Chapter 14: The Final Steps, In The Past
The group soon arrived in a volcanic battlefield, as they soon saw the first Fell Dragon crystal.
"Good, seems like we got one up ahead. Though… this is extremely odd. Shouldn't this place be more well guarded?" Siege remarked, noting the lack of anyone around.
"Let's not have our guards down… wait… there's a guard over there." Magina remarked, seeing a cloaked figure in a dark aura. "...I can't make out who it is, however… they're… cloaked with dark power."
The figure would suddenly raise up a hand… and revealed a strange, large shield like device on their hand, as it suddenly opened and spread out, revealing slots as if for cards, as Magina's eyes widened.
"What…!? What is a Shadow Realm Duelist doing here!?" Magina exclaimed.
"Shadow Realm Duelist?" Siege asked. "I thought the Shadow Realm was just that, a realm of shadows!"
"No, far from it. There are duelists there, in get ups similar to this, that summon dark duel monsters to torture and break apart victims within… to see one here… it concerns me deeply." Magina stated firmly.
"Let us duel…" The duelist would say, soon drawing 15 cards from his large deck. "I summon Celtic Guardian, Giant Soldier of Stone, and Gene-Warped Werewolf."
Suddenly, on the battlefield, three dark aura duel monsters arose, each with unique weapons and classes.
Celtic Guardian (Sword): 45 HP - 3 HP Bars
Giant Soldier of Stone (Spear): 70 HP - 2 HP Bars
Gene-Warped Werewolf (Martial): 30 HP - 4 HP Bars
"Oh boy, this is going to be a real fight." Richard remarked, realizing that the enemies that the Shadow Duelist is summoning are quite powerful, and his normal summons would be not much weaker than the ones before them.
"I lay two cards face down and end my turn." The duelist would state, as orbs of energy suddenly appeared near the crystal, signifying his face downs. "Your turn."
"Tch… we'll have to play his game. I recommend we try to eliminate all his monsters if we can. Who knows what he might pull from his deck…" Magina said in worry.
Victory: Defeat Shadow Realm Duelist
Defeat: Siege or Alear are defeated, or 20 Turns pass upon activation of "Final Countdown"
Special Effect: All Overgauge Damage passes onto following Health Bars
PLAYER PHASE
Immediately needing to know the strength these monsters had, Siege would rush at Celtic Guardian with Emblem Alear and Marth at his side. They struck Celtic Guardian who weathered the blows well, before striking back with… not as much damage as Siege expected.
"Okay, it seems the limits of this world have placed dampeners upon the actual attack strength of the Duel Monsters. Still, we need to take them down!" Siege declared to his allies.
"I've got this." Hitomi remarked, before she then rushed forward, and began to land a series of blows that managed to take out the rest of the Celtic Guardian's health, as it then reaffirmed its stance, prepared for another attack.
"I bet that thing is weak to magic." Hortensia remarked, before she aimed a Meteor, that hit the Giant Soldier of Stone, dealing significant damage for sure, but its bulky HP weathered the attack, if barely.
"These aren't your normal Corrupted soldiers… these things are tough!" Zendara remarked as she and Zelgius attacked Gene-Warped Werewolf, as its first of 4 HP bars fell in one blow.
"I activate my trap card: Mirror Force." The Duelist would say as they caught Mirai about to finish Giant Soldier of Stone's first health bar, as Mirai struck the barrier, as magic blasted her for the damage she would have done to Giant Soldier of Stone!
"AAAAGH!" Mirai yelled in pain. "That smarts, no fair! Why does he have barriers!?" Mirai would whine.
"That's just how this card game works for him…" Magina clicked her tongue in annoyance, before proceeding to nuke Gene-Warped Werewolf down another HP bar.
"I activate my Trap Card. Metalmorph." The duelist would proclaim, targeting Gene-Warped Werewolf as suddenly, its Max HP increased by 20.
"Damnit, we're trying to play chess against a card player!" Siege cursed as he was witnessing this.
"We just gotta play a better game then!" Opherla exclaimed, blasting Giant Soldier of Stone down to his second and last HP bar, which was quickly nuked by Citrine and Céline, as Giant Soldier of Stone, instead of fading fast like usual Corrupted did, literally shattered after Céline's attack.
Shadow Realm Duelist: 8000 LP - 6500 LP
"Hey! I think killing the Duel Monsters hurts the duelists! I saw him wince after Celine murdered that stone soldier!" Nihilister exclaimed.
"That's it then, we're literally playing his card game, as a set number of Duel Monsters against his army! Keep it up then! Keep destroying his monsters!" Siege exclaimed.
"But we play it safe first." Richard remarked, gazing at the Shadow Realm Duelist. "Who knows what he could pull out on his next turn. Let's set up a formation, so that we can make sure that we don't end up getting scattered by whatever he pulls next."
The rest of the group nodded, as they forgoed their chance to attack, in order to close towards the centre of the battlefield, where some of them assumed that would be where the bulk of enemies would be, with the Shadow Realm Duelist ready to summon them on a moment's notice upon his next draw.
ENEMY PHASE
"It's my turn. Draw." The duelist said, drawing a card. "First, I now tribute Celtic Guardian and Gene-Warped Werwolf."
The two duel monsters suddenly warped from the battlefield.
"In order to summon from my hand, the mighty force, of Blue-Eyes White Dragon." The duelist spoke, setting down his card as suddenly, a massive blue dragon roared, landing a mere 3 spaces from Mauvier and Zephia.
Blue-Eyes White Dragon (Dragon): 85 HP - 3 HP Bars
"Now from my hand, I summon Vorse Raider to Support this mighty beast." The duelist stated, as 2 spaces from Richard, the fiendish sword wielder leapt up and snarled at the group.
Vorse Raider: 50 HP - 2 HP Bars
"Blue-Eyes White Dragon, attack Lumera." The duelist commanded, as Blue Eyes moved two spaces from Lumera to attack, charging up a ball of destructive light energy to fire it at Lumera.
Lumera noticed the attack, as she immediately began to prepare to dodge the dragon's attack, as she managed to barely do so, as the energy of the blast grazed by her.
"Such power…" Lumera remarked with disbelief at the damage that the Blue-Eyes White Dragon could do.
"Vorse Raider. Attack Zendara." The duelist commanded as Vorse Raider attacked, minimal damage being dealt to Zendara, before she roared, and landed a critical blow on Vorse Raider, which barely killed it, as the skill of Zelgius had activated, allowing them to bypass the other HP bar.
Shadow Realm Duelist: 6500 LP - 6100 LP
"I get it. The worse we defeat each monster, the more damage we deal to him." Siege remarked. "So we have to make the kills as overkill as possible."
"I activate the Continuous Spell, Burden of the Mighty." The duelist proclaimed, as the Fell Dragon Crystal pulsed, as the entire group felt their weapons become heavy and their physical strength decrease a bit.
Burden of the Mighty - While Active, all units' Str value is reduced by half. This card can be destroyed with the use of a Magic-based damage Engage Skill.
"I end my turn." The duelist proclaimed.
PLAYER PHASE
"Well, I suppose that means that I'm going to have to Engage here, if I'm going to find a way to deactivate that pesky card of his…" Richard sighed, before he then Engaged, and then used Byrnhildr Forest to bind Blue-Eyes White Dragon down, as the card destroyed itself, while Richard's Engage faded away. "Go get them."
"With pleasure." Mokou remarked, before she then rushed up, and landed a series of blows with her fists, dodging Blue-Eyes White Dragon's claw swipe, as it did enough damage to take out one of its bars.
Celine then moved towards it, before using Excalibur to deal effective damage against the flying dragon, as it took out another of its bars, before Griss then rushed towards it, using Nova to weaken it down enough, although he got hit by a laser blast from the dragon, as it sent him flying back.
"Alright, who's got the honours?" Griss remarked, before wincing as he got up from the ground.
"Me! I'm gonna murder the fuck outta this dragon!" Nihilister smirked, as she unleashed Three Sacred Treasures upon the dragon, as she warped Jean, Framme, and Pandreo into the circle afterwards so they could be better in the walled formation.
"Graaah…" The duelist growled in pain, indicating he was hurting.
Shadow Realm Duelist: 6100 LP - 800 LP
"That's it! Someone get up there and finish him off!" Opherla exclaimed, seeing their opening.
"I'll do it." Magina stated, having Jean warp her there as she confronted the duelist. "I don't know why you're here. But answer me this… how did you escape the Shadow Realm?"
"Magina… you know not what you started eons ago. You believe truly, that Yami is not angry with you for sealing him away from his friends? The Pharaoh is rising, Magina. You are the reason he had to separate from his friends, after all… and he's building an army. A massive army. You're not prepared, not in the slightest." The Shadow Realm Duelist cackled.
"Enough with this nonsense! Begone!" Magina yelled, blasting the duelist with Sagittae, as he fell backwards in pain, and vanished into shadow particles.
Shadow Realm Duelist: 800 LP - 0 LP
STAGE CLEAR
MVP: Magina
"Well, thank god we managed to conclude that before things get real dicey." Richard remarked. "Three-turning him basically means that we stopped him from building himself up."
"And as for the shard…" Alear remarked, before she walked up to the defenseless Fell Dragon Shard, before she then cleaved it in two with her blade, as it dissipated into red particles. "It's done for."
"Now then, is that next Fell Dragon Shard the one you said that needs your help on getting to?" Quency asked Zephia.
"Precisely, it used to be in the mountains." Zephia answered back. "Gradlon rose so mightily, but the mountains have crumbled. That spot is now under a lake. Reaching the shard would be difficult enough with how deep it is, and then destroying it? That wouldn't be possible without some proper effort expended, enough to tire you all out several times over with Gradlon's cursed earth."
"I did sense that this shard is distant and weak…" Veyle hummed. "What do we do then?"
"I have an alternative that will fix that. But I will need time." Zephia stated, before turning to Richard and Magina. "You both have the magic capacity and talent to help me with this. With you both, I won't have to worry about any health risks."
"If it'll make the process easier." Richard agreed.
"I would not wish to lose you, not after I abandoned you long enough. Whatever you need, I shall provide." Magina stated, however, her tone hid a bit of worry, in regards to what the Shadow Realm Duelist had told her.
"Very well, let us begin." Zephia remarked, before she pressed her hands forwards, as she created a purple sphere of energy before her, as it began to shine, gathering strands of similarly coloured energy from the surroundings.
Richard and Magina began to supply Zephia with the magic to keep her going, whenever she started to droop, as it was a long process, which felt exhausting for Richard, less so for Magina herself, as the sphere began to take a more defined shape, before the glow faded, creating a large golden hourglass crystal made of purple glass, as Zephia fell to a knee, gently panting.
"It is done…" Zephia remarked, before Richard held it, before sensing the temporal energies emanating from it.
"...It's time itself that you infused that crystal with…" Richard remarked. "No wonder Siege had that dire feeling about you trying alone… one does not simply tamper with time itself and create such a trinket and expect to pay a light price for it."
"Of all the Mage Dragons that ever were, only I am powerful and proficient enough to create such a item." Zephia answered back. "And it was due to the fact that you paid for the years I could have lost with your own magic. Surely, it must have drained much of your own out of you, did it not?"
"Enough to exhaust, but not enough to be truly bone-dry." Richard admitted.
"Heh." Zephia remarked, as if she was proud of something, before she then rose up, taking the crystal from Richard's hands. "This right here is the only means to access the Fell Dragon Shard. To access it, we must return to a time before Gradlon had sunk, a thousand years before, exactly. This crystal shall provide a two-way conduit from the past to the present. We shall destroy the Fell Dragon Shard there, and its effects shall carry on into the present with minimal repercussions."
"I see, then that means…" Alear remarked.
"Yes, you will likely encounter either Sombron of the past, or even yourself in the past." Zephia answered back. "In fact, discounting the past Radiant Saviour is unwise as well. Whoever is there, you must ensure that the status quo remains. So try to be careful what you tell them."
"We'll do our best to heed that warning." Richard responded back.
"With that said… Magina, you seem troubled." Siege remarked, having been given the order for them to move, before noticing Magina's concerned expression. "Is there something we need to know about what that Shadow Duelist said?"
"...Yes, but… not now." Magina remarked. "Wait until we have finished here. I will inform you of it afterwards."
"That's fair." Lumera stated. "For now, let us focus on the present threat."
The group then headed towards the lake, as it was a icy area, unlike the volcanic zone that they fought the Shadow Duelist on, as Veyle looked below the surface of the lake, as she sensed the Shard below.
"It is truly at the bottom of the lake. Seems that Zephia's idea is the only true way to proceed." Veyle informed everyone.
"It shall only last for a few hours, both because I cannot exert too much power, and to avoid our lingering presence from disrupting the flow of time." Zephia remarked, raising the time crystal. "Are you prepared?"
Siege, Alear, Richard and Lumera nodded as one, before Zephia clasped her hands over the time crystal, as the entire area began to rumble. Suddenly, with a great tremble, the earth shook enough to threaten throwing the group off the ledge they stood on!
"Alear!" Siege exclaimed, trying to prevent her from falling, only for them both to suddenly tumble off the place everyone else stood. "Oh shIIIIII-!"
"Siege!" Nihilister and Geina exclaimed with worry, as the trembling soon stopped, as Siege got up, dusting himself off, and helping Alear to her feet.
"Are you alright?" Siege asked Alear.
"I'm alright." Alear remarked, before looking around them, as the landscape was far different than it was before. "...We truly have traveled back a thousand years. I can feel the gloom in the air… yes, that's what it has been before… what I've forgotten…"
"Alear…?" Siege asked.
"Hey! Hey! You two, over there!" A voice suddenly called out, as Siege looked, his eyes widening, watching as Past Alear and Past Siege walked up to them. "Whoa-ho-ho, whaddya know… we meet again, future me."
"And here I was hoping we wouldn't… this complicates things…" Siege sighed.
"Tell me, how long have you been with him?" Alear asked her past self.
"After Siege has suggested that I follow him." Past Alear answered back, as her tone was emotionless, indicating that she hasn't warmed up to Past Siege truly yet. "How strange. Your face is my face…"
"I'm merely her Elusian bodyguard, don't go getting any ideas now." Past Siege added. "Hm… I wonder… if you're here with someone who looks just like Alear here then… well, this is a surprise, it's future Alear too! Hahaha!" Past Siege chuckled.
"I sense an Emblem." Past Alear remarked, as the other three turned to her. "One I have never sensed before. If you have a ring, give it to me. I need to take it to Father."
"What? S-surely you-" Siege was about to ask his past self.
"No can do. Need to make sure Sombron trusts me pal. So. If you really do got 'em, I need those rings. Nice and quickly now, so none of us get hurt." Past Siege stated.
"Father? Sombron the Fell Dragon?" Alear asked.
"Yes. I collect Emblem Rings. It is my duty. I have been taught to do what I must to fulfill that duty." Past Alear intoned. "We are currently at war with the Divine Dragons. I have collected many rings."
"About that…" Alear remarked, before she then sucked in a deep breath. "...Look, I cannot explain it clearly to you in a way that you would be able to understand in your current state, but I can't give you the ring, and it's not a matter of choice or will."
"Your answer must be yes." Past Alear remarked, her tone not changing. "I cannot let you go with that ring. If you cannot be parted from it, you shall come with me to him. If I disobey Father… I will be killed."
"Don't even go that far." Past Siege stated, looking at Past Alear. "You know the minute Sombron tries, I'm not gonna let him do that."
"...Many of your sisters and brothers have been killed already." Alear stated, as Past Siege flinched for a moment hearing that.
"One older brother drowned. One older sister was burned alive. A little sister and a little brother, they were cute, were torn apart by the Corrupted." Past Alear stated. "Some siblings died in the war. Most were defects. Father disposed of them."
Alear was left speechless at how cruel Sombron was, to subject his own children to such cruel fates, while Siege's expression darkened on Past Alear's descriptions.
"We're not here to negotiate either." Siege would say. "We're here to destroy the Fell Dragon Shard."
"The Shard? Whoa-ho, buddy, no no." Past Siege stated tersely. "Nooot gonna happen. If there's one thing Sombron hates more than us losing rings, it's seeing his Shards destroyed. Sorry, future me… we're gonna have to come to blows." Past Siege glowered.
"Hmph. Fine by me." Siege remarked, as he handed Marth's ring to Alear, Dezna's ring back on his own person.
"Alright, Dezna, let's go!" Past Siege exclaimed, as Dezna appeared, in Fell Dragon state, as her eyes were a dull red, and her hair was red as well.
Before the two of them began to engage, they heard the sound of a distant avalanche, which stopped them for a moment.
"An avalanche!?" Siege exclaimed.
"A what!?" Alear exclaimed with shock.
"Oh, yeah, yep yep yep. Those are common around here." Past Siege quipped. "You wouldn't believe how close I came to being swallowed up by one. Luckily my lady Alear here came to my rescue. Still not sure why you did that and yet you're still so… neutral towards me." Past Siege remarked.
"I must collect rings to prove that I am not a defect. Father must get his wish. Until then, I will collect rings. All else is secondary." Past Alear answered back.
"Is that really how you feel? Because rings seemed to be the least of your concerns rushing to me like that." Past Siege remarked.
Past Alear suddenly blushed, a sign of some emotion as Past Siege glared at the future selves.
"I'm gonna ask you one more time. Hand over the rings. And leave." Past Siege spat.
"It will not end well." Alear declared, as Past Alear looked towards her. "If your purpose is to collect rings, then once he is done, then you will have no other purpose… are you sure that this will be your sole purpose? You can choose to be more. I know that from the way that you blushed at your escort… I know that something is in you."
"I…" Past Alear mouthed, before she then heard something. "I hear the Corrupted nearby, agitated. How unusual. There must be intruders then."
"...The others…" Alear remarked, before she then turned to flee. "I have to go!"
"No, Alear! We need to finish this quickly, so that we can save them. They have super strong Emblems on their side, they'll be fine." Siege remarked, as he glared at their past selves. "Step aside. Now."
"No. I have to protect Alear. And that means serving Sombron. And that means stopping you. So surrender now and I'll let you both live!" Past Siege exclaimed, drawing his sparking blue blade from the realm he slew Jherzoruya and Mina.
"Not a chance." Siege stated, drawing Ragnell-Yato as Dezna appeared at his side.
"Ooooooh, you have Dezna too? Interesting." Past Siege chuckled. "Then that must mean that ring you gave your friend must have been Marth's ring."
"It is Marth's ring." Alear declared, before summoning Marth to prove it, while Past Alear summoned hers, as the Emblem was spooked to be face to face with his Dark Emblem counterpart.
"...It seems that this is truly trouble…" Marth remarked with a grimace.
"You have a Marth too? There should be only one of each ring. This is more and more interesting." Past Alear remarked..
"All we have to do is destroy the crystal. Then everyone can get out of here!" Siege exclaimed.
The battlefield opened up, showing both variants of Siege and Alear staring one another down with the Fell Dragon Shard behind them, as the rest of the group was below, and could only watch the fight above.
"Looks like they're about to duke it out up there… let's hold out as long as we can! As soon as they destroy the Shard, we can retreat!" Magina exclaimed as the main force were battling the Corrupted.
Victory: Defeat Past Siege and Past Alear
Defeat: Siege and Alear fall, or 15 turns pass
PLAYER PHASE
Siege immediately rushed his past self for the first exchange of many.
"I gotta admit… I'm a little mixed about fighting you." Siege remarked.
"Buddy, believe me, I'm there with ya. I know you're likely doing this for the good of the future, or, your present, whatever, time talk is confusing." Past Siege chuckled. "But! I can't let Alear down… if I get cast out by Sombron… who knows when he might try to kill her, and I'm not there to help her."
"So I was devoted to her since day 1, huh…" Siege remarked.
"Duh! Why do you think- I better not say much, it'll spoil the surprise I have for her. Anyways, CHYA!" Past Siege comically but seriously yelled in a war cry as the two Radiant Saviors clashed blades, Siege being slightly stronger and would win the war of attrition for his fight in the end.
Meanwhile, both Alears did the same, as they summoned their Marths to fight with them.
"I sense that you are looking and staring. You will not win that way." Past Alear remarked. "Or are you scared?"
"Of course, I've been scared from the start of all this. It's only natural." Alear answered back. "What I'm scared of is losing battles, of losing something important to me, losing people I care about! It is the fear that I struggled with to this very day!"
"I will admit… I am jealous of you." Past Alear declared, as both Alears circled each other. "You have my face, but you say the things you feel… out loud. I am not allowed to show fear. If I say I'm afraid, I will be labeled a defect. I follow orders. I don't think. I am like the Corrupted, only with a living body and mind. The Corrupted are awful."
"So that's why the Corrupted unsettle me…" Alear muttered under her breath. "You must hate them truly."
"I do." Past Alear stated, as there was a flash of anger on her face. "They have killed many of my sisters and my brothers. If I lose to you, they will kill me. No… No, they will kill me, in time, no matter what."
"But that's wrong. You don't die. I'm proof of that." Alear smiled back. "We don't have to do this."
"What did you say? Nevermind. Let's finish this." Past Alear remarked, as she raised her blade. "Come at me, or I will come at you. This is like looking in a mirror. What I see.. Bothers me."
Alear could only frown, before the two Alears clashed, as they traded blows with each other.
Meanwhile, below, the group began to fight their way through the snowy passages, taking care of the Corrupted that were ahead of them, as some of them took cover behind the rocks, knowing that an avalanche could send them flying back, or bury them momentarily.
"A snowy field for past and present to settle things." Richard remarked, as he used Meteor to strike a distant Corrupted archer. "Quite the symbolism, don't you think?"
"A little less theatrics and more taking out Corrupted, Richie!" Nihilister yelled as she bashed down a Corrupted Armor knight.
"Don't worry, we've got the slack!" Marni remarked, before she split down a Corrupted spear-man with a single swing.
"Still… Richard has a point." Magina would muse. "This is almost a perfect place for a proper, meaningful duel. Where the loser is left in the snow, to be forgotten." Magina remarked, shooting down a group of Corrupted using her Sagittae spell in an area.
ENEMY PHASE
The Corrupted began to advance on the group, right down the passages, as they were still formidable, despite being from a thousand years prior, likely due to the ancient warriors that fell during that great war, their strength something comparable to even the modern day nobles after fighting so long.
"It seems that they are no weaker than they were before." Zephia growled, as she barely dodged a long-bow arrow from one of the Corrupted.
"Well, mostly due to your help." Griss remarked, before being struck with a axe blow. "Oh, that's real strong force behind that. Makes the Corrupted we have been fighting seem like real chumps in comparison."
"Regardless of how strong our threat is, we must fight our way to Siege and Alear, if only to prevent the Corrupted from getting between them and their past selves." Veyle remarked, before she used her tome to burn a nearby Corrupted away.
Speaking of that, the two sides would once again clash against each other, however, they tried to switch it up and attack the other member of each side, as Past Siege and Past Alear moved in tandem to the other's previous combatant.
"I gotta admit, even in the future you're a tall glass of water." Past Siege quipped to Alear. "Just as stunning, perhaps more so than you in the past. It's easy to see why future me chose to marry you… just as I plan to try to have it happen with my Alear." Past Siege would add.
"Well, I'm flattered that you think that of me." Alear remarked, as she was flattered by Past Siege's words. "And I can see that you are a far stronger flirt to me in this time period. I suppose that's because the past me wouldn't have minded that much if you laid it a bit thick. Still, I can see that love gone beyond the millenium, it seems."
"I gotta break through your hard exterior somehow." Past Siege would say. "But, here we are. I'm buttering you up when I should be slashing you down. So let me premise this and say… sorry." Past Siege would apologize. "If I don't earn Sombron's full trust, before stabbing him in the back… I'll never be able to ensure my Alear makes it out alive."
"You cared so much… you would walk down the path of evil with me… just to be able to bring me to the light…" Alear spoke in a melancholic tone. "...Even back then, you were so devoted. I'm glad for that."
"I'm sure in the future, I'm more devoted than ever. I just don't have to flirt as much because you've accepted me. Now. En garde!" Past Siege quipped as he and Alear now traded blows, as Alear was fast enough to strike twice on Past Siege.
Meanwhile, Past Alear had engaged Siege, as Siege was prepared, despite not liking the idea of striking his own beloved.
"You… You are Siege from the future…" Past Alear remarked. "...Tell me, where you come from… what has the future become?"
"The future… while bleak in many spots, for you… it's a wonderful and beautiful thing. We're still very much together, you and I. Married. We even have our own child." Siege said with a voice of melancholy.
"Married… so that other me… the one from the future… she still lives on…" Past Alear remarked. "...No matter, even if my future is to be free of Sombron, then I only need to continue obeying… because my future will come to be either way. Prepare yourself, either you defeat me and destroy the shard, or I defeat you… and nothing will change."
"...Your sword hand… it's shaking." Siege pointed out, noticing the shaky hand of Past Alear. "Why do you hesitate if you speak such absolution in your words?"
"I do not know… and it aches within me." Past Alear answered back. "You are my enemy, future of Siege or not. And yet… looking at you… I feel a measure of peace wafting into my soul… as if it tells me to rest my head upon your embrace, and let this entire battle fade. But I cannot fade to such temptations. Even if I cannot fight with my heart, my body shall fight on, for it is the only thing that I cannot allow to be taken from me."
"Then before we begin, let me tell you this… let your head fall into the embrace of past me every once in a while, okay? Especially after this battle… he'll never leave you, or let you down. But enough talking. You're ready… I'm ready… let's go." Siege declared as Past Alear struck him, and Siege activated a critical hit, which was enough damage…
To cause Past Alear to fly back and fall, dropping her sword as her body was weak.
"No… no… I must… Father will…" Past Alear began to cry, as Past Siege took notice.
"Alear! No! Don't cry, don't cry, and don't give up!" Past Siege exclaimed. "We may lose here, but Sombron will never have your life! I swore that to you when I became your knight!"
Alear noticed this, as she lowered her weapon slightly.
"...Let's stop fighting." Alear declared, as there was a hint of sadness in her voice. "Fighting would achieve nothing but further hurting my past self. All we have to do is destroy the Shard. I doubt that it would affect the outcome of this encounter.
"...Yeah… this… This is pointless now. You've broken through us… and the sooner this fight ends… the sooner I can get her away from Sombron for failing him. You win. I concede." Past Siege spoke, as he rushed to Past Alear's side. "Go. Destroy the shard. Leave this place… I've got to figure out what to do now…"
"...May you find your way to salvation… both of you." Siege remarked, firing a ki blast at the Fell Dragon shard, as it shattered.
"Everyone! Siege has destroyed the Fell Dragon Shard!" Magina exclaimed. "Full retreat! Let's rendezvous with them when the change of times is undone!"
STAGE CLEAR
MVP: Siege & Dezna
As the entirety of the group retreated, Siege and Alear included, after the Shard was destroyed…
Events played out as normal in the past. Past Alear, just as she had now, had suffered a nasty wound, and Past Siege, wanting to get her to safety, trudged through the snowing wasteland with Past Alear in his arms in a bridal carry.
"Stay with me, Alear… stay with me… I'll get you somewhere safe… where Sombron can't reach…" Past Siege spoke in desperation..
As the past duo began to traverse through the land, they bumped into Lumera of the past, who was still dressed in her regal robes, as she noticed the two.
"You there! Are you alright?" Lumera remarked, as Past Siege turned to her. "Is the one with you in danger?"
"D-Divine Dragon!" Past Siege exclaimed in fear, knowing that Lumera knew them as an enemy. "...Please… please have your mercy upon us… if not then have mercy upon my precious Alear, please…" Past Siege begged, believing she would smite them for being Sombron's troops.
Past Lumera was silent, as she didn't know how to respond. On one hand, since she was aware that Past Siege was a colluder with the Fell Dragon, an infamous one, but on the other hand, he was holding a woman in his arms, and he was genuinely pleading for mercy in the case of the woman.
"Lumera!" A voice called, as Magina, who had been present during this time as well, looking fairly younger, came into view, having been a simple Quintet Magician in those times. "I thought I saw you come this way, what brought you- Oh my!" She exclaimed, seeing Past Alear.
"It's the one who leads Elusia's armies against the rest of Elyos." Past Lumera stated. "...As much as I would want to believe that he is against us right now… the woman in her arms deserves more attention. Unless… is Alear in your arms a Fell Dragon? Please, just answer me. I promise that I will not harm her at the very least."
Past Siege could only turn away, as the answer was enough to give Past Lumera the answer she needed.
"...I see." Past Lumera remarked, as there was an expression of guilt on her face. "...All along, the very Fell Dragons that I have been slaying, were poor children like her… Left with no choice but to bear their father's sins, and even left with no consideration by even their own forces… they even had their bodies used as fodder for the Corrupted to feed upon. It sickens me, Magina… It truly sickens me…"
"Lumera. You remember when I told you I sent someone here to help us, yes?" Past Magina asked Past Lumera. "The man you see before you is that very man. I placed him in Sombron's army as a double agent. One Sombron could trust for his might….with full intentions to backstab him later." Past Magina remarked.
"Please… Lumera… if my life is to be sacrificed then let it be done… but please… I beg you…" Past Siege cried. "Save… save my beloved Alear… many of Sombron's children… the sisters especially… treated me as close brethren… But when I tried to save them… oh… oh how I tried…" Past Siege added, as he knelt down and sobbed.
"S… Siege…" Past Alear whimpered as she clung to him. "I'm… c…cold…"
"Say no more." Past Lumera remarked, before taking Past Alear off his arms, and into her own. "...I will devote everything to make sure that she will live well. And you need not sacrifice yourself for her. I will not allow that, since you have watched enough misery already. I will defeat Sombron, to ensure that no more will live in misery the same way that she was forced to. I would even sire her as my child, to ensure that no-one will ever have the right to harm her, by blade or word, for she will bear my authority. It is selfish, but I cannot allow someone like her to suffer anymore."
"Thank you, Lumera…" Past Siege said with a smile. "...If you would have me… please… let me serve you, as the guardian of Alear. I have always protected her… it would make her sad if I was no longer with her."
"As you wish." Past Lumera remarked with a nod. "I shall ensure that you and she will both survive this war. And when it is over, perhaps you will be able to find true love under Elyos' skies, once I understand how to help her recover what she has lost from Sombron's cruelties."
Back in the present time, the group reappeared in the same spot they teleported from.
"I must say, that was quite an interesting experience." Zephia remarked. "I didn't expect that you would have been able to persuade an early end to the battle. But then again, I suppose considering your loyalties at the time, this was an inevitable outcome."
"Yeah, suppose this fight might have been what drove you two in the past towards Queen Lumera." Richard remarked, before he faintly smiled. "Self-fulfilling loop, ain't there anything better to ensure that we didn't fuck up the timeline."
"Disregarding that, Veyle… there should be only one Shard left, right?" Alear asked Veyle.
"Yes, the barrier is at the verge of being dispelled from a lack of power." Veyle remarked. "I will need time to look for it."
Veyle then closed her eyes, as she began to search the entirety of Gradlon with her senses, before she then found it, although it was filled with a certain number of concerning signatures, with one prominent signature that she could identify as a proper being.
"It's in Gradlon castle… but… I can sense one person guarding it. I don't know who!" Veyle exclaimed. "And that's not to mention the concerning number of signatures with them…"
"Then we find out for ourselves." Siege would state. "To the castle."