Suzu Tanaka looked out at the ocean. The ships of the Allied Forces of Black Star were closing in on Paisland. Soon enough, they would have the Relics of Hamza, if that Grasswing wasn't lying. Suzu closed her eyes, and thought about Angela.
My love… if I don't return from this… I love you. I always will. Soon, this hell will be over. The dragons will be gone. The future we could have together is what drives me. I love you. Completely. We will be married soon.
She thought as if her girlfriend could hear her thoughts. "Hey, you worried?" Ghada came up and asked Suzu. "Oh… it's nothing." Suzu said quietly. "Just… worried what horrible things could be awaiting us." "Are you scared?" Ghada asked, her black hair covering half of her face in the wind. "… A little." Suzu replied. "What if Old Monarchy is already there, or even worse, Camaelists?"
"Then we beat them back." Ghada said. "Dragons cannot truly outmatch us. We have to give it all we've got, but we are humanity's last hope. We need to show them that we have strength. Mankind is not something that can be stepped on and destroyed so easily. All humans, from all races, from all ages, from all sexualities. Humanity is our most important thing."
"Oh my goddesess, it's Axton Lloyd!" Said a soldier on the other side of the ship, pointing to one of the other boats in the fleet, Suzu and Ghada got up and walked over to the railing, where they could see Axton Lloyd himself. He had come all the way out here. Why?
Meanwhile, Barley was cringing as the injury on his arm ached. The Camaelists had been able to kill their Old Monarchy attackers, but at the cost of some of their lives. Barley couldn't find Swordfish, Blizzard, and their strange Rainwing friend he hadn't met. He had scanned the ground when the last Old Monarchy soldier drew their last breath. He couldn't find their bodies, so they couldn't have died… had they?
Tornado flew up beside Barley, grunting. "Well that definitely set us back some time." He said. "Why should it matter when we attack it? It's a dangerous mission, being off the coast of Dieautel, and there isn't even anything dangerous on Paisland. It's a waste of time." Barley said. Come to think of it… they haven't told us why we're going to that island. It doesn't make much strategic sense to take it and set up a base, we would get slaughtered by all the surrounding Old Monarchy allied countries. So what's the purpose?
Barley focused his attention to the front of the army. He was able to pick out Camael, who always seemed to look like Barley's terrifying uncle, Grasshopper. I put my faith in Camael. He's led us on the right path so far, why start doubting him now?
. . .
"The Necklace of Eclis." Vulture said, coming up behind Swordfish, Blizzard close behind. "We can go home." "But… do we want to go home?" Blizzard asked. "By doing this, we've probably changed the whole course of the world. We might've stopped the scorching." Swordfish suddenly realized that the world he had known was probably gone, and replaced with a different one. One where the Camaelists hadn't won.
As the soldiers cheered, Swordfish realized that they might be on a different timeline entirely now. He might have ended Pyrrhia as he knew it.
Seilbrenner put the relics back down on the table, and stared at them. "How should we split them up?" He asked. "Should they all be kept on one person, or split up amongst three?" Swordfish was hardly paying attention while he was worrying that the world he knew was gone, yet again, when he heard a noise come from the tunnel exit he and the others had come out of. He looked up to it, but nothing was there.
"Maybe… I should just hold them all, for safe keeping." Seilbrenner said quietly, grabbing the Dagger of Luna. Swordfish stepped to the side as one of the other soldiers from the Commander's group pushed past him. He couldn't see her face, but she seemed intently focused on the commander.
She began walking towards him. "Hey!" Said one of the soldiers from the other group. "That's not one of ours!" Seilbrenner turned around and saw the woman walking towards him. "You're…" he began, when the soldier pulled out a long, curved knife and dashed at the commander with alarming speed.
"DANIEL!" Marie cried, Anthony and some of the other soldiers began running at the woman, but Blizzard got there first, moving with her animus-created speed Frost gave her. She tackled the woman, who fell to the ground under her talons. Blizzard grabbed the knife and threw it to the other side of the room.
Seilbrenner walked up to the woman, still holding the Dagger of Luna, and bent down and took off the Old Monarchy helmet. "It's her." Anthony said with anger. The woman's black hair was messy and her eyes were piercing. "This woman was with Zane Jergens when he killed Gabi." Anthony said. Marie and Azure turned and looked at the woman with the same anger. Swordfish recognized her too, as the assassin who tried to kill Seilbrenner in Sainsbury, Nikita.
Rattlesnake gasped, as she must have recognized her too. Rattlesnake had almost killed her back in Sainsbury, but had been stopped by one of Nikita's other assassins. This time, Nikita was alone.
"Sir, what do we do? We don't have any way to take her prisoner." Said one of the other soldiers. Seilbrenner kept staring at the dagger in his hand. "We kill her." He said. "She would be executed anyway. She's a skilled Black Star assassin." Swordfish noted Vine staring at Nikita, a pained expression on her face.
"Daniel Seilbrenner." Nikita finally said. "You're a hard man to kill." She had a thick Otkhod accent. "In fact, it looks like it may be me who gets the blade in the end." She turned her head as much as she could and looked at him. "Go ahead and do it. I do not fear death."
"Perhaps you won't need to." Seilbrenner said. "Do you know what this is?" He asked her, showing her the dagger. "If I would have to guess, I would say the Dagger of Luna." Nikita said fearlessly. "And those over there are the Earring of Sola and the Necklace of Eclis." She nodded her head towards the carved stone block which the two other relics lay. "Congratulations, you've sold your soul to the devil." She laughed. "What do you mean by that?" Blizzard asked, still holding the assassin down.
"It takes an iron will to truly use the powers those relics hold for good. That much power can twist and contort, even the truest of people. Just like the Daughters of Amraheim. You've doomed yourself to a future of evil." Nikita said through gritted teeth. "No. A man as crazy as you is probably already twisted. You only want those relics for yourself. You know what could be done with them." She finished, silencing everyone in the cavern.
"And what? Axton Lloyd wouldn't be twisted?" Michael asked, breaking the silence. "He probably would." Nikita said, surprising everyone there. "I don't hail that man. His top general just employed me to kill Daniel Seilbrenner. It was just a job."
"Now, I really don't want to kill you." Seilbrenner said, looking at Nikita with intrigue. "But before I order Blizzard here to set you free, I want you to listen to a story." Swordfish looked at Seilbrenner worriedly. Was the assassin right? Did he only want the relics for himself? They should have been getting out as fast as they could, with Black Star and the Camaelists closing in.
"Fourteen years ago, the dragons appeared in Jeoul. Almost everyone in Jeoul was killed that night. There were not many survivors. Also, most dragons who have been alive since then have no memory of that night. The last thing I found very odd was that the dragons all appeared at different ages, some appearing very young, and others, old and worn." Seilbrenner said.
"The creation of the dragons is something that many have thought about. Many theories have been made, but until now, we've had no way to test them. The most popular theory is that dragons are the 'other half' of the Postangels." Swordfish was confused, and his friends looked it too. "Ah, let me explain for those of us who don't know the story." Seilbrenner said, glancing at the dragonets.
"After a great celestial being, God, created Earth, our planet, he created his three daughters to watch over it, the three Moon Goddesses." He said, and Swordfish recalled Marie telling him that the Goddesses were created by another, greater being. "Sola created twelve, lesser godly beings to help them rule over the life on Earth that God left behind. The Twelve Angels. And essentially, they looked like a human and a dragon, but mixed. But Luna feared the Angels were too powerful, and stripped them of their godly power, and 'dragon' attributes, and made them into humans. The first 'Postangels.'"
Swordfish looked over at Anthony, who noticed him and avoided eye contact. This seemed like something rather important that he skipped over. Did he do it on purpose?
"Now, the theory most have accepted as being most probable, especially for those in Black Star, is that the dragons are the other 'Postangels.' If Luna had gone the other way, and removed all the 'human' attributes from the Angels. But there's another theory, and now, I have a way to test it."
Seilbrenner stepped forward, grabbed Nikita's arm out from under Blizzard, and slit her wrist with the Dagger of Luna. The runes on the dagger glowed a familiar blue light, the same blue light that came from the gate to the past the necklace opened in the old Nightwing kingdom. "Blizzard, let Nikita up now." The commander ordered. Blizzard stepped back, a horrified expression on her face.
"What did you do?" Nikita asked, standing up. Blizzard began backing away, staring at the assassin. "WHAT DID YOU DO!?" Nikita asked again, this time yelling. Seilbrenner smiled. "Began the experiment." He said.
Nikita fell to her knees, and began breathing heavily. Everyone in the cavern stared at her. She put her hands on the ground, and screamed. And then it started.
Two large bones began protruding out of her back, and then split open the skin. The watchers in the cave began to scream. Swordfish was transfixed on the horrific scene, as the bones continued to grow, sprouting long finger-like bones. Like wings. A similar thing began to happen to Nikita's behind, as a long bone sprouted out, like a tail.
Vine began shrieking as Nikita almost exploded outward, her bones becoming large, and her face elongating and ripping through the skin. She made a horrific noise, no longer fully human. A bloodcurdling shriek that echoed through the cavern. She began to smoke from the mouth as two horns burst through the top of her head, which no longer had skin on it, and was beginning to form black scales.
Marie had passed out, and Anthony was covering his eyes, holding Marie, just as scared. Seilbrenner just watched in what seemed like curiosity as what used to be Nikita's hands twisted and contorted, her fingernails falling out and being replaced with claws.
And then, just when Swordfish thought it couldn't get any worse, her torso exploded into flames. Swordfish fell to the ground and began screaming along with everyone else in the cavern except the commander. Nikita fell to the ground in pain and dragon-like screeching as her chest exploded in a burst of flame and smoke.
"My theory was correct!" Seilbrenner crowed over the noise of the screaming. "Dragons are not their own species, they are humans! Transformed humans! The people of Jeoul were not eaten and killed, they were turned into the first dragons! And they appeared at the age they would be in dragon years!"
Swordfish suddenly collapsed and the world around him disappeared. He awoke again in a world of blackness and silence. He stood up, and felt himself get to his own two feet. He looked down, and saw himself. Two legs. Two arms, pale skin. And somehow, he wasn't surprised. Like, he had always known. Something inside him had always known.
He took a cautious step forward, becoming familiar with his two-legged self. He put one hand on top of his head, and felt the hair on top. The human put a hand to his face and felt his mouth, his nose, his chin. It almost felt… familiar.
Suddenly, a voice echoed through the silence. "Swordfish!" Said the disembodied voice. "Swordfish!" It said again, and then Swordfish woke up to see Blizzard standing over him, her eyes wide and her claws trembling. "You're alright!" She said, wrapping her wings around him. Swordfish put his claw forward to see it was a hand.
He blinked in surprise and it went back to normal. He slowly got up, and felt surprised to have four feet, but after a moment, it passed. Swordfish looked around to see that Rattlesnake, Vine, Vulture, Azure, and the other two dragons from Seilbrenner's group were passed out. Then, he saw the burned and blackened half-dragon body of Nikita Petrov and almost fell over again in shock as he remembered what happened.
"Three moons. Three moons. Three moons." He repeated quietly. "I know." Blizzard said quietly. "She… turned into a dragon. Or, at least started to become one." Swordfish could feel how hard she was trembling. "She started becoming a Nightwing… the fire didn't come in right or something. And then you all passed out." "You… didn't?" Swordfish asked. Blizzard paused. "I started to, but I managed to stop myself."
"Swordfish!" Anthony said, walking over. He looked just as scared as Blizzard. "You're alright. They're going to be alright!" Anthony called out to the rest of the humans. Swordfish saw that the soldiers were trying to awaken the dragons from their strange sleep.
"They're all… in that place." Swordfish said. "We need to get them out!" He cried, running over to Rattlesnake. "Come on!" He said, suddenly filled with terror again. He looked at Rattlesnake's beautiful face, asleep and emotionless. "Rattlesnake!" He called. "Rattlesnake!" He shook her.
She snapped awake and inhaled sharply. Her eyes darted around and then focused on Swordfish. "Swordfish." She said quietly, trembling like Swordfish and Blizzard had been. She reached upwards and lightly touched his face, but she looked at her talon with wide eyes.
"…Hand?" Swordfish asked quietly, and Rattlesnake nodded. "What do you mean?" Anthony asked. "When… I was asleep. I had… like a dream. But it felt… like a memory. I was a human, and when I woke up, I still felt like a human."
"The primitive brain." Seilbrenner said, walking towards Swordfish. "A part of the brain left over from your human ancestors, whoever they may be. I believe it's what makes dragons so close to humans in intelligence and emotion. Why dragon brains appear to function so similarly to humans in comparison to other reptiles and animals. Seeing Nikita go from human to dragon reminded that core human part of your brain what it truly is under the scales and wings."
"You're insane." Anthony said, stepping away from Seilbrenner. "I always thought you were strange, the way you improvised gear in San Palagino and sent soldiers out into a sandstorm. The way you tossed a baby in the courtroom, just hoping that these dragonets would save it. The way you so willingly approved my travels with Rainfall. But this…" Anthony pointed to the horrific remains of Nikita. "This is too far."
"He plans to take the relics for himself." Rattlesnake suddenly croaked. "I grew up in the Scorpion Den. I learned to read dragons, and if dragons are humans, I can read them too. When Nikita accused him of wanting those things for himself, I saw the face of someone caught. Someone whose true intentions had been brought to light."
As the dragons around the cave were woken up, a group began to encircle Seilbrenner. Looks of horror plastered on their faces. Swordfish saw Vine and Vulture going through the same ordeal of realizing what they truly were. Marie's face had tear marks lining her cheeks, her lightly dark skin reflecting the torchlight of the cavern.
"Why did you do that, Commander? Wouldn't killing her have been easier for all of us? More merciful?" One of the soldiers, the same one who had called out Nikita asked, he scratched his beard, the terror clearly showing in his eyes.
"When I was a boy I looked down upon an anthill. I saw how small they were, and how many of them there were. Their lives were short and insignificant. I began to play around with them, destroying certain parts of the anthills and seeing how they reacted, putting drops of water on them, exposing them to magnified light. I found it interesting to see the reactions of the ants when faced with obstacles and strange things. Soon, I began to wonder if the same could be said about us. What if we are the ants? What if our lives are short and insignificant as well?" Seilbrenner said, backing away from the group that was staring at him in horror.
"So after coming to this realization, that all of us are just playthings as well, ants crawling through the grass, I began experimenting with people." The commander continued. "We gain nothing if we just sit back and never innovate. In fact, we must always come up with something new, or face destruction. Always experiment, no matter the cost. Be it throwing a baby, sending troops into a sandstorm, trusting a strange Rainwing, or turning a Black Star assassin into a dragon, it's all just a test."
Swordfish looked at the man he once had respect for with terror. Seilbrenner didn't care. All of this was just some sort of game to him. "And with these relics… I can finally do things that will help humanity. It's the meaning of my small and purposeless life!" The commander cried. "Would that include ending the war?" Marie asked. "Perhaps." Replied Seilbrenner. "But war means more chaos, more people and dragons willing to try and experiment."
The commander suddenly dashed over to the relics. "And don't try to stop me, or I'll age all of you forward until you're piles of dust on the ground!" He yelled, holding up the Necklace of Eclis. Swordfish hadn't even noticed that the cavern had begun to shake. "Hey! What's happening?!" Asked a Sandwing from the other group, before a rock dislodged itself from the roof and smashed her head into the ground with a bloody smack.
The dragons and humans stared at the cavern around them in horror until the wall closest to Seilbrenner began to crumble. The commander shrieked, and began grabbing the relics. "We need to get out." Blizzard said. "Now." "What's happening?!" Vine asked, her bandage around her eye beginning to come loose. As if to answer her question, a giant black and red talon burst through the wall, meticulously reaching for the commander. Swordfish stared at it in horror. Camael.
Commander Daniel Seilbrenner began to run, but he wasn't fast enough. He was carrying all three relics in his arms, when the roof began to collapse further. He fell to the ground and the relics were scattered out in front of him. "NOOOOO!" He screamed as the rocks, boulders, and debris collapsed on top of him. And then he was gone.
Michael grabbed the Necklace of Eclis, which was closest to him, while Rattlesnake grabbed her earring and the Dagger of Luna. Swordfish saw Anthony give the pile of rocks one last look before escaping with everyone else.
As they ran, they began meeting up with other groups, who stared at the relics in awe before running away as well. The whole mountain seemed to be coming down, and the twisting tunnels didn't help. Every time the mountain shook, Swordfish could swear he saw dust fall down from above him as the whole place began to collapse.
Swordfish had to stop himself from collapsing multiple times throughout the journey. He kept flickering back to that dark place, and himself as a human. He felt like he kept tripping over his four legs, and getting his wings caught on things, as if he had never had them before.
The Old Monarchy soldiers eventually managed to get out of the caves, but were met with a horrific scene. Paisland was burning. The Camaelists had set fire to the forest in an attempt to kill the Old Monarchy forces.
Swordfish turned around to see the shape of an enormous dragon within the clouds of smoke. He was black and blood-red. His eyes seemed to pierce through the veil of smoke. It was Camael. Marie pointed up at him in horror. Swordfish saw Camael turn his head and look at the soldiers coming out of the caverns. "HE SAW US!" Yelled the bearded soldier. "RUN!" He began to escape down the mountain, but a Skywing swooped down and shredded his throat with her talons. He fell to the ground, his head falling off completely with the impact.
Camael kept staring, but then turned away and began focusing on destroying the mountain again. A chunk of rock tumbled down the mountain, nearly crushing Michael, who was able to run away in time. As the rest of the Old Monarchy troops escaped the cavern, they began heading down towards the beaches again for takeoff. Swordfish realized that he, Blizzard, and Vine were unarmed, and had left mobile rifles and other weapons back at the homestead. As they approached the beach, the Old Monarchy soldiers were met with more bad news. Black Star naval ships had formed a blockade between Paisland and the mainland, and were in fierce combat with the Camaelists. Dragon and human bodies were laying in the water, their blood turning the water red. Parts of boats floated by, burning. Gunshots and roars filled the air.
"YOU! YOU TWO WITH THE RELICS!" Yelled Commander Meltzer from behind Swordfish. Rattlesnake and Michael turned around. "GET OUT OF THE BATTLE!" He ordered. "WHERE'S SEILBRENNER?!" One of the soldiers from Seilbrenner's group said something to Meltzer, who sighed.
Swordfish watched Michael begin to run to the safety of the trees and Rattlesnake follow closely behind. But suddenly, and without warning, a dark purple shape descended out of a tree and landed on Rattlesnake. Michael had already ran into the woods with the Necklace of Eclis, but the Aniwing had been able to catch Rattlesnake.
"They entrust two of the three relics to a dragonet?" General Wraith hissed, wrestling Rattlesnake to the ground. Rattlesnake grunted and began twisting her barbed tail in a position to strike Wraith's back, but Wraith grabbed her tail without even looking. "Nice try." He said, twisting her tail in two different directions. Rattlesnake screamed, and Wraith grabbed the Dagger of Luna in her moment of weakness.
Swordfish and Blizzard rammed into Wraith at the same time, knocking him off of Rattlesnake. The dagger landed in the grass nearby. The Aniwing stood up, and looked around him as Rattlesnake, Swordfish, Blizzard, Vine, and Vulture stood around him. "Five dragonets, huh?" He muttered. "I really thought Old Monarchy would have something better to offer."
. . .
"Where are the others?" Asha Wirnman asked Michael. "A Sandwing named Rattlesnake has them." He replied. He had shown her the Necklace of Eclis, which looked smaller and less important in the light of day. "Well, we have to ensure that those are safe. Where is she?" Asha asked. "I'm not sure." Michael replied. "I thought she would be behind me."
Asha peeked her head above the fallen-over tree the two were hiding behind. "I don't see her." She said softly. Damn it. Michael thought. What happened to her?
Suddenly, a gunshot sounded. Michael jumped. Asha fell backward, a large bullet hole through her cheek. Her body landed in the dirt and leaves. Michael got up and saw General Zane Jergens aim his pistol again. Michael rolled behind a tree and the bullet shot through the wood above his head, splintering bits of the tree sprinkling down on his head. Michael turned his head and looked at Asha's dead body.
"I thought you were fighting for humanity." Michael said from behind the tree. "Not against them." "I am." Jergens replied. "But some blood needs to be spilled in order for that to happen. We're all making sacrifices here." Michael paused and waited to hear the sound of a reload, but it didn't happen. "Besides, you're one to talk about fighting for humanity when you work alongside those beasts." Jergens said, closer now. Michael began loading his rifle, maneuvering his arms in such a position so that Jergens wouldn't be able to see it.
"Well, maybe some dragons can be more human than even some humans themselves." Michael said, stalling for time. "Perhaps they can." Jergens said through gritted teeth, moving closer. "For example, how can you call yourself a human when you fight for Old Monarchy?" "I'm not sure." Michael said, quietly completing the load.
"Besides, you kill people too, right? Black Star soldiers?" Jergens asking, now right on the other side of the tree. "Maybe." Michael replied, and pointed the gun around the tree and fired.
A sizeable hole was blasted through the side of the tree, and Zane Jergens stumbled backward to avoid the debris. Michael got up and began to run. Jergens was close behind him, aiming his pistol. "That necklace is all I need." He said, when suddenly, another group of Camaelists darted past above the trees, letting fire fall from their mouths and onto the forest. Flames lit the ground at Michael's feet.
Michael was suddenly grabbed by the uniform and yanked backward. Zane Jergens turned him around and grabbed him by the throat. Michael felt the barrel of the pistol violently pushing against his throat underneath his chin. "If you give me the necklace, I won't blast your head into chunks." Jergens growled. Michael grunted and used his free arm to punch Jergen's in the cheek.
The surprise of the hit made the Black Star general loosen his grip, and Michael swatted the pistol out of his hand. The gun landed in the flames nearby. Jergens turned to look at Michael, and then threw him backward in anger.
Michael landed on the ground next to his rifle. He picked it up and began to aim, but Jergens was already nearly on top of him, brandishing a long knife. Michael fired the gun.
The bullet grazed Jergens' shoulder, making him groan in pain. But he kept going, tossing the rifle to the side, and then he moved the knife downward, as to slit Michael's throat.
Michael kicked Jergens in the crotch, and then punched him in the face once more, making him stumble backward again. Michael stood up, and glanced over at his rifle. It was too far away now. Jergens swung at Michael and hit him in the left shoulder, which made a crack.
Jergens began to go in for another hit, when Michael used his right arm to try and sweep out his legs out from under him. He was able to unbalance one leg, which made Jergens begin to fall down, but he righted himself and threw Michael to the ground once more.
Jergens punched Michael in the face, once, twice, three times. Michael began to taste blood. Jergens' angered face began to become blurry as Michael was nearly knocked unconscious. "The necklace was destined to fall into the right hands eventually." Jergens said as he carefully pulled the Necklace of Eclis off of Michael, who attempted to hit him once more, but was stopped by Jergens.
"The power of the goddesses is ancient. It predates humanity entirely. Yet it still knows that it is us Postangels who must dominate under the goddesses itself. That's why, in the end, the relics will always find their way back to those who will use them to dominate." Said General Zane Jergens, draping the necklace around himself.
"Dragons… are us." Michael spat. "They literally are humans… it's the power of Luna… manipulate the building blocks… of life. Don't preach about being above them… when they are humans beneath the scales."
Suddenly, another wave of Camaelists began to drop fire down upon the forest. Jergens stood up, and adjusted the necklace on himself. "I guess burning is a fitting end for a man who suggests the dragons are as holy as we are." And then he began to run away from the flames, leaving Michael to die.
Michael tried to stand up, but the pain was too great. He couldn't let Jergens escape with the necklace. He couldn't end here, dying without avenging Polar. But the heat began to get to him, and he collapsed, his wounds sending streaks of pain through his head.
Michael lay there, collapsed. The flames were getting closer. Soon, they would consume him. He heard the noises of screaming, roars, gunshots, and the other noises of the battle rampaging beyond the trees.
Suddenly, Michael felt himself be lifted up, away and out of the flames. He couldn't open his eyes, but he felt talons grab his shoulders and pull him out of danger. "Don't worry. We can catch that bastard later." Said a voice, and Michael was laid down in safety. "The necklace… can't…" Michael began before fully going unconscious, and entering a sleep haunted by dead bodies, Camael, and humans turning into dragons.
. . .
Wraith drew in a breath and blasted fire at Vine, who turned invisible, and appeared to dodge the attack. Swordfish descended out of the sky and lashed at Wraith with his powerful Seawing tail, but Wraith took to the sky as well, and then moved at incredible speeds. He dodged the tail and scratched Swordfish's face with his claws.
The animyre. Swordfish remembered. The Aniwing ability. Time moves slower for a short amount of time, but the Aniwing moves normal speed. Swordfish fell backward, blood spurting out of his wound.
Rattlesnake descended out of the higher airspace, attacking Wraith with her barbed tail, but he got out of the way, and went for her throat with his claws. But Rattlesnake blocked the attack, staring Wraith right in the eyes. She raised her tail again, which must have still been sore from Wraith twisting it. But Wraith flung her to the side. Rattlesnake collided with Swordfish in the air, knocking Swordfish further away.
Vulture attacked Wraith from the behind, but the Aniwing called on the animyre again, easily dodging his attack and tossing him to the side. Wraith made a dive for the dagger laying in the grass, but Blizzard suddenly attacked him out of nowhere, making a considerable slice into his back with her serrated claws. Wraith spun around and blasted fire in her direction, which caught her arm, but Blizzard kept on going, like it didn't even hurt.
Blizzard spun around and swiped at Wraith with the end of her tail, which only barely missed. The Camaelist general swung at her with his claws, but Blizzard parried him with an attack of her own, which made a bloody claw mark down his face.
Wraith growled, but before he could attack her, Blizzard began calling the frost within. She blasted the Aniwing with the icy breath, but she didn't have enough range. Wraith was too far away. But suddenly, Vulture flung himself onto Wraith, brandishing the Dagger of Luna.
"VULTURE! WHAT ARE YOU-" Rattlesnake screamed, but Vulture began yelling something of his own, cutting her off. "YOU HATE HUMANS? HERE, HAVE THIS!" He screeched, raising the dagger, beating his wings heavily to keep the Aniwing from flying away. But Wraith slashed at Vulture's eyepatch with his wing, making Vulture reel backward with pain. Wraith grabbed the dagger before it fell out of the sky.
Vine appeared again, this time behind Wraith. She leapt forward, talons outstretched to grab the dagger away. Wraith spun around and grabbed Vine's throat, studying her face. "You're the one who killed Stone, weren't you?" He hissed. "One of his servants finally killed that old fool." Wraith brought his arm upwards, as to strike down and slit Vine's throat, but all four other dragonets attacked Wraith.
Wraith roared as all five dragonets got him down to the ground. "Do we take him prisoner or just kill him?" Blizzard asked, but she never got an answer. Five Camaelist dragons suddenly descended out of the battle to subdue their general's attackers. Swordfish felt the cold talons of an Icewing grab him from behind. Swordfish just watched as his friends were attacked too. Just like when they were escaping the Darkists.
"… Swordfish?" Asked a familiar voice. Swordfish turned his head enough to see Rattlesnake's attacker. It was Tornado. The Skywing turned and looked at Blizzard as well. "Wait… you two were…" He looked hurt.
"Sir, do we kill them?" Asked the Mudwing holding Vulture. "Wait. Take off the Sandwing's earring." Wraith ordered. The Mudwing began to reach for the Earring of Sola, when he himself was suddenly attacked by a Sandwing, on her back, a woman. Swordfish felt the Rainwing who was holding him back be knocked away as well. "GET THE DAGGER!" Swordfish heard a voice yell.
But Swordfish was transfixed on Tornado, who was still looking at him and Blizzard, but then, a Nightwing flew by above him, and the shape of Anthony fell down from the Nightwing and grabbed onto Tornado.
Swordfish froze. The battle seemed to slow down all around him as Tornado wrestled with Anthony, who had two mobile shotguns, loaded and ready. Tornado blasted fire at Anthony, but he wasn't fast enough. Anthony got to Tornado's head, aimed for the weak spot, and fired.
The sound of the blast of the gun snapped Swordfish back to real time as Tornado's body began to fall out of the sky, his face blasted open, the shells buried deep into his skull. The Nightwing flew downward to catch Anthony as Tornado fell into the burning ground below.
Swordfish screamed. He didn't know why, but the realization of what had happened washed over him like water surrounding a rock on the beach. Swordfish suddenly looked up to see Camael was looking over at the battle between Wraith and his soldiers fighting Old Monarchy.
"GO! GO! GO!" Cried a voice, and Swordfish turned to see that Commander Meltzer was holding the dagger. "Asha is with the necklace! We need to get out! Now!" The dragonback soldiers began flying back towards the mainland.
Swordfish was swept away by the crowd of dragons flying back to the Dieautish coast as Camael destroyed the mountain. They were easily able to bypass the Black Star fleet, as their guns could not reach the dragons flying so far above.
When they arrived back on the mainland beach, Swordfish saw Rattlesnake and Anthony run over to somebody laying on the ground. "Oh my goddesses. Michael!" Marie cried when she saw who it was. Michael was bloody, and his shoulder didn't look too good. He coughed when he was awoken. "The necklace…" He croaked to everyone's horror. "Asha is dead. Black Star has the necklace."
Swordfish looked back at the mountain as the battle between Black Star and the Camaelists raged. Two species, locked in combat. Yet they were the same. The dragons were humans from the beginning. Swordfish looked at his talons to see them flicker to hands for a few seconds, before turning back.
. . .
It was late afternoon now, and the Black Star ships were retreating. Camael had destroyed the mountain, along with the Relics of Hamza. Brittaney Colens sat in the main ship along with the other Black Star higher ups, save Zane Jergens, who hadn't been seen since the siege began.
The room was silent as the boat rocked back and forth. They had lost many brave men and women in the battle, and it was for nothing. The relics had been destroyed, if they hadn't, that meant Old Monarchy, or worse, the Camaelists, had them. Yet Axton Lloyd did not seem disturbed. He almost seemed like he was in a good mood, bringing out a fine wine and glasses. "Excuse my questioning, why are you celebrating?" Asked General Marsalis Durante. "This has been a horrible disaster for us." "Call it a resolve. I've finally figured something out." Lloyd said, and Brittaney felt the familiar chill go up her spine again.
The door of the room was suddenly burst open, and in walked Zane Jergens and at least 14 armed soldiers behind him. His dark eyes were trained on Axton Lloyd. Around his neck was a necklace, which had a small knife-shaped pendant on it. The soldiers suddenly pointed the guns at the Black Star leaders. Brittaney was in shock as one of the soldiers she knew, a woman named Suzu Tanaka, aimed her rifle at Brittaney. As the other leaders began to yell and scream, Axton Lloyd remained calm and collected. He returned the stare back at Zane Jergens, his blue eyes staring into Jergens'.
"I hold the Necklace of Eclis." Jergens said. "Axton Lloyd, you have led Black Star down many poor choices as your time as its leader, but this failure is truly the last straw." He boomed. "You lead us into strange places and situations, where we only seem to lose. Your allegiance to humanity is questionable. I could lead this coalition of countries and kingdoms far better than you ever could."
Brittaney knew the day may come one day, but she was still surprised. Zane Jergens held one third of the power of Hamza in his hand. He was going to overthrow Axton Lloyd and take command. "The military already obeys me over all. I am giving you all a chance to surrender, or you will be shot. Right here and now." "Goddesses almighty, watch over us and grant us good fortune in this time of darkness." Abd Al-Malik suddenly said quietly. "Shut up you dog!" Jergens barked.
"Axton Lloyd, do you peacefully step down from your position as Supreme Leader, or do I get the pleasure of killing you myself?" Jergens asked, pointing a pistol at the Prophet. Lloyd didn't seem troubled by this at all. "General, do you know how to use that thing that lies around your neck?" He asked. Jergens was silent before saying "Of course I do!"
"Then go ahead. Kill me." Lloyd said confidently. Everyone in the room looked at him in shock, except Jergens, who smirked. "Finally." He said, and aimed his pistol and fired.
The bullet went right into Lloyd's chest. Someone screamed. Axton Lloyd fell to the ground, but he wasn't dead. He got back up, gritting his teeth. "…What?" Jergens asked, shocked. He fired again, and this time, Lloyd didn't even fall down. The prophet took a step towards Jergens.
Jergens fired again, and again. The bullets didn't seem to affect Axton Lloyd other than putting bloody holes through him. The soldiers who were with Jergens stopped aiming their weapons, staring at the scene in front of them with awe and fear.
"Why… won't… you… die!?" Jergens screamed, firing two more shots. Axton just smiled. He was right up in front of Jergens now. "You don't know how to use it, do you?" He asked. Zane Jergens was beginning to sweat. He turned his head and saw his soldiers were no longer behind him.
"You see, you need to give it a command." Lloyd said quietly. He ripped the necklace off of Jergens. He touched the stone, and whispered a command in the dead language of Valkskyan. "Arma manu Eclis, Sinite reni velum." He said, and then pointed his open hand at Jergens.
Jergens almost collapsed. He screamed a scream of pure pain. His hair became greyer, his skin more wrinkled. He opened his mouth to speak but all that came out was screaming. His hair became white. Spots appeared on his skin, which was beginning to sag. His muscles began to deteriorate, his body becoming weaker and weaker.
He suddenly collapsed, his knees becoming too weak. He screamed again, but it was weak and almost a whisper. Then, his skin began to fall off. His bones began to turn to mush. His hair fell out along with his eyes, which turned to mush on the floor. His fingers began to shrivel up and fall off, and then all his skin was gone. His muscles and bones remained until they deteriorated as well, and all that remained of Zane Jergens was a dark spot on the wooden floor, along with his clothes and items he had on him.
When the silence had reached a breaking point, Abd Al-Malik flung himself to the ground. "HE TRULY IS THE PROPHET!" Everyone bowed alongside him. Bowed to the Prophet, the man who knew the holy will.