I don't own anything. All characters and all rights belong to Ichiei Ishibumi*
M for mature topics. No children allowed. *
The Broken Boosted Gear
By Try Another Time
The guards of Asgard that had remained back at the gate were working hard to seal the gate back up even though the task seemed impossible. The Welsh Dragon's flames had melted the mechanism, and little they could do with what remained.
"We have to start from scratch. This mechanism is useless to us. Call for the available dwarfs. We must start from zero and seal the entrance before someone else enters." An older man said to his team as they examined the gate.
"Gracious Odin, how can one dragon do all this? Is Heimdall-sama really alive? I can't believe that the Welsh Dragon just took him as a hostage. I expected him to kill us all as soon as he entered the realm." One guard said.
"I know, but it really happened. I heard the updates from the messenger. Heimdall-sama seems to be alive but still trapped. Odin-sama and the main force are hunting the Welsh Dragon as we speak. Nonetheless, all of this is strange," Another guard said.
"What? A dragon attacking Asgard seems weird to you? This night is not the first time the Welsh Dragon has attacked our home."
The guard shakes his head. "There has not been a single confirmed kill on our side. Since the attack began, not a single one has been reported."
"Really?" The same guard asks.
"Is the truth. No confirmed deaths have been reported yet." The guard told his friend.
"It does sound possible. I read that during Ddraig's heist back in the day, the Welsh Dragon left many wounded as he escaped, but nobody died. Sounds impossible from your standpoint as young brats, but the reports don't lie." The older Asgardian said as his eyes followed the rising projectiles in the distance.
The endless projectiles directed at the Welsh Dragon illuminated the night sky. One could hear the explosions even from the gate's location to the south of the large continent. Even if the dragon evaded them, the projectiles still damaged the land as they made contact with the ground.
The guard clenched his fists as he heard another explosion. "I fear that there has to be another reason for such a beast to return." The older Asgardian continues. "One that has already tasted death and got the chance to return to life won't be stupid enough to waste it on a grudge."
"Come on, boss. Do you really think the stupid flying lizard will come to Asgard and face lord Odin for a deeper reason? It has to be his grudge against Odin-sama." The younger guards seemed to believe this a truth as they nodded along with their fellow Asgardian.
The older Asgardian didn't seem too confident about it. "An idiot he might be, but he's not alone anymore. I doubt he's on his own. Right now, some Alliance members should be riding on his back as we speak. Ice attacks are not part of a dragon's selection. If he's not alone, that means that the rest of the alliance is supporting his actions. There has to-"
The older Asgardian was interrupted as the loud sound of the train crossing the gate and rushing past them confirmed his fears.
The group watched in shock as the monumental train created fire rails to ride, continuing with an indescribable speed.
"Boss, did we just see a train past us?" The younger Asgardian asked the older man.
"Inform the other villages right now about that damn train. All this chaos can't be just an ordinary dragon attack. This has to be a planned operation of the Alliance. They must stop that train before it reaches its goal."
The team quickly ran in all directions as they tried to inform the rest of Asgard about the train.
The older Asgardian could only watch the whole thing with visible horror. An indescribable sense of fear grew in his chest as he saw the train disappearing in the distance. His eyes turned back to the gate. "Lord Odin, we might have a crisis like no other in our hands. Who knows what else will come inside if I don't close this gate."
His legs start to move to the gate, intending to close it down for good, but fate has other plans on this fateful night.
Eury POV.
"We're finally here, everybody. Please wait patiently for my signal. I will get us into the capital as soon as possible." Eury said as she released the microphone that hung from the ceiling. "Dad, give a status on the engine."
"Stable. We can push it even more if necessary." Hephaestus said as he kept feeding an unknown metal to the burning heart of the engine. Several status windows surrounded him as he watched every detail about this experimental engine his daughter had created.
"No, we should be careful. We didn't have time to run many tests on the engine. Too much pressure, and we won't have a moving train by the end of the mission. This speed should be enough for now. If everything goes according to my plan, we will be in the capital in less than 10 minutes. I just-"
Eury stopped talking as several windows appeared around her. "Shit, they already put a target on us." Eury grabs the microphone once more. "Alright, Athena and the defensive team, it is time to act. They are already putting a target on us."
Outside the train POV.
Several villages in the train's path detected its presence and redirected many of their resources to try to stop it.
Large cannons that once were targeting Ddraig quickly switched targets to the train. At least 17 high-density projectiles were fired toward the train in a matter of seconds. Each one was strong enough to cause high amounts of damage to any target, unlucky enough to find itself as their intended goal.
The train continued its course for a moment until its rails started changing direction. The rails created wild curves and arcs akin to a rollercoaster to evade the incoming projectiles while maintaining extreme speed levels. A straight path was no longer possible, so Eury, the train conductor, did what was necessary to keep the train moving.
To say that under normal conditions, more than one of those found inside the train would have passed out would be downgrading a pretty serious affair. Without the security measures Eury placed inside the many cars of the train, no average human would have survived the trip, maybe not even those trained to fly some of the fastest planes made by human hands.
The projectiles failed in their intent to take down the train, but its problems were far from over as from the same villages, many warriors arose to chase the train.
Athena's POV.
Athena and her team climbed on top of the train's cars. The goddess offered her hand to Tosca, who had been assigned to her alongside the other children of the Chaos Residence. As they stood up, a loud horn alerted them to the fights away from them.
"Thy father must be busy if that horn sound came from his location. Child of Welsh, look around you and take it all in, for this might be the last time we in the alliance get to see Asgard in the alliance," Athena said as she helped the young dragoness.
Tosca stood up alongside the goddess and took in the land around her. "Asgard, the home of the Aesir and the former realm of Ymir. This land will never forgive us for what we're doing. Even if we take no lives."
"You are right to think that, child of Welsh. For that, do keep that mask on thy face like everyone else in this mission. The Asgardians shouldn't recognize thy face or name. Unknown, we shall remain until the end to prevent any Asgardian from chasing after us after all is done. Once all of this is over, Asgardians will remember the Welsh Dragon attacking Asgard, but none of the faces or names of those that acted alongside the dragon that defeated their king Odin." Athena said as she turned around and saw the approaching enemies. "Everyone, take thy weapons and be ready for the fights ahead. No killing allowed. Our allies need to save their energy for the capital."
"Yes, captain." Everyone said as they grabbed their weapons and prepared to face the approaching enemies.
"Tosca, I'll keep an eye on thee and thy blade. Don't let it take the blood of our adversaries." Athena said as she held her spear with no shield to protect her. A black battlesuit, like the rest, replaced her armor while a matching mask covered her face.
Tosca nods as she takes her stance. Her long tail changes as it divides into several segments forming a whip blade. The shining new edge of the daughter of Welsh was ready to face the fights ahead. "Bring me strength, Father. This night shall be the one in which I test the limits of my abilities."
With a loud warrior scream, the fights began at the top of the train cars.
Gasper POV.
The boy stood before the levitating sphere alongside Valerie and the others, each one getting ready to do their part to defend the train.
His eyes could see Le Fay and Elaine preparing several spells, which were then absorbed into the sphere.
"What are all those spells?" Valerie asks.
"These spells will be activated and keep them outside of the train. We also have a surprise for them, but we need time to prepare it." Elaine explained as she continued with the spells.
"You should also start with the melody, Valerie. It will be effective against anyone that gets too close to the train." Le Fay said as she pointed at a microphone especially made for her to play her part.
"Right." Valerie slowly approached the microphone and watched as her mother's ghost appeared beside her. "Alright, Mom. It's time for you to send as many of them to sleep."
The ghost nods as her ghostly hands grab the microphone, and as soon as she sings her melody, those around her feel its effect.
A melody that calls them to surrender and fall deep into slumber. A caressing voice that was trying to make them fall victim to the sweet embrace of Morpheus. Memories of happier times started to invade their minds—dreams based on the deepest desires of everyone that heard the melody.
Such a melody spread out into every car inside the train and even to its outside as speakers popped up in every place possible, but not a single member of the alliance fell victim to its charming appeal.
"Don't lose sight of reality, Gasper. This melody will only offer you a sweet dream." Valerie said as she turned to see him.
Gasper said nothing as he shook his head to shake off the effects of the melody. Knowing what it was and what to expect made it easy for anyone in the alliance to shake the effects off as long as they didn't lose sight of reality. "I can't fall for its charm. What I wish to protect lies before my eyes and not inside a dream."
Outside the train, General POV.
Athena and her team continued to face the arriving enemy units, who were fast enough to catch up to the train. Some were valkyries that had trained under the harshest of training regimes, while others were seasoned warriors who were proud of their skills, yet not one could infiltrate the train as Athena led the charge against them.
Even with no shield in her left hand to protect her, her spear was incredibly effective in pushing each opponent back and out of the train.
A trio of valkyries rushed forward to face her while wielding dual blades. One came running from her left side, while the other came from the right. The third one expected the pair to distract Athena long enough for her to get the kill by jumping in and cutting Athena's head, but the goddess proved them wrong rather quickly.
The goddess spun as the back of her spear hit the one on her left on the head, sending her flying off before Athena blocked the attack of the remaining one.
The one that tried to jump and attack her was quickly taken care of as the lavender soldiers of Athena arose from her back as shadows and took care of her. The soldiers punched and kicked her for several moments before they threw her off the train.
One could hear her screams in the distance as she fell to the floor below.
"Just who are you?" The remaining Valkyrie asks before the ghostly melody reaches her ears. The Valkyrie's eyes start to close as the effects of the melody take place. The grip around her weapons weakens as she listens to the melody.
Athena sees this and takes the chance. "I cordially reject answering such a question. Off the train, thou goes." Athena uses her spear to make her trip before slamming her spear into her chest. The Valkyrie gasps for air before she gets thrown off the train.
The melody affects the remaining enemies; each gets thrown off the train shortly after by the other defense team members.
Meanwhile, Tosca was facing a large Asgardian wielding an ax; the towering Asgardian swung his ax with impressive strength, but Tosca parried each attack with her tail. Her extended tail was akin to a snake twisting around her to protect her from any attack, which was also helped by the barriers she created to cover her small openings.
The girl used each chance she got to attack the openings the Asgardian was offering her. His eyes were trying to stay open, but the ghostly melody made it hard for him to keep up with the young dragoness. The Asgardian was quickly overwhelmed after a few moments as the effects of the melody made him too sleepy to continue.
Tosca finished the job as she punched the Asgardian with a solid right hook to the chin of her adversary. The Asgardian stumbles for a few moments before falling to his knees and becoming completely unconscious shortly after.
The girl smiles at her work. "We got lucky. None of them seemed strong enough to counter Valerie's ability." Tosca says as she pushes her adversary off the train. The unconscious body crashes into the ground with a loud sound. "Ouch, Sorry! Will they be alright?" The girl asks Athena as she turns to her.
"Asgardians have rigid bodies and skeletons; none should die because of such a fall. This ability will prove helpful against weak enemies. Apollon, Artemis, fire squad get set; our allies will need fire cover once we enter the capital. Leave the weak enemies up to us." Her siblings and agents nodded as they moved to a different car on the train. Athena turns to Tosca. "Good movements with thy tail. Good defense and decent senses, yet thou lacks lots of experience. Tonight I shall see that thou gains such an experience, child of Welsh. For thou has been named the Aegis dragon."
"Training? Well, why should I reject it? Mom did say that I'm yet to master every lesson she taught me." Tosca said as she looked around. Her eyes fell into the distance, where she could see the crashing forces of two spears. "Old man is fighting over there. I fear for his life."
The girl clenched her fists as she was unable to aid him.
"Fear not for him. Thy father is far from a weakling, and I doubt that death will claim him tonight. Now, thou shall pay attention. More enemies are coming for us." Athena says as her eyes see the approaching enemies in the distance. "Get your weapons ready, agents of the alliance; tonight, we shall fight endless battles."
Amazons, devils, fallen angels, and even some reformed church members made up her team; each one stood up proud and ready for the fights to come.
Minutes before, Ddraig's team POV.
Ddraig kept flying with impressive speed as he drew as much attention away from the capital. Many projectiles were still being directed at him from all directions within Asgard. Still, Ddraig did nothing but continue to evade each one, plus the long-range magic attacks of those chasing after him, including Odin, who had stopped using his spear due to his fear of losing against Ddraig's own spear.
Ddraig could also see that the one-eyed god lacked his usual horse, which took him a bit by surprise. Yet the dragon pushed on as he drove the Legions of Valhalla to the continent's edge as far from the capital as possible.
"Ddraig, I feel that we're as far away as we can be from the capital. Is time to engage them." Grayfia says as she sees the Legions of Valhalla that are chasing them. "We got all the attention that we can get."
"I'm ready to engage them when you are." Serafall joined in.
Ddraig fell silent as he reflected on the coming fight until an idea formed in his mind. "Grayfia, Gabriel, go down to my tail and take that horn from Heimdall's grasp."
"The horn? Are you sure about this?" Gabriel asks.
"You're the legendary trumpeter of heaven. If someone other than Heimdall can use Gjallarhorn, that being is you. Gabriel, use the horn, or we must face the whole Legions of Valhalla alone. There are no reinforcements coming our way unless it gets genuinely unwinnable. Just do your best." Ddraig said.
Another projectile forced the dragon to turn sharply as the Legions of Valhalla approached them more and more. Gabriel saw thousands of Asgardians armed to the teeth coming their way, and her mind began to think about how they would face all of them.
"We can do it, but decreasing their numbers would give us an advantage. But I don't know what effects Gjallarhorn might have on everyone if I use it. Father, what must I do?" The seraph ponders about the idea for a few moments until she sees the face of Odin.
Her body shakes in fear at the sight of the one-eyed god. He lacked any mercy, and the bloodlust he irradiated was impressive.
"Ddraig is going to fight him. He needs all the help he can get from us. If I doubt it now, he will have a harder time against Odin." The seraph makes her decision as she stands up in the back of the dragon. "Grayfia, follow me."
"Right behind you," Grayfia says.
Seraph and the devil begin to walk towards Heimdall and the horn.
"Release me, you heretics!" Heimdall continued to scream, although his past energy had depleted after being crushed for so long within the tail of Ddraig.
"Let's do this. Ddraig, we're ready." Gabriel says as they get close enough to the god.
"Leave it to me. Just use it as soon as I give it to you." Grayfia says.
Ddraig releases his hold just enough for Gabriel and Grayfia to reach for the horn.
"Leave my horn alone. How dare you try to steal from me!" Heimdall says.
"Oh, be at ease. We need the horn for one thing, and you'll have it back after it." Grayfia says as she reaches even deeper and pulls the horn away.
Heimdall pulls back as hard as he can, but the devil is restless, and several tense moments go by until Grayfia can take the horn away from Heimdall.
"Take it and use it. Everyone, cover your ears unless you want to be deaf." Grayfia informs the others as she throws the horn to Gabriel.
The seraph grabs the horn and places it against her mouth. "Forgive me for this." Then she uses it.
"No!" Odin screams as he realizes what the seraph is about to do.
A loud sound wave spreads out in every direction, and everyone within a two-mile radius is deeply affected as the horn's power brings them to their knees.
Odin, Vidar, and even Ddraig scream in pain as they fall from the sky into the ground as the tune reaches their ears. Those that covered their ears and evaded suffering the full impact are left dizzy for several moments, while many of those that didn't have time to cover their ears fall completely unconscious into the ground. Nobody is left in the sky as everyone now lies on the floor.
Ddraig crashes several meters away from Odin and his forces near the edges of the continent.
The legions of Valhalla were in the thousands. Their unconscious bodies covered a large chunk of mass. From the ground, only those with the strongest wills stood up after Gabriel stopped using the horn. The number of those trying to get up barely reached 1000 as most were utterly out of the fight after receiving the attack of the legendary horn.
While Odin's forces try to get up, Gabriel does her best not to fall. The seraph's ears are bleeding due to not possessing experience with the horn, but the damage she has received is far from what others had to endure. Her hands release Gjallarhorn before she reaches out for some phoenix tears she kept for emergency.
"My ears are ringing. I can't fight like this." Her hands applied the tears to heal the damage she had received. "Thanks to the Phenex Clan for these tears."
"Oh, my Lilith. That's one dangerous item." Grayfia says as she stands up next to the seraph. Grayfia looks almost entirely unaffected by the horn when compared to the Asgadardians. Then, as she turns around, she sees the remaining girls standing up with no visible damage as well. "Any of you need healing?"
"We're fine," Serafall says. "Ddraig might need help."
"Master, let me aid you," Aurora says as she approaches the head of the dragon.
"Save those tears for a real emergency. Get off my body; a fight is about to begin," Ddraig says as he shakes his head.
The girls jump down, and the dragon takes his human form, leaving Heimdall on the floor utterly unconscious as he had most of his bones broken and received the real impact of the horn at such a close distance.
The group comes together for one last time.
"Is anyone else injured?" Ddraig asks the rest.
The girls shake their heads.
"Honey, you're the one that's bleeding. Your ears." Serafall says as she notices his bleeding ears.
"I'll be ok; save the phoenix tears for emergencies," Ddraig says as he tries to put their health above his.
"I'm sorry. I tried my best with the horn." Gabriel says.
"You did a great job. If anyone else had tried something similar, I would be deaf right now. Be at ease. Leave the horn and Heimdall alone. They played their paper, and now it is time to face them." Ddraig says in a calm tone.
"We'll keep them away from you. So be careful and do what's necessary to stay alive." Grayfia says.
"Leave it to us, master." Aurora happily says as she sharpens her claws.
Roygun stays silent as she listens to the team. Her eyes remain focused on the enemy, allowing her to see what's happening. "My lord, they are getting up," Roygun says as she sees Odin and his remaining forces getting up. Vidar was among the Asgardians that remained conscious.
"They seemed confused and dizzy. Maybe some are deaf after the attack." Serafall says.
"Don't let your eyes guide your judgment. They are ready to fight. Instead, focus on working together and taking all of them down. Ignore Odin and me; focus-" Ddraig stops talking as his instincts alert him to the incoming danger. "Ouros!"
The spear spins within Ddraig's hand as it gets ready to counter the incoming attack of Odin.
"Ddraig!" Odin screams as he rushes in to pierce the chest of his opponent.
A shockwave pushes everyone away from Ddraig and Odin as their spears clash with an intensity worthy of their power. "He really wants my head. This won't be an easy fight." Ddraig grinds his teeth as Odin pushes him away from his allies.
"Take the Welsh Dragon down!" Vidar says as his remaining troops begin to aim their spells at the Welsh Dragon.
"Oh no, you don't." Serafall creates two magic circles in her hands to create an extensive series of ice walls that divides the battlefield into two. The ice walls rise towards the sky to prevent anyone from interfering with the fight.
Several attacks are shot against the ice, but its density and magical properties prevent Vidar and his forces from reaching Odin.
"You think walls of ice will prevent us from getting to him! Go valkyries and aid my father in battle." Vidar orders his remaining valkyries, which quickly expand their wings and take off into the sky.
"You seemed to be ignoring us and what we told you." Grayfia expands her wings and rushes after the valkyries with impressive speed.
The valkyries stop in their tracks as they point their weapons at Grayfia.
The queen of Sirzechs smiles behind the mask, which hides her identity. "Allow me to offer each one of you a path to a new world of pain." Grayfia's hair grows in length while large eyes appear around her wings. Two short demonic scythes appeared in her hands before she rushed in to attack all the valkyries.
Neither of them was ready to face the strongest queen in the underworld.
Vidar watches in surprise as a single enemy pushes back his troops. His eyes then turned to the remaining ladies. "You are playing a game that won't end well for you. If you want death, I shall deliver it to you." The Asgardian general says as he lifts a pair of battle axes in each hand.
"My dear, you're the one that is ignoring how deep in the mud you're right now," Serafall says as she grabs a small necklace hanging around her neck. "Hear my call, sacred beast that once aided in battle. I ask you to come to my aid once more as I walk into a new battlefield filled with adversaries to be defeated. Come to me, Sacred Beast Behemoth."
Serafall chants as a large magic circle appear in the sky, and a large object begins to descend into her position like a flaming meteor.
Vidar watches in shock as the large objects stop meters away from hitting the ground.
The "meteor" changes shape as a long neck stretches out alongside six titanic legs and a highly protected body that is a mixture between an elephant, a tortoise, and a rhinoceros. As soon as its legs touch the ground, it causes an earthquake that pushes all of Asgard even farther into paranoia.
"For you, my king, I have heeded the call. Behemoth, your one and only knight at your service." The giant beast says with a loud voice.
Serafall's eyes turn a darker shade of pink as her friendly nature is taken over by the same general that led armies in the previous civil war. "Show them your might but don't kill them. That is your order, my old friend."
"Very well, my king." Behemoth then hides its limbs inside its shell before spinning like a tornado. The giant body shoots out against the enemy forces dragging the unconscious bodies of many of their allies alongside itself.
The Asgardians are even more broken as they are forced to either aid their allies by facing the beast or focus their attention on Serafall and the others. This divides their remaining forces even more than before.
No aid could be offered to Odin as their hands were tied down.
Vidar's eyes grew in anger as he saw the destruction that Behemoth was causing. "Each one of you will regret this."
The god rushes to attack the girls alongside 200 of his strongest allies.
"It's time. Don't back away now!" Gabriel says as she rushes to meet Vidar head-on while her golem appears on her side.
Serafall joins her as a small pair of pink horns grow in her head. One could see a long coat made out of demonic energy taking shape around her body. Her ruthless general persona had awakened once more.
Aurora and Roygun followed suit; Aurora smiled from ear to ear as she was allowed to go wild under certain boundaries. Yet Roygun kept a cold head as she analyzed everything she saw. "Grayfia-sama and Serafall-sama are really going all out on this one. The fact that their demonic appearances are coming to the surface means that there's no place for second guesses. I shall do the same to avoid becoming an obstacle in their path."
Thus their fight began.
Ddraig POV.
Ddraig kicks the god away from himself, thus creating a safe distance between the two. Each one held their spears with both hands, but the differences were visible to even the clueless of eyes.
*Take Me Under- Man with a mission*
Odin held his spear like an expert that had polished his skills as a proper spear master, while Ddraig held his spear like a wild beast that was ready to strike its target down.
"Beast, you dare to invade my home, and now you're playing me for a fool by trying to match my spear. I shall eliminate you once and for all." Odin said. His spear began to shine with a golden light.
"I shall not fall by your hand, Odin. The only tasting defeat tonight is you." Ddraig says as Ouros opens its eyes and chooses its target. The purple flaming scarf around his neck tightens as Ophis feels the danger. "Sleep in peace, my friend. No damage will come to you."
Both sides keep their stances for a few seconds before rushing forward again. One held a spear intending to kill, while its opponent held his own spear, determined to defeat him for the sake of a mission.
A spear made by dwarfs to never miss or break.
A spear made out of draconic flesh to protect and aid a "sword."
A one-eyed god obsessed with control and power.
A dragon that had lost his life once and now walked a different path.
Both sides clash once more under the yellow moon of Asgard.
Neither knew of the approaching danger that was creeping its way into Asgard.