Vyser: You wanted it and you got it. The next chapter is here!
Drag: Now it's my turn and my Dragoons to fight!
Vyser: Where's Zeek this time? He's in this chapter.
Zeek: Sorry, Drag here locked me out!
Drag: How was I supposed to know you were outside?
Zeek: I was in front of you before you ran ahead of me!
Vyser: Enough! Now, one of you do the disclaimer!
Drag: Vyser doesn't own Tales of Symphonia or the characters that you guys, the reviewers, submitted.
Zeek: He own his own characters like Drag, Sane and me.
Vyser: I can't believe that this story has gotten over 100 reviews!
Drag: Well, I can't believe that you were actually able to get this many.
Zeek: Hey, why don't you stick a sock in it.
Vyser: Don't you two start fighting!
Chapter 18: Drag's ParadiseAfter a night of sleeping near a campfire, we find our group discussing what they should do next over breakfast.
"We have to find Drag," Said Sane who wasn't even touching the food.
"Drag is the only lead we have about the summon spirits," Said Lloyd.
"The only question is where to find him?" Asked Sheena.
"Maybe because Dais was here, Drag could be nearby?" Suggested Sera before she ate some of the food.
"Well, the only place that used to be here was Altimira," Said Zelos, "But, I'm betting that like the rest of the world it was changed too."
"Well, we don't have any other leads," Said Genis as everyone was starting to eat.
"After we're finished here then we should head to Altimira or what ever it is now," Said Zeek as everyone finished their meal.
Soon, the group was off to the city nearby. However, a small light green dragon/snake like beast with wings saw them take of and was flying faster than that of the drago cycles. When the dragon/snake reached the once city of Altimira, he flew over the many different landscapes that were changed. From above you could see that there was a lake with a small island in the middle, a crater that had magma gushing from it, a jungle with a small river, a mountain, a place with ruins, and a dessert. In the middle of the many landscapes was a huge building that looked in the shape of a castle that had dragon statues all around it. There was an open window in the main part of the building that the small dragon/snake flew through. Inside the castle we find Drag sitting on a throne petting a four-legged armored dragon with dark skin. From a point of view, it was if it was the original shape of Drag. The small dragon/snake lands in front of Drag.
"Ah, Vern, what news to you bring?" Asked Drag as the dragon/snake raised his head.
"Lloyd's group is on their way," Said Vern as he flapped his wings a little. "What is your plan to deal with them sir?"
"I've all ready sent the other Dragoons to their element arenas, and I have also placed teleporters in this very room," Explained Drag as he was petting the dragon next to him. "I'm looking to an old tactic, divide and conquer. Now, get to your arena, as soon as you are prepared."
"Yes Drag," Said Vern as he flew out the window and headed towards his arena.
"Sometimes, I wish I had some more intelligent dragons to talk to," Said Drag. "But, then, I think what would have happened if I didn't turn the ones who were against me into stone."
Meanwhile, we find Lloyd's group right over Drag's kingdom. They were surprised to see that there were many different types of environments. The group lands near the castle, they're shocked to see that there were many types of statues, of dragons and people.
"What do think happened here?" Asked Colette as she and Lloyd were looking at a statue of a dragon.
"Whatever happened, it looks like the human statues are new," Said Sheena as she and Jet were looking a human statue.
"How do you figure that?" Asked Jet.
"Well, there is moss on the dragon statues," Explained Sheena as Jet slapped his head.
Genis was looking at some of the statues with Zeek, Sera and Elemmírë while Suzu and Zelos were also looking at some dragon statues. Genis suddenly stops and looks shocked as he sees two statues that look familiar.
"It can't be," Said Genis as he was staring at the statues.
"What's up Genis," Said Zeek as he looked like the statues, "Those statues look familiar for some reason."
"You've met these people, they're Regal and Presea," Said Genis as everyone turned to see that Genis was right, the statue were in the shape of their friends.
"Whoa, didn't see this coming," Said Zelos.
"Wonder how this could happen?" Asked Suzu as Sane just walked past.
"We can help them later, right now we need to concern ourselves with our mission," Said Sane as everyone hesitated for a minute then followed Sane to the castle.
As soon as the group entered the castle, they see many different dragon statues and some sleeping dragons lying near the doors on the other side of the room they were in. Quietly and carefully, the group walks over to the next door trying to not wake up the dragons. As they enter the doors, the group sees Drag sitting in his throne petting a dragon at his side, after all of the group enters the room, the doors behind them close.
"Ah, Lloyd, Zeek, Zelos and Colette, it has been a long time since we've seen each other," Said Drag as he stood up and stretched his arms. "So tell me, what do you think of my paradise?"
"What did you do to the people who were here?" Asked Genis as Drag sighed.
"You did see all of those statues outside right?" Asked Drag.
"So what does that mean?" Asked Elemmírë as Drag began to laugh.
"Every statue you see out there was once alive, till I came into the picture," Said Drag through his laughter. "I have learned how to make people and rebellious dragons into statues. Very easy to do once you get the hang of it."
"Change Regal and Presea back to normal!" Yelled Lloyd as everyone drew his or her weapons.
"You all seem to be confident when you're all together," Said Drag as he raised his wrist. "As one once said, united you stand, divided you fall. So handle this!"
Just as Drag pressed something on his wrist, a barrier appears separating everyone into groups of two. Lloyd and Colette, Suzu and Zelos, Jet and Sheena, Zeek and Sera, Genis and Sage, and Elemmírë and Sane were who were captured. Drag and his pet dragon then approach the groups, many of the groups were trying to force their out.
"You're just wasting energy," Laughed Drag. "So, now I hope you've enjoyed seeing each other. For this shall be the last time."
"If you even try to do away with us the Renegades won't be far behind," Explained Sane as Drag laughed even harder. "What's so funny?"
"You fool, the Renegades are only a fraction of the past," Said Drag as he pressed his wrist once more. "Say hello to my dragoons for me."
All of a sudden, everyone who was trapped in the barriers instantly disappeared. Just as Drag was turning back to his throne he stops and lifts his left foot and growls at his pet dragon.
"What have I said when you need to go?" Asked Drag as his pet dragon gave puppy eyes. "I can't stay mad at you, but now I got to go wash my foot."
Meanwhile, we find Lloyd and Colette in an arena like place with lava and floating rocks on the lava. The two were on one of the floating rocks.
"I hope everyone is okay," Said Colette.
"I'm sure that everyone is okay," Said Lloyd as the lava began to fly. "What's this?"
Suddenly, a dragon with a metal helmet with three horns, his skin red. His body was like a snake with skinny arms.
"Allow me to introduce myself," Said the red dragon. "My name is Vulcan, the dragoon of fire."
"What do you want?" Asked Lloyd as he put his swords in a defensive manner.
"Drag told me to do whatever I wanted," Said Vulcan as he circled around Lloyd and Colette, his body was almost unlimited. "So, I'm at a cross road. What to do, what to do? That is the question."
"How about you let us go?" Asked Colette.
"Nah," Said Vulcan as he shook his head.
Now we turn our attention to Suzu and Zelos, who are in an arena that is surrounded by what looked like mountains. The cold breeze was flying through arena, quickly, Suzu and Zelos could see their breaths.
"This is weird," Said Zelos, "Man, Drag is smarter than he looks."
"I wonder what he meant by saying hello to his dragoons," Said Suzu as suddenly the wind was blowing even faster. "What's up with this wind?"
All of a sudden, a winged serpent dragon flies from the sky and lands in front of Suzu and Zelos.
"Welcome to my arena, I'm Vern," Said Vern as Zelos and Suzu were snickering. "What's so funny!"
"You're small," Laughed Zelos as he and Suzu also laughed. And it was true, Vern was only two feet tall and looked like a snake with wings and horns on his head.
"I'm still the dragoon of wind! So take this!" Yelled Vern as he flew into the air and began flapping his wings. Then the wind got stronger with each flap of Vern's wings. "Feel my power!"
Zelos and Suzu were slightly lifted into the air and then Vern charged into Zelos and sent him flying into Suzu.
"Sorry about crashing into you," Said Zelos as Suzu was rubbing her head.
While this was going on, Jet and Sheena were in the ruins that they saw earlier, broken statues were all over, both human and dragon. The statues that were intact, looked like the people and the dragons looked like they were fighting.
"This must have been a battle field," Said Sheena as Jet was staring at her when she wasn't looking.
"I wonder what could have happened her," Said Jet as he noticed a figure in the distance. "Who in the world is that?"
As Sheena looked towards the figure, she and Jet could see that the figure was a dragon like person that looked like Drag. Only he was thinner, white skin, black hair, and was wearing a black bowler derby hat, a red and white horizontal stripped shirt, black pants, white gloves and black boots.
"Who is this joker?" Asked Sheena as the dragon person lifted his hat then grabbed a piece of paper and pen from the hat and placed the hat. "What's this?"
The dragon person then wrote something on the paper and handed it to the two.
"It says, 'Hello, my name is Mime, the dragoon of light, a pleasure to meet you,' what the," Said Jet as Mime bowed and lifted his hat at the same time.
"There's more, 'I'm sorry to say this, but I must destroy you,' yeah right," Said Sheena as Jet drew his swords and Sheena grabbed her cards.
"I'll take down this clown!" Yelled Jet as he charged and Mime was doing the wall trick.
Just as Jet was a few inches from Mime, he ran into an invisible wall. When he walked backwards, Mime just smiled and Jet was holding his nose.
"What did I walk into?" Asked Jet as Mime silently laughed.
"You walked into an invisible wall," Said Sheena.
"I hate mines," Said Jet as he rubbed his nose.
Meanwhile, in the desert arena, we find Elemmírë and Sane trying to get the sand out of their clothes.
"You can't get sand out of anything," Said Elemmírë as she was whipping her hair. "Sand, I hate it."
"I'm just glad that I didn't get any sand in my weapons," Said Sane as he was emptying his hat.
Then, a the sand started to become like a pit in front of the two. From the sandpit came a sandstone colored dragon with boulders where it's joints were, the rest of the body looked like sand.
"I'm Dar, the dragoon of earth, I know that one of you killed my brother Dais," Said Dar as Sane looked a little nervous. "Who did that?"
"Dais was your brother, but how was that possible?" Asked Elemmírë as she and Sane reached for their weapons.
"Well, he was the youngest of the Dragoons, but we were born at the same time from the same pair of eggs," Said Dar. "I bet you're wondering why we looked different, well a dragon develops where it lives. Seeing as how I loved living in the dessert, well I became what you see before you."
"Eat lead!" Yelled Sane as he shot his gun and Dar's right arm fell off. "Got you."
"Fool," Said Dar as a hand made of sand grabbed Sane from underneath. "As long as I remain in the desert it doesn't matter if you shoot me, or cut me, or anything like that, I'm a part of the sand."
"Take this!" Yelled Elemmírë as she used an ice spell on the sand hand and Sane managed to free himself.
"Is that the best you got?" Asked Dar as he disappeared under the sand.
While, this was going on we find Genis and Sage running from something in the forest arena. Suddenly, in front of them a man-sized praying mantis shaped green dragon with claws on her hands appears in front of her.
"Who exactly are you?" Asked Genis as he got out his kendama and Sage got out her two staves.
"I'm Rose, the dragoon of the forest," Said Rose as she quickly grabbed a flower from the ground and sniffed it.
"Get out of our way!" Yelled Sage as she and Genis used fire spells.
Rose was gone in a second, Genis and Sage thought that they got her. When all of a sudden, Rose quickly appeared in front of them.
"Nice try, but I'm faster than you think," Said Rose as she began to charge.
"Incoming!" Yelled Genis as he and Sage dodged Rose's attack.
And last, but not least we find Zeek and Sera swimming in the lake arena.
"How you holding up Zeek?" Asked Sera as the two were swimming.
"Oh, I just love swimming," Replied Zeek as suddenly a dorsal fin starts to circle around them. "That can't be a shark, this lake is fresh water."
"Then it must be a dragon or something," Said Sera as the owner of the fin rose in the air.
"Brilliant deduction, I'm Seadro," Said Seadro, his body looked like a shark with a longer tail, muscular arms, and legs that were hidden. "Now, I could easily bite and kill you, but my water is much too important to have blood in it. So, I'll just drown you!"
After Seadro disappeared under the water, a whirlpool forms under the two and draws them in. While under water, Zeek was able to hold his breath, he could barely see Sera. Zeek got his wings out and used them to help him swim, as he was swimming through the water he spotted Sera and lifted her out of the water. Zeek was pretty drained of his energy, but noticed that there was a small island in the middle of the lake. As Zeek flew towards the island with Sera in his arms, Seadro is watching from under water.
"Hey, wait, that's the girl that Drag spoke of," Seadro said to himself. "This will be most excellent."
When Zeek landed on the island, he placed Sera on the ground. Zeek noticed that Sera wasn't breathing. So Zeek did what he knew what to do, he did CPR. After doing the process a couple of time, Sera coughs and spits up water.
"Take that my life guard trainer!" Thought Zeek as Sera was breathing regularly. "You okay Sera?"
"What happened?" Asked Sera as she sat up.
"We were caught in a whirlpool made by Seadro, you weren't breathing so I used CPR," Said Zeek as Sera hugged Zeek.
"Thank you so much Zeek," Said Sera as Zeek then put his arms around Sera.
"You're, um, welcome," Said Zeek with a hint of red on his face.
While this was going on, Seadro was watching from the water.
"So touching, I wish that I didn't have to destroy them," Said Seadro as he held a dark spirit in his hand. "But then, I won't be the one doing the destroying."
Vyser: Well, now that chapter is finished.
Mime:….(Puts Vyser in an invisible box)
Vyser: I really hate mimes.
Zeek: What did you
say?
Drag: Ah, ignore him, my dragoons are strong.
Zeek: Reviewers, read and review. If Vyser wasn't in an invisible box, I'm sure he'd say, thank you all for the 100 reviews.
Meanwhile in the invisible box. Vyser: As soon as I get out, my first mission is to destroy all mimes.
