I do not own Legend of Dragoon or any of the characters.


Black Castle

Cade stared up at the dragon corpse suspended in the center of the room, a blazing, magic, purple flame roaring beneath it and several scientists standing around the flame. He frowned. He hated this castle. As soon as they'd gotten there, they'd found a room where two scientists were studying different colors of magic flame. One was white and had healing powers, and the other was green and couldn't be extinguished by water. They'd been given a lamp containing "magic oil" really dragon's blood, for a purple flame that powered all of the lifts in the castle, allowing them to move around the castle. However, the concept of using a dragon's blood as a fuel source was just...not siting well with Cade. There was also another problem. According to one of the scientists, the path to the throne room had a special lock involving three colored spheres, red, blue, and yellow. They had used a second lift in the dragon's room to go to a garbage dump for the castle where they'd found the red crystal, apparently having been thrown away by someone, though whether intentionally or accidentally wasn't clear. According to another researcher, one of the other scientists had stolen the blue stone. as for the yellow stone, it was being held by the commander of the Sandoran force at the Black Castle.

"Come on," Rose said. "There's nothing we can do about it now."

"This is wrong," Cade said as they walked to the lift.

"Humans have done worse," Rose said.

"That doesn't make this okay," Cade said.

"No, it doesn't," Rose agreed. "But there's nothing we can do about this."

Cade sighed, nodding. "Let's just make this quick, at least."

They headed through the entrance hall again and took a lift up on the other side, but as soon as they stepped out, a war dog off to their right began to snarl at them.

"Who the hell are you!?" the Sandoran with it demanded.

"We're mercenaries," Cade said calmly. "We're a little lost though."

"Nice try!" the Sandoran scoffed. "I've heard about the Basil Mercenary in red armor!"

He clicked his tongue and his hound barked loudly, charging, only for Cade to draw his sword and split the front half of the hound's body up the middle, killing it. The Sandoran shouted in rage, drawing his own sword and charging, only for Rose to step past Cade and kill the soldier instantly.

"We should get out of here," Albert advised.

"Yup, Cade nodded. "Let's go!"

They all ran along the walkway the lift had brought them to to a lift on the opposite side. They rode it down and came out in a large open room with water running through a channel in the middle of it, several sets of shelves set up around the room for potions, scrolls, and books. There was a scientist inside, and as they all walked down the stairs that wrapped around the room, he turned to them, only eye open more than the other and a crazed, unhinged look in them.

"You!" He snapped. "Who are you!? I know! You're thieves who've come to steal my magic!"

"Wait!" Dart said. "We are-"

"No excuses!" the scientist snapped.

"Careful!" Dart warned, taking a step back and gripping his sword. "We don't know what he can do!"

"I doubt much of anything," Cade said.

"Let him," Rose said, leaning back against the side of the stairs. "It seems interesting."

"Take this!" the scientist shouted, holding a hand up. "The steel shearing vacuum blade!"

Everyone tensed, then looked around at each other as nothing happened. Cade sighed, leaning beside Rose.

"Told you," Cade said. "I'm going to guess this is Mr. Magi."

"Why!?" the scientist shrieked. "Why doesn't the magic work!? Why doesn't it sheer them!?"

"He's even worse than I thought," Rose said.

"Th-That was...still under research!" the scientist stammered, raising his hand again. "I'll show you this! Take the rock crushing thunder arrow!"

Everyone stared at him exasperatedly as, once again, nothing happened.

"It seems you're right, Cade," Haschel said. "This must be the researcher it is 'too late' for."

Mr. Magi huffed indignantly. "Those dumb researchers of trashy stuff said something to you, didn't they!?"

"I'm getting bored," Rose sighed, standing. "Just leave us alone."

"We're not here to criticize your research," Albert said.

"Shut up!" Mr. Magi snapped. "I've already made the discovery! The secret of a magic that those losers could never even hope to know! The magic of transformation can only be known by someone like myself, who completely understands the magical power of the Dragons!"

Cade rolled his eyes. "This aught to be good."

"I'll show it to you now!" Mr. Magi said, once again raising his hand. "Cerberus! Emerge!"

Cade's senses flared to life instantly as magic power began to rapidly build inside of Mr. Magi. His eyes widened and he grabbed his sword. "Looks like we've got a live one."

Mr. Magi shone blindingly for a moment, beginning to expand, only to suddenly stop, then shrink, transforming into a thigh-high dog with no meat on its bones, sagging skin, and golden fur. He barked at them, whined, then ran around the room before returning to Shana. he sat in front of her, whining again, and she began to pet him.

"Is this dog Mr. Magi?" Shana asked.

"It is," Cade nodded. "Or, at least, it was. Come on. If any of the scientists would have stolen one of the spheres to unlock the throne room, it's this guy."

"Agreed," Dart nodded as they all spread into the room to go through his research and belongings.

Cade stopped as he found a paper that caught his interest due to having a sketch of what looked like two dragons fighting. He scanned it and snorted. "No fucking way! This guy was a fucking genius."

"What is it?" Rose asked.

"Well, according to Mr. Magi, dragons had to breed a minimum of three times a day due to high magical power equating to high sexual potency and libido," Cade said.

"You've got to be fucking kidding me," Rose groaned, resting her face in her hand.

"I kid you not," Cade said. "He included what I'm pretty sure is supposed to be an illustration and everything."

"Gross!" Shana wailed.

"Well, if he's right, that must make you quiet popular with the ladies," Haschel said.

Cade laughed. "I wish someone would have told me about this growing up. My journey across Endiness would have been very different."

Rose made a sound like a groan mixed with a disgusted grunt. "Men."

Cade laughed, balling up the paper and tossing it over his shoulder as he headed for a chest with papers pinned under the lid. "I'm kidding. I have more pressing concerns than sex."

"Sure you do," Rose said. "All men think the same, no matter their species."

Cade shrugged, rifling through the chest's contents. "I didn't say I never think about it." He pulled out a blue crystal sphere. "Found it."

"Good," Dart said. "Now we just need to find the yellow one. Where should we check?"

"Well, from the entrance hall, there's only one path left," Cade said. "The main lift."

"Which had two soldiers standing guard," Dart said.

"Two soldiers aren't a problem," Rose said, starting up the stairs, the others just behind her.

They all headed back to the entrance hall and Cade and Rose each took out a soldier before they could sound the alarm. Then, they all got into the lift, Dart lighting the lift's purple flame, and the lift began to rise. Once they reached the top, they got out and turned left, finding themselves circling the outside of the castle. They found a lift on the left side, but the path continued around on their level with several doors to check. They decided to come back for the lift if necessary, and continued along the path. However, after a few minutes of finding nothing, they reached the lift they bypassed before and took it up, stepping out into a small open area where three Sandorans were training with their swords.

"Invaders!?" the first gasped.

"You have such rotten luck to wander into the training center!" the second laughed.

"Get 'em!" the third ordered.

The three of them charged and Cade, Rose, and Dart all stepped forward. Cade's opponent slashed at him, but he stepped out of the way, then split him up the front, killing him. At the same time, Rose stepped past her opponent's slash and stabbed him through the slit his helmet had for his eyes, killing him as well. Dart deflected several slashes before knocking the sword away and slashing his opponent across the chest. Once they were all finished, they looked around, seeing a lift on one side, and a path on the other.

"Searching like this will take too long," Rose said. "We should split up."

"Agreed," Cade nodded. "Rose, Haschel, and I will go right. You three take that lift."

The others all nodded in agreement and they split, taking their chosen directions. As they walked, they came to another lift with the path once again continuing forward. Cade sighed.

"Well, which way now?" Cade asked.

"If I'm right about where we are, this lift should take us back down to the entrance hall," Rose said. "Let's follow the path first."

"Right," Cade nodded, only to stop as a Sandoran Elite, a soldier wearing a black body suit with a gold cuirass, pauldrons, and helmet, stepped out of a doorway up ahead, turning to them. "Guess we take care of him first."

"You did well to get this far without raising an alarm," the soldier said. "But this is as far as you go."

His hand snapped up, a knife flashing across the distance and stabbing into Cade's left shoulder, Cade yelping in pain and surprise, staggering backward. Rose moved to charge, only for the soldier's other hand to hurl a chain with a weight at the end. It wrapped around her and he spun, whipping her off the edge and sending her spinning into the open air. Cade shouted in pain as he ripped the knife out and hurled it back, the soldier blocking it with another, then turned and began to block and dodge Haschel's strikes. Finally, Haschel managed to land a punch to the soldier's gut and he flew backward into the wall. Cade passed Haschel instantly, slashing at the soldier, only for him to spin out of the way, Cade's sword instead slashing a scratch in the stone wall. Cade spun after him, only to receive a punch to the jaw, staggering backward.

"You don't need to get so worked up," the soldier said. "I'll send you to join her very soon."

He began to chant, a green flame bursting to life in his hands. Then, he slammed a fist into the ground, two trails of green flame roaring across the ground at Cade and Haschel, both diving out of the way an only barely escaping.

"Thanks for the offer, but I think I'll just wait for her to rejoin us," Cade said. "You, on the other hand, can get lost."

His wings blazed to life as he held out his left hand, a sphere of magic flashing from his palm and exploding against the soldier's chest, burning him horribly and sending him flying off the edge, screaming in agony as he plummeted to his death. A moment later, Rose landed on their ledge again, transforming back from a dragoon.

"That could have gone better," Rose said.

"Are you alright?" Cade asked.

"I'm fine," Rose said, just as Dart's group ran into view.

"Are you all alright?" Dart asked. "Who screamed?"

"A Sandoran Elite I blasted off the castle," Cade said. "How'd you guys' search go?"

"We found it," Dart said. "We also found the lift to the throne room. It's the one that brought us to the training center."

"Alright," Cade nodded. "Let's go."

They all turned, heading back to the lift and taking it up to the next floor. Through the hallway at the top, they reached a massive chamber with a statue of a goddess in the center, a walkway wrapping around it, and a door leading into the base on it's right side with a staircase leading out of the statue on the left side of its head. Cade and the others followed the walkway around the goddess to a raised platform with a small podium-like stand with three round holes in a triangle, a thin opening connecting the holes. Cade looked to Dart, who nodded and pulled out the crystal spheres. He placed them in the holes, each sphere being a slightly different size and only fitting in one slot properly. Once he had them ordered correctly, the sphere the goddess statue was holding shone for a moment before the door in the statue's base opened. they all headed down to it, finding a lift inside. They rode it up to the path leading out of the statue and followed it quickly. The path wrapped around the room across from the statue, but as they got about halfway, they stopped as a Giganto stomped down toward them from the far side, dressed in a suit of massive, bone-themed plate armor with spikes on the shoulders, elbows, knees, and two on each hand's knuckles, and red war paint on his face, just below his mohawk.

"Stay back!" Dart warned as everyone readied their weapons.

"I smell blood in the air," Rose said.

"It's not human," Haschel said.

"He's a Giganto," Cade said, stepping up front beside Dart and Rose. "He might be the last one."

"Kongol," Dart said.

"Gigantos don't lose twice!" Kongol declared. "Gigantos make payback for Hoax! For His Majesty Doel!"

"You fought him in Hoax?" Cade asked.

"Yeah," Dart said. "Me and Lavitz. It was right before we met you."

Cade nodded, just as Kongol charged down the path at them. "Here we go!"

He shot forward, ducking around Kongol's fist and slashed him across the side. His sword sparked as it tore through the armor, but it only barely managed to break Kongol's skin. Then, he was past Kongol and Kongol spun, backhanding him and sending him flying, his ribs protesting the abuse of that one hit loudly. He crashed down hard and rolled to a stop, groaning and looking back as Rose slashed Kongol several times then spun around his fist, allowing it to crack the ground. Dart and Albert both shot forward, Dart slashing Kongol down the front, then ducked as Albert's spear swept over him, slashing Kongol's armor across the chest. Kongol bellowed in rage and punched in an uppercut, hitting Dart in the chest and hurling him backward just before an arrow stabbed into his shoulder. Cade stood, holding his left hand to his side, and sprinted down the path toward Kongol. Rose reached Kongol from behind first and slashed him across the back. Kongol spun, punching at her, but she spun out of the way. Cade slashed the outside of Kongol's arm, throwing it across Kongol's body before slashing him across the side. Kongol shouted in pain and staggered backward, then raised his foot and slammed a push kick into Cade's chest, hurling him.

Cade bounced once and landed on his feet as Kongol punched the ground, the eyes on the face design of his chest plate flashing. Suddenly, a wall of stone erupted from the ground behind Cade and Kongol hurled his right gauntlet, the front of it crashing into Cade's throat and nearly collapsing it, the spikes stabbing into the wall behind Cade, pinning him as Kongol charged. He grit his teeth, yanking on the gauntlet futilely. Finally, Kongol crashed into him, charging straight through the wall and sending Cade bouncing backward. Kongol put his gauntlet back on as Cade struggled to stand, only for Kongol to grab him by the back of his clothes and lift him over his head, turning toward the side of the pathway. Cade's eyes widened, but an arrow stabbed into Kongol's thigh and another into his side. He shouted in pain and dropped Cade to the ground behind him before Dart reached him, slashing him across the chest again and again, transitioning from one strike to the next quickly and forcing Kongol back rapidly. As he did, a light shine from off to one side, and when Cade looked, he saw Shana suddenly wearing gleaming white Dragoon Armor with her midriff exposed, a blue skirt, a blue headband with small eye-like crystal embedded into it, like Dart's headband had in his Dragoon form, white gauntlets with blue bicep-length gloves extending out from under them, and white boots, holding a white bow. In all, the armor was probably the least practical thing he'd ever seen.

She pulled her bow back, an arrow forming from magic energy, then released it, the arrow flying up into the ceiling and forming a spot of shining light before clouds formed, then parted, revealing an image of the night sky and the Moon That Never Sets. Then, a beam of light shone from the opening, hitting Cade and healing him in seconds before fading just as a magic arrow flashed over him, flashing completely through Kongol's abdomen on the left side, armor and all.

Kongol roared in pain, kicking Dart in the chest and hurling him backward, only for him to stand instantly, charging at the same time as Cade did. Kongol bellowed in rage, leaning forward and charging, only for them both to drop into a slide, slashing his feet out from under him. He crashed down hard, rolling several times before standing. He was swaying as he stood and Rose stepped forward, slashing several times rapidly. Then, as she stepped back, Kongol's plate armor crashed to the ground, leaving only a pair of round, smooth pauldrons, a pair of leather straps across his torso, a large metal belt, a tattered pair of brown shorts, or may a skirt, he couldn't tell, a pair of brown cloth gauntlets, and brown cloth around his shins above a pair of metal boots. Kongol fell to his hands and knees and Cade and Dart walked back around in front of him where Rose was holding her sword to his throat.

"Gigantos...with strongest armor...lost," Kongol said. "Me...brother of hero...has pride. Cannot live in disgrace. Kill me."

"As you wish," Rose said, only for Cade to catch her wrist.

"Don't," Cade said. "There's no need."

"The game is already over," Dart agreed.

"Game!?" Rose scoffed. "Don't be a fool! This is a matter of life and death!"

"Yes it is," Cade said. "And there's no reason for it to end in his death."

"It's over," Shana said, walking over to stand beside Kongol. "He can't fight anymore."

"I hope your kind hearts won't get you all killed," Rose said, sheathing her sword.

"It won't," Cade said. "Not everything has to end in death."

Rose huffed, walking past Kongol, the others all following. Cade glanced at Dart as they walked.

"I don't know how you're still walking around after being hit so many times without being healed," Cade said.

"Well, you know, I once found this ingenious way to shield myself from damage," Dart said.

"Really?" Cade asked.

"Yeah," Dart nodded. "It's called armor."

Cade rolled his eyes. "Alright smartass. I prefer to be able to move around freely."

"And I prefer to be able to get hit without being taken out of the fight the moment I am," Dart said. "Even Rose wears armor, and she's practically untouchable in most fights."

Cade waved him off as they reached the throne room. It was a dark room with a dark green floor, a long red carpet leading up a set of low stairs off to the right side, the stairs flanked by tall jets of green flames, and then a balcony above the top of the stairs with the throne in it, the throne attached to a set of rails on the wall to raise and lower it to and from the balcony, and Doel seated in the throne, one fist resting against his cheek as he leaned his head on it, the other hand resting on its arm rest.

"I wonder what could have brought you all the way here," Doel said, voice commanding and authoritative, but also mocking. "Foolish daredevils."

They all readied their weapons instantly, spreading out along the bottom of the stairs as the throne descended. Cade narrowed his eyes at Doel. He wore extravagant black armor with red highlights and designs over the entire thing, a green cape, and had a pair of swords resting on the wall beside where his throne now sat, one a massive single-edged weapon and the other a thin double-edged blade with a point in the middle of each edge where the blade swept out to a point then back.

"You must be Doel!" Dart growled, stepping forward.

"Uncle, do you remember me?" Albert asked, stepping forward. "I am the son of your late brother, Albert."

"You remind me of...Carlo, twenty years ago," Doel said. "A bloodstained corpse in front of me."

"Why did you kill him!?" Albert demanded. "Why did you have to divide Serdio by killing my father!?"

"To save Serdio from an incapable leader named Carlo," Doel said, standing and spreading his arms. "And now, my hands are about to give birth to the new Serdio."

"Birth!?" Dart scoffed. "What you are doing is only destroying!"

"Yes!" Albert agreed. "You have given birth or sorrow, pain, agony, and our anger!"

"Tell me, why did you have Shana taken away!?" Dart demanded.

"Oh, you are talking about Lloyd's conspiracy," Doel said, crossing his arms as a thoughtful expression covered his face, stained with distaste. Find the girl by the time the Moon That Never Sets waxes. All is ordered by the reborn Emperor Diaz. Lloyd is a mere pawn. Along with the Dragoons."

"Foolishness," Rose said. "Emperor Diaz died in the Dragon Campaign. As a human...hero."

"I don't care if you believe it or not," Doel said. "It won't change reality." He picked up his swords. "You thought you would defeat me with greater numbers, right? Come. I'll send you to the same place I sent your father!"

"Uncle!" Albert snarled, readying his spear.

"Doel!" Dart shouted, drawing his sword.

Everyone else readied their weapons as well, and Doel laughed, then charged. Dart and Albert both moved to meet his charge, but when his larger sword crashed into Dart's it hurled him away. At the same time, his smaller one deflected Albert's spear before the larger one swung around at him. Cade's sword slammed into the underside of Doel's larger blade, deflecting it up over Albert just before Rose reached him, slashing him across the back. Doel shouted in pain, staggering away and Cade stepped forward, slashing, his blade slicing through Doel's armor easily, unlike Kongol's. Doel staggered away, then stabbed his sword into the ground, shouting in effort as he crossed his arms in front of himself, magic energy beginning to build instantly. After a moment, both swords tore free of the ground and spun in a circle around him as their blades flipped toward the ceiling, the magic energy focusing around the blades. Then, he caught their handles and slashed downward at Cade, who instinctively snapped a hand up, using his Wingly magic to block the blast that exploded into his barrier, launching him away. A moment later, Haschel reached Doel, slamming several punches and kicks into him before leaping back from his sword before Albert's spear and Dart's sword both slashed him diagonally across the torso, forming an "X" and sending him staggering backward.

"Not bad," Doel said. "But if you want to play rough, I can play that way too!"

He crouched, crossing his arms so that his swords stuck out to his sides as magic energy began to explode off of him, an electric charge rapidly beginning to build around him. Cade swore, warning everyone to back away and they all complied just as Doel stood, holding his swords above himself, a small purple crystal appearing in front of his chest and shining. Then, a massive bolt of purple electricity crashed down on him from thin air, covering him before purple light began to shine from the ground around him.

"Don't tell me!" Dart said.

"He's a Dragoon!" Cade shouted over the continuing lightning strikes.

Each flash of light left a new piece of violet Dragoon Armor, and one bolt struck each sword, leaving them in a bigger, bone-themed form, purple flames and electricity crackling along their length. Then, it was over and Doel's wings began to beat slowly, allowing him to hover just above the ground. Cade swallowed hard, extending his wings and preparing to use his magic at any moment as the other Dragoons in the room all transformed as well.

"I kind of which you'd stolen Lloyd's other sword now," Dart said.

"Oh believe me, if I could have, I would have," Cade said.

Doel hurled his smaller sword into the air and it began to float over them, blade upward before waves of violet magic energy began to spread from it. Lightning began to strike around them instantly, all of them dodging and avoiding the lightning as best they could, before Doel suddenly shot forward. He moved to slash each of them in turn, scoring a hit across Dart and Albert's chests, though his blade didn't get very far past their armor, which Rose had said a long time ago regenerated each time they transformed, then moved to slash Haschel, only for Haschel to avoid it and punch Doel, making him recoil. Doel recovered quickly and shot toward Shana just as a bolt of lightning struck Haschel and blasted him into the floor. Doel slashed at Shana as he passed, but Dart managed to get into the way, his sword blocking Doel's. Then, Doel shot toward Rose, only for Cade's sword to tear down his armor from its collar, down his left side to his boot. The sword failed to cut deep enough to hurt Doel, but it knocked him off course just long enough for Rose's sword to slash through his armor. Doel shouted in rage and deflected a second slash before shooting into the air, grabbing his smaller sword just as it finished reabsorbing all of the magic energy that had spread into the air around it, the magic focusing into a massive, shining sphere of electrical energy. He swung his sword downward, hurling the sphere down at them and they all scattered Dart pulling Shana to the opposite side of him from the blast, Shana holding Haschel, and Rose similarly shielded Cade, who formed a magic barrier around both of them to help. Then, the sphere hit the ground and erupted into a massive blast of energy, a pillar of light shining up from the point of impact as the blast crashed into them all.

As the smoke began to clear, Cade let his barrier fade, sighing in relief and looking to Rose, who was unharmed. The others were all a bit more banged up and pushing themselves up, minus Haschel who was still burned from before, which Shana began healing instantly. Those who were still able to fight turned back to Doel, who growled in annoyance.

"You're all rather persistent," Doel growled.

"You have no idea," Rose said, twisting away from him slightly, pulling her sword back in front of her chest as she prepared to attack.

"Try this!" Doel shouted, pointing his smaller sword at Albert, electricity suddenly screaming off of him as lightning began to strike him rapidly.

At the same time, Rose and Cade both flew forward, Rose speeding ahead of Cade. She slashed at Doel as she passed, one of Doel's swords blocking it, then his other blocked Cade's. Before he could turn to attack either, Rose made another pass, her sword screeching as it tore through his armor this time, spinning him just in time for Cade to slash him diagonally up across the torso from Doel's right to left. As he did, he noticed a spot where several gashes met, weakening that point in the armor greatly. Doel's wings flapped, sending him flying way from Cade, only for Dart to reach him from behind, slashing him across the back. Doel shouted in pain as blood followed Dart's sword's arc, then spun, slashing at Dart, only for Haschel to slam a flying kick into Doel, sending him bouncing away. As he righted himself, a shining arrow stabbed into his armor at the weakened point Cade had noticed, not hitting Doel, it seemed, since he didn't make a sound, but weakening the point still further.

Doel shot forward at Shana again, only for Dart to hurl his sword into the air as a fireball formed in front of him. Then, Dart punched the fireball, sending it racing through the air into Doel's torso where it exploded, sending Doel exploding backward into the steps leading to his throne, cracking the ground. Dart caught his sword again just as Cade and Rose both dropped toward Doel, stabbing downward, Cade aiming for his face and Rose for his chest. Doel shouted in rage and effort and slashed his larger sword upward just as a lightning bolt hit it. A massive blast of violet electrical magic energy exploded out of it in a beam, blasting both and sending them crashing into the ceiling before they fell back to the ground. Doel rose shoved himself up instantly, hurling his smaller sword into the air as magic power began to radiate from him. Just as he did, however, a powerful wind began to blow from Albert, roses, both complete and petals, suddenly filling the air from nowhere.

"Rose Storm!" Albert shouted over the wind and lightning striking both of Doel's swords.

The wind formed into a spherical barrier around the, all before the magic power inside of it began to condense around them all. Then, the wind scattered, the roses seeming to vanish, leaving behind a powerful protective spell. And not a second too soon, because a moment later, Doel slashed his larger sword downward from in front of them, sending a massive bolt of lightning flashing down past the smaller one and striking Cade with it, the bolt exploding into a smaller bolt for each of the others, blasting them all and hurling everyone away from Cade. Then, as Doel grabbed his smaller sword, another lightning bolt blasted everyone, hurling them all into a large pile before the massive ball of lightning magic Doel hurled from his smaller sword hit them. The explosion once again scattered them around the room, but Albert's protective spell had worked, mostly. They were all alive, and most of them had suffered only minor burns. Cade's shirt, poncho, and scarf had been blasted into ribbons and his back felt charred, but Haschel had had the good luck to be on the bottom of the pile with Shana, allowing the others to all shield him, where as Cade had been the top of the pile.

Cade groaned as he used his sword to stand, staggering slightly before catching himself with it, looking around. Shana was trying to focus her magic with Haschel struggling to defend her from Doel, but Dart, Albert, and Rose were all struggling to their feet still, all three having transformed back to human. Cade held out his left arm and sent a sphere of explosive magic energy into Doel's back, sending him crashing across the room away from Shana and Haschel, Doe's two swords stabbing into the ground partway along his path. Suddenly, a beam of pure white light shone from the ceiling, hitting the ground in front of Shana, about the middle of the room, and began to expand.

"Gates of Heaven," Shana said.

The middle of the beam began to bell outward, swelling into a huge sphere quickly before suddenly opening into a set of shining wings, the light still keeping them attached to the ground but fading above them. Then, it shone blindingly and as the light faded, Cade felt his burns go with it.

"Where did you learn to do that!?" Cade gaped as Shana began to focus again.

"I don't know," Shana said. "I just kind of...knew. Just like this one. Star Children."

Suddenly, spheres of golden light began to rain from the ceiling all around the room, all heading away from their group toward Doel, who was as wounded as before Shana's first spell. The spheres began to explode into small domes of golden light anywhere they hit, and after a couple seconds of miraculously dodging the magic blasts, one hit Doel in the chest, blasting him into the ground before explosions began to go off all around him rapidly. Then, just as the last of the spheres fell, a massive bonfire-like blast of light exploded from under Doel, sounding every bit like a pillar of flame, despite being pure light magic. As it faded, Doel staggered forward, severely burned and with blood running down his face from his hair. He caught himself on his larger sword, steadying himself before ripping it free of the ground and walking to his smaller sword, ripping it free as well. He glared at them as they all readied themselves, Shana having transformed back to normal as well now.

"Your powers as a Dragoon are especially frightening," Doel said. "I'm done playing around with you. Time to die!"

A sphere of violet electricity suddenly appeared around him before he held his arms back his swords seeming to attach themselves to his back as his swung his arms downward in front of himself. A pulse of magic energy went off from him and suddenly purple lightning was exploding to the ground all around the room. Everyone shouted in surprise, scrambling to avoid it. The spell ended after a moment, only for Doel to use it again, then again. One the forth use, a bolt hit in front of Cade, the explosion hurling him into Rose just in time to knock her out of the way of a bolt of lightning. On the fifth use, Dart shielded Shana from a direct hit, but the explosion sent both crashing into the wall. The sixth cast, both Haschel and Albert were blasted directly. Finally, Doel's barrier faded and he pulled his swords off his back, laughing as Rose stood before him alone.

"That's more like it!" Doel laughed. "And now you die!"

He shot forward, slashing at her rapidly and she swore, retreating as she fended him off. After about ten seconds, she ducked under a slash from his larger sword and slashed him across the chest, failing to get through his armor. Then she spun around his smaller blade, only to begin fending him off again. Another twenty seconds went by before she slashed him across the chest again, once again failing to cut through his armor. Another twenty seconds later, she managed another futile slash. Ten seconds after that, she landed on across his back, as always, not cutting deep enough. Then, as she was moving to begin fending him off again, his smaller sword tore through her side, making her shriek in pain and stagger away, dropping her sword. Doel laughed victoriously and moved to finish her, only for Cade to crash into her side, hurling her out of the way of his larger sword before blocking it with his own. His sword managed to stop the sword from splitting him in half, but the back edge of his own blade was embedded in his chest as a result, and Doel still carved a deep gash down across his chest and sent him bouncing backward across the room. He groaned, ripping his sword out of his chest and shouting in pain, then looked up as Doel turned on Rose again. However, Before he could attack, Albert reached him, his spear tearing through his armor over and over, constantly failing to reach Doel, but getting his attention squarely focused on Albert. Doel spun, slashing at Albert, only for Albert to duck under it, stabbing at Doel. Doel moved to the side, allowing the spear to spark across the side of his armor. Albert flipped his spear head away from Doel, then spun in a circle, jumping near the end and bringing the spear head down across Doel's chest in a slash. At the end of the slash, he stabbed the blade into the floor and leapt forward, spinning around the spear and slamming a kick into the side of Doel's head, sending him staggering backward as Albert ripped his spear free of the floor. Doel growled in annoyance and moved moved to strike back, only for Albert to beat him to it. His spear swung upward from left to right, the blade slashing Doel's left arm, breaking through the armor at the bicep and making him drop that sword before Albert swung back down the other way, the spearhead slashing the right arm similarly, sending Doel's larger sword bouncing backward from Doel as he had been pulling it back. Then, Albert's spear swept horizontally to Albert's right, slashing Doel across the chest, once again too shallowly, but enough to throw Doel off balance as he stumbled backward. Then, Albert leapt into the air, pulling his spear backward before stabbing down at Doel's head.

Doel stepped back, allowing the spearhead to tear down through his armor again but avoiding an injury. However, as he raised his arms, beginning to focus his magic, an arrow stabbed into his armpit where his armor was thin. He shouted in pain, staggering back before Dart's sword tore down across his armor first one way, then down the other way. Dart spun clockwise and repeated his last slash before slashing upward, throwing Doel backward. Doel shoved himself up instantly, ripping the arrow out of his side just as Haschel reached him, rapidly drilling punches into him. For a moment, Doel was helpless to defend his face before leaning out of the way of one and slamming a palm into Haschel's gut, sending him flying backward on the front end of a lightning bolt and crashing down beside Shana.

"All of you just die!" Doel shouted, raising his arms and beginning to form a massive sphere of magic energy above himself.

Then, Albert's spear met the point that had been weakened over and over, the same spot that Shana had shot while in her dragoon form, and the spot that Albert had focused most of his slashes from his earlier attack, as had Dart after him. The weakened armor gave way instantly and Albert's spear drove itself through Doel and protruded a couple inches from the back of his armor before Albert ripped it back out and leapt backward. Doel's magic faded as his eyes went wide and he staggered backward. He stopped beside his larger sword and fell to his knees, coughing up blood. He closed his hand around the grip and set the tip on the ground, using it to stand as he coughed up more blood, swaying as he looked around at them all, Rose and Cade both standing with Haschel and Dart helping them bear their weight respectively.

"You have become...strong," Doel wheezed, his left hand holding the back arm of his sword's guard as he struggled to stay on his feet.

"Uncle," Albert said.

"What you...should know...is not the past..." Doel wheezed and panted, "but the future. Pursue...Lloyd. He is...in the western country...Tiberoa."

"Tiberoa?" Dart asked.

"He...He knows everything," Doel said, his gaze falling to the pool of blood beneath him, more blood cascading down his body in rivulets from his gaping wound. "Go...and find out...about the world...about...everything."

His head fell forward and he slumped against his sword, but remained on his feet. Cade shook his head. He had to respect a man so strong willed that he could even remain standing in death. Albert tapped the back end of his spear on the ground in his left hand, holding his right to his chest in a fist, a sign of allegiance, obedience, and respect in Basil's Knighthood. Then, Doel shone as his armor faded and the Dragoon Spirit shot into the air and disappeared into the darkness above them, Doel's body finally falling to its knees and slumping forward against his sword. Cade sighed, tugging Dart's shoulders lightly to the left and Dart walked him over to the low ledge in front of the green flames, allowing him to sit down, Rose sitting beside him a moment later, passing him a healing potion and some bandage. He drank the potion and his wounds healed most of the way, but not fully, so he carefully bandaged what remained.

"Thank you," Rose said after a moment of silence between them. "I'd probably be dead if you hadn't pushed me out of the way. I'm not sure if I'm happy I'm still alive or not, but...thank you."

Cade nodded. "I'm happy you're alive."

Rose nodded mutely, finally drinking her own potion, her side likewise not healing fully. Once he'd finished bandaging his own wounds, he bandaged hers for her over her clothes.

"This journey began when Shana was taken," Dart was saying. "Then Lavitz was killed and Lloyd left for Tiberoa, leaving the mystery about Shana behind. I'll pursue Lloyd."

"I'll go with you, Dart," Shana said. "I still don't know anything about Virage or what was said by Emperor Diaz. My journey cannot end like this, so I'm coming with you."

Dart nodded.

"My journey cannot end either," Albert decided. "Whatever conspiracy that man is creating, the Moon Gem is one of the keys. Hallowed objects that conceal the power of the ancient Winglies. We must stop him before they ignite a catastrophe in Tiberoa. I'll give up my status as king for a while and travel as a Dragoon. Lavitz would have completely agreed."

"How about you, Rose?" Haschel asked, looking over at her just as Cade secured the end of her bandages.

"I told you, I'm interested in you guys," Rose said, pushing herself up, wincing but otherwise moving fine.

"So..." Dart trailed off.

"Besides, you feel naked without me, don't you?" Rose asked.

"What about you, Cade?" Albert asked.

"Well, I haven't gotten to see Rose really smile yet, so I suppose I'll just have to stick around," Cade shrugged.

Rose rolled her eyes. "I think I've changed my mind."

If Rose and Cade are going, that's the end of my role," Haschel said, turning to leave.

"Haschel, where are you going?" Dart asked.

Haschel stopped, looking up and staring. "This is..."

Doel's Dragoon Spirit floated down in front of Haschel, shining light purple as he raised his hand to catch it.

"When Dragoons meet, blood with flow," Rose said. "And as they leave, time does slow. It's your choice to leave your fate behind."

"The question is answered," Haschel said, turning and holding out the Dragoon Spirit, which shone brightly.

"The Dragoon Spirits are leading us," Dart said.

Haschel's Dragoon Spirit shone brightly, and Cade sighed.

"Dammit," Cade said. "I want a Dragoon Spirit. It's because I'm a Wingly, isn't it?"

"It's possible," Rose said. "The Dragoon Spirits were originally created to fight against Winglies. It's possible that a Wingly can't become a Dragoon. Or maybe it's just you. I wouldn't blame the Dragoon Spirits for just not liking you."

"Ouch," Cade said, then sighed heavily. "We should probably get out of here before Sandora finds out we assassinated their Emperor."

"Good thinking," Albert agreed.

They all turned, hurrying out through the same secret passage they entered through, then passed along the good news to Popo before leaving Kazas and heading East for Tiberoa.


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