taking an interest in my well-being," the Black Seraph replied gently before he could finish his sentence. "However, I cannot always rely on you to fight my battles for me. A king should be willing and prepared to take up arms to defend his beliefs. Please, do not worry for me," Blake added in a softer tone. "Once our duel is completed, we can finally set about creating our paradise."
Agnar hesitated for a moment longer, then reluctantly lowered his head in a bow. "As… as you wish, my lord."
Blake nodded, then turned back to Tristan. He held his hand out, and a long, obsidian sword similar to the one that Agnar used in his Blackguard Class materialized in his hand, coalescing out of a small miasma of shadow, though his blade was an arming sword rather than a claymore. "Now then," he said, addressing Tristan and opening his arms in an almost welcoming gesture. "Let's duel. The herald of New Almencia against the final defender of the old. Let's see whose convictions are stronger, shall we?"
Tristan took a few steps back. As he did, the cheers of the crowd began swelling.
"You can do this, Kamen Rider!"
"Grind him into the dirt!"
"We believe in you!"
Despite how grim the situation was, J.J. smiled wryly. Gwen noticed his expression and gave his arm a light squeeze. Tristan inclined his head gratefully towards the crowd, then turned his attention back to the opponent hovering in front of him, still waiting for him to make the first move. Tristan reached into his jeans and withdrew his blue shield trinket. He paused to stare at it pensively for a few long moments, then closed his eyes and touched it to his chest. His eyes then once again snapped open, and he held his shield out in front of him, bellowing defiantly at the Black Seraph, "Henshin!"
His Driver appeared around his waist, and Tristan slotted it into the central belt buckle. He then put his hand on the metallic blue D-former and gave it a quick spin.
"Steel yourself! Class: Cavalier!" his Driver shouted, and as cymbals began clashing, a steel blue die appeared around him. The crystal rotated quickly around him as his body was clad in his heavy, blue-colored plate armor, and when the spinning stopped several moments later, his hand drifted down to his belt buckle. He pressed the bull icon on the face of the shield, and a bovine bellow resounded across the open park as his shield shone with a warm golden light. His mace appeared out of the face of his shield, and he plucked it out of midair, giving it an experimental swing before raising his shield and resting his mace on his shoulder.
"This time, I'll ensure you cannot be resurrected," Tristan said in a low growl.
"I'd very much like to see that," Blake retorted almost smugly. He began slowly drifting around Trsitan, his feet barely touching the ground, as he held his longsword in a low guard stance. Tristan eyed him cautiously, planting his feet and keeping his shield in front of him, daring the Black Seraph to make the first move. The crowd intently watched the two combatants circling in front of them, no one daring to take their eyes off either one.
To J.J.'s surprise, Tristan made the first move, stepping in and swinging his mace at the Black Seraph. Due to its short range, the Seraph was able to easily flutter out of its range, chuckling lightly. Tristan didn't seem perturbed, however, as he calmly reset his stance and kept his shield in front of him. Blake continued to appraise him for a few more moments, then suddenly dove in, bring his sword up and thrusting elegantly at one of the weak points in Tristan's armor. Tristan shifted his weight slightly and deflected the blow with the rim of his shield. Before he could step in and counterstrike, the Seraph danced backwards again, once more floating around him.
"He's a fencer too?" J.J. murmured to Gwen, noticing the similarities between Blake's swordplay and his own style.
"The Almencians called it noble swordplay for a reason," Gwen replied in a low voice, not taking her eyes off the fight. "It was taught to us by our father, Lord Quintus. While we aren't allowed to attack others, we were permitted to defend ourselves. Since we were our father's most prized creations, he wanted to make sure we could protect ourselves against anything that might try to harm us. Blake found that he enjoyed it quite a bit. He's been practicing for decades."
J.J. winced at that. "Well… so has Tristan."
"Yeah…." Gwen replied softly, unable to meet his eyes. They both turned their attention back to the fight as the Seraph dove in again, jabbing his blade at Tristan's shoulder. Tristan angled his shield, deflecting the blow past him in such a way that the momentum threw the Seraph off-balance and he over-extended. Blake was caught off-guard as Tristan's mace caught him in the chest, and he let out a soft grunt as he doubled over. Before Tristan could follow up the attack, he floated backwards again, touching his torso gingerly.
"Well struck," the Seraph commented. "I didn't think it was possible for you to have gotten any better after our last fight."
"I have learned much during my time in this era," Tristan replied simply, stepping closer to the Seraph, who backed away. "And I have had excellent companions – friends, rather – who have helped me improve."
"So it'd seem," Blake said softly, chuckling. "Fortunately, I've picked up a trick or two as well."
The Black Seraph stepped back and spread his wings while holding his arms out. An opaque, obsidian crystal shaped like a twenty-sided die briefly surrounded him, spinning for a moment, and when it faded away, his body had been transfigured. His frame was slimmer and more wiry, his wings were smaller, and he gripped a slender scimitar in each hand. J.J.'s eyes widened as the Seraph darted in, swinging the twin blades around in short arcs. Tristan managed to raise his shield in time to ward off the first two blows that the Seraph rained down on him, but the third managed to slip through his defenses and graze Tristan's bracer. A thin scratch appeared on the mirror-like surface of the armor, which startled and concerned J.J. – few things could leave a mark on Azuron.
Tristan, however, barely seemed to notice as he slipped his hand down to his shield and touched the hedgehog icon on it. As the Seraph darted towards him again, spikes erupted from the face of his shield. Tristan stepped in, surprising the Seraph, and Tristan slammed his shield into Blake's body. The Seraph was sent reeling as the spikes bit into his torso, but he managed to recover before Tristan could pursue him, warding Tristan off with a couple of wild strikes that deterred the knight from following. Tristan nodded to himself and reset his stance, raising his shield and resting his mace on his shoulder.
"Was that… a Reroll?" J.J. asked aloud.
Gwen shook her head, unable to tear her eyes away from the fight. The Seraph overheard, however, and he glanced over at J.J. and chuckled softly.
"Come, Mr. Wells, surely you can't be too surprised," he explained. "After all, I'm an alchemical being, and as such, I can modify my body as needed. I'll admit, I did take some inspiration from watching your fights, but I'd say I've improved upon your forms. Sadly, I haven't had much of a chance to practice against a proper opponent in a life-or-death duel until now, but I think this is turning out to be a rather successful experiment. Let's try something else, shall we?"
The Seraph's body was enveloped by the obsidian crystal once again, and after spinning around him, he reemerged with another body. His frame was much larger and bulkier, his glassy black arms sporting visibly sculpted muscles as they emerged from under the folds of his robe. His sword had changed again, resembling a massive obsidian greatsword similar to the claymore that Agnar used when he was in his Blackguard Class. Blake rested the weapon on his shoulder and began slowly plodding towards Tristan, who warily eyed the advancing Seraph.
The angel suddenly jumped into the air, rising at least twenty feet, and he let out a short cry as he swung the sword over his head and slammed it into Tristan from above. The blue knight raised his shield to deflect the blow, but while he was able to catch it on his shield, the blade caught on one of the spikes, so Tristan was unable to deflect it to the side like he normally would. Thus, he was forced to endure the entire weight of Blake's heavy blow, and J.J. saw his knees buckle to the point where he was forced into a kneeling position.
Thankfully, Tristan's guard remained firm, and Blake was forced to withdraw his sword and bring it over his head for another attack. Before he could swing it again, however, Tristan slid his hand down to the hedgehog icon and pressed it again, and the spikes shrank back into the face of his shield. The Seraph swung the weapon down again, but this time, Tristan was able to cleanly deflect the blow to the side, and the heavy sword slammed into the grass, leaving a deep furrow. Before the Seraph could pull his weapon out of the earth, Tristan stepped inside his guard and brought his mace up. He swung his club around with two short, heavy strikes that slammed into Blake's shoulder and forearm. Blake let out a hiss of pain and tried to backpedal, but Tristan pressed his attack, swinging his mace again and catching Blake in the collarbone. The Seraph continued to try, in vain, to escape Tristan's pursuit, but the blue knight was relentless.
"That's odd," J.J. murmured. Gwen glanced at him out of the corner of his eye and noticed him frowning deeply. "If he's trying to get away, why doesn't he just change back to his speed form?"
Gwen gazed at him thoughtfully, then turned her attention back to the fight, shaking her head. "I don't know," she admitted. "Honestly, I've never thought to switch forms like that. But if I had to guess… while we're alchemical beings, it's not as though we have infinite reserves of energy. We do get worn out, especially if we're using lots of alchemy in quick succession. Maybe switching forms is more tiring for him, compared to you just spinning one of your D-formers. Like I said, though, I don't know for sure."
J.J. quirked his mouth as he watched Blake finally manage to pull away from Tristan, ducking under one of his blows and swinging his heavy sword around in a wide arc that forced Tristan to pause. The Seraph jumped into the air again, and a black die surrounded him once more. It spun around him briefly, and when the Seraph reemerged, his body had become somewhat smaller, but his wings were far larger, spread around him like a feathery halo. His sword resembled a jagged shortsword with serrated edges. Blake exhaled slowly, hovering fifteen feet above the ground, his wings beating lightly to keep himself aloft. As soon as his transformation was finished, J.J. began silently counting under his breath.
"This should work better," Blake commented, then swung his sword around in a short arc towards Tristan. Jagged shards of obsidian streaked through the air towards the knight, who brought his shield up and blocked the shower of crystal fragments. The glassy chips shattered as they slammed into his shield, while those that missed embedded themselves deep into the ground, demonstrating how sharp and durable they were. Tristan glanced to his left at a smattering of the obsidian chips lodged in the earth, then looked back up at the Seraph, who began beating his wings and floating around Tristan, occasionally swinging his sword and flinging more shards at Tristan while he tried to skirt around the knight's defenses.
Tristan maintained his stalwart defense for thirty seconds before a break in the Seraph's barrage finally allowed him to slam the bottom of his shield into the ground and unsling it from his arm. Almost immediately, the Black Seraph flung another shower of glass towards Tristan, who ducked behind his shield and pressed the falcon icon on his Driver. A screeching falcon's cry resounded across the park as his crossbow appeared in a flash of golden light from the face of his shield and his mace disappeared. Tristan grabbed the crossbow and peeked around the edge of the shield at the Seraph, who almost lazily showered the knight with still more black glass in response. Tristan ducked behind his shield again, then popped out and began firing off golden bolts of energy at the floating angel.
Blake almost casually drifted out of the way of the first two missiles and responded by raining more glass down on Tristan, who ducked back behind his shield, gripping his bow against his chest. He rolled out from behind cover and sighted down the shaft of his crossbow, and Blake paused, trying to anticipate the next bolt. Noticing this, Tristan jerked the crossbow, intending to make the Seraph flinch, which Blake did. With the Seraph caught off-guard, Tristan pulled the trigger on his crossbow, and a golden bolt tore through one of the Seraph's large wings. Black feathers exploded from the point of impact, and Blake audibly gasped, though he managed to stay aloft. Emboldened, Tristan kept firing at the Seraph, who narrowly avoided the next two quarrels. Before Tristan could fire again, the Seraph once more cocooned himself in his black die.
When the crystal disappeared, Blake's wings had become a sextet of black, flickering flames, billowing soundlessly around his back. The Seraph held his hands up, and a stream of dark, searing flames tinged with blue and purple washed towards Tristan. The knight ducked behind his shield again, and while the flames flickered around the edges of the shield, the azure surface began to burn bright blue. Tristan quickly noticed the growing heat and hastily pulled his back off the metal, curling up to avoid the flames washing around him. The Black Seraph chortled softly as he landed lightly on the ground and began slowly stalking towards Tristan's position, his hands raised, prepared to unleash another wave of fire.
Trying to take advantage of the break in the action, Tristan pushed himself around his shield and raised his crossbow, aiming it at the Black Seraph once again. Before he could pull the trigger, however, a thunderclap echoed across the park, and a black-tinged bolt of lightning struck him square in the chest, knocking him on his back. J.J. started, his breath catching, and behind him he heard Gwen let out a horrified gasp. The crowd likewise inhaled collectively, staring in shock at the downed form of the blue knight. J.J. glared up at the Black Seraph, who slowly lowered his hands, electricity crackling between his fingers. When he saw J.J. staring at him, Blake met his gaze.
"As I said, Mr. Wells, I've taken inspiration from your various forms and made modifications and improvements," Blake explained, folding his hands in front of him. "As you saw, the attack power of my speed class exceeds yours, the mobility with my strength class is less of an issue, and I can shoot multiple projectiles at a time. It also goes without saying that I included an extra element in my magical form," he added as an afterthought.
"Yeah, you're really a font of inspiration and originality," J.J. growled through clenched teeth. He turned his attention back to Tristan's prone form, silently willing him to get up.
"It's simply what I've always done," Blake replied easily. "I improve upon good ideas. The way you used your other forms to maximize their strengths was brilliant – I simply mitigated some of the weaknesses of your classes while evolving their abilities even further. As you can see, the results are… quite effective."
"Still, you made a major mistake," J.J. shot back. When Blake tilted his head curiously, he elaborated, "I'm not the one you should have copied. No matter what form I used… Tristan's always been able to beat me."
J.J. turned his attention back to his partner's armored form, and the Black Seraph followed his gaze as Tristan stirred, grunting and slowly pushing himself up. The blue knight shook his head, then quickly ducked behind his shield again just as the Black Seraph raised his hands to shock him with another bolt of lightning. The crowd cheered, and J.J. could swear he heard Blake let out a sigh of irritation. Tristan caught his eye, and J.J. smiled faintly, nodding to his partner in approval.
Blake rose into the air again, his fiery wings spreading wide, but before he could cast another spell, Tristan pressed the horse icon of his Driver. A loud neighing resounded across the field, and his crossbow disappeared in a flash of golden light as his long lance emerged from the face of his shield. Tristan grabbed the weapon and shortened it into a usable spear, and then peeked around the edge of his shield.
The Black Seraph readied another bolt of lightning, but before he could unleash it, Tristan planted his spear into the ground, then let go of it. The lightning bolt was drawn to the metal tip, and it harmlessly ran down the length of the polearm and into the ground. Tristan grabbed the spear again, holding it with both hands as he charged the Seraph.
Blake quickly backed away from Tristan, holding his hands out and loosing a stream of ice to slow the charging blue knight. Tristan, however, plowed through the blizzard, seemingly unfazed by the spell, and when he was close enough, he planted his feet and extended his spear out into its lance form. The shaft of the spear slammed into the Seraph's chest, and Blake gasped in pain as he was knocked out of the air. Tristan's ankles were caked in a few inches of ice, but he tore them from the ground and continued charging at the Seraph. In desperation, Blake enveloped himself in another black die, disappearing momentarily.
In the few seconds it took Blake to change forms, Tristan changed course, scrambled back to his shield, and ripped it out of the ground, strapping it to his arm once again. He raised his shield as the die around the Black Seraph disappeared and revealed his new form. His robes and wings both had a more ethereal quality to them, seeming to curl and disappear like clouds of shadow, though his golden mask remained completely substantial. The Seraph raised one arm, and with a snap of his fingers, four black, featureless, ghostly figures emerged from the ground around Tristan. The blue knight raised his shield warily, and as one figure drew near, he jabbed at it with his spear. To his – and J.J.'s – surprise, the shadowy figure twisted out of the way, avoiding the strike, and then it closed one hand around the shaft of the lance and yanked Tristan closer. Caught off-guard, Tristan was unable to avoid the being's shadowy hand as it slammed into his face, snapping his head backwards and sending him reeling.
Before he could recover, another shadow figure kicked Tristan in the back of the knee, making his leg crumple beneath him, while a third raised a hand to strike him across the jaw. As the figures closed in around him, Tristan made a split-second decision. Reaching to his belt, he withdrew the golden crown trinket and slotted it into his Driver, then gave the green gem in the center of the crown a quick spin.
"Reroll! Prestige Class: Defender!" his Driver shouted, and the shadow figures were knocked backwards as a golden die surrounded him and began spinning rapidly. A cello played a mournful tune as Tristan's armor changed from steel blue to gleaming gold, and his lance shortened into a round, scepter-like mace. When the spinning stopped, he stood again, calmly gazing around at the figures surrounding them with his mace resting on his shoulder.
The first figure charged at him and drew its hand back to strike him, but its fist bounced off his reflective golden armor, and it staggered backwards. Tristan almost lazily turned towards it and swung his mace through its body, whereupon it dissolved into a cloud of smoke. Another tried to kick him from behind, but its leg struck his greaves, and it was knocked to the ground. Tristan barely looked at it as he kicked it aside, then raised his shield to ward off the attack of its companion. The incoming punch was deflected away harmlessly, and Tristan bashed it over the skull with his mace, before turning to face the last figure before it had another chance to strike him. He swung his scepter through its chest, sending it sprawling before it too disappeared. Tristan shook his head as cheers erupted from the crowd, and he slowly turned his face up towards the Black Seraph.
"It would appear that form does not possess sufficient power to defeat me either," Tristan commented, motioning towards his shadowy body. "Should you persist in using it, this shall be a short fight indeed."
"Well… you're not wrong," the Black Seraph agreed reluctantly, fluttering his wings as he slowly descended to the ground and landed lightly on the grass. "But I do have one last trick up my sleeve."
An ebony die surrounded the Seraph once more. When it finished spinning and dissipated, J.J. squinted and raised a hand to shield his eyes. Blake's body was resplendent, his black robes fluttering loosely around him as his raven wings shone with the colors of a dark, muted rainbow. His sword glowed brightly, shimmering as radiant colors raced along its glassy, ebony surface. He raised his free hand and beckoned Tristan forward.
The golden knight immediately answered the challenge, raising his shield and quickly advancing on the Seraph. When he was within range, he cocked his arm back and swung his mace around. Blake almost casually raised his hand, and a disk of light coalesced in front of his palm. Tristan's scepter slammed into the shield, and he was caught by surprise as his arm snapped back. He let out a pained grunt as the recoil nearly wrenched his arm out of his socket.
Blake responded almost instantly, swinging his own sword around. Thankfully, Tristan enough awareness to keep his shield up, and the shimmering sword bounced harmlessly off the rim of his own shield. With their first exchange ending in a draw, the two fighters began circling, warily watching for an opening.
Tristan made the first move, feinting with a quick strike. The Seraph took the bait, raising his left arm again, but Tristan stepped in a bit closer and reached around his guard. His mace struck the Seraph on the left forearm, but while Blake let out a short gasp of pain, he hadn't suffered much damage. In retaliation, he dropped into a fencing stance and responded by jabbing at Tristan twice with two quick thrusts. The first blow bounced off his armor and snapped the Seraph's hand back, but the second found a gap in his armor and struck Tristan cleanly in the joint of his left arm. Tristan grunted as sparks erupted from the point of contact, but he continued swinging with his right hand, trying to batter down the Seraph's defenses. Blake raised his left hand a bit higher and stepped closer, pressing the disk of light against Tristan's inner arm, pushing it back.
With the two fighters inside each other's guards, Tristan took the initiative, rocking his head back and slamming his forehead into the Seraph's golden mask. Both their necks snapped backwards from the blow, and mutual cries of surprise and pain erupted from their mouths. J.J. found himself holding his breath as Tristan shook his head, then turned around to ready himself for the Seraph's counterattack. He was just in time, as Blake swung his sword in a short arc towards Tristan, who raised his shield to ward off the blow. However, Blake noticed that Tristan had raised his defenses just in time, and twisted his arm, bringing his sword up and around in a short circle. He then stepped in, turning the slash into a piercing thrust, which once again found a gap in Tristan's otherwise nearly impenetrable golden armor and sliced into the bodysuit near his unprotected collarbone.
Tristan let out a short grunt as his arm went slack, his shield drooping, though he was able to maintain his grip on it. It was his grip that saved him as the Seraph went in for another strike, as he was able to turn his body and bring his shield around in time to deflect the blow. The Seraph's glowing sword bounced off the face of his shield, and as Blake recoiled, Tristan stepped in to deliver a blow to his torso, which smacked loudly into the Seraph's stomach. He couldn't get a second strike in before Blake opened his wings and pushed back, drifting away to reset his stance. Tristan, in turn, took the opportunity to flex his fingers and grip his shield more tightly, raising it again.
"I must say, you were a formidable opponent when we last fought, but now your strength is incomparable," Blake commented, taking a moment to lower his sword. "Aside from Agnar, you're the greatest warrior that Almencia ever produced, by far."
Tristan ignored the Seraph's praise and took the opportunity to charge in, cocking his mace back and swinging it at his opponent's head. Blake ducked under the blow, dropping down to pierce the back of Tristan's leg with the point of his sword. Tristan hissed through his teeth, his knee buckling, and he dropped into a kneeling position. The Seraph stood over him, shaking his head and sighing.
"It's a pity you refused to help us," Blake continued, pointing his sword at Tristan's throat. "This entire war was both pointless and unnecessary."
"I don't consider preventing another catastrophe unnecessary," Tristan growled, batting the Seraph's sword away and forcing himself to stand. "Even if Almencia is gone, the rest of the world lives on. I would rather find purpose in defending these people, instead of attempting to breathe new life into the ashes of our kingdom."
"You never gave me the chance to try," Blake said softly.
"You had your chance a thousand years ago," Tristan replied defiantly. "And if you intend to subject these people to the same horrors you witnessed yourself, then you are a fool who had learned nothing from our people's hubris."
"You won't stop me, Sir Tristan," Blake commented quietly.
"I have once. And that is the only history that shall be repeated today," Tristan replied coldly.
Before Blake could respond, Tristan dropped his hand to his green D-former and gave it a quick spin. "Critical!" his Driver shouted, and a golden crystal appeared around him, spinning for a few moments before coalescing into a shimmering, holographic, golden shield that hovered in front of him. Blake quickly started to fly backwards, trying to avoid the incoming attack, but Tristan charged forward, undeterred. Once he was close enough, he jumped into the air and let out a short cry as he extended his leg forward. He kicked the golden shield, and he sped forward as he did, flying towards Blake, who was continuing to back away in a vain attempt to avoid the attack. The golden shield slammed into the Black Seraph, and Tristan kicked him square in the chest. He then kicked off and landed a few feet away from the Seraph, keeping his shield up and peering over the rim as the golden energy began spreading across the Seraph in a crisscrossing network of spiderwebs.
"My lord!" Agnar cried, horrified, as the crowd cheered with delight and relief. The Seraph dropped to his knees, gasping out. Tristan looked over at J.J., who managed a weary grin and nodded in approval at his partner. Tristan nodded modestly in reply, but paused, tilting his head in confusion as a new sound reached his ears. Turning back around, he was surprised to see that the Black Seraph was laughing.
"Well done, Sir Tristan," the Black Seraph gasped. "It seems that you did far more damage to me than I had thought. This fight is yours."
"You're… quite cheerful for one whose life is about to end," Tristan commented warily, slowly raising his shield again.
"Well… I should say that you would have won the fight. Had you faced me even an hour earlier, your victory would have been total," the Black Seraph replied. "Fortunately for me, a few things have changed since then."
The crown on the Black Seraph's head abruptly began glowing with a shining white light. Gwen suddenly let out a scream of pain and collapsed, and J.J. quickly held her up as she convulsed in his arms. His eyes widened in panic as he saw her body glowing, with sparks of snow-white lightning coursing over her body. J.J. held her tightly, both to keep her from falling and in a vain attempt to comfort her and alleviate some of her pain.
At the same time, the golden lines crisscrossing along the Black Seraph's body suddenly halted, then began reversing, growing smaller and fading away. He slowly rose to his feet, chuckling faintly, as Tristan stared at him, his hand trembling as he gripped his scepter tightly.
"What have you done?" Tristan hissed.
"It's one of the benefits of claiming my sister's gemstone and completing the Crown of Almencia," the Black Seraph replied dusting himself off before looking up and meeting Tristan's furious gaze. "The Crown of Almencia gives me near-total manipulation of alchemy for whatever purpose I wish. To that end, I've connected my gem to my sister's, while leaving our bodies independent of each other. As such, I can draw upon her energy if I so choose, using it to heal myself." He glanced over to where Gwen was slumped over in J.J.'s arms, whimpering in pain. "Sadly, doing so causes her a quite a bit of pain." He glanced back towards Tristan and added, "What's more, because our gems are now intertwined, if you kill me… you'll kill her as well."
J.J. felt his heart stop, his breathing turning shallow as his grip on Gwen tightened. Tristan slowly looked over at her and J.J., hesitating.
"What's wrong?" the Black Seraph asked calmly, spreading his arms invitingly. "Come, I'm sure you have more fight left in you. This is what you wanted, right? As you've already demonstrated, even with all that you're still stronger than I am. I'm sure you can beat me again."
"Of course I can," Tristan growled, turning away from the pair and raising his shield again, resting his mace on his shoulder. He sprang forward, swinging his scepter around and slamming it into the side of the Black Seraph's face. The angel grunted, his face snapping to the side, but he recovered quickly, slowly looking up again.
"Hm… there wasn't much power behind that attack, you know," Blake commented, rubbing the chin of his mask. "How come you're holding back now?"
"I'm not! I won't!" Tristan protested, growling as he raised his shield.
"Is it because you're worried about Gwen?" Blake taunted him.
"Of course not!" Tristan snapped, swinging his mace around again and catching the Black Seraph in the ribs. Blake grunted, doubling over, and Tristan followed it up by bashing him on the back of the head, sending him to the ground. "This is what I've wanted!" he continued, wildly slamming his mace down on Blake's prone body. "She's as responsible for the destruction of Almencia as you are! Removing her will make the world safer! I can finally have retribution for Almencia after everything you've put our people through!" He finally stopped, his shoulders heaving as he panted, holding his mace over his shoulder as he glared down at the prone form of the Black Seraph.
Blake laid on the ground, unmoving, until the crown on his head began glowing white again. Once again, Gwen shrieked in pain, and J.J. clutched her to his chest as she writhed in his arms, sobbing. Tristan warily glanced over at them, his stance loosening, as the Black Seraph slowly pushed himself to his feet. He shook his head as he adjusted the crown, sighing in mock disappointment.
"Not enough," Blake remarked, holding his hand out and summoning his sword once again. "You simply don't have the conviction to defeat me now."
"I do!" Blake insisted, growling as he raised his shield again. "Draw as much energy as you wish from her! I shall cast you down as many times as necessary."
"Then come," Blake invited him, chuckling as he beckoned Tristan with one hand. With a furious yell, Tristan charged in, raising his scepter again. J.J.'s eyes widened as he immediately noticed how Tristan had completely dropped his guard in his wild frenzy – and it was clear that Blake realized the same thing.
The Black Seraph stepped in as Blake brought his mace down, and with a quick twist of his wrist, slashed along the inner part of Tristan's arm, where there was no armor. The blade sliced deep, and J.J. winced as he saw Tristan's shield arm go limp, leaving him open. Blake stepped out of the way as Tristan wildly swung his mace at him, then circled around behind him and slashed him across the back of his legs. Tristan cried out in pain as he fell to his knees.
"A pity, Sir Tristan," Blake commented as he walked around behind him. "The ancient Almencians sealed you away because they believed you would have the conviction to defeat me a second time. Who would have thought you'd become so attached to this age… and the people who inhabit it? Why, you've even befriended my sister," he chuckled in disbelief.
Tristan let out a half-yell, half-growl as he swung his scepter around, but the Black Seraph simply danced to the side, then skirted around behind the downed knight. He gripped his sword in both hands as Tristan swung his mace around again, and with a grunt, he blocked Tristan's blow with a powerful counter-swing, then knocked the weapon out of his hands. J.J.'s jaw fell open – it was the first time he'd ever seen Tristan disarmed.
The Black Seraph walked around behind Tristan, who was still kneeling on the ground, straining for his scepter. Gripping his sword tightly in both hands, he brought the blade up, then slammed it down on the back of Tristan's unprotected neck. J.J. let out a frightened cry as the blade bit deep into Tristan's bodysuit, and the knight collapsed to the ground, unmoving. His blood ran cold, and he only began breathing again when he heard Tristan coughing, but he still wasn't getting up. Then, to J.J.'s horror, golden cracks began spreading along Tristan's armor, and moments later, it disappeared in a shower of shimmering fractals, leaving him exposed and unarmed.
The crowd stared in stunned silence as Tristan gripped the grass tightly between his fingers, struggling to rise to his feet. J.J. glanced at Gwen, who nodded weakly and let him go. He hurried over to Tristan, gingerly inspecting his partner.
"Where does it hurt?" J.J. asked quickly.
"Everywhere," Tristan replied in a low grunt.
"Good. That means everything's still working then," J.J. sighed with relief. "Don't move for right now."
"Page… you must…!" Tristan choked.
"Is there anyone else who wishes to step forth?" the Black Seraph announced over their conversation, holding his arms out in entreaty. The crowd shuffled back and forth, looking away, as the Black Seraph's golden mask swept back and forth, daring another challenger to step forward. J.J. grabbed his diary and flipped it open, but grimaced when he saw that his own suit still had no health left. Maybe he could summon his sword, though, and-
"Very well!" the Seraph continued, lowering his hands. "If there's no one else…." He turned around and opened his six wings, staring up at the top of the tower. A moment later, he jumped into the air, and his wings began flapping as he flew to the apex of the structure. Even though it was several stories high, J.J. could make out a small section of the tower opening for him like a door, and the Seraph glided through the entrance, landing gently on the floor, before turning back around to stare down at the city spread below him.
"Citizens of Marville, I know that you're afraid," the Black Seraph called down to them. "But this should be a time of celebration! A new era has dawned, one where you can live your lives as you please! Now, join me in welcoming this new dawn… and enjoy the fruits of my labor, which I now give to you freely!"
The Black Seraph's crown began glowing again, and as it did, the crystal tower began shimmering as well. The clear surface rippled with rainbow colors, which pulsed as the Black Seraph held his hands out, his wings outstretched. Then, all at once, a wave of multicolored energy washed over the landscape, spreading outward from the tower. J.J. threw his arm up, shielding his eyes and gritting his teeth as he waited for something to happen. He held that position for several long moments, but eventually he lowered his arm and looked down at himself, frowning. Nothing about him had apparently changed, and he didn't feel any different. Puzzled, he looked down at Tristan, who likewise seemed unaffected by whatever had happened. He began to relax, but then he heard a piercing, startled scream come from behind him, followed by an uproarious cacophony of yelling.
J.J. turned around, and his eyes widened in horror. The entire crowd of people had been transformed into a variety of fantastical Diemons, ranging from sphinxes to griffins to mind flayers. Everyone was panicking, shying away from the others or staring down at themselves in terror, recoiling from their own monstrous bodies. Above them, the Black Seraph let out a joyous laugh.
"What did you do to us?!" someone screamed.
"Change us back!" another person pleaded.
"This can't… I…!" a third voice stammered.
"Wonderful," the Black Seraph announced, folding his hands in front of him and nodding in approval. "While I hadn't expected such complete transformations, clearly the Crown has worked as intended. And since you've all retained your faculties… congratulations! This is the best result I could have hoped for!"
"This is what you wanted?!" a woman shrieked. "To turn us all into freaks?!"
"You're not freaks," the Black Seraph replied in a soothing voice. "Rather, this is a reflection of who you really are, what you want to become. Your bodies have adapted so that they can best aid you in whatever pursuit you desire."
"And what the hell are we supposed to do now?!" a man demanded furiously.
The Black Seraph tilted his head slightly, seeming confused by the question. "Why… whatever you wish, of course," he replied calmly, folding his hands in front of him. "Pursue your dreams. The entire world is open to you all, and I implore you to make the most of it, now that you can live your lives to the fullest with no limitations holding you back."
The people continued to bicker and scream in terror while J.J. began to push himself to his feet, reaching for his diary. Before he could, however, another figure pushed his way to the front of the crowd. J.J. blinked in surprise as he saw Agnar approaching the base of the tower, staring up at the Black Seraph, his blue tunic billowing in the wind. Like Tristan and himself, Agnar was unchanged.
"My lord," he called up to the tower. "I'm pleased to see that you've achieved your goal. Now, I must ask… what of Almencia?"
The Black Seraph again seemed confused, lowering his head slightly. "What do you mean, Sir Agnar?" he asked calmly. "This is Almencia. Or, rather, this is Almencia as it was meant to be. As my father intended. Everyone is free to pursue their own path. Isn't that the ideal that Lord Quintus strove for?"
"I… yes, of course, my lord," Agnar replied hesitantly, looking away uneasily. "But what I mean is… what of our home island? Its people? You claimed that you would revive it…."
The Black Seraph stared down at him in confusion, then sighed, shaking his head. "I see," he replied slowly, his wings lowering slightly. "You mean, why haven't the people of Almencia risen from their graves? Why haven't I restored the island as you remember it?"
"Yes, my lord," Agnar replied slowly, his eyes narrowing in suspicion. "You swore an oath to me that you would-"
"I'm afraid there's been some confusion, Sir Agnar," Blake replied, his voice full of regret. "I did say that I would restore Almencia. What I meant by that was that I intended to continue pursuing my father's ideal, that I would ensure that the goals that my father set forth for our homeland would be fulfilled. That Almencia would be reborn in a new guise. And it has! But… if you're asking me to raise the dead, or to turn back time… I'm afraid that's beyond my power." He shook his head, looking down, as Agnar stood stock-still, his eyes slowly widening with shock and fury. "I didn't intend to deceive you, Sir Agnar, so you have my sincere apologies. Almencia as you knew it is gone, and I can't bring it back, much as I would like to reward you for your loyal service. The best thing I can suggest is that you carve out a new life for yourself in this world, as the possibilities are endless."
"I… you…!" Agnar sputtered, his face turning red with rage. His voice caught in his throat, strangled grunts of fury slipping past his clenched teeth. "Everything that I've done for you was based upon your oath that you would restore Almencia!"
"Well, that's the beautiful thing about this new world, Sir Agnar," the Black Seraph replied blithely. "This is an era where I'm trying to make anything possible. Perhaps you can find a way to do so yourself! And I sincerely hope you do! Sadly, I can't."
Agnar's body began shaking, his fingers slowly balling into clenched fists. The Black Seraph looked up again, frowning to himself. He folded his arms over his chest as he stared out to the horizon.
"That's strange," he murmured. J.J. glanced up, then followed his gaze. His eyes widened as he noticed that the wall of multicolored lights hadn't extended as far as he had first thought. The circle of light stopped at the edge of the Almencian walls, swirling at the border of the city like a semi-solid aurora. The Black Seraph brought one hand up to his chin, lightly tapping his fingers against his golden mask.
"Were my calculations off?" he murmured. "Did the tower have a flaw in it somewhere? Is it the crown, maybe? The jewels seem to be correct… or am I just more exhausted from my fight with Sir Tristan than I'd thought? Hm. I'll have to look into this." He then shrugged to himself. "Fortunately, there's no rush. I've been patient for this long, and since everything else is working, I just need to figure out-"
"You must fulfill your oath!" Agnar interrupted, shouting up at the Seraph, who stared down at him, seeming surprised by his outburst. "I shall not be beholden to a lord who betrays his oaths!"
Blake stared at him silently, then replied, "Then you would turn against me, Sir Agnar?"
Agnar hesitated, lowering his hands. "I…." he muttered.
Blake shook his head, sighing in disappointment. "Your loyalty wavered there, Sir Agnar. And unfortunately, I can't allow anyone to stop me. My work is so close to being completed. I'm sorry, but… it seems I'll have to raise some defenses."
The Black Seraph knelt down, putting both hands on the edge of the tower. The ground began rumbling, and then a torrent of air billowed across the park. J.J. was sent tumbling, and he grunted as his shoulder hit the ground and he rolled across the grass. He managed to look up and saw both Gwen and Tristan lying several feet away from him, both groaning in pain, and the Diemons had likewise been tossed at least a hundred yards away from the base of the tower. Blake exhaled slowly, and then the tower began glowing again, radiating a dim yellow light. He nodded in satisfaction to himself and stood up again, murmuring, "There. That should be enough of a deterrent, I hope."
Agnar was the first one to clamber to his feet, brushing off his tunic while wearing a look of seething rage. He stalked towards the tower and reached out, putting one hand on the surface of the tower. He then let out a surprised cry as a spark of electricity jolted his hand. He jerked his arm back, waving it to dissipate the sharp pain, and a moment later he steeled himself. He put both hands on the tower, yelling in agony, as he tried to push open the doors leading into the tower, but to no avail.
The Black Seraph watched his struggle from above, and he let out a weary sigh as he touched his hand to his forehead. "Stubborn," he murmured to himself. "But I suppose that I should expect that from you. Not to mention, I doubt you'll be the only one to try that. So… let's do something about that. I'll need a guardian. Such as…."
The Black Seraph held his hands up, and the ground began rumbling again. Agnar lowered his hands, his muscles twitching slightly, as he warily looked around, dropping his hand to his Driver. By this point, J.J., Gwen, and Tristan had all managed to climb to their feet, and they were watching the ground apprehensively as well.
Clawed, crystalline hands began tearing their way out of the earth. The newly-changed Diemons in the area screamed and began running away as dozens of Shards erupted from the ground like an army of the undead climbing out of their graves. The beasts shook the loose soil from their bodies and fixed their hollow eyes on the Riders still lingering in the area. Agnar, however, looked around at the Shards with a disdainful expression before gazing back up at the Black Seraph.
"My lord should know that even an army of Shards such as this won't be enough to stop me if I'm determined to make my way up to you!" Agnar shouted.
"You're right," the Black Seraph agreed, turning his palm upwards as his crown began glowing again. "Which is why I've got something else in mind."
The rocky bodies of the Shards seized up, and one by one, they began floating, stock-still, in a pose that made them seem as though they were hanging by their necks. J.J. watched in horrified fascination as Blake forced their rocky bodies to drift together, then began twisting his hands into unnatural shapes. All at once, the Shards' crystalline bodies collided with each other and began blending, molding, and reshaping themselves. The mass of stone and crystal expanded and grew larger as Agnar slowly backed away from the base of the tower.
Moments later, the Black Seraph lowered his hands, and an enormous figure dropped to the ground, which shook under its bulk. The Seraph then summoned a translucent blue D-former and tossed it down onto the shape. It landed on the surface of the rock, then slowly began seeping into the crystalline mass. As it did, the blue crystals jutting out of the creature began glowing, and the rock that comprised its body smoothed and began to take on a more defined shape. When J.J. saw what it was, his mouth slowly opened as he backed away.
The beast seemed to be about the size of a cruise ship. It had a familiar reptilian shape, with a long, narrow head and hollow blue eyes, much like those of the Shards. Several jagged, blue crystals the size of J.J.'s arm filled its mouth, which slowly opened to reveal a grey, rocky tongue. Large blue spikes formed a ridge down its spine and tail, while smoother crystals dotted its bulk. The monster rolled its neck lazily as it stretched four stumpy legs, each with short feet ending in azure, crystal claws the size of J.J.'s entire body. As it rolled its back, it stretched out a pair of thin grey wings lined with glowing blue veins, which it then tucked firmly against its back. It lowered its head again, and its glowing blue eyes fixed on the remaining interlopers still in the area. Abruptly, it opened its mouth and let out a screeching roar that echoed across the hill and could probably be heard from miles away.
J.J. clapped his hands over his ears as the sound washed over him, and he was amazed he wasn't deafened by its howl. When the monster's cry finished, he lowered his arms and stared in horrified fascination up at the beast. "A… dragon," he murmured.
Beside him, Tristan was gaping up at the monster as well, and though Gwen's mask was unreadable, she too was staring in silent disbelief. Agnar, however, was trembling with anger, his eyes focused squarely on Blake. "How?!" he shouted up at the Black Seraph. The dragon turned to stare at him, but he ignored its glowing, malevolent gaze.
"I have near-absolute mastery over alchemy now, Sir Agnar," Blake replied simply. "Shards are alchemical creatures, so it wasn't difficult to reshape them into a form better suited to guard me."
"That's not what I'm asking!" Agnar roared. "Those… those are the last Almencians! The former citizens of our island! And you…!"
"Please," Blake replied, his voice suddenly turning cold. "You've said yourself that they're just shells of former citizens. They're mindless creatures, and even their bodies barely resemble what they once were. You've happily used them as cannon fodder for months. Why would you suddenly start caring?"
"They are… they are some of the last remnants of Almencia," Agnar protested. "And if you can control them, if you can make it so that they pose no threat…!"
"So, you want to keep them around as pets? Curiosities?" Blake asked in a biting tone. "Why? If they're the citizens of Almencia, then they should be defending their home. You're standing in Almencia now, Sir Agnar, and since this is a new world, I've given them a new purpose." He paused for a moment, then added, "Since you clearly no longer wish to be in my service, I'd suggest you do the same."
Agnar's eyes widened, and he started towards the tower, but the dragon let out another furious roar, opening its wings threateningly. It swung its tail around, and J.J. winced as the appendage whirled towards the knight. Fortunately for him, Agnar wasn't hit, but the wind from the attack sent him careening away. Gwen tugged on J.J.'s jacket and nodded pointedly at the dragon, indicating that they needed to retreat as well. J.J. pulled his diary from his jeans and flipped it open, then grimaced as he saw he still couldn't transform. Reluctantly, he nodded, and they hurried away with Tristan in tow. As they retreated, the dragon behind them let out a triumphant roar, and looking back, J.J. saw Blake slowly turn around and walk back into the tower to work on completing his transformation of the world.