"One Starry, Starry Night"
It was an evening with the full moon shining brightly over Jeuno with the backdrop of stars twinkling. The populace of Jeuno was enjoying the sight of the evening sky. They suddenly saw a dark cloud blanket the horizon covering the sight of the beautiful full moon they were looking at.
-O-
Port Bastok. Airship.
The airship to Jeuno had arrived at the docks of Port Bastok. Tiny Heart and his companions boarded the airship. Zeid and Iron Eater waved goodbye. As they were waiting for the ship to lift off, Tiny Heart was surprised to see Mourn on board. He approached her.
"Mourn; I thought you were not coming with us. What are you doing on board the airship to Jeuno?" Tiny Heart asked.
"I am on my way to Windurst. The Elder Council wanted me to report back to them so we will go our separate ways when we arrive in Jeuno." Mourn said.
"I was hoping you would come along. It's nice to know you are around to watch my back." Tiny Heart said.
"Namy and the others will watch over you. You can count on them. They are the best Mithra warriors of the Black Fang Squadron." Mourn replied.
As the airship took off, they went up the deck to see the sight of the evening sky now lit up by the bright full moon. Neither of them would expect the events that would unfold within the next few minutes.
-O-
People in Jeuno were mystified by the dark cloud that had covered the evening moon. They stood and tried to make sense of it. Suddenly the dark cloud seemed to be headed towards Jeuno. It was too late for them when they realized what the dark cloud really was. They tried to run for safety but it was all too late.
Flying demons were streaming towards Jeuno. They saw from up above the people running for safety and started their attack. Helpless innocents were killed on the spot during the demons first flying over the open streets of Jeuno. The Jeuno Ducal Guards, picked from the best of all the warriors of the three nations of Vanadiel, tried their best to protect the populace of Jeuno. The battle for the fate of Jeuno had begun.
-O-
"This is your captain speaking; we have just received word that Jeuno is under attack. We may have to return to Bastok."
Wolferine and Mourn looked at each other and ran down the wheelhouse. They asked the captain what was going on in Jeuno.
"I received word that Jeuno is under heavy attack from demons. We might not be able to land there." The Captain said.
"You need to land there. There are many of us on board who can help defend Jeuno from the demons." Mourn said.
"I cannot do that. The safety of the other passengers is my primary concern." The Captain replied as he started to turn the ship around.
"You have to do land in Jeuno. Every single second counts. We can help." Mourn pleaded with the captain.
"No I will not. We will return to Bastok."
"You leave me with no choice." Mourn drew her dagger and leveled it at the captain's throat.
-O-
The Jeuno Ducal Guards in Upper Jeuno were starting to gaining ground against the demon onslaught when flaming projectiles came raining down on them from the direction of Battalia Downs. The projectiles exploded on impact as they touched the ground, killing and wounding dozens of Jeuno Ducal Guards. Orcish Firebleachers were raining projectiles upon Upper Jeuno. The Orcish invasion force was now starting to cross the great bridge connecting Jeuno to Battalia Downs. The Jeuno Ducal Guards ran and met them halfway. Sounds of metal clanging and shouts of pain could be heard as the Jeuno Ducal Guards tried their best to defend the bridge.
Some residents of Jeuno ran to Port Jeuno and were waiting for the airship to Sandoria to arrive. As the started to airship dock, people shoved each other trying to be the first ones on board. As the airship doors opened, they started to run up the ship when they saw heavily armed Elvaans staring at them. The Elvaans charged the crowd of people killing everyone in sight. They quickly ran to the door leading up to the streets of Jeuno. The Ducal Guards at the Sandorian airship lounge could do nothing to stop them. They were quickly overwhelmed by the superior number of Elvaan forces. The airship from Sandoria then left after unloading their cargo to fetch another batch of invaders from Sandoria.
The streets of Jeuno looked like a war zone. Everywhere, Jeuno Ducal Guards could be seen fighting desperately to stop the combined invasion of the demons, Orcs and now Elvaan invaders. The Gate Guards in Lower Jeuno saw light coming towards the bridge connecting Jeuno to Rolanberry Field. It was the Quadavs coming to join the invasion of Jeuno. The odds were now badly stacked against the defenders of Jeuno.
-O-
As the airship from Bastok started to descend to Port Jeuno, flying demons boarded the ship. Their mission was to kill everyone on board and stop the ship from docking. The demons thought the passengers would be easy pickings but never expected Tiny Heart and the others on board would be there to stop them. The demons never stood a chance. They were quickly defeated.
"This is bad. There must really be a full scale invasion of Jeuno." Mourn said. "We have to split our forces. Wolferine, you Cozar, Sylvaria and Freon go help in Lower Jeuno. Twinki, you, Tiny Heart, Namy and Hyanmensir take Upper Jeuno. The rest of us will try to secure the port so that reinforcements from Bastok and Windurst can land safely."
As the airship landed, Mourn lead the team out. They caught the Elvaans guarding the docks by surprise. The Elvaans hadn't thought that there would still be survivors on board. Mourn and the others overwhelmed them easily. When they reached up the streets of Port Jeuno, they saw a raging battle between the vastly outnumbered Ducal Guards against the demon and Elvaan invaders.
Mourn quickly joined in the fray, shooting down one by one the invaders. Whon and Black Falcon tried their best to heal the wounded Ducal Guards. Chari blasted the flying demons with magic spells with Blacknwhite protecting her by summoning his avatar, Titan. Titan pounded the Elvaans who tried to storm them with rocks. It kept them at bay. With Chari and Mourn shooting down the flying demons, the defenders were starting to gain the upper hand when the one they were looking for arrived. It was Icon, with demons flanking him walking towards Mourn and the defenders. The other demons and Elvaans pulled back, creating a temporary lull in the fighting. As Icon stood in front of the invading army, Mourn saw there was something different with Icon. He was radiating a powerful dark energy all over him. His eyes were glowing dark.
Mourn yelled at him and said. "Icon, why are you with these invaders?"
Icon didn't reply. He simply stood and stared at Mourn and the others. Blacknwhite stepped forward and pointed at Icon. He then turned his thumb upside down and started to summon, Ifrit. He commanded Ifrit to attack Icon. Ifrit blasted Icon with a ball of fire. A large explosion occured as the ball of fire hit the ground where Icon stood. The demons and Elvaans who were near Icon got disintegrated instantly. As the smoke cleared, to Blacknwhite's surprise, Icon stood unmoving; he was still standing after such a powerful blast. Blacknwhite could not believe it. Icon walked slowly towards Blacknwhite. Finally Icon spoke. "Is that all you can do?"
Blacknwhite let Ifrit go and now summoned Titan. He commanded Titan to attack Icon. Titan flew towards Icon and started to pound Icon with his fists. The ground shook as Titan's fists tried to hit Icon in vain but Icon kept warping from one point to another. Titan then tore up a portion of the street and threw it at Icon. Icon didn't even move to avoid the incoming projectile. Icon instead raised his hand and a powerful black energy blasted the incoming projectile to pieces. Icon then cast a spell of Aeroga repeatedly at Titan causing Titan to shout in pain until it disappeared.
Blacknwhite could not believe his eyes. How can one man be so fearless and so powerful? Is he really the Shadow Lord reincarnated?
Icon spoke again. "I would like to see how much more mana you have to throw at me. Blacknwhite then summoned his most powerful avatar, Fenrir the wolf. He ordered Fenrir to attack Icon using its most powerful attack, the Howling Moon. As the Fenrir hit Icon, Icon grabbed hold of Fenrir and starting to drain the energy out of the avatar. Blacknwhite, who was connected with Fenrir magically, started to lose strength. His energy was being sucked by Icon through Fenrir. Whon and Black Falcon tried their best to help Blacknwhite by refreshing his mana pool and healing him but Icon was sucking the energy so fast. Blacknwhite couldn't understand why he could not tell Fenrir to leave. He was losing energy fast when Chari blasted Icon with her most powerful spell of Thunder, knocking Icon's hold on Fenrir loose.
Blacknwhite quickly let Fenrir leave after Icon let go. He was so drained that he slumped down the ground, so weak to stand up.
Reinforcements from Windurst had arrived via airship. The demons and Elvaans standing near the Windurst airship entrance were being pounded by avatars. Tarutaru Summoners with different avatars raced up the stairs and started attacking the invaders. Ramuh, Leviathan, Shiva, Titan, Ifrit, and Garuda avatars could be seen fighting the invaders. Icon looked at the different avatars wreaking havoc on the invaders, let out a blast of dark energy towards the sky signaling the invaders to back off. Now he was surrounded by six avatars, ready to attack him. Blacknwhite, having drank some ether and juices had regained much of his energy back started to walk towards Icon. He summoned Fenrir again.
"Seven avatars against one mage. You cannot expect to win against those odds." Blacknwhite said.
Icon let out a sinister laugh that sent shivers to everyone present. "You foolish mortals, you think those puny avatars can defeat me? I laugh at you." Icon said as he continued laughing.
"It will be the last laugh you will ever have." Blacknwhite said. On his command, all the avatars started to attack Icon. As they approached Icon, a strange black mist began to encircle Icon. As the avatars reached the black mist, the mist became physical in form and entangled the avatars. Like what happened to Blacknwhite's avatar awhile ago, Icon began to suck the energy out of the Summoners through their avatars. The Summoners screamed in pain as they tried to let go of their avatars but could not do so. Slowly their life force was being drained from them. Some of the Summoner's bodies started to decay.
Mourn and the others saw what was happening tried to help them but Icon let out a powerful surge of energy knocking everyone standing down. One by one the Summoners started to die as Icon would not let go of their avatars. Blacknwhite cried out a plea for help as he was also starting to die. Chari stood up and started to blast Icon with the most powerful spells in her arsenal. Icon, now with the energy absorbed from the Summoners was now levitating. He was so full of energy that Chari's spell had little effect on him. A wall of stone suddenly sprang out of the ground in front of Icon and moved towards Chari and Blacknwhite. The wall of stone pounded both Chari and Blacknwhite, knocking them out.
Icon was laughing out loud seeing his handiwork. Nothing they could do could stop him. Wolferine and the others came down and saw the devastation that Port Jeuno absorbed from the battle. They were in shock at the scene. Tiny Heart approached Icon and kept on calling his name but Icon ignored him.
"Icon it's me Tiny Heart. What has happen to you?" Tiny Heart yelled again. Icon's head turned to look at Tiny Hearts direction. A beam of dark energy from Icon's eyes streaked towards Tiny Heart. Tiny Heart was stunned; he did not expect his dear friend to attack him. A Tiger Familiar jumped in front of Tiny Heart and took the brunt of the attack, saving Tiny Heart in the process but he was knocked back several meters by the ensuing blast.
Wolferine had summoned a jug pet and save Icon's life. The other team members wanted to attack Icon but Wolferine held them back. "He is too powerful, we cannot defeat him. Fall back." Wolferine yelled. Tiny Heart was still transfixed, looking at Icon when Hyanmensir came to pull him away. "Snap out of it. Stop staring at Icon. He isn't Icon you know anymore but is evil personified now. Come on lets go."
Whon quickly teleported the rest of the party out of Jeuno. Icon let out an even louder laugh as he saw them retreat. Jeuno fell within the next 20 minutes to the invaders. The gallant stand by the defenders proved fruitless. The Master arrived in Jeuno on an airship after the battle. Umbra met the Master and lead him up the stairs to the streets of Port Jeuno. The Master saw the devastation from the battle. Umbra said to him. "You should have seen Icon. I have never seen anyone as powerful as him."
"He has the power of the dark lord. No one can defeat him." The master replied.
"Won't he become very powerful as time goes by that we might not be able to control him anymore?" Umbra asked.
"As long as we have Jabrina plus the spell protecting me from him, we will be able to control him." The Master answered back. "I never expected Jeuno to fall that easily. Did you capture the Archduke?"
"The Archduke wasn't around when the fighting started." Umbra replied.
"It doesn't matter if he escaped. We now control Jeuno. We control the passageways through the three nations. Soon Bastok and Windurst will fall and I will be the master of all of Vanadiel." the Master laughing said as he savored the fall of Jeuno.