Judgement by Luke's Dragon

A/n

Yep, the perspective switching is back. I like it and no one complained. As for the first parts from Pesmerga and Seed's POV, that's mainly because I like them and it's my fic so there!

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Chapter 9 My Sacrifice

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Just As something can be right and useless, can't something be wrong…and priceless? ~Viktor

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*** Pesmerga ***

Here we stand before the Highland Capitol, here the forces of the Dragon Army do battle with the Highland forces all or nothing. But that doesn't really bother me at all, even though I am nominally a member of the Dragon Army I would not mind if we are defeated provided I can get to him. My fellow black knight, Yuber. The man, if such a word applies to a creature like him, who I have dedicated my existence to tracking down. I almost got him three years ago, but he escaped me outside Gregminster, it took me a long while to pick up the trail again but it has lead me here. Here where one way or another the battle will be decided today. The two armies are evenly matched in terms of manpower, but our side has the edge in our strategist Shu. Of course our tactics today are simplicity themselves, charge forward and slaughter any resistance. My unit rides with the forces from Two River and has the task of taking the East Side of the city, held by Yuber. Today my vengeance shall come to pass.

All around me battles rage as men clash, our main forces drive forwards, forcing back the warriors of the Kyria tribe who form the first line of resistance. The units lead by our leader Reo out flank them and they are doomed. Our archer units are attempting to bombard the city walls enough to soften up the defenders, supported by our mages, and when they can get close enough it will all be over. Far to the west I can see the banners of the Toran units closing on their destination, and now as the hooves of my war-horse echo across the ground our target too is in sight. A huge mass of black armored warriors hold the gateway, all no doubt summoned by Yuber's dark magiks. I assume this is why Shu assigned me this role, as well as wanting to get Yuber myself, I can deal with these summoned monsters with ease. The power of his rune is negated quite simply by me focusing all my energies like this…

And now it comes to this, swinging my blade with the fury of all my rage I cut down the Highlanders not blown away by my magic. I cannot see the rest of the Dragon Army now, but if the plan has worked it will all be as good as over now. The troops from Toran and Tinto will have taken the West Side, the main forces will have smashed through the main, southern gates and be wiping out any resistance. Now all we have to do is drive away all that remains here and we have won this battle. And then I see him, trying to make his escape once again. Bursting free from the rest of my unit, I charge forwards ready to finally put an end to this duel. For the first time I can recall I feel regret, regret that I will not be able to see this through. However, as with three years ago, I am already confident of the outcome. Drawing my blade I charge my eternal rival. This time I will be revenged!.

*** Reo ***

Finally, L'Renioulle, although I've spent most of my life living in Highland I don't think I've ever been to the capitol before. It's a shame we don't really have any chance to look around, I heard that it's a beautiful city. Maybe after all this is over and done with I could come back… but somehow it wouldn't be the same without Nanami and Jowy with me. But then again that goes for practically everything doesn't it?

Today my greatest fear comes to pass, our goal is the throne room we have to defeat Jowy, for the Dragon Army, for victory and for peace. I hope that maybe it won't come to that, that we can sort everything out without fighting him. And if we do have to fight, I only hope that it isn't me who has to kill him. Even now, even after everything I've gone through I don't think I could do that. Shu asks me to choose who will form the party to storm the castle, I suppose I need my best fighters for this, but more than that I need my best friends to come with me too.

"Lord Reo? Who will accompany you?"

"Umm… Flik and Viktor, Hazel and Kasumi and Nanami…"

I couldn't help myself, it was just a reaction, the six of us always made up the party when Shu wanted us to go on these missions. More than that we were all such good friends, an unbeatable team Viktor always said.

"Sorry, not Nanami… I'll take Humphrey along with us"

"Very well, good luck Lord Reo, our dreams go with you"

As we enter the castle I can help but thinking that my dreams are still in Kyaro town, standing underneath a tree and years ago. I just want to get this over and done with, I just want to go home now.

We don't get much further before we are stopped. They Kyira Chieftain Lucia blocks our path. I have had run-ins with her in the past, she almost killed me in my room one night and fought us again at Greenhill. She seems to have blood on her mind as she charges at us, swinging her whip and shouting curses at us.

It is a futile gesture, against all six of us she doesn't stand a chance, a well timed slash from Flik cuts her weapon in half, her fire magic is countered by Kasumi's water rune and then as Viktor, Humphrey and Hazel attack all at once she is down.

Bleeding from two deep wounds across her chest she kneels, defeated. As Teresa talks to her about why she fights us, about age-old grudges I wonder why she fights. Why she gives her life to avenge something that happened years ago, and why maybe Luca was right. If you defeat me you won't have won. You'll have a defeated country on its knees, screaming for vengeance. Maybe he was right, maybe all this is in vain and I can never stop all the war and hatred. Maybe… But I hope he is wrong, I've seen men like General Kiba who believed in me so much he gave his own life for a former enemy, surely that can't be pointless.

I hope that this war will bring peace to our world, that no child will ever be made a war orphan like Pilka, or like me I suppose. I never knew my real parents, but I always classed Nanami and Genkaku as my real family, sometimes though I wonder what they were like. I suppose I'll never know, so that's two families I've lost.

As we battle our way forwards, defeating any Highlanders who resist us, cutting down the monsters they have released to try and stop us it strikes me as strange that a woman like Lucia would sacrifice herself without a thought. She had so much to fight for and threw it all away on what? A pointless gesture, to hold us up for brief seconds and to get a promise from Teresa. Is some investigation and apology going to bring back her father, is it worth all the lives of her people who fell fighting our army? I don't understand it. Just like Nanami, I don't understand why anyone would throw their lives away for a dream, even though I'm doing the same thing in my own way I guess.

*** Hazel ***

This reminds me of three years ago so much, storming the final bastion of the evil empire to overthrow the evil emperor, although I don't think Reo would like me to call Jowy that. Guess that doesn't matter though, that's how it will go down in legends. I'm not sure what happens to heroes after they finish their stories though, like me I get the feeling I wasn't supposed to be a part of this adventure. Soul Eater seems to think my time is up, I've noticed that the more I use it the more it puts a drain on my energies, not just the same way a regular rune would either, it takes a part of my soul when I use it now. Maybe it is because I haven't let it take another soul since Ted, maybe it's just trying to tell me that it's time for me to go, maybe it wants me to feel pain, and maybe it's just destiny. I don't believe in destiny anymore, once I used to, but not anymore, and I don't know when or why that changed.

Three years ago I used my rune to blow away anyone who got in my way, now I can't risk doing that, because I'm scared of it now. Strange how things change so quickly, it means we have to fight the hard way, and the strangest thing is most of the Highlanders seem content just to hold us for as long as they can, maybe they know its all as good as over anyway.

As we enter the main hall our way is blocked once again, the two Highland generals Seed and Culgan standing ready to face us. From what I know of them they are both men of honor who fight because they love their country, it doesn't seem right we should have to fight them. Reo seems to have the same idea and tries talking them out of the fight.

"Stand aside, we don't want to fight you"

"We can't do that. The king needs a little more time"

"Please… Don't make us do this"

"There is no choice, we have to"

And then it begins, both using their runes at the same time a massive blast of fire from Seed and ice from Culgan slam into our party. The three swordsmen take the full brunt of the attack, dropping them to the floor, nodding to Reo we both leap forward, spinning our weapons and launching a furious attack. Although strong it is not enough to beat them, countering attacking with everything they have Seed and Culgan come back at us. Culgan is a superb fighter and cuts through Reo's defense slashing him across the face, looking to press his advantage he thrusts forward. The blow should be enough to take Reo out of the fight, but it never connects, Kasumi, seeing his guard is down ducks in and attacks. Her blow is quick and deadly, finding a weak spot, cutting his chest and bringing him to his knees. Seed, my opponent seems too eager to avenge his comrade, his attack is strong, deadly and far too predictable. I knock his blade out of his hand his one blow, and strike him hard across the head with a second. And just like that it is all over.

I suppose they never thought they could win, but that wasn't the point. The point is they had to try Highland and Jowy mean so much to them that giving their own lives away doesn't matter. And it brings it all back to me, not like it ever went away of course. We carry on through the castle, soon we will be there, and the throne room and Jowy await us.

*** Seed ***

Pain… and the taste of my own blood in my mouth, I know enough to know this is a serious wound. My own damn fault, Culgan always told me I was too impulsive and that's what's done me in. Should have been a bit more cautious but after seeing him go down I had to try something major. I guess that's the problem with taking the high-risk plan, sometimes you lose. Culgan too is hurt badly, the blow he took sliced his chest open and there is blood flowing freely from his body as he lies on the floor. I can just about move still, but not easily. Still I hope we held them long enough, we knew it was going to be a suicide mission before we started but we both knew it was for the best. We loved Highland, that's why we fought, if there is no Highland then there is no place for us, so its fitting we die along with this land that we love. Almost overcome by pain I fall, my head spins and I can barely get back to my feet. If Silverburg's plan works this place is going to fall down around our ears any moment, its one thing to die fighting but to be crushed by masonry doesn't seem a good way to die. Helping Culgan to his feet we begin to slowly make our way out of the castle. Maybe our wounds will kill us, maybe we won't escape in time, but what's important is that we try and make it, together.

*** Reo ***

Rounding one last corner we are confronted by a man who is obviously no fighter, I recognize him as the man who delivered the news of Luca Blight's attack, the strategist Leon Silverburg. This is a man who fought alongside Hazel three years ago but also set up the ambush at Muse which almost forced Jowy to kill me. He cuts himself and his blood spills on to the floor, for a moment I wonder what he is trying to accomplish, and then in a flash of light a monster stands before us. A silver two-headed wolf daemon, the incarnation of the beast rune, our final challenge before the throne room. As one we attack.

Hazel, Viktor and Humphrey concentrate their attacks on the legs of the massive beast, trying to take it down so we can concentrate our attacks on the heads. Flik calling on all the power of his rune blasts the creature with all his powers, magic thunder and lightning strike the beast, but to very little effect. Perhaps in retaliation the heads roar in defiance, the small silver rune I hadn't noticed glows too and we are bathed in black light. Pain shoots through my body, but I've had worse. Raising my right hand I call on the Bright Shield to heal us. In an instant we are bathed in a warm white glow, healing us and readying us to fight again with renewed vigor.

Kasumi takes a running leap and hurls herself at the glowing rune with superhuman speed and agility, seeming to pause in mid air she dives downwards, impaling the rune. It shatters in a blaze of white light, fragments fly across the room as the wolf howls in pain. A moment later it screams as Humphrey's blade cuts through one of it's legs, the left, it staggers slightly. This is followed by a slow collapse as Hazel's blows followed by a mighty hack from Viktor break its right leg too. Now we all attack at once, going for the right sided head.

Without either claws or rune it is as good as doomed, blow after blow rain down upon the creature, each rewarding us with a howl of pain, which grow more and more desperate until an eerie silence descends. Now we turn our attention to the last head, the left, we are about to launch another round of blows when it attacks. A blast of black light, cutting through us all, burning through our defenses as if they weren't even there. Hurting badly the creature seems to sense we are all in a critical condition, feeling a sense of fear I call upon my rune again. This time it is the full power I draw upon, the power that Leknaat unlocked for me before the attack on Rockaxe, the Forgiver Sign. The world turns blinding white as I feel once again my body and spirit restored by the power of the rune. When the light fades the wolf is defeated, lying motionless the color drains from it until it is pure white, then like its rune, it shatters into a thousand pieces. Now there is nothing stopping us, taking a deep breath I push open the doors to the throne room, and Jowy.

But the throne room was empty, he wasn't there… I had been so sure he would, I had psyched myself up to face him and he wasn't even there. There was just a cloak and a crown sat on the throne. He'd left the crown behind, I guess that was symbolic really, he wasn't the king anymore, and maybe that meant we didn't have to fight, not today anyway. Part of me wanted to look for him, but another part already knew where he was. And then the castle started to shake, the building was starting to collapse around us.

*** Hazel ***

And then, like some recurring nightmare the castle started to collapse around them, just like three years ago they had to run for their lives. Reo tried to break away, to look for Jowy but Viktor grabbed him and he couldn't escape. Turning away from the throne room they ran as masonry crashed down around them, they ran straight into Leon Silverburg and what was left of the royal guard.

"At least you'll die here with us"

They are ready to hold us up long enough to let the castle crush all of us, I cannot let this happen, to have come this far only to fail at the last. I make a decision.

"Viktor, Flik, get Reo out of here, I'll hold them"

"Hazel! Are you crazy?"

"If you wouldn't do the same for someone, I might listen"

"But!"

"Leave him Flik, let's go"

Thankfully Viktor and Flik understand, and in his own silent way Humphrey does as well, but it's not just about the Dragon Army anymore, Soul Eater is getting too powerful for me to control, I'm scared that before long I won't be able to hold it anymore. If that were to happen I'd be a danger to my friends, to Kasumi, and I don't think I could take that. I am ready to make my last stand here, but Reo does not want me to do this.

"NO! Hazel… Please don't"

"I'm Sorry Reo"

"No… please don't you leave me too"

"This is how it has to be. This is where my story ends"

"No…"

But he has no choice, I watch as the rest of the party leave me, Viktor and Flik dragging Reo away, I see Humphrey take one look back at me, shaking his head as he disappears, now I am all alone to finish this. All alone that is apart from…


"Kasumi… why?"

"Hazel… I won't leave you"


In that moment I think I understand something important. Something about love and about sacrifice, why Gremio, Pahn and Mathieu all died for me, why Viktor and Flik would have done the same thing for me. Why Ridley, Kiba and Nanami all died. Even now I can't put it into words, but it's about love, its about caring so much about someone that nothing else matters. And it is why Kasumi is standing by my side, maybe there is nothing she can do, but that doesn't matter, what matters is when you care about someone so much that even your own life pales into insignificance.

In my mind I see Odessa, the one who got me into all this, but I don't mind, it made me meet her. Gremio, my friend, the person who taught me what love really means. My father, my hero, and perhaps the one regret that I will always carry with me. Ted, my friend, I can't help comparing him and Reo, although this time I suppose I'm Ted and Reo is me, doing something stupid to save a friend. And now it comes to this, tearing off my glove I expose the rune, Soul Eater is ready now, it wants to go, to unleash its full power, and this time I will not stop it. But before I do that, there's something else I have to do.

"Kasumi… I… I love you"

"And I love you"

"Guess it's a little late now"

"It's never too late"

With that it felt like the most enormous weight was lifted from my shoulders, the one thing I had been dying to say for so long was said. It was just such a shame it took me so long to get around to telling her. Now the Highlanders attack, and this is how it must be.

"And now it ends… Soul Eater Rune!"

What is left of the Highland Army disintegrates in front of our eyes, totally exhausted I collapse, all my energy gone from that final blast. As I black out I feel Kasumi wrap her arms around me as my eyes close, I feel strangely safe and content, lying in her arms I am happy, and then the last walls come crashing down.