Well, last one. For now. I kept it as long as I could, but I'm putting it on here now. I hope you enjoy! I really like this one.
When Dart finds his way down the ladders everyone else is already there. They stand idly in a semicircle with smiles on their faces. It is a sight Dart is not used to seeing and it is enough to make him smile right back at them. "Ready to go?"
They all nod to him. Then their eyes immediately go to the woman standing apart from them. Miranda stands outside their circle and watches with faux disinterest. She doesn't respond in the least.
The librarian comes around to them before they can leave. "What are you going to do?" It sounds like he means their journey, but he looks solely at Dart. "Whatever you decide, when you get time, you should go visit Neet."
Dart's mouth stretches out on a flat a line. He is surprisingly unaffected by the mention of his old home. The room upstairs has brought a haze of calm to his restless spirit. Maybe he should do it though. He just can't figure when he'll have the time. There are more important things at hand.
The librarian studies Dart's face for the slightest reaction as he says, "You can not change the past. However, you can face it. And by facing it, maybe you can find out where you are from and where you want to go." He shrugs.
Dart nods. "Yes," Still, there's no time. They have to find Lloyd. They have to save Mille Seseau before it really needs saving. After that, maybe…he'll go to Neet. "Let's go everyone." They part in the middle and he walks to the front.
"Bye." Shana waves to the librarian. She turns quickly and trots up to Dart's side. She wraps her arms around his and leans on him a little. "So," She starts tentatively. "What are we doing now?"
Haschel walks up to Dart's other side. "Yeah. Did anyone find out anything that could help us with Lloyd?" He figures Dart asked everyone about their findings already. "Or the Moon Objects?"
Dart shakes his head. "No, nothing really. A lot of interesting information, but none of it linking to Lloyd." He sighs softly. "Looks like we'll just have to wait for Rose and Meru and-" He sucks in a sudden sharp breath. He falls forward, barely catching himself. He's bent over at the waist and his knees tremble fiercely as his breaths come shorter and quicker.
"Dart!" Shana squeals. She bends down to see his face. "Is something wrong!?"
Miranda was lingering at the back. At the sound of Shana's panicked voice she jumps to attention. She pushes through everyone in order to get a look at Dart. "What happened?" Her voice is demanding yet afraid.
Dart feels very dizzy. His vision blurs in and out. Their voices are farther away all of a sudden. "N…No." He manages to squeeze out. He forces himself to stand up straight. He still feels unstable, but the wave of sickness and fear has thankfully passed. "I…I just felt a little shiver." He nods. "Yeah, that's all."
Miranda's eyes narrow in suspicion. "A shiver?" She murmurs. Why doesn't she believe him? She crosses her arms over her chest.
Dart scowls over at her. "Yeah," He takes Shana's arm in his once more. "A shiver." The calm of the Reference Room evaporates in the blink of an eye. That horrible feeling is back again, this time with a vengeance. He can still feel himself quivering faintly.
"Whatever." Miranda rolls her eyes. "You want to be tough, go right on ahead." She turns sharply away from him. "But I have to go. So when you change your mind and can't handle it anymore, don't expect me to come running."
"No one expects anything from you." Dart says. He doesn't mean for it to sound rude or condescending, but he realizes as it passes his lips that it kind of is. Still he doesn't try to take it back. He just stares with wide eyes at her.
Everyone else stares between him and her. Their mouths are slightly agape as they wait for the explosion.
Miranda's fists clench and her face hardens. But she does not snap back. Instead she says curtly, "I hope you're happy with yourself. You don't deserve all those friends." She doesn't wait for a response. She quickly takes her leave, running north. She doesn't need to be a hero like them. She'll just go on living in her home. She's happy enough.
There is silence for a minute or two. Then Albert speaks. "Dart," He snaps. He scowls over at their leader. "What was that for?" He crosses his arms firmly over his chest.
"What?" Dart frowns and stares in nonchalance at Albert. "I didn't do anything. I just said she doesn't owe us anything. She doesn't need to feel like she has to be here to help when we need it." He shrugs.
"That's not what you said!" Albert shakes his head furiously. "And you know it! You essentially called her useless!" Albert sighs angrily. He lifts his hand to his forehead and holds his aching head.
"Albert's right." Haschel concedes. "The way you said it didn't help either. You sounded like she was a pain or something." He points out.
"Kongol agrees." He looks disapprovingly at their leader.
Dart's eyes flit from one to the other. He half laughs. "You're serious." He laughs again. "I can't believe it. You really think I did that to hurt her feelings?" His amused expression grows cold. His gaze is hard and mouth a deep frown. "You all are idiots."
"Dart!" Shana scolds. She pulls her arms away from his and steps back. "Are you even thinking about what you're saying?" She moves back toward the others, farther from him. Her expression is unsettlingly cold. "We're your friends. Why would you say such a thing to us?"
Dart goes to snap back, but he feels it again. This time it is so powerful it makes him crumple. He sinks to his knees. He grasps at his stomach as his body is wracked with convulsions. He clenches his eyes shut and his teeth tight.
"Dart!" They all jump down to his side. "What's wrong?"
Only Albert lingers in a standing position. His eyes are fixed on the sky. "I feel…something is wrong." Albert whispers ominously. His whole body tenses. What is this feeling?
Far off at the Mountain of Moral Dragon the earth shifts. The solid cliffs and high reaching spikes quiver along with everything else. Rocks tumble down as they shake loose from the peaks. The volcanoes are restless and spew molten lava from within.
Among the strange acts of nature there is a distinct explosion. It rattles the mountain to itself very core as the rock is blown across the area. As the flames settle from the blast a gaping hole is revealed. It isn't large, but it is only the beginning.
Deep within, at the center of the mountain, the source of the increasing chaos moves. It is the Divine Dragon. It trashes terribly, its scream reaching high over the mountain. The only thing holding it is magically bound chains. But the magic is weakening. It can no longer hold the creature's fierce spirit and savage hate.
The chains snap, one after the other. There is only one left, the one around its neck. With one final jerk, the dragon is free. Its seven eyes gleam hungrily as it spreads its wings and thrusts itself up toward the surface. It smashes right through the ground and doesn't stop. It has only one destination. With one last scream it cries its warning and charges for Deningrad.
…
Meru, Rose and the others can see the city from where they are. It brings relief, but it is fleeting. A chill races through them as they swear they hear a roar. More than that, they feel something deep within themselves. It makes them stop in their tracks.
Meru even gasps loudly. "Di-Did you feel that?" Her eyes are laced with constricting fear. "Please tell me I imagined it." As scary as imagining something so severe would be, she can't help but hope for it over the alternative.
Rose shakes her head stiffly. "That was no illusion." She bites her lip hard. Her coal eyes narrow as she scans the sky. Where is it? "I felt it. It is the fury of a creature scorned. Of the Divine Dragon." Another chill races through her at the mere mention of the creature.
Meru shudders. She cowers pitifully. "No…no way." She rounds on Rose and her expression intensifies. "It can't be! He can't have escaped! It's just not possible!"
Rose is mildly taken aback by Meru's eruption. She blinks twice at the furious girl before her. "I'm only telling you what I feel." She says coolly. "You felt it too. All we can do is hope it is nothing more than a random spurt of energy." Then another thought hits her. "How do you know about the Divine Dragon anyway?" She raises a brow.
Meru blanches. Her anger vanishes, replaced by shock. She quickly scrambles to cover it up. "Who doesn't?" She shrugs, half laughing. "It's a huge legend around Mille Seseau. You should know that."
"Hm." Rose keeps her eyes trained on Meru. There is a nervous edge to her appearance and words. "Well, whatever it was, we can't wait around to find out." She drops the question. But she doesn't forget it. "We have to find Dart!" There are simply more important things.
"Right!" Meru gladly switches gears. She clenches her hands in anticipation. "We're nearly there!"
The Sacred Sisters look back and forth between each other. "What is going on?" Setie finally finds the courage to ask. "What was that noise? Was it bad? And did you say a dragon!?" Her voice gets increasingly frantic. "From the legend!?"
Rose glances over her shoulder at them. "It's nothing." They're so different. Setie appears to be working herself into a panic attack, her face twisted in fear, while Luanna remains calm and very near expressionless. There is only a trace of concern. "We'll be in Deningrad soon and then you can go back to the castle." She has a feeling that might be the last thing they want to do, but she won't say so.
Luanna nods faintly. "Thank you very much for your assistance."
Rose smiles. "It's nothing."
Meru is fidgeting in place. "Come on! Come on!" They need to find Dart so they can tell him about the dragon. They have even less time than she thought. She has even less time. Her secret isn't long for being only hers. She's sure they'll need her resources very soon.
Rose might have told Meru to relax any other time, but that's the last thing they need to do. It's very serious. Is she judged it right, they have only a few minutes. "Yes, hurry." They run.
Back in Deningrad Haschel and Shana lift Dart to his feet. "Do you need to rest?" Haschel asks. "Maybe you're exhausted." He suggests.
Dart holds his head. It throbs unbearably. "No," He insists. He stumbles out of their hold. "I'll be fine. I am fine." He manages a thankful smile. "Really." He feels anything but fine right now. Every fiber of his being is screaming out to him. Something is wrong. Terribly wrong. Where is Rose when they need her!?
"Come on," Shana says gently. "It won't hurt to rest for a minute."
Dart shakes his head fiercely. "No, it will." He walks a bit unsteadily down the street. "We at least have to find Rose first. She has to know something about this." He won't admit that he really wants to find her because he's scared. Whatever is happening to him is slowly getting worse. He needs reassurance. He needs her.
They all silently follow. There's no point arguing. The way Dart is now, it will only make things worse. That's the last thing they need.
They walk all the way back to the entrance of the city. No one really knows where Dart is going or what he is planning. Are they going back to the forest? "Dart," Shana starts to question his motives.
Then there is suddenly a loud cry. "Dart!" They all look to find Meru darting toward them. "We found you!" She zooms up to him. She brings her face inches from him. "But what's wrong? You don't look so good." She backs up to get a better look. "Like you saw a ghost or something." Could it be the effects of the dragon?
Dart looks past her and his face lights up. "Rose!" The relief can not be kept from his voice. He hurries to her. He still has an unnaturalness to his gait.
Rose notices it. She watches him intently. Instead of asking about it though, she asks, "Did you find out anything about Lloyd?" She focuses her coal eyes on edges of his body. There is a quiver all around him. His energy seems jumbled.
"No," Dart shakes his head. He tries to focus on the details learned. He knows there were bits and pieces that might have hinted toward Lloyd, but they are all lost to him now. "There is no trace yet."
"So," Shana steps forward. "Where did you go?" She doesn't expect an answer.
Rose shrugs. "Nowhere."
"You all know where I went." Meru laughs.
Haschel perks. He looks with intrigue over at Meru. "How was it then?" Haschel grins. "Have fun with your parents? Any siblings?"
Meru can't help but frown. "Yeah," There is a melancholy note to her voice. "It was…really great." She smiles halfheartedly. "But, no siblings!" She tries her best to perk up. "Lucky me!"
"Hello, Meru." Kongol walks over to her. He smiles faintly.
Meru grins up at him. "Hey big guy." She hits him lightly on the arm. "Di ya miss me?" She laughs.
Kongol nods. "Yes. It…quiet."
Meru laughs harder. "What?" She turns her eyes on Haschel. "You mean you didn't get extra loud and crazy for me?" She scowls playfully. "I'm offended."
Haschel chuckles. "I can only do so much in my age." Normally he wouldn't admit such a thing, but it's easier with her. He doesn't feel like he has to keep up with her, even though she is easily the youngest.
Albert skips the greeting. "Did you feel it?" He directs at Rose. He knows she doesn't want to be welcomed back into the group the way Meru does anyway.
A shadow passes over Rose's face. "Yes," She nods stiffly. "It was the passing of the dragon."
Suddenly the cheer is sapped away. Everyone's eyes shoot to her and their faces fill with apprehension. Dart is the first to speak. "Dragon?" He swallows hard.
Rose merely nods. Her eyes float away from them. She looks to the sky. Where is it?
Shana bites at her nails. She can't stand this constant gloom. "Well," She searches for something to change the mood. Oh! "Who are these people?" She finally takes note of the two women and guards around them. "Do you know them from somewhere?"
Rose shrugs. "I just happened to meet them." She says as nonchalantly as possible. "Their names are Luanna and Setie." She motions to each one as she says their name.
Dart takes in their appearances. One seems fitting for Rose's type, the other not so much. "I'm Dart." He indicates himself.
Luanna stares intently at Dart. She can't see him, but she senses the energy around him. It is quite disturbing. It makes her skin crawl. She even gets a sensation she swears she's only felt once before in her whole life – back in Neet.
Dart notices her watching him and he stares right back. "What? What are you looking at?"
Luanna ignores the irritation in his tone. "I hope you don't mind me saying so. But you seem to have had some changes in your body recently." It sounds awkward, but it is the only way she can think to describe it.
Dart freezes. His eyes grow wide and his heart skips a beat. "My…my body?" He repeats. His blood runs cold. "W-What are you talking about?" How can she see he is not himself when she doesn't even know him? He has the fleeting impulse to bolt.
The only thing that stops him is the intrusion of another into their conversation. "Sister Luanna! Sister Setie!" A woman cries out. She runs over, her breathing hard. "Thank you, Sister Luanna! Now I can walk outside again!" She grins from ear to ear. "How can I thank you?"
Luanna forgets Dart. She smiles softly in the direction of the woman. "Do not worry about such a thing." She waves the woman's words away. "It is what we, the Sacred Sisters, are for." She bows slightly.
The woman bows in return. She does so much lower. "Oh bless you!" She then pops up and scurries off with a bounce in her step.
Albert's eyes widen and a light comes to them. "You are…the renowned Sacred Sisters of Mille Seseau." He breathes. "Sister Luanna and Sister Setie…" He can scarcely believe he didn't recognize them on sight. "I can't believe it."
Setie laughs softly. "No need to be so awestruck. We're just people. Just like everyone else." Although she won't for a second stop basking in the attention.
Albert smiles bashfully. "It is a pleasure to meet you." He bows slightly.
Setie's eyes narrow suddenly. She scans them thoroughly. One…two…three… "Oh!" Her eyes light up and excitement grips her. "There are seven of you!" She exclaims. "Does that mean…! Could you be…!?" She takes in a deep breath. "The heroes who saved Tiberoa!"
Meru spins around quickly. "Yep! That would be us!" She grins from ear to ear.
Shana laughs softly. "It seems almost everyone knows about us, huh?" She looks to Dart. "It's something…being famous." It kind of gives her a warm, appreciated feeling.
Setie opens her mouth to ask all about this other person, but she is beaten by Luanna. Unlike Setie, her voice is calm even though her words are much the same. "It is my pleasure to meet the heroes who defeated the Sea Dragon in Illisa Bay."
"Yeah!" Setie quickly reinserts herself into the conversation. "We were really lucky to follow her from Neet." She laughs.
Surprise flickers across Dart's face. "Rose," He looks strangely at her. He tilts his head. "Does that mean you went to Neet too?" His brows furrow far down on his head. Why would she want to go there for?
Rose looks away. She scoffs and shakes her head. "I told you. I just happened to be there. I was on my way back from something entirely different."
Dart frowns deeply. He doubts it. But he doesn't want to get on her bad side. "Ok." He needs to ask her something. "But Rose,"
Rose brings her gaze back around to meet his. "What is it?" Concern lies in her coal eyes. She takes a step closer, not too close as to be construed as strange, but close enough to whisper. "Are you feeling alright?"
Dart shakes his head stiffly. "No, I'm not. I…I'm not myself. And it's only getting worse." He flashes back to the moment of agony a few minutes ago. "And, it's getting physically painful."
Rose starts. "Physically…painful." She struggles not to react too severely. She should have been here before. She never should have run off for her own selfish wants. "I see. But there's nothing I can really do to help." Not while she isn't sure about the cause.
"Oh." Dart says gloomily. "I see." He manages a tiny smile.
Rose smiles back. She feels terrible for him. "Well, let's at least go over there." She nods to the building beside them.
"What's in there?" Dart can't help but ask.
"It's just a hospital sort of rest area is all. It'll be better for talking" She steps back and addresses everyone else. "Come on, it's cold out here. Let's go in there." She points.
They all nod in agreement. They file into the decent size house. It is divided into two sections. One is the waiting area and the other the treatment area. They all crowd in the waiting side, some sitting while others stand.
Down hearted about Rose's inability to help, Dart begrudgingly decides to move on to another topic. It at the very least could help him with his past. "Sister Luanna," He speaks quietly. "I heard about you from the librarian." He thinks it's best to leave out Miranda, even if they are adopted sisters or whatever.
Luanna perks. "Oh? What do you mean?" She looks in his direction.
Dart swallows hard. Well, we…we have something in common." He isn't sure how to say it exactly. He knows talking about it was always hard for him. Then he just says it. "We are survivors of Neet."
Luanna sobers instantly. "So you went through that tragedy." She folds her hands in her lap.
Dart picks up the moment her voice fades away. He has a little more courage now. "Do you remember anything?" There is a spark in his eyes. He clenches his hands in anticipation. Still, his voice is gentle. "About other survivors? Or the whereabouts of the Black Monster? Or anything?"
Luanna smiles sadly up at him. "What I remember is only the sound of terror." A scream from the past echoes in her head. "I am sorry." She sees her mother's motionless body. She feels the flames. "I don't think I can help you."
"Oh, ok." Dart grimaces. His spirits sink. "But…" He smiles. "It's okay." He's surprised by how much he means it. "The fact that somebody survived that tragedy means I can have hope for others. And also, that continuing my journey will someday lead to the Black Monster."
Rose's eyes narrow. She notices the shadow that passes over his face. She also notices the split second rise and fall of energy. A red wave seemed to vibrate from him, but only if one was really watching. Blinking meant missing it.
Shana misses the influx of energy. She simply smiles affectionately up at him. "I am with you too."
Dart looks to her. He smiles warmly down at her. He reaches for her hand and squeezes gently.
Setie bites her lip. "Um, Luanna," She taps her fingers rhythmically. "What about the health of Dart?" She tilts her head slightly. Her eyes shine in genuine interest.
Dart remembers then. He tenses instinctively. "Yes," He says carefully. "What did you mean by the unusualness of my body?" He holds his breath in apprehension.
Luanna nods. "I see that you have strong powers. All of you. And it seems that the source of your power is in turmoil." A shadow passes over her face. "Only, yours seems to be especially strained. There is a sort of shadow over you, a darkness if you will. I…" She shakes her head and drops her gaze. "I don't know any more than that. If it confuses you more, please forgive me."
Rose is alarmed by the preciseness in her words. More so she is alarmed by the implications. Rose was right. Dart's spirit is struggling for control. This is bad. Very, very bad. "Dart-"
Dart starts to look over at her. Then there is a sharp stab of pain in his gut. Just as suddenly his Dragoon Spirit bursts to life. It glows blindingly and cripples him further. He falls forward off the couch, only catching himself on the table.
The inn reacts seemingly in tandem with Dart. It shakes violently. "Oh no!" Setie shrieks. "Sister Luanna!" She grabs onto Luanna and clutches her for dear life. She trembles noticeably.
"This is…" Luanna looks calmly up at the ceiling. "…the answer to your question…" She takes Setie's hand and squeezes reassuringly. "You may find out the truth about the entity that has influence over you now."
Dart breathes heavily in and out. His body shakes furiously. It's just like before, only now he can scarcely breathe. "Sha…na…Ro…se…" He squeezes out. War is not in human nature. Rose's words come back to him. Humans fight by making themselves enter insanity.
"Dart!" Shana squeals frantically. "Are you alright? Dart!" He only vaguely hears her.
Dart focuses instead on the voice. It is...the same for revenge. Am I…insane then? He asks the voice. My obsession with revenge…is it what's doing this? This is a tool to amplify the insanity. The Dragoon Spirit.
"Dart!" It's Albert's voice this time. Is someone shaking him now too? Who is that? He can't tell.
And this insanity is the source of the power of Dragoons, the Dragon Knight. "Rose…"He hears himself say aloud. But it barely sounds like him. Did he really say it? Someday, something will happen, and if you can not chasten your insanity, I wonder if you will be able to endure it, given the size of your spirit? My…spirit? Rose? Rose!? Then he can no longer keep himself up. His head spins and he falls to the floor with a loud thud.
"Dart!?" Shana drops down next to him. "Dart!?" She grabs his shoulders and shakes. "Can you hear me!?" Her breathing hitches.
"What happened?" Haschel's throat constricts in fear. His eyes widen and he can not move.
Rose grimaces. Her eyes are hard as she watches Dart intently. "He was overwhelmed." She breathes.
Everyone's eyes shoot to her. Their eyes ask all the questions their mouths can not.
Rose walks coolly over to Dart. She bends down much like Shana. She feels around his neck for a pulse. She finds it quickly. "The Divine Dragon…" She says ominously. Her eyes flash with fear as she looks around at them all. "He's here."
The dragon flies high up above the ground. It lets out a bone chilling scream as it comes over the city of Deningrad. It drops suddenly then. It swoops down toward the buildings. Its eyes gleam dangerously and hungrily. It bares its teeth, almost grinning in anticipation.
The screams of the people rise up as the dragon catches their attention. Its size is terrifying on its own, but its rampage is even worse. Everyone scrambles to get out of range.
Its tail falls mercilessly down on the tops of the houses. It clips chimneys off and throws them across the streets. It dislodges sections of roof as well on the dragon's trip to its real target. The wind around the dragon stirs fiercely and throws dust and rubble into the air. It blinds those on the street and sends the civilians into a greater frenzy than before.
The beast rises quickly. It reaches amazing heights as it becomes level with the peak of the castle. It roars furiously as it approaches the crystal. It curves sharply, smashing the top of the castle. The crystal is throw down into the streets and shatters further on impact.
The dragon loops around and makes one more go at the city. It creates a little more chaos but surprisingly does not cause too much damage. After passing over the city it then leaves just as suddenly as it came. Surprisingly the damage is minimal. But it is a shallow comfort. It is only a warm up. It will be back. Everyone can feel it in their bones.
"Dart!" Everyone is yelling for him now. Their voices rise in franticness with each cry.
Dart moans softly. His eyes flutter open and his blank mind slowly clears. Everything is a blur of colors with vague shapes. His muscles are tense and every inch of his body is in searing pain.
Shana gasps. "Dart?" She gingerly lifts him up and leans him against the couch. She touches his cheek and runs her fingers gently across his skin. "Are you alright?"
Dart's vision focuses. He sees Shana first and then everyone else comes into view. "I…I'm fine." He groans as he grips his head. It's still throbbing along with every other part of him.
"Come on man." Haschel scoffs. "You just collapsed for no reason. You're definitely not alright." There is a laugh in his tone, but it is tempered with genuine worry.
"Yeah!" Meru pipes. There is a sound to her voice that doesn't fit. Almost constricted, as if trying to fight down tears. "Don't be stupid!" She jumps over the back of the couch in order to be closer. "Something's…wrong."
Albert watches Dart intently. He doesn't say anything, but only because he is tirelessly working through all the possibilities. It was the dragon. It had to be. It has left now, and now Dart is getting better. The only question is – why?
Rose gets in just as close as Shana. She reaches up and lays a hand across his head. She can feel his heat through her glove. "Do you really?" Her voice has an edge, but it is unusually soft as well. "Tell me the truth."
He wouldn't have answered, but the way she worded it made him cave. Tell me, she said. Not us, but her. "No…" He sighs. "It hurts. Everything. Even breathing. But…" He stares desperately into her eyes. "…why?" He asks weakly.
"The dragon." She says it without hesitating. "Something about you. Just like Luanna said. It's different than us. Almost like…it's calling out to you." Only he isn't strong enough to handle it. He doesn't need to know that though, not yet. Becoming preoccupied with it might make it worse.
Dart slowly feels the pain ease out of him. He relaxes and takes a deep, thankful breath. "What happens when we have to fight it?" Because they will have to fight it. If it's causing damage to the city of Deningrad and hurting people, then they have to stop it.
Rose averts her eyes. "We'll," She draws her hand back. "Just have to see." She says carefully.
Kongol's gaze shifts to the window. His eyes narrow as he stares out at the now vacant streets. "Anger…" He thinks aloud. "Animosity…toward everything."
Meru jerks her head up to look at him. "What was that?" She tilts her head to the side.
Kongol shakes his head. He says nothing.
Setie whines loudly. "Oh! This is terrible!" She clasps her hands tightly together at her chest. Her breathing is quick and shallow with her quickly rising fear.
Luanna unseeing eyes stare at the floor. "The legend was true." She whispers ominously. Everyone's eyes quickly go to her. "The King of Dragons sealed by the long gone Winglies rests in the ground of Mille Seseau." Queen Theresa as well as many others told her this story constantly growing up. "Once it awakens again, it shall bring terror to the world."
Albert's face twists with distress. "Again…" He sighs. "We are facing a dragon." He should have known better than to think they'd be given any sort of break or even a direct route to Lloyd.
Rose grimaces. "Can you stand now?" She asks Dart.
Dart nods. He pushes himself up with the help of the couch to really test it. He lets go and tenses in preparation of collapsing again. He even clenches his eyes shut and jaw tight. Only he doesn't fall. He half laughs as he opens his eyes. "I think I'm ok now."
There is a collective sigh of relief. "I'm so glad." Shana smiles tearfully. She wraps her arms around his waist and hugs him close.
Meru jumps to her feet on the couch. "Don't ever do that again!" She scolds. She scowls at him. "It's mean to everyone." She smiles despite herself. She laughs and nearly tackles him with a hug.
Dart manages to stay upright even with Meru's hard hug. "You guys…" He smiles warmly around at all of them. "It's fine. I'm ok now. Really." Except the constant pounding of that strange power. It still makes him feel on edge and different, especially after all that.
"But for how long?" Albert says ominously. He crosses his arms over his chest and looks away as everyone turns their eyes on him. "I mean, if it really is the dragon, and we have to face it, then what are you going to do? How can you overcome this?"
Dart swallows hard. "I…I don't know." He mutters weakly. "I still don't even understand it."
Rose frowns deeply. She looks pensively at the ground. Then she sighs heavily. Going against her own logic of keeping his mind away from it, she says, "It's revenge."
Dart starts. "What?" He holds his breath.
Rose sighs again. "Your spirit…it's too weak. Revenge is darkening it and making you a smaller man than you ought to be. Revenge for Lloyd, revenge for the Black Monster…everything."
Dart snorts. "What? That's ridiculous. How can those things make me weak? They fuel me! They keep me going when I just want to give up!" He breathes heavily in and out. "So how. In the world. Are these things hurting?"
Rose shakes her head at him. "You idiot." She growls. "It's not about the surface! We're talking about your spirit! Spirits thrive by the virtue of the individual. Revenge is not a positive trait. It strangles the spirit and makes it less than it should be. That's all there is to it."
Dart glares at her. He is within an inch of arguing when Haschel cuts in. "We don't even have to worry about it now anyway." He sets a hand on Dart's shoulder. "Right now we need to focus on how we can even begin to defeat a monster like that."
Rose nods solemnly. "Yes," She breathes. "The one who glares through seven diabolic eyes and who crosses the sky with seven wings. We must find a way, and fast." She turns her gaze around. "Luanna?"
Luanna is too much in shock over the idea of fighting such a beast to respond properly. Instead she says, "What are you people?" She shakes her head in disbelief. "Fight…that?"
Dart lets the issue of his spirit fall away. He smiles over at Luanna. "We are the Dragoons." He feels bad for not telling Miranda anything now, but Luanna will probably be more helpful. She is a Sacred Sister. "We are the Dragon Knights who have the power to rule dragons."
Setie gasps. "Dragoons!?" Her eyes grow wide and mouth falls agape. "T-The legendary Dragon Knights!?" She laughs in elation. "How amazing! Sister Luanna!" She turns sharply toward her. "Isn't that amazing!?"
Luanna stares intently at Dart. She nods to herself. "That is the reason why I felt a strong power in you." She frowns deeply as a thought hits her. "But, why did the Dragoons come to this country?" A fear grips her usually calm face. "Is it because of that dragon?"
"No," Dart shakes his head. He means for it to sound assuring, but he realizes that such a thing can only be worrisome. If it isn't the dragon, then it means there are two threats to Mille Seseau. "We are here to pursue a man." The more he says, the worse he feels about Miranda. Surprisingly being away from her makes him feel for her more than being near her. "He is a sneaky, dangerous man. Even for those with the strength of us Dragoons."
Luanna eyes the group with uncertainty. "What did that man do?"
Albert steps forward. "He engaged in secret maneuvers during the Serdian War and formed a conspiracy for a coup d'etat in Tiberoa." All things they should have stopped, especially in Tiberoa. Unfortunately, even as Dragoons, they fell short.
Everyone feels the tenseness and bitterness wrapped around Albert's words. They frown and hang their heads noticeably.
Luanna doesn't notice. "Is he going to bring evil to Mille Seseau?" She asks tentatively.
Setie squeals. "Oh! Is that the Dragon!?" She clasps her hands together so tightly that it hurts. Her fingernails dig deep into her own skin, drawing faint traces of blood. "Please! You can not let this happen!
"Setie." Luanna scolds. She again focuses on Dart. "Please, if you will, see Queen Theresa." She bites her lip. "If it's true what you say then we will need your help on more than one front. But, for now at least, we could use the power of you Dragoons to take down the dragon."
Dart, usually so straightforward and headstrong, hesitates. His brows knit together and his eyes show fear. "I…"
Rose quickly speaks over him. "Of course. We'll help you in any way we can." Her eyes shoot back towards Dart. It is the right thing to do. Not only that, but it will give Dart the chance he needs to face his overwhelming desire for revenge and come to terms with how poisoning it is. Hopefully he'll even see that it is slowly destroying his essence.
Dart glares at her, but he hardly means it. He understands. It is something he can't avoid forever. He must face his past, his present, and his future. Shana was only one facet of that. Now, it is about the Black Monster and Lloyd. "Yes, please, take us there."
So what did you think? Do you like the direction I'm going with Dart? Yes? No? Maybe so? Either way I hope you liked this chapter. Please review!