Author's Note:
Uh, just a warning… this chapter is 1.5x the length of other chapters… I went overboard with my editing, but hopefully it's better now. o_o
Breath of Fire III: Of Gods and Dragons
Chapter Twenty-Eight: Conflict of Beliefs
Written by Estrelita Farr
.
It was a peaceful paradise, with greenery all over, with birds and squirrels playing among the branches, with rabbits bounding across the grassy ground, with deer grazing serenely around. Yet, as the group faced the young man they met, the peacefulness failed to mask the stunned silence that hung in the air.
Stunned, by the appearance of an old friend.
Teepo.
Here in Myria Station.
"This…" Nina shook her head slowly. "This is Teepo…?"
"Ryu's been searching for him all over…" Momo gazed at the violet-haired man. "And he's been here all along…"
And they continued to stare at him.
Teepo grinned. "What? You look like you've seen a ghost."
"Teepo… I don't believe it…" The half-tiger approached him warily, disbelievingly. "I… I thought you…"
He laughed. "It'll take a lot more than that to kill me; looks like it's the same to you two." He glanced first at Rei, then at Ryu. "But it's really great to know all three of us are still alive after all these years."
"Yeah." Ryu smiled. "It's great to see you again, Teepo. But…" He shook his head. "What are you doing here, Teepo? What are you doing here in Myria's–"
A piece of memory flashed through Ryu's mind.
Pain.
"U-ugh…" He raised a hand to his temple, gritting his teeth.
"Ryu?" the princess cried.
Why? Why now? Hadn't he recovered all of his memories? Hadn't he sorted them all yet?
…no… there was still one piece of memory missing.
The end of the Dragon War.
How he had failed to win the war.
Teepo gazed at him, his expression grim. "…I thought you remembered everything, if you came here to Myria Station." He stepped closer. "I guess you don't remember what happened four hundred years ago… what caused the fall of the Brood… the fall of the Dragon Prince."
Garr looked at him in suspicion. "Why do you know of the War? Unless you, too, are of the…"
He chuckled lightly, though there was no humour in his voice. "Does it really matter? What's important now is to help Ryu remember…" He raised a glowing hand to Ryu's head. "It's important everyone knows."
Before anyone could protest, a bright light came from Teepo's hand, obscuring everything from sight.
Then, an old memory from the past filled their minds.
.
-o-o-o-o-o-
.
The crescent moon shone pensively in the clear dark sky, illuminating the way forward on the forest path. Crickets filled the atmosphere with their music, the diurnal creatures barely stirring in their peaceful sleep, and a warm breeze weaved through the leaves, softly rustling them.
It was a warm, peaceful night… but, for a particular young man, that warmth could not be felt inside.
He strode along the forest path, his boots occasionally snapping dried twigs and leaves with an audible sound. His silver half-breastplate, worn over white clothes, and his long sword, its sheath resting on his left thigh, gleamed in the light of the moon. His white coat and his shoulder-length azure hair danced playfully in the wind.
His cerulean eyes, focused on the path before him, were dull with sadness.
Though a man walking alone at night was often a vulnerable target o the nocturnal monsters roaming the night, yet they did not try to even approach him. His very being emitted a strong quiet power invisible to most people, yet very apparent to these monsters.
He had no intention to even touch the hilt of his weapon, however. In fact, he disliked the very purpose of his existence.
To fight.
To rage war with a certain goddess, to seal her every single time she returned.
How long must this continue…?
"Ah, I knew I'd find you here, Ryu," a male voice interrupted his train of thoughts from behind. "You're so predictable."
The azure-haired man spun around, an expression of surprise and recognition washing over his face.
It was another young man, with long, flowing violet hair that stood out in the moonlight. His onyx half-breastplate, very similar to but considerably darker than Ryu's, were worn over black clothes, complete with a black coat that the wind caught and played with. His rapier, slimmer than Ryu's long sword, rested in its sheath strapped below his waist behind him.
"Teepo?" Ryu shook his head. "What are you doing here?"
"What does it look like I'm doing?" Teepo responded smugly, crossing his arms. "I'm here to bring the lost puppy home."
"Lost puppy…" He laughed. "All right, all right, I'll return to the castle with you. But…" His eyes dulled once more. "Not until I visit the graveyard."
"Sure thing. In fact, I'll come with you."
He smiled. "Thanks."
At that very moment, clouds covered the moon, blocking out its light. While the forest was hidden in darkness, there was a strong gust of wind, strong enough to throw someone off the ground, followed by a great flash of light accompanied by the clap of thunder.
When the light dimmed, the two men were gone, but in their places were two large shadows, soaring into the air easily with their great wings towards the northern mountains.
.
-x-
.
Arcis, the last stronghold for the Brood. Throughout the one-hundred year war, this well-built fortress was home to soldiers as well as refuges, shielding them from the flames of war that engulfed the barren fields of Arcis Plains.
Once upon a time, Dragnier was a place much more magnificent than here, serving as the headquarters that commanded forces that reside in other fortresses.
But alas, no longer.
Dragnier now lay in ruins, covered by centuries old of dust. The Brood dwindled to a mere hundred, and they could no longer protect a place as big as Dragnier.
Arcis was all they had left, all they could protect.
But there was still hope left in this place. Hope in the form of the Dragon Prince.
In the clear blue sky, two large creatures soared, their great wings spread to catch the wind. A roar that signified their return rang across the castle, making all residents look up.
"He's back!" one man cried. "The Prince is back!"
With a great flurry of excitement, everyone dropped what they were doing and rushed to the entrance, their eyes shining with relief. The crowd gathered by the gates, leaving just enough space for the gatekeepers to squeeze through, just as the two creatures landed gracefully, a burst of light engulfing them.
And, from the light, two young men emerged, heading towards the gates.
"Lord Ryu! Lord Teepo!" one of the gatekeepers cried, saluting. "Welcome back!"
"Welcome back!" the crowd cried.
"It's good to see you safe and sound, Lord Ryu," an old woman added, bowing respectfully.
Ryu nodded, smiling. "It's good to be home, everyone."
Another gatekeeper saluted. "You should head on inside, Lord Ryu. Lady Deis has been informed of your return."
The Prince's expression fell.
"Stop looking like that, Ryu," Teepo said good-humouredly. "You knew this was coming when you decided to sneak out to visit the graveyard in Dauna."
He sighed. "Still… I wouldn't have been found out if it weren't for a certain someone."
Rolling his eyes, he started heading through the gates. "Oh yeah, blame it on your bodyguard… I'm just doing my job, you know."
He shrugged and followed. "And having fun watching me being chewed out while you're at it?"
A grin washed over his face. "Well, I don't deny that."
"Hey…"
Through the huge double doors that led into the fortress, they emerged in the entrance hall. The moment they stepped foot inside, however, one of the hallway doors burst open as someone barged through… Deis, the person in charge of the castle.
And she was certainly not happy.
"Have fun," Teepo whispered slyly.
Ryu sighed. "I'll get you for this, Teepo…"
"RYU!" Deis screamed, making everyone jump, as she slithered swiftly across the floor towards him. "Where have you been? I've had the warriors AND the civilians searching high and low for you all over Arcis!"
The Prince stepped back quickly. "S-sorry, I only went to the graveyard for a minute!"
"That one minute caused PANIC ALL over the castle! Is that how a prince should act?" She waved a hand. "You should've at least brought First Protector Teepo with you!"
Teepo shrugged. "How about 'Only' Protector Teepo?"
"That's even worse!"
A loud laugh filled the entrance hallway, making everyone turn towards a skinny old man. "Give the little rascal a break, Lady Deis… Lord Ryu may be close to a hundred years old, but he's still a kid at heart."
Deis shook her head exasperatedly. "Jono, are you going to let him off easy again?"
"Why not?" The old man waved a hand nonchalantly. "There wasn't any harm done, just a little confusion here and there… besides, it's not like he went out to party; he went to visit the graveyard."
"Well, that's true, but…" She sighed in frustration. "Fine, Ryu, I'll let you off this time. I swear you're growing more and more like Ladon lately…"
Ryu beamed. "Thanks, Lady Deis, Master Jono!"
The smile on the old man's face instantly disappeared. "I told you many times; DON'T call me MASTER Jono!"
He stepped back quickly. "S-sorry!"
Everyone else laughed.
One man placed a hand on Ryu's shoulder. "It's good to see you back safe and sound, Lord Ryu."
.
-x-
.
The wind blew across the grassy plain, like the echoing voice of a spirit trapped beyond Time. The grass swayed in the wind, as though responding to the sorrow, as though overcame with emotion. The sun shone quietly in the sky, doing nothing to ease the sorrow in the wind… it knew the warmth in its rays would not reach the heavy hearts across the lonely plain.
The footsteps were slow, heavy. The hearts were as sorrowful as the wind. The warriors continued on, their hands gripping their weapons tightly.
Arcis Plains. The designated battlefield between the Brood and the Goddess.
Arcis Plains. This was the place they would gladly lay their lives for victory.
At the distant hills that framed the green horizon, they could see the enemy soldiers advancing, towards the centre that would inevitably be their place of judgment.
Monsters, like Chimeras; demons, great wings of Darkness; machine soldiers, their battle systems engaged.
Thousands of them.
All led by the four, the Guardians of the Goddess.
The wind whispered sorrowfully.
Yet, as he watched the oncoming troops, there was no fear on the Dragon Prince's face. There was only determination.
To end this war.
Teepo steeled himself, pushing aside the doubts and questions for their fate.
Yes, he should not falter. Not when the Prince's life depended on him, his only Protector.
He nodded slowly. He was ready.
Returning his nod, Ryu drew his sword slowly, his cold blue eyes focused frontward, and raised it.
The blade sliced the air in a forward motion.
That was their command.
To battle.
For the Dragons.
The Dragon warriors gave a loud battle cry and charged. Their voices, echoing across the plain, turned into roars that rivalled the clap of thunder as bursts of light engulfed their bodies.
Twenty-one Dragons glided through the air swiftly, charging into battle.
Twenty-one Dragons against twenty-thousand soldiers.
And they fought with glory.
Determined roars filled the air. Screams of fear, screams of pain, slowly faded behind the clashes of steel. Lightning flashed across the battlefield, icicles rained down from the sky. Flames burned the ground, and cracks tore the earth into two.
Pain. Suffering.
Death awaited.
There were too many of them. Too many stood in their way to the Goddess.
Too many to defeat.
Yet, they could not unleash their full power. They could not. The fate of the world was at stake.
They would rather die than to destroy the world for their victory.
The battle dragged on. With each soldier slain, another came to replace. They kept coming at them, again and again, repeatedly, like a constant stream of river they were unable to contain.
One by one, the Dragon warriors fell in exhaustion and pain. Step by step, the enemies were closer to Arcis.
Minute by minute, the fate of the Brood slipped towards extinction.
Teepo could barely stand, breathing heavily as he trudged onward. His weary eyes kept a lookout in all directions, to ensure the Prince's safety, but he knew he couldn't last much longer. The heavy feeling in his heart was a constant reminder.
He didn't want to continue. He didn't want to fight.
He didn't want to take part in the warring destiny of the Brood.
But he had to continue, for Ryu's sake. He couldn't leave his blood brother here, alone, to deal with this overwhelming destiny.
Suddenly his knees buckled beneath him, unable to sustain his weight further. His sight growing blurry, he fell forward with a cry, but still had enough strength to slam the blade of his rapier into the ground for support.
"Dammit… dammit!" he hissed under his breath, shaking his head to clear his vision. "Get up, Teepo, you idiot! Ryu's depending on you!"
But his body refused to budge.
Then, he felt a presence before him. A hostile presence.
A demon, as crimson as the blood that dripped from its gleaming claws.
Ready to finish him.
Yet exhaustion continued to root him to the ground.
He chuckled heavily. "I always thought I'd go before Ryu…"
And he resigned himself to his fate.
With a cackle, the demon thrust its bloody claws forward.
"No! TEEPO!" Ryu's voice cried from behind.
Teepo's heart grew cold with fear.
"Don't tell me he's going to…" He turned quickly. "No! Ryu! DON'T!"
But it was too late.
As the demon's claw aimed for Teepo's heart, the Prince rushed forward and lodged himself between his comrade and enemy, shouting his Protector's name.
Suddenly everything around them was silent.
The silver sword fell with a loud clang.
The white coat turned crimson.
Blood dripped to the ground in large amounts.
And Ryu, his arms spread valiantly, stood determinedly in front of his Protector.
With the demon's claw pierced through his stomach.
Teepo's eyes widened, his mind went completely blank. He heard nothing but a stabbing silence. He saw nothing but the demon forcefully pulling the bloody claw out, nothing but the falling figure of the Prince.
Blood stained the sight red.
He was supposed to protect him. He protected him instead.
And now, the Prince would die in his place.
Suddenly, a rush of anger burst into flames from within. His crimson eyes blazing with fury, he sprang to his feet with a snarl, his rapier gleaming violently in the sunlight. With a great slash, the demon was instantly killed, its remains fading away into nothingness.
But it wasn't enough. The anger continued to boil inside him, growing hotter and hotter like a volcano that was forced to contain its lava. Energy surged in his veins at lightning speed, growing stronger and stronger with each cycle, fuelling him with great strength.
Power. Spreading all over him.
He began to glow.
"NO!" he growled, shaking his head quickly. "Focus, Teepo! Focus!"
He had always known how much devastation can be caused by losing control to the overwhelming emotions. He had to stay focused. He had to help Ryu.
The nearby soldiers turned in fear, edging away from him.
A deep hatred poured into him, hatred for the Goddess and her soldiers. A deep hatred for the Brood's warring destiny, a deep hatred for the century-long war.
A deep hatred for his inability to help his comrades.
His brethrens, collapsed onto the ground in exhaustion.
His brethrens, covered in wounds they could have otherwise easily avoided.
Ryu, lying in a pool of blood.
Then, he snapped.
He screamed into the sky. A scream filled with hatred, with frustration.
A scream filled with pain.
A blinding pillar of light shot upward from him, slicing the sky into two like a gigantic blade, sending the soldiers scurrying away in fear.
The human scream faded away, a great roar rang loudly through the plains.
When the light faded, Teepo was gone. In his place was a magnificent Dragon that rivalled the Kaiser.
With gleaming onyx scales. With great dark wings that looked as though they could blanket the sky in complete darkness.
A Dark Dragon.
Descendant of the clan that once supported the Goddess.
.
-x-
.
An eerie silence filled the halls, undaunted by the howls of the dark storm that raged outside. Lightning flashed into the windows of the castle, thunder roared into them. Dark crows gathered in the halls, on the ceiling boards, on the doors, like vultures ready to prey on weak, hapless victims.
The air was thick with fear.
Ryu, the hope of the Brood, lay unconscious on his bed. The bloodied bandage on his stomach was a painful reminder of his Protector's inability to protect.
Teepo watched from the corner of the room, his fists clenched tightly.
He hated the war. He hated it.
The war had brought nothing but sadness and pain to all of them. It had brought nothing but a slow, torturing death that led them slowly to extinction.
Ryu, the warrior with the power of the Dragon God, was forced to reincarnate and return to continue the war. Forced to lose many people dear to him, forced to lead the Dragons to their deaths.
And for what? Was there any point in this? Was there any point in fighting the Goddess?
He hated the Brood's warring destiny. He hated Ladon for it.
Ryu held the power to end the war, to persuade the people to turn their backs on their destructive destiny…
But Teepo knew; the Prince would not do it. He was too loyal to Ladon, too faithful to do that.
The Protector sighed.
Perhaps it would only end when each and every last one of them died…
At that very moment, the door opened, and Teepo turned at the sound.
It was a civilian man.
"Do you have a moment, Teepo?" he asked.
Teepo's eyes narrowed. They had always called him 'Lord' Teepo… with the omission of the title, it sounded as though he was suddenly disliked.
But he nodded without a word.
The man led him out the Prince's room, closing the door quietly, then to a particular large hall that was once used for celebrations.
The hall was bare. Undecorated.
And there was a menacing feeling in the air.
A huge crowd had gathered in the room, together with a warrior or two who had recovered well enough to walk. There were different emotions on their faces; anger, disgust, fear… sadness.
"What's all this?" Teepo demanded, raising his voice a little. "What's going on?"
"'Lord' Teepo…" One man shook his head. "Are you of the Dark Dragon clan?"
He was surprised. "Dark Dragon clan? What are you talking about?"
"If I may." One warrior stepped out from the crowd. "Lord Teepo, during our last battle in Arcis, we have clearly seen you transform into a Dark Dragon… the same battle Lord Ryu was wounded."
Teepo was confused. He could recall nothing after Ryu protected him… did he really turn into a Dark Dragon? In the whole the hundred-year war, he had never been able to take on his original Dragon form… he had always relied on forms borrowed from fallen Protectors.
Was he really part of the clan who had betrayed the whole family?
The warrior shook his head slowly. "Forgive us for thinking so, but we have started to doubt you, Lord Teepo. Some of us, myself included, wonder if you, like your ancestors, chose to betray our family and side with the Goddess Myria." His eyes narrowed. "We wonder if you were the one who inflicted the wound on Lord Ryu."
This brought a sudden outburst from the crowd.
"Of course he did! He's a Dark Dragon!"
"Wretched Dark Dragon!"
"Evil Dark Dragon!"
"You don't belong here!"
Cries of agreement filled the hall, echoing off the walls.
"NO!" Teepo growled, his crimson eyes flashing. "I may be a Dark Dragon, I don't know, but I didn't betray you!"
"Betrayer!"
Furious, he raised his voice. "I – DID – NOT – ATTACK – RYU!"
This seemed to spark a new level of violence from the people. They charged right at him, even the civilians who were unable to take on the form of a Dragon. They shouted insults in his face, crowding him and slamming him into a corner, trying to mangle him with their own hands.
Teepo froze when he saw their eyes.
Madness. A fanatical desire to remove the betrayer from their midst.
A fanatical desire to win the war.
It was at that moment… at that very moment, he saw.
Why the Goddess chose to remove the Brood from the face of this earth.
But he did not get the chance to ponder further as a familiar voice spoke above the cries of the crowd.
"Unhand him. He speaks the truth; he didn't hurt me."
The crowd was immediately silenced, eyes turning towards the door.
Ryu, accompanied by Deis and Jono.
Frightened by the Prince's sudden appearance, all civilians and warriors in the hall quickly separated from Teepo and knelt in respect, heads lowered towards the floor.
Ryu approached his Protector, one hand clutching his wound. "Are you okay, Teepo?"
"I'm fine, but…" Teepo sighed a little. "Are you sure you should be up? That's a nasty wound you have there, you know."
"Yeah, given by you!" a voice cried from the kneeling crowd.
"Silence!" Deis shouted, slithering towards the crowd. "We'll settle this through an actual discussion, not through accusations!"
Jono sighed. "Doesn't look good. These people seem bent on Teepo being a betrayer…"
"I'm not," the Protector argued.
"I know." Ryu smiled. "You may be a Dark Dragon, but it doesn't change a thing. You're still my best friend, my brother."
"Thanks, I appreciate it. I'm glad you're okay, too." He half-grinned. "But can we stop here before we get too sappy?"
He laughed. "Get that idea out of your head, Teepo."
But both of them knew they had to deal with the situation at hand. Ryu turned towards his people, his expression grim.
Teepo knew then that his friend was gone. All that was left was the Dragon Prince.
"Rise," Ryu commanded.
The people obeyed, eyeing their leader uncertainly.
"Lord Ryu," one man spoke up. "Please remove Teepo as your Protector and banish him from Arcis!"
"Execute him!" a woman shouted.
The Prince's expression did not change. "Dragons of Arcis, we have all fought long and hard in this war. We have lost a great many warriors and Protectors. We have lost many people dear to us, we have endured much suffering and pain. Everyone here has worked hard, supporting everyone in any means possible… then I must ask you this; hasn't Teepo been doing the same?"
A long silence. An involuntary weep escaped a few women.
"We have all been together since the beginning of the war, Teepo and I have been together since our birth. Never once did he betray anyone, never did he once try to. He has been a great support to us through out this war. Was all that forgotten because of the colour of his scales?" He looked around the room. "I know there were rumours of him being a Dark Dragon from the beginning, but I had always hoped the titles you gave us – Ryu of the Light and Teepo of the Dark – was given solely because of the colour of our favourite coats."
"But the Dark Dragons sided with the Goddess in the past!" one argued from the crowd. "What makes you think he won't do the same?"
Ryu gazed firmly at him. "I trust him."
This stunned the people into silence.
Jono stepped forward and cleared his throat. "Trust is important. Without it, we will surely lose this war. We must see beyond the colour of our scales. Don't you think so?"
The crowd nodded, some mumbling their responses.
"Then it's settled," Deis declared. "Teepo will remain as the First Protector, as one of us."
The subdued crowd bowed respectfully and left the hall, though some did it grudgingly. Teepo sighed in relief, glad that it was all over… but he knew, things would never be the same at Arcis.
He would always be seen as a betrayer in their eyes.
"Why won't this war end…?" He gazed at the ceiling above. "Why do we have to keep fighting…?"
"Teepo…" The Prince sighed. "We must send Myria back to Gods' Realm, that's our task in this world."
Fuelled by sudden anger, he snarled. "But what's the point? What's the point of fighting for this weak world when it's not even our world? What's the point of fighting to the death?" He swung a hand. "Why are we fighting when we know we're going to lose?"
"This world needs our help, Teepo." Deis shook her head slowly. "The people don't have power like ours, because we're all not from here."
Jono placed a hand on the Protector's shoulder. "Would you be able to sit by and watch her control these people, when they don't have the power to fight back?"
"These are weak, selfish people!" Teepo growled. "They don't even remember our existence in this world!"
"We can't let Myria destroy them, even if the world has forgotten us…" Ryu turned away sadly. "It was a promise we made long ago, but it's still a promise."
.
-x-
.
The night was dark, cloudy. No light could penetrate the thick layer of clouds above. Not even the light of the full moon, whose task was to accompany lone people who could not sleep.
Teepo was one such person tonight.
He sat on the highest roof of the castle, hoping the darkness and the gentle night wind would help ease his heart.
But it didn't. The heavy feeling in his heart was as strong as ever.
The war would not end. The Prince would continue to lead the warriors to battle, come what may.
Even if Death claimed them on the battlefield.
Even if they fought all the way to extinction.
"Ryu, you idiot," Teepo muttered, running a hand through his hair. "What good will death do you even if you win…?"
There was no one to answer him.
At least, that was what he thought, until a strong gale blew, and a gentle voice reached into his mind.
"Teepo… my poor Teepo…"
A female voice.
And he recognised it.
Myria.
"What do you want?" he demanded aloud.
"Only to console you… I understand the pain you have in your heart… my poor Teepo…"
An abrupt idea came into his mind. He thought for a moment, then decided to chance it. "Myria… can you end this war?"
"End this war? Perhaps I could, but it will not be easy if the Brood insists on continuing it…"
He sighed. "I know. It's a pointless war, and yet I can't do a thing to stop it…"
"No, there is something you can do to end this war… something only you can do…"
"Something… only I can do?"
.
-x-
.
"Just hurt him, she says, so she can end this war…" Teepo muttered under his breath. "But how can I do that to my brother?"
The battle raged around him, screams and explosions piercing his ears. He struck the enemies who tried to attack the Prince, but as he gazed at his back, he wondered if he could do it.
He had only needed to stop him for this battle, and Myria would do the rest.
Could he trust her?
He felt he could trust her more than his own brethrens. His brethrens who resented him for being a Dark Dragon.
"It is sad we must resort to this method, but when one is firm to his beliefs, it is impossible to change his mind," Myria had said to him the night before. "You do not wish to hurt him, but there is no choice but to do so in order to stop him…"
"No choice, huh…?" Pain tore at his heart. "If it will end this war and free Ryu of his obligation… not to mention mad at me for life… I guess it's worth the risk."
It was painful, but it had to be done.
He was already marked as a betrayer. This would not change their minds.
This would finally free the Brood. They would all finally be united, finally returning to Gods' Realm together.
Yes, he would do it.
Steeling his heart, he raised his rapier.
He screamed his friend's name.
Ryu turned sharply, surprise evident on his face.
His eyes widened.
With a loud cry, Teepo stabbed as hard as he could. The tip of his blade aimed for the right shoulder.
An arrow struck Ryu's back.
The Prince's body curved backwards in reflex.
And Teepo's blade stabbed him.
In his heart.
A strangled gasp escaped him.
His hand clutched at his chest.
He fell to the ground.
Teepo's eyes widened with fear and shock.
"Ryu! NO!" he cried, kneeling next to his friend. "RYU!"
Ryu coughed weakly, his cerulean eyes gazing at his brother questioningly.
"…Tee…po…"
But there was no accusation in his eyes.
Only pain and sorrow.
And the light in his eyes flickered away.
Teepo's eyes widened. "N-No… no… Ryu!" He tried to shake the Prince awake. "Wake up, Ryu! I only wanted to stop you, not kill you! RYU!"
There was no reply.
Sobbing, he threw his head upwards and screamed. "RYUUUUU!"
And the curved blade of a halberd stabbed him through the chest.
A strangled gasp came from him.
"I am Guardian Gaw…" a gruff voice stated from behind him. "Here to sentence you to death." The golden eyes narrowed. "Remember the name in the afterlife, evil one."
When the halberd was forcefully yanked out of his chest, Teepo fell sideways onto the ground, his eyes wide open.
One last thought crossed his mind.
This is… the price to pay…
He gave a weak bitter chuckle, then heaved his last breath.
There they lay. Ryu of the Light and Teepo of the Dark.
Dead. Side-by-side.
In the battlefield chosen by their warring destiny.
And a loud voice rang through the battlefield.
"L-Lord Ryu has fallen! The Brood has LOST!"
.
-o-o-o-o-o-
.
Ryu inhaled sharply from the memory, his eyes wide open with astonishment and disbelief.
"No…"
…the reason why I lost four hundred years ago… is…
No. It had to be false.
He refused to believe it.
Teepo was his friend. His brother.
His Protector… who betrayed him.
But yet, within the depths of denial, there was a small feeling of understanding.
Now he knew why. Why his nightmares always ended with him being stabbed in the chest.
Why Lord Ladon refused to tell him the truth.
"Shocking, isn't it?" Teepo said, his expression harsh. "Betrayed by your own brother…"
"How… how could you?" Nina cried, tears filling her eyes. "You were his friend!"
"Teepo? Why?" Rei shouted.
Teepo turned away. "I didn't quite understand why then… but I understand now. Us, the Brood… our race has to be destroyed. So much blood had been shed to reach this point…" He closed his eyes. "…nothing but hardship awaits us wherever we go… violence… pain… blood…" His eyes snapped open, facing them. "That's the Brood… that's what we are! We pose a great danger to the world. Our power… no, our very existence threatens it; we cause war and chaos wherever we go!"
Silence hung in the air.
"…so, Mr. Teepo…" Rei, having snapped out of his shock, stepped forward, the usual good-humouredness no longer on his face. "The Goddess put it into your head to wait here… wait here and kill Ryu again, huh?"
"NO!" Teepo growled. "She'll never harm anyone or allow anyone to be harmed!" He clenched his fist. "She simply fears for the world, should the power of the Brood be left uncontrolled…" He shook his head sadly. "Ryu, we're different from them, we can't be with them… That's why you need to stay here with me… with me and the Goddess Myria…"
Ryu shut his eyes tightly, his heart still in denial.
The violet-haired man sighed. "You still don't understand, do you? But that's okay, take your time…" Suddenly he thrust a hand forward, pointing a finger at Ryu. "Look within yourself!"
All of a sudden, there was a great flash of light, and Ryu suddenly found himself alone with Teepo in Eden… his companions had disappeared.
Another flash of light, and the other Dragon was gone.
And, with a final flash of light, Ryu himself vanished.
.
-o-o-o-o-o-
.
A great abyss.
That was the first thing Ryu saw.
He found himself standing on a circle of turquoise tiles that shone brightly against the great darkness of the abyss, surrounded by violet tiles that did not shine. They were a soothing combination, easy on the eyes, though only bright enough to illuminate a few feet around him. Four blocks of clear violet crystals stood in four areas of the circle.
"Where… am I…?" he muttered, looking around.
"This is your mind…" Teepo's voice spoke. "Your heart given shape."
"My… heart…?"
Teepo strode onto the purple tiles, the expression on his face unreadable. "Here, not only you can enter your own heart, but also those of your so-called friends… then, you'll learn that I am… that Holy Myria is right…"
Ryu clenched his fist, his heart wanting to yell that they were better friends than him, but he said nothing.
Once Teepo faded away into the darkness, another spot appeared to the left, the same circle of turquoise and purple tiles shining.
Ryu stepped forward, approaching that new spot, determined to sort out his thoughts.
As soon as he entered the new circle, he heard Nina's voice.
"Whenever I decided to do something, my mother would always ask me…" Her voice filled with sorrow, she appeared at the opposite edge of the circle, her head buried in her arms leaning against her knees. "…is that what a princess of Wyndia should do…?" She slowly looked up at him, her eyes red with tears. "…I would always answer yes…" Then, she disappeared.
"Huh…?" He looked around.
"But when I left the castle with Ryu and my other friends…" her voice came from behind him, with her facing away from him. "…for the first time, I wasn't my mother's daughter… or the Princess of Wyndia…" Her voice growing stronger, she continued, "I was able to be… just Nina…"
"You're just being selfish, you know!" a voice similar to Nina's shouted.
There was another Nina, her eyes filled with anger, standing with her hands akimbo.
"…I thought it was very important…" the first Nina spoke softly, still turned away. "…that we learn about Ryu and the Brood…" She turned to face him, her eyes filled with tears. "I don't know anymore…" She shook her head, the tears trickling down her face. "Maybe I left the castle just because I was… tired of being controlled by my mother…"
With that, both Nina's disappeared away, leaving a confused Ryu. Then, he heard Rei's voice.
"The power of the Brood…"
He followed the voice, finding his old friend leaning against a violet crystal block.
"Look at me… I have a power I was so frightened of that I swore I'd never use it, but compared to the power of the Brood, mine is insignificant…" Rei sighed, crossing his arms. "Doesn't that just beat all…?"
He shook his head. "Rei…"
The half-tiger disappeared, suddenly reappearing beside another crystal block behind Ryu, forcing the latter to turn around. "How can anyone handle that kind of power? If it were me, I know what I'd do with it…" His voice trailing away, he turned towards the darkness. "…no… I know better. I wouldn't be able to handle that kind of power responsibly… I'm just no good…"
And, he faded away into the darkness.
To the right, another circle of shining tiles lit up. There, sitting at the edge, was Momo.
"My father used to tell me lots of stories of the Techno Age…" she muttered, facing the darkness. "It was his life's dream to learn all he could about that time and all the machines that were built then…"
Honey suddenly came running from the darkness and stopped in front of Momo.
Momo gazed at her. "Father… I'm almost there… it's right in front of me…" She shook her head. "The Brood… the Goddess… I don't know anything about them. The fate of the world? It's too big for me…" She shook her head. "All I know is… by getting close to the Goddess, I'm getting close to that age… the Age of Machines…"
With that, she completely disappeared.
Behind Ryu, a circle of turquoise formed, and in its centre, spheres of light swirled upward in the form of a pillar. He took a deep breath and stepped into it, and his surroundings changed. Now, instead of circles of shining tiles in the darkness, now there were green paths of glass that hovered in the darkness, twisting and turning like a maze without walls.
Upon walking for some distance along the maze, Ryu came face-to-face with Garr.
"I believed that by hunting the Brood… by obeying the Goddess… I was saving the world…" He clenched his fists tightly. "But now I wonder… was I…? If they had wanted to, the Brood could have stopped us at any time…"
Ryu gazed at his companion. "Garr…"
A look of anguish washed over the Guardian's face. "What should I have done…?"
He vanished.
The Dragon Prince shook his head. "Everyone…"
The road continued further. He walked along the path patiently, wondering now where to go, and soon he came across Peco.
"I've been watching you for a long time, Ryu…" he spoke surprisingly, in a voice that Ryu found familiar. He shook his head. "You need to do what you, and only you, think is right."
"What I think is right…?" Ryu muttered to himself.
The onion bounced nearer. "The power of the Brood is something to be respected and feared… but it's not enough to save or destroy the world."
He gasped. "It's… it's not?"
Peco nodded, and faded away.
Clenching his fist, Ryu steeled his heart and continued on, determined to end this.
At the end of the path, there was a pillar of swirling light, which he stepped into without hesitation.
However, when he emerged on a wider, golden glass floor, he found himself staring at his own face.
"Have you come to a decision?" the other Ryu asked.
Ryu stared at him, confused.
"You're one of the Brood, you can't afford to think only of yourself like the others. Think of what you could do with your power…" He shook his head. "Think of your people who sacrificed themselves for you… think of your lord who gave you this power…"
He closed his eyes.
He stepped closer. "If you have the power to change the world, you have to take responsibility for the world, don't you?"
"…I don't know if I can handle that responsibility…" He closed his eyes. "I've always wanted to be just a normal person…"
"Of course, there's only one person who can take that kind of responsibility…" He raised his voice with confidence. "The Goddess Myria!"
"The… the Goddess…" Ryu slid weakly to his knees, his hands on the ground. "I… can't do what she could… to end the long war…"
"Rise… rise and give yourself to the Goddess…" the other Ryu urged. "Become one with the world!"
The Dragon Prince closed his eyes, his heart ready to succumb to the doubt he had felt for so long…
Then, he realised.
…wait a minute. Give myself to the Goddess?
His resolve returned.
He stood up, glaring at his other self, determination burning in his heart.
The other Ryu gasped, drawing back. "W-what?"
Ryu walked right through his other self, who vanished the moment he did so.
"…an illusion…"
The young man looked around, his eyes now filled with fury.
"TEEPO!" he yelled loudly, his voice echoing in the place.
"I'll be damned, Ryu…" Teepo's voice came from the other end of the wide floor. "You got through my illusions."
Ryu strode up the short stairway and confronted the violet-haired man. "You see, that's your downfall… whenever you used that illusion trick, you'll do well at first, then you get too eager and you end up using the wrong words." He crossed his arms. "If only you said something else, I might actually fall for it…"
He laughed heartily. "You never change, do you, Ryu? My illusions never work on you… but still." He shook his head. "But you understand don't you? We share the same blood… I know you… you must understand…" He abruptly swung a hand to his side. "All the others, they're weak and frail! They only think of themselves! What if our power are to be used by them, for their small, selfish ends?"
He stood still, his cold eyes gazing straight at him.
"We can only entrust our power to someone who understands… someone who sees and thinks of the world as a whole… someone like Myria, Ryu."
Ryu crossed his arms. "I get what you've been trying to get across, and don't tell me I don't understand them. But…" He took a step forward, his eyes blazing. "What makes you think she's as holy as you think? What makes you think she thinks the same way as you do?"
He was surprised. "What… are you saying, Ryu?"
He placed a hand on his chest. "My power… this power has been given to me for the sole purpose of defeating Myria. To free the people of the world from the clutches of a Goddess who would treat them like her playthings." He shook his head. "She may not be as holy as you think, Teepo."
"You're wrong… you're wrong, Ryu!" Teepo's expression grew grim. "If that's your choice… if you won't listen to me…" He turned away. "I'm afraid I can't let you leave…" He vanished into thin air.
"Teepo?" Ryu shouted, just as something else materialised before him.
It was an armoured skeleton, wielding a large grey scythe. It rode on a saddled two-headed red wolf that was much bigger than the Dragon Prince, its golden mane gleaming, its two golden tails swishing behind it.
"I'm sorry, Ryu…" came Teepo's mournful voice. "But I've no choice but to leave you here in this dream."
"So you've degraded yourself to this level, huh?" Ryu drew out his sword, with no intention to turn into a Dragon, and lunged forward. "But I don't plan to stay in this dream either!"
The wolf howled mournfully and charged, its rider preparing to swing its lethal scythe. Ryu ducked, the blade missing him entirely, and countered by slicing at a pair of the wolf's golden eyes.
The blinded wolf head snarled in pain and reared, the fur in its mane bristling, while the other head fought hard to keep all its legs on the floor. Shaken by the internal conflict its steed was facing, the skeleton tried to keep its balance.
"…this is just my dream, right?" Ryu shook his head. "So you're only an imaginary monster sent to stop me. Goodbye."
With a strong kick to the wolf's side, the monster toppled over the edge of the glass floor with a great howl, together with its rider.
The moment they faded from sight, a loud rumbling filled the air. The glass floor began to shatter, starting from the end opposite Ryu, signalling that this world would disappear soon. He took a deep breath, bracing himself, and when the last bit of the floor finally shattered, it dropped him into the abyss below.
.
-o-o-o-o-o-
.
Ryu continued falling, falling and falling… until he landed on the grassy ground of Eden. His companions, startled and stunned to see him return so suddenly, quickly gathered around him.
"Ryu! Are you okay?" Nina asked, immediately stepping closer to him.
"Pukyu!" Peco cried.
Ryu smiled. "I'm fine."
"But what happened to you? Momo asked. "How come you disappeared like that?"
Rei's eyes hardened. "Teepo disappeared when you did… so I guess he must've done something to you, huh?"
The young man nodded. "He tried to convince me to join Myria instead of fighting her."
"I see." Garr focused his eyes.
The others turned, following his gaze.
Teepo approached them, a stern look on his face. "So... you've come back, Ryu…"
Ryu took a step forward, his expression hardened. "Yes, I'm back, Teepo."
"Why did you fight the Arwan?" he demanded. "All that would've happened is that you would lose the power of the Brood. You wouldn't have to die!"
"I'm sorry, Teepo, but…" He shook his head. "I have to do what I think is right."
"Fighting the Goddess is right, huh? Well, if you won't give up your power… if you won't submit to the wisdom of Myria…" Gritting his teeth, Teepo began to shine brightly. "Then I've no choice but to kill you!"
An immense burst of light swallowed Eden, forcing all six of them to shield their eyes. Birds flew away in a panic and animals ran away to hide in a shelter, leaving a big space in the centre where they stood.
When the light dimmed, what they faced was a powerful Dragon, with a form that was almost – though not quite – comparable to that of the Kaiser.
Its snout was sharp, like that of a cone, and it had two curved silver horns that were shaped like blades; one longer than the other. Its head attached to a serpentine neck, its clawed legs muscular, and its wings consisted of a sharp mantis-like leg, with violet light that took on the shape of a dragonfly's wings.
Its onyx scales gleamed as it roared loudly, shaking the whole room.
Rei drew out his daggers. "Man, this is Teepo's Dragon form…?"
The princess shook her head, her wand ready. "Can we beat it…?"
"I don't think so…" Momo admitted.
"The power of the Brood is truly immense…" Garr raised his halberd. "But this is the path we chose, and it is the path we must follow."
Unlike his companions, Ryu gazed at the Dragon fearlessly. He laughed quietly to himself – how many times had he seen this Dragon form? Only once so far, when Teepo lost control of his power during the Dragon War.
And now twice.
He raised a hand to his side, stopping his companions.
"Please stand back," he requested quietly. "This is something that I… that we need to settle on our own."
The others hesitated at first, but then nodded and took several steps back.
"Teepo…" He stepped forward and stared fearlessly at the dark Dragon before him. "Since you've taken your true form… it's only fair that I take mine, right?"
The Dragon nodded, growling.
He closed his eyes, his body glowing. "Let us resolve our beliefs with this last battle."
His eyes snapped open as another great burst of light engulfed the room. Once the light dimmed, his form was no longer that of a human, but the magnificent Kaiser Dragon.
The dark Dragon roared, the crimson eyes flaring.
The golden Dragon followed suit, the cerulean blue eyes shining.
Both rose high into the air, as easily as a leaf blown by the wind.
And they clashed in the middle of Eden's artificial sky.
A burst of energy spread across the room in an instant, forcing everyone back. The trees bent from the sheer force, the small animals and birds were thrown helplessly across the room. Nina and Momo screamed as they were thrown off their feet, but Garr quickly caught them by the arms and pulled them behind a large boulder. Peco squealed loudly, rolling across the grassy ground, but Rei grabbed him and Honey beside the Guardian.
The roars thundered loudly through the air. Razor sharp claws flashed in the artificial sunlight, tearing the ground easily as though it was paper. A torrent of energy circled the room, lifting shattered rocks, like a great vortex. Rays of hot energy, thin as a sliver of light, travelled back and forth, as the great beasts cut through the air like sword slashes cutting enemies. Explosions and snarls rang through the room, sending fear through all the animals of Eden, as the rays struck the ground and the walls.
The group of five could only watch, gaping at the battle above them.
It was like watching the heaven and the earth rage a battle, with lightning storms in between.
A battle completely beyond their league… it was truly unfathomable.
The two Dragons shrieked and clashed in the middle, their front claws grabbed onto each other.
Teepo gave a roar, dark light surrounding him. "For the Goddess!"
Ryu roared in reply, his form glowing with white light. "For the Dragons!"
Immense light shone in their throats.
And, with a great burst of light, it ended with a huge explosion.
An explosion of light engulfed the room, as though the sun itself was in there with them. A great gale tore the room apart, uprooting trees and sending creatures flying across the room. The five of them could only huddle behind the large boulder, holding onto each other tightly.
Then, seconds later, as suddenly as it had started, everything around the room returned to normal.
Plants lay scattered around the ground, the animals lay dazed among the plants. The five remaining travellers stood up slowly, cautiously.
There, in the centre of the room, Ryu, back in his human form, stood silently as he gazed downwards. Teepo lay on the ground, breathing heavily, his clothes partially torn.
Teepo chuckled. "You were definitely going easy on me, Ryu…"
"No, Teepo…" Ryu shook his head, kneeling down next to him.
"Believe me, I was your Protector during the hundred-year war… I know the difference between you going easy and doing your best." He coughed weakly. "I still lost anyway…"
His eyes dulled. "…I'm sorry… I hope I didn't hurt you too badly…"
"Do you see now, Ryu…? Myria is right…" He closed his eyes slowly. "Look at us… the Brood… all we know how to do is… fight and kill like this…"
"No, Teepo… that's where you're wrong." He shook his head slowly. "Dragon or human, we'll always face hardships. Dragon or human, it's normal to be fighting for our beliefs… we each believed what we're doing is right. There's no harm in that."
He laughed softly. "You still can say that to your enemy…"
He smiled. "You're not an enemy… you're my friend. My brother."
"Our brother," Rei corrected, kneeling next to Teepo.
"…brothers…" Teepo smiled. "…if only… we weren't part of the Brood… if only we didn't have to… fight like this…"
Ryu's eyes narrowed with pain of seeing his friend suffer. "Teepo…"
He closed his eyes. "…all I ever wanted… is to be with… you, Rei, and you, Ryu…" A tear trickled down his cheek. "…my… family…"
And his breathing ceased.
Rei's eyes grew wide. "…T-Teepo…?"
Ryu shut his eyes and turned away.
Teepo's body began glowing faintly, then brightly, and then faded into spheres of light, which swirled around them.
The young man gazed upward and straightened, spreading his hands. "Teepo… I promise I'll bring us Dragons back together again… as a family… back to the peaceful times… so please…" He closed his eyes, a faint white light surrounding him. "…please be my Protector again."
The swirls of light paused, as though hesitating, and soon began circling around him. Then, there was another explosion of light, as a roar filled the room.
Ryu, who took on Teepo's Tyrant Dragon form, threw his head upward and gave a long mournful cry that echoed throughout Myria Station. Nina placed her arms around his draconic leg and leaned her head on his knee, letting her tears flow down the scales.
Rei gritted his teeth and clenched his fists tightly. Momo stood next to him, her head lowered.
Garr cast his eyes towards the artificial sky. Peco closed his.
In memory of Teepo. A friend who had held strongly to his beliefs to the end.
.
End of Chapter Twenty-Eight.
.
.
Author's Note:
Sorry for the uber late update! I had to rewrite many parts of this chapter because it wasn't very convincing, but I had a major writers' block throughout the week… and now I overshot by nine whole pages! T_T Hopefully it's good enough though, and hopefully it's dramatic enough. x_x
Though don't mind Teepo's Tyrant Dragon form… I stole the name from BoF4's Tyrant Dragon, and the design actually reminds me of the Kaiser / Tyrant Dragon forms in BoF4. Not that there's a connection between the two. o_o
Oh, and about Arcis, the Dragon city… well, it's just the Latin word for 'stronghold'. It's easier with online translators; I don't have to think so hard for a name. xP
Sad chapter though. T_T
.
.
Review Replies for Chapter Twenty-Seven:
.
To RedemptionWarrior:
I can't remember how far I've gotten the first time I play… it was so very long ago. But getting to Myria Station and Teepo was pretty good. o_o
The name Avian was stuck in my head, but I didn't really want to call it that after you reminded me of the idea Dragons are avians instead of reptiles… so I decided to take the easy way out and call the Hybrid form a Phoenix. xP
Sorry I didn't put in Peco's Hybrid form though, I couldn't think of a good time to put it in… plus I'm not sure Ryu's enthusiastic about fusing with a bouncing onion. x_x
Thanks for the review!
-.-.-.-.-
To drake202:
Haha, yeah, I thought the Ryu-Nina scene might be a bit too mushy for some people… but hey, at least, it's the last one for this novelisation!
I hope Teepo's reunion is up to your standard, albeit the crazy length. xP
Thanks for reviewing!
-.-.-.-.-
To Airess Byrd:
Yeah, I didn't like the Chimera… I mean, I didn't like the logic behind fighting that thing. Who in the world would put the card key in the cage with that creature? I don't think I'd want to go in there myself. o_o
Haha, you're ever the Honey lover. xP
Thanks for the review!