DISCLAIMER: I don't own The Legend of Dragoon, any of the characters except for the Takahari family, or the Choose Your Own Adventure book I got the concept of kuji from.
That evening, we went to the town arena to check out the Hero Competition. Dart chose to enter, Lavitz declined, saying that knights of Basil were prohibited from entering during time of war, while Rose said that she'd ruin the competition because she was too good. Ryan and I chose to observe things from the outside and perhaps do some sparring.
While wandering around the arena, we overheard a conversation involving a Dragon. "Did you hear about the recent Dragon sightings?"
"Yeah. They say that it warps time around itself."
As we moved on, I groaned. "Just great. With our luck, Ryan, we'll end up fighting this one, too. I'd rather not lose my other eye to some other Dragon."
"Maybe we should ask Rose about it. She seems to know a lot about Dragons."
I nodded. "Good idea. She should be around here somewhere."
We found her watching Dart pummel a cheating enemy called Gorgaga. When we gave her the description, her expression became grim. "It sounds like the Dragon of Time. It has the ability to warp time within a certain range. Because of this, there were only two Dragons that were harder to kill: the Diamond and the Dark."
"Just great. Diamond armor was bad enough. Now we have to try to deal with a Dragon that can do tricks with time? Better make sure we keep our swords sharp. After all, with our luck we'll end up fighting this one, too." I shook my head in mock despair.
"Probably. Something is happening in this world. The Dragoons of old are gathering once more, and two of the three Dragons that were not slain have appeared. It is likely that we will also kill the Time Dragon. Then we must search for a bearer for the Dragoon Spirit."
I looked speculatively at Ryan. "Well, thanks for the info, Rose. I guess we'll be on our way then." Ryan and I left, heading off to watch Dart's final match.
We ended up watching as Dart was creamed by his opponent, a man named Lloyd. I was startled by his sheer speed as he avoided every one of Dart's attacks before tiring of it and ripping into him. When I saw this, I decided to challenge him to a bout, since his speed rivaled that of my fastest attacks. I had to see if I could defeat him.
I walked over to him after the match. "Up for a bit of a challenge? You may have defeated Dart, but I am the heir to Rage Demon Art of Ninjutsu, which emphasizes speed."
He smirked. "If you're willing to chance it, you're on."
I slowly drew my new katana and assumed an offensive stance. "Let's go." I began running, then leapt into the air halfway to Lloyd. I raised my sword above my head, but by the time I landed, he'd vanished. Instinctively, I swung my sword up to block his strike as he landed behind me.
"Quick, are you? Well, I've got my own secret weapon." My eyes narrowed, then I began the attack that had defeated Ryan. Only this time, the end result was much different.
We collided midair, knocking each other to the ground. When Lloyd dragged himself to his feet, he smiled with swollen lips. "I guess we call that a draw."
"I guess so."
"Now that you've faced me, what do you think?"
"I hope that I never have to fight you in earnest."
"Same to you. We might end up killing each other." With that, he walked off, staggering slightly. Evidently our collision had knocked the wind out of him, as well.
I met up with Dart and the others outside the inn the next day. After I told them about my duel with Lloyd, we headed to the entrance of the town. When we arrived, however, a wounded knight of Basil stumbled in.
Lavitz rushed to the dying knight's side. "You are a knight of Basil! What has happened!?"
The knight looked up at him. "Sir… Lavitz? Good… it wasn't in vain. King Albert… captured… Hellena…" With that, his head dropped, and he lay still. Dead.
Dart and I had to restrain Lavitz from rushing off to Hellena on his own. "Let me go! I have to save King Albert!" Just as he started to break free, fortunately, a man Dart had previously introduced as Haschel rushed in, jumped over us, and knocked Lavitz out cold.
"Thanks, Haschel," Dart said.
"No problem. We should get him somewhere more suited to comatose patients."
"Don't you mean 'knocked-out-cold' patients?" I said.
Lavitz came to shortly after we moved him to Sanator's house. He immediately leapt out of bed, rushing for the door, only to be blocked by Haschel.
"You idiot! The king cannot be saved when the knight goes off alone and in poor judgment. The only way we can do this is by working together."
I nodded. "Remember, Lavitz, the only reason you got out of Hellena in the first time was because Dart was with you. How much success do you think you'd have breaking in, rescuing King Albert, and breaking out again without help?"
He reluctantly agreed. "But what do we do?"
"I say we go in, smash everything in our path, rescue King Albert, and get out."
Dart raised an eyebrow. "And you think Lavitz's plan is reckless? What's the difference?"
"The difference is that it will be all of us going. And this." I reached into my pack and withdrew one of the Desert Eagles.
Dart merely looked puzzled. "What's that?"
"Oh, sorry. Forgot. Lower technology level. Anyway, this is called gun. A .50 caliber Desert Eagle magnum automatic pistol. In other words, a whole lot of bang. Ryan, would you care to demonstrate?" I handed the gun to him. "Observe."
Ryan cocked the gun, aimed at a passing bird, and fired. The bird exploded.
The others were gaping. Even Rose looked surprised. "How did you do that?"
I took the pistol back from Ryan. "A gun propels a small projectile using a substance called gunpowder. In essence, it creates a small, controlled explosion." On the heals of that statement, I pulled out a pair of shoulder holsters, stuck the pistols in them, and strapped them on, then pulled on a long, black jacket. Ryan was doing the same. "Saddle up," I said, cocking the guns. "Lock and load."
Upon arriving at Hellena prison, Ryan and I went to the drawbridge ahead of the others. A prison guard stood in our way. "Stop! What business do you have-" The guns practically leapt into my hands. Before he could react, I put two bullets in his head.
"Stop this." I quickly swept the Desert Eagles around, blasting the ropes holding up the bridge and sending it crashing down while Ryan shot the remaining guards.
I casually blew smoke from the barrels, twirled them, and dropped them back in their holsters. I turned back to the others, who were still staring at the carnage, which had taken mere seconds. "All clear. Oh, and careful when crossing the bridge. I'm not sure how stable it'll be after having its supports shot off."
With that, we began our rescue of King Albert, leaving bodies in our wake.
We didn't worry about being subtle. Ryan and I led the way, using our swords to save ammunition. When we reached one of the central chambers of the prison, however, we ran into trouble. We were forced back onto some kind of grate in the floor.
"Get out of our way if you don't want to die," I calmly said to the warden above us.
"Nice try," he said, "but you are nothing but food!" He pulled a lever, and the floor opened beneath us, dropping us a ways down below.
When I came to, the others had already picked themselves up off the floor and were trying to find some way out of the large chamber we had found ourselves in. Shana was checking the nearest wall.
"I feel a draft over here," she said. "There must be a hole somewhere."
Ryan ran over. "She's right. But before we look for it, I suggest we kill that big ugly monster over by Ian."
"Wha-!?" I sprang to my feet, drawing my katana. Standing mere feet from me was possibly the ugliest creature I had ever seen. It was also at ten times my size. I knew none of the others would reach me in time, so I took matters into my own hands. Holding up my Dragoon Spirit, I transformed, soaring above the monster.
I pointed my blade at the foul creature. "You are an abomination that does not belong in this world. Diamond Doom!"
Like the Firebird, the monster known as Jiango was trapped in a diamond prison. Unlike the Firebird, the chunk of diamond, with Jiango inside, began to shrink until it vanished, never to be seen in this world again.
I dropped to the ground, reverting to human form, and sheathed my sword. "Now we can get out of here. And we'd better hurry. King Albert doesn't have much time."
I walked over to where Shana had said there was an airflow and planted another home-made grenade. "Stand back. It's gonna blow." And blow it did, revealing that the rock had been rather weak in that area, given how large the hole became. "Come on. It's time we ended Fruegel's reign of terror."
As we walked out, I heard in the relatively near distance a sound that chilled my soul. I had heard it only a few times before, but I knew the call of a Dragon. There was one near the top of the prison, and I had a bad feeling about which one it would be. So far as I knew, the only Dragon left in the area was the Time Dragon.
I shook off my misgivings for the time being and drew my sword. Then I looked back at Ryan. "Ryan. You and I should take a more roundabout route. Flank 'em."
"Right."
"See you at the top, Dart."
He nodded. "Just make sure that you do get there, all right?"
"Of course. C'mon, Ryan." Once we were away from the others, I looked over at Ryan. "By the way, does this fancy sword have a name?"
"Yeah," he replied. "It's called the Soul Cleaver. From what I've been able to discover from the notes, it was forged centuries ago here in Endiness. You probably noticed it glowing when I fought you back at the Shrine. Apparently, the blade has something of a life of its own during battle. Its abilities seem to be activated by strong emotions like anger, as well as determination. When it is awakened, expect it to be very powerful. The perfect weapon for a Dragoon."
"I guess so. But for right now, we need to get to King Albert before Fruegel kills him."
When we finally joined the others at the top, it was just as Shana was hitting Fruegel in the leg with an arrow.
"Your time is at an end, Fruegel!" I shouted.
"I will kill you before the king. Guftas! Rodriguez! Attack!" The bloated idiot of a head warden was joined by two hideous monsters, one bird-like, the other pig-like.
"You think that those will help you? Don't make me laugh!" The Soul Cleaver was already glowing as I drew it. Using kuji techniques, I teleported behind the monstrous pair and cut them both in half. "Any other bright ideas before we kill you?" Without waiting for a reply, I charged him, my katana raised in a high guard position.
When I got close enough, my sword swept into an attack position. "Shun Goku Satsu!" While I was doing that, Ryan teleported and hit from behind, with Lavitz and Haschel hitting Fruegel from either side. Dart and Rose attacked from the air.
After about a half hour of this, I finally got fed up and drew one of my pistols. "Lavitz! When I give the word, charge him!"
"Got it!" He readied his spear, not quite knowing what I was about to do.
"Hey, Fruegel!" I shouted. "Hope you're not fond of that knee!" Before he could react, I squeezed the trigger and sent a bullet into his knee, shattering the kneecap. "Lavitz, now!"
He moved instantly, stabbing Fruegel in the heart. The huge idiot dropped in his tracks, dead.
Lavitz and I spun around at the sound of groans from King Albert. A hooded man was reaching into his back and drawing something out. Lavitz charged at the man and leapt into the air, transforming into a Dragoon mid-leap.
Even as he flew, I watched in horror as the hooded man drew some kind of magical blade and prepared to stab Lavitz with it. I was the only one in a position to see it, and there was no time for me to halt Lavitz's flight. Horrified, I stared as if in slow motion as Lavitz flew at the sword. I started to draw my pistols, hoping that I could shoot the hooded man in time, knowing that it was hopeless.
I was right. Lavitz impaled himself and the hood dropped from the man with the sword. Dart and I shouted simultaneously. "Lloyd!!" It was the man we had fought at the hero competition, only now he had a magic blade, against which even my armor would be tissue paper.
Dart and I charged him, but, unfortunately (or fortunately, depending on your perspective), he leapt off the tower before we could get anywhere near him. Unlike Dart, however, I didn't stop to check Lavitz. I knew there was nothing I could do, so I leapt off the tower after him, transforming mid-leap.
"Lloyd! Get back here, you scum! If you surrender, I won't kill you outright!" He was still in sight, flying with wings of magic ahead of me.
He just shook his head and laughed. "I have more important things to do!" And he vanished into thin air.
"What the!?" I looked around carefully. How did he do that? He clearly has no idea what kuji is, so… waaaiiit a minute. The first time I used kuji, Rose thought I was a Wingly. I'll bet anything that Lloyd really is one.
I flew back to the prison tower. "Lavitz?" I asked Dart. He simply shook his head in grief. "I'm sorry. I'd have stayed to help, but I was chasing Lloyd."
At that, Dart looked up. "Is he…?"
"Dead? No. The piece of slime got away." I walked over to where Rose and Shana were standing. "Rose. Lloyd is a Wingly."
Her expression became grim. "You're sure?"
"Know of anyone else who can teleport, besides my brother and I? Besides which, he was flying, and not even kuji can cause one to sprout magic wings."
"It would explain how he got the sword…"
As she trailed off, I finally glanced at King Albert. And froze.
Albert was holding the Jade Dragoon Spirit. It appeared that Lavitz had bequeathed it to him. "Congratulations on becoming a Dragoon, Your Majesty. I just wish that the circumstances were better."
Author's note: For the record, I did not get the idea for the Time Dragon from The Legend of Dragoon: The Final Element. I thought of it before I even heard of the story. Just thought I'd point that out before anyone started asking me about it. As usual, please read and review.
