Chapter Text
Chapter 30: Victory or Death
After leaving the Davros pirate ship, the army and mercenaries reached the valley before the ruins of the Dragon's Gate.
"Finally, we're going to reach the Dragon's Gate once more..." Ike spoke with relief but never lost his vigilance.
"And without any enemies along the way. Could there be a trap?" Lyn added with a sense of caution.
"We got here without much trouble. Wonder when Graybeard will show up?" Hector turned to his best friend and asked: "What do you want to do? Wait?"
Eliwood mulled on the answer to "Let me think…"
The other lords and Nils stood at the valley, with Eliwood on a white horse in red armor. Since using his Heaven's Seal, he was ready to fight on horseback. His retinue brought the horse from Pherae, with the highest assured pedigree and ability to assist their lord in battle.
Across the valley lies the entrance to the ruins leading to the Gate. After having gone the same route previously, it was surprising to see no resistance... until the next moment... Nils became alert and shouted to the Pheraen lord the next moment.
"Lord Eliwood! Look out! Move!!!"
BOLTING
Eliwood swiftly shifted with his horse to the side to avoid the incoming lighting bolt. Where Eliwood stood was a slightly large crater. Everyone became attentive to the unseen enemies and held their weapons at the ready.
"Stop skulking and come out!" Nils called out while holding his stone inside his satchel. "I know you're there."
Upon Nils's call, an effeminate individual with long wavy black hair and golden eyes warped before the group. It was clear it was a morph like Ephidel.
Everyone glared at the sudden intruder who evoked no response. They could tell the aura emanating from it was beyond most individuals on the continent.
"Limstella…" Nils spoke the name of the morph with narrowed eyes. "The one who's always at Nergal's side."
Limstella held no response and declared: "…I've come for your quintessence… Come out, my humble servants…"
With that announcement, a single flash occurred over the valley and enemies appeared in all directions blocking the passageway. All sorts of assorted enemies were ready to kill and take the quintessence of the army and mercenaries. With black hair and similar golden eyes trained on them, the entire army readied their weapons. Limstella warped away from the group and situated themselves in the farthermost ruin Northeast of the army. The way to the Dragon's Gate was blocked by the morph.
Hector clicked his tongue while holding his axe on his shoulder. "We'll have to fight our way through!"
"No matter how many there are, we cannot retreat!" Lyn said while aiming her arrow at the approaching morphs.
"…He hasn't called any dragons yet," Nils pointed out with a slight relief. "If we go now, we might still have time to stop him!!"
Nils clenched the Dragonstone in his hands. It wasn't time yet to reveal his power.
"Let's go, Ike!" Eliwood declared. "It's the final battle!"
Just as Ike was ready to reply, he heard a group of footsteps approaching the army. They all looked back to be surprised by the familiar faces.
"Fargus!" Ike called out to which the pirate captain raised his axe with a grin.
With him were the rest of the Davros, all armed and ready. It was likely they followed the tracks of the army to their current destination.
"Ahoy, pups!!" Fargus greeted the army.
The rest of his crew cheered with the captain along with Dart, Geitz, and Jake pleasantly surprised by the rest of the crew coming with them to battle. Anna sat in the carriage with a smile on her face and index finger resting on her chin.
"We thought you were going to stay at the boat!" Hector added.
"Aye!" Fargus exclaimed. But then he held a mischievous grin the next moment. "And then I thought, best to ensure our employer and lovely merchant are alive to make good on their end of the deal! So watch out! Fargus's pirate crew makes women smile and villains revile!"
Fargus readied his axe with a toothy grin along with the rest of the Davros and said: "Now, who wants to die first?" His words evoked a war cry with the rest of his crew, with Dart and Geitz joining in. Anna sat in front of the modified carriage with Merlinus and then stunned the merchant with the carriage tent unfolding and morphing into a ballista carriage. Jake manned the ballista ready to pull the lever.
Ike held a smile and held a determined look towards the approaching enemies that came their way. They began coming out in droves numbering over a hundred.
"Right! Everyone! Spread out! Archers and mages, accompany the paladins! Ground forces, advance from all directions! Wyvern knights to the North, pegasus knights to the East!" With his orders, everyone was ready to fight. But not before one final word.
Ike closed his eyes and spoke: "Before we fight, there's only one thing I want to tell all of you...I don't want any of you dying on me! Remember--you only have one life! At a time like this, it doesn't matter what our blood ties are. We are family. That's what my father always used to say. I understand why he said it... Because we are a family." Opening his eyes once more and unsheathing his blade and pointing it to the army ahead. Those who cherished each other nodded and looked at their loved ones. The Greil Mercenaries and Lyn smiled approvingly at their mercenary commander who considered them all family.
"So if you don't want to cause your family any grief, then live! Don't drop your guard! Don't turn your back! Use every drop of your strength! Our road has been long, but it ends today! The Lycian army, the Davros, the true Black Fang, and the Greil Mercenaries... MOVE OUT!"
With that final declaration, everyone spread out with a final war cry. This would be the fight for their lives, for the fate of the world.
A line of archers twirled their arrows and launched into the air and grabbed them in midair to aim their arrows with their bows at the incoming crowd of morphs.
DEADEYE
So quickly upon being hit that the enemies became entranced and fell into a deep slumber, vulnerable to being attacked by ground troops. The Pheraen cavalry advanced to finish off their slumbering enemies, only to be approached by wyvern riders that came in their path.
STUN
Two wyvern knights looped into the air and dashed into the rival wyverns, causing the wyverns to be stunned and no longer flap their wings. Falling to their deaths, the riders dissipated into dust along with similar troops that were in a precarious state.
Their ordeal was not over, as more morphs came out in droves from the abandoned forts. Rushing at the army to a mindless degree. The paladins raised their weapons in the air and charged.
SOL
With an empowered attack that also heals wounds, they decimated the rival horseback troops that threatened their advance. However, one morph remained alive, raising their weapon, they attempted to strike at the long blue-haired paladin that pinned them down, only to receive a hand axe that struck their upper body. Her attacker fading to dust, Isadora looked back at her savior, her beloved, who gave a nod and once again readied both their weapons at the incoming morphs that seemed to endlessly pop out.
"Wuoooohhhhhhh!" Hawkeye's war cry resounded throughout the valley as he rushed to cleave his foes with his axe. His keen senses picked up on chanting from a distance. Yet he continued onward, confident in the skills of his friends...
Embrace thy enemies with a tidal embrace.
ARCWATER
Erk's chanting of his spell was followed by a wave of water one would expect from the sea. The wave itself made openings to his allies preventing them from being caught in the tide and his mentor readied his yellow tome. Hawkeye's assault remained uninterrupted as the waves passed by him without trouble, leaving him to rush toward other enemies in the distance.
O' heavenly wrath of the thunder spirits. Strike down upon the earth!
ARCTHUNDER
ELECTROCUTION
With that, a powerful bolt unlike anyone had seen before struck the wave the moment their enemies were caught in the flood. His mentor was not idle in studying the tomes from Tellius. Shocking the morphs, they once again dissipated into nothing. Louise stood by the side of her husband and adoptive son with a smile. Nevertheless, they still had enemies awaiting. The battle was yet to be done.
Lloyd and Linus advanced to the East, slashing away morphs with their blades. Their little sister was behind them while Jaffar swiftly dispatched any that dared to come near them.
Meanwhile, the pegasus knights quickly went into formation with swarm tactics and deadly precision, their lances quickly countering whatever flier came their way.
TRIANGLE ATTACK
The pegasus knights led charge after charge into oncoming enemies and circled themselves in the air to stun them at times. One by one, all the flier morphs were turning into a powdery mess.
Lloyd dashed forward to clash with a fighter, with afterimages appearing to surround the axe user.
ASTRA
Within a single breath, the axe user received five slashes from all directions, quickly being felled and turned to dust. Linus was not idle, as he quickly threw his blade up into the air and grabbed it to launch himself downward into a general.
SOL
The armored general quickly turned to dust with Linus's blade freed from the armor it was lodged in. However, Linus was vulnerable as a sniper found its way to aim at Mad Dog.
SILENCER
Jaffar's daggers swiftly made gashes from both ends of the morph before finally reaching the heart of the sniper. Linus clicked his tongue at the display from Jaffar who protected him.
"If you think that won points with me, guess again! If you want my little sister, you got another thing coming!" Linus shouted as he charged forward to deal with more enemies. Lloyd sighed at the display by his little brother.
"L-Linus," Nino nervously blushed at her brother's words but quickly returned to focusing on the battle.
"Now now, let's focus on dealing with these human puppets," Legault remarked which garnered a sharp glare from Linus.
"Shut up! You're just as responsible as him!" Linus retorted while clashing with more enemies.
Jaffar said nothing as he merely focused his efforts on protecting Nino and fighting alongside her brothers. There was no time for idle chat.
Legault threw his knives at oncoming nomadic troopers that went their way. He merely smiled with a sense of nostalgia for fighting alongside the Reed family.
"Just like old times, eh? Mad Dog and White Wolf?"
Lloyd smiled while Linus only scoffed but gave a slight grin in the end.
"Yeah... Just for old time's sake, we execute justice in the name of the Fang..." Lloyd replied while readying his blade at the crowd of horseback morphs coming their way.
"Ready, Hurricane?" Linus called out to which the man readied new daggers.
Nino smiled fondly at her family fighting together again. Jaffar also followed suit with his daggers.
"Ready."
With that, they charged forward to the enemy army with zeal.
The Caelin knights charged ahead with zeal into the enemy forces. The moving ballista was being steered by Merlinus with Jake launching bolt after bolt into wyverns and pegasus that were not their own. Anna took out supply after supply if the weapons of their army were looking diminished. Their group decided to advance Northeast in between the valley.
Guy clashed with an opposing swordmaster with great difficulty and finally stood with a determined gaze. This was his time to unleash the technique used by master swordsmen.
ASTRA
One after the other, 5 consecutive slashes were unleashed with the ground being affected with slash marks. Whatever Guy's technique variation was, it proved deadly as the sword fighter turned to dust.
"Good going, Guy!" Raven remarked sarcastically while pushing back an enemy with his shield. "Your sword is now chipped!"
Guy quickly snapped out of his victory in using the technique as his killing edge was indeed damaged. Karel merely snorted at the display, thinking it was far too much-wasted movement on his apprentice's part, as his blade was already marred by his imperfect display of the Astra technique. All the while his little sister swiftly slashed away at incoming morph spellcasters. Bartre was at her side causing gashes upon gashes on his enemies until they turned to dust.
"Damn!" Guy muttered until he saw a familiar nomad pass by and pass him a new killing edge. "Thanks!"
Rath smiled as he moved swiftly against enemies and shot his arrows at them. Guy quickly covered for his fellow tribesman, slashing away the enemies that dared to threaten his fellow Sacaens.
Fargus and his men were at the side dealing with generals and knights that came out. They stood closer to Merlinus and Anna's carriage. Geitz shot his bow with deadly accuracy and Dart matched his captain's skills with his own. The latter pointed his axe at a new crowd of morphs. Raising himself high into the air, he aimed his axe downward.
COLOSSUS
A big crater and cracked ground resembling spiderwebs were where the morphs once were. With dust piling in the aftermath.
"Heh, and here I was going to tell you not to die..." Fargus remarked to which Dart laughed.
"If I went and lost my life now, you’d have my hide for a rug! I’ll do whatever it takes to get back alive to our ship!” Dart replied with a hearty laugh. "The same goes with you, Captain!"
"Still need help here!" Geitz added as he was a bit surrounded by cavaliers. The next moment, his calls for help were answered.
ELWIND+FIRE
FIRESTORM
Controlled winds and fire came at the horseback riders, turning to ashes rather than dust. Geitz looked back to a troubadour and shaman (surprising) who cast the spells in unison.
"Thanks!"
Priscilla and Canas nodded approvingly as the former readied their Fortify staff. Renault followed suit positioning himself North while Priscilla positioned herself more South.
FORTIFY
With the spells reaching the position of the armies moving North and East, wounds were healed but the adept stave users. All the while Lucius stood in the middle casting light spells at the morphs that dared to threaten his comrades.
"The end approaches, don't falter!" Renault announced.
He saw the leaders and Nils rush towards the leader morph, Limstella. At last, the proof of his long-lasting guilt and sins were being alleviated. While he knows he should never be forgiven, he will continue to fight for the people he owes.
"Our transgressions end here, Nergal. Once and for all."
Limstella watched the encroaching army approach with resounding success against the morphs that stood in their path. Eliwood and the Hero of Chaos slashed away at enemies. No matter what enemy stood in their way, they quickly turned their fellow morphs into dust.
All the while a pirate crew also joined the fray. And the skills they demonstrated on the battlefield were no less than the lords and retainers. The wounds sustained by the army were constantly being healed either through some strange techniques or the use of long-range staves. Moreover, their vigor was constantly replenished by Nils, the last of the Ice Dragon siblings. Using their Bolting tome, Limstella tried hindering their march but to no avail.
After squandering the last usage of the spell, they switched to their Fimbulvetr tome. Reaching out with their hand, they shot out the ice spell slightly hindering their advance. The empowered Limstella contained the greatest power until dawn.
Just as Eliwood and the blue-haired mercenary were thinking of a way to stop Limstella, Nils stepped forward. With a stone in hand, Limstella's eyes flickered at the sight of a familiar stone in his hand.
Nils quickly morphed into the same form as his sister, with light-green scales, red eyes, and fins throughout his body. Limstella stood with no fear and closed their eyes to open them the next moment. Their calm expression never wavered even as Nils roared with his draconic form glaring at the morph. Nils took a deep breath while Limstella used all the strength within their body to combat the Ice Dragon.
FIMBULVETR
ICE BREATH
The same elemental attack clashed with one another. The ice magics employed by both inhuman beings were at a stalemate... That is until Limstella gasped and lost control of their arm. Limstella's empowered state had run its course. Their body slowly crumbled into dust. The spell they cast was interrupted and pushed back with the icy breath emitted by Nils.
"I am... no longer of use to Lord Nergal," Limstella muttered as the ice breath came into contact with them.
'Am I going to die, having not fulfilled my duty?’ Limstella thought to themselves as the icy embrace further deteriorated their body.
They could no longer serve their creator. A new emotion emerged like the time they witnessed the man's tearful expression. They once again realized what it was... it was sadness.
"Yes, this sorrow is also another of my lord’s creations…" Limstella muttered before completely dissipating into dust.
"That was a heated battle," Eliwood spoke as the remaining forces of morphs faced the same fate as Limstella.
Despite being outnumbered, they prevailed against the inhuman morphs. Nils finally returned to his human form.
"I thought it was going to go on forever… Phew…” Hector voiced out as he then looked at Nils with a smile. "Nice job, Nils!"
"Right," Ike added as he nodded approvingly at the ice dragon. "It would have been risky had you not fought with us."
Nils reciprocated their approval with a smile of his own. They did not have any revulsion towards his draconic form. He knew to trust his friends now.
"Thank you, but Nergal is still waiting at the Dragon’s Gate." Nils looked at Eliwood with a determined gaze and continued: "I believe in you. Even though Ninian’s gone, I will continue to protect you. I have to. That… That’s Ninian’s wish. It’s our wish. Let’s stop my father! You and everyone are the only ones who can do it…”
“Nils!” Eliwood exclaimed with a relieved expression.
He thought he failed the sibling of his lover as they had not contacted one another since the incident. He was fine with being despised, but to think he regained his trust.
“Let’s do it! Eliwood!!” Hector cheered with a smile.
He would stand by his best friend when his brother made his choice for him. There were no regrets to be made when the rest of their land and lives were at stake.
“He’s right! It’s too early to give up!" Lyn added. "I mean, we’re still here! We’re still alive!!”
"Yup, with the finest mercenaries, friends, and retainers, there's nothing we can't do," Ike spoke in an approving tone.
Eliwood stood silent for a moment before nodding with his companions.
“Everyone… You’re right," Eliwood confirmed with a heartfelt smile and determined gaze. "My friends are here with me! There’s no power on this earth stronger than that! Let’s go! The Dragon’s Gate awaits!! That’s where we’ll stop Nergal!”
"So, Limstella has failed..."
Nergal stood in front of the Gate. At any rate, he was ready to clash with the intruders on the island. Moreover, that aura he felt...
"Where did Nils obtain another Dragonstone? I bet it was Athos and those Dragons from Arcadia... No matter..." Nergal smirked with a crazed expression. "They will all become quintessence. I will attain perfection after I take their essence as well as the Dragons..."
IS THAT SO?
Nergal felt the magical energy in his surroundings sapped as he could no longer invoke spells. He gritted his teeth at a familiar creation.
"... What do you want, monster?" Nergal spat out with venom in his tone. The red-hooded figure only stood silent.
MY REQUEST HAS FINISHED WITH THAT MERCENARY. BUT IT APPEARS YOU HAVE YET TO BE CONVINCED.
"Begone, you false puppet," Nergal once again ordered the morph to leave. "Do you intend to deceive me like those fools?"
NOW WHO IS THE FOOL?
"How dare you!" Nergal retorted with an aggressive expression. "You are nothing but a plague! Do you not remember who created you!?"
NOW WE MATCH... WANDERING WITHOUT A PURPOSE. HOW SAD OF AN EXISTENCE WE ARE, LORD NERGAL.
"Don't you dare look down on me like the others! How dare you! How dare you, Kishuna!!!" Nergal's crazed and livid expression revealed his state of mind. His shrill voice cursed at his creation to no end.
Soon, a pale leader of the Black Fang came and raised his axe against the wrinkled pale figure. The thoughts of the red-hooded morph quickly flashed before his golden eyes. His creation, his rejection, and seeing the purpose of the blue-haired mercenary summoned to this land. As a magic seal, he could hinder most spells on the continent. But he could also understand them on an intimate level. He looked at his fellow morph who was ready to cleave him and remarked:
YOU SEE THIS MAN BEFORE YOU. DOES THAT NOT REMIND YOU OF YOUR FALLEN BELOVED THAT YOU FAILED TO BRING BACK?
Nergal growled at Kishuna's attempt to make him see reason. Despite the somewhat antagonistic interaction with his creator, it was all a service to his creator. Reminding him what he had forgotten but refuses to acknowledge. His being came into existence to evoke genuine emotions. Likely a measure to instill emotions of his creator's beloved after a partial resurrection like the one before him about to swing down his axe.
Kishuna closed his golden eyes and muttered in a sorrowful tone: "Lord Nergal..."
With Brendan's swing, the morph turned into dust. Nergal began to cackle with laughter. However, his left eye continued to water uncontrollably.
"Lies... hehehehahaha! Lies! Hahahahaha!!!" Nergal gave one crazed, yet tearful expression in the direction where the army would come.
"Come, Champion of Chaos. You too, Athos. We shall see who is right in the end!!!"
AN: Sorry if the chapter is a bit short. A little bit sick right now. Next is the final battle in Elibe.