"It will be in no time, and the truth will be sought. I must hurry my search for him, to seal my failure... to render my blade into his soul should do it. I should've brought him back to ashes when I got the chance! Why would a gracious spirit get a bargain for nothing? She could've lived all by herself, leaving him in the Catacomb Of The Elders... I must've been pitiful, I don't know what made them so truthful, but in the end, they will face their end. So coming near..."
---
"Wait... you have wings as well. What are you exactly?"
"Finding my own answers."
The mountains were all quiet. Like in the eye of a storm, it seemed calm for the last shred of the living Skywrath. A spirit that didn't knew anything at all, but is determined to find the answers.
His seemingly fruitless search led him to the remaining Scion. Full of wounds that he healed, and was questioning him the impossible. Sitting here and feeling the brushing winds of calamity, he saw the moments in faint lights and clouds, where the lights get devoured by the shadows, like blowing out the candlelights.
Suddenly, Dragonus heard something stepping near. Along with it was the chains.
"Step away." He growled in a low voice, staring at the hole that leads back to the base of the mountain.
Sensing that it heard his voice, he eased up and stood up. "Wait here, I'll be back."
And with that, he leaped down at one corner that led to an another set of rocky inclined path. His staff sparked in its crimson shade, lighting up the surrounding places.
And he caught the glimpse of green light.
Dragonus launched an Arcane Bolt directly to the green light, which it quickly hit the rocks, exploding it into pieces and missing the target as it took cover.
"Show yourself!"
No response came to him.
The Iron Raven took more steps towards the dark chamber of the mountain's base. His eyes switching from one side to another, highly alert.
A streak of green chains tackled his stomach, causing him to shriek as it wrapped around his entire arm and pulled him in an instant.
The abomination showed itself. The mage had to recollect himself before trying to break the tight chains.
"Who are..." The wielder of chains seem to get confused. "... you?!"
Dragonus stopped himself and saw his Butcher friend glowing in all green and red.
"Pudge?"
The chains loosened up as soon as they recognized each other.
"Bloody hell!" The Butcher and his chains hugged the mage. "I thought I'll never gonna get to follow you here!"
"Where's Darkterror now?"
Pudge's smile faded.
"Uh..."
"Tell me, Pudge." Dragonus insisted. "What happened back there?"
"He..." Pudge looked down for a while before facing him again. "... didn't make it. He trapped the Dimension for a while, and then, he threw me away. And now, here I am."
He then gave the familiar red stone.
"He wanted you to use this." He nodded.
"What for?"
"I don't know exactly... but he left it for a purpose. He had a plan of some sort."
Dragonus then grabbed the red stone and stood up.
"Why would he risk himself?" He pondered. "Is it from that fiend that resided in my mind?"
Pudge shrugged. "I'm not sure, but I think that parasite of yours will kill you."
"I'll find out."
---
Dragonus and Pudge got back from the top of the mountain, where they saw Shendelzare casting a faint aura. Pudge felt revitalized as soon as he let the light crawl up in his body. He then came to the Scion and saw the mountains dead and full of carnage and made her jump a bit.
"And who are you?!"
"Oops. Sorry for scaring ya." Pudge looked away. "I'm Pudge by the way."
"Why are you here? Aren't you the one who eats flesh and bones of the dead?"
"I do that a lot of times." Pudge smirked. "But don't be fooled, I devour them for a reason, believe it or not. Anyway, what did I miss out? Isn't that supposed to be a kingdom?"
Shendelzare turned back at the ruins.
"It was. Not until we were brought down by something and the dead invaded us with countless fleets of different abominations."
"Wait... you said dead ones? Like corpses of your fallen brethren and sewn up monsters like me?" Pudge interrupted.
Shendelzare nodded.
"So it was." Pudge muttered and he came up to Dragonus once more. "Listen bruv, those were not coincident miracle or some crap. They were from that Dirge again. But how the hell would he dominate one kingdom with all of himself?"
"He harnesses no more than controlling the dead." He muttered. "If he managed to, then it was granted by a deity to be powerful enough to cause havoc."
"The Dead God then." Pudge answered. "He granted him to wipe us all off then!"
---
"You who oppose me, shall kneel before you taste the essence of death!"
"You see the chains?"
"Yes, why?"
"The chains... you must get them..."
"But how?"
"I'll help you out, my friend. Don't let it waste. And here, give it to him once you meet him again. I'm counting on you."
"My righteous god, grant me your power to enrich your prosperity!"
"By this blessing, I give you the power to dominate kingdoms under our noble cause."
"You! Insolence!"
BRA-COW
"Raargghh! You'll pay for this!"
"The power doesn't belong to the likes of you!
"What the-- no!"
CLA-SHING
"Hold before me, and use it to bring glory in my name..."
---
"... and then the blessing was fused to me." Pudge muttered. "Darkterror left there to entrap the monks and then battling with that freak!"
"So you must defeat him." Dragonus patted his shoulder. "He might be our next step."
Pudge growled a bit. "Somehow, I would devour his petty soul. Using my chains and everything."
He used his one chain to grab Shendelzare and pulled her next to him.
"Alright, we have a teamwork... although now that he's no longer here, I'm sure we can get you out of this hellhole."
"Then why?" Dragonus intervened.
Pudge smiled.
"Getting lost is a pretty bad idea that you don't want on your self. Time to wake you up, you've been sleeping for so long that you even forgot how to wake yourself up."
Dragonus heard the stepping noise once more.
"He's coming."
"I'll guess on it later for a parade." Pudge looked at him. "So, any ideas?"
---
The Dark Matter and the Undying walked alongside the battle they've left, seeing the death just made them think it was victory.
"No more soon enough." The Dark Matter said. "He is here."
"You're wasting my time." Dirge muttered. "If he does made it out of here, then I'm sure he helped out his kin and then perished under our one of our comrade."
"You dare object my vision?!" The Dark Matter swung his large sword into the ground, shaking the ground. "He IS still alive, and I can sense it. Don't claim victory too early."
And he saw chains piercing the Undying in the chest and away in the mist.
"You'll come with me!" Pudge roared.
The Dark Matter snarled as he saw his nemesis once more.
"I shall be your opponent."
"Hmph. About time."
Dragonus charged into the winds and casting Ancient Seal before barraging the Dark Matter with the Arcane Bolts and Shots. Some of them made it hurt, but most of it is absorbed by his sword.
"Hah! Your magics will not save you!" The Dark Matter taunted. "Only the truth can set you free away from this!"
"Then I have my other way around."
Dragonus dismantled his staff and infused it to his hands, forming a pair of glowing particles around his hand. He retracted his hands before thrusting it forward altogether, forming a large white beam that burned a part of the Dark Matter's ligament away.
"Hahaha... worthy? I'll show you the true meaning of power beyond imagination!"
He swung his sword to him, and it sent him discontented.
---
"Fool." Dirge snarled. "I was destined to get that blessing!"
Pudge released his entire set of chains out of his back.
"We'll see about that!"
He charged and his chains grabbed the Undying. He managed to cut away its limb and then evading his grasp and regenerating it back.
"I better finish you here then, you old crap."
And by raising his Dragonclaw he threw it to the Undying and retracted it back, ending up with a chopper sticking to his head. The general of the dead only whimpered in pain as it shouted and shrieked in no use. Pudge gave him a pissed-off look and held his choppers in place as he began dismembering him into pieces.
"Fresh Meat!"
He tore every necessary parts into chunks, like the ligaments, the head, and of course his heart, so that he will never regenerate back again.
With a deep breath, Pudge crippled the heart with a wooden stake, turning it into black and dead.
---
"... it is meaningless. You will still fall under me even if you still cry for a fight."
A swing of sword broke his energies, causing him to get overthrown and his spells disabled.
The duel came into a stop. Dragonus was writhing in pain, his sight blurred up a bit, and the pain was evident. The Dark Matter didn't emitted any response, seeing him touching the damp ground as he walked forward with his sword, glowing in a bright light of nothing but shame.
"You've come too far to get me perished... and that, will be your end."
He looked up to the Dark Matter. The figure who tormented him inside his mind and became a reality.
Would it be the end? I will return back without anything?
The Dark Matter grabbed his head with its enlarged hands. Looking at him with malevolence and malice that hungers for his blind betrayal.
"You have my honor to die."
That was his hope was it? Darkness.
The light never came to him anyway.
The soon he gave up all of it, he heard the tremendous roar of pure darkness, him falling off his tall grasp, and being carried by... light?
The chains appeared, and grabbed them to safety, buying time for the Dark Matter to taste a bitter momentum of how death would sink into him.
He got laid into the ground. Damp and cold, but it was loafed in past carnage. The hands that reached out to him seem warm, as if he never wanted to let go from the intricate touch. As he opened his eyes again, he emitted a groan as he leaned himself on a tree bark, facing no other than Shendelzare and her wounded wings fouled by his dark blood that attempted to save her.
She saved me? But why? Should she walk away when I prevented her from dying?
Shendelzare's hand brushed off the bits of blood and flesh away from his helmet, shining its dark colors as she did.
"Are you alright?"
"Why did... you broke the plan?" He barely spoke with a breath. "Didn't I told you to..."
"I wouldn't want to get you killed without the answer you're seeking." She spoke whispered. "You did the same when I was crying out for help, what a coincidence, isn't it?"
He recovered, but how can he take up the duel once more with his broken energies that malfunctioned itself? He would be useless if he had no magic, most of it were all but history in the grasp of the Dark Matter.
"He stole everything I had. What would be my mantle if he had lethal things enough to get me cropped up?"
Both of them had no ideas, but that lived shortly until Shendelzare's hand drifted to his helmet, cold in the texture, but yet, she looked at him.
"You're still hiding yourself in the shadows."
He flinched, swatting her hands away. "No... I don't want you to..."
"Just let me." She insisted, holding his shoulders.
Seeing that he eased up a bit, he shivered as her warm hands made it to his helmet. She slowly took it off his head, letting some of his hair to be freed as well as his face.
What she saw was unbelievable. Those blue eyes now gone, only to be replaced by empty white ones.
"Dragonus?" She muttered at him, caressing his cheek. "You're..."
Dragonus blinked before her, and he drooped his head slightly. "Who is that name you're saying?"
She shook her head and wrapped her arms around his neck, sinking her whole body close to him.
A seizure came to him, but it was not hurtful as he seemed it would be.
---
"Dragonus! What brings you here?"
"You're just that mage that taught the magic that I don't even know. Thank you, Dragonus..."
"You seem to follow me around. Who are you anyway?"
"Dragonus, your highness."
"Well, what can I do for you?"
"Don't hate me for this, but I think I was your personal guardian. Your Parents... you know?"
"I can't do something for that. You seem like a noble mage, anyway."
---
That name echoed into his head before seeing the present time again. Shendelzare was still around him, with her dress brushing against his armor. Her voice were familiar in the memories, and he found his answer. She was that mysterious woman who always told him to be away from the Dark Matter, not wanting to ruin his life by spewing she wanted and now, she was that same solace he longed for.
"Shendelzare... so you were the one who always guided me all up to this way." He said to himself quietly.
"I thought you were dead!" She replied. "You revived yourself?"
"I didn't." He said clearly. "I came here to find the answer, and it was you."
The Dark Matter shrieked in pain, causing Pudge to become startled as it convulsed violently.
"What the?"
"Me?"
"My memories... they're all pointing out to you. You were a shard of my own personality and past..."
He formerly looked at her emerald eyes, gaining a small frown.
"So... who am I exactly?"
"Heh, get over here!" Pudge shouted as he launched his chains at the Dark Matter.
"Waaaaggghhh!!! This can't be happening!"
"You're Dragonus." Shendelzare smiled. "The one who always sneaks up in the castle, the one who forgot me in his studies... and a mage, who had been brought back from the dead."
In this particular moment, he smiled back at her, and leaning close, he kissed her, embracing himself under her warm lips, closing his eyes as he spoke to her how much he was in bliss by tightening his clasp on her head, not wanting to let go again.
Suddenly, the Dark Matter was enveloped by massive scars of light, shouting for the last moment before it blasted its ray of aftermath up in the sky, creating storms on the dark clouds, and after a while, it seeped the fallen souls of the Skywrath, becoming clear as it radiated the sun all over.
Pudge came to them and smiled warmly at Dragonus.
"So you've found your answer, is it?" He chuckled.
"I think I did." Dragonus smiled, kissing her forehead as they stood up.
Pudge used his chains to wrap it around and hugged the two.
"Ahaha! I wish you are still alive, so you can see how wonderful it would've been if you were still walking up the kingdom of yours!" Suddenly, he stopped as he noticed something.
"Your... your... eyes, they're..." The Butcher stuttered.
Shendelzare peered over to his bright blue eyes go back, morphing slowly until it became normal.
"They were normal again." She said to him.
But as he could even wonder why, he felt everything unleash pain. It brought him back as he got weak, and Pudge caught him.
"Whoa, whoa... what now, bruv?" He asked worriedly.
I feel weak... why?
"Are you alright?" Shendelzare added, but her and Pudge only got nothing but moans and winces.
He only saw the clouds eating away souls. A streak of light was attached to him, meaning he was also a part of them.
He forgot that he was dead as well.
"Don't." He spoke. "I am one of them, right? They are up there, in the paradise. And I should be there too."
Pudge frowned at him.
"That was not a good joke, bud. Don't you dare say that."
"But I am truly dead." Dragonus blinked. "There's nothing I can do."
"But... what about--"
"Both of you... should look for more survivors. Rebuild everything back, and forget me. My thirst for truth is done."
They could've stopped this from happening, but Death was inevitable. He was a corpse once, and the dead will find rest no matter what. Wheter be killed or be claimed by death itself, it was not for them to resist.
A tear smeared his cheek. He looked up to see Shendelzare crying with such sorrow, his promise were broken.
"You're leaving." She sniffed. "Yet you told me you're not!"
He smirked at her.
"Perhaps I include what was not meant in the plan. But Shendelzare... we will meet again. You will find why."
"Missy, we got work from him, right?" Pudge returned back at them, his chains were jingling.
And with a hesitant nod, Shendelzare wiped her tears away as she came along with Pudge, leaving Dragonus to sleep back to death, his soul soaring up with the other Skywraths who had fallen and given up their lives to find the truth in his mind full of lies.
This time, the light even proved to him that it will never leave him.
***END***
AN: Finished it! I'm gonna go and start an another one!
I hope someone would decode what I meant at the description. It's not pretty hard if you read between the lines.
See ya at the next story! :D