Author's note: I do not own Dragon Quest IV

Battle For Glory

Chapter 10: Zenithian Sword

The trip only took a few hours overall from the time they left Riverton to reach the village in the desert beyond the mountains. Bringing it down to land, Taloon tied it off at a few trees that were growing along the edges of the town. "So this is where that sword is? The one I've been searching for all my life…"

Airlia nodded. "Yes, this is where the last piece of equipment lay that belongs to Alistair… the Zenithian Sword."

The group went inside the town to see a giant tree looming ahead with an entryway carved into the tree, leading up towards the upper branches. As they looked around, they saw a young child standing near the tree, staring upwards. Ragnar walked over to him. "What's the matter lad?"

The boy looked up at the soldier before turning back to the tree and pointing up. "Someone's trapped up there… I've been hearing someone cry for help… and no one believes me."

Ragnar looked back to Airlia who nodded before he turned back to the lad. "We'll help that person up there. I promise. We're just going to check in on our equipment first, then we'll go to climb the tree and get that person out of there."

He smiled up at the soldier, "Thank you. It's too dangerous up there… for anyone really from our town. Too many monsters."

Psaro nodded, "I can possibly help with that. I want Airlia and Rose to be at the center of our clustering group to ensure they're safe. I'm not about to have the young woman who risked her life to save my love get injured or killed."

Taloon nodded with a smile as he came over with several parcels. "Aye, that's why I got stuff from the equipment shop. Shields for our shield users, flowing dresses for Borya, Airlia, Meena and Maya." He passed out the equipment as the four new holders of flowing dresses went inside the inn to change into the new wardrobe.

Once they were done, the group stepped out of the inn to rejoin the others as Alistair felt his breath catch seeing Airlia in the aqua blue gown that seemed to fit her perfectly, conforming to her form with a sea foam like hem along the bottom of the dress. Gulping, he stepped closer to her. "So are you all ready?"

She blushed as her silver eyes averted away from him. The green haired man gently brushed a lock of hair from her face with a small smile. "We'll keep you safe Airlia, and Rose of course. Let's start the climb…"

Going inside the tree, Airlia was surprised by how large it actually was. The ceilings were about ten feet tall as they walked around in the giant tree. "So this is the World Tree… it's beautiful…" She allowed her hand to touch one of the carved walls.

Everyone looked around in splendid wonder until they came up to the second stairs. Psaro blinked as he saw monsters fighting one another, and he couldn't understand why it was happening. A green dragon overpowered another as he raced between them to block it with his sword. "What is the matter with you all?!"

The green dragon gave a sinister smirk as Airlia screamed, "No! Psaro watch out! He's following Aamon!"

The dragon flared out his breath as Meena flicked out a wrist calling forth, "Insulate!" Red and blue barriers surrounded everyone, shielding Psaro from the flames as the dragon growled darkly.

"You betrayed monsterkind by joining with the humans! You will suffer!" The dragon roared as Alistair came over, sword in hand and lopped off the dragon's head.

"I don't think so. He hasn't done anything wrong beyond trying to help save your kind, my kind and his love. It'll be a cold day in hell before I allow you to hurt him." The green haired swordsman spat before he turned to Psaro, "You alright? I didn't want to kill him… but I'm not going to let him kill you. That'd hurt Rose too much."

The silver haired elf frowned, "Not particularly. But I'm not wounded. Thank you… I just feel weird that now they consider me their enemy… They were my allies in battle."

"You still are our friend Psaro." The other green dragon said as he stood. "We understood you wanted to protect us. To protect the woman you loved. Many of us will stand behind you and help you to defeat Aamon. I've got contacts, friends within Nadiria. They said it looks like he's heading there. The only way there, though, is through Zenithia."

Psaro nodded, "Thank you my friend. Come with us, let's figure out who is still on my side, because I hear further battles ahead."

The green dragon looked squarely at Airlia, "You my dear are in the biggest danger there is. You saved the chosen one… you saved his whole village. You saved Psaro's love… and thus him as well. Aamon put a mighty bounty on your head, so be careful."

Ragnar frowned and stepped close to Airlia. "We will keep her safe. She gave everything to try and help us all. I'll be damned if I don't do the same for her."

Alena nodded, "Her actions saved my people. I will fight to keep her safe too. We all will."

The green dragon gave a strange smile. "I will help protect them as well. Rose helped to bring Psaro joy, and I will not have that dimmed or extinguished. Let's go. I have a few of my friends protecting a young woman who fell from the sky and landed in the tree. I know that Aamon's monsters want her dead, and if he wants her dead then I want her to live."

Kyril frowned in thought. "What a contradiction. I'm grateful, but it's just odd to think about because of everything else that has gone on thus far."

Psaro nodded, "Agreed Kyril. It's a contradiction, but at least we're moving onwards and upwards. Time's wasting away, we should move now."

Slowly, they cautiously moved about the tree as bodies of fallen monsters laid in droves. Psaro felt his heart growing heavy with grief as he looked from kin to kin. "How terrible… Damn it all!" He roared in his pain as they continued up the stairs to the following floor, coming out to a bunch of branches and thick leaves.

Airlia bent over to pick up one. "Everyone should take one… These can revive the fallen… We might be able to help those monsters down below and ourselves. But don't be too greedy. It's not natural."

Psaro nodded as he took a handful of leaves. "We'll figure out the ones who were on our side and revive them. But for now, let's go up further… We need to find the one who needs our help."

Ragnar nodded as they all gathered leaves from the tree and stuffed them into their bags. They followed the path along the sturdy branches until one reached upwards to the top of the very tree. Looking around, he saw the battle on the other side of the tree as he carefully followed the interlacing sturdy branches over to the battle and drew his sword. "Come on and fight me you assholes. Fight a real man and not those who seek peace by protecting those around them."

Two green dragons growled and turned on him. "So you think you're that good eh human? Time to kill you to appease Lord Aamon!"

Meena flicked out her wrist again, "Insulate!" To wash over the group and the helping monsters resistance from their flames and from ice. Torneko stayed close to the ladies while Alistair and Psaro lunged into the fight to take on the dragons as well. Kyril stayed near to help Torneko as Borya focused his magic to help give the dragons a bad freezer burn.

Maya focused her own magic to burn the dragons by becoming one. "Bedragon!"

She lashed out with her tail at the two beasts who blew fiery breath at them as Airlia pushed Rose and Torneko out of the way, "Move! Hurry!"

Torneko nodded as he gently grabbed the elf's hand and fled towards the good dragon who was already on their side to keep Rose safe. "What in the hell is going on here?! This is insanity with monster fighting monster… like a brother fighting his own brother!"

The good green dragon nodded. "It truly is. We coexisted for so long before all of this began… but many have forgotten this lesson."

Before long the two monsters were dead and the injured good monsters were being tended to by the main healers of the group. Once they were done, the group walked past to see a woman with long blond hair in a strange white robe with a purple undershirt. She stood uneasily, trying to brace herself. "I'm Orifela from Zenithia. I was flying and something hit me… broke my wing. I have to get back there to get my wing tended to. As two green dragons flew to attack me, all of these monsters came to my aid… What is going on here?"

Alistair frowned, "We helped save a woman named Rose… it helped Psaro to see not all humans are bad… and now we're going after Aamon who tried to orchestrate Rose's death so that humans and monsters can get along once more. Not every monster is aligned with Psaro obviously given those two. However, there are enough that are good that just want to be left alone. So now we have to go to Zenithia to get down to Nadiria."

She nodded, "Then you'll need this blade. The Zenithian Sword." She held out a pearlescent sword with a gleaming silvery blade and an emerald green dragon head holding a red gem in it's mouth on the hilt.

The green haired man nodded, accepting the sword and replaced his own blade, handing it to Torneko to hold onto until they could sell it. Having the merchant in their fold had it's major advantages, he was always able to help them get their necessities during the travels, always keeping them ahead of the fold. He spoke after finishing setting up his new weapon. "So you're a Zenithian?"

She nodded, "Right, and unfortunately my wing is broken, so I can't fly back. My only hope is to climb the tower, but it's far away and unreachable for me by land."

Alistair nodded, "We're trying to get there. We have means of flying, so perhaps you can help us find the way up and we'll take care of the rest of it?"

Orifela looked at him, "You will need to wield your new sword and wear each piece of armor to ensure that we can get into the tower. Only the armor bearer can open the gates."

Psaro frowned, "I can't go to Zenithia… Not after all I've done." He looked away.

Airlia turned to him, "You changed Psaro, I'm sure that the Master Dragon will be okay with you being in his castle. You're no longer out to hurt people."

The silver haired elf looked at the group, "Are you so sure though Airlia? That I could be allowed inside? My title… it was Psaro the Manslayer…"

Alistair turned to him, "I'm sure because you helped Airlia when she was badly hurt down in that crypt. Please Psaro, stay close to us and you'll be okay."

Orifela nodded, "They're right. You tried to help us, and help those who helped me. Let's go below and restore those who died that were trying to help us."

Psaro nodded with a small smile, "Thank you everyone… I appreciate it… more than I can express."

Meena smiled, "No big deal Psaro. That's what friends do and what friends are. We help each other and we'll help those who helped us."