"I beg your pardon, sir?" said Albert, shifting in his boots. He knew that their luck had run out, but he did not mind pressing it, just the same.
The commander snarled. "Save it. The act is up. You're found out. What I want to know is why would you bring that girl here?"
"'That girl'?" challenged Dart, stepping in front of Shana.
"Tell them who I am," said the commander, eyes locking onto her.
She swallowed, then opened her mouth to speak. A second later, her voice impossibly small, she said, "You're the one who took me."
In response, metal slid against a sheath, and then the sharpened point of Dart's sword was a mere inch from the commander's chest.
"You took her?" he demanded. The commander merely laughed.
"Calm down, boy. You may have bested my soldiers, but I wouldn't make it so easy on you."
Dart remained still.
"Stop," chided Albert. "If he wanted us captured, he would have sent for more guards by now."
"Smart one, this king of yours," smirked the commander.
Albert started. He knew that his face would be recognizable, but some part of him was hoping that the commander had somehow overlooked every one of his likenesses. "King?" he fumbled. "I never said-"
"I recognized you the second I heard your voice, Your Majesty. What I want to know is, why did you come here? And why did you bring the girl?"
"Her name is Shana," growled Dart.
The king searched the commander's eyes, but they were ultimately impassive. It was impossible to determine his motives, whether to upend their plan or aid it along. But what good would it do to lie? Either way, they were found out.
"We came to stop the war," he said simply.
"To kill the emperor, then?"
"Or have his surrender."
"Doel will not surrender," said the commander. Then he turned to Dart and snapped, "Would you mind getting that thing out of my face?"
When Dart failed to move, Albert took a step forward and said his name softly. Dart twitched, then reluctantly lowered his sword, although Albert noticed that his vice grip on its hilt did not ease.
"If the jig is up," interrupted Haschel as he made to take off his helmet, "I'm definitely not going to prison wearing this horrid thing." He tossed the helmet to the ground.
"You will not be sent to prison. He will kill you all."
"He doesn't know what he's up against," said Dart.
The commander jabbed his finger at Dart. "No, you are the ones who came into this situation unwittingly. He knows of your power, and he is ready for you."
"He is waiting for us," realized Albert. That was why there had been so little resistance to their plan. He recalled the furious whispers of the guards at the city gate; Doel had known the moment they had entered the city, and he had been planning for their coming ever since.
The commander nodded. "But there is still hope. Your Majesty, you remember what he once was. He was not always this dark and cruel man. He was once good, a man of the people, and devoted to their cause. But then something in him changed. When King Carlo died, he became ruthless. Perhaps from grief of his brother's death. But whatever may have happened, it's only gotten worse. His desire for power cannot now be quenched, and it has pushed him to discover dark powers, dangers that will be the end of Serdio. He will raze the entire country if he is not stopped."
Albert paused, his muscles relaxing slightly as he began to understand what was unfolding around him. "You want us to stop him. You want us to stop my uncle." A stir ran over the others as they realized the commander's motives. The air in the room changed, now tingling with the possibility of success with a newfound ally. "You realize what will result?"
"Yes," said the commander. "We will be leaderless, and without Doel, we cannot hope to win the war against you. But isn't that what we both want? To end the people's suffering? Things may have been bright and happy in Bale for all these years, but for us, this war has been raging since the secession. We must do something about it."
"I agree," said Albert, lifting his shoulders. "I will do what I can to save my uncle from the darkness that has enveloped him, but my first priority is to end the war."
"I understand. But you should hurry. It's only a matter of time before someone recognizes her-" he gestured toward Shana "-and comes to take her to Lloyd."
"To Lloyd?" asked Haschel. "Why not Doel?"
"Doel doesn't want the girl."
"Why would he have her taken away," spat Dart, "if he didn't want her?"
The commander shook his head. "It was Lloyd's scheme to take her. I only acted because the emperor commanded it, but Lloyd was the one pulling the strings."
"I thought that Lloyd was working for Doel," said Albert.
"No," said the commander. "Lloyd was merely working with Doel, to get the girl and the Moon Gem. I never knew any more than that."
"The Moon Gem?" muttered Albert. So he had been wrong. Doel had not captured him to steal the symbol of the Serdian monarch; it was some twisted facet of Lloyd's scheme. Lloyd's scheme to do what?
"So you killed all those people," said Dart, his voice rising to an alarming volume, "just to take Shana and give her away to someone else?"
A look of grief crossed over the commander as he said, "I never killed anyone. Doel sent two units to Seles. I led one, and Fruegel led the other. I begged them not to attack the city, but to let my men sneak in, grab her, and leave, but Fruegel was a cruel man. I'm... sorry... for everything that happened to your village."
Dart softened, and Shana put a hand on his arm. He seemed to war with himself for a moment before saying, "I... see."
After a moment, the commander continued. "You should not need your disguises anymore, as the guards have been instructed to let you pass through. But please, you must not underestimate the emperor. He is powerful."
Before the commander was even done speaking, Rose was wriggling her way out of the loose restraints and ripping her sword from Haschel's hips. He grinned as she tugged at his belt, and Albert could easily imagine the crude comments Haschel was forcing away while she worked. Then the sword was free and back at Rose's waist, as if it had never left. She glowered at the floor, arms crossed, refusing to look at anyone. The commander watched her, bewildered, but said nothing before turning back to Albert.
"Whatever happens, please remind Emperor Doel of who he was, even if he cannot ever become that man again."
"Of course," said Albert somberly. He could never say no to such a request, especially one that intertwined so closely with his own goals. More than anything, he was hoping that the encounter with his uncle would show him that the emperor had not fallen so far as to be beyond saving.
"I have duties to attend to," said the commander. "We don't want to arouse too much suspicion. If you want to be able to walk out of this city anytime this decade, get in and get out. ... Good luck." And with that, he walked through the door, his footsteps echoing as he made his way down the hall.
"So..." began Haschel quietly. "I can take this armor off now?"
"I see no reason why we should continue to wear it," said the king, reaching up to tie his hair back with a string waiting around his wrist.
Dart, Haschel, and Albert all worked to remove the heavy chain armor and dropped them into neat piles on the floor. After Dart helped Shana out of her bonds and returned her bow and quiver, they moved toward the door.
Although he gripped Lavitz's lance tightly, Albert still felt exposed without his green cloak. His back felt vulnerable as he marched forward, senses on high alert. As he led them down the hall, his mind a perfect map even after more than twenty years, he nervously ran his fingers along the weapon's shaft, feeling the countless notches and ridges that had been beaten into it over the years. Lavitz had used this lance for over a decade, and the hardened memories carved into the wood were like gilded treasure to Albert. This weapon had defended his friend from countless blows, each of them potentially fatal, and each of those tiny ridges were a testament to Lavitz's many years of cheating death. He wondered how long one could swindle fate before it finally grabbed hold of a life and tore it away. Lavitz had succeeded for so long; how long until the King of Serdio succumbed? How long until his newfound friends were no more?
He pushed the thought away. They would end the war, pushing fate back once more from those who still fought to protect their countries.
Remarkably, they encountered no guards for many minutes as they climbed several flights of stairs. Their few glimpses out the windows indicated that the sun had set long ago, leaving behind the moon to claim the skies as its own. Perhaps the guards had gone to sleep, resting in their false security within the walls of the Black Castle. Or perhaps Doel had merely told them to stay out of the way.
Despite all his protests, the king's heart began to pound as they finally reached a great hall, towering windows on either side, an artificial light cascading down from the ceiling. It focused on the far wall like a spotlight, illuminating a tall statue, ornately carved into the shape of a beautiful woman, curls of hair falling around her shoulders, her arms lifted in warm greeting. Two tall staircases curved around either edge of the room to meet at a landing just above the woman's head.
"Whoa," said Dart.
"Is that a goddess?" asked Shana, eyes sparkling as she took in the statue.
"No," replied Albert. "This is Katrina, the late wife of Emperor Doel. She died so long ago that I barely remember her." Only the faintest images remained now in his memory, often intertwined with images of his own mother. They had been the best of friends, laughing together in the castle, both the embodiment of feminine beauty. Now, as the king gazed up at Katrina, he felt an overwhelming longing for his mother's kind presence - something that he would never experience again in this life.
"She's beautiful," whispered Shana.
"Yes, but... we have no time to admire the statue. We must move forward."
Even at such a late hour, several people sat in the hall, knees bent in prayer as they faced the uncanny likeness of Albert's late aunt. Perhaps Emperor Doel had claimed that his wife was a saint or the embodiment of a goddess come to visit them. Just another of the many lies that Albert's uncle had spread. They skirted around the rows of benches angled toward the statue and made their way to the stairs, uneasy but drawing only the barest of glances from those down below. At last they reached the balcony behind the statue, and Albert was mildly surprised to see the level of intricate detail that had formed Katrina's individual strands of hair, perpetually curling around and reaching for the railing, just beyond their reach. He tore his gaze away and stepped toward the double doors in the back of the landing, painfully aware of the ripples of tension running over all four of his companions. He hoped that he was managing to exude a confidence that he did not quite feel.
The heavy doors opened soundlessly to the room beyond, which was not the throne room, but another hall designed for the comfort of any waiting dignitaries should they come when the emperor was meeting with his advisors. A wise setup, though somewhat impersonal. Albert would have strode past the many lavish couches and tables, straight through to the throne room, but he stopped short when he saw what awaited them.
A brutish man, over eight feet tall, stood at the other end of the room. Thick plated armor coated his body, and his head seemed almost comically too small for his bulk. He carried no weapon, but Albert could see sharp blades protruding above his gloved knuckles. As the door opened, he turned to face them, great brown eyes alight with hatred, ready to kill.
Instantly, Albert knew the danger that stood before them. This was no ordinary man, but a giganto, likely the one wreaking so much havoc on his troops over the past several years. This was the man responsible for the death of the Fifth Knighthood in what was originally thought to be a tragic accident, and it would not have surprised him if the brute had made a showing in the ambush that had destroyed the First Knighthood, Lavitz's knighthood, only a couple months ago. He recalled the frantic tales of the giant borne from the Battle of Hoax, and it would have gripped him with fear had he not been standing with the very dragoon that had brought the giganto to his knees.
"Kongol!" exclaimed Dart.
A second later, two fists, two swords, a lance, and a bow were all trained on the giganto as he hefted himself to his feet.
"Come to finish the job?" said Kongol, his words accented and deep, carrying easily across the long room. "I give you one warning: gigantos don't lose twice."
"We'll see about that," muttered Rose.
"Wow, he's big," breathed Haschel.
"Yeah, but we're dragoons," said Dart. "With magic on our side, how hard can it be?"
Albert felt the wind roar within him as they approached Kongol, who raised his armored arms in preparation. Albert had spent many days on the training grounds since his youth, with Lavitz and others, to learn to fight, and yet somehow the lance felt weak and useless in his hands. Perhaps it was simply because he had seen how well Lavitz fought, or perhaps he was intimidated by the remarkable abilities of those around him. Perhaps he was merely reluctant to take Lavitz's place in one more way. But he was certain that at least a small part of his insecurity was because he had never seen true battle before. Even as he marched forward, he felt ashamed, afraid that he would soon be discovered for being a fraud of a warrior, knocked aside by the giganto like a puff of air tossing a feather. How could sparring safely in his castle possibly translate into real combat, into a situation when death could come at any moment? He vowed that, should he survive this encounter, he would practice more. He would practice until the lance became an extension of himself instead of this weighty thing fumbling about in his hands.
Albert held his shoulders back, his chin high, pushing out that feigned confidence while partly wishing that he could stand back with Shana, who kept her distance with an arrow aimed at Kongol. As they came to a stop, arrayed menacingly around the giganto, Albert aimed his lance forward and spoke.
"We do not have to fight. You can step aside." He was swept with shame at how desperately he wanted Kongol to agree.
"I will not let you hurt Emperor Doel!" growled Kongol, glaring at them.
"You would protect such a savage and ruthless leader?"
"You are the savage ones. Your country is what killed my people. Emperor Doel saved me."
The giganto raids, recalled Albert. The king's mind drifted back to the event that had scarred the entire continent over twenty years ago, dark racism ending in the genocide of a peace-loving species. Giganto villages were already sparse when a vastly misconstrued coincidence led to the ignition of fear among humans, driving them into the mountainous homes and using their great numbers to wipe out every single person who lived there. King Carlo had tried to quell the violence in Serdio, but had died before he could exact any real change. Kongol must have come from one of these villages, spared by coincidence or mercy, and brought to serve Doel in his new castle.
"Saved you for what?" challenged Dart. "To be his puppet? His slave?"
Kongol shook his head violently, as if trying to shake away buzzing insects. "He said he will make a world where all the species are equal. He saved me so I can be free!"
"You're probably the only giganto left, and he has you living in a dungeon and fighting his wars," said Haschel. "Doel is just using you to conquer other humans. Can't you see that?"
A deep growl rumbled from Kongol's chest, and he rushed forward, fast as his massive bulk could, stabbing at Haschel with his bladed fists. Every footstep sent a shockwave through the floor, and Albert fought to keep his balance as the group scattered in two directions. Rose and Dart were on Kongol in an instant, moving in tandem with one another as they directed their blows at the few chinks in Kongol's armor, soon speckled with bright dots of red. Several arrows plunged into the fray, clinking off the thick steel and bouncing to the floor. Haschel's quick figure served as a distraction, leaping to and fro and striking Kongol just hard enough to throw him off balance.
Albert watched eagerly, waiting for a moment to join in, waiting for an opening. The wind gusting about in his soul longed to break free, but his white knuckles and sweaty palms quelled the storm. More than once, he thought he saw Dart throwing him disdainful looks, but his feet would not respond to his commands. His fingers twisted around the rough wood, those innumerable notches from blades in the past. Blades that had threatened Lavitz's life. Albert knew that he could not continue like this, unsure of himself and afraid of war. Something inside him had changed since Hellena, something beyond the death of a dear friend. While his soul ached to see Lavitz again, he knew that he would have to move on. Lavitz was dead, and a great responsibility had fallen to him. He was no longer just a king; he was a dragoon. Whether he wanted it or not, he had been handed a fate that he must choose. His journey would not end at the Black Castle.
Something inside him broke open, a dam breaking before a great rush of water, and out poured a long-dormant power. The storm rose within him and burst forth in a great rush of wind, exploding from him in every direction with a violent boom, almost too much for him to contain. But he focused it, such as he could, redirecting the air toward a target. Lifting his hand, the winds whipped under his companions' feet and pushed against Kongol, tossing him back into the wall. With a loud thud, the great, lumbering man fell to the ground, weary from his many cuts and bruises, with one arrow protruding from his shoulder.
Not wasting the opportunity, Haschel leapt forward, planted himself, and jabbed his fist onto Kongol's jaw. Albert heard a crack and saw a white tooth fly from his mouth, followed by a great howl of pain as the bone snapped. Then in one swift movement, Haschel lifted himself onto the giganto's back and struck him once on the spine, sending Kongol's legs limp beneath him, and wrapped his arm around the thick neck, squeezing tightly. Kongol grasped at Haschel's arm, but he could do little as he struggled to breathe. He coughed and sputtered, but Haschel did not let go. The old man was on the verge of killing the last surviving member of a dying species, wiping out an entire culture. A living, breathing creature. Albert suddenly stepped forward to intercede, but Dart spoke first.
"Stop," he said. His eyes carried something that Albert could not quite identify, distant and strong. Haschel's grip loosened, and the giganto coughed violently, rubbing his sore neck with great, armored hands. For a moment, Albert thought that Kongol might attack again, but instead he looked down in shame. And were those... tears?
"I have lost... again," mourned Kongol, the words coming through jagged and rough as he spoke through the pain, every word clearly agony. "Even with the great giganto armor. I am... disgraced. Why do you not kill me?"
"If that's what you want," said Rose, and she stepped forward, preparing to draw her sharp blade over Kongol's throat. He braced himself, closing his eyes, accepting his fate.
"Stop!" shouted Dart and Shana together. They both rushed forward, and Shana grabbed Rose's arm before she could deliver the fatal blow.
"Please, don't," Shana pleaded. "It's done. We beat him."
"He can still move," said Rose derisively. "Do you want him to get up and stab us in the back when we turn away?"
"He won't fight us." Shana stepped closer to the giant, sitting in a heap on the floor, Haschel still perched on his back. Kongol looked up at her wearily, and she tentatively placed a hand on his shoulder, searching his eyes, flooded with regret and shame.
"Shana," warned Dart, but she ignored him.
She smiled - that kind, warm smile that Albert had seen many times, so full of compassion. "He won't fight us," she repeated.
"Shana's right," said Dart, easing up next to her. "Kongol, I'm sorry that we had to fight you. It's not what we wanted. But Doel is ruthless, and if he is not stopped, he's going to kill a lot of innocent people."
"Why would you show me mercy?" rasped the giganto.
"We're not like him."
"He... saved me."
"And he used you," said Shana quietly.
"Now that we're done being sweet and sappy," interrupted Rose, "can we get going?"
Shana cast her an angry glance, but Rose either failed to notice or failed to care as she marched toward the next set of double doors. Haschel leapt off Kongol's back and waited to see what Dart and Shana would do.
"We really must move forward," urged Albert. "My uncle is waiting for us."
Dart muttered something, and Shana reluctantly pulled away from Kongol, but not before whispering another apology. Kongol watched them leave, weeping openly, his legs useless to carry him to Doel's defense, and Albert cast one more apologetic glance behind him before pulling on the great double doors and swinging them wide.
Albert, Dart, Rose, Shana, and Haschel stepped into the throne room, the doors closing with a thud behind them, and glanced around, preparing for whatever they might find.
The room was vast and filled with every bit of flourish. It was exactly the kind of luxury that Albert despised and actively avoided in his own home. He had always thought that lavish displays of wealth were useless, siphoning money from other, more important funds while only serving to make guests feel ill at ease. Warm baths and meals brought directly to the door of a bedchamber were more services than most of his own people had ever experienced, and he had decided long ago that it would be plenty enough for him and any who had decided to dwell in Indels Castle. But it seemed that Doel had a different opinion. Gold had been worked onto almost every surface, tracing shapes and symbols into the stone floor and creating a flashing lightning bolt on the far side of the room. Lush carpets decorated the floors, and extravagant tapestries hung from each wall. Great fountains of flame, like the street lights in the city, burned bright, springing from the floor to illuminate all the grandeur. The thought crossed Albert's mind that Dart could merely flick his wrist and send all Doel's prized possessions to dark cinders.
On the far end of the room, atop a stone dais, sat a grand throne, gilt with intricate designs, glinting in the firelight. And on the pretentious throne sat Emperor Doel. His face was smug, decorated with a short beard, icy blue eyes following them carefully. Black hair framed his features, streaked with lines of gray. Leaning to one side casually, he rested his chin on his fist, watching them closely as they approached, allowing the glint of his hefty golden crown to speak for him. I am king, it said. You are foolish to defy my power. They were halfway across the room before he spoke, his powerful voice a force of its own.
"I wasn't sure you would actually try it," he said, white teeth flashing behind his words. "Entering my castle, trying to deceive my men, fighting past my giganto. What a daredevil you are, Albert."
The voice was painfully familiar to the young king, bringing up several forgotten memories of his uncle's princely days, before he had been so corrupted by evil. But something in it was different. There was a mocking, a hunger, a desire for something that could not be achieved. All trace of kindness and compassion had vanished, leaving only evil in its wake.
"So you remember me," said Albert simply, holding his lance aimed pointedly toward the throne.
"Look at you. You look so much like your father." The falsely cheerful smile turned suddenly to a judgmental frown. "You rule like him, too."
"Is that such a terrible thing?"
"Yes!" Doel was suddenly animated, coming to his feet and bouncing on them, brandishing his hands about. Albert glanced down to notice two sizable sheaths at either of Doel's hips. "He was a fool of a king! Unsuited to the throne. It was only the time between our births that kept me from ruling Serdio, and nothing more. He was little more than a runt who was lucky enough to be crowned king. He was incapable, soft, impulsive. I would have done better!"
Albert was taken aback. This was a side of his uncle he had never seen before, something that was hidden from his younger self. Or was it merely something that he had chosen to forget? In his mind, reality warred against memory, his thoughts swirling in an undetectable pattern, all coming back to the one question that had been eating away at him for years.
Quietly, he asked, "Did you kill him?"
"Speak up, boy. Timidity does not become a king."
"Did you kill him?" Albert demanded, lip curling into a snarl.
Doel turned to him, meeting his forceful, enraged gaze with cold, vengeful eyes. "Yes."
Only one word, and yet Albert could never hope to express the effect it had on him. He felt that his legs would give way beneath him as all strength left his muscles. He struggled to keep a hold on the lance in his hands, and he felt the air rush out of his lungs. His heartbeat came slowly and sluggishly, and yet sounded impossibly loud in his ears. It was as if time slowed, giving a painful length to a few short seconds as the truth of his father's death washed over him. His father's friend - no, his blood - had betrayed him in full, and the horrible scene, so long denied entrance, flashed complete in Albert's mind. A kind greeting between brothers, a dark conversation, the beginnings of a horrid realization, and then the act. Blood on the floor, death filling the air. He could not bear it.
"Albert," said Dart quietly behind him. He drew in a sharp breath, having forgotten that the others were near, and tried to remember why they were here, in the Black Castle: to fight the evil blight on the country. All suddenly became clear - the secession, the war, the plight of the people, the countless deaths. Doel had been behind it all. How could Albert have been so naïve to truly believe his uncle to be incapable of such malevolence?
Grief slowly gave way to rage, filling him with a new kind of strength, the hidden power of a dragoon refreshing him with a steely determination. The storm clashed within him, his weakness yielding to the wind as his fingers tightened around the lance. His voice wavered angrily as he said, "You will pay for your crimes, Uncle."
"And what will you do? Imprison me? Hang me? Behead me? You cannot possibly hope to defeat me. I have found a power beyond any of you. And with it, I will bring about the birth of a new Serdio, united and whole, free from the tyranny of your decrepit line!"
"You have given birth to nothing but sorrow, pain, and anger. Your people suffer from your tyranny now! You need only look to your own streets to find the gravest parts of Serdio, those people who worry about surviving until the next day."
Now it was Doel's turn to snarl. "Don't you tell me how to run my own country, boy. I have given them wonders. With my new power, we have harnessed technology that your scientists could only dream of."
Albert shook his head. "You only dream of your own power! That is all you want now, your only desire."
"And I'll do whatever I can to get it."
"Including sanctioning the theft of helpless girls from their homes? Sending them to a prison meant for war criminals?" The rage swirled inside him as he saw the dark hand that Doel had been playing for so long. He feared that it may become enough to unhinge him.
Doel laughed. "The girl? That was Lloyd's conspiracy, not mine. I merely... allowed him to use my resources."
"Why?" asked Dart suddenly, moving up next to Albert. "Why did Lloyd take her?"
Shrugging, Doel said, "Lloyd is merely a pawn working for the reborn Emperor Diaz. I know better than to get in his way."
"Emperor Diaz died over eleven thousand years ago," retorted Rose. "He was a hero, and he would never be part of kidnapping a young girl."
Doel waved his hand. "Believe what you want. It doesn't change the truth."
"What, then?" asked Albert. "Why did you let us come here?"
"And push away my chance to kill you? No." Doel grinned and shook his head. "Besides, Lloyd has left me for some grander scheme, taking his talents with him. I'm not sure that I need him anymore, with you so willingly coming into my grasp, but I've never been fond of those who walk out before the task is done. He would be a valuable and powerful ally, but it would seem that leverage is necessary."
"What?" asked Dart, speaking the confusion that Albert felt.
An arrow came whizzing by them, striking the wall several feet from Doel and clattering to the ground. A muffled scream rang out, and everyone whirled around to see a gruff man dragging Shana backward, one large hand on her mouth and the other holding a dangerously sharp knife to her ribs.
"Shana!" screamed Dart, lunging toward her.
"Not so fast," crooned Doel, and Dart stopped in his tracks. "One wrong move and that blade finds a warmer place to sit. Do you really think you can reach her before her heart is skewered?"
Dart was visibly trembling, eyes trained on Shana, knuckles white with tension. Something had come over him, but not the rage that Albert had expected. Instead, he saw in Dart's eyes a deep-seated fear, mingled with sorrow, keeping him frozen in place.
The king turned and cried, "Uncle! She is just a girl!"
"A very valuable girl."
"Despicable! And to think I used to look up to you. To think my father looked up to you!" His voice was a haphazard shout, overcome with emotion.
"What do I care about that?" taunted Doel, taking several slow steps toward Albert.
He gripped tighter on the lance, those knobs of fate rubbing against his fingers. Shana would not die today. This was the day that Doel would meet his fate and give recompense for his grievous actions.
"You cling too much to the past, my young nephew." Reaching toward his hips, Doel drew out the two heavy swords that had been leering at them since they had entered. "And what will you do? Cross swords with me? You've no idea what I can do. All it takes is one nod of my head, one twitch of my finger, and the girl dies. Will you exact your revenge with her at risk? Would you dare?" Doel took several slow, menacing steps forward.
Gritting his teeth, Albert searched for a way out of the situation. The emperor was right; he would not put a life at risk just to bring his uncle to justice. But he would not let Doel slaughter them all, either. He was within striking distance now, and it would be so easy to lunge forward, seize the opportunity, and plunge the lance deep into the emperor's heart. But could he do it without hurting Shana?
Light flashed behind him, and he spun, backing away from Doel to safety. The man holding Shana let out a howl, his hand flying from her mouth to his eyes, and Shana wrenched the knife from his shaken hand and moved quickly away. The instant she was clear, Dart reached out his hand, and it exploded with flames, arcing toward the soldier and engulfing him instantly. His screams filled the chamber, echoing off the stone walls until Albert thought that his ears would shatter from the piercing sound. It died a slow second later when Rose leapt forward and removed the man's head. All at once, the balance was restored, and the group of five stared down the emperor once more.
"You were saying?" smirked Albert.
Doel roared in frustration and rushed toward Albert, swinging wide with both swords. For a moment, the king was taken aback by Doel's speed, but the storm brewing inside him carried him easily out of harm's way. He grasped the power within him, funneled it from the dragoon spirit and channeled it into every move, swinging his lance this way and that, blocking the emperor's powerful attacks. Lunge, parry, swipe, block - they danced back and forth, searching for openings and finding none. The rest stayed back; they realized that this was a battle between family and would not interfere unless the danger escalated beyond Albert's ability.
As Doel became more and more huffed, Albert was surprised with his own ability to keep him at bay. Every strike on the lance sent a jolt through his entire body, and it soon became clear that he did not have the advantage. Instead, Doel's rapid attacks had him stumbling backward, struggling to keep his feet. With no hits landing on either side, Albert feared the change that would have to come. He took one more step back, then another, a slight fear coming over him as he tried in vain to distance himself from the onslaught. His leather boots dragged on the floor, then caught on a lip of carpet, and he yelped as he fell backward. Doel was on him in an instant, pressing down with both weapons, throwing his hefty weight behind his attack, grinning with a sickening glee. Struggling to keep his breathing even, Albert pressed back with his lance, but his strength was waning. His dragoon spirit called out to him, asking for release, and just as he was about to give in, Haschel appeared, fists swinging.
One hit landed on Doel's nose, then another on his jaw, and yet one more in his chest. Doel stumbled backward at the barrage of fists, but quickly recovered, baring his teeth in a growl as he prepared to strike back. Haschel was vulnerable, protected by little more than steel bracers, far too flimsy a defense against Doel's strength, and Albert called the wind to him. Go, he directed, and a gust rushed past him, buffeting Doel and forcing him to raise an arm to his face. Seizing the opportunity, Albert leapt to his feet as Dart rushed forward to engage the foe.
In the corner of his eye, Albert saw tendrils of a black scourge, issuing from Rose, moving toward Doel as Dart clashed swords with him. Albert was amazed at Dart's skill as he bandied about, more evenly matched with Doel than he had been. But it would not be enough. Taking his place next to Dart, Albert saw Doel's eyes flash furiously. Then the darkness touched the emperor's chest, and he screamed.
A crackle of electricity sounded in the room, and a moment later, Albert's muscles contracted tightly as he was blown backward by an explosion of purple energy. Pain wracked his body as he slammed into the ground, hearing four other thuds as the same happened to his companions. He pushed himself wearily off the ground, searching for the source of the power, and saw only Doel standing in the middle of the room, sparks running the length of his blades.
"Shana!" cried Dart, who scrambled to his feet and rushed toward the wall behind him. Albert turned to see Shana's limp form against the wall, unconscious but breathing. Rose seemed unharmed, but Haschel appeared to be nursing some kind of wound on the far side of the room.
"If you want to play tough," rumbled Doel's rough voice, "then I can play that way, too."
Forcing his feet under him, Albert stood, watching the marvel beginning to unfold before him. His ears popped as the pressure in the room plummeted, and he felt the hair on the back of his neck stand on end. Pops and crackles surrounded the emperor, and a moment later, a flash of purple shot out from him. A storm raged in the middle of the room, clouding the emperor with bolts of electricity, until a loud clap of thunder rocked the very stones beneath the king's feet. And then before them stood the thunder dragoon.
Doel's kingly garments had been replaced by that all-too-familiar dragoon armor, shaded purple to match the charges shooting out from him in each direction. The air around him sparked in anticipation of battle, and a flashing current ran the length of both blades. He grinned at their shock and stood tall, great wings spread behind him in intimidation.
"You fools," he snarled. "Did you really think that you could beat me that easily?"
He pushed off the ground and flew toward Albert at a startling speed. Barely having time to register the oncoming attack, Albert felt the pull of his dragoon spirit once more, screaming out for a defense, pushing against that lid inside him. This time, he ripped open the reserve, letting the power overtake him as Rose had taught him, and the air whipped about, tossing his hair to and fro. The green flashed, and then Doel's crackling blades were pressed against Albert's fearsome lance. All manner of blemish on the weapon had been erased, replaced by intricate carvings into wood strong as steel. Surprise ran over Doel's face as he beheld the jade dragoon.
Stumbling backward, Doel mumbled, "You... You killed Greham! But how?"
"Not me," said Albert, somehow calm despite the chaos in the room. "Someone far better than I accomplished that feat."
Dart, seemingly convinced that Shana would be okay, stood and walked warily over toward them. Haschel kept his distance, clutching a limp arm, knowing too well that the battle was now beyond him. Rose eased forward, pulsing with darkness, rapier at the ready. The emperor was surrounded by three vengeful dragoons.
"He was probably nothing to you," continued Albert, taking several slow steps forward as Doel glanced about him. "A nobody, a nuisance. And yet, you knew of his value to me, and so you took him. But he was far more than you bargained for. He ended up costing you your precious dragon, and the one who controlled it. He was the reason Hellena fell." Doel's face contorted in anger, and he held up his sword menacingly as thousands of purple sparks leapt from it; Albert was unperturbed. "You may not have dealt the final blow, but you were the one who sieged Bale. You were the one who took me captive. That was the only reason he came to Hellena. Ultimately, it was you who killed him. You may recognize his name from all your wanted posters, but he was no criminal." Now, hot tears pricked the king's eyes, and one slid free to fall to the floor. "He was a good man. Probably the best man in this country."
"I have no idea what you're talking about!" spat Doel.
"His name was Lavitz!" screamed Dart, lunging forward and transforming mid-leap. Fire ran about the room, engulfing him until he was nothing but a pillar of flame. Doel flapped his great wings, pushing off the ground just as Dart landed, his flaming sword cracking the stone tiles beneath him. Then holding out his hand, he ushered forth a burst of flame that sped toward Doel. Albert jumped into the air, feeling the gratifying rush of freedom, and pushed wind toward the flame, almost doubling its size by the time it reached the emperor. But just as it reached him, he dodged to the right, narrowly escaping the danger.
The air charged again, and Albert was surprised to actually feel the particles changing around him. He reached out and tried to bring in fresh air that would not transfer the electricity, but he was too late. An arc of lightning shot out toward Dart, striking him squarely in the chest and knocking him back several feet.
But then a dark pulse heralded Rose's transformation, and darkness descended around Doel's eyes. He cried out, flailing as if he were blind, and Dart took the opportunity to strike. He slid his sword across one of Doel's arms, earning a hiss and several wild slashes in return, before leaping back out of harm's way. Doel exploded once more with electricity, pushing Dart back until he caught himself and hovered in the air. The black void dissipated, and with a wicked grin, Doel threw his swords out to the side.
Instead of clanging to the floor, they suspended in the air just out of his reach, and a transparent ball of purple, crackling energy surrounded the emperor, anchored by the swords. Any sense of the air inside the sphere vanished from Albert's mind; he was unable to grasp it or move it. He pressed in on the shield, compressing the air surrounding it, but it was as if he were pressing against stone.
Dart charged, eyes alight with fury, but as soon as his sword touched the shield, an explosion sounded that rattled Albert's senses. He watched in alarm as Dart was hurled against the ceiling before falling to the ground with a painful crack. When Dart did not stir, Albert feared the worst; he reached out with his mind, and to his great relief, he felt the rush of air pushing into his lungs and rushing back out again. Dart was unconscious, but alive.
As Doel sneered at his handiwork, Albert took the short moment to glance about him. Dart lay in the middle of the floor, and Rose beat her wings to remain airborne just across from him, seeming to contemplate the new dynamic. Haschel, whose left arm was still hanging limp by his side, had found his way to Shana and was now trying to rouse her, but not without several worried glances over to Dart.
"You see, Your Majesty?" crooned Emperor Doel. "You and your little friends are no match for me." Behind him, a shadow loomed, edging its way toward him but coming up short against the charged ball of energy. The emperor whipped out his hand toward Rose, and she narrowly managed to avoid a bolt of lightning that sprung from his fingertips. It struck the wall with a mighty crack, shattering the stones and shooting splinters across the room.
An instant later, another bolt arced toward Albert, and he leapt upward, feeling the instability in the air beneath him as the electricity raced by. Then another bolt, and another, and another - Doel was firing at them endlessly, sharpened rocks slicing through the air as they ripped free of the walls and ceiling. Haschel bent protectively over Shana, tiny specks of red spotting his skin as he formed a human shield. Albert halted in the air and reached out his hand, twisting it as he willed the wind to bend around Haschel and Shana, blowing the debris away from them, and a moment later, a swirling column of rock shards surrounded the two. As he observed the marvel forming around him, Haschel's jaw dropped, and he nodded thankfully to Albert.
Taking advantage of Albert's distraction, Doel fired another arc of electricity toward him, and he barely registered the bolt until his body was on fire. The wind rushed through his ears as he hurtled toward the wall, his muscles seized tightly, his lungs unable to breathe. Agony sliced through him, and an instant later, he was a crumpled heap on the floor, his vision speckled with black dots. He shook his head despite the pounding resistance and struggled to see what was going on around him. With Rose the only opposition to Doel's fury, their situation was about to turn exceedingly grim. As his legs screamed in protest, he pushed himself to his feet and squinted around him, but his head swam and he lost balance, reaching out to the wall to steady himself. He could feel damage in his wings behind him, the pain in muscles and bone that were not normally a part of him. Had he not been in mortal danger, he probably would have stopped to consider the intriguing phenomenon.
A clap sounded out, echoing off the walls, and all light left the room, leaving them in complete darkness. For a second, Albert thought that he might have been killed by one of Doel's attacks, but he could still feel the cold press of the wall on his fingers and the dull throb in his body. Rose, he realized. She must be hiding us from his line of sight.
Sure enough, Doel let out a cry of frustration as his own vision faltered in the black. Albert heard scuffling and whispers just a few feet before him, but could see no movement. He heard and felt Rose's wings beat the air as she rushed about, seeking her way through the electric barrier, but he could sense that she was no closer to penetrating it than any of the rest of them. His heart raced as he felt that familiar change in the air as the charge built around Doel once again, and he wished that he could block the wave of energy that was sure to come, but then the darkness gave way to a sudden burst of light. Reflexively holding a hand to his face, Albert tried to see Shana, who must be its source, but his eyes could not adjust quickly enough. As the warm light washed over him, he felt a kindness there that seeped into his bones, rehabilitating his sore muscles and bringing life back into his chest. The dull throb pulsing through his body ebbed away, and the pain in his damaged wing stilled. All at once, he felt as if he had spent days recuperating from his time in Hellena and their travels.
The light began to fade, and in its wake hovered Shana, fully transformed, hands held out to the light. A fury took form in her face, something that Albert had never seen in her before, and she drew back her now-decorated longbow, a gleaming shaft of light forming an arrow. Albert marveled as Dart stood confidently, pulsing with fiery vitality, no trace of his trauma visible. Shana's hand twitched, and almost faster than Albert could follow it, the arrow struck Doel's protective field, exploding in a burst of white light and sending a pulse through the shield.
Doel's face contorted in rage, and he threw out his hand, sending lightning arcing toward Shana. As Dart leapt before her, Rose sent a bolt of darkness to intercept the attack, and Albert focused a shaft of wind to knock it off course. The bolt curved up and met Rose's magic, exploding in a burst of dark energy.
"How is this possible?" shrieked Doel. "My power is unstoppable!"
Rose, Dart, and Albert all pressed close to Shana, baring their magic-wreathed weapons at the emperor. A flash of fear flitted across his face as he beheld the four wrathful dragoons.
A rush of reason slipped past the stormy fury pulsing from Albert's dragoon spirit, and he called out, "Stop this now, Uncle! Give up these foolish pursuits! Do what is right for your people."
"You foolish boy," came Doel's crazed voice. "I won't stop. I can't stop! Not until all the power is mine. I may have harnessed the power of a dragon, but there is more! More to be learned, more power to be gathered. I have already sold my soul for this, and there is no getting it back."
"Any soul can be redeemed," pleaded Albert. "Look around you!" He gestured to the others. "You are outnumbered. You cannot hope to win this fight. Please... Stay this madness!"
The emperor snarled. "Never," he said. Then he closed his eyes and held out his hands.
When nothing happened, Albert glanced around him, but Dart and the others seemed just as confused. Then above him, Albert sensed a disturbance. Feeling the air shifting about, he glanced up and gasped when he saw the swirl of electrical energy building mere feet above their heads.
The others followed Albert's gaze, and Rose cried, "Stop him!" A second later, Dart and Rose leapt into the air and poured forth fire and darkness toward Doel's shield. The purple film flickered, but almost imperceptibly. Albert reached out his hand to call the wind to him, to end Doel's frightening tyranny, but then he hesitated.
Was this not what Albert had wanted? To see Doel pay for his crimes? Why did he feel such trepidation at what was about to occur? This war had cost him dearly. His people had suffered daily, even more so those who lived within the reaches of Imperial Sandora. How many men and women had died in Seles? Hoax? The Seventh Fort? How many had Doel's men killed in Bale? And yet, some ray of compassion still shone within him, reluctant to let go of the man of his memory, the man Doel had been so many years ago. But Albert had done all he could to take his uncle back to that place, and he had failed. Only one course of action was left to him that would protect his people.
The crackling above him intensified, and he whipped the air around the room, stirring it and lifting all the shards of rock strewn about them. A bolt from above struck the floor near him as he struggled to focus, to grab hold of the currents of air and move them with his very mind. As he turned the shards toward the force field, he heard another bolt strike behind him, this one much stronger; he needed to hurry. With all his strength, he hurled the sharp rocks forward until they joined the swirl of Rose's and Dart's magic, buffeting Doel's last protection with a force that Albert had not thought possible. He could sense the shield wavering, but it would not be enough.
He cried out as a bolt struck his left wing, sending a painful shock through his body, and his magic faltered.
"Albert!" called Shana.
Through the corner of his eye, he saw her snake a tendril of light toward him, sending relief through his body as soon as it reached his wing. Then she drew back her bow, rage written over her features, and let forth a shaft of light.
A sound like breaking glass split the air as the energies collided, and Albert instinctively rushed a wall of wind before his companions, sweeping away the rock shards that sped toward them threateningly. Doel cried out, and then all was still.
Albert took a sudden breath and let the rocks fall to the ground as he beheld the aftermath.
Dart and Rose seemed unscathed, and Shana stood to Albert's right with her hand over her mouth. But on the ground before the throne, Doel lay on his back, red liquid beading out of tiny crevices all over his body. His arms, thighs, face, and neck were bleeding profusely, piercing shards of rock embedded in his skin.
"Uncle," whispered Albert fervently, leaping forward. Doel coughed, spattering blood into the air. Albert dropped his lance and ran across the room, transforming in a flash as he went, and fell to the ground next to the emperor.
"Albert," coughed Doel's hoarse voice.
"I'm here," replied Albert quietly. Three flashes of light came from his right, and the others approached, Albert dimly registering Haschel coming up behind the three dragoons. "Uncle, we can heal you. You do not have to die."
"No, let me. I have done too many wrongs." His voice was gravelly, and Albert tried to ignore the irregular pulses of blood leaping from his throat as his heart struggled to beat. "I... cannot hope to atone for them. What matters now is not the past, but... but the future."
"No man is truly beyond hope." With a sad smile, Albert wrapped his hand around Doel's, which was trembling violently.
A raspy chuckle left the emperor's lips. "Ever the optimist. No, let me die. Unify Serdio. Rule with-with wisdom. But first, I give you one-" Doel coughed once as he struggled to push through the final words. "I give you one more charge. Pursue Lloyd." Doel drew a sharp breath. "He's gone to Tiberoa. He knows everything. He-he... he can..."
Emperor Doel grew still, his eyes staring blankly above him. After a moment, Albert reached up and closed the emperor's eyes.
He was not prepared for the grief that hit him. Foolishly, he had supposed that the death of his uncle would leave him feeling indifferent, perhaps even relieved. But instead, the king felt tears pushing at his eyes, and he bowed his head against Doel's knuckles, still clasped tightly in his hands, praying silently for his uncle's soul as he wept.
Feeling Dart's hand on his shoulder, Albert opened his eyes once more, placed Doel's hand on his bloodied chest, and ran his own hand across his wet face. Somehow knowing what would come next, Albert stood and stepped back even as the purple light flashed around them. The violet dragoon spirit separated from the body, leaving a mere human behind, and hovered several feet in the air. Though his soul felt very heavy indeed, Albert extended his hand and grabbed it, holding it in his palm and watching it fade from its vibrant purple to clear.
Voicing Albert's own thoughts, Dart asked, "What do we do with that?"
Then the call came, soft and distant. Some voice sounded in Albert's head, like one calling out for a friend. He closed his eyes to listen, closing his hand around the gem, willing it to speak louder. What came was not a word or a thought, but a feeling, perhaps even an image. The king's eyes flew open.
"Haschel," he said.
"Sorry?" came the old man's voice.
Albert turned to look at him and extended his hand, showing the clear glint of the dragoon spirit. "It is yours."
"That can't be right," said Haschel, laughing nervously as he glanced at Rose.
"It seems to be asking for you."
Hesitantly, Haschel stepped forward, and the dragoon spirit shone brightly as if in greeting. It lifted from Albert's palm, only flashing more intensely as Haschel took two more tentative steps toward it. He swore, then reached out and grabbed it, staring at it like at an unsavory snack that he was reluctant to bite into.
"I guess that's it, then," he said with a sigh. "I'm in it for the long haul now."
Author Note: And so ends Chapter 1: Serdian War... But not really, because there are a million logistics that go into the transition between Discs 1 and 2. So prepare yourself for several chapters of logistics. We have a lot to get through before we go to Fletz.
Also, I apologize, but I'm going to take next week off (and maybe the one after that) because I want to make sure that the next couple chapters are perfect before I post them, and my life has been a little hectic lately. All my followers, keep an eye on your email! Everyone else, go give this story a follow to be sure you know the moment the next chapter is published. I love sharing this story with you guys!