Long awaited update I know but this chapter was very difficult for me to write. Battles and the like are sooooo far out of my comfort zone it took a while before I was able to write anything that I could be somewhat proud of, then a little longer to try and polish it up.
- Last time on DTRE because it's been a while-
Bosco discovered one of their Generals of the Immaculate Light helped Pregrande kidnap Cristoff and Lucy so Karadin could harvest Lucy's magic and get his hands on dragon slayer children in order to force Bosco to finally act against the threat to their country and way of life. The Pradesh family didn't take this betrayal too kindly but followed Crown Prince Liam's suggestion to leverage General Tennison's relationship with Pergrande to get enough inside information so Bosco's attack on Rommell, the capital of Pergrande, can be done with as little loss of life as possible.
Kaleb has gathered several hundred of his White Sea mages, along with a contingent of Holy Knights and regular military, to invade/overwhelm Pergrande's forces in hopes to destabilize their government enough a new king or council can supplant Karadin.
On the way, the dragon slayers of Fiore along with Freed, Erza and Bickslow join them to help get Lucy and Cristoff back.
Meanwhile Lucy, in a bid to try and break out before King Karadin can find a way to safely rape her mate, tries summoning one of her spirits causing a surge in magic topping off the giant lacrima before she's knocked unconscious.
-Chapter 34-
Cristoff watched as the lab surrounding his current prison cleared completely - scientists, assistant's, technicians, everyone. The new "room" he and Lucy had been moved to recently was more of a clear box made completely out of transparent puriglass right in the middle of a lab that always seemed to have people there working and watching. Along with the new jewelry they were both sporting it made planning an escape exponentially more difficult, at least before they were approached by an unexpected ally.
"It worked," he unconsciously voiced.
"You sound as if you didn't expect it to. Do you not trust Van's contact?" Lucy stayed in her prone position, the signal for all clear not yet given.
"There's no way for us to verify anything he said so yes, I was worried this was some kind of trap that might kill you."
"That's stupid. No-" Lucy cut her mate off before he got a chance to interrupt. "They may not have any regard for me but I am pregnant with an undeniably powerful male's…what did that one man say?"
"Spawn." Cristoff supplied quietly feeling his mate's amused humor.
"Ah yes, an undeniably powerful and attractive male's spawn that is most likely male as well. That, they care about, that, they see value in. I've actually been treated better than you since we've arrived and no matter how opportunistic the man could be, do you think he'd risk the lives of our coveted children just for a power surge?" Lucy felt the power on her restraints fade so opened her eyes.
"Well, you didn't have to sell your performance quite so well," he said helping Lucy up off the floor, shoulders relaxing further as he felt his magic stores starting to fill up again – another sign that their ally's plan was working. "I almost completely lost it."
"Whether performing in a famous theater or in a dirty little hole in the wall, one must never let their standards drop." Lucy sniffed lifting her chin as pretentiously as possible feeling a little giddy that soon they'd be home.
"Alright there Dame Heartfilia. What say we blow this popsicle stand?" Cristoff smirked at his mates small fit of giggles holding her close as he bathed in the smallest refraction of moonlight shining on an imperceptible crack in the seal of their container. The small part in the seam of their prison was the only reason he'd given any credence to Thaine's plans for their escape. He didn't know what the man hoped from it all but he'd be damned if he wasn't going to take his chance to get Lucy and his hatchlings to safety.
Even now he felt the influence of the moon and let its power swirl around him as he shifted blindly, following the complicated path of the reflected rays until he was sure they were safely outside. He was, however, not prepared for what was happening all around him when he paused to moon bathe a little before making another larger jump.
Lucy's eyes were wide in shock, memories of dragons filling the sky, fire raining down on Crocus, buildings crumbling, people screaming, the smell of blood and death in the air…It was something right out of her nightmares following the GMG and the Eclipse Gate. Whenever she woke from those dreams it always took her a while to remember that was not what had happened that day at all.
Slowly the images of dragons faded into Boscan gunships fighting vicious looking wyverns high above the city, Crocus became an unfamiliar cityscape but the smell of death and the haunting sounds of animalistic roars stayed the same.
"Shit," Cristoff cursed requipping his sword from his Holy Knight Armor cutting down a Pergrandian solider that had tried to attack them while they were distracted. "Lucy, honey, now is not the time to freeze up." He grunted deflecting a stray spell that almost hit her.
"Oh, right." Lucy pulled Adro's key calling the lunar dragon and donning his Stardress. The dragon scales she gained by wearing it were much better protection against any blade or spell than anything else she owned. "Let's get above the gun fire and help the ships by clearing the skies?" Lucy jumped high borrowing some dragon strength landing smoothly onto Adro's back quickly followed by her mate before the dark dragon took flight letting his body expand to his true size as the space around them opened up.
-DTRE-
"Well fuck, you think that guy lied to us?" Gajeel eyed the empty glass box knocking on its surface hearing no flaws in the material.
"After a trip in the voids?" Vander smirked. He always loved the way people like the man they'd come across earlier reacted at actually confronting the darkness they often toyed with.
"They must have been moved recently." Zen kept his eyes focused on their surroundings. It was their job to find Lucy and Cristoff and get them to safety back with his father so these labs could be eradicated but something was off. Not 3 minutes before he'd felt Lucy move to somewhere overhead but he was wary to trust his still not understood bond completely. He knew how seriously paranoid and inventive Karadin was so it could very well be some sort of trap; there was no way they should have gotten in this easily and Zen had no desire to fall into the cruel man's clutches again. As the hairs on the back of his neck stood up Zen turned around again scanning the area; he couldn't shake the feeling they were being watched.
"Boys, I don't know how but I see Lucy and Cristoff out here fighting on Adro. The Horizon is moving into position so you need to clear the area. They'll fire on your signal." Arman's voice was hard and clear over the earpieces they each wore. Because of the size of the invading forces Arman was helping Kaleb and a few select generals in executing their invasion and rescue strategies.
Zen sheathed the twin swords, a gift from Safra even if he wasn't sure she knew Vander had taken them from her skini and given them to him, relieved they were finally leaving this place. He loved the feel of the cool almost white metal in his hands, the way his magic sung while he fought with them it was like they were made for him and he would approach Safra about keeping them after they made it home.
"You heard father. Let's move out," he intoned.
"I hope the fighting's better out there than in here," Gajeel mumbled. He'd been aching to let his frustration and blood lust loose since he heard about Lucy getting kidnapped and so far he hadn't had that chance.
"No worries there handsome. If you still need help unwinding after the battle I'd be happy to help you work it out since your little mate is back in Fiore with the kiddy." Vander practically purred in Gajeel's ear as the three moved to leave.
"Aren't you promised? What'd your mates think about you whoring around?" The reproof came out a bit harsher than Black Steel had intended but Vander's offer unnerved him more than it should have.
"Who said my little fairies wouldn't be there?" Vander chuckled darkly. The brilliant thing about being intended to fairies? Their culture had no opinions on sex or physical pleasure since their bodies were physically incapable of experiencing it. It was only Safra's partial human nature and Gin's copy magic that gave them the necessary anatomy to let them enjoy sex and because of that, they assigned more value to partial joining done through a magic exchange, communication and honesty more than where pleasure of the physical nature was found and who it was shared with. That's not to say he would ever share pleasure with anyone outside of the pair without their mutual consent, it was just really fun to tease a dragon.
"Almost mated and you're still just as bad," Gajeel gruffed.
"Sire, your plan worked. I've confirmed the slayer and his mate are clear and it looks like the Boscan's are going to bomb the facility as soon as their people are clear." A man peeked out from behind the false wall as he spoke quietly into his communications lacrima.
"Good, that saves us some effort. Join me at the south entrance."
"Yes sir." Thaine made one final pass of the room before joining his king. Soon all their hard work was going to pay off.
-DTRE-
"Fuck! Fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck. Get down," Presca warned before he barreled into the fairy pair trapping them under his body as he deflected a massive wave of raw magic power slamming through the building destroying everything in its wake. He'd been teamed with the fairies to investigate and neutralize the giant lacrima their intel said was going to be used to summon an Ice God but it had only taken the energy mage a fraction of a second to realize they'd arrived too late and the fallout from activating that much power would incinerate all of them if he didn't minimize their surface area and use his magic to buffer the impact. He was powerful but even Presca had limits as to how much energy he could affect without potentially killing himself.
The ground shook as screams wailed coming from the room Presca had just left, the trio not moving overwhelmed by the sheer malevolence of the presence that had not been there a minute ago.
"This is bad. We need to warn the others," Gin announced lifting both Safra and Presca with his deceptively strong diminutive frame as he stood now that the power around them stabilized.
"And tell them about these beasties," Safra added firing light from her palms at the head of a canine looking creature as dark as the depths of a cave with eyes glowing like magma killing it before it had a chance to lunge at them. "Hell Beasts." Safra's lips curled.
Presca did a quick scan on the creature noting its life energy zeroed out before the trio left to head back out of the building so their earpieces were able to work once outside the protective fields so they could send the alarm.
-DTRE-
As the screams of his guards, senators and slaves cried out, their blood splattering his hall's walls that had just been cleaned after he'd made an example of Gristle, all Karadin could do was clench his jaw as he tried so desperately to enforce his will on the Ice God, to stop him from his rampage. The circlet he wore was not working the way it should – enslaving Hroth to be his to command. Instead the only thing it seemed to do was prevent him from joining his men in the slaughter while keeping the dark revolting creatures that appeared with the god away.
This is not how this was supposed to happen. For the first time in his life Karadin felt powerless, weak. He didn't like it at all. He is a powerful king over one of the most powerful kingdoms in Ishgar not a helpless fool so terrified in that moment he'd wet himself; the damning scent of ammonia surrounding him burned his nose as the wetness of his pants chafed against his skin.
After minutes that felt like an eternity to Karadin his hall finally fell silent. Icy white eyes kept him in place as a cruel smile chilled him to the bone.
"So the little human kingling thought to use me as a tool?" Hroth laughed darkly right in the pest's face. "I would kill you for the audacity of even thinking you could do that to me but as it is…" the God of Winter and Ice circled the tall human. It was because of his this mortal's hubris that he had his physical body again, that he could finally continue his plans at taking his favored brother Apollo's most prized creation from him and destroy it; the bastard deserved it for always getting everything good leaving him with nothing but shit.
"You're life through that circlet you wear now keeps me anchored to this plane." Hroth turned away, the call of bloodshed nearby like a siren song to his iced heart.
Before Karadin could rip the thin metal off his brow he found he couldn't move his arms. Ice he'd not felt until now trapped his numbed limbs in place as it slowly crept up to his shoulders. The deadly beautiful being turned around and smirked.
"Can't have you ruining things now can I? Oh and don't worry, that ice won't kill you. In fact its purpose is to keep you timeless. Everlasting life is what you wanted, right?"
Karadin could hear Horth's sadistic laughter fade as the thick layer of ice encased him fully. From that moment on all he knew was the cold, eyes frozen on the slaughter he unwittingly unleashed on his people unable to even breathe. All he wanted was for the world to be a better place where the strong and powerful could live and enjoy pleasure with like-minded individuals as should be there right. He wanted to unite the world and rid it of weakness. What have I done?
-DTRE-
"What the fuck are these things!" A man screamed turning his attention from the Boscan soldier in front of him to the snake like creature trying to swallow his comrade.
"Hell Beasts. It seems your king unleashed them in his bid for power." The Boscan knight grunted cutting the legs out from under a huge spider that had tried to catch him in its pincers. "Command, we need some holy knights on grid 46. Hell Beasts," he kept it short reigning in his magic as he fended off another attack.
"Whatever you do," the Boscan called out to his men, "don't use magic unless it is light based. Fire outside of celestial flames won't do anything either except make them stronger."
The Pergrandian solider heard the order then quickly relayed it to his own men not caring about his king's orders, their superiority as a people or the disgusting depravity of the invading forces on his homeland. Unlike most, he knew why they were here he just didn't understand why a single man or woman was so important the country would risk coming here to their deaths for them. It was something he'd think about later, after he got his men through this alive and then turned the beaten Boscan forces back.
-DTRE-
"What is this thing?" Erza called out across the street to Bickslow as she kept her eyes locked on the man, creature, thing, whatever it was ready for the next attack. It was male, the blood soaked erection it wielded made that fairly obvious but it had reptilian wings on its back, spikes down its spine and the outside of its legs and arms, and dense fur, stained in what she didn't want to know, that rebuffed even her sword around its neck and torso.
"Berserker like the ones we saw before on the temple job." Bickslow was trying to get to his mate but the thing kept getting between them, his babies' blasts glancing off the scale like skin doing absolutely nothing. "Those ones were the runts of Pergrandes creations."
"Yes they were," a voice cut in as a small smoke grenade went off filling the alley with a thick green haze causing the visibility in the area reduced to nil.
Erza tried not to breathe, the smoke burned her lungs, while she focused on her hearing now that she couldn't see anything. She didn't like that her mate was so far away from her in the middle of a battle but when the smoke finally cleared she felt the cold bite of fear impale her soul. There had to be a dozen or more Berserkers surrounding Bickslow and her now and they'd been having trouble with just the one. How were they going to survive this?
-DTRE-
"I don't think I can hold them back any longer!" Safra struggled to say. Right before their group made it outside so they could make their call a whole army of shade's from the voids intercepted them. Had she not thrown up a light shield as quickly as she had they all might have been dead by now. There were too many for her to destroy with True Light and Gin didn't have time or power to do the incantation to send so many back to their plane at once. That left Presca channeling Gin's power into her so she could try and push them all through the ever growing mass of gluttonous soul suckers.
"You have to. We're almost in range."
"It's no good!" The shield wavered again as she pushed harder. "If we move I lose it, if we stay we're stuck."
"What if you pulse the spell like a blast, we run the last 15-20 feet, then throw the shield up again. We can call for back up while we wait." Gin didn't like it, it was risky but they really didn't have any other options.
"I'll try. On the count of three. 3…2…"
The three mages got ready to move.
"Run!" Safra blasted a pulse through the shield, the force of it breaking functioned like an explosion pushing them forward with its force.
"In range," Presca was immediately reporting in.
"Shield back up Saf," Gin said watching horrified as the shades finally recovered and were starting to head straight for them.
"One second," Safra tried to catch her breath. The back lash of the spell was making focusing harder than she'd anticipated.
"We don't have one," Gin warned.
"Back up is on the way," Presca announced.
"They're going to be too late," Gin retorted mind in a haze after he'd tried copying Safra to try and get the protection spell cast himself but he hadn't counted on his mind scrambling like hers was currently.
"Well fuck." Presca pulled out a set of knives he'd had blessed by the immaculate light just in case he encountered a void shade while on his own. With Vander as a partner it had been a real threat when he had the knives made. His friend would often use the buggers to level a fight and sometimes they managed to wriggle away.
If he was going down by them today he was taking as many of them as he could with him.
-DTRE-
Cobra could hear them, the innocent cries of little kids terrified of the monsters that had stolen them away from their homes. He may not like this country but that didn't mean everyone here was bad, didn't even mean that the general population had the same beliefs as their King, Senators or Military. These were children, so far unspoiled by the evils of man. War zone or not he had to save them.
"I'm right behind you," Xally bit out, the body of a man dropping dead at her feet, neck broken. She may not like taking lives, she got into medicine to save them, but she wasn't just going to hide back at home while everyone she loved faced danger head on.
Cobra smiled, Xally quickly settled on his back, and ran for the small group of children being dragged away from the city.
-DTRE-
He somehow knew he was going to die this way. His father had pretty much said that exact thing when Freed had announced he was leaving home to become a mage. Things had been hard between him and his family ever since, his father publically disowning him and threatening his brothers and mother should they ever try and reach out to him.
Freed shuttered to think what his father would have said if he'd known his eldest son was also currently in love with a man on top of working as a mage…
In the end it wouldn't matter. There were too many creatures coming out of nowhere too quickly he couldn't setup an effective rune barrier to save him from their never ending onslaught. This scenario hadn't been built into anyone's plans. How could it be? Something like this had never been documented before.
Saber in hand Freed ignored the gore that soiled his clothing and dripped from his hair as he continued his battle to try and rejoin with the Boscan forces but he was getting tired. His legs faltered as he took a step back sending him to the ground harshly. The creatures didn't hesitate to surround his prone form ready to pounce and steal his life.
My only regret was not telling Kaleb that I absolutely adore him and spending as much time as possible with the man when I had the chance. Even if he eventually pushed me away I would have at least had cherished memories to take with me, were Freed's last thoughts eyes staring up into the sky focusing on the beauty of the heavens instead of the chaos surrounding him.
-DTRE-
"Creature what is your name?" A tall man said standing in the center over the single Berserker Erza and Bickslow had been fighting.
"Th-" the initial Berserker coughed, voice rough. "Thomas," he eventually ground out.
"You have a decision to make Thomas. You can continue to fight for the King and country that did this to you until you die or."
"Or?" The Berserker was on his feet now mind clearing, eyes haunted but determined.
"You join Seven in their stand against Pergrande and earn your freedom. If you live through this my people can reverse these mutations and purge your memories if that is what you choose."
"Who are you to make such promises?" Thomas eyed the other Berserkers standing calmly waiting on the side lines.
"Nuryev, King of Seven."
Bickslow watched with baited breathe not sure how anything here would play out. Seven and Bosco weren't on the greatest of terms but recently things had gotten better and Pergrande seemed to be a common enemy. What he couldn't understand was why King Nuryev was in Pregrande currently and what this meant for the Boscan forces even now fighting all around them.
"You can turn me back? Take all the memories away after these bastards killed my wife and daughter?"
"I can and have." King Nuryev stood with confidence. So far his plan was working. Most of Pergrande's Berserkers now answered to him and they were just going around catching the stragglers that he hadn't gotten the chance to already dose.
"Tell me who to kill," Thomas said mouth pursed in a grim line.
"Thaine, remove his collar," Nuryev ordered before turning to address the on-looking pair. "I hope this unspoken alliance leads to future peace between our countries," was all he said before turning and moving on with his motley group of followers.
"Ummm," Bickslow tried to process what the hell just happened.
"We should report in," the ever faithful Erza announced brushing aside the oddity of the situation like normal in favor of completing her assigned duty.
-DTRE-
Freed closed his eyes as a blinding white light encompassed his entire being but it did very little to shield his eyes such was its intensity. It was over in a flash and the darkness of the night provided much needed relief for his aching eyes.
Was that it? Am I dead? He mused keeping his eyes firmly shut not ready to face his new reality quite yet.
Not ever if I can help it. The rumbling voice in his head had tears burning his now opened eyes as he tried to locate the one person he wanted, no needed to see but the sun spots left him blind. It seemed impossible Kaleb would be here, come just in time to save his pitiful life when he should be on board The Interceptor but he know he heard correctly.
Kaleb carefully lifted the smaller male in his arms ignoring the indulgent smile from Thane who'd teleported him here just in the nick of time as he focused on how wonderful Freed's slight frame fit against his solidly still alive and breathing.
When Kaleb had heard this man's final thoughts everything finally made sense. Freed's reluctance had been him trying to save himself from what he saw as inevitable heartbreak between them because of his own insecurities.
I'm never letting you go Freed. You understand that now right? He thought before nodding to Thane to take them both back to the ship. The battle was well in hand so there was no reason he couldn't make that promise very literal right now.
Freed shivered against the larger man's chest, clutching at the white leather with all his strength. I'm going to hold you to that, he thought before the world shifted and he found himself back on the airship he came in on. There would be no denying his feelings now or ever again.
-DTRE-
"Solar Dragon Roar!" Gin, Presca and Safra heard as white blinding flames cut down the first line of shades that had almost reached them cutting off the rest from their view. "Solar Flare!" was then yelled followed by massive magic circles bringing forth another torrent fire so hot even from their current distance it had them sweating.
Safra, mind finally cleared watched as a woman with wild blonde hair brushing her wide flared hips walked out of the flames, the pavement under her bare feet turning red hot and smoking with each step, a brilliant smile curling her red painted lips. The fairy knew this person and she had never been more thankful to see her soon to be sister.
"Someone call for reinforcements?" she smirked looking down at the group all a little worse for wear.
Presca had his weapons put away in a flash as he crossed the remaining distance between them before his mouth was sealed over Emzadi's, her brilliant yellow orange eyes lit in amusement before closing as her own arms snaked around the energy mage.
"Had I known this was all I needed to do to get into those tight pants of yours I'd have done it sooner." The solar dragon slayer smirked wickedly when Presca finally pulled away.
"Who said anything about getting in my pants? That was just thank you for saving my ass," Presca shook his head as he turned away. Boscan or not he was not about to have sex with his best friend's sister, not that either of them would care. Presca knew he would find it incredibly awkward sharing pleasure with her when there was no possible future with her and there wasn't. She'd know by now if he was her mate.
"And a very nice ass it is," Emzadi purred smacking it before he was too far away. She'd been trying to seduce this man for years now and this was the most ground she'd been able to cover so far.
"War zone? God of Winter summoned? Death and destruction ringing any bells?" Presca rolled his eyes not at all surprised, she was just as bad as Vander some times which was another reason he wouldn't go there. Emizadi would no doubt crow about her success to her brother and then Vander would once again try to get at him again, probably arrange a full moon near Cristoff with them and his finances locked in a room for the night just to get even with his sister.
Emzadi laughed as she caught up with the now moving group. "Come now. Cristoff and Lucy are safe kicking some serious ass themselves with all her dragons out to play and we've got the rest of Karadin's forces that escaped the initial attack on the run," she cheered before her laughter choked.
An overwhelming magical pressure sent the small group to their knees, a light frost immediately coated their surroundings.
"Shit!" Emzadi cursed as she saw right before her eyes a massive humanoid figure all white and sharp angles materialize right before her eyes. "This is not good."
-DTRE-
"Iggy!" Lucy called her fox spirit as she held onto one of Erveni's horns in a desperate plea to try and free the Plant based dragon from the clutches of a giant that looked like it was made completely of ice.
Erveni, not one prone to violence herself, had taken Lucy high above the fighting to keep her safe as her siblings fought alongside the airships to keep the skies clear of enemies.
Lucy'd been using her vantage point and Erveni's keen eyesight to feed Kaleb tactical information of the entire battle until out of nowhere this monster grabbed them right out of the air. The young dragoness's cried in pain as frost continued to spread from the icy claws trying to breach her scaled hide.
A swirl of green fire answered her call and small jets of concentrated flames shot out immediately at the hand imprisoning the pale green dragon. His wash of bright orange hair easy to spot as he jumped around looking for potential weak spots.
The giant shrieked in pain when the green flames hit the base of its hand, pulling its claws back instinctively allowing Erveni enough space to break away flying higher and out of reach.
"Where did that come from?" her question fell on deaf ears, eyes wide seeing a total of eight of those ice monsters in the city all of a sudden. They were like the demon Deliora but with bodies of jagged white crystal. They seemed to attack everything in their paths heedless of what was before them.
"Lucy!" Cristoff called appearing right by her side immediately looking over her body.
"I'm fine. Erveni shielded me from that, that thing."
"Frost Giants. We came across them in Iceberg but those ones were always alone." Cristoff kneeled hands lit as he tried to relieve some pain from his dragoness sibling's side.
"Thank you brother," Erveni sighed in relief as her frozen muscles became pliable once again. "They are typically solitary creatures and stay in lands conducive to their nature. I don't think we can defeat that many on our own." She circled the warzone again concern for her siblings each trying their best to fight off the Frost Giants but Beddrenys, whose element was fire, seemed to be the only one fairing ok.
-DTRE-
The airship lurched to the side unable to maneuver away from the towering monster that literally manifested right before their eyes. Warning alarms blared as the crew scrambled back on their feet to their stations.
"Ceren put some distance between us. Damage report, someone!" Arman ordered over the noise acting as captain after seeing the actual captain unconscious and bleeding on the floor. "Someone get medical here quickly."
"Engine 3 is down and the aft stabilizer is shot."
"We're limping without that engine sir."
"Captain we lost Fray and Domnio when the hull was breached."
"The shields didn't hold?"
"No sir," was the grave response.
"Ceren we really need to get out of here before it catches us again. We really can't afford another hit."
"I'll try my best sir!"
The crew clamored around the gunship helping the injured, making what repairs they could while in the air as finally the ship gained enough altitude the giant's next blow only glanced their hull.
"We'll be rolling, hold on!" Ceren, the main pilot, warned before sending the ship into an acrobatic maneuver to help lighten the blow and diminish damage to his ship.
Arman's stomach flipped as he clung to the rail as the ship corkscrewed away to safety. Without all of their stabilizers working the artificial gravitational field couldn't quite keep everyone on the ground which made for quite a few swears being shouted out across the ship as the few unfortunate who lost their grip landed hard when their flight path leveled out. The Pradesh patriarch prayed that his children were all safe.
Father? Are you ok? Dad? Arman heard Kaleb's worried voice.
Alive and well. Have you checked on the others? Do we know what those things are? Arman's eyes were focused on the exterior monitors watching as the four young dragons tried to corral eight of those giant creatures together all by themselves. It wasn't looking good.
So far. Lucy had a close call but she's safe now.
Maybe not for long, Arman warned as the very sky opened up.
Until about 20 minutes ago their plans had gone smoothly, more so since so far their ground forces had not come upon any of the Berserkers they'd all been the most worried about. The civilian evacuation was going well and many of the prisoner holds on the airships were being filled up by Pergrandian soldiers who laid down their arms at Bosco's superior force rather than die.
Then the reports of hell beasts, loose shades and a variety of unknown creatures started popping up drawing their attention away from their goal. Fortunately these interlopers were apparently attacking both sides preventing Pergrandian forces from recovering while they were distractedly fighting them off as well. It did have Bosco's advance slowed but they were still prevailing…until these giant creatures showed up.
What next? Kaleb asked turning his attention outside and gulped. There was no mistaking what those large reptilian heads belonged to. The only question was where they friend or foe?
-DTRE-
"Gyzor please tell me those are friends of yours," Laxus shot another massive lightning bolt at the Frost Giant's knee in an effort to limit its mobility.
"I see mama!" the not so little lighting dragon shot off toward a massive female easily 4 times her size without warning.
"Shit give me a warning next time," Laxus chided barely finding his footing in time before he'd been thrown.
"Sorry," Gyzor whined softly but didn't stop from settling on her mother's back and nuzzling her neck.
Laxus couldn't help but snort and settle in as they waited. Had his mother still been alive and suddenly showed up as well he'd of probably done the same thing.
Nurem rumbled as almost all her young ones gathered to her side while all the remaining dragons that survived Arcnologia came through the portal her mate Draco opened before following them through, near invisible in the sky so late at night.
"I see Beddrenys is as willful as ever," she said as she watched her little firecracker continue fighting instead of letting the adults take over."
"He's an idiot," Chymmai her oldest son quipped.
"And he's got our destructive idiot with him." Gajeel added from his back.
-DTRE-
"Why do the adults always got to ruin my fun," the young fire dragon whined as he put some distance from his opponent to ready a fire roar.
"I'm all fired up. With them all gone we can really let lose!" Natsu cheered from his back a wild smile on his face as flames flickered around his body.
"Right! Let's show them we got this ourselves." Beddrenys roared unleashing his unwieldly element. Natsu not to be out done jumped into the flames using their force to propel him like missile straight at their opponent.
"Fire Dragon's Sword Horn," he shouted his head ramming into the ice neck shattering it and effectively decapitating one of the giants.
Beddrenys spend up a little catching his new friend before he could fall to the ground.
"That was one, seven more to go." Natsu said eyes swirling from the impact, the giant's ice proving to be a little bit harder that he'd anticipated.
-DTRE-
Draco roared in pride seeing the way his boy defeated the frost giant with one of the dragon slayers. "What are we waiting for or are you going to let my son show you all up." His fangy grin was the last thing the rest of the dragons saw before he shot down to join the battle.
Nurem rolled her eyes. "Children I want each of you with one of us down there, understood?"
"We've got solar, sky, poison, shadow and light dragon slayers grounded down there too so if any of you are so inclined for a human partner…" Lucy suggested to the dragons still riding safely on the back of Erveni.
"Grandance's girl is mine," a brilliantly purple colored dragon broke off into a dive laughing wildly.
"I don't want Skiadrum or Wesslogia's brats," another dragon shot after the first followed shortly by the rest of the group.
"We finally get to fight together son," Nurem said as a familiar presence replaced that of her daughter on her back.
"Like I'd miss this." Cristoff grinned wolfishly.
-DTRE-
The men on the ground paused as they watched the mass group of dragons literally tear each of the ice monsters apart like tissue paper.
"Fuck Bosco's got dragons?"
"Like it's doing them any good. More of those monsters just keep appearin-" the man was cut off blood gurgling up his esophagus.
"Msirdre?" the other man looked to his side eyes bugged at the tall pale man whose hand was currently buried in his compatriot's neck.
"Have I really been gone for so long you humans don't even remember my creations?" Hroth sighed. "Disappointing really. I will never understand what he sees in such stupid parasites." Another flick of his wrist the ice god separated the other man's head from his body and his other hand freed from the other's flesh.
Slowly Hroth licked the bright red fluid dripping down his arm savoring the metallic tang.
"I will agree those two were worthless parasites but you'll find not all of us are the same." A deep voice caught the immortal's attention. Turning his head he saw a fairly fearsome looking mortal, wings dark as night wielding his brother's blades, the same blades that had cut down his first body.
"Your first mistake was arming yourself with those blades. Your second was thinking yourself above any of the other mortal trash." Hroth spread his arms ripping open the pathways to the voids and hell to free another wave of the eternally hungry shades and hell beasts. "You'll die for your gumption."
"Not by those," Vander cut in black staff in hand. The shades immediately turned on the soulless creatures as both tried tearing the other down. The shrieking wails died abruptly as Vander sent the whole lot to the voids.
Hroth had not expected to see a shadow master still in existence with all he'd down to offset the control in their magic to claim their servants as his own before Apollo managed to send him from Earthland. His grin turned malicious.
"It seems I wasn't as thorough in destroying the balance in your magic as I thought. Something I'll have to correct once I'm done here."
"You won't get the chance," Kaleb cut in following his magic's call to join his brother's to stand against their greatest foe.
"You will be the first to die Nephew mine." Hroth lashed out bringing his frigid cutting winds to bare all good humor lost feeling his brother's magic flowing through the most recent arrival.
Zen's wings sharpened to hardened points his magic imbuing each feather as he moved to intercept the troublesome god.
-DTRE-
"Gin we need to help them," Safra struggled against the other fairy's superior strength trying to go help her fiancé, brother and their adopted brother.
"No Safra, they are fine. Your lack of fighting experience will only put them in more danger." It hurt Gin to say it but it was true. He wanted nothing more than to join them to send Hroth back from where he came but he had enough experience to see how seemless the three worked together dancing circles around Hroth. He'd only get in the way too.
"I can't just do nothing!"
"Why do nothing daughter," a new tenor voice rang clearly through the chaos.
"Apollo," Safra froze recognizing the way the world around them heated just as much as the voice.
"You have all you need to cut Hroth off from his greatest resource right on your back child."
"If you're here why don't you help?" Gin's voice cracked in frustration. "He's one of you."
"Earthland could not survive my interference once again. Iceberg's climate used to be similar to Pergrande's before I stopped Hroth the first time. If I were to step in again the backlash would cause an ice age killing all those I tried protecting." For the second time in her life Safra saw a softness behind the usual indifferent look of the Sun God before for her.
"Make me proud." Apollo kissed her brow before leaving them once again.
Gin watched as Safra's too large eyes rolled back into her head, body glowing and shaking from whatever Apollo transferred to her in the brief moment they touched.
"Safra! Safra!" Gin called frustrated beyond belief.
-DTRE-
"Everyone we kill two more fucking show up," Cobra seethed completely done with this shit. He was tired after reversing all the poison in those kids only to be scooped up by massive talons then tossed unceremoniously on a dragon's back leaving his mate alone to protect the children as he fought his worst nightmare. The magnitude of the cold these bastards put off made his body hurt being so close.
"Quick complaining kid. You're acting like the spoiled bitch whose soul you got in there." The dragon snarked just as angry as the little slayer on his back.
"Thought you said you were friends," Cobra responded before sending another shockwave at just the right frequency to shatter the bastard to useless crystals.
"Doesn't mean she wasn't a right bitch when she had to get her hands dirty. Preferred her every whim catered to by the males looking for her to birth clutches for them."
"Figures." Cobra rolled his eyes. It explained exactly how Tink managed to get claimed as kin - she just bought her way into his dragon soul's good graces with treats and spa treatments.
"It was always safer to keep her out of a fight because she'd get vindictive as hell if her peace was ruined. Managed to make Arcnologia sterile for life before that bastard got her in the end."
"Can't we at least fight nearer to the idiots or Emzadi where it's warmer?" Cobra asked mood vastly improved as the soul in him purred at the memory.
-DTRE-
"You're sure? I didn't like whatever he did to you."
"I have to be," Safra narrowed her eyes to focus. She wasn't the greatest with a physical bow, had only grabbed it to have some sort of protection if she ran out of magic, and firing four arrows at the same time was another thing all together.
Exhaling Safra let the arrows fly.
-DTRE-
How exactly are we supposed to kill an immortal god? Vander asked as he once again cut through the man's flesh only for it to knit back up immediately not even a drop of blood to show he'd been wounded at all.
There must be a trick to it. His healing is slower when I catch him with my blades," Zen added right before four arrows had him ducking to avoid being hit.
"Sorry!" the three brothers turn to see Safra's hand waving frantically.
"You really need to teach Saf how to use a bow," Kaleb said having narrowly avoided being hit as well.
Vander rolled his eyes. The same could be said for Kaleb, he was her "brother" because of Apollo after all.
"You wretch!" Hroth yelled sending a blade of pure ice right at her as he felt the greater part of his creation magic just gone, sealed away when the arrows boxed him in meaning until he killed her he wouldn't be able to call any more wraiths or frost giants.
"Safra!" Vander dropped into the shadows leaving the fight for his fiancés that were both in danger of being impaled.
Zen and Kaleb unleashed more of their light magic driving Hroth back.
"Eep!" Safra squeaked as the ground suddenly yanked both her and Gin down as the massive sword narrowly missed them.
"NOOO!" Hroth shrieked his body doubling over but instead of looking at the brothers he'd been fighting his eyes were focused on something in the distance before he was just… gone.
-DTRE-
Cristoff's hands shook as the final frost giant fell and no others appeared.
"We did it," he said disbelievingly.
"Not quite little one. We still have the lingering hell beasts and shades to deal with." Nurem landed reluctantly shifting into her humanoid form, something she hated doing, so she could maneuver around better in the human city to help hunt at ground level.
A painful unearthly scream captured all the dragons' and slayers' attention in time to see a sudden flash of light then silence.
Another tormented wordless wail cut through the deafening silence.
"What?" Wendy asked when that too ended pushing her bangs back. None of them had any answers.
-DTRE-
General Tennison broke ranks from his contingent of Holy Knights his path uninterrupted as he closed in on the Royal Reception Hall, the building Presca and Vander's fiancés said they'd last seen Karadin. It didn't make sense to him that a man like Pergrande's king wouldn't want to watch his triumph against his enemies he'd unleased an immortal god on. What could possibly keep a man like that from gloating?
The question drove him on in need to see for himself where this scum of a ruler was hiding. All of his careful planning, Bosco's success in ridding the world of the poisonous influence he'd been raised in dedication to eliminate was all coming undone because he hadn't acted fast enough.
A single day sooner and Pergrande's terrorizing regime who have been brought to their knees!
Smoothly he followed the halls of lifeless bodies deeper and deeper until he came to an open room covered in blood, gore and limbs scattered around mutilated bodies. Tennison moved to the pristine center where what looked like his prey stood frozen in glass.
Carefully he reached out his gauntleted hand smoothing over the freezing surface, magic reaching out and finding Karadin's mind still alive.
"Oh well now this is interesting." His voice echoed in the room. Stepping back the middle-aged warrior circled his enemy. "It seems like you finally bit off more than you could chew. Really though, with your plans against my home, you'd have soon found Bosco just as easily difficult to swallow. It's almost a shame it was your own plan that backfired on you and not our steel alone that brought you down.
"Years you've threatened what is mine. Stood in the shadows manipulating people and things to spread your infection. I think it is only fitting it is by my hand your tyranny comes to an end."
In one swift turn Tennison's sword arched out gleaming white cutting through ice and bone like butter parting the once king right down his center.
"Long live the king," he sneered into the silence; his magic no longer able to touch the now dead mind of his enemy.
Karadin is dead, he mentally reached out to Kaleb through the mental link that had been forced on him as a wat to "keep an eye on him" during the battle. He didn't care. He loved his country in the only way he was capable of and he would never let it fall to foreign dictators.
As he turned away to go back to his men and fight to his very last something hit his back, cold, dark, and invaded him completely. His knees his the floor hard, metal clanking noisily as he hit the ground, body slumped as the burning cold ripped into his soul.
So this is how it ends.
Unearthly screams tore through his throat echoing out through the silent courtyard. Kaleb fell to his knees swiftly cutting off the metal link and the overwhelming pain that came from being consumed by a shade from the voids.
As Vander's brother this wasn't the first time he'd been mentally linked in some way to a shade's victim though this one had come as a surprise. The coincidence of Karadin's death and Hroth's sudden anger and disappearance happening at the same time, however, didn't escape the mindbender. It was very likely General Tennison saved them all in the end.
-End of Chapter-
Voila! Just a few things to tie up, some fluff epilogues to write and I will have finally finished the first story I ever started!
Thank you all once again for hanging in there with me, for your wonderful comments, favorites and follows. It's been quite the ride.
Much Love, Blas
