Cycles: Chapter 10

XX

Dragons End

The door slams, dust crumbling down in its wake. I glance at it thinking of him. So much in so little time, has he grown. How can something as that come from something as I? I look up to the heavens, the stairs long and tenuous. The hall was quiet, voiceless. It veered off to my sides, my breath reverberating through it. The cold chill ran up my spine as I stared up. I am tired. I have been tired. But it does not change what I must do. It does not change what I am.
One foot in front of the other, I march. I feel it as I do. With every step, the feeling that has surrounded me for a lifetime. The one I was born in. The one that I have given everything too. But with it, I feel them. With every step. Brothers. Sisters. The fallen. They stride with me as my fallen. They help me remember that day. When his hand grasped my finger. His mothers beautiful laugh as he cried. An echo of my eye. I remember the day my life changed. I halt, the doors frigid gaze in front of me. It seems my endless night is finally coming to a close.



My hands press against the door. Its coolness runs through me as I push. The dust sprinkles down as it drifts open with my guide. No more holding back.


It slams against the wall, light flooding in. The moons peered down the colossal skylight. Its panes ran down into the front of the cathedral. Ten foot thick pillars stood, dozens of them down its massive expanse. At its end, to the right, a circular balcony strayed out the room. I stepped forward, watching the figure far ahead of me. My steps cracked through, their voice neglected by the figure. On the podium, shoulder plates sloped and sharp, it stood shining against the moon's light, six feet and half a dozen inches completely covered in ash gray armor. The deep purple cape ran long down it. The poise of a King, the armor and strength of divinity.

“Heavy is the burden that weighs on the strong. . .” It’s voice echoed.

I stop answering the sentiment, “. . .That is precisely why we carry it.” Even being so far from each other, the cathedral carried words with ease.

The figure's head tilts. The purple Voi creeped out from its eyes creating a gaze of pure energy. A voice forms from the sharp, diagonal helm. A deep, calming, sultry voice, “I’m glad you remember, Inaries.”

I focused my eyes glaring upon the figure. The veil is extending throughout the whole area, probably the whole structure. That's why I could feel its presence when we stepped foot in here. It is powering the Mortal Lucent.
I begin walking again, looking around the room, its grandeur encapsulating. Once every few paces there is a shrine or statue set, the bones of a multitude of races. Man, Drift, Vampire, Strife, and others. “Your country believes themselves abandoned. They cry, they pray to you and yet, I find you here. . . hiding.” I reach my arms out to the cathedral.

“They do.” It spoke slow, and with solace.

My hands fall sharply back down, “So you hear their prayers, and choose not to answer.”

“I do.”

Its head rears low, for perhaps the first time in a century. The gauntlet raises to meet its eye, “When I was in chains, I used to wonder what kind of god would ignore my pleas. I suppose I now know.”

“You are no god.” I grumbled.

“Am I not? I appear in front of the people and that is what they feel, so is that not what I am?”

“What god convokes a plague on their country.” My words ring with disgust through the cathedral.

It took in my accusation for a moment, and put its gauntlet softly to the pane, “One with no other choice.”

“So you did cause this.”

It drew its hand off the glass, glancing back, “Don't obfuscate what you clearly already know.”

My eyes widened and I shook my head, grimacing at the back of its head, “I didn't want to believe that you could do something so, so abhorrent to your kingdom.”

“What I do is for Veris.” It deems from across the room.

I bellowed, “Tell that to the men and women I buried!”

Silence.

It was met with rain drops, light and sparse. They trail as it responds, “Is it not better to suffer for the greater good of Veris, than to suffer and be destroyed by the dynasty.”

I inch closer, looking up to the figure, “What good could this plague possibly serve?” I plead with it.

“When the mortals have all burned out, the Kaizen will rise from the ashes. With the strongest bloodlines at my side, I will rebuild this country, greater than before. Then, we will obliterate Loris once and for all. They will have to live in fear no more.”

I put my hand on my head, as its words form, “And these soulless. They kill your precious Kaizen. Are they part of your grand plan too!” I refute, anger boiling.

It finally turned to face me. The sharp angular designs of the armor glinting the moonlight, “An unforeseen consequence, one which I will deal with swiftly.” From its back, it pulled an item. A blue tesseract. Undoubtedly, it had the cure.

“Do you hear yourself, Kaiden?” I pointed to my skull, “Insanity!”

“Do you know what they told me when I split from the Homeland. To betray Loris, insanity.” It recalled.

Metal steps approached as the cape whirled. “Loris will return. And one day, you and I will not be here. When we leave this world, what will we leave behind? Who will oppose the dynasty?”

“I shall leave behind a family.” I pounded, “And they need that cure. Now hand it over.” I fumed clenching my fists.

The Kaiden looked at the tesseract then back at me. Its gauntlet reached out, its greave descended a step, “Join me once again, Dragon, and I shall allow you to cure your family.” The rain pelted the glass, pounding to break in between the two of us. Its noise grew and grew until it was deafening, the water screeching off the glass and stone. “We can end what we started.” It insisted.


I thought, and thought as the rain pummeled, “Countless would die.” I muttered. Here it stood in front of me, asking again.

Warrior.
Ally.
Peer.

The voice echoed from the helm, then through the cathedral, “What's more bodies. We are already standing on mountains of them.”

I glared at the thing. It was just like that day, all those years ago. It came to my home, promises to be fulfilled. I began to pace slightly glaring into it. “No, Kaiden.” I revoked. “No! You had the chance to be different, to change.” I pointed, “You still have it, but you can't change. You’ll always choose to be like this, to hate them as they’ve hated you. I will not follow this path.”

I planted my feet. My sword seethed, the dragon bone tip grazing the floor, “The chains shackle the mental far more than the physical.” I pointed the blade forward, “But you’re to blind to see that.”


The Kaiden drew its hand down and stared at me, then peered at the tesseract. It placed the item down at the top, and descended the stairs slowly, metal pounding with each step. It walked forward, shadow upon me. “So be it.”


I rushed forward slashing at the Kaiden. Its aura rears forward, a purple flower-like shield surrounding its body. The wind moves as the two forces meet. If the Kaiden had the ability to summon the ashen army, it already would’ve. The controlling or powering of the Mortal Lucent must hinder its ability to use its semblance and power. I have the advantage.

I ravaged the shield, the floor quaking and breaking beneath the strikes. It stands there watching me, a weapon stemming from its feet. It takes up the engraved longsword of Baytell, and dismisses the shield, meeting my blade. We trade blows, wind searing. I take the upper hand, feinting for the sternum then slashing the sword from its hand. It grabbed my own and locked my other arm up. I opened my mouth, fire seething from my jaws. A headbut through the flames was the response, a hard clang rang when the helmet smacked my forehead. It threw me into a pillar, the stone crumbling against the force. Fire slew from my hands covering the distance. It sped left behind a pillar at absurd speeds. Two molten serpents stemmed from my hands, the fire breaking through the ten foot thick structure. The Kaiden was gone though.

I checked around the room, a mysterious mist sweeping through it.

“I take no joy in this, Inaries.” It grumbled, the voice appearing as if it was all around me and nowhere near at the same time. Voice bending. You and your tricks.


“Neither do I.” I whispered and let the flames spiral around me, dispersing the mist. I turned quickly, seeing my enemy lunging forward at me with a dagger. I dodged as it took the assault to me. This isn't right. No sound to any of the movements, shadows all wrong, the Kaiden using a dagger? I twirled around to my backside realizing, Illusion.

It soared through the air longsword at the ready. I shifted quickly, the sword of Baytell sinking into the ground. This one's real. I swung to kill but my sword passed right through, the longsword being the only thing that remained. Damnit. I turned to my right, a gauntlet thumped into my chest. The world twirled as I tunneled through a pillar. Blood dripped from my lip, a broken bone to go with it. I bounced to my feet furious, launching a fire ball the size of a tavern towards it.

The blistering speed caught it off guard. It smacked the Mytheriall, hot wind spiraling in the Cathedral. The blow shook the room. It stood firm though, as I casted a second one. My enemy caught the ball, feet scraping the floor against its magnitude. Its greaves clamped on the fire, persuading it, perverting the flames into a dense lavender ball. Releasing the ball gently, small butterflies floating graciously.

As they came close, they flared out with Voi, a blu-ish energy catapulting out. I dodged and strayed away from the myriad of butterflies trying to keep my eyes on the enemy. I moved to one end of the cathedral, slapping my hand against the wall before changing position quickly. One explosion blindsided me, knocking my balance off.

The Kaiden capitalized, stone reached out against me, extending to the high ceiling pinning me there. Before it could finish the job, the sigil I placed on the wall went off. A burst of lightning pulled straight into the Kaiden, the electricity bouncing around its armor. It let out a grunt, the stone formation decomposing. I fell back to the floor, calling my sword into the air.
We both stayed dormant, glaring upon the other. I matched its movements, watching as we circled each other. I collected my breath, gazing as the legendary armor drained the Kaiden to repair itself. Metal molded and morphed together as I spat the body’s wine to the ground.

The two of us clashed again, using all manner of techniques. Attacks and counters of magic, feints and parries. I did damage, enough to kill any other Kaizen ten times over again. But this was a fellow Mytheriall. A mortal wound was anything but to one of us. The armor reaped and fixed itself as I seared it with my magic and cut it with my sword.

My enemy rose to life the skeletal bones of a Drift on display. I dispatched of the four armed creature quickly. The Kaiden came from my left, materializing an ax. He swung leftward, a killing blow to my head. I moved back, my eye catching the blade's wrath. Blood boiling, teeth grinding, I grabbed it pushing with all my strength, fire pulsing out my boots, jetting us through stone and statues. We crashed out to the cathedrals giant balcony, rolling against the wet flooring.

The rain's heavy droplets popped on my skin. The storm felt slow, the rain lethargic. A trick of my perception. It was us who moved quickly. They trickled like sparkling leaves in the air, the blood and water streaming down my arm.

Violet tendrils came forth, picking the Kaiden up. They rose it into the skies, soaring down to strike. One caught me on the side, smacking me into the railings. I kicked off the smeared guard to dodge another tendril. Ki formed in my hands and I sent the sphere upward toward my enemy. The tendrils pushed and sunk into the ground to avoid the half dozen spheres I threw. Eventually, the Kaidens shifting halted as my attacks went past. It glanced around, a minefield of ‘missed’ magic surrounded it in a haze of amber. I dashed back, throwing my hands downward, the Ki converging upon the Mytheriall.

The Mortal Lucent shook. The balcony crumbled upon the weight of the denotation, sky lit up, the distorted colors glinting off the falling rain. But then, the rain simply stopped. Hundreds of droplets stood against wind and gravity. They wavered in front of me, my own reflection visible as they danced. I reached my hand out to grab one, crushing the water in my palm. Light omitted my confusion, as the menace rose threw the sky. Cape shivering, armor cracked, magic leaking, eyes piercing. The Kaiden floated there, reaching its arms out, the halted rain turned to ice. The tiny spears turned to heel, and a sea of frost forced upon me.

I closed my eyes. Thoughts drifted out of my mind. Heat washed over me. The flames called. And I finally answered. The area seared, water and sweat sizzled. Ice melted before it even grazed my body. Lightning crackled throughout the cathedral. I felt my skin tingle as the semblance I had forsaken for a decade primed. The Kaiden looked on in anger, watching my namesake ripple. Fire like no other. It dragged against the ground around me, spirling up the walls. Primal. Pure. Power incarnate. Dragonfire. I put my hands forward, the dragonfire pounding through the air at it. The pure, untainted orange light raced in the sky, lightning of the same shade coursing through it. The Kaiden moved quickly and without hesitation for it knew what the flame could do. As it lagged behind the Mytheriall, the cathedral blew to pieces, the dragonfire ripping through everything with a blighting force, scorching whatever was left. The spire cried as I roared.

I dropped my hands, jumping into the air, the flames catapulting me. I tackle it, the mere contact creating hot spots on the armor, as it screeches against the floor. Flames emanated from my fist as I punched, armor denting and scorching with every hit. Still it stood against me taking the blows. The Mortal Lucent tried to repair damage as it did before but our battle proved too much to handle. I felt my semblance spread to my chest and shoulders as we continued. However, the cost of my ability was a steep one. The Kaiden knew this, going on the defensive to try and burn my Voi out. It danced and danced, a hundred years of war on display. I smirked though. You were cautious of your positioning until now. You’ve slipped up.

I put my hands together, the flames crowding around me. The dragonfire pulsed and pulsed in my hands, a heartbeat of destruction. The Kaiden tried to get away but it was too late, for he was in perfect range. I pushed it forward, the fire taking the form of a dragon. A true dragon. A beast of fire, it took up near half the room, bellowing as it crashed forward. The light resulting was blinding, a sound so vicious, ringing was all one could decipher. I dropped as I looked onward. That section of the cathedral was gone, a giant void in the room. Parts and debris floated aimlessly, not even sure if the damage could be fixed. In the middle of the carnage, on the edge, under a broken layered, flowery shield, the Kaiden kneeled. It's right arm gone, purple magic pouring out.

I snarled, rising to my feet, firing everything I had left into it. The Kaiden put its arms out attempting to hold the flower. Layer by layer it burned. Piece by piece it crumbled. I screamed, cocking my fist back and slamming it into the shield. Like glass it shattered until my arm reached the Kaiden. I grabbed the Mytheriall and pulled it out.

A fraction of a second later, blood pulped out my mouth. I glanced down, its armor molded metal into a sword, right through my kidney, like an arrow through fruit. I glared it in the eyes as it ripped upward of my body. I grabbed the Kaidens arm with one hand, melting the blade in two, with my other hand punching its chest. The dragonfire filled fist, ripped through the armor, a thunderclap, metal creaking as my hand went into it. A guttural sound came from the helm. A leak in a dam, flames began to seep out. I pulled my hand free, the Kaiden dropping to the ground. I panted and followed suit, slamming into the ash ridden, scorched floor.
We gazed into the abyssal moons, coughing. Their shine was blinding. The rain was frigid, the winds calming. A whistle to our symphony of hate. Agonizingly, I flipped to my front, looking at the tesseract. I crawled for it, head throbbing, body wavering, I pounded my arms into the ground, blood streaming down my head. My eyes fought against my wishes to stay open. My hands slipped as I tried to scale the short stairs. The darkness circled my vision. It was so close. I reached and reached and reached. . .