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Breath of Fire III: Of Gods and Dragons
Chapter Fifteen: A True Dragon
Written by Estrelita Farr
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The City of Winds, the capital of a country whose people once had wings. A city built on a hill with the castle at the very top, overlooking the city buildings, and great windmills stood high above the roofs, spinning and spinning from the power of the wind. A lively place filled with the smell of baking bread.
Garr strode along the busy stone streets, his massive wings folded neatly behind him, his halberd held beside him. Even as he climbed stairways towards the majestic castle, he noticed that this place was just as he remembered. Wyndia had not changed at all.
But he… he had changed.
In all of his near-five-hundred years of service, he had never once questioned his duty for the Goddess. Yes, he had his doubts, but he had chosen to trust the Goddess' wisdom with all of his faith.
But now? A constant whirlwind of questions tormented his mind, his once-strong faith wavering with each question.
Why? Why did the Brood allowed themselves to be killed without proving they were innocent? Why did they not unleash their powers to defend themselves? Why did the Goddess deem them as monsters, as evil and threat to the world?
But one question stood above all others – was fulfilling his duty the right thing to do? Had he spent all of his life living a sin?
He shook his head.
…no, this was not the time to ponder upon these questions.
He stopped when he arrived at the great double gates of Castle Wyndia, just as two guards, both wielding spears, approached him.
For the time being, he had a new purpose. He would have to fulfil it before he could see his questions answered.
"State your purpose for entering Castle Wyndia," one of the guards asked in a clear voice.
"I have arrived in response to the royal announcement of five years," Garr replied calmly.
"And that is?"
He paused, as though hesitating. "…if the king does yet require the service of a Dragon slayer."
.
It was darkness around once again…
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He was immediately led into the audience hall, where the King sat at the thrones. Even as he bowed before the royal ruler, with one arm placed across his waist, he was aware that the princess' seat was empty, indicating that she was not in the castle at the moment. He was glad; he felt that he would not be able to answer her questions…
"Garr, from Urkan Tapa, has arrived for an audience!" a guard called out loudly from the entrance of the audience hall, firmly and purposely.
.
…the great darkness that had tainted the soul.
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"You…" The king shook his head as his eyes gleamed with recognition. "You came here for a passport a long time ago, didn't you?"
"That I did." Garr bowed once again. "This time I came not as a traveller, but rather a Dragon slayer."
The creature lay still in the deep abyss, bidding its time, but what it was waiting for, it knew not.
Many of the guards gasped, and the king himself nearly fell off his throne in surprise. "Is that true?!"
The Guardian nodded. "Forgive me for not coming forth sooner, for I have been away."
That was a lie.
.
Yet, it knew that something would happen soon.
.
"I see, that is truly good news." The king nodded, seeming calmer now. "As you know, a Dragon appeared in Dauna Mine far west from here about five years ago, but however…" He sighed softly. "Even after we had sent many soldiers who ended up being killed, the Dauna authorities have denied our help…"
Garr held his chin in his hand. "I see."
"But Dauna Mine is important to us, not just in Dauna itself." He shook his head slowly. "The chrysm ores are transported to all cities, even to us in Wyndia, and especially since we use chrysm energy in almost everything now…"
He nodded. "I will remove the Dragon from the mine."
.
And it waited in anticipation.
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"Wonderful!" the ruler cried. "We will provide you with travel expenses, and please head on to the Dauna region when you're ready!"
The Guardian bowed. "Yes, Your Highness."
The time has come for the events to unfold once again, along the path Destiny have carved.
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-o-o-o-o-o-
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The Dragon whelp crossed a wooden platform warily, its green scales easily seen in the dim light of the glowing chrysm ores on the wall. Young though it was, it knew there was something out there beyond the darkness of the mines, and it knew it was the target.
It paused, listening for any audible sound.
For a few seconds, everything was still. Nothing moved, nothing made a sound.
Then, suddenly, something massive charged out of the darkness. A great halberd gleamed in the light, and the Dragon yelped in surprise.
Garr, his mind focused on his purpose, prepared to strike.
The whelp backed away, but there was no fear in its stance. It moved resolutely back, putting some distance between it and its pursuer, and unleashed a wave of crimson waves towards him, powerful enough to even melt a chrysm ore.
But the Guardian remained unfazed. He turned sideways, using his wing as a shield, his hide immune to fire of any sort.
It then knew that this was not an ordinary opponent, and its little heart was rapidly filled with fear. It turned heel and fled in the opposite direction, in hopes of shaking off this pursuer.
"Tch!" Garr spun around and sped down another path.
The creature continued to run and run, taking refuge in the darker area of the cave. When it could no longer hear any footsteps behind it, it began to feel secure in the darkness of the cave and slowed to a stop, looking over its shoulder.
Had its opponent given up? Was it safe now?
Yes, it seemed like it.
No longer tensed, it stood there to rest for a moment, its golden eyes shut.
It was then when he suddenly struck from behind.
The Dragon yelped and leaped back quickly, instinctively sending another wave of fire, but its attempt was futile. Garr, his wing protecting his torso against the flames, raised his weapon high above his head and swung it, striking the side of the whelp's head with the blunt side of his blade.
And, with a high yelp of pain, it collapsed onto the ground.
The winged man, satisfied with the result, slowly approached the still creature, his expression unreadable. The blade gleamed in his hand.
However, he made no move to deal the finishing blow. Instead, he seemed to be waiting for something to happen, as he watched…
Then, a familiar event took place.
The Dragon's body began to glow. Dimly at first, then so dazzlingly that it forced Garr to shield his eyes with one arm. At that moment, it began to take on a new shape.
The green scales faded away, revealing slightly tanned skin underneath. The wings disappeared into the back and the tail into the hip, its claws turning into hands and feet.
It was a young man, around eighteen years of age, lying sprawled on the round surface of the mines. His average built yet slightly muscular body was naked, without a single strip of clothing on him. His eyes were closed, looking as though he was asleep.
He was not a young man Garr had seen before, but the short, messy azure hair told him who it was at once.
"…Ryu?" he called hopefully, stepping closed. "Do you recognise me not?"
There was no reply from the young man – the blow he had received from the halberd as a Dragon seemed to have completely knocked him out.
Garr closed his eyes, momentarily filled with guilt. It was something that had to be done, to bring him out of the madness that had consumed him as a Dragon.
Still, he was relieved. A small smile formed on his face, knowing that his ten long years of searching had come to an end.
Placing his weapon on the ground, he knelt beside the young man and proceeded to carry him. Not outside – the miners would be suspicious if he brought a naked man out of the mines – but at least somewhere more comfortable where he could rest.
He did not worry about when the young man would wake up, however… he had found him, and that was enough. He would wait as long as it would take.
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-o-o-o-o-o-
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Darkness. That was all he could see.
Silence. That was all he could hear.
Darkness and silence. Together, they frightened him.
He had to escape from them.
His eyes snapped open and he sat up quickly, ready to leap to his feet… but the moment he straightened, pain shot through his head, making him cry out unintentionally.
It was only then when he was aware of the terrible headache he had.
"Ah, you have awakened."
That voice… familiar. Where had he heard it?
He looked up slowly, his eyes narrowed in a strenuous attempt to focus his eyes. At first he could see nothing but darkness, which struck fear into his heart, but soon his eyes adjusted.
The first thing he saw was a sheet covering the lower half of his body, and his hands held before his eyes.
His… hands? These were his…? They seemed bigger than he remembered.
"Are you all right?" the voice asked hesitantly from his left.
He turned sharply, having momentarily forgotten about the voice. It belonged to a Dragon-like man, a purple and red oriental uniform over his brown hide, his massive wings folded behind him. His golden eyes were filled with concern.
This man… looked familiar. What was his name again…?
"You…" he began and was stunned at his own voice.
It was a man's voice, deeper than what he remembered, yet spoken with the uncertainty of a child.
It was not his voice.
"What is wrong, Ryu?" the man asked.
"Ryu…?" It took a moment to register in his mind. "Oh… that's my name…"
He shook his head, hoping to clear the haze that shrouded every inch of his mind.
The winged man's eyes narrowed in concern. "Do you remember not? The events that transpired before you were…" He trailed off, a pained expression on his face.
Ryu shut his eyes and thought hard. This man… he knew him. Of course, he had travelled with him for a while. What was his name again? The name was at the back of his mind, and yet…
"…that's right…" He looked up slowly, his blue eyes gazing at the winged man. "You're Garr… aren't you?"
Garr smiled slightly, yet there were still traces of remorse in his eyes. "I am glad, Ryu. It worried me when you recognised me not… I feared the blow I delivered dealt more than unconsciousness."
He smiled as well, glad that there was at least something he had remembered. Yet, his mind was still shrouded with a concealing haze, and he did not quite remember everything yet. He felt disoriented, as though all of this was a dream, as though he was watching the scene from the sidelines.
Then, everything came rushing back into his mind.
He was a Dragon. The last of the Brood.
Garr, being a Guardian, was tasked with annihilating him.
And Ryu had seen the guilt and remorse that was tormenting his heart.
Yet, the spirits of his brethrens, filled with anger and vengeance, pressured him to take the life of his enemy. The very ones he had been searching for all this while.
To honour his family's wishes, or to trust his own heart?
It was this deadlock of decisions that ultimately collapsed his mind.
He shut his eyes, trembling.
Was… was my choice right…? Was I wrong not to kill Garr…?
"Do you think it was Garr's fault?" Ladon's voice whispered into his ear. "Even though he's taken many lives?"
No… he didn't want to do it, even though what he did was bad… I know that much. But the spirits…
"Although it was they who chose death, their spirits lived on, unable to accept their deaths. Locked in the temple for centuries, their emotions gradually turned to anger and vengeance and grew over time… it's not easy for them to accept that you're friends with one of their former enemies. More importantly…"
Ryu could almost see the silhouette of a man kneeling down before him.
"Do you think Garr deserves to live?"
…yes, without a doubt.
Ladon chuckled. "Then that's good enough."
Ryu looked up uncertainly, as the silhouette patted his head reassuringly, like a father would his son.
"You're a good boy, Ryu. Don't worry about it for now, just focus on getting better, all right?"
T-thank you, Lord Ladon… but who…?
He laughed heartily, as though he had heard a joke. "And don't go on worrying about who I am either! Geez, you really never change, do you, Ryu?"
And with that, the silhouette turned and disappeared, his laugh echoing in the darkness.
It left Ryu curious, wanting to know who this Ladon was.
But his feelings were now resolved, his mind no longer utterly confused. He was right in thinking Garr had a chance to live, that it was no one's fault, and that he did well not to hurt the Guardian.
The fault lay with the Goddess. It was the war – the massacre – had caused his brethrens to live in a state of utmost and anger as spirits for centuries.
Ryu's eyes opened slowly, reaffirming his resolve.
He had to get out of here, and get to the bottom of this.
"Garr." He gazed at this companion, his eyes determined. "How long as it been since I… since Angel Tower?"
The Guardian seemed surprised at this sudden question, after watching Ryu wrestle with his feelings in silence.
"It has been but ten years…" He paused, closing his eyes. "Good lord, has it already been ten years since then…?"
"Time… really flies…" Ryu gazed at his hand, his unfamiliar hand that had grown larger, then at Garr. "Buf if you're here… have you been searching for me all these years…?"
"Yes…" Remorse dulled his golden eyes. "I had visited the far corners of the continent in search of you for the five years, knowing not where you had disappeared to. But once I had heard tales of a Dragon in Dauna Mine… I…" He hesitated for a moment, then his voice quivered. "…I… could face not the truth… and hid away like a coward for another five years… until now…"
"Garr…"
Garr knelt before him, with a pained expression on his face, his eyes pleading. "Can you… forgive me? Can you forgive me for abandoning you to the clutches of madness, for not coming to you sooner…?"
Ryu nodded, a smile on his face. "Of course, Garr. It was never your fault."
"Thank you… thank you, Ryu." He lowered his head in a humble manner, no longer looking as troubled, yet there were still guilt showing in his eyes. "If… if you have wished to take my life, I stand not against your power… and you have the right to do so… yet…" He slowly looked up. "Yet you withheld your power… even though I sought to remove you… just like your brethrens four hundred years ago…"
He shook his head. "I never wanted to kill you, Garr, not once…"
The winged man raised his head, focusing his eyes on the chrysm ores on the wall. "If the Dragonkin had countered… the chrysm on the wall would have been us instead…" He clenched his fists tightly. "Why? Why did they let us kill them?" Suddenly he raised his voice, filled with frustration. "Why did the Goddess have us kill the innocent?!"
"Garr… I…" Ryu closed his eyes. "I don't know the answer to that…" But… why do I feel that I do know…?
He took a deep breath, calming himself down. "Ryu, mayhap I have not the right to say this…" He faced him once more. "I wish to know the truth… the truth behind the war. That is why I ask you…" His eyes pleading, his voice shook once again. "I ask you to let me live until then…"
"Of course, Garr…" The young man nodded. "I don't want to kill you. We'll find the truth together."
Garr bowed towards him, grateful. "Thank you… thank you, Ryu."
Ryu nodded. "Let's get out of here first." He was still tired, wanting to sleep more than anything, but somehow, this place made him feel uncomfortable… he wanted to leave as soon as possible.
"All right." Back to his usual composed self, Garr stood up and placed a medium-sized sack next to him. "I bought these a while ago, ready to hand it to you should I find you… I shall be waiting for you ahead."
"Thanks."
With that, the Guardian headed along the cavern path, leaving him alone to change.
For a long time, Ryu stared at his hands, quite unable to believe that so much time had passed. An instant ago he was still a child, travelling along with Nina and the others… but now, he was already an adult, a young man, and he could not recall anything that he had done in the last ten years…
…maybe I should just focus on getting out of here first…
Ryu pulled the sheet away from him and stood up.
And then fell over onto the ground with a crash.
"Ow…" He sat up again, rubbing his sore head. "Darn, it's going to take a while to get used to this body…"
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-o-o-o-o-o-
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It took Ryu a long time to dress himself, since he was not used to having such long limbs and that he still felt rather disoriented, but he completed the task in the end.
Now, he wore a red shirt and green pants, complete with a black belt, brown boots and brown fingerless gloves. Over his shirt, he wore a silver breastplate, partially covered by a long sleeveless white coat, and around his neck he had a red scarf. Along with his clothes, Garr had provided him with a long sword for protection, sheathed in a brown case.
It seemed he would need to get used to this new weapon, as well.
He walked slowly and uncertainly towards where his companion had headed towards, carefully stepping with his feet as he withstood the heavy weight of his armour. Gradually he picked up the pace, getting more familiar with his body, and when he approached Garr, he was already walking at a normal pace.
Together, both of them walked along the quiet dark paths of Dauna Mine, which Ryu found familiar. After a few moments of pondering, he remembered why.
"I've been here before…" he muttered. "I've been here all those years ago before I woke up in Rei and Teepo's cabin…"
"This was your home, was it not?" Garr asked.
"No, not exactly. This cave was a graveyard for the Dragons during the war–" Abruptly he stopped. "Wait… how did I know that?"
The Guardian said nothing as he pushed a button on a panel, watching the elevator coming down from above them.
Rui shut his eyes, his head whirling with confusion. "I don't know why I came back here either… maybe something called out to me…"
As both of them stepped into the elevator, the machine gave a short hiss as it carried its passengers to the upper level. However, they had failed to notice that a shadow floated just where they stood earlier, a low sinister voice whispering.
"That is right, my lord… I called out to you…"
The floor that they had arrived at was much brighter, as the lamps there were still working, but that didn't stop Ryu from tripping over tools due to his unsteadiness. Thankfully, the Guardian didn't comment on it, saving him the embarrassment.
However, Garr asked a question that he did not quite know how to answer.
"If I may ask… do you remember what had transpired in the past ten years?"
"I really don't." Ryu sighed. "I don't remember anything at all after Angel Tower… except…" Trailing off, he shivered when memories of flames and cries of pain flashed across his mind.
"…I see… perhaps your ordeal had but caused you madness…"
"…ack!" That very moment, the young man stumbled over several pickaxes and landed flat on his face. "Ow… darn it." He slowly stood up again, smiling sheepishly. "I guess I still feel like a small boy with short arms and legs.
"Perhaps you would require me to carry you?" Garr offered with a twinkle in his eye.
He reddened. "H-hey, I'm not that helpless!"
He chuckled. "I withdraw my offer not."
"Aw, come on…"
It was clear that they had both put Angel Tower behind them. There was no tension between them, as though they were back in the past where they travelled together.
Although the mine had only been abandoned for five years, already zombie-like monsters infested this level. Despite being a powerful Dragon in human form, Ryu was still disoriented from his years of being consumed by madness and this caused him to be less than efficient in battle, for he often missed and stumbled when he struck… painfully reminded of the times when Rei had first taught him how to wield a sword and Teepo had jeered at his blind slashing.
Gradually, however, he regained his battle intuition. Garr stepped in to help each time he fumbled, protecting his back when he weren't looking, and soon he was able to protect himself without his companion's help. Even if he hadn't regained all of his swordsmanship he had in the past, he was still quite a formidable foe.
"Say, Garr, I've been wondering…" Ryu spoke after a few minutes. "Where are Nina and the others? Did they come with you?"
The Guardian shook his head. "No, unfortunately not. They were adamant in joining the search, but I sent them home for fear of finding you not… especially Nina, whose duties required her to be home."
"I see, you did the right thing…" But deep down, he felt disappointed. He had wanted to meet at least Nina and tell her that he was sorry…
"But worry not." He smiled slightly. "They still believe you are alive, and I am sure they will be glad to see you again."
The young man smiled as well. "Yeah, I hope so."
Garr gazed in front of them, at the direction they were heading in. "This is the entrance from whence I came. Only a short distance lies between us and the surface."
Ryu placed a hand over his face, resting his tired eyes for a moment, then nodded. "Let's get out of here."
Before they could even take a step, however, a sinister wind blew around them. A chill went down Ryu's spine, and a furious, haunting voice echoed in the passage.
"Halt, Guardian!"
"What?" Garr said as both of them turned immediately, seeking for the source of the voice.
Then, it grew softer, spoken with respect. "…Lord Ryu…"
"How do you know my name?" Ryu asked, his eyes searching. "Who are you?"
The voice rose as it ignored his questions, filled with anger and hatred. "Lord Ryu, why do you let him live?! Why do you let our enemy live?!"
Upon hearing the phrase 'our enemy', Garr knew immediately who the voice belonged to. "…a Dragon…"
Suddenly, a loud noise rang across the cavern and they recoiled back instinctively. Then, the cavern began to rumble, and they stared at the ground before them in horror.
For a huge pool of blood had appeared.
"Can you not hear it, Guardian?!" the haunting voice shouted. "Can you not hear our spilt blood crying out for vengeance?!"
"I…" the winged man trailed off, not quite knowing how to reply.
A gigantic form rose from within the pool of blood, growling. Ryu could only stare in horror as it loomed over him, the blood dripping off its body and revealing its features.
It was the skeleton of a Dragon, with pieces of rotting flesh stuck here and there.
As compared to the Force Dragon, this skeleton had a larger head and a shorter neck, and it stood on all four legs that had gleaming sharp claws. Its bony tail swished about behind it, and a huge flat bone, which was all that was left of its wing, spread out from each of the elbows of its front legs. At its throat, a green orb of light shone.
"Guardian, it has been… how long? Four hundred years? Five?" the haunting voice came from the Dragon zombie. "You who tried to exterminate us! Where do you intend to take Lord Ryu?!"
"I…" Garr shook his head, his voice filled with remorse. "I am taking him to meet our Goddess…"
"H-huh?" Ryu faced him, surprised.
"Why?!" the Dragon zombie spat. "To make but a sacrificial offering of the last Dragon?!"
Ryu froze.
"No, to learn the truth…" the winged man replied, a pained expression on his face. "To learn if the war we have fought… if it was the right thing to do…"
"LIES!" the skeleton roared loudly, shaking the caverns. "Kill him, Lord Ryu! Avenge our people's memories! They destroyed us! The Guardians KILLED US ALL!"
Ryu did not reply for a moment, as he gazed calmly at the horrifying form of the Dragon zombie. "…no, I won't kill him."
"No?! Do you despise him not?! Do you hate him not?!"
He was about to say 'no', but he stopped when a soft female voice, familiar to his ears, spoke.
"No, you must not hate."
Once again, the Dragon zombie gave a loud roar to the ceiling. "SILENCE! You have no right, reviled one!" Then, it faced Ryu again. "Lord Ryu, you disgust me; the Guardian has clearly poisoned your mind!" It snarled. "You shall die along with him in this forsaken place!"
With another roar that signified the start of the battle, the Dragon zombie charged, lashing out with bloody claws, but both Ryu and Garr jumped out of the way in time. They immediately countered with their weapons, slashing at its claws, but the blades merely recoiled from the bones without causing any damage.
"We have served you well for many years, Lord Ryu!" their enemy cried, stomping powerfully on the ground and causing rocks to fall from the ceiling and rain on them. "And you repay us in this manner?! By joining forces with our hated enemy?!"
"…no, he's not our enemy. It's not his fault, and neither is it yours." The young man stood straight, sheathed his sword, brought his hands together in front of him, and a dazzling glowing sphere formed between them. "Fate is against us, that's all!"
With that, he swung his hand forward, unleashing the spell he was casting, but to Garr's surprise, it was not an attack spell. Instead, it was a Restore spell, a healing spell that was much stronger than both Heal and Rejuvenate. Bright sparkles surrounded the Dragon zombie, forcing it to roar in pain.
Once again he prepared a Restore spell, and he shouted to his companion, "Garr! Hit him with your flame!"
A mere grunt answered him and the Guardian complied, rushing forward with his blade burning with crimson flames.
"Restore!" Ryu yelled as he swung his arm again, and the monster roared in pain.
Then, with his great strength, Garr slammed the burning blade into its throat, stabbing at the green orb.
Instantly the monstrosity of a Dragon writhed in pain, its great roar shaking the caverns as the two of them jumped back, and started to shine an eerie green light.
"Die! Die! DIE!" it screamed, unleashing a wave of pure black smog towards them.
Both Ryu and Garr drew back, covering their face with their arms, and braced themselves.
Suddenly, in a flash of light, a woman appeared right in front of its two targets, her long blue hair and sky blue robes waving in a magical wind, her blue bat-like wings folded neatly behind her. She spread her arms to her side, forming a barrier around her, Ryu and Garr, which blocked out the smog.
"You must not hate," the female voice said softly again, coming from the woman, as a white light began to surround the Dragon zombie as well.
"Reviled one!" the skeleton shouted, enraged. "Why must you always interfere?!" The light around it grew so bright that it consumed everything in sight. "Why must you always RESTRAIN US?!"
One final furious roar echoed off the walls, then abruptly the light dimmed. Ryu was surprised to find that the Dragon zombie and the pool of blood had disappeared, and in its place was an ebony glass orb that floated in midair. The orb suddenly fell to the ground, bouncing towards the young man and landed at his feet.
He bent to pick it up, but the moment his fingers touched the orb, malefic emotions shot through him.
Pain. Anger. Hatred.
But above all that… evil.
He inhaled sharply, trying to contain the whirling emotions.
No, he had just woken up from ten years of madness; it would not take much for him to succumb once more!
"I will force you to see the truth, Lord Ryu!" the voice shouted in his mind.
He screamed as malefic power surged through his veins, burning him from the inside. A dark light engulfed him as emotions overwhelmed his heart, and his form began to change.
He grew longer, bigger. When the light faded, he was a large serpentine Dragon, his long azure body coiled around him like a rope as he floated. He had only two arms, which was covered in claws, and the horns on his head were covered in crimson flames.
He sent a ferocious roar through the cave, shaking the very ground.
"Kill the Guardian!"
N-no… I won't… let you…!
The Dragon thrashed, snarling, his head filled with pain. His tail flailed uncontrollably, crashing into carts, cavern walls, short cliffs, anything in the way.
"Kill! Kill! KILL!"
…I… won't…!
But his mind was quickly fading.
He was losing to the malefic power.
…n-no…
Then, he felt warmth in his heart. It was small, like a drop of light in a sea of darkness, yet it was strong. Desperate, he reached out towards it.
The moment he touched it, a great burst of light blinded him, and a new energy surged inside him. Warm energy, blanketing the dark emotions inside his heart.
It was warm, reassuring.
And it calmed him down.
Suddenly weak, the serpentine Dragon fell onto the ground with a loud crash. As a cloud of dust and dirt rose and covered him, he glowed dimly as he reverted back to his human form, gasping from the exertion.
"Ryu!" Garr cried, kneeling next to him. "Are you all right?"
"Ugh…" the young man groaned, sitting up slowly. "I'm fine… I'm fine, Garr."
Ryu shook his head to clear his mind, relived now that all the negative emotions had disappeared. But, as he looked up, he found the winged woman kneeling in front of him… was she the one who helped him? She was holding the ebony glass orb in her hands, which, unlike before, was glowing faintly.
But what caught Ryu's attention was the woman herself. He gasped when he saw her face, a familiar face that he had not seen for a long time.
S-Sara…?
She smiled, handing the orb to him. "The Tiamat is but appeased now." She spoke in a clear echoing voice, gentle and warm.
Snapping out of his stare, he nervously accepted the orb. To his pleasant surprise, he no longer felt strong emotions from it; just a small trickle of the anger and evil from before, and he felt he could handle it. He could use this Dragon form.
…but no. He didn't want to. Not after what happened.
Standing up, the woman stated, "That was not a Dragon."
"Not… a Dragon?" Ryu wondered if she meant the Tiamat.
Garr shook his head uncertainly. "Are you of the Dragonkin?"
She did not answer him; instead, she pointed at Ryu. "A true Dragon…"
"A… true Dragon…?" the young man muttered. "What do you…?"
She smiled lovingly at him, her body beginning to glow. "Be strong, little brother…"
"Sara! Wait!" he exclaimed as she disappeared into a small sphere of light, which circled him once and entered him. "No, Sara…"
Warm power surged inside him, the complete opposite of the malefic power he had felt before, but instead of giving him a new Dragon form, it soon faded away. However, the lingering warm feeling reminded him of something, reminding him of a long lost past…
Confusion whirled in his mind.
The Guardian turned towards him. "Ryu… who was it? You seem to know her…"
Ryu shook his head in an attempt to clear his confused thoughts, then spoke quietly, "…I'm not really sure…" He rubbed his forehead hard, trying to suppress the dull ache. "I remember as a teenager, I lived in a village with an older sister called Sara… but…"
He was surprised. "But you were in a state of madness in this place until I found you, were you not?"
"That's the point…" He sighed.
Garr held his chin in his hand. "And she called you a true Dragon… what is a true Dragon?"
Ryu gazed at the dark ceiling of the cave. "…a true Dragon doesn't hate, and will protect with his powers."
"A Dragon that does not hate… but protects?"
He shook his head quickly. "No. Don't ask me how I know that. I don't know how I know, either."
"Hm… perhaps you have but some underlying memories that you have forgotten, yet these memories do not add up together…" He stretched his wings. "But pondering upon it is of no use to us now. Shall we continue outside?"
He nodded, suddenly weary. "Yeah, we should."
Outside the mine was a place bustling with activity, despite the fact that the news of a Dragon roaming the mine had spread all over. Some of the men were digging part of the ground and ledges despite the fact that there was nothing to be found there; probably to keep themselves prepared for their return to the mine, as soon as the Dragon was removed.
The moment Ryu and Garr emerged from the mines and took a few steps, a loud deep voice shouted from below, "Well now, Mr. Garr!"
It was a bare-chested foreman wearing red pants, green boots and a green bandanna wrapped around his head, and a towel was wrapped around his neck. His bearded face broke into a grin as the two of them approached him, with the Guardian in front.
"So, were you able to get rid of the Dragon for us… huh?" He gazed at Ryu, who looked nervous. "Who's this young fella?"
Garr shook his head. "Worry not about that… I have but done what I came here to do. The Dragon is removed from the mines."
"Really?!" he exclaimed. "That's good news! Now, if you'll just come down to the office, the boss'll give you the payment!"
He nodded. "Thank you."
The foreman then sighed a little, shaking his head. "That goddamn Dragon, it ran around spitting fire on people–"
Ryu inhaled sharply as memories of flames cut through his mind, his eyes wide with horror.
"–killed some of my men, destroyed our machines and basically made a pretty bad mess of things here…"
"N-no…" the young man muttered, shutting his eyes tightly from the increasing pain.
He rubbed his head with one hand. "Man, it's gonna cost a bomb to get everything back to how it was."
Ryu felt as though his head would explode… as though he would succumb to madness once more.
Dizziness and weariness that had nagged at him since he had woken up earlier overwhelmed him. Holding his head, he fell to his knees, with one hand on the ground to steady himself, his eyes shut tightly. His breathing was heavy, with guilt, horror and remorse tearing at his heart.
"Ryu…" Garr knelt down at his side, a concerned expression on his face.
"H-hey, something wrong?" the foreman asked.
The young man shook his head slightly. "I-I'm fine… I'm just a bit tired…"
That wasn't entirely a lie.
He stood up shakily, but nearly lost his balance again, if it weren't for Garr catching him in time.
The Guardian shook his head, facing the foreman. "Regardless, we shall pay the office a visit now."
"Right then!" The miner nodded, grinning. "Thanks a lot for your help, Mr. Garr!"
He nodded as both of them walked on, with Garr supporting the other with one arm. Once they were far enough from the miners, however, Ryu pulled away from him, albeit a little unsteadily.
"I-I'm okay now…" he stated. "Sorry…"
"Think naught of it, I understand. But if I may…" He shook his head, his eyes narrowed in concern. "Judge not yourself too harshly, Ryu. You had not control of yourself while you were consumed by madness… it is of no fault of yours."
"It's hard, but…" He sighed softly. "I'll try."
Upon entering the workers' office, the helmeted foreman inside spoke in a hearty voice, "Ah, Mr. Garr! The money's here, all waiting for you!" He gestured towards the bag of coins on the table.
Garr picked it up and counted the coins inside. "I thank you."
He turned to go, but the miner with the helmet then said, "Say, Mr. Garr, why don't you stay here, just in case any more Dragons show up?"
Ryu looked at his companion.
"I think not," the winged man replied. "I am led to believe you shall find not a Dragon in future."
The foreman appeared disappointed. "If you say so… I'd feel a lot better if you were around though."
He shook his head. "We shall be going. I thank you for the reward."
"No, thank you for your great work!"
"Oh, Mr. Garr!" the other worker cried. "If you're heading down the mountain, be careful on Ogre Road!"
Garr raised an eyebrow. "Oh?"
"We've heard that a really ferocious monster that attacks people passing there, lately, so be careful!"
He nodded. "We will. Thank you."
With that, he turned and exited the office, with Ryu following closely behind.
"Um …" Ryu started as they headed for the Dauna Mine exit. "Where are we, exactly?"
"We are in Dauna," Garr explained. "To the southwest lies Syn City, unofficially the biggest black market around. To the south lies Orgre Road and Mt. Levett, and once across we shall find ourselves in Yrall. Further east lies Wyndia."
At the mention of the Yraall region, Ryu recalled the happy times he had spent with Rei and Teepo. Ten years had passed without him realising… would they still be alive?
They must be… if I'm still alive…
"But you're a Dragon, and they're not," part of him argued.
That made his heart felt cold.
.
-o-o-o-o-o-
.
He found himself running along the wooden platforms of Dauna Mines, in his young Dragon form. Everyone who saw him screamed and fled, and there were those who trembled and were too petrified to move, but there were even those brave or foolish ones who attempted to catch him.
"There he is!" one of the workers cried, wielding a pickaxe. "Get him!"
He froze, his instincts telling him to kill them, yet his heart screaming not to… in the midst of the confusion, suddenly he found that he was no longer in control of his own body, but instead he was watching from the distance as though it was someone else.
And to his horror, his Dragon form started sending waves of flames at every human it came across, even those who were trying to escape.
"NO!" he shouted. "Don't kill them! DON'T KILL THEM!"
But the whelp either ignored him or did not hear him, for it continued to burn them with its lethal flames.
"NO!"
Then, suddenly, the Dragon sent another wave of fire upwards to the ceiling, and the mine began to shake and collapse, with large boulder raining down onto everyone in sight.
"No…" Ryu moaned as everything turned dark, finally regaining control of his body. "W-what have I… what have I done…?"
He took a few slow, uncertain steps.
"I… I don't want to be like this… I don't want to be a bloodthirsty monster…"
He gazed upward slowly and instantly caught sight of the gigantic fossilised Dragon on the wall, its empty eyes staring into him.
"Everyone's… dead…"
"And it's all because of you!" a familiar voice shouted at him.
Immediately he spun around, growling, then his eyes widened in horror.
Before him, the tall figures of Balio and Sunder loomed over him, a smirk on each of their faces.
"You bring trouble wherever you go!" the azure-haired brother shouted.
"That's right!" Sunder neighed triumphantly. "Look at how many people died at your hands!"
"N-no… I…" Ryu gazed at his claws, despaired. "I don't want to… I didn't intend to…"
Sunder stepped nearer to him and slammed a hoof into his chest. "You're better off DEAD!"
"…I-I… I…!"
"Don't worry… just think of how much trouble-free the world is once you're gone!" Balio said smugly, pulling out a dagger.
In a great flash of light, the two half-unicorns fused together to form Stallion, with one huge blade in one hand.
"DIE, MONSTER!" both Balio and Sunder's voices cried together, and then Stallion stabbed forward with its weapon.
"W-wait! I… I…!"
But he was given no chance to explain himself.
And the blade stabbed him.
Even as he fell backwards, his sight filled with crimson blood, he saw that the blank stare of the fossilised Dragon was on him, its mouth open in a mocking laughter.
.
-o-o-o-o-o-
.
"Argh!" Ryu screamed as he sat up quickly, breathing hard. His heart was racing, as though he had run for miles, and he felt an ache in his chest where he was stabbed in the dream. It had felt so vivid, too real to be just a dream…
No… he told himself, placing a hand over his eyes in an attempt to calm himself down. It's just a dream… it's not real…
But no matter how hard he tried to convince himself that it was only a dream, he could not help but to feel that most of it was true.
No matter how I look at it… I'm… a monster…
For a long time, he stared off into space, depressed, but after a while, he noticed that his companion was nowhere in the tent.
Outside…?
Just as he had suspected, Garr was still sitting at the campfire, occasionally feeding it logs. He continued to stare into the fire, as though contemplating about something, but he glanced over a shoulder at Ryu when he came out.
"I heard your cries… is there something wrong?" he asked.
"No… don't worry about it." The young man sighed, rubbing his tired eyes, as he sat next to the campfire as well.
They lapsed into a long silence, gazing into the fire.
Garr suddenly spoke, "I beg your forgiveness, Ryu…"
Ryu faced him, puzzled. "Huh? Why?"
"Not only for attempting to take your life, but…" He hesitated for a moment. "I know not if it is right to bring you by my side like this… as I search for the Goddess…"
He did not answer.
"But… why the Goddess saw it fit to destroy the Brood…" He tossed a log into the fire. "It is but a question whose answer you have the right to know."
"I…" He closed his eyes, resting his head on his knees. "I don't even know if I want to find out the answer… the answer to this confusion…"
Garr turned towards him. "Only you can decide for yourself, Ryu."
"Only you can decide, Ryu," Ladon repeated in his ear.
The protectors – the Force Dragon, the Trygon and the Behemoth, still residing within him – resonated in agreement.
And the Tiamat followed suit grudgingly.
.
End of Chapter Fifteen.
Author's Note:
I used to set a twenty page limit for myself so that I won't write a chapter that's way too long, but I decided to remove that limit for a moment when I fixed this chapter. But without that limit, I seemed to have gotten caught in the flow and made it much longer than it originally was. Wonder if it's good or bad. x_x
During the part when Ryu first woke up… you're probably thinking it's waaaaaay longer and more complicated than what the game showed. There's a reason for that, really; there was one guide I read for fun (miscellaneous info guide in GameFAQs, I think) who had one small but unanswered question – how did Ryu adjust to "modern" life so easily, when he first woke up in Rei and Teepo's house? Which further made me think – after ten years of madness, living like an animal, how did Ryu adjust so easily to normal life again? Since the last time he was "conscious" he was a small child, wouldn't he feel like he doesn't have full control of his limbs, like a person who stepped into a humanoid robot with little knowledge to control it?
That's why this chapter is so extensive. xP
And if you played BoF1… well, then you'll know who Sara is. If you don't, don't worry, it's nothing big; spoiler free for people who haven't played BoF1. :D
Review Replies for Interlude:
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To Airess Byrd:
Haha, thanks! Cute wasn't exactly the word I had in mind when I wrote this chapter, but I guess you could call it that too, since it's only two pages compared to the usual twenty. xP
I'm glad you like it; thanks for the review!
-.-.-.-.-
To Dragoon Cecilia:
Oh, really? I had the impression that emperor in Japanese is tenno, and that Kaiser is German for emperor (or sovereign) that the original Japanese BoF game borrowed. But then again, I'm not exactly an expert since I'm fluent in neither Japanese nor German. xD
Thanks for reviewing!