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

Battle For Glory

Chapter 14: On Route To Nadiria

After reassuring Airlia that she would be fine, that things would work out, they proceeded back to the group as she led the way up towards the giant castle's throne room. Going inside, they found the large set of stairs and went up them to find the Dragon God standing before them, looking at them.

"Welcome home Alistair and Airlia!" The giant dragon's voice called out loudly to them. "I am impressed by all that you both have done. Somehow our young Zenithian child has returned to us without her wings. Sadly, I cannot make them grow back because of how they were forcibly removed. Had they only been stymied in the world of no magic, I might have been able to fix it. But I digress. You both have found your way here… you both found your way home to us. You have helped to prevent much needless death and destruction. For that, I thank you. You have also brought over Lord Psaro the Manslayer to see what has happened in the world because of the hatred. Well done!"

Airlia gulped softly as she approached the dragon, whose skin was gold and he was as large as the throne room. "Forgive me Dragon God, but I've seen this place so many times from the pixilation of a game screen and my mind when I slept tried to fill in what pixels can't… but you're incredible. Wow…" She reached out a tentative hand to touch the leathery skin and smiled. "It's even more incredible than I could have ever imagined it to be. Wow…" She breathed.

He grinned before speaking, "Think nothing of it child. Your fascination is astonishing and endearing." The Dragon God turned to Alistair and beckoned him forward, "Now as for your equipment, hold out the Zenithian Equipment. I know our beloved Goddess has blessed you with much, but I can try to strengthen your homeland equipment further to ensure your safety." Alistair nodded as he laid out each of the equipment on the ground. Once it was done, a bright light emanated from the dragon and it flew into the equipment before him. "It is done. Now let me see… ah there are abilities within you both that I will unlock. My dear little one… you were destined to be a master healer of Zenithia it seems… I bestow onto you the spells of healing… and spells of ensuring monsters and the ground itself cannot harm you all." A bright light flowed into the Zenithian girl who groaned and sank to her knees as knowledge flooded her mind. He turned to Alistair, "You have unlocked much dear boy, now I will bequeath unto you the last spells you will need to help bring down Aamon. Bring him down swiftly so that he cannot harm Rose nor Airlia ever again."

Psaro looked at the Dragon God, "Can Rose stay here… stay by your side so that she is in no danger? I know that he sent Airlia away from our world, but surely he would have a harder time of it being in your presence."

The dragon nodded, "Of course she may stay here and in this chamber for her safety Lord Psaro. I would dream of nothing else to ensure that she remains safe since Airlia was obviously so willing to die to protect her."

Rose smiled with a nod, "Thank you Dragon God." She turned to hug her lover… her husband. "Psaro come back to me. Okay? Bring her back with you please."

Psaro nodded with a tight hug of his lover. "I will do my best to ensure she remains as safe as anything you could ever imagine my darling. We will be back before long." He kissed her softly and whispered against her lips, "Be sure to take care of yourself in the event that our consummation of our marriage – and know that I cannot wait my darling until we have our own child to raise."

She nodded, "Of course my darling. I love you so my Psaro." She reluctantly left his arms to stand near the Dragon God for her protection.

The silver haired elf nodded, "And I love you my beloved Rose. My flower…" Alistair looked at him with a nod. He would do everything in his power to ensure that they all came back home alive and well, together.

However, before anyone could move, dark energy seemed to rise from the earth itself, striking at Zenithia. Everyone scrambled to hold onto something as Alistair pulled Airlia close to him while Psaro held Rose. Ragnar was steading the Mahabala twins while Kyril was holding Borya and Alena. Torneko was holding himself upright with the aid of his sword and the rail behind him. Once the dark energy was gone, everyone looked around to gauge the damage done to them. A guard came rushing up, "Dragon God, the dark energy tore a hole in the cloud leading down to the stairway to Nadiria!"

"What?!" The dragon roared in anger. "Tell no one to go near it. We will have to figure a way down for Alistair and his group who are seeking to chase Aamon, and it's clear he might be holding himself up in there."

The soldier nodded, "Right away Dragon God! I can try to see if our magicians can make a cloud to hold them all with their wagon to go down – which we stocked with plenty of world leaves and world dew. May it prove invaluable to your battle my friends." He turned to leave.

Alistair nodded as he turned to the Dragon God, "Thank you kindly for all of your aid. We should go before he tries to come after you again." He turned to escort Airlia and the others away.

The Dragon God smiled, "Be careful. Keep one another safe. There should be a cloud that will take you down to the stairway."

Psaro nodded, "But we have to keep on our toes. The stairway is a maze to keep humans out... No offense Alistair, Airlia... Everyone."

Ragnar shook his head, "Ach it's no problem lad. You didn't expect that humans would be helpful to you rather than dangerous. It only makes sense."

Alistair nodded as they slowly made their way to the wagon. "Right, you had no way of knowing my friend. It's perfectly alright."

Once at the wagon, everyone boarded the wagon as Alistair guided it to the awaiting cloud that had been broken away from the giant cloud that held Zenithia. Everyone held their breath as it slowly descended down to a mountain enclosed pit that descended into the very earth itself. Alistair, Airlia and Psaro sat on the front board where the mare's reigns were as they proceeded in towards the sloping pit.

Psaro looked around, "Right, we are going to go in two circles essentially to get towards where we need to go."

Alistair nodded as he guided the horse along, seeing what Psaro meant even as the darkening tunnel curled around passed the first entranceway. Once it came to the second, he directed them inside. Airlia shivered uneasily, "Why do I have the feeling we're being watched… It scares me…"

Psaro nodded, "I've been having that feeling since we came here. Everyone, be careful. I don't know what's in the tunnel down here now. We might have friends, we might have enemies…"

Slowly, cautiously they rounded the first corner and started heading south. They went around the corner as they found a poisonous bog. Airlia held up her hand as she focused on her new magic. "Safe Passage." A white light enveloped the group and the wagon as they started approaching the poisonous bog.

Airlia shivered uneasily as she looked around at the dimly lit passage as they rounded another corner – heading towards the back wall. Turning the corner, they found their way to the ramp leading upwards. Coming out, they found an open area as they slowly navigated, following Psaro's directions, they went south and around the giant pools of water. They saw a strange, purple dragon standing in their path though, looking angry. Psaro got off the wagon and approach the dragon carefully. "Rashaverak?"

The dragon nodded, "Yes. Why do you side with the humans? With the Zenithian?" His voice was gruff, angry.

Psaro shook his head, "Because Airlia helped to save Rose of her own volition. Because Aamon chose to try and kill Rose of his own will and Airlia nearly gave her life to try and protect her. She only just found out she was a Zenithian. So now I'm going to put Aamon in the ground and monsterkind will be able to live in peace with the humans. No more death when they go and speak to the other humans about hurting our kind."

Rashaverak frowned, "Aamon tried to have Rose killed? You're very lucky anyone tried to stop it."

The silver haired elf nodded, "Right, and that's why he needs to die. He was counting on her dying… my losing my mind and being killed by Alistair after evolving unnaturally. It was all what he wanted… So now… now I'm going to kill him."

The dragon nodded again. "Very well, I'm going to help you. I'm heading on ahead to tell the others to knock their barriers down and we will all go after Aamon. There will be no escape for him."

Psaro smiled. "Thank you Rashaverak. We will see you soon. The walk will do us good… give us a chance to plan how best to take down Aamon."

He bowed before vanishing. Psaro turned to the others with a nasty smile. "At least… at least we will be able to put him in the ground and have the aid of those who just wanted to just live in peace. We're nearing the end of this tunnel though. Soon we'll come to the end of the tunnel and then the great hunt begins."

The others nodded as he rejoined the wagon as they rounded their way around the pools of water and down the slope going to the next floor. They passed through an empty room and down another ramp to the floor below. The next floor held a giant lake with a raft as they loaded the wagon onto it. Airlia started steering the raft towards the other isle.

Torneko looked at the other isle as it approached. "This is incredible Alistair. I've gotten to see the liquid metal armor… the liquid metal sword… the Zenithian equipment… Zenithia itself… now we're going down to Nadiria… it's like a strange dream."

The green haired man chuckled. "But it's reality Torneko. You've helped us to manage our supplies, to be equipped to the best of our abilities. It's absolutely amazing – I don't know what we could have done without you my friend."

The merchant blushed brightly at the kind words. "Thank you kindly Alistair. I will do my best to help you in battle."

Meena grinned with a nod, "We all will do our best in battle."

Airlia smiled as she continued to move the raft, "And now I can help too! I can heal people, which is helpful!"

Maya laughed, "You've always been helpful Airlia, but most of us were too dumb to realize it. But I do take your meaning. Thanks for sticking it out with us, even if we were dumb about it."

Psaro chuckled, "Well at least we're all together and going to bring down Aamon. He's heavy handed on his magic in his normal form. Reflect it and he's a dead man walking. If he's tried to evolve… then it's a crapshoot of what he's going to do."

Ragnar shook his head, "It doesn't matter what he's done – we will still take him down and out. That's what we have to do."

Alistair nodded, "Agreed. He will be put down like the mad dog he is."

Alena growled as she punched her palm with her other fist. "I will show him what it means to anger the Tsarevna of Zamoksva."

Kyril nodded, "I will show him my wrath."

Borya nodded in agreement. "He won't survive our encounter."