*This is a long chapter.  So bear with it.  But, I think you'll enjoy it. =0)

Anthony stood in front of the Orange County Convention Center, staring out into the dark and eerie sky.

The moon now glimmered the most blood-red color one could ever imagine.  It descended from space, returning itself to what its alternate form was called: [The Moon That Never Sets].  It is the place where the God of Destruction would be born.  The Virage Embryo.

Hundreds of people, all from the convention or just around the area, stood behind him.  They watched in awe and bewilderment at the event taking place around them. 

One of those people was his good friend Julie Rhoden.  She watched him, worried of what was to happen next. 

It was an event that they knew nothing about; one they couldn't comprehend.  There was so much at stake that none of them could even realize.

Anthony reached into his right pocket, pulling out the holy and omnipotent stone.  It glowed a gentle, warm radiance.  "It's time," he told himself.  The White Silver Dragoon Spirit levitated from the palms of his hands and stopped right in front of the center of his chest.  Rays of brilliant luminescence began to radiate.  Slowly, they shined brighter. 

The crowd behind him awed and gasped at the magical phenomenon. 

Julie couldn't believe what she was seeing.

Anthony turned his head back to glance at the poor, innocent bystanders; including his dear friend.  "It's all right," he told them in a soft tone, "It'll be all right…"

Anthony spread out his arms, his White Silver Dragoon Spirit radiating on the center of his chest.  A beam of white light shined down from the skies above him.  The clothes he wore upon his body vanished and dematerialized, revealing a white colored silhouette of his naked body.  He floated within the beam of light as white angel feathers swirled around him.  They all came together as one on his body, transforming him.  He was now the mighty White Silver Dragoon, wings spread and determined.

The light from the transformation ceased, as now the rest of the crowd could see the mighty [Dragon Warrior].

            "There's no more time left…" he thought to himself, "No more waiting…This ends here."

            He spread out his Dragoon wings even further outward and soared straight across the air into battle.

            Anthony stopped when he was high enough in the air, above the city.  He pulled out his potent silver bow and aimed an arrow made of white magic.  "Lloyd!!!" he shouted with the utmost intensity, "Show yourself to me!!"

            "Enough already," his voice spoke.  He appeared a few feet away from the White Silver Dragoon.  He still bore his immense dark-colored armor; the [Dragon Buster] in hand as well.  "Dear boy…you are the [Moon Child].  Give yourself in.  Your place is not among these humans.  It is conjoined with the embryo," Lloyd explained as he pulled back a lock of his platinum hair.

            "No!" Anthony replied, "My place is here on Earth!  With everyone I care about!"

            "And you think you can stop it alone?" Lloyd asked him with a smirk firmly planted upon his face.

            "I will, if I must…" Anthony replied determinedly. 

            "You won't have to!" a male voice shouted from afar.

            In the distance, six colored lights, representing fire, earth, water, wind, thunder, and darkness, approached the two feuding enemies.

            Anthony's face lit up with joy.  "Everyone!" he cried.

            "It seems the cavalry has arrived," Lloyd stated in a disappointed and annoyed tone.

            The Red-Eye, Jade, Sea Wave, Violet Thunder, Golden, and Darkness Dragoons surrounded the evil Wingly, along with their companion.

            "Sorry, we're late," Dart apologized in a joking manner.

            "Are you all right Anthony?" Meru asked worriedly as she flew over to him.

            Anthony nodded with a smile, "I am now."

            "Lloyd, what you are trying to do is unforgivable!" Albert yelled loudly.

            "We won't let you convert this world into a world of death!" Haschel added.

"WE CREATE WORLD WHERE EVERYONE LIVE IN PEACE," Kongol told him.

"A world where hopes, dreams, and…" Rose began to say.  She turned and gave a warm smile to Anthony.  "…Light can shine through," she finished.

Anthony smiled back, "Yes, you're right." 

The seven Dragoons faced their opponent.  Each of them revealed their powerful weapons.

The Giganto, Kongol, with his potent axe.

The Martial Artist, Haschel, with his lightning quick fists.

The Royal King of Serdio, Albert, with his graceful staff.

The Lively Dancer, Meru, with her forceful hammer.

The Wisest Dragoon, Rose, with her unique rapier blade.

The Noble Hero, Dart, with his slashing sword.

And the Young Boy, brought into this adventure through a hand of fate, Anthony held his accurate and precise bow.

They had arrived to the very same part of which this story began.  And soon, their stories would conclude.

Anthony looked around him, seeing all of his wonderful friends come to his aide once more.  It meant so much to him that they were there beside him, despite of the hostility they had earlier that day.  Even though he had been upset with them before, it all seemed to vanish just having them by his side.

"You Dragoons still attempt to prevent what has already begun?!" Lloyd asked them all in disbelief.

"We will stop you," Rose said to him sternly.

"Just as we did in our world," Haschel added, in the same tone.

"Ha ha ha!" Lloyd laughed at them smugly, "You forget.  In your world, the [Moon Child] was already dead!"

Dart took those condescending words to heart and rushed towards Lloyd with his blade, "You bastard!!!"

"DART!" Kongol called to him.

"Haagghh!!!!" Dart yelled at the top of his lungs; filled with so much passion and fury.  He slashed down with his sword.

Lloyd quickly teleported away, as he then reappeared soon there after.  "Ha ha ha!" Lloyd still laughed, "You toy with me?"

"Dart, wait!" Meru cried.

"You all stay out of this!!" he snapped back at her.

"Eh?" she gasped.

"You…You killed the one thing that meant the most to me…" Dart stated, clenching his sword so tightly.

"You want to seek revenge?" Lloyd asked him, with his usual cocky grin plastered across his face.

"Dart!!" Anthony called out to him.

Dart turned his head, only slightly, to see Anthony in the corner of his eyes.

"You cannot defeat him this way!  Not with vengeance!" Anthony explained to him, "I know your heart is filled with so much warmth and love, Dart!  Not with vengeance and hatred!  Didn't Shana fall in love with you because she felt your warmth and your love?!"

"Uh?!" Dart gasped under his breath.

"Do you think Shana would want to see you like this?!" Anthony asked.

Dart closed his eyes, thinking about that beautiful girl that he cared about so much.  And with that thought, he smiled, knowing Anthony was right.  He turned around to face him, "You're right."

Anthony smiled back.

Albert's eyes widened when he saw Lloyd approaching Dart from behind, "Dart, look out!!!"

Dart turned around to see Lloyd's [Dragon Buster] slashing down towards him.  He was able to move out of the way, without getting seriously hurt.  But he did not escape unharmed.  Lloyd managed to cut his right arm, causing it to bleed.

His friends rushed to assist him, "Dart!"

Dart held his gashed arm as the blood seamed through his fingers.  He grimaced and gritted his teeth in pain.

"I do not have time to play games with you!" Lloyd told them, "The moon awaits its new master to prepare for the big show…However!  I will return for the key to my success!"

Anthony looked at him, knowing who he was speaking about.

"This time…my mission will be completed!  The God of Destruction will rise!" he yelled, "Ha ha ha!!!"  As his sinister laugh echoed throughout the gloomy, sky he teleported away.

"Ugh…crazy bastard," Haschel mumbled.

"Dart!  Are you all right?!" Albert asked worriedly.

"Y-Yeah…urgh…" he replied, still in much pain.

"Luckily, he only managed to slash your arm…" Rose examined his wound, "Though, it could've been much worse."

"DART CANNOT GO ALONE," Kongol scolded him.

Dart looked down, ashamedly.

"But…I understand," Meru spoke up.

Dart lifted his head to see her, "Meru…?"

"I understand why you did it…" she told him, reminiscing about something important to her, "When you lose someone…someone you loved…you want to release all of your anger, your frustration…your loneliness upon the one who caused it…I know how that feels…"  She spoke about her family and her lover whom she had lost.

Dart smiled, "I'm sure…they're with Shana now."

Anthony looked at Dart, smiling to himself.  He knew those were the right words to say to her.

"Yes…" Meru nodded, "You're probably right."

"Now, what are we going to do about this wound?" Haschel asked, trying to change the subject.

"We could do a little first aid," Albert suggested.

"This wound is too deep, and we don't have much time…" Rose explained to him, "We need a quicker method."

"M-May I try?" Anthony spoke up nervously.

Everyone looked to him.

"ANTHONY?" Kongol asked.

"I…might be able to help," he said.  He floated over to Dart and put one the palm of one hand above the Dart's wound.

"What are you…?" Haschel began.

Anthony closed his eyes, as his entire body began to glow, along with his Dragoon Spirit.  Sparkles of white light began to release from his fingers and merged inside Dart's wound, healing it slowly.

In that instant, Dart began to get a flash.  It only lasted a quick second, but he saw Shana.  Not only did he see her, he felt her.  When the incident ended, he shook his head to snap out of it.  He looked to his arm to see it completely healed.  "Wha…?" he gasped.

"You used your Dragoon Magic!" Meru leaped up excitedly.

"Excellent job Anthony," Rose complimented him.

"I'm glad I could help," he smiled.

"Thank you…Anthony," Dart said to him.  He looked at him.  It wasn't in the same way he looked at him before.  For now, even though he didn't know why, he could see Shana in him.  He just didn't know why that was.

"A-Anthony…" Meru said, "About earlier…when we all talked…I just wanted to say that I'm so…!"

"It's okay Meru," he smiled, saying it in a gentle tone, "It's okay now.  It really…doesn't matter to me anymore.  And I do understand now.  I forgive you…all of you."

Everyone felt so relieved that he felt that way.

"Because now…I've learned to accept my fate.  But, not just that one.  I now fully understand my destiny as a Dragoon.  That's why…I'm going to do whatever it takes to protect the people of this world.  Just as you all protected the people of your world…That's what matters to me now," Anthony explained, "And…being with all of you…My dear friends."

Meru smiled and leaped into his arms, hugging him, "Friends…always!"

"Right," he nodded.

"Now…" Dart said, turning to look at the large scarlet colored sphere known as [The Moon That Never Sets], "…Let's do what we came here to do."

Rose flew next to him, "Yes."

Kongol put his oversized hang upon Anthony's shoulder, "STAY CLOSE TO KONGOL."

Anthony looked up to him and smiled.  He appreciated Kongol's sentiments and his wanting to protect him.  "Okay," he agreed.

"Dragoons…!" Dart shouted loudly.

The rest of the Dragoons flew over next to Rose and himself, in a single line.

"…Let's FLY!" he finished.

All simultaneously, the Legendary Dragoons spread out their armored wings and set off towards [The Moon That Never Sets], their final battleground.

Lloyd had already entered the vicinity of [The Moon That Never Sets].  He stood in a large, hollow chamber within spherical shape.  It looked as if he were inside of a coral reef as red as the moon itself.  There were all different shaped holes inside the walls that surrounded him.  In front of him was a massive wall that seemed to reach the sky.  There was a large round crevice that held an enormous, translucent orb. 

The entire room echoed the beating of a heart.  It was as if the moon was alive.

Lloyd stood below the structure, looking up at it with the most delightful and hopeful eyes.  "Wait just a bit longer…" he spoke, "You will be born soon enough…I will merge with you, Virage Embryo, along with that brat."

In that instant, round shaped screen appeared behind him.  It showed an image like a regular television screen would; minus the electronics.  The projecting screen displayed an image of the Dragoons heading towards the moon.

Lloyd turned around to see it.  He grew disgusted with what he saw, "Ugh…I forgot about them.  But, perhaps this isn't a bad thing after all.  If I can only distract the Dragoons, if only for a second…I can grab the [Moon Child] and hurry back here."  He thought about this plan for a moment, and then grinned evilly.  "That'll be perfect…" he laughed, "But, first…"  He turned around to face the structure with the sphere once again. 

The sound of the beating heart seemed to come from within it.

"…I'll need your help, Virage Embryo.  Lend me your minions," Lloyd said.

The Dragoons flew swiftly towards the bright, crimson moon.  They continued flying until Anthony began to get a flash.

"Ugh…!!" he cried, grabbing his head.

Everyone stopped and turned around to see what was wrong.

"Anthony!" Albert shouted.

"Are you okay?!" Meru asked him worriedly.

"Something…S-Something's coming…!" he yelled.

"Eh?" Meru wondered.

"What do you mean?" Haschel asked.

"He means that!" Rose shouted, pointing towards the moon.

"Oh god…!" Dart gasped, "I can't believe it!"

Creatures, that were all too familiar to the Dragoons, began to sprout of the craters and crevices that were scattered all across the moon.  They were enormous, gray-colored beasts of great power.  Like a horde of locusts, the beasts headed towards the Dragoons.

"What are those?!" Anthony asked.

"He was able to summon them…" Rose said in disbelief.

"What are they?!" Anthony asked again.

"VIRAGE!" Kongol answered him.

"Virage?" Anthony wondered.

"Powerful beasts from our world!" Dart told him, pulling out his sword.

Albert twirled his staff in the air and then pointed it towards the oncoming swarm, "We must break through!"

"Albert's right!" Haschel agreed.

"All right!  Everyone!" Rose shouted, "Take out as many of them as you can!  Just do your best to break through and make it inside the moon!  Got it?!"

Meru nodded in agreement, "Right.  Anthony, stay with me."

"Okay," he replied.

"DRAGOONS FIGHT!" Kongol yelled loudly.

The warriors gathered their strength and their courage and headed towards the oncoming swarm of enemies.

"Haaghh!!!" Albert yelled, pointing his fist towards the Virage, "Rose Storm!!!"  Out of his clenched fist, glistening cherry blossom petals flew around in gusts of colossal wind.  The spell managed destroy many of the Virage that were coming towards him. 

The Virage kept on coming, however.  One flew in front of him.

"Die, demon!" Albert yelled as he rushed into battle.

Rose stood upon the chest of a Virage.  She lifted up her blade as it began to glow an indigo color, "Astral Drain!!!"  She rammed the blade into the very heart of the Virage, draining away its life.  The Virage soon disintegrated into dust.  She turned around to see another pack of Virage approaching her.

"I will send you all to where you belong!!" she shouted.  Her body began to glow the color of her armor, as something began to emerge behind her.  A massive black gate made of magic appeared.  It was surrounded by black flames.  "Demon's Gate!!!" she cried as the gate rapidly opened.

Once the gate opened up, it revealed the pits of hell within its doors.  The Virage were beginning to be sucked into the gate.  One by one they flew past Rose and were destroyed by the flames of hell.  The gate closed as soon as each of the Virage entered, the spell having done its job.

Haschel was blown back by the attack of another group of Virage.  "Blasted…" he mumbled to himself, "Crazy bastards…!"

The Virage seemed to have the upper hand in this battle and were about to gang up on the single Dragoon.

But, just then, an gargantuan axe sliced through one of the Virage, and then another, and another.  Soon enough, destroying each and everyone of them.

It was Kongol!

"Thanks lad," Haschel smirked.

Kongol smiled to him.  He looked over to the side to see more of them approaching.  "KONGOL FINISH THEM," he said.

"Not alone you won't," Haschel volunteered.

Very rapidly, another batch of Virage sped off towards their location.

Kongol lifted both of his Giganto fists into the air above him.  He began to collect as much magic as he could within them.  The magic transformed itself into a large boulder covered in golden flames.  "Meteor Strike!!!" Kongol shouted the spell, throwing the meteor over towards the enemy.

"Thunder God Attack!!!" Haschel yelled.  His body began to glow a radiant violet color.  He flipped backwards once, transforming his body into the shape of a dragon made of his magic.  The dragon shot out towards the Virage.

Both of their magic attacks hit the Virage, turning them all into dust.

In the flash of purple light, Haschel returned to Kongol's side.  They both looked at each other, proudly.

"Hahh!!!" Dart yelled as he flew straight towards a Virage.  He stabbed his sword into its chest.  His sword then combusted into flames, as Dart called out a spell, "Explosion!!!"  With that, the flames swiftly entered the Virage's body, causing it to explode. 

Dart looked around to see if anymore were coming his way.  Instead, he saw Rose in the distance surrounded by a group of Virage.  He knew he had to help her.

A Virage bashed Rose's body, pushing her back.  Another swiped her, cutting her in the cheek with its claw.

"I'm coming Rose!!!" Dart shouted from afar.

"Dart?" she wondered.

Dart's Dragoon wings transformed into multi-colored flames.  He had his red steel sword pointed towards the team of Virage as a sphere of fire blazed in front of him.  "Final Burst!!!" he cried as he soared towards them.  The minute either his sword or the flames touched one of the Virage, they were destroyed, melted away into nothingness.

"Nice timing," Rose smiled.

"I'm just glad I made it in time," he said, "Hey…where's Anthony?"

Rose looked around to see where he was.  The both of them grew worried.

Anthony and Meru were flying towards the moon.  None of the Virage had noticed them, that is until now.

A squad of Virage blocked their way.

"Anthony, stay behind me!" Meru told him, rushing into battle. 

Anthony watched one worriedly.

"Take that!  And that!  And that!" Meru yelled, bashing numerous Virage in the head with her hammer, "And THAT!!!"

The Virage were still there.

"Oh, you want more, is that it?!" Meru asked them.  She threw her mallet into the air as it returned, floating in front of her facedown.  She stood upon the very tip of the handle, her arms in the shape of an X if front of her.  Ice structures formed around her, as ice magic began to come together within her arms.  "Diamond Dust!!!" she yelled, throwing her arms forward.  She released a vast amount of ice magic towards the Virage, freezing them and the destroying them soon after.

"Ha!" she said confidently, "How do you like that?"

"Raarrghhh!!!!" a Virage roared from behind her.

She turned around to see it, screaming, "Ahh!!!!!!"

"Star Children!!!" a voice shouted from behind the Virage.

Out of the skies above them, hundreds of glistening shooting stars hurled down from space and through dark thick clouds, hitting the Virage numerous times, destroying him as well.

Meru was shocked, but happy, to see Anthony at the other end.  She smiled cheerfully, "Anthony!!"

Anthony flew over towards her, "Are you all right?"

"I am now, thanks to you." Meru replied.

"That's what friends are for, right?" he asked her.

The both of them gave each other a high-five.

"Always!" Meru nodded.

"You both sicken me!" a male voice yelled.  Soon enough, Lloyd appeared floating just above the two Dragoons.

"Lloyd!!" Anthony shouted angrily. 

"Every single time I see you, you're so…good to each other.  It's absolutely sickening," Lloyd told them in a disgusted tone, "The good thing is that I won't be having to see anymore of it.  [Moon Child], you're coming with me!!"

"I won't let you take him!!" Meru shouted back.

"This time I won't let you get in the way!" Lloyd said to her, blasting a wave of dark bolts of magic.

"Agh!!" Meru cried as she was blown back further.

"Meru!!!" Anthony shouted worriedly, turning around.

Lloyd took the opportunity and teleported right behind Anthony.  He grabbed both of his arms, putting his [Dragon Buster] in front of his neck.

"Meru, help!!" Anthony cried.

Meru looked up to see Anthony in danger, "Anthony!!!"  She spread out her wings and was about to fly to his aide when a huge group of Virage surrounded her, pushing her away from Lloyd.  "No!!  Let…me go!!!" she yelled, peering through the Virage to see Anthony, "Anthony, no!!!!"

"Ha ha ha ha!!!!!!" Lloyd laughed, "Now the end has finally arrived!!"

Rose stabbed her blade through another Virage, the last of the ones that were around her.  Dart had just finished disposing of a couple of them as well, using his 'Flame Shot' spell to vanquish them.  The both of them noticed the [Moon Child] in jeopardy.

"Oh no…!" Rose gasped.

"Anthony!!!" Dart yelled.

Kongol, Haschel, and Albert heard Dart's call and noticed what was going on.  They flew over to where Rose and Dart were.

"We'll never be able to make it in time!" Albert said.

"And Meru's in trouble!" Haschel added.

"MUST TRY!" Kongol encouraged them, "MUST HELP ANTHONY!"  Kongol spread out his wings and flew towards his direction.

"Kongol's right!" Rose agreed as she then followed.

The others proceeded to follow soon thereafter.

Meru bashed another Virage with her hammer.  She thought she might be able to get through until another Virage showed up to barricade her passage.  "Anthony!!!" she cried once more.

"Say goodbye to the earth [Moon Child]!" Lloyd shouted, "For this…will be the last time you see it!"

"Anthony!!!" Dart shouted from afar.  He and the rest of the Dragoons swiftly approached.

"Say goodbye…to your dear friend as well," Lloyd whispered into Anthony's ears.

Tears were flowing down Anthony's cheek as he watched Meru struggle to break free from the Virage.  He was afraid that Lloyd might be right.  That this might be the last time he'll ever see the earth again.

"Farewell Dragoons!!!" Lloyd yelled across the sky, as he and Anthony teleported away.

"Anthony…" Meru said softly, still detained by the Virage.  The tears ran down her face as she watched her friend disappear; possibly forever.

"Atomic Mind!!!"

"Flame Shot!!!"

"Wing Blaster!!!"

The three spells echoed throughout the sky.  A large mass of violet colored lighting bolts shot across the air and over to the Virage.  An enormous sphere of blazing fire, along with a blast of green energy, also hit the Virage.  Each of the Virage that surrounded Meru were destroyed.

Rose rushed to her, "Meru!!  Meru, are you…?"  She stopped speaking when she saw the expression upon Meru's face.

Meru simply stared off into the distance.  She seemed to be in a state of bewilderment.  The tears would not stop.  The pain would not stop.  "A-Anthony…" she sobbed softly, "Anthony…Anthony's not here anymore…"

All of her friends looked away sadly. They understood how she felt; helpless to save him.

"Meru…we know," Dart said to her.

"I'm so sorry…" she cried.

"Sorry?" Haschel wondered.

"MERU DID NOTHING WRONG," Kongol told her.

"Exactly…I was just there…I watched him get taken away…" she continued, "I should've protected him."

"Meru, it's not your fault," Albert tried to comfort her, "Anthony knows that.  You want to know what he'd be really upset about?"

Meru turned around to see him.

"If we just gave up.  I know…Anthony would want us to keep fighting.  Don't you?" he asked her.

"Albert's right," Rose spoke, "We must keep fighting so that we can all be together again!"  She was trying to encourage Meru.

Meru wiped her tears, smiling very gently, "Friends…always…"

"Exactly!" Dart said to her in an optimistic tone.

"Everyone…" she began, her face changing to her usual smile, "…Let's go."

They all nodded in agreement.

Meru turned around to face the ruby colored moon.  She looked upon with a determined face, "Wait for me Anthony…I'm coming to get you."

Lloyd had returned to the room inside [The Moon That Never Sets] where the sound of the beating heart echoed throughout.  Once again, he stood before the large wall that held the transparent sphere in a round cavity.

However, there was something different about the sphere.  Something was now inside it.

It was Anthony.

Anthony's unconscious nude body was curled up within the vicinity of the orb.

"This is as it should've been the first time…" Lloyd said to himself, "But then that stupid girl had to sacrifice herself…But, now, I have this [Moon Child].  Nothing will stop me from merging along with you…"

Anthony slept so silently within the sphere.  He hadn't slept like this in a while.  He was in such a deep state, that he began to dream…

Anthony was standing in the center of where the Dragoons had been staying there on earth; behind the trees and the bushes in the park near his home.  He began to hear voices of an argument they all had had there not too long ago.

"Okay…I'm going to ask you again and I want a straight answer," Anthony said to them sternly.  He was angry, and very much hurt.  "Did you all know about me being the [Moon Child]?"

"Yes, we knew."

"So everyone did…And you weren't going to tell me…?"

"But, Anthony we need you…!"

"I don't care!!"

"Was that really how you felt?" a female voice asked him, "Did you really not care?"

Anthony shook his head, "No…I did care…"

"That is why you're here, isn't it?" she asked, "Because you did care after all."

"Yes," he replied.

"They're your friends.  Your dear friends…You'd do anything for them.  Right?" she asked him.

"I'd…I'd give my life for them.  It would be the least I could do…after everything they've done for me," Anthony explained to her.  He turned around to see who it was he was speaking to, "Why…are you asking me this?"

There was the silhouette of a young woman.  She wore a ponytail that laid on her shoulder along with a pair white angel wings that shined so brilliantly behind her back.

"You will need that drive…that determination…that bravery in the future," she said to him, "But it seems you already possess it."

"Who are you?" Anthony asked her.

"I am…" she began to speak.

"Let him go!!!" Dart yelled to Lloyd.

Lloyd was now floating in front of where Anthony slept.  The Dragoons had entered [The Moon That Never Sets] and now reached the core.  They all stood below Lloyd, weapons in hand.

"Don't you see?!" Lloyd replied, "You've lost!!!  Ha ha ha!!!"

"Anthony…" Meru said softly as she saw him curled up within the orb.

"The end of the world can begin with the snap of my fingers!  Accept that you've lost!" Lloyd yelled.

"We won't let you!" Haschel shouted back sternly.

"Release him!" Rose demanded.

"NEVER!" Lloyd responded forcefully.

Anthony's eyes squinted.  He could hear all of the commotion going on around him.  He slowly opened his eyes, blinking twice to regain his focus.  "Uh…where…?" he mumbled.  He remained curled up as he looked below him to see his friends.  "Everyone!!" he called to them.

"Anthony!" Albert shouted to him.

Everyone turned to see that he had finally awoken.

"Hang in there Anthony!" Dart told him.

"WE COME SAVE YOU!" Kongol shouted.

"Damn you…" Lloyd moaned, "Awake already?  I guess it just helps things move along much quicker…Let us begin.  Begin the merge, Virage Embryo!!!"

The orb began to glow a dark, opaque light as it slowly began to enter the crater within the wall.  Inside the hole were tentacles pulling the sphere inside.

"Huh…?" Anthony gasped.  He stood up, banging his fists upon the barrier that surrounded him.  "No!!!" he screamed, "Let me out!!!"

"Anthony!!!" Meru cried.  She spread out her wings and set forth towards him.

"Meru!!" Rose called to her.

"Come back!!" Haschel added.

The minute she touched the sphere, electrifying bolts of black lightning began to shock her entire body.  She would not give up, nonetheless.  She held on, letting herself be injured.

"Meru!!!" Anthony cried, "No, stop it!!!"

"I…won't…let you…DIE!!!" she screamed with all her might.

"MERU!" Kongol yelled from below.

"Please, don't!!" Anthony told her, "I don't want you to!  I don't want you to get hurt because of me!!"

"No!  I won't let…them take you!!!!" she screamed, "Ahhh!!!!!"  The bolts were beginning to take their toll upon her body. 

"Meru!!!" Anthony sobbed, with tears in his eyes.  He looked to her with a gentle smile as the tears ran down his face.  "Thank you…" he said to her, "I'm sorry I won't be able to keep my promise…"

"No!!!!!!!!" Meru shrieked as the bolts blasted her off of the sphere and to the ground.  Her friends ran over to her.

They all looked up as the sphere entered the core of the moon.

Anthony looked to them all, tears in his eyes as he was taken away.

"Anthony!"

"Anthony!"

"ANTHONY!"

"Anthony!"

"Anthony!"

"Anthony!"

The six Dragoons called out his name, just like in the dream Anthony had.

"No…" Meru sobbed, "NO!!!!!!!!!"

"Ha ha ha ha ha!!!!!!!" Lloyd laughed maliciously, "Now you see it's all over!  But at least you'll be able to witness my transformation.  See you soon, Dragoons!!!"  Lloyd flew in front of the whole where Anthony had been taken.  The tentacles wrapped around his body and took him inside.

"It's over…" Rose said to herself in disbelief.

"He's won," Albert stated, ashamed and disappointed.

Meru buried her face into Kongol's chest, sobbing away.  Her best friend was taken away from her once again.  She would never see his happy smile ever again.

"This can't be happening!" Dart banged his fist into the ground, frustrated.

"Ha ha ha ha ha…" a voice echoed throughout the room, "Ha ha ha ha ha…"

"What's that?" Haschel gasped.

"THAT VOICE…" Kongol thought for a moment.

"It's him…" Rose stated.

Something began to emerge from the hole in the wall where Anthony and Lloyd had been taken by the Virage Embryo.  It was an enormous, vicious looking creature.  The Dragoons had never seen anything so hideous.  The beast had the chest of a man, but bottom of a serpent.  It was connected to the hole from which it emerged. 

He was the size of a two-story house.  He had a bald head and the skin as gray as the clouds outside.  His eyes were completely white all around except for the single, blood red dot in the center.  His teeth were as sharp as knives, as saliva dripped from them.  He had a muscular chest that had a scar in the shape of the symbol that had appeared on Anthony's forehead when he released his [Moon Child] power.  His nails were as long as arms.  He also had tentacles grown from his back.

"Hello Dragoons…recognize me?" the beast spoke.  His voice seemed to echo the voice of a thousand tortured souls.

"I can't believe it…" Haschel looked onward at him.

"Lloyd…?" Albert asked himself.

"That's right!" he replied, "This is my form now!  I am now the glorious, God of Destruction!!!!"  One of Lloyd's immense fists were clenched.  He seemed to holding something. 

Meru was looking at him with pure horror across her face, until she saw a human arm hanging out of his fists.  Her emotion changed to complete fear of what that might be.  "That isn't…" she said.

"Oh, I almost forgot.  I have a gift for you," Lloyd said with his usual smug.  He put his fist near the floor and opened it.

Anthony's nude, lifeless body fell out, face down.

"No!!!!!!!" Meru screamed at the top of her lungs, "ANTHONY!!!!"  She rushed over to him screaming out his name several times, "Anthony!!!!  Anthony!!!!"  She knelt down next to him, holding him in her arms.

Anthony…was dead.

"Anthony…no…no…!!" Meru sobbed, the tears flowing non-stop.

There were tears in all of the Dragoon's eyes as they watched.  They couldn't believe that the sweet, energetic, and kind young boy would never smile for them again.  There was a piece of him in each of their hearts.  For he had given all he had to give to them.  And now, he was gone.

"Anthony…!" Rose wept, looking downward.

Even the tough Giganto cried for him, "WHY THIS…HAVE TO HAPPEN?"

"As you can see, the boy is dead," Lloyd told them nonchalantly, "The embryo took away his life and now lives inside of me now."

"Oh, Anthony…" Albert shed his tears.

"You bastard…" Meru said softly.

"What was that?" Lloyd asked her.

"YOU BASTARD!!!" she yelled, "What did he do to you?!!  He didn't deserve this!!!  He didn't deserve to die!!!"

"He was the [Moon Child]!!  Even he knew to accept his fate!" Lloyd snapped back at her.

"But still…But still!!!" Meru cried, "Don't you understand?!!  Now…now…now we'll never see him smile again!!!  Never hear him laugh!!  No one will ever get to see any of that!!!"

"Meru…" Dart whispered sadly.

"It is of no importance to me." Lloyd brushed it off.

"Oh, Anthony…!!!" Meru embraced his body.

"Don't cry…" a female voice said from within Anthony's body.

"Eh?" Meru gasped.

Anthony's body moved from her and lied face down upon the ground.  He began to glow a white, holy light.

"What's going on?" Haschel asked.

"This light…" Dart said to himself.  He remembered when Anthony had healed him, and he saw Shana in him.  "It can't be…!" he said.

Angel wings burst from Anthony's back as someone began to emerge.  She was a young woman with chocolate colored hair.  She had it in a ponytail that lied upon her shoulders.  She was dressed in a white dress, that had slits upon the sides.  She floated above Anthony's body.

"W-Who's this?!" Lloyd thought to himself.

The Dragoons knew exactly who she was.  It was someone they had not seen in a very long time.

"I can't believe this…" Albert said, stunned.

"Can it really be…?" Rose began.

Dart knew exactly who this young woman was, "…Shana."

It was Shana.  The deceased, first White Silver Dragoon.

"Shana?!" Meru gasped.

"It cannot be!!!" Lloyd yelled angrily.

Shana smiled to them all, "It is so good to see you all again."

"BUT HOW?" Kongol wondered.

"I'll explain it all to you," she replied, "When I arrived in heaven, Soa gave me a mission for he foresaw danger for Earth, the alternate reality of Endiness."

All of her friends listened carefully.  Dart was the happiest of them all.

"I then found this young boy, Anthony," she continued, looking down to his body, "I knew…he was the [Moon Child].  I knew I had to protect him.  So, I decided to live within his heart for the time being."

"That is how the White Silver Dragoon Spirit chose him!" Albert realized.

She nodded, "Yes.  Soa had warned me that Lloyd was on his way to Earth.  So, using my power, I created a gateway for you all to come here.  To prevent disaster from occurring once more.  That's when…"

"We met Anthony," Meru finished for her.

"Yes," Shana smiled.

"So it really was fate…" Haschel stated.

"So then that is how we arrived here," Rose said.

"But, Shana!" Meru cried, "Anthony…Anthony is…!"

"Do not worry." she reassured her.

"What do you mean?" Dart asked her.

"I can revive him," Shana told them.

All of their faces lit up like Christmas trees, especially Meru's.

"Really?!!" she asked ecstatically.

"Yes," Shana answered, "But…there are repercussions…"

"Repercussions?" Dart wondered, "What kind?"

"In order to revive him, I'd have to give him my shining life.  In turn, you would never be able to see me ever again, for I'd live inside him forever," Shana explained.

The Dragoons looked to Dart.  They knew that would affect him the most.

"There is more.  Once I revive him, my hold upon you existing in this reality…cease," she told them sadly.

"What does that mean?" Haschel asked her.

"You mean we'd…!" Albert began.

"GO BACK?" Kongol said.

Shana nodded, "Yes.  I could only hold you here until my mission is complete, but once it is…you will all disappear and return to Endiness."  She turned to Meru who held Anthony's body.  "It also means…you won't have much time to say goodbye," she said.

Meru looked at Shana in disbelief, "Not much time…?"  She then looked to Anthony's face.  She caressed his cheek, knowing what she wanted to happen.  "Do it," she said, "Please Shana!  I beg you!  Revive him!"

"Meru…" Rose said.

"He's going to be really sad, I know!  But…if there's a chance…even the slightest for him to live…then it's worth it!" Meru pleaded, "Please Shana!"

"Does everyone agree?" Shana turned to the rest of the group.

The Dragoons all nodded, except for Dart.

"Dart?" Haschel asked.

"DART NOT WANT TO?" Kongol asked him.

"If we do this…I'd never get to see you again…Shana," he said.

"Dart…" Shana sighed, looking to him the way she always did, "You must move on.  I…I am already gone.  But Anthony…Anthony has a chance.  He is your friend, isn't he?"

Dart looked to Anthony's body.  He nodded, "Yes…All right.  Do it."

"Forget all of this!!  I'll dispose of all you!!!" Lloyd yelled from behind Shana.  The tentacles from his back lunged across to Shana.  The second they touched the light shining from her, they disintegrated.  "What?!" he gasped.

"This is goodbye then…" Shana told her friends.  She looked to them all one last time.  "You are in my heart always…" she said and then looked to Dart, "And…I love you Dart…I always have."

"I…I love you too…Shana," Dart said, tears in his eyes.

Shana floated down towards Anthony.  Anthony's body lifted up from Meru's arms and towards Shana.  She slowly began to reenter Anthony's body.

Within Anthony's mind, his nude body floated around in the void of darkness.  He was curled up into a ball as he swerved around.  Soon enough, a light broke through the darkness, awaking him.

"Uh…?" he mumbled as he slowly awoke.  He uncurled himself looking around to then see the shining light. 

The angel, Shana, appeared before him. 

"You're…" Anthony began.

"I am Shana," she told him, "I've come to bring you back.  I ask you…please.  Use my shining life and save your world."

"I will…I promise." Anthony smiled.

Shana spread out her wings and approached Anthony.  The both of them embraced one another as a flash of light occurred.

Anthony's body began to glow as angel feathers swirled up from around him.  When they ceased, he was dressed in white, shimmering clothing.  It was almost like a Greek toga that shined.  Angel wings then burst forth from his back.  He opened his eyes and stared over to Lloyd.

"Anthony!!!" Meru shouted happily.

"He's okay!" Rose cried.

"So, you're still alive…" Lloyd groaned.

"You'll never know…" Anthony began.

"What?" Lloyd asked.

"You'll never know what it feels like to have friends who support you, and care about you," Anthony told him, "Those are my friends.  And for them, I live.  I will defeat you now…in the name of friendship!!!"

His friends watched him from below, feeling the warmth of his life.

"Shut up!!!!" Lloyd screamed as he blasted enormous bolts of black lightning.

The bolts hit Anthony chest, but he would not give in.  He stood there, facing the attack.

"Anthony!!" his friends cried worriedly.

Anthony slowly, but surely, lifted both of his hands in front of the bolts, pushing them back.  Light began to emit from his fingers.

"What?!" Lloyd gasped.

The light flashed once, overcoming the evil spell.

"Show him the light…" Shana spoke from inside of him.

Anthony spread out his wings even further as, in that instant, sparkling lights and angel feathers floated around the entire room.  He pointed the palms of both of his hands towards Lloyd. 

Meru was smiling until she felt something weird within her body.  She looked to her hands as they began to fade in and out.  She looked over to her friends, who were experiencing they same thing. 

They all knew they were disappearing.

"Haahhh!!!!!" Anthony shouted at the top of his lungs. The sparkling lights that surrounded him gathered together in the palms of his hands, creating a sphere of holy light.  He fired the sphere at Lloyd.

"Aggghhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" Lloyd shrieked in excruciating pain as the sphere of light engulfed his entire body and turned him into dust.

Outside of the moon, the skies began to clear up, revealing the night lit sky.  [The Moon That Never Sets] simply faded away, and then reappeared up in the sky.  It had returned to its previous form, shining brilliantly in the heavens.

Everyone down below smiled and cheered.  They had a feeling it was all over.

At the convention center, Julie was still in the crowd.  She looked up at the moon, smiling.  "He did it…" she said to herself.  She had a feeling that Anthony had something to do with it. 

The world was saved.

The Dragoons had already flown out of the moon and stood upon a building rooftop.  They all looked proudly, now out of their armor, at what they had accomplished. 

"We did it!!" Anthony jumped up happily, "We really did it!!!"

Meru rushed over to him.  The both of them hugged one another.

The rest of the group looked on, smiling.  However, they knew this happy moment was not to last.

"I'm so happy you're okay." Meru said to him.

"I'm glad I'll be able to keep my promise to you," he replied.

The both of them broke their hug and smiled.

Anthony looked to Meru's hands to see them beginning to fade away.  "Meru!" he gasped, pointing to it.

"Oh no!" she cried, "Not yet!"

"What's going on?" he asked.

Meru turned around to look to the rest of the group.  All of them walked over and created a circle around Anthony.

"It's time…for us to go," Haschel answered him.

"What?!" Anthony cried, "Why?!"

"Shana was what was keeping us in this world," Albert explained, "Now, her power is gone and we cannot stay in this reality any longer."

"So then…you really are leaving?" Anthony asked them.  His eyes began to fill with tears.

"ANTHONY MEAN SO MUCH TO KONGOL," Kongol smiled to him.

Anthony turned around to see him. 

Kongol was glowing a golden light as he began to disappear in the form of small, sparkling lights.

"Kongol!!" Anthony cried as he ran over to him.  By the time he reached him, Kongol had completely faded away.

"Don't forget us, Anthony." Haschel smiled.  He too was disappearing in the form of purple lights.

Anthony ran towards him as well, only to see him vanish, "Haschel, no!"  The tears were streaming down his cheeks.

"You taught me so much Anthony.  I'll never forget that," Albert said to him gently.

"Please, Albert, don't go!" Anthony sobbed.

Albert too vanished as green lights floated into the sky.

"I have lived over ten thousand years…and never have I met someone as strong as you Anthony," Rose smiled, tears in her eyes, "Thank you…for showing me how to have fun."

"Rose!!" Anthony cried.  Once he turned around to see her, she had also faded away.  The indigo colored energy ascended into the sky.

"Because of you…I was able to see Shana again.  I'll never be able to repay you Anthony," Dart said to him.

Anthony turned around to see him, "Dart, please…Don't go…!"

"Now I can live my life…knowing…that Shana lives in you now," Dart smiled ever so gently, "She picked the perfect person."  His body dematerialized into red energy lights that joined his friends in flying to the sky.

Now, Meru was the only one left.

"Anthony…" she cried.

"Not you too…" Anthony wept.

"Anthony!!" Meru shouted as she ran towards him.

"Meru!!" he also shouted.

They leaped into each other's arms, embracing each other tightly. 

"I'll never forget you Meru!!" Anthony told her.

"You'll always be with me Anthony!!" she bawled.  She looked down to her feet, seeing them beginning to transform into blue lights.  "There's not much time left Anthony!  But, listen to me!" she said, "Remember our promise!  Do what makes you happy!  Don't let anything get in your way!"

Anthony nodded, "I will!  I will Meru!"

Little by little, her entire body began to fade away.  Before Anthony knew it, he was hugging nothing but air.  The sparkling blue lights of energy flew through his fingers and headed towards the sky.

Anthony dropped to his feet, burying his face into his hands.  He had lost people that were important to him.  He treasured everything about them.  Nothing could take away the pain he felt.  Not ever.