A Dragon's Tail
Intermission I: Freya's Tail - Arrogance
Intermission I-7: The Curse of Quakersand
"…" Zetarus stared at the collapsing Garchomp in front of him. That Garchomp was Emperor Garland Quakersand the Garchomp, the current Emperor of Dustorm Empire, as well as his father. For his whole life, his life was dedicated to only a single cause, to defeat Garland. He tried to accomplish this once 3 years ago, but he failed, and his failure resulted in the loss of his right eye, but now, he had finally accomplished his lifetime mission…
He had finally defeated Emperor Garland…
He had finally defeated his father…
But…
For some reason, while he was finally able to defeat Garland, which was the objective of his lifetime, the cause that he had devoted his whole life to accomplish, Zetarus didn't feel any feeling of joy or accomplishment. The only feeling he could feel right now was… the feeling of confusion and emptiness, as if he had accomplished nothing. While he didn't feel any regret in defeating his father, he also didn't feel that he was 'whole', but he felt that there was some part of his life that was still missing…
"Father!"
Terrus, Natasha, Largo and Freya quickly ran up toward their father after the battle ended, while Soryl was still standing at the same spot as when he was observing the battle between Garland and Zetarus, and Diego was approaching Zetarus.
"Zetarus…" Diego spoke up for the first time after the battle between Garland and Zetarus had begun and ended. He then could see that Zetarus' body was covered with several injuries, but his injury wasn't as harsh as Emperor Garland's. "… Are you alright?"
"…" Zetarus didn't answer Diego's question. All he did was staring at Emperor Garland, who was being held in Terrus' arms. In seemed like Garland was finally able to regain his consciousness once again, but because he was heavily injured from the battle with Zetarus, the emperor of Dustorm Empire wouldn't live much longer than now…
"F… Father…" Freya said as she held her healing road forward at her father's wounded body, but that's all she could do, as Garland's body was beyond any healing, so her healing rod wouldn't work on her father's body!
"…" Garland silently gazed at the Garchomp in front of him, Zetarus. However, his eyes no longer contained the spark of anger like when he was battling Zetarus. Instead, he was having the spark of satisfied in his eyes, as if he was finally able to get what he wanted for so long in his life.
And then…
"HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"
"F… Father?!" Terrus, Natasha, Largo and Freya spoke out at the same time after they saw their father do something that they didn't expect, as well as something that they hadn't seen him doing for such a long time, laughing.
"… What's wrong with you?" Zetarus asked with an irritated voice as he saw the dying Garchomp in front of him laugh.
"Hahaha… C… Congratulation, Z… Zetarus…" Emperor Garland spoke with a shaking voice after he finished laughing. "Y… You have finally surpassed me…"
"… What's so funny about that?" Zetarus asked with his arms crossed. "And how could you laugh when you are about to die?
"H… How could I not?" Garland said. "As f… finally… I… It's finally over…"
"What are you talking about?" Zetarus asked.
"T… The Curse of Quakersand!" Garland said. "I… It's finally over! I… I have been freed from this curse! F… Finally!"
"…" Zetarus said nothing as he watched Garland speak like a madman, but he knew that Garland didn't really go mad, but he still didn't understand what Garland was talking about, especially about the Curse of Quakersand.
"B… But for you… I… It's not over yet!" Garland said as he slowly raised his paw and pointed his claw at Zetarus. "Y… You are still the holder o… of the Curse of Quakersand! S… Some day, y… you will be killed by your own blood!"
"… I don't understand what you are talking about." Zetarus said.
"O… Of course you wouldn't, as no one else who are still alive except me know about the Curse of Quakersand…" Garland continued speaking. "I… It is the terrible curse that has been plaguing the family of Quakersand for countless generations… I… It has already caused countless tragedies to befall o… on the Quakersand family…"
"…" Zetarus, as well as Terrus, Natasha, Largo and Freya, carefully listened to what Garland was saying.
"S… Starting from the first member of the Quakersand family ever, the curse will be inflicted on them and only one of their children…" Emperor Garland continued speaking. "T… The Curse of Quakersand will cause a conflict between two holders of the curse, a parent and a child, to occur… A… And the conflict would finally result in the loss of one eye for the child and the loss of life for the parent…"
"!" Zetarus involuntary reached his paw to the eyepatch that was covering his right eye, which was lost when he lost a battle against Emperor Garland 3 years ago, and he could also see that Emperor Garland was also one-eye blind too, which meant that…
It was the result of the Curse of Quakersand too…
"B… But that's not over…" Garland continued speaking. "T… The Curse of Quakersand would continue to haunt the Quakersand family… When a child kills their parent, that child would become a parent, who will later be killed by their child, creating the endless cycle of death!"
"!" Zetarus' mind was shocked and dismayed after hearing the truth from Emperor Garland, the truth behind his tenacious intention of killing Emperor Garland, his father, no matter what. He never knew why he was so devoted to this cause until today, when he learned why…
He was influenced by the Curse of Quakersand…
The curse had influenced his mind into going onto the mission of killing his own father…
" T… This curse had caused the Quakersand family to enter the endless cycle of death… As we, the Quakersand family, would never be able to escape this curse." Garland continued speaking. "Unless if the child who holds the curse doesn't have any child who will later kill them, the curse would never go away…"
"…" Everyone still said nothing as Garland paused speaking for a moment before he resumed his story.
"B… But that's impossible…" Garland continued speaking. "T… The Quakersand family must never end, we must continue, for that we are the holder of Blood of Legend… And so, each member of the Quakersand family who possesses the Blood of Legend must have at least one descendant in order to pass down their Blood of Legend, but doing so… Would result in the passing down of the Curse of Quakersand too… T… That's why the Curse of Quakersand wouldn't go away and still exist to plague our family, like now!"
"But father…" Terrus spoke up. "If that's true, then why I didn't receive the Curse of Quakersand? Why it's only Zetarus who have to suffer under this curse?"
"H… Haven't you listened to what I said?!" Garland scolded. "L… Like the Blood of Legend, only one child of the holder of the Curse of Quakersand would inherit the curse, and the curse would only pass down from one parent to one child, never from one sibling to another sibling, and because most holders of the Blood of Legend and the Curse of Quakersand only have one child, the Curse of Quakersand still exists until today… B… But in this case… The holder of Blood of Legend and the holder of the Curse of Quakersand are two different people…" Garland ended his words by looking at Terrus and Zetarus.
"Then, so… I don't understand." Largo spoke up. "If having only one child means that the Curse of Quakersand is still existing, then why don't some of our ancestors just had two or more children, so that the holder of the Blood of Legend and the holder of the Curse of Quakersand may be two different people, and the curse would cease to exist."
"… Y… You would make a terrible parent, Largo." Garland said. "T… Think of what would happen if you do something like that! It means that… It's equal to that you are condemned one of your children to doom! N… No parent w… would be able to make up their mind to do something like this—"
"You do." Zetarus suddenly spoke up with a grim voice, turning the attention of everyone to him.
"Z… Zetarus?" Freya spoke up.
"Garland… No, father." Zetarus spoke as he slowly approached the wounded Garchomp in front of him. His voice was a bit shaking. "Do you know that you are a terrible father? The way you treat all of your children… You don't care for Terrus, Largo and Freya because they aren't the children that were born to the woman you love, and you only care for Natasha because she's the daughter of the woman you love…"
"… Go on…" Garland said as he saw that Zetarus paused his speaking for a bit.
"… And for me… Do you have any idea how much I have to suffer?!" Zetarus continued speaking. This time, it was very clear that his voice was trembling. It might seem like his voice was trembling from anger, but that was actually not true. "Do you have any idea how much suffering I have to endure for my whole life in that hell I was born in?! I have to endure all of that torture alone, only to find that I am actually a cursed child who are destined to kill my own father?! DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA ABOUT ALL OF THIS?!"
"… Heh" Garland mumbled after he heard Zetarus' words. Right now, it was clear that Zetarus was trying very hard to hold back the strong feeling that he was having in his heart. "… Y… You know what, my son? I can make you suffer even much more than now with just a few words… And I intend to do so…"
"…" Zetarus said nothing as he waited for his father to continue speaking.
"… I know the reason behind your suffering." Garland continued speaking. "My son, I know the truth about what happened 21 years ago, when everyone thought that you are already dead, when you were actually sent into that hell, the desert prison…"
"!" Zetarus looked at Garland with an expression of shock. He could barely believe in the words he had just heard! But this also awakened the memory that he had during the Dragon Massacre, when he heard one of his enemies speak something that was related to his suffering, but he didn't learn much from that, and now…
"… I was shocked too…" Garland continued speaking. "Three years ago… I saw my third child, who shouldn't still be alive anymore, standing in front of me, declaring that he will be the one who takes away my life. That was the moment that I remembered about the Curse of Quakersand, and I decided to act according to the curse. I didn't take the life of my third child, only taking away his right eye, and let him go. After that, I did an investigation about the truth behind what happened 21 years, behind the fate of my third child, and the truth had frozen my blood."
"…" Everyone, especially Zetarus, carefully listened to Garland's words.
"… I… It was madness and hunger for power that devoured the minds of living creatures." Garland continued speaking. "Despite that I finally agreed to have one wife who is a Ground type Pokemon while still keeping Sharon as my wife too, the nobles and aristocrats of Dustorm Empire were still not pleased, as what they wanted was having the child of Empress Lylalia as the next ruler instead the child of Empress Sharon. And soon, when Terrus was born, with him being the son of Empress Lylalia, as well as being the 'perfect reincarnation', it was very reasonable for Terrus to be the next ruler of Dustorm Empire, and for my next child, Natasha… She was both female and non-Ground type Pokemon, so the chance of her being the ruler of Dustorm Empire is very slim… However… When Empress Sharon was about to have another child… Things was changed because Sharon's second child, as well as my third child, was found to be both male and Ground type Pokemon… This caused those nobles and aristocrats to become panic as there was a chance that the throne of Dustorm Empire would fall into the grasp of my third child because my third child is not only both male and Ground type Pokemon, but he is also the child born to the woman that I love, and the royal rule of Dustorm Empire allows the current emperor of Dustorm Empire to assign any of their child to be the crown prince."
"!" As Garland's tale reached this point, Zetarus was able to grasp the truth behind his life now. The truth, however, was a very ugly one. It was so ugly that Zetarus had to pray that it was not true, despite that it was impossible, as it was the truth…
"A… And so… During that fateful night… They did it…" Garland continued speaking. "They faked the death of my third child, deceiving everyone, including Sharon and me, that the third child of Quakersand family is dead upon their birth. In the truth, they snuck that child away and tried to kill him, but because that child was the one who inherited the Curse of Quakersand, he couldn't go to the Afterlife until he was able to kill me… And so, they decided to send that child to Desert Prison, under the disguise as the wanted criminal who was sentenced for the life sentence…"
"No…" Zetarus spoke as he held his paw forward. "T… This cannot be…"
"A… And then… About 21 years after the 'birthday' of my third child…" Garland continued the last part of his story. "Because Terrus's Succession Ceremony was about to be held, the nobles and aristocrats became panic again when they remembered that the greatest obstacles in Terrus' path to the throne of Dustorm Empire still existed in the Desert Prison. They then decided to order the second execution of my third child. This time, however, my third child was able to escape from the grasp of grim reaper, and for the first time in his life, he was able to grasp the meaning of 'freedom'… Well… For the rest of the story… I think you know it better than me, Zetarus…"
"That's… That isn't true…" Zetarus said as he fell onto his knee, with his paws holding onto his head. "This… This cannot be… Please… Tell me this isn't true…"
"M… My son… I hope that I could say that I lied, but I can't…URGG!" Garland said before he roared out in pain, as the wound from the battle had started to get him.
"Father!" Terrus, Natasha, Largo and Freya said as they held their father's body in their arms. All of them could see that… their father's time was almost over.
"Hehe… Finally…" Garland mumbled. "The grim reaper has given me some more time in order to let me finish this story… But it seems like my time is almost over… So… My children… Listen to my last words…"
"F… Father…" The voices of Natasha and Freya were shaking as they were looking at their dying father, while Terrus and Largo weren't able to say anything.
"First…" Emperor Garland spoke up. "Conceal the real cause of my death to the public. Tell them… That I commit suicide… I leave a fake suicide note of mine in my room, as well as my testament there…"
"…" Terrus, Natasha, Largo and Freya nodded to their father.
"Next… Terrus…" Garland said as he shifted his attention to his first child. "I… I leave Dustorm Empire in your care."
"Yes, father." Terrus spoke up with a shaking voice. "I… I promise to take a good care of this desert nation!"
"Good…" Garland said before he shifted his attention to his second child and his fourth child. "Natasha… Largo…"
"F… Father…" Natasha and Largo said as their father's attention was on them.
"G… Go to the Shadowlost Territory…" Garland spoke. "I… In that place… You will find… the way… to awaken… your Blood of Legend…"
"Y… Yes! We will, father!" Natasha and Largo nodded to their father.
"Good…" Garland said before he shifted his attention to his fifth and the youngest child. "Freya…"
"F… Father!" Freya couldn't hold back her tear and started crying as she knew that this was the moment for her father's final words to her.
"… Dustorm Empire… This place… is not your home…" Garland slowly spoke. "But somewhere else… There is a place…That you would be able to call home… Go… And find that place… And you will finally… found the true meaning of… home…"
"Y… Yes, father!" Freya said as she continued to cry for her dying father.
"And last…" Garland said as he shifted his attention to his third son, who was standing still as if the entire blood in his body was frozen solid. "You… Zetarus…"
"…" Zetarus said nothing even when his father was about to say his last words to him.
"You… are now the holder… of the Curse of Quakersand…" Garland continued speaking. "Someday… in the future… you will be killed… by your own child… And so… Until that day comes… Remember what happened today, at this moment, when you killed your own father…"
"…" Zetarus still said nothing.
"Zetarus, among my five children, you are the child that I hate most…" Garland continued speaking. It was noticeable that Garland's voice has gradually become lower and lower… "But at the same time… You are also… the child that I love most too…"
"F… Father…" Zetarus finally spoke up with a shaking voice.
"A…Arg…" Garland groaned in pain as his head was tilted upward, enabled him to see the starry night sky… For the last time… "Ah! The night sky… Sharon… W… Where are you right now? A… Are you watching over me? I… I miss you so much… My… dear… S… Sha…ro…n…"
After saying the name of his true love, Emperor Garland succumbed to his injury. His body stopped moving, and his arms and legs became the lifeless limbs. His breath stopped. All of this showed that Emperor Garland Quakersand the Garchomp, the Emperor of Dustorm Empire and the former Hero of Ground type, had departed to the world of Afterlife.
"Father… Father! FATHER!" Terrus, Natasha, Largo and Freya cried as they hugged their father's lifeless body. The moment of their father's death was too much for all of them, even for Terrus, the eldest of them.
"…" Soryl closed his eyes and prayed for the deceased Emperor Garland. While he still considered Garland as his enemy, he knew that Garland, at least, deserved his prayer.
"…" Like Soryl, Diego also prayed for the fallen emperor of Dustorm Empire too. After he finished praying, he turned to his side and found that… Zetarus was not there. In fact, Zetarus was nowhere to be found anywhere in this rooftop garden…
"Zetarus…" Diego mumbled.
-Meanwhile…
'Where am I?'
'What is this place?'
I didn't even know where I am anymore. The only thing I remembered was that after I saw my father died right in front of me, after I killed him… and after he revealed the ugly truth that had been kept hidden for 24 years…
The truth that I am the cursed child…
The truth that I am nothing more than the pawn of fate, being used by everyone else for their own benefits…
"…?"
I looked around the place I was in right now. It seemed like I had entered a room when I was running around aimlessly, which meant that this room must be one of the rooms inside the Desert Palace.
But… Which room?
"… You have finally come back."
Suddenly, I heard a voice from somewhere inside this room. The voice sounded a bit familiar, as if I had heard it before, but I couldn't remember.
And then, a few second after I heard the voice, a glowing silhouette appeared right in front of me. While the silhouette wasn't very clear, I could see that it was a silhouette of a Garchomp. For some reason, I felt like I have seen a silhouette like this before, and also, seeing this silhouette reminded me of my father whom I had just killed…
"… Who are you?" I asked as I gazed at the silhouette of the Garchomp right in front of me.
"… Don't tell me that you have already forgotten me, brat?!"
"…" I decided not to answer the questioned that I was asked.
"Anyway… I am your great-grandfather. We had met each other 3 years ago, remember, my great-grandson?"
"!" I remembered it now. The Garchomp silhouette in front of me right now was the ghost of my great-grandfather. I had met him 3 years ago, in the night before my first attempt to kill my own father, which meant that… I am now in the Terra Room, the sacred room of the Quakersand royal family. Only the members of the Quakersand family were allowed to enter this room, and everyone who didn't possess the blood of Quakersand and entered this room would be immediately killed by the 'ancestor spirits' that guarded this room.
"… I can see that you finally remember me, Zetarus, and according to what happened on this side, I assume that you have finally able to kill your own father, my grandson, just like how I killed my own father. Good job, my great-grandson. I know that a bloodthirsty demon like you would be able to do it at last."
"…" I said nothing after hearing the words of my great-grandfather.
"Hm? Is that the lingering regret I sense in your mind? That's a very unexpected thing coming from you. I mean, you should be happy that you are finally able to take down your own father."
"… Hey… Gramps." I decided to speak up. "… Can I ask you something?"
"… What do you want to ask me about?"
"… Do you still remember the feeling you had on that day?" I slowly asked a question. "Do you still remember the feeling you had after you killed your own father?"
"Of course. I could never forget the feeling I had at that moment when my father collapsed on the floor after I shot him right through his heart. The feeling I had at that time was the feeling of… freedom."
"Freedom?" I repeated the words I had just heard.
"Before my father was killed, my entire life had always been under his grasp. He always commanded my life and told me what to do, and he never allowed me to do what I want to, and for the worst, he even separated me from my brother, who was the only one in my family that I could trust, and he would always punish me every time I tried to meet him, and the worst punishment he had ever done was taking away my right eye."
"…" Zetarus involuntary reached his paw to the eyepatch that covered his right eye.
"And so, I have no regrets in killing my own father, and I would kill him even if our family isn't plagued with the Curse of Quakersand."
"… I don't understand you…" Zetarus said. "How could you say something like that after you kill your own father?"
"I thought that you already understand that… Zetarus, we both had faced the similar obstacles in our life. We were born to one of the worst fathers ever, and both fathers of us were forced to marry the woman he didn't love, and for me, that woman was my mother. Zetarus, we both were separated from our siblings, and in your case, you even became their enemy. Both of us were just a tool being used by others just for their benefit and satisfaction. And in the end, both of us grew up into a mindless demon that would soon be purged from this world."
"Mindless… Demon?" Zetarus said with his paw holding his head. "Am I… Am I really a mindless demon?"
"Yes, you are! Think of what happened in your life before now! You are just a pawn of fate, destined to be the tool of destruction and calamity!"
"!" The memory of my time in the Desert Prison suddenly appeared in my head. I could see it all… I saw myself being chained to the wall and others, be the jailers or my fellow prisoners, beat me up, with others laughed at my pathetic self. I saw myself being used as an object for the benefit and pleasure of others. I saw myself being degenerated into a being that was no more than a lifeless tool that only existed for other's satisfaction.
And then… I could see myself today… I saw myself as a demon who had just killed his own father, with any remorse as I cut down the thread of life that bound him and this world. I saw myself willing to go as far as killing my own siblings who stood in my way. I saw myself as a wanted criminal who scavenged the world like a creature that no one else loved and cared.
And last… I could see myself in the future… I saw myself without any purpose in my life, unable to grasp what should I do and which path should I walk. I saw myself being despised by all of my siblings, who branded me as the traitors of the Quakersand… I saw Natasha turning cold toward me… I saw Largo becoming enraged to me… I saw Freya crying as she ran away from me… And I saw Terrus raised his blade as he prepared for my execution, which was most likely my fate in the nearby future, as soon… I have to return to where I really belonged…
To the deepest pit of hell…
"I… I…" I started mumbling with a trembling voice. "I… I am a monster…"
"Yes, we are. We are monsters, and we only exist to cause the mass destruction… That's our true purpose of life…"
"I… I exist… only to cause the mass destruction upon this world…" I continued speaking with a trembling voice. "That's… I… I don't know… Is it really… the true purpose of my life?"
"Of course it is! If you don't believe me, think of what would happen to you from now on! Everyone else in your family hates you! They don't love you, and they view you as a thing, no more than a scum of the earth! You can't return to your family anymore, and the earth would never accept you!"
"N… NO!" I said as I closed my ears with my paws. "It can't be! I… I…"
"It's true!"
"I… It can't be!" I said as I shook my head.
"IT IS!"
"IT CAN'T BE!"
"YOU ARE A MONSTER!"
"I… I…"
"YOU ARE NOW A MONSTER! THIS IS THE PATH OF YOUR LIFE! ACCEPT IT!"
"NOOOOOOOOOO!"
I roared out like a man who had already lost his mind, like a lunatic creature that plagued the world with dread and fear, like a savage beast that sought only the destruction to sate its bloodlust…
Is this… Who I really am?
Am I… really destined to be a monster like this?
I… I don't know it anymore…
I… I don't…
I…
"Zetarus!"
"!" Suddenly, I heard a voice calling my name, but as I looked in front of me, I could no longer see the ghost of my great-grandfather. Instead, when I looked behind me, I saw four Pokemon standing at the entrance of the Terra Room. They were… a male Garchomp, a female Dragalge, a male Alolan Marowak, and a female Flygon.
"!" All of my siblings were now standing in front of me, looking at me in the Terra Room alone. I couldn't see their face clearly because I was in the dark, but… I was sure that they weren't very delighted to see me…
Of course, all of them hated me… Because I had just killed their father…
All of them despised me, and they would never consider me as their sibling…
And the reason they came here… was to see the degeneration of mine… to see me as a lunatic creature that was not capable of feeling remorse or regret…
Or maybe… All of them coming here was the sign that it was now the time for me to face my punishment and redemption… Time for a wanted criminal to go accept his final fate… Time for a murderer to face his execution…
Time for me… to return to hell…
"Zetarus!"
"?" Suddenly, my body felt a warm embrace at my abdomen. The next thing I realized was that the female Flygon, who was standing at the entrance of the Terra Room a moment ago, was now standing in front of me, with her arms gently wrapping around my waist, embracing me in her arms.
"F… Freya?" I said with a confused voice as I realized what my younger sister was doing. She gently hugged me! But… Why would she do something like that?
"Brother… I… I am sorry…"
"!" Before I could grasp what my younger sister was doing, I heard another voice, but this time, it was the voice of a young male Pokemon, and a second later, I felt someone was hugging me at the right side of my body, and as I looked at him, I was very shocked to see this Pokemon hugging me because as far as I knew, this Pokemon hated me to the deepest part of his heart, yet why?
"Largo?" I said the name of the male Alolan Marowak, my younger brother, who was hugging me at the right side of my body.
"Big brother Zetarus… I… I am sorry… for everything I had done to you…" Largo spoke with a shaking voice as he continued hugging me.
"W… What?" That was the only words I could say, as everything that was happening right now was the thing that I never expected to ever happen…
But it didn't stop there…
"Zetarus… My little brother…"
"!" This time, I heard the voice of a matured woman, following by a warm hug at the left side of my body. The owner of this voice, as well as the Pokemon who was hugging me on the left side of my body right now, was a female Dragalge.
"N… Natasha?!" I called the name of my elder sister.
"My dear brother… You have suffered so much…" Natasha spoke as she gently rubbed my head with her fin. "I… I must apologize that I didn't try to understand your feeling…"
"!" Right now, I felt very confused. What were my siblings doing?! Why they did something like this to me!?
"… Zetarus."
Finally, I heard the taciturn voice of a male Pokemon, and then I felt a warm embrace at my back as someone who was standing behind me was hugging me with his arms. It didn't take me very long to figure out that the one who was hugging me from behind was a male Garchomp who was older than me, and he was none other than my elder brother.
"…" Terrus said nothing as he embraced me with his arms.
"…" I stood there with my mind being confused by the action of my siblings. I didn't understand what they were doing right now. Why were they acting like this? Why were they treating me, a Pokemon who had just murdered their father, as if I am their beloved brother?! Why were they doing all of this?! Was I so pathetic that they needed to share their mercy to a cursed child like me?!
"… Zetarus, my brother." My elder brother, Terrus, was the first one who spoke up after a minute of silence as he, Natasha, Largo and Freya gently hugged me. "It's okay… It's going to be okay…"
"… Why?" That was the first word that I could say after all of my siblings hugged me. "Why are all of you doing this to me?"
"… When one of us gets sad, the others would be there to comfort them…" Freya was the one who answered me. "This is what we always do when either of us are sad, and we did this since when we were just children."
"But… Why me?" I could feel that my voice was shaking as I tried to let my words slip out of my mouth. "I… I don't deserve this… I don't deserve to receive a mercy from all of you…"
"… It was us who don't deserve mercy from you, Zetarus." This time, it was Largo who replied me. "I had been treating you badly, calling you with something that's very unforgivable. I did all of this without considering the truth and your feeling, and I regret doing so very much…"
"Then… Why?" I continued asking the same question. I could feel my voice shaking even harder. "I… I just killed our father… And… I am also a wanted criminal… and the cursed child… I… I don't understand…"
"Zetarus… My dear…" Natasha spoke up with a gentle voice. "All of that is just a bad dream… And it's already over… You must be very tired… So… At least… Let us lend you our strength… Let us be the pillar that shared your joy and sorrow, smile and tear, happiness and burden… We promise that… We will pass this together…"
"But…" Right now, I could hardly control my words as my lip was shaking. "I… I am your enemy… And… Nothing will ever change that…"
"… Let's forget everything about that, my brother…" My elder brother, Terrus, spoke with a gentle voice. "For now, while we are here, in this room, let's forget about the wall of fate that separated us from each other… For now, let's stay together as siblings… And makes up for the time we have lost…"
"E… Everyone…" I spoke up again with a shaking voice. I could feel that my left eye, which was the only eye I had left, was damped.
"… Zetarus, I have already asked you this question three years ago, while all of us were in this very room…" Terrus spoke up again. "Zetarus, would you mind accepting us as your siblings?"
"I… I…" I could no longer speak anything, and I felt the warm water flowing out of my left eye. I couldn't remember the last time that I had water like this flowing out of my eyes… But… These water…
Was it… the thing that's called 'tear'?
Was I… crying?
Why I was crying? I didn't know…
All I knew was…
The water that flew out of my eye…
It represented the feeling I had in my heart right now…
And… For the first time in my life…
I felt that my life was no longer empty…
I finally knew the feeling of being 'whole'…
-Meanwhile… Outside the Terra Room…
"…"
In front of the door that led into the Terra Room, a male Mega Charizard X was standing there, looking at the door of Terra Room with a grim look on his face. He was wondering what was happening inside the room in front of him, as well as what was happening to his friend…
"… Hey."
A voice of a male Pokemon turned Diego's attention to another Pokemon who was standing beside him. This Pokemon was a male Aerodactyl, as well as Terrus' retainer.
"… What?" Diego said as his attention was focused at the Aerodactyl, and the Aerodactyl's attention was focused at him too.
"… So, you are with Terrus' younger brother…" Soryl spoke as he looked at Diego. "And you are here in the same day that Terrus' younger brother appeared during the Succession Ceremony…"
"… You remember me?" Diego asked.
"Yeah." Soryl answered. "While your appearance has drastically changed, I could feel that the Pokemon I am speaking to right now was the same Pokemon I chased after 3 years ago…"
"…" Diego said nothing.
"… And you two finally decided to return here tonight… To finish what you were trying to do 3 years ago." Soryl continued speaking.
"… I only come here to accompany Zetarus." Diego spoke. "I have already accomplished my mission since 3 years ago, and tonight was Zetarus' turn to accomplish his."
"… I see…" Soryl said, but he still had his attention on the Mega Charizard X.
"… Are you going to arrest me again, just like what you failed to do 3 years ago?" Diego asked.
"No." Soryl answered. "For some reason, the Fireview Kingdom had already cancelled your bounty, so you are no longer the wanted criminal to them, making it no longer necessary for me to arrest you."
"… Won't you arrest me for accompanying someone who murdered the Emperor of Dustorm Empire?" Diego continued asking.
"That's Prince Terrus' decision, not mine." Soryl answered.
"… But you still shouldn't let your guard down." Diego said. "… For that I am still your enemy."
"I will remember that." Soryl said. "Anyway, I haven't asked your name yet, have I? What's your name?"
"… Diego Pyrotorch the Mega Charizard X." Diego answered. "And yours?"
"… My name is Soryl Hurricloud the Aerodactyl." Soryl replied. "Anyway, Diego, there's something that I need to speak with you about."
"… What is it?" Diego asked.
"… Zetarus." Soryl said. "… Will you continue to support him after this?"
"… What's with a question like that?" Diego said. "And what do you mean by the word 'continue'?"
"… Zetarus' task of killing Emperor Garland was an extremely hard one, and a dangerous one too." Soryl said. "However, you are presented here during both occasions that Zetarus attempted to murder Emperor Garland, both occasions which span three years from each other. This means that you have been supporting him during this whole time."
"… It's just a deal I made with him." Diego said. "I, too, had something that I must accomplish, and that thing was equally dangerous too. Zetarus had already helped me with that, so I am here to complete our deal on my end."
"Still, killing Emperor Garland is both difficult and dangerous…" Soryl said. "And yet you decided to help Zetarus despite that the consequence of your failure is a very harsh one…"
"…" Diego said nothing after hearing the words of the Aerodactyl.
"… But now, both you and Zetarus have already completed your deal…" Soryl continued speaking. "And Zetarus… Although I am just a Windsky whelp who is being here as the hostage, and it's not my place to speak about this, I could see that Zetarus is suffering."
"… Suffering?" Diego said.
"As far as I know… Zetarus, his entire life has been under the influence of the Curse of Quakersand…" Soryl spoke. "With the influence of the Curse of Quakersand, the only objective he had in his life was killing Emperor Garland, his father. But now, with that objective being completed…"
"… Zetarus… He had spent almost his entire life in the Desert Prison, one of the living hells on the continent of Symmetria…" Diego spoke up. "He was being treated as if he wasn't Pokemon, as if he was just a monster, or even worse, a lifeless object. He had never experienced the joy and happiness, as well as the will to live. The only thing that kept his life going on was the Curse of Quakersand. But now, with the influence of the Curse of Quakersand has already vanished…"
"… And so…" Soryl spoke up again. "Will you continue to support him, Diego?"
"… Heh… You were right. Something like this is really the thing that's your place for you to speak." Diego said. "What Zetarus and I would do in the future isn't something for you to know, is it?"
"I guess so…" Soryl said. "… Sorry for asking."
'… You fool…' Diego thought to himself as he turned his attention from Soryl back to the door of the Terra Room. 'Even if you didn't ask me to, I would continue to support Zetarus no matter what… Sure, maybe someday, we may end up as the enemies of each other… But… Like Zetarus, I would do anything in order to prevent that from happening… I swear it…'
-About half an hour later…
"… Now…" Terrus spoke up. "It's time for us, the Royal Children of Quakersand, to decide our future fate…"
About a few minutes ago, Terrus, Natasha, Zetarus, Largo and Freya had left Terra Room, and all of them, as well as Diego and Soryl, were now standing in the rooftop garden of Desert Palace. Right now, the lifeless body of Emperor Garland was resting in front of the Desert Rose tree.
"Tomorrow, we will announce the death of our father to the public." Terrus said. "And then we will arrange a funeral for him."
"And there is a matter of his testament too." Natasha said.
"And so do the matter of Terrus' coronation." Largo spoke up.
"Those can wait until our father's funeral." Terrus answered. "But for now, other than our father's funeral, we will have to follow father's last words first."
"Then..." Largo spoke up. "Father wants Natasha and me to go to the Shadowlost Territory to awaken the power of legend in our blood."
"Right." Natasha said. "With this, I will become a full-fledge Heroine of Poison type while Largo will become a full-fledge Hero of Ghost type too. But Freya…"
"It's okay, everyone." Freya spoke up. "B… But according to father's last words to me, he… he wants me to leave Dustorm Empire…"
"… Father didn't say that you must leave Dustorm Empire, Freya." Largo spoke up. "If you don't want to leave, you can stay here with us too."
"I… I can't…" Freya said. "And moreover… I… I will go with Zetarus."
"… I see…" Natasha nodded. "Well… If you are with Zetarus, then there's nothing to worry about."
"Nothing to worry about?" Zetarus spoke up with a sarcastic voice. "Sure… Staying with a cursed child and a wanted criminal like me is nothing to worry about…"
"You are no longer a wanted criminal, Zetarus." Terrus said.
"That's only for you, Terrus." Zetarus said. "But for others, nothing will change that I am a heartless criminal who belongs to only one place, the deepest pit of hell."
"…" Terrus said nothing after hearing the words of Zetarus.
"… That's why I can't stay here too." Zetarus said. "After tonight, we will return to the same status as we were before, to be the enemy of each other."
"… I see…" Terrus said. "But listen to me, Zetarus, from now on, while it may be inevitable that we end up as the enemy of each other, I will try to do anything in order to avoid fighting against you."
"So do we." Natasha and Largo spoke up.
"… I see…" Zetarus said. "If you three say that, then I might as well do the same thing too. However, don't forget that one day, it may be inevitable that we have to fight each other."
"But even when that day comes, we will remain as brothers and sisters." Terrus spoke up.
"… Fair enough." Zetarus said.
"And one more thing…" Terrus spoke up. "About the Curse of Quakersand… Zetarus, you are now the holder of the curse, which means that in the future, when you have a child—"
"Oh, that?" Zetarus spoke up. "Don't worry about it. It would never happen."
"… What do you mean by that?" Terrus asked.
"Like I say, it would never happen." Zetarus said. "The Curse of Quakersand only passes down from parent to child, and because in the past, the holder of the Curse of Quakersand is also the one with the Blood of Legend, the curse wouldn't go away. But now, Terrus, you are the holder of Blood of Legend, while I am the holder of the Curse of Quakersand. Terrus, I want you to continue the line of Quakersand family, while for me… If I have no direct descendant, the Curse of Quakersand will never be able to resurface, and when I die, the curse that plagued our family for countless generation will finally come to the end, and that's what I intend to do so…"
"… You are so selfless, Zetarus." Terrus said. "There's no way that I could ever repay you for this…"
"It's not a great deal, Terrus." Zetarus spoke before he lowered his voice for the next part of his words. "Also, even if I am not the holder of the Curse of Quakersand, I will still never have any son or daughter anyway…"
"Anyway…" Largo spoke up. "Zetarus, please take a good care of Freya."
"I will." Zetarus gave a firm answer to his elder brother.
"And Freya, take a good care of our brother too." Natasha spoke up.
"I… I promise." Freya nodded to her sister.
"Then, we will have to go now." Zetarus spoke up again. "It would be a problem if anyone finds out that we are here. And so, until next time, farewell…"
After finished speaking, Zetarus and Freya turned back and walked toward the entrance of the rooftop garden, where Diego was waiting. The trio then were about to leave the rooftop garden when they heard the voice of the crown prince of Dustorm Empire calling them.
"… Zetarus…" Terrus spoke up, turning the attention of everyone to him. "… Will we ever have a chance to become a normal family, with all of us staying together?"
"… No." Zetarus answered. "I am sorry, my brother, but I don't think that it could ever happen."
"… I see." Terrus said. "… Well then, farewell for now, Zetarus, and… Thank you for taking care for Freya during these 3 years…"
"… You too, my brother." Zetarus said before he turned back and continued walking toward the entrance of the rooftop garden, and a few seconds later, Freya, Diego and Zetarus were no longer to be found in the rooftop garden anymore…
"Zetarus…" Natasha spoke up after Zetarus, Freya and Diego had already left. "Why? Why it has to be like this?"
"You are right, Natasha…" Largo spoke up. "I thought that, with the Curse of Quakersand being over, we could finally become a family… But… Why?"
"… All of this is my fault." Terrus spoke up as he looked at the entrance of the rooftop garden, the same place that Zetarus and Freya were standing a few minutes ago. "As a crown prince, I am such a failure when it comes to destroying the corruption that is plaguing the desert nation."
"…" Natasha and Largo said nothing after hearing the words of their elder brother.
"… Zetarus and Freya are both the victims of madness and corruption." Terrus continued speaking. "Zetarus was thrown away into that hellhole since the day he was born just because he was the obstacle to the absolute power of just a single group of power-hungry aristocrats, and Freya was being treated badly for her whole life just because she's not the child of the empress. To be honest, I would say that both of them leaving Dustorm Empire like this is perhaps better than them staying here, for that they may have to endure even more suffering."
"You are right…" Largo spoke up. "Our nation may seem to be a very powerful nation on the continent of Symmetria, but… power and righteousness are two different words. Having power doesn't mean that we have righteousness too, as power is never a righteousness."
"But on the contrary…" Natasha spoke up. "Righteousness is power, so if we have the righteousness, we would have power too…"
"And that's what I intend to do." Terrus spoke up again. "I will make Dustorm Empire a nation of not only power, but a nation of righteousness too."
"Right." Natasha nodded to her brother's words. "We will make it a nation where its people could live together in harmony, and a nation where its people could flourish and prosper, just like the Desert Rose."
"As well as a nation that's free of any corruption and prejudice." Largo said. "We will make our nation a place where its people would grow strong physically and mentally, but without falling under the influence of power…"
"And…" Terrus spoke up again. "We will make Dustorm Empire a nation where there's no one else have to suffer like what Freya and Zetarus did. I am sure that this is what our parents want for this entire time."
"Hm." Natasha and Largo nodded in agreement with their brother.
"… But now, it's getting very late." Terrus said as he looked at the moon in the night sky. "Natasha, Largo, you should go to sleep. We have a lot to do tomorrow, and you two will have to prepare for your journey to the Shadowlost Territory too."
"Okay." Largo said. "But Natasha and I have agreed that we will leave for Shadowlost Territory after father's funeral."
"Largo is right." Natasha said. "And Terrus, you also have a lot to do too because starting tomorrow, you will become the unofficial emperor of Dustorm Empire."
"I know." Terrus said. "But I want to look at the night sky for just a bit longer. You two don't have to worry about me, because I will return to my room within an hour."
"If that's what you say…" Natasha andLargo said. "Then, good night, Terrus."
"Good night to both of you too, Natasha, Largo." Terrus said.
After the conversation between three remaining royal siblings ended, Natasha and Largo walked toward the entrance of the rooftop garden before returning into the interior of the Desert Palace, leaving Terrus alone in the rooftop garden… with one more Pokemon.
"… Soryl." Terrus called the name of his retainer, who was waiting near the entrance of the rooftop garden, summoning the Aerodactyl to where he was standing. "Can I talk with you for a few minutes?"
"Of course, Prince Terrus." Soryl replied, but his reply made Terrus a bit uneasy. Soryl never called him 'Prince Terrus' or applied the formality while both of them were alone.
"Soryl, you have something that you want to talk to me too, right?" Terrus said.
"Certainly." Soryl said before he bowed down to the crown prince of Dustorm Empire. "To be frankly, I want to apologize to you."
"Apologize to me?" Terrus repeated the words he had just heard. "For what reason?"
"Not for reason, but for treason." Soryl continued speaking. "I have committed a major crime toward you, Prince Terrus, for that I deceive you, just like what Emperor Garland said."
"My father?" Soryl's words made Terrus think back to his father's words before Zetarus appeared.
"… Emperor Garland mentioned that the reason I became your retainer is because I plot to use your status as the crown prince of Dustorm Empire for the benefit of the people of Windsky Plateau, and… I would be lying if I say that the fact claimed by Emperor Garland is not the truth."
"…" Terrus said nothing as he waited for Soryl to continue speaking.
"… When I first had a chance to get close to you, I… I really intended to use your influence when you come to the power for freeing the Windsky Plateau from the grasp of the Dustorm Empire… I intended to use you for my selfish benefit, just like what the nobles of Dustorm Empire did. I… I am really ashamed for that, and I am really sorry for it. Prince Terrus, I am awaiting for your judgment. If you consider my action as a crime, please punish me, and only me, for the people of Windsky Plateau have nothing to do with my conspiracy." Soryl said as he kneeled down in front of the crown prince of Dustorm Empire, waiting for his judgment.
"… Soryl." Terrus spoke with a soft voice as he lowered himself to look at the kneeling Aerodactyl. "… Do you remember the day we met each other for the first time?"
"?" Terrus' words made Soryl think back to the day he met Terrus for the first time. It was about eight years ago, when Soryl was just sent to Dustorm City as the 'exchanging child' from the Windsky Plateau. As the 'exchanging child', he was put in the royal school of Dustorm Empire, where the children of nobles, aristocrats, rich people and royalty were sent to study in the arts of various subjects, such as the art of governance, diplomacy, war and trading. However, while Soryl was there as the 'exchanging child', he was no more than a hostage from the Windsky Plateau, so, like Freya during her stay in the Dustorm Empire, he wasn't treated very well. He was always bullied by the other kids there, and he couldn't do anything to counter their bully because everyone there was the child of people with a huge influence in the Dustorm Empire, while he was just a hostage. That was when he started to hold a grudge against the nobles, aristocrats and the royalty of Dustorm Empire, until one day…
"That day…" Terrus spoke up again. "It was the day that we had a fighting class… Near the end of the class, the teacher decided to arrange a little contest between the students, which every student could volunteer to join or not to join. The contest was a 3 rounds of a one-on-one fight, with the winner of the first round continued fighting in the second round, the winner of the second round continued fighting in the third round, and the winner of the third round will be the winner of this contest, and they would receive a reward from a noble who was present there to observe the class…"
"… In the first round…" Soryl spoke up. "The battle was between the son of a noble and the eldest prince of Dustorm Empire, who was the only child of royalty in the royal school as the first princess was in Shadowlost Territory, the 'second' prince was in Fireview Kingdom, and the second princess was at the Windsky Plateau, leaving only the first prince in the capital of Dustorm Empire. Anyway, the battle between the noble's son and the prince ended in a one-sided victory of the prince."
"… The battle only ended like that because the noble's son went easy on the prince." Terrus spoke up.
"Even if the noble's son didn't go easy on the prince, he wouldn't be able to win the battle." Soryl continued speaking. "It's because the prince is the strongest and the most skilled students in the class, and he was very good in all classes, including the fighting class."
"…" Terrus said nothing after hearing the words of the Aerodactyl.
"Anyway, the battle continued in the second round, which was between the prince and another student, who was the son of a knight of Dustorm Empire. Like the first round, the battle ended in the victory of the prince. This meant that only one round of battle remained, and if the prince won again, he would be the winner of the contest. However, because of the battle skills the prince had showed in the first two rounds, no one else dared to face the prince as they knew that they would never hope to triumph over the prince…"
"… Except for one student." Terrus said. "He was the new student from the Windsky Plateau, and he was the only one who volunteered to fight against the prince in the final round of the battle."
"The only reason that the Windsky child volunteered to battle the prince was because he still held a grudge against the prince, and the battle with the prince was the only chance that he could beat up the prince without being sent to jail." Soryl said. "And in the final round of the battle, the prince was still as skilled and powerful as ever. He was very skilled in using his blade to strike his opponent, as well as to defend himself from his opponent's attack."
"But the student from the Windsky Plateau also proved to be a powerful fighter as well." Terrus spoke up. "He was amazing with his speedy movement and his aerial battle was also proved to be difficult for the prince to battle against too."
"And in the end, the battle between the prince of Dustorm Empire and the hostage from the Windsky Plateau ended when both fighters collapsed on the floor at the same time, meaning that the battle ended in a tie…" Soryl said.
"However… The teacher, who was the judge of the battle, suddenly declared that the prince was the winner of the battle." Terrus said. "He announced that the Windsky student cheated the battle because he flew while the prince fought without flying at all. And so, the prince deserved to win the battle, and the Windsky student deserved to lose the battle."
"But… Unexpectedly, the prince refused to accept the judgment of the judge. Instead, he declared that the Windsky hostage didn't cheat, as it was the battle contest, and in a battle, the fighters must draw out their fullest potential in order to win, not to keep their potential hidden and be at risk of losing the battle, or even worse, losing their life. And so, both the Windsky hostage and he was the winner of the contest." Soryl said. "And because his logical was reasonable, no one was able to counter his words. So, the prince and the Windsky hostage were declared to be the winners of the battle at last." Soryl said. "And… That was the start of the friendship between the prince and the Windsky hostage, as well as the start of the disappearance of the grudge that the Windsky hostage was holding in his heart."
"… So, you remember it." Terrus spoke up. "Tell me… Why did the grudge of the Windsky student disappear after that day?"
"… Because the Windsky hostage had come to fully respect the prince, not only because of his status, but because of who he really is." Soryl answered. "Moreover, that was the first time that someone had showed a respect to the Windsky hostage since when he came to Dustorm City, and the respect he got came from the prince himself."
"… What if I told you that the respect that the prince had toward the Windsky student wasn't the true respect, but because the prince just saw the resemble between the Windsky student and his lost brother?" Terrus asked with a grim voice.
"…" Soryl said nothing after hearing Terrus' words.
"… The prince had lost one of his brothers since his young age, and his other siblings were sent to study abroad in the distant land…" Terrus continued speaking. "He then became lonely. He missed his siblings very much, but he couldn't show it because he was the heir to the throne, so he couldn't show his weakness out, but that also meant that he must endure the loneliness he had alone… Until when he met the Windsky student, who was at the same age as the brother that he had lost. And so, because of his selfish desire and the yearn of accompany, the prince had formed a false friendship with the Windsky student, seeing him as a substitute of his lost brother. While he knew that this wasn't the right thing to do, he couldn't stop doing it. It was his sin… His hidden sin… The sin that would never receive any forgiveness…"
"… What if I forgive you, Terrus?" Soryl spoke up.
"Hm?" Terrus said as he looked at Soryl. "But… Why?"
"It's because you never intend to do so, and what you did never cause any harm to anyone." Soryl said. "Desert is a harsh place to grow up, and in order to do so, one has become strong in order to flourish, but that would also mean that they have to seal away their feeling. That's not something that anyone should do, but you have no choice, Terrus. You are the heir, and you have to become strong. It takes a strong man to grow up in the harsh desert, but it takes a stronger man to grow up in the harsh desert without losing his heart. Terrus, you are a very strong man, and you haven't lost your heart. This is why I am honored to be your friends, Terrus. You are my first and my true friend, and I would never think less of you."
"… Then, the same thing applied to you too, Soryl." Terrus spoke up. "What you have done is not a guilt. You did it because you care for your people, not for yourself. You are willing to tarnish yourself for the sake of everyone back at your home. For me, I don't consider it as a sin, but I consider it as an honorable deed. Moreover, you weren't just saving your people, but you were saving me, too, for the pit of loneliness. If you still consider yourself a sinner, then I forgive you, Soryl."
"Terrus…" Soryl said.
"Soryl, let's start over…" Terrus said. "Let's forget everything… Let's forget about the sin both of us have committed… Let's forget what we have just confessed and start our… Let's start a new friendship together… This new friendship… It would become stronger than ever, and nothing would be able to break it…"
"Terrus… I…" Soryl said. "I… I don't know what to say… Other than… Thank you… Terrus… My best friend…"
"I know that you would say that…" Terrus said. "Soryl, you are my best friend too, and nothing will ever be able to change it…"
Terrus and Soryl looked up at the night sky above them. While the sky was very dark, there was not without light. The dark sky of the night was decorated with a shining moon and countless stars, giving out the sparkling light and the pale light onto the earth, onto the garden below…
The garden… It was home to several trees that grew up in the middle of the harsh desert… They were growing up from the earth, and they were dancing with the wind… They were the sight of the connection between the earth and the sky… They were the symbol of life… And the symbol of nature…
And tonight, the trees had served another purpose…
To be the witnesses of the renewed friendship…
A friendship… that would never be broken…
A friendship… between the earth and the sky…
-Meanwhile… Somewhere else on the continent of Symmetria…
"Are you sure that you would keep going with us, Freya?" Zetarus asked. Right now, Zetarus, Freya and Diego were standing inside the Portal Room on the second floor of the Pendracomonium. The trio had just came back from the Desert Palace by using the same portal that they exitted when they arrived at the Desert Palace several hours ago.
"Yes, I am sure…" Freya said. "I will continue staying with the Pendragon."
"… Are you really sure about this?" Diego asked. "Back when the Pendragon was formed, you were hesitating about join the Pendragon or not…"
"Yes, I was…" Freya said with a soft voice. "After everything that happened tonight, I now finally understand what I must do. Thanks to everyone, I am not hesitating anymore. I am sure that this is the path I that I must walk from now on, and… I am sure that this is what my father wants me to do…"
"… But this would mean that you will be the enemy of Terrus, Natasha and Largo too." Zetarus said. "Freya, are you sure that you can accept this?"
"… It's not easy to accept that I am now the enemy of my siblings whom I spent my time with for the most part of my life…" Freya said. "But if I hesitate, something even worse is sure to happen. That's why I must do it… No matter how hard it is…"
"… Freya…" Zetarus spoke up. "I know that I could never be as good as Terrus or others as your brother, but don't forget that you still have me. I am still with you, Freya, and together, we will walk this path with no regret."
"… Thank you, Zetarus, my brother…" Freya said. "Anyway, it's getting late now. I should go back to sleep, or else I will wake up late tomorrow. Zetarus, Diego, you two must be very tired after… everything that happened, so you two should catch some sleep too."
"Okay." Zetarus said. "Good night, Freya."
"Good night, brother." Freya said before she turned her attention from Zetarus to Diego. "Good night, Diego."
After finishing her farewell, Freya left the Portal Room in order to go back to her own private quarter, leaving Zetarus and Diego alone in the Portal Room.
"… Diego." Seeing that his younger sister had already left, Zetarus spoke up again as he turned his attention to the Mega Charizard X who was standing beside him. "… Can I talk with you about something?"
"… What?" Diego replied.
"… I finally understand it…" Zetarus said. "I finally understand about… my curse."
"Your curse?" Diego said. "Do you mean the Curse of Quakersand?"
"No. I mean this curse…" Zetarus said as he showed the Mega Charizard X his left paw. With the light from the glowing portal behind them and the light from the lanterns on the wall, something that Zetarus was wearing around the claw on his left paw was sparkling with a mysterious light. It was none other than… the Ring of Balance.
"… I see." Diego finally understood what Zetarus was talking about. The Garchomp was talking about the curse that was inflicted on him when he decided to form a pact with a Legendary Pokemon. Zetarus' Dragon Legend was Zygarde, the Order Pokemon. The reason why Diego understood this because he, like Zetarus, also formed a pact with a Legendary Pokemon too, and in his case, Kyurem, the Boundary Pokemon. The Ring of Ruins that Diego wore on one of his claws on his right paw was the proof of this.
"When I formed a pact with Zygarde, he told me that I would be cursed to lose something in my life…" Zetarus said. "And during that night… The night after my first attempt to kill my father, I ask Zygarde if the right eye that I lost was from this curse or not, and he replied me that it isn't. But now, I understand it… The right eye that I lost was from the Curse of Quakersand, not from the curse of my pact with Zygarde… And… I finally realize what I have lost when I formed a pact with him…"
"…" Diego remained silent as he waited for Zetarus to continue speaking.
"… It's my birthright." Zetarus slowly spoke up again. "I have already abandoned my birthright as the prince of Dustorm Empire. I have decided that I would not return to be the part of Dustorm Empire's royal family ever again. That's it… That's the price that I have chosen to pay when I formed a pact with Zygarde."
"… Do you regret in doing so?" Diego asked. "Do you regret that you have to lose your birthright after you form a pact with your Dragon Legend?"
"… No." Zetarus answered. "I don't regret not being a part of Dustorm Empire's royal family. I am fine with being the member of Quakersand family, but not the royal family. I hate being a part of royalty, especially for the nation that sentenced me into hell."
"… I see…" Diego said. "Well… Me too… I also realized what I have lost when I formed a pact with Frostic."
"Wasn't the loss of your old body the price you paid when you formed a pact with your Dragon Legend?" Zetarus asked.
"No." Diego said. "While Frostic also said that the loss of my old body was the result of the curse I got when I formed a pact with him, it isn't really the thing I lose from that curse."
"Then… What is it?" Zetarus asked.
"It's my legacies." Diego said. "I have three legacies, two from my father and one from my mother. From my mother, I have a legacy of the king of Fireview Kingdom, and from my father, I have a legacy of the guardian of the sacred volcano and the legacy of the Hero of Legend, and. And yet, I abandoned all of them. I abandon my legacies as the guardian of volcano, the king of Fireview Kingdom, and the Hero of Fire type. That's the real price that I have to pay when I formed a pact with Frostic."
"… But as far as I could remember, I thought that you formed a pact with your Dragon Legend after you chose to abandon all of them, didn't you?" Zetarus asked.
"Yes." Diego said. "But without forming a pact with Frostic, I would never be able to truly abandon those legacies. In other words, I lost all of my legacies because I formed a pact with Frostic."
"… I see…" Zetarus said. "… And would you be fine without those legacies?"
"Of course." Diego said. "While I could no longer inherit any legacies from my parents, I could create a new one for me instead, and in my new legacies, I am the member of the Pendragon."
"Haha… I see…" Zetarus said. "Both of us are lucky that we have no problem with losing something from the curse after we formed a pact with our Dragon Legends."
"… But everyone else might not be as lucky as we are." Diego said as he looked at the door of the Portal Room, which would lead to the main hall of Pendracomonium. "I don't know what Rachael, Richard, Claura, Xavier, Anastasia and Baromyteus have lost after they formed a pact with their Dragon Legends. It could be something that they are no longer needed, something that they are pleased to get rid of… Or something that they couldn't live without…"
"… But no matter what happen…" Zetarus spoke up. "We are now the Pendragon, and there's no turn back for us now."
"Yeah." Diego nodded to Zetarus before he remembered something. "That reminds me… Zetarus, now that you don't possess your birthright anymore, what would you do about it? Can you live without your birthright?"
"Hm? Sure." Zetarus answered with a crafty voice, a voice that Diego hadn't heard from Zetarus for quite some time. "Just like you, Diego, if I don't have my birthright, I could just create a new one."
"Create a new one?" Diego repeated the words he had just heard. "What do you mean by that?"
"Well… While I am no longer the prince of Dustorm Empire, I could be something else…" Zetarus continued speaking with a crafty voice. "Such as… Your husband, Diego."
"Fxxk off, Zetarus." Diego quickly spoke up.
"Aww… Come on… Yawn…" Zetarus said before he released a yawn from his mouth. "Yawn… So sleepy… Hey, Diego, do you mind if I sleep in your bed tonight?"
"Get your fxxxxxg sxxt out of here." Diego replied.
"Aw… Why not?" Zetarus said as he pretended to have an innocent look on his face. "We could use a little cuddle for tonight. Don't you think so? Or maybe you want me to help you again with your master—"
"I SAID FXXK OFF!" Diego roared angrily as he tried to punch Zetarus' face with his fist, but the Garchomp was able to dodge the Mega Charizard X's fist.
"Hey, hey… Don't make such a noise like that…" Zetarus spoke with a cunning voice. "You don't want to wake up everyone in the middle of the night, especially Baromyteus, right? I bet that guy sleeps without his armor suit on, so when he came out of his room, he would be a naked ghostly skeleton… If that happen, then we are fxxxxd"
"Hm!" Diego grumbled as he pulled his fist back and turned his face away.
"But if you really want to be fxxxxd, then—" Zetarus spoke up again with a crafty voice, but his words were cut off when the Mega Charizard X threw an ore that he always carried with him at him, forcing the Garchomp to immediately cut off his words.
"Whatever! I will go back to my room! Zetarus! If you dare to even enter my room again, then I will make sure that you are really fxxxxd!" Diego declared as he turned his face away from Zetarus to hide the sight of blush he had on his face.
"Really?!" Zetarus said as if he was a young boy whose parent had just promised to take him to the amusement park. "Then, I won't hold anything back—"
"F… Fxxk off!" Diego roared as he released another punch at Zetarus again, and again, the Garchomp was able to dodge the attack of the Mega Charizard X. "I… I am going now!"
"Hey! Wait for me! We could at least use a cuddle!" Zetarus said as he quickly followed Diego, who quickly walked toward the door of the Portal Room, and a few seconds later, the Portal Room was devoid of any living creatures once again…
And so… One more Hero/ine of Legend had been slain…
But.. Their journey didn't end here…
It was actually the start of the true adventure…
The adventure of a group of Dragon type Pokemon… With their goal to defeat the Hero/ine of Legend from the previous generation…
Soon… The world would learn to fear the name of a group of dragons who decided to resist their fate and counterattack the continent of Symmetria for betraying them…
It was the story of… the Pendragon…
-End of Intermission I: Arrogance-
To Be Continued…
Dragon of Vale: Finally, the first intermission of A Dragon's Tail had come to the end… While the whole intermission isn't very long, it still takes me such a long time to finish it because I was busy with my study… But hey! At least I was able to finish it before the end of the year! Yay!
Anyway, the reason behind the name of this intermission is already clear, right? And for the story… The main characters, all who survived the Dragon Massacre, decided to form a group called Pendragon, and their objective was killing the remaining Hero/ine of Legend from the time of the Fallen Crisis before they spread anymore chaos, and in this intermission, two more Hero/ine of Legend were killed, Archsage Iris and Emperor Garland. This meant that only 3 Hero/ine of Legend from the time of Fallen Crisis was still remained, and the work of the Pendragon had just started…
And… You may wonder why I list this intermission as 'Freya's Tail' when Freya's role isn't as large as some other characters. Well… As you can see, this intermission can be divided into two parts. The first part was the forming of the Pendragon, and the second part was the showdown between Zetarus and Emperor Garland. It's clear that the main character in the first part and the second part are Korben and Zetarus respectively. However, Zetarus also got his tail as the second tail, and Korben's tail isn't here yet. And… If you look at this intermission closely, you can see that Freya appeared as the supporting characters in both parts, while most characters would only play a major role in only one arch. Moreover, Freya is also the character who supported the main characters of both parts, Korben and Zetarus respectively. Without her, Korben wouldn't be able to recover as fast as this, and Zetarus might end up fighting against his siblings. In conclusion, Freya is the character who is behind many events in this intermission, and she deserves to be the 'main character' of this intermission.
For me, while I am not really satisfied with how it turns out, this intermission contains some of the most important parts of the whole story, and so, it's very important.
Okay… For the next chapter, it would be the interlude of the intermission. (Yes, the intermission of my story also contains the interlude too.) And after the interlude, it would finally be the seventh tail of A Dragon's Tail! And do you know what it means? It would finally be the time of the Q&A session! Yay! (If you want to join the Q&A, you can look for the detail in the Author's Note of Intermission I-1 or in my profile.)