Between Hope and Death

By: ChocolateEclar

Disclaimer: Some characters belong to the magnificent authoress, Diana Wynne Jones. I just borrowed them for a while.

Claimer: I only own Wyn, Aidan, Kamania and Chris Aprilian, Lady Kachioin (and her village), Miss Coca, Mr. Calypso, Professor Weph, Life, Death, Apocalypse, Rhys, and Heulo (aka 'the Sun Spirit of All Knowledge.')

To Lady Artemis: Hehe. ^__^ When it comes to Heulo and Rhys joining together you'll just have to see for yourself… Thanks again for reviewing.

To ness: Rhys is acting awfully calm about the whole fighting to the death thing. ^_- Yes, you were one of the people who misspelled Kamania, but don't worry about it. I just think its kinda funny. By the way, Heulo's back in this chapter and he and Rhys are finally going to become one person…Thanks a bunch for reviewing!

Chapter 18: In Which the True Dragon Enchanter is Finally Formed

Rhys felt an agonizing pain in his chest as he continued to prepare to stop Apocalypse.  He could tell that getting ready to use as much power as he knew they'd need was already making him ache to be whole again.

Wyn noticed his frail, uncomfortable look and asked him, "What's wrong?"

"Nothing, let's just get this over with," Rhys replied gruffly. 'Liar!' he internally shouted at himself, 'I need to be whole again or we're all dead! It doesn't talk about all of us in legends for nothing!' That was when he felt it: a faint almost unnerving gasp of something on the remains of his connection with his other half. The feel of the hold was familiar, but it wasn't strong enough to do anything but let him know Heulo was still out there. He knew what he had to do.

"Elia!" he called out behind him. The she-dragon responded immediately and cocked her head to him from the ten yards apart they were. Rhys remembered dragons could find astral forms and that was how she had been the only solid shape in the astral world. "Elia, dirt tru Liff!' he continued because of this. Elia nodded and flew off leaving her second-in-command of her army of dragons in charge of obeying the Rhys-Liff.

Rhys grinned slightly. He hoped his plan would work…He turned back to Apocalypse who was giving him a curious yet unworried look. He knew she wouldn't understand what his talk with the she-dragon meant and he silently rejoiced.

Wyn and Morgan gazed at Rhys inquisitively before turning back to the Goddess. "Ready?" she asked everyone this time. Rhys and Morgan nodded and they all took off. Wyn and Rhys took off into the air and Morgan galloped underneath them on the ground. In an upside-down triangle format they dived at Apocalypse, covering their bodies in bright flaming light.

Kamania watched from nearby in shock. She was bruised and battered from her fight with Rhys, but not seriously injured. She soon crawled to her feet and gazed with more wonder at the 'Final Battle.'

Wyn whirled at Apocalypse's right shoulder, while Rhys lunged at her left and Morgan charged at her legs. Rhys let out several fireballs at his target and Wyn's body began to engulf in pale harmless flames and throw them. They were harmful to Apocalypse though who roared. Morgan stomped on her huge sandaled feet and flapped his wings furiously until silver streaks of metal came out of his feathers and slashed the Goddess's feet.

Apocalypse bellowed again and lifted her feet up to stomp on the little winged 'pony' at her feet and threw one ball of dark crackling energy out of each of her palms. Morgan was thrust back by the feet and Rhys and Wyn were blasted across the wasteland. They all landed with a thump.

Wyn was the first to get up. She shook the dirt off her wings and took off towards Apocalypse again. Rhys crawled to his clawed feet, flapped his wings, and took to the air behind Wyn. Morgan then groaned and jumped up into the air. They met about ten feet away from Apocalypse in a smaller triangle form. "Let's come at her stronger this time!" Wyn told her siblings.

Rhys, who was panting furiously, said, "Alright."

"Got it," added Morgan.

They lunged at the Goddess again. Morgan and Rhys were thrown back onto the dirt roughly, but Wyn was able to hold her own. She pushed against Apocalypse's wall, straining to hold on. Morgan and Rhys quickly got up once more and helped her. 'Please hurry, Elia!' thought Rhys apprehensively as he pushed a wave of flames out of his jaw.

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Elia flew speedily through the worlds, diving into world gates, and searching for Rhys-Liff's lost part. She got a whiff of the familiar scent of Heulo's astral form a few worlds away from her and rushed to it. Lying on the cold gray floor was a weak crunched up shape. She could smell blood now and was worried. Heulo-Rhys didn't seem to respond to her presence so Elia poked him with one delicate claw. Heulo-Rhys's eyes flashing open and like a deer caught in a headlight he stared in a mixture of wonder and terror before he realized who it was. 'E-Elia?!' he cried out hoarsely.

Elia smiled and said in her dragon speech, "I have come for you, Master!"

Heulo-Rhys let out a happy breath before he faltered and felt his head spin again. "You must help Rhys-Master!" Elia exclaimed next in her language, "He and the other Great Ones are battling the Final Shadows!"

Heulo-Rhys nodded while holding onto his muzzy head. He slowly crawled onto Elia's back and gripped her scales feebly. 'I'm ready, Elia,' he said after a minute. Elia nodded and took off and rushed through the world gates.

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Rhys dived onto the ground as his flames were sent back at him. He hadn't anticipated his massive size though, and he soon let out a yelp and clutched his burnt tail. Apocalypse snickered at the boy who let his tail go quickly and hurried back at her.

Wyn waited for Morgan and Rhys to be in position before she let out an array of strikes of her own. Her wings flapped swiftly and suddenly a tornado-like wind picked up between her and Apocalypse. The giant cyclone went straight at the Goddess who howled as the harshness of it hit her. It wasn't enough though and the wind quickly disappeared.

Wyn puffed up her feathers somewhat and swished her gold-tipped tail at Morgan. Morgan understood the signal and stamped his forefeet on the ground. The ground opened up and a crack made its way to Apocalypse. Flames shot out of the crack and at the same time Wyn let out another twister.

Rhys closed his eyes and prepared the biggest fireball he could muster. The fire formed on his forked tongue and he slowly opened his mouth. The fireball rolled to the tip of his tongue and then he threw it at Apocalypse's back. All the attacks hit head on in all directions. The Deity herself was taken aback at this and screeched. Wyn, Morgan, and Rhys didn't let up though. They threw hit after hit at her until they all could do no more.

They lay panting on the ground watching Apocalypse's distorting, burning form. The flames soon vanished, leaving Apocalypse standing there glaring fiercely at the Trilogy. 

"Damnation!" yelled Wyn and at the same time Morgan shouted, "Darn it!" Rhys only groaned and gazed up at the sky behind him. Something big was coming towards them. He could feel the anticipation growing inside him and he let out a hopeful breath. 'Is it really-' he began.

That was when he saw the crimson blob coming towards him. "Elia!" he called out. Wyn and Morgan turned to their little brother who by then was jumping up and down. It was a strange sight, seeing a small winged-lizard bouncing on his heels, but they realized he was staring at something important and soon looked in the direction he was. They too saw the she-dragon coming into view, and as she drew closer, they discovered there was a small hunched shape on her back.

Rhys noticed the shape too and smiled. The figure lifted its head over one of Elia's scales and met Rhys's gaze. Mentally, both of them felt the familiar link mending and strengthening. 'Its been awhile, little one,' Heulo-Rhys passed down the still weak yet stable connection.

'So it has,' answered Rhys-Heulo, too happy to say much more than that. He detransformed and waited for them.

Elia landed near the Trilogy and Heulo-Rhys gradually edged off. He stood up leaning his right shoulder on Elia. He immediately registered the state of his other half, which was still quite a bit more reassuring then his own health. Rhys-Heulo seemed only bruised and battered, but utterly healthy beside that. As for Rhys-Heulo himself, he noticed awkwardly that Heulo was looking rather weathered and blood-spattered.

Wyn smiled vaguely and said, "We could use your help."

Heulo-Rhys nodded and turned to her. Wyn met his gaze and realized now even she could see the golden pulsing link between the two portions. It seemed to have been made of stronger stuff now, its glow almost blinding.

Rhys noticed it as well for he said to Heulo, "I guess this means its time to get rid of own differences."

'So it does…' replied Heulo-Rhys. They looked evenly at each other before stepping side-by-side to each other. They both bowed their heads in exactly the same way, and before Wyn or Morgan could gasp in wonder, they had 'melted' into one person.

The solitary figure before them looked so like the boy and Sun Spirit they had seen only moments before, but now he was entirely healed, devoid of any of Rhys's bruises and Heulo's gashed forehead. He tilted his head up at them and opened his eyes causing the others to gasp. His eyes were a dazzling bright green color ten times more emerald-like then either Rhys or Heulo's eyes had been. The golden light Heulo's eyes had had was gone, but in its place, behind them was a silvery glow.

He gave them a cool Heulo-like smirk with the twist of Rhys's laughing grin and said, "Ready, guys?"

Wyn gulped slightly and flicked her tail before smiling herself and replying, "I'm always ready to kick butt."

Morgan gave a reassuring laugh and added, "Let's kick that pain's butt."

They all gazed at each other before turning to Apocalypse who was patiently waiting for her prey and tapping one colossal foot. Rhys, I suppose you could call the new figure, transformed into a dragon, but this time it was the same green color as his eyes. He sighed and said, "Then let's get kicking."

They all took off into the sky and prepared to fight Apocalypse one last time…

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A/N: I suppose the next chapter will finish off the 'Final Battle.' Now that the Trilogy is whole again can they finally win? You'll find out in the next chapter….

A/N 2: Please review or I'll send the adorable new Rhys after you! ^__^ Bye!