Author's note: I don't own Dragon Quest IV

Battle For Glory

Chapter 17: Preparations Are Made

Fed and healed of any injuries that Richard had, the group prepared again to head through the rest of the castle. They returned to the previous floor where the many gargoyles lined the walls. Airlia shivered a little. "Guys, I have a feeling we're being watched from somewhere… we need to be careful from here on… I don't think Aamon expected us to get this far, nor to be able to take on his plot and defuse it fully."

Psaro nodded as he kept a hand near the hilt of his blade, grateful Rose wasn't there to see any of this. "I think you might be right Airlia. I'm feeling it too."

They went down the stairs to where the lift was and went onto it, Airlia stepping on the button once everyone was settled. Slowly the lift descended, like the one in the Baron's Folly. They came out into the floor that had held a wide pit as the lift filled it perfectly. The collection of people and monsters moved forward with a sense of dread filling their stomachs.

They walked down the corridor, rounding the corner to a flight of stairs and an angry monster awaited them. It was like the green dragon, but much larger and meaner looking. Alistair glared as he moved in front of Airlia protectively.

Rashaverak growled darkly as he stood protectively in front of the group with his three brothers. "You will not harm Lord Psaro or the humans traveling with them!" He snarled at the larger green dragon. He would die to protect his Lord and friend.

The green dragon snarled with a laugh. "You'd willingly stand by these humans and these Zenithian scum?!"

The second Rashaverak chuckled. "I gladly and proudly stand beside them. They saved Lady Rose. The Zenithian lady nearly gave her life. Not that you understand what loyalty is obviously." He blew a blistering fire at the green dragon that did nothing.

"Then you all will die. Pity…" He said before lunging fast and hard at the second Rashaverak that tried to attack him. Alistair raced around the dragons and lunged with his silvery blade, tearing at the wing. The dragon roared angrily, "You dare to attack my wing?!" He bat the man away with his tail, sending him to the wall.

Airlia's heart froze in her chest at seeing her love crumpled against the wall. She looked at Borya, "Hit him with ice. If fire doesn't hurt him, maybe that will!" She looked up at the satyr monster. "Barbatos, can you give me some cover? I have to get over to Alistair to heal him!"

He nodded and lunged at the green dragon. "Gladly! For Lord Psaro!" He went after the monster as Airlia ran along the edge of the battle to try and get to the man she loved to assess his injuries.

The green dragon chuckled with malice as he swung his tail, slamming Barbatos heavily as Borya's magic cut sharply through the green dragon as the tall monster satyr went flying backwards against Pruslas. "I will have that girl's skull for a toy!"

Airlia shivered in horror as she focused on her magic, the new spells that she had in her to help her friends, her allies. "Omniheal!" She cried out as the healing white lights enveloped all of her allies, including the injured Rashaverak and Barbatos.

The dragon snarled and blew fire at her as Alistair twisted incredibly to keep her hidden behind the shield as he watched Psaro leap up with the aid of Ragnar and sunk his blade into the base of the neck of the dragon, ending it's life immediately with cutting vital veins that coursed there. The silver haired elf glared at the fallen body as he removed his blade from the neck once the dragon settled on the ground.

Alistair stood, nodding his thanks to him before helping Airlia up and holding her close. She had come so close to being hurt, badly. "Are you alright my sweet?"

She nodded and wrapped her arms around his waist. "I had to try to help you Alistair. My darling… I didn't know if I could help you with the magic or not without being close to you. And I was scared… I had endured a hit like that before… I couldn't bear to let you get hurt."

He chuckled and rested his chin on her head. "You're so sweet my darling. I'm okay. I was so frightened that he was going to burn you to nothing…"

Airlia shook her head. "No, I knew he would never be able to hurt me because you wouldn't let him come near me."

Alistair smiled at her as he wrapped his arms tighter around her. "I couldn't live with it if he hurt you Airlia."

She nodded and sank into his arms. Her adrenaline was fading from the battle and she was just glad he was okay. "I love you Alistair. Let's end the threat and everyone can live happily together at last."

Psaro nodded, his heart thudding in his chest in fear. Rose cared for the girl as a friend. Slowly Airlia had grown to be his friend and he realized why she couldn't let her get hurt. He came over to her. "Now that you know your magic can work over the field… make sure to keep behind us and if you see we need help… then do so from a distance… Rose would never forgive me if something happened to you."

Airlia nodded with a smile. "Of course. I was just… I was afraid. Knowing now is easier than not knowing."

He chuckled and nodded in agreement. "But of course. Now we're almost through here. Only a little further to go."

The group readily went up the stairs slowly, careful of any more enemies that might be lying in wait. However, all that awaited them was… "Silence…" Ragnar said, "It's too quiet…"

Torneko nodded in agreement as he kept a hand on the hilt of his sword. He wasn't much with one, but he would do what it took to protect his friends. "Aye. It is too quiet. I don't hear anything though near here…"

Pruslas nodded in agreement. "They're waiting to see who wins our battle I think… Lord Psaro or Aamon."

They moved slowly around the corner as the Rashaveraks took the lead, in the event of anyone waiting for trouble for them, then at least their friends would be safe, their lord would be safe. Finding no one but a lift with a wall preventing them from moving forward, Airlia thought about it. "Anyone have a rope?"

Ragnar chuckled. "Always my dear, always." The Burland Soldier said with a smile as he produced the rope. Alistair went to the lift and activated it as the lift went to the floor below. Once the lift was done, the dark haired knight went to the edge of the lift and threw the rope down so the man could climb back up.

With Alistair back up among them, they proceeded carefully along the top of the lift to the stairs that led upwards still. He led them along the path to yet another set of stairs. They quietly moved along the tiny shaft of stairs up to the following floor. They came out into a larger room where there were several monsters trembling in apparent fear.

Pruslas walked through the corridor first and looked around the corner into the larger chamber. He saw nothing, but it didn't mean there wasn't something there. A small metal slime approached. "Lord Pruslas… We're scared… Aamon… he's changed… he's going to destroy everything including monster kind if we're not careful."

The giant purple skinned monster nodded. "We will deal with him. Get everyone out of Castle Nadiria for now. I don't know what killing him will do to it."

The silver colored slime nodded and slinked over to the others as Rashaverak created a portal for them. "This will take you to the land in and around Dire Castle. Go now. This way you remain safe while we battle him and be done with him once and for all."

The monsters quickly ran through the portal, the pure terror palpable. Psaro growled as the portal closed. "We need to end this. No other chances… no other choices… it ends here and now. We're near the other side. We will call for the wagon, when it's here, we will eat, we will rest and heal, then we will take him on and he will die."

Alistair nodded as they went around the corner and out to the top balcony and followed the path around a water fountain and to a cave entrance that one could see the light at the end of the tunnel. They proceeded slowly, cautiously until they came out to the other side, where the volcano loomed.

Airlia pulled out the horn and after taking a deep breath, blew the call through it, to bring the horse and wagon to them. The four Rashaveraks took posts directionally while Pruslas and Barbatos took up the northeast and northwest positions.

Kyril made a fire to keep them warm and to cook the meat for them all to eat. Once it was ready, they all slowly began to consume their meal. Alena looked at the volcano in the distance. "So he's there?"

Psaro nodded. "Yes. And there is where we will kill him. He will never bother any of us ever again. I think our magical user friends like Airlia, Meena, Maya, and Borya should be in the rear. Torneko, would you and Kyril be comfortable remaining near them to aid them in the event someone got through our ranks to try and attack them?"

The merchant didn't think twice, nodding eagerly. He hated battle, but he knew he was in this until the end. Airlia had helped him to be reunited with his wife and son. They all had. But she had given his wife actual hope in him still being alive. "Aye, I will. They will have a hard time getting through my blade."

Kyril nodded. "I will help protect them as well. You helped to restore our people… I will be forever thankful for that Psaro."

Alena punched a fist into her open hand. "I'll stay with them as well. I have to think about things before I lunge into them head first seeing as I'm the Tsarevna of Zamoksva."

Psaro nodded in agreement as Richard turned to Alistair. "I will gladly help you as to redeem whatever that duplicate did in my stead."

The green haired man nodded as he wrapped an arm around Airlia's waist. "We're almost there. Almost at the end of this incredible journey… I'm so glad you were there to help guide us… to be able to fall in love with you."

Airlia leaned against him, her brown hair falling in waves against his armor. "I'm so amazed that I could even get here… to be able to help as I did. To be able to meet you all… to be able to save Rose was an incredible honor and joy. To feel the love of such a sweet man as you Alistair, such a gentle man is amazing… I never want it to end. I want to share my life with you Alistair… for you to be my life…"

He kissed her head and pet her hair. "I want to share my life with you Airlia… to have you as my life… my wife. Be mine? For until death comes for us?"

She tilted her head back. "Until death comes and beyond it."

Alistair smiled as he kissed her lips softly. "Until death comes and beyond my sweet."

Alena grinned as she leaned against Kyril. She had long ago confessed her feelings for the cleric and was happy that he loved her in return. She was happy though, that her other friend would have a happily ever after. She would deal with her father and the love between the pair since he wasn't a prince… but surely a world hero would be acceptable.

Kyril rubbed his love's arms reassuringly, "It'll be okay Alena. I promise. I love you."

She smiled up at him, her blue eyes shining brightly. "I love you Kyril. Let's rest, we have a large battle ahead of us in a few hours."

Slowly everyone started falling asleep except for the monsterkind who were watching for trouble as they didn't really need much rest for days at a time.