A/N: We're back and this chapter really ramps things up! Looking forward to your feedback! It really means a lot...T_T
Can anyone see this? Its impossible to tell anymore. I can't work properly with all these these bloody 503 site glitches! They've ruined my inspiration. Hurricane didn't help things at all.
I had a slew of double update days planned, which cannot happen now; because everything's been thrown into disarray despite my best efforts.
I would've liked to update Take the Girl with Practice Makes Perfect, Reign alongside Claws, possibly with Welcome to Heaven and By Any Other Name being updated Monday -days off got switched about- instead of Tuesday. There were even plans for Popular Monster, I'm Still Here and many others. It was going to be a slew of updates. I was content, if not quite happy with the state of things and had a busy week, nay, a month planned.
Now? Between all this crap with the site and the drama with my job, AND life rearing its ugly head, now I just want to curl up in a corner and cry. Still, here I am. Looking forward to your feedback~!
As ever, I own no references, quotes, themes or memes. They're tributes to legends far greater than little 'ol me.
I'm just a humble author trying to make his way in this wild world, one word at a time.
Time and feedback will determine if this remains a story. Simple as that.
In other words...its up to YOU, the reader. Do let me know~!
I listened to Linkin Park's "Heavy is the Crown" while writing this chapter, and it shows. There we go, shameless plug over.
Also a noble tribute to IDW's redeemed iteration of Megatron. You'll know it when you see it...
"There are more dangerous things in this world than one's tooth and claw, than fang and scale.
Just as the pen is mightier than the sword, so too should one fear the silver tongue.
But hey, this is what you asked for. That's right!
"This is exactly what you asked for!
HEAVY IS THE CROWN!"
~?
Name thy Champion
War had come to Leyndell.
Crimson lightning crisscrossed the bleak skies above the capital, great bolts of death leaping from darkened cloud to cloud as Naruto looked on, promising a battle to be remembered. And there in the distance, were one to squint, they could see a great many winged shapes flitting about the heavens, hear the cries of countless creatures crying out in unison. He felt his pulse quicken at the both the sights and the sounds, his fingers twitching toward the scarred haft of his mighty axe. After so long, the battle with the dragons was finally nigh; it would prove the first of many, and it would be glorious...
.
..
...or so he'd thought, at first.
Instead of attacking outright as was their wont, the winged beasts had sent someone to the city gates and requested -demanded, really- his timely arrival. Something about an ambassador, they said. Much to his surprise, and annoyance, it seemed they had not come to fight straight away. He hardly expected them to surrender mind you, but this...this was unexpected.
Naruto found himself somewhat nonplussed by that. If they had come here to talk, then they should talk. If they were here to fight, they should fight.
None of this pointless pussyfooting about, keeping one foot in both camps.
Nonsense, the lot of it; they really ought to make up their minds.
An arm settled on his bicep and gave it a brisk pat, bringing him back to reality. "Having second thoughts?"
He grunted noncommittally, refusing to dignify her taunt with a response as he stomped toward what may-or-may-not be his doom.
"Oh, my!" Marika matched him step for step and teased him regardless. "Have you gone mute, my consort? Whatever happened to that silver tongue of yours?
A silver brow quirked her way, mildly bemused. "I'll use it when need be."
She bumped his hip with hers. "Am I not worthy of it?"
"Don't think it'd work on you...
Her golden eyes twinkled. "Are you saying I cannot be swayed?"
"No, only that it would require...action to move you."
"Hmhmmhmmm." she hummed. "Flatterer."
Juxtaposed to the idea of leaving him alone and despite a great deal of protest on Radagon's part, Marika had opted to follow him outside the city. Said something about it being her duty as the future queen and all that. He knew she was lying of course; she just wanted to see the dragons for herself. He couldn't really blame her for that.
After all, it wasn't every day one awoke to find a flock of them at your doorstep. She had full faith in "Godfrey".
Orin had wanted to accompany them as well, but...well:
"I crave blood!"
"Orin, no." He'd plucked the pale girl up by the scruff of her neck and gave her a shake. "Bad Orin."
"Orin yesss! Lemme slash!"
Yeah, probably best they left her behind with Radagon. Fighting was all well and good, but his Second would undoubtedly try to start a massacre if a single wyrm looked at her funny. He'd rather avoid that for the time being, entertaining as it might be.
He spied the dragon's emissary just shy of the gates.
Someone awaited them, a regal-yet-buxom young woman clad in low cut black robes. At a glance, she almost appeared human; but when one looked closer, they could see the discrepancies; her eyes were an unnatural shade of gold, her pupils vertical slits. Likewise her fair skin shimmered with scales, and a pair of pale horns jutted up through her ashen hair. A tail threaded through the hem of her robe, twitching restlessly upon the ground. Not human at all, then.
"Greetings." she placed both hands in long sleeves and bowed her head deeply, it did interesting things to her bosom-and drew an amused hum from Marika!-thus forcing him to focus upon the envoy's face instead. "I am Florissax, chief advisor to Lord Placidusax."
"Be welcome." Right, common courtesies and all that. How he loathed them, but neither could he bring himself to be rude, even with an army on their doorstep. "Why have you come here?"
Marika leaned past him, one hand over her brow to shade her eyes. "And with so many friends...
The envoy ignored her, she only had eyes for him, much to his chagrin. "You are Lord Godfrey, are you not?"
He blinked once. "I am."
"Excellent." As he looked on she withdrew her arms from her sleeves and offered him a single shimmering scale of stone. "The Dragonlord bids you meet him on the field of lightning flowers in three days time and face him in single combat."
His brow furrowed, baffled by the term as much as her unexpected offering. "Lightning flowers?"
"Fulgurbloom," Marika interjected softly. "I know the place. 'Tis not far from here."
"Interesting." On a whim, he looked back to Florisax. "And when I win?"
Florisax made an amused noise. "Confident, are we?"
"Not at all." He rumbled a laugh. "I'm simply a good judge of character."
Were the Dragons truly confident in their chances, they would've attacked straight away without warning. In doing so, they could've laid waste to thousands before he could intervene That they'd requested single combat instead either suggested weakness or a lack of faith in their combat ability. You didn't march an army like this to your enemy's doorsteps only to bargain. No, something was amiss here, and he knew it...
Florisax must have realized he'd read her like a book, too; because she made an odd noise caught somewhere between a laugh and a hum.
"Very well," she said. "Triumph, and we shall consider you an equal and an ally worth following. Lose, and you shall be devoured."
There it was again, that beautiful bluff of bravado. "And if I refuse this challenge?"
Her face closed down. "Then we shall lay waste to Leyndell."
He smiled at her. "You may try."
"Do or do not. There is no try." She huffed and lifted her chin to glare at him. "We will succeed."
Such arrogance. Truly, the people of the Lands Between amused him to no end.
"Is that what you believe...?"
"Now, now," Marika butted in once more, all smiles. "A fight sounds most pleasing, but should it not be with me? I am, after all, the leader of Leyndell."
Florisax leveled a flat stare upon the soon-to-be-queen. "And you are...?"
Emotional damage! That was downright cold. Naruto nearly whistled at the dismissal.
Not so Marika; her smile died an ugly death as she absolutely hissed at the so-called messenger. "Excuse me?"
"Did I stutter?" Placidusax's envoy looked her up and down found her wanting, and promptly shook her head. "Our challenge goes to the strongest. You, clearly, are not."
A muscle jumped in the goddess' jaw. "Cheeky lizard."
Florisax sniffed severely. "Impudent cow."
"What was that?!"
The envoy's smile was all teeth. "I'm sorry, I mistook those massive milk bags on your chest for udders." her head tilted just so, pale strands of ashen hair falling over one eye. "Or was I mistaken...?
Marika's hammer materialized in her hand with a sharp shimmer of gold and descended thrice as fast. The ground splintered between them, carving a crater into the earth. Florisax reacted instantly, leaping back to conjure a wickedly curved spear of stone to her free hand before adopting a ready stance of her own.
A beat of silence passed between them as the two warriors stared one another down.
Naruto idly wondered who would attack the other first, idly considered stopping them, then thought better of it. Why should he feel the need to interfere? Marika could defend her honor just fines. Besides, he'd been bored all day and there was nothing quite like a brawl in the mud to get the blood pumping.
Marika surprised by straightening up with a laugh. "You have decent reflexes, dragon. I had aimed to maim you with that."
"Only to maim, you say?" Florisax never released her spear, but she did lower it to consider the massive divot in the earth where she'd been standing a moment before. "You're not half bad yourself. We had thought you all bark and no bite." there it was again, that strange noise in her throat caught somewhere between a laugh and a hum. "I am most pleased to be proven wrong.
Naruto looked left. Naruto looked right. Naruto found no answers in sight.
...what in blazes was going on here? What did he miss?
"Three days time, then?" Marika asked.
Florisax hummed. "Indeed. Do you-
"He accepts!"
"So be it." Florisax stepped forward and pressed the scale shard into his hand, fingers lingering over his own in passing. "We look forward to the outcome...and what may follow between us?"
Naruto accepted the scale from her with a hum and rubbed it between his fingers; strange, it felt curiously warm to the touch.
...why did he he have the feeling he'd just agreed to something more than a fight?
Marika hummed into her hand. "You'll see soon enough."
Would he...?
(.0.0.0.)
"You accepted?!"
Radagon disagreed, obviously.
From the moment they returned to the war room to find him and Orin, he began to complain.
"Its a trap, of course." He slammed a pale hand down upon the war-table, looking fit to spit. "Clearly they mean to isolate Godfrey and put a bolt through his heart."
Orin, naturally, disagreed with him on principle. "Then let us spring it and stab them instead," she said, dancing her dagger over her knuckles. "Simple, no?"
Radagon glowered at her. "You imbeciles think yourselves invincible. Messmer once thought the same. Note his absence from this table."
Naruto blinked, made curious by the mention of someone he'd never met. "Who is Messmer?"
"No one of concern!" Marika physically and violently interposed herself between the two of them, loudly talking over any response Radagon might've given. "Merely a noble warriro who died long ago and someone who we should not speak ill of," she amended with an angry glare at her kin. "Isn't that right, brother?"
Radagon flinched as though he'd been struck, but didn't back down, not at first.
Marika stared him down, stern as stone, until he finally capitulated.
...as you say, sister."
She smiled thinly. "Then we proceed as planned-
Radagon thumped his fist down again. "I do not consent to this."
"Your consent is not required. You will remain here to watch over the Capital while Lord Godfrey meets this "Dragonlord" in battle. Worry not, I will go to watch over him-
"Can you not see the foolishness of this?!"
Naruto rolled his eyes, and in a rare lapse, snapped at him. "Stop complaining, would you? You're not needed here."
In hindsight, perhaps he should've chosen his words with a bit more care.
Aggravated, Radagon immediately swept his sword forward.
Naruto didn't even deign to block; if only because Orin's dagger reached Radagon's neck first. The man's golden blade stopped just shy of his face, close enough to caress his face. Exasperated, he gripped the blade and forced it down, uncaring of sparks it drew against his flesh. He couldn't even cut him as he was now.
"Please try, little lordling," Orin crooned darkly, drawing a bead of blood from said lord's throat. "I beg you. It will bring me great joy to slice your sinews and wear your skin as a cloak!"
It was tempting to let her carry through on that threat...but Marika would be upset. "Orin, release him.
Marika clicked her tongue. "Radagon, drop your sword.
Both obeyed, albeit begrudgingly, one louder than the other.
"This is a fool's errand! You'll see!" Slapping his hand against the table, her brother seized his sword and stalked off. "Just you wait!"
Marika heaved a sigh at his departure. "He's going to make trouble."
Obviously. "What's the worst that could happen." he paused, grimaced now, recalling his luck. "On second thought, don't answer that. Orin keep an eye on him. Take a leg if you have to."
His Second grinned at the implicit promise of violence and vanished in a sensual swirl of bloody mist.
Marika leaned into him the moment she was gone. "Now then, my consort, shall we prepare...?"
He chuckled. "Heavy is the crown.
(.0.0.0.)
Three days flitted by in an instant.
He arrived at the "lightning grounds as requested, but found no one there.
Perhaps that was something of a misnomer; they did find someone there, yet for all appearances there was no dragon.
Only a man in dark robes awaited him and Marika; a scarred veteran, bearing with pale hair and milky white eyes, his body clad in a battered grey robe, leaning upon a wooden walking staff. Upon seeing them he bowed once, his long, dark hair swaying ever so slightly in the wind of the coming storm.
For all intensive purposes, he seemed little more than a hermit.
A mere stranger at best.
And yet.
"I bid you greetings, Lord Godfrey." he rose from his bow, smiling. "I understand you are a warrior of great renown."
"And you're the elusive Dragonlord." he shot back. "A lizard masquerading as a man."
Marika clicked her tongue at his side. "Did you think to fool us...?"
As though to echo those very words, a bolt of crimson lightning crackled in the clouds high above then lanced down into earth below, momentarily illuminating them both. The Fulgurbloom drank it in greedily, but even the lightning flowers couldn't consume it all, leaving skittering sparks of scarlet shooting across the grass. It tingled at his legs, but he didn't move, not an inch. He remained firmly fixated for his foe.
A small smile touched the older man's face in their shadow, if indeed he was a man at all. "So certain are you?"
He nodded once. "I am."
The man tilted his head. "How could you tell?"
"Several things." he counted off on his fingers. "You smell of ash, for one, to say nothing of your presence. Then there's your attitude...
The "man" chuckled ruefully. "And here I thought I'd shapeshifted perfectly."
"I can also see your soul." he pointed his way." You have two heads."
The Dragonlord grinned. "Close. Not so long ago, I had FIVE."
He scowled. "Show me."
The man before him cast aside his staff and shattered in a shower of crimson light, revealing a mighty dragonlord unlike anything he'd ever seen; a great gravelly beast loomed over him with a roar, wings spread wide. The heavens themselves lanced out with lightning, carving crimson furrows in the earth around him. The sight stilled him for a moment, but in a good way, his heart thudding in excitement.
Naruto looked up, up, and up some more now. "You really are a big bastard, aren't you?"
The Dragonlord laughed. "This is what you asked for, was it not?"
It was.
But he could see his wounds, now. Great gouges in his hide, scars in his scales, revealing the golden blood beneath. And that was to say nothing of the three heads he was missing. He wasn't simply wounded; he'd been badly maimed by something...or someone. Small wonder he wished to face him alone in single combat. He was prepared to die, but wished to do so honorably, to go down swinging, as it were.
His stomach churned.
There was no honor in a fight like this.
Frowning, he slammed his ax down and strode forward.
Placidusax considered him intently, but neither of his twin heads made any threatening moves, even when he stopped just beneath him. "What are you doing?"
He considered him for a moment, then shrugged. "Something foolish."
The wounds were still relatively fresh.
Shouldn't be hard.
He was wrong.
It took a lot; more than expected. Energy rushed out of him the moment he laid hand on his wounds; the dragonlord's body tried to drink him dry. For his part, Placidusax grunted in surprise and tried to speak, only to yowl in pain and toppled backwards as his sundered scales simultaneously cracked and mended themselves.
Naruto barely heard it, and he certainly didn't see it; the effort dipped hard into his reserves and drove him down onto a knee. He heard Marika holler something from the sidelines, but he couldn't be sure with all that ringing in his ears, no wait, his hearing was coming back...
"You stupid noble bastard!" through his brightening vision, he watched her fling up her arms. "You just had to do it, didn't you?! You just had to make things fair...!
A quintet of shadows fell over him. Naruto looked up and found five heads staring back at him...and grinned.
Far from feeling fear, a thrill of excitement shot through him.
Here at last, he had a proper fight.
FINALLY...!
It was like looking at a hydra with wings...! Glorious!
"You have my thanks for my restoration, but you've wasted your energy." Placidusax chided him. "This fight may not be in your favor now.
"Nothing is a waste." He pushed himself upright with a grunt, briefly bracing one hand on his knee to rise, heedless of Kurama's complaint. "You want to talk about wasted lives? I know or thing or two about that. I wasted my first one. All the people who died following me. Both ninja and not." he shook his head ruefully. "All those who died in service to a future I promised to bring about. Did they waste their lives? Did I waste MINE?" another shake of the head followed the first. No."
"What makes you say that?"
"Look around you." he gestured to the crackling flowers, many still sizzling with red light. "Each of these represent a life I could end, a life for which I bear full responsibility. If I'm to be Elden Lord in this life. I'll face it. Now, I've give you courtesy enough...prepare yourself."
Placidusax considered him for a long moment. "Godfrey of the Barbarians. Consort to Marika. Elden Lord. I owe you a debt I may never be able to repay. No matter the outcome of this battle, I will not forget you.
"Keep your debts." He crossed both arms before his chest. "I didn't come here to kill a cripple. I'll either fight you in your prime, or not at all."
"You may live to regret those words...
"Nah." He let the noble facade of Godfrey crack for a moment, revealing the boy beneath. "The only thing I'd regret was a thrown fight."
Placidusax boomed a sudden laugh with all five of his heads. "So let it be! I pray you survive this battle, Godfrey!"
Retrieving his ax, he hefted it high and lunged forward.
The Dragonlord met him halfway.
Battle was joined.
A/N: Scene!
PRIME Placidusax vs. Naruto/Godfrey. Its gonna be grand.
Would you like weekly updates? Do let me know~!
As ever, reviews are the fuel that sustain me. Without them I cannot write a single word. Simple as that. Working nearly all hours of the day keep me absurdly busy, as such, I can't bring myself to write something folks don't like.
Aaaand there we go. As ever, reviews keep me alive. Without them, I cannot write. So...in the Immortal Words of Atlas...
...Review...Would You Kindly?
No preview this time! Gotta keep the next chapter's battle under wraps...for now.
... fine, just one!
(Preview)
Florisax watched them fight.
The site she saw warmed her blood.
EDIT: Hope this made you smile, and have a great day!
Warm regards,
~Nz.
R ~!