During the time Nazz and Leinas handled their own duels, the rest of the Espada's forces either focused on pushing through the enemy to force open the city gates or tried to extinguish larger enemy groups to relieve some of the pressure placed on the Kingdom's allied forces. While they tried to limit their total strength to put on a better "show" in many respects, increasingly they found themselves using more and more of their true strength to fend off greater threats.
Meanwhile, General Ezekiel Ross, Commander Jean-Peire Picard, and Iris Joy Pernet, having managed to reach the area around the city walls with the aid of Leinas before leaping off to her duel, were forced back due to the Beastmen magic casters placed on the walls. Not only had they been driven back, but this sudden shift had landed them in the middle of savage Beastmen infantry, only making it out and away from the city thanks to the aid of some Fracción.
With some calvary protecting them, Picard and Iris managed to reach a small makeshift HQ created in the human controlled side of the battlefield, once there they could take in the damage they had suffered. Picard himself was in a kind of a daze, yes, he had snapped his spear after ramming it into the body of an enemy, yes he was covered in wounds, parts of his armor having been removed, yet he could only focus on Iris who was sitting in front of him, on the same horse.
Iris, and by extension her students, favored a hand-to-hand style of combat that also made use of blades, polearms and the like. It was a very complex fighting style, at least by Picard's view of it. So, it truly was nothing but a showing of what she could do that she had made it this far against Beastmen. Indeed, her ability was further demonstrated by how she had been killing Beastmen left and right, as they rode to safety, killing more enemies than Picard. Yet, for that she was now sitting on her warhorse, now using his hand to hold her up, since she was positively covered in injuries, with even some enemy arrows protruding from her upper torso.
"Sir, let us help you." A soldier from the Empire said, as several approached Picard's horse.
"Take care of her. She is precious to us." Picard thoughtfully said, letting two soldiers take Iris away.
Letting out a breath, Picard got off his horse and was approached by two of his higher-ranking personal soldiers, who also quickly moved to his side to make sure that their Commander would stay on his feet.
"Sir, please take a rest."
"What of the healing potions?" Picard asked, allowing his soldiers to help him.
"They are safe."
"Good. Iris and I each will need one, but let her rest for now. We need a moment to recover, as the main army and Espada keep the enemy at bay."
"Ahem... Sir, we were informed that the fire that was reported some time ago has reached some of the siege engines. Crystal Tear should be able to handle whatever is causing it, but it may take time and damage to the siege engines is unavoidable."
"Truly?! Dammit! What of Eze..."
As Picard went to speak, another horse approached the area, this one was being manned by a younger solider of the Kingdom who, given the severity of his wounds, seemed to be the last of his squad. It was clear that for all that were watching, that he had suffered massive blood loss and that his firm standing on the horse was extremely feeble, with a simple push likely being enough to send him to the floor.
"Sir... General... Ezekiel... is dead. I come to you with his last... request..." The young soldier said, taking long and ragged breaths.
"W-Why me?" Picard asked, visibly confused.
"You were the closest, Commander... I'm not long for this world. The General... said his death isn't to be known. You're to raise our flags and lead... to keep morale. That... we cannot... falter..."
Pausing again, the soldier took another breath, wobbled to the front, then to the left, and finally the right before collapsing onto the ground dead, leaving behind a very confused Picard. He was stunned. Not because Ezekiel had died. It was clear that the General wasn't exactly in his prime. It was already impressive enough that he could still go at that level. But because Ezekiel had chosen him as the new head of this army.
It was no secret that Picard wanted to be on the frontlines, that he came from a family that had made a living out of war, and after so long stuck in the Dragon Kingdom he wanted to get his hands dirty. If anything, he wanted to show up his family members and showcase his own prowess at war. Yet this was not what he had hoped or expected to happen.
To head an army that was unknown to him, would be no easy fit. Especially when the battlefield was in a state of utter chaos. At the same time, it was true that he had not expected to see such value in Iris and what she did, or to have so much responsibility handed to him.
"Um, sir?" One of the soldiers said, worried by his superior's silence.
"Give me a potion, spears, a rested horse, and ten rested riders. I will see through General Ezekiel's will."
"But sir! What they are asking of you is ridiculous. How can he expect his men to follow you just like that!? Ah! O-Of course, I mean no offense." Another soldier argued.
"I know. But they don't need to know that I am the one in-charge. Only the one on the field. That's why I also want messengers sent out to every field commander they can find. Saying that General Ezekiel has been seriously injured and will be controlling things from afar through me. In order to keep morale, we won't tell anyone outside of this place the truth. Given the enemy we face, his is body was probably torn apart, so that won't be an issue."
This wasn't the best of plans of course. Once the battle was over, a lot of questions would be asked, but for the time being no one was in a position to think about the death of their beloved General, so this would be used to keep everyone motivated.
"Then, everyone get ready! We'll be leaving soon." Picard declared, steeling his resolve to return to battle.
Whilst readied to rejoin the battle Crystal Tear, with their temporary member Labrax, and the few men serving under Cerabrate, were doing their best to hold back a large attack on the siege engines they were tasked in protecting, all the while Commander Abel Cujo and his men made their way there.
Unfortunately for those protecting the siege engines, they had been targeted by the Beastman Lord, Oka. Naturally, Oka wasn't alone, as she had several other members of her tribe, including a few other magic-casters. They, along with her own affinity for Fire-Element magic, rained down fiery spells upon the very flammable constructs.
For Oka, this was all a simple act since, from what she could tell, this battle wasn't exactly going in their favor. So she had decided that a large enough fire would cover up her true intentions to flee from the area and save herself, and a few of her clan from death. However, this meant that she had to go through Crystal Tear and Labrax.
Currently, Cerabrate and Labrax were together with what was left of their soldiers cutting down the incoming Hiena-type beastmen from Oka's forces. While Afonso was located a few feet away from them, surrounded by four soldiers to keep him as safe as possible as he cast Ice-Element spells in an effort to control the fires, and Emma stood atop a partially burned catapult sniping enemies.
"Dammit... Why now of all times..." Cerabrate hissed through gritting teeth.
"Keep yourself focused, boy. We can't waver now." Labrax resolutely said, using his battle-scythe to cut down a beastman.
"I know! But still, why now?"
"..."
The old warrior had to admit that the adamantite-ranked adventurer had a point. The timing of this attack did seem strange. The beastmen were losing. That much was plain to even the grunts on the ground. There was a desperation he could feel in these actions. Were they desperate to win? No, that was not it. These beastmen were now as cornered, frightened animals, lashing out. Then suddenly his battle senses snapped to Cerabrate's position as the younger man killed a beastman.
At that same moment, Cerabrate's eyes locked onto what was in-front of him, with the entire image bordered by flaming corpses that were now surrounding them at a distance, as he stared down Oka. Her aura was in no way the same as Tomo, but it was clear that among all the beastmen he had ever faced, she was second only to him.
"I don't have time to waste on weaklings like you! [Fireball]." Oka roared, taking aim with her right-hand.
"Everyone outta the way! [Maximize Magic: Ice Javelin]!" Afonso ordered, casting his own spell.
Both projectiles rushed at each other, with Oka's greater power resulting in a fireball of prodigious size for a 3rd-tier spell. Even so, when it came into contact with the enhance icy javelin, its power was affected allowing for Labrax and Cerabrate to step in.
'"[Greater Ability Boost]!"'
Both men invoked the same [Martial Art] simultaneously to slice through the incoming orb with their magical weapons, dissipating it and saving themselves from any damage.
"Use your ability, Labrax." Afonso urgently suggested.
"Not yet! It's rather draining, and I'd prefer to use it when there's no other options."
"You say that, but what do you suggest we do against her?" Cerabrate groused.
"Close the distance. Even a beastman like her is a magic-caster like Afonso over there. She'll be at a disadvantage in a close-quarters melee. Especially she's specialized in destructive spells that can hurt her too."
"Right! Emma, open-up on all the weaklings! Men of the Dragon Kingdom... Charge!"
Letting out another roaring, heartfelt series of commands, Cerabrate charged, driven by such a sense of pride and dedication that he never imagined possible. With it, he tried to push Oka into a close-quarters fight.
"Gruagh! Fools. Kill them." Oka commanded.
However, as she gave out her orders and their forces again clashed, a shower of arrows came raining down on them. Despite their tough hides, and even some of their number wearing light armor captured from the humans in the city, several of her own were killed. Particularly the magic-casters, with some arrows even lightly digging into her body. Ignoring the stings, Oka looked up, seeing Emma atop a catapult. The fact that she was being held back by these pests, only enhanced her rage.
"[Fire Javelin]!"
Pointing her right index-finger, a magical array formed at its tip and from it a large, flaming projectile shot out, going straight into the catapult. Emma barely managed to dodge as she jumped onto the ground below. Letting out an annoyed hiss, Oka then focused on her dwindling subordinates. Her tribe wasn't a match for elite soldiers used to following the likes of Cerabrate and Labrax around.
This being the case, her course of action was clear; she must kill the two of them. With a twisted, hyena-like cackle, she lunged at the two men, completely at odds with Labrax's previous analysis of her. Casting a [Flaming Claws] spell upon herself, her melee capabilities became abundantly clear, showing them that they were in for a far tougher fight than anticipated.
Swiftly closing the distance between them, her flaming claws slashed at Labrax, violently knocking him out of her way and into some of the human soldiers. The air was forced out of his lungs from not only the initial blow, but from being hurled into their men with seemingly little effort. The raiments of his gear briefly caught on fire before their enchantments quelled the flames, but were it not for his panoply, he knew he'd likely be pieces of charred meat by now.
"[Impenetrable Fortress]!"
Cerabrate invoked the defensive art as he placed his adamantite claymore between himself and Oka's flaming hand. When they made contact, and for a moment both sides held until eventually the resulting repulsive force from the [Martial Art] sent both sides staggering back with an explosive burst of hot air. Cerabrate was sent onto his back, but swiftly rolled back onto his feet. The claws of Oka's feet dug into the ground as she slid across its surface, maintaining her stance even as she was pushed back.
"Gragh! Enough! [Grand Fireba...]" Oka hissed, opening her hand towards Cerabrate as she began her next spell.
"ATTACK!"
The voice seemingly came from all around him. So loud and commanding was the tone, it didn't seem to belong to anyone there. The sudden appearance of someone else was what stopped Oka, as her mind tried to reassess the situation, but not even she could have predicted what actually happened.
The commotion came from her left, and from among the flames running over the dead, came Abel and ten of his men, all with weapons ready. Abel was leading the charge as his horse crashed into a wholly unprepared Oka whom was pushed away, before jumping onto the ground. Since she was caught off-balance and distracted, the horse's size and her lack of preparation allowed the animal's impact with her to be moderately effective. Even if the sight seemed a shocking surprise to all those present.
"Commander Abel!" Some of the soldiers said despite their shock.
"Scatter! Kill off the weaker Beastmen and support our troops!" Abel ordered, staggering back to his feet, as he helped Cerabrate steady himself.
While Cerabrate took in what had just happened and the presence of Abel, Labrax had gotten to his feet and approached the younger men, with Afonso and Emma also approaching the trio as they readied themselves for the coming fight. With an annoyed cackle, Oka grabbed on to the fallen horse's reigns, and as she got back up pulled it and proceeded to try and swat her opponents with the poor animal.
"Step aside!"
Pushing Cerabrate away, Labrax placed himself between the incoming horse and his group, before using his scythe to swiftly slice the animal in two, bathing himself and the rest in its gore.
"[Flame Weapon]."
From Oka's clenched right-hand erupted a sizable flame that quickly formed into the shape of a sword as she swung it at Labrax, who responded by placing his scythe in the way. Due to its enchanted mithril it was able to take the blow, even if the older warrior was sent onto his back.
"[Memory Magic: Lightning Lance]!"
A large magical array formed on the tip of Afonso's staff, with electricity rippling and spreading out, before the energy gathered and shot out in the form of a powerful 4th-tier spell, hitting Oka head on, wracking her in pain. With a breath, Afonso then steadied himself, preparing for if he had to again use his [Talent] again. His [Memory Magic], allowed him to "store" three spells for instantaneous and mana free use, hence why he rarely used it, doing his best to push his limit by having 4th-tier spells readied.
"[Holy Flash]!"
Leveling his sword towards Oka, Cerabrate unleashed a blinding flash of searing holy light, which was particularly effective against someone of evil alignment like Oka. Even when its effects slowly faded, she was still more or less blinded for the next few seconds, giving everyone there a much-needed opening.
"[Ability Boots]! [Strong Assault]!" Abel called out, going in for an attack.
"[Ability Boost]! [Fatal Edge]!" Labrax invoked.
"[Flow Acceleration]! [Slash]!" Cerabrate added.
The three lunged in, taking advantage of Oka's current blindness to swarm her. Abel sliced into her left-shoulder, Labrax landed a slash upon her midsection, whilst Cerabrate managed to sword-swipe her front to her right-side. For Labrax and Abel, their momentary boost only allowed them to more safely deliver their blows before pulling back, while Cerabrate had made his way around Oka and prepared to cut her down from behind.
"[Dimensional Move]." Oka chanted, with a more twisted cackle.
Everyone's hearts sank as Oka showcased knowledge of more than "destructive" magic, and Cerabrate's blade cutting through nothing but air. Furthering the shock was Oka using the spell to transport herself from in-front of him to Abel's side.
"[Flash Burn]."
While this was a 2nd-tier spell, it almost immediately enveloped Abel in agonizing flames, that promptly took the Commander out of commission, as she then raised her right-hand towards Labrax.
"[Grand F...]"
"[Piercing Spirit Weapons]!"
Invoking a [Martial Art] that poured her fighting spirit into her arrows, Emma released a projectile with magical armor-piercing properties that managed to dig itself into Oka's hand, stopping her from releasing her 4th-tier spell upon Labrax.
"[Freezing Mist]!"
Acting quickly, Afonso bathed the area in a chilling mist that was meant to freeze an enemy, but in this case, to fight back the flames torturing Abel, and slow down Oka. After this, Afonso did his best to try and move around Oka to get to Abel, and to let him do this Emma stood her ground, while Labrax and Cerabrate again closed in on her.
'"[Flow Acceleration]!"' Both men invoked.
"[Wind's Rain]."
Emma's ability allowed her to unleash a hail of arrows upon Oka, and while these didn't have the same impact as her previous attack it did annoy and distract the Beastman Lord enough to let the two men close in on Oka. Beginning their attacks on her in earnest, they managed to get in some shallow cuts, as Afonso managed to extinguish the magical flames and pull Abel away.
"Damned humans! [Fire Rain]!"
Upon Oka's command a large magical array formed in the sky above her, Cerabrate, and Labrax, and from there fiery bolts rained down on the three of them.
"[Memory Magic: Freeze Lance]!"
Not failing to recognize the potency of [Fire Rain], Afonso unleashed a 4th-tier spell of his own, firing a massive ice projectile at the small projectiles raining down on his comrades, creating a large enough opening for them to pull back, before Oka's spell scorched the earth around her.
"[Flame Weapon]!"
Being absolutely done with these humans who not only dared to oppose and injure her, but also made a fool out of her, Oka summoned another fiery sword, lunging at Labrax. Moving faster than the elder could react, she easily closed the distance between them before bringing her blade down on him, giving him time only to partially lift his weapon, her attack digging into his shoulder before meeting resistance.
"[Spirit's Movement Seal]!" Emma cried out, unleashing another arrow.
"[Shining Sword Smite]!"
Unleashing his trump card, it combined [Limit Breaker], [Flow Acceleration], [Ability Boost], [Greater Ability Boost], [Slash], [Blessed Weapon], [Holy Strike], and [True Holy Strike], Cerabrate was bathed in an aura of pure holy power. It was a power he could unleash only once or twice a day before fatigue took him. With a massive and decisive war cry, he charged towards Oka. The lion's share of his power channeled on his blade as he did, in a bright and intimidating display that sent a chill down Oka's back.
"[Fire...!"
As Oka's desperate chant started to break through the air, Emma's arrow struck Oka's neck, freezing her in place. While not fatal, it did activate Emma's ability, which allowed her to paralyze her target. But due to the gap in levels between Emma and Oka, the paralysis lasted only a few seconds.
While Oka would soon enough be free, for that brief moment she was open to Cerabrate's attack, and not wasting his chance the adventurer brought his sword down on her, unleashing a crescent shaped wave of divine power that struck Oka's torso in an explosive display of holy energy that sent a shockwave of power in all directions. There was nothing but silence for a few moments as everyone looked on with baited breath, waiting to see if the "Fierce Flash" had lived up to his moniker.
Though as the dust cleared, everyone's hearts sank as they saw her. Despite Oka being on her knees, her body shimmered with a reddish aura, indicating the use of some type of barrier to shield herself from Cerabrate's ultimate attack. Though not unscathed, as they saw her torso covered in blood.
"...Finish her!" Cerabrate bellowed, as he took in gulps of air after such a massive strain.
Gritting her teeth, as blood now poured freely from a massive wound on her chest, Oka couldn't believe that humans had made her sink this low, to the point that she genuinely was close to death.
"I won't die here! [Fire Wall]!"
In that moment a wall of flames erupted from the ground and swallowed Cerabrate. Or so Oka expected had it not been for something she could only describe as a blur, saving Cerabrate from that fate. This "blur" likewise saved Labrax, placing the two men near Emma, Afonso, and the still recovering Abel.
Letting out a cackle that was a mix of anger and genuine desperation, Oka turned around, now facing the white-haired form of Ukitake of the Espada.
"Afonso, please take care of Abel." Ukitake said, giving the young adventurer a bag of potions.
"A-Alright."
"Thank you. Now, everyone please stay back. I will handle this."
While the potions were those of Espada's make, Ukitake did not worry about any questions regarding their colors, since the bottles had been carefully wrapped in leather. So, that he could calmly unsheathe his katana and start to walk towards Oka.
"Dammit... I can't die here! I won't die here! Not to you humans! [Grand Fireball]!"
Lifting up her left arm Oka, who by this time seemed to be at the point of tears from pure dread, unleashed a massive orb of fire, doing so also almost on instinct. Yet, in a moment all of this simply vanished from her mind, as the stranger vanished, her attack had somehow been sliced in half before dispersing and then she felt this swift and sharp pain in her neck.
"I... want to... live..."
Those were her final words, as her head finally fell from her shoulders and onto the ground, with her body following suit, and Ukitake now standing behind her.
"May you find peace." Ukitake sighed, before turning to the soldiers of the Kingdom with a smile.
"Thank you for softening her up. I'm glad that I was able to get here in time." He added with a heartfelt smile.
"..."
Everyone there was understandably baffled at how a Fracción had been able to defeat a Beastman Lord, but Ukitake was a man that even when telling a lie, was very humble and kind. He was able to ease everyone's concerns, charming them to believe that indeed, he was only able to do what he did because they had weakened Oka to such an extent.
Having managed to put up a good excuse for his shocking victory over Oka, Ukitake proceeded to help with the injured and putting out the fires that the Beastmen created. Because now, thanks to the efforts of Crystal Tear, Labrax, Abel and himself, the Dragon Kingdom's siege engines were able to move freely and once more fully join in the battle.
Sometime after their struggles, Leinas finished her fight with Kaze, and sometime after that the group of Grimmjow, Harribel and Nnoitra broke through the city gates. Yet, as this was going on another fight was heading towards its conclusion, in the duel between the Cero Espada, the Catastrophe Dragon Lord, and the Elder Coffin Dragon Lord.
For safety reasons as witnesses, Aizen and the Night Lich, mostly due for the Lich's sake, had put some distance between themselves and the edge of the volcano. Since the fight had reached a level of extreme danger. Especially for a mere Night Lich.
The layer of rock that served as the Dragon Lords' arena, had been broken and pushed apart with now several pieces of differenting sizes, floating in the air due to the Elder Coffin Dragon Lord's magic. Many of these "platforms" had been destroyed by Naz'da'gar Cyddrunarth, while whatever remained was floating about hallway into the volcano itself.
Naz'da'gar had used one of his own spells called [World's Cowling: Wyvern] to use his destructive energy to wrap around his back, to form makeshift wings and a tail to not only help him move better in the air, but also be able to defend against attacks from the back. Meanwhile, Zyl'vryg Grayl'dranth's avatar in "Kana", was standing atop of one of the stony platforms, located some distance away above the Espada, with a rather formidable defense between both fighters.
Zyl'vryg had summoned a massive Magma Elemental, with its base connecting to the magma below both avatars that came up, with several tendrils erupting from its sides that wriggled around or rammed themselves into the sides of the volcano, The floating pieces of stone and what was being sucked up by the tendrils coated the surface of the Elemental, giving this gargantuan, blob-like entity a fierce appearance. Especially in what could be seen as its "head", where the rocks placed around its "mouth" formed something akin to "teeth".
Ever since becoming an Espada, and even before that, Naz'da'gar had never really felt as mentally drained as he did now. While his reserves of energy were still plentiful, his mind was being pushed to its limits due to the complexity of controlling his avatar, and handling the different strategies the Elder Coffin Dragon Lord threw at him. Despite having already touched "Kana" twice, his location of the was still a mystery to the Espada. Despite his avatar was yet to be touched by "Kana", it was covered in scrapes and dents burns of all sorts.
In the case of "Kana", most of the rags that covered its body were gone, and the left arm had been sundered by an attack from the Espada. At the same time, the Elder Coffin Dragon Lord had used most of his stored mana to make the floating rocks and Elemental possible, with some aid from his [Wild Magic] to enhance the spells after cast. So that in a way, the limitation of using one type of magic at a time was semi-circumvented.
"Why don't you come here so we can finish this!?" Naz'da'gar growled.
"That is a foolish thing to suggest. However, you are welcome to try and get to me."
His tone was calmer now, because during this duel what he had seen the Espada showcase, while still very rough around the edges, showed promise and it was clear that the youngster had more to him than simple might.
"Fine."
Flapping his "wings", the Espada propelled himself towards his opponent's avatar, his blade coated in the same purplish destructive energy, just as the massive Elemental rose up and opened its "maw" to swallow the Espada. It didn't take much effort for this Elemental, who was now almost tall enough to reach halfway towards the clouds where the volcano's peak it resided in, to swallow Naz'da'gar. He swiftly wrapped its wings and tail around the avatar to protect it as it was swallowed.
Now, the Elemental was nothing more than annoyance, because while massive it wasn't as strong as it looked, but thanks to its size and connection to a massive source of magma it could quickly regenerate and work as a good shield for the Elder Coffin Dragon Lord. So, what the Espada needed was a plan to reach "Kana" and finish their duel.
As this was happening, Zyl'vryg also pondered what he could do to finish the duel. He again had to give his junior the merit he deserved for having been able to keep up and overwhelm what he had thrown at him. Not only was the Espada strong, but he had the instinct and awareness to match Zyl'vryg's intellect, strategy and versatility. It was almost frightening how his centuries of life experience had now been matched by some power-boosted upstart.
While the Dragon Lord thought upon his next move, his danger senses fired off, as from the back of the Elemental erupted a pillar of corrosive energy that went straight in the direction of "Kana", in an amount that the Dragon Lord wasn't going to risk trying to absorb.
"Wiap!"
Activating the [Wild Magic] version of the [Fly] spell, the avatar flew up and away from the destructive force, and unsurprisingly from the Elemental also emerged Naz'da'gar who went straight towards the airborne Zyl'vryg. The Espada, still carried on the wings of [World's Cowling: Wyvern], approached his opponent with frightening speed. Enough that the Elder Coffin Dragon Lord was forced to improvise as he tried to form a plan.
"Ithquent Jilg Jiko Cha'sidic!"
The six limbs emerged from "Kana's" back, swirling and wrapping around each other as they attempted to grab onto "Nazz", who responded with a swing of his blade, unleashed a crescent-shaped wave of energy. The attack easily ate away the limbs, but ended up missing the Elder Coffin Dragon Lord's avatar as it vanished before the attack could make contact.
In fact, "Kana" had teleported from that location to under the flying form of the Espada, "Wiap" allowing the avatar to keep up, as it positioned itself close to Naz'da'gar and reached up to touch him. Despite his opponent's sudden disappearance, he did not fail to notice "Kana's" sudden presence, yet he did what at first would seem like the worst possible move, by placing his left-hand in the way, allowing his opponent to seize it.
Normally, this would end the duel, yet as "Kana's" face twisted with annoyance and frustration, it was clear that after having activated the spell that would reveal the Catastrophe Dragon Lord's location nothing came of it. The reason for this became immediately clear to the Elder Coffin Dragon Lord, as the "thread" that connected the Espada's avatar to the Espada himself dwindled in intensity. Most likely because in the last possible moment he pulled away control of that arm, so it that was considered no longer part of the avatar. Something that was indeed allowed in duels, but only for a few seconds.
"Got you." Naz'da'gar declared, as he brought his sword downwards.
With one swift, decisive motion, Nazz's blade went through Kana's right-arm and torso, delivering a blow that would kill any other being. In the avatar's case, it reduced it to a head with a portion of its upper-torso barely still attached. Completing the motion, the Espada again took control of his left-arm and wrapped his hand around the neck of what was left of the Elder Coffin Dragon Lord's avatar. Activating the spell, he not only learned his location, but also received a vision of the massive form of the undead Dragon Lord in his cavern lair.
"Checkmate."
"..."
No reply came, and shortly after declaring his victory, Naz'da'gar could tell that Zyl'vryg had lifted his control over what was left of his avatar. Leaving the Espada with the remains that would be useful to present to the soldiers of the Dragon Kingdom. Flying back to the top of the volcano, the Espada landed near its edge, dispelling [World's Cowling: Wyvern], before walking back to Aizen, the Night Lich, and now a third figure.
This figure was a human of average height, slightly pale skin, deep blue eyes, medium-length red hair, and good looks that would make any woman swoon. Its clothing was a stylish, dark-colored suit that more than likely came from the south. Introductions weren't needed, because Naz'da'gar could tell that this "man" was the latest corpse to be made the Elder Coffin Dragon Lord's avatar.
"Good work." Aizen coolly remarked.
"Thank you, Aizen-sama." Naz'da'gar said, giving his superior a nod and half-bow.
"Indeed. It was quite the display. You show much promise." The Elder Coffin Dragon Lord's avatar pointed out.
"You certainly didn't take long to prepare another proxy." The Espada amusingly remarked.
"I have many such bodies in storage just in case, but that hardly matters now. What matters is that the duel has come to an end, with your victory. As per the terms of our agreement, I will agree to your requests. My minions and I will pull out of this war. Specifically, my undead will either be teleported back to my lair, or I'll simply rendered inert to give the humans some sense of victory."
"What about the 'Ith Tokeq'?" Naz'da'gar suspiciously inquired.
"I'll need to be taken there to open it." Zyl'vryg plainly replied.
"And the alliance?"
"Again, there is no need to be so forceful, Naz'da'gar." Aizen calmly said with a smirk.
"Indeed. You already have achieved much by winning this duel. The fact you have learned my location should keep you happy."
Zyl'vryg slightly growled back, his calm demeanor momentarily dropping, as it became clear that despite his usual disposition, as a Dragon Lord no matter what the deal was to have lost such an important duel didn't settle well with him.
"However..."
Speaking up, Zyl'vryg immediately straightened his expression and posture, directing his attention from "Nazz" to Aizen, even putting on a smirk of sorts.
"I am not one to ignore my current standing in the world, and how I am at a disadvantage regarding our 'relationship'. So, you know where I reside, meaning you are more than willing to contact me in case you wish to negotiate terms for this alliance."
"It is good to know that you are open to it. I'll make sure to arrange for talks when the opportunity to do so arrives." Aizen cordially replied.
The Elder Coffin Dragon Lord simply nodded, because he knew that as things stood, he had no other real option, than to ally with this "man". The terms of the duel did not prevent conflict in the future, which was one of the reasons so many Dragon Lords used this method. It settled a matter, but left them open to lash out in the future should things become unacceptable. With his location was known, and having lost his hold on the war, Iain's actions aside, and him being the focus of Aizen's attention, the Elder Coffin Dragon Lord had to be smart about things.
For his entire existence he had always focused on personal power, knowledge, and survival. Because if he didn't survive, all he had accomplished would be for nothing. In the case of Players, he kept away from them because he recognized their power. For other Dragon Lords, he cultivated an image that made them fear him and keep their distance, for the most part. Now with Aizen and the Catastrophe Dragon Lord, it was clear that he had been outplayed, outsmarted, and cornered.
Still, despite his disadvantage, this was the time to look on the positive side. Aizen's strange nature and all that he had brought with him to this world piqued his curiosity, with Naz'da'gar being a prime example. It was clear to the Elder Coffin Dragon Lord that, if he played his cards right, he would not only survive, but thrive if an alliance was struck.
While the Elder Coffin Dragon Lord wasn't aware of it, his line of thinking wasn't that distant from what Aizen hypothesized. Meaning that from where Aizen stood, forming an alliance with an ancient being that wielded both power, knowledge, and great intelligence was merely a welcomed bonus to his current plans. So much so that if Aizen had been the one tasked with handling him, it could have ended up as an amusing mental exercise.
As things stood, thanks to the Espada, they managed to push Zyl'vryg to a point where he was vulnerable and very receptive to an alliance. For Aizen, there was no better time to strike than now to solidify an alliance.
"Naz'da'gar, why don't you return to the battle and leave us two to discuss our alliance?" Aizen suggested.
"I thought you were going to wait." The Elder Coffin Dragon Lord argued.
"It was simply a suggestion. As is Naz'da'gar does need to return to the battle, since the city gates have been opened and Kaze has fallen. I simply think now is as good a time as any to talk, since the two of us are already here." Aizen explained with a smirk.
"Make sure you show Aizen-sama the proper respect."
While he wanted to see his elder squirm as he spoke with Aizen, Naz'da'gar knew that his superior's words were true, and given the current state of the battle he should really return so they could wrap things up. So, as his armor was enveloped in purplish smoke, Naz'da'gar vanished.
"Hm... Very well. I'll have my minions bring a table, chairs, and drink here. I'm sure you would appreciate the amenities." Zyl'vryg said, his tone low and thoughtful, as he analyzed Aizen.
"Thank you. And I will admit there was something I would like to discuss now that we are alone. Since we both know that Naz'da'gar, can get rather... emotional." Aizen coyly pointed out.
"Oh?"
"It is my belief that, much like Kaze, you still have individuals in play in the Dragon Kingdom. Who can still give you a small victory." Aizen said, his accuracy sending a chill down the Dragon Lord's undead spine.
"And you make this conjecture based on what?"
"Taking everything into account, I think it is clear that you might have had someone on the Dragon Kingdom's side to help you. That they would act if need be. At least, that is what I would have done, and in a way already have."
"I see." Zyl'vryg hissed, his face twisting in both amusement and contempt.
"Do you?" Aizen asked.
"I do. At least it is not as clear now. The camp of Beastmen, all of those that were gathered there and probably are still being gathered as we speak, under one of your minions that could pass off as a Beastman himself was all you gathering support from that side. With Kaze dead, and my minions no longer in play, your forces will go to the Beastman capital to take over. After all, no one can challenge them. But there was a reason why you let this battle happen. Because you decided to give your Espada a chance to shine and 'checkmate' me. So, as we speak my grasp on the Beastmen Country is likely being washed away, while as you assumed, someone makes a move to take the Queen from the throne."
"Indeed. Even if it has yet to happen, the Beastman Country is already under Espada control. So, now we simply have to wait to see what happens in the capital of the Dragon Kingdom, but even then... I like my chances." Aizen argued, with a confident smile.
"Hmph! You really are a monster."
Sometime later, Nazz arrived at Asike approaching the clearing that had been devastated where Leinas, Grimmjow, Harribel and Nnoitra now stood. All of them surrounded by the bodies of dead Beastmen. In Leinas' hand was now a large crystal, that was meant to be used as an excuse for what everyone had seen, to make others believe that the Espada had used a spell sealed inside the crystal to obliterate Kaze.
"Good work, everyone." Nazz said, approaching the group.
"I have to admit this was more exciting than I was expecting." Grimmjow said, with a grin.
"And it isn't 'everyone', there are still a few of us missing." Leinas added, looking at "Kana's" remains that hanged from Nazz's hand.
"Fair enough. Still, it's over. As we speak Aizen-sama is working on bringing the Elder Coffin Dragon Lord to our side."
"Eh? That's fast." Nnoitra mused.
"He is vulnerable now. It's the best time."
As they spoke, they simply ignored the cries of beastmen running away from the scene, because they knew that unless they attacked fighting was meaningless. Not long after, the area was finally flooded by forces from the Dragon Kingdom and what was left of the men from the Empire, along with Inon and Carmyn on his shoulder, and the rest of the Fracción.
This massive force moved in the area, basically surrounding Leinas, Nazz and the rest, while some then moved deeper into the city to secure the city. While Leinas received a relieved and emotional hug from her lover Elim, Nazz was greeted by Commander Picard who rode in on his horse. Throwing what was left of Kana to the horse's feet, Nazz looked up at the clearly spent and bloodied Commander.
"Well?" Picard asked.
"Kana and Kaze are dead. The beastmen no longer have rulers. Soon the rest will scatter back to their own territory. We've won." Nazz replied, getting a weary sigh in return.
"Good. Then, why don't you announce that to the rest?"
"Very well..."
Finding an elevated guard-post nearby, "Nazz" raised his weapon aloft as he bellowed in a thunderous voice that carried itself to nearly all present.
"WE HAVE WON! ASIKE IS OURS!"
Nazz's announcement was met with jubilant cheering from everyone present, which lasted for several minutes, as many of those present wept at the liberation of the last major city conquered by the beastmen. Soon after, the more rested soldiers were made to set up camps, while others were given emergency care or in a darker, but necessary act, pyres were made to burn the deceased to prevent undead from spawning. Eventually, the Espada explained how they used a spell from the crystal to beat Kaze, and slowly Picard spread the truth about what really had happened to General Ezekiel.
By that time, word of Kaze's death had reached the capital of the Beastman Country, thanks to a few birdmen that were able to escape from the battle. Yet what they found upon arrival wasn't what they expected. Even more so when they were instructed to go to what served as their King's palace. Upon making their way to the throne room, they were greeted by some beastmen disposing of corpses that belonged to other beastmen, including that of Maka, whom was the palace's strongest warrior.
When they finally arrived at the throne room, the reason for all of this became clear. The gold that filled a large portion of the chamber was slowly being cleared out, with someone they didn't recognize sitting on the throne. That being the massive, fur covered visage of Sajin Komamura. To his side were Cesar, Tonga, Nato, Pantera, and the last of the Beasmen Lords, the birdman Hash.
"We told to come here." One of the newly arrive birdmen said, still looking around in confusion.
"Hash a moment. Yes, as you can see, we are currently changing a few things in how Kaze did things. But I want you and everyone else that usually passes messages along to go out and tell everyone that's still in territory that belonged to the Dragon Kingdom to return to our territory." Sajin instructed.
The order was a tad complicated for the birdmen to quickly reply. They were used to having to carry out crudely constructed messages, but they managed to piece together what he wanted. Which was a shock that even with the defeat at Asike, it wasn't exactly in their nature to stop attacking or pushing their enemies. So to fall back to their original borders from before the war was quite a surprise. Yet no one questioned it. They could guess what led to the bodies they saw on their way to the throne room.
"O' course."
"Good. Then you can leave. And back to you Hash..."
As the birdmen left and Sajin resumed his conversation with Hash, Sajin felt a great sense of dedication and purpose wash over him. While he never voiced it, he always desired to have been more active in this Dragon Kingdom endeavor, so to now be able to act as King of the Beastmen and made him very happy to fulfill such an important duty.
While the battle for Asike had concluded, at the same time the battle for the capital of the Dragon Kingdom was about to begin, even if no one in the field knew it. Accompanied by his supporters, General Iain La Baran made his way through the Royal Palace, either gathering more supporters or cutting down whoever opposed him.
Iain and the bulk of his men made it into the throne room itself, which had served as the place for General Sol and his men's last stand. They had been brave, but while Iain used light armor, his skill with a blade and enchanted rings, allowed him to swiftly dispatch Sol, beheading the older General.
Not only did Iain sport great skill and magical items, he also now had superior numbers and thanks to an item given to him by his master, he had summoned a Bodak. The twisted faced undead, while simple minded, was able to follow commands and use magic.
"She isn't here... Everyone spread out, she's got to be hiding somewhere." Iain tersely instructed.
Meanwhile, a single soldier made his way to the upper floors of the palace, where Queen Draudillon Oriculus, Prime Minister Falko Kemuel Jantzi, and Elizabeth were. Due to the fact that Iain had been very quiet and careful in how he proceeded inside the palace, none of them were aware of what had transpired, with Draudillon herself still in her true adult looking form when the soldier frantically banged on the door.
"Your Majesty! We must run! General Iain is a traitor! He's taking over the palace with soldiers and undead!" The soldier frantically informed.
The eyes of those in the room grew wide as they looked at each other, while the solider continued to plead for them to leave. Draudillon felt her heart skip a beat, her mind right away going to her unborn children, when Elizabeth spoke up.
"I will go and handle it. But it is true that you better try to flee." She stoically said.
"W-What? What about you? You should come with us." Draudillon argued.
"With all due respect, it is my role to protect you, please allow me to do so."
"She is right. We should flee while we can. We won't stand a chance if we get overwhelmed." Falko added.
"But..."
Draudillon suddenly went silent, because she felt frustration come over her as she felt powerless to do anything in a situation like this, having to rely on everyone else. If only she could do more, especially now that she had a family to protect. If only she could use her [Wild Magic] more effectively.
"Please, let us go." Falko said, taking Draudillon's hand.
"Y-Yes... Alright... Let's."
Being the one closest to the door, Elizabeth was the one that opened it to be greeted by what was now two guards. Stepping aside, she allowed Falko and Draudillon to exit, this form of the Queen confusing the men, but Falko's quick and prompt commands, pushed aside their confusion and just like that Falko, Draudillon and the guards were away.
Now by herself, Elizabeth placed the large, old book she carried with her just in case of an emergency and started to walk through the halls and downstairs, until she eventually reached a connection between two hallways where Iain, the Bodak, and many of his men were finishing off other guards.
"Stand down. For your own good, tell us where she is." Iain commanded.
"She, as you put it, is your Queen. You should show the proper respect."
As Elizabeth spoke, clearly unfazed by what was currently in front of her, she calmly opened her book as she searched through its illustrated pages.
"And I won't tell you anything. For such a talented, upstart brat, you should know better than to think that people loyal to the Queen would speak~" Elizabeth affirmed.
"Kill her." Iain coldly instructed.
In that moment, as some of his soldiers charged towards her, Elizabeth's finger stopped searching through the pages of the book, and landed on a particular page, to which she looked up at her would be attackers and smirked.
"[Summon: Gigant Basilisk]."
Elizabeth's bloodline was created by the Brightness Dragon Lord at the same time as Draudillon's, and while weaker they were tasked with protecting the main line. To help with this they had been given the [Summoner's Bestiary]. This magical tome, allowed for its user to cast summoning spells by putting their hand on one of the creatures depicted in a particular page and infusing it with their mana.
Needless to say, upon her command a bright flash of light erupted between her and the invaders, and the savage figure of a Gigant Basilisk emerged. A beast, that while cramped in the hallway, was more than savage enough to lung into the large group of enemies, even as the Bodak unleashed several balls of fire upon it.
Surprised and terrified by the appearance of such a powerful beast, Iain and four of his soldiers ran into another hallway. The young General had no desire to die here. He was to take the throne and show the Elder Coffin Dragon Lord how wrong he had been by leaving him out of this climatic battle. So he steeled himself, leaving the Bodak and other soldiers to their fates, as he continued searching for Draudillon, hoping that the men that he had sent into other portions of the palace would avoid the beast.
Luckily for Iain, Draudillon hadn't gone far from her original location. She had been overtaken by a strange heat, that was accompanied by a great surge in energy. The strange and foreign sensation had momentarily robbed her of her strength, and while she was still on her feet, she was using a wall as support, while Falko tried to urge her to continue on.
"Please, your Majesty, we must make haste." Falko urged, as Draudillon simply panted.
"Falko. Where is she? Where is Draudillon?"
The voice came from in front of them, and it sent chills down their backs. Draudillon tried to look up, but as soon as she tried to do so, Falko placed himself between herself and five men that were approaching.
"She is gone, Iain." Falko said, standing his ground before Iain.
"Then, why are you here? And who is that?" Iain asked, failing to recognize the woman Falko was clearly trying to hide.
"She's a servant. An innocent! Now leave. You have already done enough." The Prime Minister pleaded.
"Get him out of the way." Iain instructed.
Two of his men lunged at Falko, who surprisingly responded by unsheathing a blade and stabbing one of the approaching men in the neck. Despite this display, it left him open to be slashed across the chest by the other attacker, before being kicked onto the ground.
"A foolish move, Falko. Now, you are..."
Iain fell silent as he recognized the woman, her facial features looked older but were the same. Her hair, her eyes, everything told him that this was Draudillon, and it honestly did not surprise him. This was because the Elder Coffin Dragon Lord had told him much regarding what a descendant of a Dragon Lord could or could not do. Especially one whose blood was a "thin" as the Queen's.
"Trickery. Dragon Lord trickery. But that won't save you." Iain growled, reading his sword.
"It's not her!" Falko argued.
"..."
Iain growled as he went to say something, when the woman suddenly spoke up.
"It is me. I am Queen Draudillon Oriculus. And I'm warning you, Iain. Stop this now!"
The Queen's words echoed through the area, stunning the now four attackers. The affect was added onto by the bright blue aura that was slowly emanating from her body, her hair lightly floating as this happened.
She herself wasn't sure of what was happening, but assumed was that her body, now bearing three children with lineage from two Dragon Lords, had been heightened, allowing her to collect souls like never before. Which meant that she would be able to better use [Wild Magic]. At least, this is what she believed and hoped as she resolutely stared Iain down.
"Sir?" One of the men asked, looking at Iain.
The three soldiers accompanying Iain were now considering fleeing. Their leader however, whether driven by ego or desperation, pushed forward. He felt he had been underestimated for far too long, and wasn't going to let simple intimidation get the best of him. He would take this woman's head, take over the nation, and lead it towards true greatness.
"[Flow Acceleration]! [Fatal Edge]!"
"Pok Kornari!"
Iain roared in desperation and anger, while Draudillon cried out in desperation and frustration. The young General lunged at his target, who with no other way out called upon one of the [Wild Magic] spells she knew. It translated to [Stop Heart] in the common tongue, and the moment she chanted the spell, Iain violently collapsed onto the floor. The spell's effect was to not stop the heart exactly, but to make it violently spasm and explode. All of which would have caused Iain great agony, but thanks to his [Flow Acceleration] this wasn't visible before his body collapsed.
"Iain La Baran is dead. Stand down." Draudillon commanded.
The three men looked at each other, then down at their dead commander and then back at each other, before throwing their weapons down and kneeling with their hands up as they plead for mercy and forgiveness.
"Good. Good."
Taking in a few gulps of air, Draudillon sighed in relief. Relief that her spell had worked. Relief that Iain was dead. While she knew that there were more hostiles in the palace, she now learned that they could be handled and that filled her with tremendous relief, and after so long of being powerless, it felt like a validation of her being Queen.
With Elizabeth and Draudillon on the offensive, what was left of Iain's rebellion was soon crushed, and with that, the last influence of the Elder Coffin Dragon Lord was gone from the Kingdom. The battle for Asike over, and with this final act, a new dawn shined on the Dragon Kingdom.