Another chapter coming right up. I'm more then half-way through the main story portion and have yet to make up my mind on whether to add some of the post-storyline events, not that I'm complaining.
Dislaimer: The Dragon Quest series is created by Square Enix.
Chapter XIX: The Living Legend of Upover
The two heroes woke the following morning and bought some fruits and vegetables from one of the shops in Wormwood Creek to use for another salad for breakfast. When they were finished, Trent and Arianna checked on their supplies before paying their respect to Mayor Stan and Wallace. The mayor and his nephew bade them good luck on their quest.
As Trent and Arianna left Wormwood Creek and began the long jourrney west, Trent couldn't help but check his wallet"I'm just about out of coins, what about you?"
"I have a little bit left myself, it'll hold us until we arrive at Upover. By the way, are you worried for your sister? She fell from the Starflight Express, after all" sighed Arianna.
"She could be fine, I saw Raymond jump after her. Is the Starflight Express okay?" inquired the Gladiator.
The Warrior shrugged"The Starflight Express is no ordinairy train, I imagine that it's gone to a stop somewhere nearby,"
Stella, who accompanied them, sighed"Still, that was one flapping mess we got ourselves into. No thanks to that jerk!"
The heroes and their fairy companion trudged along for what felt like hours, but was really for fifty minutes. Trent occasionally surveyed the sun and sky to guage what time it was. Stella and Arianna payed no mind to the Gladiator's habbit, but Stella had to say even though Trent couldn't see her"Why do you keep looking at the sky? You gone flapping crazy or something?"
"Stella, you're such a child at times, you know that?" remarked Arianna.
"Whatever, let's just move on until we get to Upover" sighed the fairy.
That same morning as Trent and Arianna were on thier way to Upover, Alicia and her group got up and had breakfast at the parlor next to the Inn's lobby. Milly, Jessica and Angelo joined them before long as they began to converse some more. The blond Fortune Teller spoke"I presume you all had a good rest?"
"Yep, how is your stay?" inquired Raymond around a bit of a sandwhich.
Jessica replied after consuming a mouthful of some soup she had bought"It was pleasent, but Milly just recieved a premonition last night, I was in the same room as her to get away from Angelo. That silly Templar is such an embarrasment at times."
"What sort of premonition?" whispered Alicia, eyes widening.
Milly sighed"Nothing you need to trifle yourself over. You wish to find your companions and defeat the dark forces encroaching onto this world, do you not?"
Conrad shrugged"I always thought fortune telling was a load of junk. Alicia, do you have a plan? You're the brains now that Arianna is missing."
The Priestess replied as she finished her portion of their breakfast"We will use the Pride of Bloomingdale to look for Trent and Arianna, they will need our help."
"Indeed, but what are the dark forces that Milly spoke of?" frowned Sasha.
"My fortune telling is not that accurate here, but I know that it may be a shadow of the past" interjected Milly.
As soon as they were done, Alicia, Raymond, Conrad and Sasha stood up. Angelo interjected"You're leaving now?"
"Yes, it was nice to meet you three" replied Alicia.
"Well, I was getting pretty bored in my room in this Inn, we can help you out a little" spoke Jessica.
Alicia was astonished"You sure?"
Angelo shrugged"Well, I've been meaning to get a bit of fresh air myself. What about you, Milly? Care to join us?"
Milly hesitated, then said"Very well, let's go. Alicia, do you know what our destination is?"
The Priestess shrugged"Not really, but I'm thinking we should sail east."
Jessica stood up along with the others"I'm starting to get cabin fever from staying in my room for two or three days. If you guys don't mind, will you escort me?"
"Not at all, we'll do it. Besides, Erinn would probably let us have it if something happened to one of her inn's guests" shrugged Conrad.
"We'll try to stay out of it if you get into a battle, but we'll jump in if needed" spoke Milly.
Alicia's group and their guests went out to the main lobby, Jessica paid Erinn"I might be staying one or two more nights when I get back, I just need some fresh air."
Erinn nodded understandingly"No problem, I'll keep your rooms ready."
Trent and Arianna traveled farther, until they came to what looked like a mountain. At it's base was a small village, the two heroes could only assume it to be the town of Upover. Trent addressed his companion"What do you reckon this Hero of the Heavens looks like?"
"I don't know that myself, but we'll find out" replied Arianna.
The pair ventured into the village of Upover, the layout of which consisted of two tiers. If Arianna hadn't been as focused on her mission as she is, the Celestrian would've thought this village to be an amazing sight. Trent sighed"Why do you reckon this town is called Upover? I heard about it from my grandfather, back when I was seven."
"That's a question I'd ask about most cities on the Protectorate, but let's gather information about this Hero of the Heavens, all right?" replied Arianna.
The Mayor's House was on the second tier of the village, Trent and Arianna went in to see a dark haired man seated on a throne-like chair. The Mayor of Upover was surprised to meet the pair"Oh, good day, what brings you here? Did you get here by that broken path on the way?"
Trent replied"It's a long story, sir. But my companion and I have business with a being called the Hero of the Heavens, do you know anything about that?"
The Mayor started at the Gladiator's request before responding"That which you speak of is the legendary White Dragon, Greygnarl. He resides on the summit of the Magmaroo Volcano."
"The Magmaroo?" questioned Trent.
The Mayor responded"The inside of Magmaroo is a volcanic cavern which leads to the summut. Why, I must ask, do you wish to venture to the top of the mountain?"
The Celestrain replied"We request an audience with Greygnarl, it is of the upmost importance."
The Mayor frowned, not as though he were annoyed, but he seemed to ponder his answer. An old woman, who stood in the same room, said"The Magmaroo is a bit dangerous, and the legendary Dragon is not to be trifled."
"I would imagine so, if this Greygnarl' is a dragon. Is there anything special we should know? Because you sound like you know him" piped Arianna.
The old woman spoke"Three centuries in the past, the foul Gittish Empire invaded Upover. King Godwyn's elite warriors, and a monstrous black dragon tried to enslave the people here, but they were driven out and defeated by a greyish white dragon. That dragon was Greygnarl, the defender of this humble village."
"The Legend of Greygnarl, the white dragon who came around and defeated the forces of evil King Godwyn three centuries ago. My mother spoke of it to me and Alicia, but my family all thought it to be merely a myth" frowned Trent.
"It's not a myth, the mighty Greygnarl himself is living proof. Should you desire to meet with him, you may proceed through the Magmaroo, tell the guard at the cave entrence that I sent you" said the mayor.
Trent and Arianna left the Mayor's hut, and headed upstairs to what appeared to be a hole in the mountain. Guarding it was a single man, who addressed the Celestrian"What business do you have in the Magmaroo caves?"
Arianna stepped forward a little"We wish to meet with the White Dragon Greygnarl at the mountain's summit."
"Do you have the mayor's permissioin? The Magmaroo is very hot, and monsters are reported to be lurking inside" frowned the guard.
"We have his permission, so can you let us through?" said Trent, impatiently.
The guard hesitated a bit before responding"Very well, but watch yourselves! The Magmaroo is a dangerous place, it is restricted due to a slight monster infestation and there are pools of lava in places."
Arianna acknowledged the guard's warning as she and Trent strode into the fiery caverns of the Magmaroo. The inside was mildly dark, with huge brown rock walls and a large mass of lava beneath a rock pathway ahead.
"Whoo! It's hot in here" remarked Trent.
"Our other outfits are back on the Pride of Bloomingdale, it can't be helped. Now let's go meet Greygnarl" said the Celestrian.
As the pair started through the boiling hot cavern, a pair of black and red rocks accoted the duo. Trent pulled out his sword and slashed the two monsters, while Arianna encountered and defeated a Mega Moai.
Trent sighed as he shealthed his sword"That guard wasn't kidding."
"Let's just keep moving" responded the Celestrian.
The Pride of Bloomingdale sailed east Alicia and her group, plus their guests, searched the other islands on the sea for any sign of their two missing companions. Alicia and Sasha held vigil, while Conrad steered the ship from the helm.
Angelo, Milly and Jessica relaxed in the cabin, while Raymond stood at the rear end of the ship's deck. After a moment of watching the clouds drift by, the Mage walked over to Alicia"Everything all right?"
"Yeah, but I'm still a little worried for Trent. Protecting the world from the evil which Milly spoke of seems beyond us, aren't you worried for your family?" frowned Alicia.
The Mage shrugged"My hometown, Zere is such a small village that It really has nothing of value. No worries, though I wonder if we can overcome our current dilemmas."
"Hey! I see a dark shadow up ahead!" cried Conrad, who was watching the sky from the starboard deck.
"Where?" whispered Sasha.
Conrad pointed to a nearby continent, the landmass of which had a large mountainous volcano at it's western side. A monstrous shadow was flying steadily towards it. Raymond, Alicia and Sasha followed his gaze to the strange shadow.
Alicia paled"If what the map reads is true, we're headed to the town of Upover. It has a history with the Gittish Empire, which was supposedly destroyed by a magnificent greyish white dragon."
"I don't usually take legends seriously, but if the shadow is any indication, it could be the mythical Black Dragon" muttered Conrad.
The Priestess alerted her group"We have to stay on our guard, that shadow is bad news. Conrad, get us as close to Upover as you can."
"The ship is as close as it gets, I'll have to lay the anchor down and grapple us to the shore" sighed the Ranger.
"Cowar before the might of the Gittish Empire!" bellowed a voice as a squadron of undead skeletal soldiers led by an Lethal Armor appeared on deck.
Sasha readied herself while Raymond blasted three Undead Soldiers down with Boom. The Paladin crossed blades with the Lethal Armor, which sported a sword and shield"give up, you cannot win."
"Begone, monster!" cried Sasha, disarming the Lethal Armor before stabbing at the metallic plates. Raymond disposed of the remaining Undead Soldiers with Bang.
"Those monsters work for the Gittish Empire, huh? That sounds strange" frowned Conrad.
Sasha shrugged"Let's just hurry up and go to that town, hopefully we'll find Trent and Arianna safe and sound."
A minute earlier, Trent and Arianna trudged through the firey Magmaroo as they neared it's peak. Along the way, they came to a singular round chamber with someone training in the area. From what Arianna could see, it was the silhouette of a woman.
"Astrid?" called the Gladiator.
The figure stopped what she was doing and turned to walk towards the pair. The woman spoke"The two of you are safe, thank the Almighty. Lester and I helped a man named Wallace take you to his village to recover".
Trent acknowledged the woman"Wallace said someone helped him help me and Arianna. That was you?"
Astrid nodded"Lester and I had a ship of our own, which is damaged by monsters summoned by a formidable shadow from our world's past. I bribed the guard outside and am training here in the Magmaroo, I am a Armamentelist. A sort-of a cross between a Mage and Warrior."
"It is pleasent to see you again, but where's Lester? Wasn't he with you?" inquired the Celestrian.
The Armamentalist replied"He went to buy supplies, didn't you run into Lester while you were in town?"
"No, but Arianna and I have business here. But how did you get to Upover without the Wyrmwood Bow?" inquired Trent.
Astrid shrugged"Lester has special magic at his disposal, he won't say what it is. Are you going to the Summit? That's where the White Dragon's lair is."
Trent squared his shoulders"Arianna and I are going to meet Greygnarl, care to come with us?"
Astrid shook her head"You won't need my help with this one, but not even I know what the dragon will do once it sees you. I would council you against going any farther to the summit, but I can see that this may be important."
Trent and Arianna thanked the mysterious Armamentalist before heading to a cave opening. Along the way, they were intercepted by a green dragon.
"Bring it on" said Trent, attacking with Dragon Slash. The Green Dragon let out a stream of flame in retaliation, which was intercepted by an Ice spell. Trent turned to acknowledge Astrid, who stood before them.
"Go on ahead, I will take care of this beast for you" said Astrid.
"What about you?" shouted the Gladiator who narrowly blocked the monster's sharp claws with his shield.
The Armamentalist shot a thunder attack at the Green Dragon before responding"I got this one, part of the reason Lester and I are here is to deal with the monster infestation in the Magmaroo."
Trent and Arianna rushed to the cave exit, Astrid stood behind to put the weakened Green Dragon out of it's misery. Trent sighed as he and Arianna exited the firey Magmaroo"I can't help but think I've known Astrid from somewhere."
"We'll talk with her later, just focus on the mission" said Arianna. The pair had emerged onto a small stone plateau, high above Upover. To their right was a small staircase leading to a larger platform.
"What do you think Greygnarl is like?" wondered Trent.
"Who knows?" shrugged the female Warrior.
The trip to the staircase was short as the two headed towards the legendary Dragon of Upover's lair. Straight ahead of the two was a cave, Arianna guessed this was where they'd find the dragon.
Trent sighed"I hope he is willing to help us."
Arianna shook her head"We are nothing but strangers to Upover, we must guage matters accordingly. Look, something is coming out of that cave."
The ground shook softly as a large, greyish white dragon emerged from the cavern. The dragon was larger then most of the monsters the two heroes encountered, it was a radiant sight to the Celestrian's eyes.
The being let out a low growled as it spoke without moving it's lips"What business do you have with me? Are you agents of the Gittish Empire?"
"No, sir, we just wanted to see you" said Trent.
The dragon did not appear to believe the Gladiator as he let out a stream of fire. Trent dodged while Arianna attacked with Dragon Slash, only to be knocked backwards by the dragon's paws.
"Fools! I am Greygnarl! You cannot best me!" growled the dragon, letting out another bout of flames. The pair barely managed to dodge, Trent suffedred a slight burn on his shoulder.
Arianna quickly healed her companion who charged again, avoiding Greygnarl's deadly flame as he marked their adversary with Dragon Slash. The annoyed dragon swiped Trent, causing him to cry out in pain. Arianna healed the injured Gladiator with a medicinal herb, just as he countered Greygnarl with a Falcon Slash.
The White Dragon singed his opponents with another blast of flames, which Arianna softened with an Insulate spell. Trent attacked Greygnarl with Dragon Slash again, only to dodge in order to avoid a bite attack.
"This is a waste of time, we have to get Greygnarl to listen to us" whispered Arianna.
"What do you have in mind?" wondered Trent.
"Leave it to me" replied the Celestrian.
Greygnarl let out another violent torrant of fire, which Trent dodged while Arianna moved in to attack with another Dragon Slash. The dragon took to the air and unleashed another firey inferno, while Arianna shielded herself and Trent with Insulatte.
"How about a little help?" said another voice as Astrid entered the scene and cast an elemental spell on Trent's blade. The blond was astonished as a brown and black aura augmented his sword.
"I shall send you to your doom!" thundered the dragon, belching a tongue of flame at the newcomer. Trent slashed at Greygnarl's leg, his sword burning with the joint powers of earth and darkness.
Greygnarl was even more annoyed at the exploit of his weakness, so he clawed at Trent. The Gladiator dodged again while Arianna leapt overhead and brought her sword down on one of Greygnarl's legs. The dragon collapsed back onto the ground.
"Thanks Astrid" said Trent.
The Armamentalist shrugged"You don't have to thank me."
Trent and Arianna braced themselves as Greygnarl got back onto it's feet. Before the fight could continue, a voice cried out"Wait!"
The group turned to see the old woman from the mayor's house. The woman spoke"This must have been a misunderstanding, you must not hurt Greygnarl."
Arianna had already started administrating herbs to herself, Trent and the wounded dragon. The being spoke in awe as the Celestrian healed it's injuries"Hmph, seems I was mistaken. If you're not from the Gittish Empire, who might you be?"
Trent replied"My companion, Arianna and I came to request your aid. The world is being threatened by the Black Dragon."
"The Black Dragon Barbarus? Hmph! I know that creature too well, it was slain three centuries ago. Why would it have returned from beyond?" inquired Greygnarl.
"It has been destroyed before, but the black dragon truly lives and is poised to strike anywhere at anytime" piped Trent.
Arianna finished tending to the injured white dragon's injuries as she explained what had happened"I don't really expect you to believe me, I used to be a Celestrian. I only speak the truth."
Greygnarl sighed"I grow weary of this nonesense. If you truly do not belong to the empire, then begone!"
Trent could see that this would be a hopeless cause. Arianna sighed"It's no good, we somehow have to prove that the black dragon is really alive."
The old woman addressed the pair"Well, if your business here is done, why don't you come back to the village?"
Trent, Arianna and Astrid escorted the old woman down as they left Greygnarl's lair. Trent inquired"How did you know that grouch?"
The woman frowned"For your information, I was appointed to help Greygnarl as a caretaker of sorts. He is not to be trifled with, you were either brave or foolish to test Greygnarl as you did."
Upon returning to the village and escorting the woman back, a man shouted"Hey, look!"
Trent, Arianna and Astrid looked to see the monsterous black monster show up and several monsters landed. Among them was a half-human creature with the face and claws of a carnivorous bird. Below them, monsters were harrassing the Villagers of Upover.
Trent brandished his sword"Who are you, beak face?"
The creature hooted indignantly"How dare you, hoo, hoot! I am Lieutenant Hootingham-Gore of the Imperial Triumgorate! Surrender to us, or die, hoot!"
"I'd rather die in battle with honor thank you very much" retorted Arianna.
"Hoo, hoot! you hoot me up, you think just the three of you will stop me? Hoot!"
Arianna stood firm"Don't underestimate me, leave Upover or I will send you back to afterlife where you belong!"
Hootingham-Gore sneered"You think you can face the mighty Gittish Empire? Hoot, hoot! Prepare to be destroyed."
The Triumgorate Lieutenant signaled his monsters to attack Arianna and her group before retreating to the back of the black dragon. Trent and Arianna bashed back some of the undead Gittish Warriors, while Astrid kept watch on the Magmaroo entrance to prevent monsters from reaching and attacking Greygnarl.
A horde of lance-wielding monsters called Stenchurions charged at the three, who slashed and hacked apart the enemy ranks. Arianna unleashed Gigagash, blasting apart most of the encroaching horde, Trent took to the front and cut down as many of the remaining Stenchurions as he could.
"There are too many, we must lure them into the Magmaroo if needed. The undead warriors won't get that far since the lava would burn their bones" said Astrid, cutting down a Stenchurion that dared to get too close.
"Boom!" a blast of firey magic tore apart even more Stenchurions, Trent and Arianna had taken a few minor blows in the process of fighting of their new foes.
"Raymond! Glad you can make it" smiled Trent, seeing the red haired mage.
"Don't get too excited, here we go" said another voice. Arianna was surprised to see Lester accompanying Conrad, Alicia, Sasha and three more people in battle against the Stenchurions.
One of the skeletal monsters was furious to see his horde fall, he snarled at Trent"I, the Fright Knight, will finish you off!"
"I wouldn't bet on it" said Trent, charging forward to meet the Fright Knight in a duel. The Gladiator ducked and weaved around the Fright Knight's flurry of blows as they fought.
Nearby, Conrad backstabbed one of the remaining Stenchurions while Raymond took out the rest with Boom. Sasha, meanwhile, helped Astrid watch the entrance to the Magmaroo caverns. The guard had fled in terror when he saw the monster horde coming.
Trent and the Fight Knight were on even footing as they dueled, the monster swung it's sword at the Gladiator's neck. Trent ducked and countered by slashing upward at the monster's thigh. The Fright Knight dodged and thrusted at Trent, who jumped backwards and slashed the monster's skull. The blow left a small dent, which the Fright Knight countered by slashing wildly at the Gladiator.
Trent blocked as best he could before taking a blow to the shoulder. Alicia healed her brother while Sasha rushed towards the Fright Knight and impaled it. The creature attempted to stab her, but was blown apart by a Boom spell from Raymond.
The Villagers who stopped to watch were amazed at the battle prowess of the heroes and their allies. The mayor addressed Arianna"I get the feeling the Gittish Empire may counterattack, can you do something?"
"I'm sure Greygnarl witnessed the battle, I must go consult with him" replied the Celestrian.
"Everyone okay?" said Alicia.
"Yeah, how did you guys find us?" inquired Trent.
Raymond shrugged"It was a tough job, but we came here to Upover after checking out the village of Wormwood Creek. Then we came to Upover and ran into that mess."
The blond woman addressed Arianna"Am I to assume you are the leader of a group of Adventurers?"
Arianna nodded"Yes, in a way. But who are you?"
"The name's Angelo, these two beauties with me are Jessica and Milly" said the white haired man.
Jessica rolled her eyes'I can't take that guy anywhere'.
After the introductions that followed, Trent addressed the Celestrian"Mind if I accompany you back to Greygnarl's lair?"
"Yes" said the Celestrian.
As the pair cast Zoom to go back to the summit, Jessica spoke with Alicia"Arianna is quite busy, isn't she?"
The Priestess shrugged"Yeah, I am just glad my brother is okay, I wonder what went on while we were separated."
The Zoom spell returned Trent and Arianna to the summit of Magmaroo, the greyish-white dragon acknowledged them"I saw everything, so you now must stop the black dragon, I presume?"
"Yes, your excellency" nodded Arianna.
Greygnarl spoke"Then here's the catch, you must speak to me while alone. I also desire the ale, Drunkin Dragon, I am very parched. When you are ready, return to me without your companion."
Arianna nodded, then the pair zoomed back to the town. The Celestrian addressed the Gladiator"I don't know what Greygnarl requests of me, but I need you and the others to remain vigilant on Upover. If something bad happens, just look for a way to stop the Gittish Empire before they invade other countries. Gleeba and Stornway would be hopelessly outmatched against the full combined might of the Empire and the black dragon."
"What of the other Celestrians?" frowned Trent.
"They, too, would act accordingly. Though I doubt Apus Major would consider sacrificing the rest of our Celestrian Warriors for the benefit of mankind, there are simply too few of us to act against the vast monster hordes. Trent, this is just for luck" said Arianna, planting a light kiss to his forehead.
Trent struggled to keep from blushing as the Celestrian went to the wine cellor to collect the drink that Greygnarl wanted.
An additional thirty minutes passed on Arianna's part as she purchased a drink called the Drunken Dragon and zoomed straight to the summit. Greygnarl awaited the Celestrian"Good, now defeat the creature to obtain a Gittish Seal."
As he spoke, an Agrisculpture appeared and punched at the Celestrian. Arianna dodged and attacked with Falcon Slash. Acrisculpture attacked with a full body slam, which the Celestrian dodged and then pierced her opponent with her sword. The defeated monster cumbled into dust, in it's place was a yellowish medal.
As Arianna picked up the medal and relinquish the can of Drunken Dragon, Greygnarl spoke once more"The encounter with the Black Dragon will not be so easy. As farther protection against the monster's power, I bestow upon you the legendary Dragon Warrior Gear."
At that moment, a flash of yellow lights emitted in front of Greygnarl as a radiant suit of armor and a mighty blade appeared before the Celestrian. Arianna retrieved the armor before touching a greenish blade with a similarly colored hilt.
As though to answer Arianna's astonishment, Greygnarl spoke"This is the Dragon Warrior Armor, Dragon Warrior Shield, Dragon Warrior Helm, Dragon Warrior Gauntlets and Dragonslayer Sword. A proud warrior left those here, and the Gittish Shield was taken from a dead Gittish Lieutenant."
Arianna nodded her thanks"So what do I do now?"
"You may hop on my back once you put on the Dragon Warrior equipment, and we'll go crush the Black Dragon together!" replied Greygnarl.
The Celestrian went back inside the cave to change into the armor given to her by the dragon. When she was ready, Arianna gently climbed onto Greygnarl's back, as the two made ready to encounter the Black Dragon.
Down below in Upover, Trent wondered back to his comrades and explained the situation. Astrid nodded"I hope this works out okay. If not, we'll have to storm the empire ourselves."
"How can we do that? The main palace of Git is in an isolated part of this continent" frowned Lester.
"We'll blaze a trail if we must" said Sasha.
Alicia glimpsed at the sky"Look, Greygnarl has just taken off!"
The group and the townspeople watched as Greygnarl, bearing Arianna on his back, flew towards the shadowy dragon waiting for them.
"Let's go back to the ship, we can view what is happening through my crystal ball. I brought it with me from my mentor's place" offered Milly.
Trent hesitated, then replied"All right, I just hope that black dragon gets deep fried by Greygnarl."
Alicia's group returned to the Pride of Bloomingdale, unaware of what was about to occur. Greygnarl and Arianna were in for an unpleasent surprise.
In the sky itself, Arianna and Greygnarl encountered the black dragon Barbarus and Hootingham-Gore. The Celestrian started coolly at the bird-like humanoid"Hootingham-Gore, prepare to face the judgement of the Almighty!"
The bird-like Lieutenant sneered"Hoot! We shall see, now come and test yourselves against us!"
"Graygnarl, we meet again" snarled Barbarus.
Graygnarl roared"You shall be sent back to the afterlife, monster!"
Barbarus shot a dark fireball at the white dragon, who dodged as best he could without throwing Arianna off. The Celestrian cast Insunette on herself and Greygnarl as the two dragons clashed. As soon as they were close enough, Arianna took a stab at Hootingham-Gore, who brandished a strange staff with a bird beak on it's end. The Lieutenant dodged and hurled a wind spell at the Celestrian.
Greygnarl swiped at Barbarus with his front right claw, only for the black dragon to counter with a blast of flame to the white dragon's face. Arianna healed Greygnarl before slashing at Hootingham-Gore. Hootingham was too quick, however. He dodged and hurled a Tornado spell at the Celestrian.
Arianna staggered back while Greygnarl blasted Barbarus with his own fire. Barbarus sneered"As formidable as ever I see, Greygnarl. Let's see how you handle this!"
The demon opened it's mouth and shot a flare of darkness at Upover. Greygnarl addressed Arianna"This is it, I'm afraid. You must carry on without me, I must stop that dark flare!"
"What about you?" inquired Arianna.
"Forget about me, just go" sighed the white dragon.
Arianna nodded, then stood in preparation to launch a desparate assault on Hootingham-Gore'Trent, guys, forgive me.'
"Oh? What can you do, hoot!" chortled Hootingham.
Just before Greygnarl turned to intercept Barbarus's spell, Arianna ran to the top of Greygnarl's head and jumped at Barbarus. Upon landing on the Black Dragon's head, she charged right at Hootingham-Gore.
The Triumgorate Lieutenant sneered"Oh, don't make me laugh, hoo, hoo! See if you can't withstand this!"
Arianna braced herself as another tornado spell was sent right for her. Knowing she could not dodge, the Celestrian took a deep breath and resigned herself to her fate before the spell hit. The impact was so powerful that it sent the young Celestrian tumbling off. Nearby, Greygnarl had formed into a mighty light form and collided with Barbarus's death flare.
Nearby, Stella the fairy had watched the spectacle and thought as she saw Arianna fall'Oh flap!'
Meanwhile, on the Pride of Bloomingdale, the other heroes and their guests congregated around a table in the cabin as Milly showed them what was happening through her crystal ball.
"What the? It can't be, do those crystal ball things lie?" groaned Trent.
"No, but fear not, Arianna is alive" replied the Fortune Teller.
Lester let out a deep breath in what sounded like relief"What about the white dragon?"
Milly shook her head"The great hero of the heavens has fallen. He sacrificed himself to protect Upover, the empire's attack was not entirely fruitless."
"So where's Arianna now?" wondered Trent.
Milly concentrated farther into her crystal ball"The crystal's power is clouded, I sense a greater force then the enemies you are facing. I also sense a vast, barren land with only two buildings standing."
Alicia nodded"So that is where Arianna could be."
"That seems doubtful, judging from where the air battle took place" said Sasha, who was comparing her map to the crystal's images.
"The crystal does not lie, you must now find a way there and save your friend. How far are any of you willing to go to fetch back Arianna and the Celestrial Train?" spoke Milly.
"Whatever it takes" said Trent, fingering his sword.
Alicia pressed the Fortune Teller"How do you know of the Starflight Express?"
Milly raised a hand"In all due time, but let's just say that my teacher was a powerful Seer. The fate of the world lays in your hands."
Trent nodded, then said"Sasha, Conrad, help me plot a course to the north west. We have an Empire to stop and a friend in need of assistance."
Jessica spoke"Now you're talking, I just hope you know what you are doing."
Astrid shrugged"Lester and I will stay with you until we rescue Arianna. Lester has something to tell her, and I have a secret of my own."
"That can always wait, now let's get this old ship moving" smirked Jessica.
Trent smiled as he and his comrades made ready for another big mission. The Gladiator's thoughts drifted briefly to the Celestrian'Hang in there!'
Cliffhanger time, I hope that dosen't bother anyone. Sorry this one took so long to upload, I've been kind of occupied with other things. I also apologize of there was any OOCness.
Please feel free to review.