By the time the espers had recovered and gone back to the rim, it was over. They had felt it, of course. No one within 1,000 miles hadn't felt it. The very Planet shook in its wake. But the Megapyron had dissipated. A mushroom cloud now blocked out the sun and flew overhead. Underneath it, being bathed by the ash and fallout that gently rained down like falling snow, the espers looked up over the edge and watched. Their faces were strained and fearful, but still they had to see what was left. They desperately hoped that Bahamut had caused the blast, and that he now stood victorious. However...they were in for a bad surprise.

Thevalley was deeper now. The very ground within it had been pushed lower in the wake of the esper's battle. Only one, vaguely humanoid shaped pinnacle still protruded... The rest was either deeply fractured or smoothed out again. The entire basin smoked. Fires burned on the metal ores within. Everything was black and ashen. After a moment, segments of the crater cracked and fell open, revealing pits of bubbling lava underneath. The rock fragments fell in and were consumed, and soon a blazing red light began to form all around the crater. But that didn't hold the espers' attention. They looked only to the center.

Wyvern hovered just above the ground. He was wheezing now, and he was covered with sweat. He flapped his wings for his energy was nearly gone. But still, he was full of power, and still he stood. He managed to cross his arms and glare down over his foe. There...almost motionless...was Bahamut. The only reason his body was still there was because his Sol-pyrin had managed to take the brunt of the Megapyron, leaving only a third of the energy to hit the mark. But that was more than enough. The energy from the Supra-velo was burned off. Now, he lay on the ground. The scales on his chest were blown away. The horns of his crest were jaggedly broken. Third-degree burns dotted his body, and the thin parts of his wings had been totally burned away. Some of his scales were fused. His lips were curled back from being burned, and all of his injuries were smolding and leaking blood. Bahamut was barely able to breathe. That was about all the energy he had left. Only his tail, which had been behind him, had been spared the damage. And now, that slowly swished like a worm on land.

Starlet burst into tears. Odin's face turned grim and his head bowed...even as he began to sweat. Leviathan held his hand to his mouth and dared not breathe. A part of him told him to go down there and attack, strike Wyvern down while he could. However...he knew it was hopeless. Even though his own chi energy was gone, Wyvern still had more than enough raw power to kill all of them without batting an eye. The horror sank in. His own heart sank, and his stomach turned into a stone. He wearily collapsed to his knees. It was over. The mighty king of the espers was beaten. Their kingdom...was doomed. The world itself could be doomed.

Wyvern slowly set on the ground. His own body had been stretched to the limit in that attack, and movements made him ache. But he was still standing and still strong. And now, he grinned menacingly at Bahamut. His wicked eyes flashed as he held his talons up in glee.

"Yes...yes...good!" He cheered. "It's over! It's finished!" With that, he suddenly arched his back and turned his head to the sky. He raised his talons in joy and let loose a massive, cruel laugh. It sounded throughout the whole crater, and to the espers it sounded like death bells. Khan and Singh began to cry as they saw their fallen master. Zola and Noonian were stunned...but began to smile and weakly cheer as well. But Wyvern didn't care. He looked back down at his foe and blasted him with more laughter. "At last! At long last! I am now the true King of All Espers! I'm finally the greatest! Nothing...nothing can withstand the power I now possess! The world is at last mine! Now begins the Age of the Emperor of the Blue Planet!" And with that, he laughed more horribly than ever.

Odin grit his teeth in anger. He slapped his hands together and began to focus. However, Starlet merely put a hand on his shoulder in response. He stopped at that, and looked to her. Her own eyes were filled with tears now, but she shook her head at her older brother. Odin froze a moment, but then snorted and did as told. It was true. Even a Gunge Lance wouldn't finish him. Fighting was hopeless. It was all over. Their brother and king was dead, replaced by his hated and insane twin. Leviathan grasped his head in horror. How could he not do anything? Bahamut was laying there dying, and all he could do was sit back here and watch. If only he hadn't devoted himself to just learning! If only he had trained himself better! Maybe he could have helped now...

Wyvern laughed loud and long over his victory. But then, he finally calmed. He glared evilly back at Bahamut again and grinned. He looked up and past him a bit. Not forty feet away was an open lava pit, bubbling and churning within. He grinned in response to seeing it, looking back to his brother. Immediately, he walked forward to him and bent down. He seized Bahamut painfully by the neck and the calf, making sure to dig his talons in, and then with one mighty effort raised him over his head. He held him there for a moment, brandishing his body like a trophy.

"But first...to dispose of this traitor's body. No burial for this worthless king. I don't even want a shred of him left. When you get to Hell, little brother, tell Griever I said hi."

With that, Wyvern turned and began to walk over to the lava pit. Bahamut's eyes creaked open weakly as he did so, but he lacked the energy to even speak. He merely stared forward, and saw what was happening. Soon, Wyvern was at the edge of the pit. Bahamut felt the powerful heat rushing up over him, even from his distance. He saw the bright light right next to him, burning over one side. In another moment, he realized that Wyvern was going to throw him in. Then it would be over. He would be dead...and Wyvern would control the Planet.

No...

I have enough...for one last move.

Bahamut grunted and strained a moment. Wyvern let him, thinking that this was his death throes. He wanted him to struggle as he threw him in, after all. He grinned in delight and relished holding the beaten Bahamut over his head. So confident and arrogant was he...that he didn't see Bahamut's tail suddenly swing with more life. Bahamut focused the very last bit of strength he had into this. If this failed...it was over. But he would leave one more mark on him.

Abruptly, the tail suddenly whipped once and became strong and lithe. Wyvern heard this, and his victory glare turned to puzzlement. But it was too late. Abruptly, Bahamut's tail swung back, his spiked end turned forward, and with everything left he drove it forward and into Wyvern's back.

The red esper yelled in agony...even as he felt a stabbing pain in his lungs. Immediately, his strength broke. Bahamut drove his barb in deeper and deeper...until it protruded from the other side. Wyvern looked down in rage, and saw the end of Bahamut's blood-soaked tail erupt from the lower left of his abdomen. Then, Bahamut nearly passed out. His strength was gone. He couldn't even extract his tail from Wyvern's side. But he felt it had hit true. The tail had sunk in, skewering one of Wyvern's kidneys and tearing through part of his intestines before emerging through on the other side. These injuries, likely fatal to humans, were possible to survive and regenerate from for espers like Bahamut and Wyvern. But that didn't make them any less serious injuries when they were inflicted. Blood began to pour from Wyvern's side, and his entire lower torso erupted into painful fire.

Wyvern's arms uselessly fell to his side. In the process, he dropped Bahamut behind him. The blue esper fell to the ground hard, but his tail was pulled on and yanked within Wyvern's wound. Wyvern bellowed in more agony and collapsed to his own feet, nearly falling off the edge and into the lava himself. He curled into a ball and continued to bleed. Blood oozed from his mouth. He gasped raggedly, for the tail made breathing painful. He began to writhe against the ground, nearly toppling into the lava. He dragged himself away with great effort, continuing to writhe and scream. He drug himself all the way to Bahamut, and without a thought pulled his body over him. More blood splashed onto Bahamut's body as he yanked himself over him. The artery in his kidney was flowing freely now. His yelling stopped, but still he cried out in endless pain. He felt dizzy and nauseous. At last, he fell onto Bahamut's opposite side, and nearly collapsed.

The red esper continued to flail about. But as he did, his bloody claws dug into the ground. As he pulled back, he yanked off a smoldering piece of rock with him. He held this firmly, and in the midst of all his pain he took his other hand and held it behind him. He seized Bahamut's now lifeless tail, and yanked it out with one rip. Instantly, he cried out in more trauma and agony. Blood poured forth faster than ever. And yet, through that, he managed to take his other arm, twist behind him, and press the smoldering rock against his gaping wound. Immediately, his flesh began to burn. Some of it even caught on fire. He stiffened and spasmed in pain, and grit his teeth tight in order to try and stop himself from going into shock and breaking his own neck from twitches. The wound was burned closed, albeit horribly and raggedly. He brought the rock back in front next, and did the same to the other end of the wound. After that was done, his bloody burnt hand loosened and let the rock topple out of it. He had sealed the wound closed...at the price of driving himself into mind-numbing agony. His internal injuries continued to ache and bleed within him.

Wyvern, struggling desperately to keep breathing and not go into shock, turned his smoldering carcass over onto his opposite side. He pushed himself on all fours, and struggled to put himself up. But it was too much. Then, he looked up, and saw his totally motionless brother. But still, he sensed a spark of life in him. At once, Wyvern began to fume in rage. But only part of it was due to the fact that Bahamut had grievously injured him with his last move. The main part of it was that, despite all of his strength and power...he couldn't finish him. Every move sapped at his strength and ability. He was losing power constantly now. The Megapyron had exhausted his chi. He'd be lucky now if he could drag himself to a place to recover before the pain made him pass out. Even if he did spent the tiny amount of power needed to beat Bahamut...he was now in terrible shape to fight the others if they decided to step in.

His victory had just been snatched away from his grasp. He hadn't proven himself the strongest. He had only managed to tie him in power. And that made Wyvern more enraged than anything...

But his adrenaline wasn't able to be wasted on anger anymore. It was pushing itself to the limit to keep his injured body alive. Burning the wound closed had only given him more injuries. He realized it was over. Slowly, he managed to drag himself up to his knees. He spread out his wings and glared furiously down at his fallen brother. He was unconscious now, his power gone. But Wyvern didn't care. In his twisted mind...Bahamut was smiling confidently at him with eyes closed, knowing he had tied him...maybe even won.

"Damn you..." Wyvern sneered. "Damn you to hell... This isn't over, Bahamut. I swear to you this isn't over. I won't rest until you're dead...you hear me? I'll heal... I'll return... I'll beat you..."

Then, not wasting anymore energy talking, Wyvern moaned again and stretched out his own wings. Turning away from his fallen brother, he used what power was left in him to take off into the air, and slowly began to fly away. Bahamut, motionless and unaware of the end of the fight, simply lay there and let him go.


Three Days Later

Bahamut was brought in a conjured stretcher back to Terratopolis. His body was still covered with burns and lacerations. The espers gaped in shock at this, horrified and overwhelmed at how their great king had been beaten so badly. However, Leviathan nevertheless told them that Bahamut was the victor. Wyvern had been driven off, and he was still the rightful king. Seeing this seemed to throw some espers into confusion, but they held their peace as Bahamut was taken into the medical wing. The greatest healers, Starlet included, were brought in to assist Bahamut's recovery. Working night and day for three days, they worked on his ravaged body. They reconnected his bones, brought down his swelling, and repaired his burned flesh. Some of his scales were fused and had to be ripped off and their wounds healed. Bahamut's horns and other scales were then allowed to grow back, and the filament between his wings managed to regrow half of their length within the three days. His chi slowly began to recover as well. He was still far from optimal condition, but he was as healthy as magical powers could make him at the end of three days.

The esper king now reclined on a great dias made for his type of species. His horns were still lopsided although smooth again, and much of his body was covered with bandages until his regeneration could fully repair them. He was tired, for his energy was only a tenth recovered, and he was still tired after three days of rest. His look was grim now, grim and bleak. It was not sad and devastated as it had been before. No...he was past that now. But despite everything that had happened, despite his final turn to battle, he still couldn't change the fact that Wyvern was his brother. And he couldn't erase what had happened...especially the fact that if not for some act of chance he wouldn't be anything but molten ash at this point. Though the end of the fight was vague and clouded in his memory, he had the intellect to remember that. And now, in the wake...many new things came to mind.

The other espers had cleared out. Those that had healed him left him in his room to ponder over things. His head was in front of one of the windows here, letting the sun bathe over him...not only making him feel pleasant but refilling some of his power. He drank in the fresh air and watched the outdoors. No espers had come out, however. All were inside or in mourning, waiting for their king to emerge. The birthing ceremonies were canceled for the first time in millenia. Now, everyone awaited Bahamut to come out and address them again. The only esper that was left in the room to speak with Bahamut was Leviathan. The Chancellor stood at a distance from him and upright. The door was closed, and all was silent within.And now...there were matters to discuss.

"Has there been any sign of Wyvern?" Bahamut asked, his tone only sounding like it half cared.

Leviathan frowned and shook his head. "Scouts have been sent everywhere. Our greatest minds, mine included, have talked endlessly with the Planet and stretched out to try and discover him. But he must have lost more energy than we thought. We can't pick up his signature anywhere. Neither can we find the esper-like creatures with him, Zola and Noonian. However...I feel that they did pay us a visit. The Masamune and Ragnarok..." He paused a moment at that, and swallowed hard. "...have both been stolen."

Bahamut didn't remark to this. Perhaps Wyvern planned to get strength from them. He didn't know.

"Wyvern had exhausted most of his energy." Leviathan continued. "And he was badly injured. He had no healing espers to help him. It will take him some time to recover. However, when he does return, I plan to have a counter force assembled. He is now an enemy of the king, and I am already beginning to-"

"There is no need."

Leviathan stopped at that. His eyes widened a bit, and he looked in puzzlement. "...My lord?"

"Wyvern isn't interested in attacking Terratopolis, and he isn't interested in being king." Bahamut simply responded, his voice emotionless. "He wants power. He wants to be the strongest. He wants to kill me so that he can have the title of the strongest. He will come after me and me alone."

Leviathan blinked at this, and frowned. "But my lord, you are in Terratopolis."

"I will take care of that." Bahamut simply answered, in a finishing tone.

Leviathan would have pressed the matter, but he recognized that voice. It meant that the subject was closed and Bahamut didn't want anyone prying. And so, Leviathan was quiet about it. Yet he still frowned, and soon spoke up in a darker voice.

"We have another problem. I discovered a spy. One of the wind espers: Typhoon. He attacked some of the other espers the moment you arrived. When he was stopped, I questioned him. He is of slow wit...and it appeared that what he did was launch an offensive that was only supposed to take place if you lost the fight with Wyvern. He spilled everything. It appears one of our own sided with Wyvern, and he was planning to stage a revolt the moment that Wyvern returned in victory. They were planning on killing every last supporter of you. The traitors have vanished back into the multitude now, but I have names. They will lead me to the rest of them once they are taken. How should we proceed?"

"Pardon them." Bahamut simply answered.

Leviathan's eyes expanded at this, and genuine shock went into him. "Excuse me, my lord?"

"Pardon them." Bahamut restated. "I have had my fill of the word 'traitor' and all of this violence. I have had my fill of Wyvern and the rest of this mess. I am tired, Leviathan, and I am growing ever so more tired than I was during the battle." His voice began to grow cross here. In the end, he sighed and waved one claw behind him. "Just...leave me."

Leviathan grimaced. He looked anxiously back at his king. But in the end, Bahamut would not budge. He knew how he was about these things. And so, he sighed and began to turn away.

"Wait."

Leviathan froze at that, and turned back to Bahamut.

"...Prepare a meeting." Bahamut simply ordered. "A gathering of all espers. Meet in one hour. I shall address them."

The Chancellor nodded. "At once, my lord." With that, he turned, and with somewhat less downheartedness he walked the rest of the way to the door. He soon passed through and shut it behind him, and his footsteps vanished as he went down the hall. Bahamut was left alone in the chamber, staring out the window. All was silent save for a few birds chirping outside. Slowly, the esper king began to think.

If I lost?

I did lose.

And in all honesty...I can't help but feel a little like Wyvern's predictions. I'm supposed to be the king. I'm supposed to be the strongest of all espers. For thousands of years, I've been uncontested in strength. In truth...I've never really feared death in that time. I always felt that I'd survive. Even when the planet was facing destruction, I believed I would survive. I would triumph in the end. Nothing had been around in that time that could really hurt me, after all. And now...now I remember what death feels like. Now I know what its like to live in uncertainty and fear. Now I remember what it means to be aware of one's own mortality. I have an opponent...one that I couldn't beat in the end. I was beaten into a bloody pulp by an opponent. I met one that I couldn't outclass...who even outdid my Sol-pyrin. And now...I don't feel much like a king anymore. I don't feel regal or strong or powerful. I feel...weak...fragile...mortal.

In the end, my emotions got the best of me. If I had stayed focused...if I had managed to accept the truth about Wyvern...I would have trained harder. I would have tried harder. This wasn't a personal issue. It concerned everyone. And I let myself be partial. I nearly made a dreadful mistake. And I didn't have my heart in it until the end. That was irresponsible. Leviathan knew the whole time I had to be ready to kill him. He tried to tell me that. But he couldn't in the end because I wouldn't hear it. It nearly got me killed. And then what? Wyvern would have dominated the espers and consumed who knew how many else in his wrath. I shouldn't have let that happen. No...as king I couldn't let that happen. Power may not have once had anything to do with it, but it does now. I have to be able to defend my realm and my subjects. I have to be able to beat people like Wyvern. And now, he's still alive. Now he's healing. And he'll return here...and he'll be looking for me. Then who knows what else will happen. Maybe he'll raise another insurrection. Maybe I should have let Leviathan punish them...and I would have if it weren't for the fact that I was emotionally distraught. I once again failed...

This...is too much for me.

I've made one mistake after another since this happened. I could have costed people their lives. And in the end...I wasn't strong enough. I should have kept myself strong in case something like this ever happened. It might not have been Wyvern...but what of the Terrans? What if they came back with something stronger? Would I have been ready then? And if I hadn't, the Planet would have suffered... Damnit...I've wasted so much time thinking about what I should have been doing that I didn't think of what I had to do. The world is not an ideal place. I should have been more ready. I should have acted impartially. But in the end, it was one failure after another. And there can't afford to be any further failures.

...I have to do this.


Again, the great assembly was gathered. All of the espers came together and entered the courtyard. Some of it was still scored, despite efforts of great and powerful espers to repair it. But the people were able to fill in none the less. There was no celebration this time. No great garlands or banners. Just the royal symbol extended over the edge of the balcony. Once more, the guards filled out...some of them replaced with bigger and stronger espers. The balcony filled with the entire royal entourage. King Odin, still in human form, Keeper of the Mountain Ogopogo, Lady Starlet, and Chancellor Leviathan were all there, flanked by guards and by Khan and Singh, both standing at attention. Starlet and Leviathan stood on either side of the main doorway. The group waited there for a few brief moments, letting the crowd quiet down and focused up on the balcony. But then...out came Bahamut.

He looked more tired now and older. He was in human form again, but now his royal attire seemed to weigh down on him like some sort of punishment or chain. His head sank under his great spired crown. Parts of his face were still scarred from the fight, having not healed yet. The powerful light in his eyes had faded somewhat. But he did make his way out, slower, and reached the railing. After that, he looked down on the crowd. The rest of the espers gazed at him for a moment, a bit stunned. None had seen him since he had returned, and some even believed he had died on returning. But he was alive now, but they could all see that although his body had recovered, his spirit and mind were still weary and weakened. He looked over them a moment, but at last began.

"Over the past week, unfortunate events have come to pass. In the last assembly, you saw how my twin brother, Wyvern, challenged me for the throne. I answered the challenge three days later. And as you have already heard, Wyvern fled the battlefield at the end. Per the conditions of the challenge, he lost the match, and is now an enemy and traitor to the espers. But know this...although Wyvern did lose the match, I did not win. As you may have guessed, we both critically injured each other. My brother, having a grievous injury, was forced to flee even though he was of the superior power. It is for that reason, and that reason alone, that Wyvern lost."

Leviathan closed his eyes, and then rolled them beneath his eyelids. A murmur went over the crowd. Odin sighed. They wished he hadn't said that. Now, it was obvious to the people that Bahamut was not the invincible demigod that he once had seemed. It was obvious that there was someone who contested his strength...even surpassed it. And though according to the conditions of the match, Bahamut was the rightful victor, there were espers in the group who would never accept that Bahamut had won, and would believe Wyvern was the winner. In their eyes, the only true measure of victory is who was still standing in the end.

"But Wyvern did lose." Bahamut continued after a pause. "Fleeing the battle is the same as surrendering. I remain King of All Espers, and he becomes a traitor. However...as no doubt many of you are thinking...that is an unsatisfactory conclusion to this battle. Perhaps you expected news of Wyvern's death...or perhaps my death...or maybe even surrender or fleeing in terror. You did not expect an unconscious, broken victor, whose opponent left in agony and not in fear or defeat. If you think so...then we have an accord. For I too believe that this is an unsatisfactory condition for victory."

On hearing this, the crowd went silent. His siblings turned and looked to him in puzzlement. Bahamut, however, merely shrugged.

"I cannot deny it. As I lay on the ground at Wyvern's feet, I was totally out of strength and power. He took me to my limit, and afterward he still had stamina. Were it not for some miracle that I was able to inflict that wound, I would not be standing here today, and all of you would be gathered around Wyvern. Perhaps...there are some among you who would even prefer that to be the case right now. Perhaps there is discord among you as to my reign and kingship. If you feel that way, then know this.

"Wyvern was an esper consumed by greed and ambition. His jealousy and pride were his downfall. If you doubt me, then know that it was because of his pride that I was able to send him fleeing the battlefield. And that is what doomed him. He is a creature of wrath and violence now. And he fully planned to work a great evil on this place. Had he been king, those of you who supported him would have had to pay a tall price for his domination. And in the end he would have only cultivated war and a state of power, not giving an equal share to any but the strongest, and eventually seizing that all for himself. Perhaps you doubt me. Perhaps you feel that I am less preferable to such a state. But I am king, and so long as I am king this is the way things shall be operated. And that is what I shall fight against, and that is what I did fight against in the end. To avoid that future. And I wished to tell you all of the evil that Wyvern planned and why I battled.

"I realize now what Wyvern intended to do. But even if my brother did not return, I realize also that others will come. Foes as great as Wyvern and more ambitious will arise. There will be other great powers that plan greater chaos, and they will be far more clear cut than my twin brother. And they will arise to challenge the power of our realm. What I realize now, that I did not realize a week ago, is that as king, I am the steward and protector of my people. I should have been strong enough to repel any threat that would come and fracture the peace of the kingdom. I blinded myself with emotion to what Wyvern intended, and as a result I did not prepare well enough. I did not keep myself strong. And as a result, I nearly died. And if I had...then this kingdom would now be in ruin and in the hands of Wyvern. Even if you do not believe that...then imagine if it was another foe. What then? If I failed to defeat that enemy, then this mountain would also be defenseless and broken. It was my responsibility to guard this place against all threats. And I neglected it. I became too emotive instead of impartial. I blinded myself to the magnitude of the danger. And in the end...I was not strong enough. And I nearly paid the price with my life...and abandoned the world to pay a greater price."

Another pause. Bahamut was right. Some of the people did think he sounded arrogant now, and doubted his words about Wyvern. But the wise, like his family members, knew the truth. They knew that Wyvern planned this. If he had carried it out, it would have been the doom of them all. A lot had been riding on that battle, far more than jealousy or a rivalry. That fate was gone for the moment now, however. And yet Bahamut did not see it as such. He looked to the future, and looked to how he could be exploited again. And to that end, he inhaled deeply.

"...Wyvern will not return again. Those of you that favored him will now learn that he cares little for this kingdom. His true care is seeing my destruction. But...as my Chancellor pointed out...he will raze this mountain to the ground to destroy me. And I...I have been a failure as a steward. I was neither strong enough in mind or body when the time came. I failed this kingdom when it truly needed me to carry out my office. Even now, I feel my emotions telling me to spurn the Lunarians, based on my past hatred with the Terrans. Because of all this...I have reached a decision." The great esper paused here, and inhaled deeply as all murmuring ceased. Silence hung as the people waited.

"...I am going into exile...and abandoning the throne."

Now his siblings truly did gape. They stared at Bahamut in total shock. The crowd burst out into noise. Loud murmuring and talking went through now. The news hit everyone like a thunderclap. Never did they expect this. Never had they thought that Bahamut would step down, especially his opponents. They had thought he would praise himself and relish his new power over them. Instead, he was leaving. Bahamut could feel the eyes of his brothers and sister on him. He heard them screaming mental messages to him, asking what he was doing. But Leviathan...he could understand Bahamut well. Indeed, he knew him better than anyone else. And so, he did not ask him why he had this turn of events. He had been suspecting he might do this for some time. But it was still a shock to him, and over everyone else he blasted one clear message.

No.

But Bahamut had blocked them out. He would not be swayed. He held up a hand to all of this. Still, the crowd raged on. His siblings looked to him with amazement and anxiety. And yet, he was still the king. Finally, they bit their tongues and managed to control themselves. The crowd quieted down as well soon after.

"It is clear to me now that I am no longer as wise and controlled as I once was. I have changed with time, as all things do. It is for that reason that I must leave. For the first time ever, a true king over the espers will be needed. Our size is growing, the world is changing, and many new things will have to be decided. A truly wise and controlled king must carry that out. Although I let my final edict stand, that Wyvern is an enemy of the kingdom and that I triumphed, this is the end of all other things. My successor will decide if these edicts will stand or fall. And now, before you all, I shall name him. You will find that he is more capable than I have been, and far more wise and controlled. He will be fair and impartial to you where I could not be, and will proceed with justice. Now...prepare to bow down before your new king."

With that, Bahamut reached up and took his crown. Slowly, he drew it off of his brow. The crowd was silent again. They looked anxiously, wondering what Bahamut's next move would be. The tension was thick enough to cut with a knife. A pin could have been heard dropping. That moment seemed to hang forever, and no one dared to breathe. But at last, the crown descended again...and slowly came to a rest on Leviathan's head. The Chancellor went white as a ghost. His breath caught in his throat, and he stared at Bahamut in utter shock.

Bahamut, however, calmly withdrew his hands and let it rest there. Then, he turned to the others and gestured to his people.

"Behold...Lord Leviathan the Wise, Master of the Seas...and King of All Espers."

No one moved right away. Leviathan stood in stunned surprise. They weren't sure what to do. For centuries, they had bowed before their great king. But now that there was another, they didn't know what to do. At last, some did bow down. The others saw this, and slowly they began to follow suit. They started mostly in the front, but quickly spread to the back as they continued to bow down, one after the other. After a few moments, all had gone down, and they all held there in front of their new king. Leviathan stood in silence. He stared and looked over them all. In the presence of Bahamut, it was almost impossible to realize that they were doing so for him. He could say nothing. He only swallowed and looked over them all.

Finally, Bahamut looked over them all and spoke again. "This is my final address as your king. Supreme authority resides with Leviathan now. I bid you all farewell."

With that, he turned and left the balcony, walking back in the way he came. The rest of the espers were left in stunned silence. Leviathan blinked and looked after him, but he was already gone. He stared at him a moment longer, but finally turned back. He was at a loss. No one knew what to do. However, after a moment, he finally spoke, a bit shaky and uneasily.

"...We...will adjourn...for ten minutes."


The seven spired crown was flung to the ground and nearly broke. It bounced off hard, leaving a small dent. The one who had flung it down glared at his brother, now that he and his siblings had withdrawn and were within.

"What are you thinking!"

Bahamut stared simply back at Leviathan. His four siblings looked at him, their faces confused, strained, and even a bit angry. Guards surrounded them, likewise befuddled and not sure what to do. Everyone directed these emotions back to Bahamut, expecting an answer for this and a good explanation. They really wanted him to reconsider.

"You just abandon the kingdom now! In its hour of greatest need!" Leviathan blasted.

"...It is because it is the time of greatest need that I am leaving." Bahamut answered. "This land needs you, not me."

"It needs you, not me!" Leviathan shot back in reply. "What am I? A lowly coward of a Chancellor!"

"You're wrong." Bahamut simply answered. "You're powerful and wise. You're stronger than you realize. You may feel a bit behind, but you can improve that if you commit yourself to combat. But the espers don't need that. They need someone who is innocent in their eyes. They need someone they trust. Everyone depends on you and believes in your wisdom, and no one has anything against you. You are the one who can gather them all together and hold them. They need you."

Leviathan frowned in response to this. He held a moment, before making a cutting motion. "I refuse it."

"It is my right to appoint my own successor." Bahamut flatly responded. "I choose you."

"Choose someone else!" Leviathan snapped back.

"Odin already has his people. Starlet lacks the amount of knowledge and wisdom you have. Ogopogo lacks the fortitude to stand his ground. It must be you." Bahamut simply answered. His siblings frowned a bit at this, but it was not an insult. It was the truth. Out of them all, Leviathan was the best suited to being the leader. The others all had their own faults. In truth, he already ran most of the bureaucracy in Terratopolis. He was suited well to being king. As acting regent, he had managed the espers well...but that was in the alternate timeline. Bahamut knew he would be better for it now. He only hoped he understood now. He needed to.

Leviathan frowned again. He was impartial enough to realize that this was the truth. Out of them all, he was the best suited. He did have the most ability and knowledge. But he still refused it. "We have a perfectly good king right now." Leviathan stated. "We don't need me to take over. I don't understand why you're doing this. None of us do."

"You made a mistake, Bahamut." Starlet added. "It's no problem. Everyone does."

"It is a problem." Bahamut flatly answered. He turned and looked to them all, growing serious. "Don't you understand? I should have finished him. I should have beat him now. Now, he's going to be a threat in the future. If I hadn't been so emotionally tied, maybe I could have beaten him here. Now, I don't know if I'll ever be able to beat him. But he's not going to rest until he has me. He's going to be back. And I can't defend this realm against him. I lack the power. The only thing I can do is keep this from happening. Wyvern will stalk me, no one else. If I stay away and hide, then he'll waste his time trying to find me. He won't be back here if I'm not. He has no interest here. But if I stay and he comes back...there could be another insurrection. Then this world really will erupt into chaos. And I can't risk him getting the kingship. We all know that he must never have it. And the longer I stay here, the longer I run the risk of it happening. I can't do that. You know I can't. If you want me to really defend Terratopolis, then this is what I have to do."

"You can get stronger, Bahamut." Odin responded. "You can beat him."

"But I don't know that." Bahamut responded. "And I can't risk him causing another insurrection. Besides..." He paused for a moment at this, and bent his head down a little. "...All know now that I am mortal. My reign is weakened. Now they are aware that even the mighty Bahamut can fall. They need a new symbol, one of boundless power and strength. One that hasn't been struck down yet. Leviathan's mind is already at its peak. His body has developed much from the sea, but keep developing it and soon he'll be just as powerful. I can't stay. There is no other way around it. Too much has changed."

The group paused in response to this. Bahamut had a point. They wished there was another way around it...but they couldn't think of it. No answer presented itself immediately. They couldn't risk another strike from Wyvern. And if Bahamut was beaten, they would be helpless. Even if he wasn't, they could have a major situation on their hands. They couldn't risk that either. A rebellion would break the esper world down and ruin everything that had been built. That was a very real threat. And they couldn't just dismiss it. But still...they hated this. They didn't want him gone. They had been with him since the beginning. He had led them since the start. Without him...then what? What would they do? What could they do?

Leviathan's face fell. He frowned a bit and shifted uneasily. He wanted a way out of this, but for all of his so-called intelligence he could do nothing. He held for a moment longer, but it was no use. In the end, he broke down.

"...I don't want you to leave. None of us do."

Bahamut stared at him a while longer at that. He frowned a bit himself, and thought of when he had talked to Leviathan not long ago. He held for a moment, and slowly exhaled. In the end, he walked forward to the sea serpent turned man. He reached out and put his hand on his shoulder. He held it there, until Leviathan looked up to him.

"...Believe me when I say I'm not doing this for myself."Bahamut responded. "I'm doing it for everyone. And you are the best choice. I know it, and you will realize it in time as well. Believe in yourself. In the end, that is all you really need for this. That was all I needed in the end when I took this position."

Leviathan paused in response, and continued to stare at him. For a moment, he was the scared and helpless old creature he had been. He was a coward again, and once again under the weight of stronger forces. And yet...it lasted only a moment. Then he remembered that this was indeed for the best. He heard what Bahamut said, and knew that for now there was no other choice. And on doing so...he managed to change. He managed to draw himself up. He thought of his esper heritage and power. Until now, he had been wise but timid. But now, he put down his fear. He drew himself up and made himself stronger. If he had been before, then he would have been able to help Bahamut. He had failed then...but he wouldn't fail now.He needed to be stronger. Bahamut had once stood forward in a time of crisis, and had saved the world as a result. Now, he saw that he needed to stand forward as well. He needed to stop relying on Bahamut for support. He needed to stand up for himself. And so, his fear vanished as well. His strength returned. His face turned stern again, and his head raised. For the first time, he began to look strong all on his own, returning to the state he had once been when he first stood against Griever.

Bahamut looked at him for a moment longer, but then smiled again at him. He patted him on the shoulder, and then spoke again. "I won't be leaving right away. I will stay a few days longer until my wings have regenerated. Then, I shall be moving out. I'm not sure where yet, but I'll decide. In the meantime..." He paused a moment, then spoke up again. "...You need to address the people. Your word is the law now. Keep the espers in order, and keep them together in the times to come. As for the Lunarians..." Another pause, as Bahamut bowed his head and licked his lips. However, he looked up and nodded. "...Do what you wish with them. It is your judgment now."

With that, Bahamut withdrew his hand. He turned and he began to walk away. The others stood back in silence. They didn't know what to say, and they didn't know how to respond. They merely stood and listened as Bahamut's foosteps slowly clicked and went down the hal until he left. His two attendants held a moment. They licked their lips and looked anxiously to one another. But then, they turned back and rushed after him. They began to walk alongside him afterward, slowing down and matching his pace. Finally they went down a set of stairs and vanished from view. A few moments later, their footsteps went silent and vanished. The rest of them were left behind. Leviathan held a bit longer, but then slowly exhaled. Bahamut was gone now...and he remained standing. Slowly, he looked down to the ground, and saw the spire once again. He swallowed a moment...but then bent down and gently picked it up. He didn't put it on...but he did slowly bend up and hold it now. The others looked to him, and said nothing.

At last, however, Ogopogo stood forward. He walked in front of Leviathan and smiled warmly at him. "Well...I guess you're the king now, Leviathan. I'm sure that you will make a great ruler. I'll be there to support you. In fact, I'll gladly fill in the old position. Then-"

Before Ogopogo could get out another word, the end ofLeviathan's rear morphed into a great sea serpent tail, and it swung around and violently smacked Ogopogo in the side of the head. Theesper was ripped off of his feet and slammed into the nearby wall. The impact was so hard that he crackedit. He toppled to the ground a moment later, dazzled and shocked. He shook his head and slowly pushed himself up, and looked over to Leviathan. The others, the guards included, stared in shock at what had happened.

"Brother?" Ogopogo uttered in shock. "What are you-"

But Leviathan had changed. He glared coldly into Ogopogo's eyes. All love and mercy was gone from them, and he was livid with rage.

"Bahamut wanted me to be impartial. I think I'll start with you, my so-called 'brother'." He hissed. Immediately, he pointed at him. "Seize him immediately!"

None of the guards moved. They were all bewildered at this, wondering what had come over Leviathan. He seemed to have gone crazy. The other espers turned to Leviathan in shock. "Leviathan..." Starlet uttered. "What on earth...?"

Levithan pointed an accusing finger at him, as if he was pointing the end of a weapon at him. "You despicable worm... You worthless maggot..." He hissed at him. "You are worse than he is. He had insanity as an excuse...but you... You betrayed me! I trusted you! Loved you! I helped you with everything! And this is how you repay me!"

Ogopogo blinked in innocent shock. The others were frozen and stunned. "Leviathan...what do you mean?"

"Don't play innocent with me!" Leviathan snapped back. "I had a talk with Typhoon."

At that, Ogopogo's face paled a bit. He swallowed...but then regained his composure. He stuttered, and shook his head. "Whatever he told you, I know nothing-"

Leviathan turned to the others, still pointing at him. "He is the force behind the insurrection! He is the traitor!"

The surrounding espers froze. The guards gaped in surprise. Ogopogo looked around and saw this, and then furiously shook his head. "No! No! I would never betray my brother! I'd never betray you either! I am loyal to the kingdom!"

"Bullshit." Leviathan angrily spat, turning back to him. "You... He told me everything. And the rest I heard from your mind. You never did learn to control your thoughts. But I saw it clearly enough. And right now...I see how you're struggling to hide these forbidden thoughts from my prying gaze." He wheeled around to the others again, still pointing at him. "This monster crawled like a dog to Wyvern the day that he arrived. He pleaded with him to let him join him, for he never believed that Bahamut could triumph. He thought he could be a creature of higher power in his kingdom. He promised to lead more espers to Wyvern's side. But the dark esper wouldn't agree to his conditions...not unless he led the espers to kill all those who were still loyal to Bahamut. And he agreed...all for the chance to live and gain power in this kingdom."

"No! No! It's a lie!" Ogopogo shrieked in response...his brow already breaking into a sweat and turning white. "I would never! How could I? How could I strike my own brother?"

Leviathan glared darkly at him at that.

"...I never said anything about the last part of your plan...how you had been ordered to kill me yourself and agreed."

Ogopogo whined and cringed a bit further.

Leviathan looked around again. "Go ahead if you doubt me. Scan his mind. It's like an open book. He is so terrified right now he can't hide a word of it. And if you don't believe that...listen to Typhoon. He'll say the same. He, and the other traitors within the midst."

The espers were stunned. They turned and looked to the cringing Ogopogo. Ever since the fight with Griever, Ogopogo had been a snivelling coward. He had never showed any bravery or direction ever. But now...they began to peer deep within his fear, well past his outer appearances and within. And as they did...they saw his images. Images of meeting Wyvern...of bowing down before him...of seeing a massive war between espers...of seeing dozens of espers striking down their breathren...of seeing Ogopogo fire an Aqua-ject right behind Leviathan's head, slicing it from his body...and also of seeing them all struck down by their allies. It was all there. And in the end, there was Ogopogo, proudly standing as Chancellor in the new kingdom of Wyvern...perhaps even getting higher once Wyvern ascended. They saw this all...the heartlessness and the malice...and the lack of pity and total self interest. And on seeing this...they realized the truth as well. Their faces changed. Their surprise turned into anger. Their eyes blazed, and they turned down and glared at their so-called brother. He quivered and cringed, hiding beneath their gazes, shielding himself and guarding against a possible strike.

"You...bastard..." Odin hissed.

"How could you sell Bahamut out!" Starlet yelled at him in rage. "After all he's done for you! For us!"

Ogopogo whined and covered his head. "I...I had no choice!" He cried out in misery. "I sensed the great power of Wyvern...I saw how strong he was... I thought that Bahamut would die... He was going to kill us all! I panicked! I wanted to save myself, so I went to him! It was a bad decision...a horrible decision! And he demanded a terrible price from me! I thought he'd kill me if I didn't agree! I had to!"

"You could have had better faith in us!" Leviathan spat back. "You could have had better faith in Bahamut! You could have stayed with us! Together, we could have stood against him! But because of you, you nearly brought this down from the inside! You were going to have me killed! And in the end of this, you're still trying to gain power! Bahamut's misery has been your profit! By all rights, you deserve to die for what you have done. Hundreds could have been killed because of your treachery. Luckily for you, I'll only throw your miserable rear end out from here. From now on, you can fend for yourself." With that, he looked up and turned to the guards at that, and swung his fist down. "Now get him out of my sight!"

The guards paused only a moment longer. But now, they saw what had happened. They saw who he was. Seeing the others, they felt more confident. Frowns spread across their faces, and they turned hard. They quickly stepped forward and seized Ogopogo by the shoulders. With one pull, they yanked his quivering body off of the ground and held him up. They began to drag him down the hall, away from the others and the assembly hall.

As for Leviathan, he wheeled around back to the opening. It led back out onto the balcony, and Odin and Starlet were both facing him. He held a moment, but then began to walk forward. His face was hard, and he was pulsing with new power and strength.

"Now that I am king, the first thing that I shall do is expel the traitors for our midst." He flatly stated. "After that, I will begin to get a better grasp of the world's events. I myself will begin to see things firsthand, and I shall begin to increase my strength. Next time another opponent appears, I will be ready. I am going to establish this place as a refuge for goodness. And I'm going to begin today."

With that, Leviathan pushed right past his siblings, and stepped out to the balcony.

A new power had risen.


To be continued...