The group was shocked to silence over what Leviae just told them.
"Yeah… mind running that by me again?" Ristarte nervously inquired.
"Elulu is to fulfill her destiny of becoming Igzasion by offering up her life." Leviaw reiterated.
"But, isn't Igzasion a legendary sword in this world? What does sacrificing Elulu have to do with it?" Mirror Match asked.
"Everything," Leviae replied. "It's the weapon that will defeat the Demon Lord. This weapon only manifests when a dragonkin girl born human sacrifices her life in exchange."
"Screw the legend! Elulu shouldn't have to die!" Mash said.
"70% of the world is already unde the Demon Lord's control." Leviae spoke up.
"Seventy?" Ristarte asked in shock.
"Hordes of monsters devour the innocent while demons burn down entire towns. Giants have been destroying one castle after another. Some villages remain, but almost every castle has fallen." Levaie explained. "The one surviving stronghold is Roseguard Castle. Any safe locations you've seen will fall soon, if not already."
"With all the back and forth to the divine realm, we haven't had the time to assess the situation." RIstarte said.
"It's only a matter of time before the whole world is under their control," Leviae continued. "If the Demon Lord is not Slain, Gaeabrande will be doomed. For that reason, Elulu is in a most enviable position. She is the power that will save us from this evil. The highest honor among all dragonkin!"
All the guards bowed to Elulu in respect.
"Um… thank you…" Elulu said nervously.
"The Sacred sword ceremony will take place tonight. Feel free to spend the remaining time you have among your friends." Leviae said.
The group left the palace to explore the village. But before Ethox could join them, he was blocked by two guards crossing their spears.
"Hey, what the-?!" Ethox asked.
"Not so fast." Leviae said, her voice more serious. "You have much to answer for, Balance Breaker."
"Balance Brea- oh, it's about that isn't it?" Ethox realized.
"Don't be so casual about what you've done." Leviae said. "You've thrown the entire balance of the Multiverse into jeopardy. We could wait for the Hero of the Stars to end your existence… but I'll save him the trouble of dealing with his mistakes."
"Alright, I'm sorry for existing." Ethox said, rolling his eyes.
"Silence!" Leviae yelled at the Nobody. "This cycle between Stars and The Void is the only thing keeping the forces of light and darkness in check in our reality; if one becomes too powerful, all of the Multiverse could face destruction. And I, for one, won't let a thing like you destablize it."
That was the last thing Ethox heard before one of the guards slammed the butt of their spear into the back of the former Elder's head, knocking him out.
"Take him to the dungeons." Leviae commanded. "When the ceremony of Igzasion is completed… we'll execute him."
Later that night, the Sword Ceremony was in full swing. The Dragonewts prepared a grand feast for the group for them all to enjoy.
"There is no need to hold back. The villagers who prepared this feast would be saddened if you did not partake." Leviae offered.
"Okay, but...where's Elulu?" Mash asked.
"The chosen one is getting ready. She will be with us soon enough." Lagos said.
"Hmm…" Mirror Match looked around in concern.
"Is something the matter, your royal majesty?" Leviae asked.
"Where is Ethox? It's not like him to be absent like this." Mirror asked, perhaps a bit shaper than intended.
"Worry not, your companion is simply running late. Please, eat your fill; there will be enough for him when he arrives." the Dragon Mother assured.
With some hesitation, Mirror does eat, as do the other members of the party. After a while, the lights dimmed.
"It is time." Leviaw said as some torches were lit up above. Elulu was seen on a cliff, accompanied by two guards. "Let the Sacred Sword Ceremony commence! The chosen shall be cast into the Dragon Abyss, and by the power of the magic circle deep below, she shall be assimilated, and turn into Igzasion. The blessed blade will bring an end to the Demon Lord!" she announced as the dragonewts cheered.
"No… Elulu… not yet, stop this…." Mash said.
"I guess this is goodbye." Elulu called down. "Oh, and Seiya? I'd hate to rust, so please clean me when I become your sword."
"Is this… really what's right?" Mash wondered before he balled his fists. "No… I don't care if she's saving the world, I can't let her do this."
The dragonkin both made to do something, anything, to stop the ceremony… only to be accosted by two guards.
"Move it!" Mash demanded only for the guards to restrain him. "Stop! Let me go!"
"Mash, oh no! Please, listen!" Elulu called.
"My dear, you're not having second thoughts, are you?" Leviae asked. "Shall we give her some encouragement?!"
The guards with Elulu forcefully escorted her to the edge of the cliff.
"Hey, let her go! What youre doing now is just murder!" Ristarte pleaded, but her words fell deaf over the cheers. "This is like a cult mentality…."
"Our followers were just like this…" Mirror Match remembered, all of the followers chanting as they were deployed to Etheria. "Despite all the good memories… this is never the way change should be made."
"Come! Let us cast the girl into the abyss!" Leviae ordered as the guards moved to do so…
...only for something to land in the ground between them.
"W-Wait…" Elulu said, recognizing the object. "That's…"
"Hey, lizard brains!" a familiar voice called out as a hooded figure leaped over the guards, grabbed the implanted Keyblade, as slashed the two off the cliff onto the ground below in one fluid motion. "Sorry I'm late, my invite must have gotten lost in the mail."
"Ethox!" Mirror Match, Ristarte, and Mash called out as the Nobody pulled down his hood. All the dragonewts gasped in shock.
"You!" Levaie called in shock. "But how is this possible?! You should be in a cell at this moment!"
"What, you think a blow to the head by a wooden spear would keep me down for long?" Ethox asked. "I've taken bigger hits than that. In fact, Dark Inferno hit harder with the flat of its swords."
"Wait, Ethox, what is Levaie talking about?" Ristarte asked.
"She knew who I was from the very start, and opted to knock me out and throw me in a dungeon. After this whole thing was over, they were gonna execute me." Ethox said. "It sounds to me some people don't really want me alive until the fated battle."
"You impudent fool! Don't you understand that your existence upsets the balance of the very Multiverse in which many people live in?!" Leviae asked in rage. "You cannot defy what fate sets in motion! The Hero from the Stars must forever fight his counterpart! The cycle cannot be stopped, and you must not be allowed to live!"
Ethox simply looked at his Keyblade and said:
"Heh. I don't care what guys like you think I'm doing to the Balance, or what path those two are set on. Endless cycle or otherwise; bring it on." Ethox says, before pointing his Keyblade at Leviae. "Nothing decides but me. My destiny's mine to write!"
"Blasphemy!" Leviae protested. "Kill the destroyer! Cast the chosen into the abyss!"
Two more guards appeared to follow Levaies orders, but this time, the guards were taken down by none other than Seiya.
"What have you done?!" Levaie asked the hero.
"Seiya…. But why?" Elulu asked.
"I said I shouldn't need to say anything. Do I have to spell it out? You're supposed to carry my equipment. You cant do that if you're a stupid sword." Seiya said. "I don't care about either one of their destinies, they made a commitment to me."
"Yeah, but if Elulu doesn't become Igzasion, what are we gonna do?" Ristarte asked.
"Don't worry. We don't even know if this thing is real, much less all powerful." the hero replied.
"How dare you. The first Dragon Emperor foretold it!" Levaie protested.
"And you believed him. You do realize that makes zero sense?" Seiya asked. "Sounds like some lame lizard on a power trip."
"What?! You impudent buffoon!" Levaie gasped in shock. At this, RIstarte couldn't help but laugh. "What do you find so amusing?! Surely youre not as absurd as this hero, surely you intend to save this world and thwart the Demon Lord!"
"Of course!" Ristarte answered. "I swear to you, we will still find a way to rescue this world. But we refuse to sacrifice the life of our friend in the process! There's another way to defeat the Demon Lord, and if anyone can find it, Seiya can!"
"And you will get no sympathy for your murderous cause from me." Mirror Match added. "What Ethox has done to the balance of the Multiverse is irrelevant to me. I accept him as my friend, regardless of what he is or what hes done. If you so wish to end his existence, then you will have to kill me first!"
"Such a shame… you all are as daft as this hero. You think nothing of our plight and only of yourselves. Our world and the Mulltiverse may already be lost." Leviae said.
"Screw you, you hag! The only selfless one here is you!" Mash yelled, transforming and knocking the guards restraining him away. "Elulu! Just hang on-!" he called before all feeling in his body stopped and he fell to the ground on his face.
"Mash!" Ristarte called out in worry, until she noticed something. "Hey...I've fallen and can't get back up!"
"Neither can I!" Mirror Match struggled as he attempted to get back up, to no avail. "What is this trick, Dragon Mother?!"
"Thankfully, I am rather cautious. I knew something like this would transpire… which is why the food you ate before was laced with a paralytic!" Leviae declared. "No antidote can cure it, even the goddess herself has been affected. Now, let's continue on with the ceremony. Will someone take the initiative and cast Elulu into the abyss and kill that blasted Nobody, please?"
More guards appear to overwhelm the Nobody and the frightened dragonkin girl, it looked like they were done for for sure, but suddenly, Seiya came in front of them and knocked them all down to the ground.
"What?! He can move?!" Levaie shockingly asked. "How are you even standing at all?!"
Ethox smirked. "You crafty bastard…. You didn't even eat the food to begin with, did you?" he asked the hero.
"Nope. They saw me eat it. What they didn't see was me spitting it up a few seconds later." Seiya said. "Like I would trust food made by a bunch of lizards."
"It appears I have no other choice." Levaie said, casting off her clothes. "I have no wish to get violent with he who shall bear the sacred sword, but I will do what I must. As for you Balance breaker, rejoice. Because now, you have the honor of dying at the hands of one who has mastered the Dragon God Metamorphosis!"
At that, Levaie began growing in size and changing shape until she became a full blown dragon. She roared before flying up to the cliff altar and landing before the three.
"Ooof! That HP hurts!" Ristarte said, still able to analyze Levaie despite being hindered. "She's too strong!"
Leviae let out a hearty laugh. "The scales of a Dragon are tougher than any metal known to man. Ordinary swords don't cut it in any sense of the phrase. You may have fought ordinary monsters before, but we Dragons are in a league of our own!"
"Yo taters. You packed that thing in this bag, right?" Seiya called down, like he wasn't listening.
"Yes, sir!" Mash called as Seiya reached into his backpack and pulled out a blade that made Leviae's eyes widen.
"It can't be! Not a Dragon Killer Sword!" Leviae gasped.
"I'd have to be pretty stupid to walk into a Dragons Den without a dragon slaying weapon." Seiya said.
"That's Seiya for you, always thinking a few steps ahead of the game." Ethox appraised.
"That's awesome Master, but where'd you even get that thing?" Msh called out.
"Synthesis, duh." Seiya answered. "I used a platinum sword, a hair each from you and Elulu since you're both Dragon kin… and then I helped myself to 100 of Rista's hairs."
"What?! A Hundred?!" Ristarte gasped. "How did you get your hands on that many of my precious hairs?"
"By plucking them from you while you slept, of course." Seiya replied.
"Dude, you need to have standards." Ethox sweatdropped.
"Atomic Split Slash!" Seiya called, cutting Leviae strongly across the chest.
"I did not expect such damage, even from a Dragon Killer. And yet…!" Leviae retaliated, aiming to crush Elulu, but the two got her to safety as they switched sides of the Dragon Mother.
"You should be more careful." Ethox said. "You almost crushed your main ingredient for Igzasion."
"Really? Nothing says the girl has to be alive when she enters the abyss. All that is needed is her flesh and blood." Leviae replied. "I see now that the two of you will defend her no matter what the cost. What a shame…. I am rather cautious, though."
As that was said, the necklace around Elulu's neck suddenly pulsed a dark light as she kneeled over in pain.
"Elulu! What's that scaly schemer up to now?!" Ristarte said.
"It must be a Cursed Item." Mirror Match said. "For her to stoop this low…it's clear now. Against the Demon Lord she may be...but the Dragon Mother still acts as an agent of evil!"
"Evil? Hardly. I do what I must in service not only to this world, but the entire Multiverse." Leviae said. "To save Gaeabrande, Elulu is destined to become the Sacred Sword. And for the balance to forever be maintained, he who has broken it must die."
"Screw you!" Mash yelled.
Ethox just stared at Leviae silently before he took a deep breath. "You know what? I was going to offer you a chance to stop… but forget it. You are going to pay."
"Still, you're not with the demon lord, so I'll give you one more chance." Seiya said. "Lift the curse on Elulu, or else."
"You both fascinate me, issuing such threats when I hold all the power!" Leviae said. "The sword ceremony is fate. To lift the curse and defy fate, you will have to kill me!"
"Well then, like a good person in these memories of mine once said…." Ethox said. "Screw fate."
"Phoenix Drive!" Seiya called, blasting one of his fire skills at Leviae and damaging her considerably.
"Snapdragons! He's got her down to almost half her HP!" Ristarte checked.
Levaie laughed. "There's no denying you're strong. However, it takes more than brute strength to lift a curse!"
The Dragon Mother then donned a gold aura, turning golden herself as her scales spiked and got down on all fours.
"I have activated my Ultimate Wall and assumed this glorious form," she said. "Your attacks will now have the same effect as a light passing breeze."
"(No kidding, I can feel the powerful defense.)" Ethox thought. "(All she has to do is stall for time. What're we going to do?)"
Ethox looked towards Seiya for a hint, only to see him holding two Dragon Killer swords and chowing down on some sort of seeds.
"(...Oh, so that's the plan, huh? Alright, guess now is a good a time as any!)" Ethox said, assuming his stance. "I am my own swarm, I am never Alone. Lend me your numbers, heralds of Pestilence."
The kanji of The Rat glowed, and an aura construct of said animal appeared before it split into three, developing into mute clones of Ethox made of solid blue light.
"What's this?" Leviae asked.
"In training to master the Eternal Sword, I discovered I can project multiple copies of myself with my newest ability! Behold!" he declared as he and the clones took combat stances. "Discipline of the Rat: Mirage Swarm!"
"Hahaha!" Leviae laughed. "If you believe yourselves ready, then come on!"
"Alright then, let's do this!" Ethox declared as all the fighters got into combat positions.
"Go! Eternal Sword: Lucky Seven Mode!"
(Cue: Won't Stop, just Go!- Sonic Adventure 2)
Seiya, Ethox, and the clones leaped at the Dragon Mother, slashing and stabbing at the wall with all their might.
"Go, boys, go! You're doing it!" Ristarte cheered before she checked Leviae's HP. "(Ghk! They're barely even scratching her!)"
"Hahaha! My Ultimate Wall is the supreme hardening technique! You should take pride in the insignificant damage you have caused, but your efforts are futile! Speaking on which…"
Elulu was now lying on the ground, straining with pain as the curse took its toll.
"The child has nearly succumbed to the curse. There is no saving her. Why not just accept defeat and submit to the inevitable?"
"Y-You guys...thats enough, okay?" Elulu asked. "I appreciate how much youre fighting for my sake, but you can stop now…" she then winced in pain.
"Don't think like that, Elulu!" Ethox said. "We will save you from this crazy cult, just hang in there! Powerful sword or not, it's just like Rista said, we won't sacrifice anyone's life to defeat the Demon King!"
"You are so stubborn, Balance-Breaker, just admit your defeat! It's useless to defy any fate that has been written, just as it has been useless for the two of you to damage me further!" Leviae boasted.
Ethox chalked at this. "Who said anything about damaging you? That's not what we were aiming for at all. Take a good look behind you!"
The Dragon Mother did so, and saw that she was getting closer and closer to the edge of the cliff!
"What?! No, stop! Cease your advance!" Leviae demanded. "Why go so far to protect such a useless whelp?! The only contribution she could ever give is being Igzasion! Otherwise, she's nothing but scum!"
"She's not scum." Seiya said. "She hauls bags. Scum can't do that."
"Not the wording I would use… but he's right!" Ethox said. "The only scum here is you!"
Ristarte fought off the paralysis just enough to stand up. "I'll speak my peace too. Release her! Or kiss your dragon butt goodbye!"
Leviae thought hard on the decision. What was she to do? Give up her life, or keep believing in the faith of her people? It was at that moment, she decided to pull one last gambit.
"Alright, I forfeit! The curse has been lifted, halt your attack!" Levaie feigned, getting Seiya to stop as the last of the Death Sentence Necklace darkness. "Fools! The only thing I lifted was my Ultimate Armor!"
Leviae then swatted Seiya away, the hero fortunate enough to block as he fell to the floor.
"I will ensure the peace and safety of the multiverse! Die, Balance-Breaker!" Leviae said preparing to attack. "Dragon Breath!"
She then breathed a stream of fire at Ethox, nailing him dead on.
"ETHOX!" Mirror Match called out in terror. "...No."
"HAHAHA! At last! The Balance-Breaker is dead!" Leviae celebrated.
"Wrong choice."
(Music Shift: Full Course Will [Finale])
Those two words stopped Leviae cold as out of the flames leapt Ethox and two of his clones.
"You fell for the oldest trick in the book: Substitution!" Ethox said as he and his copies slammed into Leviae together, sending her over the cliff and floating above the abyss.
"Hah! It's you who's the fool! I may have lost my footing, but i still have my wings!" Leviae taunted, spreading them….
...only to realize just now that her wings were in tatters!
"N-No, my wings...but how?!" Leviae asked.
"YAAAAAH!" Ethox said, thrusting his keyblade and blasting into Leviae's stomach. His keyblade was pointed into her heart as he gripped it.
"What are you doing?!" Leviae asked.
"Heh… since you were so insistent on taking my life…. I'm returning the favor by taking something from you!" Ethox said as he turned the key then pulled out the weapon, brining a shining sphere with it. Ethox landed back on the cliff as Dragon Mother fell into the abyss, screaming all the way.
(End song)
It seems you've gotten something new. Looks like you can't use it yet, though; perhaps you need to be a little stronger.
"Well, I got it by pulling out part of a dragon's soul, so I guess it makes sense I can't use it yet…" Ethox sighed. "But at least that's one more Discipline for me…." he said as the aura construct of an Eastern Dragon surrounded him. "The Discipline of The Dragon!"
With that, Ethox brought Elulu down to the ground, where she was met with Mash, the two sharing a hug until the still paralyzed dragonkin boy fell on her.
"Splendid work, Ethox." Mirror Match said as he struggled to his feet. "A brilliant tactic, damaging her wings so she couldn't fly."
"Actually, the plan was all Seiya." Ethox corrected, gesturing to the hero. "I only followed along when I knew what he was going for."
"So, when did you damage Leviae's wings?" Ristarte asked her chosen hero.
"Before she activated her Ultimate Wall skill." Seiya answered. "I had a hunch she'd switch to defense pretty early on. My normal strategy would have been to take her out hard and fast, but since her HP was basically god tier, I had to improvise. I focused on backing her into a corner with no means of escape. This forced me to deal with her wall, but it also gave me a distraction she couldn't help but fall for."
"Just when I thought you couldn't get any more cautious…" Ristarte sighed.
"Well, I had a source monster that helped shape my strategy." Seiya explained. "That dragon lady was a lot like a Nurikabe."
"So you're clueless about slimes but a bro it all at Nurikabe?" RIstarte asked.
"Yeah, that and Iyosube." Seiya said.
"I'm impressed you came up with such a strategy so quickly." Mirror Match said.
"Yeah, it was pretty easy though. Can't believe that dragon lady thought she was cautious." Seiya said. "If it were me, I'd have my Ultimate Wall up back during the feast."
"Right, because that wouldn't be suspicious at all." Rista replied.
All of the dragonewts were saddened over the loss of their leader, but then, rising out of the abyss was a blade, likely the sword incarnation of Leviae.
"Looks like Leviae's become the sword instead. She did say that Igzasion needed the flesh and blood of a female who bore the blood of the dragons. Guess it counts if she sacrificed herself." Ethox said as Seiya took up the sword.
"And now there's just one last thing to do." Seiya said before cutting Elulu lightly. "Get Rista to heal you. Your flesh and blood are part of the sword now."
The blade then glowed, becoming a complete sword, the Dragonewts marveling over it.
"That's it! Igzasion!" Lagos declared.
"The blade that will defeat the Demon Lord. Pretty sweet accomplishment you dragonkin accomplished for yourselves. There's nothing like a win-win." Seiya said.
"(Of course, that isn't the actual blade. It's a Platinum Sword + he synthesized.)" Mirror Match thought. "(Still, it will appease these people, despite Leviae losing her life. We may be lying to garner their trust…. But it's better than sacrificing one of our own.)"
The group left Dragon Village the way they came in through the magic circle, the young dragonkin and Anarchy Kings going on ahead to leave Seiya and Ristarte to talk.
"I'm glad that's over." Ethox asked. "Guess I should be more wary from now on. There's no telling who else out there will be trying to kill me."
"It would seem so." Mirror said.
"So… you wanna say something about Seiya now that you've seen his true colors?" Ethox teased, elbowing his friend.
Mirror was silent for a second, before he let out a sigh. "Yes… I was wrong. Seiya may not be the nicest person… but he is a hero, in every sense of the word."
"Whew… glad things have gotten cleared up a bit more." Ethox said.
"Yes, myself as well. However, that hero still has no trust in either of us." Mirror Match reminded.
"Eh, it's just like you said back with Deathmagla." Ethox said. "We'll just have to earn it."
"Agreed." Mirror match smiled. They met up with everyone at the mouth of the cave, but then…
"Hey, we've got company." Mash said.
"Like a lot…." Elulu said.
At the cave entrance, waiting for all of them, was a group of knights. And it looked like they were after something.
