Sever All Ties
Chapter Forty Four: Finality
Disclaimer: I don't own Radiata Stories or any of the characters in the game; they are the property of the brilliant minds at Square Enix.
Author's Note(s): Words in '…' indicate a thought. Words in "…" indicate spoken words. This story will proceed based on the assumption that Jack has joined Ridley on the path of the non-human. This path would inevitably lead him to face his former friends and allies in combat. It is these fights I will illustrate in this story. Some creative liberties will be taken regarding who they face (i.e. Jack will face opponents in this fic that you don't get to face in the game). I hope you enjoy.
Aphelion's sword hovered for just a moment at its peak, but it felt like an eternity. As the blade began to fall, the young swordsman in front of him took in everything. Both combatants were wounded and exhausted. The dragon's armor had been penetrated in several places, and blood dripped from the wounds all over his body. He was no longer hovering above the ground, though he still loomed over his opponent. Aphelion's seemingly endless combinations of magical attacks had finally broken through Jack's defenses and pushed him to the edge. The former knight was on one knee, supporting himself with his sword. Crimson spots colored his jacket and armor as well, and he was breathing heavily. The starlit sky above and the skeletal city below framed the stage where Jack and Aphelion had dueled. The dragon's magic had suspended them in limbo, and they seemed removed from everything else around them. Hovering above the dome but unable to reach the sky, they had put everything on the line in their battle. Now, Aphelion was poised to grasp victory. Desperate for one more chance, Jack's hand tightened around the hilt of the Falvern.
As the dragon's sword began its descent, the dragon was struck and thrown off balance. A massive wave of elven magic slammed into Aphelion, and he staggered to the side. Ice and air blades cut into him, and he was forced to give ground. Jack immediately scrambled backward, looking down to the dome. Gil's hands were raised and he was deep in concentration, channeling all of his energy into keeping Aphelion at bay. Jack knew that he would have to take advantage of this opportunity. With Gil's assault buying him time, the young swordsman began to focus his energy. Willing strength from his body was hard, as the Falvern continued to feel as though it was draining his power. Nevertheless, as the elf's attack ceased and the dragon regained his balance, Jack was surrounded by volty flames. The Falvern exuded power as Jack prepared his attack. His intense eyes immediately found Aphelion's, and he prepared to strike. The former knight's blade swung counterclockwise in a quick, circular motion. Three shadowy silhouettes appeared, each with the same build as Jack. In unison, all four raised their weapons to attack. Wordlessly, the swordsmen charged toward their adversary.
"Army of Shadows," Jack shouted as all four blades struck the dragon, cutting deep into his armor.
Aphelion was thrown backward, howling in pain. The dragon fell to one knee, barely able to remain standing. A cheer went up from the dome beneath him, reminding Jack that his friends were still waiting for him to come back to them. The young swordsman was rushing forward to continue his assault, when he heard a sharp cracking sound. The floor beneath him was splintering in all directions, threatening to give under his weight. Aphelion could no longer maintain the floor that had become the stage for their confrontation, and they were both in danger of falling. Jack watched as the floor became more fragmented, and pieces began to fade away.
"Jack, be careful," Ridley shouted. With nothing to do but watch, she was fearful for her protector.
The silver dragon remained in the place where he knelt, concentrating all of his power on maintaining the spot just above the dome. Racing the fading floor, Jack tried to make his way back to the dome. Summoning his last reserves of strength, Aphelion began to fire magical bolts at Jack. The former knight skillfully evaded these shots and made it back to the top of the dome just as the last pieces disappeared behind him. The dragon's strength was completely drained, and the entire floor disappeared. Jack and Aphelion crashed through the roof of the dome in a shower of broken stones and dust. Both felt their swords slip from their hands as they fell. Aphelion crashed hard to the floor, landing on his back and making no move to rise. Meanwhile, Ganz Rothschild deftly caught Jack out of the air. His former captain moved across the dome with surprising speed and kept his friend from a hard landing. Even though the dragon did not look as if he would rise, Ganz immediately turned his back to shield Jack from their foe. Ridley rushed to Jack's side as Ganz gently laid him on the ground.
"Jack," she whispered, softly brushing his hair with her fingers. "Jack, hold on."
"He needs help," Ganz said, motioning for Gil to grab Jack's bag of containing medical supplies. The light elf obliged, and Ridley stepped back as the two more experienced warriors tended to their friend.
Catching the glint of metal out of the corner of her eye, Ridley turned to her left. Still weak from the failed Changeover with Quasar and her brief involvement in the battle with Aphelion, she moved slowly and deliberately. Dropping to her knees, she began to sift through dust and fallen debris looking for whatever she had seen. After a minute, she caught the same reflection she had seen just moments before. Reaching into the dust, her hand closed around the hilt of a sword. Ridley took great care as she pulled the Arbitrator from the dust. Jack's sword had been lost during the fight, and she was relieved to have found it. Glancing over her shoulder, Ganz and Gil were still tending to Jack's wounds. It only took a little effort for Ridley to get to her feet, and she turned to walk back to her former brigade. The young girl had nearly reached them when she heard the rubble shift behind her.
Ridley, Ganz, and Gil all turned at the same time to see Aphelion rising to his feet. The dragon already had his sword in hand, and his eyes were fixed on the warriors in front of him. Blood was still flowing from his wounds and he was incapable of flying, but the dragon's strength was still very real. His sharp eyes seemed to cut through the fighters in front of him, daring them to oppose him. Gil was drained from the attack that had given Jack his opening, and didn't look as if he would be very effective. Jack was clinging to consciousness, and Ganz was trying to help him. The former knight captain looked as though he could fight, but he was also wounded and fatigued. Ridley was still weak and drained from her encounter with the dragons earlier, and the only weapon she had was the sword in her left hand. No matter how weak Aphelion was, he seemed more than capable of dealing with them.
'No, don't think like that,' Ridley chided herself. 'Jack wouldn't give up, he would find a way to win.'
"Lady Ridley," Ganz shouted. He was on his feet and his sword in front of him. Gil's ice sword was in his hand, and he was walking toward the dragon as well. "Let us handle this, Lady Ridley."
"I'm going to help," Ridley said flatly. Her hand tightened on the hilt of the Arbitrator as Gil and Ganz stood beside her. The silver dragon stopped less than a dozen feet away.
"Your tenacity is impressive," Aphelion began. Raising his blade as he raised his voice. "But this is reality!"
The dragon's sword came crashing down, and all three fighters had to scramble unceremoniously out of its path. His second stroke sought Ganz Rothschild. The two-handed sword that Ganz carried was smaller than the sword Aphelion wielded with one hand. Ganz's sword was very precise, probing for an opening, but he was unable to strike his opponent. The dragon moved to defend against Gil's impending strike, and Ganz found an opportunity. His sword cut into the dragon's thigh, and Aphelion growled in pain. He turned to face Ganz again, his sword moving quicker than before. As their swords clashed, Ridley struck the dragon's leg. The strategy of using their numbers to take advantage of the dragon's weaknesses was working once more, but none of the combatants had the strength for a sustained battle.
The dragon reacted to a horizontal cut on his leg by counterattacking quickly. Gil jumped back in an attempt to avoid the strike, but Aphelion's sword cut across the elf's torso and sent him crashing into a pile of debris from the dome's roof. He tried to rise quickly, but faltered and fell back to the ground. The energy Gil had used on his magic had drained his body too much for him to be able to contribute any more. Still, he tried to rise three times before angrily resigning himself to the sideline. Ridley and Ganz forced themselves to stay engaged in the battle, fighting down the urge to help their friend. Ganz battled fiercely, trying to keep their opponent focused on him and not Ridley. If she were to fall, he would have failed. The dragon was attacking exclusively with his sword, not showing the powerful magic attacks he had used earlier. Even without his most devastating attacks, Aphelion was giving Ridley and Ganz all they could handle. His sword strokes were powerful enough that the former knights could do little more than try to avoid them.
Finally, after what seemed an eternity, Ganz was able to seize an opportunity to attack. Locking swords with Aphelion without being bowled over was an accomplishment in itself, but Ganz was ready to counterattack. His muscles ached in protest as he parried the dragon's sword and stepped into a horizontal slash. The great Rothschild Sword cut deep into Aphelion's torso. The dragon cried out in pain and began to thrash around violently. Ganz watched his opponent carefully, hoping to find another chance to strike. Instead, he watched the dragon's sword streaking toward Ridley. Without hesitating, Ganz lunged to his right and used his forearm to push Ridley to the ground. An instant later, Aphelion's sword struck him in the chest and knocked him backward. The former knight captain crashed into a fallen pillar. Every part of Ganz's body hurt, but he still tried to force himself to his feet so that he could continue to fight. Struggling to retain consciousness, he feared for his friends. In front of him, the dragon loomed over Ridley, who was facing his assault alone.
"It all ends now," Aphelion said, fixing his cold stare on the girl in front of him. A dozen feet away, Ridley met his gaze. Though she still held the Arbitrator, she made no move to attack.
"It can't end yet," Ridley said softly. Though she hadn't been struck in the battle, she was still physically drained. She diverted her green eyes away from Aphelion's blue ones. "No, it can't."
"You chose to become the vessel," Aphelion continued. His eyes remained fixed on Ridley. "You came here to die, it is your destiny."
"My…destiny," Ridley said thoughtfully. Her face changed suddenly, growing angry. "Didn't you change my destiny by preventing the Changeover?"
"Destiny cannot be changed," said Aphelion. Ridley's countenance grew darker as he continued to speak. Her knees were becoming weak, and her grip on the Arbitrator shaky. "Your destiny was to fail, and to die by my sword. Destiny is an amusing thing, really; vague and unclear, but inescapable. All that we can do is unwittingly go where it takes us, pretending that we are in control and choosing for ourselves. When you reach your destiny, everything becomes clear. Unfortunately, by then, it is too late to change anything. You lived long enough to reach this place because you are destined to die here."
"No," Ridley said, her emerald eyes becoming intense. She was emboldened as she spoke again. "I lived long enough to reach this place because of Jack."
"Jack," the dragon said in disbelief. His laughter echoed through the dome. "It was Jack Russell who delivered you to me. He led you to this point, then gave me the chance that I needed."
"He didn't," Ridley countered. Her grip on the sword in her left hand tightened. "His strength, trust, and devotion guided me and protected me."
"Semantics," Aphelion dismissed her words. "You are here, and you will fulfill your destiny by dying by my sword."
"I wish you guys would talk about something I understood a little better," a voice behind Ridley spoke sheepishly. "Then maybe I could contribute something."
She didn't need to look over her shoulder to see whose hand had joined hers on the hilt of the Arbitrator. Jack's fingers were interlaced with hers, and she couldn't keep the smile from her face. Though they were both wearing gloves to protect their hands from injury, she still felt as though their fingers were touching. The boy who had declared himself her protector was there once again to inspire and defend her. Though he was clearly still wounded and fatigued, Jack held himself up straight and looked very calm. Taking his cue, Ridley tried to relax the tension she felt and calm her nerves. Aphelion was stunned to see Jack on his feet. The dragon's initial shock quickly became anger, and his eyes became even more intense. He raised his sword and opened his mouth to speak.
"I don't want to hear any more about destiny," Jack interjected before the dragon could speak. His voice was level and confident. "We're here because of the actions that we took and the choices that we made along the way. We make ourselves into the people we become."
"You understand nothing," Aphelion replied. The dragon took an offensive stance. "Still, your death will be much more satisfying this way."
"If it's our destiny to die here, then I know that destiny can be changed," Jack said. He confidently met the dragon's gaze, and a smile crept across his face.
Aphelion watched as volty flames sprang to life around Jack and Ridley. He was stunned to see that the flames began in unison. It wasn't Jack preparing a volty attack and Ridley preparing a separate strike, their energy had combined to create a single attack. The energy was shared between the two of them in a way that should have been impossible. It was supposed to be confined to a single person. The dragon forced himself to maintain composure as he eyed the boy and girl in front of him. His own strength had waned considerably even since the last time he and Jack had fought. He was severely wounded, worse than he had ever been, and was trying to think of a way to disrupt the attack that was forming in front of him. He was certain that he could not allow their attack to connect. Lacking the strength for a magic shot, he would have to rely on his sword to strike down the humans. Aphelion's grip tightened on the dark blade of his sword as the flames around Jack and Ridley became even more intense.
"Destiny is just a word," Ridley said, her eyes fixed on the dragon. Her left hand and Jack's right moved in unison, raising the Arbitrator and holding it perpendicular to the ground.
"And if it's not, then this blow will change our destiny," Jack concluded. The volty flames continued to grow, and the two humans were now pointing the sword at Aphelion.
When the intensity of the volty flames peaked, Jack and Ridley lunged simultaneously toward the silver dragon. Both maintained their grip on the hilt of the Arbitrator, and prepared to strike down their foe. Aphelion's attack began as soon as he saw them racing toward him. The dragon's sword was moving from his right to left, hoping to strike and transition seamlessly into his defense. However, the dragon would not get the opportunity to strike. Before he could bring his sword to bear, Ridley and Jack had closed the distance between them. The futility of his attempt settled upon Aphelion as the humans struck.
"Fearless Thrust," Jack and Ridley shouted in unison. The Arbitrator penetrated the dragon's armor, plunging into his flesh.
Vegeta26: Well, things are certainly building up, aren't they? I've had a lot of fun with this fight, as the quick updates probably indicate. For a general update, my plan is to finish this story in the next few chapters, and then write a sequel that will be a continuation of this story in a world that is post-game storyline. Let me know what you think about this, and also what you think of this chapter, by using the review button. Until next time.
Ridley-Russell: I just really enjoy writing cliffhangers, that's all. Hopefully I didn't leave you hanging for too long this time around. Hopefully I'll hear from you soon.
kinetic-cataclysm: There's no such thing as "too intense". My continuation will follow the characters that I've set up in this story, and will have a fresh plot that is new but not ridiculous. Let me know how all of that sounds.
aguyuno: Rest assured, as long as I'm writing, the quality will never be sacrificed for expedience. I'm just sort-of in the zone right now. I hope this chapter meets that standard.
Passionate-melody: The edge is the best part of the seat. My muse and I get along well, but we both kind of come and go as we please. Still, I'll hold onto the momentum for as long as I can.
MelMuff: I'm glad you're still enjoying the story, and I hope you'll stick around for its conclusion as well as the continuation.