I do not own Danmachi
The Valgang Juggernaut tore and scratched and demolished the stone pillar before it, desperate to get to its cowering prey and finish the great mission its masters had given it.
You shall not escape from me or your punishment, Typhon. I will drag you out by your innards and give what remains of you to our masters. Once they have forced you to fulfill your purpose, I shall then revel in devouring you piece by piece until there is nothing left of your traitorous existence!
That was the horrible beast's plan as it continued to tear at the stone with a ferocity which would have struck the fearful dead from pure fright. However, that plan died when that inexplicable sense of dread, nay, that gut-wrenching terror, returned in full force.
BUT WHY?! Why do I feel such fear?! Why does it feel as if I were the one cowering inside this rock like a pathetic worm?
The answer came not even a second later in the form of a massive explosion of stone and the appearance of the pale and terrible form of the White Dragon, its teeth bared and eyes filled with enough wrath to burn the world.
Worse yet, this was not the White Dragon the Expedition had faced. Nay, that was a hybrid. A half-breed creature with humanistic qualities and which did not even reach Achilles's impressive, but very human height, let alone the size of the Juggernaut. This creature…nay, this monster, surpassed the Valgang Juggernaut by all measurements. It was easily several meters longer than the evolved Juggernaut and, had it been standing, it would have been half the Juggernaut's height taller. More importantly, it was far more muscular, its scales were thicker, and its body was covered in bone white spikes that appeared like the most wretched combination of a pike and a scythe one could imagine.
"RAAAAAAAAAAAAAAOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAARRRRR!"
Those very spikes were soon tearing into the Juggernaut's flesh and muscle as the evolved White Dragon slammed into its body, breaking bone, and sending the great bane of the Astraea familia tumbling to the Dungeon floor.
Freed from the stone sarcophagus and wrath pumping through its boiling veins, the White Dragon was not about to cease its attack upon the Juggernaut, which it had quickly recognized in its fury-clouded mind, as a foe.
Roaring with such tremendous force that the Dungeon quaked all the way to the surface, the White Dragon plunged its fangs deep into the Valgang Juggernaut's meaty neck.
"REEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEAAAAAAHH!" the skeletal beast screamed as the saber like teeth sank into its flesh, scraping against bone and causing a waterfall of blood to run down the White Dragon's maw.
I need to escape! I need to escape NOW! The Juggernaut mentally screamed as the terror of the sudden reversal in fortunes fully set into its heart.
The Valgang Juggernaut began to desperately flail and lash out at its prey-turned-tormentor. Claw, tail, fang, and bone were all thrown against the armored body of the transformed Bell Cranel, all with little effect. If anything, the White Dragon found the assault upon its body irritating, if the growls of contempt and the increased pressure on the Juggernaut's neck were any indication.
I was not born, given such power, and entrusted by my masters just to become the traitor's prey! The evolved monster roared internally as it struck out with all its might, spearing its claw deep into the White Dragon's side.
At last, the hold on the Juggernaut's neck was released in a disgusting sanguine spray as the pale serpent roared in anguish.
Not about to let its hard fought freedom go to waste, the Bane of the Astraea familia quickly moved its legs between their two monstrous forms and kicked with all its might, sending the White Dragon crashing towards the column of stone from which the winged worm had emerged.
Now fully free of its foe, at least for the moment, the Valgang Juggernaut slunk backwards as its blood cascaded towards the ground below in torrents of gore.
How can this be? I was on the cusp of victory! The traitor could only hide like the most pathetic of goblins, but now, it stared down at its wounds and the enlarging pool of blood beneath its form. Where did he get all this power?
It is the power he has inherited from his progenitor, your kin, Chaos, the Titans whispered in the back of the creature's mind.
The traitor is the child of the King?! That cannot be! Chaos is the most loyal of all us children, he would never produce such treacherous spawn!
Typhon has too much of his mother within him, the disembodied voices explained, yet he is still our salvation and must be brought to us, at all costs. Tendrils of black energy emerged from the Dungeon and entered the Juggernaut's wounds, healing them instantly. This is the last we will be able to help you, child. Our parents are pouring all their power into restraining us and your brethren above have only been able to slow, but not stop the adventurers coming to rescue the traitor and his elf ally. You must bring Typhon to us before they arri-! The communication suddenly ceased as the Juggernaut sensed two great powers, one from above and one from below, smother its masters' voices.
The Valgang Juggernaut growled and turned its goat-like eyes back towards its foe.
I will not fail you, masters, it vowed before, with a shrieking roar that could freeze the blood of the most courageous adventurer, it charged towards the traitor.
Ryuu has just managed to climb out of the wreckage of stone she and Bell had taken refugee within when, to her shock, she saw the great form of the White Dragon hurtling back towards her.
The Gale just barely managed to jump out of the way, desperately holding both her and Bell's weapons to her chest as she shot away from the falling serpent.
A great crash shook the ground and air as the pillar finally collapsed entirely as the White Dragon's body smashed through it.
"Bell!" Ryuu cried as she rushed to his side, only to freeze as the terrifying mass that was the White Dragon burst forth from the stone, more enraged than wounded.
"ROOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAARRRR!" The monster roared as it prepared to restart its battle with the evolved Juggernaut. Luckily for the pale serpent, its foe was just as eager for battle and rushing back into their bloodthirsty fray.
"Wait Bell!" The elf cried, hoping to stop him, but it was too late and a moment later the White Dragon was shooting forward like a ballista bolt towards the Valgang Juggernaut, the force of his wings sending Ryuu flying across the 58th floor.
"Aaaaah!" she cried as she soared. She attempted to right herself and end her flight, only to crash through a small pillar of rock, knocking the breath out of her, but not stopping her flight.
Gritting her teeth, Ryuu began to chant as quickly as she could until, at last, she cried out, "Luminous Wind!"
Verdant magic surrounded her body, and a second later, she shot straight up in order to avoid any more rocky collisions and the broken bones that would result from them. Once she was high above the ground, she stopped and took stock of the situation.
Gods above, she thought with terror as she watched the carnage below her.
Ryuu Lion was sure that the Dungeon had never seen such a ferocious display of fang and claw, rage and blood, as the one she was unfortunate enough to bear witness to now.
It's like I'm watching a battle between the Great Beasts, she thought uneasily.
For a single, shameful moment, she felt the desperate and tempting plea to flee in the back of her mind. After all, what use would she, a mere elf, have in this battle of primordial fury? Then she saw the White Dragon, nay, her captain, her Bell, have his face torn open by the claws of that infernal beast that had stolen her first family. Yet, as she pathetically prepared to call out his name, he, her brave captain, roared and immediately counter-attacked, spinning on his limbs to slam his tremendous tail into the bane of her familia. Then, as that accursed Juggernaut tumbled backwards, the White Dragon jumped upon the skeletal abomination in order to continue tearing its opponent apart.
And here I am just watching! Ryuu roared in her mind.
Her eyes turned down towards the weapons still cradled in her arms.
I am a member of the Hestia familia now. It's time to fully take my place.
Ryuu sheathed Hakugen at her side and placed her own wooden sword upon her back before taking the Hestia Blade in hand.
A flush of power flowed through her veins, restoring her strength, but more importantly and surprisingly, she felt a warmth fill her heart.
It feels like… she smiled, home.
Her sky blue eyes turned back to the battle below as her hand tightened around the knife.
"You will not take another family from me," she vowed before, like a falling star, shooting towards the beast furiously battling her captain.
The Valgang Juggernaut crashed onto its side after another earth-shaking blow, but quickly spun its head back towards its foe, only for its eyes to widen as the White Dragon rose up on his haunches and took a deep breath. The pale beast's chest soon expanded with hellish fire that threatened to melt both flesh and bone once unleashed. Acting quickly, the Juggernaut slammed its claw into the ground. A wall of bones suddenly burst forth from the rock and headed straight for the great serpent at frightening speeds.
The White Dragon, seeing the wall of impaling spikes heading straight for it, retreated out of range. This proved wise as, a moment later, the skeletal spears began to glow and soon exploded with frightening force. The 58th floor was consumed by dust and debris as a result, causing the wrathful dragon to growl in furious impatience. With a great swing of one of its mighty wings, the serpent cleared the dust in a hurricane-like gust of wind, revealing its boney enemy preparing to send another explosive projectile straight at the snow-white beast. However, just as the Valgang Juggernaut began spitting out its attack, Ryuu appeared, Hestia Knife in hand, and slammed into the evolved monster's jaw.
The Bane of the Astraea familia growled in pain and frustration as its attack was knocked off course and sent harmlessly into the ceiling of the 58th floor, where it exploded.
"You die today, monster," Ryuu vowed as she twisted the black blade inside its jaw, then did a backflip kick to its chin. Yet, despite her high status and experience, this second attack didn't so much as move the evolved beast, which glared at the elf and prepared to rip open her guts with its claws.
Ryuu's eyes widened in fear. She knew the Juggernaut was much more powerful now, but she had hoped to do at least a little damage with her surprise attack, but she realized, to her dismay, she had only succeeded in turning its soul-freezing ire onto her.
MOVE! She screamed internally as she used both legs to kick off its jaw and get as much distance as possible between her and her old enemy. However, despite her desperation and great speed, the Juggernaut was still far faster than her and shot its claw at her, practically salivating at the idea of feeding on the adventurer's body. This was not to be as the two had somehow forgotten the third entity on the 58th floor. A fact that he clearly did not appreciate.
"ROOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAR!" The White Dragon roared as he grabbed the Juggernaut's outstretched limb with his fangs as he flew past, ripping the leg off the Valgang Juggernaut's torso in the blink of an eye.
The Bane of Astraea howled in torment as its blood spewed everywhere in torrents of crimson gore. Its pain was only just beginning as the White Dragon quickly stopped its flight, spun around – the Juggernaut's limb still in its jaws – then charged. Within the blink of an eye, the great dragon had slammed its horned head straight into the Juggernaut's chest, breaking bone and sending the screaming creature soaring across the Dungeon.
Ryuu watched in stunned amazement as her old nightmare flew across the 58th floor before crashing, almost pathetically, into a pillar of stone.
The sound of stomach-churning crunching made her turn. She immediately wished that she had somehow drowned out the sound as she bore witness to the White Dragon bloodily chewing, then swallowing the Juggernaut's severed limb.
Upon finishing his morbid snack the albino serpent raised his head to roar in wrathful triumph.
Ryuu covered her ears as the deafening roar threatened to burst her eardrums or even cracked her bones from the quaking force of its voice.
He's out of control, she realized, if I don't do something to calm him down, we'll have a repeat of the final Evilus battle.
Memories of that awful fight flashed in her mind as her eyes returned to her captain's serpentine form. She swallowed back the terror-induced bile that rose in her throat. Though she wanted to prevent such a replay of that terrible conflict, she could not deny the nearly unbearable fear that ate at her heart as she stared at the manifestation of destruction before her.
Even the Juggernaut is not so frightening, she confessed in a moment of horror-induced honesty.
She was right, this new form was easily comparable to one of the Heralds in terms of ludicrous strength and not far from the legends of the Great Beasts. There was no doubtin her mind that this new body was far more powerful than the hybrid form Bell had taken during the battle on the 60th floor, and that form had stood, single-handedly, against the entire Expedition. True, they were wounded, exhausted, and demoralized, but so was Ryuu at that very moment. More importantly, she was utterly alone against this new, and far greater threat.
I am also no Achilles Caesar, she noted, only to freeze. No, I'm not Achilles, I am Ryuu Lion of the Astraea and Hestia familias. I have lost more than most can even comprehend, survived more than most would dare, and I promised Alise, my captain and best friend, and Bell, my captain and the man I love, that I would overcome that nightmare then return home with them!
Her hand tightened around the Hestia Knife.
"And I will," she vowed.
A moment later, the Gale shot straight towards the roaring White Dragon.
I will destroy them all. Everyone who dares challenge me. I will tear them limb from limb, devour their flesh, and both the Earth and the Heavens shall tremble at my ROAR! The White Dragon wrathful vowed to itself as it prepared to finish off its current prey.
"BELL!"
The White Dragon paused as that voice reached his ears.
I know that voice…and that name…
He turned his blood red eyes and discovered the pathetic elf that the Juggernaut had nearly slaughtered earlier flying towards him.
He growled and prepared to swat away the gnat, when she called out again.
"BELL, IT'S ME! IT'S RYUU!"
The White Dragon paused again.
Ryuu? Memories flashed inside his mind. A restaurant. A group of scary waitresses and a scarier cook. A War Game. A manor. Dinners. Parties. Battles. Memories that seemed both foreign and familiar flashed inside his mind one after another. Yes…I know her, he realized, only for his eyes to narrow as he remembered the most recent memory the two shared, that of her degrading and attacking him.
Ryuu had just about reached her captain when, to her shock, the great beast roared again, the force of which actually sent her soaring backwards as though she had been struck by some fearsome blow.
"Bell! It's me! It's your Ryuu!" she cried, hoping to reach him through the fog of bloodlust.
She quickly realized she had failed to reach when the dragon opened its titanic wingspan in preparation for an attack. Her heart thundered in her chest for she knew there was no way she could outrun or outfly her captain in his current form. Then, the strangest thing happened, Ryuu Lion was rescued by the intervention of the Juggernaut, which reappeared by latching onto the White Dragon's neck and sending the pale serpent tumbling towards the ground.
Ryuu watched, stupefied as the two monsters continued their ferocious battle and forgot her very existence.
Of all the things to occur, she thought before her eyes turned serious again. Don't expect a thank you, monster, she hissed to herself before she flew back into the fray.
The White Dragon growled as the Valgang Juggernaut's fangs dug deeper into the muscles of his neck, not letting go even as the serpent's boiling blood scorched the skeletal creature's tongue.
The wrathful beast was not about to let this insult, this…sacrilege, go unpunished and immediately began tearing into the Juggernaut's side with his claws and into its gut with his hind legs. Yet, even then, the starving rat refused to release the serpent.
Stinking bastard. Let GOOOOO! The White Dragon roared in his mind as he turned his head and unleashed a tidal wave of fire.
Given the Juggernaut's hold on his neck, the White Dragon wasn't able to do any real damage, only set his captor's tail alight. This soon proved detrimental as the Juggernaut, in retaliation, lashed out with the long appendage and cracked him across his face.
INSOLENT WORM! He screamed as he struggled even harder against the evolved beast's hold. At last, he managed to dig the talons of his hind legs deep enough into the Juggernaut's belly that the pain became unbearable, forcing the Titan's loyal servant to release the dragon in order to cry out in anguish.
Smiling in both triumph and delight at his enemy's pain, the White Dragon took a deep breath and prepared to unleash a tsunami of fire so hot and so unrelenting that the 58th floor itself would melt and turn into an ocean of magma. As if sensing this impending doom, the Juggernaut's eyes centered on his and a flash of panic shot through its orbs.
The White Dragon's smile turned even more sadistic as he greedily consumed his prey's fear.
Time to die you insolent weakling.
He opened his mouth and felt the hellish heat of his flames rising, only for the elf to suddenly reappear behind the Juggernaut's head at that exact moment.
NOOOOO! The White Dragon screamed from the back of his mind, instantly shutting his mouth on pure, protective instinct.
The Valgang Juggernaut had only the briefest of moments to wonder about this sudden counter-action before Ryuu plunged the Hestia Knife straight through its right eye.
The bane of her familia shrieked in agony as she sank the dagger as deeply as she could into its eye socket.
"Consider this my thank you," she hissed before twisting the knife, pulling it free, then flipping over to her captain's reptilian head. "Bell, it's me! It's Ryuu!" she cried, hoping that being face-to-face or, more accurately, face to eye, would somehow allow her to get through to him.
For a moment, it appeared that she had failed again as she initially saw only the same, soul-freezing malice that she had seen before. Indeed, the White Dragon initially did see her as nothing but a small, albeit odd, enemy, for his mind was still filled with those recent memories of her insults and attacks. Yet, even as he recalled these unpleasant memories, something in the back of his mind didn't feel right. That voice from before, the one that had stopped his flames, was telling him that there was more to these past moments.
"I…I can't do that Bell. I won't," Ryuu stated as firmly as she could at that moment.
"You have to Ryuu. We can't fight this new Juggernaut as we are now. We need to rebalance the scales and I think I can…if I evolve too."
"But…how can you be sure you'll be in control?"
"I can't," he answered honestly. "Which is why, if I do lose control, you will use me as a distraction so you can run to the expedition."
"I will do no su-!" the elf tried to yell.
"You will follow orders!" Bell roared, silencing her immediately as her eyes widened with shock and a bit of hurt. The sight of that hurt pricked at Bell's heart and he grit his teeth. "Ryuu, if this works, but I can't control myself, I am still confident I can take on the Juggernaut, but I would never forgive myself if you got so much as a scratch because of me and if I did worse…" his claws cut into his palms. "You will retreat if I can't keep control. If I can, you will help me as best as you can and together we'll destroy the Valgang Juggernaut. Alright?"
That's right, this was my plan, the ruby eye blinked as the White Dragon retreated and was replaced by Bell Cranel.
The terrible, crushing weight of the dragon's malice suddenly dissipated, startling Ryuu until she realized that the look in the serpent's eye had changed.
"Bell," she smiled.
The relief and joy of the moment was utterly destroyed as the Valgang Juggernaut, enraged, but far from dead, lashed out, striking the elf from Bell's face and sending her soaring across the Dungeon.
"RYUUUUU!" Bell roared in his draconic voice before quickly clawing half the Juggernaut's face off then rushing after his friend.
Pain boomed through every inch of the Gale's body as she flew across the Dungeon. Not since the White Dragon's Storm of Armageddon had she felt such pain.
But I survived that and I will survive this! She declared defiantly in her mind as she reactivated her Luminous Wind in preparation to re-enter the fight. However, before she could rejoin the battle, she found herself caught in a giant claw and gently taken up into the air.
"I've got you, Ryuu," came the deep, growly, but unquestionably gentle voice of her captain.
"Bell," she repeated as even more relief flooded through her.
"I'm so sorry for attacking you, I should have been more in cont-"
"Bell," she cut in, "I'm just glad you're back, now we can destroy that wretched creature together, just like we promised."
Bell's slitted eyes turned back to the Valgang Juggernaut, which was now giving chase. His eyes narrowed with determination before turning back to his friend.
"Together."
The evolved Juggernaut writhed in pain as the flesh and muscle of its skull was torn away, but even this most recent and terrible wound did not distract it too long from its purpose. Soon, it's remaining vengeful eye, which had been the horror of so many for so long, began searching for the traitor. It did not take long to find Typhon's snow-white form flying across the Dungeon then up into the air. Once it had located the traitor, the Juggernaut gave chase, the need for revenge pumping through every vein in its mutilated body.
The traitor had paused for some reason, not that the Juggernaut cared beyond having the opportunity to close the distance with its vile enemy. However, just as it opened its boney jaws to unleash another shrieking howl, it was surprised when the tiny figure of the irritating elf suddenly flew away from the traitor's grasp. Before the evolved beast could do more than wonder what the pathetic adventurer was doing, Typhon roared and flew to meet it.
Blood still pumping with the unquenchable desire for revenge and its masters' purpose still at the forefront of its mind just behind that desire, the Juggernaut was all too happy to continue their fearsome clash.
The gust of wind that shot through the Dungeon when her captain and her greatest foe crashed into each other nearly sent Ryuu crashing into one of the stony towers of the 58th floor.
Gods, they really are something more than mere mortals, she thought, briefly watching the two masses of wrath continue their bloody rampage through the Dungeon, obliterating or melting stone wherever they went. Focus, she told herself, Bell is the distraction, but I am the blow that shall end this nightmare once and for all. I just have to wait for Bell to get off its armor, she thought as her hand tightened around the Hestia Knife.
The traitor's attacks are different, the Juggernaut realized as it used its wings to flip in the air over a sweep of Typhon's tail. He's not using fangs or fire, it noted. Previously, its foe had seemed quite keen on devouring the loyal beast or melting it into monster tar, now however, it had made no attempt to feast on its fellow monster's flesh, preferring crushing attacks that had slowly smashed the Juggernaut's armor to pieces.
As if it means to use magic.
The Valgang Juggernaut's eyes widened as he remembered the elf and pushed the traitor aside in order to turn its long head around. The monster immediately discovered the elf was now behind it, dagger in hand and several orbs of green magic around her soaring form.
Before the beast could do anything to stop the incoming adventurer, the White Dragon reminded it of his presence by grabbing the Bane of the Astraea familia by its throat and slamming his horned skull against the Juggernaut's.
Not about to let the opportunity that Bell's head bashing had afforded her, Ryuu pushed herself even harder in order to close the distance between her and her nightmare.
Which I will end TODAY!
"Neun! Neese!" she cried. A moment later, two of the verdant orbs shot ahead, slamming into the unguarded back of her target, making it howl in pain. Ryuu was far from done, however. "Asta! Ryana!" Two more orbs flew straight into the nightmare's flesh, rending its body and causing streams of monstrous blood to flow down to the Dungeon below while Bell held the writhing creature in place.
The Valgang Juggernaut, desperate and, for the first time in its existence, terrified of an adventurer, managed to turn one of its limbs towards Ryuu and unleash a flurry of exploding spikes at her.
"Celty! Isuka! Marrue!" The Gale called, her voice echoing throughout the 58th floor as three emerald orbs shot to intercept the spikes, blowing the up before they could reach her.
Any hope the Juggernaut had of repeating this attack or making any other sort of counter, ended when its captive ripped the limb straight from the beast's socket, causing the nightmarish being to unleash another unearthly cry.
"KAGUYA!" Ryuu screamed, sending another attack straight into the monster's face, causing an explosion that left the monster entirely blind.
Fear. That's all the Valgang Juggernaut could feel now outside of the extraordinary amounts of pain searing through its nerves. No sense of impending triumph. No loyalty to its great masters. Only that same heart-wrenching terror that it had instilled in others for so long.
Desperate beyond comprehension to escape, the once great Bane of the Astraea familia pushed with all its might against the hold of the White Dragon. This desperation managed to overcome the shocked serpent's great strength and break free. With its eyes gone however, the Juggernaut had to resort to its nose to find its escape route. Soon enough though, it managed to find the faint smell of adventurers coming from the upper floors.
If I can eat just one adventurer or the stone's of one of my kin, I'll be able to heal. That's all I need, just one putrid adventurer or one damn stone! The creature thought in panic as it soared with all haste towards the exit.
"No you don't!" Ryuu roared. "LYLA!"
The second to last jade orb shot with divine retribution straight at the Valgang Juggernaut, exploding upon its back with such tremendous power that it stopped the beast in its aerial tracks.
"You're not escaping," Bell growled as he flew in at break-neck speed and caught his foe.
Grabbing the Juggernaut by the neck using his fangs, Bell spun in the air and threw the enemy upwards towards the ceiling, where it crashed like thunder.
Suddenly, Bell got an idea,
"You know what? Since you want to go to the upper floors so badly, why don't I help YOU?!"
With a roar that was heard all the way in the Heavens and in the prison for which he was unknowingly the key, Bell Cranel flew straight at the Valgang Juggernaut.
There was no way for the wretched creature to escape and so, Bell struck home right into its chest, breaking every bone in its now deformed body. Yet, Bell did not stop, but kept flying, smashing through the ceiling of the 58th floor and into the 57th floor. Yet even then he did not stop, but kept flapping his great pale wings until he and the Juggernaut smashed into the 56th floor, then the 55th, and then the 54th, all with Ryuu following close behind.
Again and again, the Juggernaut felt its body wracked by the pain of being force through entire floors, but it could do nothing to stop it.
Masters…please…help me.
Silence was its only answer until, at last, the two great monsters smashed through the ceiling of the51st floor and entered the 50th.
"Here's your stop," Bell snarled before casting down his foe with earth-shaking force. "RYUU! FINISH THIS!"
Not a second later, Ryuu rose from the hole Bell had made like an avenging goddess, glowing with magical power and the singular desire to end her enemy once and for all.
"Alise," Ryuu whispered, "and everyone else you've hurt, nightmare."
This time, the emerald orb did not fly towards the broken Juggernaut, but sunk into the Hestia Knife. A moment later, the blade extended out and became a longsword of forest green light, as beautiful as it was filled with righteous purpose.
Tightening her grip one last time, Ryuu Lion of both the Astraea and Hestia familias, fell like a shooting star towards the Valgang Juggernaut and plunged the magical blade straight into its body.
"LUVIAAAAAAAAAAAAA!"
The Valgang Juggernaut gave one final, pathetic cry to tell its masters of its failure, before exploding into dust. Thus, the Juggernaut, the nightmare that had haunted Ryuu for so long, was extinguished, bringing her fallen friends their rightful justice and the young women her much needed peace of heart.
"Ha…ha…ha…ha…we" tears pricked at her eyes, "we did it," she whispered as the last of her strength evaporated and she tumbled to the side. However, before she could hit the ground, Bell's giant claw caught her then slowly laid her down.
"You did it," he corrected.
Ryuu smiled up at him, then placed a hand softly against his scaly cheek.
"Thank you, Bell. For everything," she smiled before kissing his cheek and promptly falling unconscious.
"You're welcome, Ryuu," Bell quietly returned as his body slowly morphed back into his human form. The moment he did, he too passed from the conscious world and fell onto the soft grass right next to the elf.
Neither of them heard the desperate and excited cries of their friends and families as the two enjoyed the first restful sleep they'd had in what seemed like a lifetime.
The Titans, deep within the confines of Tartarus stared up in anguish and rage as their servant burst into dust.
"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" Many of them cried in despair.
"We were so close!" Apep cried as he slammed his scaly body against the divine gates that held them captive. Soon Surtr joined him, smashing infernal fists against the gates to no effect.
Kronos simply stood in silence as he watched his brethren rage and despair. He understood their pain well, indeed, he felt it more strongly than they, for he could practically taste freedom again.
Freedom. Vengeance. And reclamation, he thought with a cold rage that even Chaos would have trembled at.
"There is no point in testing your strength against the gates of Tartarus, children. Your creature has failed you, and even had it not, I would never have permitted it by to free you."
All the Titans froze.
"So you truly mean to keep us, your children, imprisoned here forever, Mother?" Kronos spat.
A moment of silence passed.
"I never wanted this, Kronos. I loved…love, all you as deeply as I did when I birthed you," his mother replied with a voice that mixed motherly affection, with heart-breaking resignation, and imperialistic firmness.
"We were protecting the world from their irresponsibility," Kronos threw back at her.
"You were protecting your thrones from usurpation," Gaia immediately countered, "and, in a twist of irony, you ensured your own downfall."
At last, Kronos's temper could no longer be restrained.
"LOOK AT THE WORLD THEY'VE CREATED! A WORD OF VICE, HEDONISM, AND DESTRUCTION! THEY ARE CHILDREN! IRRESPONSIBLE! SELFISH! GREEDY! THOSE WORTHLESS BRATS TOOK HOLD OF THE WORLD AS IF IT WERE A TOY! WILL YOU SERIOUSLY CLAIM THAT THE WORLD IS BETTER UNDER THEIR COMMAND?!"
The power of his voice was so great, even the other Titans retreated in fear.
"They have many failings, that is true," Gaia conceded, "but it was your duty as a parent to instruct them out of those vices, not condemn them to imprisonment for their immaturity."
Kronos snarled at her.
"Can not the same be said for you, Mother?"
A sudden feeling of heartbreak shot through the depths of Tartarus, making the prisoners, including Kronos himself, feel a moment of regret.
"Yes," she finally answered, unshed tears echoing through her voice. "Yes it can. I failed you all, and for that, I am so, so sorry, my beloved boy. By all the primordial powers, if I could, I would go back and do it all over again so that I could teach you those lessons you needed to hear. I would sacrifice all my power and my own immortality if I got but one year to hold you all in my arms again. Please…believe me, my dearest children…I would give…a-anything for that."
A few of the Titans looked down as their hearts squeezed with anguish at hearing their mother's pain. They know she spoke true. And yet…
"But you can't," Kronos stated firmly, his nails biting into his palms to hold back his own anguish.
Another dreadful pause.
"No…I can't."
And then…there was nothing but silence. One that now seemed to truly stretch on for eternity.