I own none of this.
***
Unfortunately, we returned too late to do much good. By the time we reached Deningrad, the Divine Dragon had come and gone, leaving behind dead bodies and shattered wreckage. Most of the homes had been destroyed, and even the Crystal Palace itself was badly damaged.
Miranda stared at the carnage, dismayed. "Oh no! Queen Theresa!" When we hesitated, she glared at us. "What are you waiting for!? Shana is in the palace!" She sprinted away, Dart and Haschel close on her heels.
Mac and I followed at a more sedate pace. "Man, what a mess," I said. "And all because Lloyd had to pick a fight with the Divine Dragon."
The Highlander shook his head, his face dark with memories. "This reminds me of London during the Blitz. Crumbling buildings, dead bodies everywhere."
I quickened my step. "Why is it everywhere we go, things start coming apart at the seams?"
"Just lucky, I guess." Mac glanced at me, concerned. "You alright?"
I sighed. "I'm sick of death. The monsters I don't care about, but I've killed four Immortals since I got here, to say nothing of the innumerable soldiers, bandits, and outright wackos I've taken on. I've watched people die and been helpless to stop it."
"Get used to it, Belmont," Methos said. "It's going to keep happening for a very long time."
"I know…it's just…"
The older man nodded in understanding. "I know. I don't like it, either. Why do you think I spent two centuries away from the Game? I was tired of the killing."
By this time we had reached the Palace. The inside wasn't quite as bad as I had assumed, oddly enough. I'd have thought this place would be destroyed. It's badly damaged, yes, but not enough to account for the Dragon's attack. Here and there we saw an injured knight, but everyone appeared safe.
"Why is this place still standing?" Richie asked, clearly perplexed.
"Your guess is as good as mine, Rich," I replied. I'll just bet this has something to do with Shana.
I got to the throne room just in time to see Shana slump to the floor. "What in blazes happened!?"
"Shana was somehow protecting the Queen," Dart said, astonished.
Miranda fell to her knees; I was startled to see tears streaming down her cheeks. "Your Majesty…you're safe."
Theresa smiled. "You can't call Setie a crybaby now, Miranda."
"I know…just let me cry this once."
Maybe I was wrong about her. "Your Majesty, we have the Dragon Block Staff. We are ready to confront the Divine Dragon."
"Good luck."
The others having already left, I turned on my heel. "Coming, Miranda?"
The Sacred Sister got to her feet. "Right."
***
We stopped by the hotel first, making sure Shana was alright.
"How do you feel?" Dart asked.
"I'll…I'll be alright." Shana seemed uncertain.
"Shana." To my surprise, Methos laid a hand on her shoulder. "You'll be fine. You're stronger than you think."
"Thank you."
While that was going on, I had to defuse another Rose-Miranda spat. "Both of you, stop. Miranda, Rose may seem cold-blooded, but that doesn't make her heartless. And Rose, Miranda just watched her home get smashed, so maybe you should cut her a little slack." I glanced briefly at Dart. "I'll meet you guys at the city exit."
"Right."
***
I breathed deeply, enjoying the crisp mountain air. Despite the inevitable monster population, the Mountain of the Mortal Dragon was a very pleasant place, at least for me. I couldn't much tell about the others, save perhaps Meru, who was less than pleased.
"Can I ask you something?"
I raised an eyebrow. "What's on your mind, Miranda?"
"Why'd you stand up for me?" For once, the Light Dragoon showed none of her usual sarcasm. "I figured you'd want Rose to slap me down."
"That was before I saw you break down in front of the Queen." I chopped a small dragon in half. "I admit I find your attitude annoying at times, but you obviously care for your Queen, your sisters, and your country. I can't help but admire that."
Miranda was silent for a moment. "What's it like, being an Immortal?"
"Exhilarating and frightening at the same time." I sheathed my weapon. "All of a sudden, you don't have to worry about sickness or death, and believe me, those are big issues. Plus, all your injuries heal at an incredible rate."
She nodded. "I remember you showing me at the Crystal Palace. So where does the 'frightening' part come in?"
I shrugged. "I misspoke slightly. 'Paranoia inducing' would probably be better. Supposedly, we have to fight until there's only one left. I personally think that's ridiculous; there are more of us joining the 'Game' all the time. Anyway, some Immortals go around headhunting, which means I have to be constantly on my guard."
"What about your friends?"
I chuckled. "Methos hasn't had a serious fight in two hundred years, Mac only fights when challenged, Amanda's just a thief, and Richie, well, as long as you don't make him mad, you're safe."
Miranda chuckled too. "Yeah, looking at him, you'd never know he's a master swordsman. How old is he?"
"Twenty, making him the youngest of us by about four years. I'm twenty-four, Mac's just over four hundred, Amanda, call it eleven hundred, and Methos, five thousand. At least."
The Sacred Sister gaped. "At least!?"
I laughed at her expression. "Even he doesn't know exactly. He says he took his first head about five thousand years ago; everything before that is a blur. I think he's from a region once known as the Fertile Crescent, but I can't be sure." I shook my head. "But I've digressed. The point I want to make is, I was wrong about you. I'd like to start over with a clean slate." I held out my hand.
She took it, smiling. "Deal."
We had no further trouble until about three-quarters of the way up the mountain. One moment all was calm, the next a blast from the Divine Cannon flashed across the sky. For one instant, night became day on the mountain, casting all of us in an unearthly glow.
Rose looked grim. "He is releasing his anger against the world."
"Does that mean the battle has already begun?" Dart asked.
"Looks that way," Richie said.
We pounded the rest of the way up, not knowing who or what we'd face. Skidding to a stop near the peak, I quickly gave my companions a once-over. Dart clutched his sword in both hands, determined to see this through. Albert and Lavitz stood shoulder-to-shoulder, spears ready. Rose's expression would have been unreadable for most, but I knew her well enough to recognize the tension on her face. Kongol was even more enigmatic than usual, but there was nothing ambiguous about the way he held his axe. Meru, visibly nervous, stuck close to Regole's flank. Haschel stood in a balanced fighting stance, experienced and confident. Miranda jumped for a high point, giving her arrows more range. Mac and Amanda stood close together, waiting. Richie swung his rapier from side to side, staring at the Divine Dragon through narrowed eyes. Methos stood a little apart, face expressionless. For my part, I stayed near Dart, my katana held in a high guard position.
Lavitz spotted the Divine Dragon's opponent. "Why am I not surprised." It was Lloyd.
The mysterious swordsman jumped back, breathing hard. "It is sooner than I expected. Even with the Dragon Buster, he gave me a hard time. But he is almost dead, so there is no need for you to join in."
"So, you're the one who started all this," I said coldly.
"You released the strongest Dragon on the world, but you can't control it! That's right, isn't it!?" Albert snarled.
"Forget about him!" Miranda snapped. "We can kill him anytime!"
Lloyd glanced at her. "So, the Sacred Sister is the replacement for that girl. How convenient for us."
Dart, ignoring him, threw the Dragon Block Staff into the air, where it shattered. "We have a chance, now! Everyone attack!"
What followed was a truly climactic battle. Dart and company didn't dare use their Dragoon powers, so the fight took far longer than it would have otherwise. Regole, though weakened, was a major asset, keeping the Divine Dragon occupied with her tidal wave attack. Add in the presence of Immortals, and you had a recipe for pure, unadulterated chaos.
Cutting loose with a war cry, I charged the Dragon directly, slashing twice and then plunging my blade deep into its flesh. Richie was barely a step behind, stabbing through four of the Dragon's seven eyes and partially blinding it. An arrow appeared in a fifth eye, courtesy of Miranda.
The Divine Dragon roared with pain and fury, then blasted Richie in the chest with its cannon, killing him instantly. Then it roared again as Duncan MacLeod removed two of its legs with one sweep of his katana.
Staring in amazement, I had to leap straight up to avoid another of Regole's tidal waves. The Dragon wasn't so lucky; the wave completely destroyed its cannon. I came down swinging, deeply gashing the Divine Ball. How much can this thing take!? We've been fighting for hours and it still won't die! I hacked again and again. "Die, you freak!!"
The end came without any warning. Lloyd, apparently recovered, jumped in and stabbed the Dragon Buster deep into the Divine Dragon's largest eye. There was a brilliant flash, and my vision went white. So Lloyd saves the day. How ironic.
What followed was quite possibly the most surreal event of my life. Though my eyes were dazzled, I could still hear just fine. *Immortal, the Dragoon Spirit of the Divine Dragon wishes thee to become its master. Dost thou accept?*
I frowned. The voice seemed to be coming from inside my own head. Yes.
*Then, Immortal, receive the power of the Divine Dragon.*
I gasped. The sensation was like nothing I'd ever felt before. It was as though I was at the center of a storm. Armor began covering me from head to toe, leaving only my face exposed. Wings sprouted from my back, and the power, the sheer, incredible power. It surpassed even the Quickening.
My vision cleared, at least in my right eye; my left was covered by a jeweled band. "Wha…what just happened?"
Rose, normally expressionless, stared in awe. "The Dragoon of the Divine Dragon," she breathed.
Methos, as usual, barely reacted. "Not bad, Belmont. Leaves something to be desired from an esthetic standpoint, but not bad."
I inspected myself. My right arm was more or less normal, my left was not. It had been covered with what looked suspiciously like the Divine Cannon. My leg armor was somewhat reminiscent of Virages, and I had six wings as opposed to the usual two. The chest plate was larger than normal as well, seven gems instead of one. My sword, while still single edged, was much broader.
I turned to Lloyd, smirking. "Looks like your plan backfired, this time." My voice grew colder. "Now, how on earth do you know about our kind?"
The other shrugged. "I encountered a disgruntled member of an organization called the Watchers. He said something about people who live forever and run around cutting each other's heads off with swords. He also said they needed to be destroyed."
"One of Horton's people," Mac growled.
"I was naturally intrigued by this," Lloyd continued, "so I did some research of my own. This led me to Kim Sun."
"And the rest is history," I snarled. "And now, so are you!" I shouted, raising my cannon. "Eat this!!" I fired, just as he vanished. "What the!?"
"He must be a Wingly!" Meru said. "We can teleport for short distances."
"Let's go after him!" Dart said.
Unfortunately, Lloyd got the drop on us halfway down the mountain. Dart nearly caught up with him, but the treacherous Wingly caught both Dart and Rose with a fireball, knocking them both off a cliff. Blast it! He knows this will delay us long enough for his escape. No help for it, I guess.
"Dart! Rose!" Meru yelled. Sprouting her wings, she followed the other two over the edge.
I clenched my fists. "That maniac." I glanced at Miranda, just as Meru brought Dart and Rose up. "Miranda, I need to ask you something. You have a Divine Moon Object in Mille Seseau, correct? I ask because I can guarantee Lloyd will be after it."
She nodded. "It's called the Moon Mirror, kept in the Tower of Flanvel."
Dart frowned. "Flanvel?"
"It was a Wingly fortress during the Dragon Campaign," Rose said.
"Queen Theresa is the key to the tower-" Miranda broke off, her eyes widening. "Then Lloyd will come for her!"
I froze, then glanced around wildly. Not again. "Guys, you go on ahead. I just felt the Buzz again."
"He's right," Mac confirmed.
"But we can't leave him to fight alone!" Meru protested.
"Meru, these fights are always one on one, remember?" I said. "Don't worry, I can take care of myself." The others ran down the mountain, leaving me to face whichever new Immortal threat was presenting itself. How many more are going to show up!? This is getting ridiculous!
Then I saw him and my blood ran cold. No way! It can't be!
Miccolo Caminetti lifted his sword with an evil grin. "Long time no see, Belmont," he said in a pronounced Italian accent.
"Not long enough," I snarled.
[Flashback, fourteen years ago]
A ten-year-old boy lies sobbing on the floor, the bloody remains of his foster parents sprawled before him. Gore covers him, and yet he is unhurt…physically.
A harsh laugh fills the room. "That's what they get for interfering," an Italian voice says. The speaker looks at the boy. "Don't worry, little boy. I won't hurt you."
The boy, overcome with grief, doesn't respond.
"Why won't I hurt you?" the voice asks mockingly. "It's not because you're young and helpless, oh no. I've killed younger people than you before. No, it's because one day, you will be like me. When that day comes, remember the name of Miccolo Caminetti. I'll be waiting."
[End flashback]
I shook with rage. Miccolo Caminetti, Roman Inquisitor turned Cosa Nostra thug, smirked in amusement. "Is that all you've got, boy?" he asked derisively.
I raised my blade. "Hardly. I have your death right here, bastard."
Caminetti laughed. "You're holding a grudge after fourteen years?" He snorted in feigned disbelief.
"Is there any particular reason I shouldn't!?" I demanded. "You killed the only people who ever thought of me as anything other than a useless burden!" My voice rose with my growing anger. "You stole the closest thing I ever had to a normal life!!" I was shouting now. "And for what!? A little extra cash!?"
He laughed again. "There you go again, snarling in righteous anger. What a waste. Your foster parents were weak. The weak are nothing more than prey for the strong. Only the strong survive."
I took a deep breath to calm myself; berserk rage would only get me killed. "You're wrong, Caminetti." My voice was now icy cold. "The sort of life you describe is totally without meaning. The strong feed upon the weak, and only the strong survive. That is an empty existence." I looked him in the eye. "Life is precious. All life. And since you take life without even caring, and willfully hurt innocents, I will rid the world of you." I assumed a fighting stance. "Prepare to die."
Caminetti swung his own weapon. "Come and get me, boy."
Needing no further encouragement, I lunged, swinging once, twice, three times, each attack narrowly blocked. Shifting tactics, I stabbed upward, nicking him in the chin. "I was trained by the best. I have beaten better fighters than you will ever be."
"Oh really?" The counterattack had me literally seeing red, thanks to a gash above my left eye. "I think you're overestimating your abilities, and underestimating mine."
"Do you really think I'm that stupid?" I shot back, slamming a fist into his stomach. "I know more about you than you realize." Caminetti crumpled around the site of the blow, and I spun around, knocking his sword out of his hand and over a cliff. "It's over."
He looked up at me. "If you kill me, then you're no different."
I laughed. "Wrong, wrong, wrong. You kill for the fun of it, I kill to protect the innocent. The fact that I'll be avenging my parents is just a bonus." I slashed down once.
For nearly a full minute, the Mountain of the Mortal Dragon was bathed in light. The effect was so intense that I nearly followed Caminetti's sword off the cliff. I screamed once, then collapsed, exhausted. Mom, Dad, it's over.
***
Author's note: Now you see what I meant by major changes. Even bigger changes are coming in Vellweb, so don't be too shocked at what happens.
In response to Sword Master Jeff's review, it's not that I dislike Miranda, I simply wish Shana was a party member for the entire game (another mistake I intend to correct). I do, however, like how you referred to how she handles Rose, though I should point out that they settle their differences in Ulara.
For anyone who might be unaware, the Cosa Nostra is the Italian Mafia.
Thanks for the reviews, and keep them coming. D.S.
