Pendulum of Destiny - MollyRenata (2024)

Chapter 1: Prologue - The Dragons' Dawn

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Once upon a time, there were four towers which stood and watched over the land. They had once been known as symbols of prosperity and guidance, and yet that all changed on the night of the Eclipse.

It was as if reality itself had been torn asunder. Those who watched over the towers vanished without a trace, and in their places, the four kingdoms' princesses were chained. Great dragons came forth to watch over the maidens, preventing anyone from climbing the towers to free them.

With their princesses lost, the kingdoms fell into turmoil. A war erupted between them, leaving one in ruins and another twisted beyond recognition. The two which remained swore to end the conflict, and built their walls high to guard against the onslaught of the fourth kingdom - the mad kingdom. An uneasy peace settled across the land, and word of it soon reached the towers' lonely residents.

Believing that there was no other way to maintain the peace, the princesses suspended themselves in cages which prevented time from moving forward. With no other purpose or direction, the dragons continued their endless watch, waiting for their unseen destinies.

One night, a bright red star began to shine in the sky. It was soon joined by five others, and shards from those stars fell to the earth. One laid dormant, at the center of the circle marked by the four towers, and the others each found their way to humans - the chosen ones, which would put an end to the era of darkness once and for all.

The keys to unlocking the truth resided at the towers' pinnacles...

As the princess of the first kingdom slept in her timeless cage, she dreamed of the creature that held her captive. Upon her arrival, she had detested the odd-eyed beast, believing it to be responsible for all of her woes; however, her dreams told her a different story, an image painted in broad and unclear strokes by the dragon's own magic.

She learned that it had once resided in a distant land, hidden from the four kingdoms. It did not know how or why it had been placed here, only that it had been given a single order: to guard the tower from all intruders without exception. It asked her why she had come here, why it had to look after her, and she had no answers to its questions.

From there, she began to sympathize with her captor. It, too, was a prisoner of sorts, an innocent being who had been stolen from its home and tucked away within the walls of this tower. It didn't want to hurt people, really; it had a dream of its own, to make people smile and laugh, and in its current position, it could never hope to make that dream come true.

After all, it had learned the hard way that if it tried to defy its directive, its strength would wane and it would become helpless. The only thing it had now was the princess... and that was good, since it was the only thing she had, too.

She didn't know if her prayers would reach the heavens through her dreams, but she wished with all her heart that someone would come and free the both of them from their cage.

The princess of the second kingdom recalled clearly the vision that had been bestowed upon her when her home fell to ruin.

The image of her brother's distraught face flashed through her mind in her restless sleep, his hand futilely reaching out to her as the castle crumbled behind him. The fourth kingdom's betrayal had been so sudden that no one had time to prepare - armies dressed in deep blue and carrying weapons that dripped with poison stormed the capital, laying waste to everything in their path. Those who remained were eventually rescued by the forces of the other two kingdoms, which had been hostile until that point; however, the damage had been done, and the royal family had been all but snuffed out.

The dragon who watched over the princess spoke to her in her dreams, and she could feel its anger. It, too, had been whisked away from its home with no forewarning, and whoever imprisoned her had also laid a curse upon her guardian. No matter how it struggled, it could not leave this tower, and in every one of its thoughts, it wished bloody vengeance upon those who had done this.

Truly, the beast was terrifying, but the princess also knew that she was not alone. She did not share the dragon's lust for revenge, yet she could not bring herself to oppose its dark feelings; after all, she was sure her brother felt the same way, wherever he was now.

If a wish upon the stars was not enough, perhaps the lost prince's wrath would be...

The princess of the third kingdom dreamed first of her home, a realm that had narrowly escaped being lost to madness. Its ruler - her father - had saved the realm, but at a great cost; the people were split into two, and some remained outside the wall that protected the kingdom. Those outlanders fell into poverty, with only the barest of support from their king, and the strain between the two sides threatened to spark a new war within.

The princess' second dream was of the dragon that watched over her. It had not come here willingly, much the same as her; the land it came from had little knowledge of humans beyond their existence, and so it was more curious than anything. It wanted to know what being human was like, how humans lived their lives in their own kingdoms, and its enthusiasm was almost charming. If only it weren't keeping her prisoner, she thought - to which a glimmer of anger sparked in the beast's heart.

It reminded her then that it had never asked for any of this. It wanted nothing more than to break free from these walls, to soar the skies it loved without being restrained, and it sought to take her, its only friend, with it - to shatter her cage and her chains as well. Its freedom had been stolen from it, and once it reclaimed that freedom, it would bring an end to the divide between humans and dragons.

A childish dream, perhaps, but the princess wished with all her heart that it would come true. Perhaps then, the divides between humans could be dissolved, too - starting with the wall which hurt her people.

The fourth kingdom's princess did not dream of hope or stars or a bright future. She dreamed of madness, of an all-encompassing bloodlust that permeated the minds of every one of her realm's people; the king had started it by tapping into forces beyond anyone's comprehension, and then the wave of insanity had spread like wildfire. Through manipulation and subterfuge, the fourth kingdom had enticed the others into war with each other, and then took advantage of their tricks to lay waste to the second.

The monster who watched over the princess was no trapped benefactor, either. Even before her self-imposed stasis, it had watched her with hungry eyes, taunting her without spoken words; now, its power invaded her dreams, warping them to fit its own sick desires. She battled with the thing every day and every night, and she could feel her willpower waning with each clash.

Its venom seeped into her every thought, giving her a glimpse at the madness that had consumed her father. Though she was defiant, she could not fight forever, and her wish to the stars was for this ravenous creature to be destroyed - and for its master, whatever that was, to fall as well. She believed that only then could the land begin to heal, but in the meantime, she had a war of her own to wage.

The voice that answered her prayer was distant, yet warm. It spoke of salvation, of freedom, and that sparked her resolve anew. A thousand years would pass before she lost to this enemy, and she swore that on her life itself.

Truthfully, there was no point in living on if one's mind was corrupted beyond redemption...

The voice came to him in the depths of night, a song borne on quiet winds that he almost did not hear at first. Those around him had already fallen asleep, yet he had been restless all day; perhaps this was why, he thought to himself, as he strained to listen to that strange, unnatural sound.

Except, as the voice grew louder, he came to understand that it was natural - the voice of nature itself, calling upon him to rise against the darkness. He didn't much care for such things, as he had already claimed his rightful place in this world-

A star fell from the sky, and all at once, the world around him was enveloped in a blinding light. A searing pain burned across his arm, and when he could see again, he looked down at where the pain had been; a mark that had not been there before etched itself across his skin, glowing with a brilliant light, and he swore that the voice was louder now - clearer and more urgent.

The voice of nature told the risen traitor that he was destined for something far greater, something above even his grand station - and then, a second voice rang out, a sound that coursed through his veins like his blood. A voice of incredible power, like nothing he had ever felt or heard before, and he realized then that maybe there was no harm in following this destiny.

After all, he had always dreamed of standing at the top, and if that power were to become his, then no one could stand in his way, ever again.

It was a lonesome life in the forest, but the one whose magic had only caused others harm preferred it that way. She had her mentor, and she needed no one else - not her family that had abandoned her, nor her friends which had turned in fear from her when she showed what she was capable of. If they wished to call her a witch, then perhaps that was what she was.

Yet in the depths of the night, she heard something - someone - calling to her, muffled as if spoken underwater. The moment she stepped outside to see who it was, the world lit up, and so did her arm... in a flash of burning pain, as if someone had placed a hot brand on her skin, yet her clothes remained unscathed.

When the light faded, she pulled back her sleeve, and a jagged mark that glowed like a star had imprinted itself on her arm. She heard the voice clearly now, a warning that her current path would soon bring ruin to all she held dear, and she decided that there was no point in listening. After all, there was very little that she loved now, and who cared if it all vanished from the face of the earth?

The second voice was harder to ignore, a voice that sounded too much like her own - and yet it was different, similar to the voices of the flora that she communed with on a daily basis. It was a passionate, beautiful tone that weaved across her soul like vines, bringing to her a warmth that she hadn't felt in a long time.

Empathy, she realized. Whoever this was, they understood her well, and wished to fight by her side in the coming conflict. Yet she set aside this promise as well, and told herself that she was going to speak with her mentor come morning.

He would surely understand what had happened far better than her, and in all the time she'd known him, he had never been wrong with his predictions...

The voice came to her in a dream, a quiet whisper of despair and hope alike. It was a wonderful voice, but she couldn't hear it very well; she strained to listen, and as she did so, she felt as though she had fallen into a lucid dream.

She saw herself in a vast grassy field, with flowers of all colors blooming beneath her feet. The sun shone high in the sky, and yet an even brighter light followed - and so, too, did a pain in her arm that was brief yet intense. She glanced around her dreamscape, and then looked down at her arm, which now bore a glowing brand, every bit as remarkable as the world around her.

The voice spoke again, and this time, she could hear it as if whoever spoke was right next to her. It told her that the end of all things was on the horizon, but that if she rose up and fought, she could avert disaster and usher in a new era of hope and prosperity for all.

She was just a child, though. There was no way she had the strength to fight against the coming darkness... at least, that was what she thought, until a second voice draped over her like warm, soft wings. It told her that with the guidance of the dragons, she could overcome even the most terrible of obstacles with ease, and that she would not be alone on her journey - there were others like her, others that had been chosen by the stars to protect this world. If that was the case, then maybe following her destiny wouldn't be so bad, after all.

Lost in her dream as she was, she didn't notice that her brother had awakened from his own sleep due to the light that radiated from her.

It wasn't unusual for him to work well into the night, tweaking this or that on his favorite means of transportation. Due to the rarity of this technology, he didn't get much help, and what little he did was solely in the form of spare parts that he could use - yet he had worked for the past year on this project, determined to take back what he had lost.

The machine had not yet reached its perfect state, and every day that passed was another with the ache of a broken bond. Even if it was unfinished, he would have to take the first chance he got-

A star streaked through the sky, catching his attention for a moment before the world around him became enveloped in a pure, blinding light. His arm burned with the light's touch, and once he could see again, he witnessed a most peculiar glow from where that pain had blossomed; he rolled up his sleeve, damp with oil from his task, and saw a strange, angular shape imprinted on his skin, shining bright enough that he almost had to look away.

Then, a voice spoke to him, telling him that he had been chosen for a mission only he could accomplish. To bring together those who had rejected others, and unite the ones who had been chosen to usher in a new era... he was one of few who had the strength of heart for this task, and his own goal would already take him one step toward his new path.

He'd never been much for saving the world, but if his brother was another of the chosen ones, then he could play along for the time being. Besides, if he could help even one person on his journey - and that was what the second voice told him, a voice that swept through his heart like a powerful gale... or a shooting star.

There were three others besides him, and one who had not yet awakened. Their guides would arrive on wings like fire and wind, a blossoming flower and a guardian of all things sacred, and when the time came, the fifth would carry with them the fountain of life itself to banish the darkness for good. The first of those chosen was...

Yes, he knew that name. It was one that had pained him for the past two years, and now he had another reason to rebuild that burned bridge - one that neither of them could run from, no matter how hard they tried.

Chapter 2: Stardust

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The Outlands of Synchronia had been created for a purpose, but that made their existence no less wretched. Perhaps the people of Fusionia faced oppression and tyranny, but even that was better than what the Outlanders dealt with on a daily basis - neglect, abandonment, and complete and utter disregard. To the Heartlanders, they didn't truly exist, just a figment of humanity's collective imagination.

It was for this reason that Yusei did not hate Jack for what he had done. Anything to leave the Outlands, to become something in life - yet Yusei knew in his heart that the means his brother employed had not been just in the slightest. With that vision he'd had last night in mind...

No, it hadn't been a vision. It had happened while he was wide awake, and while the mark's radiance had dimmed, it was still very much there. If he analyzed it closely enough, it almost resembled a dragon's head... were the ones who had spoken to him last night dragons?

The only dragons Yusei knew of were the ones that guarded the Keystone Towers. At the pinnacle of one of those towers, a dragon with crystalline wings kept Princess Rin captive, severely injuring or killing all those who drew near it; he'd heard this tale countless times from Martha, though the Outlands lacked proper educational resources, so he couldn't confirm it either way. The story had always intrigued him as a child, while Jack turned up his nose and Crow laughed it off as a fairy tale gone wild.

Were there other dragons in this world? If so, where did they reside, and why had they kept themselves hidden from humans?

As he rode through the streets of the Outland city he called home on the back of his mechanical beast, Yusei considered all of these things and more. A test drive was as good an excuse as any to clear his mind - or stimulate it, in this case, though he wouldn't find the answers through riding alone. His main concern was the mark on his arm, a symbol of his new role as a chosen hero, and what else it meant.

The voice like stardust resonated in his thoughts even now, and he wondered if it was worthwhile to take a detour and search for its source. The gates to the Heartlands would open tonight, and that was the perfect opportunity for him to confront Jack - but which goal was more important?

A truck went by him, going perhaps a tenth of his speed, and that was when Yusei made up his mind. If he couldn't find the voice's owner by nightfall, then he would return to the city and await the opening of the gates; with his new and improved partner, there was more than enough time to do both.

He revved up his motorcycle and tore off toward the outskirts of the nameless city, listening for that promising sound borne on the wind.

Heartland vehicles weren't built for going off-road, but the people of the Outlands made sure their rides were sturdy and versatile. It was a necessity - traveling in a car was safer than going on foot when they had to forage in the wilderness, and one never knew when a scuffle would break out in the streets, demanding retreat.

This was also the reason that motorcycles were rare in the Outlands. There was safety in numbers, and most people preferred not to ride alone and exposed; the increased speed and maneuverability were simply not a good enough tradeoff, and most of the time, it didn't help on those off-road trips. That was why Yusei needed his motorcycle to be the best of the best, so that he could get out just as fast as he got in if things got dicey.

This was a good opportunity to test it out, really. By going after the mysterious voice, Yusei could kill two birds with one stone - he'd see how his ride handled rough terrain, and if all went well, his search would also be fruitful. Thus far, it seemed to be doing well enough, but there were definitely some ways that he could improve it later.

After just a few minutes of traversing on damp grass and sun-baked earth, Yusei heard the voice calling out to him again, clear and distinct in his ears - and his mind. He hit the brakes, and was a little disappointed to note that the motorcycle skidded a bit on the grass before coming to a complete stop; that was somewhat more urgent than the other problems he'd compiled thus far, and he hoped that he'd have time to work on it before making his way to the city tonight.

He dismounted and stood up, taking off his helmet before he began to scan the surrounding area. Nothing stood out to him at first glance; he was in the middle of a field, with a forest and some hills visible on the horizon, just opposite the now-distant cityscape. A few small clouds floated high in the sky, not dense enough to block out the sun, and... the wind seemed to be picking up. Fast.

An unearthly roar echoed across the plains, and Yusei recognized the sound immediately. It was the same as the voice, like a shooting star blazing through the cosmos, and he felt a surge of energy in his arm as that haunting noise resonated with something inside him.

"...Where are you?" he called out, hoping that he would receive an answer to his questions soon. "And who are you?"

"I am right here."

The voice echoed in his mind, but did not reach his ears. From seemingly nowhere, a shimmering light coalesced into a large shape, and then dimmed to reveal a creature with broad wings and long, sharp claws, its eyes shining like the sun. It had a long neck, a long tail, and plate-like scales coating its entire body - a real, live dragon in the flesh.

The voices from last night had spoken of guides, and as soon as Yusei set eyes on this beast, he knew - it was like an instinct, a gut feeling, that the dragon who stood before him was his. He took a few steps toward it, then reached out and placed his hand upon its form; its body was warmer than his, and the look it gave him in response to this gesture was one of intrigue.

He didn't know how he knew that, he just did. It was as if this dragon had been a close friend since he was a child.

"We've found each other quite quickly, little one." The beast's voice continued to echo in Yusei's head, calm and steadfast. "My master was right to choose you. I can sense it within you - you are bold, kind and strong. You will lead this land to prosperity." It paused, and the voice became more distinct - more masculine. "My name is not one that can be spoken by humans. However, you may call me Stardust."

Yusei guessed that this dragon was male, then. He didn't exactly know how to tell male and female dragons apart, but that tone was unmistakable, filled with intent; he gave a single nod, then stepped away, looking up to meet Stardust's gaze.

"Then... you're the guide they mentioned." Yusei recalled the words spoken to him last night, then corrected himself. "...That you mentioned." A pause of his own. "I haven't agreed to anything yet."

Stardust leaned his head down, and inclined it to the side a bit. "Indeed, you haven't. If you would prefer it, I will accompany you only until you recover that which you have lost, and then I will pass the mark on to another."

That was a generous and rather unexpected offer, and Yusei considered the options that had been laid before him. The weight of the world was a heavy burden to carry, and if he proceeded as the voices had told him, then it would be thrust upon his shoulders - but there was also the promise that he would not be alone, that there were others who could join in carrying that burden. If Jack was one of them, then...

"That won't be necessary," Yusei decided, after a brief silence; he placed his hand over the mark on his arm, feeling how it burned with Stardust's resonance. If something happened to the world, he was sure his friends and family wouldn't be spared, and that was reason enough for him to declare his acceptance.

"Then I will carry you to your destination." Stardust made another offer, this one more outrageous than the last. "It lies beyond the Heartland walls, am I correct? Your nestmate resides in the capital."

Nestmate... Yusei supposed that was a dragon's way of referring to a sibling, and he gave another nod to confirm it. Though he'd have to work out the logistics first, being carried over the wall was certainly a faster and more efficient way of getting to the Heartlands than breaking in through a brief window of opportunity on the ground.

There was just one issue now - the fact that he'd driven all this way out, and he didn't want to leave his motorcycle unattended. He'd put far too much effort into it for that.

"You may ride upon my back," Stardust said, as if reading Yusei's mind - perhaps he was. "And I will carry your machine in my claws. You might favor it over me within the city's borders."

...Yes, a dragon as a mount would certainly stand out more than Yusei preferred. He watched as the dragon shifted down, then climbed up onto his back; it took some maneuvering for them both to get comfortable, and then Stardust took off, his mighty wings carrying both Yusei and his previous ride into the sky above.

It was almost upsetting how Stardust's barrier blocked the wind from reaching Yusei, and he made a note to tell his new companion that there were few things he enjoyed more than the fierce breeze whipping past his face at high speeds - that was another reason he'd chosen to build a motorcycle over a different sort of vehicle.

Chapter 3: Dreams and Rubble

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The cage that Princess Yuzu had trapped herself inside was one designed by the royal family of Penduluma, created for the purpose of keeping special prisoners captive. The others were the same - and now they held the most special of prisoners, ensuring their safety for the time being.

While time did not flow through Yuzu's body, she still experienced dreams, and today's dream was a lovely one. She dreamed of a forest clearing with a stream running through it, and the sun shone upon everything from a cloudless sky; off to the side stood the creature that had took up residence in her dreams as of late, the wingless dragon with mismatched eyes.

It kept its distance from her most of the time, but it seemed more curious than usual right now. It took a few heavy, thundering steps closer to her and tilted its head, inclining its neck down so that it could look at her; she'd learned to read its expressions somewhat, and it almost looked like it was smiling.

"What's on your mind, Odd-Eyes?" Yuzu inquired of the beast, using the name she'd bestowed upon it before. It hadn't told her its real name, but it didn't object to what she called it, so she figured it wasn't a problem.

"Nothing much." Odd-Eyes' voice was more distinct than usual as well, and something about the tone made her raise an eyebrow. "Just wanted to say hi."

Yuzu considered the dragon's words for a moment, and then she cleared her throat. "...That reminds me, there's something I've been meaning to ask for a while. Are you a boy?"

Its voice had certainly sounded like a boy's just then - one around her age, if she had to guess. Of course, dragons were different from humans, but...

"Huh? You didn't know?" Odd-Eyes' response carried genuine surprise, as if it - he - hadn't expected that question. "Well... I guess humans are pretty different, but... yeah, I'm a boy."

"How was I supposed to know?" Yuzu retorted, a bit snippier than she probably should have been. "I've never met a dragon before you. I don't know if boy dragons look different from girl dragons."

"That's a good point," Odd-Eyes conceded, and he almost sounded embarrassed. "Well, now you know." His voice went quiet. "...You're, uh. You're a girl, right?"

"Of course I'm a girl!" Yuzu gestured at her chest. "Human boys don't have these!" She realized what she was doing and looked away, lowering her head and blushing hot. Sure, it was different with a dragon, but for some reason... now that she knew Odd-Eyes was a boy-

"Okay, just making sure." Odd-Eyes moved away a bit, clearly sensing that Yuzu was upset. "Sorry if I offended you."

...Just like that, he was apologizing. Even though Yuzu had been the one to draw attention to her chest, Odd-Eyes still felt remorse; it was sweet of him, and honestly kind of cute. It probably would have been even cuter if he was human- why was she thinking things like that all of a sudden?

Yuzu reminded herself that while it was against his will, she was still his captive. She felt like there was a term for this somewhere, but she couldn't think of it right now.

"N-no, you didn't offend me." Yuzu shook her head, not entirely sure if she was being honest with that statement. "Um... well..."

This was certainly awkward. She never expected to have this sort of conversation with Odd-Eyes, even less so when he just wanted to be a friend to her. He'd visited her dreams many times in the past, but also tried to give her space until now, and she'd gone ahead and bungled the whole thing by making a fool of herself. If only there was a way for her to wake up from this nightmare...

"Hey, don't worry about it." Odd-Eyes' tone was upbeat and kind, as she'd come to expect from him. "Turn that frown upside-down, would ya? It was just a simple misunderstanding, and now we both know something new about each other!"

Always trying to swing things his way - Yuzu had been able to tell from the start that he had a good heart. His relentless positivity made her current predicament more bearable, and she could only hope that she had the same effect on him.

Someday, they would both get out of this place. Someone would come and free them at last, and then they would go back to their respective homes... why did that thought make her sad?

No, she couldn't think like that right now. She had to look forward to the future, to the hopes and dreams of her people when she returned to them, and to Odd-Eyes becoming the entertainer he wanted to be. Their separation wouldn't be goodbye, she told herself, as there was nothing preventing them from meeting again once they were free.

"Yes, you're right." Yuzu managed a small smile. "So, will you keep me company for the rest of this dream?"

Odd-Eyes plopped himself down on the ground in response, and turned his gaze to the sky. "Yeah, I'll keep you company." His tone shifted quite suddenly. "Hey, you want me to put on a show? It'd be great practice for when we get out of here!"

"Thanks, but not this time," Yuzu told him in response, and her smile broadened at the thought that he had the same faith she did. "If it's okay, I just want to sit with you for a while."

"That's fine by me!" Odd-Eyes gave a slight nod - a big gesture, coming from him. "...And thanks for trusting me so much. It'd get pretty lonely up here without you."

Another feeling that he shared with her - she had no one else right now, and even just having someone to sit by her side and watch the sky with her was a big deal to her. Even if he was a dragon, he was still a person, and he'd proven that to her countless times since their mutual imprisonment.

Maybe someday, the realms of humans and dragons would draw close together, and the people of both would come to understand each other...

The ruined landscape of the former capital city of Exyzia was a familiar sight to its lost prince. It had been some time since his last visit - being trapped in self-imposed stasis had that effect - but little had changed since then, the rubble a crushing reminder of what had happened on the day Fusionia turned their blades on his people.

Still, Shay could feel a change in the winds that blew through his old home. Nature had reclaimed parts of the city, and that same nature spoke to him; that was why he had freed himself, knowing that soon, there was a chance his sister would be freed as well. All he needed was to reach the center of the circle drawn by the four towers, where the final shard from the stars had buried itself in the ground, and no accursed beast would be able to stand in his way.

Not the king of Fusionia, nor the dragon who held his sister captive. He would bring them both down, even if it killed him - and the odds were that it would, but he didn't care. He had nothing to live for anymore, no allies or friends, and even on the off-chance that Exyzia came to live again, Lulu had always been better at politics than him.

Shay thought back to the day that he had caged himself, not long after the fall of Exyzia. Penduluma had taken him in, their armies guiding him with the rest of the refugees; their king had offered him a place in the castle and a promise to rebuild, but he had declined, and instead told them that he wanted to be lost to time. He thought that maybe there was a chance he could reconnect with his sister in that cage, but to his dismay, that never happened - the only thing he knew for certain was that she still lived. The dragon who'd stolen her made sure of that.

With every war came sacrifice, and Shay had returned to his home with that thought in mind. The royal family of Exyzia had kept with them two crests, sealed within the deepest vaults of the castle; he knew that one had been lost, stolen by Fusionia in their invasion, but the other remained buried beneath the broken walls. It had taken some time, but he had found the crest and activated it, welcoming the pain as it seared itself onto the skin of his back.

The creature that answered Shay's call was half-living and half-machine, a weapon created in a bygone era to protect Exyzia. Now, with the loss of its home, the winged beast would serve as the prince's means of exacting his revenge against Fusionia - it would carry him to the crystal, and then he, too, would become a honed blade of destruction.

As he climbed onto the twisted raptor's back, Shay promised to himself and to Lulu that the end of their enemy's reign of terror was nigh.

Chapter 4: Unwanted Reunion

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Carly dreamed of a world without light, an army of dragons, and a tall, handsome man with a glowing mark on his right arm.

Like most of her prophetic dreams, she didn't have a clue what any of it meant. Still, she wrote it all down when she woke up, and made a note to discuss it with Professor Goodwin later. He would help her decipher the meaning behind her vision, as he had with all of her other strange dreams.

Every now and then, she considered the fact that she didn't actually know how she'd come to be involved with Rasca. The organization had sheltered her for a little over two years now, helping her uncover her potential as a farseer, but she didn't have any memory of joining them - that period in her life was a total blank, and no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't recall what had led to her current occupation.

At least she recognized the man from her dream. That was Jack Atlas, one of the most famous people in Synchronia; he'd made a name for himself as a high-speed sportsman, his motorcycling skills a clear cut above the rest in every regard, and there wasn't a person in all the Heartlands who didn't know his story. Since claiming his first title, he'd gone on to claim a few more in other fields, most notably the art of swordfighting - more of a pastime than a necessity in the modern day, but there was no doubt in anyone's mind that he was strong enough to fight on the frontlines if ever the need arose.

Above and beyond everything else, Carly wondered why in the world Jack had shown up in her dream. A small, distant part of her hoped that it meant she would get to know him better in the near future... but she had the sinking feeling that if that happened, it would be for Rasca, less of a personal mission and more of a way to document a person of interest. That was what usually happened, at any rate, and she almost found herself dreading her upcoming conversation with Goodwin-

She collided with someone in the hallway leading to the organization's main meeting room, and fell flat on her backside, dropping the papers she carried with her. She looked up at her colleague, and it only took a moment to recognize him - Kalin Kessler, her senior in Rasca and a member of the summoning branch. He was originally from the Outlands, and had been known as a brutal thug there, but had turned over a new leaf since joining Rasca.

He was also known to have a bit of a temper, and fear surged in Carly as she scrambled to get back to her feet.

"S-s-sorry!" she stuttered out, her anxiety getting the better of her. "I-I was in a hurry, and- um..."

Kalin stared at her in response... and then he broke into a fit of laughter, a grin spreading across his face. He walked past her with one hand raised, glancing back at her only once.

"Just don't forget the meeting this afternoon," he told Carly, unexpectedly nonchalant. "Oh, and you might wanna get there early. The boss's got a couple words for you in specific."

...That was never good. Carly didn't know what she'd done to offend Goodwin, but she did know that if she didn't show up on time, she'd get reprimanded harshly - it had happened before, and she shivered at the memory of her last bout of corrective discipline. She was pretty sure lizards weren't supposed to bend that way.

"Got it!" Carly proclaimed, as she bent down to pick up the papers she'd dropped. She didn't know what else to say to Kalin; the two had never been close, and he seemed to be in a bit of a hurry himself, so she decided that maybe it was best to just stay quiet. At least that way, she couldn't do anything to invoke his wrath - she didn't need two superiors angry at her.

As she watched Kalin walk off, Carly began to wonder why she was a part of Rasca in the first place. Sure, they'd helped her out a ton, but she'd always had the distinct feeling that there was something off about them. Perhaps they'd been founded in Fusionia, or perhaps they were dabbling with dragons...

She could look into the background of the organization later. For now, she had an errand to run, and she ran the distinct risk of running headfirst into another colleague at some point down the line - a delay she couldn't afford with the new addition to her schedule.

Yeah, this life kinda sucked. Maybe she'd just sneak out, instead of attending the personal meeting with Goodwin.

Jack hadn't expected his past to catch up with him as soon as it did.

He'd been riding along a country road outside the capital, preparing for his upcoming title defense race, when a face he hadn't seen in two years whizzed past him on the road, going the other direction. He'd wanted to leave that face as a bad memory and nothing more, but it seemed fate had other plans for him; he felt a distinct ache in his arm in that moment of crossing, and then after just a moment, his younger brother did something both highly illegal and very dangerous to catch up to him.

Yusei was not a reckless man - Jack knew that from their shared past, and yet something about him seemed different now. Maybe it was the way their new gifts resonated within them both, the power of the stars lighting the marks on their arms ablaze as they rode alongside each other, a vision of a future which Jack wanted nothing to do with.

The champion revved up his ride and shot past his challenger, just as he always did on the track. Annoyance flashed within him when Yusei caught up with ease, matching his top speed - how in the world had someone so insignificant made a motorcycle of his own that worked just as well as the gift Jack had received from the king himself?

...Well, if there was one thing Jack could admit about Yusei, it was the fact that he had always been good with tinkering. That first experiment of his hadn't been half bad for escaping the slums, though it was a distant, worthless memory now, recycled for scrap parts as soon as the opportunity came.

"Jack." Yusei spoke up, his voice just loud enough to carry over the wind. "It's been a while."

"If it were up to me, it would've been even longer," Jack snapped back, ignoring the slight pain that wracked his soul. He didn't need companionship anymore - he had everything he'd ever wanted and then some, and even his brothers only deserved to be left in the dust now.

"You can't run away forever," Yusei countered, sounding just as righteous as he ever had. Maybe he had a point, just this once - but Jack didn't plan for this reunion to last as long as his little brother likely wanted it to. If the perpetual loser thought he could keep up, he had another thing in store this time.

The sigil on Jack's arm flashed, and the beast he'd made a pact with emerged on ominous wings. Archfiend soared into the sky and then dove down, flaring his wings to stop at the last possible moment; a dark fire blazed across his arm, and then-

"So that's how you want to play..." Yusei didn't show the slightest bit of surprise, and simply raised his right arm, taking his hand off the handlebar of his bike for a moment. In a flash, a second dragon appeared, this one sleeker and brighter; its skin shone like the night sky, radiant and powerful... and absolutely no match for Archfiend.

"So what if you have a mark and a dragon?" Jack sneered, unwilling to concede this battle of wits. "You're still light-years behind me, Yusei - and you'll never catch up!"

The two dragons clashed in midair, light and shadow meeting in a blaze of glory. They parted, then clashed again, their claws locking together in an attempted show of dominance; Archfiend's scales smoldered with his limitless power, while Yusei's dragon looked like it was struggling to defend itself against the onslaught.

Just the way Jack wanted it to go. This insignificant lump of dirt could never hope to match him, let alone surpass him.

"...We shouldn't be fighting, Jack." Just like always, Yusei maintained that same steady, infuriating tone of voice. "These marks mean we're part of something more important now. We have to work together like we did before."

"As if I could ever work together with Outlander refuse!" Jack stood his ground, unwilling to budge - even as the outskirts of the city appeared on the horizon. "I'm better than you, and always have been. Now, learn your place...!"

Archfiend's tremendous strength surged, and his fire burned hotter than ever before, consuming the pathetic excuse for a dragon that served as his foe. The creature of stardust fell, disintegrating in the wind as it was supposed to - and then something bizarre happened, something which actually gave Jack's mighty partner pause.

The dragon reformed from its scattered ash, rising again like some mockery of a phoenix, and the wind around it grew intense enough that Jack had to focus on keeping himself steady on his ride. When the wind died down, he felt Archfiend's presence within him once again, and he realized that somehow, Yusei's dragon had driven its opponent to submission.

"The boy has a point." Archfiend conceded where his master would not, causing spite to flow through Jack's very soul. "We're wasting our energy here. We should return to the city and discuss this."

...If even Archfiend was willing to step back and assess the situation, something was very wrong. Just this once, Jack supposed that he could swallow his pride, though he was as far from wanting to as he could possibly be - Yusei had matched him in their test of wits, meaning that surpassing him wasn't going to be easy.

The marks dimmed as Jack glanced over at Yusei for one last time before setting his course to the heart of the city. If the king let the Outlander talk, there was very little that Jack could do about it... a fact he hoped to change someday.

There was yet one person that Jack had to answer to, and with his newfound power, he intended to remove that obstacle.

Chapter 5: Beyond the Clouds

Chapter Text

Odd-Eyes had asked Yuzu if she wanted to see the realm of the dragons, and without even thinking about it, she'd accepted his offer.

Her dreamscape changed to a place she'd never seen before, with steep, rugged mountains ringed by dense forests at their bases. The sky was filled with towering structures that floated on glowing crystals, several times larger than any human building; the clouds that draped themselves across the mountain peaks nearly hid the towers from view, but Yuzu could see them through the gaps, and she wondered if this was because of Odd-Eyes' magic. It made sense that a place like this would remain hidden from human eyes for as long as it had.

A translucent pathway led to the city in the sky, and Odd-Eyes walked along it, glancing back as if to make sure Yuzu followed him. She took the hint, marveling at how high up she was - of course, this was a dream, but it was also a reflection of reality, and that meant it existed somewhere in the waking world as well.

At the end of the path, Yuzu found herself standing at the base of one of those massive buildings, the door much larger than was necessary for a human. Odd-Eyes stepped up to the door and placed his claws upon it, and the door opened to him, allowing both him and Yuzu inside; the furniture was like nothing she'd seen before, large and strangely-shaped, and she assumed that it was designed to accommodate a dragon.

Most eye-catching was a curved pillow that spanned the center of the room, almost like a sofa of sorts. Its purpose was confirmed when Odd-Eyes rested himself upon it, sitting like a dog.

"This was my house," he explained, sounding a bit wistful. "I don't have wings, so I got to live on the bottom floor. Most dragons prefer the upper floors when they can get 'em, but this made it easier for me to get around."

"So it's like an apartment," Yuzu surmised, as she glanced around the room. "I'm guessing the rent was pretty cheap?"

She'd been taken on tours of the capital city when she was a child, with the reasoning being that she had to learn about the common people in order to treat them fairly once she took the throne. She half-wondered if the other princesses knew as much about apartments as she did.

"Yeah, since no one else wanted it." That slight grin appeared on Odd-Eyes' face, more silly than intimidating now that Yuzu knew him well. "Dragons like to feel like they're on top, but I looked for other ways to do that. To me, there's no better feeling than being surrounded by applause and laughter!"

Yuzu couldn't help a smile of her own at this; as always, his enthusiasm was incredibly endearing. "So, I guess that means people always laughed at your home when they came to visit?"

Some of the objects here seemed more like stage props than furniture, at least. A large, sparkling ball off to the side caught her attention the most - she imagined Odd-Eyes running around on it like a circus animal, and she couldn't decide if the image was more demeaning or amusing.

"Yep, and that was just how I liked it." Odd-Eyes' tone became wistful again, and he glanced down at Yuzu. "There aren't many wingless dragons, so I got made fun of a lot growing up, but I learned how to use it to my advantage... I kinda miss this place now."

"Well, at least you can visit it in our dreams, right?" Yuzu considered the place that she'd grown up in, and how it probably wouldn't accommodate a dragon. "I wish the same could be said of my home..."

"The royal castle of Penduluma, right?" Odd-Eyes looked as if he was contemplating something, and then he hopped down from the couch and closed his eyes. Light swirled around him, and-

...Somehow, he'd shrunk a couple sizes. Now, he was more like Yuzu's size, and about the same shape, too. He looked like a human boy, with green and red hair and similarly mismatched eyes, and if it weren't for the little horns poking out from his fluffy mane and the spiky tail that trailed behind him, it would have been easy to forget that he was a dragon.

"If you ever want to take me to see your place, I can shrink myself down," Odd-Eyes asserted, and this time, his words were physically spoken. "Actually, all dragons can do this, but most of 'em don't like to 'cuz it makes them feel small and weak. I'm an exception, of course."

He was cute. He was really, really cute. Yuzu felt her face warm up as she observed his new form, and she forced herself to look away, covering her face in an effort to hide her blush.

"S-so... you can make yourself look like a human?" Yuzu hoped that she didn't sound too flustered. "That's... really cool, actually. I didn't know that was possible."

"Well, it isn't right now." Odd-Eyes shook his head, frowning a bit. "In the real world, I mean. My curse prevents me from shapeshifting, so I have to stay as a dragon all the time." He cleared his throat, and the frown disappeared just as quickly as it had come. "But here in our dreams, I can do it all I want!"

To emphasize his point, he shifted back to his dragon form, and then returned to his human form again. Yuzu could almost imagine how liberating that must have felt for him.

"So, is that why you like visiting me in my dreams?" Yuzu asked, and she looked back up at him, still blushing a little. "Because you can do things that you can't when you're awake?"

"That's part of it, yeah." Odd-Eyes went back to his giant pillow and leaned against it. "The other part is that I get to chat with you. I never imagined befriending a human before, but you're great company." He pressed a finger to his chin. "Y'know, I bet you could be an entertainer, too. If you weren't a princess, I mean."

Yuzu considered this for a moment, then hummed. "Well, I was always told that I had a good singing voice... maybe I could give it a try?"

"If you want, I can be your audience," Odd-Eyes offered, grinning from ear to ear - an expression that fit his human form much better than his dragon form, in Yuzu's opinion. "You won't need to worry about messing up in front of me!"

Of course, if his story was to be believed, he'd faced ridicule all his life for various reasons. Yuzu agreed that Odd-Eyes was the perfect audience for her practice performance; she nodded once, then took a deep breath and recalled one of the songs that she had learned in her youth.

"Pray to heaven with a song... as the winds caress me..."

As the broken prince's dreams foretold, the star shard sat in the center of a small crater, the heart of the circle drawn by the Keystone Towers. It was a tiny thing, only a few inches in length, and sparkled with a beautiful, ethereal light - the power of the stars in crystal form, free for the taking.

Shay was kind of surprised that he was the only one there. Such an incredible artifact should have been known by people all across the four kingdoms, and yet no one else had come to claim it... the notion was patently absurd, though he wasn't complaining. It meant he could take the crystal and its power without interruption.

After he called off his Raid Raptor, Shay reached out to the crystal and placed his hand upon it, feeling the thrum of energy that flowed through it. It was everything he needed to retake Exyzia and punish those who had destroyed his kingdom - and it didn't react to him at all.

The shard had appeared in his dreams. It had called out to him, signifying that he was one of the chosen ones, and now that he had reached it, it wasn't allowing him to claim it. This power was supposed to be his, the symbol of his vengeance-

"Oh, you have got to be kidding me."

The voice that reached Shay's ears was derisive in tone, and he lifted his head to look at the person who had approached him. A young man around his age, with pale skin and bluish-white hair; his frame looked unhealthy, and there was something off about his eyes.

"I got sent all the way out here for this?" the man complained, and then he raised his arm. "Well, fine then. Let's make this quick, shall we? Earthbound Immortal, do your thing!"

A purple sigil glowed on his arm, something that Shay had never seen before, and then the earth began to shake. From the mark emerged a creature that could only be described as gargantuan - it had a vaguely human-like shape, but its skin was pitch-black, broken up by eerie glowing lines. With his new magic aptitude, Shay recognized that this monstrosity was far beyond his capabilities; the Raid Raptor's screech told him that his only recourse was to flee, and that if he attempted to stand and fight, he would die without accomplishing anything.

He reached out for his taloned companion and did just that, leaving the site of the fallen star behind. It wasn't like he needed it anymore - if it didn't want him, he'd just have to get his power elsewhere.

Chapter 6: The King's Decree

Chapter Text

It wasn't every day that someone from the Outlands was given an audience with the king of Synchronia. The last time it had happened was when Jack broke down the barrier between the two sides of the kingdom, betraying his brothers for a chance at greatness - and now things had come full circle, with one of those brothers joining him in the throne room.

King Rex stood as Jack and Yusei approached, gesturing with a hand for the guards to leave the room. With just the three of them remaining, the king turned his attention first to Jack, and then to Yusei; his expression was one of intrigue as his eyes scanned Yusei's right arm, where the dragon's mark glowed bright enough to shine through his sleeve.

"Another Signer," King Rex observed, and he gave a slight nod. "You say that you encountered him outside the capital city?"

"That's right," Jack confirmed, scowling at his brother. "As you may recall, he and I have history together."

"Yes, I remember him... Yusei Fudo." The king closed his eyes. "It seems that destiny has brought you together once again. It is no mere coincidence that you two both bear the mark of the Crimson Dragon... and it is because of this mark that I must make a decree."

Jack didn't like where this was going. He was also reasonably certain that if he tried to carry out his regicide plan here, Yusei would just stop him.

"From this point onward, you are to set aside your differences for the greater good." Rex opened his eyes again, and they shimmered with power - the unique magic that belonged to the royal bloodline of each kingdom. "Find the other Signers, and bring them together. Only then will the path to the truth be revealed."

"...How many are there?" Jack asked, knowing that he was no longer in a position to resist; he rolled up his sleeve, revealing his own mark, and winced at how it still resonated with Yusei's. Of all the things that could have brought them together...

"I have a question, too." Yusei spoke up, completely irreverent - of course he was, he was just uncultured garbage from the Outlands. "What exactly is a Signer?"

"In due time." Rex raised his hand, then turned to Jack. "There are currently four in total. The fifth has not yet awakened... I have reason to believe that the two who remain are not in Synchronia." He turned his gaze upon Yusei next, and the slightest hint of disappointment invaded his tone. "Your dragon did not tell you what you are?"

"No, he didn't." Yusei shook his head, and placed his other hand over his mark. "The only thing he said is that I've been chosen."

"Then I suppose an explanation is in order." Rex's eyes burned again, and the world around them changed - a powerful illusion, which showed the four towers. "As you know, at the pinnacle of each Keystone Tower resides a princess and a dragon. The princesses have been lost to time, caged in royal magic by their own decision... of course, one of them is my daughter, Rin." He swept his hand to the side, changing the image to the crater with the fallen star shard. "The wishes of the kingdoms' princesses have brought hope from the heavens, the gifts of the Crimson Dragon. With the aid of its followers, the Signers shall rise to the challenge and free the princesses from the grasp of those traitorous dragons who hold them captive."

More images appeared in the vision, showing the princesses' captors. A wingless dragon with mismatched eyes, a shadowy dragon with terrible fangs, a serpentine dragon with crystalline wings, and a twisted dragon with a hungry look - the beasts spoken of in the fairy tale that Martha had raised Jack and his brothers on, though it had taken him until recently to believe in it.

"Dragons are sacred beasts, you see." Rex continued his story, sweeping away the dragons' visages with his hand; in their place were the two dragons bonded with Jack and Yusei, as well as three others which Jack did not recognize. "Their power is immense, beyond the comprehension of us mere humans... and so, too, is their god. The Crimson Dragon is an avatar of life itself, of renewal and hope - forces which cannot be laid low by the darkness, or so the dragons believe." A new dragon appeared, though this one's form was immaterial - like pure energy given shape. "Yet, this conflict was started by humans, and thus it must be ended by humans as well. That is why the Crimson Dragon has chosen five champions to unlock the Keystone Towers. The Signers have the aid of dragons, but will ultimately decide the fate of humanity on their own."

"And that fate isn't set in stone," Jack stated, his temper flaring. "Is that what you mean to say?"

It went against everything the king had preached in the past, but it was the only thing that made sense in this context. He had always been a hypocrite - first separating Synchronia to defend against an evil that never came, then abandoning his daughter without a second thought while claiming that he grieved for her, and now this-

"Our fate is not to be known by us." Rex lowered his arm, and the illusion he'd cast disappeared. "We will know only when the time is right. Whether or not it can be decided by us is also unknown... however, one certainty is that the Signers will come together. Perhaps the truth will be revealed to us that much sooner if we expedite that process."

...How surprising. Jack crossed his arms over his chest, but otherwise did not respond; King Rex had a counter for everything, regardless of how much sense it made, and arguing was pointless, especially since the brothers were now under the sway of a royal decree. The power backing such decrees had warped an entire kingdom, and even with Archfiend's power, breaking the spell would be difficult.

It made Jack wonder if such curses could also be placed upon dragons. If Archfiend himself was unaffected by the decree, then a bit of buttering up was in order...

"...Fusionia and Penduluma." Yusei lowered his hand from his arm, looking up at the king. "That's where the other two Signers are. I can feel it..."

Jack could feel it, too. The thrum of energy in his arm shifted at the mention of the kingdoms' names, and two portraits flashed through his mind - one of a masked witch, the other of a sleeping young girl. One lived outside Fusionia, concealed in an enchanted forest, and one lived in the royal capital of Penduluma, oblivious to the struggles of those beneath her.

If only Jack had been able to sense Yusei before. Perhaps then, he could have changed the outcome of their test of wits.

"Then I may as well accompany you." As much as he detested the thought, Jack knew that he could only follow his new orders; for the first time in over two years, he would stand side-by-side with his brother as an ally, and he only hoped that Yusei didn't get the wrong idea.

"I understand how you feel, Jack." Yusei glanced over at Jack briefly, then turned toward the doors to the throne room. "But there's more at stake here than your pride."

...He always did have a fierce right hook. Jack scoffed in response, then made his way to the doors, striding ahead of Yusei - for now.

Knowing him, the kid would find a way to catch up, sooner or later. He already had once, and it would be a struggle to hold him back from here on out.

The Garden of Thorns was a comfortable place for a witch who had been discarded by society, cast aside when things didn't play out the way they wanted. The dense brambles which coated every inch of the ground around the witch's domicile - for miles and miles around - would ensure that no unwanted intruders approached, and on those rare occasions that she wanted to leave her domain, Akiza could enlist her mentor's aid to remove her.

Plants were so much better than humans, she thought. The deadliest poison, the sharpest branches... they were honest and did not judge, only fighting to survive in a world where everything was out to kill them. Much like herself, and that was why she took comfort in listening to the voices of the vines that wound around her arms now, answering her call to arms.

There were intruders in the forest. Akiza had felt it in her very essence, heard it from the trees that whispered at the edges, and she would make them regret ever setting foot in her home. She would tie them up with these same vines, and flog them with thorns until their skin peeled off - though perhaps a bit more torture was in order after that, as her garden would certainly delight in the blood and flesh of trespassers. It would be a feast for the roses... and for the dragon who lived within her arm now, if she chose to partake.

Black Rose was a picky eater, though. She'd turned up the last offering given to her, and if this one wasn't appetizing enough-

...No, there was something different about these two. Black Rose sensed it as well, and she surged forth, manifesting without Akiza's call. She hadn't done that before - it was an ill omen indeed.

"Signers," the dragon told her master. "Two Signers... Stardust and Archfiend. We are outnumbered."

"No, we aren't." Akiza stood firm, closing her eyes so that she could focus; she became one with the forest itself, the life force of every tree uniting with her own, and she felt each sting as the two dragons crashed through with no regard for the sanctity of life.

If they didn't think the garden would fight back, they had another thing coming...

Chapter 7: Awakening

Chapter Text

It had been a while since Yuzu was alone in her dreams, and she had gotten used to Odd-Eyes' presence. Not having him there with her was strange, but the scenery laid before her was comforting; she saw a vision of her home in all its tranquil glory, the towering apartments that she'd seen as a child reminding her of simpler times. Something like a force of nature wove between the buildings, present but not quite physical, and that, too, warmed her heart for reasons she didn't understand.

Then, the force coalesced, and a great dragon appeared in the sky. It looked like blood and fire, and it should have frightened her, but there was something soothing about it - as if it were there to guide her, rather than to harm her.

"The Signers have begun to gather. The dawn of a new era is upon us, and the time has come to know freedom once more. Princess of the human realms, know that your strength is no illusion."

The voice was gentle and warm, like a spring breeze. Yuzu didn't know what it was talking about, but she decided to try using her magic; she closed her eyes and focused within, reaching out for the power that flowed in her blood. Only the royal families of the four kingdoms possessed this gift, and from what she'd heard, it was even able to give dragons pause.

...It was like waking from a long sleep. Yuzu felt drowsy and sluggish, and she struggled to open her eyes - but when she did, the scenery that she beheld was nothing like her dreamscape, and realization soon dawned upon her. She had woken from a long sleep, the bars of her cage bent and broken on the floor around her, and she could feel in her very essence that time had begun to flow through her once again.

What was going on? Why and how had she ended her stasis? Was it the dragon from her dream, or...?

Energized by adrenaline, Yuzu looked around the room that she was in, and recognized it as the pinnacle of the Keystone Tower that she had been sealed inside. Nothing had changed, except Odd-Eyes wasn't there, and her search grew frantic as worry filled her heart. Even if he had been her captor, it had been through no fault of his own, and he'd been such a good friend to her-

At the far end of the room, there was a boy with green and red hair, slumped against the wall and clearly unconscious. Yuzu rushed over to him and placed a hand on his shoulder, giving him a gentle shake; she didn't know how he'd gotten here, but this was no time to be sleeping. She had to figure out what was going on.

"Just five more minutes..."

With a mumbled statement, the boy opened his eyes, and... she knew those eyes. One green and one red, just like his hair - and just like the dragon that had kept her company, sharing her limited world with her for all this time. She'd seen him like this before, except he'd had horns and a tail then, and now the only things separating him from a human were slit pupils and slightly pointed ears.

"...Is that you, Odd-Eyes?" Yuzu asked of the boy, though she knew in her heart that the answer was yes. There was no mistaking his unique presence.

"Huh?" He blinked up at her, then tilted his head. "Is that you, Yuzu?" A pause, and then he reached to his chest - the pendant of a necklace hung there, a weighted crystal wrapped in ornate metal. "Huh... it is. Yeah, it's me."

Odd-Eyes looked just as confused as Yuzu felt, though having him there helped to ground her. She thought back to what he'd told her in their shared dream, how all dragons could take on a humanlike form, but he hadn't been able to since his curse had been laid upon him - did that mean the curse was broken?

"How do you feel?" Yuzu inquired, and she took a step away from him, giving him space in case he needed it. "Any less... cursed?"

"...Yeah, I think so." Odd-Eyes pulled himself to his feet, then gripped his pendant. "Actually, I feel pretty great. A bit less like a dragon, but hey, at least I'm myself again, right?"

That didn't seem like something a dragon would be okay with, but Yuzu knew that Odd-Eyes was no average dragon. He'd enjoyed showing this form to her in her dreams, so it made sense that he didn't mind now; still, a question lingered in the back of her mind, and she figured that now was as good a time as any to ask it.

"So... are you stuck like this, or can you turn back into a dragon?"

Odd-Eyes pondered this briefly, then gestured for Yuzu to step a bit further back. "Well, there's only one way to find out, right?"

She did as she was told, then watched him intently as he closed his eyes and focused, much like she had in her dream. A burst of light erupted from his pendant and enveloped him, and then his human form vanished, replaced by his far more familiar dragon form - there was the answer to that question, and one less thing to weigh on her mind.

"I don't think I can hold this form for long now." Odd-Eyes didn't sound anywhere near as disappointed as he should have. "Looks like your magic really had an impact on me... I don't know what you did, but it sure was awesome!"

Yuzu didn't know what she'd done either, and she felt a distinct pang of remorse as Odd-Eyes returned to his human form, the light from his necklace dissipating. If he was trapped in this form with his ability to shift limited, it must have been her fault - something about the spell she'd used to free herself had affected him as well, and now he was...

"I know what you're thinking right now, Yuzu." Odd-Eyes made his way over to her, and placed a hand on her shoulder, mirroring the gesture she'd given him when she first awoke. "Don't worry about it, okay? I'd rather be stuck like this than stuck up here. At least now, we can do something about our, uh... predicament." He glanced around the room, then returned his attention to her, and offered her a reassuring smile.

...Yeah, that was right. If his curse had been broken, that meant they were likely free to leave the tower now. There was just one more concern that weighed on Yuzu's mind, and that was the issue of the dragon-like entity that had appeared in her dream - what was it, and what had it meant when it mentioned Signers?

Well, there was also the issue of the fact that Odd-Eyes was a strange name to refer to a person by, and even if he hadn't told her his real name, it didn't feel right to keep calling him that now. They needed something better, something that was more like an actual name.

"So... what's your real name, anyway?" Yuzu raised her final question for the time being, deciding to leave the issue of the blood dragon and the Signers for a later date. "You never did introduce yourself..."

"Oh, my real name?" Odd-Eyes scratched his cheek with a finger. "I, uh... I don't think you'd be able to pronounce it. Is there something wrong with 'Odd-Eyes'?"

"Well, it's just..." Yuzu shifted in place, a bit uncomfortable. "It doesn't really sound like a name, you know? People might look at us funny if I called you that, so..."

A confused expression appeared on Odd-Eyes' face, but only for a moment, and then he nodded. "Oh, yeah, right, I guess you have a point. How about, uh..." He fell silent, contemplating; it was weird to see him so focused, but at the same time, she found it kind of- no, she couldn't think of him like that. Even if he was humanlike now, he was still a dragon, and-

"How about Yuya?"

Yuzu's train of thought came to a screeching halt when Odd-Eyes suggested a very normal and very human name for himself. She didn't know how he'd come up with that name, but at least he'd interrupted her from her dangerous thoughts, and that was the most important thing right now.

"...Yuya." Yuzu repeated the name, and found that it sounded perfect for him. "Yeah, that sounds pretty good." With that last obstacle surmounted, the itch to leave this place was unbearable - and she could tell that he felt the same way. "Now let's get out of here!"

Yuya didn't need to be told twice. He made a beeline for the staircase on the opposite end of the room from where he'd collapsed, and made sure to grab Yuzu's arm on his way; she followed after him, knowing that while her journey home had just begun, she wouldn't be walking that path alone.

After all this time, freedom was a bit overwhelming, but Yuzu wouldn't trade this feeling for the world.

Rin hadn't expected to break out of her captivity so explosively, the wall of the tower's top chamber wrecked as she rode on the back of the dragon that had watched over her for the past eighteen years. He had told her that he wouldn't be able to stay in this form for long, but that he would at least give her the joy of flight first - and it was a joy like none other, even better than the freedom she now had.

Clear-Wing hurtled toward the ground, pulling up at the last possible second so that he didn't collide with it, and Rin hung on tight as he rocketed in the direction of Synchronia. She doubted that he would be able to make it all the way there, but at the very least, his reckless decision made things a bit easier for them... plus, it cemented her desire to obtain a motorcycle once she got back home.

Of course, it wouldn't be the same as riding on Clear-Wing's back, but she couldn't ask him to do this all the time-

Rin yelped in surprise as Clear-Wing stopped dead in his tracks, then unceremoniously dumped her onto the ground. Light swirled around him as he shifted to his human form - a boy with blue and yellow hair, wearing a white riding suit and a crystalline bracelet on his right wrist. She'd noted before that his bracelet had a most curious design, composed of three green rings with four metallic supports connecting them.

The meaning of the design was lost on her, but Rin knew that Clear-Wing's accessory contained a large portion of his power. Without it, he would be stuck in this pathetic, adorable human form.

...Had she really just thought that?

"...Sorry about that." The dragon-turned-human rubbed his head with his hand, looking sheepish. "I didn't expect to run out of juice that quickly. I think we're about halfway there."

"We'd better be!" Rin placed her hands on her hips, glaring down at her companion, who was sitting on the ground before her. "I don't know how I'm going to explain to my father what happened to the tower..."

The Keystone Towers were built quite sturdy, so the risk of the tower collapsing was minimal, but there was still a rather unsightly hole in it now. Rin hadn't cared much in the moment, too ecstatic with the thrill of escape, but now that she had a moment to think, it was kind of a big issue.

"S-sorry, sorry!" Clear-Wing stuttered out, waving his hands in front of his face. "I just thought it'd be easier that way..."

He'd always been clumsy and single-minded while visiting Rin's dreams, and it seemed that he wasn't any different in person. She had to admit that there was a certain charm to his behavior, though she wasn't going to let anyone know she'd had that thought - least of all him.

"So, how about a name?" Rin demanded, as she recalled that he hadn't ever introduced himself to her in her dreams - she'd just started calling him Clear-Wing because he had translucent wings, and the name stuck enough that she hadn't felt the need to change the way she addressed him. "I have to call you something in polite company. 'Clear-Wing' won't cut it."

"Oh, name!" Clear-Wing awkwardly pulled himself to his feet, and gave a quick nod. "Name, name... right, uh... it's-"

He opened his mouth, but the sound that came out didn't even sound like a word, much less a name. Rin narrowed her eyes, intensifying her stare, and she hoped against all odds that he got the point.

"...You probably can't say that, can you?" Clear-Wing once again looked sheepish. "Sorry, I totally forgot you were human for a moment there. Uh, why don't you just call me Yugo?"

A weird name, but it was easier to pronounce than whatever his real name was, and it was definitely better than Clear-Wing. It fit, Rin supposed, though there was one large problem with what he had just said.

"You forgot I was human!?"

Chapter 8: The Garden of Thorns

Chapter Text

Yusei had only just set foot in the forest when the trees began to move on their own. The mark on his arm told him that this was the work of magic, that there was someone at the heart of the forest who didn't want him there - it was easy enough to figure out that the one responsible was a Signer, though she also had her own power beneath that gift.

He glanced to his side, and saw that Jack had drawn a sword, taking a battle stance. Yusei hadn't thought to bring any weapons of his own, and while he regretted that lapse of foresight on his part, that didn't mean he was defenseless.

One of the trees dislodged its own branch and swung it like a club at him, and he countered with a punch that left the hunk of wood flying... and his fist hurting like nothing else. Of course, that was to be expected, so he shouldered through the pain and readied himself for the next attack, which came from the side - easy to block, and he found that a counterattack was enough to force the tree into retreat.

"Take my power," Stardust told Yusei in his mind, and then the sting of punching a tree faded, a welcome reprieve that allowed him to focus without fear. Thanks to his dragon's aid, Yusei noticed the vine that hurtled at him, and was able to catch it in his hand before it struck - also painful, but it was better than taking a whip in a different spot that could have debilitated him.

What he wasn't prepared for was the vine changing its course and wrapping around his arm instead, followed by a few others taking his remaining limbs within their grasp. Yusei had the distinct feeling that the Signer of the forest didn't just want to stop him from approaching her, but also wanted to make him suffer for daring to encroach upon her territory.

Still, she was a Signer. There was no mistaking that searing feeling in his arm, the resonance of two who had been blessed by the Crimson Dragon. The girl of the forest was cruel, but she would not have been chosen if she did not have the potential to become a hero - something had caused her to be this way, and Yusei was determined to reach her so that he could witness her truth firsthand.

"Archfiend, burn those vines!" Jack called out, and his dragon answered the request immediately, torching the natural ropes that bound Yusei. The flames also scalded Yusei's skin, but again, that was to be expected; he hadn't anticipated a fight, but he knew how to deal with pain, and a couple of first-degree burns wouldn't stop him.

Less so when Stardust's magic flowed through him again, easing the pain and healing the wounds that had been inflicted. With his strength renewed, Yusei pressed deeper into the forest, dodging the branches and vines that tried to catch him - he was starting to learn this girl's tricks, and she followed a pattern that was easy to discern.

More like lashing out in anger than anything, she ordered her plants to strike blindly, with little semblance of strategy other than overwhelming with pure numbers. It was clear that she wasn't used to intruders getting this far, and perhaps the blazing breath of Archfiend clearing the way for Yusei also had some sort of effect on her - controlling an entire forest was no easy feat, after all, and it was possible that she had done so by connecting herself to the trees themselves.

Even with his companions' aid, Yusei worried that he was going to be at this a while. When Stardust had scanned the forest from the sky earlier, he had claimed that there was no visible clearing, meaning that flight wasn't an option; the forest covered a few miles of terrain, so going on foot would likely leave them too exhausted to fight by the time they got to their destination. It was fortunate indeed that Jack and Yusei had their dragons to aid them-

A thorn-covered vine shot out in front of Yusei, blocking the scorched path before him, and when Jack sliced it in two, the liquid that oozed out of it looked more like blood than sap. A pained shriek reached Yusei's ears, followed by a roar of pure rage - it seemed that they'd crossed the path of the girl's dragon.

"...Black Rose." Stardust spoke a name that was new to Yusei, and yet still somehow familiar; the words conjured an image in his mind of a dragon with petals for wings and a crest that looked like flowering branches, a beautiful yet intimidating creature that instilled a sense of awe in the human boy. It was one of the dragons that had appeared in the vision shown by King Rex, and now Yusei had a name for the face - a rather appropriate one, at that.

"This domain is not yours to claim." A new voice resonated in Yusei's mind, deep yet distinctly feminine, and it carried an edge of warning to it. "My lady accepts no outsiders, and you have violated her home. You have harmed both her and her friends... I will not stand for such insults!"

Yusei caught a glimpse of his draconic foe's form, hovering just above the forest with a distinct look of anger in her eyes, and then he sidestepped another thorned vine, which retreated back to the dragon's body after leaving a mark on the earth. It was a good thing he'd dodged that - Black Rose's attacks had far more of an impact than her human companion's.

"I'm not here because I want to be," Jack stated, and Yusei could almost feel his annoyance. "I'm here because your lady is a Signer, and I've been ordered to take her with me... but if it's a fight you want, then I'll give you one!"

Black Rose's voice must have reached Jack as well, since he was another "intruder". He didn't wait for a response, sheathing his sword so that he could raise his marked arm; Archfiend answered his Signer's call, charging toward Black Rose as fire engulfed his body - but when Archfiend's attack struck, the flames fizzled out, and Black Rose's vines caught his limbs with a few more to spare.

"...I want to know something, Black Rose." Yusei took the opposite approach to his brother, keeping himself calm in the face of adversity - just as he always had. "Why is your lady isolating herself like this? Why's she rejecting the other Signers?"

"You cannot understand how she feels," Black Rose answered him. "All her life, she has been scorned for that which is beyond her control. Her fellow humans have always despised and rejected her, and she trusts only one." The tone of her voice changed the slightest bit. "...One who does not have her best interests in mind, at that."

Something about the way the dragon said that made Yusei feel sick to his stomach. Rejection and scorn were things that he understood well, having lived in the Outlands all of his life - but the girl of the forest had fallen under the sway of a manipulator, which was something that he could not relate to. It made his mission to meet with her that much more important, so that he could show her firsthand the error of her ways.

"Tell her this," Yusei said, after a pause to collect himself. "...There's someone out there who does know how she feels, and he wants to help her. Also, the one she trusts now is-"

"I have told her that more than once." Black Rose interrupted Yusei's statement, and this time, she sounded exasperated. "My lady is very strong-willed, and firm in her beliefs. It would take a miracle to free her."

...For a dragon that was so fiercely protective of her companion, she was more reasonable than Yusei had expected. Then again, she was just like Stardust and Archfiend - chosen by the Crimson Dragon as an ally to a Signer, given a purpose that went above and beyond all else.

"Then let's make a miracle." Yusei glanced over at his brother, who fumed at his dragon's predicament. "Are you up for this, Jack?"

"...I don't have a choice, do I?" Jack scoffed, and raised his arm once again. "Get back here, Archfiend. It looks like we'll have to do this Yusei's way."

Archfiend returned to Jack's mark, leaving Black Rose's vines empty; she withdrew them, then looked between the two Signers in the ruined forest, her expression indecipherable. That was one step out of the way, and the next was-

"I will bring you to her." Two of Black Rose's vines smoothed out, the thorns vanishing as they reached to Jack and Yusei. "Her mentor has placed a hex upon the forest which prevents outsiders from seeing her domicile. Also..."

She went quiet, but her gaze turned to Stardust, and Yusei guessed that the two dragons were communicating with each other; after a moment, Stardust vanished, and Yusei felt his power flowing through him once again. That made sense - if the Signers approached Black Rose's lady with their dragons out, she might take things the wrong way.

"Thank you, Black Rose." Yusei stepped toward the dragon's proffered vine, and placed his hand on it to signal his consent. "I'll do everything in my power to help her." He looked over at Jack again. "...I can't make any promises on his behalf."

"This is your plan," Jack reminded Yusei, though he, too, accepted Black Rose's vine. "You and I both know I'm only here because of the king's decree."

Yusei decided not to respond to that, and closed his eyes as the vine snaked around his waist, securing him. It amazed him how a creature so fierce could be so gentle - and he believed with all his heart that the lady of the forest was the same beneath her pain.

He had to keep that faith with him. Otherwise, the miracle he'd promised would never happen, no matter how much he tried to produce it.

Chapter 9: Distant Travels

Chapter Text

The road to Penduluma from its Keystone Tower was a long and desolate one, but Yuzu did not feel the least bit frightened as she walked that path. She had Yuya with her, and he was tough enough to chase off any troublemakers that obstructed them.

He also knew a lot about things she hadn't expected. He'd explained to her that all dragons were taught how to survive in the wilderness, and that despite appearances, he could eat most of the same things she could. There were a few restrictions here, and a few leniencies there - Yuzu would never dream of eating raw meat, but Yuya claimed that it was a favorite among dragons.

After that revelation, Yuzu had politely requested that Yuya cook any animals he caught in the wilderness before eating them. His disappointment was both visible and audible, but he conceded to her request, expressing that if it bothered her that much, he didn't want to upset her.

One unfortunate consequence of Yuzu's sheltered lifestyle prior to her imprisonment was that she didn't have as much stamina as some, and she had to stop and rest well before the sun set. Yuya was more openly accommodating of this setback, and he shifted forms for just long enough to clear an area beside the trail - a makeshift campsite, complete with a fire sparked by his breath.

It was... comfortable, Yuzu thought to herself as she relaxed by the fire, watching her companion. Yuya had seated himself opposite her after returning to his human form, content to stare into the dancing flames; despite the time they'd spent together, his friendship with her still felt new and fresh, and she could only attribute that to the fact that she had been lost to time for the past eighteen years.

There was no doubt in her mind that she trusted him with her life, though. Even if it had been because of a curse, he had protected her during her sleep, and now that he was free, he still wanted to protect and help her. He always made sure to throw a few quips into every conversation, keeping the mood light and her mind occupied, and he never judged her for her personal flaws... aside from being squeamish, of course.

He was charming, and sweet, and funny, and - she hated to admit it, but in his human form, he was also just the slightest bit attractive. She knew that nothing would come of it; he was a dragon, and even if she liked him, there was absolutely no way he felt the same about her. Surely he'd prefer a girl of his own species-

"What's on your mind, Yuzu?"

Yuya spoke up quite suddenly, jarring Yuzu from her thoughts, and she gave him a very pointed stare. She wasn't sure if mind-reading was a common ability for dragons, or if he could do it in his current state, but she didn't want to take any chances of him seeing what she'd just been thinking about.

"...Nothing much," she lied, and she hoped that her face didn't betray her. "I was just thinking... even though it's been eighteen years since I got locked up, I only really got to know you recently. Doesn't that seem strange?"

"Huh?" Yuya tilted his head, blinking twice. "I mean, I always tried to give you space before, so maybe that's why?" He paused, and his tone shifted just the slightest bit. "...For a dragon, eighteen years isn't that long. I guess I didn't really notice."

That was right - while he appeared young, Yuya was probably many times older than Yuzu. Another fact that made them incompatible as anything more than just friends...

"Well, I hated being cursed," Yuya went on, and there was a distinct pained edge to his voice now. "...When I was awake, the days felt like they took forever." He looked away, grimacing. "So... maybe that isn't entirely true, but when I was asleep, and I got to talk to you..."

He trailed off, and Yuzu felt a powerful urge to move over to his side of the fire and hug him. She considered that crossing a line in her head, so she compromised by just moving closer, offering him a smile as she sidled up next to him - far enough to give him space, but close enough to satisfy her urge for the time being.

"Hey, we're both free now," Yuzu reminded Yuya, and she recalled something that he'd told her in her dreams more than once. "Turn that frown upside down, okay?"

Yuya's eyes went wide, and then he gave a nod, his trademark smile returning to his face. "Yeah, and now we can start really getting to know each other. The fun has just begun, right?"

...No, this was too dangerous. When he smiled like that and said things like that, he was-

"S-so what about dinner?" Yuzu attempted to keep from straying any further into that territory by bringing up a valid question, though the words came out faster than she'd intended. She hoped and prayed that he was too oblivious to notice her plight.

"Oh yeah, we should start thinking about that!" Yuya jumped to his feet, apparently unfazed. "If you're feeling any better, I can take you with me. I'm guessing you don't know much about hunting, but at least that way, I can keep an eye on you."

"That's a good idea," Yuzu agreed, and she stood up as well, though not as quickly as her companion. "Maybe I can learn a thing or two from watching you?"

"Or maybe you can help out," Yuya suggested, and his smile grew even wider. "Your magic is the real deal... I should know."

His hand went to the pendant that hung over his chest, and Yuzu had to remind herself that he wasn't upset about his transformation. If anything, he almost seemed... happier than he had in her dreams, and she kept thinking about how strange that was.

He was a dragon. He'd told her himself that dragons were prideful creatures, and that they preferred being on top, so why was he so accepting of this change? Was it just because he wasn't like other dragons, or was there something more to it?

"I can give it a shot." Yuzu shook off her errant thoughts, and instead focused on his idea. "I've never really fought before, but this could be good practice for if a combat situation comes up." She thought back to the glimpses of the war that had been shown to her after her imprisonment. "You can never be too careful..."

"So let's snap to it, then!" Yuya gestured toward a nearby woodland - usually a good spot for hunting, to Yuzu's limited knowledge. "With your help, this'll be over in a snap!"

As she followed her friend to the outskirts of the forest, Yuzu made a note to educate him on the fine art of not sounding like a complete idiot.

It seemed as if recently, Lulu's dreams had become more vivid.

The black dragon who watched over her had always kept his distance, but in her last few dreams, he had inched ever closer to her. He had told her more about himself - things like what he'd been back home, his dreams for the future, and how the realm of dragons worked compared to the human kingdoms. She'd taken to calling him Dark Rebel, though she didn't quite understand why that name seemed to fit him so well.

Now, as Lulu dreamed of the circle drawn by the four Keystone Towers and the fallen star shard at the center, Dark Rebel approached her yet again, and told her something that caught her by surprise-

"I saw what happened to Exyzia."

Lulu looked up at the dragon, her eyes wide as she processed what he had just said. She remembered too well the visions she'd been given of her ruined homeland, and the pain in Shay's eyes when everything he knew was ripped away from him - had Dark Rebel truly seen all of that as well? Was she not alone in her grief?

"Your home... doesn't exist anymore." Dark Rebel turned his gaze to the starlit sky, and his wings drooped as he spoke. "It was destroyed, and its people killed, by a rival nation... when I saw it, I thought to myself that something like that should never happen. That was the real reason I was so angry."

Above his own captivity - that seemed too fantastic to be true, and yet Lulu had always known her watcher to be an honest soul. She understood now that beneath his rage, he was deeply compassionate as well; she hadn't expected that from a dragon, but the thought that he wanted to take revenge on her behalf was...

In retrospect, her nickname for him was more accurate than she'd anticipated. He opposed all of her preconceptions about dragons, and stood as a rebel to his own cause.

"...I want to make things right, Lulu," Dark Rebel went on, and he closed his eyes. "For both of us... and for your brother, no matter what it takes. I don't like hurting people if I don't have to, but that choice has been taken out of my hands."

Lulu once again thought back to the last she'd seen of Shay, and she could only hum and nod in response to Dark Rebel's words. She didn't know when the two of them would be freed, but she wanted to believe that it would happen - and then when they escaped the confines of this tower, she would join her watcher and her brother on the frontlines to bring an end to Fusionia's madness.

"Thank you, Dark Rebel," Lulu managed to say, and she couldn't hold back the tears that welled in her eyes. "When we get out of here..."

"It'll happen soon." Dark Rebel craned his neck down to look at her, and she swore she saw a smile on his face. "I can feel it... two of the others have already escaped."

That knowledge came as a surprise, but not an unwelcome one. If two of the others escaped, then he was right - there was hope for the day of their own freedom.

"Yuzu and Rin," Lulu guessed, and Dark Rebel's nod confirmed that her guess was correct. "That just leaves myself and Celina..."

As she spoke the name of Fusionia's princess, she had the distinct, sinking feeling that freedom would not come so easily for the fourth of their number. Was the dragon who watched over Celina a benevolent guardian like Dark Rebel, or...?

"...Focus on yourself for now." Dark Rebel's tone turned grim, an indicator that he'd had the same thought. "When the star shard's rightful owner comes..."

Yes, that was right. Until Lulu's cage was broken, there was little point in worrying about what would happen next; she'd already exerted as much influence as she could, and all that remained now was to wait.

To wait with Dark Rebel... it wasn't so bad, as she'd come to learn over the years. It wouldn't hurt for just a little while longer.

Chapter 10: To Have Faith

Chapter Text

Before returning to her Signer, Black Rose had given the girl's name to Yusei: Akiza.

As he approached the house in the midst of the concealed clearing, Yusei considered how he would approach this problem. It was easy enough to assume that due to her ability to commune with plants, Akiza had been rejected by the people around her; they shunned her as strange and potentially dangerous, and that scorn got out of hand, to the point where she felt the need to lash out violently. Whoever her mentor was, they had encouraged this process for their own purposes, leading to the two of them isolating themselves and hiding their own existence.

There was also the possibility that she had not always known how to control her gift, and thus had hurt people by accident. Either way, it led to the same end point - she believed herself to be alone in the world, and did everything she could to maintain that misguided position, even if it meant pushing others away. It was a miserable fate that no one should ever be subject to, and Yusei wondered if that was part of the reason the Crimson Dragon had chosen this girl.

With the link that the Signers shared, it would be impossible to shut them out. Akiza would be forced to face her truth, to see how her power could be used for good-

"Intruders!"

A dense wall of vines encircled Yusei, separating him from Jack, and he hoped against all odds that his brother didn't decide to do something reckless in response. Damaging the flora on their way here had been an unfortunate necessity, but causing further harm to the plants that Akiza called her friends led the risk of angering her further - and possibly even damaging her soul.

"Wait!" Yusei called out, and he placed his hand over his mark, willing Stardust to stay silent. "Black Rose brought us here. We want to help you."

"Speak for yourself, Yusei," Jack supplied unhelpfully, though he did not call out his own dragon. It seemed that, on some level, he understood his role in this mission - a backup plan in case the diplomacy route didn't work out.

"She did what...?" Akiza's voice carried through the walls she'd erected, and the raw hurt in her tone made Yusei's heart ache. It was clear that she felt betrayed by the one she had bonded with, and the way she spoke... it was as if this wasn't the first time.

Another thing that Yusei could relate to. Even if he and Jack stood alongside each other now, it was not because the two had overcome their differences - and then there was Kalin, little more than a distant memory now, but that loss never hurt any less.

"...What happened to you?" Yusei inquired, and he had to make a concerted effort to keep his voice calm. Black Rose had claimed that it would take a miracle to save Akiza, and now, meeting her in person, he comprehended why - her scars ran so much deeper than even his own, and with that in mind, he began to feel uncertain.

Would he be able to bring that miracle forth...?

"She... lied to you." Akiza didn't answer the question directly, and instead focused on what Black Rose had told Yusei. "She said that Sayer didn't have my best interests in mind, didn't she...? That's wrong! He's the only one who accepted me - the only one who can understand me!"

Sayer... so that was her mentor's name. A man, presumably, who had taken her under his wing for selfish reasons; he had taken advantage of her power and her pain, though his goal yet remained a mystery. There was no point in asking Akiza - as a pawn, she wouldn't have been informed.

"Please answer my question." Yusei steeled his resolve, reminding himself that he had to at least try to get through to her. His arm burned, resonating with her mark - even if he couldn't see her, he could feel her, her passion burning even hotter than Jack's.

"It doesn't matter what happened to me!" Akiza hissed, and a fresh set of vines snared Yusei's limbs as she spoke - just like in the forest. "You can't- you'll never understand how I feel! Have you ever been thrown away like garbage by everyone around you-"

"That's been my entire life," Yusei interrupted her, and this time, he couldn't keep his voice from wavering. "I live in the Outlands of Synchronia. To the Heartlanders, we don't exist... and even the people you trust can turn out to be enemies...!"

"So you think you can relate to me?" Akiza commanded her vines to tighten their grip on Yusei, enough to cut off his circulation. "Do you know what it's like to have your family treat you like a monster? To have your own father call you one to your face because he didn't understand what you were capable of?" She took a sharp breath. "No one... no one can..."

A searing pain flared across Yusei's mark, and he saw an image in his head - a young girl, wrapped up in vines just like he was now, except she was the one in control. An older man laid on the ground a couple feet away from her, presumably her father; a myriad of scratches covered his body, and the look on his face was one of abject terror. He mouthed a few words that could not be heard, but it wasn't hard to discern what he'd said.

"What... are you?"

The vision faded just as Yusei's right arm went numb, and he gritted his teeth as he tried to keep his thoughts steady. If he had seen one of her memories, there was the possibility that she had seen one of his in turn, and depending on the memory in question, that could sway the tide of this conversation.

"...I believe in you, Akiza," Yusei told her, and he felt the vines loosen ever so slightly in response. "I know you're hurting, and I won't fault you for that. Black Rose fought fiercely to protect you, but she also showed that she could be kind to others... I believe that you're the same way, so please..."

The next words that Akiza spoke were quiet, and confirmed Yusei's suspicion beyond a shadow of a doubt. "Your... your brother..."

"That's me." Jack spoke up, reminding the other two that he was still very much present. "Yusei's always been like this. He believes in people, no matter who they are. Look where that childish naivete has brought him... honestly, he's ridiculous." He gave a mocking laugh. "He doesn't even hate me. Me, the one who betrayed him! So what makes you think he has it in him to hate you?"

...It was a small gesture, but more than Yusei had expected from Jack. Despite himself, the younger of the two allowed a small smile to tug at his lips; the road to reconciliation was a long and unsteady one, but there weren't any barriers that couldn't be surpassed with time.

"...Leave." Akiza called off her vines, the walls disappearing as Yusei's limbs were freed from her grasp. "I'll consider your offer... but I want to talk with Sayer first. Also..."

For the first time, Yusei was able to properly see what Akiza looked like. The glare she turned upon Jack was terrifying, but at the same time, she was-

"I might forgive you if you don't hurt any more of my friends," Akiza stated, and then she turned and began to walk back toward her house. "You've done enough damage."

With those parting words, her form shimmered and became invisible, a spell to conceal her from prying eyes. Jack made an irritated noise and called out Archfiend, intending to leave by way of flight - but it took Yusei a moment to collect himself after witnessing the girl of the forest in all her pain and strength.

She was... he wasn't the sort of guy to be distracted by things like this most of the time, but she was beautiful beyond description, and he wanted nothing more than to make her understand that - but he would have to wait for another time. She needed her space, and he recognized that; he worried about what would happen with her mentor, but he trusted that she was strong enough to break free on her own.

As Stardust emerged from Yusei's mark and carried him into the air, he had the thought that it wouldn't take a miracle to save Akiza at all - she just needed someone to accept her for who she was.

Carly had gotten accustomed to using her power of farsight to watch the activities of distant people, but she never could have predicted what she'd just witnessed.

Jack had fought through a living forest alongside someone who looked to be his age, maybe a little bit younger, and the two seemed to have some deep-rooted animosity toward each other. They both spoke with someone who lived at the heart of the forest, as if trying to win her over - but the most incredible thing was the glowing marks that the two bore on their arms, and the dragons that came and went through them.

Carly had never seen a dragon in person before, and the sight of the white dragon and the red dragon absolutely floored her. More incredible still was the dragon that looked like a rose, with petals for wings and thorn-coated vines, and the connection these three dragons seemed to have with each other; she could sense a bizarre energy radiating from all of them, and while she couldn't pinpoint its source at this distance, the combination of all these different factors intrigued her beyond anything she'd felt before.

She simply had to learn more about these dragon callers and their companions. It was exactly the kind of report she needed in order to smooth things over with Professor Goodwin - he had given her an even worse reprimand than usual in their last meeting, effectively telling her that she was walking on thin ice with Rasca, and she didn't understand why. Was there something about the vision in her dream that threatened the organization?

It had to be that. Carly was on the verge of uncovering some deep, dark secret about Rasca, and her dream had been the key to that - a key she didn't know how to use. Goodwin had refused to enlighten her on the meaning of her vision, so she didn't have anything to draw off of; it frustrated her to no end, but there wasn't anything she could do about it right now.

Her next destination was the forest just outside the borders of Fusionia. She'd probably miss Jack and the other guy, but the girl who lived there was a different story. With any luck, Carly could extract the information she needed from the forest's resident, and then she could put together what she'd learned to inform the professor.

As she made her way toward the Rasca headquarters' exit, Carly caught a passing glimpse of a lizard on the wall, and it seemed to be watching her. Paranoia really was a dangerous thing...

Chapter 11: Wings and Fangs

Chapter Text

Rin had to give her dragon companion props for one thing: he was relentlessly stubborn.

Over the course of their travels, Yugo had attempted to shift back into his dragon form at least five times, and his power had fizzled out every single one of those times. He wasn't even upset that he couldn't be himself anymore - no, he was upset because he couldn't get Rin home faster. A bizarre sentiment for a mighty beast like him, but the princess had long since realized that Yugo had very little going on in his head.

It was kind of cute, honestly, though she wasn't about to admit that to him. She had her hands full just trying to keep him from doing anything that could get the both of them into serious trouble.

The two had made some progress since their forced pit stop, and Yugo had explained that, if nothing else, he was skilled at hunting and foraging. He'd admitted to Rin that it was the one thing that had stuck in his formal education, since he'd always been easily distracted - not that he needed to tell her that, but it was good that he was at least aware of his faults.

When the sun began to set, Rin declared that it was time for them to set up camp for the night. The process was arduous, but Rin had always been a bit of a rebel; she hadn't been content to sit around in the castle and look pretty when she was younger, and instead opted to teach herself the virtues of hard work. It hadn't earned her much favor with her father, but with Yugo incapacitated as he was, it helped her a lot in putting together their camp.

Still, as she worked, Rin noticed that Yugo wasn't doing anything at all. Even if he couldn't shift, he had two arms and two legs in this form, and he didn't seem to be all that tired; he was just staring into space, and- no, he was staring at her, watching her every move as if in some sort of trance.

She let it slide until she finished setting everything up, and then dragged him to the side of the fire to lambast him.

"What was that all about? Are you some kind of pervert or something?"

Yugo went very stiff, and then his face turned red. "S-sorry! I just... you were so strong, and so cool, and... and so pretty, I couldn't help myself! E-even if you're human, you're..."

...Great. Rin had a dragon crushing on her now, and all because she knew how to clear an area and build a campfire. "Simple-minded" did not even begin to describe Yugo, but at the same time, it was... kind of flattering, in a way.

"Well, try not to stare too much," Rin told him, frowning a bit. "It makes me uncomfortable."

"Sorry!" Yugo apologized again, and to his credit, he sounded genuinely repentant. "I'll try not to stare next time. But, uh... wow." He paused as he seated himself on the ground, staring into the fire. "I didn't know human princesses were taught how to do things like this."

"Really, it's probably just me." Rin seated herself by the fire as well, and allowed herself to relax. "I don't know the other kingdoms' princesses very well, but I've always heard that they're more focused on being pretty than being strong. That didn't sit right with me, so..."

"If you're the only one, that just makes you special, right?" Yugo grinned from ear to ear, and hazarded a glance back at Rin - but he looked away from her just as quickly, as if keeping her warning in mind. "When you take the throne, you're gonna be the best queen ever. You're tough, and you're smart, and you're gonna make Synchronia the best human kingdom that ever existed!"

His enthusiasm was starting to border on troubling. Rin reminded herself that this was just how Yugo was - he didn't mean anything by it, and he'd probably forget that he said any of these things by tomorrow.

"I'd have my work cut out for me..." Rin recalled the visions of what had happened to Synchronia in her absence. "The place is split into two now. Outlands and Heartlands... the people of the Heartlands pretty much ignore the existence of the Outlands, and I don't know if I'd be able to bring them back together, even if I did take the throne." She hung her head. "...I might not live long enough for that."

"Oh, yeah... human lifespans." Yugo actually sounded a bit sad at the reminder. "...In that case, maybe I can take over for you when you die?" He switched modes in an instant - he really had the attention span of a child. "I wonder how a human kingdom would feel about a dragon ruling it?"

"I'm sure they wouldn't hold dragons in such high regard anymore if it was you," Rin remarked. "Besides, it's rude to speculate about what's going to happen after I die."

"Oh... right." Yugo fixed his eyes on the ground, looking away from the fire. "Sorry... again. But I can still help you out, right?"

Rin breathed a long sigh, relenting. "Sure, I guess. You're pretty tough, so you'd make a great bodyguard."

"Yeah, I can definitely do that," Yugo agreed with a hum, and he returned to looking at her. "So... aside from the whole division thing, what's Synchronia like, anyway?"

"It's changed a lot since I left." Rin shook her head, and breathed another sigh. "I don't think any of my old descriptions would be accurate anymore..." A thought crossed her mind. "But I have an idea. We'll reach the Outlands first, so we can go around there and see what it's like. Maybe it'd help boost morale among the people?"

"Yeah, and I'll show them that there's no reason to hate me!" Yugo clenched both his hands into fists. "Humans and dragons should get along! I don't know what happened that caused us dragons to hide from humans, but it doesn't matter anymore! I want to make some human friends in Synchronia!"

He did have one thing going for him - no matter how absurd he acted, it was very difficult to stay angry with him. This time, Rin allowed herself to smile at his enthusiasm; she had every reason to believe that he could achieve that dream of his, so long as he didn't try to go at it alone.

...Which, given his new, intense attachment to her, didn't seem likely at all. He'd already indicated that he wanted to rely on her just as much as she relied on him.

"I want to know what happened there, myself," Rin assured her friend. "But we have to focus on one thing at a time, alright? Let's start with the Outlands, and then we can continue from there."

"Yeah, and to get there..." Yugo hopped up to his feet. "We need some serious fuel. You wanna help me catch dinner?" He offered her a more genuine smile, unlike the goofy grins he'd shown her before. "I'll make sure to cook everything up for you."

Oh, right, dragons preferred their meat raw. How the tables turned - then again, Rin didn't think she could be blamed, with how seemingly random Yugo's thoughts and actions were.

"Thanks, but I won't make you cook yours," Rin insisted in exchange, standing up as well. "Most of the girls I knew back then probably would've been grossed out, but I'm not like them."

She'd been made fun of a few times for being too masculine, but she hadn't let it get to her. Old Synchronia had been kind of a backwards place, and she hoped that, if nothing else, that had changed since her departure.

"Really?" Yugo's pupils visibly dilated from excitement, and it almost looked like his eyes were sparkling. "You really are the best, Rin-Rin!"

Before Rin could even respond to that, she found herself caught up in a hug, Yugo's arms squeezing her tight enough that she almost couldn't breathe. She gave him a gentle shove in an effort to get him off of her, and he immediately let go, scratching the back of his head with one hand as he looked away from her.

Rin-Rin... he even had a nickname for her now. That was- Rin hated to admit it, but that was really cute.

"Now let's get going," Rin suggested, and she closed her eyes for a moment to focus; once she'd confirmed that her magic energy had recharged somewhat, she looked back at Yugo, and he answered her with a nod.

No matter how flaky he could be in terms of his personality, Yugo was reliable in his own ways, and Rin couldn't ask for a better traveling companion.

In the time since she had placed herself within that magic cage, Celina had come to dread her dreams.

The mad-eyed dragon who watched over her had woven its way into her psyche, speaking warped and disturbing words as it stalked around her, giving her no escape route. It was almost as if the beast's true desire was to feast on both her body and mind, and only its directive kept it from killing her with its own stained claws.

This time, it came to her in a different form. She didn't recognize the boy who approached her at first, but then he opened his mouth, and all doubts were dispelled-

"So, what do you think of me now, princess?"

...That was Starved Venom. Horns like fangs rose up from his head, dripping with the same toxin that the dragon sometimes drooled, and a long tail covered in what looked like tiny mouths trailed behind him, lashing back and forth as he stepped ever closer to her. Aside from confirming Starved Venom's gender, this form made him even more unsettling than he normally was.

"Get away from me," Celina snapped in response, and she braced herself, preparing for the clash that always followed his arrival. "I've said it before, and I'll say it again. I don't want anything to do with you."

A sad*stic smile formed on Starved Venom's face, and he gave an unconcerned shrug. "Did I ever once insinuate that I cared what you wanted?"

In a flash, he was directly in front of her, his hands on her shoulders and his face far too close to hers. His tail encircled her leg, keeping her restrained, and up close like this, she could see his reptilian eyes - no matter what form he took, he was a monster, through-and-through.

"I'll make you regret that." Celina closed her eyes and focused within, and was relieved to find that her magic was still intact; it took her a moment, but she was able to conjure a spell to push her assailant away, and then-

When she opened her eyes, she saw something that was definitely not her dreamscape. The bars of her magic cage lay shattered around her, and the Keystone Tower's walls stood beyond them; Starved Venom was nowhere to be found, but the boy from her dream was slumped against one wall, out cold - missing his horns and tail, but otherwise unchanged.

...No, the two beings were one and the same. Somehow, Celina's magic had transformed the dragon into his human form when she broke out of her cage, and that meant she had the perfect opportunity to make her long-awaited escape.

"Going somewhere?"

Starved Venom's voice reached her ears a split second too late, and she couldn't prepare herself for the sudden pain in the back of her head. Her consciousness failed her, and she slipped back into the world of dreams, though it was different this time.

The princess of Fusionia began to witness a nightmare more pure than anything she'd experienced during her stasis - the crazed look in her father's eyes, a spider-shaped mark glowing on his arm, and a veil of darkness that blotted out the sun and the moon alike.

Chapter 12: The Beginning of the End

Chapter Text

Black Rose had warned her countless times, and in retrospect, she probably should have heeded the dragon's words.

Akiza had waited for Sayer to return after the two Signers departed, and when he arrived, she tried to ask him about them. He didn't say anything in response, and instead prepared a spell that was unfamiliar to her - one that ate away at her memories, and she wasn't sure how she was able to maintain her grasp on them, but the images in her head ached like mad.

The black-haired boy - Yusei, that was his name - betrayed by his brother in the Outlands, losing something else precious to him in the process. Another, older memory of his that showed him with someone he called his best friend, who turned to murder and sabotage in an effort to leave the Outlands, but wasn't fortunate enough to escape fate...

Before she even realized what she was doing, Akiza had pushed Sayer away with a powerful spell, and ensnared his limbs in vines - just the same as she had done to Yusei mere hours before. The difference was that Sayer's magical aptitude allowed him to free himself, and the look in his eyes was... one she had never seen from him, an expression of pure, unadulterated fury.

"Those Signers brought something else with them, I see." Despite his rage, Sayer's voice remained calm. "I wasn't expecting you to fight back."

"He attempted to erase your memories," Black Rose told Akiza, as if that wasn't incredibly obvious now. "...This time, I was able to protect you."

Akiza placed her hand over the mark on her arm, expressing her gratitude for the dragon's intervention. Then, she formed a wall of flora around herself - just in time for Sayer to attack her with a sphere of flame, which burned away the wall and lashed at her soul, her grasp on reality weakening for the briefest of moments.

It was the same as what that other Signer had done, except much worse. The Signer had been a stranger - Sayer was like family to her, and she knew firsthand that nothing hurt more than betrayal.

"That's why I didn't..." Akiza gritted her teeth, and her hand fell from her mark, clenching into a fist. "...I should've listened to her."

She couldn't trust the other two at this stage, regardless of how painful Yusei's memories had been. However, Black Rose had helped her countless times now, and had proven her trustworthiness- there was no time to regret past decisions. Akiza readied a counterattack, and she breathed a small sigh of relief when the vine connected, knocking Sayer back a few inches.

"You shouldn't trust them, you know." Sayer spoke up again, mostly unfazed by Akiza's attack. "Those two hurt your friends. Doesn't that make them your enemies?"

"Do not listen to him." Black Rose's voice echoed through Akiza's soul, countering Sayer's statement. "He is trying to control you... to use you! The Signers will not harm your friends again. You have to believe in them."

"...What do you want with me, Sayer?" Akiza prepared another vine, not quite ready to follow Black Rose's suggestion. "Why are you doing this?"

"It is all for your own good, I assure you." Sayer's words rang hollow, but there was something about his tone that felt far too persuasive - an enchantment upon himself, perhaps. "The Signers and their dragons cannot be trusted. You've seen it yourself - they can only cause harm to the innocent..." His voice lowered. "...And that, of course, includes you. You must abandon that mark and the dragon attached to it..."

Akiza's vision began to darken, and she fought to maintain control over her own faculties. She hadn't sensed anything like this from Sayer before - not that she could recall - but if he had selectively erased her memories before, then it made sense that he would use these tactics. If he could wrestle her into submission with magic, then not even Black Rose could-

The earth began to tremble, and the spell cast upon Akiza fizzled out as Sayer stumbled backward, thrown off by the shifting terrain. Black Rose manifested from Akiza's mark and brought her into the air, keeping her safe from the tremors - and then the ground split, a torrent of fire emerging from the crack as something rose from within, soaring into the air on vast, powerful wings.

The thing was vaguely bird-shaped, and massive beyond reason; its skin was pitch-black, save for a pattern of glowing lines that spread across its form, and it looked down at the warlock who remained on the ground, reaching toward him with its proboscis-like beak. The sight triggered a reflexive response in Akiza, and she tried to send a vine down to help Sayer, but her efforts were for naught - the vine was swatted aside with ease by the beast's wing, and then it turned its attention to her instead.

"That is... an Earthbound Immortal." Black Rose carried Akiza further away from the creature - away from her ruined home. "It has not yet formed a pact, and is feral... yet we cannot face it alone. We must flee."

"Flee... but what about Sayer?" Akiza scanned the ground frantically in search of her mentor, but saw no trace of him. "Is he...?"

"You must leave your sentimentality behind, and understand that he only saw you as a pawn," Black Rose stated, and her vines tightened their grip on Akiza. "...He will be consumed by the Immortal, but you can still be saved. Do not resist."

The gargantuan beast - the Earthbound Immortal - let out a piercing screech that resonated in Akiza's ears, causing her head to hurt like nothing else, and she gave a shaky nod. She didn't know what was going on, or what any of this meant, but Black Rose was right about her needing to preserve herself.

She followed her dragon's words, and did not struggle as her home became distant behind her. The fire from the Immortal's appearance spread through the forest, scorching the plants at a pace far faster than that Signer's dragon, and Akiza's heart ached for each of her fallen friends as they were lost forever to the demon's flame.

There was another thing that Black Rose was right about. The Signer who had attacked her would not lay a finger on Akiza's companions again...

Jack hadn't expected one of his clingy fans to latch onto him as soon as he arrived in the capital, but here he was, unable to shake the girl that had appeared from seemingly nowhere as he made his way back to his house for the evening.

She'd claimed to be a reporter, and wanted to know more about the mysterious phenomena that had been cropping up around the world as of late. She said that she had witnessed Jack and another person racing against each other outside of the capital, with two dragons answering their calls - and Jack had promptly dismissed the girl in response, but she was very, very persistent.

He was half-tempted to tell Archfiend to deal with her, but he knew that doing so in the midst of the city would draw far too much attention, and not of the kind he wanted. Then again, when she followed him all the way to his front doorstep...

"Can't you see I'm busy?" Jack snapped at last, as he whirled around to face the annoying paparazza. "Leave me alone. I don't have time for an interview right now."

"R-really? Oh no, this is really bad..." The girl looked down at her notepad - or at least, Jack assumed that was what she was doing, as he couldn't see her eyes behind her ridiculous glasses. "The professor said I had to have this article drafted by midnight tonight, and I'm already on thin ice with him... um, can you at least tell me anything about that rose dragon?"

Rose dragon... that had been the one in the forest, not Yusei's. Either she was lying about the fight she'd witnessed, or- no, there was something very wrong about the way she spoke. Jack could feel it in his arm - in his mark, and in Archfiend's presence within him.

"A rose dragon, you say?" Jack raised an eyebrow, his curiosity piqued by this. "Are you sure that's what you saw?"

"Huh?" The paparazza developed a bewildered expression, and then she shook her head. "Oh... yeah, you're right, I must've been imagining things." She gave an awkward laugh. "Uh, I-I'll just leave you alone for now, then! But I still need that interview... what am I gonna do now..."

Jack took a moment to consider the situation; even if her memories were mixed up, she might have seen the clash between him and Yusei outside the capital, and she definitely saw what had happened in Akiza's forest. If that was the case, then she had some sort of magic affinity of her own - she hadn't been there, to his knowledge.

...With that sort of farsight, this girl could get in some serious trouble. Perhaps it was best to just give her the interview she so desperately wanted, just this once - maybe it would get her off of Jack's tail.

"Fine, I'll talk." Jack turned toward the door and opened it, stepping inside; he left it open for her, but did not turn back. "But keep it between yourself and your professor."

"Okay, I think I can do that!" The paparazza made her way inside, following after Jack. "By the way, my name's Carly! Just so you have a name to submit if I go missing after this..."

Those words sounded like simple paranoia on the surface, but as he led her to a more private location for their conversation, Jack had the nagging feeling that this Carly had every reason to be paranoid.

Chapter 13: Storm Clouds

Chapter Text

As it turned out, fleeing from an Earthbound Immortal guided by a cackling, bloodthirsty lunatic was not an easy task.

The Raid Raptor's engines were the only reason that Shay was able to stay a step ahead of the beast, and he kept glancing back to keep track of its master's position. The pale-skinned man rode on a glob of shadow given physical form, nearly fast enough to keep up with Shay's mount; he slowed his prey's escape by erecting massive walls of purple flame that the Raid Raptor couldn't fly above, with some sort of invisible force keeping it from using its boosters.

This chase had gone on for some time - enough for Shay to lose track of how long, and the fact that the sky was shrouded in a pitch-black mist didn't help any. He was starting to get tired, and he knew that his companion would have to refuel soon; if he were to guess, it was likely past sunset, and he didn't have the first clue where he was-

No, wait. In the distance, Shay caught a glimpse of an ivory-colored tower, a structure that had once been very familiar to him. The amethyst crystal at its apex shone bright, a beacon of light in the dark, and it seemed to be responding to the Earthbound Immortal; the slightest of openings appeared in the wall of flame, and the Raid Raptor took advantage of that opening without Shay's command, diving through it at top speed. Once outside the barrier, it flared its wings and started up its boosters to slow down, then began its ascent toward the top of the tower - fast enough that it would have been dangerous for Shay if he didn't have a magical barrier around him.

Just as he reached the top, something else emerged from the tower, shattering the carefully-laid stone wall. A black dragon with mighty fangs and wings that crackled with lightning - and someone was riding atop it, a familiar presence that Shay could never have mistaken in a hundred years. He felt it in his very being, the soul link that had bound the two of them since her birth.

That was Lulu... and she had somehow not only escaped her prison, but also tamed the dragon that kept her captive.

"Oh, you've evened up the odds?" The pursuer sounded quite a bit more upset than he had before - this clearly hadn't been part of his plan. "Well, fine then. I was getting bored, anyway. I'll let you go for now, but this isn't over yet!"

The Earthbound Immortal vanished, and the walls of fire went with it; its master disappeared as well, a veil of smoke wrapping around him before dissipating into the air. The Raid Raptor lowered Shay to the ground, sensing that the threat had left, and he hopped off its back, grateful to be on terra firma once more. Still, the unease hadn't left him yet - the dragon had descended too, and he watched Lulu as she hopped off of its back, looking a bit disoriented.

"...Yuto." Lulu seemed to be addressing the dragon; she hadn't noticed Shay yet. "How are you feeling?"

The dragon's form shifted, changing into that of a human boy - and then he collapsed on the ground, a pained expression on his face. "...Not well. I pushed myself too hard..."

Yuto... was that the dragon's name? Shay took a few tentative steps closer, and then Lulu looked in his direction and her eyes went wide. She rushed to him and threw her arms around him, her breathing heavy and uneven - but she was alive, and awake, and she had left the Keystone Tower that had served as her prison for all this time.

"Shay!" Lulu's grip on her brother tightened, and she started crying tears of joy. "You came to rescue me, didn't you...?"

"That wasn't my plan," Shay told her, though he returned her embrace regardless. "I was running away from an Earthbound Immortal and its pet creep." He lowered his voice to just above a whisper. "...Besides, it looks like you didn't need any help."

"Yes, thanks to Yuto." Lulu glanced back at the dragon kid, watching as he dragged himself to his feet and hobbled on over. "I know what you must be thinking, Shay... he isn't a bad person. He was forced to guard me against his will."

"It doesn't matter." Shay disentangled himself from Lulu, and stepped up to Yuto, glaring down at him. "How many people did you kill while you were holding my sister captive?"

"Exactly seventy-three." Yuto hung his head, staring at the ground. "I remember their faces... every single one of them. I would never forget... I only pray that their souls can find rest with the dispelling of my curse."

"How charitable of you." Shay crossed his arms over his chest. "So, you say that you were cursed? That's your excuse?"

Yuto's hand went to his neck, and he fidgeted with the oddly-shaped choker there. "Yes... I was taken from my homeland, and cursed to guard that tower with my life. If I tried to escape, or to free Lulu, then I'd lose my strength and... something else would take over. I had to watch myself kill people while I was trapped in my own mind...!"

"Shay, I understand that you're angry, but please..." Lulu placed her hand on Shay's shoulder. "You have to believe me when I say that he's telling the truth. He also saw what happened to Exyzia, and he wants to help us both out."

"...Since Lulu is vouching for you, I'll believe you." Shay conceded, though he didn't especially want to. "...For now." He inspected the design of Yuto's choker; it had two layers, one black as a starless night, the other glittering like gold, and tiny onyx crystals were inlaid on both parts, infused with some sort of incredible energy. "But you're still a dragon, and you still killed people."

"And I intend to atone for those murders." Yuto lifted his gaze, and he looked Shay in the eye; he seemed sincere enough, at least. "Thank you for believing in me. I know it isn't easy."

That earnest expression on the kid's face- Shay turned his head to the side, unwilling to look at Yuto now. "Whatever."

"We should probably rest for the night," Lulu suggested. "Yuto exhausted himself breaking me out, and I'm sure you're also tired, Shay." She glanced at the Raid Raptor, who had shut itself off to conserve energy. "As is your friend."

"There should be supplies in the lower levels of the tower." Yuto began to walk toward the other side of the structure, though he was still limping a little. "Lulu explained the layout to me, and I can sense an active stasis spell in there."

An active stasis spell - that must have been put in place for the tower guards' provisions before the war, and Shay could also faintly feel it. Reluctant, he followed the dragon boy to where he knew the tower's front door was; however unfavorable the situation was, it was better than having to deal with that Earthbound Immortal freak.

The night promised to be long, but at least Lulu was safe and secure... for the time being.

If anything, Celina's captivity had somehow gotten even worse since she broke from her cage.

After Starved Venom knocked her out, he had bound her hands and feet with ropes, and when she woke up, she found out the hard way that the ropes were enchanted. Breaking free with her magic wouldn't be easy, less so with the crazed dragon staring her down - he seemed even more interested in her now.

Now, Celina was bound to a chair as well, and she could do nothing but glare at her captor, who busied himself with tidying up the room for reasons beyond her comprehension. He seemed to think that flaunting his thankfully clothed figure was the best way to make her submit, and she didn't know where in the world he'd gotten that ridiculous idea from, but one thing was for certain: his interest in her body wasn't just for the taste of her flesh.

She shuddered as she thought of what he might have done to her while she was unconscious. If there was any mercy in this world, he hadn't done anything unsavory, but she had no way of knowing, and he certainly wouldn't tell her if she asked. She wasn't sore, at least, so...

"You have the wrong idea, princess." As if he'd read her mind, Starved Venom spoke up out of the blue, and turned to look at her. "Toys are no fun if they break that easily."

He made his way over to her and leaned in close, their faces mere inches apart. Celina did the only thing she could, and spat in his face.

"Pardon me?" Starved Venom pulled himself away and wiped his face off, and a hint of a scowl crossed his features. "Well, you're even feistier than you were in your dreams." His scowl twisted into a smirk. "I think I like you even more now."

"Get lost," Celina hissed, glaring at him. "Don't you even care about being free? Can't you go anywhere you want now?"

"While that is true..." Starved Venom reached to the side of his head with one hand, caressing the small earring that hung from his pointed ear; the design of the gemstone was curious, a swirl of blue and red that congealed into purple at the center, and it was obvious that this was no natural stone. "I'm under orders. What I want doesn't matter... and besides, playing with you is fun."

The more he talked, the more disgusted Celina grew with him. He had already been vile enough before, but it seemed like he was actively trying to be creepy now. Something was very wrong with this kid's head, and not just because he was a dragon-

Out of sheer, morbid curiosity, she decided to reach into her soul for a moment to investigate his, and what she found there was alarming. The curse laid upon him had been broken when she'd escaped her cage, and his form had been forcibly altered in the process, but that wasn't the only darkness in him - another shadow was present, twisting its way around his soul like some sort of vine, and when she tried to ascertain its origin, her right arm lit up with the most intense pain she could ever recall feeling.

As she struggled to regain her sensibilities, Celina came to a horrifying realization. The curse that kept Starved Venom bound to this tower was not the only way that he had been manipulated, and whoever had leashed him possessed power beyond her understanding. If even a dragon could be laid low by that power...

Was this the real reason for his abhorrent behavior? Had he been a different person before his transfer from the realm of dragons?

"You know, if you wanted a peek that badly, you could have just asked." Starved Venom gave a harsh laugh, and took off the jacket that had formed upon his change of shape. Celina cringed at the thought that the one last barrier between his body and her sanity would be broken down.

"Don't you dare," she snapped, in a desperate effort to stop him. He looked mildly affronted for a brief moment, then turned away, scoffing before he resumed his previous activity of tidying the room up.

Disaster had been averted for the time being, but Celina didn't know how much longer she could stand being held captive by this freak of nature.

Chapter 14: Earthbound

Chapter Text

Thanks to the king's decree, Yusei was given the privilege of a guest room in the royal castle. The plan was for him and Jack to rest for the night, then return to the forest the next day to see if Akiza could be further persuaded; until then, he would get his first taste of real comfort and luxury in his life, and he wasn't sure what to make of it.

He'd been raised on struggling for every scrap of food and spare article of clothing to survive, and he spent his free time arm-deep in machinery, working out the kinks in someone else's car or setting up a radio station to smooth out communications. Not having anything to do made him uneasy, and so he opted to step outside after just a few hours of rest, making his way down to where his bike had been stored outside the castle gates.

Stardust had been gentle with the machine, but it had still gotten a few superficial scratches from the mere fact that it had been carried by a dragon. Yusei wanted to make sure that there wasn't any deeper damage; it had worked fine when he rode through the streets of the city after being dropped off at the edge, but there was no such thing as being too cautious in his eyes. Even the slightest malfunction could lead to a chain reaction, and a crash had the potential to be fatal.

He had only gotten partway through the inspection when a now-familiar ache in his right arm distracted him from his work, and he looked around in an effort to find whoever was causing it. It didn't take long once he looked up, as there was no mistaking those petal-like wings - Black Rose drifted in from the sky, holding Akiza tight in two thornless vines.

How peculiar. Yusei hadn't expected to see Akiza again so soon, and he wondered what sort of circ*mstances would have led to her seeking him out.

"Signer." Black Rose addressed Yusei, and Stardust's presence flared in response, as if acknowledging his fellow dragon. "My lady wishes to speak with you."

Black Rose lowered herself to the ground, and set Akiza down on her feet before disappearing back into her mark. The witch of the forest took a few tentative steps toward Yusei, but maintained a good distance - she seemed apprehensive in more than one way, and her hand went to her mark as she stared at her feet, dead silent.

"What is it?" Yusei asked, as he stood from where he'd been kneeling beside his motorcycle. Despite Black Rose's words, Akiza wasn't eager to make the first move-

"They're gone." Akiza shifted in place, her discomfort palpable now. "My friends... my family... my home. Black Rose told me to come here..."

...So that had been a tactic employed by Black Rose, not Akiza's true desire. From her words, it sounded as if something big had happened after Yusei and Jack's departure, and the fire in her soul had all but vanished in one fell swoop.

"Can you tell me what happened?" Yusei attempted to meet Akiza's gaze, but she refused to look at him, and his heart sank at the sight. He wanted so badly to help her, but even now, she resisted his aid - he had no choice but to give her as much space as he could.

"...Earthbound Immortal." Akiza's voice went quiet, and she clutched her arm tight. "That was what Black Rose called it... it came up from the ground all of a sudden, and started burning everything in sight. It took Sayer, and all my friends... its power was... unspeakable."

"An Earthbound Immortal..." Stardust repeated those words, his tone grave. "So they've already begun to awaken."

"What's an Earthbound Immortal?" Yusei turned his attention to his dragon, his curiosity piqued. "And how do you know about them?"

"The Earthbound Immortals are beings more terrible than you could ever imagine," Stardust explained, and he, too, became uneasy. "They are the world's evils given flesh, despair and ruin born from the darkness within all living things. When first awakened, without a tether, they are mindless and crazed, destroying everything they come across... but once they find a tether, their consciousness awakens, and they seek out their greatest obstacles first." A brief pause. "...Those obstacles are the Signers. The Crimson Dragon sealed the Earthbound Immortals in the distant past, and now they seek revenge for their imprisonment."

It wasn't hard to put two and two together. One of these Earthbound Immortals had broken free from its seal and destroyed the forest, with the Signer and her dragon as the only survivors of its rampage. With that in mind, the Immortal had most likely not found its tether yet - it would have hunted Akiza down otherwise.

"What are their tethers?" Yusei inquired next, and Stardust's presence flared harshly. Both of the Signers' marks lit up, resonating with each other, and an image began to form in Yusei's mind.

"The Signers are the heralds of the Crimson Dragon and its followers, chosen by the stars," Stardust continued, as the image took the shape of a human with pallid skin and a mark on their arm. "The Earthbound Immortals, too, have chosen heralds - the Dark Signers, which are the negative to the Signers' positive." The mark in the vision glowed purple, a contrast to the Signers' red. "These are the tethers which bind the Earthbound Immortals to the realm of the living. To become a Dark Signer, one must lose their life while embraced by their heart's evil... they will be reborn, bound to the Immortals in much the same way as the Crimson Dragon's followers are bound to the Signers."

The image in Yusei's mind changed further still, taking the form of a young woman with inky eyes. An enormous lizard emerged from her mark, its skin pitch-black and decorated with an intricate pattern of luminescent lines.

"Their connection is not equal, though." Stardust's presence shifted once again, and the eyes of the woman in the vision lit up in the same shade as her mark. "While the Signers and their bonded allies work together, a Dark Signer is merely a tool - a vessel for the Earthbound Immortal's mind. Dark Signers are deluded into believing they have their own agency... until they do something that their Earthbound Immortal does not approve of, and then the demon wrests control from its tether. To those who've fallen under an Immortal's sway, death is a mercy."

Those last words made Yusei feel sick. From the sound of it, in order to defeat an Earthbound Immortal, its tether had to be killed again, and that was the task of the Signers - a task he had been chosen for. He had gotten into plenty of fights growing up, but the thought of actually killing someone with his own hands...

"...Yusei." Akiza addressed him, distracting him from his thoughts. "I don't have a home to return to... but I don't intend to go down without a fight. I... will use this pain as my strength, like Sayer taught me." She looked up at last, renewed fire in her eyes. "However, even with that, I cannot destroy that Earthbound Immortal on my own. Do not mistake this for forgiveness or acceptance - I fight as a Signer for myself."

...The opposite of Yusei, then. He gave a slight nod, acknowledging Akiza's statement; even if circ*mstances had forced her hand, she was on his side for now, and that was what King Rex wanted.

"I'll let Jack know there's been a change of plans." Yusei turned toward the castle gates. "If you don't have anywhere else to go, you can stay in my room."

He was no stranger to camping, and after what Akiza had been through, she deserved some measure of comfort. As small as the gesture was, he hoped that it would help to bridge the gap between the two of them.

"I appreciate your offer." Akiza stepped up beside Yusei, and then something invaded her tone that he hadn't heard from her before - concern. "But what about you?"

"I don't need a roof," was Yusei's simple answer, as he approached the massive door that denoted the castle's entrance.

What had started as an interview with Jack Atlas turned into an interrogation for Carly Carmine, and she wasn't as bothered by that fact as she should have been.

Of course, she'd gotten to see a side of the legendary champion that he kept from public eyes. She had long assumed that his haughtiness was part of his stage persona, but as it turned out, he was even worse in private; his questions came off more like demands, and she had the constant feeling throughout their conversation that he was belittling her. It annoyed her to no end, but what disturbed her even more was how readily she'd answered his inquiries about Rasca and what she saw in her visions.

No matter how nasty he was, Jack had a reason to be caught up in all of this. Carly had learned a few things about him as well - he was a Signer, chosen by the stars to protect the world from an unseen evil, and the mark on his arm allowed him to call out the dragon that he had made a pact with. Said dragon had also apparently told him a couple of less-than-pleasant things about Rasca, and he had relayed that message to Carly... in his own way, but that helped her take the hint a bit better.

The organization wasn't to be trusted. She'd had a feeling that was the case, but she would never have guessed that they routinely wiped her memories to keep her pacified; she couldn't dredge up any of those lost memories, but the ones she had were bizarre enough to confirm the fact beyond reasonable doubt. She came to understand that she had never actually seen the battle between Jack and his brother outside the city - that had been implanted in her mind in an effort to keep her from recalling the fight in the forest that she had observed, though she had no way of knowing why Professor Goodwin would have done something like that.

Either way, it didn't matter. Carly's days as a member of Rasca were over, even if it meant she was now unemployed and homeless. She'd just look for a new, more mundane job that didn't torture her with lizards and reassign her memories for their own purposes; her farsight was still underdeveloped, but maybe that was for the better. It had caused her nothing but trouble as far as she could recall, and there was no telling what unpleasant secrets had been wiped from her mind.

That just left the issue of finding shelter for the time being. She could have gone back and asked Jack to let her stay at his place for one night, just until she figured out something better, but she didn't want to impose on him more than she already had. There was his younger brother, who she'd learned a lot about in their discussion, but she could already sense that he was otherwise preoccupied. The last option was... setting up camp in her car.

With her decision finalized, Carly came to the sinking realization that her life was even more of a mess than she thought.

Chapter 15: Heart to Heart

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In her time traveling together with him, Yuzu had learned a few things about Yuya that she could never have learned while they were trapped in the tower.

First, he was a voracious eater. Over two-thirds of the food they scrounged up went to him, and more than being offended, she was impressed that he was able to fit all that inside his now-small body. He'd explained to her that even in this form, he needed a lot more energy than a human, though whether that was the truth or an excuse was unclear.

Second, he could still visit her dreams, though he did so involuntarily this time. Once he realized what was going on, he apologized to her and backed off, and she appreciated that he had the courtesy to leave her be.

Third, he spent far too long bathing. There was a small stream near their campsite, and he didn't return from it for well over an hour after excusing himself; when he got back, she gave him a thorough scolding, and he once again apologized to her.

Fourth... he looked good with wet hair. A bit too good, if she was to be honest. She had to remind herself that despite appearances, he was, in fact, a dragon.

...Not that it mattered much. Yuzu was starting to come to terms with the fact that she was attracted to Yuya in more ways than one, and she only hoped that he didn't somehow unearth her dark secret.

After eating breakfast, they abandoned their camp and started off again, continuing the long trek toward Penduluma. The sky was somewhat overcast, and while Yuzu wasn't too concerned about herself due to her magic, she wondered if Yuya minded the rain much. With how carefree he was most of the time, she imagined him being the sort to enjoy playing in it-

"Hey, why don't you try riding on my back next time?"

Out of absolutely nowhere, the odd-eyed dragon boy suggested something that would have made a lot more sense if he didn't have limited access to his dragon form. It caught Yuzu so off-guard that she stopped and stared at him for a moment, silently begging him for something resembling a reasonable explanation.

"Oh, uh..." Yuya stopped as well, looking a bit sheepish. "That'd probably be embarrassing for you, wouldn't it? You can forget I said anything."

That just made Yuzu even more confused. Did he mean carrying her in this form...?

"I don't think it'd be that embarrassing." Yuzu decided to run on the assumption that Yuya hadn't meant something so bizarre. "But... you can't stay in that form for very long, can you? I don't think we'd get a lot of mileage out of it."

"Well, yeah, but..." This time, Yuya actually blushed, his face turning just a shade paler than the lower layer of his hair. "I figured... you don't look that heavy, and I'm pretty strong, so maybe..."

...He had meant carrying her in this form. This kid had more than a few screws loose.

"What do you mean by that?" For her sanity's sake, Yuzu chose to address the weight issue, rather than thinking over his ludicrous suggestion at length. "I don't look that heavy? How many human girls have you weighed before? Are you saying I'm-" She cut herself off as she realized that he hadn't meant it as an insult, merely an observation, and that he had, in fact, not said that she was fat.

If he had a few screws loose, she had some important parts missing. Why, after all this time, was he having this effect on her?

"I'm guessing that's a no." Yuya seemed a bit disappointed, but just like always, he understood her discomfort. "Okay then, why don't we try taking shorter breaks more often?"

Yuzu attempted to shake off some of the fog that had clouded her mind, and gave a nod in response. "Th-that sounds like a good idea. Sorry I can't keep up with you..."

"Hey, don't worry about it," Yuya insisted, and he moved closer to her so that he could place a hand on her shoulder. "There were plenty of people back home that couldn't keep up with me. That's the big pro of training to be a performer!"

Somehow, even his boasting was cute. The fog invaded Yuzu's brain once again, and she decided that this time, it was too much effort to try and get rid of it.

"Even your fellow dragons?" Yuzu knew that it was a bad idea to boost his ego, but she was well beyond caring at this point. "That's pretty impressive. I guess you really are one-of-a-kind..."

"Well, I had a lot to compensate for." Yuya rubbed the back of his head with his hand. "Remember, wingless dragons aren't all that common or popular. The only way I could get any respect was through hard work." Despite his words, he bore a smile on his face. "But hey, at least that means I'm really strong now, right?"

He found a way to put a positive spin on everything, and that didn't help with the reduction in Yuzu's mental faculties that he caused just by being around her. She started to walk again, putting some distance between them before he noticed - and he caught up in the blink of an eye, almost as if showing off.

"Maybe I'll take you up on that first offer," Yuzu murmured, and she absently wondered how good Yuya's hearing was. "Just for a little while, though."

"You mean me carrying you?" Yuya sounded a bit surprised, but he gave an enthusiastic nod. "Sure! Just let me know when you get tired, and we can give it a try. If it makes you uncomfortable, we'll just take a regular break instead."

He could hear well enough to understand her when her voice was quiet, at least. That was both reassuring and not, and she chose not to think too hard on it for now.

There were more important things to worry about. If they traveled all day without stopping, they could reach the border of Penduluma, and then the capital would be another day's walk from there, assuming they weren't able to catch a bus. The problem was that Yuzu couldn't walk that distance all at once - she was already sore from pushing herself yesterday - and if Yuya carried her, that would probably slow him down, too. Even though she wanted to get home as soon as possible, she had to face the facts.

...Well, the two of them had already waited eighteen years for this day. What was another few days?

In retrospect, Rin knew that she shouldn't have suggested sharing body heat with Yugo to keep them both warm through the night.

She'd woken up with a very clingy and cuddly dragon boy wrapped around her, and had acted on instinct, shoving him off with more force than was necessary. He'd whined like a kicked puppy as she put together their leftovers from last night for breakfast, and she had to assure him that no, she didn't hate him, he'd just made her uncomfortable by getting too close. After they broke camp, he apologized continuously for the next fifteen minutes, and then started babbling about inane things that had nothing to do with their current situation.

Perhaps it was just the thrill of being free - Yugo had shown shades of this behavior when Rin was in stasis, but he hadn't quite expressed himself to this degree. She couldn't fault him for that, but it was still a bit tiring, and she had half a mind to tell him that she needed space once they arrived in the Outlands. Not the most practical way of going about things, but she was confident in her ability to defend herself, at least.

A little less than two hours had passed, with Yugo not shutting up once in all that time, when he veered off into a very different topic than what he had been rambling about before. The change was so abrupt that Rin stopped dead in her tracks as soon as the words left his mouth.

"Hey, I wanna see if I can change forms again."

...Well, he'd rested since their little prison break, so Rin figured that there was no harm in trying. She gave a nod, confirming that she had no objections, and then watched as Yugo placed his left hand on the bracelet that encircled his right wrist, closing his eyes as he focused on the power trapped within the accessory.

Unlike his last few attempts, the transformation was successful this time, and he looked rather proud of himself as he spread his crystalline wings. Like this, he looked less cute and more majestic - yet Rin knew the truth behind that powerful visage, and not even his dragon form could fool her into thinking that he could use his brain for long.

"Hey, check it out!" As if showing off to his audience of one, Yugo twirled in midair, floating up a few feet before he lowered himself back down to ground level. "I feel stronger this time. Maybe we could make it all the way to the Outlands like this?"

He had taken them a good distance before running out of energy the first time around, so if he was stronger now, that was a distinct possibility. Still, there was one significant problem that they had to address - the fact that he almost definitely had a thing for Rin, and she wasn't sure if she was comfortable riding on his back with that knowledge, dragon form or not.

"I don't know about that..." Rin recalled the position she'd woken up in that morning. "You should probably conserve your energy. We don't know what we'll face once we arrive in the Outlands."

"Huh. I hadn't even thought about that." Yugo conceded with relative ease, and returned to his human form. "It's a pretty bad place, isn't it? At least there shouldn't be any other dragons there."

The abrupt change in the way he communicated gave Rin a mild headache, though she kind of wondered if it was also caused by putting up with him in general. At least she knew that he meant well.

"Yeah, you can get in some bodyguard training," Rin teased him, and the look on his face indicated that the joke had gone right over his head. If he was really that eager to be her bodyguard, then... she couldn't formally hire him, as she was sure he'd insist on doing it without compensation, but she didn't mind the idea in the long term.

...Maybe it would also help with these troublesome feelings she had begun to develop. A princess couldn't date her bodyguard, after all.

"I'll make sure no one lays a finger on you, Rin-Rin!" Yugo's hands balled into fists, and he glared at nothing in particular. "If they even think about it, I'll show 'em what Clear-Wing can do!"

"What Clear-Wing can do right now is get a move on." Rin moved so that she could give him a gentle shove from behind. "If we don't pick up the pace, we'll never reach Synchronia."

Yugo took the hint and resumed walking, though he also decided to open his mouth again. "So, you sure you don't want to ride on my back?"

...This guy was a handful and then some. If Rin had the patience to put up with Yugo's nonsense, then maybe she had what it took to rule Synchronia after all.

Chapter 16: The Unwanted Edict

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Lost as she was in her new state of existence, Akiza wasn't sure how to feel when she was invited to a meeting with the king of Synchronia alongside her fellow Signers.

Her mark had been a boon to her while navigating the castle, as the guards allowed her passage wherever she went. Through the night, despite Yusei's generosity, she was unable to sleep; her mind buzzed with thoughts of what had happened, the betrayal of her mentor and the loss of her home to the Earthbound Immortal, and she wished that she could turn back time, just for a day. If not to set things right, at least so that she could prepare for the inevitable...

Listless from lack of sleep, Akiza did not resist when one of the castle guards escorted her to the throne room. Yusei and the other Signer - Jack, that was his name - stood before King Rex, and she could sense their unease. The faint echoes of another person's feelings that blossomed through her arm felt strange and unreal, almost as if she had fallen asleep and all of this was just a dream... but she knew that it wasn't.

She had never felt those things from Sayer. He did not bear the mark of the Crimson Dragon, and so she was unable to sense his true feelings. That was how he'd deceived her - no matter how much she wanted to believe that it wasn't true, there would be no other reason for him to attack her out of the blue like he had. Black Rose, Yusei and Jack had all been right, and Akiza, the foolish girl that she was, had been wrong.

"Three of the Signers have now gathered." The king spoke, drawing the attention of his full audience of three. "Young Akiza, I have heard of your circ*mstances. Know that what transpired in the forest is not your fault, and with the aid of the other Signers, you may eventually defeat the Earthbound Immortal who brought your home ruin."

Akiza gave a curt nod. "I know. That's why I'm here."

"That Earthbound Immortal didn't have a tether." Yusei voiced the same fact that Black Rose had told Akiza the previous evening. "It didn't chase after Akiza when she left the forest. Would it be possible to-"

"It is not possible," King Rex interrupted him, raising a hand. "Without a Dark Signer to channel its mind, it is far less dangerous. However, destroying its body alone will not defeat its mind, and it will simply return after a time." He lowered his hand. "We must wait for the Earthbound Immortal to form its contract. Only then can it be truly defeated."

A troubling fact, indeed. Akiza wondered if Sayer's death in the forest had allowed him to become one of these tethers, and if he had bound himself to the creature that was responsible for his own demise; the thought of facing him as a Dark Signer was even more terrifying than merely meeting his vengeful ghost.

"Therefore, for the time being, you must abandon your quest for revenge," Rex continued, and he turned his gaze upon Akiza. "There is yet one Signer who has not joined you. She resides in Penduluma, and if you are to recruit her, you must go to the capital."

"Right, I'd almost forgotten." Jack's expression turned sour. "So you want us to go to another country to pick up a child from daycare? With all due respect, Your Majesty-"

"Recall my edict," Rex stated, unrelenting. "You will go to the capital of Penduluma and meet the fourth Signer. Then, once you have met her, you will bring her here. Furthermore, I request that you bring her brother as well... he, too, possesses great potential."

Akiza recalled that there were five Signers in total, but only four of them had awakened. The last one was yet unknown - could the girl's brother really be chosen?

"...As well, there are others who I wish for you to meet." The king stood and waved his hand, weaving an image through the air. "At last, the princesses of the four kingdoms have broken free of their prisons. Their captors, the dragons, still watch over them in their travels. Find the princesses, slay their captors, and return them to their homes."

Akiza felt the touch of magic on her soul, and she quickly realized that this was the power of a royal decree. Those bound by such a spell could not defy their king's orders; if they did, they would lose their free will, becoming a puppet that followed the king's will absolutely.

Now that she thought about it, she felt like she'd heard of something like that elsewhere as well...

The vision that appeared before the three Signers was of the kingdoms' princesses, along with the dragons who watched over them. In the blink of an eye, the dragons' forms twisted, changing into human-like boys; each wore an accessory which contained their power, a necklace and a bracelet and a choker and an earring, and when those artifacts reflected their souls, they returned to the forms of beasts.

"...Let's go." Yusei glanced between his two companions, then turned to leave the throne room. Akiza could feel how uncomfortable he was - he must have been disturbed by the thought of killing the four dragons after seeing their altered appearances, though she did not share those reservations.

The king's word was absolute, and Akiza had done her fair share of killing as the witch of the Garden of Thorns.

"...Something isn't right."

As soon as the three of them were outside the earshot of the king and the castle guards, Yusei addressed Jack and Akiza, his heart pounding in his chest as he thought of the four dragons. He was no expert when it came to dragon ages, but in their human forms, those four looked so... young.

Were they truly the monsters King Rex claimed they were, or were they just children who had been dragged into a battle they never wanted to fight?

"You don't have to say that," Jack agreed, his irritation mirrored in Yusei's mark. "Those dragons are no match for ours! Why do we have to kill them?"

"To set an example for whoever ordered them," Akiza suggested, and Yusei couldn't agree more. He had the sinking feeling that someone was pulling the dragons' strings behind the scenes - it was a definite possibility, if nothing else.

"Are you suggesting that those four have a master?" Jack clenched his right hand into a fist. "Well, I suppose it isn't out of the question... but if that's the case, why not target their master instead?"

"The king may not know who their master is." Yusei considered another, far more horrifying possibility. "...Or he does know, and doesn't want them to be held accountable."

"Maybe..." Akiza raised her arm, calling out her dragon. "Regardless, we've been given an order. Until the conditions are fulfilled, the contract we have with the king can't be easily dispelled... I've heard of such royal edicts before." She looked up at Black Rose. "They're incredibly powerful persuasive spells, and even dragons can be swayed by them."

Even dragons... Yusei tried to suppress the sick feeling in his gut, and called out Stardust as well. He hoped and prayed that his partner wasn't bound by the same contract, and that they'd be able to find out the truth about what had happened to those four.

If they had been given magical orders that they couldn't defy, was there any way to free them from their binds?

"Exercise great caution," Stardust warned. "I know what you are thinking. You wish to see if you can save those young dragons... yet keep in mind that doing so would go against the king's decree. Overriding your will and forcing you to do his bidding would be a simple task for him, and there is only so much that I can do to protect you."

"I know." Without an ounce of hesitation, Yusei climbed onto Stardust's back. "Can you track down either the princesses or the dragons?"

"Yes, the dragons." Stardust oriented himself toward the approximate direction of the Keystone Tower. "One is approaching the Outlands as we speak. It is safe to assume that he escorts the princess of Synchronia."

"...Let's rev it up." Yusei glanced over at Jack, who had called out Archfiend as well; there was an unmistakable hint of intrigue resonating between their marks, and it did not come from Yusei alone.

Despite his outward behavior, Jack had started to warm up to his brother once again, and that was all Yusei could ask for right now.

Though her training had not been completed, Carly had developed enough of a grasp on her farsight that she could watch over Jack, just as he had told her to. She didn't have the first clue why he wanted her to track him - his explanation had raised more questions than it answered, and he hadn't spared her a moment more than what he deemed necessary.

She observed him from the relative safety of his house, surrounded by wards that would keep any potential interlopers at bay. He rode atop his dragon Archfiend, hurtling toward an unknown destination at a speed that would have been impossible to keep up with if it weren't for her mystic vision; as it was, she saw him and his two companions clearly, and she felt as if just watching them together helped her understand the Signers a whole lot better.

Yusei was relentlessly kind and selfless, but also very practical. Despite his age, he was skilled at working with machines, and had built a few on his own - one of which had been stolen in the past, and that loss had torn a hole in his heart. His love for inanimate objects was a bit concerning, but Carly wasn't above material attachments herself; she did have her favorite camera, and the enchanted notepad she'd smuggled out from under Rasca's nose had helped her out on more occasions than she could count.

Akiza was more difficult to figure out, but Carly could see the anger that clouded her judgment. A painful past, a betrayal, just waking up on the wrong side of the bed that morning... it could have been caused by any number of things, and Carly wasn't skilled enough with farsight to pick apart the psyche of one who kept her heart so closely guarded. Not that she wanted to - the main subject of this report was Jack, not a witch with possible severe mental damage.

...Though it seemed that, all of a sudden, Carly had trouble focusing on Jack. Some unseen force swayed the attention of her mind's eye, and she found herself viewing instead a trio of strange-looking people. A girl with feathers in her hair, a boy with a weird layered choker, and a young man with a sharp look in his eye - and what was even more bizarre was that Carly could swear she recognized two of them.

Wait, were those the prince and princess of the ruined kingdom of Exyzia? If they were, then this was a far bigger scoop than watching the Signers do their thing. It meant that somehow, Princess Lulu had escaped her temporal cage, as well as the Keystone Tower which held her.

Carly decided that just this once, it wasn't such a bad idea to track down this odd trio instead of following her orders. That was exactly the kind of behavior that had gotten her in trouble while she was with Rasca, but... well, old habits died hard, and she wanted to know why in the world Prince Shay looked younger than her.

Chapter 17: Clash of Souls

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The young dragon called Yugo could feel in every fiber of his being that he and Rin were no longer alone on this trail.

He felt the presence of other dragons, approaching at a rapid rate. Two... no, three, and their power was far stronger and more ancient than his. The bracelet that held his dormant power shone bright as the trio drew near, and he prepared himself to fight tooth and nail to protect Rin, even unto his last breath-

No, those weren't ordinary dragons. The humans they carried with them - that was the power of the Great Red One, the blessing of the stars which had allowed Rin to break free from her prison. There was something else which flowed beneath that magic, a dangerous undercurrent that should have intimidated Yugo, yet he chose to stand strong.

He took in the visages of the three humans as they landed in front of him, recalling their paired dragons into their sigils. A tall man with pretty blond hair, a shorter man with spiky black and gold hair, and a red-haired girl with a fiery look in her eyes; the young dragon waved to each of them in turn, showing the respect that all Signers deserved, and then he spoke his greeting.

"Hey. You guys look pretty weird."

The blond man looked taken aback, gawking at Yugo as if he'd grown a second head. "Weird? Have you looked in a mirror lately!?"

"Settle down, Jack." The black-haired man raised a hand to his companion, and the tiniest hint of a smile tugged at his lips. "From an outside perspective, we are a pretty strange group."

"And you can thank the Crimson Dragon for that." The girl spoke up next, and while she appeared somewhat miffed, she hadn't taken the observation quite as hard. "Honestly... why would it even choose someone like me?"

The Crimson Dragon - right, that was what humans called the Great Red One. Also a lot of dragons, but Yugo had always wanted to set himself apart from his kin. Case in point: he had already forgotten his original draconic name, since Yugo was what Rin called him and that meant it sounded better to him, like a refreshing spring breeze.

"Don't forget our royal orders, Yusei." The blond guy - Jack - addressed his smaller comrade, his tone harsh. "We're supposed to slay this dragon."

Slay the dragon... he meant Yugo, didn't he!?

"No way!" Yugo's hands clenched into fists, and he glared at Jack. "I'm not just gonna let you slay me! You want to take Rin-Rin away, don't you? Well, the only one who can decide where she goes is her!"

"Hey, Yugo." Rin returned from her brief excursion at last, her timing perfect as she stepped up behind Yugo and placed a hand on his shoulder. "What's going on here?"

"Those guys wanna kill me!" Yugo pointed angrily at the trio of Signers - blessed by the Great Red One or not, they were still being very rude. "And then they're gonna take you away against your will! I'm gonna-"

"Easy, Yugo," Rin insisted, and then she stepped in front of her bodyguard. "Please, leave him be. He may be loud and troublesome, but he doesn't mean any harm. He actually helped me get out of the tower."

Yugo wanted to complain about Rin's choice of words, but he didn't have time to - all of a sudden, his arms and legs were caught up in twisting, thorny vines. He struggled to escape, but that only tore the fabric of his suit and scratched his skin, causing him to shout in pain.

"Regardless, we have an order from higher up." The fiery-eyed girl took a few steps closer, holding her arm out as if directing the vines - no, she was directing the vines. "We have no choice but to obey our order to kill him."

That sounded... somehow familiar, though in his current situation, Yugo couldn't dredge up the memory. Instead, he focused on the power stored within his bracelet, preparing to do the one thing he could do-

A harsh gust of wind blew across Yugo's skin, leaving him untouched, but the vines were shredded to pieces. The witch girl gasped, startled by the effortless counterattack, and Rin placed her hands on her hips, staring down her opponent... well, she would have if she was just a bit taller.

"So you're under a royal edict," Rin observed, and from the corner of his eye, Yugo could just barely see the way she glared at the witch. "I was hoping that I wouldn't have to do this, but... it looks like I don't have a choice. Let's give you some new orders."

Her eyes shone with a fierce and powerful light that chilled Yugo to the bone. It reminded him of his captivity, when she slept in a magic cage - was that the same power? At the very least, it was something similar, and he was just grateful that it was on his side this time, rather than being used to control him.

"Then... you're the princess of Synchronia." The witch girl looked Rin up and down. "No wonder you were able to cut through my vines so easily..."

"Why are you standing up for this creature?" Jack demanded, half-irritated and half-curious - at least, that was what Yugo assumed. "Didn't he keep you prisoner in the Keystone Tower?"

"No, that would be whoever was responsible for jailing him." Rin shook her head. "He was under a curse that forced him to stay there and attack anyone who got close. He actually kept me company by visiting my dreams for the past eighteen years."

"Yeah!" Yugo added his two cents, nodding vigorously. "I wanted to get her out just as bad as I wanted to get myself out! So then she did this weird spell and broke out of her cage, and it turned me into this," he gestured at himself, "but I don't really mind since I can still fight and protect her and-"

"A curse, you say?" The middle kid, Yusei, interrupted Yugo's tangent. "Do you know who put it on you?"

There were some questions that had no answers. Yugo gave a shrug and shook his head - he hadn't even been aware of his abduction until after he woke up in the tower's top chamber.

"...Then it might still be a possibility." Yusei looked over at the witch, who nodded at him; then, he returned his attention to the traveling pair. "It's a good thing you were able to break the spell on us so easily, Princess. Akiza came here fully intending to kill that dragon."

Now that didn't make any sense. Why would a Signer intend to kill a dragon while not under the influence of- oh.

"I'm not 'that dragon'!" Yugo distracted himself from his momentary lapse in judgment by yelling at the spiky-haired guy, shaking his fist in anger. "My name's Yugo! Get it right!"

"...Definitely young." Jack placed a hand to his forehead as he spoke. "I can see why you didn't want to kill him, Yusei. You always were too soft for your own good... you wouldn't even slay a hatchling."

To his credit, Yusei remained calm in response to that, as if the comment had gone right over his head. "Thanks. I'll remember that." His tone became stern. "Yugo... Princess Rin. Would you please come with us?"

"I need to keep an eye on you to make sure you don't defy my royal edict." Rin gave a quick nod. "So yes, I'll come with you. Are you looking for the others?"

"There's a fourth and potential fifth Signer that we're looking for," Akiza answered, humming. "They're in Penduluma, and I'm sure that the country's princess is headed there as well."

"Along with her dragon captor," Yusei added. "Does this edict apply only to Yugo, or to all of the dragons?"

Rin looked down, uncomfortable. "Well... there's one I'm not sure about. But under my new directive, you aren't allowed to harm the dragons who watched over the towers of Penduluma, Synchronia and Exyzia."

"That leaves Fusionia," Jack deduced, and a downright nasty expression crossed his face. "That must mean one of the dragons is no well-meaning victim... and we're still under orders to kill him."

"In due time, Jack." Yusei glanced toward the horizon. "For now, we need to meet with the princess of Penduluma and the fourth Signer. If we encounter Exyzia's princess along the way, then..."

He trailed off, an unspoken thought there that even Yugo understood. Exyzia was in ruins, and its princess had no country to return to; her only recourse was one of the three that remained, and if what Rin said about Fusionia was true, then it wasn't really an option, either. Geographically, Exyzia was closer to Penduluma than Synchronia, so it made the most sense that the princess would go there.

"Then we'll help her out as well!" Yugo offered his opinion on the matter - there was no reason not to, in the case that they crossed paths. "Now let's get this show on the road!" He glanced over at Rin. "Sure you don't wanna ride on my back?"

"No," Rin stated with finality, and Yugo couldn't help feeling just the slightest bit disappointed.

The young dragon called Yuya was, for the first time since his imprisonment in the Keystone Tower of Penduluma, truly happy.

He had caught glimpses of happiness in his dreams, when he visited Yuzu in hers and got to know her better with each day that passed. The illusion of joy was shattered when he woke up and had to fight people - to kill people with his own claws while he stood powerless to oppose himself, watching from the cage in the back of his mind. The memories of those whose blood he'd spilled would never be forgotten, and those awful days were over now, but he still sought atonement.

In his new form, Yuya would blend in far better with the people of Penduluma. Maybe, with time, he would be able to forget what had happened over the course of those nightmarish eighteen years... and if anyone could help him overcome his past, it was Yuzu, who he now swore to protect for a reason unrelated to his curse.

She was more than just the princess of a country. She was a ray of hope, her magic like nothing Yuya had ever seen before, even in his homeland. Like she had freed him and herself, Yuzu would free the whole world of suffering in time, and the mere thought of that was enough to put a smile on Yuya's face for the time being.

He wanted that smile to remain forever, to linger through the eons for as long as he lived. When Yuzu passed from this world - and Yuya knew that she would go before him, he wasn't stupid enough to delude himself otherwise - he would carry on her legacy, reminding the people of the four human kingdoms and the realm of dragons alike that happiness was something everyone could attain, if only they reached out and grasped it. He would atone for the suffering he'd caused in this way, and-

A dark shroud began to encroach upon the sky, and Yuya was stirred from his thoughts. He and Yuzu had been traveling for some time now, and she was starting to look tired; he'd considered asking her if she wanted to take a break, but it seemed as if the weather had already made their decision for them. As he looked up at the sky, however, Yuya could sense that this was no natural storm - it was the herald of something far worse, and on instinct, he focused on the power that had been stored within his pendulum.

The shift occurred just in time for him to deflect a gust of razor wind that was clearly the work of magic. Yuya sniffed the air to determine where the spell had come from, and before long, his eyes fixed on a veil of shadow that appeared nearby; a tall woman emerged from the veil, her inky gaze instilling a sense of unease in the young dragon.

Yuya glanced to his side, and saw that Yuzu had taken up a position beside him, ready for battle. He reached out to her with his mind, a form of private communication that had become like second nature to them.

"Hey, uh, I don't like how this lady feels," he told his friend, unable to keep his concern hidden. "She's..."

"...A summoner." Yuzu nodded once at Yuya, then turned to look at the newcomer, keeping an eye on her. "Who are you, and why are you here?"

"Call me Misty," the woman replied, and then she raised her hand; a sigil glowed on her arm, and a wicked grin drew across her lips. "Or, if you would prefer... Earthbound Immortal Ccarayhua!"

The earth beneath Yuya's feet shook, and a gargantuan figure emerged from Misty's mark. It looked a little like a wingless dragon, but the way its eyes moved wasn't like any dragon Yuya had met before, and the power which radiated from it defied any sort of description. Not for the first time in his relatively short life, Yuya felt overwhelmed by fear - he'd heard of the Earthbound Immortals, and thought that they were just a legend to scare hatchlings into going to bed early at night.

It seemed that he'd been proven wrong, and that maybe he shouldn't have stayed up late to practice his routine on school nights...

"It was bold of you to try and fight back." Misty's tone carried a taunting lilt to it, and she lowered her arm, gesturing toward Yuya and Yuzu. "But I'm afraid that this time, fortune does not favor the bold...!"

The enormous lizard brought its hand down, and the only thing Yuya could do was shield Yuzu from her fate. Pain erupted across his body as the beast's energy shredded through his hide, leaving deep gashes that would surely remain when he reverted to his human form; he roared helplessly, his only recourse to pray for salvation in the face of overwhelming odds.

As the world went dark around him, Yuya swore that he caught a glimpse of a serpentine dragon with fae wings and a gentle smile.

Chapter 18: Royalty

Chapter Text

Following the Signers out to wherever they were going probably wasn't the best for Carly's safety, but she did it anyway, curiosity winning out over self-preservation for the time being.

In between spying on the Exyzian royals, she'd caught glimpses of the conversation between the three Signers and the princess of Synchronia, confirming that she did, in fact, have a big story to investigate. The boys with the magic accessories were the same dragons that had watched over the princesses during their captivity, having been transformed into much less dangerous beings; moreover, they had been under some sort of curse that forced them to do the bidding of whoever had placed it upon them, and none of them ever had any malicious intent to begin with... though there was one possible exception to this rule, and Carly wasn't reckless enough to look into that one alone.

There was only so much that she could learn with farsight, and besides, she would be a lot safer with Jack looking after her. The problem was the stretch in between her departure from his residence and her arrival at his current location, and she only hoped that Rasca's goons hadn't sent those creepy lizards to tail her.

Carly made sure to keep the pedal to the metal, going way above the speed limit as she honed in on the Signers. She disregarded everything around her, paying no attention to any potential incoming danger or police officers that wanted to arrest her for speeding - she was a journalist, and if she got pulled over, she'd use that as her excuse. It was much less likely out here in the country, but-

Black fog encroached on the road ahead, and Carly was forced to slam on the brakes, her poor abused car coming to a screeching halt. A towering, muscular man with tanned skin and long hair stood in her path, his eyes ink-black and his body draped in robes that looked like something straight out of some creepy cult, and her car stopped just short of him.

Maybe she should have kept going and run him over.

"I apologize for what I'm about to do." The man spoke in an eerie voice, and raised his hand to the sky; a weird emblem glowed on his arm, and the earth began to shake, making cracks in the road. "However... Aslla Piscu demands a tether, and you are the most compatible."

Aslla Piscu... Carly didn't know what that was, but it sounded very, very bad, and she had the feeling that she was about to be offered as a sacrifice to whatever cult this guy belonged to. The giant black and glowing whale that appeared in the sky didn't reassure her any, and she swerved the steering wheel to the side and hit the gas again in a last-ditch effort to escape the madman and his pet abomination.

Her car didn't handle the curb well, but she managed to get herself turned around, and she took some comfort in the fact that her top speed was higher than that of a human on foot. That comfort evaporated when she glanced at the rear-view mirror and saw that her pursuer was riding on a glob of shadow, allowing him to keep pace with her; his whale was getting closer by the second, and now she could feel the evil energy that radiated off of it. Even if she had the ability to fight back, she was sure that no human was able to stand up to this thing alone.

Panic set in as Carly realized that she was completely and royally screwed. The only thing she could do was buy herself time, and her assailants would catch up to her sooner or later; she scolded herself internally for ever thinking that going after Jack was a good idea, telling herself that she should have just stayed at his place until he came back and escorted her out, however long that took. She wondered if this lunatic had some relation to Rasca, if she'd just narrowly escaped becoming a sacrifice a month or so ago, and if her decision to quit the group was catching up to her now.

The shadows had started licking at her back tires when a strange sound resonated in her ears - it was almost like the cry of a bird of prey, but it echoed in an unsettling, almost metallic way. Then Carly felt weightless all of a sudden as something grasped her car and lifted it into the air, pulling her away from the flying whale; she glanced up to see steel talons piercing the roof of her car, and had the brief thought that explaining this to the insurance company wasn't going to be fun.

"Come on!" Another voice rang out, this one very much human - Carly guessed that it belonged to a young man - and the raptor shrieked again, following his voice while still carrying the car in its talons. A second raptor joined the fray soon after, and then... that thing wasn't a bird, it was a dragon, and a pretty scary-looking one at that. Its wings crackled with lightning, its fangs gleamed in the flashing radiance, and its voice echoed in Carly's head, a deep voice that, despite its origin, was surprisingly kind.

"Don't be afraid. We're here to help you."

...That was the dragon that Carly had been tracking with her farsight. He had returned to his dragon form somehow, and despite the distance between them, he had made his way to Synchronia in short order; she wasn't sure if it was magic or those weird robot birds, but either way, she didn't have to flee from the creepy man and his whale anymore. At least, she didn't have to do it in her dinky car - she could rely on these newcomers to help her out instead.

Granted, her car was probably totaled now, but at least she was alive, and that was far more important than most of her material possessions. She allowed herself to relax, and watched the sky grow bright again as the raptor carried her off, providing an alternate route to where the Signers traveled.

"So, uh..." Carly dared to address the raptors' master, the young prince of Exyzia who rode on the back of a third one. "Why'd you save me? More importantly, how'd you save me?"

"...These new Raid Raptors are even better than I imagined." Shay didn't even look her way as he spoke. "Thanks for tracking them down, Yuto."

The dragon glanced his way and gave a slight nod, then sped on ahead - and Carly barely managed to brace herself before the raptor carrying her picked up its speed as well, shrieking to its comrade. She got a good look at the second bird this time, and saw that a girl was riding on its back, likely the princess; it swooped beneath the dragon, watching him carefully, and then...

It only felt like a minute or two had passed, but the dragon's form changed, shifting from a majestic beast of the skies to a harmless-looking teenage boy. He collapsed onto the raptor's back, held steady by Princess Lulu, and he looked to be unconscious - not that Carly could see very well from her position, but it was a good thing they'd managed to get away from her attacker. Evidently, the kid dragon couldn't keep his true form for very long.

"We were planning on going to Synchronia." Lulu explained in her brother's stead, her mount slowing so that she could talk to Carly easier. "After crossing the border, we saw the Earthbound Immortal. Shay caught up with Yuto and I while he was being chased by another, so we decided to see if there was anyone under attack."

"...And since there was, we bailed you out," Shay continued for her, though he didn't seem too thrilled about it. "What were you doing out here?"

Carly tried not to slip into panic mode as she wracked her brain for any sort of appropriate response. Telling the truth was the best option, but she had the feeling that she'd get yelled at for doing that, and she was frazzled enough that she didn't need any more stress right now. On the other hand, if Shay somehow found out that she'd lied to him, that Raid Raptor's claws were dangerously close to her head right now...

"I was, uh... looking for the Signers," Carly blurted out at last, and she braced herself for the inevitable verbal assault that was to come. "See, Jack wanted me to watch him from his place for some reason- oh yeah, I have the gift of farsight, so I may have also been spying on you guys, and then I thought to myself that this was the biggest scoop ever, so I wanted to go and investigate in the field-"

"You were spying on us!?" Shay sounded downright livid - yep, that was to be expected. "...You're lucky Lulu's here. I don't want her to watch you fall to your death."

"Shay, it's alright." The princess, on the other hand, was far more understanding. "She didn't mean any harm by it. Besides, if she was being pursued by someone with an Earthbound Immortal, she's most likely an ally of the Signers."

"I... guess you could say that?" Carly didn't really consider herself an ally of the Signers, more just someone who was very invested in their quest to save the world for personal reasons, but Lulu didn't need to know that right now. "I still don't know why Jack wanted me to watch him with my farsight... er, you know who he is, right?"

"Never heard of him," Shay stated in response, and Carly had to remind herself that these people weren't from Synchronia. Everyone in her country knew who Jack was, but the same did not necessarily apply to those from other countries.

"...He's one of the Signers." The dragon - Yuto - stirred from unconsciousness, sitting up on the Raid Raptor's back. "That's all we need to know right now."

"Are you trying to meet up with them, too?" Carly asked, unable to help herself. This situation had the makings of the scoop of the century, and-

"Not quite," Yuto answered her, shaking his head. "We were looking for the princess of Synchronia. It looks like she changed courses, though."

...So much for that. Carly began to reconsider her decision to pursue this career path, especially since she was unemployed right now; a big scoop wouldn't help her one bit if she didn't have anyone to spread the word.

"She's with the Signers right now." Carly recalled what she'd last seen with her farsight, and she gave a nervous smile, unsure if any of her new teammates could even see it. "So... why don't we go with each other? Oh, and maybe let me out of my car?"

Shay raised his hand, and the Raid Raptor carrying Carly's car plummeted without enough warning, causing its startled occupant to scream in terror. Their descent slowed just before hitting the ground, and then the bird dropped the car, jarring Carly one last time; it took a moment for her to collect herself, and less than a second after she stepped out of her car, the Raid Raptor picked her up in its talons, eliciting another scream.

She was, on a technicality, still alive. However, if she had to put up with the prince of Exyzia for much longer, she wasn't sure if her current state of living would last.

Yuzu had been completely certain that she and Yuya were about to die together when the Earthbound Immortal attacked them. She never expected to open her eyes again - yet she realized before long that this wasn't the afterlife, nor was it a dream.

She glanced around the room she was in, and recognized it as a hospital room. She was in a matching bed, hooked up to a few monitoring devices, and when she looked at her arm, she saw an IV line feeding into her; she felt a bit sore, but the pain wasn't severe enough to warrant concern.

What did warrant concern was the last thing Yuzu remembered seeing before she passed out. Yuya had stepped in front of her, protecting her with his body, and the Earthbound Immortal's power had shredded through his skin; she was pretty sure that being splashed with his blood was what had knocked her out, since she wasn't accustomed to such gruesome sights. She had been cleaned up since then, but her concern for Yuya remained - had his wounds lingered after he returned to his human form?

She needed to find him. She needed to make sure that he was safe and that his injuries had been tended to-

"Hey, check it out, Sis! It looks like she's awake!"

The rather loud voice of a young boy caught Yuzu's attention, and she lifted her head to look at the doorway. The two who stood there looked almost identical, save for their clothing and hairstyles - twins, it seemed, and the one who'd spoken ran to her bedside, completely disregarding hospital etiquette.

"Keep it down, Leo." The girl chastised her brother, though she made her way over to Yuzu's bedside as well. "This is a hospital."

"Oh... right, sorry." The boy rubbed the back of his neck with a hand, and gave a sheepish giggle. "So, how are you feeling, miss?"

"...A little sore, but I'm fine." Yuzu pulled herself into a sitting position. "What about Yuya? Is he okay?" She cleared her throat, reminding herself that these two probably didn't know who Yuya was. "He, um, he should've been with me... he has red and green hair, and wears a necklace that swings like a pendulum..."

"Did you see anyone like that, Luna?" Leo turned to address his sister. "You were the one who found her, weren't you?"

"That was Queen Fairy," Luna corrected him, and then she turned her attention to Yuzu. "...He was in much worse shape than you, but he's at this hospital, too. He should be okay... I hope."

Queen Fairy... was that another dragon? Now that she knew Yuya was in good hands, Yuzu allowed herself to relax, and considered the sequence of events that had happened. If she was getting things right, this Queen Fairy had rescued herself and Yuya from the Earthbound Immortal, and brought them both to relative safety; how the twins factored into the story was a different question entirely, but- wait.

The term Signer came to mind, and everything came together in her head - Yuzu wasn't the only human that had befriended a dragon in recent times.

"Miss... Luna, was it?" Yuzu hesitated, knowing that she must have been coming off as terribly rude. "...Can I see your arm, please?"

"My arm...?" Luna looked confused for a moment, but then she nodded and rolled up the sleeve of her right arm, presenting it to Yuzu. Sure enough, there was a red mark in the shape of a dragon's claw on her skin, and a powerful presence emanated from it - similar to Yuya's, but on an entirely different level from him.

...Yes, the Signers had begun to gather, and this girl was one of them. There was no mistaking that incredible magic, ancient and overwhelming, yet bright and hopeful.

"...I should introduce myself." Yuzu placed one hand on her chest. "I am Princess Yuzu of the Kingdom of Penduluma. Is... that where we are right now?"

"Th-the princess...!?" Leo immediately dropped into a deep bow, nearly knocking his head on the hospital bed's railing. "Forgive my, uh, my impudence... Your Highness! Is- is that the right word? Aw man, I already messed up..."

Yuzu giggled and raised her hand, waving at him. "You don't need to address me so formally. I may be the princess, but I'm human, just like you." She tilted her head, and repeated her previous question. "So, are we in Penduluma?"

"Yep, that's where we are!" Leo straightened himself out, relaxing just the slightest bit. "The capital, to be specific. My sister and I live here, too!" He paused, and took a short breath. "Oh yeah, I guess you already heard our names, but I'm Leo and she's Luna. We're twins, in case that wasn't obvious."

"Yeah, it wasn't hard to figure out." Yuzu offered the pair a smile. "Thank you for rescuing Yuya and I." She glanced at Luna's arm. "And I should thank Queen Fairy, too."

"Queen Fairy says 'you're welcome'." Luna relayed the message given to her by the dragon dwelling within her, and she smiled back at Yuzu. "She also says that she's grateful she made it in time to save you."

"I am, too..." Yuzu leaned back on her bed, allowing herself to rest; Yuya may have taken the brunt of the Earthbound Immortal's attack, but she was still injured. "May I ask you to go check on Yuya for me, please? And... let me know how he's doing."

"Can do!" Leo grabbed onto Luna's arm, and dragged her toward the room's door. "C'mon, Sis!"

"You don't have to drag me!" Luna complained, though she relented to her brother's rough treatment; as the two of them left, Yuzu closed her eyes, recalling a handful of moments from her childhood.

She didn't have any siblings, and seeing those two together made her feel just the slightest twinge of envy. She'd never been lonely, but there was just something different about having a brother or sister... she didn't know if the blood dragon from her dream was listening, but she wished that she could have a relationship like that someday.

Chapter 19: The Hunt Is On

Chapter Text

Celina really wished that she could have just stayed in stasis.

As it turned out, her captor's reason for cleaning the room was so that the two of them could live comfortably in it. There was nothing comfortable about this dump, and the fact that she had to go to the next floor down to use the bathroom didn't help - the tower's peak wasn't meant to be lived in, though Starved Venom seemed to think otherwise.

Of course, he kept his eyes on her at all times, and on those occasions when he had to sleep, he would make sure to restrain her with those magic ropes. Being able to move about wasn't much consolation, since Celina still wasn't allowed to leave, and the dragon's interest in her grew every day; she was pretty sure the only reason he didn't follow her into the bathroom was because he knew there weren't any windows large enough for her to escape from, thus he didn't have a viable excuse to peek at her.

For some time now, he'd insisted that she call him something different, since Starved Venom felt like an antiquated moniker. He wanted to be called Yuri, and while Celina hated the idea of giving him what he wanted, she had to admit that it was easier to say and sounded more like an actual name. She chose not to forget what she had called him in her dreams, knowing that it would sting more if she made it seem like she was obeying him.

There were enough supplies in the lower levels of the tower to keep both of them alive for a few months, and that was not a comforting fact. It meant that if Yuri had his way, Celina wouldn't see the outside world for a long time yet, and she had to start thinking of how to make sure that he didn't get his way. Her father had given her some lessons in combat and espionage, though not enough for her current situation; she had to make do with her limited knowledge to form her escape plan-

"What's on your mind, princess?"

Celina did her best to ignore Yuri's presence, and continued working on her plan. When he tied her up to rest, the magic ropes could be broken through with a bit of force, but there was always the risk of him waking up; she wasn't sure if she could fight him off, as he had demonstrated the ability to shift back into his dragon form, and even if the shifting was limited, he was still many times stronger than her in that form. Her magic needed refinement, as she wasn't able to control it as well as she liked, so that meant even more of a risk of...

"You're very rude." Yuri walked directly in front of Celina and leaned in, shoving his nose into her face. "I asked you a question. Would you care to answer it?"

"I'm thinking about how much I want to punch you in the face." Celina told a half-truth to cover up her true thoughts - he did look like a good punching bag at this range. "I know you're a disgusting pervert, but you could at least pretend to acknowledge that a girl needs her privacy."

"You could have just asked." Yuri stepped back and turned away. "If I were to make an educated guess, I'd wager that you were plotting to escape from right under my nose, though I suppose you also wanted to punch me in the face." He laughed, then glanced over his shoulder. "I am getting rather bored. Why don't you make your best escape attempt? I'll see if I can thwart it."

Of course he treated this as a game. That was how he treated everything - even feeding his captive was more fun in his eyes if he made her work for it. Celina wanted nothing more than to take him up on his offer, and then surprise him by actually escaping, but she didn't know if she could pull it off.

Instead of replying to him right away, she focused within, feeling out the dark strands that bound his soul. Escaping through normal means seemed like an impossible task, but perhaps if she could do something about this darkness in Yuri's heart, things would change a little. Given how powerful those threads were, there was a small possibility that her own magic ineptitude could be used to her advantage - a blow without finesse had the potential to cause actual damage, but that was a risk she was willing to take.

Celina took a deep breath and squinted her eyes shut, honing her focus. She dipped into the immense well of energy that her blood gave her, and drew out as much as she could; then, all at once, she unleashed that raw, untamed power, blasting it like a cannon out of her hand and directly at Yuri's body. He raised an eyebrow and... didn't move an inch, taking the blow full-force as if he had wanted her to do that.

He wasn't even intimidated by the full force of her gift. Instead, he bore a smile as the energy dissipated, and Celina tried focusing once again-

"Well done, princess. I think that may have actually gotten through to me."

There was something different about Yuri's tone now, and it snapped Celina's concentration before she could make any progress in conjuring another spell. She watched as he dusted off his clothes, then made his way to the far end of the room; he turned to face her when he reached the wall, and then his expression became more serious than anything she'd seen from him.

"Actually, I should thank you," Yuri stated, and his voice sounded even more unusual now. "Those fetters of mine were getting awfully annoying. I'd never consciously think such filthy thoughts about a human, after all."

...He'd admitted to having perverted thoughts about her, but blamed them on the threads binding his soul. He'd also demeaned her species, and Celina wasn't about to stand for that; she returned to focusing, and brushed off her captor's next words as best she could.

"Oh, you aren't finished?" he taunted, returning to his usual smug tone. "I'd hoped that was the case. I hope that round two hits even harder...!"

Even if Yuri's behavior was irreconcilably strange, Celina didn't think much about it, as there came a great deal of catharsis in attacking him like this without repercussions. She guessed that he would pay her back in kind later, but until then, at least she could take her frustrations out on him.

She noticed in the split second before her next shot connected that one of the threads wrapped around his soul had, in fact, been severed - but he wasn't that much different from how he was before. Maybe this was his true self...

Jack didn't know when he'd started to feel something for his little brother again, but he hated it more than he could describe.

Being forced to work together with Yusei these past few days had grated on his last nerve, and he wanted nothing more than to go back to being in the spotlight. Bonds were an unwelcome obstacle that gunked up his engine and slowed him down, keeping him from being the best he could - yet at the same time, Jack couldn't deny that the trip down memory lane was refreshing. It reminded him of the days when he and his brothers had worked alongside Kalin to bring security to the Outlands... days that had long since passed, as Kalin was dead and Jack's two younger brothers had chosen poverty over glory for reasons beyond his comprehension.

Still, their teamwork was as seamless as it had been back in the days of the Enforcers. Some things never changed, and that was probably why Jack had started to feel things again, along with the emotions fed into his mind through the mark on his arm. He didn't need those feelings, and he especially didn't need Yusei's forgiveness - that kid was just too soft for his own good, even now.

More troubling than the familial bond which had started to etch itself into Jack's soul again was the new bond that had formed upon his interview with that journalist. She was entirely too curious, and he'd wanted to show her firsthand just how dangerous her mission was; he'd figured that maybe if she watched his perilous journey, she would return to a normal life and forget all about uncovering the Signers' secrets. She seemed to have a strong sense of self-preservation, and the only question was whether it would win out over her nosiness.

With its two new members, the group marched on toward Penduluma, and Jack was at least pleased to see that the pampered princess could keep pace with him. The dragon was less surprising, even if his strength paled in comparison to Archfiend's; the problem with him was that he wouldn't stop running his mouth, and he'd already decided that he wanted to challenge Jack to a motorcycle race at some indeterminate point in the future. There was no harm in accepting that challenge, as a little brat who'd never ridden before didn't stand a chance against the reigning champion.

Akiza was distant as always, though Jack could sense her unease through his mark. She seemed to be worrying about something, and he had no way of knowing what; if he were to guess, he would say that she was probably worried about what had happened to her snake of a mentor, whether he'd somehow survived the assault on their forest and whether he'd come back to set things straight between them. Jack couldn't say that he was unfamiliar with the feeling of being betrayed by a mentor - King Rex had been acting awfully fishy as of late, and this royal edict to kill some harmless baby lizards was just about the last straw.

Rin had only overwritten that edict, and the other one - to gather the Signers and work together with them - remained. Perhaps Jack could ask her at some point if she was willing to free him from his newfound burden.

Out of the blue, the shriek of a raptor sounded overhead, and Jack looked up to see a trio of mechanical birds, each one carrying a person. He didn't recognize the three that were riding on the constructs' backs, but the one being carried in the third's talons was irritatingly familiar now - how in the world had she ended up here?

"...Carly?" Jack stared at the raptor as it descended, and winced when it unceremoniously dumped its cargo on the ground. Carly pulled herself to her feet, grumbling about something that he couldn't decipher, and then met his gaze for all of five seconds before a distinct look of horror spread across her face.

"Crap," she muttered, and then she turned to run. Jack caught up with her before she could make any sort of progress, and moved to stand in front of her - he had a few things to say to her, and he wasn't going to let her escape.

"Do you have any idea how dangerous this situation is, Carly?" Jack chastised the reporter, daring her to flee again with his eyes. "What possessed you to follow me all the way out here? Do you really want to die for a scoop!?"

"S-sorry!" Carly blurted out, waving her hands in front of her face. "I-I just thought that... well, this is big enough to get me a real job again, and... and I'd be a lot safer if I went with you, because then you could protect me and-"

"She didn't stop to think about what would happen in between here and there." The young man riding on the raptor's back spoke as his mount descended, his glare almost as sharp as Jack's. "So she got attacked by an Earthbound Immortal, and we had to rescue her."

The worst-case scenario had happened, and Jack found himself grateful that these newcomers had arrived in time to save Carly from her own stupidity. Judging from the way she'd been carried in, the apparent leader of this flock wasn't too pleased with the fact.

"...Prince Shay?" Rin addressed the leader from her position at the rear of the group, and rushed over to greet the newcomers. "And Princess Lulu?" She looked up at the bird that still floated above them. "...That's one problem out of the way."

"And you must be Princess Rin." The girl on top of the bird waved down at Rin as she, too, guided her mount to the ground. "Were you heading to Penduluma?"

Jack looked between the two beast riders, and it clicked in his head - these two were, indeed, the prince and princess of Exyzia. Though they had been alive for far longer than him, he knew that the princess, at least, had been locked in stasis for the past eighteen years; time hadn't moved forward for her, and it seemed that the same applied to her brother. The third kid with them was more of a mystery, but based on the context, Jack guessed that he was the dragon that had watched over Lulu.

"And you must be the Signers." The kid in question hopped off of the raptor's back, and made his way over to Yusei and Akiza. "If you're going to Penduluma, can we accompany you, too?"

"Can... can I come along, too?" Carly asked, sounding very nervous. Jack breathed a heavy sigh and pressed his palm to his forehead, accepting that he was probably stuck with this idiot paparazza for the time being.

"So long as you don't wander off and get yourself killed," he told her, making his exasperation clear. "But I'm not stopping for you if you can't keep up."

"I-I can keep up!" Carly glanced at the bird that had brought her in. "...I might need some help, though..."

"I'm starting to regret saving you," Shay muttered under his breath. "Fine, I'll carry you, but I'm with the Signer. You wander off, I'm leaving you to the birds."

The three raptors screeched, as if to emphasize his statement, and Carly shivered and took a step back. Jack had the distinct feeling that he was going to like Shay.

"Ease up, you two." Lulu shot a pointed look each at Jack and Shay. "As a farseer, she'll be a lot of help. Don't you agree, Yuto?"

The purple-haired dragon kid nodded in agreement. "With her, we can pinpoint the exact location of Penduluma's princess, as well as the fourth Signer." He offered Carly a smile that almost looked out of place on his harsh features. "Would you be willing to do that?"

"Well, I can give it a try..." Carly began to focus, and the image of a third eye appeared on her forehead, poorly concealed by her hair; she stayed like that for a moment, and then the third eye disappeared. "...Actually, uh, they're both in the same place. They're at a hospital in the capital of Penduluma right now."

"A hospital?" Yusei joined the conversation, his concern palpable. "What happened?"

"Hang on..." Carly returned to her focused state briefly, and when she came out of it, she looked disturbed. "...The princess and... I think the other guy is her dragon? They both got hurt, and he's in pretty bad shape. I'm gonna guess that the fourth Signer's dragon saved them."

"It's the only thing that makes sense," Rin agreed with a hum. "...Well, at least they're safe for now. We should get going so we can meet up with them."

"We can get there faster if you ride on my back," Yugo offered, earning himself a stare from all three of the Signers present, as well as Shay. "What? I can fly really fast! I got Rin halfway to Synchronia before I-"

"Stardust." Yusei raised his arm, and his dragon emerged from his mark, immediately silencing Yugo. "Do you think you can carry three?"

"I can," Archfiend remarked from within Jack's mark. "You'd likely prefer to ride with your girlfriend, though."

"She isn't my...!" Jack glared at his arm, offended by the mere suggestion that he and Carly would get that involved with each other. "...Prince Shay's taking her. He already said he would."

"Oh?" Archfiend sounded amused. "I don't recall mentioning who I was referring to. It seems you have something to hide, young one."

"I don't have anything to hide," Jack stated, and he raised his arm, still glaring at it. "Come on out, Archfiend. I ride alone, thank you very much."

The dragon obliged in silence, though he carried a smug aura about him. Jack chose not to say anything else either, as he'd gotten a few strange looks from the others; he just climbed onto Archfiend's back, holding on tight with one hand while he gestured toward the horizon with the other.

Gathering the Signers couldn't happen soon enough. Jack had already started drafting plans for a long vacation in his head - after all this was over, he would need it.

Chapter 20: Heart's Call

Chapter Text

When Yuya awoke, his whole body ached and he couldn't move his limbs, but at least he was alive.

He didn't know what had happened after the Earthbound Immortal's attack, but it was obvious that he had been rescued. As he glanced around the room he was in, he deduced that it was a hospital room; it wasn't like any hospital he'd been in before, but then again, he was in a human country now. There was a tube running into his arm and a multitude of bandages wrapping his various wounds, and the steady beeping off to his side indicated his heart rate - a bit faster than it should have been, he thought, but that didn't surprise him in the slightest.

The clothes that had manifested upon his transformation had been stripped off and replaced with some sort of flimsy gown, and he could sense his pendulum some distance away. He didn't need it right now, but he was grateful that the humans had at least kept it safe - more than lacking clothes in this form, not having it made him feel naked. He reminded himself that humans wouldn't see things the same way, and that he would have to get used to it until he got better.

...Things were going to get boring like this, though. Yuya wasn't sure if he would be able to go back to sleep right now, and he couldn't even shuffle himself into a sitting position without an immense amount of pain, so the only thing he could do was stare at the ceiling of the hospital room. It was a sterile white, and it didn't even have a cool pattern or anything-

"Yuya!"

A familiar voice called for him from nearby, and Yuya managed to crane his neck to the side so that he could look at the doorway. Yuzu stood there, dressed in her normal clothes and with a couple of bandages here and there, but she was in much better shape than him; he breathed a sigh of relief, knowing that at least his effort to protect her hadn't been in vain.

"Yuzu," Yuya addressed her, his voice weaker than he wanted it to be. "Are you okay?"

"You idiot..." Yuzu rushed over to his bedside, and he saw that tears were flowing from her eyes. "...You should be worrying about yourself right now. They said that you had internal injuries... and that you're going to have to stay for a while..."

Internal injuries... yeah, that sounded bad, but at least Yuya was in the best place he could possibly be. It wasn't like this was the first time he'd been hospitalized due to serious injuries, though he didn't feel like he'd broken any bones this time.

"Well, at least I've got all my parts intact, right?" Yuya gave a somewhat strained laugh, and put on his best smile - which wasn't much right now. "Nothing fell off or came out of me, so... I just need to heal up a bit."

"Y-you're missing the point!" Yuzu grasped the railing on the side of the bed with both hands, leaning over him. "Why did you do that, Yuya? You didn't have to... Queen Fairy saved us both, so...!"

That name stirred up an image in Yuya's mind, and his eyes went wide as he realized just who Yuzu was referring to. The one who'd saved them was...

"...Queen Fairy," Yuya repeated, and then he spoke the dragon's true name - a word which could not be repeated by humans. The monarch herself had come to his aid, and he had never felt more honored in his entire life.

"You know her?" Yuzu's anger dissipated in an instant, replaced by curiosity. "Is she a friend of yours?"

Yuya gave another weak laugh. "No, but I wish she was. There's a reason she's called the queen in your tongue - she's the oldest and strongest of the dragons, and she rules over us all. There isn't a dragon alive who doesn't know her."

"The queen of dragons..." Yuzu sounded just as awed as Yuya felt - it was clear that she understood the weight of what had happened. "She saved us both... and she was bonded to a Signer..." She paused, and took a short breath. "...Do you know what that means, Yuya?"

"Yeah... it means I really didn't have to protect you." Yuya's face heated up as he looked back at Yuzu. "So, uh, sorry for scaring you like that. I-I'll be fine, though. I promise."

"No!" Yuzu shouted, and then she glanced away and lowered her voice. "...I mean, yes, but... that also means we have the best possible ally on our side. If the queen of the dragons is with us, the Earthbound Immortals don't stand a chance!"

"Well, even she can't fight them alone," Yuya informed her, though his smile didn't fade. "But she'll be able to turn the tide in our favor. I need to get better quickly so I can fight, too... I don't want to disappoint her after she saved me."

"You can say that again..." Yuzu smiled back at him, then stepped away from the railing. "Thanks to you, my injuries were minor, so I can stay here with you as much as I want. If you need someone to talk to, I'll..."

She trailed off there, almost sounding a bit shy. Yuya considered the irony of the situation - not long ago, he had been the one keeping her company when she couldn't do anything, and now she was offering to ease his mind when he was stuck in bed.

It almost felt like she was trying to pay him back for what he'd done for her in those eighteen years of captivity...

"...Thanks, Yuzu." Yuya felt better already, knowing that Yuzu could help him. "I really appreciate that... I can't move right now, so I'm bored out of my mind, and there's nothing worse than being bored."

"Then I'll entertain you." Yuzu's voice was soft, and there was a hint of something warm in her tone. "I'll have to keep it down, but maybe I can try singing for you?"

Yuya hummed his affirmation, then closed his eyes, listening to her closely. When her quiet song reached his ears, he felt himself relaxing, almost as if there was some sort of magic infused into her voice; he couldn't dismiss the possibility, but he also couldn't deny how nice it felt, and he heard the undercurrent of emotion in her words clearer now.

...That was the sort of affection shared between mates. Her feelings for him were like that, even though he was a dragon and she was a human. If she had intended to confess to him through song, then- was that the reason her magic had transformed him when she broke out of her cage?

If it was, then he couldn't thank her enough. She, too, had the desire to bridge the gap between their kinds - and it was always nice to know when those tender feelings were reciprocated.

When the Signers and their cohort arrived in Penduluma's capital, they decided to part ways for the time being. Given the condition of Princess Yuzu's bodyguard, it was deemed best for a smaller group to meet with them, and so Princess Lulu and her companion took up that mantle; the Signers would recruit the fourth of their number and determine if the girl's brother had potential, and that left Rin and Yugo with absolutely nothing to do.

Rin hated not having anything to do - she had experienced it for far too long during her captivity, and she itched to find something productive that she could put her mind to. Magic practice was an option, but she doubted that she would make any real headway with Yugo around; focus was a necessity for magic, and he had proven himself to be an expert at breaking her focus, regardless of the situation.

It wasn't just that he liked to chatter about meaningless things, or that he tried to impress her at every given opportunity. She found herself distracted by him, even on those rare occasions when he was quiet; his tangents were entertaining in their own way, his affection for her was undeniably endearing, and he was... she knew he'd get offended if she told him this, but she thought that, in his human form, he was actually very pretty.

Boys didn't like being called pretty, right?

With that in mind, knowing that she wasn't going to get anything accomplished while waiting for the others, Rin determined that her best course of action was to throw Yugo a bone. She would take him on a sightseeing trip through the capital, giving them both time to familiarize themselves with the place; if he wanted to see it as a date, that was on him, but it wasn't her intent. Definitely not - she just needed to keep him distracted so that he didn't cause any problems.

The first obstacle was bringing up the plan. Rin couldn't recall the last time she felt this nervous as she made her way to where Yugo waited, just outside the hospital where Princess Yuzu was being kept at; he leaned against the outside wall, arms folded across his chest as he tapped his foot with a slightly irritated look on his face. He seemed bored, and someone like him could get destructive when bored, so she had to pop the question as soon as possible.

"Oh, hey there, Rin-Rin." Yugo perked up as Rin approached, and a smile replaced his previous expression. "What's up?"

"You know that Yuto and Lulu aren't going to let you inside, right?" Rin placed her hands on her hips, and gave Yugo a pointed stare. "You're just going to stress yourself out if you wait here. Come with me."

It was much easier to say these things when she framed them like this. After all, her intent was to take him on a practical outing, nothing strange or intimate or anything like that. The fact that they hadn't eaten anything since breakfast and were now in a city with plenty of options for eating real food instead of scrounged-up trail food was irrelevant - they just needed to fill their stomachs.

"Where are we going?" Yugo stepped away from the wall as he spoke, sounding genuinely curious. "Have you ever been here before?"

"No, never," Rin answered him, shaking her head. "Not even before we went to the tower." She glanced around, taking note of the buildings near the hospital; there was a bakery, an ice cream shop, and a florist in a neat little row across the street, and a coffee shop next door that promised soup and sandwiches. "But I think I have an idea of what to expect. How about we try that place first?" She gestured to the coffee shop, and wondered to herself if it was safe for dragons to consume caffeinated drinks - Yugo hadn't mentioned anything about it, but then again, he hadn't exactly told her much about his dietary restrictions.

Yugo's eyes followed where Rin was pointing, and he sniffed the air a few times before making a face. "Smells bitter. You like those places?"

"I can't function properly without caffeine." Rin left out the part where Yugo had inadvertently served as a substitute during their travels - she couldn't afford to be tired with him around. "Is it poisonous to you?"

"Pretty sure it isn't." Yugo glanced between the cafe and the hospital, then nodded once. "But if it is, there's a hospital right next door. They must've designed this place with dragons in mind."

Rin sincerely doubted that, as her imprisonment with him had been the first contact humans had with dragons in who knew how long. Then again, it wasn't at all surprising that Yugo would make an assumption like that.

"I'm pretty sure they didn't," Rin corrected him, and then she began walking toward the shop. "You should probably skip on the coffee and stick to the food for now, at least until we can ask Yuto."

"Hey!" Yugo complained as he caught up to Rin, then made his way ahead of her, looking back. "What does he know that I don't? Are you saying I'm-"

"He might know something you don't." Rin interrupted his tirade, shaking her head. "And either way, it can't hurt to ask. If he doesn't know, then we can ask one of the Signers' dragons instead."

Yugo went silent in response to that, though he still seemed a little annoyed. Of all the things he'd taken offense to, the implication that he was stupid was the most troublesome; it meant that teaching him to be self-aware was going to be a major uphill struggle, and the only reason Rin didn't plan to give up on him was because...

Why was it, actually? It couldn't have been because of feelings, right?

...For now, none of that mattered. The only thing that mattered was refueling and keeping Yugo distracted so that he couldn't cause harm to himself or anyone else - though there was also the not-so-small issue of whether Rin had enough money on her to pay for what would undoubtedly be a very expensive meal.

Chapter 21: Broken Pride

Chapter Text

Akiza had believed for a long time that Sayer's guidance had rooted out every last shred of her compassion for others. He'd taught her to give in to her hate and her anger, to let those emotions bloom while the rest were discarded as weeds, and she'd allowed just that to happen, forming her soul into a garden of thorns much like the one she had lived in.

She had hurt, she had killed, and she had enjoyed it - that was what she told herself, repeating those words as a mantra. The regret and the guilt and the sorrow she felt were yanked out and thrown aside, little more than unwanted refuse that prevented her from becoming something more. The only love she had was for her mentor, until that dragon had formed a pact with her and she had developed a new bond almost against her will, and-

It all came crashing down the moment she met the fourth Signer. Luna was just a child, and she clung to her twin brother like he was all she had in the world; her heart was pure, not quite gentle, but she understood and accepted the weight of the responsibility placed upon her by the stars. The dragon residing within her was the oldest and strongest of them all, a being without compare who even Black Rose bowed in respect to, and the words that the Dragon Queen spoke to Akiza during their brief meeting were...

She had made a grave mistake. Sayer had blinded her, meticulously wrapping her eyes in a blanket of lies so that she could not see the truth beyond what he whispered to her. The blood she'd spilled was all in vain, and she had never truly enjoyed it - that was all his conditioning, his vile brand of magic that she had accepted without question, believing it to be kindness.

Before Yusei's discussion with Leo and Luna concluded, Akiza fled the room and made her way outside, cloaking herself in shadow so that none could see her. She let her misery consume her, breaking down into tears within her private bubble; there was no place for her here or anywhere else, with her home destroyed, her mentor dead, Fusionia twisted beyond recognition, and the world itself against her.

She heard Black Rose's voice, but tuned it out, not wanting to hear whatever the dragon had to say. It was a lie, too - a meager offering in an effort to appease her soul so that she could be torn apart all over again. She was sure of that, sure that even her bonded dragon despised her for her foolishness.

What she hadn't counted on was the mark of the Crimson Dragon resonating with another who bore it, the man who'd brought her into this mess to begin with. She wanted to ignore him as well, but it was difficult when he stepped up behind her, invading her bubble to place a hand on her shoulder.

"Akiza." Yusei spoke her name so softly that she almost didn't hear him at first, wrapped up in her emotions as she was. "Why did you leave like that?"

He was perfectly calm. Not angry, just curious, and that made Akiza's heart ache even more. She was sure that he knew the answer to his own question already - he could feel what she felt through his mark, as she felt the budding concern in his soul through hers.

"Luna is..." Akiza's voice trembled as she responded, her heart hammering in her chest as a fresh wave of guilt wracked her. "...She's... just a child... and so is her brother..."

She had been a child too, once. Alone and afraid in a world where everyone rejected her, where her own parents called her a monster and left her to fend for herself. A man she didn't know had swooped in like a hawk, whispering honeyed words to her and promising relief from her agony, and in her naivety, she had listened to him. She felt the same spark of potential that she possessed in the young Signer, and the first thought she'd had terrified her beyond belief.

Akiza didn't want Luna to travel down the same path she had.

"Queen Fairy chose her for a reason." As they always had before, Yusei's words made perfect sense, his mind clear where hers was not. "She's strong in her own way. She'll make a great addition to the team."

Akiza knew the unspoken sentiment behind Yusei's words - just like her - and new tears flowed down her cheeks as she once again drowned in self-hatred. She didn't deserve his compassion or his forgiveness or his acceptance, things that she would have believed to be lies if she didn't feel how genuine they were. She didn't understand why he believed in her, even when she'd hurt him and tried to drive him away.

"...Akiza." Yusei's grip on her shoulder tightened the slightest bit. "We've all made mistakes. You don't have to think less of yourself for them. Just learn from them so that you can move forward."

He spoke of the suffering she'd caused, the lives she'd taken, as if her actions were something which could be atoned for. The meaning of his every word reached her ears through her mark, and she questioned how someone like him could exist; his patience knew no bounds, he extended his kindness even to those who hated him, and now, when she had nothing left, he told her things that she had never once heard from anyone before.

...There was absolutely no way he was as perfect as he seemed. There had to be some flaw, some gap in his armor that the right weapon could pierce through. She was self-aware enough to recognize that she did not possess that weapon.

"Yusei..." Akiza turned around to face him, meeting his gaze for a brief moment. "You may be right... it's too soon to tell."

She walked away from him without another word, and took note of the fact that he did not chase after her. The swell of pride that resonated in her arm could not have come from anyone else - his faith had only grown stronger, as he trusted her to make the right decision in the end, regardless of what she said to him.

Reconciliation with the world that had hurt her so much would be a slow and tedious process, but Akiza had started along that path without even realizing it. If only a minuscule amount, she returned the faith that Yusei had in her, and that was her first step.

Carly had gotten some second thoughts about her mission when the Earthbound Immortal attacked her, but thanks to the encouragement of Yuto and Princess Lulu, she was more than happy to be a part of this ragtag group of heroes.

Even if she still didn't have a job, at least she had people she could rely on to look after her. The study of her farsight was incomplete, but she could use it to help out, and she found that doing so felt more rewarding than it ever had with Rasca; rather than lectures and weird punishments, she got kind and understanding words, and was thanked for her services... by everyone except Jack and Prince Shay.

Carly couldn't blame Shay for being as prickly as he was, considering what had happened to his country. She was grateful to him for saving her, but recognized that he didn't really want anything to do with her, so she made sure to keep her distance from him when possible. Lulu was a much better source of information on the fall of Exyzia, and even Yuto had demonstrated greater-than-normal knowledge on that particular incident, which Carly didn't find as surprising as she probably should have. He wasn't a farseer, but he was a dragon, and she was aware that dragons had an array of abilities that weren't all known to humans.

Jack was... well. He was the same as always, kind of a jerk for no apparent reason, but Carly had learned a lot about him from Yusei. The schism between the two brothers had been caused by Jack stealing a motorcycle that Yusei had built in exchange for a celebrity position in the Heartlands, and that also made more sense on Yusei's part than him being in love with his bike. The other thing about Jack that came as less of a surprise was the fact that he wasn't great at expressing himself, and outside of his brothers, he'd only had one other friend in the Outlands.

...Kalin Kessler. A name that Carly recalled from her days in Rasca, and with the new information that had come to light, she understood everything about her former colleague. He'd been dead all along, a puppet host to an Earthbound Immortal, and before that, he was a fallen hero of the Outlands. She didn't have the heart to tell the brothers that she used to work with Kalin, though she had a nagging feeling in her gut that her decision would come back to bite her later on.

With everything she'd learned, Carly had come to a couple of interesting realizations. She quite liked the princesses of Synchronia and Exyzia, finding them easy to talk to - Lulu more so than Rin, but it would have been horribly rude to skimp on respecting the princess of her own country. Besides, Rin was intelligent and had an interest in machines, and she'd offered to build Carly her own ride as a replacement for her lost car.

The second realization was that, while they were powerful and very different from humans, dragons weren't that scary. Yuto was polite and kind, defying his rather rugged appearance in human form, and he didn't hesitate to answer the questions Carly asked of him, regardless of what they were about. Yugo was pretty much the complete opposite of intimidating; he spent most of his time either babbling about whatever came to mind or spacing out, and he was very obviously and openly infatuated with Rin - he did everything he could to impress her, even when she yelled at him for being an idiot, and it was, if Carly was to be honest, kind of cute. He was less like a dragon and more like a lost stray puppy who'd been shown kindness once and hadn't forgotten it.

Last, and definitely not least, Carly realized that in his own way, Jack cared about her. His reason for wanting her to watch him was so that she would be frightened by the dangerous things he had to do as a Signer, to discourage her from getting any further involved in this saving the world business; he'd gotten angry when his efforts had the opposite effect, and had tried to chase her off again for her sake. No matter how rude or blunt he'd been about it, the sentiment was there, concealed behind Jack being his normal obstinate self.

In response to this final realization, Carly had a thought that she would have deemed ridiculous before. If she became stronger - strong enough to protect herself and to fight alongside him - would Jack no longer fear for her safety at every turn?

Of course, she didn't know where to start. She hadn't interacted much with the summoners at Rasca, and farsight could only help so much in combat. Her physical ineptitude ensured that she would never fight with a sword or any other mundane weapon, and using a vehicle as one was simply out of the question. Despite her curiosity, she did have a sense of self-preservation, and after nearly dying once, she wasn't keen on repeating the experience.

There was that last star shard, but Carly was pretty sure that she didn't have what it took to be a Signer. Shay had mentioned something about the shard rejecting him, and if someone like him couldn't do it, then she was definitely out of the question-

"What are you doing all the way out here, Carly?"

She'd intended to get away from everyone so that she could think for a bit, but it appeared that Jack had other ideas. Carly breathed a sigh and looked up from her seat, her eyes tracing the line that defined the city's border.

"I thought I'd just bother everyone by sticking around," she answered him, and it wasn't exactly a lie. "I'm not a Signer, or a princess, or a dragon... I'm just, well, Carly. I'm really good at using my third eye to creepily stalk people, and I'm really good at getting in the way..."

"At least you recognize your faults." Jack's tone wasn't as harsh as expected, and it seemed like something was on his mind. "...That makes one of us."

Those words were pretty monumental coming from Jack, assuming he was referring to himself. Perhaps he was developing some level of self-awareness, though Carly wasn't willing to bet on it at this stage.

"You, uh... about Yusei." Carly didn't quite know how to bring up this subject, since she'd heard it all from the younger brother, who, while somewhat aloof, was very honest. "You didn't... really want to work with him as a Signer, did you? You were kinda forced into it, so... how do you feel about it now?"

"Is this supposed to be another of your interviews?" Jack stepped up beside the bench she was sitting on, crossing his arms over his chest as he stared at the horizon. "...I thought I'd left it all behind. The Outlands, Yusei, Crow, Kalin... but fate had other ideas for me, and I can't trust the king anymore. Maybe throwing in my lot with him was a mistake."

Carly didn't know why Jack was talking like this all of a sudden, but it was refreshing. She liked being able to see what he was like behind his walls, and with how high they were, she hadn't thought that she'd ever be able to surpass them; it would have made more sense for him to open up to one of his fellow Signers, but she wasn't about to complain.

...Or maybe that was the reason he specifically sought her out. From what she understood, the Signers had a sort of shared empathy between them, able to feel each others' emotions through their marks; with the general distance between them, perhaps Jack wasn't comfortable sharing his feelings with his brother or Akiza, and especially not with the girl who'd just joined the team. He wanted to vent, and...

What did that mean for the relationship between him and Carly? Was she just looking too deep into things, or did he have some legitimate fondness for her that he didn't share with any of the other team members?

"Well, Yusei doesn't hate you, so..." Carly considered her words very carefully; she didn't want to step on Jack's toes, and that was an easy thing to do right now. "Maybe you should just try to... work on getting along better with the other Signers? Wait, no, that sounds stupid. Just forget I said anything, okay?" She took a deep breath. "Uh... if you don't trust the king, then maybe... um..."

Yeah, this whole giving advice thing just wasn't for her. She may have had the power of farsight, but she couldn't predict the best things to tell someone who was confused and lost and angry about it all, who'd always kept himself closed off and now had to share his emotions with a bunch of people he didn't even like-

"...No, you're absolutely right." Jack closed his eyes and lowered his voice, quiet enough that Carly had to strain to hear him. "I'm still under that royal edict, and if I go against King Rex's will, he'll just stop me. I need to..." He gave a slight shake of his head. "...I want to make it so that doesn't happen, and if that means believing in the other Signers, then so be it. I want to be in my right mind when I take the king down."

...Had he been planning to commit regicide from the beginning? A little extreme, but given what Carly had heard, she couldn't blame him for feeling that way. King Rex was clearly not in his right mind, and not to mention... for some reason beyond her comprehension, thinking about him gave Carly the creeps.

Almost as if she'd known him under a different name...

"Hey, uh..." Carly took another deep breath, bracing herself for what she was about to say. "I... I want to help you if I can. Like, actually help you... at first, I was just in it for the scoop, but it looks like I poked my nose in too far..." She gave a nervous laugh. "That's exactly what you were trying to stop me from doing, wasn't it? Sorry about that, but... I'm in this for real now. I can't fight, and I'm really clumsy, so I'll probably just get in the way, but..."

"You have your farsight." Jack spoke as if he'd intended to finish her sentence. "So long as you stay put, you won't get in anyone's way. It'll be great to know what I'm getting into in advance."

Maybe it was all she had, but Carly's gift had already helped the team out in a big way. She didn't have to focus as much on the seeing the future part, and could instead focus on watching from afar - the part that she was most comfortable with, as it hadn't gotten as much attention while she was in Rasca. So long as there was someone to protect her and serve as mission control to relay the information she uncovered to the other Signers, she didn't have any objections to that.

"Maybe Luna can help me out?" Carly suggested, and she hoped that she got the new kid's name right. She hadn't been paying full attention during the meeting, which was a little embarrassing, but these things happened from time to time. "Her dragon's the queen, right?"

"I don't know if I'd trust a child to protect you." Jack shook his head again, and then a hint of a smirk drew across his lips. "Queen Fairy, on the other hand... this could be a plan of action. I'll let the others know that you've completely lost your mind."

Carly wanted to take offense at that statement, but he was... kind of right. It took a very special sort of person to suggest having a kid as a bodyguard, even if that kid's potential was through the roof. She gave another nervous laugh, and offered her best smile to Jack, not even sure if he would care.

...But as he turned to leave, she caught a glimpse of his smirk turning into a more genuine smile. For the first time, she saw in her mind's eye a perfectly clear image - of a road leading to an unbreakable bond, of the shadows around them both pierced by rays of light, and of a grand battle that she would take part in, guiding her new companions as an important member of the team.

It was unfortunate that Carly wasn't good at seeing the future. If she'd known that this was what awaited her, she would have left Rasca a long time ago.

Chapter 22: The Setting Sun

Chapter Text

The dragon called Yuto had learned a great deal about the human realms since his imprisonment in the Keystone Tower. The magic infusing the tower had bestowed visions upon him, showing the catastrophe that had claimed Lulu's homeland of Exyzia; above all else, that memory drove him, but after his escape, he began to consider other things as well.

Rebuilding Exyzia promised to be a monumental undertaking, and Yuto had the thought that this visit to Penduluma would help him and the remaining royals toward that goal. He took careful notes on how the capital was arranged as he traversed its streets, and found that things were quite different from how they had been back home; while there was little rhyme or reason behind the layout of cities in the realm of dragons, the communal housing here was carefully grouped together and separated from the smaller private houses, and there was always a gap between commercial and residential districts, reducing the potential for noise pollution.

Of course, in the dragons' realm, enchantments upon the structures ensured that such things were not necessary. Yuto knew that not all humans possessed an aptitude for magic, and enchanting that many buildings would drain those who did; it wasn't practical to follow such a pattern, and he filed that knowledge away for later use, aware that it would be some time before the prince and princess returned to Exyzia.

For now, he considered what he had seen in the hospital. Yuya's dedication to Yuzu's safety was etched across his body, his wounds serious enough to warrant major concern, and yet he kept a smile on his face, expressing that he was just grateful he'd been able to protect her. He had explained to Yuto that his youth had been full of pain that he'd brought on himself by trying to push his limits, and that hospitalization was nothing new to him; he believed that as long as he kept his spirits up, he would be up and about in short order, and that meant the group wouldn't have to delay their progress for long.

It was, for all intents and purposes, acceptance of the request for Yuya to join them. Still, Yuto worried about Yuya's health, knowing that he was reckless enough to get himself hurt for another's sake - not that Yuto was one to talk, as he'd pushed himself far too hard since leaving the tower. He didn't want to show it to anyone, but the strain of maintaining his shifted form for too long had injured him as well, and he knew that it was only a matter of time before his own selfless foolishness caught up to him.

What he did not expect was for that to happen on the way to the hotel that Lulu had booked a room at for the night, his strength giving out quite suddenly while they waited together for the light to change at a crosswalk. It was fortunate that Lulu was there to catch Yuto before he collapsed, though he braced himself for the scolding that he was sure would follow.

Instead, all he saw on her face was concern. She supported him as she made her way across the road, almost carrying him in her arms; when they arrived at the other side, she maneuvered him onto a nearby bench, then checked him over thoroughly, making sure that he didn't have any visible wounds.

"Are you okay?" Lulu asked, her voice more gentle than Yuto deserved. "...Is this because of you pushing yourself?"

Yuto gave a slow nod, then looked away from her. "I should be alright... I just need rest. Sorry for worrying you."

"Do you want me to carry you to the hotel?" Lulu eyed the unoccupied part of the bench beside him. "Or do you think you just need to sit for a while?"

"I just need a few minutes." Yuto gave her a weak smile. "Thank you for the offer, though. I'm sure it'd make things even between us."

Lulu laughed at that, and she made her way over to sit next to him. "I'm actually not sure if I'd be able to carry you all the way there. You're a bit heavier than I expected."

Yuto supposed that his body in this form was denser than that of a human, and thus he would naturally weigh more. It made sense, and was better than thinking of Lulu as weak - she'd already demonstrated her strength to him, even if it was more mental than physical.

She'd chosen to shoulder the burden of her lost kingdom, knowing that restoring it would be an uphill struggle...

"Maybe you could ask Shay," Yuto suggested, and he considered the fact that he hadn't seen Lulu's brother since the group split up. "Do you know where he is?"

"Yes, he told me he wanted to be by himself." Lulu leaned her head back and closed her eyes. "He went to the outskirts, but said that I could call him if I needed anything." She turned her head to the side, and opened her eyes to look at Yuto; she seemed just as tired as him, though he couldn't help the thought that with the setting sun casting its glow upon her features like this, she looked...

...No, that was wrong. The realms of humans and dragons were still far apart, and however unwillingly, Lulu had been Yuto's captive for eighteen years - it was cruel for him to think of her like that.

"Was he always like this?" Yuto inquired, curious about Shay's behavior. The young prince of Exyzia had been distant since their first meeting, and though he had grown to trust Yuto somewhat, a considerable rift lingered between them.

"If you mean standoffish and difficult, yes." Lulu breathed a small sigh. "...But he's a lot worse than he used to be. I understand how he feels, but I still worry about him..."

A sentiment that Yuto shared, if he was to be honest. While they had both been affected deeply by the loss of their country, it appeared that Shay had taken things a lot harder than Lulu - he'd even gone as far as to utilize the Raid Raptor's crest, accepting a physical transfiguration that likely still caused him pain. His stasis had been solitary, with no one to keep him company in his dreams, and perhaps his self-imposed confinement had eaten away at his mind.

"Just be there for him," Yuto advised, and he met Lulu's gaze. "I want to do the same thing, if he'll let me."

"Considering that he wanted to kill you at first, I think he's already well on his way." Lulu gave another soft laugh, then stood up. "Are you feeling any better now?"

Yuto made an effort to pull himself to his feet as well, and he found that while he was very sore, he could at least stand on his own. He answered her with a nod, then waited for her to take the lead; if he collapsed again, he'd have to rely on her to help him, as much as he didn't want to do that to her.

Once they reached the hotel room, he would be able to get some proper rest, and he hoped that Lulu would do the same - the last thing she needed was to wear herself out helping him.

The dragon called Yuri felt like himself for the first time in a while, and he only had his favorite pet to thank.

The princess of Fusionia had proven to be more entertaining than Yuri could have ever imagined. She was quite strong for a human, and her magic blasts had actually stung a little - but he welcomed the pain, as it meant she was going to be a challenge to deal with, and he liked challenges. His fellow dragons had always ostracized him back home, deeming him a dangerous mutant, but Celina held no such prejudice; she was straightforward in her hatred for him, promising at every turn that she would escape his clutches someday.

Yuri looked forward to the day that she kept that promise. Keeping her captive in this tower was fun and all, but he wanted to know what it would feel like to hunt her. Of course, as a human, she wouldn't be able to out-muscle him, but it was better than being disregarded by everyone around him.

As the sun vanished behind the horizon, he decided to try shifting into his dragon form, just to see if he could get a rise out of the princess. When she left the bathroom, her jaw dropped, and... no, that was fear on her face. That wasn't the reaction Yuri wanted - he wanted Celina to get angry.

"What are you afraid for?" he taunted her, and all of his mouths twisted into smiles. "Aren't you supposed to fight back? To slay the dragon that keeps you captive?"

"...You and I both know I can't kill you," Celina retorted, and some of that delicious fire returned to her eyes. "If I could, I would've done it a long time ago." She took a deep breath, as if steeling herself, then walked past him toward the staircase that led to the upper floor. "What's your deal? You hungry or something? There's food downstairs, so scram."

Yuri gave a rattling laugh, and made his way over to the stairs to follow her. "No, I'd rather feast on your magic. It's so much better than meager human food."

If he was able to maintain this form for long enough, he could derive sustenance from her attacks. Unfortunately, the spell she'd cast upon destroying her cage had limited his ability to stay in his true form, and while he didn't mind it, it was somewhat troubling at times like these.

"There's no point." Once Celina reached the top room, she trudged over to her bed and sat down on it, her fire burning out once again. "I've already broken all those threads, and you're still an insane creep." She paused, closing her eyes and shaking her head. "...At least you aren't a pervert anymore."

Yes, that was one of the things the princess had saved Yuri from. That man's influence on him had run deeper than it was supposed to, and the spider's web around his soul had given him some truly dreadful intrusive thoughts. He almost wanted to thank her for it, though he knew that she would brush it off as more of his mockery - she had done so before, when the first thread snapped.

"You must have some measure of trust for me," Yuri pointed out, his mouths grinning all at once. "Otherwise, you wouldn't close your eyes in front of me... but come now, princess, have you given up already?"

"Only on fixing your brain," Celina shot back, and her eyes snapped open once again. "I made the mistake of assuming that you'd get better." She looked over at one of the tower's barred windows, the gaps too small for her to squeeze through without bending them first. "I'll never give up on getting out of here."

...Well, she had been a very good girl, snapping that nasty weave like she had. Yuri supposed that they both deserved a reward - her a glimpse at freedom, him a new and exciting hunt. Killing those who came to retrieve her just wasn't interesting anymore, especially since the last group of greedy mercenaries had come over five years ago.

"What if I made things easier for you?" One of Yuri's mouths reached for the enchanted rope that he'd used to bind her, and another reached for the window. "I think this is an appropriate reward for freeing my soul."

Celina's gaze turned suspicious, but she watched as he retrieved the rope and dropped it in front of her, untouched by his venom - he had to reserve it for the window, after all. When he chewed through the bars, the toxic liquid that dripped from his fangs melted the metal with ease, leaving a hole that was more than large enough for a human to escape... assuming that she was willing to risk a few chemical burns.

With the deed done, Yuri reverted to his human form, dusting himself off as he turned away from her. He listened for the telltale sounds of her flight... and was rather disappointed when they did not come.

Oh, dear. This simply would not do.

"This is a trick, isn't it?" Celina made a rather reasonable assumption, and she wasn't entirely wrong. "You aren't seriously going to just let me out?"

"Why wouldn't I?" Seeing that his prey had no faith in him, Yuri returned to the stairs, making his way down; he raised his hand to summon a wall of noxious flora, then cut off his connection to it, separating him from her. "Go on, then. I'm sure you know how to escape from a tower with a rope."

Celina huffed, and then Yuri heard the sound of her scrambling for the window, rope in hand. With his keen ears, he would be able to listen for her well after she left the tower, and then tracking her would be as simple as following the aura of magic bestowed upon her by her blood; resuming his true form was no longer necessary for this hunt, as he was more than capable enough in this form.

Once the princess was safely outside of her prison, Yuri walked down to the base of the tower at a languid pace, giving her a head start. There was no fun in ending the chase too soon, and her despair would taste all the sweeter draped over hope.

This was going to be wonderful...

Chapter 23: Conviction

Chapter Text

The Signers' next destination was the final star shard, and while Princess Yuzu and her dragon guard recuperated, Yusei determined that the four of their number, along with Leo, should set out toward the shard. There was only one problem: their newest member was somewhat reluctant to do so.

It hadn't taken long at all for Yusei to learn that the twins were inseparable. While Leo was excited about the prospect of becoming a Signer, Luna didn't want her brother to march into danger, and refused to accompany the others; no matter how hard Leo tried to persuade her, she didn't budge, and he wouldn't go without her. This stalemate meant that nothing could be done... and that was when Jack, of all people, stepped in.

He suggested a meeting at the outskirts of the capital, where the distance between them would ensure that Luna's ability to read the emotions of the other Signers would be compromised. Yusei didn't want to leave Luna out of a Signer meeting, but it was clear that their options were slim, and so he accepted Jack's terms without complaint; with just three of the Signers present at their chosen gathering spot, the conversation began with Jack making a rather strange declaration.

"We should go on ahead to the star shard without them."

Yusei felt Jack's determination first, and then Akiza's confusion; he looked at her, and she looked back at him before shaking her head. Clearly, the two of them were on the same wavelength here.

"Why?" Akiza asked the obvious question first, a slight yet distinct frown appearing on her face. "If we're going there to determine whether or not Leo can become the fifth Signer, then shouldn't we bring him along?"

"I don't intend to play babysitter for a couple of squabbling children," Jack told her in response, and he scowled at nothing in particular. "If the brat's really that important, the shard can come to him."

His words were harsh, but Yusei could sense the intent behind them. Jack didn't want an unburdened child to be sent into the line of danger against his will - if Leo had the resolve to stand on his own, the story would have been different, but it was obvious to all of them that he lacked that resolve. He put on a brave face, but beneath that, he was terrified.

"So you're suggesting that we go there and retrieve the shard." Yusei put together the plan in his head, but something felt off about it. "...Prince Shay tried to use it before, but it rejected him and didn't budge. We're dealing with a magical artifact... there's a possibility it won't let us bring it here."

"If that's the case, then we'll just have to drag it kicking and screaming." Jack's confidence only grew - on the surface. "I'm sure that won't be a challenge for me."

There was an undercurrent of doubt in his emotions, as if he recognized that Yusei was right on this front. Akiza seemed to sense it as well, as she placed her hand over her mark and shook her head.

"The star shard is the blessing of the Crimson Dragon in physical form," Akiza reminded Jack. "Its power may be beyond all of ours combined. I think we should try to convince Luna instead."

"If she won't listen to Leo, then what makes you think she'll listen to us?" Jack countered without missing a beat, crossing his arms over his chest. "Us being Signers hardly means we'll all magically be on the same page. You of all people should know that, Akiza."

Akiza didn't have a retort for that, and she hung her head, her distress flowing out from her freely. She was still conflicted about being a part of this group - yet that made her suggestion no less sound in Yusei's eyes.

"Then we'll just have to make it work." Yusei looked between Jack and Akiza. "Since we aren't making progress anyway, that gives us time to persuade her. We can also try appealing to Leo in the process."

"...I'll have no part in this." Jack turned away from the other two, and raised his right arm. "I'll go to the star shard and bring it back myself. Archfiend!"

The dragon answered his call, and emerged from his mark; however, Archfiend turned first to Yusei and Akiza, an indiscernible expression on his features.

"I should apologize on the young one's behalf," Archfiend said, and he sounded amused. "I'm sure you're already aware as his nestmate, but there are times when he can only learn the hard way."

Yusei glanced at Akiza and nodded, trying to cover for Archfiend's clearly private statement; however, the look of surprise on her face indicated that she hadn't quite gotten the message. Once Jack and his dragon had departed, Yusei made his way over to Akiza, and-

"So he and I have that in common." Akiza gave a humorless laugh. "I'm... sorry, Yusei."

...That was an unexpected reaction, and it caught Yusei off-guard. There was no need for her to apologize - if she thought she was being a burden for introducing another difficult person into Yusei's life... well, he would just have to inform her that this was nothing new for him.

"I'm used to it by now." Yusei hoped that his intent was conveyed through their marks. "Remember, growing up in the Outlands wasn't easy. In that sort of environment, one tends to become inflexible."

"That doesn't make it right." Akiza stood firm in her self-loathing, unwilling to let him reassure her. "I have a lot to make up for. I hurt you and Jack, and..."

"You're with us now," Yusei stated, just as unyielding. "You don't have to dwell on those mistakes. You can focus on atoning for them instead." It was a sentiment that he'd expressed to her before, but in his eyes, it bore repeating - as many times as needed to get through to her.

"...If you insist." Akiza managed a slight smile. "Thank you, Yusei. I don't understand how you can be so patient with me..."

"Like you said, you and Jack have something in common," Yusei pointed out, and he gave a quiet laugh. "And you haven't even met Crow. He's more stubborn than Jack sometimes."

"Crow..." Akiza repeated the name, her curiosity spiking only briefly before it faded into understanding. "I'd like to meet him someday."

"Once this is all over, I'll take you to my home." Yusei made the offer without hesitating as he thought back to the place he'd been raised, the humble orphanage in the Outlands run by the woman who was like a mother to him. "You can meet Martha, and Crow, and everyone else... hardship breeds character, and even if it was difficult, I was never alone."

He left unspoken the sentiment that he didn't want her to be alone anymore, knowing that it would carry through their bond as Signers. There was another sentiment that he was a bit more ashamed of sharing, but-

...She felt the same way as him. She didn't want to be alone anymore either, and she had him to thank for that. Sayer's spell had been broken at last, and now Akiza was free - free to be her own person, to think and feel for herself, and while the damage lingered, there were people she could rely on to support her through her troubles. Beneath it all, her anger still remained, but it was directed almost entirely at the man who ruined her now.

"...Hardship breeds character." Akiza repeated those words, their meaning not lost on her. "I think... you should go after Jack. I'll discuss things with Luna... there's something I want to ask her about regarding her magic potential."

Yusei considered this course of action briefly, and then answered her with a nod. "I have to go pick someone up first." He thought about Carly, the intrepid farseeing reporter who had accompanied them on this journey; she seemed to have some sort of connection with Jack, and so there was no better person to get through to him.

If he wouldn't listen to his own brother...

"Yes, you do that." A hint of humor invaded Akiza's tone, mirrored through her mark. "Well then... goodbye for now."

Yusei's preferred method of transportation awaited nearby, as he had used it to come to the outskirts; he waved at Akiza before mounting his motorcycle, a renewed sense of determination guiding his heart. The weight of the helmet on his head, the sound of the engine revving up... Stardust was faster, but his old partner was more practical for traveling in the city, as he didn't get strange looks from people for it.

Finding Carly without the guidance of a Signer's mark promised to be a challenge, but Yusei had never backed down from one of those before.

Carly couldn't stop thinking about the conversation she'd had with Jack on the outskirts.

She liked the feeling of being useful, of playing a crucial role as part of the team. She liked being able to use her farsight without being reprimanded for it, regardless of which flavor she chose to utilize. She liked that the Signers had chosen to place their trust in her, that the princess of Exyzia had accepted her as a comrade without question - but there was still something missing.

Prince Shay was a difficult customer, and Carly wasn't as fond of feeling indebted to him. Jack continued to fret over her, and she didn't want him to let that distract him - he had important Signer business to deal with. It was awesome that she could be part of this ragtag group of heroes, and the suggestion of Luna serving as mission control seemed brilliant on the surface, but...

Her mind drifted to what had happened to Akiza's home. Carly had now officially met an Earthbound Immortal herself, and while the experience had been terrifying beyond belief, there was also something... intriguing about it. A being with such fathomless power, which required a tether in order to awaken its consciousness - everything she'd been told indicated that those things were monsters that could not be tamed, but was that really the case?

Without a tether, Aslla Piscu would continue to rampage aimlessly, causing all sorts of damage to the area around where it had awakened. Its negativity was something that Carly didn't need in her life - she repeated that to herself over and over, but the sentiment rang hollow. The idea of taking that power and turning it against the people who'd tried to kill her was far too tempting-

The sound of a motorcycle engine cut through her thoughts, and Carly glanced in the direction of the sound to see a face that had become familiar in recent times. Yusei turned off his bike and set his helmet aside, then walked over to Carly with a visible question in his eyes.

"Can you come with me?" he asked, giving a voice to his unspoken sentiment. "Jack just ran off on his own, and I'll need your help to convince him to come back."

Straight to the point - Carly had to admit that she was impressed by Yusei's honesty. He was the complete opposite of his brother in every way, and his request was a nice reminder of that fact.

"Okay, what's his deal this time?" Carly had the thought that Jack was quite the hypocrite. "...He has a lot of nerve, telling me to stay put..."

Yusei gestured to his ride, as if asking her to join him on it. "He wants to bring the star shard back with him. I'm worried that he might get hurt or worse."

The star shard - an image appeared unbidden in the view of Carly's third eye, of a ghost from the past and a hulking monstrosity in the vague shape of a human. That was definitely not something Jack wanted to deal with on his own, and she had the distinct feeling that Yusei wouldn't handle it very well, either.

"Sure, I could use some motorcycle practice," Carly said, as she recalled Princess Rin's offer to her - and then realization dawned on her. "You're, uh... not gonna drive the whole way there, are you?"

"No, I just need to get to a spot where I can call out Stardust." Yusei looked around the area they were in; tall buildings stood all around them, hardly an ideal place to summon a dragon. "We can take him the rest of the way."

The plan was sound enough, and Carly didn't have any reason to object. She wanted to give Jack a piece of her mind anyway, so Yusei's request would benefit both of them; she waited until her guide got back on his bike, and then seated herself behind him, taking a moment to adjust.

...It wasn't easy. She had to fight just to keep her balance, and the close proximity between them was a bit awkward. When Yusei handed her a spare helmet, she struggled to figure out how to put it on, and when she finally got it adjusted, there wasn't enough space for her glasses - this wasn't going to be a pleasant experience.

Well, maybe Carly could get a helmet for herself that fit better later on down the line...

"You might want to hold on to me," Yusei advised her, as he glanced back at her. "I know I'm not Jack, but-"

"What does that have to do with anything!?" Carly interrupted him, and she followed his directions, gripping him tight with both arms. "Jack's bike probably doesn't even have enough room on it for two people..."

Yusei gave a quiet laugh, and Carly tried to shake off the feeling that he was mocking her. She just squeezed him tighter in response, and- he started up the engine and took off, and she was not prepared for the speed at which they moved. The wind whipped past her, stinging her exposed skin, and the engine was nearly loud enough to deafen her.

"Don't worry." Yusei maintained his usual calm tone, even as he raised his voice so that she could hear him over the noise. "Riding Stardust is different from this."

The idea of trying to tame that Earthbound Immortal suddenly became that much more tempting. This experience was already causing Carly to second-guess her plan to become a biker, and she wracked her brain for any reason not to chase after Aslla Piscu; to her infinite relief, it didn't take her long, and she was able to relax just the slightest bit.

In order to become a Dark Signer, one had to die first. Her desire to stay alive was strong enough that those terrible thoughts left her for the time being, leaving her mind full of anxiety about this insane ride instead.

Chapter 24: The Bridge Between People

Chapter Text

Just as he'd expected, a bit of sleep was all Yuto needed, and the soreness in his limbs dulled over the course of a few hours. When he woke up, Lulu was still asleep, curled up beneath the blankets of the hotel room's other bed; he had watched her in stasis, but her slumber now was different, and she looked more peaceful than ever.

After everything that she had been through, she deserved this as much as he did. She hadn't stopped for a moment since breaking out of her cage, pushing herself constantly so that she could bring an end to the madness that had ruined her home; as much as he admired her for it, he was glad that she let herself rest now, and he hoped that the two of them could continue to rest for a while.

Shay deserved to take a breather as well, but Yuto hadn't seen or heard from him for a while now. Lulu had insisted that her brother was within contact range, and would come if she called him, but that didn't stop Yuto from worrying - especially about a certain small issue that had cropped up in his mind since their arrival at this hotel.

How would Shay react if he knew his sister was sharing a hotel room with her former captor? Would he be willing to accept it, or...?

With these troubling thoughts in mind, Yuto went about making himself presentable, washing up and changing into a spare set of clothes that had been procured for him by Princess Rin and her guard. The fabric was a bit itchy, not like the outfit that had manifested upon his transformation, but he couldn't wear the same clothes forever, and so he would have to put up with this substitute for the time being.

By the time he left the bathroom, Lulu was awake, although she hadn't moved from her position in her bed. She looked up at Yuto as he approached her, and a small smile appeared on her face as she raised her hand to greet him.

"Good morning," she said, her voice soft. "How are you feeling?"

Yuto seated himself on the bed beside Lulu, smiling back at her. "I'm still sore, but I feel a lot better than I did. What about you?"

"Still tired." Lulu punctuated her statement with a yawn, stretching out her limbs. "I should probably get up, but I don't want to." She breathed a quiet giggle as she pulled herself into a sitting position. "Do you mind eating later?"

If he was to be honest, Yuto was uncomfortably hungry, but he shook his head and closed his eyes. "I don't mind at all. If you're still tired, you should go back to sleep."

"Probably..." Lulu shuffled closer to Yuto, moving so that she sat beside him on the bed. "But since you're awake, I think I'd rather spend time with you."

That was not at all what Yuto was expecting. He turned his head to look at her, blinking in surprise, and she just giggled again before leaning against his body, one of her arms sliding around his waist. This position was... he averted his eyes and blushed, unwilling to admit that he kind of liked it.

"How do you feel about me?" Lulu asked, a question that came out of nowhere, just like her actions. "...Even if you're a dragon, I like you a lot. You're very kind, and... in this form, you don't look much different from a human."

Her other hand went to his neck, her fingers running along the artifact that contained his power, and no matter how hard he willed himself, Yuto couldn't move. This was too intimate - they were too close, and his heart raced as he struggled to think of a proper response to her question.

How did he feel about her? He couldn't have asked for a better companion during their shared captivity, and even now, she looked after him without hesitation or pause. She, too, was kind, her heart aching every day for the people of her kingdom that had perished in Fusionia's attack; she was determined and strong, not allowing that pain to weigh her down, and...

There was no point in denying it anymore. Even though she was a human, a different species from him, Lulu was beautiful - Yuto thought her to be more attractive than any dragon he'd met.

...He was doomed.

"I... I like you, too," Yuto admitted, after a silence that bordered on uncomfortable. "I didn't want to say it, but..."

"Why not?" Lulu's hand moved to the back of Yuto's head, combing through his hair, and his eyes closed partway in response to her gentle touch. "Does it really matter that I'm a human and you're a dragon? Can love not blossom between the races?"

Love - that was a strong word, and yet it didn't feel wrong at all. She had a point, and Yuto couldn't think of a counterpoint; perhaps it was just because of how warm she was, her proximity washing away all his doubts and fears, and he looked at her again, giving a small, slow nod.

"I suppose it can," he agreed, and those words felt like a weight off his shoulders. "Then, in that case... do you want to be my mate?"

"Yes," Lulu answered without hesitation, and she leaned in to press a kiss to Yuto's lips. He stiffened for a moment, startled by her bold action, and then he relaxed and leaned against her in turn, his eyes closing as he encircled her waist with his arm, mirroring the gesture she'd made earlier.

This... it felt right, and all the logic in the world couldn't counter that feeling. He craved her presence and her touch, all his worries melting away in this wondrous moment that would remain in his heart until the end of his days-

"This the right room?"

A voice from outside and a knock on the door jarred Yuto from his stupor, and he pushed himself away from Lulu as it registered in his mind just who that voice belonged to. He glanced over at his new mate, apologetic, and a distinct expression of concern appeared on her features - it seemed that she'd had the same thought.

...Well, it wasn't like they had to tell the prince what they'd been up to.

"It is," Yuto confirmed, as he stood up and made his way over to the door to answer it; unconsciously, he raised a hand to his neck, laying his fingers atop his choker. "Come on in, Shay."

He opened the door for Lulu's brother, and wondered how much longer he was going to live.

As he laid in his hospital bed and waited for his body to heal, Yuya thought about the most recent encounters he'd had - the princess of Exyzia and her dragon companion.

Princess Lulu seemed like a nice person; she was a little more soft-spoken than Yuzu, but every bit as strong-willed, and she was also quite pretty for a human. Yuto had an intensity about him that had almost spooked Yuya at first, but when he spoke, the kindness in his heart became clear as day. The two of them were a good match, and while that was a bit of a strange thought to have, it wasn't like Yuya had any room to criticize himself on that front.

In her absence, Yuya considered what Yuzu was to him. If Lulu was pretty, Yuzu was gorgeous, and her willingness to speak her mind made Yuya's heart flutter just thinking about it; now wasn't the right time, but perhaps at some point in the future, he would tell her how he felt about her. He had already heard her feelings for him in her song, so he had reason to believe that she would accept his eventual confession.

Now that he was part of the Signers' group, Yuya wondered what the princess of Synchronia was like. He hadn't gotten a chance to meet her yet, and the odds were that he wouldn't until he left the hospital, as Lulu had informed him that the others wanted to leave him be so that he could rest. That was the opposite of what he wanted, but the princess had the last say, and he hadn't voiced his objection to her line of reasoning.

Thinking could only get him so far, and without anyone around, Yuya began to grow bored. Part of it was that he didn't want to think too much, as doing so would dredge up some unpleasant memories; still, he didn't want to page Yuzu if he didn't have to, since she had her own issues to deal with. She'd mentioned something about talking things over with Lulu and Rin, and-

Someone came into the hospital room without knocking, and Yuya recognized the presence as another of his kind. The boy with blue and gold hair was a new face, but the energy radiating from his bracelet was unmistakable; he approached the bedside, scanning Yuya with his eyes, and then he winced a little - probably at the realization of just how badly this patient had been injured.

"You're Yuya?" The other dragon's voice carried a hint of sympathy. "That Earthbound Immortal seriously messed you up. You look like you got run over by a wind carrier."

A common means of transporting goods in the realm of dragons, and Yuya couldn't disagree with that assessment - he felt like it, too. "Yeah, but I just had to protect Yuzu. If she'd been hit by that..."

He trailed off, not wanting to think about that possibility. His resilience as a dragon had kept him alive, but Yuzu didn't have that.

"I'd do the same thing for Rin-Rin," the other boy proclaimed, sounding proud of himself. "I guess you and I have that in common."

The mention of that name was all Yuya needed to figure out who this visitor was. It had to be Yugo, the dragon who'd served as Princess Rin's guard... and who didn't even bother to hide his affection for her.

"I guess we do," Yuya agreed, and he couldn't help a smile. "I don't regret what I did. I just feel bad that it's caused Yuzu to worry so much." He shifted his position, sitting up in bed; now that he'd had some time to recover, it didn't hurt so much anymore. "She's been keeping me company when she can, but I don't want to bother her, so..."

"Then I'll keep you company," Yugo offered, and he met Yuya's smile with a grin. "Rin's busy right now too, so I'm bored out of my mind. I think she's still talking to Yuzu."

"Bored, huh?" Yuya laughed at that. "That's how I am all the time right now. Not being able to move is the worst." He stretched out one of his arms, and grimaced at the pain that brought - he definitely wasn't back up to one hundred percent. "At least it isn't my first time in the hospital." He lowered his arm to his side, reaching over to rub it with his other hand.

"It isn't?" Yugo seemed confused. "Isn't this your first time in a human country? You've been to a hospital before?"

It took a moment for Yugo's words to settle in, and then Yuya blinked as he realized that, yes, his fellow dragon had just said that. "Uh, yeah? There are hospitals back home, too. Have you never been hospitalized before?"

"Never." Yugo shook his head, again sounding proud of himself. "You must've done some pretty dumb things to end up in the hospital more than once."

"Just training, really." Yuya reached his hand up to scratch the back of his neck. "I was a bit clumsy when I was younger, so I kept falling and breaking bones. I guess what they say about the definition of insanity is true... but hey, it all paid off in the end! I can even walk on a tightrope!"

"...Tightrope?" Yugo's voice carried a distinct undertone of envy. "I can't walk at all when I'm in my true form. I'm all wings and no legs."

"Hey, at least you can fly," Yuya pointed out. "I'm all legs and no wings." He paused, realizing what he'd just admitted to. "You, uh... don't think that makes me weird, do you?"

"No weirder than me," Yugo said, and he gave a shrug. "At least we have all our limbs in this form."

Yuya nodded his agreement, and then breathed a sigh of relief, knowing that Yugo wouldn't judge him for his lack of wings. "...How do you feel about being stuck in this form, anyway?"

"It isn't all bad." Yugo's expression softened, and he looked almost as if he was daydreaming. "Sure, I can't fly, but at least I can walk. Plus, I get to be with Rin-Rin... did you know she lets me eat my meat raw? She even watches me do it..."

It was abundantly obvious what Yugo's priorities were. He didn't care one bit about his transformation, so long as it meant he was able to stick by the princess' side. He seemed rather... simple-minded, though that was better than him overthinking things all the time.

"Yuzu said that the thought of it makes her sick to her stomach." Yuya frowned a little at the reminder. "So she always made me cook my meat, and I always get funny looks from the nurses when I ask for raw..."

"Can't be helped." Yugo gave another shrug. "That's just how humans are. It isn't safe for them, so they think it's gross."

"It's like us with greens." Yuya breathed another, more exasperated sigh. "I had to explain to the nurse that it was the spinach that made me throw up. Fortunately, she got the message..."

"...You actually ate spinach?" Yugo was more than a little alarmed by this proclamation. "Are you insane?"

"I was hungry, okay?" Yuya pouted, crossing his arms over his chest. "I didn't realize it had spinach in it until it revisited me." He groaned. "I even got scolded by Yuzu for that..."

"Well, at least they know you can't eat it now." Yugo hummed, nodding once. "...Man, humans sure are strange, aren't they?"

"I mean, we're strange to them," Yuya reminded Yugo, and the smile returned to his face. "We have our differences, and overcoming them is part of the process of making friends. It's tough sometimes, but we make compromises, and that usually works out in the end."

"...Hey." Yugo reached out his right hand to Yuya - the one that bore his bracelet. "You seem like a pretty awesome guy. I want to build a bridge between humans and dragons, too." He tilted his head. "Where's your artifact?"

"The humans took it from me," Yuya answered, feeling ashamed. "I mean... they didn't steal it, but it's being kept somewhere else in this room. I haven't been able to look for it, and explaining it to them isn't easy."

"Want me to get it for you?" Yugo withdrew his hand, and glanced around the room. "I think I can sense where it is."

"Thanks." Yuya's smile brightened. "You're pretty cool yourself, Yugo."

Yugo stepped away from the bed, then stopped dead in his tracks, glancing back at Yuya with obvious bewilderment on his face. "You know my human name?"

"Princess Lulu mentioned it to me," Yuya said, and he gave a short laugh. "She told me that you were really into Princess Rin, so..."

"I-I'm not!" Yugo's whole body went stiff, and a bright blush appeared on his face. "She's just... a really good friend, that's all! Yeah, she's pretty, and she could probably kick my butt if she wanted to, and she lets me eat raw meat in front of her, and... but- but that's all, I promise!"

"You're really sure about that?" Yuya's smile twisted into a grin. "Completely, totally, absolutely sure?"

"Y-yeah!" Yugo's stuttered reply didn't sound the least bit convincing, and it earned him another laugh from Yuya. "Hey, quit laughing at me! Do you want me to get your artifact or not!?"

"Sorry, I couldn't help myself." Yuya's apology didn't come out as sincere as it should have. "...Besides, it's not like I have any room to talk."

That part was quieter than the rest, just above a whisper, and Yugo's expression then indicated a surprising amount of understanding. As he walked over to where Yuya's pendant was being kept, a hint of a softer smile drew across his lips; given his desire to bring humans and dragons together, the sentiment must have touched him deeply.

Maybe romance wouldn't be the way to go for most, but for the dragons who'd been cursed inside the Keystone Towers, it seemed the best way to bridge that vast chasm.

Chapter 25: Fear

Chapter Text

Akiza couldn't recall the last time she was this fraught with anxiety.

She had chosen to become Luna's teacher in the art of magic, but that did not ease her nerves when it came to approaching the girl. Someone so young and full of potential deserved better than a forest witch who'd killed countless people in her own mentor's name, whose power was difficult to control even now. Luna deserved someone who had a pure heart to teach her... but at the same time, that was the exact reason that Akiza couldn't give up on this lofty goal.

There was no guarantee that someone with a pure heart would come to be Luna's mentor. The possibility of another Sayer coming along to sweep her away was too strong, and so Akiza resolved herself to take on this responsibility. She recalled the exercises that her traitorous kin had taught her - one of the few good things he'd done for her - and focused on burning away her nerves, replacing them with steel and strength. So long as she maintained control over her power, she would not ruin this poor child.

In the wake of everything that had happened, the twins had elected to stay at their place for the time being, and thus Akiza made her way up to the penthouse suite in which they resided. There was no doubt that Leo would follow his sister like a shadow, but that was quite alright; magic training hardly needed to be one-on-one, and if he awakened his own hidden potential as a result, at least he would learn how to control it. In the case that he turned out to be the fifth Signer, he would need to know how to fight, and his physical build as a child left only one option in that regard.

When she crossed the threshold into the twins' temporary residence, Akiza took a deep breath, forging her nerves yet again. Everything hinged on Luna accepting the offer of apprenticeship-

"Hey there, Akiza! 'Sup?"

Before Akiza could do anything else, she found herself staring into the eyes of a very excited Leo, who seemed to have no regard for his own self-preservation. He welcomed her with all the innocence of one who had not yet learned the ways of the world, who could not tell a kind-hearted ally from a vicious creature who only created misery.

His naivete was something that Akiza envied. That pure soul was a beautiful thing which deserved to be cherished and immortalized, not torn to shreds in the fires of conflict.

"Hello, Leo," Akiza greeted the boy, and she put on her best smile. "How is Luna?"

For a moment, Leo looked as if he wanted to spin some elaborate lie on his sister's behalf, but then he just frowned. "She's still thinking about the star shard. She's trying to be all cool and tough, showing up her big brother... but I'm a Signer too, I just know it! I need to go get that star shard so I can prove it to her!"

It was the exact same story as last time, and Akiza huffed out a small sigh. She couldn't fault either of them for lack of persistence, at least.

"Well, I'm afraid I don't know if I can convince her to let you go." Akiza scanned the room, searching for the other twin; sure enough, Luna sat on a sofa in the midst of the room, looking mentally occupied. "But I'd like to extend an offer to her. I can sense her magic potential, even now..."

"Y'hear that, Luna?" Leo didn't even wait for Akiza to finish, and bounded on over to his sister. "Akiza wants to teach you how to use magic!"

"Magic...?" Luna glanced up at Leo, then turned her gaze toward Akiza. "Queen Fairy said something about my magic potential too, so... I guess that means it really is real..." She stood up slowly, then walked over to where Akiza stood. "Are you sure you wanna do this, though? I mean, wasn't your mentor a big jerk?"

"That's exactly why I want to do this." Akiza took a short breath, steeling herself yet again. "I don't want someone like him to come along and take advantage of you. Plus, we're both Signers... we can understand each other better than most."

As if responding to her words, her mark lit up in a brilliant red light; a moment after, Luna's did the same, the resonance between them sending a chill down Akiza's spine. This proposal was not without risk, but as one who had been chosen by the Crimson Dragon and who had made a pact with a dragon to save the world, Akiza was willing to take that risk.

"...I know how you feel." Luna raised her other hand to place it over her mark, nodding in comprehension. "It's scary, but... you're really strong, and I want to learn all I can from you." She paused, and tilted her head. "Does this mean I have to call you Master?"

Something about that thought struck Akiza the wrong way, and she shook her head, a bit more violently than she'd intended. "Please don't do that. Just Akiza is fine."

"Okay, then." Luna perked up a little at this, and a small smile crossed her face. "When do we start?"

"We can start right now if you want," Akiza offered, and she gave a smile of her own in turn. "Though I would recommend going outside. Magic practice can be... unpredictable."

Even if she'd learned to rein in her temper somewhat, there was no telling what would happen. She hadn't fully explored the depths of her own magic well, and that was to say nothing of her young apprentice's untapped power.

"Then let's go outside." Luna walked over to the sliding glass doors that led to the suite's balcony. "Are you gonna come too, Leo?"

"Of course I am!" Leo proclaimed, and he followed in his sister's footsteps without a moment's delay. "I wanna learn how to use magic, too!"

Akiza had to admit that the twins' enthusiasm warmed her heart in a way that she couldn't quite put into words. Perhaps in the future, the two of them would rise above their broken teacher together - but until then, all she could do was lend what knowledge she had, and hope that the girl with the mark of the dragon's claw followed a different path from her senior.

Jack had not forgotten his vow to himself that he would answer to no one else. The troublesome bonds that he had started to form as a Signer meant nothing - in the end, his way was the only way, and if that meant going alone to fetch the star shard when the others were too cowardly to follow him, then that was just fine by him.

Archfiend didn't seem too enthused about this, but that didn't matter as long as he followed Jack's lead. Like the dutiful servant that he was, the dragon carried his human master toward the circle marked by the four Keystone Towers, and it wasn't long before Jack could sense the star shard; like the other Signers' marks, it resonated with his own, telling him where it was and to... stay away?

How pathetic. If the shard wanted to play tough, it could do whatever it wanted, but Jack would get his way in the end. His mighty dragon would see to that-

"Jack!"

...A familiar voice, and the last one Jack wanted to hear right now. He turned to see his brother's Stardust nearby, and offered only a scowl in response to the address - he should have known that Yusei would try to stop him.

"And just what do you think you're doing here?" Jack demanded, as Archfiend landed on the ground. "You know you can't stop me, so why are you even trying?"

"Because you're completely out of your mind?" The voice that answered him wasn't Yusei's - it was much higher pitched, and more... feminine. "You know this is insane, right? The whole running off on your own and putting yourself in harm's way thing, which you specifically told me not to do?"

Jack had not anticipated Carly coming to scold him, but sure enough, here she was in all of her remarkable stupidity. He'd thought that in the end, her desire to preserve her life would win out over her determination to follow him, but yet again, he was wrong - and there was nothing he hated more than being wrong.

"And you can't fight," Jack reminded her, watching as Stardust descended to land beside Archfiend; he could see the two on the dragon's back now. "Unlike me, so-"

"Yeah, but I can see the future!" Carly countered, and Jack swore that she was glaring at him behind her glasses. "And I know that coming here was a bad idea for all of us, so let's just head back to town before something happens!"

A dark vision... even if her farsight wasn't fully reliable in that regard, it was still enough to give Jack pause. More than anything, he wanted to know what she'd seen that spooked her so much, to the point where she was willing to come all the way out here to tell him despite the danger.

"Alright, then what on earth did you see?" As Jack asked his question, he noted that Yusei hadn't spoken a word since calling out to him - hardly unexpected, given how quiet the boy was, but it was a little curious in these circ*mstances. Yusei had argued with Jack plenty of times before, and...

"...It's got to do with you two, specifically." Carly hesitated, her expression becoming downcast. "I think... the person I saw in my vision is someone you know."

Now that was most intriguing indeed. There weren't a lot of people that both Jack and Yusei knew, meaning that whoever it was, they had to be someone from the brothers' shared past - either Crow, or... there was one other person it could have been, but that didn't make any sense, did it?

"Remember, Jack." Yusei was the next to speak, and for the first time in a very long time, he sounded unsure of himself - had he come to the same conclusion? "In order for someone to become a Dark Signer, they need to die first. I hate to say it, but I think I know who she's talking about."

"There's no way." Jack shook his head, clearing those thoughts from his mind. The possibility was near zero, and even on the distant off-chance that that person had somehow become a Dark Signer, what reason would there be for him to come here?

"Don't be so sure of yourself, old friend! Where there's a will, there's always a way!"

...Alas, it seemed that fate had been planning to play a cruel prank on the Enforcers all along. A face that Jack hadn't seen in a long time appeared before them, riding a wave of darkness; with a flick of his wrist, the young man called out a creature that was both larger and stronger than the Signers' dragons, the Earthbound Immortal that he had forged a pact with to become its tether.

"That's... that's him." Carly seemed a lot more shaken than she should have been, even considering her past experience with a Dark Signer. "He's... part of Rasca. I used to work with him..."

That was a reveal Jack hadn't been expecting, but now wasn't the time to come down on her for not mentioning it sooner. Now was the time to-

"Flee." The voices of both Stardust and Archfiend echoed in Jack's head, a warning that even he could not ignore. "We cannot fight at our best when our bonded humans are impaired. There is no hope of defeating this Dark Signer as it stands."

Impaired... as much as he hated to admit it, Jack was somewhat rattled by this blast from the past. Not only was it unexpected, but to fight against someone who had once been a friend - the echoes of Yusei's horror reached him through his mark, amplifying his own emotions in some sort of twisted feedback loop. There were times when it was best to stand and fight, but the dragons were right in that now wasn't one of them.

Jack didn't object in the slightest as Archfiend carried him back into the sky and away from Kalin, his mind buzzing with something he hadn't allowed himself to feel since his childhood - fear.

Chapter 26: Darkness Awaits

Chapter Text

The visions came to Carly's mind clearer than ever now, and what she saw left her petrified.

Meeting Kalin again after all this time had brought her on a painful trip down memory lane. Every time she met with the Professor, those tiny creatures crawling along the walls of Rasca's headquarters, the time she'd been dragged kicking and screaming into a laboratory room - that was something she hadn't recalled before, and she wondered if her wiped memories were starting to return.

There was one particular image that stood in the background of all the others, becoming clearer with each new revelation. Professor Goodwin with the royal crown of Synchronia atop his head, the key to unlocking a truth which Carly would never have guessed at... and yet, in the rush of her flight from Kalin and his Earthbound Immortal, it seemed like something she should have known all along.

King Rex of Synchronia and Professor Goodwin of Rasca were the same person. The mark of the condor was emblazoned upon his back, the sigil of a Dark Signer - different from the others, yet there was no mistaking it. The name Rasca, too, originated from this truth; the organization was named after an Earthbound Immortal, the one which stood above all the others as their undisputed leader.

No wonder Carly had always been so unsettled by that place and its people.

As Stardust touched down just outside Penduluma's capital, Carly felt a distinct pain in her head, no doubt a response to what she had seen. She braced herself for a lecture after she hopped down from the dragon's back, clutching her head as she glanced over at Jack; however, the champion seemed more generally perturbed than angry, and she allowed herself to relax a little when he approached her, his gaze fixed on the ground.

"...Carly." Jack grimaced as he spoke her name, though he didn't look at her. "You knew what happened to Kalin, didn't you?"

"Well... yeah, I just didn't expect it to become relevant so soon." Carly felt ashamed of herself for not mentioning this to the brothers earlier, knowing their mutual connection with the man in question. "Sorry... I was kinda trying not to think about him myself. I only figured it out after I left Rasca, and... well."

She hadn't exactly gotten along with Kalin back when she was part of the organization, and now she knew why. He was an even worse person than she'd been told.

"I can't say I blame you." Jack sounded a lot more sympathetic than usual, as if seeing his old friend in that state had rubbed him raw and made him more inclined to express his emotions. "I never would've thought..." He raised his head suddenly, glancing at his brother. "Yusei?"

"Kalin... is a Dark Signer." Yusei spoke to himself, lost in his own bleak world. "...His grudge was strong enough that he came back... it's..."

Even without the bond that the Signers shared, Carly could tell what was on Yusei's mind then. He believed himself to be at fault for what had happened to Kalin, and his stoic facade had begun to crack as a result; for as long as she'd known him, even if that wasn't very long, Carly had seen Yusei as an unshakable pillar of strength, but it seemed that there was more to him than she realized.

"...Between the four of us, those two were the closest," Jack explained, evidently noticing Carly's confusion. "We were all friends and comrades, but Kalin was truly Yusei's best friend." He crossed his arms over his chest and glanced to the side. "It's no wonder this is hitting him so hard..."

"I'd ask exactly what happened, but I get the feeling now isn't the time." Carly breathed a sigh. "...You're feeling it too, aren't you, Jack? It's gotta hurt like crazy knowing an old friend of yours came back from the dead as an anchor to an evil god..."

"I am." Jack's voice was quiet as he looked up at Carly, meeting her gaze. "I've tried all this time to throw away my past... I should've known it wouldn't be that easy. I can't... keep running away."

He said that last part almost as if it pained him, and Carly felt a pang of sympathy for him. She didn't - couldn't - understand the depths of his grief, with all his efforts up to this point effectively being for naught, but she had a fraction of an idea, and it hurt her just as much to think about it. She wanted nothing more than to ease his suffering, to help him in any way she could...

"YOUR. TORTURED. SOUL. GIVE IT. TO ME."

The voice in her head was faint, yet she could feel the raw power that flowed through every word. It sounded like some sort of twisted bird, a chattering that she couldn't block out even if she wanted to - the call of a being whose power she had both dreaded and yearned for.

Did the Earthbound Immortals want her so badly that they would demand her submission, or was it her own darkness that drew her to them?

"...Jack." Carly addressed the Signer in as firm a tone as she could, pushing aside the beast's siren song for the time being. "This probably isn't the right time, and my idea is going to be the craziest thing you've ever heard of, but can you help me with something?"

Jack raised an eyebrow, but gave a small nod. "What is it, Carly?"

"I'm hearing voices in my head," Carly told him, as if it was the most normal thing ever. "I think that untethered Earthbound Immortal wants me as its Dark Signer... and that reminds me of something I've been thinking about lately." She took a short breath, and her hands balled into fists at her sides. "I want to help you, but I can't even do that without putting myself in harm's way. I can't defend myself like this, so you're going to have to keep saving me... if that thing won't leave me alone, I want to see if I can tame it."

"Carly, that's..." Jack's eyes went wide, and he shook his head. "...That's the most absurd thing I've ever heard. You want to become a Dark Signer so that you can fight? Do you really think the Earthbound Immortals can be tamed?" His hands fell to his sides as well. "Why do you think I would ever go along with this ridiculous plan of yours? No, you need to stay back and-"

"Even if I do, the Dark Signers will just come to me instead," Carly countered, firm in her conviction - more so than she'd ever been before. "Luna and Queen Fairy might be able to protect me, but what if more than one of them sneaks up on us? I need to be able to fight, too - I'm in this too deep not to, and you don't have the time to train me."

"That doesn't mean you should..." Jack trailed off, and turned his attention back to Yusei. "What?"

"If a Dark Signer can be redeemed..." Yusei lifted his head, looking conflicted. "Carly, can you use your farsight to see if this plan of yours will work?"

Farsight... that was a good idea, so long as it worked the way it was supposed to. Carly closed her eyes and focused inward, prying open her third eye; she dipped into the well of magic within her, drawing out as much as she could-

"COME. TO ME. MY POWER. WILL BE. YOURS."

The voice of the Earthbound Immortal echoed in her head, clearer this time, and in response, her third eye beheld two new visions. Both of them featured her draped in dark robes, the mark of the hummingbird emblazoned on her arm - but one was a hopeful future where she continued to fight alongside the Signers as their ally, and the other showed a scorched wasteland with bones and corpses scattered everywhere. In the second vision, she stood alongside Jack, but he, too, had been converted into a Dark Signer, bearing the same mark as her in place of his Signer's mark.

Two futures - two possibilities, each of them just as likely. Either Aslla Piscu would claim Carly's soul and make her into its puppet, or she would claim dominion over it and use its power for a greater purpose, and the fact that there was a chance at her success further emboldened her.

"...It could go either way," Carly said, as she opened her eyes and looked between the brothers. "But that means I might be able to pull it off. I think I'll need your help, though."

"Let's get the other Signers," Yusei suggested. "With all four present, we should be able to subdue you if something goes wrong."

"And I thought you'd lost it before," Jack muttered, and then he breathed a sigh. "...Then again, you're nothing if not stubborn. Let's do this."

The two Signers raised their arms, calling back their dragons; Carly scanned the area around them, and noted that Stardust and Archfiend had conveniently placed them near where Yusei had parked his motorcycle. She wasn't looking forward to another joyride, but...

"I'll bring them here." Yusei walked to his bike and climbed onto it, then put on his helmet before shooting one last glance at Carly and Jack. "It's better if we do this where no one else will get caught in the crossfire."

Carly nodded, then looked to Jack, who mirrored her gesture; they watched as Yusei sped off, then returned their attention to each other, and an awkward silence settled between them.

This would either end in something unprecedented and unspeakably awesome, or it would cause the end of the world as they knew it.

When Akiza and Luna arrived, they did so carried by Black Rose, the beautiful dragon's vines holding them tight. She deposited the two Signers on the ground, then returned to Akiza's mark; a moment after, Yusei pulled up on his motorcycle, and with that, the four Signers were gathered.

Carly noted that Leo wasn't present, and she wondered how they'd convinced him to stay behind. The odds were that they hadn't, and he just hadn't been collected by Black Rose.

"Alright, then." Jack looked between his fellow Signers, and then fixed his eyes on Carly. "How do you propose we do this?"

"Well... since it was talking to me, I guess I can try talking back?" Carly took a deep breath, trying to dispel her anxiety; knowing what awaited her, that was pretty much impossible, but she could make an effort. "...Er, you get what I mean. Anyway, uh..."

She noted that Luna looked just as nervous, and that fact didn't help any. The kid was tough enough to be a Signer, but she was still just a kid - not the best frontline soldier, though there was no denying the potential within Luna's soul. That magic well was way deeper than Carly's.

"...Are you sure you want to go through with this?" Akiza spoke up next, a hint of concern in her voice. "There's no guarantee that it'll succeed, and even if it does... you know what becoming a Dark Signer entails."

"Yeah, I know." Carly couldn't forget - it was by far the most terrifying part, even more so than her ultimate goal of forming a pact with an Earthbound Immortal. "Haven't... really figured that part out yet." She gave a nervous laugh. "Can you help, Jack?"

"Me?" Jack looked almost offended by the notion. "No, I..." He shook his head. "...Tell me when to do it." He placed his hand on the hilt of the sword he carried with him, prepared to draw it at a moment's notice.

"Okay, so... first things first, I'm going to try and negotiate." Carly closed her eyes, and listened for the Immortal's voice. "There's gotta be some way..."

Sure enough, it didn't take long for that shrill voice to invade her head again. "YOUR SOUL. WILL TAKE. MY POWER. YOURS."

"Well, the power part sounds pretty good," Carly answered the beast, speaking aloud even though she likely didn't need to. "The soul part... I'm not so sure about that. Is there anything else I can give you in exchange? Like, say... dominion over the others?"

"DOMINION." Aslla Piscu repeated that word, and the faintest hint of intrigue spread through its voice. "DOMINION. OVER THE OTHERS. TO STAND. ABOVE RASCA." A pause. "YOU. HUMAN. WOULD BRING. ME. TO DOMINION."

"If you agree not to steal my soul, I can do that for you." It was a big promise, but Carly didn't see any other options. "I know it's not how you guys work, but I kinda like having my soul, so..."

"YOU ARE. STRONG. MAD." Aslla Piscu's response came slowly, but its intrigue strengthened with every word. "MAD. FOOLISH HUMAN. BUT STRONG. WILL STAND. ABOVE." Another, lengthy pause. "YOU STAND. WITH SIGNER. I STAND. ABOVE RASCA. YOUR SOUL. WILL KEEP. YOUR LIFE. I TAKE."

...That seemed almost too easy, and Carly's anxiety spiked at the thought that the creature was tricking her. It was a distinct possibility, but even so, there were four Signers around her, each bonded with a powerful dragon. Even in its mindless state, the Earthbound Immortal must have recognized that the odds were against it.

"And... that's it." Carly opened her eyes and looked at Jack. "It's time... you know what to do."

Jack hesitated for a moment, but drew the sword in one fluid motion, and pointed it directly at Carly. "...I pray this works. Crimson Dragon, if you can hear me..."

The sword hurtled toward her, and Carly allowed herself to be embraced by her fear. She stood in place, paralyzed by the darkness within her - the voice which would, more than any spoken words, call to the Earthbound Immortal.

To die with regrets and a powerful desire in one's heart... it didn't seem so bad now, and she welcomed the sting of the blade in her chest before everything went black.

Chapter 27: The Earthbound Rising

Chapter Text

As Jack withdrew his sword from Carly's lifeless body, he felt that he had done something unforgivable.

No matter how troublesome the girl was, she was also tenacious, and her guidance had been a valuable asset to the Signers' cause. He wouldn't have admitted it to just anyone, but he'd grown quite attached to her, and to slay her himself - it stung even more than seeing Kalin again had, yet he'd gone and went through with it anyway. He could have just turned and left, and dragged her with him so that she couldn't come up with any more ludicrous get strong quick schemes... but what was done was done, and there was no turning back now.

It wasn't like Jack had any room to talk. He'd chosen the easy way out in leaving the Outlands, and that had gotten him nowhere in the end. At the very least, on the off-chance that Carly's inane ploy worked, she would accomplish something that no one ever had before.

...And if it didn't work, they'd have another Dark Signer on their hands that needed to be put down. Kalin was bad enough, and Jack hadn't forgotten the dragons' warning - they wouldn't be able to fight at their best if their bonded Signers were impaired, which would put them at a disadvantage despite their superior numbers.

Jack glanced over at the youngest of the group, and saw that she had looked away, not wanting to witness this. He couldn't blame Luna - she shouldn't have been brought along, and the only reason she had was because she was a Signer. The poor girl had likely been scarred for life by seeing someone die in front of her.

Truly, this situation had far too many problems to count. Why in the world had any of them agreed to this?

The wait wasn't long at all. After only a few minutes, a purple mist swirled around Carly's body, blocking her from view; the intense energy that the fog emitted made Jack dizzy, and he struggled to keep on his feet as he watched the unnerving scene before him. His mark began to glow, along with those of the other Signers - an automatic response to the corrupted magic of an Earthbound Immortal, and yet...

"Her sacrifice will not be in vain."

The voice was familiar, coming from everywhere and nowhere at once, and it took Jack a moment to realize that the Crimson Dragon had just spoken to him - and to the others as well, judging from the looks on Yusei's and Akiza's faces. All at once, their marks disappeared, and the ground around them lit up with a massive sigil; from it emerged the form of the dragons' god, its body like blood and fire and its cry resonating to the sky.

The Crimson Dragon's power flowed forth, mingling with the Earthbound Immortal's mist; a mesh of bright red threads weaved through the purple shell, then sank into it, vanishing from sight. A few seconds passed, and then the Crimson Dragon returned to its sigil, which faded from the ground as the Signers' marks returned to them.

"A... binding spell." Akiza was awestruck - it showed in her voice and flowed from her mark. "...The Earthbound Immortal is not merely tethered. It's chained."

"What's the difference?" Jack inquired, taking his eyes off of Carly for just long enough to look at Akiza. "It sounds the same to me."

"There's a big difference, actually," Akiza answered him, as she placed her hand over her mark. "Due to the Crimson Dragon's interference, the Earthbound Immortal will be incapable of taking over Carly. Gathering the Signers for this was a good idea..."

Yusei didn't say anything, but the emotions that flowed from his mark spoke louder than his words ever could. He'd realized that these circ*mstances were special, and that the same could not be applied to Kalin, which ran counter to his hopes for this ritual.

"Then, that means..." Jack disregarded his brother's concerns for the time being, and returned his attention to Carly; the fog had receded from her, and her body looked as good as new - the stab wound was gone, and not even a drop of blood lingered.

On her right arm was emblazoned a mark that vaguely resembled a bird, and it shone with a dim purple light. When that light faded, she stirred in place, as if she had just been asleep.

"...Huh, that wasn't as bad as I thought it'd be." Carly slowly pulled herself to her feet, and wobbled a bit on her way up. "I feel a little different now, but hey, at least I'm alive, right?"

Alive and in one piece, and for some reason, that simple fact was a burden off Jack's shoulders. Even considering the issue of Kalin, he felt like he could take on anything now - and he would, with Carly at his side and fighting with him. He could sense her strength now, greater than even his own, and knowing that he'd played a part in gifting that strength to her was a feeling beyond even victory.

"C-Carly...?" Luna's voice was quiet as she turned around to face the newly awakened Dark Signer, and then her eyes went wide. "It... worked?"

"Like a dream." Carly's voice shifted, and a shroud of smoke enveloped her; when it vanished, her clothes were replaced by dark robes with orange markings on them, and the whites of her eyes turned black, visible without her glasses. "Aslla Piscu would like to convey its thanks to the Signers for bringing it this far. Now, it can achieve its dream...!"

She raised her arm, and the sky's light dimmed as a vortex of shadow spread across it; from her mark, the Earthbound Immortal came forth, spreading its wings as it floated above the Signers - wings that were bound by the same threads the Crimson Dragon had placed upon Carly, yet the beast did not struggle in its fetters.

"...And I'd like to thank the Crimson Dragon for the extra layer of protection." Carly's bright smile looked as if it didn't belong on her face, warped as she was by the Earthbound Immortal's magic. "You can never be too safe with these things, right?"

"I thought it'd be more upset about being chained," Jack pointed out, a bit confused by how calm Aslla Piscu seemed. "What gives?"

"Well, it's still pretty psyched about the promise I made to it," Carly explained, and she glanced up at the beast. "It's willing to put up with a couple chains if it means it can stand above Wiraqocha Rasca."

"...Rasca?" Jack repeated the name, recalling the organization that Carly had once belonged to. "That's another of the Earthbound Immortals, isn't it? Don't tell me..."

"Yep." Carly gave a nonchalant shrug, as if this was something she had known all along. "Professor Goodwin, the guy in charge of Rasca, is actually King Rex of Synchronia. Also, he's a Dark Signer, tethering the leader of the Earthbound Immortals... Aslla Piscu's itching to drain him dry."

The king was the Professor, and a Dark Signer... somehow, that knowledge came as little surprise to Jack. He'd known something was fishy about King Rex, and this just proved his suspicions more than anything.

"...The king of Synchronia is a Dark Signer?" Yusei, on the other hand, was a bit more surprised. "That means that all this time, his royal decree was..."

"A means to an end." Carly recalled Aslla Piscu, and the shroud covering the sky receded with its disappearance. "He wanted to kill two birds with one stone, so to speak... the Signers and the kingdoms' princesses, along with their bonded dragons. Whoever won that fight, he'd have one more obstacle out of the way, and a few more powerful souls to feed to Rasca."

"Clever." Jack had to admit that it was a solid plan, though it still churned his stomach that he'd almost become a pawn to a Dark Signer. "He'd gather the Signers so that he could deal with them all at once, and then take out the princesses as well... no wonder he was called the Professor in his organization."

"His plan backfired, though," Akiza noted, and a surge of pride flowed out from her mark. "The Signers are stronger than ever, and now even one of the Earthbound Immortals has turned against its own... plus, we have three of the princesses and their guardians on our side. The only ones who remain are the princess of Fusionia and the fifth Signer."

She'd changed a lot from when she'd lashed out at her fellow Signers in the forest. Jack couldn't help feeling proud of her, and he made a note to thank Yusei for his hard work later.

"So..." Carly's voice shifted back to its usual tone, and her eyes returned to normal as well. "Miss Luna, would you be willing to let your brother come to the star shard now? There's a Dark Signer protecting it, but if we all take him on together, we can take care of him easily."

"I'll... think about it." Luna didn't sound too sure of herself, but she gave a shaky nod. "If Leo goes, though... I want to go with him."

"That was the plan from the start," Jack reminded her, and he felt a spark of frustration at this child's stubbornness - a spark that he was sure his fellows felt as well. "There's only one way we'll figure out if Leo is a Signer, and that's if we all go to the star shard."

"...Okay." Luna glanced between the other Signers. "Can we do this tomorrow? I..."

Her sentiment didn't need to be spoken - she was rattled by what had transpired here, even if everything had turned out alright in the end. She needed some time to rest and get her wits about her, and that was reasonable enough.

"There's something I want to think about, too." Yusei's distress was just as obvious as Luna's, and there was no need to guess why he felt that way. "...Let's head back for now."

"You three go on ahead," Jack told the other Signers, and then his gaze settled on Carly. "...We have a lot to discuss."

Carly gave an understanding nod, agreeing with Jack's sentiment. "And tomorrow's still a ways off, so..."

Akiza hummed her affirmation, then called out Black Rose; the dragon's vines encircled both her and Luna, and then she took to the sky, carrying the two off toward the heart of the city. Once they had left, Yusei went to his bike and got onto it, though he gave Jack one last lingering glance before he departed as well.

Now, with just the two of them at the city's outskirts and no one else around, Jack turned a smoldering look upon Carly - he had learned over the years that actions spoke louder than words, and he hoped to have quite the long discussion with her...

At last, the time had come.

The betrayer stood alone in the ashes of the forest he had once called his home, and he saw that the beast which had slain him was no longer there. He saw with his third eye that the one who'd taken the Immortal was clear across the continent in Penduluma, and he had to admit that he was impressed - he hadn't been able to foresee that before his change.

And what a change it was. Dressed in robes like a starless night and gifted with a simian mark, the betrayer felt more alive than ever in the wake of his death. On top of retrieving his favorite puppet, he had a second goal now - to bring ruin to the Signers, which had taken everything from him and cut his plans short before they could even be put into place.

The monster within him agreed that this was the best course of action for them both, though it also suggested that he meet with the others of his kind - save, of course, for the brat who'd taken the hummingbird, as she danced on the strings of the Crimson Dragon. The spider awaited in the capital of Fusionia, and that was where the betrayer set his sights first.

There was no need for him to hide his true nature anymore. He could hate and rampage to his heart's content, and once he made himself at home in the spider's lair and the condor's nest, he would have allies to fight alongside him. In the end, he would stand as the leader of the Dark Signers, with all the others subjugated and made into his loyal slaves - and so, too, would the Signers be there, as the ultimate revenge against the Crimson Dragon's chosen.

Yes, he could see it all in his third eye. The future which he would create for himself, where he alone stood as the ruler of all things, human and dragon and everything in between...

A wicked grin drew across Sayer's lips as he called forth the Earthbound Immortal Cusillu, which had resided in the world of dreams until now. With its new tether in the waking world, it could bring him to the heart of Fusionia without any interruption, and then the betrayer's next plan would be set into motion.

Chapter 28: Twisted World

Chapter Text

The princess of Fusionia had managed to make it all the way back to her country, and what she saw there was even more horrific than she imagined.

Just outside the border, she saw a forest that had been burned by magic flames, its charred trees standing above a blanket of ash that coated the earth as far as the eye could see. She felt the remnants of an unspeakable evil there, one which had only recently departed, and she decided to wipe the image from her mind as best she could.

When she crossed into Fusionia proper, she could not do the same. The sky was pitch-black, shrouded in a terrible fog that stretched to the ground in pillars; like a spider's web, a mesh of white threads were draped across every building in this small border town, and all the people that wandered about bore soulless looks on their faces, as if they had become mere puppets. The sight awakened Celina's deepest instincts, and she wanted nothing more than to flee for her life - yet she knew that wasn't an option.

She had resolved to cure the plague of madness that had overtaken her home, and if that meant witnessing the depth of Fusionia's perversion, then she would do so without hesitation. This town was just the beginning, and she planned to make her way to the capital in due time-

"So, you've escaped confinement."

One of the border guards stepped up to Celina, and the blank look in his eyes cleared up somewhat as he met her gaze. She could sense the malice that remained in his heart, so she didn't let her guard down, and readied herself for a fight.

"Welcome back, Your Highness," the guard said, as he drew his sword. "...I'd advise that you come quietly and don't resist."

Celina had a feeling that was going to happen. She glanced around, and saw that a few more soldiers had followed the first's lead; she was outnumbered, but these weren't the royal guard, so she had confidence in her ability to fight them off.

Rather than listening to the demand, she steeled her limbs with magic, then darted off to attack one of the new arrivals. The soldier ducked out of the way of her initial strike, and she attempted to make another - only for a third soldier to grasp her wrist from behind, and she felt her enchantment drain away, leaving her weak and distressed.

Border guards weren't usually trained in the art of magic absorption. Was this an ability given to them by whatever was controlling them?

Despite her new predicament, Celina struggled to remove her wrist from the soldier's grip, determined not to let these goons win. In response, the soldier twisted her wrist, and she let out a yelp of pain as another soldier came up to her, restraining her other wrist; she pushed away the pain as best she could, and tried to focus inward so that she could draw on her magic, but found that the well had been somehow sealed.

In a matter of seconds, this situation had become less than ideal. Celina supposed that she could stop resisting capture and go along quietly for now, but... she heard something that sounded almost like a snarl, and it wasn't coming from any of the guards.

She hated how familiar that sound was to her now.

"Hands off," came a voice from nearby - one that she recognized for certain. "The princess is my prey."

Celina glanced in the direction of the voice, and sure enough, Yuri stood there, a dark look in his eyes. She wasn't sure which was worse - being taken away by the people of her own kingdom, or being subjected to that accursed dragon's twisted games.

"Who are you?" the apparent leader of the group demanded, as he turned to face Yuri. "And what do you think you're doing, trespassing on-"

"I think the better question is, what am I?" Yuri put on his best psychotic grin, and reached his hand up, lightly tapping his earring with one finger. "I'd prefer to answer that question first."

He shifted into his dragon form, and Celina swore that the grin remained on his face the whole time. His fangs dripped with his caustic venom, and two of his other mouths snaked out, snapping open as they poised to strike.

"Ah, it's the king's pet." The head guard didn't seem fazed at all - in fact, he relaxed a little at the sight of Yuri's true form. "What brings you here, then?"

"I've come to take back what's mine." Yuri's voice echoed in Celina's head as well, and she didn't quite understand why. "Also, I believe you have the wrong creature. Isn't the king's pet named Uru?" He gave a mocking laugh. "Oh wait, it's the other way around! How could I have forgotten?"

"...The other way around?" One of the guards restraining Celina loosened his grip, panic invading his voice as realization dawned upon him. "What do you mean by-"

"Well, there's no use talking to your next meal," Yuri mused, and then one of his mouths hurtled forward, latching onto the guard who'd spoken. He dug his fangs into the man's flesh, pumping some of that horrid toxin into his blood - and after just a moment, the mutant dragon decided to forgo formalities and devour his prey whole, his mouth fitting around the guard's body with ease.

Disturbing as the sight was, Celina was grateful that she had seen it before through images in her dreams - this was far from the first human that Yuri had eaten, and at least this time, he'd made the decision not to tear them limb from limb first. She watched as the other guard let go of her wrist and made an attempt to flee, only to get caught by one of Yuri's other mouths; again, he swallowed the guard without hesitation, then turned his eyes upon the remaining soldier, his grin somehow becoming even broader.

Celina closed her eyes as Yuri darted forth, but she couldn't block out the sickening sound of him biting the guard's head clean off. He'd saved his primary mouth for the leader of the lot, and he seemed to have every intention of savoring this particular feast.

"...Humans don't taste very good anymore." Yuri made this rather remarkable observation as he chewed on his prey, sounding a bit irritated. "I suppose this means I'll just have to stop eating them." His tone shifted. "That means you're off the menu, princess. You get to live."

All things considered, that statement wasn't very reassuring. Celina turned away from the scene of Yuri's grisly crime so that she could open her eyes again, and she looked up at the darkened sky, allowing her thoughts to drift a bit.

There had to be some way to lift the curse that had befallen her people. It was obvious now that she couldn't do so without bloodshed, and as much as she hated to admit it, her tormentor seemed like her best option for an ally right now. Sure, the odds were that he'd go back on his vow and eat everyone he killed, but Celina had long since accepted the harsh reality of her situation.

"Say, Yuri." The princess couldn't believe that she was about to make this request - desperate times truly called for desperate measures. "Since you're not on their side, would you mind helping me out a bit? I want to see if I can do something about what's going on here in Fusionia, and I don't think I can do it by myself."

"Hmm?" Yuri seemed intrigued by this, and once he'd polished off the third guard, he reverted to his human form and walked up beside her. "You want me to help you? That's a surprise. I would've thought that you'd rather die than work together with me."

"I don't exactly have many other choices here." Celina breathed a heavy sigh, and massaged her still-sore wrist. "Those guards had anti-magic capabilities. I can't fight very well without my magic."

"It did sting a little when I bit them," Yuri observed with a nod. "How troublesome... well, I don't see any reason to say no. I can keep a closer eye on you that way."

That was the part Celina wasn't so thrilled about, of course, but she chose not to voice that sentiment. Instead, she reminded herself that this was an alliance of strict necessity, and that once they were done here, she'd get away from her annoying captor at last.

"Don't think it'll last," Celina reminded him, her tone sharp. "...Anyway, we should probably start with shelter. I don't think anyone around here will let me stay the night without sending me straight to the capital..."

"That won't be a problem." Yuri extended his hand to Celina, who just slapped it away; he made an annoyed noise in response. "...For someone who just asked for my help, you're being rather rude. I built a temporary den for myself not far from here, and I thought to suggest that we take shelter there for tonight."

"How convenient," Celina muttered under her breath, and she heaved another sigh. "Just as long as you don't try to sleep next to me or anything."

"An acceptable compromise." Yuri turned to leave, but then glanced over his shoulder at her. "By the way, princess, you ought to learn how to fight without your magic. Of course, you'll never reach my level, but you might at least reach the point where you aren't a burden."

...Yeah, he hadn't changed one bit. Celina was not looking forward to this alliance.

Yuya's wounds had healed a lot faster than the hospital staff expected, and while he wasn't in fighting shape yet, he could move around with minimal discomfort now. After some discussion among the doctors, it was decided that he would be discharged early, so long as he promised to take it easy for a few more days.

Yuzu had never seen Yuya as happy as he was when he left the hospital, and the brilliant smile on his face proved contagious. When he asked her where they would go next, she told him that there was only one destination in her eyes - the royal castle of Penduluma, the place that had been her home a long time ago.

When she returned to the castle, Yuzu was greeted warmly by the servants whose faces she didn't recognize, and her aging father welcomed her with open arms as he had back then. It was surreal to see how life had moved on in her absence, to the point where she no longer knew her own home; those bittersweet feelings were enough to put a damper on her mood, and having to explain Yuya to everyone didn't help matters any.

By the time the introductions and re-introductions were over with, Yuzu was exhausted, and she retreated to her room - the same room she'd slept in before her imprisonment in the Keystone Tower, and it was the one part of the castle that remained unchanged. She was still too wired to sleep, so she seated herself on her bed and thought over everything that had happened that day; she'd heard from the Signers that Carly had become a Dark Signer, though thanks to the aid of the Crimson Dragon, the Earthbound Immortal she'd subjugated wouldn't be a problem.

Yuzu wondered if there was any point to her continuing this fight. It was clear that the Crimson Dragon favored the Signers and their old, powerful allies over the human princesses and their young dragon guards, so what was the harm in just staying home and figuring out her life from this point forward? She did have a lot to figure out, with her self-imposed stasis having trapped her in the past-

She was stirred from her thoughts by a sudden knock on the door, and then she heard a voice that she knew very well by now. "...Um, sorry to bother you, but can I come in?"

Yuzu stood and walked to the door, wordlessly opening it for her odd-eyed companion. The joy of leaving the hospital had vanished from his face, replaced instead by evident concern for her; she realized that by not speaking, she'd probably only worried him more.

"I really am sorry." Yuya apologized again, hanging his head. "I just... wanted to see if you were okay. I know that today was really tough on you, and..."

"Don't worry about it." Yuzu put on a very forced smile. "Come on in. I... wanted to talk with you, anyway."

"...Okay." Yuya looked as though he didn't fully buy it, but he stepped in regardless, pulling the door shut behind him. "So, what did you want to talk with me about?"

Yuzu returned to the bed, seating herself once again; she watched Yuya as he approached her, but he kept a short distance from her. "Do you think... we should keep fighting against the Dark Signers?"

"That's an odd question." Yuya seemed perturbed by Yuzu's words. "I don't think we really have a choice. We're their enemies, and that means they'll find a way to come after us, whether we like it or not."

That was a very good point that Yuzu hadn't even thought of before. It didn't fully dispel her doubts, but at the very least, she was open to the idea of continuing the fight now.

"Yeah... that's true," Yuzu admitted, after a brief silence. "But at the same time... it's been a long time since I've been home, and everything feels so different now. It barely feels like home anymore."

"At least everyone here likes you." Yuya moved to sit on the bed as well, though he continued to keep his distance from her. "I don't know if it'll be the same for me when I go home..."

Another thing that Yuzu hadn't considered, and now she felt a bit ashamed of herself for being so selfish. Yuya had his own stake in all this, and doubly so with what he had done during their confinement; even if it wasn't his desire, he had still killed people, and likely felt that he needed to atone for that.

"...Sorry." Yuzu looked away from her friend, her hands gripping the side of the bed. "I didn't even consider your feelings..."

"You have a lot on your mind, too." Yuya shifted closer to her, and she looked back at him, noting the despondent expression on his face. "Believe me, if I could stop fighting, I would. I hate this... all of this. I just want things to go back to normal..."

Yuzu wondered if there would ever be such a thing as normal again for the two of them. With everything they'd been through over the last eighteen years, it was possible that the answer was no - their lives had changed on the day they'd been transported to the Keystone Tower, and now...

...Well, it wasn't all bad. Thanks to those events, they'd met each other and become friends, and now the world was one step closer to healing the schism between humans and dragons. Yuzu had yet to learn what had caused that in the past, but as long as Yuya was by her side, she was willing to wait as long as it took to learn.

"You know, Yuya..." Yuzu shifted closer to him, mirroring his motion, and she saw how his expression changed to one of mild surprise. "Even if it was under those circ*mstances, I'm really glad that I met you. Thanks to you, I can keep smiling, despite everything that's happened... I hope that I can do the same for you."

"Yuzu...?" Yuya blinked at her, and then his eyes grew wet. "...Yeah, you're right... I'm glad I met you, too..."

He closed the distance between them, pulling her into a tight hug, and she felt the dampness on her shoulder as he started to cry into it. She returned his embrace, unable to hold back her own tears; they'd both been through more than anyone their age deserved to, but at least they could find solace in each other and their shared experiences.

Yuzu's heart ached for Yuya, and with everything he did, she could tell that he felt the same for her. It didn't matter that he was a dragon - he was a kind person, and his devotion to those he cared about was deep and unwavering.

He would move heaven and earth for her, and she decided then that regardless of how tough it got, to the best of her abilities, she would do the same for him.

Chapter 29: Pain and Regret

Chapter Text

Shay couldn't believe that he'd let his sister fall into that dragon's trap.

Sure, as far as his kind went, Yuto was a decent enough person. He treated Lulu well, and had promised to use his strength to help rebuild Exyzia; at the very least, he was better than that annoying brat who followed Princess Rin around like some sort of lost puppy, or the absolute clown who accompanied Princess Yuzu. Yuto and Lulu had become quite close over the course of the eighteen years they were trapped together... yet there was the issue of the fact that he was a dragon, not a human.

Even if he looked mostly human in his current form, the choker around Yuto's neck signified what he was inside. Dragons and humans had been separated for a reason, and while Shay didn't know what that reason was, he didn't see any need to change the status quo. Bridging the gap between the two races was only necessary to put an end to the Earthbound Immortals, and any further intermingling was...

Though, if he was to be honest, part of the reason Shay disapproved of the relationship between the two of them was just because he didn't want his sister to get hurt. He had only recently come to terms with the truth about Yuto's imprisonment, and Lulu was all he had left in the world - no matter the cost, he refused to let any further tragedy befall her.

Shay resolved himself to speak with Yuto at the next available opportunity. He knew that Lulu wouldn't listen to him, so the best way to solve the problem was to root it out at its source.

Fortunately, the prince didn't have to wait long. It was just the next morning that Yuto left the hotel by himself, and that was when Shay cornered him, dragging him off to a quieter place where few would be able to hear them talk. The location Shay chose was a short distance from the hotel, at the edge of a small park filled with tall trees; Yuto didn't resist, though he did seem very confused by this turn of events.

Shay scanned the area to make sure that they were alone, and then he turned a sharp glare upon Yuto. "Why were you two sharing a hotel room?"

"...I was wondering when this would come up." Yuto was unfazed by the question, and he simply frowned in response. "We made the decision because it was cheaper. I'm sure you're aware of how hard money is to come by for travelers."

"And Lulu didn't have enough on her to pay for two rooms?" Shay narrowed his eyes, and he held back the urge to grab the dragon by his stupid choker and punch him in the face. "You know what sharing a room means, right?"

"Not in human culture, no." Yuto shook his head. "Lulu never mentioned anything about it to me. For us dragons, sharing a sleeping space is reserved for mates and nestmates... but I chose to overlook that for the sake of convenience."

"Well, it means the same thing for us humans." Shay's hands clenched into fists at his sides. "So despite having that in common, you still went ahead with it? Are you trying to claim my sister as your mate!?"

"I wouldn't do anything that she doesn't want me to," Yuto countered, and his own anger began to surge - Shay could see it in his eyes. "If anything, she'd be the one to make the first move...!"

However unfortunate it was, that sounded just like Lulu. Not only was she surprisingly assertive, she often didn't think to look out for danger in regards to pursuits of the heart. She'd admitted to her brother that the loss of her people had hit her harder than him, due to the sheer number of friendships she'd formed among them - yet it seemed that she hadn't learned her lesson at all.

"Then it's on you to reject her advances," Shay hissed through clenched teeth. "You're older than her, so that means you need to be the responsible one!"

"On a technicality." Yuto shook his head again, firm in his conviction. "I've lived longer than her, but as a dragon, my age would be roughly equivalent to hers. Does that still put me in a position to 'be the responsible one', as you put it?"

"Yes," Shay answered without hesitating. "She doesn't know what's good for her and what isn't. I know her better than you do - I've known her all her life." His nails dug into his palms. "So don't you dare let her hurt herself."

"...If I have to, I'll protect her from herself." Yuto's tone calmed as he locked eyes with Shay. "On the day we left the tower, I swore to her that I'd protect her with my life. I know that as her nestmate, you feel that you're the one who needs to protect her... so more than anything, I want you to trust me to share in that responsibility."

...He really was a weird dragon. Shay had built an image in his mind of what the guardians were supposed to be like, and Yuto had done an excellent job of demolishing that image - to say nothing of the other two, who were somehow even more different from what Shay envisioned.

Maybe, just maybe, he could trust this dragon with his sister's care.

"Fine." Shay took a step back, and turned his gaze to the ground. "I can tell how much you care about her... but if you even think about breaking that trust, I'll tear you limb from limb, and I'll make it slow. I don't care if you're a dragon."

Yuto hummed and nodded, accepting these terms. "And I would let you." He raised a hand, placing it over his choker. "I'd sever myself from what I am..."

"...I don't get you." Shay allowed the tiniest hint of a smile to draw across his lips as he looked back up at Yuto. "But I guess I should thank you. You've taught me a lot about dragons... and how wrong I was about them."

"I wouldn't say all dragons are like us," Yuto pointed out. "Yuya, Yugo and I... we have our reasons for being the way we are. Different reasons, but they set us apart from the rest of our kind." He looked to the sky, his expression distant. "I want to believe that this means we can be the bridges between humans and dragons, to mend the wounds of the past so that misconceptions like yours never happen again."

"That's pretty optimistic of you." Shay almost wanted to laugh at how ridiculous Yuto sounded, but at the same time, it wasn't far off from his and Lulu's desire to end the conflict between the human kingdoms. "But you won't be doing it alone, will you? Count me in."

Surprise flashed across Yuto's face for a brief moment, and then he smiled back at Shay. "Thank you. I know it isn't easy to trust me... I've done some horrible things, and..."

"We both have a lot to answer for." Shay thought back to the day he'd tried to take the star shard, only for it to reject him. "All we can do now is fight for what we believe in... and put an end to the Dark Signers at any cost."

Even now, he didn't expect to survive this conflict. The Raid Raptors were a major asset, but they could never stand up to the Earthbound Immortals - at best, they'd be support to the real frontline fighters, and Shay recognized that, but as long as he could contribute, he didn't care what happened to him in the end.

As long as Lulu lived on, and was able to recover from the damage she'd suffered...

"I'll protect you as well." Yuto said something that Shay didn't quite expect - yet at the same time, it wasn't especially surprising. "You're one of the most important people in Lulu's life, and the only family she has left. It would destroy her if she lost you, too."

...As if the dragon was reading Shay's mind. The prince turned away, not quite willing to accept the gesture, but he knew that he wasn't able to refuse, either.

"I'm leaving," Shay announced, and he didn't look back at Yuto. "Keep what I said in mind. I'll start with the Raid Raptors you found for me."

"Stay safe," was all Yuto said, apparently undisturbed by the threat. He remained quiet as Shay left, much to the broken prince's relief.

For some reason, it felt as if a weight had been lifted off Shay's shoulders. He could always chalk it up to the fact that he was no longer fighting alone against an evil he wasn't able to face, but he felt that there was something more to it - something he wasn't willing to put much thought into at this juncture.

If everyone was still alive after the ashes settled, that would be a different story.

After talking with Yuya a few times, Yugo had cooked himself up some food for thought.

First and foremost, he liked the other two guardians that he'd met thus far. Yuto was annoying sometimes, but he was a decent guy, and offered to help in any way he could; he'd made promises to protect the other princesses as well, and while that included Rin, he seemed a lot closer with the princess of Exyzia, so Yugo was willing to let it slide.

Yuya was the first dragon Yugo had met that he could call a true friend. The two of them had a lot in common, from their educational difficulties to their distance from others of their own kind; while Yuya had been ridiculed for his body, Yugo had been reviled for his behavior, and so they'd had trouble connecting with others until they met the humans. As someone with missing limbs in his true form, Yugo felt that he had no right to judge Yuya, and in turn, Yuya appreciated Yugo's upfront honesty.

Next, though, was a more upsetting issue. During their imprisonment, the princess' watchers had all killed people, and even though it had been against their will, Yuya had expressed extreme guilt for that fact. Listening to him talk about how he wondered if he'd ever be able to atone brought back some memories for Yugo - memories that he'd tried to suppress in the hopes of moving forward from his miserable past. He wanted to embrace his newfound freedom, but at the same time...

Ultimately, there was only one option in Yugo's mind. He wanted to talk to Rin about this, and get her opinion on the matter. He trusted her more than anyone, and that made the thought of breaking her trust in him beyond terrifying, but this was something that he just had to get off of his chest before it consumed him.

It took some searching for him to find his favorite princess, and when he did, her location surprised him. She was at a place that looked like some sort of garage, and had struck up a conversation with someone there; upon noticing her bodyguard, she broke off the conversation and made her way over to him, and the look in her eyes told him that she was anticipating one of his long-winded rambles.

Just this once, he only had one thing to say.

"Rin," Yugo began, and he averted his eyes from her. "Do you think I'm a horrible person?"

"Where did this come from?" Rin's confusion was evident, and he caught her tilting her head out of the corner of his eye. "Did you hit your head or something?"

"No... I remembered." Yugo wrapped his arms around himself, shivering. "When we were in the tower... I-I killed people. I..."

He hadn't just killed them - he'd maimed them. With his claws and fangs, he'd torn them apart piece by piece, their blood painting his scales... and then he'd licked that blood off of himself, and even eaten a few dismembered body parts. As a dragon, the raw flesh had tasted wonderful, but the reminder of what he'd done had always caught up with him afterward.

"That wasn't you," Rin stated, her tone firm. "That was the curse placed upon you. The one responsible for those deaths is whoever did that to you."

"I..." Yugo searched for a counterpoint, and found it right there - that awful memory, which he wished he could have kept sealed away. "I ate them, Rin. I ate humans."

"And then you vomited them back up," Rin reminded him. "You told me that back when I was in stasis, and I haven't forgotten. You went hungry more often than not because the thought of what you'd done made you so sick that you couldn't eat. I know I got mad at you for being a space case, but..."

She breathed a sigh, and shook her head. It seemed that she was having a bit of trouble with her words, but at the very least, she wasn't angry.

"...You remember?" Yugo looked up at her, her assertion calming him just the slightest bit. "Then... you don't hate me?"

"There really isn't anything going on in your head, is there?" Rin stepped closer to him, placing her hands on his shoulders. "We went over this all the time back then. It stopped at some point, but still... I don't hate you. You're a strong bodyguard, and a loyal friend - maybe a bit too loyal, but that just means you can protect me that much better."

"Rin-Rin..." Yugo couldn't hold himself back anymore - he just had to hug her, and so he gave in to his urge, gripping her tight in his arms. "...You really don't think I'm a monster?"

"Of course not, you dummy." Rin returned the embrace, and ran her fingers along his back, soothing him. "I know that you'd only kill someone if you absolutely had to... and then you'd probably spend the rest of the day crying 'cuz the guilt would be too much for you to handle." She paused, nuzzling his shoulder. "And you'd definitely never eat someone. You'd go vegan before you did that on purpose."

That mental image managed to draw a laugh from Yugo. "Yeah... you're right. I can't stand greens... they make me just as sick as human meat."

"So don't worry about it, okay?" Rin pulled back, meeting his gaze. "I like you better when you aren't thinking."

Some people would have taken that as an insult, but Yugo knew better - Rin preferred it when he didn't worry himself sick, like he had just moments ago. He couldn't make any hard promises on that front, but he felt the same way she did, and so he planned to make an effort to follow her advice going forward.

"Thanks." Yugo resisted his desire to lean in and kiss her - that wouldn't have been appropriate at all. "You're really the best..." A thought occurred to him, and he glanced around the area they were in. "So, what were you doing here?"

"Oh, I was just asking for some advice." Rin's hands went to her hips, and she looked quite proud of herself. "I was thinking of building my own motorcycle, so I needed to learn how to... I think I have the basics down." She put on her most radiant smile yet. "You want to learn, too? You can help me out. That should get your mind off of things."

Now that was an offer Yugo could never refuse. With the limitations imposed upon him by his transformation, it really wore him out to shift into his true form and fly at his top speed; riding a motorcycle seemed like an excellent substitute, and if he got to help Rin build one for them both to ride...

"I'll get the parts for you," Yugo suggested, unable to keep his excitement down. "When do we start?"

"Settle down, there." Rin gave a short laugh. "You'll need to know what to look for first. How about I tell you everything I've learned?"

Yugo had never been any good at listening to lectures, but for the sake of his princess, he hoped that he could make an exception. He gave her a nod, then braced himself for the greatest challenge of his life - one which would pay off big time in the long term if he managed to surpass it.

Chapter 30: Evening the Scales

Chapter Text

In her time knowing him, Akiza had never seen Yusei this lost.

On the day they were meant to revisit the star shard, she found him alone on the outskirts, staring into nowhere. She felt the powerful surge of emotion that flooded from his mark, feeding into her own alongside memories of his past; she saw visions of him working together with Kalin as friends and comrades, protecting and being protected, their connection deeper than she could have ever imagined.

Those feelings of betrayal, confusion and uncertainty were things that Akiza knew well now. She had been through something similar not long ago, and from time to time, those thoughts still plagued her. It was only right that she returned the favor Yusei had done her... was what she thought, but she didn't have the first clue where to start.

He didn't even look back at her as she approached him, his vacant stare unwavering. He knew she was there - she could feel it through their connection as Signers - but he was even quieter than usual, the sound of his breathing the only thing he offered her. He was so different from the man who'd come to the forest and offered her refuge that it was like night and day, like someone else had swapped in and his old self had vanished altogether.

The foundation which the Signers had been built upon was cracking, and Akiza knew exactly why Yusei had chosen to be alone. He didn't want to share his feelings with the others, to shake their faith in him, and in at least one respect, his tactic had already failed.

"Yusei." She decided to start by addressing him, her feet carrying her on autopilot as she moved to stand beside him. "I..."

"...I'm sorry." Yusei spoke in a voice so quiet that Akiza almost didn't hear him. "I know I'm a disappointment. I can't..."

His emotions surged again, and Akiza shook her head violently, trying to counter his feelings with her own. "You aren't a disappointment. Have you already forgotten what happened with me?"

"That isn't..." Yusei placed his head in his hands. "...That's different. Kalin is... he was... because of me, he..."

Because of him... Akiza didn't quite understand what Yusei meant by that, but she pressed onward, determined. "It isn't different at all. We've both been betrayed by people we loved dearly. You told me - you helped me..."

"You don't get it, Akiza." Yusei turned around at last, and the expression on his face was something she never thought she'd see on him - a look of pure despair. "Kalin wouldn't have become a Dark Signer if I hadn't pushed him away. This is all my fault..."

That sounded more like an excuse made by a grieving person who wasn't thinking straight. Akiza already had an idea of what had happened between the two friends in the past, and she wasn't about to let Yusei blame himself for all of it.

"Then, why did you push him away?" she asked. "Can you tell me that much?"

"Because he was..." Yusei lowered his hands. "He was getting too violent. The four of us - we were a vigilante band, keeping the peace in our town, and we prided ourselves in not killing our enemies. After a while, Kalin started thinking that it wasn't enough... he told us that we had to eliminate them so they'd never come back."

A memory appeared in Akiza's mind through her mark, an image of what drove the friends apart. An argument between the brothers and their comrade, which ended in spilled blood - the orange-haired boy had enough of Kalin's nonsense and assaulted him, and then Yusei pulled the two of them apart, saying something that, within the vision, was unclear.

"He crossed the line," Akiza observed. "You and your brothers stood by your principles, but he strayed from them..."

"Crow almost crossed the line a few times himself because of it." Yusei breathed a small sigh, and stared at the ground. "He and Jack split eventually, and that just left me. I stayed with Kalin as long as I could, but when he started killing people... it got the attention of the local guards, and I tried to cover for him, but failed. They figured out who was responsible, and..."

"...Then how is any of that your fault?" Akiza shook her head again, not willing to buy Yusei's guilt-tripping. "You did everything you could to help him, up to the bitter end. He was the one who turned against you, and even if you tried to stop him, you just wanted to..."

"He wasn't the one who betrayed me." Yusei remained firm, his steadfast conviction working against him now. "It was the other way around. I couldn't save him... from himself."

That was the most ridiculous thing Akiza had ever heard. All of the information that she'd been given indicated otherwise, that Kalin had been the one at fault for every single one of those offenses... well, perhaps not Crow attacking him, but that was hardly something the other could be blamed for. With tensions that high, violence was bound to happen, and at least Crow hadn't attacked with the intent to kill.

"Listen to yourself." Akiza took a slow step forward. "Have you forgotten who you're speaking to? I've long since lost track of the number of people I've murdered. I would have continued if you hadn't stopped me - if Sayer hadn't turned against me. Even if what happened with Kalin was your fault, which it wasn't, haven't you already atoned? He's your enemy now, and you can't allow these sentiments to obstruct you."

"That... that's different," Yusei insisted, though his protest was a bit weaker this time. "You were a fellow Signer, so I had to-"

Her hand moved on its own, and she felt the sting of flesh against flesh as she slapped him across the face. It was a pain that no longer affected her, but he recoiled at the gesture, his eyes widening as he stared at her in plain shock.

"It doesn't matter why you did it." Akiza fought back the tears that threatened to well in her eyes. "The fact stands that you marched into my home, into my territory, and fought against me so that you could send me a message. I didn't listen at first, but then I lost everything... your message was what I needed most, and I didn't realize it until later. If it hadn't been for you, I would have died when the Earthbound Immortal arose... it was that spark of conviction that let Black Rose carry me away."

She hadn't considered it at the time, but if she hadn't stood up to Sayer, her will would have been broken right then and there. The Signers' dragons responded to their feelings, however slightly, and that difference was enough to turn the tide of victory.

"...Akiza." Yusei placed his hand over the mark on his cheek. "You're..."

"Grateful for everything that you've done, and frustrated that you're acting like a fool." Akiza placed her hands on his shoulders, and he dropped his hand immediately. "If you refuse to go with us today, I'll carry you there myself. Don't forget what I'm capable of."

She called upon a pair of vines to twine around his legs, securing him in place, and he gave a slow nod, acknowledging her threat. She let the vines retreat, then let go of him and turned away, glancing over her shoulder at him.

"I would advise against resisting," Akiza stated. "Or I'll use the ones with thorns. I've seen that you fight best when you're in pain."

Yusei gave a shaky laugh at that, and she noticed the shift in his emotions - a trace of relief crept out from his mark. "...Thanks, Akiza."

"And if you're still doubting yourself, you should speak with Jack." Akiza looked ahead of her as she thought of Yusei's fiery older brother. "You aren't the only one suffering."

"I will," Yusei confirmed, and that was all Akiza needed to hear. With her heart calmed, she strode off, calling upon Black Rose to carry her back into the city.

It wasn't yet time to begin the counterattack against the Dark Signers, and until then, Akiza needed to prepare for the most difficult fight of her life.

Her blood ran cold, and her heart no longer beat, but Carly had never felt more alive.

The dark power that flowed through her was everything she had ever dreamed of and more, and the whispers of Aslla Piscu's voice told her of things she would never have imagined before her conversion. It told her about another ability of hers, an extension of her farsight that would allow her to look into the past, and it told her why it had agreed to her terms - a selfish reason, just like her own.

The Earthbound Immortals had a hierarchy among them, and the strongest at any given time served as their leader. Due to their natural malevolence, each of them sought to usurp that leader, and would resort to such means as subversion and betrayal in order to do so - yet Wiraqocha Rasca had ruled them uncontested for a long time now. The others, too, were desperate to claim leadership, and Aslla Piscu warned Carly of this as well.

For now, of course, the Signers and their new Dark Signer ally would focus on bringing down Ccapac Apu and its puppet. The journey to the star shard promised to be a brief one, between the Signers' dragons and the energy that Carly could utilize to match their pace; she saw in her third eye that another Dark Signer had joined the first at their destination, but also that they would have five strong allies joining them. Cusillu's approach meant nothing - this was going to be a very one-sided battle.

The taste of Jack's blood lingered in Carly's memory, a taste she would never have been able to enjoy if she had remained as she was before. The scar left by her bite would not heal unless she willed it to, marking him as hers; he had not protested one bit, and had even seemed to enjoy her claim. The way he looked at her now - it was reverent, like one would gaze upon a religious symbol, and that was what she'd wanted more than anything.

Even without the bond shared by the Signers, she could feel how his devotion to her empowered him. If Yusei faltered, Jack would pick up his slack, and Archfiend would be stronger than ever before - strong enough to stand against an Earthbound Immortal alone, leaving the other to be dealt with by the rest.

When the time came for the group to depart, Carly took note of how frightened the twins were. For all his bravado, Leo was just as hesitant as his sister when the time came for him to prove himself; she couldn't blame either of them for feeling that way, as she'd been just as scared in the moments leading up to her death-

As her eyes fixed upon the boy, an image appeared in Carly's mind, and not one that she liked. His body, mangled as Yuya's had been, yet he did not have the physical endurance of a dragon to keep him alive. Either something was going to go terribly wrong in the coming battle, or...

"Sorry I'm late!"

Carly heard the voice behind her before she sensed the presence of the odd-eyed dragon, and her eyes went wide as she turned around and saw not five, but seven new additions to the group. The princesses of Penduluma, Exyzia and Synchronia stood alongside their dragon companions, and the prince of Exyzia stood before them all, his hand raised to summon his flock.

"Sorry!" Yuzu bowed to the others as they, too, turned to look at the new arrivals. "I couldn't stop him from coming along... he's supposed to be resting, but that's just how Yuya is."

"Relentlessly stubborn?" Jack hummed and nodded, clearly approving of the dragon's spunky nature. "Well then, he'd better not disappoint."

"We'll need all the help we can get." Yusei nodded his approval as well. "Thanks, Yuya."

"I'll put on a show that you'll never forget!" Yuya asserted, and then his attention turned to the star of this show. "And speaking of which... chin up, Leo! You can do this, no problem!"

"Yeah, we'll stop those Dark Signers!" Yugo pitched in his two cents, grinning from ear to ear. "Against all of us, they don't stand a chance!"

"You're stronger than you realize." Yuto, too, spoke up, though his smile was far more subdued. "The fact that you've made it this far proves it."

"The star shard is as good as yours," Rin agreed, and as if to prove her point, she called upon a magic breeze to ruffle Leo's hair. "We may be princesses, but we can fight, too - and don't you forget it!"

"I'll do what I can." Lulu glanced at her brother as she spoke. "My full magic potential hasn't been unlocked yet, but I have a few tricks up my sleeve. Shay won't be the only one swarming the field here."

"Yeah, chin up, Leo!" Yuzu repeated Yuya's sentiment. "When we get back from this trip, you'll be a Signer, too!"

"Y-you guys..." Leo looked as if he was about to break down into tears. "...Thanks for helping out. I didn't expect it, but..." He wiped his eyes with his hands, then stood up straight, putting on his usual attempt at a brave face. "With everyone's help, I'll become even awesomer than I already am!"

With this, the future became unclear, and if Carly were her old self, that would have terrified her. However, with what she had seen, there was a possibility that not knowing was a good thing - it meant that the grim future of Leo's death was not a certainty.

She put on her best and brightest smile as she looked between the twins, hoping that she, too, could cheer them on.

"And then you two can fight together with the rest of us," Carly proclaimed. "Just try not to be too spooked when Aslla Piscu comes out, alright? Remember, it's on our side now!"

"And that means you don't need to be afraid of the other Earthbound Immortals, either," Akiza said, her tone gentle. "When we defeat Kalin, it'll be a major blow to the Dark Signers."

"Queen Fairy will protect us all." Luna's mark glowed as she spoke, and then the other Signers' marks lit up as well, resonating with her emotions. "If anything bad happens, she'll take us back here." She paused, and took a short breath. "I'm... I'm ready."

And so was everyone else, judging by their expressions. That meant the time for talking was over, and it was time to act - to put their plan into motion, whatever the future held in store for them.

Carly called upon the darkness as the Signers called upon their dragons and the prince called upon his flock, and then they were off at last, their combined hope enough to overpower their anxiety... for now.

Chapter 31: Battle for the Star Shard

Chapter Text

From an outside perspective, the star shard was such a tiny thing, insignificant compared to the grand towers that stood around it. A crystal with an uneven cut, its edges jagged and sharp enough to slice through human skin, barely the size of Yuya's hand when he was in his altered form - yet the power that welled within the shard was inconceivable.

This small artifact was the power of the Crimson Dragon made manifest in a physical form, and as he drew near it, Yuya felt that benevolent presence floating about him. He basked in it, exalting the god who watched over all dragons; it made him feel stronger and more confident, and he sensed a faint connection with his fellows - not just the guardians, but also the Signers' dragons, their thoughts and feelings flowing into him as their bonded humans' marks shone with the same divine blessing.

It was a surreal and beautiful experience, and Yuya wished that it didn't have to end - yet the flow weakened after only a short time, and the link was severed as the light within the star shard dimmed. Still, the guardian of Penduluma's princess felt empowered, and he could tell just by looking that the other two guardians present felt the same; knowing what was to come, this gift was one they all needed, and Yuya made sure to give thanks to the Crimson Dragon for its aid.

"They're here." Carly gestured toward the horizon, which had started to darken - an unnatural cloud that promised to blot out all hope if it was allowed to spread. "Ccapac Apu... and Cusillu."

"Cusillu?" Yusei expressed his surprise at the mention of the second Earthbound Immortal's name. "...There are two of them?"

"My farsight showed me this, but I wasn't sure if it was going to happen," Carly explained. "It's... still not totally accurate. I thought our team was going to be smaller, too." She shot a glance at Yuya, who gave an embarrassed shrug.

"Well, I'm glad I came along," Yuya observed, and he put on a smile. "Together, we should have enough firepower to beat two Earthbound Immortals, right?"

"Yeah, but there might be casualties." Carly turned her gaze to the ground. "I also saw... one of you guys dead. I hope that doesn't happen, but... well, you know how it is with farsight."

"Then may the Great Red One lend us its strength," Yugo stated proudly, and he got a couple of odd looks from his fellow dragons in response. "...You know who I mean!"

"That's certainly an odd way to refer to it," Yuto remarked. "Though I do agree with you."

"Young one." The voice that echoed in Yuya's head was unfamiliar, but he was able to connect it with the white dragon bonded to Yusei - Stardust. "Are you certain that you're up to the task? Your injuries have not fully healed..."

"Thanks for worrying about me, but I'm just fine." Yuya looked toward Stardust and nodded, his smile broadening. "I'm not fighting alone, remember?"

"How very bold of you." The red dragon bonded to Jack - Archfiend - spoke up next, sounding amused. "Now let's see if you can back up those strong words of yours."

"If you wish, I will carry you," Queen Fairy offered, and she floated over to Yuya's position. "I know that you do not possess wings."

"Thanks, but I can serve as ground support for now." Yuya glanced briefly between the three princesses. "If things get dicey, I'll take you up on your offer."

He grasped his artifact with one hand, and focused on the power stored within it; as his form changed, the other two guardians followed him, and then Yugo took the lead, spearheading the assault. Yuya went after him, running as fast as his legs could carry him - which was, as it turned out, almost as fast as Yugo's crystalline wings.

"Hold on a minute." Yuto's voice reached Yuya, a warning in his tone. "The Earthbound Immortals are-"

Before he could finish his sentence, a burst of flame shot toward Yuya, and he narrowly dodged it. The one who'd used that fireball was the Dark Signer bearing the mark of Cusillu - an ability that had not been bestowed by the Earthbound Immortal, but was innate to its tether, meaning that whoever had accepted Cusillu's pact was...

"...A magic user." Yugo figured it out at the same time as Yuya - and then he raised his voice, broadcasting it to all who would listen. "Hey, you! Who are you!?"

"Your worst nightmare, little dragon," the former human replied, stepping out from the shadows to make himself visible. "You should have stayed in the tower with your princess where you belonged. That way, I wouldn't have been able to test my newest magic on you."

"That voice..." Akiza spoke up, sounding horrified. "...That's Sayer... does that mean Cusillu's Dark Signer is...?"

"He was killed when Aslla Piscu awakened, right?" Yusei responded to Akiza, his words offering little comfort. "Somehow, it doesn't surprise me that he has unfinished business..."

"Ah, Akiza." Sayer addressed the Signers' witch, taking a few steps closer. "Truly, it saddens me that you can't see the bigger picture... the world without light is an inevitability. If only you had stayed with me, the truth would have been revealed to you as well - but it's not too late. You can still-"

"Shut your trap!" Once again, Yugo broadcasted his voice, and then he charged forth, claws outstretched. Unfazed, Sayer raised a hand to block the attack, and Yugo was stunned when the gesture actually worked - the idea of a human stopping a dragon's attack with just their bare hands was ludicrous, but then again, Sayer was no longer human.

A single well-aimed blast of magic shattered one of Yugo's lower wings, and he roared in pain, tumbling end-over-end in midair. Yuya tried to catch him, but it was no use - a dragon without wings was at a heavy disadvantage when met with an airborne one, and Yuya was left to watch as Yugo floated backward some more before he managed to stabilize, though the broken wing still caused him obvious pain.

"As I was saying." Sayer sounded very annoyed that he'd been interrupted so rudely. "If you return to me, Akiza, I can make it well worth your while. Your revenge against those who wronged you would be complete... and you would have full control over your magic, never having to worry about it backfiring again." A twisted smile appeared on his face as he reached out to the girl he was addressing. "What do you say? Wouldn't you rather embrace the hate you've abandoned?"

"No." Akiza declared her response, firm in her conviction despite the way her voice wavered. "The Sayer I knew is dead... if he even existed in the first place. You're a mockery of human existence." She strode forth, raising her arm in the air as her mark lit up. "Now, Black Rose...!"

As the petal-winged dragon answered her Signer's call, lashing out with thorn-covered vines, their target stepped to the side, putting up a magic barrier to block the strike. Though the barrier did its job, the vines left a significant dent in it, and Sayer seemed just the slightest bit surprised.

"Well then," the Dark Signer said, his displeasure clearer than ever. "It seems your anger does still give you strength. It simply needs to be rerouted in the correct way..."

"...We should focus on the Earthbound Immortals." Yuto floated up beside Yuya, watching the towering ape that stood behind Sayer. "The Signers have history with these Dark Signers... they should be able to handle that part on their own."

"Yeah, I guess you're right..." Yuya craned his neck over to look at the third guardian. "You okay there, Yugo?"

"It stings a little, but I'll be fine." Yugo's damaged wing leaked magic instead of blood, a reminder that his time in this form was limited. "We just gotta end this while I'm still shifted. Think you're up for that?"

"...Focus on the Earthbound Immortals, got it." The voice that responded to Yugo's statement didn't belong to a dragon - rather, it was the princess of Exyzia, who made her way forward along with the other two princesses. "I think we can do that."

Lulu stopped for just a moment to focus inward, tapping into her magic well, and then the hazy outline of a creature appeared, something that was half-human and half-bird. Despite its incomplete form, the beast radiated a considerable amount of power, and when it was joined by two more of its fellows, a wave of relief swept through Yuya's soul - they had an incorporeal army to work with now.

"Hang in there, Yugo!" Rin formed a magic link with her guardian, allowing him to draw from her well - a strategy that would help him maintain his form. "When this is over with, you're getting some proper medical attention, okay?"

Yugo growled his affirmation, and moved back to hover beside Rin. "I don't know if the human doctors can help me... you got any ideas?"

"No, but I do," Yuzu answered for Rin, as she stepped up beside Yuya. "I've been working on my healing magic after someone got himself hurt." She gave her guardian a pointed look, and he just snorted in response, unable to come up with any sort of proper retort. "And who better to test it out on than a dragon?"

"You'll be needing it for yourself when this is over!" Kalin barked out a harsh laugh, then shot a glance at his Earthbound Immortal, which towered above even Cusillu. "Or better yet, why don't I just break your body and let Ccapac Apu have your soul? Come forth, Earthbound Servants!"

The earth rumbled, and from it emerged a collection of figures, all with pitch-black skin and glowing patterns like the Earthbound Immortals. A beast that was half-avian and half-feline, another that was like a giant squid - their power was but a minuscule fraction of the beings they followed into battle, but the sheer number and variety of them still intimidated Yuya.

"We can handle this," Yuzu whispered to Yuya, just barely audible above the shrieks of the Earthbound army. "Just focus on fighting. I'll back you up, and heal you when you need it."

"Got it!" Yuya's telepathic voice wasn't impeded by the sounds of the battlefield, and he offered a brief smile to Yuzu before focusing his full attention on his enemies. "Well then... time for me to put on a performance, the likes of which you've never seen before!"

"This show is just getting started," Yuto added, as he soared into the sky, his wings tingling with electricity. "We'll show them all that we're not mere hatchlings...!"

With his and Rin's combined magic, Yugo called forth a gale that carried him, supplementing his damaged wing as he charged toward the Earthbound Servants. He tore through them with his claws and wind, damaging but not destroying several of them - and that left an opening for Yuto to strike, his more precise lightning taking down two of the cat-bird creatures.

As Yuya took a deep breath and prepared to unleash his flame, he reminded himself that he wasn't fighting alone. The Earthbound Immortals could call all the servants they wanted, but in the end, that would amount to nothing in the face of the Signers and their allies - the Immortals had been defeated in the past, and this time wouldn't be any different.

Chapter 32: The Spider's Lair

Chapter Text

With Yuri's help, Celina was able to delve deeper into Fusionia, and what she saw both horrified and angered her. Even in the countryside, the sky was shrouded in darkness, and the webs draped across the landscape made it difficult to travel; more than once already, she'd tripped one of those traps, and found that the beasts they summoned were an unwelcome challenge to fight off.

Yuri seemed as if he knew something about what was going on, and as much as she hated to admit it, Celina knew that he was her best source of information right now. They hadn't made much progress by the time she had to rest, and once her unwanted dragon companion had dug a little burrow for them to take shelter in, the distraught princess decided to ask him about what he'd mentioned in the border town.

"What did you mean when you said that the king's pet was named Uru?"

Yuri paused in his current task of magically weaving a curtain of leaves to block the entrance to the den and looked up at Celina, intrigued by her question. "Ah, that's actually a bit of a complicated story. If you don't mind..."

"I've got time." Celina hadn't moved from her spot on the floor of the den since she'd entered it - she was too sore from fighting. "Spill it."

"Well..." Yuri set aside the curtain, and breathed a small sigh. "As you may know, your father the king has been haunted for quite some time now. You were aware of his affliction when you were but a hatchling, no?"

Hatchling was hardly the right term to use for a human child, but Celina nodded, not bothering to correct him. "Yeah, he's suffered from some kind of magical ailment for as long as I've been alive. You know about it?"

"Better than any human." Yuri gave a single nod. "His affliction was the darkness of the Earthbound. He was born with the mark of evil - unique among those who act as tethers to the Immortals, as all the others had to lose their lives first, so the poor king had to suffer with this mark all his life... until it was cut short one day."

"Earthbound... Immortals?" Celina didn't quite follow that part, but she had the feeling that whatever Yuri referred to, it was something very, very bad. "You mean... my father is dead?"

"Yes and no," Yuri went on, and he gave a nonchalant shrug. "He was finally consumed by the darkness nineteen years ago, not long before we found ourselves in that ivory tower. He still lives, after a fashion, but the father you knew is dead... and has been for all this time. Quite a tragic tale, no?"

He spoke with complete, almost mocking indifference to the king's fate, and Celina had to fight down the anger that welled within her. Regardless of how awful Yuri was, she needed more information, and she'd already resolved herself to put up with him until she got the full story.

"As for Uru..." Yuri didn't wait for Celina to prompt him before he continued. "That is the name of the Earthbound Immortal which dwells within your father's husk of a body. It's something more evil than even the ancient Dragon King which ruined our kind... and it was once at the top of its little band of devils, long before the schism between humans and dragons ever happened. Rasca displaced it, and now it seeks the top again through any means necessary - but it has a lot of competition, you see. The Earthbound Immortals are truly very evil, after all, and every single one of them wants to be leader of the pack."

"Yeah, I get it, they're horrible, horrible creatures." Celina groaned and waved her hand, urging him to get on with it already. "So how do you even know about all this?"

"Well, there are two reasons," Yuri answered her, undisturbed by her annoyance. "One, us dragons are taught the history of the Earthbound from the time we break out of our eggs. My formal education was incomplete on account of being an outcast, but it really wasn't that hard to learn it anyway." His tone suddenly changed. "Two... I was once under the grasp of that vile thing myself. Thanks to you, I broke free, but Uru's webs are excellent at catching even dragons. Everything else, I learned while under its spell."

So this Earthbound Immortal had been the one to chain Yuri - that made a disturbing amount of sense, yet there was one detail which didn't quite add up. Celina recalled something that Yuri had mentioned when she was breaking the threads that bound his soul, and she had a feeling that she wasn't going to like the answer to her next question.

"You said that you were bound by a contract when we were in the tower," she said. "...And that the contract ended when I broke free from stasis. Was that the work of the Earthbound Immortal, too?"

"Well... yes and no." Yuri gave the same vague response that he had when he mentioned the king's state of living, and Celina held her breath as he explained in full. "As a Dark Signer, your father is bound to the will of the Earthbound Immortal, yet there are things which even the Immortals cannot do. There is an immense well of magic passed down in each of the human royal bloodlines, all drawing from the same source - a human queen who played a large role in the schism, whose royal decrees were so powerful that not even dragons could defy them."

Celina already knew about the magic power gifted to her by her heritage - she wasn't here for a history lesson. "So what gives? Were you under the sway of one of those royal decrees?"

"Yes... that is the true nature of the 'curse' placed upon us guardian dragons." Yuri gave a short laugh. "Of course, it wasn't much of a curse for me, but I'm sure the other three weren't too thrilled with it." He returned his attention to the leaf curtain, absently working at it as he spoke. "...But to tame four dragons, even a Dark Signer would want some insurance. The king of Synchronia - your father's dearest brother - pitched in as well, so the royal decrees are not the work of one king alone."

"My father's... brother?" This was news to Celina - she hadn't been aware of just how close the royal bloodlines of the human nations were. "You mean... the king of Synchronia is..."

"What you humans would call an uncle, yes," Yuri confirmed with a hum. "Likewise, that means the princess of Synchronia is your darling cousin... not that it matters, as your heritage ultimately stems from the same source." His tone shifted again, and he sounded almost upset. "The loss of Fusionia's royal bloodline was a true tragedy for genetic diversity. Now, the distant relation between the human royal families is no longer quite as distant... why, perhaps it's a good thing that you and Princess Rin are both girls. That way, there's no chance of you birthing a human mutant - they're far less stable than dragon mutants, and you know what that means."

...Of course, he was referring to his own instability. Celina was almost grateful that Yuri was like that, as it took the edge off of all these unpleasant revelations about her family and heritage.

"Not like that would've happened anyway." Celina picked herself up at last, and walked over to the burrow's entrance; then, she stopped and looked back, one last question lingering in her mind. "Since the Earthbound Immortals are all fighting among each other for dominance, does that mean they're the reason Fusionia attacked Exyzia?"

"Uru alone was responsible for that," Yuri told her, and then he shook his head. "And that wasn't a dominance play. It was caused by the simple urge to destroy and consume that Uru has always possessed, which recurred upon its awakening." A curious expression crossed his face. "Though, this does make me wonder if the current state of affairs in Synchronia is connected to Rasca's awakening..."

"I'm focusing on Fusionia for now." Celina turned back to the burrow's entrance. "I can help my cousin out later." She grimaced, hopefully unseen to Yuri. "...Right now, I need some fresh air."

"Stay safe out there, princess," Yuri called to her, not sounding anywhere near as concerned as his words indicated. "Don't let the spiders bite!"

Celina stepped out of the den, relieved to be free from Yuri's accursed presence; still, what he had told her lingered in her thoughts, and she walked only a short distance before sitting down to consider it. If his claims were true, that meant the two of them were in for a more difficult battle than she imagined - and there would come a time that she would have to fight against the empty shell her father had become.

Uru had stolen more than just Fusionia, and it was long past time that the beast paid for its crimes.

All of the pieces had been set into place, and the time was nigh for the Full Eclipse.

The king of Synchronia had been waiting for eighteen years, biding his time and seeking ways to feed the beast he tethered. While his brother had gone for a more direct approach, that was not Rex Goodwin's style - Wiraqocha Rasca had long since told him all of its secrets, and among those was how it had claimed dominion over the other Immortals.

Bringing down all of the Signers at once seemed a risky tactic, but Rasca assured King Rex that it had almost succeeded in the past. It was thanks to the acts of one wretched Signer that the Earthbound Immortals were laid low, and even that was through sacrifice; the miracle of the Crimson Dragon had brought them back to life in the end, but the same would not happen again. The Earthbound were stronger now, both the Servants and the Immortals themselves, and the great number of souls they'd been fed in recent times saw to that.

There was but one potential issue with the plan, and that was the fact that the princesses had escaped from the Keystone Towers. Their watchers had failed, and thus the combined wells of royal humans and young dragons could not be used to bring about the Full Eclipse. Either the girls would have to become prisoners again, or... the other option was to reawaken a soul that had been scattered to the four winds a long time ago. A kindred spirit, a harbinger of malice and destruction - a young man who had not been prepared for the burden of his station, who'd fallen in the blink of an eye, and yet he had amassed unimaginable power in doing so.

King Rex's farsight allowed him to see into the past, to witness the calamity that had driven dragons and humans apart and created the four human nations of today. It had fed the Immortals well, nudging them toward their cyclic reawakening, and at the center of it all was the ancient Dragon King, himself a descendant of the past Signers' guides. While difficult, reassembling a fragmented soul was possible, and all the king needed for it was the power of the Crimson Dragon.

To bear the marks of both light and darkness... this was the future that laid before Rex's third eye, in the opposite direction from the Dragon King's history. The star shard was one option, but if the final Signer was able to claim it, then the second option was equally simple - surely the leader of the Signers could do without his arm. The dragon dwelling within him was another small problem, but Rex had his own ways of resolving it.

After all, what was better than one dragon but two? Inti and Quilla certainly seemed to think so...

Chapter 33: Overconfidence

Chapter Text

When he first witnessed what his old friend had become, Yusei had lost his will to fight. He'd tried to put Kalin behind him, to forget about the past, and yet just like his brother, that turned out to be impossible - the past had caught up to them both in the end.

With the reassurance of the other Signers, though, Yusei had gotten back on his feet. He sensed their feelings flowing in through his mark - Jack's anger and pride, Akiza's blazing determination, Luna's fear overlaid with absolute trust in her fellows, and this allowed the de facto leader of the Signers to focus solely on his objective. As he listened to the sounds of the clashes around him, he strode over to his former companion, staring into those inky eyes with only the faintest trace of anxiety still wrapped around his soul.

"Kalin." Yusei addressed the young man, his hands clenching into fists. "I'm sorry for what I did before... I won't run away again."

"You're sorry for what?" Kalin glared back, his ire both visible and audible. "For throwing me away? For putting your ideals above the safety of the people?" He barked out a sharp, mocking laugh. "You never cared, did you? You just wanted to keep being a stupid, weak goody-two-shoes who'd never even think about taking another's life - and where did that get you? Nowhere!"

His expression crazed, Kalin threw a punch at Yusei, who caught his arm without flinching. The Signer's counterattack came just as swiftly - and intense pain shot up his arm when it connected, causing Yusei to let go of Kalin's arm and step back to clutch his own.

"You can't defeat me," Kalin growled, winding up for another strike. "You're just a Signer - a pathetic human with no power. Your dragon isn't even in you right now, is he?" He shot a brief glance at Stardust, who had joined the younger dragons in fighting off the Earthbound Servants. "That's what sets us Dark Signers apart from you... we don't need our masters to fight!"

Yusei couldn't deny that Kalin had an advantage in this fight, if he was able to retaliate like that without even lifting a finger. However, this was far from the first time that Yusei had been at a disadvantage in a fight, and his determination drove him forward, helping him bite back the pain as he blocked and countered again, the sting of his strike a reminder that this was a battle he couldn't afford to lose.

Kalin had been warped, twisted into a tool and a weapon by the Earthbound Immortal he'd made a pact with, but there had to be some way to bring him back. Yusei's best friend was still in there somewhere - Carly was proof that the Dark Signers could be redeemed-

"Then a one-on-one fight isn't really fair, is it?" Jack's voice rang out in Yusei's ears, a split second before the older Signer charged forth with sword drawn. "There's something you're forgetting, Kalin. We don't fight alone!"

The sword struck Kalin hard enough to cut off a normal human's arm, but it only left a small gash in his flesh, causing some sort of black ichor to ooze from his shoulder. He grimaced for a moment, and then his expression turned wild again as he turned his attention to Jack, his marked arm rearing back.

"And don't think I haven't been keeping tabs on you, too!" Mockery filled Kalin's tone as he swung his fist, striking the metal of Jack's sword hard enough to leave a dent. "Yusei isn't the only traitor among the Enforcers, is he? You did a fine job of screwing over your brothers, old friend... you're just like me, aren't you?"

"Not even close!" Jack tossed aside his damaged weapon and took a combat stance - he'd been an Outlander too, after all. "I'm not a psychotic, power-hungry monster like you! I'd never accept a pact with a demon!"

"Oh?" Kalin threw back his head, and gave a round of mad laughter. "Is that so? That Archfiend of yours seems pretty demonic to me! He was the closest you could get without dying first, wasn't he?"

A stream of flame issued forth from the dragon in question, directed squarely at the Dark Signer who'd dared to disparage him. The attack caught Kalin off-guard, and he flinched, a few small burns appearing on his skin before he glared up at Archfiend.

"I'm nothing like the Earthbound Immortals." Archfiend projected his voice for all to hear, and he briefly caught the attention of the other dragons as well. "Yes, perhaps I was a spitfire and a troublemaker in my youth... but that time is long past, and I've sworn myself to the Crimson Dragon now. As for the young one..." He inhaled deeply, preparing to breathe another shot of fire at Kalin, but that did not hinder his telepathic voice. "He, like me, has realized his mistakes. You have not, and will never...!"

Kalin anticipated Archfiend's attack this time, and put up a dark shield; the barrier pushed the flames aside for the most part, though his clothes were still singed, and he shot the dragon a dirty look before returning his attention to Yusei and Jack. The Signers' leader could feel his former friend's rage, emanating off of him in waves - and fueling the power of the blue-marked Earthbound Immortal above him.

"I've weakened him," Archfiend said, and this time, his voice was directed only at the two Signers who battled Kalin. "However, this is your fight. I advise you finish it... quickly."

Yusei nodded once, acknowledging Archfiend, and then he prepared another punch. Jack did the same beside him, their feelings harmonizing through their marks as Kalin readied an assault of his own.

The Dark Signers were weapons, but the Signers were an army, and with their dragons facing off against the Earthbound Immortals together, this clash was sure to be a victory for the Crimson Dragon's chosen.

When Akiza heard Sayer's voice again, she had been terrified, knowing that her greatest fear had come true. The man she had loved and looked up to for so long had become a monster, twisted by the corruption of the Earthbound - and then Black Rose had reminded her that Sayer had always been a monster.

The witch of the Garden of Thorns set aside her uncertainty with ease, recalling the teachings of this twisted man. To let her anger and hatred flow, to fuel her magic with her emotions... she would turn those same things against him, her heart bent on putting an end to him at all costs. Her doubts still lived on, and perhaps they would until the end of her life, but for now, she was a Signer above all else.

As she stared down her former mentor, Akiza felt a power like nothing else flowing through her veins - an intense heat, burning like the sun itself, stronger even than her rage. Her mark lit up with that power, and an arc of energy like lightning shot out, striking her bonded dragon; Black Rose shrieked out a victory cry, her vines sweeping aside the Earthbound Servants around her with ease.

It took Akiza a moment to realize that she had just been given a gift by the Crimson Dragon itself. As someone who was born with magic potential, she was more attuned to the dragon god's blessings than a normal human, but the one who benefited from it most was Black Rose - not a bad thing in the slightest, of course. She glanced over her shoulder at Luna, who stood more confident than ever before, her own bonded dragon an impenetrable shield that turned away the Servants' strikes.

"I've got your back, Akiza!" Luna called out, and with Queen Fairy guarding her from the Earthbound Immortals' lackeys, she was able to draw upon her vast magic well without fear. Her strength was in supporting and empowering the other Signers, and Akiza soon felt her student's gift; it wasn't as strong as that of the Crimson Dragon, but it was more for her than Black Rose, and she returned her attention to Sayer with a renewed fire in her soul.

"You've found a student, I see." Sayer took one step forward, and his eyes shone with a purple glow. "With your own magic as wild and untamed as it is, you run the risk of hurting the poor girl, don't you? You'd need to refine it before taking on even a prodigy..."

Akiza could feel what Sayer was trying to do - he was trying to hypnotize both her and Luna, and while the spell had little effect on herself, she worried for her young pupil. She glanced over at Luna, and-

Leo had stepped in front of his sister, taking the brunt of the spell for her, and the dull look in his eyes showed that he'd been afflicted by it. He began to approach Sayer, and Akiza reacted on instinct, dipping into her well to call out a set of vines; with them, she restrained Leo, keeping him from getting any closer to their opponent.

"...Did you think that would work on me?" Akiza glared at Sayer, narrowing her eyes - meeting his gaze on purpose to show how little sway he had over her. "And how dare you try to manipulate an innocent child... you truly are a monster. I'm ashamed of myself for never having seen it before."

"My, my." Sayer gave a slow clap, and a smirk appeared on his features. "I must say I'm proud of you, Akiza. You resisted that with almost no effort... if only the same could be said of the children." He broke into a fit of laughter. "And you know what that means!"

A stream of fire erupted from his arm, aimed at the vines that Akiza used to keep Leo restrained. This time, it was Luna who reacted - she put up a magic barrier to protect Leo, and the flames were turned aside with ease as she glared at nothing in particular, avoiding Sayer's gaze.

"I won't let you hurt Leo!" Luna exclaimed, the fire in her soul stoked by the sacrifice her brother had made. "I'll protect him, just like he's always protected me!" She took a shaky breath. "And I'll help big sis Akiza stop you too, you... you big mean jerk!"

A smile drew across Akiza's lips as she took in the words and the emotions that flowed from Luna. "That's right..." She focused inward again, preparing to call forth her most powerful spell - one she'd hardly ever used before, as there hadn't been much need for anti-magic techniques in the forest. "...You'll rue the day you swore yourself to an Earthbound Immortal, Sayer! You should have stayed dead!"

The scraggly, blood-red vines that emerged from the ground around Sayer were enough to give him pause for the briefest of moments, and he let go of his influence over Leo, his eyes dimming as he tried to evade Akiza's attack. One of the vines caught his ankle, causing him to trip; he summoned a blob of darkness to catch him mid-fall, then had it help him back up, the vine melting away at the touch of the Immortal's foul magic.

"I will do no such thing." Sayer gave another harsh laugh, and raised his marked arm. "It seems that you haven't learned your lesson, so I suppose I'll have to use an alternative method instead..." His expression became warped, a vile look that wouldn't have been possible for a human. "Earthbound Immortal Cusillu... put that pathetic excuse for a mage in her place!"

The beast he tethered uncurled its massive tail and swung it like a whip, its strike aimed squarely at Akiza. She tried to step out of the way, but realized that her spell had come at a price; since she wasn't used to using it, it had drained her own stamina, and she was rooted to the spot, helpless and wide open. Luna, too, was paralyzed, though from fear rather than magic - and, having been freed from both Sayer's and Akiza's hold, the only person who could block Cusillu's attack was Leo.

Both teacher and student gave a horrified scream in unison as they watched the boy step up to block the blow, and he was knocked aside, deep gouges appearing across his body as he flailed uselessly in midair. He fell to the ground with a sickening crack, and then went still, the light of life draining from his eyes in an instant.

Carly had warned the Signers that one among them could die in this fight, and none of them had taken that warning seriously enough. Now, their reason for coming here had been lost, and Akiza's soul twisted with the thought that this had all been her fault for letting her rage blind her.

Chapter 34: From Death Comes Life

Chapter Text

"Be at ease, my chosen."

By now, the voice of the Crimson Dragon was a familiar thing to Luna. She had heard it in her dreams a few times, and it soothed her when she was scared, such as when Carly had been turned into a Dark Signer. Now, the youngest of the Signers was more grateful than ever to hear the dragon god's voice, as it meant that she did not need to mourn her brother's death.

...Still, the sight of his battered, broken body had shaken her to her core. She tried to remain calm, repeating the words that the Crimson Dragon spoke to her over and over in her head, but her heart pounded and tears poured from her eyes as she rushed to Leo's body, crouching over him - and then, her mark glowed brighter than ever before, resonating with not only the other Signers', but also the crystal they'd come here to retrieve.

In a brilliant flash, the star shard shattered, and its fragments melded together into a ball of pure energy. From within that ball emerged a dragon with golden scales and gentle eyes, and it floated over to the twins, looking between them; after a moment, the energy from the shard coalesced onto Leo's skin, forming the intricate shape of a mark that resembled a dragon's tail, and then the dragon who'd emerged from the orb vanished inside, just like with the other Signers.

Luna had to look away as Leo's body lit up in an array of bright colors, the light too harsh for her eyes. She listened instead, hearing him start to breathe again, and indescribable relief swept through her as he pulled himself to his feet, his life restored as if nothing had happened.

"...Huh?" Leo spoke up, and Luna's eyes snapped over to see him staring at her, confused. "What's wrong, sis? Why're you crying?" He put on his usual grin, though it seemed a bit more genuine this time. "I'm just fine, see?"

"Y-you..." Luna launched herself forward, tackling him in a tight hug. "You stupid... stupid... ugh!" She sobbed into his shoulder, her words lost to the myriad of emotions flowing through her - emotions that he now felt as well, shared through the bond that all Signers had.

Had he needed to die in order to unlock the power of the star shard? Was this all some sort of horrible test by the Crimson Dragon? Was this all just a dream- no, it couldn't have been, it was too real. The scenery around them hadn't changed, and the clash between the Signers and Dark Signers continued as the dragons battled the Earthbound Immortals and their Servants-

"H-hey, it's... it's okay, Luna." Leo started crying as well, just like he always did. "I'm not... I'm not going anywhere... ever again. Life-Stream said so..."

Life-Stream... that must have been what his dragon had called itself in the human tongue. A gentle creature with the power to heal even the dead, gifted with potential above and beyond the queen of dragons - at least, that was what Leo told Luna through his mark, and she knew that her brother tended to exaggerate things.

Even so, that dragon had saved him, and thus she couldn't discount its power. Plus, with the five Signers gathered now...

"So much for that, eh?" Kalin's voice drew the twins' attention away from each other, and they both looked toward the Dark Signer, who had momentarily paused in his fight with Yusei and Jack. "It looks like Rasca lost this time!" He gave one of his annoying laughs. "What do you say to that, Sayer?"

"...Nothing." Sayer was clearly not as pleased with this development as Kalin, as he spoke through gritted teeth, a scowl on his features. "To think the star shard would choose a second worthless brat..."

"Hey, I'm not worthless!" Leo separated himself from Luna, staring Sayer down with his hands on his hips. "And I'll prove it to you! Come on out, Life-Stream!" He raised his marked arm. "Show this guy who's boss!"

"My chosen successor," Queen Fairy explained to Luna as Life-Stream re-emerged from Leo's mark, coalescing into a solid form. "He was injured in the schism, and chose to go to the stars as a herald of the Crimson Dragon. I'm grateful to see him again..."

"Your... successor?" Luna watched as Queen Fairy took to the air again alongside Life-Stream, both of them joining Black Rose to ready a counterattack against Cusillu. "You mean, he's..."

"I will tell you all when the battle is finished." Queen Fairy's response was perfectly reasonable, all things considered. "For now, we must fight. Are you prepared for that, little one?"

"Y-yeah!" Luna gave a quick nod, then turned to Leo once again. "I'm gonna help you out too, Leo!"

"Thanks, sis!" Leo reached his hand out to Luna, and she took it, welcoming the courage that flowed from his mark into hers. The process had been terrifying, but now that the star shard had chosen its champion, the twins both felt as if nothing could stop them.

Now, all that was left was to forge those feelings into reality, and with the dark feelings in Akiza's heart tempered again, there was no time like the present to make that happen.

Yusei had noticed the self-blame that Akiza had felt when Leo was killed, and he would have been lying if he claimed that he hadn't shared that emotion with her. There was nothing more horrifying than the death of a child - even when it turned out to be part of a trial to ensure that the boy was worthy of bearing the mark of the Crimson Dragon.

Now, however, the harmonization between the Signers was stronger than ever, the dragon god's blessing coursing through Yusei's soul as he turned back to Kalin. The wounds that had been inflicted upon the Signers' leader by his own attacks were no more, healed by a power far beyond anything his foe could hope to achieve.

"Kalin." Yusei locked gazes with his old friend, his determination renewed. "I swear that I'll save you, no matter what it takes...!"

"Why bother?" Kalin stared right back, darkness wrapping around his arm as he spoke. "You didn't care enough to help me back then, and now look what you've done! Was I ever really your friend!?"

"Yes," Yusei answered, his conviction absolute; as if in response to his feelings, he felt something welling within him, and reached into that new fount of power. "And I've never forgotten you."

"We were the best together." Jack, too, dipped into his new magic well, gifted to him by the Crimson Dragon. "You, me, Yusei, Crow... the Enforcers were truly unstoppable!" Fire erupted from his mark, swirling around his body and cloaking him in an impenetrable wall. "And you left me futilely chasing that feeling again all this time... I'm not interested in bringing you back. That's Yusei's thing."

The eldest of the Signers launched himself forward, tackling Kalin to the ground - an impressive feat, given the strength of the Dark Signer - and his flames added to the damage already done by his dragon. After a moment, Kalin pushed Jack away and stood back up, though he seemed a bit more unsteady than before.

"So what, you want to punish me more?" Kalin sneered at Jack. "Haven't I already suffered enough at your hands? You betrayed me and killed me, and you had the nerve to be surprised when I came back to haunt you!"

"Yes, in fact." The voice that answered him was Carly's, calling out from behind the two Signers as the earth began to shake. "Maybe you can be redeemed, but it'll come at a price." She lowered her voice. "...Sorry, Yusei."

Yusei didn't need to look up to know that Aslla Piscu had been summoned, mirroring its fellows on the opposite side of the battlefield. He had a feeling that he knew what Carly meant - even if Kalin could be brought back, it wouldn't happen for some time, and that thought made Yusei a little sad.

Still, he'd endured worse suffering in his life. His best friend's atonement wasn't guaranteed, but like with all things, there was hope. That thought fed his newly awakened potential, and he gave his brother an understanding look - one which was returned, their differing thoughts flowing together through their marks as they both channeled their power into their fists.

"You haven't won, you know," Kalin taunted, and he, too, readied another attack. "Even if you stop us here, there are still four other Dark Signers... and who knows? Maybe that girl will turn against you and join us, too!"

"...That's enough out of you!" Jack's blazing aura grew even hotter, and a few small cuts appeared across his arm; his blood seeped into the flames, fueling them as he charged forward again. "Carly made her decision knowing full well what the consequences were... and if she does lose herself, I'll drag her back with my own hands!"

His fist collided with Kalin's, and a crack resounded as the Dark Signer's arm snapped from the impact. Kalin reeled in pain, clutching his shoulder with his remaining good arm, and the deranged expression on his face only got worse - he was truly lost now, the remains of his soul breaking into dust as Ccapac Apu asserted its influence over his body.

The purple glow in Kalin's eyes was all Yusei needed to make his final decision. If the Crimson Dragon was a being of life and renewal...

"I pray that you come back right this time." Yusei's arm shimmered with the light of a distant star, and he closed his eyes as he drove his fist forward, trusting his instincts and his magic to find his mark. He heard the awful sound of flesh being torn as he felt his hand connect with Kalin's body, and when he opened his eyes again, he saw that he had punched a hole clean through where his old friend's heart once was.

Who knew if the Dark Signers' hearts served the same purpose as they had in life? Did they only exist to represent what had been, or was there still some capacity for them to beat anew?

"Y-you... Yusei...!" Kalin's last words came out strained, likely as a result of the hole in his chest, and then he collapsed to the ground, that same dark liquid bleeding from his wound. A moment after, his body disintegrated, turning into ash that was swept away by the wind; at the same time, the Earthbound Immortals clashed above, and Yusei glanced up at just the right time to watch Aslla Piscu drive its beak through Ccapac Apu - a fatal blow, just like the one Yusei had dealt to Kalin.

The earth trembled again as the defeated Immortal collapsed, its form dissolving into black smoke as it seeped into the ground. Aslla Piscu gave a shrill victory cry, then turned its attention to Cusillu, whose tether was still very much active.

"A pity," Sayer mused, sounding as though he was speaking to himself. "That fool was too blind with rage... perhaps next time..." He turned as if to leave, raising his marked arm, and then-

"There won't be a next time."

After witnessing the feats of her fellow Signers, Akiza refused to be outdone - she had a target of her own, and she didn't plan to let him escape.

In her eyes, putting an end to Sayer here and now was the only option. She would make sure that he didn't get put down right away like Kalin had; he would suffer for his betrayal and for the crimes he had committed, both in life and as a Dark Signer, and she could deal with the fallout of her deeds later.

"Don't even try." Akiza's tone was sharp as she called upon her trusty vines, trapping Sayer inside a cage. "That contract of yours... was it worth it? Was it worth knowing that your second death will be slow and agonizing?" She took a quick breath. "Aslla Piscu was merciful... and by the time I'm through with you, you'll wish it had consumed you then!"

"How laughable..." Sayer attempted to burn the cage with a conjured fireball - to no avail. "...And intriguing. It seems you've realized your full potential at last."

There was an undertone to his voice that Akiza didn't recognize, and she didn't care to pick it apart right now. She glanced back at the twins, and while they both seemed intimidated by her rage, they also understood her request; Leo's spell hardened her skin in case of a counterattack, and Luna's spell linked the two, allowing her to draw from her pupil's magic well.

...And what a vast, deep well it was. Akiza plunged her soul into those uncharted depths, soaking in the raw power that flowed forth; the air around her stirred, a gale that responded to her newfound strength as she wrapped her former mentor's limbs in her favorite thorned vines, their hold tight enough to cut off the circulation of a living human - yet Sayer's condition meant he would be unaffected, as his cursed body no longer needed such things.

It would hurt no less, though, and that was what Akiza wanted. She felt every motion of her vines as if they were a part of her, and she basked in the sensation of the thorns puncturing Sayer's skin; she heard him grit his teeth in an attempt to bear the pain, and she watched him tremble in her cage, identifying the emotion that she hadn't been able to before - panic.

Sayer was panicking, and it was all Akiza's doing. She'd caught him like a flytrap with its prey, his struggles useless as she tore him apart at the most agonizing pace possible.

"You were not the one who brought me to that potential," Akiza taunted him, and she placed her left hand over her mark. "How does that make you feel, knowing that you're insignificant? That you'll never amount to anything, in this life or the next? This is the only path a miserable wretch like you can tread - the path to failure!"

The storm around her grew stronger, the wind picking up as she called off the cage of vines that had blocked Sayer's escape. She didn't need it anymore - he couldn't fight against her hold on him, no matter how hard he tried, and it was the most incredible feeling she'd ever experienced. To bring down karmic judgment upon the one who had betrayed her, to make him experience the suffering that he had brought upon all those he came into contact with...

She could even sense the concern of the Earthbound Immortal he was bound to. Cusillu knew that its tether was at a disadvantage, and that its only saving grace was the simple fact that his foe had a grudge which would not be satisfied by a simple defeat-

Sayer's eyes glowed purple, and his soul dissipated under the Immortal's touch. The catharsis Akiza had felt in torturing her tormentor faded as well, and the grip of her vines loosened - enough so that Sayer's possessed body could break free of her hold. The damage had been done, and the black liquid that replaced his blood oozed from the countless puncture wounds on his skin; his time was limited, yet seeing him die like this brought Akiza no joy.

What was the point, if he himself couldn't feel the despair of losing his life again?

"You should have killed him quickly," Black Rose admonished Akiza, as she drove her own vines toward Sayer. "I understand your resentment... however, on the field of battle, one cannot afford such delays." With a few simple, swift strikes, she laid the Dark Signer low, a choked scream escaping him before his form turned to ash, blown away swiftly by the raging tempest born from Akiza's wrath.

"I..." Akiza watched as the three guardians worked together to take down Cusillu; Yuya's breath was guided and amplified by Yugo's wind, and then Yuto finished the beast off with an electrified charge, his jagged mandibles sinking into the Immortal's prone form. "...I wasn't..."

She hadn't been thinking straight - she recognized that on a conscious level, but it was too easy to give in to her anger when faced with her betrayer. Now that he was out of the picture, perhaps things would change, but...

As Cusillu fell, melting into the earth as Ccapac Apu had, the troubled Signer glanced between her fellows, noting the array of reactions they had. Jack was ecstatic at their victory, Leo was shaken yet still excited, Luna seemed as though she wanted to cry, and Yusei...

Yusei had a far-off look in his eyes, and only the bare minimum of emotion flowed from his mark. Akiza supposed that he, too, felt conflicted about the battle's outcome, even though he knew there was no other option. Perhaps she would try to discuss the matter with him later - but for now, the queen of dragons had a certain look in her eyes, and it wasn't hard to decipher that she had something to say to everyone present.

"We should go to Fusionia next," Queen Fairy announced, just as expected. "However, I'm sure that you are all quite tired from this battle... we will take our rest in the Keystone Tower, if none are opposed."

"There should be enough space to shelter all of us," Yuzu added, likely speaking from her own experience as a prisoner in one of those towers. "We can gather supplies when we get there... it shouldn't be too far away from here."

After all, their current location was the center of the circle drawn by the four towers. Still, Akiza was a bit concerned; exhaustion wasn't the only problem, as Yugo's recklessness had resulted in a significant injury, and it showed as he returned to his altered form - his shattered wing translated to a bloodied gash on his arm, and he winced as he clutched it, struggling to stay upright.

"...We should tend our injuries first," Akiza stated, and she made her way over to the wounded dragon. "Please let me look at that."

"What about... Princess Yuzu?" Yugo looked at the princess in question, who sighed and shook her head. "Huh? Didn't you say you'd heal me...?"

"I suspect her magic reserves are drained." Akiza frowned, then took Yugo's arm in her hands; he didn't resist as she checked him over, much to her relief. "...Until we all recover somewhat, healing magic isn't an option." She reached into the bag she'd brought with her - a makeshift first-aid kit of sorts, a necessity in the life she'd lived prior to leaving the forest. "This may sting."

"...Thanks." Yugo gave Akiza an appreciative look, and he gritted his teeth as she wiped down his wound with the cloth she extracted from her bag. "It doesn't hurt any worse than when I got hit..." He groaned. "Sorry for making things harder on you."

"So long as you've learned your lesson." Akiza wrapped up Yugo's wound with a bandage once she'd finished cleaning it, and then she turned away, her attention once again drifting to Yusei. It was almost surreal that she'd gone from torturing a man to helping a wounded boy, and she was surprised that her own bonded dragon was the only one who had raised any sort of complaint about her behavior - did her fellow Signers have the same thoughts, and just kept them to themselves out of courtesy?

She hoped that she would find out sooner, rather than later. There would be plenty of time for discussion once they reached the tower, and so the sooner they got there, the better.

Chapter 35: The Dragon's Tale

Chapter Text

When the group arrived at Fusionia's Keystone Tower, there were no signs of life within. Yuya and Yuto went ahead of the rest of the group, climbing the tower to make sure; the report back was that the stasis cage was broken, and neither the princess nor her captor were there. The only sign that the place had been occupied at all was a length of enchanted rope hanging out of the window - an indicator that, if nothing else, Celina had managed to escape.

For the sake of her fellow princess, Yuzu silently prayed that everyone's collective assumption was correct. She had a bad feeling about what had transpired here, and she tried her best to shake it as she went through the tower with Lulu and Rin, taking note of the differences and similarities between the four towers; just as she'd suspected, there was plenty of space, so long as the dragons didn't utilize their true forms.

There was already an exception to that, though, as Queen Fairy called everyone to the top of the tower first. Once the group had gathered, the queen of dragons curled her serpentine body into her equivalent of a sitting position, her hands folding across her front as she took stock of the others present; the remainder of the Signers' bonded dragons did not emerge, a fact that Yuzu found curious - until the queen spoke up, and everything made sense.

"Young ones." The great fae addressed them all at once, her tone gentle. "With all that has transpired as of late, it is time that I tell you the truth behind the schism. This knowledge may do you well in the coming conflict, and for those who wish to mend the divide between our races..." Her eyes swept over the three guardians and princesses. "It is very important, so that you do not repeat the mistakes of the past."

Queen Fairy raised one of her hands, and an image coalesced before her. "Once upon a time, the realms of humans and dragons were not so distant. While each held their own kingdom, there was travel and friendship between the two, and even the royal families of each nation trusted one another." The picture painted by her magic was a pretty one - a town square populated by humans, and a handful of dragons in human form were scattered about, intermingling as if it wasn't anything strange.

Yuzu noted that the shifted dragons all maintained some visible features of their true forms, just like how Yuya had first appeared to her in her dreams. She wondered why his form was different from theirs, and why his ability to shift into his dragon form was so limited.

"One day, the king of dragons passed from this world quite suddenly, and the prince was forced to take the throne in his place." Queen Fairy swept her hand to the side, changing the vision's contents; a young man with silvery, green-streaked hair sat upon a throne that was far too large for him, and he bore a dull, sad look in his eyes as his long tail swished back and forth. "The new Dragon King was not quite educated in how to rule a kingdom, and he was looked down upon by many of his subjects. They believed that one so young was not fit to rule, and that sparked in him a desire to prove them wrong."

The image changed again, showing the Dragon King in his true form - a beast that dwarfed most of the other dragons around him, his massive wings stirring up dust and debris with every flap as he floated above his kingdom. Yuzu saw the pained look in his eyes, and she felt a pang of sympathy for him; he, like Yuya, had been reviled for something beyond his control, and she assumed from the queen's words that he had only wanted the best for his people.

"The Dragon King loved humans, and his favorite retreat was within their realm," Queen Fairy went on, and she changed the picture to a castle courtyard, where the young king stood alone in his human form. "He became close with the human princess of the time, and he soon began to wish that the realms were even closer than they already were." A human girl stepped into the courtyard, her red hair framing her face beautifully as she walked alongside the Dragon King. "...He was young and foolish, and did not know what his proposal would cause."

The human princess - Yuzu could only assume that was who she was - ran off, leaving the king alone in the courtyard. As he, too, walked away, he bore a forced smile, as if trying to tell himself that everything was going to be alright.

"The princess had no interest in uniting the kingdoms." Queen Fairy's voice took on a sorrowful tone. "She believed that there was a reason humans and dragons remained separate, despite their closeness... and the Dragon King accepted her rejection at first, as he did understand her reasoning. When he returned to his kingdom, he received even greater mockery than before - to most, the mere thought that a human and dragon could be so intimately connected was laughable."

"So... everyone just thought that humans and dragons couldn't be together because of some reason?" Luna addressed her bonded dragon's words, a frown appearing on her face. "That's horrible..."

"Indeed," Queen Fairy confirmed with a small nod. "It was nothing tangible, yet this belief was unshakable among both races. The human princess was praised for turning down an unwanted suitor, and the Dragon King was jeered even by the humans he so loved... until he changed one day, his mind and soul twisted by the hatred he was subjected to."

The next image was a grim one - the Dragon King striking down his own subjects en masse, with each of their souls being absorbed into his own. He became even more massive than he had been, and Yuzu could feel his power, even through this vision of the past; it felt not unlike the Earthbound Immortals, a dark power fueled by suffering and death.

"The Supreme Dragon King, as he titled himself, could not be stopped." Queen Fairy's tone shifted again as she conjured a picture of war - though to call it that was generous, as it seemed more like a one-sided massacre, the Dragon King and a few of his subjects mowing down humans by the hundreds. "Holding respect through fear, he brought ruin upon the human kingdom, and soon, only a handful of humans remained. They desperately sought a way to fight back against the Dragon King's terror, and their hope came in the form of the same princess who had kept the realms separated."

The human princess of that distant time became visible again, her arm raised to the sky as energy flowed into her from the humans surrounding her. Unlike the Dragon King's forceful assimilation, the princess' power was given voluntarily, her magic well deepening with every word spoken by her remaining subjects; all at once, she unleashed a storm of magic like a four-colored rainbow, defeating her mighty foe in a single strike.

"When the battle concluded, the humans stood victorious, and the dragons fled from their own ruined realm." Queen Fairy's hand lowered, and the vision vanished. "The Supreme Dragon King's soul was shattered, freeing those he had consumed, yet those dragons who remained chose to found a new kingdom in a distant land, as they were no longer able to trust humans. I was chosen as their monarch, for I did not yearn as the Dragon King had... and while the human princess took the throne of her kind's new kingdom, that same kingdom was ultimately divided into four, forming the human realms of today."

"...So it was all simply caused by some teen drama gone wrong." Jack summarized the history lesson in his own words, sounding displeased. "You're saying that the reason humans and dragons are separate today is because some little king couldn't handle rejection?"

"It's a lot more complicated than that," Yusei reminded his brother. "The Dragon King accepted the initial rejection. It was what happened afterward that drove him to drastic measures."

"Everyone hated him because of something he couldn't control..." Yuya clutched his pendant in one hand, fixing his eyes on the floor. "He just wanted to help everyone, and..."

"Is this your first time hearing this story?" Akiza inquired, directing her attention toward the guardians. "I would have thought that you'd been taught it already..."

"History lessons always omitted the truth of the schism," Yuto explained, and then he shook his head. "...I think I can understand why."

"It was a dark time for both humans and dragons," Lulu agreed with a hum, and then she returned her attention to the dragon queen. "...So, how were the rulers of the new human kingdoms decided? There was only one royal bloodline, right?"

"The human queen's descendants became their monarchs." A small smile appeared upon Queen Fairy's features. "This means that you three human princesses, however distantly, are related."

"You mean... you two are my cousins?" Rin looked between Yuzu and Lulu, astonished. "I never would've imagined that..."

"I mean, it's a bit of a stretch..." Yuzu frowned. "It's been hundreds of years since then. We probably aren't any more closely related than you are to Jack."

"A shame," the Signer in question mused to himself. "Though I do have royal qualities without the blood to match..."

"Indeed, though Fusionia's princess is an exception." Queen Fairy's smile faded. "I have been watching from afar for some time now... I have seen the fall of Fusionia's royal family. The country's current king is nestmate to Synchronia's - a replacement monarch, offered in a time of dire need. This means that you..." Her gaze turned to Rin. "...shall soon meet your next-closest kin."

"My father's... brother..." Rin evidently knew what Queen Fairy had meant by nestmate, and she joined Yuya in staring at the floor. "So is he... also a Dark Signer?"

"Indeed, he is," Queen Fairy confirmed. "There are also two other Dark Signers within Fusionia as we speak. Our next battle is sure to be more difficult than the last."

"...Which means we should rest." Yuzu considered what she'd seen during her inspection of the tower. "It may be best for us to pair off so that we can save space."

"I'm going with you," Yuya declared without being prompted, and he moved closer to Yuzu. "Just... don't make me stay in the top room. Please."

The other guardians and princesses nodded their agreement, and Yuzu offered her companion a smile. "I wasn't planning on it... I feel the same way you do."

"Then I'll take the top room." Jack made his decision with ease - an unsurprising one, at that. "I trust there aren't any objections?"

"Great, that means we'll have company!" Leo pumped his fist in the air. "Thanks, Uncle Jack!"

The incredulous look that Jack turned upon Leo in response to that prompted a giggle from Yuzu, and she was soon joined by her fellows. If nothing else, the conflict the group faced together had drawn them closer, and for the coming battles, those bonds would be their strength.

Still, Yuzu couldn't stop thinking about the ancient Dragon King and the human queen who had stopped him...

The further Celina pressed on, the more unsettling the landscape of her homeland became. She hadn't even reached the capital yet, but she had to struggle with her instincts every step - her body told her that the only way for her to survive was to flee, and that was the last thing she wanted to do.

Yuri watched over her as he always had, and as much as she hated to admit it, his presence was somewhat of a comfort. He was strong and versatile in combat, able to take on multiple opponents at once, and he'd demonstrated on more than one occasion that he was fiercely protective of her for reasons she had yet to understand. He was no longer bound by the royal decree that had made him her guardian in the tower, so what did he have to gain by continuing to guard her?

...There was his desire for revenge against Uru, but Celina didn't see why a dragon would need her for something like that. In his eyes, she was a weak, frail human who needed to stop and rest after every fight, and while her magic potential was immense, she hadn't even started to learn the ins and outs of harnessing that potential. At best, she could repeat what she'd done upon breaking out of her cage - and she didn't have the first clue how to do that, plus she wasn't sure what sort of effect it would have on him.

She definitely did not need Yuri reverting to his dragon form again. She didn't want to know what he would do if that happened.

The tiny lizards that skittered between the threads of Uru's webs were magical in nature; that much was obvious from how they were unaffected by the traps, and just to confirm, Yuri had tried picking one up and eating it. It had evaporated into thin air, leaving him a bit annoyed that he'd been denied his snack, and Celina chose not to encourage him with a response. Instead, she focused on what the presence of those lizards meant - that Uru likely wasn't the only Earthbound Immortal in the capital.

Finding places to rest was getting harder, and it was fortunate that Yuri had such a vast, deep magic well. He was able to clear out the traps laid by the Earthbound Immortals with ease, and every time he shifted into his dragon form to dig out a burrow, she felt a distinct pang of envy. She wished that she could be that strong - it would have made her less of a disappointment in her family's eyes, at least.

It was during one of their moments of respite that Celina noticed Yuri was quieter than usual, and she wondered if he was finally starting to get tired. As they sat together in the relative safety of his latest burrow, she watched him stare into space, his expression more thoughtful than she'd ever seen on him before; like this, he seemed less like a menace to society and more like the teenager-equivalent he was, and she hated to admit that he was almost... attractive.

"...What's up?" Celina spoke up at last, growing impatient with the silence. "Still mad about your snack running away?"

"A little, but that isn't what's on my mind right now." Yuri turned to face her, though he didn't meet her eyes. "Traveling together with you has made me understand a few things about myself... mostly that I think you're quite beautiful for a human."

A backhanded compliment like that wouldn't have flattered Celina normally, and coming from him of all people, it just irritated her that he had the audacity to say it. Still, just this once, she gave him the benefit of the doubt, and nodded silently - she didn't trust herself not to provoke his wrath right now.

"Of course, there's more to it than that," Yuri went on, his gaze fixed on the burrow's floor. "I've come to realize that... my upbringing may not have been what was best for me, after all. I thought I was happy being alone, until I met someone I wanted to be friends with..."

It wasn't hard to infer who he was referring to, and this time, Celina was caught off-guard. Since meeting him, she'd believed that Yuri had nothing but malicious intent, and had not once stopped to think that maybe, just maybe, his childhood had stunted him - he'd mentioned before that being a mutant meant he was also an outcast, that his fellow dragons treated him as a threat more than anything else. She'd done the exact same thing to him, and now...

Her pride kept her from apologizing directly, but Celina did feel a measure of regret for her assumptions. Even if he'd kept her captive and toyed with her, perhaps it was all just because he hadn't known any better; it didn't change the fact, but at the very least, she understood him more now.

"So you finally figured out that 'hunting' someone isn't the best way of making friends." Celina gave Yuri a pointed stare. "Does that mean you'll stop doing it?"

"Well, I do have better things to hunt right now..." Yuri placed a hand on his chin, rubbing it thoughtfully. "But in truth, I don't know how to make friends - you least of all, as..."

He trailed off, and Celina winced at the realization of what he'd meant. His claim that she was beautiful hadn't just been an empty compliment - he was genuinely attracted to her, enough that he didn't care if she was human, despite his general dismissiveness toward the weaker kind. Now that he was starting to re-evaluate himself and his behavior, he'd come to the conclusion that chasing her around and trying to keep her trapped was, in fact, not the right thing to do.

It was as if he was asking her what the right thing to do even was, believing that she had an answer to the question that had weighed on his thoughts for all this time. As flattering as it was that he had such faith in her, she hadn't exactly been a socialite herself in her youth, and there was only one piece of advice she could give him.

"I don't know what it's like for dragons, but humans hate being stalked." Celina did her best to keep her tone level. "Especially in the context of romantic interest."

"I'll keep that in mind going forward, then." Yuri's usual attitude was nowhere to be found - he actually sounded as if he was trying to be respectful. "...Would you agree that staying together only for this mission would be the best course of action? Once Uru is defeated, I'll return to my life of solitude, and you'll be left to pick up the pieces..."

He hadn't meant to be condescending there - Celina could tell from the tone of his voice - but his phrasing still rekindled her frustration with him. She had to remind herself that he was trying to think of her, that he thought she would rather be left alone, and while he wasn't wrong...

"Actually, you could be useful there, too." Celina considered what he'd done to free her in the border town. "I'd imagine that the people are going to be confused after their king is dead. Confusion and lack of stability lead naturally to conflict, and with your habit of eating people, you'd be great for silencing dissent."

Yuri made a face. "Did I not tell you that I no longer have a taste for humans?" Still, he considered her words for a moment, and then his features softened as he gave a small nod. "Though, that leaves my reputation... if there's no other way I can aid you, princess, then I have no objections. I'm sure your life will be exceedingly difficult in the coming years."

He was putting real effort in, and Celina had to commend that. She'd always been aware on some level that he was intelligent, yet his behavior prevented her from acknowledging the fact; his immaturity and selfishness were, in the end, caused by factors beyond his control, and if he was willing to try and improve himself, she couldn't reasonably discourage him. She was under no illusion that he would ever stop being himself, but maybe she could at least get him to the point where he was able to function in society.

Then again, there was also the possibility that doing so would take longer than her natural lifespan...

"Let's focus on dealing with the Earthbound Immortals first," Celina advised, reminding him of how dangerous their quest was. "If we're both still alive after that, then we can think about what to do next."

"Indeed." Yuri hummed his agreement. "If I'm not mistaken, those lizards are agents of Ccarayhua. The Servants we've fought also point toward Chacu Challhua... that's a total of three Earthbound Immortals, and with just us, even one will be a challenge. If possible, we should try to avoid the other two and focus on Uru."

"That's assuming they let us." Celina wasn't too thrilled with the plan, but she didn't see any other options - he was right about taking on all three of them. "...We'll need to keep our strength up if we want to dodge their minions. How are you feeling?"

"Tired, in all honesty," Yuri answered her, frowning. "This must be what it's like for you after every battle..."

...And he was back to his usual self. Seeing and hearing him so self-conscious was more than a little strange, and Celina almost welcomed Yuri's unpleasantness - it had been the one constant factor in her life for the past eighteen years, after all.

"Then take a nap." Celina stood up and walked to the burrow's entrance. "I'll put up a ward, so we'll know if we get ambushed. I hope you don't sleep too deeply."

"When you live as I have, it's best to sleep with one eye open." Yuri stretched out his limbs, then laid down on the burrow's floor, curling up with his arm as a pillow. "A magic alarm will wake me right up." He paused, and offered her the slightest of smiles. "Thank you."

Celina didn't know how to respond to that, and so she just focused on her spell, closing her eyes as she reached into the well of power within her. She wasn't sure if her own traps would even work on the Earthbound Immortals' underlings, but it was better than nothing; besides, she needed a nap too, and that meant there would be no one to keep watch.

Sleeping in Yuri's presence had always seemed to her like something only an insane person would do, and perhaps she was one of those herself at this point. At least she knew his special interest in her meant she could trust him to protect her, and that, for all his issues, he had no intention of harming her now.

Chapter 36: Promises

Chapter Text

After the meeting at the top of the tower, Rin found herself unable to sleep. She couldn't stop thinking about what Queen Fairy had told her, about the king of Fusionia being her uncle - and, by extension, the princess her cousin, facts that she hadn't been aware of despite the change in the royal family happening within the last generation.

She'd never been close with her family, but this felt like something she should've at least been told about. How in the world was the loss of Fusionia's original royal bloodline such a well-kept secret? Moreover, didn't that mean she'd been lied to all her life by her own father?

These thoughts caused a mix of emotions to well up in Rin's heart. She was sad that she'd never even gotten to know her uncle, terrified that she would have to kill both him and her father with her own hands, and angry that the truth had eluded her. A small part of her wanted to forget that any of this had ever happened, to just go back home to Synchronia and pretend that the war against the Dark Signers was something that she had no stake in, but the rest of her felt otherwise - she wanted to bring down the curtain on this farce, to put an end to the series of tragedies befalling the human kingdoms.

Just like in the visions of the schism... Rin had a feeling that what had happened back then was somehow connected to the current conflict, and that was the reason Queen Fairy had told everyone about it. To avoid repeating the mistakes of the past - that part was clear enough, but what about the rest? What other hidden truths were there to unearth from that era?

All of these questions, along with the feelings they brought forth, caused Rin's head to hurt. The aftermath of the battle against Kalin and Sayer was hardly the time or place for such thoughts, as everyone was either injured, exhausted or both, and Rin was no exception - but she just couldn't stop, and she was sure that if this went on for much longer, she would go insane.

It was a good thing, then, that Rin was distracted from the infinite loop in her head by the sound of a pained groan from not too far away. In her turmoil, she'd almost forgotten that Yugo was still injured, and she was supposed to be keeping an eye on him; she reprimanded herself for her negligence, then crept over to where he laid on the floor, clutching his wounded arm.

"...Hey, Rin-Rin," he managed, his voice a bit strained. "You looked like... you were pretty deep in thought, so... I didn't wanna bother you..."

"It... it was nothing." Rin dismissed Yugo's concern with a wave of her hand, though she was sure he didn't fully buy it. "Anyway, how are you feeling? Do you need your bandages changed?"

Yugo shook his head, and gave her a weak smile. "Nah... I'm better than I was earlier. Akiza's a real whiz with wound care." He attempted to pull himself up, only to fall back down, wincing. "But, man, this seriously stings..."

"One of your wings was broken," Rin reminded him, her tone stern. "I'm surprised your wound in human form wasn't worse." In truth, she had expected it to translate to a broken limb, and it was a small blessing that it hadn't; at least like this, he was able to move around, even if it hurt.

"Yeah... I really acted without thinking there, huh?" Yugo laughed. "Sorry for making you worry so much..." He looked up at her, inquisitive. "...What were you thinking about, anyway? I thought I smelled tears."

...He could do that?

"I-I told you, it was nothing," Rin insisted, and she felt kind of pathetic for being unable to keep herself from stuttering. "Don't worry about me, Yugo. I'm fine."

"Doesn't seem like it to me." Yugo shifted into a sitting position, a bit easier this time, and he tilted his head at her. "You don't sound fine, and you don't look it, either. Actually, you seem like kind of a wreck."

With how dim the lighting in the room was, Rin was briefly surprised that Yugo could see her features so well - and then she reminded herself that as a dragon, he could see in the dark much better than her. Between that and his other enhanced senses, there was no way she'd be able to hide her thoughts from him, and that realization just made her even more miserable.

How was she supposed to take care of him when she couldn't even take care of herself?

"I was... thinking about what Queen Fairy told us," Rin admitted, grasping her arm. "About the schism, and about the king of Fusionia being my uncle... my whole family's turned against me, and I never knew. I feel like I've been betrayed three times over..."

"...I've been thinking about the same thing." Yugo's expression softened. "I mean, I dunno about your family, but what happened back then... it just doesn't make any sense, y'know? Why'd everyone think the Dragon King and the human princess couldn't be together? Are humans and dragons really that different?"

He was off in his own little world as always, and Rin knew that he didn't mean to be insensitive, but the way he'd brushed off her concerns irritated her a little. She tried reminding herself that this whole situation must have been difficult for him, too - he'd always been passionate about bringing the races together, and hearing the truth of what had driven them apart probably stung as much as his wound.

"Well, for one, our lifespans are different." Rin focused on answering his question logically, as it helped her keep her cool. "A human's life is like the blink of an eye to a dragon... even if they'd ended up together, the human princess would've died while the Dragon King was still young, and then what would've happened?"

"Yeah... I guess so." Yugo sounded as if he'd been trying not to think about that. "But still, while she was alive... couldn't they have figured things out? Like, with humans... humans mate for life, right? But what about if someone's mate dies from a disease or something? What happens then?"

"That does happen sometimes..." Rin considered his words, choosing to disregard his weird dragon terminology. "It depends on the individual. Some people can't take it, and die with their spouse. Others live the rest of their lives remembering their spouse... and some remarry." She paused, recalling the events that had led to the Dragon King's reign of terror. "Do you think he was the kind of guy to think ahead that far?"

"Well... no," Yugo conceded, frowning. "I guess... he was kinda like me." He shivered. "Do you think that'll ever happen to me?"

Rin shook her head. "...You don't have two entire kingdoms to make fun of you, so no. Anyway, I'm sure it was way more complicated than what Queen Fairy told us, and besides, we don't even know the Dragon King. He died a long time ago, even by dragon standards, so..."

"Yeah, true." Yugo shifted closer to her, grunting at the pain in his arm. "Sorry... I don't really know what it's like to have a family. I was abandoned as an egg, and I never really got along with anyone in the place I grew up... I guess it'd be called an orphanage in the human tongue?"

"An orphanage..." Rin almost felt like she could relate to Yugo, in a way; she'd had a family growing up, but they never really felt like a family, and that feeling had only strengthened in the wake of the recent revelation. "Well... you had people taking care of you, didn't you? Do baby dragons need special care like baby humans?"

Yugo gave an affirmative hum. "Yeah, they kept me alive... that much is obvious from how I'm here, but that was about it. Apparently, I was a real troublemaker as a hatchling... I don't remember myself, but that's what everyone said. They couldn't wait until I was old enough to live on my own."

"That's a little like how my family treated me..." Rin hung her head. "Maybe not as harsh, but I always kinda felt like they didn't want someone like me as princess. Now, I'm wondering if that has something to do with..."

"...Princess Celina." Yugo finished Rin's sentence for her, and he gave her a sympathetic look. "I think I get it now... hey, c'mere." He gestured with his good arm, and she stared blankly at him for a moment before she realized what he was suggesting.

As troublesome as he was sometimes, he really did care about her, and in his own way, he'd tried to distract her from her woes. Maybe she was looking too deep into it, giving him more credit than he was worth, but it seemed like this was also a sore subject for him; given his history, she almost felt bad for bringing it up, but he didn't seem offended, and just wanted to hug it out now.

...That was way too cute.

"You idiot..." Rin did as she was told, moving closer so that she could pull Yugo into an embrace; he slid his arm around her, leaning his head on her shoulder, and the position felt far too intimate, but she didn't care right now. "Thanks..."

"Hey, no need to go that far." Yugo didn't sound the slightest bit upset, despite his words. "You gonna be okay?"

"I don't even know anymore..." Rin tightened her hold on him. "I... I just..."

She couldn't hold back the tears anymore, and he ran his hand along her back as she cried, his touch reminding her that she wasn't alone. She'd meant the world to him since their first meeting, and now she understood why - they had a surprising amount in common, despite the vast differences between them.

It took a while for Rin to stop crying, and Yugo didn't let go of her the whole time, even though it must have been painful for him. When she finally pushed him away, he continued to watch her, his concern plain in those pretty cerulean eyes of his - she wanted to reprimand herself for thinking of him like that, but just this once, she decided it was more effort than it was worth.

"...Hey." Yugo spoke up after a brief silence, his voice quiet. "You want to sleep together? It'll be easier to stay warm that way..."

An image that was decidedly not wholesome flashed through Rin's mind at his phrasing, but she shook it off, knowing that he hadn't meant it like that. She still blushed as she answered him with a nod; he had a point, and maybe she'd sleep better if she had someone to cuddle with.

"Will your arm be okay?" Rin asked him, and he replied with a confident hum. That was all she needed, and she laid down beside him, relaxing against the blankets that served as their makeshift bedding.

When Yugo eased himself back down and tugged her close with his good arm, she leaned against his body, his warmth soothing her tired mind. She already felt sleepy, and so she closed her eyes, letting the presence of her loyal guardian ease her into slumber.

Rin had a lot to think about when she woke up, but for now, the only thought that remained was how much she wanted to be a part of this boy's life for as long as she could.

Yuya had managed to stay strong through the fight and the trip to the Keystone Tower, but now that night had fallen and he was alone in a room with Yuzu, his mistakes had caught up to him all at once.

His body ached all over, to the point where he almost couldn't move, and a few of his wounds had reopened. Yuzu had tended to those wounds with a light scolding, and she'd helped him into a relatively comfortable sleeping position; as tired as he was, though, he couldn't fall asleep, his mind flooded with thoughts of the visions shown by Queen Fairy.

Yuya had heard of the Supreme Dragon King, but the image painted by the story was very different from what he'd been told before. He felt a deep sympathy for the Dragon King, a sentiment that was kind of silly - those events had taken place a long time ago, and most of the people from those days were long dead, including the subject of his concern, but he couldn't help it.

Those sad eyes, that pained smile... even if he wasn't a king with subjects to look after, Yuya had felt the same way, forcing himself to keep moving forward through the mockery of his peers. More than anything, he wanted the Dragon King to be given a second chance - but that wasn't going to happen, not for someone whose truth had been all but forgotten. The most Yuya could do was learn from those past mistakes, just as the queen had wanted him to.

Some time passed like this, and then Yuya noticed that Yuzu didn't seem to be asleep, either. She tossed and turned, yet never settled, and the sound of her breathing was a bit uneven; he forced himself onto his side to look at her, ignoring how his body protested at the motion, and he found himself staring right at her, her eyes wide with surprise - but only for a moment, and then she relaxed, shuffling a bit closer to him.

"...You, too?" Yuya asked her, and she gave him a nod in response. "What's on your mind?"

"What's on yours?" Yuzu turned the question around on him - something he hadn't quite expected. "...Is it the Dragon King?"

Yuya answered her with a quiet hum, and closed his eyes. "Yeah... I still feel bad for him. He just wanted to do something good, and society rejected him for it..."

"They clearly didn't see it that way," Yuzu pointed out. "Maybe the human princess thought he was a creep. Even if they were friends, she didn't want more..."

"Yeah, maybe..." Yuya had to admit that Yuzu had a point, at least on that front. "...But that doesn't excuse how everyone reacted. Why'd they all make fun of him for it? He was willing to let it go, so..."

"I guess... people can be like that sometimes." Yuzu averted her eyes. "I wonder how the human princess felt... having to kill someone who used to be her friend. If she hated him like everyone else, or if she pitied him..."

"We'll probably never know." Yuya rolled onto his back, wincing at the pain that moving around caused him. "...After all, it's not like they'll be coming back to life anytime soon, right?"

"Yeah..." Yuzu moved even closer, and she reached out her hand to him. "Do you think there's a real reason dragons and humans can't be together? Queen Fairy seemed to think otherwise..."

"...Dragons live a lot longer than humans." Yuya brought up a fact that he didn't want to think much about, but it was still important to address in this context. "Even if a dragon and human fell in love, it would always end in tragedy. Some dragons wouldn't be able to move on from a loss like that... I wonder if that was what everyone thought back then."

"You're right..." Yuzu withdrew her hand, and turned away from him. "Maybe... it's better that way. I..."

She trailed off, and Yuya had to fight back the urge to go over and hug her, knowing that it would be physically agonizing to do so. That absolutely wasn't what he'd meant - in fact, he felt quite the opposite, and wanted to let her know that. In his position, doing so was difficult, but...

"Yuzu..." Yuya spoke her name quietly, and presented his own hand to her - one of the few motions that didn't make him want to scream. "Can you come here for a minute? Please?"

Yuzu looked back at him, visibly astonished, but she answered his request and sidled up next to him. "What is it?"

"I don't care," Yuya told her, putting his sentiments into the plainest language he could. "Even if your life burns out in an instant compared to mine... it'd be like fireworks. The most beautiful thing in the world... I can never forget a show like that. I always hold it near and dear to my heart... just like-"

"Don't say it." Yuzu cut him off, even as she draped one arm across his body - speaking more with her actions than her words, though both bore a meaning he couldn't deny. "Please... not until this war is over. It'd be even worse if..."

Yuya knew what she meant - with how many times he'd already been hurt, there was a distinct possibility that he would die before her, and that was something neither human nor dragon would be able to bear. Still, she understood what he'd wanted to say, and for now, that was enough for him.

"...Okay." Yuya acquiesced to Yuzu's request, and said nothing more; he didn't protest when she turned his head to the side with one hand and leaned her forehead against his, a terribly intimate gesture that conveyed what she felt for him - and then she pressed her lips to his for only a second, and he blinked at her before allowing a warm smile to cross his face.

He'd known how she felt about him for a while now, but what she'd done just now confirmed it beyond reasonable doubt. It was her own way of letting him know that she didn't want to wait, either; there was just one thing that held her back, but while they rested together in this tower, she wanted to glimpse her own fireworks.

When he took her hand in his, she breathed a small sigh of relief and closed her eyes, relaxing against his body; she wasn't heavy enough to cause him pain, and her warmth and presence soothed him, clearing the grim thoughts of the past and the unknown future from his head. His exhaustion caught up to him, and his eyes slid shut as well, though not before he gave her one last glance.

To accomplish what the Dragon King had been unable to... it was a noble goal in Yuya's mind, and he didn't plan to give up until that dream was realized.

Chapter 37: Window to the Truth

Chapter Text

Shay still wasn't sure how to feel about the dragon that had wormed his way into Lulu's life. Yuto had demonstrated a deep capacity for selflessness, as well as borderline insanity - he seemed to have no regard for his personal safety, and that, combined with the knowledge that he and Lulu had become involved, rubbed Shay in all the wrong ways.

Rather than pairing off like everyone else, the Exyzians had elected to stay together in a room with the guardian who followed them. Lulu was already sound asleep, wrapped in blankets and curled up in a little ball; Yuto sat near her and watched over her, while Shay kept his distance from both, gauging their position. He hadn't been given reason to believe that Yuto would do anything suspicious, but there was no such thing as being too cautious.

"...Hey, you." Shay spoke up, keeping his voice quiet so that he wouldn't wake his sister - he knew Yuto could hear him, anyway. "What are you up to?"

Yuto scooted himself over, moving away from Lulu, and then responded in a voice just as quiet. "I wanted to make sure Lulu was comfortable. She's been through a lot in the past few days..."

"That's it?" Shay raised an eyebrow, crossing his arms over his chest. "You've been watching her all this time just for that?"

"...There's something on my mind as well." Yuto hung his head, staring at the floor. "I was thinking about what the queen showed us. The true history of what drove the races apart... and how Lulu is descended from the same bloodline as Princess Yuzu and Princess Rin."

"That part doesn't matter." Shay shook his head. "It's like Yuzu said. Fusionia aside, it's been long enough since then that they're barely related."

He kept it to himself, but he'd also considered the possibility that the Exyzian royal bloodline would end in the next generation as well. Shay had no interest in bearing an heir, and if Yuto and Lulu stayed together...

"Their power is that of the human queen's," Yuto pointed out. "As is yours. The crest on your back is merely a gateway - your true potential remains untapped within."

...That was something Shay hadn't given much thought to, focused as he was on gaining more power from outside sources. He had always assumed that the true talent hadn't been passed to him, that Lulu was the one with all the potential - but if a being attuned to magic told him otherwise, then maybe it was worth trying to tap into that royal blood of his.

It was strange, really, how Shay believed Yuto without question on this of all things. Maybe he was starting to accept his sister's favorite dragon, after all.

"I'll look into it tomorrow." Shay shifted closer to Yuto, still staring at him. "As for the story of the Dragon King... I don't know if I believe all of it."

"Queen Fairy was alive when it happened." Yuto placed a hand over his choker, his fingers curling around the accessory. "She witnessed those events firsthand. There's no source more trustworthy than her."

"She put a pretty positive spin on it," Shay insisted. "Did the Dragon King really deserve sympathy before he started murdering his own subjects? To me, it sounded like he felt entitled to the princess."

"That's exactly the sort of mentality that led to his downfall." Yuto's hold on his choker tightened. "He was willing to accept her rejection, but society mocked him for it and drove him insane. If more people had just left him alone..."

Shay still didn't quite buy it - the queen of dragons had seemed to him the sort to excuse the actions of her fellows, regardless of how horrific they were. There was no telling if she had intentionally spun the tale to make the self-styled Supreme Dragon King look good.

"...There's no point in arguing about the past." Shay breathed a small sigh. "What's done is done. We have better things to focus on right now."

"Yes, such as the Dark Signers," Yuto agreed, and his hand fell back to his side. "The conflict back then must have fueled the Earthbound Immortals' reawakening... perhaps if it had gone on, another would have joined their number. We're fortunate that such a thing didn't happen."

"Two was enough." Shay recalled the earlier battle against Kalin and Sayer, and he wanted to reprimand himself for not helping Lulu more. "I'm not looking forward to dealing with three."

"If all goes well, we won't have to fight all of them at once." Yuto looked as if he was thinking about something. "When we arrive in Fusionia, our first priority should be looking for Princess Celina, and..." He trailed off, his unease clear, and Shay knew what he referred to. There was one more dragon who hadn't been accounted for yet, and with the way the window bars in the top room had been melted clean through...

Shay wasn't looking forward to meeting that last dragon. He had a sinking feeling that it was different from the other three guardians.

"We should try and get some rest." Shay glanced at his sister's form; to his relief, she was still sound asleep. "Especially you. I know you have a bad habit of wearing yourself out."

Yuto made an amused noise. "Yes, I suppose you're right." He shifted onto the floor, curling up in much the same way Lulu had. "Good night, Shay... sleep well."

Shay watched Yuto for a moment longer, then laid down as well, closing his eyes at last. He thought about what the dragon had told him, how his potential had not yet been fully realized, and he hoped that he would have time to put that claim to the test.

Exyzia's crests were powerful, but the reason they worked was because of the inner strength of those who used them. The crest emblazoned upon Shay's back had only recently stopped causing him constant pain, and he wondered if there was a reason for that beyond him getting used to it.

Perhaps Yuto had meant something else as well when he claimed that the crest was a gateway...

It was fascinating, really, how the Signers changed as they came together.

Yusei was able to feel the emotions of his fellows more clearly than ever before now. Leo and Luna were both disappointed that they'd been kicked out of the tower's top room, but grateful for their dragons' presence - Queen Fairy and Life-Stream watched over them in physical form, showing kindness toward the ones they'd chosen. Jack was elated that he had gotten the top to himself, and that he was able to spend time with his beloved Carly; the two had become even closer since her transfiguration, and while that fact seemed odd, Yusei wasn't about to judge his brother for his taste in women.

As for Akiza... one didn't need the Signers' empathy to know how she felt. The quiet sobs emanating from her end of the room told Yusei more than her mark ever could, and if he was to be honest, he wasn't much better off than her right now. The only thing that kept him strong was Stardust's now-comforting presence within him, like a shield which guarded his soul.

A shield could only turn aside so much, though. Yusei had never expected to see his best friend again, less so in the fashion that he had; Kalin was supposed to have remained part of his past, and yet fate, cruel as it was, had other ideas. There was hope, no doubt, but for the time being, Yusei needed to grieve - both the past that he had left behind, and the present which had brought him unimaginable pain. Akiza needed the same, and while he didn't want to bother her...

As he listened to her pained sounds, Yusei inched closer to Akiza, and it wasn't long before she noticed him. She wiped her eyes with her hands as she turned to face him, and he had to respect the effort that she put into trying to seem strong. Still, there was a time and place for such behavior, and when they were alone and sharing the same grim thoughts, her stubborn dedication to her image was hardly necessary.

"...Akiza." Yusei addressed her in a quiet tone, and she stiffened at the sound of his voice. "How are you feeling?"

Akiza dropped her facade immediately - she must have sensed the anguish in Yusei's own heart just then. "...You already know, don't you?"

"Miserable." Yusei answered his own question, and he turned his gaze to the floor. "I feel like... I could have done more. Like there was something I messed up along the way..."

"Like trying to save him before it was too late?" Akiza gave a bitter, humorless laugh. "He made his choices... and you made yours."

"Not just for Kalin." Yusei shook his head. "Though I'm surprised that you mentioned him first. What about Sayer?" He paused, and took a short breath. "...What about you?"

"There isn't... anything else to say." Even as she spoke, Akiza hesitated, her distress clearer than ever. "He betrayed me... like he always intended to, and became a Dark Signer... and I..."

She trailed off, and joined Yusei in staring at the floor. She ached from her own loss - the pain of betrayal, of having to kill someone she once held dear after they'd already died once. He felt for her more than ever, yet there was still a difference between them; he'd been gifted with guidance and family all his life, while she wasn't so fortunate.

If it hadn't been for him...

"...Can you come here?" Yusei asked, and Akiza nodded silently, shuffling over to him. He reached out to her, placing his hand over her mark; it shone dimly, resonating with his own, and for a moment, he didn't know which feelings were his and which were hers. It should have been frightening, how close he'd grown to her in such a short time span, and yet more than anything, he took comfort in the knowledge that he wasn't alone.

She wasn't alone anymore, either. Even if Sayer had abandoned her, she had Black Rose, and the other Signers, and...

"Yusei..." Akiza spoke in a voice so quiet that he almost didn't hear her. "I..."

She wrapped her arms around him quite suddenly, pulling him into a tight embrace that he hadn't anticipated. Through his surprise, he did his best to return the gesture, and found that her presence was comforting; through the pain in his soul, a glimmer of warmth emerged, and the echoes of the same feeling within her further reassured him.

There was no denying at this point that he had fallen in love with this girl, and as they were both Signers, he couldn't hide that fact from her. Their emotions echoed with every second that passed, their hearts and minds joined as one in a way that only those blessed by the Crimson Dragon could achieve-

"Thank you," Akiza whispered into Yusei's ear, and then she pulled back, meeting his eyes. "...Thank you... for everything."

"...No." Yusei gave a slight shake of his head. "Thank you."

Akiza laughed again, more genuinely this time, and then she fell back into his arms, her breath warm on his shoulder. It was truly amazing how tragedy had brought two lost souls together, their differences meaningless in the face of their shared feelings.

There was just one more thing that needed to be addressed between them. Since the battle's conclusion, Akiza had feared what her fellow Signers thought about her behavior; she had defeated Sayer with the same weapons of hatred and spite that he had taught her to use, and she struggled with the thought that his shadow would always loom over her. She wanted to move on from her past, to become someone that the other Signers could rely on, and she felt that she had failed in achieving that goal.

Yusei didn't believe that one setback was worth getting upset over. He couldn't speak for his brother or the twins, but he had no intention of judging Akiza for her actions - a sentiment that he hoped to convey through their bond as Signers, but just in case she didn't get the message, he decided to speak his mind.

"You haven't done anything wrong," he assured her. "And I'll say the same thing if you do it again, as long as you keep trying."

"...You're far too kind." Akiza tightened her hold on Yusei, and she started crying again; however, he could tell that they were tears of joy this time. "I don't deserve you..."

"Sorry, but you're stuck with me." Yusei allowed himself a slight smile. "Until this war is over..."

"And... afterward, too, I hope...?" Akiza's tone shifted, and anticipation radiated from her soul, like the rays of the sun peeking through a dark, overcast sky. With everything they'd been through together, Yusei couldn't find it in him to deny her - he had no intention of leaving her, now or ever.

"Afterward, too," he confirmed with a quiet hum. "For as long as you'll have me."

Akiza cried even harder at that, and this time, Yusei joined her. He'd never been the best at expressing himself, but when he was with her, that changed - beyond their link, he'd come to trust her with his feelings, and it was as if a great burden had been lifted from his shoulders.

If the Earthbound Immortals fed off of the darkness in peoples' hearts, there was no better weapon against them than the light of hope and faith.

In the space between worlds, a single soul drifted, lost and alone. It had been a long time since her arrival in this purgatory, and she had abandoned her feelings over the eons; the only thought that remained was that she had never once felt fulfilled, as if there was something missing in her life - and now, her death.

Why had she gone to this place when she died? Was there some meaning behind her separation from the others who passed from the world of the living? Would she ever be able to see another person again, or would she go on existing like this, conscious yet trapped in an endless void with no hope of escape?

...No, these were different thoughts. She hadn't experienced them since then, and it surprised her that she was thinking them again. Had something changed in the flow of time and space to prompt the reawakening of her heart, or had her loneliness finally consumed her?

She didn't have the opportunity to ponder it further. A flash of red light illuminated the emptiness around her, and a figure like blood and fire appeared before her with a mighty roar. She had never once seen this being before, yet she recognized it as if it were an old friend - more a force of nature than anything else, it symbolized life and renewal, and its appearance here could only mean one thing.

Someone, somewhere, had called to her. Was it this entity, or...?

Behind the form, a new light emerged - a light that she knew from her life. There was no mistaking those ominous golden eyes, that terrifying presence... that beast was the last thing she wanted to see right now, and yet it seemed that fate had other plans for her. She had no reason to go with either of them, but still...

"It has been a long time. Welcome back, Queen of Light."

She felt the fresh grass beneath her feet, cool and damp. She heard the sound of the wind around her, the song of birds in a forest, and she smelled the scent of sweet flowers blooming nearby. When she opened her eyes, she was greeted by the moon, shining bright in the clear night sky - things that she had never known in the abyss, which meant that she was alive.

If she was alive, then she had a mission to accomplish. She knew not what it was, but she would discover it in time; for now, she ran, letting nature guide her to her unknown destination.

Why, after all this time, had she been given a second chance?

Chapter 38: The Chosen Ones

Chapter Text

When morning came, the princesses of Penduluma, Exyzia and Synchronia pooled together their power to heal their wounded companions, and then it was time for the group to set off toward Fusionia. With the aid of the Signers' bonded dragons and Shay's Raid Raptors, the trip promised to be a short one, though there was still some time to chat on the way.

A question had been on Rin's mind ever since she met up with the Signers, and she wanted to ask it now, when the dragons could answer her. She looked to Stardust, whose back she rode upon along with Yugo and Yusei; she noticed as well that Yusei's mark was glowing, likely resonating with his fellows, and she felt a pang of envy at the sight.

"What does the Crimson Dragon want with us, anyway?" Rin spoke up, raising her voice so that she could be heard over the sound of the wind. "It didn't choose us as Signers, but it's still helping us out..."

"I was wondering that myself," Lulu called out from her own mount - one of the avian beasts that her brother guided. "It's visited me in my dreams a few times now. It says that we're needed to stop the Dark Signers."

"Yeah, I noticed the same thing." Yuzu peered up at her fellow princesses from where she, Yuya and Akiza were being carried by Black Rose. "Also, what happened to Yuya, Yuto and Yugo? Being stuck like that isn't normal for dragons, is it?"

"Indeed, it is not." Black Rose answered Yuzu's question first, though her telepathic voice reached out to all who were present. "Most of the time, it is a choice made by an individual. To seal one's power within an artifact, and thus become closer to a human... it is not a choice that many make."

"Dragons are prideful creatures," Archfiend added. "Only the most unusual would choose to be trapped in such a form. These young ones were not given such a choice, and it is truly amazing that they have adapted to their new existence so well."

"Hey, it isn't so bad," Yuya insisted, and he bore one of his usual smiles. "I can still turn back when I need to, and the rest of the time, I don't take up as much space. It's actually pretty convenient!"

"Yeah, I agree!" Yugo leaned against Rin as he spoke, snaking his arms around her. "Like this, I get to be with Rin-Rin..."

Rin had a feeling that Yuya's priorities weren't so different from Yugo's - he just wasn't as vocal about them, which she appreciated. It was embarrassing enough having one lovestruck fool around.

"As for why they have changed forms..." Queen Fairy tilted her head up. "Even I cannot say for certain. However, it is likely a result of the immense power unleashed when you three princesses broke free from your cages. From this, we can assume that the fourth guardian has also been changed."

"There is a way to change back." Stardust sounded as if he was specifically addressing the guardians, though his voice also reached everyone present. "If you so choose..."

"...No," Yuto stated quite plainly in response, and both Yuya and Yugo hummed their agreement. It seemed that even if their transformation had been accidental, all three of them were much happier in their current forms.

Very unusual dragons, indeed.

"As for your question, Princess of Synchronia." Stardust changed the topic seamlessly, and a low rumble went through his body as he spoke. "The Signers are the Crimson Dragon's chosen because they are the most compatible with us, those who chose to become the Crimson Dragon's heralds. You serve a different, yet no less important role - your role, unlike ours, was not preordained by the stars, and so you do not bear the mark."

"You were dragged into this conflict by the Dark Signers, not the Crimson Dragon." Archfiend continued off of Stardust's explanation. "Yet your potential is no less than that of the Signers, and your dream is something the Crimson Dragon desires as well. Therefore..."

"You may consider yourselves honorary Signers," Queen Fairy declared, finishing Archfiend's line. "Even the Crimson Dragon has limits... else the Earthbound Immortals would no longer be. However, your guardians stay by your sides at all times, and in a form which does not obstruct you - how, then, are they different from us?"

...That was certainly one way to think of it. Chosen not by destiny, but by chance - Rin, for her part, had no objections to this idea, as she'd never been much for destiny anyway. She wanted to walk her own path, unimpeded by whatever divine forces drove this world forward, though she couldn't deny that having the Crimson Dragon's blessing was no small boon.

"You- you mean..." Yuya spoke an incomprehensible word, presumably Queen Fairy's true name. "...We're like you?"

"Indeed, you are." Queen Fairy's tone was gentle, almost motherly. "You are young, yet spirited, and with potential grander than even the Supreme Dragon King. There is a reason I came to you when harm befell you."

"And we would all do the same for the rest of you," Black Rose asserted, and then she gave Archfiend a sharp glance; her fellow dragon simply snorted in response, a toothy grin appearing upon his features.

"Honorary Signers..." Lulu sounded as if she was lost in thought. "Dragged into the conflict by the Dark Signers... does that mean Exyzia was..."

A casualty of the Earthbound Immortals' reawakening - Rin didn't need to hear Lulu's words to know what her fellow princess was thinking. She had a feeling that the divide in her own country stemmed from a similar cause, illustrating the differences between their foes.

Differences that would make the coming battles all the more difficult...

"Many of the souls claimed by Uru have been lost to the next world," Queen Fairy said. "However, some may still be saved through the Earthbound Immortal's defeat. They will require guidance, but shall ultimately aid in rebuilding what was lost."

Lulu breathed a short gasp, and- Rin swore she felt an unfamiliar pain tearing at her soul, as if resonating with her fellow. She glanced to Yuzu, who bore a confused expression, and that feeling, too, echoed within Rin - surprise, heartache, hope for the future... was this what the Signers felt through their connection?

Moreover, what was the catalyst for this change? Was it the fact that they were nearing Fusionia, and thus the fourth princess - the last descendant of the human queen? Did the final guardian have something to do with it as well?

"...Did you feel that, too?" Shay addressed his sister, his voice a little unsteady; Lulu answered him with a nod, then glanced between Rin and Yuzu, a small smile appearing on her face.

"...Honorary Signers." Lulu repeated those words, and this time, her excitement flowed through Rin's soul more clearly. "I suppose that means you'll have to find a guardian too, Shay..."

"No thanks," the prince stated, his tone becoming flat; Rin could feel his annoyance as well. "I have enough trouble with you and your guardian."

A chorus of draconic laughter arose from the Signers' dragons - including Life-Stream, who hadn't spoken a word otherwise. Rin wondered why he hadn't joined in on the conversation, despite the other four going as far as to finish each others' sentences.

"Ah, nestmates..." Queen Fairy's joy was almost contagious. "Of course, you are no exception, young prince. Your past mistake is forgiven."

"It seems that you have learned from it," Black Rose agreed. "That those who already bear a mark cannot claim another..."

"...That's why I couldn't..." Shay seemed more curious than anything, his anger fizzling out in an instant. "Because of the Raid Raptors' crest?"

"Yes, the Crimson Dragon's past experiences with mixing marks have been... less than favorable," Archfiend explained. "It would prefer not to take any chances."

There was an ominous undertone to the dragon's voice, and that piqued Rin's own curiosity, but she considered that now wasn't the time to pursue the question. The strange, bleak landscape that was Fusionia was fast approaching, and that meant it was almost time to set foot on the ground again - there would be little room for talk from this point forward, it seemed.

...What in the world was going on with this place?

"The corruption of the Earthbound..." Stardust slowed his flight as he spoke, preparing to descend. "It runs deep here. Deeper than I expected."

"This is mostly Uru's doing." Archfiend let out a low rumble, presumably agreeing with his fellow. "The other two are more recent arrivals. Would you like for me to clear a path?"

"As only you can," Black Rose said, humor in her tone. "Perhaps the young ones will learn from your example."

Archfiend stopped to hover in midair, taking a deep breath before he unleashed his flame upon the unsuspecting terrain. The webs and fog that obstructed them burned away in an instant, leaving behind only charred earth - unpleasant in a different way, but preferable to whatever those webs had in store.

"Let's go." Yusei leaped off his dragon's back as soon as he could, taking the lead; Yugo followed after him, and Rin used the wind to cushion her descent, just in case.

She really wasn't looking forward to meeting the last guardian...

Yuri awoke from his latest respite to the presence of multiple dragons approaching his burrow, some far more ancient and powerful than him. There was one in particular that almost felt familiar somehow, and he rose to his feet in an instant, waking the human girl who'd been sleeping beside him as well.

"...Yuri?" Celina yawned and stretched before she sat up, and Yuri would have taken a moment to admire how she looked if he didn't have his mind on other things. He could never hope to fight off that many dragons at once, even with the princess' help.

"Someone's coming." Yuri stepped up to the burrow's entrance and pushed aside the curtain of flora he'd put together to cover it. "Thankfully, they aren't Earthbound Servants, so you can stay here."

Celina shook her head, audible to Yuri's sensitive ears. "...No." She stood up and joined him at the burrow's entrance, moving faster than he expected. "I'm going with you. I can... I can feel them, too."

Now this was a most curious tidbit of information. Yuri had thought that those approaching were all dragons, but as he listened more closely to the sounds that only those attuned to magic could hear, he realized that some of those signatures were human - humans like Celina, imbued with power beyond even most dragons. The other princesses, as well as the prince of the lost country... and, he guessed, the five Signers.

"You sense your fellow human royals?" Yuri deduced, and he glanced at Celina as she gave an affirmative hum in response. He stepped out into the open, and waited for her to follow him, and-

"...traps have already been cleared out in this area. Do you think someone's been here?"

The voice that reached Yuri's ears was deep, masculine, and definitely human. There was none of the buzz that naturally accompanied a dragon's voice, a sound that was inaudible to humans much of the time; the second voice, on the other hand...

"Probably." It was a young dragon, also male, and similar in pitch to Yuri's own voice. "I think I can sense... oh, hey!"

A very odd pair stepped out from within the nearby thicket - a tall human with gold-streaked black hair swept back in spikes, and a short, altered dragon with green and red hair and similarly mismatched eyes. Yuri placed himself in front of Celina, unwilling to give up the prize that he felt he'd earned; he could tell already that this human was under the influence of someone else, a subtle tug at the edge of his soul that had not yet dragged him away, but threatened to at any moment.

"A dragon... and a human." The odd-eyed dragon tilted his head, confusion plain on his features. "Hey, what's wrong? We aren't here to..."

"...The princess of Fusionia." The human took a few steps forward, fixing his eyes on Yuri. "And..."

Yuri felt the exact moment that the human's free will was lost to him, his mind overridden by a command none could defy. He charged forward, his arm blazing with the light of a familiar mark, and Yuri moved out of the way just in time, catching the human's arm in his own hand and gripping it tight.

"Now, now," Yuri taunted, a smirk drawing across his face. "Didn't your mother ever tell you that picking a fight with a dragon is always a bad idea?"

The human's eyes widened, as if the mention of his mother struck a nerve in him somewhere, and then he brought his other arm forward, attempting to catch Yuri off-guard. It didn't land, of course - Yuri just caught the other arm, his hold tight enough to cut off circulation, and he was sure that if he held this position for long enough, it would be enough to deter whoever was behind this particular edict.

"What's going on?" The dragon that had accompanied the human seemed even more confused now, mixed with deep concern. "Why are you... wait a minute. That isn't you, is it?"

"He's under a royal edict," Celina deduced at the same time as the dragon, and she stepped out from behind Yuri, much to his displeasure. "...To kill you, Yuri."

"You are a master of the obvious, princess." Yuri focused on the power stored within his earring, and he heard Celina step out of the way just in time before he shifted into his true form. "Still, you needn't worry. I can handle this on my own."

Knocked off his feet by Yuri's transformation, the human stood up, that dull look still in his eyes. He called forth a burst of energy that shimmered like stardust, then swung his fist at Yuri, sending his attack forth; it hit a lot harder than Yuri thought it would, and he actually flinched for a moment before regaining his bearings.

"Come on, there's no need to do this!" The odd-eyed dragon spoke up again, his power erupting from the pendant around his neck; his true form lacked wings, instead bearing a pair of curved spikes that rose from his back, and Yuri instantly felt a strange kinship with this boy.

Wingless dragons often became outcasts - just like Yuri himself. He thought that he had lost his compassion a long time ago, but now, he wasn't so sure; between Celina's lessons and the appearance of this dragon, his heart yearned for something he had never wanted before.

"Get away from here," the dragon told Yuri, a private message directed toward both him and Celina. "I'll take care of this, okay?"

"Not a chance," Yuri responded immediately, and he shoved aside that bizarre feeling for the time being. "Fighting Earthbound Servants day in and day out is getting boring... a Signer is just the prey I need!"

He extended one of his side mouths, hoping to catch the human off-guard - but it didn't work quite as intended, and Yuri found himself tasting dirt instead as his target moved aside and raised his arm. A powerful surge of energy burst from the Signer's mark, and it coalesced into the form of a dragon with sparkling wings and eyes like stars; this one's power was easily several hundred years old, and as Yuri hadn't passed the century mark himself, he knew he was at a disadvantage.

This was just what he wanted. If he was going to go out, he'd do so with a flash and a bang-

"Not if I have anything to say about it!" Celina chose that moment to make her move, and her own power surged forth, targeting both the Signer and his dragon. Her decree stopped them both in their tracks, and the dragon vanished inside his bonded human again, leaving said human dazed and confused.

...Well, that was no fun. Yuri reverted to his altered form, watching as his fellow outcast did the same; he shot a glare at Celina, who matched it with one of her own, and just this once, he decided to back down. After all, dying in glory was a wonderful thing, but at the same time, she had saved his life, and that meant he got to continue living.

"What... just happened...?" The human - the Signer - shook himself out of his daze, though he was no less confused. "I- I didn't..."

"Someone else took control of you," the odd-eyed dragon answered, and a light shiver went through his body. "Just like with me..."

"...That's right." The Signer seemed to understand everything all of a sudden, and his expression became downcast. "I'd almost forgotten... King Rex's decree..."

Celina stiffened at the mention of her estranged uncle, and Yuri scowled at the frustrating human who stood before him. This was not how he'd intended his first encounter with the Signers to go...

Chapter 39: Mirrored Souls

Chapter Text

Once introductions were made, misunderstandings were cleared up and royal edicts were rewritten, the group continued on toward the capital of Fusionia. Yuri seemed reluctant to tag along with the rest of the group, and kept his distance; Celina had expected that much, but what she hadn't expected was that Rin was also rather distant.

It seemed that the princess of Synchronia was well aware of how closely she was related to her fellow from Fusionia, and hadn't quite come to terms with the knowledge yet. If she was to be honest, Celina hadn't either, and so she didn't plan to force Rin to talk about it - but it still made Celina uncomfortable, and she knew that the two would have to clear the air eventually.

The guardian dragons that watched over the other countries' princesses seemed to be making a point of showing that they were different from Yuri. Yuto was almost disgustingly sweet with Lulu, staying by her side and holding hands with her whenever the opportunity came; Yugo's behavior toward Rin was reminiscent of a lost puppy, and the only saving grace of that relationship was that it appeared to be mostly one-sided. The tension between Yuya and Yuzu was almost palpable, even from a distance, and they made Celina the most curious - what exactly was going on between them?

...It wasn't that important, but with the Signers' dragons taking care of Uru's traps with relative ease, there wasn't much else for Celina to do. She hated the fact that she'd gotten bored enough to observe others' relationships, as it meant she wasn't doing one of the numerous other important things she could be doing, such as training. The only one who was interested in that was Yuri, and he had his underwear in a bunch over joining up with the group, so...

Out of absolutely nowhere, while everyone was working on setting up camp for the night, Yugo approached Celina for no readily apparent reason whatsoever. She considered telling him to buzz off, but decided that since she had nothing better to do, she'd humor him for a while... at least, until he inevitably did something stupid and she demonstrated that she could lay down some serious hurt on an altered dragon. She'd witnessed her cousin doing that to him a few times, and while he always came back for more with Rin, it was safe to bet that the same wouldn't be the case with Celina.

"...Hey, uh, Princess Celina." In contrast to the way he'd approached, Yugo seemed rather intimidated by Celina. "You're..."

"Rin's cousin, yeah." Celina interrupted Yugo before he could finish his sentence, already knowing where this was going. "And drop the 'princess'. I hate being called that."

"S-sorry!" Yugo bowed in apology, then straightened himself back out. "So, uh... I guess I just... wanted to get to know you better! Yeah!" He paused, taking a short breath. "Because you're Rin-Rin's cousin!"

"I mean... we only just recently found out we were cousins," Celina pointed out, and she almost felt bad at how Yugo visibly deflated in response to her words. She could tell that he was well-meaning, but she wasn't quite ready to talk about that subject with just anyone yet.

"Oh... okay." Yugo gave a slow nod. "Then..." He glanced over at Yuri, who stood some distance away with a very sour look on his face. "What's his deal, anyway? Wasn't he watching over you in the tower? He isn't like Yuya or Yuto at all."

"He's a freak of nature," Celina replied bluntly, not bothering to hide her frustration with the dragon in question. "...No, seriously, he's a mutant. In his true form, he has all kinds of body parts that shouldn't be there, so he's kind of a reject. Everyone back in the realm of dragons hated him."

"A mutant..." Yugo seemed as if he was pondering something. "...Well, I dunno about that part, but I know what it's like to be hated. Yuya, too..." He looked toward the other two guardians, who had shifted forms to help with leveling the campsite. "...I still haven't figured out what's up with Yuto. He doesn't talk much."

"Not everyone likes to talk." Celina eyed the prince of Exyzia, who had also been very quiet, though she suspected that it was for a different reason. "...I've gotten used to it since I met Yuri."

"He's normally quiet?" Yugo returned his attention to Yuri, tilting his head. "Doesn't seem like it."

"No, I meant I've gotten used to talking," Celina corrected him. "Yuri never shuts up most of the time. It's honestly weird how quiet he's been since we met up with you guys."

"Maybe he's jealous?" Yugo suggested. "I mean, he's had you all to himself for all this time, so..."

Celina scowled at the ground. "Yeah, probably." She recalled her interactions with Yuri up to this point - how he'd always been very possessive of her, and how he'd outright admitted to finding her attractive. "...I was surprised to see how well you got along with Rin. Yuri's kept me alive, but he's also done a great job of making me uncomfortable."

"I..." Yugo's expression shifted, and he, too, stared at the ground. "...I really hope I haven't done that with Rin. I don't wanna hurt her..."

"I think if you're worried about that, you're already better than he is," Celina stated. "Yuri only started caring recently, and he still has a long way to go before he's anything resembling respectable." She took note of the way Yuri stiffened at those words, just visible out of the corner of her eye - she didn't care if he heard, as these were things he needed to hear, anyway.

"Then, in that case..." Yugo perked up quite suddenly. "If he does anything funny to you, I'll stop him right in his tracks! I won't let him hurt Rin's parent's nestmate's child!"

"...You can just say cousin." Celina resisted the urge to smack the dragon boy. "And I don't need protecting. I can handle myself. I've dealt with Yuri for eighteen years now."

"If you say so." Yugo shot another nervous glance at Yuri. "...Well, I guess if you aren't Rin-Rin, that means I don't need to protect you, right?"

Celina did not resist the urge to press her palm against her forehead. "...Right."

This guy was a handful and then some. Maybe he wasn't as creepy as Yuri, but he had a very poor grasp of how socialization worked; he'd mentioned something about being hated, and if he'd been like this back in the realm of dragons, that made more sense than she would have admitted to him. She didn't know what dragon etiquette was like, and Yuri was not a good example, but something told her that Yugo didn't quite follow the rules.

Clearly, Rin had more patience than Celina if she was willing to put up with him.

"Hey, Pr-" Yugo caught himself before he finished speaking the dreaded honorific. "...Celina, can I ask you something?"

"I don't have anything better to do." Celina had offered to help set up camp, but she'd been brushed off by that Signer guy who'd attacked Yuri earlier, and the process was almost done, anyway. "What is it?"

"Are you sure you don't wanna catch up with Rin?" Yugo sounded just slightly concerned. "I mean... even if you didn't learn it until recently, she's still..." He began staring off into space. "...I know if I learned I had a cousin, I'd want to get to know 'em."

"My family never treated me well," Celina answered him, shaking her head. "I never knew my mom, and my dad's always been really strict with me. The mention of family just ticks me off."

"Seems like a recurring theme in this group," Yugo observed, grimacing. "Rin said the same thing, and I was an orphan. Wonder who else has family issues here?"

Celina was a bit surprised to hear that Rin had the same problem as her - but more than that, she was surprised that Yugo had been able to put two and two together. He came off as someone who didn't think further ahead than lunch, and to hear him remark on the similarities between the people gathered here...

"...Clearly not the Signers." Celina shook off her shock. "Those siblings seem to get along pretty well."

"I wouldn't be so sure about that..." It was Yugo's turn to shake his head. "They get along with each other, yeah, but I think I heard those twins say something about their parents being away most of the time. They're barely old enough not to be called hatchlings... they shouldn't be taking care of themselves all the time."

"Great." Celina folded her arms across her chest. "So no one here's well-adjusted, is what you're telling me."

"At this point, probably." Yugo looked over at Rin, then back at Celina. "So why don't you talk it over with her? What's the worst that could happen?"

Celina decided not to answer that question; there was a lot that could go wrong with her confronting Rin, but as much as she hated to admit it, Yugo did have a point. If they were going to be working together, they needed to be capable of doing so smoothly, and that wasn't likely with the current tension between them.

"...Maybe later," Celina conceded. "Right now, I've had enough socialization for one day."

"Thanks for the chat," Yugo said, waving at Celina, and then he started off toward where Rin was. It was a better farewell than Celina had expected, considering how many times this dragon had stuck his foot in his mouth during their conversation - maybe he wasn't so bad, after all.

Definitely better than Yuri, at any rate...

No matter how hard he tried, and no matter how exhausted he was, Yuya couldn't sleep.

Seeing what had happened to Yusei during that first confrontation with Yuri reminded the young dragon of something that he had tried desperately to put behind him. Memories of bloodshed, of tearing people limb-from-limb while he watched from the inside of his mind, imprisoned and unable to do anything - the thought of his new companion doing the same thing against his will replayed over and over, and as the night wore on, Yuya swore that he was going to go mad all over again.

He left his chosen resting spot beside Yuzu, telling her that he needed to go out and clear his head. She offered to come with him, but just this once, he declined; he appreciated her concern, but there was someone else he needed to talk to right now, and he had no way of knowing where that someone was. There was no sign of the Signers' leader anywhere in camp, and that meant...

Sure enough, Yuya didn't have to walk far before he encountered Yusei, just a short distance from the boundary between the safe zone and the Earthbound corruption. In his time dreaming with Yuzu, Yuya had gotten very good at reading human facial expressions, but he couldn't figure out what Yusei was feeling at a glance - the Signer's face seemed entirely blank, and he stared up at the night sky without moving a muscle.

"...Hey, uh..." Yuya approached Yusei slowly, not wanting to startle him. "...You can't sleep, either?"

"Yuya..." Yusei glanced back, and he gave a very slight nod. "Yeah, I was thinking about what happened earlier..." He paused, and took a short breath before turning to fully face Yuya. "...You said the same thing happened to you?"

"Yeah, back when I was in the Keystone Tower," Yuya said, and he shivered at the memory. "I've... been trying not to think about it much, but after seeing what happened to you there, it just kinda... clicked in my head. That 'curse'... it must've been a royal edict, just the same as what you were under."

"There aren't many other things it could be," Yusei pointed out. "I hypothesized that myself, but there's no denying it now. It ended when Princess Yuzu broke out of her cage, right?"

"Right," Yuya confirmed with a hum. "That must've been her own royal powers overwriting the previous edict. The same thing happened with the rest of us..."

"And now you're remembering what happened in the tower," Yusei guessed. "Things that you'd rather forget about..."

"Everyone that I killed then." Yuya hung his head, a bit frustrated that Yusei had figured out what was going on with him so easily - but at the same time, it made this subject just the slightest bit easier to talk about. "They were just trying to save Yuzu, and I..."

"That was hardly your fault, though," Yusei insisted, and he narrowed his eyes just the slightest bit. "It's like you said. You were under the sway of a royal edict, and there wasn't anything you could do about it."

Annoyance bubbled up in Yuya's soul at those words - a shining example of hypocrisy. "What about you? Aren't you still blaming yourself for attacking Yuri, even though you were under a royal edict, too?"

"I... that was different," Yusei countered, though he sounded uncertain. "That was because Princess Rin considered him a threat, and didn't overwrite that part of the edict..."

"That doesn't change the fact that you weren't in control of yourself," Yuya stated, and his hands clenched into fists. "Besides, Yuri was a threat at first. He was happy about retaliating - he wanted to keep fighting you!"

"He's still Princess Celina's guardian." Yusei shook his head. "He wants to protect her, just like you want to protect Princess Yuzu. It doesn't matter if his reasons are different-"

"That's not the point!" Yuya raised his voice, staring down the taller man as best he could. "The point is that you can't say that what you did was your fault, while also saying that what I did wasn't mine! It goes both ways!"

"...And those people wanted to kill you." Yusei raised an unfortunately good point. "Do you think you would've been able to talk them down as you were?"

"Well... no, but..." Yuya's nails dug into the palms of his hands, and he felt tears welling in his eyes. "I never wanted to kill them! If I'd died there instead of them, Yuzu would've been..."

"She would've lost a friend," Yusei reminded Yuya, and then he paused briefly, shaking his head again. "...No, more than a friend. How do you think she would've felt about that?"

Yuya turned his gaze to the ground. "I... I'm a dragon. We can't be together, anyway... that's what everyone thinks, and... it would've been better for her if she'd found someone else..."

"What you are on the outside doesn't matter." Yusei took a step closer, his voice infuriatingly calm. "You're a kind person with a good heart, who just wants to bring joy to the world. Your dedication to your friends is strong and unwavering, and you use your strength to protect them, even if it hurts you. Are you saying you don't deserve her?"

"...This isn't about me." Yuya shook off his insecurities, and lifted his head to stare at Yusei once again. "This is about how you need to stop blaming yourself for attacking Yuri! That wasn't really you, and you know it! That was... that was King Rex of Synchronia!"

"And you need to stop blaming yourself for killing those people, too." Yusei turned Yuya's words back on him with only the slightest hesitation. "That wasn't really you, either. It was..." He trailed off, and realization spread across his face. "...I think I see what you're getting at."

Yuya allowed himself to relax just a little, knowing that he'd gotten through to Yusei. "...Yeah, and you have a point. Even if I killed people, it wasn't because I wanted to... if there was another choice, I would've taken it gladly."

"Yeah." Yusei offered Yuya a faint smile. "Akiza told me that I need to stop blaming myself for things that aren't my fault. I should've listened to her..."

"She said that?" Yuya couldn't hold back a laugh. "Well, I'm glad I'm not the only one." He took a short breath, and a smile crossed his own face. "So... she's something more than a friend to you too, isn't she?"

"...Maybe." Yusei's smile turned knowing. "So just remember, Yuya... you aren't alone."

"Not anymore..." Yuya closed his eyes. "...Thanks, Yusei. I'm feeling much better now... I really needed that."

"Me too..." Yusei gave a quiet laugh of his own. "I think I understand you a lot more now."

"Yeah, I think we have a lot in common," Yuya agreed, and he turned his gaze to the sky, noting that Yusei had done the same. "More than we realized."

A bright light flickered in the night sky, and Yusei's mark responded to it, shining with the power of the Crimson Dragon. A sign from the stars, a message that everything was going to be alright... it was just what Yuya needed right now, and he relaxed fully, allowing the drowsiness to seep into his body.

"You should probably head back now," Yusei advised. "I'll be doing the same soon... I want to talk to Stardust."

"Yeah..." Yuya yawned mightily, then turned away, glancing back only once. "Good night, Yusei. And... Stardust, too."

"Good night," Yusei called back as Yuya left, raising his voice more than he needed to. "And Stardust says good night, too."

Those words, more than any others, turned Yuya's smile into a grin. The Signers' bonded dragons had acknowledged him and given him their respect - he still had trouble believing he'd been so blessed, and every reminder was like a set of warm wings wrapping around his soul.

Wings that he'd never had himself, but for the first time in his life, he wasn't being mocked for that fact. Even the winged dragons welcomed him as one of their own, understanding the pain he'd endured... it was like a dream come true, and it gave him the strength he needed to set his past behind him and move forward.

Now if only Yuri would stop clamming up every time Yuya tried to talk to him...

Chapter 40: Battle of the Mind

Chapter Text

The shroud that loomed across Fusionia's sky had been burned away in places by the efforts of the Signers' dragons, but on the outskirts of the capital, it was thicker and darker than ever before. Even the destruction of the Earthbounds' traps had little effect - the group had crossed into the heart of Uru's domain, and Carly, for her part, had no doubt that she would soon be meeting the Dark Signers who tethered the other two Immortals here.

A mountain of a man with long hair and tanned skin, bearing the mark of the whale - the same one who had pursued Carly before, nearly killing her before the Exyzian heirs and their guardian intervened. A tall, beautiful woman, sharply dressed and bearing the mark of the lizard - the one whose minions had spied on Carly even during her days at Rasca, and now she would get to meet her tormentor face-to-face.

Aslla Piscu's voice became more urgent, more violent with every moment that passed. It was excited to lay waste to those who stood above it, those who had found tethers before it, and Carly was more than happy to oblige; once Ccarayhua and Chacu Challhua were out of the way, Uru would be next, and then only one Earthbound Immortal would stand between Aslla Piscu and its coveted dominion.

...The images that came to Carly's third eye were grim, though. She witnessed grievous harm befalling the Signers, the guardian dragons pushed to the brink of death - an uncertain future, yet still very much a possibility. How the Earthbound Immortals intended to accomplish this when their tethers were to face the Signers and their allies one at a time was beyond Carly, but she supposed that she would see soon enough.

Ccarayhua's presence was clearly sensed by the Signers as well, as they all turned their attention to a fixed point on the horizon at once. The shadows coalesced rather slowly, and Carly guessed that it was because the Earthbound Immortal needed to call back its minions before battle; that gave the group time to discuss their battle plan, at least.

"...There's only one Earthbound Immortal here?" Yusei spoke up first, expressing his confusion at the sight and the sense. "I thought we were going to be facing two at once..."

"The Dark Signers have different plans for us," Carly explained in response. "Also, you should probably be very careful. I saw a vision... and it's one you're not gonna like the sound of."

"Let me guess, we all get nearly killed?" Jack nailed it on his first try, and Carly answered him with a nod. He proceeded to scowl at absolutely nothing, and she would have found it cute if it weren't for the fact that he had every reason to be upset this time.

"Then we'll just have to beat 'em before they can beat us!" Leo proclaimed, pumping his fist in the air. "Right, Sis?"

Luna hummed her agreement, though she sounded uncertain. "I don't know if it'll be that simple, but... we can try."

"I very much doubt it." Akiza shook her head, though a smile graced her lips. "That being said, this Dark Signer would do well not to underestimate us."

"They're here," Yuya announced, and then he shifted into his true form - not a moment too soon, as the Dark Signer stepped out from the shadows at last. The mark on the woman's arm lit up, but she didn't call her tethered beast yet, instead fixing her attention on Akiza.

"We meet again at last." The Dark Signer took a single step forward. "This time, I'll make you pay for what you did to my brother...!"

The earth began to shake, and everyone braced themselves - except Akiza, who stared on in shock and confusion as the Earthbound Immortal arose. Carly began to seek an answer for her companion, looking into the past... and what she saw was something far grander in scope than just one deceased child.

A lifelong prejudice, bolstered by a twisting of the truth. The child of a gifted family who lacked the gift herself, with mixed feelings toward the brother she claimed to seek revenge for. An incident that led to death, the tethering pact that followed, and...

"...Shouldn't you be targeting me, too?" Carly countered the Dark Signer's words, narrowing her eyes at her. "You were watching me the entire time I was at Rasca, weren't you?"

"You're no different from me," the woman stated, and she took another step forward. "It is only a matter of time before the chains that bind the Immortal break... and when that time comes, you, too, will join us!"

Now that she thought about it, Carly recognized this person. A fellow member of Rasca, obviously, but the two had only crossed paths a handful of times; putting a name to the face wasn't as difficult as it should have been, and Carly could only chalk that up to her fully awakened farsight.

Misty, a member of the same division as Carly, and it was strange that they hadn't met more often - or rather, it would have been strange if it weren't for the truth of Misty's nature. She didn't need to meet face-to-face to watch a novice, after all.

"Who is she?" Akiza asked in a trembling voice, as she looked over at Carly. "You... know her, don't you...?"

"More than I did a minute ago." Carly chanced a glance back at Akiza. "Her name's Misty, and don't worry." She took a short breath - an action necessary only for speaking, now. "She's delusional. You had nothing to do with her brother's death."

"Delusional, you say...?" Misty took yet another step closer, and her eyes lit up with the power of the Earthbound. "Let's see you back that up with evidence!"

Akiza went very stiff, and the light in her eyes dulled, and Carly knew exactly what had happened. Sayer was unable to do the same, on account of his power stemming from a weaker source, but Ccarayhua was higher up on the hierarchy than Cusillu; even a seasoned mage would fall under its sway easily, and that meant the other Signers would have to bring down this Dark Signer without the aid of their witch.

"...Akiza?" Yusei tried calling out to the girl, to no avail. "What happened...?"

"She's under a spell," Jack told his brother, and his hands clenched into fists. "She won't be able to help us take down this Earthbound Immortal - but that won't be a problem for you, right?"

Yusei glanced toward the twins, who seemed shell-shocked by what had happened to Akiza, and then returned his attention to Misty. "...Right."

"I have plenty of evidence to give you." Carly chose to focus on her opponent's words; if she was fortunate, she would be able to undo the spell placed upon Akiza. "But first...!"

She raised her arm, and the earth shook as Aslla Piscu emerged, wrapped in its crimson chains. It stared down its fellow Earthbound Immortal, unflinching - its promised dominion was nigh, and nothing would stand in its way.

Carly could feel in her very soul the wrath which stirred her tethered beast's dark heart. It was a fury she shared, and if all went as planned, this bout was to be a short one...

Akiza wasn't sure what had happened, but she found herself in an empty room with stark white walls. The place reminded her of something that she couldn't put a finger on, and she glanced around, looking for any sort of exit; there was none, and she realized that, wherever she was, she was trapped.

She looked to her right arm, and the mark that had guided her on her journey was nowhere to be found. Black Rose's presence, too, was gone, leaving her utterly alone in this sterile world.

"Do you remember him?" A voice spoke in Akiza's head, echoing as the voices of the dragons did. "The one you murdered."

A boy appeared before her, and Akiza noted the striking resemblance to Misty. This must have been the Dark Signer's brother - the catalyst for her rage.

"...I've never met him before," Akiza answered, and to her knowledge, it was true - she didn't recall meeting this specific person.

"Of course you would think so." The voice grew louder and more insistent, and Akiza recognized it now as Misty's voice. "You don't remember the faces of those you've killed, do you? To you, Toby was just another trespasser - another fool who dared to venture into your magical domain. You didn't care one bit as you tore him to shreds."

The boy's form became bloodied, and his limbs separated from his body, hanging on by mere threads of flesh and skin. It was a sight that Akiza had seen many times before, but for some reason, it made her feel nauseous now.

"No, I..." Akiza shook her head, trying to deny the Dark Signer's words. "I swear that I've- I've never..."

"Do you remember him now?" The tone of Misty's voice shifted, and her brother's body collapsed to the floor, leaving streaks of blood across it. Black Rose emerged from the spot on Akiza's arm where her mark once was, screeching excitedly before she turned her fangs on the corpse.

"No... no..." Akiza wrapped her arms around her body, watching helplessly as her trusted companion devoured the boy. She'd wanted to leave this wretched past behind her, and... wait.

There was a discrepancy in this image. Black Rose was never excited to eat humans, and only did so because Akiza ordered her to - a truth that she had once been blind to, but knew now for certain. As a herald of the Crimson Dragon, she was not so cruel by nature-

"...No." Akiza took a deep breath, steadying herself through the torrent of emotions that wracked her soul. "This... never happened."

"Can you say so with absolute confidence?" Misty was unfazed by Akiza's defiance, continuing with her spiel. "You've fed countless victims to your dragon... to conceal the evidence of your crimes. Only a farseer would be able to learn the truth... right?"

Akiza thought of Carly, and the first words that came to mind were what Carly had said just before Akiza lost consciousness - that Misty was delusional, and her brother's death was not Akiza's fault. Where had that delusion stemmed from, and why did Misty bear such a deep grudge?

"A farseer, you say..." Akiza felt a surge of courage, brought on by her trust in her companion. "You, of all people, should know that there's one of those among us. Perhaps you should ask her?"

The bloodstains on the floor disappeared, as did the hollow image of Akiza's bonded dragon. One of the room's walls cracked and shattered, revealing an empty void beyond - a void which, for some reason, Akiza did not hesitate to step toward.

It was an escape from this prison within her own mind, and the presence within her right arm - the presence of the Crimson Dragon and its herald - told her this as well. She glanced briefly at her arm, and saw that the missing mark had returned; she placed her other hand over it and moved onward, transitioning seamlessly to the waking world.

The guardians and princesses fought alongside Aslla Piscu, aided by the other Signers' dragons as the Earthbound Servants crumbled into dust beneath them. Akiza caught a glimpse of Yusei glancing back at her in surprise before she turned her focus on her own dragon, telling her that it was her turn to join the fray.

Perhaps a seasoned mage would still fall victim to Ccarayhua's tricks, but keeping them under its sway was a different story entirely.

Chapter 41: Dark Requiem

Chapter Text

One minute, Luna was in the midst of the battlefield, supporting her fellow Signers as they attempted to fight Misty. The next, she found herself in a strange place that resembled a dungeon, with solid stone walls on three sides and a tight barred door on the fourth; beside her, Leo laid on the floor, looking much less energetic than he had been before.

She couldn't put a finger on it, but Luna felt that something about this place was wrong. The only light in the room was a dim torch that flickered as if clinging to life, and an ominous aura permeated the air - the same aura that the Dark Signer had given off.

"Do you remember them?" A frighteningly familiar voice echoed in Luna's head, and on instinct, she looked around for the source - but found none. "The ones who brought you into this world... and raised you."

Two figures coalesced from the dark fog that lurked just outside the room, and Luna recognized them as her and Leo's parents. She hadn't seen them in a while, and the thought of talking with them excited her; she walked over to the bars and waved in greeting, but received no response.

That wasn't like them. Her mom and dad were away a lot, but they never just ignored her and her brother when they came home.

"I would wager not." The voice spoke again, and this time, Luna recognized it as Misty's voice. "You're still just a child, and yet you've had to learn to live on your own... isn't that just terrible? What sort of parents leave their young children behind?"

Leo slowly pulled himself to his feet, visibly sweating from the effort, and he looked up at his sister with forced bravery in his eyes. "D-don't listen to her, Luna! Mom and Dad are just busy all the time... right?"

"I... I don't know." Luna shook her head, then stared at the floor. "I mean... they always made sure we were provided for, but... maybe they really do hate us...?"

"Gifted children have no place in a family of mundane people," Misty went on, and as she spoke, the forms of the twins' parents twisted. "They've always seen you as dangerous... as monsters. Will you continue clinging to the hope that someday, they may forgive you for the circ*mstances of your birth?"

"I will," Leo declared, though his voice was strained. "I know that... that they don't hate us...!" He flinched as he looked up at his mother's face, which had become grotesque - a mouth full of razor-sharp teeth that dripped blood, eyes that shone with malicious intent, and jagged horns that sprouted from her forehead. "N-no!"

He collapsed to the floor again, all his bravado flooding out as he stared in abject terror at the face he had tried to vouch for. Luna couldn't move, frozen in place by fear and indecision alike - were these the true faces of her parents?

"And you, boy." Misty turned her attention to Leo, though her voice continued to resonate in Luna's head. "You remind me of my brother. So outwardly strong, and yet... so very naive. You place your faith in those who only seek to hurt you... how pathetic."

Luna could hear a trace of resentment in Misty's tone, as if she hated her brother for some reason. After a moment of silence, broken only by Leo's horrified sobs, Luna managed to shake her head - only slightly, but it was something.

"Why... why do you feel that way?" Luna asked, as she tried and failed to clench her hands into fists. "Why do you... hate your brother... and mine...?"

"Did I say I hated them?" Misty laughed, and Luna could almost picture her shaking her head. "No, I'm merely stating a fact. My brother had quite a bit in common with yours, and now you, too, are suffering for it. Know that this will never change, and that you will forever be burdened by your faith."

The resentment from before was stronger and clearer this time, and that thought gave Luna new resolve. She stood up straight, ignoring the warped faces of her parents, and stared directly at the ceiling of this cage - where the voice of her captor seemed to be coming from.

"But does it really matter?" Luna proclaimed, and she heard her brother's sobs interrupted by a surprised noise. "Even if our parents see us as monsters, we have a new family now. The Signers have all been nice to us, and have helped us out... there's even a Dark Signer who wants to help."

"...Y-yeah, that's right." Emboldened by Luna's words, Leo stood up as well, though his voice still trembled. "And it's not you! You're just a mean jerk who hates your brother! We'll never listen to you!"

The images of the twins' parents dissolved into thin air, and the torch on the room's wall flared brighter than before, illuminating the dark space. The door rattled open, and while the empty void beyond it was intimidating, Luna preferred it to being trapped in this nightmare.

"You, uh... you sure about this, Sis?" Leo, on the other hand, wasn't so certain. "Isn't it dark and scary out there?"

"It's safer out there than in here." Luna held out her hand to her brother, and breathed a little sigh. "Don't be such a scaredy-cat, Leo."

"I-I'm not scared!" Leo exclaimed, contradicting his previous words, and he took Luna's hand in his own. "I'm just... being careful! Yeah!" He took a deep breath. "Let's go!"

As if trying to prove himself, he dragged Luna out into the void, and she smiled at his bravado. Even if he'd grown stronger, he was still the same in most ways, and through all the chaos and change in their lives, she was grateful for that.

The two of them had a home with their fellow Signers now, and that, too, was a rock that Luna could anchor herself to.

When the two young Signers fell under Misty's spell, Lulu wasn't sure what to do, and it was only the steadfast presence of her guardian that kept her grounded. Still, she found herself distracted from the fight, her attention focused instead on Akiza and Carly; the two worked together to free Leo and Luna, and Lulu let out a breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding when they started to move of their own free will again.

The princess of Exyzia reached out to Yuto through the link they'd formed for this battle, and he responded right away, a silent reminder that everything was going to be alright. He struck down another of the Earthbound Servants with his charged jaws, then turned his attention to the Earthbound Immortal; the beast was eerily motionless, and Lulu wondered what sort of plan it had in mind.

"Child of light." Misty spoke from behind the magic barrier she'd projected, and she deflected another strike from Akiza's vines. "Do you not resent Fusionia for what they have done to your people? For what purpose have they suffered?"

It took Lulu a moment to recognize that Misty had been addressing her. The answer to the question was yes, of course, but Lulu knew that dwelling on that anger was not the answer; it wasn't the fault of Fusionia's people, but rather their mad king, and her current goal was to take him down anyway, so the point was moot. Whatever happened in the aftermath was a question for then, and for now, Lulu intended to keep fighting - to keep pushing forward alongside her comrades and kin.

Something sparked in her soul just then, and this time, it didn't take as long for Lulu to understand what it was. It was the flicker of a rebellious spirit, the same wretched spell that Misty had used to bring Akiza and the twins under her thrall - yet it vanished in an instant from Lulu's heart, snuffed out like a dying flame, and she felt her own power surge forth in response. She had been called the child of light, and in the wake of everything that had happened recently, she knew deep within her what that title meant.

"Maybe you should try brainwashing someone else next time," Lulu stated, and she met Misty's gaze, drinking in the look of surprise and fear that she saw. "...Your hatred for those who are gifted is unbecoming of someone so elegant."

"No..." Misty's emotions vanished, replaced by the cold, glowing eyes of Ccarayhua. "There is no elegance in this husk, only righteous fury. You've made a mistake crossing paths with me...!"

"Have I?" Lulu's power surged again, and this time, it flowed through her connection with Yuto; she tore her eyes away from the Earthbound Immortal's tether, and looked to her brother, who seemed as if he was straining himself. "...Shay, please, it's alright. I'm fine."

"It isn't you." Shay's expression shifted subtly - was that a smirk? "You're doing everything you can for Yuto, so I'm doing the same. Can't you feel it?" He paused, taking a short breath. "How he's growing?"

Lulu noticed then that the crest on Shay's back was shining with a bright light, almost matching the marks of the Signers; she felt that warmth within her soul, resonating with the new connections she'd formed, and a blazing heat seared across her own back - not quite painful, but it distracted her enough that she almost didn't notice at first how the incorporeal forms of her summoned beasts changed, their bodies becoming solid as their brilliant songs filled the air.

...This was the other royal crest of Exyzia, lost to the invasion - the crest of the Lyrilusc. Somehow, through the power of her bonds, Lulu had managed to retrieve it... and now, she saw that she and her brother weren't the only ones who had been altered by Misty's failed attempt at controlling her.

Yuto had grown a full size larger all at once, and his sleek form had developed a few new features. His jagged, spike-like horns had straightened out, bearing a new, spiraling pattern; raised markings like bones adorned his chest and legs, and a matching set of ridges stretched across the length of his tail - but the most stunning difference was his wings, as a beautiful, colorful membrane reminiscent of stained glass now connected the formerly separated parts, and that membrane lit up with his lightning as he craned his neck back to look at the siblings who'd given him their strength.

"...Yuto?" Lulu addressed the dragon, astonished both by his change and how magnificent he looked in this new form. "What happened to you...?"

"I understand it now." Yuto's voice echoed in Lulu's head, his tone resolute. "My connection to the past - our connection to the past. We, the guardians, are linked by something that happened a long time ago, before we ever hatched... and thanks to you..."

He looked up at Ccarayhua next, and a screeching roar echoed forth from him that stopped the Earthbound Servants around him dead in their tracks. "I know that the guardian dragons are beings capable of great change. Their potential is the same as that of the Supreme Dragon King himself...!"

He charged directly at the Earthbound Immortal, his lightning scorching the air and leaving a trail of smoke in his wake. He struck Ccarayhua head-on, his jaws sinking into the beast's cursed flesh as his tail whipped forth and impaled a second spot on its two prongs - and then Ccarayhua's form became obscured by a violet storm, the intensity of Yuto's attack enough to give even Aslla Piscu pause.

"Let this be your requiem." Yuto spoke those words with an icy edge to his voice as he drifted back, watching the Earthbound Immortal crumble to dust beneath him. Without the strings to hold it up, Misty's body collapsed to the ground, and she looked at the princess of Exyzia with scorn in her eyes-

Quite suddenly, a dragon who hadn't been there before came up from the ground, and a tail like a bladed whip struck Misty's form, cleaving her in two. Her body melted into a pool of black sludge, and something like disappointment flashed in the dragon's eyes before its form shifted, and... that was Yuri. When had he joined the fray?

"Good riddance," Yuri muttered, as he scowled at the puddle of sludge that had once been a Dark Signer. "You've been nothing but a thorn in my side since we've met, Ccarayhua."

"Why are you like this, Yuri?" Celina stepped out from behind Yuri, glaring at him. "I don't know if Dark Signers are edible, anyway."

Lulu wasn't sure she wanted to know what sort of events had led to that exchange, so she turned her attention away from the newcomers, and instead focused on Yuto. He seemed a bit tired as he lowered himself to the ground, and she rushed to him when he reverted to his human form; she arrived just in time to catch him before he fell to the ground, and she breathed a sigh of relief when she saw that he was still conscious.

"Are you okay?" Lulu asked, and she felt tears welling in her eyes. The thought that Yuto had hurt himself by exceeding his limits again flashed through her mind, and she tightened her grip on him, praying that he hadn't been injured too badly.

"...Just tired." Yuto smiled up at Lulu, and he raised one hand to her face, brushing the tears from her eye with a finger. "Thank you for helping me, Lulu..." His gaze became distant. "...How are you feeling?"

"How am I...?" Lulu was confused for a moment, but then she deduced what he was referring to - the new crest on her back that matched her brother's. "...Well, it doesn't hurt, if that's what you were wondering. I feel... a lot stronger now."

"I suspect that Dark Signer had the crest with her." Shay stepped up to Lulu and Yuto, though he seemed more interested in the spot where Misty's body had disappeared into the earth. "The king of Fusionia probably gave it to her for safekeeping." He scoffed. "For all the good that did him..."

"Since you have experience with these crests, can you teach me how to use mine?" Lulu looked up at Shay. "...When we get the chance, of course."

"They're different, so I don't know how much I can help," Shay answered her, and then he nodded once. "But I'll do what I can."

"...I want to thank you as well, Shay." Yuto sounded hesitant, as if he didn't want to intrude on the conversation between the siblings. "Your power also helped me."

"I was only doing what I had to," Shay insisted, though he bore a very slight smile. "...I'm interested in what happened there, though. Was that a permanent change?"

"No." Yuto shook his head. "Much like my true form, I can only maintain it temporarily... and only with your help. The rest..." He closed his eyes. "...I'm sorry. I need to rest... I'll explain what I can later."

"We'll get you to a safe spot, then." Lulu moved one hand to Yuto's head, running her fingers through his hair. "...You were amazing."

"I could say the same of you..." Yuto gave a strained laugh. "Both of you."

Shay's smile broadened a tiny bit at those words. "Glad I could help." He positioned himself on Yuto's other side, helping to carry him. "But next time, don't worry my sister so much."

"Who's the one worrying too much?" Lulu couldn't hold back a laugh of her own - her brother was being ridiculous as always, and it came as an immense relief after what had transpired during the battle. She'd wondered for a moment if there was some way for Misty's spell to get through to her, but it seemed that the answer to that was no.

With that in mind, perhaps it would serve as a warning for the remaining Dark Signers. The descendants of the Queen of Light would not be so easily swayed...

Chapter 42: Wanting to Know

Chapter Text

Yuya had overheard the conversation between Yuto and the Exyzians following the battle with Misty, and once camp was set up, he decided to listen in on whatever his fellow dragon had to say. As one of the guardians himself, the information pertained to him anyway, and he wondered if his own transformation would come soon.

What would he become with Yuzu's help? Would he finally be able to grow wings, even if it was only for a short time? Was the respect he'd longed for all his life on the horizon at last?

...That third question was a little ridiculous, given the context. The people of this group respected Yuya - even the Signers' dragons - but he couldn't help thinking it, anyway. It had to have come about as a result of some sort of suppressed feeling, regardless of how his opinion of himself had changed.

The group had split up into smaller groups for the evening, with the Signers going their own way and the princesses pairing off with their guardians - for the most part, as Yuzu had struck up a conversation with Celina, and Yuri was off to the side, pouting. Yuya hoped that his invasive ploy wasn't too obvious to the people he listened to, though they seemed quite focused on their own business for the time being.

"...Are you feeling any better?" Lulu initiated the conversation, showing concern for her companion; she was seated on the ground, with him resting his head in her lap. "Or do you need more rest?"

"I'm doing better now," Yuto answered her, a small smile on his face. "I'll need more rest before I can do anything else... but I can explain to you what I learned."

"Can you?" Shay interjected, clearly uncomfortable with the position of his sister and her guardian. "I want to know what you meant when you mentioned the Supreme Dragon King."

Given Shay's behavior during the fight, it seemed strange that he hadn't already figured that out. Then again, perhaps he had simply gotten caught up in the moment...

"He was the heir to a bloodline that possessed incredible potential." Yuto closed his eyes as he began his explanation. "Whether that potential was ever properly unlocked is something we may never know... but when he was defeated, some of his victims were, in fact, saved, and they bore that same potential afterward. By blood, we aren't related to the Supreme Dragon King, but through this inheritance, we carry his strength with us."

He opened his eyes again, though his gaze was distant. "While Queen Fairy was chosen as the new monarch of the dragons, she does not have what we have. She may be able to achieve a similar state through the blessing of the Crimson Dragon, but her power is not innate - and the same applies to the others, as well."

"But you were only able to achieve that form with our help," Lulu pointed out. "Is that because you've been trapped like this?"

"No." Yuto shook his head. "...I'm not sure that this potential is something which can be unlocked by oneself alone. Even if I hadn't been transfigured by your power..."

"It doesn't matter," Shay declared. "What's more important is that we can give our power to you during fights, and as long as there's two of us, we'll be able to keep fighting, too."

"What about the other guardians?" Lulu raised a question that was of the utmost importance to the eavesdropper. "Would we be able to help them too, or...?"

"That is a question I don't know the answer to," Yuto replied, and he shook his head again. "...It may be worth experimenting with. We'd have to discuss it with the others..."

Yuya felt a pang of disappointment at the knowledge that his fellow guardian's enlightenment was limited. He should have been excited that the guardian dragons bore something the Signers' dragons did not, but Yuto was the only one of the four who had achieved that empowered state - was it possible that the others were, in fact, unable to do the same?

It didn't matter that they'd indirectly inherited the Dragon King's power if only one of them could use it, and that wasn't even going into the caveat of needing a power source. The wings that Yuya's father had borne seemed forever beyond his grasp-

"...Yuya?" Yuto lifted his head and stared directly at his odd-eyed counterpart, and Yuya stiffened as he realized that he'd been caught red-handed. He turned away, trying not to look suspicious, but he could hear the way Yuto's breathing shifted - a soft buzz inaudible to a human, a means of catching another dragon's attention.

"I-I'm sorry," Yuya blurted out as he looked back, unable to think of what else to say. He'd known from the start that listening in wasn't a good idea, and now...

"He was..." Shay glared over at Yuya, obviously angered by this turn of events. "What makes you think you have the right to-"

"Calm down, Shay," Yuto stated, and he pulled himself to his feet, still a bit shaky from exhaustion. "...I understand. This information is important to you, too, isn't it?"

"I mean... I'm one of the guardians." Yuya looked away once again, still feeling embarrassed. "I-I wanted to know... after I saw you transform..."

"You should be able to as well." Yuto took a few slow steps toward Yuya. "...Hypothetically, of course. I still don't fully understand how it works, myself."

Lulu stood as well, and moved to support Yuto. "You shouldn't be..."

"Maybe not, but..." A light flush spread across Yuto's face. "I also... need to relieve myself."

...Was that the reason he'd stood up?

"Wait!" Yuya signaled to Yuto, using the same attention-grabbing sound that his fellow had utilized. "Even if it's for that... you can't go by yourself in your condition. Let me come with you... that way, I can-"

"You don't need to apologize," Yuto insisted, and then he glanced back at his partner. "...Lulu, can you trust Yuya with my care for a bit?"

"Of course." Lulu placed her hand on her mouth in a failed attempt to stifle a giggle. "Please make sure he doesn't hurt himself further, Yuya."

"Yes, ma'am!" Yuya raised his hand in a salute, then stepped up to Yuto. "C'mon, let's go."

"...Thank you." Yuto gave Yuya a somewhat embarrassed smile as he moved away from Lulu, leaning his weight on his fellow guardian. "And... I apologize for the inconvenience."

"You don't need to apologize, either." Yuya mirrored Yuto's words, just as insistent. "I learned a lot from you today... even if I probably should've just asked..."

"Next time, don't be afraid to ask." Yuto's smile softened a bit, and then he winced. "...Right now..."

"Make it quick," Shay demanded, still irritated. "When you get back..." He fixed a glare on Yuya again, and the young dragon shivered at the implication behind those words.

As Yuya helped his fellow to a more private place, he hoped and prayed that he would be able to walk tomorrow...

Not for the first time in her life, Carly was feeling apprehensive about the future.

The vision she'd witnessed had not come to pass with Ccarayhua, but it hadn't left the view of her third eye. That meant one of the remaining Earthbound Immortals - Chacu Challhua, Uru, Wiraqocha Rasca, perhaps even Aslla Piscu - would lay low the champions of the Crimson Dragon, and only a miracle would be enough to save them all from death. The people of this haphazard band were no stranger to miracles, but still...

Carly wondered if her decision to become a Dark Signer had been the wrong one. Though it had agreed to the terms of the contract and remained bound by the Crimson Dragon's chains, Aslla Piscu was starting to become restless; its power grew with each Earthbound Immortal felled, and even now, as the others rested, its tether felt it struggling against its fetters. Was this her punishment for seeking it out?

"...You are troubled." The rattling, shrieking voice of the demon flowed through Carly's mind, distracting her from her thoughts of impending doom. "Why?"

"Didn't you see that vision, too?" Carly answered Aslla Piscu's rather sudden inquiry, and she wondered if talking to it was a good idea. "Maybe my farsight isn't absolute... but there's still a chance that something bad will happen."

"Then... you are concerned for your companions." Aslla Piscu spoke as if the concept was foreign to it, though it recognized the words just fine. "Should they die... their strength will become mine. Their souls are... powerful. Exquisite. No others can compare..."

Carly grimaced and shook her head. "Don't you remember the terms of our contract? That applies to my friends, too. No soul-taking, okay?"

"...I do not understand you." Aslla Piscu's tone shifted, carrying an undertone of... amusem*nt? "You are... not like my past tethers. Your will is strong... indomitable... your thoughts are foolish and yet brilliant. Perhaps... I have underestimated humans."

...Okay, that didn't sound anything like what an Earthbound Immortal would say. As ancient as this being was, had its link to Carly somehow changed its perspective in some way?

"I still don't trust you, you know," Carly pointed out. "I only agreed to become your tether because I wanted... needed your power, and because you'd only cause more problems if you didn't have a tether. Once we're done with all this, I-"

"You will be set free." Aslla Piscu cut her off, its presence within her surging. "I desire only dominion. I have been trampled upon by the others for far too long... you are right not to trust me, but you have impressed me. You stand up to the Earthbound... alone, and while you fear us... you have learned to overcome that fear."

"And how do I know you aren't lying to me?" Carly stared at the mark on her arm, the sigil of the hummingbird that glowed with a dim light. "Isn't that what you Earthbound Immortals do? You lie to your tethers to get in their good graces so you can make pacts with them, and then you just take them over when they don't do what you want them to."

"Indeed," Aslla Piscu confirmed, not even bothering to deny the accusation - it must have known better. "I have lied to countless people over the eons. It has never given me dominion... I am still mocked and trampled upon. If a strategy repeated does no good... then it is time to change one's approach."

That... made a worrying amount of sense, and Carly questioned if Aslla Piscu had already started trying to take control of her. For now, her thoughts were intact, but she didn't plan to let her guard down - not as long as this thing was inside her.

"...Fine, I'll take that excuse for now," Carly conceded, scowling. "But if you even think about taking over... you saw what Yuto did to Ccarayhua, didn't you?"

"The dormant power of a gifted dragon awakened... and he is not the only one." Aslla Piscu's presence surged again. "The one named Yuri... he is another gifted one... and he would not show mercy to you. I have not claimed dominion yet... my strategy must change. My perspective must change... as yours has."

"You're weird." Carly allowed herself to relax a little, though she still wasn't quite comfortable. "I feel like I should trust you, even if I know that isn't the most logical thing to do... are you sure you aren't influencing me right now?"

"Your thoughts are your own," Aslla Piscu insisted, and as if to emphasize its point, its presence within her dimmed just the slightest bit. "You know what my influence is like. You feel it with every battle... yet even then... it is only slight."

Carly did appreciate the confidence boost, but she wasn't sure if she approved of the Immortal's methods. Maybe it was just something she'd have to get used to, so long as she was tethering this thing - she kind of hoped that wouldn't be much longer.

"...Yeah, I noticed that," Carly admitted, after a brief pause. "It's kind of an addictive feeling... that's on purpose, isn't it? To get me to like you."

"You wished for power," Aslla Piscu reminded her. "I gave you power... both physical and mental. It is an extension of your own fortitude... I cannot claim to be the sole source of that power."

There it went again, buttering her up. This attitude was starting to get annoying, and more than a little worrisome - this was a being that reveled in chaos and destruction, after all, and Carly second-guessed herself more with each moment that passed. She'd already started to feel tense again, and-

"The Queen of Light lives again." Out of the blue, Aslla Piscu mentioned something that seemed completely irrelevant to this conversation. "The decrees of today's human royalty... are meaningless to an Earthbound Immortal. Her power is much greater... much closer to our own. Were she to issue a decree to you... it would not stop me, but it would scathe me. That would be... unfavorable... to both of us."

The Queen of Light... that was the human queen who had defeated the Supreme Dragon King. She had died a long time ago, leaving the future to her successors - there was no reason for her to come back, and yet...

Carly saw the vision clearly in her third eye, an image of a young woman with long red hair and a fiery look in her eyes. The wind guarded her and the moon guided her, and flowers bloomed around her while birds sang above her; even in this distant picture, Carly could feel the queen's power, stronger than the Signers' dragons and the four guardians put together.

...What was her name?

"So in other words, I can relax when we find her," Carly deduced. "And that means we need to start looking for her."

"No... she will come to you," Aslla Piscu stated. "Soon... you will meet her face-to-face. You will know her power... you will fear her. Do you not see it? The path which lies beyond your companions' defeat?"

Carly focused on her farsight, and yet another image came to her - of a beast falling from the sky, and the battered remnants of her friends and comrades uplifted by the ancient queen's monstrous power. Somehow, she found this vision less believable than the initial apocalyptic one.

"...Well, I guess I'll see what happens then." Carly breathed a long sigh, and sprawled herself out on the ground. "Until then... I need some sleep. For mental reasons."

She added that last part to deter Aslla Piscu pointing out that her body no longer needed sleep, and it seemed to work - the beast's presence dimmed, and it said no more. With that obstacle out of the way, Carly was able to relax a bit more, and she closed her eyes in the hopes that she would at least be able to get some rest.

If only Jack were here... but he needed his space, and she recognized that. When she woke up, that would be a different story, but like the visions she'd been granted, she'd worry about it then.

...Where was Jack, anyway?

Chapter 43: The Tides Turning

Chapter Text

Celina awoke before dawn, and at first, she couldn't figure out why. She looked around the camp, and saw that everyone else was asleep; the only person she couldn't find was Yuri, and that was hardly anything unusual, as he still seemed to be a little miffed about being made to go with this ragtag band of wannabe heroes.

Just as she was considering going back to sleep, she felt it - an immense magical pressure that weighed down on her soul, even from a distance. It was the same thing she'd felt with Ccarayhua, though the flow of energy was just the slightest bit different this time; she guessed that this was because the source was a different foe, although there was no mistaking the presence of an Earthbound Immortal.

Celina made an educated guess that the approaching Immortal wasn't Uru, which meant only one other option. Regardless, which one it was didn't matter - she had to get the others up as soon as possible so that the Dark Signer's attempted ambush wouldn't succeed.

She'd just started off toward where the Signers' leader and his girlfriend slept when another presence caught her attention. She turned around to face her tormentor, and saw that the look in his eyes was far more serious than usual; he, too, must have sensed the threat, and returned despite his reservations. That made things a little easier, at least.

"It's a good thing you're up, princess," Yuri remarked, and he glanced over his shoulder briefly before turning back to her. "You sense it too, don't you? Chacu Challhua's approach..."

"I was just going to try and wake everyone up," Celina answered him with a nod. "...Sorry, but we have to work together for this."

Yuri made a displeased noise, but didn't openly object. "...May I help you with your task, then? I'm sure it'd be simple for me."

Celina didn't quite know how Yuri intended to wake everyone up, and she was about to ask when he shifted into his dragon form; all of his extra mouths emerged, and he bellowed out a fivefold roar that caused her to lose her sense of hearing for a few seconds, along with a surge of intense pain. As she clutched her head and backed off, she thought to herself that she really should have seen that coming.

The noise did its job, however, and before long, the two of them were surrounded by the others. Yuri returned to his human form, looking quite pleased with himself, and Celina shot a weak glare at him, which he didn't even seem to notice.

"What was that all about?" Jack demanded, fixing a much sharper glare on Yuri. "Are you practicing being the worst alarm clock in existence?"

"There had to have been a reason he woke us up, Jack." Yusei countered his brother's complaint, and then he, too, looked at Yuri, although he didn't glare. "Is a Dark Signer nearby?"

"I'm surprised you didn't feel it yourself." Yuri went right back to pouting. "Honestly, what was the Crimson Dragon thinking, choosing you lot as Signers? You can't even pick up on a Dark Signer approaching..."

"Because most of us were asleep." Shay spoke up next, sounding just as irritated as Jack. "Now that we're awake, we can feel them just fine." He glanced at his sister. "Right, Lulu?"

"Yes... I feel an overwhelming presence." Lulu's fear echoed in Celina's heart, the power of a bond that she didn't remember forming. "There's no doubt... thank you for waking us up, Yuri."

Leo yawned from his position behind Yusei, rubbing his head with a hand. "D'we really gotta do this...?"

"Unfortunately, yes." Luna hid behind Akiza, seemingly just as reluctant as her brother, albeit for a different reason. "If we don't, then the Dark Signer will..."

"He's here," Carly announced, and she turned toward the direction that the oppressive energy was emanating from. "Greiger, bearing the mark of the whale. We'd better be prepared."

"The whale..." Shay recognized that name - he'd encountered this Earthbound Immortal before, and Celina had no idea how she knew that. "Looks like it's time for some revenge." He raised his arm, turning his attention to the group's own Dark Signer. "...Carly."

Power flowed through Shay's body, stemming from the magic crest on his back, and it coalesced in his raised arm; a loud, metallic shriek resonated through the air, and then a cyborg raptor flew above the prince, answering to his call as its boosters roared to life. After a moment, Lulu made the same gesture and called forth the same power, and the winged beast that appeared before her was different - more organic, more humanoid in shape, and a complete contrast to her brother's war machine.

Celina would have questioned whether or not those two were actually related, but she already knew the answer. She had felt their emotions in her own heart, and it wasn't hard to deduce that it was because they all descended from the same individual - the Queen of Light.

...How curious.

"Revenge," Carly agreed, and she, too, raised her arm; her Earthbound Immortal emerged, shrouding the sky in darkness. "For my car."

The Signers' dragons appeared, and the shadows deepened as their foe stepped into sight, but Celina was too distracted by the turmoil in her heart. She didn't understand why she felt this way, why she knew how the other princesses and the prince felt; she was sure that this feeling went both ways, that the others knew of her inner conflict, and-

No, now wasn't the time to be thinking about these things. Chacu Challhua had already begun to call forth its Servants, and that meant Celina had to focus. She picked herself up, then turned to face her numerous foes, scattered across the landscape; she dipped into the well of power within her soul, drawing out her favorite magic - the spell which hardened her body as much as her spirit.

If there was one thing the princess of Fusionia knew, it was that this was a battle she wasn't allowed to lose.

Yusei hadn't forgotten what Carly had said before the battle with Ccarayhua. She had foreseen a future in which they were nearly defeated by an Earthbound Immortal, and that had not come to pass last time; in Yusei's eyes, it was up to him to ensure that it did not come to pass at all, and that meant putting an end to this fight as swiftly as possible.

He scanned the sky where Chacu Challhua floated, and noted that the Servants were different this time - vaguely humanlike in form, yet they were not constrained by the bounds of gravity, and drifted alongside their master. It was clear that this Earthbound Immortal had its own methods, and the Dark Signer who tethered it had a most intriguing air about him, also unique compared to his fellows. Yusei grew curious about this man, wanting to know what had led him down this dark path-

"Leader of the Signers." Greiger spoke, taking a few steps forward; the Earthbound Servants around him cleared away, as if intimidated by his strength. "Yours is the power of the Crimson Dragon at its purest. Therefore... I'll take it for myself before King Rex can...!"

He lunged toward Yusei, who managed to dodge out of the way at the last second; it seemed that this Dark Signer intended to target him above everyone else, and that meant he wouldn't be able to spare any attention for the rest of the fight. He hadn't expected someone built like Greiger to have that level of agility and speed, but then again, such was the nature of the Dark Signers.

"My power...?" Yusei turned around, just in time to dodge another assault from Greiger, and he saw his foe's body being carried on shadows this time. "What do you mean by that?"

"The king of Synchronia wants your power," Greiger explained, much to Yusei's surprise - he hadn't expected an answer. "However, as a Dark Signer and as a person, he is my enemy. I won't let him take the power of the Crimson Dragon... no matter what!"

Greiger charged yet again, and this time, Yusei wasn't able to avoid a collision. With the new power bestowed upon him by Stardust and the Crimson Dragon, he was able to protect himself from serious harm; however, up close like this, he noticed that the wild look in his opponent's eyes stemmed not from the Earthbound Immortal's control, but rather from something else - a personal grudge, a painful past, a twining of goals that brought the Immortal and its tether together on a level far deeper than usual.

Greiger's conviction was the same as Carly's. He wasn't just any Dark Signer - he had a purpose, and he'd negotiated with Chacu Challhua for the sake of that purpose, and that made him far more dangerous than Yusei had initially anticipated.

"...Stardust!" Yusei called to his bonded dragon, who answered right away, returning to his mark. "Sorry, but I need you right now."

"I know." Stardust's tone was filled with understanding. "Let us fight together against this Dark Signer."

Having Stardust with him helped to ease Yusei's nerves somewhat, and he called upon his magic to deliver a counterattack. His strike hit Greiger square in the chest, but it barely had any effect - Greiger was only pushed back a little, and he went in for another blow, targeting Yusei's right arm.

"What do you think you're doing!?" Jack cut in, and he jumped in from the side to knock away Greiger's attack. "Fighting a Dark Signer alone... you're better than that, Yusei!"

"Jack?" Yusei was distracted by his brother's sudden intervention, but he managed to regain his focus after a brief moment. "...I'm not fighting alone. I have Stardust with me."

"Do you really think he'll help you against this Dark Signer?" Jack chided, and the skin on his right arm began to crack, fueling his magic flame with his own blood. "No, you'll need more than just your dragon for this. You know that yourself, don't you?"

Yusei did know that on some level, but he hadn't intended to drag anyone else into this fight if he didn't have to. Still, he wasn't about to refuse Jack's help; he answered his brother with a nod, then drew upon his own magic again, timing his attack so that the two struck at the same time.

The twin blows had a much greater effect on Greiger, and he got knocked back a few feet - but the look in his eyes became wilder, and he closed the distance again in an instant, his fist colliding with Jack's arm on the way. The eldest of the Signers flinched, falling back; it seemed that his blood magic hadn't been the best thing to use in this situation, as it made him more vulnerable to any attacks that landed.

"Be careful, Jack," Yusei warned, as he stepped to the side, moving his position so that he could attack again unhindered; Stardust's energy coursed through him, fueling his own fount of power. "Greiger is-"

Before he could finish, Greiger slipped in and grasped Yusei's arm with both hands - hissing at the sting caused by the Signer's power - and then Yusei's mind blanked out as he was subjected to the worst pain he'd experienced in his life. He didn't even realize what had happened at first, until he glanced to his side and saw...

A bloody stump where his arm used to be, yanked clean out of his shoulder socket - flesh and all. The magic welling within him had gone, and his blood poured out of him at an alarming rate, and Yusei had the brief, distant thought that he needed medical attention immediately.

The last thing he heard before passing out was the faint, too-quiet sound of his brother and his lover calling his name at the same time.

Chapter 44: Veneer of Evil

Chapter Text

It happened all at once, a series of events that seemed to pass in merely a few seconds - Lulu turned her head at the sound of Jack and Akiza screaming Yusei's name, and she saw the Signers' leader on the ground, unconscious and with his arm ripped clean off by the triumphant Dark Signer who stood above him.

Jack reacted on instinct, his blood magic roaring to life as he went in for what Lulu suspected was intended to be an all-out assault, but Greiger turned him aside with ease, taking advantage of the weakened state of Jack's own arm. Another Signer fell, although his injuries were not quite as severe, and the next Signer to approach was Akiza, her panic and fear obvious even at this range.

Akiza didn't even manage to accomplish anything, as she was knocked down and out by Greiger with a single punch. Archfiend and Black Rose glanced down at their respective Signers, then returned to the fray, unable to do anything else at this point; Lulu watched for a scant few more seconds, noting that the dragons' attacks were nowhere near as strong without their Signers backing them, and then she focused on her own inner energy, drawing from the well within her to stop Yusei's grievous wound from bleeding more - the only thing she was able to do, and she felt just as helpless as the Signers' dragons in that moment.

Healing a wound of that magnitude left Lulu feeling drained, and even her Lyriluscs had to retreat to her side. Yuto tried to fly to her, having shifted into his true form for this battle, but he was swatted out of the sky by one of the Earthbound Servants, and he collapsed upon the ground, roaring in pain; when Lulu dared to look at him, she saw a bloody gash across his side, and one of his wings was twisted in a very unnatural way - almost certainly broken.

"Don't!" Shay stepped in front of his sister before she could run to her mate, and he grabbed her shoulders with both hands. "You'll become a casualty too if you do that!"

"I have to help Yuto!" Lulu countered, and she tried to struggle free from her brother's hold, to no avail. "Please, Shay! Let me go...!"

"You can't help anyone in your state," Shay reminded her, much to her frustration. "You healed Yusei's wound... let the others handle this. Yuto will be fine - he's been through worse."

Lulu prayed that was the case as she watched Yuto return to his human form, his wounds translating to a series of large, deep cuts along his limbs, and one of his arms was bent in the same unnatural way as his wing had been. Yuya and Yugo, also shifted into their true forms, turned their attention away from the battle to help their fellow guardian, dodging the Earthbound Servants' attacks as they ran and flew to Yuto's side; Yuya hoisted him onto his back, and Yugo covered them with his wind as they moved to a relatively quiet corner of the battlefield.

"That went bad quickly..." Rin observed the obvious, and she, too, went to Yuto's side. "Leave this to me, Lulu. I'll do what I can to help him out."

Lulu just nodded at Rin, too shell-shocked to say anything else. Shay pulled her into a loose embrace, and it only provided her a small amount of comfort; she slid her arms around him in turn and looked to the sky, watching as his Raid Raptors fought on without his direct command - acting on autopilot through their connection to him. With Yuto wounded as he was, there was no way he would be able to achieve the empowered state he had during their last battle, and thus it was better for Shay to devote his energy to ensuring that no one else fell.

"Carly's vision came true..." Yuzu cautiously made her way over to where Leo and Luna stood, paralyzed by fear; their dragons also retreated to their sides as the princess of Penduluma wrapped them in her arms as best she could. "Partially, at least... I hope it doesn't go the rest of the way..."

"You and me both," Carly agreed, and she stepped over to where the three unconscious Signers laid, miraculously not harmed further by Greiger - he was too busy staring at the limb he'd removed from Yusei. "I'll see if I can talk him down. He's in his right mind more than the others, so it might be possible... then you'll just have to deal with Chacu Challhua."

At this point, dealing with the Earthbound Immortal by itself didn't seem so bad compared to dealing with its tether. Occupied as it was by its fellow Immortal, the only thing it had done itself up to this point was summoning its Servants, which still occupied much of the battlefield; Lulu wondered how long that would last, and more importantly, how long Shay would be able to hold them off.

She reluctantly let go of her brother so that he could return his attention to his own army, and she didn't miss the pained look in his eyes as he turned away - nor did she miss the emotions which flowed into her through their link. Yuto's injuries had worried the prince more than he let on, and Lulu was sure that her fellow princesses were able to feel his concern and fear as well.

They all had to trust in Carly to stop Greiger before anyone else fell victim to his determination...

The Dark Signers lacked the sort of bond that the Signers shared, but Carly didn't need it to know what troubled Greiger. She could see it on his face, in his eyes, in his heart - he had suffered a terrible tragedy in his life, and like her, he had taken a great risk in order to set things straight, believing that the Earthbound Immortals were the answer to his feeling of powerlessness.

In a way, she understood him, but there was one thing which set them apart. Greiger had walked his path alone, without anyone else to guide him; Carly had joined the Signers as an ally and a friend, and as a result, her Earthbound Immortal was chained, while his was not. The bright crimson threads which wrapped around Aslla Piscu's wings still shone in the darkened sky, a contrast to Chacu Challhua's free, unbound form.

She listened for a moment to the sounds of the two Immortals, communicating in words beyond the comprehension of humans. They spoke of dominion and change, of the two that stood above them even now, and their claims brought forth a vision in Carly's third eye - of a world where all light was extinguished, where the other Earthbound Immortals bowed in unquestioning servitude to Rasca, and humans and dragons alike became mindless puppets that existed only as fuel for the seven great demons. The Crimson Dragon would be subjugated as well, its magnificent power used to keep the Immortals beneath Rasca in check, and a name for this future came to Carly's mind: the world of the Full Eclipse.

...The Eclipse was when the first Earthbound Immortal had arisen and the princesses of the four human kingdoms had been locked within the Keystone Towers. This seemed like an appropriate name for the culmination of that incident's effect on the world, and with it on the horizon, it was no wonder that the Queen of Light had been brought back - the Crimson Dragon needed more than its own power to prevent an overturning of the natural order on this scale, beyond even what the Earthbound had aimed for in the past.

With this new perspective, it was no wonder that some of the Immortals had changed their tune a bit. The world of the Full Eclipse would chain them as well, and there was nothing they hated more than being unable to claim their own dominion.

"Greiger..." Carly addressed her fellow Dark Signer, and he looked over at her as she spoke. "Do you know the fate that awaits us?"

"I do," Greiger told her in response, and he gripped the still-bleeding limb in his hands even tighter, as if it were a lifeline. "Chacu Challhua told me everything. King Rex's plans, Wiraqocha Rasca's intent... what happened to my home. I know that I can only trust it so far, but when I sensed you nearby..." He paused, glancing at the chained Immortal that floated above them. "I saw a vision. Something I've never experienced before..."

"The same vision I saw just now," Carly deduced, and she gave a nod. "So... you wanted to keep the Crimson Dragon's power away from Rasca's tether. Were you planning to use it for yourself as well?"

Greiger shook his head. "The very thought of doing so disgusts Chacu Challhua. The Crimson Dragon is the enemy of the Earthbound Immortals, and our only goal in this war is to destroy it completely - not to subjugate it."

"You can only trust it so far, huh..." Carly frowned. "Are you sure that's what Chacu Challhua wants? I know there are plenty of things that Aslla Piscu hasn't told me."

The beast in question gave a piercing cry, and Carly could sense how offended it was. She brushed the sentiment off - if it couldn't handle her telling the truth, then it shouldn't have picked her as its tether.

"...You're a sharp one," Greiger noted. "Yes, that much is true. My Earthbound Immortal and I do happen to disagree on a few things... but that doesn't matter right now. What matters more is keeping the Crimson Dragon's power away from the king."

"I can agree with that." Carly nodded again, then placed her left hand over the mark on her right arm. "Still... Yusei happens to be my friend, and you just nearly killed him. Is your purpose worth taking someone's life?"

"Yes," Greiger answered her without the slightest hesitation. "My friends... my family... they've all been lost to Rasca. If it means bringing them back, one life is a small sacrifice."

Carly knew on a conscious level that she had no right to judge Greiger, but the thought that he was willing to kill for what he saw as the greater good sickened her. She'd just had this conversation with Aslla Piscu last night, and she had to fight down her anger - she was trying to negotiate with her foe, and such feelings did not lend well to doing so.

"Fine, then." Carly closed her eyes and focused inward, drawing upon the fount of magic in her soul that Aslla Piscu had opened up to her. "You've done a great job of weakening us, so if you win this, I'll let you take his arm with you. The moment you start losing, though..."

"A fair wager." The dark aura around Greiger became stronger, shifting and twisting in a way that would have made Carly uncomfortable if she were still human. "In that case... I have no choice. It's your turn, Chacu Challhua...!"

Carly's eyes snapped open just in time to witness Greiger giving control over to his Earthbound Immortal - a voluntary possession, but a possession nonetheless, and she kept to herself the thought that he had just made a grave mistake. His strength and conviction had come close to ensuring his victory, and yet here he was, giving up his free will in the errant hope that Chacu Challhua would take things the rest of the way...

How naive he was. Even after his claims, he still trusted the beast against all logic and reason.

"...It was a good battle," Carly mused, and the image that appeared in her third eye then was clear. Both Dark Signer and Earthbound Immortal would be defeated here - yet there was one thing missing from the picture.

Had the Queen of Light chosen not to aid them, after all?

In the space between worlds, a fragment of a soul drifted, nearly thoughtless. Visions of a reality that he knew nothing about flashed before his eyes - a war between light and dark, the potential for a grim future, and... descendants. His shattered mind lacked the capacity to fully comprehend what he was seeing, but for the first time in eons, he felt something.

A pure, burning rage, strong enough to distort his heart and change him. He knew that those girls were... somehow related to someone he once knew, and that they had some sort of role in the coming cataclysm. He didn't know enough, and that only fueled his fury, his broken thoughts piecing together just enough for him to wish bloody vengeance upon those responsible.

With his wish came a glimmer of red light in the distance, and he heard and felt the roar of a being with unfathomable power. He had the thought that... he had once possessed great power as well, though he didn't know what had happened to result in him becoming like he was now. He glanced about, and saw nothing of note - nothing, save the handful of blazing sparks which encircled him.

That roar sounded again, and a few of the sparks came to him, and... he remembered something vague and uncertain. The sudden loss of someone he held dear, and absolutely nothing else - the memory raised more questions than answers, and that anger burned anew, threatening to consume him.

Who and what was he? Why had that thing come to make him remember? Was this pattern going to continue? Who were these people he mourned? He was going mad in every sense of the word, and the feeling was... too familiar.

As he thrashed around in the void, unable to do anything in this state, he prayed to a deity he did not know that someone, anyone, would save those descendants.

Chapter 45: The Devouring One

Chapter Text

The aura about the battlefield suddenly changed, and when Luna opened her eyes and looked around, she saw that the Earthbound Servants from before had vanished without a trace. In their place were the more monstrous ones that had shown up in the previous battles with the Dark Signers, and she felt a wave of indescribable relief hit her.

She glanced to her brother, who was a lot better off than he'd been just a moment ago. He, too, was put at ease by this change, and it took some time for them to process why - Greiger had given himself up to Chacu Challhua, and that meant they only had one foe to face, monstrous as it was.

"Yusei is..." Luna turned her attention briefly to the leader of the Signers, who was still unconscious. "...Even if he's hurt, I know he won't give up. We should do the same... for his sake."

Leo nodded his agreement, returning right back to how he'd been before the incident - proud and determined. "Yeah, that's right! We gotta take this guy down!"

Life-Stream roared, and Queen Fairy gave one of her war shrieks, and with a brief glance at their Signers, the two dragons returned to the fray. They swatted away the weaker Earthbound Servants with ease, and set their sights on the biggest, baddest target of them all - the Earthbound Immortal itself, which had only been distracted by its fellow demon until now. The tide of the battle was about to change, and-

Luna felt an unexpected warmth in her heart, and she caught a glimpse of Jack slowly pulling himself to his feet. She couldn't tell very well from this distance, but she thought she saw an irritated look on his face; the emotion which flowed into her through his mark backed that up, and she couldn't resist a giggle.

"Feeling better now?" The princess of Penduluma stepped back, giving the twins some room. "That's good... I was worried about you."

"Yeah, I'm burning up now!" Leo pumped his fist in the air. "Thanks, Princess Yuzu! You were awesome, too!"

"I just did what I had to," Yuzu insisted with a smile. "Now, you two behave, okay?"

With those parting words, she turned away and started off toward where the other two fallen Signers rested, and thus conveniently missed how Leo shook his fist in annoyance at her. Luna giggled again, drawing her brother's attention to her; after a moment, he nodded and grinned, forgetting his anger to focus on more important things.

"Do you remember what I taught you?" Luna asked, and she began to draw upon the well of magic within her. "Stay steady and focused... I know it's hard for you, but you can do it if you try."

Leo grumbled a bit, but gave another quick nod, and then he, too, began to concentrate. They'd achieved some level of resonance in their practice session last night, but they needed something much stronger now - something which would destroy at least a few of the Earthbound Servants, though neither of them could hope for more at this stage.

The results were far more spectacular than Luna had expected. The surge of power she felt from her brother was amplified by her own magic, and their twin spell crackled across the sky like lightning; the shroud which blotted out the sun dissipated, and while enough time had passed that the moon should not have been visible, it appeared in the clear sky regardless. The radiance of both celestial bodies brightened, their light melting the Servants on contact - almost all of them.

There was a downside to this, though. Luna soon realized that she had exhausted herself with that spell, and she collapsed into Leo's arms; she could sense that he wasn't doing much better, but he valiantly held her up regardless, and she gave him a weak smile to let him know how much she appreciated it.

With their Signers weakened, Queen Fairy and Life-Stream soon had to retreat, and Luna bowed her head in apology to her bonded dragon. Queen Fairy just smiled and draped her wings around the pair, shielding them from the remaining Earthbound Servants as the sky darkened once again.

"Don't worry about it." Life-Stream spoke for the first time that Luna could recall, and his voice was gentle, much like the queen's. "There's still one person who hasn't shown his hand yet."

Tired as she was, Luna struggled to think of who that person could have been. As Leo seated himself on the ground, still holding his sister tight, she wracked her mind in search of the answer - and after what felt like too long, she figured it out.

One of the guardian dragons had been seriously injured, and two of them had stepped aside to protect him... but there were four in total, and the last one hadn't done much of anything. Given how he had defeated Misty, was he the sort to wait for his chance to strike and claim all the glory?

In all her time knowing him, Celina had never been angrier with Yuri. While she pulled all the weight in the fight, battling off Earthbound Servants that were many times stronger than a normal human, he seemed content to sit on the sidelines and watch; she was starting to get tired, and only one of the Signers was able to stand right now, leaving the rest to the princesses and their guardians... who weren't doing much better themselves, if Yuto's condition was any indicator.

The constant bombardment of emotions from the Exyzian royal siblings didn't help, either. Lulu fretted over her dragon boyfriend, while Shay fretted over his sister and the guardian; it was sickening, really, and Celina wished that she hadn't formed this link with her fellow royals. At least if she hadn't, she would be able to concentrate on fighting, and those Servants would've been fewer in number by the time those kids got to burning them up.

"What's your deal, you jerk!?" Celina snapped at last, her patience worn thin. "I thought we were supposed to be fighting together?"

Yuri just gave a nonchalant shrug, unfazed by her complaint. "Unlike you, I thought it would be best to conserve my energy for just such an occasion. There's still one enemy remaining, no?"

...So he'd planned this in advance. Celina hated the fact that she couldn't deny the logic in Yuri's words - with everyone else exhausted, wounded or both, he was, for all intents and purposes, the last man standing, and as he hadn't expended any energy fighting and had hid behind the others to avoid getting hurt, he was the best candidate for closing this out.

"...You know you won't be able to kill that thing by yourself, right?" Celina reminded him. "Even if it's been weakened, it's still an Earthbound Immortal. It took everyone to get it to this point."

"Oh, I won't be doing it by myself." Yuri shot a glance at Yuto. "Have you already forgotten what us guardian dragons are capable of?"

While it made sense on a surface level, any amount of scrutiny dismantled Yuri's line of thinking. Celina was tired, and even if she wasn't, she didn't have the first clue how to empower him like the Exyzians had with Yuto in the last fight. Now was not the time to be coming up with strategies that couldn't be implemented-

"I know what you're thinking, princess." Yuri took a few steps closer to Celina, enough so that he could place his hands on her shoulders. "You're thinking that I'm insane, aren't you? While you're absolutely correct, I'd appreciate it if you trusted me on this. Just listen to the voice of your heart..."

More out of desperation than anything, Celina decided to take her companion's advice. She closed her eyes and focused inward, and- rather than her own voice, she heard Yuri's, whispering to her through a connection she didn't remember forming. Her body started to feel light as he praised her strength and determination, the tone of his voice much softer and sweeter than she was used to, and if she were in her right mind, she would have found it disturbing how intimate this felt.

As it was, Celina didn't even feel like she was fully herself anymore, and she had no hope of explaining why. It was as if her soul had somehow become one with Yuri's, his immense power flowing into her as her own magic fueled him; she could even hear fragments of his thoughts, and at the forefront of his mind was that despite talking big, he hadn't been entirely sure of this himself.

When she opened her eyes again, Celina saw that Yuri had shifted into his true form, except it was a bit different this time. His extra mouths had changed, covered in leafy protrusions and glowing with a bright light; his limbs were even more grotesque, with spindly appendages and raised blood vessels that visibly pulsated with every beat of his heart. The blade on his tail had become warped, and the color of his skin was different - rather than the usual dark green, it was closer to a bright cyan, and the purple had changed its hue as well. Venom mixed with saliva dripped from his jaws as he turned his hungry gaze upon Chacu Challhua, his eyes shining golden as he lunged forward and...

Celina hadn't known what to expect from Yuri's evolved form, but the sight of him vomiting purple sludge onto the Earthbound Immortal was the absolute furthest thing from her mind at any point. It made her more than a little queasy, and she had to remind herself that this was probably just how he fought in this form - not much different from his usual disturbing tactics, even if it happened to be the flip side of the coin.

"Are you holding up back there, princess?" Yuri called out to her, his mental voice carrying a surprising amount of concern. "I warned the others not to look, but I'm afraid I couldn't quite do the same with you..."

That sounded more like an excuse than anything, and Celina grimaced in response, raising her own voice as much as she could. "And what exactly was that supposed to accomplish?"

Just as she asked the question, it became evident - a sound even more disturbing than any Yuri could make echoed from Chacu Challhua, and a sizable hole opened in the beast's cursed skin, melted away by Yuri's attack. He took advantage of the opening to chew his way inside, his slender body lending well to doing so; once he'd gotten all the way in, the Immortal's body lit up in the same color as those leafy protrusions, and a split second later, it exploded, sending chunks of blackened flesh in every direction.

Fortunately, the creature's remains dissolved into thin air before they could cause any damage, and Yuri floated proud where Chacu Challhua had once been, coated in a thin layer of the oil-like substance which Celina had come to associate with the Dark Signers. Greiger went down just as swiftly, taken out with a single punch from Jack; the tether's body returned to the earth, melting and dissipating in the blink of an eye, and the shroud covering the sky began to recede, revealing the light of the sun once again.

"...I think I like this feeling." Yuri lowered himself to the ground, then made his way back over to Celina, grinning at her. "If you don't mind, I'd like to do this again."

"Didn't you just throw up?" Celina pointed out, wincing at the reminder. "You almost made me gag, too."

"Oh, that?" Yuri sounded amused. "If you're concerned, there's no need. That was perfectly normal - it wasn't painful at all."

Celina groaned. "...I'll take your word for it." She wasn't sure when exactly the split had occurred, but she knew that she hadn't experienced any of Yuri's thoughts or feelings during that last attack - probably for the better, all things considered.

...Were they going to have to do that soul melding thing every time he transformed like that?

"Now what?" Jack's aggravated voice caught Celina's attention; she looked over at where he stood, and her eyes went wide as she realized that something was missing. When Greiger's body was destroyed, there should have been a severed arm left behind - but the only thing she saw was a giant spider's web stretching between the blades of soiled grass.

"I promise you I didn't eat it," Yuri defended himself, although he didn't really need to. "There was another dragon inside that arm. Even I wouldn't stoop that low."

"...No, I'm pretty sure I know exactly who took it." Celina pressed her hand to her forehead. "And it means we're screwed."

"There's only one person it could be." Jack hummed his agreement, then scowled down at his brother. "...I refuse to play babysitter."

Regardless of who took up the role, someone would have to help Yusei until they could get his arm back. Celina wasn't too keen on it herself, but maybe... well, that wasn't the primary concern right now. This deep into Uru's territory, there weren't many safe spots, and this battlefield no longer qualified as one, either.

Hopefully, Yuri would be able to maintain this form until they found a place to rest and recuperate...

Chapter 46: Fated Covenant

Chapter Text

When Yusei stirred awake, the first thing he noticed was that his head hurt and he felt a bit sick. He listened to the sounds around him, and recognized two voices; it seemed he was being cared for, and that brought him to recalling what had gotten him into this position.

He glanced over at where his right arm had been, and sure enough, it was still missing. The stump had healed over, likely via some sort of potent magic, but even the greatest of healers could not restore a severed limb - especially not one that contained the power his had, and he already missed Stardust's presence within him.

There was nothing to be done for it, though. Evidently, they had won the battle, as Yusei was not the only one alive; he was grateful that his friends had claimed another victory over the Dark Signers, yet he couldn't help the nagging feeling that he should have been able to do more.

If only he hadn't allowed himself to be so easily defeated by Greiger...

"Oh hey, you're finally awake." The deeper of the two voices addressed Yusei, and he found himself staring into cerulean eyes with slit pupils. "How you feeling?"

"...Like my arm was cut off," Yusei answered the boy, grimacing. "What happened?"

"Well, everything went wrong after you went down." Yugo stood up, then turned to the third person present. "Jack tried to fight the Dark Signer in your place, but he got hurt pretty badly, too. Managed to keep his arm, though." His tone shifted. "You remember anything, Akiza?"

"...Not really," the girl in question said, shaking her head. "I think... I went after Yusei, and then... everything after that's a blur."

Yusei had grown used to sensing his fellow Signers' emotions, and the fact that he couldn't feel Akiza's right now was somewhat unsettling. He wondered if there was any way to restore his gift - or if the Crimson Dragon had forsaken him to search for a new Signer in his place.

"Oh yeah, that's right!" Yugo sounded as if he'd just remembered something. "You got knocked out too, didn't you? Sorry, I was too busy taking care of Yuto. I totally forgot."

"What happened to Yuto?" Yusei inquired, though he had a feeling he already knew. "Did he get hurt, too?"

"Badly," Yugo confirmed with a nod, and he turned back to face Yusei. "One of his wings was broken... he went back to his human form, and his arm's still broken. Everyone's too worn out to heal him properly."

A broken wing in dragon form becoming a broken arm in human form - a fate that Yugo could have suffered himself, if only luck hadn't been on his side. It appeared that his fellow guardian was not so fortunate.

"My wound..." Yusei placed his remaining hand over the stump where his arm had been. "...It was because of me..."

"You're still thinking like that?" Akiza made her way over to him, fixing her gaze on him. "I thought I told you not to. None of us could have anticipated how strong Greiger was... it isn't your fault."

"Still..." Yusei went over what he'd learned in his head, and deduced what he had not yet learned for certain. "Princess Lulu must've been the one who healed me, right? Because my wound was so severe, she collapsed from exhaustion, and Yuto tried to protect her, only to get hurt... if I hadn't-"

"Don't make me repeat myself." Akiza's tone sharpened. "None of this is your fault. Don't forget that Carly predicted this happening - we survived in spite of that."

Yusei desperately wanted to believe her, but the facts didn't lie. Neither Akiza nor Yugo had denied the deduction he'd made, meaning there was a high likelihood that he was right; as a direct result of his recklessness, three other people had been wounded, and in his current state, he couldn't do anything to make it up to them.

"We'll help you out," Yugo offered, kneeling beside Yusei. "Maybe it isn't the same, but I had a bad arm for a while."

"Thanks, but..." Yusei managed to pull himself into a sitting position, though he found it far more difficult than expected with just one arm. "...Shouldn't you be helping Yuto?"

"Why?" Confusion spread across Yugo's face. "The Exyzians are taking care of him right now. Pr-... Shay can't use healing magic, but he knows a thing or two about setting bones. There isn't anything I can do that he can't."

"What about Jack?" Yusei's thoughts turned to his brother, who had been injured even before he fell unconscious. "Does he-"

"You're deflecting," Akiza stated, cutting Yusei off. "You need help, too. Look at you... you can't even move around properly without that arm."

"Jack's fine." Yugo made a face. "...I kinda wish he wasn't fine. He kept complaining about having to take care of you, even when we told him he didn't have to."

"...Yeah, that sounds like him." Yusei managed a smile, despite himself; knowing that Jack was okay helped to ease his concerns somewhat. "Sorry... old habits die hard. Thanks again for helping me out."

"Don't mention it," Akiza insisted, and she seemed a little bashful. "I'm just glad that you're alive... but you should probably eat something." She turned her attention to Yugo. "Is the stew done cooking?"

"Oh, yeah, that!" Yugo bolted upright and started off, only to stop a few steps away. "Don't worry, I already had my share while it was still warm."

"Still warm...?" Yusei wracked his brain in search of an answer to the question that Yugo's words had raised - an answer he was sure he knew, but perhaps the blood loss had gotten to him, as he couldn't think of it. "What do you mean by..."

"Dragons prefer their meat raw," Akiza reminded him without missing a beat. "Since they're predators, that's perfectly normal."

...So Yugo had meant warm in the sense that the meat had been freshly killed at the time. Perhaps that would have disturbed some people, but more than anything, Yusei just found it amusing.

He really missed Stardust...

"I'll make this up to you both when I can." Yusei spoke with conviction - a promise that he intended to keep at all costs. "Until then..."

"...I'll feed you." Akiza made the offer with a perfectly straight face, and she watched Yugo as he walked off to fetch the stew. "It'll be difficult for you to feed yourself with only one arm... so..."

That was when she trailed off, blushing fiercely, and Yusei couldn't hold back a laugh. While he appreciated the help in general, Akiza's attentiveness warmed his heart more than anything else; he wished that he could feel her emotions as he had before, to share in her joy and sorrow and everything else, but now was not the time to lament his loss.

He had to stand strong, to prove himself worthy of the Crimson Dragon's blessing so that someday, Stardust would live within him again.

If he was to be honest, Jack was more than a little unsettled by the recent turn of events.

He'd thought that supporting Yusei on the battlefield was enough to ensure victory, but Greiger had been on a completely different level from any of the other Dark Signers they'd fought. With Yusei down and out, the role of leadership naturally fell on Jack, and while he wouldn't have had a problem with that under other circ*mstances, the fact was that he was not prepared to lead this group of people who could reach past the wall he'd built around himself with no effort whatsoever - even now, he dreaded the prospect of Leo blabbing to the rest about how the mighty Jack Atlas could be laid low by concern for his little brother.

The other problem was that, until everyone else recovered enough to move on, they would be stuck in the abandoned building that had been chosen as their shelter for the time being. That meant there wasn't anything Jack could do to distract himself, aside from guard duty; while that did keep him away from the twins, and he trusted Akiza enough not to be a tattletale, his gift did not prevent him from needing rest, and as he'd been wounded in battle, he needed a bit more rest than usual. There would come a time when he would have to go back inside and face his fears, and as evening approached, so did that time - again, sooner than he was prepared for.

With Akiza currently tending to Yusei, that left Jack alone... save for the one other person he was willing to share his thoughts with. Carly seemed to have a lot on her mind as well, and Jack wasn't sure if this was a good time to talk things over with her; there was a part of him that was angry with her for not doing more to prevent the grim future she'd witnessed, but knowing her, she was probably beating herself up over that already.

...Either that, or she was having some deep internal conversation with Aslla Piscu about how absorbing the souls of the fallen wasn't part of their battle plan. Jack wondered what it was like to have a partner that was intrinsically opposed to one's ideals by nature - he couldn't say that about Archfiend, as the two agreed on most things, and the dragon's presence within him was the only thing that kept him grounded right now.

The silence was getting awkward, and no enemies were nearby, so against his better judgment - that small, weak thing which had been implanted into his mind by Yusei - Jack decided to approach Carly. He needed to get these feelings off his chest somehow, or he'd go insane thinking about them.

"...Hey, Jack." Much to his surprise, Carly addressed him first, her attention turning to him right away. "I... wanted to apologize."

"What for?" Jack believed that he already knew the answer to that, but he decided to press anyway - it wasn't like he had anything better to do right now.

"I've just been causing you problems..." Carly's voice was so quiet that Jack almost didn't hear it - the opposite of her usual loud self. "With this Dark Signer thing, with Yusei, with the others..."

So her concerns were broader than Jack had imagined. Considering how she'd been before her transfiguration, that shouldn't have come as a surprise, and yet he didn't know how to respond at first; in the end, that small, furious part of him won out, and he fixed her with a sharp glare.

"You just accepted that your vision was something that had to happen, didn't you?" Jack admonished her. "Because of that, Yusei is..."

"I know," Carly interrupted him, and she looked away, clutching her arm in shame. "I can't even blame Aslla Piscu for that... I was the one who screwed up. I wouldn't hold it against you if you hated me for it... because you'd be right."

That had been the wrong thing to say. Jack knew that on a conscious level, but it still stung to see her like this, regardless of whether or not she was at fault for their current circ*mstances - a contradictory feeling that he didn't like one bit, and he once again cursed his brother for making him feel like this.

"...No, it's my fault too." Jack settled on that for the time being, his anger shifting its focus. "I could've done more to stop Greiger. I should've... I was weak. Pathetic."

Carly shook her head. "Don't say things like that, Jack. You did everything you could... Greiger wasn't what any of us were expecting."

That old platitude again - Jack had felt it from Akiza and the twins, an excuse for their own shortcomings. He wanted to lash out at Carly for saying it, but held his tongue, focusing instead on himself.

"That doesn't change the fact that I didn't do everything I could," Jack insisted. "Archfiend is-"

"Not as disappointed with you as you may think I am," the dragon interjected, catching Jack off-guard. "I'd like to raise an objection to what you just said. You did do everything you could. Even I knew not what to expect from that Dark Signer."

"...Quiet, you." Jack wasn't able to muster his usual fire in response to Archfiend's words, and he scolded himself yet again for being such a miserable failure. "I bet Stardust would say the same thing if he were here."

"Then... maybe that means they have a point?" Carly pointed out. "You weren't the one who was sitting on the sidelines the whole time. You went in there and did something, and it wasn't enough..."

"You hypocrite," Jack snapped, and he moved close enough that he could grab her shoulders with both hands. "Are you even listening to yourself right now? You're the only one who could've done better?"

"I mean, it's true," Carly countered, though her facade had begun to crack. "I was the one who saw the vision. You're absolutely right - I didn't do anything to prevent it when I could've, and I..."

She trailed off, yet her words felt like a slap to the face. This time, Jack couldn't find it in him to ignore that ache, and his grip on her loosened as he breathed a long sigh; he knew that his brother would have said the exact same thing, and there was no one less at fault for what had happened than him.

This blame game was pointless and exhausting, and it went around in circles without coming to any sort of conclusion. There were better things to focus on, such as how they would prevent this outcome from happening again - and more importantly, how they would retrieve Yusei's arm.

After a brief silence, Jack let go of Carly and turned away, groaning. "...Do you see anything like this happening again?"

Carly said nothing for a long moment, and then she hummed. "Yeah... we could really lose next time. It could be even worse, Jack... you could die."

"Then I'll just have to stay alive," Jack declared, and he started to walk off; after only a few steps, he stopped and glanced over his shoulder. "Are you in?"

"...Yeah." Carly nodded once, and he saw the fire in her expression - the drive to put an end to this once and for all. "And I think I know how to make sure that happens. Want me to show you?"

"A no-brainer," Jack told her, and he returned his focus to the wrecked street in front of him. If there was something she could do to make them both stronger, he was willing to do it - no matter the cost.

Leaving their stations right now meant there would be no one to keep watch, but Jack hardly considered that his problem. There were plenty of dragons who could take up the role themselves, after all...

Chapter 47: Hallowed Light

Chapter Text

Yuya was not happy about being put on guard duty.

After Jack and Carly unceremoniously left the premises for no explained reason, the task of keeping watch naturally fell on those who were still well enough to do so. That included the princesses of Penduluma and Fusionia, as well as their dragon companions; it seemed that the princess of Synchronia was otherwise occupied, and thus the situation was the perfect setup for awkwardness. Yuri stood a short distance away, scowling at nothing in particular, and Yuya had spent the past half hour trying to figure out how to break the ice.

Sure, their first meeting hadn't been on the best of terms, and sure, Yuri didn't seem to enjoy socializing with other dragons - or anyone period, for that matter, but still... Yuya hated this distance between them, especially after Yuri had achieved a similar evolved state to Yuto. There were too many questions that needed answering, and the ones with the answers were either unable or unwilling to provide them.

Maybe if the Earthbound Servants caused a ruckus, that would at least be a distraction. It had been so quiet since Yuya had taken his post that he swore his ears were straining to hear sounds that didn't even exist, and his fellow guardian's sour mood didn't help any. There was a small chance that Yuri would respond to an attention call, but the odds were heavily against it, so-

"Hey, you."

It took Yuya a moment to register that Celina was addressing him, and he turned to face her, raising an eyebrow at her. She seemed just as bored as he was, and a slight smile crossed his face at the thought that he wasn't the only one fed up with all of this.

"Hey there, Celina." Yuya had been informed that the princess didn't enjoy being called by a formal title, and he had a feeling he knew why - it was because that was what Yuri called her. If he had done that the entire time she was in stasis...

"You're... Yuya, right?" Celina took a few tentative steps toward Yuya, sounding a little uncertain. "I was just wondering..." She took a deep breath. "...Are you completely out of your mind?"

That wasn't what Yuya had been expecting, and he flinched out of sheer shock. Once he recovered enough, he stared at her, hoping that he could convey his confusion to her without words.

"Don't think I haven't seen what you've been up to," Celina elaborated, much to Yuya's relief. "You're trying to make friends with Yuri, aren't you? How many screws do you have loose up there?"

"I-I mean..." Yuya fought to keep his cool - the last thing he needed right now was to snap at Celina over this, even if her accusation bothered him. "Even if he wasn't a mutant, he'd still be an outcast because he doesn't have wings. I can relate to that, so..."

For emphasis, he shifted to his true form, and heard a startled yelp from behind him - Yuzu must not have anticipated the change, and he glanced back at her, apologetic. She huffed and turned away, though he didn't miss the smile on her face; he guessed that she was proud of him for standing up for himself, even if it meant spooking her by accident.

After seeing the links between the other princesses and their guardians, Yuya wished even more that he could achieve that state with Yuzu...

"...No wings." Celina studied Yuya's form, a bit more intensely than he was comfortable with. "Yeah, Yuri doesn't have wings, either... he has mouths instead." She made a face. "At least you just have those spike things."

"They make it kinda hard to move around sometimes," Yuya informed her, and he wiggled his body to demonstrate; the spikes always caused problems with wind resistance, and even a slight motion like that was harder than it should have been. "I'd rather have more mouths, honestly."

"Yeah, so you'd have more to eat with," Yuzu remarked, and Yuya couldn't help but laugh at that. She had a point - he could never eat fast enough, and the limited rations they had while traveling didn't help.

"So... you want to be friends with him because you think you can relate to him." Celina kept her focus on the original topic, tapping her foot on the ground as she stared at Yuya. "It doesn't look like he wants to be friends, so..."

"No, I don't think that's true." Yuya returned to his altered form, and he shook his head once he was able to. "When Yusei attacked him... I felt something from him. I felt like... he was lonely, and wanted to reach out to someone deep down in his heart..."

"Can dragons sense those things?" Celina didn't sound as if she believed Yuya's statement. "That's some pretty strong empathy you've got there."

"I don't think it's normal, either," Yuya admitted, shaking his head again. "Sometimes, when I talk to Yuto or Yugo, I feel the same thing... I guess it's a little like the Signers' bond, or maybe the bond between the descendants of the Queen of Light. It probably has something to do with the fact that we all have a connection to the Dragon King."

"That bond, huh..." Celina turned her gaze to the sky. "Hey, Yuzu. You've been dealing with this for longer than I have, so what's it like for you?"

"You probably already know, but..." Yuzu stepped up beside Yuya, smiling at her fellow princess. "I don't mind it at all. It's so much easier than talking, and it helps us work together on the battlefield."

Yuya couldn't recall seeing any instances of their link helping them in that fashion. Then again, he wasn't exactly in on it himself...

"What about Shay?" Celina crossed her arms over her chest. "Doesn't he cause more problems than anything?"

"He... has a lot to deal with." Yuzu hung her head, and the smile vanished from her face. "I agree that he's difficult sometimes, but he has a reason for feeling the way he does... even if it's disruptive, I can't hold it against him."

"And that's how I feel about Yuri, too," Yuya declared. "If this sense develops more, I'll take on whatever nasty feelings he throws at me. I want him to have someone he can trust."

"...I don't get you people." Despite her words, a slight smile appeared on Celina's face. "You aren't like anyone I've met before... but maybe that isn't a bad thing. Maybe you'll be able to get through to him..."

There was a certain fondness behind Celina's words, as if she really did care about Yuri in her own special way - at least, that was how Yuya chose to interpret it. He'd seen and felt the bond between them during the battle against Chacu Challhua, how their minds and souls had nearly become one for that split second before Yuri's evolution, and thinking about it... still made Yuya feel jealous, no matter how hard he tried to chase away that feeling.

Before he could pursue that line of thought any further, a new presence became apparent, and Yuya turned his full attention toward it. It was similar to Yuzu's presence, but this power - he hadn't felt anything like it before, and it nearly overwhelmed him just being this close to it.

"...Hey, does anyone else feel that?" Yuya asked, and his voice came out strained. "It... it kind of hurts..."

There was no mistaking that ancient pressure which began to weigh down on Yuzu's soul. A well of energy much like her own, yet deeper and stronger than any ordinary human; it resonated with her, and much like her dragon companion, she began to feel pain - not of the physical sort, but something which wracked her to her very core.

As she struggled to keep standing, the princess of Penduluma looked toward the direction that the presence was emanating from, and saw a face remarkably similar to her own. A woman with long red hair and a fiery look in her eyes stood some distance away, approaching with slow steps as she broadcasted her fathomless magic for all those who dared to listen, and it was only once she was within a few feet of the four onlookers that she allowed her presence to settle, lifting the weight from Yuzu's soul and allowing her to concentrate again.

"...What are you doing with them?" The first words out of the woman's mouth were not at all what Yuzu had been expecting. "You know who they are, right?"

"And we don't know who you are," Yuya countered, as he placed himself between Yuzu and the new arrival. "What's your name?"

"Why should I give you my name?" The woman placed her hands on her hips. "You're just like him. Dangerous, unpredictable... and powerful. Give me one reason why I shouldn't kill you right now."

"Don't you dare!" Yuzu moved out from behind Yuya, standing beside him, and he stared at her in mild shock; she met his eyes for only a moment and nodded at him, then turned her attention back to the newcomer. "Yuya hasn't done anything wrong! He isn't..." She took a deep breath, and narrowed her eyes. "...You're still stuck in your old mindset, aren't you? Queen of Light."

"And why shouldn't I be?" The woman - the Queen of Light - scowled at Yuzu, paying no further attention to Yuya. "Dragons are dangerous... especially ones descended from him. I don't know when or how he had children, but-"

"He didn't." Yuzu cut her off, shaking her head. "Yuya's a descendant of one of the dragons who was absorbed by him. They aren't related at all... so please, leave him alone."

"I can't do that," the Queen said, and she took another step forward. "Even a trace of his essence is enough to bring calamity again... indirect inheritance or no, he-"

She stopped abruptly, and a set of four crimson threads wrapped around her wrist, burning with a power even she could not defy. After a long moment of just standing there, she breathed a heavy sigh and turned away, glancing over her shoulder at her descendant.

"...Ray," she supplied, her voice quiet. "Call me Ray. That's... that was my name, before I became what I am now." She breathed another sigh. "It seems like someone isn't too happy about me doing the right thing and protecting humanity, but you still haven't given me a real reason."

"It's like she said." Celina made her way over, and she bore an even deeper scowl than the Queen's. "This kid hasn't done anything wrong. He's too soft to be fighting, really... I can't say the same about Yuri, but Yuya wouldn't hurt a fly if he didn't have to."

Yuzu thought back to the time she'd spent dreaming in stasis, when Yuya had come to visit her in her dreams, and she couldn't agree more with that assessment. Even if he was a dragon, Yuya had a gentle heart, and the only thing he wanted was for the people around him to be happy - so to see the Queen of Light threatening him like this was...

"I thought the same thing about Zarc, once." Ray looked away, hanging her head. "...And then he became the Supreme Dragon King. Then again, I guess you're still young and naive... you can't know just how untrustworthy those who bear his power are." She raised her head again, looking at the shattered road before her. "For your own safety, leave them behind before it's too late."

She walked off without another word, yet what she had said stung Yuzu's heart. The young princess now had names to put to the faces she'd seen in Queen Fairy's vision, but the truth was even more complicated than she could have imagined - the Queen of Light had become bitter and jaded after what had happened to her friend, and she carried that anger even now, when her life had been renewed for a purpose greater than any of them.

Was it really a crime to trust those who the Dragon King had influenced? That Zarc - he had started off as someone who meant well, if Queen Fairy's story was to be believed, and he'd never intended to become a monster. Yuzu had been given every reason to believe that this particular part of history would not repeat itself, as two of the four guardians had already achieved something greater than Zarc had ever been able to accomplish in his life... and they hadn't lost their minds in doing so.

"...I'm not leaving him behind." Celina spoke up once she was sure that Ray was out of earshot, and the sentiment carried in her heart was not directed toward Yuya, but rather her own guardian - a stark contrast to her previous assertion. "He's screwed up in too many ways to count, but... he's trying. He has his own reasons to fight, and I..."

"You want to help him." Yuzu finished Celina's sentence for her, and she felt those warm feelings resonating in her own heart. "Just like we do. Right, Yuya?"

"Yeah." Yuya nodded his agreement, and he turned to Celina. "Let's prove to the Queen of Light that she's wrong about us."

"Even someone like me..." For the first time, Yuri spoke, his voice barely audible at this distance. "...You really are hopeless, you know. But still... I must thank you for believing in me. No one's ever said anything like that to me before."

"...You're a guardian, too." Yuzu started walking toward Yuri's position, keeping her gaze fixed on him. "And if Celina is right, you're working on shaping yourself up. We can help you with that, so..."

"I'll be your greatest challenge yet." Yuri sounded far too proud of himself as he said that, and the smirk on his face matched the tone of his voice. "If you can overcome this obstacle, then even the Queen will have to admit defeat... and that sounds like the sweetest sort of victory, does it not?"

In this context, Yuzu couldn't agree more. She had no doubt that Yuri was going to be a challenge, but she wasn't going to be doing this alone - she had Yuya and Celina backing her, and with their combined might, they would mold Yuri into a better person. He'd consented to it, and that was the most important part; more than anything, he wanted to make Celina proud of him, and-

...Those had been Celina's thoughts just now. Yuri had already told her how he felt about her, and that was the main reason he was working so hard for this. That was, if Yuzu was to be honest, kind of adorable.

"So, does that mean you'll be willing to talk to us now?" Yuya addressed the issue that he had been fretting over. "It's really hard to help you if you're just standing around pouting all the time."

"I may consider it..." Yuri gave a nonchalant shrug. "But remember that you still have to earn my attention. I'll have you know, I get bored very easily..."

The pleasant atmosphere was shattered in an instant, and Yuzu pressed a hand to her forehead. This was going to be even more difficult than she imagined.

"Then I'll put on a show you'll never forget!" Yuya was unfazed by Yuri's declaration, and instead gave his best smile. "You won't be able to tear your eyes off me, even if you wanted to!"

Yuzu felt a surge of warmth at Yuya's words, and she moved her hand to her chest, a smile of her own drawing across her face as she closed her eyes. She loved him more than she could properly express, and she couldn't wait until this war was over so that she could start her new life with him - there was no greater agony than waiting, even with that promise they'd made to each other.

These last few battles would be harder than ever, but if they won, the foreseeable future was theirs.

Chapter 48: Unbreakable Bonds

Chapter Text

Rin had felt the oppressive presence of her ancestor's approach from indoors, as well as the anger of her two fellows. She had been with the twins at the time, but she couldn't focus well enough to keep them occupied anymore; thoughts of what had transpired drew her to step outside, as even though the Queen of Light had left, the princess of Synchronia demanded answers for the questions that plagued her now.

When she left the building, Rin was surprised to see two faces who weren't supposed to be there. Lulu and Shay had moved from their guardian's side as well, and a distinct scowl was visible on Shay's face - a normal expression for him, but in this context, it meant something deeper. Rin could feel him seething, and it echoed with the anger that Celina felt, creating a tense atmosphere between the descendants of the Queen.

"...and she tried to kill Yuya, but I think the Crimson Dragon stopped her." Yuzu was in the middle of recounting what had happened when she noticed Rin's presence, and she waved to her fellow princess. "Hey, Rin..."

"She did what!?" Rin focused on Yuzu's explanation, alarm striking her all at once - she hadn't gotten that part of the memo. "Why? What did he do to deserve that?"

"Nothing." Even the normally placid Lulu was upset, most likely on behalf of her guardian. "Yuya has only helped us. Even if he killed people under the royal decree, that wasn't his fault..."

Rin spotted Yuya off to the side, looking like he was about to cry. She felt an urge to hug him, and realized a moment after that it had come from Yuzu - an understandable sentiment, and if Yugo were here, Rin would have felt the same toward him.

"Queen Ray... has a grudge against the Dragon King." Yuzu hung her head. "The guardians are her targets just for having a connection to him. That means..."

"...She would have taken advantage of Yuto's state to kill him easier." Shay spoke through gritted teeth, and his fury threatened to overwhelm Rin's senses - a cry for justice, an oath against his ancestor for having such terrible thoughts. "He's still wounded...!"

Rin had done what she could to mend Yuto's injuries, but the exhaustion from the battle meant that she could only do so much. Her fellow princesses were in the same boat, and that fact just made Shay's words hit that much harder - even together, they wouldn't have been able to fend off the Queen of Light. If she had murder on her mind, the only thing that could stop her was the Crimson Dragon... and even then, it was possible that she could overcome that divine might through sheer force of will.

"We were lucky," Rin proclaimed, and she took a few steps closer to the others. "She probably still has a conscience, so that was what saved us... and the guardians. She might come back, though, and..."

"We can't negotiate with her," Celina stated plainly. "We tried. She still refused to listen to reason. It'll probably come down to a fight if she comes back."

"A fight we have no chance of winning," Lulu added, and her emotions shifted - like a dagger to Rin's heart. "The Earthbound Immortals are the real threat here... but she wouldn't know that, would she?"

"She should've at least seen what it's like here in Fusionia." Celina shook her head. "She may be choosing to prioritize the guardians, even knowing what's going on..." She glanced at Yuri, who did not look appropriately terrified. "In which case, she's insane."

"No better than the Supreme Dragon King himself," Yuri agreed. "Even I'm not quite that bad. If she comes again, Celina..." He paused, smirking at the princess of Fusionia. "Oh, please protect me! What ever shall I do against that awful Queen of Light?"

His voice was dripping with sarcasm, and Celina planted her forehead firmly in her palm in response. It seemed that at least one of the guardians was not taking this threat seriously.

"We need to have a plan of action." Yuya spoke up, diverting everyone's attention to him, and he sounded very much like he was forcing himself to stay calm. "For if Ray decides to come back and finish what she started... and for if we're ambushed by the king of Fusionia, too. There's no way we can..."

He trailed off, and Celina's hand fell to her chest at the reminder of what her father had become. Rin could feel her cousin's pain more clearly than ever, amplified by her own pain - that of knowing that the time of their ascension was nigh, when neither of them were prepared to take on that awesome responsibility, and less so when it involved killing their own family.

Why had things turned out like this for the descendants of the Queen of Light...?

"...The fact is that we're at a disadvantage right now." Celina lifted her head up, setting aside her sorrow for the time being. "We can't fight either of them as we are now, so our best course of action would be to retreat and regroup. As the ones chosen by the Crimson Dragon, the Signers take priority over us, so we'd hold them back while Jack and the others escaped..."

"That's... horrible." Lulu's hands clenched into fists, her nails digging into her palms. "But then again... it looks like we have no other choice. This is war... right, Shay?"

Shay simply nodded in response to his sister's words, and Rin reminded herself that those two had already experienced war before - Lulu through the visions shown to her in the tower, and Shay through standing on the battlefield as Exyzia was reduced to rubble around him. Rin had never considered herself prepared for a war, but it seemed that Celina didn't feel the same way, as she had been the one to make the suggestion with only the slightest hesitation.

"...No." Yuzu raised the first objection, shaking her head violently. "No, that isn't an option. We can't just throw our lives away to protect the others... we're in this together, and we have to help them! The last two Dark Signers are..." She glanced between Rin and Celina. "...they're also Ray's descendants, just like us!"

Rin wasn't sure if she wanted that reminder, but it was something that was necessary. Those last two Dark Signers had been the ones to place the royal decrees on the guardian dragons, meaning that they could do the same for any of their opponents - potentially including their own daughters, and that would leave the whole group wide open with no way of countering Ray's ultimate gift. Not only was this something they would have to face together, but it was also their only chance at survival, let alone victory.

"If we come across a hopeless situation..." Rin thought back to the leader of the Signers, infirmed as he was right now. "I plan to fight to my last breath... alongside Yusei and the others. I... I'm going to face my father with all my courage and strength."

"And you can count me in, too." Yuya moved to Rin's side, watching as Yuzu followed him. "The Dark Signers are more powerful than we ever imagined - we've seen that firsthand. If Greiger nearly beat us, who knows what the last two can do? Especially since..." He trailed off, shivering, and Rin could only guess what was on his mind.

"Personally, I refuse to be turned into a mindless puppet again." Yuri, too, stepped over to Rin's side, though he kept a languid pace in doing so. "And I'm still quite angry with Uru for what it did to me as well... now that I've tasted freedom thanks to Celina, I've become rather addicted."

Celina's cheeks warmed at Yuri's words, and she turned away, crossing her arms over her chest. Rin could feel the truth, though - the princess of Fusionia was more than a little flattered by her guardian's proclamation, and it threatened to sway her to Rin's side.

"...I used to think I was better off alone." Shay's heart filled with a warmth that was almost foreign, coming from him. "But fighting alongside everyone made me realize I was wrong. I want to keep doing that... along with Yuto." He made his way over to where the others stood by Rin, and he stared his sister down, anticipating an answer from her - and what he got in response was a single nod, as she joined her fellows only a moment after.

"If Yuto were here, I'm sure he'd agree," Lulu said, and a smile drew across her face. "We have to-"

"Hey, what about me?"

The voice came from none of them, and Rin turned around to face its owner immediately. In the same doorway that she'd arrived through stood the remaining two guardian dragons - Yuto leaned against Yugo for support, and Yugo didn't seem the slightest bit bothered by the fact, nor had his voice been strained at all when he interrupted the conversation.

"You're absolutely right, Lulu..." Though he was clearly in pain, Yuto spoke with a smile on his face. "Regardless of what happens from this point forward... we're a team. All of us." He lifted his head just slightly, looking at Yugo. "Right?"

"Of course I'm siding with Rin-Rin." Yugo nodded once in agreement. "...And Yuri's right, too. There's no way I'm letting those Dark Signers take my freedom away from me again!"

Yuri's eyes widened at Yugo's exclamation, and then a relieved expression drew across his features - but only for a moment, as he returned to his usual smug smirk. Rin privately wondered how much of Yuri's attitude was a facade at this point, though given what little she knew about him, it was also possible that this behavior gave him comfort in familiarity.

"I was the one who came up with the idea, you know," Yuzu complained, though she put on a smile of her own. "But... thanks, everyone. I'm glad we're all on the same page." She gave Celina an expectant look, and after a few seconds passed, the princess of Fusionia breathed a heavy sigh and stepped over, relenting at last.

"Yeah... you're right." Celina glanced between everyone individually, and then her eyes settled on Yuzu. "Sorry for suggesting that. It's just... that's how I was raised, and it's kinda hard to shake an upbringing like that. Thinking back on it, I really should've known that something was up with my dad..."

The reminder stung Rin even more, and she wrapped her arms around herself, fighting the urge to break down into tears. Out of the corner of her eye, she caught the guardians looking at each other, and then Yugo handed Yuto off to Yuya before-

"I'm here, Rin-Rin." Yugo's warm embrace caught Rin by surprise, as did the softness of his voice as he spoke to her. "You aren't alone... neither of us are alone anymore. I won't leave your side... ever. I promise."

Rin's first instinct was to shove him off and try to salvage her pride, but she knew that the others already knew how she felt - there was no hiding her pain, nor was there shame in relying on her guardian for emotional support. She was aware that Yuzu and Lulu often did the same with theirs, and while Celina was the odd one out, she had started supporting Yuri in her own way.

"Y-Yugo..." Rin turned and buried her face in Yugo's chest, leaning against him as she let her tears flow. He ran his hand along her back in an attempt to soothe her, and it only made her cry harder; for all her bravado, the idea of facing her father and her uncle still terrified her out of her mind, and she was just glad that there were people around her who understood those feelings - or if they didn't, at least they were willing to stand by her and help her through this.

In that moment, she felt the same sparks of affection in her heart that she had sensed from the others. She couldn't deny it anymore - she, too, had fallen for her dragon companion, reciprocating at least a fraction of the intense love he felt toward her.

"...Thanks, Yugo." When she found her voice again, Rin lifted her head to look up at her guardian, her eyes still damp with tears. "I guess you're good for something after all, aren't you?"

"Hey, I can do more than that." Yugo grinned back at her, loosening his hold on her. "And I'll make sure everyone knows it next time."

Rin didn't doubt that, but for now, she had some apologies to make. She'd made some assumptions about her fellow princesses that had turned out to be entirely wrong; Celina, in particular, was the complete opposite of what Rin had anticipated, and that had just made the knowledge of their relation even harder to accept. With them sharing each others' hearts now, it was time to stand up and speak, to clear up any remaining doubts for good.

"...Hey, I'm sorry." Rin left Yugo's embrace and took a few steps away from the others, then turned back to face them. "I thought you were all frilly and proper... that was what I'd heard, but I should've known my sources were wrong. We've been entire countries apart all our lives, so..."

Celina's face twisted for a moment, and then she burst into a fit of raucous laughter. Yuzu followed her soon after, tittering quietly; Lulu and Shay just stared in disbelief at the other two, and that caused Rin to laugh as well, slightly delayed compared to her fellows.

"You thought I was frilly and proper?" Celina managed, her voice breathless. "There's even more of a disconnect between Synchronia and Fusionia than I thought. It's no wonder we didn't even know we were cousins."

"...Well, I used to be that way." Through the turmoil in her heart, Lulu managed a smile as she looked over at Rin. "But I still wouldn't go down without a fight. My brother can attest to that."

"Does it matter?" Shay turned his attention to Rin as well. "To me, the only thing that matters is whether or not you can fight. You've all proven yourselves in that regard, so..."

Rin breathed a sigh of relief, knowing that her fellows weren't going to judge her for her assumption. "...Yeah, I'd never be able to forgive myself if I couldn't do that." She turned her gaze toward Celina. "So..."

Celina didn't respond in words, and instead allowed their connection to do the work; her heart was resolute, filled with the desire to put an end to this conflict. The fear was an undercurrent now, and it didn't resonate quite so strongly with Rin's own anxiety, and that allowed the princess of Synchronia to rebuild her confidence.

The Queen of Light was not on their side, but they didn't need her aid - this was a war they could fight on their own.

Once everyone had rested and healed to the best of their ability, it was declared by Jack that the time had come to take the fight to the Dark Signers.

The path to Fusionia's royal castle was eerily clear, and even the shadowy pillars that stretched to the shrouded sky were silent. It was as if the king was welcoming his foes into his domain with outstretched arms, and even with Aslla Piscu's dark guidance, Carly couldn't shake the unsettling feeling that had rooted itself in her soul; she tried to open her third eye, but it saw nothing this time, and that was even more terrifying than a future of near-defeat.

While there was one thing that calmed her, she wasn't sure if it would be enough to hold off the coming storm. Perhaps it was wrong for a Dark Signer to pray for the Crimson Dragon's guidance, but in these circ*mstances...

"Something isn't right." Yusei made a rather obvious observation as they approached the castle gates, and he turned his attention to the sky, scanning it. "The king is..."

"It has to be some sort of trap." Akiza moved from Yusei's side, allowing him to stand on his own, and she began to inspect the gates. "There's no way he doesn't know we're here. It's-"

A cluster of white threads shot out of a spot on the ground, entangling Akiza's right arm and dragging her toward the gate. She struggled for a moment, but countered the trap with her own vines; the thorns cut through the web, freeing her with relative ease, and she glared at the point where the web had come from.

"Doesn't seem like just one trap to me," Leo observed, and he, too, began scanning the ground. A moment after, he channeled a bolt of electricity into another enchanted mine, disarming it before it could activate; he pumped his fist in the air, only to get caught by a third trap, which his sister swiftly saved him from with a coil of brilliant light.

"They're going after our arms," Luna noted, and she shivered a bit - most likely recalling what had happened to Yusei. "Do you think that the king wants our Signer powers...?"

"Is the sky currently covered in a black cloud?" Jack burned away the web that tried to snag him, scowling at nothing in particular. "He has Yusei's arm. If he can take the rest of ours, he can steal the Crimson Dragon's power for himself."

An outcome that none of them wanted, and Carly dipped into her magic well in an attempt to see if it would happen. Again, she saw nothing, and frustration started to build in her - what in the world had happened to her farsight?

"Excuse me... I think this is a job for an honorary Signer." Yuzu stepped forward, holding her hands together in front of her as she closed her eyes; with a resounding hum, a pulse of energy radiated from her, and a series of hissing sounds followed as several of the traps were destroyed at once. She glanced between Lulu and Rin, and from their positions, they did the same, further clearing out the area.

"Quite the welcoming party," Celina muttered under her breath. "I'd give my dad an earful for this, but I don't think he'd listen..."

"Of course I'll listen, my darling daughter." The king's voice spoke a split second before he appeared in a burst of darkness, and for the first time, the depth of his corruption was visible to all. The mark of the spider on his arm had spread, its threads binding his right side; even without the Immortal's possession, his eyes glowed with a dim purple light, and Carly could hear the mad chittering of Uru just by standing in its tether's presence - saying nothing at all, even as it built up excitement for the coming feast.

"...King Roman." Carly addressed her fellow Dark Signer, fixing her blackened eyes on his. "You aren't taking your time, I see."

"Why should I?" King Roman laughed, a deep and ominous sound that chilled Carly to the bone. "My welcome wasn't sufficient for my beloved Celina... so I need to make it even more spectacular!"

Carly realized then why her third eye had gone blind. The mark of the Crimson Dragon's head shone from Roman's left arm, a few shades paler than his skin - Yusei's right arm, affixed to him and appropriately altered with magic far beyond a human's capacity. The combined might of Uru and that fragment of the Crimson Dragon's power would have made the future uncertain at best regardless, and there was yet one other thing they had to face-

"By the power vested in me as the King of Fusionia and a descendant of the Queen of Light, I hereby decree that all of you - every last one of you - stand down at once!"

Chapter 49: Dance of Light and Dark

Chapter Text

Jack hadn't given much thought to what it was like to be under a royal edict. He'd been issued one before by King Rex, and then that one had been overwritten by Princess Rin, but it had never come into play - and so he wasn't prepared for what happened to him now.

He could see the world around him as he had before, but his body wouldn't respond to his commands. For all intents and purposes, he was paralyzed, forced to watch as the Earthbound Servants rose up around him; he caught glimpses of the four princesses and the prince of Exyzia moving about, though they seemed far more sluggish than they had been before, as if they struggled to maintain control over their bodies despite having the same power as King Roman.

The only one who moved freely was Carly, and with Aslla Piscu weakened by the Crimson Dragon's chains, she had no hope of standing up to Uru alone. The Earthbound Immortal itself hadn't even shown up, yet its Servants already threatened to overwhelm those who couldn't fight back - a dire situation if there ever was one, and Jack couldn't even call out the dragon residing within him.

He stood there for what seemed like an eternity, watching as Uru's Servants took their sweet time binding their helpless prey. Shay's army of war birds managed to take out a few of them, but even the deadly machines were swatted aside with just a handful of blows; weakened by the defeat of his flock, the prince was pinned down in mere seconds, and his sister followed soon after, tied in the same web to ensure that they died together.

By the time the other princesses were similarly wrapped up with their guardians, Jack's anger had reached a boiling point. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't break free from the spell binding him, and Archfiend's distress scorched his soul as well - the dragon's thrashing only made it worse, and Jack wanted to tell Archfiend to cool it, but his mouth refused to form the words. His next thought was to reach out to Carly, but-

"Do you hear me?"

...That voice wasn't Carly's, even if it came from her lips. Her eyes glowed purple, a sure sign that the Earthbound Immortal she tethered had taken control of her body; it was the last thing Jack wanted to see, and yet in his current state, he couldn't even express that fact. The only thing he could do was pray silently that the Crimson Dragon's chains would keep Aslla Piscu from turning against them and using Carly's body as a vessel to commit unspeakable acts.

"You are suspicious," the Immortal spoke, and Carly's eyes narrowed with its command. "As you should be... but I do not intend to bring you harm. I have only taken her body so that I may remind you of what you have done."

What he'd done... Jack wracked his memory for whatever Aslla Piscu was referring to, yet he couldn't come up with anything. If King Roman's edict was messing with his memories as well...

"...Have you forgotten already?" Aslla Piscu's tone shifted, derisive. "It was only last night. You committed a terrible sin against the Crimson Dragon... and borrowed a mere trickle of my power for yourself."

Oh, right, that ritual. If he was to be honest, Jack hadn't even considered that as a possibility - he was too busy stewing in his rage over being forced to stand down, and Archfiend had only distracted him further. To think that he had stooped so low as to make a pact with a demon for power, and after boasting that he would never do so... how the other Signers would have mocked him if they were able to.

"You know what you must do, Signer," Aslla Piscu went on, knowing that Jack couldn't move a muscle right now. "Allow me to break the king's sway over you. Accept me into your soul... as it is your only recourse."

Well, at this point, he had nothing left to lose. Jack wasn't sure that there was any other way out of this situation, and as much as he hated to think of how the others would treat him after this, they wouldn't be alive to reject him if he didn't follow Aslla Piscu's command. He cleared his thoughts and focused on the flow of energy between himself and Carly, casting aside his very reasonable concerns about the demon's possible intentions.

In a flash, that trickle of power became a flood, and Jack felt stronger than he ever had before. He looked to his left, and saw on his arm the same mark that Carly bore - the mark of the hummingbird, a symbol of Aslla Piscu's terrible might, yet it did not frighten him in the slightest. He was beyond fear now, as a second power flowed into him from his other arm, twining around his soul in a dance of light and darkness that energized him like nothing else.

The twin marks lit up, and for a fraction of a second, Jack's mind touched Roman's. He felt the twisted intent of the Dark Signer, how Uru had taken him completely under its sway a long time ago, and a glimpse at the truth behind the brother kings' plans - to revive an amalgamated soul, then use its power, along with that of the Earthbound, to control the Crimson Dragon and prevent it from ever rebelling against its new masters.

That plan seemed rather strange to Jack. Were the Earthbound Immortals alone not strong enough to subdue the Crimson Dragon? Why did they need the soul of a dead mortal?

"...For that soul once belonged to the Supreme Dragon King." Archfiend's voice finally reached Jack, and he spoke as if reading his bonded Signer's mind. "The Dragon King was well on his way to becoming an Earthbound Immortal himself, and had the Queen of Light not laid him low, he would have been another of our foes today."

"The Supreme Dragon King," Jack mused to himself, and it hit him a moment later that he had spoken. The king's edict had been overruled, and all it took was a ritual and a little gift from Aslla Piscu - meaning that he was free to let loose and vent his fury at last.

"Come on out, Archfiend!" Jack raised his right arm, and the dragon complied with visceral glee, his wings flaring as soon as he emerged. Something about Archfiend's visage had changed - his wings looked a bit more tattered, and one of his horns was broken - but Jack paid it no mind, simply relieved to see his favorite partner back in action.

"No doubt the king will strike back soon," Archfiend observed, and he scanned the area around them, causing the Earthbound Servants to freeze up. "Who shall I free?"

"All of them," Jack answered, as the twin energies surged within him again. "Let these pathetic weaklings know the meaning of true power...!"

Flames enveloped Archfiend's form, and he roared to the sky as the forces of light and darkness fed into his body through Jack's marks. He grew a few sizes larger, and his tattered wings continued to glow like embers after the fire subsided; his broken horn mended, and all three of them changed color together, with a few extras sprouting for good measure. The tip of his tail resembled a claw now, its three prongs flicking back and forth as he drew in a deep breath and prepared to unleash the full force of his assault upon the Servants.

Jack stood back and watched as Archfiend scorched the hapless creatures, setting the ground ablaze in a glorious curtain that obscured the king of Fusionia's view. The threads that kept the others bound withered away under the heat, leaving the royals free - on a physical level, at least, as they still seemed to be struggling with the effects of Roman's spell.

"...Thanks for the lift, Archfiend," Rin called out, her voice strained; out of the five, she appeared to be in the best condition. "And you too, Jack... oh, and I guess I should also thank Carly..."

"Don't get too ahead of yourself." Carly spoke with her own voice, much to Jack's relief. "There's something more important you should be doing right now."

"The royal edicts... right." Rin gave a slow nod, and she pulled herself to her feet with some effort. "If I'm the last one standing... I guess it's up to me..."

"Archfiend's fire should keep the king from pulling another stunt like that right away," Jack informed her. "It won't last long, though. You'd better do your thing while you still can."

After all, it was an enchanted flame, fueled by the power of the Crimson Dragon and an Earthbound Immortal - a reflection of Jack's very soul, which could break even the greatest of human spells. Even when it burned out, there would only be a small window before Archfiend torched the battlefield again, though Roman seemed resourceful enough to utilize even the tiniest opportunity.

"I-I can't..." Worry and pain flashed across Rin's face, and then she turned to Akiza, who still stood unmoving. "I can only... dispel one." Her eyes widened, and then she shook her head - Archfiend must have spoken to her in private. "...No, I can't... it has to be a- a human..."

That didn't make a whole lot of sense, but Jack supposed that Rin was the royal here, so she had the final say in the matter. He watched as she rewrote the edict on Akiza, and the mark on his right arm immediately lit up with anger - the same emotion he felt, and he was glad that he wasn't the only one upset with Roman's strategy.

"...Thank you, Princess Rin." Akiza spared only a moment for the one who had freed her, and then she called out her bonded dragon. "Crimson Dragon, give us strength...!"

When Akiza spoke her prayer, she hadn't expected it to be answered so swiftly. Her mark burned hot, resonating with the three others which remained connected; the twins began to stir from their curse, and she felt their terror flow through her, fueling her rage further - they were in no condition to fight right now, and yet Roman had still utilized such dirty tactics to pin them down so he could kill them easily.

Akiza had already seen Leo die once, and she wasn't about to let it happen again. She swore an oath to protect her young pupils, regardless of what it meant - she would even fall back on what her mentor had taught her if the need arose, though she considered that the absolute last resort. Right now, her anger was controlled, and thus she could focus it on her enemy without fear.

"...King Roman." Through the dying curtain of fire that separated them, Akiza met the eyes of her nemesis. "You and your Dark Signers have taken everything from me. My home, my friends... and yet, at the same time, you've given back to me. The man who was my mentor is dead, and I thank you for that." She dipped into the well of magic within her, drawing it out and bestowing it upon Black Rose. "...But that ends here. The lives you've taken, the souls you've stolen... they shall rest in peace!"

"Oh?" Roman's own power surged forth, and Akiza could tell that he was preparing for another declaration. "How do you intend to do that when I have the Crimson Dragon on my side?" He raised his arm - Yusei's arm - and cast a lesser spell to bind Akiza and the twins, the blood-red threads wrapping around their arms and keeping them close to their bodies.

"Your power... is stolen." Akiza shattered the threads on both herself and her pupils without even breaking a sweat, her gift far stronger with the links of her fellows. "Ours is the genuine article. With only a small fragment of the Crimson Dragon's strength, you have no hope of defeating us."

Roman merely laughed at the setback. "And that is why I intend to take the rest of yours as well. Of course, my purpose is twofold - with your arms torn off, you'll die a swift death, and then there will be no opposition." He took a deep breath. "Now..."

"There won't be any more decrees from you," Akiza stated, and then she glanced briefly over at Leo and Luna, who nodded in response. "And even if you do make one... we can break it, and we will. You will never hold sway over us again!"

The twins called out their dragons, and Queen Fairy and Life-Stream flew to Black Rose's sides, lending her their support. While their mental states ensured that Leo and Luna couldn't fight themselves, they were more than capable of empowering Akiza, and they did so without complaint; their boundless wells fed into Akiza's, and hers fed into Black Rose in turn, and with the many sources of energy added to her own magic, the dragon threw her head back and screeched, her form blossoming like Archfiend's had prior.

The transformation was not quite the same as Archfiend's, as Black Rose's body became more streamlined, and her two petaled wings split into four, each with a crystalline sheath like an insect's wings. Her vines vanished, and her tail grew much longer, with a set of claws at the end that matched her talons. The crest on her head bore three bright red gems at the base, and they glimmered with an unmistakable flame - that of the Crimson Dragon itself, its ultimate blessing bestowed upon one of its most loyal followers.

"Clear the field!" Akiza ordered, and Black Rose was quite happy to oblige. She snapped her jaws shut, and all at once, the curses upon the others were broken; each of them stirred slowly, and then they turned their gazes upon the dragon who'd freed them, both surprised and grateful for her aid.

"I will join Archfiend," Black Rose advised, and her majestic form twirled in midair as she floated up beside her fellow. "We must be vigilant in case the king issues another decree. The rest is up to you..."

Akiza nodded in understanding, though she wasn't quite satisfied with this conclusion. She wanted to fight on the frontlines, to tear into Uru herself along with Black Rose - but Jack and Archfiend had been forced into a similar position, so it wasn't like she was the only one. She once again looked over at her students, and the same prayer connected them, a request for guidance and protection.

"How sad that the Crimson Dragon chose children as its heralds..." Roman raised his right arm, and the Earthbound Immortal he tethered emerged at last, looming over the battlefield. "Their bonded dragons can't even fight at their best. That all but secures my victory!"

"It matters not," Queen Fairy said, her tone kind. "Our strength is in supporting and guarding our fellows. Our Signers possess the courage to stand on the battlefield, and they, too, can fight." She glanced at Life-Stream, who gave a slight nod, agreeing with his queen.

"You'd do best not to underestimate them." Life-Stream spoke in a faint, almost inaudible voice, and Akiza strained to hear him in her head. "My bonded Signer was willing to sacrifice himself on the battlefield, and that was why he was chosen."

Thinking about that incident made Akiza shiver, and she renewed her vow to prevent Leo from ever dying again. When this war was over, he and his sister would live free - but they would have to end the war first.

"...Princess Rin, how are you feeling?" Akiza diverted her attention to the princess of Synchronia, who looked like she'd had better days. "Can you still fight?"

"Not directly, but..." Rin looked over at her guardian, who seemed a little dazed. "...C'mon, Yugo, get your stuff together. You aren't under the decree anymore."

"I'm... I'm not?" Yugo tested his right arm, then his left arm, and then he grinned. "I'm not! I'm free! I'm..." He growled, a low, deep sound that would have intimidated Akiza if she weren't already familiar with a dragon's wrath. "...going to take you down, Roman! You're no king - you're just a pathetic wannabe!"

He shifted into his true form at once, his translucent wings glimmering in the embers of Archfiend's magic flame. The other three guardians followed after him, and then they all roared together, a rallying cry for all the dragons on the field - and even Akiza felt its effects through Black Rose, a burst of courage that was not her own sweeping through her.

Whatever happened from this point forward, it was up to the guardians and their companions. The Signers had played their part... was what Akiza wanted to say, but she had a feeling that the Crimson Dragon's dance had not yet concluded, and she looked forward to whatever the dragons' god had in store for them.

Chapter 50: Crystal Clear

Chapter Text

Yugo had almost forgotten what it was like to be under a royal edict, and this time, his regained freedom felt even better.

He could feel the emotions of the other guardians flowing through him alongside his own - their pain, their fear, their regret, and above those, their rage. Those feelings gave Yugo strength beyond anything he'd known before, and he prepared to soar into the sky-

"No, Yugo. Stay here."

Rin spoke, and as always, Yugo was powerless to defy her. He looked down at her, and saw the fire that blazed in her eyes; while he didn't resonate with her like he did with the guardians, he had an idea of what was on her mind right now, and he hadn't forgotten how Yuto and Yuri had transformed during the fights with Ccarayhua and Chacu Challhua.

Indeed, even now, the other royals tried to empower their guardian dragons. Yugo could feel the energy flowing between Celina and Yuri, but Celina's exhaustion meant that it fizzled out before the two could fuse their souls; Shay, wounded as he was by the Earthbound Servant that had shoved him down, couldn't focus enough to bestow his strength upon Yuto, and alone, Lulu was unable to fuel her beloved guardian's power and maintain her Lyriluscs at the same time - a necessity, as the Servants had started to rise again with Uru's coming. Yuzu and Yuya were both too busy fighting to even try, and that left the princess of Synchronia and her clear-winged dragon.

"I don't have a lot left in me," Rin admitted, and Yugo could see how she fought to stay upright. "The king's decree really hit us hard... but I'm hoping that you can still do something with what I give you. Please..."

"Thanks, Rin." Yugo stretched out his wings and closed his eyes, and he felt the link between them grow with her gift. "I'll make it up to you later, 'kay?"

Rin gave a quiet hum in response, and then the magic stored within her soul swirled around Yugo, wrapping him in a gentle embrace like a stellar wind. He basked in her magnificent power, far beyond what he'd ever expected from a human, and he could feel himself begin to change; there was no pain, just a radiant warmth that started in his chest and spread to the tips of his wings and tail, and his blood heated up with that same power as his upper wings grew out, taking on a more angular shape.

When he opened his eyes to observe his new form, Yugo saw that his wings were crystal-clear now, sharp and irregular, yet his body felt light and more flexible than before. The six claws on each of his hands had changed to five, and they looked more like human hands - an interesting change, but one that he accepted, as he'd grown used to manipulating objects in his altered form. The wind whipped around him with the slightest thought, and he carried himself on that wind with a single goal in mind.

"This is for you, Stardust!" Yugo screamed those words out to everyone present as he made a mad dash toward Roman, his wings angled for a clean slice. He felt the splatter of human and Dark Signer blood on his wing as it cut through the flesh of Roman's left arm, severing it with minimal damage; he made a sharp turn in midair and snagged the marked arm before rocketing back to his previous position, and he felt a wave of exhilaration sweep through him at the knowledge that his mission had been a success.

"A fool's errand..." The shadows swirled around Roman, and the leaking stump that remained on his shoulder erupted in a flood of oily liquid. "Only the Dark Signers can use that now." The liquid congealed, forming a new arm in the blink of an eye. "But you can try to reattach it if you like!"

Yugo stared down at the limb in his hold, wondering if that was really the case. He'd cut off the connection between Roman and the Crimson Dragon, at least, but was Yusei never going to be able to use that arm again? Was Stardust forever trapped inside it, never to fly free again?

Come to think of it, when Lulu had healed Yusei's wound, a scar had formed over it...

"...Reattaching a limb is a very delicate and involved process." Akiza made her way over to Yugo as she spoke, and she inspected the severed arm. "Doing it on the field may be too dangerous, but if you can maintain that form until after the battle..." Her eyes drifted to the sharp edges of Yugo's wings, and he blinked down at her, not quite understanding the implication of her words.

"She means that you can use your wing to cut Yusei's shoulder to size," Rin explained, and she sounded a bit annoyed. "We'd have to put him under first, though... otherwise, it'd really hurt."

"You really think we can pull it off?" Yugo took a moment to focus on the energy flowing through Yusei's arm, and he sensed the twin life forces residing within - the limb was still very much alive, against all logic and reason. "Roman said that..."

"Don't listen to what he said." Jack spoke up, diverting his attention away from his bonded dragon. "He's just saying that to stop us from trying." He shot a glance at Carly. "And besides, even if he is right, we have a Dark Signer on our side, too."

"Stick with the original plan for now," Carly advised. "First, we need to bring down Uru." She called out her Earthbound Immortal, and its crimson-bound wings spread across the darkened sky. "...I hope we can make that a little easier for you."

Aslla Piscu's terrible voice wracked the air, and Yugo felt a chill run down his spine, right to the tip of his tail. He had to remind himself that this thing was on his side... for now, at least, and he prayed that it stayed that way.

"Stay back, Clear-Wing." Black Rose addressed Yugo with the moniker that Rin had given him while they were in the tower together, and his heart warmed at the memory, canceling out the fear he felt at Aslla Piscu's presence. "You must protect Stardust." She stopped speaking in the humans' tongue then, and switched to the native tongue of the dragons - a cry which told them all to attack as one, as fast as they could, and Yugo itched to join his fellows on the frontlines. He had been tasked with a far more important job, though, and he wasn't about to shirk his duty for glory-

Roman's eyes flashed once, and then Uru's eyes lit up, one by one in rapid succession. Black Rose froze in her tracks, and so did Archfiend; for a brief moment, silence draped across the battlefield, and then the two dragons turned away from their target, setting their sights on their allies.

"...Black Rose?" Yugo blinked at his fellow dragon - and then he darted out of the way on instinct, and not a moment too soon, as Black Rose had charged toward him with the intent to kill. He flew back, then ducked again as she shot past him, her thorn-covered tail grazing against his scales as she went.

"What's going on...?" Akiza watched in horror as Black Rose went for another swipe at Yugo, though he didn't have much time to pay attention to the Signer's concern. He had a feeling that he knew the answer to her question - it wasn't a pretty one, either, and when he evaded Black Rose's fourth pass, the look in the dragon's eyes confirmed his suspicion beyond a shadow of a doubt.

"They're under a royal decree!" Yuto shouted, and Yugo glimpsed him wrestling with Archfiend. "He must've targeted those two to stop them from blocking his future decrees!"

"I... I didn't think..." Akiza fell to her knees, the sound audible above the sudden chaos. "...Black Rose... I'm sorry..."

Yugo had recognized Black Rose's expression - when the two faced each other, he saw the fear in her eyes, like a mirror of what had happened with him in the tower. She had been ordered to kill her allies, and then... he didn't want to think about what would come afterward, so the only thing he could do was trust his companions to hold them off. With him carrying Yusei's arm, he couldn't fight at his best, and he still had Black Rose's directive to follow.

His heart resonated with Yuri's, and the emotion that flowed from the five-mouthed guardian indicated that he understood. In an instant, two of Yuri's mouths shot out and sank their fangs into Black Rose's wings, creating an opening for Yugo to retreat; he made a note to thank Yuri for that later, though he did hope his fellow wouldn't do too much damage.

After all, they needed Archfiend and Black Rose intact for later...

Yuri took special care not to use any venom as he dragged Black Rose toward himself, indicating to Roman that he didn't plan to make things easy. If she had been directed to attack Yugo in specific... well, Yuri wasn't a soft fool like his fellows.

While the idea of snapping Black Rose's wings and leaving her to flounder on the ground was more than a little tempting, Yuri knew that it wasn't wise in the long term. Besides, he hadn't had a good fight with a fellow dragon in a long time - he wouldn't have called his first encounter with Stardust a good fight, as it had ended before it even properly began. Holding this one off promised to be satisfying, as he could feel her strength, even now.

"Oh, this should be exciting," Roman remarked, and he simply smirked in response to Yuri's silent dare. "Apologies, but she's quite single-minded right now."

Black Rose roared, and Yuri glimpsed the look in her eyes - a look which he had never been familiar with. While he detested being controlled, anger was more his forte, and he wondered to himself why she wasn't showing a bit more of it right now. She was in pain, and it was all his fault, and what reason would she have to stray away from a grudge?

"Why, I agree with that." Yuri's fangs dug deeper, and Black Rose gave a pained shriek, struggling in his relentless hold; he inclined his head to the side, and saw that Yuya had joined Yuto's fight against Archfiend. "I know what's on her mind right now. She loathes you with every fiber of her being... she detests what you've done to her and her comrade. It's the same as what I feel toward you!"

His other two extra mouths shot out, latching on to Black Rose's remaining two wings and rendering her immobile - yet she fought against him still, just as valiant as she had been when she had control over her body. It was as if a small amount of her spirit shone through, and Yuri could only encourage that.

If anything, he wanted her to fight harder, to break free so that he would have to hunt her down. As it was, this battle was too easy, and it had begun to bore him; the one he really wanted to be sinking his teeth into was Uru, and the taunting gaze of the spider demon settled upon him, as if deriving joy from his discomfort.

"Do you remember what you did to me?" Yuri met Uru's arachnoid eyes, suppressing the instinct that gripped him as he did so - there was no need for fear here. "How you twisted my soul and used me as your plaything... how I danced on your strings like a puppet. How maddening it must be, then, to see me like this...!"

"Hardly." Roman laughed, except it wasn't Roman, and it took Yuri a moment to realize that the Earthbound Immortal had taken full control over its tether to speak with him. "You give yourself more significance than is due. Your hatred, your anger, your pain and your fear... they're all delicious, you know. An appetizer for the banquet that awaits... that poor girl you hold now." Another laugh. "Do you not want to break her?"

"Of course I do," Yuri replied without hesitation. "But doing so would be playing right into your hands, and she'll be a valuable ally once she's free again." He turned away from Uru, looking instead at the human who stood by his side - so small and insignificant on the outside, yet filled with determination on the inside, as she hadn't given up on trying to empower him.

It was incredible, truly, how such a small thing as a real connection strengthened Yuri's resolve. Right now, Celina helped him more than she could ever realize, as while her magic had weakened, her visage alone reminded him that now was not the time to give in to his urges.

After everything that he had done to redeem himself in her eyes, she would be very disappointed if he turned his back on that path...

"Sorry... I can't dispel it right now." Celina's voice was strained and weak, not at all matching the resilience of her heart, and it stung like nothing else to hear her like this. "I can't even... use a regular spell right now..."

"You should rest," Yuri suggested, and his tail slithered around her, caging but not holding her. "Perhaps you'll regain some of your strength in time if you do."

"...Yeah, you're right." Celina leaned against his tail, and he shifted to support her. "I'll give it another try once I think I'm ready."

There was an implication beneath those words that Yuri didn't miss, and he whirred in response, acknowledging Celina's statement; then, he returned his focus to the dragon in his hold, whose struggling had slowed just the slightest bit. Though his other mouths had a dim sense of taste compared to his primary one, he tasted Black Rose's blood flowing from the wounds he'd inflicted on her, and he surmised that the pain had started to take its toll on her body.

Even an edict as powerful as Roman's had its limits, and when the body could fight no more, the spirit was doomed to fail as well - that simply wouldn't do.

"My deepest apologies, Clear-Wing." Yuri brought up the moniker that Black Rose had used for Yugo before, taunting his fellow guardian with it. "But can you fly a little faster? You do need to keep that arm safe, don't you?"

He let go of Black Rose, all four of his extra mouths withdrawing as she flew free once again. She made a beeline toward Yugo, her talons poised to swipe the prize from him, and he gave a cry of disbelief as he swerved out of the way of her attack at the last moment.

"Hey, what was that for!?" Yugo complained, and Yuri had to resist the urge to laugh. Black Rose had been weakened somewhat, and that was more than enough for Yugo to stay away from her with ease - at least, that was Yuri's plan.

"She needs to remain intact," Yuri reminded his fellow guardian, more smug than was strictly necessary. "If I had held on for much longer, she wouldn't have been able to fight anymore."

"Yeah, but still!" Yugo ducked to avoid a lash from Black Rose's tail. "We could've just healed her before the next fight! You're putting Stardust in danger, too!"

"Are you saying that I should've broken her wings and left her to bleed out?" Yuri growled in annoyance at the thought. "That's exactly what Uru wants. Do you always think with your heart instead of your brain?"

"What about you?" Yugo retorted, though he didn't have time to say anything else, as he had to dodge another swipe from the dragon pursuing him. Yuri considered the meaning of Yugo's words, and decided after a moment that it didn't matter - Yuri's logic was impeccable, and the emotions behind it only fueled it in his eyes.

For now, it was time to take a breather. Yuri still hadn't gotten the fight he wanted, but he had to keep Celina safe while she rested, and the Earthbound Servants had become active again after going still in the wake of Roman's decree. His tail tightened around the princess in its hold - not tight enough to crush her, he made sure of that - and he stared down the pack of Servants that made their way toward him, daring them to come after his treasure.

Though he was an outcast, Yuri was a dragon to his core, and he trusted that his fellow guardians would also continue to protect their treasures - unto their deaths, if that was what was necessary.

Chapter 51: Cosmic Winds

Chapter Text

Yuya was, to put it lightly, terrified.

Every clash with Archfiend felt like a branding iron to his skin, and he was only grateful that the empowered dragon he faced hadn't switched to his breath weapon yet. Yuya could feel the twin energies of the Crimson Dragon and the Earthbound Immortal radiating from his opponent, and he wasn't sure if it was that or the fatigue that had started to settle into his body, but he couldn't feel the emotions of his fellow guardians anymore - the only reason he knew how Yuto was feeling was because of the sounds he made, shrieks and roars of horror and agony.

Under any other circ*mstances, Yuya would have felt ashamed of his own fear, but he could tell that he wasn't alone. The only reason he could keep fighting was because of Yuzu's magic, her spells mending his wounds whenever Archfiend collided with him, but he sensed that her already limited strength was almost gone. He had hoped that perhaps the two of them could achieve the same sort of connection as the others had, but that seemed increasingly unlikely as time passed.

Archfiend swiped at Yuya again, and he reacted too slow - a searing pain tore through his nerves, and he realized that he was bleeding from a series of deep wounds on his side. A spell reached him from Yuzu, and the wounds closed partway, but the pained gasp she breathed distracted him yet again, and he turned to make sure that she was still standing.

"I'm... I'm fine," Yuzu insisted, though the way her legs shook indicated that she was not fine. "Don't... worry about me... you need to keep fighting...!"

"What about you?" Yuya asked her, but as soon as the words left his mind, he was knocked out of the way by Yuto. He managed to look up, and saw that Yuto had suffered the same injury on his opposite side, in addition to a gash on his wing - an image that brought back a memory Yuya didn't want to remember.

"We have to hold him back..." Yuto's mental voice was strained and weak, though he dragged himself back up, aided somewhat by a spell from Lulu. "Celina is..."

"That girl is next." The words that came from Roman's mouth indicated that Uru had taken over again, the voice twisted and inhuman. "She will be the first to die. Her soul is strong and valiant... a fine first course!"

"In your dreams." A hiss accompanied Yuri's proclamation, and he moved forward, still holding Celina in the grip of his tail; a few Earthbound Servants tried to attack him, but his mouths struck back, his venom melting them into puddles of black ooze. "You're the one who's next...!"

Archfiend chose that moment to unleash his flame, but it wasn't directed at Yuya or Yuto - rather, he targeted Yuri, and the mutant dragon screeched as the enchanted fire burned through his scales. His hold on Celina tightened, and she yelped, trying to indicate to her guardian that he was hurting her; it fell on deaf ears, as Yuri had redirected his attention to his assailant, fury blazing in his eyes as the orbs lining his form lit up with his magic.

It wasn't even close to enough. Archfiend shredded the vines that encircled his limbs with ease, and then he inhaled again, turning toward the princess that Yuri protected. If that attack hit, Celina would-

"I don't have a choice..." Yuzu's faint murmur reached Yuya's ears, and once again, he turned to watch her - and the power coursing through her soul, the last dregs of her strength, made his eyes widen in shock. "Return to us!"

The force of her declaration, carrying the gift of the Queen of Light, stopped both Archfiend and Black Rose in their tracks. At the same time, Yuya felt something peculiar from the other royals - it was as if they had been revitalized, their own waning strength restored by Yuzu's last resort. The largest of Shay's Raid Raptors shrieked as its boosters sparked, and the song of Lulu's Lyriluscs increased in volume, drowning out the noise of the battlefield as they assembled in a formation that Yuya didn't recognize.

He didn't care to give it any thought, either. He heard Yuzu's breathing, and he sensed her life force, but her eyes were closed and she had collapsed to the ground, unmoving. The first thing Yuya thought was that Yuzu had given up on empowering him, instead choosing to help out the other humans - he felt betrayed, and for the span of a few seconds, that anger nearly consumed him.

Before he could give in to it, an Earthbound Servant took advantage of the opening to attack Yuzu, and Yuya shook off his frustration just in time to knock it aside. He reminded himself that the time for emotions was later, that they were fighting against a foe who had turned their own against them, and his number one priority right now was keeping Yuzu safe from harm.

Still, Yuya couldn't suppress the envy that he felt as Yuto rose to the sky, his wings spreading and filling with color as skeletal markings appeared across his body. Yuri followed after, his soul melding with Celina's as his coloration changed and his extra mouths bloomed; with Yugo in his new, crystalline form, the only one of the guardians that hadn't evolved was the odd-eyed fool who had failed to stop his foe, who couldn't even join his fellow dragons in destroying the Earthbound Immortal that had caused this mess.

Yuya stood over Yuzu's unconscious form, willing to guard her with his life, but the dark side of his heart told him again and again that this was the only thing he could do right - yet if it was the only thing he could do right, he intended to put everything he had into it, no matter how much it hurt him.

Yusei had observed the battle from the start, standing on the sidelines and guarded by whoever was able to spare a moment for him. Now, as Queen Fairy and Life-Stream shielded him from the Earthbound Servants nearby, he thought yet again that he wasn't supposed to be here - that he didn't deserve to stand alongside the Signers, as one who had lost not only his ability to fight, but the blessing bestowed upon him by the Crimson Dragon.

He still had some trouble maintaining his balance, and his only fortune was that he hadn't been injured any further in the crossfire. Despite his concerns, he had to admit that the sight of four empowered dragons fighting together as allies was a wondrous one; in particular, Black Rose's wings caught his eye, the glimmer of dim light on her faceted carapace more beautiful than anything he'd seen before.

Though he didn't voice the thought, Yusei was proud of Akiza for how far she'd come alongside her bonded dragon. The two were closer than ever now, their connection strong enough that even he could feel it - and he saw it too, as the wounds inflicted on Black Rose by Yuri had already mended, leaving her just as strong as before she'd been placed under the royal edict.

There was just one thing missing from the picture, and Yusei had taken note of the fact that Yugo had not yet joined his fellows in battle. The crystal-winged guardian lingered some distance away, his attention seemingly fixated on the limb he still clutched onto as if it was worth more than his own life; after what seemed like an eternity, he floated closer to the arm's former owner, and the look in his eyes was-

"Hey, catch!" Without any warning, Yugo tossed the arm at Yusei. "You don't really think Roman was right, do you?"

Caught off-guard as he was, Yusei was barely able to grab onto the limb that had been flung at him, and he noted absently that it was still warm. "Do you think it's..."

He didn't have the opportunity to finish his sentence. The mark on the arm glowed, and it floated out of his grip, aligning itself with the stump of his shoulder; flesh and bone mended together through the power of the Crimson Dragon, and the surge of energy that flowed through Yusei nearly knocked him off his feet all over again. After what felt like too long, he felt the comforting presence of Stardust within him again, and the dragon, too, was happy to be reunited with his bonded human.

"...Guess that answers that question," Yugo remarked, and Yusei recognized the grin that drew across his face. "You okay in there, Stardust?"

"He's just fine," Yusei confirmed, smiling back at Yugo. "Thanks to you."

"The doubt you felt was unfounded," Stardust assured Yusei, and his voice felt like a blessing that the human didn't deserve. "The Crimson Dragon has not turned its back on you - it will not, so long as you still live." His presence shifted. "The same, too, applies to your nestmate. Though he may have chosen a different path, it was one made of necessity, not desire alone."

"I know." Yusei hadn't missed the mark of Aslla Piscu on Jack's left arm, and the dark power surging through Archfiend right now didn't evade his notice, either. "He'll never admit it, of course, but I know him better than that." He took a moment to breathe, projecting the sentiment that he felt to the other Signers - he hadn't stopped trusting his brother, and he didn't plan to stop anytime soon.

The undercurrent of surprise Jack felt in response to that was swept away by his pride, like always; still, just like Yusei, he could sense that the other Signers felt the same - they understood where he was coming from, and so long as he had the Crimson Dragon's blessing, they believed that he had done no wrong. The one who stood above them had the final say, after all.

"It is time," Stardust proclaimed, drawing Yusei's attention back to him. "We must strike decisively, before the king can gather his power again. My strength alone may not be enough to fell Uru..."

"You won't be fighting alone." Yusei allowed Stardust to emerge from him, and the dragon's sparkling wings caught the attention of the other Signers right away - they, too, missed his presence. "Right, Yugo?"

"Oh, man..." Yugo sounded both awed and uncertain, as if he felt that he wasn't worthy to stand beside Stardust. "Are- are you sure?"

"It is the least I can do to thank you." Though Stardust addressed Yugo, he spoke to everyone present, allowing his voice to be heard. "Your aid would be most welcome."

The miraculous energy held in Yusei's arm surged, and the marks of the Signers dissipated, forming the full sigil of the Crimson Dragon on the ground around them. That power flowed into Stardust, and his body changed as his fellows had, becoming sleek and streamlined; like Black Rose's, his wings split into four, and his scales became like prisms, refracting the light that emanated from his form in an array of colors which shone across the grim landscape - the form of a miracle made flesh, terrifying and yet more beautiful than even the one who had transformed before him.

"...This is for you, Stardust." Yugo echoed the sentiment he'd expressed when retrieving Yusei's arm before, and he shot a brief glance at the one who now floated beside him. "And for everyone else, too."

"For all who have suffered under the Earthbound..." Stardust soared into the sky, his light piercing the shroud cast by the Immortals, and Yugo followed after him, faster than the eye could see. "We strike as one!"

The two became blurs as they rocketed toward Uru in sync, and it was only after the two returned to Yusei's side that the damage became apparent. A hole had been punched clean through the beast, glimmering at the edges like Stardust's scales; its limbs had been severed cleanly, much the same as what Yugo had done to Roman, and it let out a final screech as it collapsed upon the ground, its form melting into the earth at last. The two dragons who had done the deed gave a victory cry, which was repeated by the others - a sound that was music to Yusei's ears, and the joy that the other Signers felt flowed into him as their marks returned, almost surreal in the wake of everything that had happened.

All that remained was the king himself, and Aslla Piscu took the liberty of driving its beak into his body, drinking the liquid that he soon became with his death. Grisly though it was, Yusei knew why the Immortal had done that - to assert its dominance over Uru one last time, and to collect whatever power lingered within Roman so that it could turn it against its final foe. Now was not the time to object to Aslla Piscu's methods, as it was an ally in this war, and the threads on its wings ensured that it would remain as such.

"...Let them go." Carly spoke to the demon she tethered, sounding a bit annoyed. "Those souls deserve to rest in peace now."

Aslla Piscu made a sound that almost seemed to mirror Carly's annoyance, and then its form vanished as it returned to her body, the sky clearing in its absence. It seemed that at least one person still objected to its methods in some capacity, but Yusei supposed that was Carly's job.

"We're all... alive." Rin spoke next, disbelief in her tone. "We're all alive... and we won!" She jumped up, her joy almost palpable. "We beat Uru! Finally!"

"And... look." Lulu gestured toward Yusei, drawing attention to him from Shay and Celina. "Yusei has his arm back. Somehow, it reattached itself..."

"Through the blessing of the Crimson Dragon," Shay corrected his sister, and the faintest hint of a smile appeared on his face. "It never gave up on him."

"For a while, I thought it had," Yusei admitted, and he rubbed the back of his neck with his hand, feeling a little self-conscious. "But I'm glad it didn't... and I'm glad I was able to get Stardust back, too."

Celina looked away, and shame flickered across her face - had she lost her faith, too? "...Yeah, it's good to see him again. Even if our first meeting wasn't on the best terms..."

It seemed that she hadn't forgotten that encounter, and if he was to be honest, Yusei hadn't, either. He still felt some degree of shame himself for what he had done, but now was not the time to dwell on those things - it was the time to rejoice, and to let the wounded rest and heal.

"...I'll take care of Yuzu." Yuya's voice carried little emotion, and he reverted to his altered form after he spoke, wincing at the cuts on his side. "She..."

He looked down at the fallen princess, and even from this distance, Yusei could see the tears that had begun to well in the boy's eyes. It appeared that Yuya was more shaken by what had happened than he let on - was it just because he cared about Yuzu, or was there more to his pain?

"She saved us." Yusei approached Yuya as he spoke. "She was very brave... I'll have to thank her when she wakes up."

"...Don't." Yuya raised his hand, shooting a weak glare at Yusei. "Not now... please."

The gesture, along with Yuya's strained tone of voice, confirmed beyond a shadow of a doubt that something else was going on in his mind. Yusei supposed that it wasn't his place to judge, and so he stepped away from the wounded dragon, leaving him and his princess to their own devices - for now.

Whatever was wrong with Yuya, Yusei intended to confront him about it later. He couldn't imagine what had hurt the young guardian so - but now that he thought about it, he hadn't heard Yuya's cry with the other dragons after Uru had fallen...

Chapter 52: Reconciliation

Chapter Text

With Uru defeated, its stranglehold over Fusionia was no more, and the corruption it had spread across the country had started to wane. Many of the country's people were confused and lost, having only a vague idea of what had happened and minimal knowledge of the being that had possessed them; they came to the Signers for guidance, but with the group exhausted from their battle, only so much aid could be offered.

Yuya paid little mind to all of that. Yuzu was still unconscious, and he watched over her unfalteringly, repeating in his head that it was his duty as a guardian to keep her safe. The anger he'd felt during the fight against Uru had only worsened, and now he questioned if there was even a reason to continue upholding his duty - Yuzu had chosen the others over him, and he wasn't going to forget that anytime soon.

Despite that, he couldn't bring himself to hate her. On some level, he recognized that she hadn't wanted to do what she did, and had only done so out of desperate necessity; no matter how frustrated or jealous he got, that was another fact which wouldn't change, and yet another part of him wanted to berate himself for ever even thinking of abandoning her. This conflict in his heart threatened to consume him, but he couldn't find a way out of it, trapped in the swaying pendulum of emotions-

"Yuya?" The voice came from behind Yuya, and he didn't recognize it until its owner came into view, stepping up beside him. "How are you feeling?"

Of course it had to be the leader of the Signers. Yusei probably wanted to play hero again now that he'd gotten his arm back.

"What do you want?" Yuya stared at Yusei, taking his eyes off of Yuzu only because he knew the Signer could be trusted that far. "And can't you see I'm busy?"

"Whoa, settle down there." Yusei raised his hands in a placating gesture. "I was just checking on you. I know you haven't been feeling well since the battle."

"...You're right, I haven't." Yuya decided to confide in Yusei just this once, and he hoped that he wasn't making a mistake by doing so. "I keep thinking about what Yuzu did... and what should've happened."

"What should've happened?" Yusei sounded confused. "What do you mean by that?"

"You saw what happened to the others, didn't you?" Yuya looked down at Yusei's right arm, tracing the mark of the Crimson Dragon with his eyes. "They all got stronger - they were all empowered, and I wasn't. Because Yuzu gave up on it... because she wanted to help everyone else instead."

"She did what she had to do," Yusei reminded Yuya, his tone infuriatingly calm. "She wasn't trying to spite you or anything. Celina was in danger, and-"

"I know that!" Yuya raised his voice, more than he'd intended, and then he breathed a sigh, returning his gaze to the princess below him. "...I know that, but... I'm still..."

"Besides, does it really matter that you weren't empowered?" Yusei placed his left hand over the mark on his right arm. "You still fought well. Better than me, at first."

Yuya wondered to himself just how much Yusei's condition had affected him. Not being able to fight properly, feeling like a liability on the battlefield - the two had that in common, at least, but there was something important that the Signer was missing.

"It does matter," Yuya insisted, shaking his head. "I'm the only one of the guardians that hasn't... you saw how they fought together, didn't you? I wanted to be there... I wanted to be on the frontlines, fighting as a guardian, but Yuzu...!"

"You were where you needed to be," Yusei insisted. "She was vulnerable, and you protected her. You don't need to be empowered to do that."

Yuya's hands balled into fists. "You don't get it... if I'd gotten that power boost, I could've..." He thought back to how Yuto and Yuri had defeated the Earthbound Immortals before Uru, and how Yugo's wings had sliced through Uru's limbs. "They're all... stronger than me. They're better at everything they do... the only thing I'm good for is fighting off a few Earthbound Servants and keeping Yuzu safe, and anyone can do that. What do you even need me around for?"

"That isn't true at all." Yusei reached out, presenting his hand to Yuya. "You're part of the team, too. You're just as important as the rest of us. You don't need to feel down on yourself just because you didn't evolve. The others didn't get those empowered states right away, did they?"

"You don't get it!" Yuya repeated, and this time, he fully intended to raise his voice. "I can never do anything right... my dad had wings, but I didn't get them. I thought that maybe I could make something of myself if I had what the others did... but I don't, so... I can't fly, I can't fight, I can barely protect my treasure... what kind of useless dragon am I!?"

"Yuya, that isn't..." Yusei lowered his hand, evidently sensing that he wasn't going to get what he wanted out of this exchange. "You don't really think you're useless, do you? You can still-"

"I am useless!" Yuya snapped, interrupting Yusei again. "You're just saying that because you didn't see how useless I was! I couldn't stop Archfiend from attacking Yuri and Celina... I couldn't stop him from doing anything, and if I'd just been stronger... if I'd been less pathetic... if I'd been empowered like him..."

"I don't get why you're so fixated on that." As always, Yusei's voice didn't waver - he had the courage of his conviction, at least, even if he was wrong on every front. "Princess Yuzu's safe thanks to you, and that's what matters. You shouldn't think you're any lesser as a guardian just because you didn't evolve."

Yuya's nails dug into his palms, and he growled as he glared at Yusei. "Did you just come here to rub salt in my wound?" He narrowed his eyes and bared his teeth - probably not as intimidating as he wanted to be, and that just hammered home how weak he was. "Stop talking about that. Better yet, just go away. You got your arm and Stardust back... you were actually able to do something."

"If that's what you need, fine." Yusei sounded a little disappointed. "I hope you feel better, okay?"

He turned and left without another word, much to Yuya's relief; after a moment of absorbing the silence, the dragon buried his face in his hands, letting out a muffled sob. If even a human was disappointed in him for being a liability, he was even worse off than he thought - he didn't belong here, among people who could actually make something of themselves and defeat an Earthbound Immortal.

He didn't belong anywhere. The dragons had rejected him, and he thought he'd been able to find solace among humans, but that wasn't panning out, either. Yuzu probably thought he was pathetic, too - that was why she'd given her strength to her fellow royals instead of him-

"Hey, Yuya! Let's talk!"

He hadn't intended to eavesdrop, but Leo had overheard the entire conversation between Yusei and Yuya, and so he ran over as soon as Yusei had left. Luna was probably going to get on his case for this later, but now wasn't the time to worry about that - Leo had a sad dragon to cheer up, and one that he related to a little more than he wanted to admit.

That same feeling of uselessness had crossed the young Signer's mind more than once in the past, and he sometimes wondered if he was even worthy of being Luna's big brother. As she reminded him on the regular, he was only that on a technicality; the two had been born minutes apart, so maybe he didn't have the right to claim the status of the elder between twins. Life-Stream had guided him since he became a Signer, and while the heir to the realm of dragons wasn't the most talkative guy around, he did have some great advice to offer and a very soothing presence.

Maybe if a dragon who hadn't been empowered during that fight talked to Yuya...

"And what do you want?" Yuya glared at Leo, his irritation from before resurfacing. "Were you eavesdropping just now?"

"Well, uh... yeah," Leo admitted, a bit shameful. "But I didn't mean to, I promise! I just... happened to be in the neighborhood, y'know?"

"Uh-huh." Yuya sounded doubtful. "Well, in case you didn't notice, I'm really not in the mood to talk to humans right now, so-"

"Whoa whoa whoa!" Leo waved his hands in front of his face. "Why just humans? Can't you just say everyone?"

Realization spread across Yuya's face, and he took a step back, returning his gaze to the ground. "...Man, I really am useless, huh..."

"No you're not," Leo insisted, and he clenched his hands into fists. "You just had a moment, that's all. Happens to me all the time!" He focused on the presence of the dragon within him. "Right, Life-Stream?"

Life-Stream's presence shifted in acknowledgment, and then he emerged from Leo's mark, looking down at the younger dragon as he floated in midair. "...You may need my assistance for this, little one."

"Yeah, I was hoping you'd help me out." Leo gave a firm nod to his bonded dragon, then returned his attention to Yuya. "I know how you're feeling right now, Yuya. Like you can't do anything right... like you can't even protect the people you care about. It sucks, doesn't it?"

"You're just parroting what I told Yusei," Yuya pointed out, annoyance returning to his voice yet again. "How does that have anything to do with you?"

"I just said how." Leo crossed his arms over his chest. "It's 'cuz I've felt like that before, too. Heck, I still feel like it..." He recalled the previous fights he'd been part of, and one moment stood out to him more than the rest. "At least you didn't get yourself killed trying to protect someone. Try not to do that, okay?"

The reminder of that incident actually gave Yuya pause, and he looked away, staring at something other than the ground in front of him for once. "...Yeah, I guess Yuzu would be really mad at me if that happened..."

"Yep." Leo gave another firm nod. "...So you probably know where I'm coming from. I'd know how you feel, even if I wasn't eavesdropping."

"Because... you know it, too..." Yuya clutched his pendant in one hand. "I... I'm such an idiot... I don't deserve-"

"Of course you deserve to be on this team!" Leo interrupted Yuya, unwilling to give up on this - it was far too important. "So you messed up and got mad. So what? It's not like everyone's gonna hate you for it! If they did, they'd have to hate me, too!"

"You're..." Yuya let go of his pendant, and buried his face in his hands instead. "...I didn't just mess up once... I couldn't even... the other guardians..."

"You aren't alone." Life-Stream directed his words toward Yuya, though he projected his voice for all to hear. "Evolution isn't everything. Valor and devotion are more important. Your moment will come... if you do not give up."

Yuya stared at the other dragon, blinking. "But... but you didn't-"

"I didn't have to," Life-Stream countered. "I did what was needed. Nothing more, nothing less. You are the same... you've simply blinded yourself to it. For the sake of your treasure, open your eyes."

"Yeah, how do you think I feel?" Leo added, even though he knew his input was probably unnecessary at this point. "I'm just a human kid. There's no way I'd be able to throw a punch like Yusei or Jack can. Yeah, I've got potential, but I don't really know how to use it yet, so..."

It had taken a lot of courage for him to admit that - courage that he'd only gained recently, and acceptance of his own weakness as well. He had to remind himself that his role was still important, even if he couldn't fight on the frontlines; his power had contributed to breaking Roman's spell, and Akiza and Black Rose couldn't have done that without him.

"You're just... a human kid..." Yuya repeated those words, and his face returned to his hands; after a moment of silence, he started crying, his form shaking with his sobs. That reaction didn't make a whole lot of sense to Leo, but he reached out and placed a hand on Yuya's shoulder anyway, noting that the dragon didn't push him away.

Now that he thought about it, in terms of their relative ages, Leo wasn't that much younger than Yuya. Sure, they were probably decades apart in how long they'd actually lived, but that didn't matter - aside from their lifespans, dragons weren't as different from humans as either of them thought, and that fact was made apparent in the way Yuya expressed himself.

He was just as lost and confused, berating himself for his own weakness when he didn't have to...

"By the way, I never told you this, but..." Leo took a deep breath, bracing himself for what he was about to say - it was a little embarrassing, to put it lightly. "I always thought you looked really cool in your dragon form! Those big spikes are kinda scary, but they're also totally awesome! I bet they'd protect anyone riding on your back, too!"

Yuya peeked out from between his fingers, his eyes still damp with tears. "Y-you... you think I look cool...?"

"Yeah!" Leo removed his hand from Yuya's shoulder and pumped his fist in the air. "So what if you don't have wings? You don't need 'em, anyway! You're still strong enough to protect Princess Yuzu, right?"

"Y-yeah..." Yuya lowered his hands to his sides, and he managed a smile. "Thanks... and I'm sorry I was such a jerk. I..."

"Hey, I get it." Leo matched Yuya's smile with a grin of his own. "You were jealous. I know that one, too... but it's like Life-Stream said. If you don't give up, you'll get your moment in the spotlight!"

"My moment in the spotlight..." Yuya's smile broadened, even as more tears flowed from his eyes. "...I always wanted to stand under a spotlight... to have everyone cheering me on... and applauding my performance... that's been my dream since I was a hatchling... I even learned how to balance on a tightrope..." He gave a weak laugh, and turned to face Leo at last. "...Sorry... I know it's kind of a weird time to bring that up... but the way you said that..."

"Hey, I'm just glad you're feeling better," Leo said, and he reached out his hand to Yuya. "So when you achieve that dream, I'll be first in line for all your shows! I just know you'll do great... especially if you can tightrope walk with those feet!"

Yuya's laugh was more genuine this time, and he grasped Leo's hand in his own. "At least I know I'll have an audience I can depend on..." He wiped his eyes with his other hand. "...I hope I can make you smile... like you've done for me."

"But first, we've gotta win this war." Leo shook Yuya's hand, and his mark lit up, as if it was responding to the dragon's emotions. "Life-Stream and I are gonna put everything we have into that, so you'd better do that, too!"

"I won't give up," Yuya declared, and a hint of pride crept into his tone - the opposite of what he'd expressed earlier. "I promise that I'll see this through to the end, no matter what... I'll protect Yuzu, and I'll prove my worth to everyone!"

"And that valor and devotion will be your strength." Life-Stream floated back, preparing to return to his incorporeal form within Leo. "Be brave, little one... you will need it."

Yuya watched as Life-Stream's physical form dissolved, an awed expression appearing across his face. "Be brave, huh... I'm kinda jealous. I wish I could be as cool as he is..."

"Again?" Leo pouted, and he withdrew his hand from Yuya's, letting it fall to his side instead. "C'mon, Yuya, we were just talking about that..."

"I know." Yuya put on his brightest smile yet. "Don't worry, I won't lose myself to it this time. I'm gonna follow his advice instead..." He looked down at Yuzu, who stirred a bit in her slumber. "...For my treasure."

The way Yuya referred to Yuzu as his treasure was kind of weird, but also... really sweet, in a way. Leo supposed that it was just a dragon thing, and he decided not to think too deeply into it; he already had an idea of how close those two were, and he wasn't planning on trying to separate them anytime soon.

...Unless they decided that public displays of affection also counted as putting on a performance. Leo had to draw the line somewhere.

"Well, you keep an eye on Princess Yuzu until she wakes up, okay?" Leo turned to leave, but then glanced over his shoulder. "And don't forget to clear things up with Yusei, too!"

Yuya hummed and nodded. "I was planning to apologize to him... but I think I'll have to do that later. I can't leave Yuzu right now..."

"He'll understand," Leo assured Yuya, and he raised his hand to wave goodbye. "Well, see ya later!"

"Take care..." Yuya waved back, sounding like he was about to burst into tears all over again. "And thanks again."

As he walked off, Leo felt a swell of pride within him at what he'd just done. He had accomplished something that Yusei had failed to do, and now Yuzu wouldn't have to see the dark side of her guardian when she woke up; the two of them would be able to talk normally as friends like they always had, and that knowledge was an immense relief.

...Well, those two were obviously way more than just friends, but that wasn't the point at all. The point was that they wouldn't get into a fight over something stupid, and Leo wasn't sure that he could say the same about himself and his sister now...

Chapter 53: For the Future

Chapter Text

As the time of Aslla Piscu's ascension drew near, Carly's apprehension increased tenfold.

She had started to doubt herself on the regular now, and while she tried to keep it from Jack, she was sure that he had noticed anyway. He was treating her differently - more protective, more concerned, and Jack wasn't the sort of person to express his concern. To an extent, Carly appreciated that he was looking after her, but she also felt that it was getting kind of overbearing.

...Not that she blamed him, really. He was the only thing that kept her grounded these days, and even that didn't feel like enough anymore. She knew that a chat was in order, not just to try and smooth out their relationship issues, but also to discuss the ever-present threat of the Earthbound Immortal she tethered.

Due to Yuzu's condition, the group had elected to rest until she recovered somewhat, and for Celina's sake, they chose not to do so in the now-abandoned royal castle. That made it the perfect place for a private meeting, so Carly indicated to Jack that she wanted to talk there; he was busy with something else, and so that gave her some time alone with Aslla Piscu before he arrived, a fact that she wasn't especially comfortable with.

"You still do not trust me." The demon spoke to Carly as she waited just outside the throne room, leaning against the wall. "You are... even more intelligent than I believed."

"Who would trust you?" Carly recalled the other Dark Signers she'd faced, and shook her head. "...Never mind, apparently some people would. Look, I know you're not just gonna let me off when all this is over. You'll take my soul as payment, or eat my body, or..."

"I intend to do none of those things," Aslla Piscu stated, and the tone of its voice almost made her inclined to believe it. "We have discussed this before. When the time comes... I will return to the earth and leave you. You will be free to live your life... though you may never return to humanity."

Carly considered this for a moment. "...So that'd be the payment, huh... I won't ever really be human again. That means..."

At least one of her dreams would be dashed forever, as she knew that some of the changes her body had undergone upon her revival were related to it. That didn't hit as hard as it should have, and she wondered if Aslla Piscu was tampering with her emotions again, as it always did during battles.

"You chose to become my tether," Aslla Piscu reminded Carly, not that she needed the reminder. "You accepted the consequences of doing so. The Crimson Dragon may forgive you for your sins... yet you will live with the reminder of your pact... it is an improvement, perhaps, over the future you tell your third eye to see."

The future she told her third eye to see... that was right, Carly hadn't really bothered with her farsight on this particular subject. She'd just figured it would be clouded by the Earthbound Immortal's whims to make her see what she wanted to see, rather than what truly awaited her.

...Was it really alright to trust Aslla Piscu, just this once? It hadn't betrayed the Signers or their allies yet, so...

"...Carly." Jack's voice echoed from down the hall, distracting Carly from her conundrum. She looked over at him, and saw that he seemed upset - not an unusual thing for him, but there was no anger this time, and that was out of the norm.

"Hey, Jack." Carly waved at him, then beckoned him over; he followed her direction without a word, and she couldn't help wondering just what was on his mind. "...Is something wrong?"

"It's you, Carly." Jack took her hands in his, his touch gentle. "...And me as well." He glanced briefly at his left arm, where the mark of Aslla Piscu had appeared, and then he returned his focus to her. "You won't be the only one affected when all this is over."

"Yeah, you're right... I didn't even think about that." Carly felt ashamed of herself - it was partially her fault, after all. "...Sorry I dragged you into this mess. I guess... at least you still have the Crimson Dragon with you."

"My decisions were my own," Jack insisted, and a small amount of his usual fire returned to him. "You have your own sins to answer for... and they aren't mine." He took a quick breath. "So don't try to take on all the responsibility."

Lost as she was in her inner turmoil, Carly hadn't stopped to think that Jack had, indeed, made those decisions of his own free will. The pact with Aslla Piscu, the borrowing of its power - she hadn't quite been herself at the time, but she understood what Jack was getting at. She tried to force a smile, though she was sure that he would see right through it.

"...Hey, that reminds me." Carly dredged up another thought. "You had two marks there, didn't you? The mark of a Signer, but also the mark of a Dark Signer... I thought the Crimson Dragon didn't do that."

"If I were to wager a guess, I'd say it was a desperation move." Jack looked as if he wasn't keen on recalling that moment. "Just like what I did there. If Aslla Piscu keeps its word, its mark will be temporary, so that may have been the condition."

"I guess it doesn't matter now, does it...?" Carly stared at the ceiling, and she took a moment to focus on her altered, inhuman body - how her blood did not flow right now, how she did not feel the chill in the air around her, and then she closed her eyes, dipping into her inner well of power. Her third eye opened, and two paths appeared before it, clarified by a glowing red outline.

One path showed the future Rasca wished to claim, the world of the Full Eclipse. The other showed a world free of the Earthbound, with all of them once again sealed until the time of their next coming; it didn't appear as part of the vision, but she felt in her soul that this second future was one where the Immortal she tethered had claimed dominion over the others, rising from the bottom of the hierarchy all the way to the top.

"...And if this future should come to pass... it, too, will alter the course of the Earthbound's history." Aslla Piscu spoke up again, supplementing the vision with its own words. "You have shown me much... your strength of will and your madness... they are what shall guide the future. For my next tether... I will seek another like you. A rare breed... yet now I know they exist."

The thought that she could have this much of an impact on the world warmed Carly's cold, dead heart. Of course, she still didn't fully trust Aslla Piscu, but she knew that the warmth she felt was unrelated to it - it felt more like the Crimson Dragon's gift, and that reminded her of the fact that Jack was still holding her hands. She opened her eyes and looked down, and the sight of his mark shining across his right arm gave her just the tiniest bit of faith in the future she beheld.

"There are two possible futures," Carly informed Jack, and her eyes met his. "One is the future of the Full Eclipse, where Rasca gets its way and claims permanent dominion. The other is one where Aslla Piscu claims dominion instead, and... the world won't suffer again for another five thousand years, so..."

She breathed a quiet, nervous laugh. "...Actually, it just told me that it wanted to find another person like me as its next tether. I dunno about that..."

"You should give yourself more credit, Carly." Jack's hold on her hands tightened. "If you're tough enough to impress an Earthbound Immortal, that's saying something." He offered her a slight smile, one more genuine than what she'd forced out before. "So as long as we know what'll happen, we can save the rest for then."

He'd sure cheered up a lot faster than Carly had expected, and she wondered if he was mostly just worried about her. That, too, warmed her heart, and she put on a stronger smile of her own; she knew, of course, that the only future they could allow to happen was the one in which her own Immortal claimed dominion, so for the time being, she didn't even bother considering the other.

"Yeah, you're right," Carly agreed, nodding. "I always just get worked up when I think too hard, so maybe I'm better off not thinking."

"I can help you with that," Jack offered, and he leaned in closer, his face a mere inch away from hers. "Unless you have another idea...?"

"Nah, I'll take you up on that." Carly gripped Jack's hands in return, and her smile broadened into a grin. "You've always been great at distracting me."

As he closed the rest of the distance and pressed his lips to hers, she thought back to when they had first met, a celebrity and a paparazza entangled by fate in something bigger than either of them could have ever imagined. How the tables had turned since then...

Shay hadn't forgotten about what he had witnessed during the battle against Uru, and he doubted that he would forget anytime soon.

Clear as day, Jack had borne two different marks on his body - the mark of the Crimson Dragon alongside the mark of Carly's Earthbound Immortal. While there hadn't been any time to consider it in the heat of the moment, Shay's mind was consumed by his thoughts afterward, even as he'd helped to set a perimeter for everyone to rest. He was reminded of the crest on his own back, the gateway to his power, and while he now had an idea of what that meant, it didn't stop him from feeling just the slightest bit... hollow.

The Crimson Dragon had chosen only five Signers, and Shay wasn't one of them, and he had nearly come to terms with that fact until now. He kept wondering if things could have been different, if he'd been misinformed and that there really was a way for him to have claimed the star shard back then, and while he'd developed this connection with the other royals, it wasn't the same. The strength given to him by that connection was limited, as while it did feed off of the soul bond between himself and his sister, the others were...

Shay wanted answers, and he believed that the only way he could get them was by talking to a Signer. The twins wouldn't do, as they were children, and they wouldn't know any better than him; Jack and Yusei were preoccupied, and that just left Akiza, so the prince started off toward where he knew she was resting. Before he arrived, however, he was interrupted by his sister and the guardian who followed her, and his instincts told him to disregard them - but he knew better than to think they'd let him do that.

"What are you two doing here?" Shay inquired, as he looked between the intrepid pair. "I thought you were supposed to be resting."

"I'm still feeling energized from the battle." Yuto sounded a bit embarrassed, as if that was something to be ashamed of. "Lulu said she was feeling better too, so we decided..."

"I'm sorry." Lulu apologized to her brother, bowing her head briefly. "We should've asked you first."

"What you two do together is none of my business." Shay shook his head, folding his arms across his chest. "...I was going to talk to Akiza. She's the only Signer who'd be able to answer my questions right now."

"Your questions..." Lulu's gaze became distant, and Shay could feel the concern wafting from her. "I thought you seemed upset. This is about Jack, isn't it?"

"A Signer who also bears the mark of a Dark Signer..." Yuto sounded intrigued. "Everything we know tells us that it shouldn't be possible... when the king did the same thing, he was only able to use a tiny fraction of the Crimson Dragon's power." He looked up at Shay. "You're upset about this, aren't you?"

"...A little." Shay answered Yuto with a nod. "I haven't forgotten about what happened to Exyzia. I still want to..."

He trailed off there as another realization came upon him. Assuming that Aslla Piscu kept its word, there was only one Earthbound Immortal left, and the one responsible for his home's destruction had been defeated. More than the frustration he felt at his own weakness, that empty feeling stemmed from the understanding that the purpose he'd dedicated himself to for the last eighteen years had been fulfilled - he'd achieved his revenge, at least in part, and now... what was left?

Had this always been the destination that laid at the end of his path?

"Shay." Lulu addressed her brother, distracting him from his thoughts. "I know what you're thinking... how you're feeling. This isn't just about the Signers, is it?"

Shay turned away, and his hands fell to his sides. "That was an excuse I gave myself..." He glanced over at Yuto briefly. "...I never expected to live this long. I never expected to see the king of Fusionia - Uru - defeated..."

"The war isn't over yet," Yuto reminded Shay, ever the wise one between the three of them. "There's still at least one Earthbound Immortal left, and we can't start rebuilding until all of them are stopped. We'll all need your strength when it's time to fight Rasca."

That was a bit of a strange thing to say, and it piqued Shay's interest enough that he turned back to Yuto and Lulu. "What do you mean, we? Aren't you the only one who needs my..."

"Not quite." Yuto shook his head, and his expression became grim. "I was talking with the Signers earlier, and Carly told us that part of King Rex's plan was to use the latent energies of the Keystone Towers to bring about the Full Eclipse. That, along with the revival of the Supreme Dragon King... we had to come up with a plan of our own, and it was decided that the towers had to be blocked. The only ones who can do that are the descendants of the Queen of Light, and they'll also need transportation..."

With that explanation, everything made sense. The plan was to move the princesses of the four kingdoms to the towers before the battle, and as everyone else would be preoccupied moving to Synchronia, Shay and his Raid Raptors would be the best escort. He didn't like the idea of leaving his sister alone for such an important mission, but perhaps he didn't need to - if the guardians could still be empowered from those distant positions, they would be able to fight just as well as the Signers' dragons, and it took two to empower Yuto.

"...It's a dangerous mission." Shay allowed himself a smile. "Since King Rex wants to use those towers, his Earthbound Immortal will probably send its Servants to them. I'll make sure they don't get their way."

"You agreed to that fast," Lulu noted, giggling, and the warmth of her joy invaded Shay's soul - an invasion he welcomed. "Thank you so much, Shay. I know you're going through a lot right now..."

"I just needed a reminder." Shay's smile broadened, and he moved closer to the pair who stood before him. "Even if Uru's been defeated, I still have a purpose. I'll always have a purpose - to protect and support the ones I love."

The words sounded ridiculous coming from his mouth, but he was far past caring. He reached out to Yuto and Lulu, placing his hands on their shoulders; they looked at each other, then tugged Shay toward them into a group hug, and he didn't hesitate to return the gesture.

Even if he hadn't expected to be alive, he was grateful that he was...

"To protect and support the ones you love..." Yuto's tone was thoughtful, and as soon as the three-way embrace split apart, he looked between the siblings. "I stopped thinking about him when I was trapped in the tower... but I have a nestmate. He and I were separated when we were still in our eggs, and I was never able to find out where he was, but he's out there somewhere... in one of the human kingdoms."

"...A nestmate?" Lulu turned a curious look upon Yuto. "And you're sure he's still alive?"

"To my knowledge," Yuto confirmed with a nod. "I never knew him, but I was told he had eyes like a starry night and wings like the rays of the sun... but if he moved to one of the human kingdoms, he's probably more like how I am right now. When this war is over... I want to look for him. I want to meet him..."

Shay had a feeling that Yuto was a little jealous of the bond between the Exyzian royals. The thought was amusing, but the prince could relate - if he and his sister were separated, he would overturn heaven and earth to find her, as he already had before.

"What made you remember him?" Shay asked, curious. "If you stopped thinking about him..."

"...You did." Yuto looked away, his face flushing just the slightest bit. "He's been on my mind since I met you... I could never think of a good time to bring it up. Sorry if this seems sudden..."

"Oh, Yuto..." Lulu gave the dragon a playful nudge. "It's alright. We'll be focusing on rebuilding Exyzia after the war's over, but we can help you look for your nestmate, too." She paused, and took a short breath. "...Your brother."

"My brother..." Yuto raised one hand to his choker, running his fingers along the tiny stones on it. "I wonder how he sealed his power..." He shook his head, then lowered his hand, smiling. "I know. We have to focus on the upcoming battle with Rasca right now."

"I didn't say anything." Shay couldn't keep the humor out of his tone. "Mind if I join you two?"

Yuto looked over at Lulu, who answered his silent question with a hum; then, the two of them turned their attention to Shay, nodding at him. Perhaps it was rude to interrupt the happy couple's romantic outing, but so long as they didn't mind... after all, Yuzu's spell had affected all the other royals, and Shay was feeling just as energized as his friend and sister.

Optimism had never been his style, but just this once, with the burdens of his past partially relieved, he could look forward to a brighter and more hopeful future.

Chapter 54: Pendulum of the Soul

Chapter Text

As Yuzu stirred into consciousness, she heard the vague sounds of voices around her - three of them, and it didn't register at first who those voices belonged to. She heard an apology, an assurance that it wasn't necessary, a few words of encouragement, and then she opened her eyes and saw the people who'd spoken, two humans and one dragon in human form.

Yuya. That was Yuya, and he was talking with two of the Signers - in her current state, Yuzu had trouble dredging up their names, but it didn't matter when Yuya fixed his full attention on her, his eyes wide with wonder and damp with tears. She couldn't imagine how distraught he must have been after what had happened to her, and she just knew that he'd been watching over her this whole time-

"Yuzu! Yuzu, you're awake!" Yuya's voice carried the exact desperate tone that she'd expected, and he bent down to try and pick her up. "You're okay! I... I was so worried about you..."

"I know..." Yuzu's own voice was weak, and she definitely wasn't back to her usual self yet, but hearing Yuya's voice gave her enough strength to pull herself to her feet with his aid. "...I'm sorry I worried you so much, but... I'm here now."

Yuya pulled Yuzu into a tight embrace as soon as he was able, and she leaned against him in turn, welcoming his support. She felt him crying on her shoulder, and she ran her hands along his back in response, soothing him as best she could.

"Do you need any help?" The voice of the Signers' witch reached Yuzu's ears, and she remembered the girl's name now - Akiza. "You were unconscious for quite some time..."

"It'll probably be a bit longer..." Yuzu pulled away from Yuya, just enough to nod in response to the Signer's inquiry. "...I used everything I had left, so..."

"You saved us." The Signers' leader spoke from his position next to Akiza - Yusei, Yuzu recalled. "Thanks to you, the royal decree on Archfiend and Black Rose was broken, and we were able to defeat Uru."

"Yeah, at the cost of my sanity," Yuya complained, and for some reason, the whiny undertone to his voice was just adorable. "I... I was..." He went quiet, his tone shifting to melancholy. "...I screwed up. I'm sorry..."

"You didn't get anyone hurt while I was out, did you?" Yuzu pulled back fully, placing her hands on Yuya's shoulders as she met his gaze. "It doesn't look like it to me..."

Of course, she couldn't see everyone from her current position, but the fact that Akiza was here and not elsewhere seemed like proof enough that Yuya hadn't gone too crazy. Still, she hadn't missed how upset he'd seemed in her last waking moments...

"...I was jealous." Yuya spoke as if he'd committed some sort of horrible crime, and the mere thought of confessing to it pained him. "When you chose to save everyone instead of trying to empower me... I..."

"You were..." Yuzu raised an eyebrow. "...I feel like I should be surprised, but I'm not. That's... just like you, isn't it?" She offered him her best smile. "Well, I'm sorry I couldn't help you in the last battle, but... there's always next time, right? I haven't given up on it, you know. I just... haven't figured out how to do it yet."

Yuya relaxed a little at her words, and he put on a somewhat forced smile of his own. "Yeah... I figured that was the case. Plus, it's not like empowering me would've saved everyone there... I understand that now."

"...Next time, we'll make it so that no one needs saving," Yuzu declared, and then she glanced at the two Signers. "Sorry, but could you leave us be for a while?"

"I understand." Akiza's expression turned knowing. "I'll help you replenish your magic reserves later, so please take care of yourself until then."

She looked over at Yusei, and then the two were off, leaving Yuzu alone with Yuya. This time, it was her turn to pull him into a tight embrace, and he returned it right away; it was obvious that he still needed some reassurance, and this made providing it much easier.

"...It's for me as much as it is for you," Yuzu admitted after a brief silence, her hold on Yuya loosening; she noted that he, too, loosened his hold on her, albeit a bit reluctantly. "I hated that I couldn't do anything more than what I did... I felt so weak and pathetic... I don't want to feel like that anymore. I want to be able to fight, and to support you..."

"Really?" Yuya pulled back to look at her, surprise in his tone. "You... really felt that way?"

"How would you have felt if the only thing you could do would land you in a coma?" Yuzu narrowed her eyes at him. "The others... before I passed out, I felt their pain. They were also hit hard by the decree, and even if they were grateful for my help, they still worried about me... you should know better than anyone that there's nothing worse than feeling like you can't do anything. I-"

"Don't say another word." Yuya shook his head, and she saw the tears welling in his eyes again. "I... I know. I understand... I'm sorry for doubting you." His smile returned, stronger this time despite his tears. "That doubt's gone now... I believe in you. I-I know you can do this... I know we can do this."

His sentiment warmed Yuzu's heart, and she hummed and nodded in response. "I think I have an idea of how it works. It's different for everyone... Yuto gets help from both Shay and Lulu, and they only give him part of their strength each, laying beneath his own power. Celina partially merges her soul with Yuri's, and then they split apart when Yuri transforms, leaving her magic with him. Rin's power changes Yugo from within, not really empowering him as much as bringing out his own inner strength... so with all that in mind..."

Her gaze dropped to the necklace that Yuya wore, and she focused on the energies contained within it. She felt the intense power of his true form, but also something else - the ebb and flow of magic, as if his entire existence was like a pendulum, swaying back and forth with his emotions.

Something clicked in Yuzu's head with that thought. Yuya's power was tied to his emotions, more intrinsically than any of the other guardians; he weakened with his doubt and strengthened with his faith, and what she needed to do was give him a little push in the other direction when he was at his lowest. She hadn't been able to do that in the last battle, but with the knowledge she'd gained...

"...I think I've got it," Yuzu declared, confident. "Not right now... I'm still too weak, but when it comes time to fight again..."

"You figured it out?" Yuya's smile broadened into a grin. "That's awesome! I'd say I can't wait, but I kinda have to... but I'll be looking forward to it!"

Yuzu felt another surge of warmth in her heart at the sight of Yuya's expression - he looked much better with joy on his face. "I'll make sure you get powered up, no matter what it takes. It might be hard, but when has that ever stopped us?"

"Never," Yuya agreed, and this time, he moved to grasp her hands in his own. "We'll swing things our way and stop Rasca in its tracks... and I'll be twice the dragon I am now!"

He was absolutely precious, and Yuzu felt her face warming up as she threaded their fingers together, basking in his unusual warmth. Assuming everything went as planned, they would be able to fulfill their promise to each other soon, and more than anything else, Yuzu looked forward to that.

For now, though, it was time to rest and prepare - even if that meant curling up beside Yuya with his body as a blanket, which was what the princess intended to do if he was amenable.

With the sun peeking over the horizon, it was time to depart from Fusionia. The prince of Exyzia stood surrounded by his flock, ready to take off when the signal was given; the Signers planned to fly to Synchronia, carried by their dragons, while Carly would follow with the aid of her dark gift. There was just one matter left to address, and before he called out Stardust, Yusei made his way over to where Akiza stood, sensing that she was a little nervous.

"How are you holding up?" Yusei asked Akiza, broadcasting his concern to her. "Do you need to sit this one out?"

"No, I'm fine." Akiza shook her head, and she offered him an attempt at a smile. "Restoring Princess Yuzu's magic reserves was a bit draining, but I can still fight. Thank you for worrying about me, though."

"There's a lot at stake this time." Satisfied with her answer, Yusei turned his gaze to the sky. "Even more than our previous battles, we can't afford to lose." He placed his left hand over his right shoulder, recalling the jagged scar that marked where his arm had been severed. "...But I know we won't, as long as we stick together."

"I know, but..." In contrast, Akiza turned her eyes to the ground, and her left hand went to the mark of the Crimson Dragon on her right arm. "...There's no telling if we'll all leave this battle alive. We've already had too many close calls..."

"Things will be different this time," Yusei asserted. "We know what we're getting into, and we know how to handle our opponent's abilities. The king's royal edicts won't catch us off-guard this time."

"...What if he has dragons on his side, too?" Akiza posed a question that Yusei hadn't been expecting. "The dragons we've known have all been... if not kind, at least they were well-meaning, but that doesn't apply to all dragons. They're more like us than meets the eye."

"Dragons, huh..." Yusei struggled to imagine the king of Synchronia with dragons at his side, but there was no denying the possibility. "In that case, we'll just have to prepare for that, too. Even if they're strong, they can still be defeated."

"Sometimes, I wish I had a fraction of your optimism." Akiza looked over at him, smiling. "But you're right. We've fought Earthbound Immortals, so..."

Yusei smiled back at her, and reached out his hand to her. "At least I have my arm this time." He closed his eyes when she grasped his hand in her own, thinking back to how she'd cared for him while he was infirmed. "...I've never been that scared in my life, so I can't be scared this time."

"If you so insist," Akiza said, and she tightened her grip on his hand; despite her words, her apprehension had melted away. "Do you mind if I rely on you?"

"I wouldn't have it any other way," Yusei told her, and he glanced over at her. "I love helping people out, especially you."

Akiza's cheeks warmed at that statement, and she averted her gaze, though the smile didn't leave her face. "...Two can play at that game, Yusei. Just watch me."

Her confidence had returned, and that was just what Yusei wanted. He gave her hand a final squeeze, then stepped away from her, raising his marked arm; Stardust responded to the gesture, emerging from within Yusei without hesitation, and after a moment, the dragon lowered his wings and head, inviting his bonded human to climb atop him.

"Not yet," Yusei reminded Stardust, and then he glanced over his shoulder, raising his voice. "Yugo!"

The young guardian responded to Yusei's call right away, running over with a spring in his step and a bright expression on his face. While it was possible for Yugo to carry himself there on his own wings, this would preserve his energy, and he'd admitted that he enjoyed riding on Stardust's back.

"We ready to go?" Yugo looked between Yusei and Stardust, and then his eyes settled on Akiza. "What about you? You taking anyone with you?"

"Yuri will be coming with me," Akiza replied, and she, too, called out her bonded dragon. "Black Rose wants to express her gratitude for him restraining her in our last battle."

"Where is he?" Black Rose inquired, projecting her voice for all to hear, and not a moment after she spoke, the one she'd been addressing began to approach. "...Sly as ever. Were he not a guardian, I would deem him dangerous."

"Bold of you to assume I'm not," Yuri remarked, grinning from ear to ear. "I only pray that the others can handle the weight of their charges."

"Do not underestimate them." Black Rose reached out her vines, sliding them around Akiza and Yuri. "The queen is far stronger than she appears, and the heir was chosen for his versatility and skill. I am quite certain that they will be more than capable of carrying out their duties."

"Let's go." Yusei nodded at Yugo, then climbed atop Stardust, bracing himself; when he felt the young dragon's weight against his body, he allowed himself a small, private smile, and then closed his eyes as Stardust took to the sky.

The end of this long and arduous journey was nigh, and while the storm clouds had not yet parted, Yusei had faith that the coming battle would also end with their victory.

Chapter 55: The Ascent

Chapter Text

Yuzu didn't much like the feeling of being alone when she ascended the Keystone Tower of her home country. Just being here brought back all sorts of unpleasant memories - she couldn't stop thinking about her initial imprisonment, before she trapped herself in her temporal prison, and the smell of death in the lower levels didn't help matters any.

There was one small comfort in all this, and that was the fact that Shay had left his escort with Yuzu. She had seen the Raid Raptors in action on the battlefield, and knew that she could rely on them to help her out; this one resembled an eagle, with angular wings and massive, sharp talons, and it floated behind her as she walked up the spiraling staircases to the tower's pinnacle. There hadn't been any adversity yet, but Yuzu could feel that something was not quite right here, and having a companion to watch her back put her at relative ease.

As she approached the room that had once been her prison, Yuzu saw an image of something that wasn't from her memories of the tower. She recognized the striking red hair of the Queen of Light, and the background looked to be some sort of temple, with stone pillars supporting the ceiling and engraved murals on the walls. Those murals depicted-

Yuzu knew those marks. She'd seen them on the arms of the Dark Signers, and the knowledge of what they most likely meant sent a chill down her spine. Why in the world would Ray have visited a temple to the Earthbound?

The vision fizzled out, and as Yuzu returned to reality, she heard Shay's escort twittering nervously behind her. She glanced around the room she was in - the top room at last, with the warped remnants of her cage still strewn across the floor - and she soon sensed the same thing the eagle had, a sinister presence which made the hairs on the back of her neck stand on end.

"...An Earthbound Servant," Yuzu guessed, speaking aloud to herself despite the fact that no one was around to hear. The sound of her own voice helped to calm her nerves, though there was no fully quenching her anxiety when faced with a battle like this.

The shadows congealed into a solid form, a being that was vaguely humanlike in shape, but the array of angular glyphs across its skin reminded Yuzu of what it truly was. It fixed its glowing eyes on her, and then a voice echoed in her head, low and sinister.

"Wiraqocha Rasca is not like the other Earthbound Immortals. Its most devoted followers possess more than enough strength to slay some foolish little princess... and you are indeed foolish, as you have walked straight into my trap!"

Dark tendrils encircled Yuzu's limbs, and it took her a moment to draw out the energy needed to dispel the Servant's binds. Her escort charged forward with talons outstretched, and it barely managed to avoid a burst of energy sent at it by their foe; the princess straightened herself out, narrowing her eyes at the Earthbound Servant, and she reached deep into her magic well to prepare her counterattack.

What Yuzu found inside her soul was not what she had expected. The tower itself was responding to her presence, its own energies causing her well to overflow; she sensed Shay's presence through his escort, and it seemed almost as if he was trying to... encourage her?

"...Shay?" Yuzu addressed the Raid Raptor, and it glanced back at her, meeting her gaze. There was no doubt - it was as if he was there with her, and she could almost feel the smile on his face as he told her without words that she had this in the bag. His confidence emboldened her, and she gave the bird a smile and a nod before returning her full attention to the Servant, channeling her power through her body as she readied her spell.

"How laughable," the Servant taunted, and it prepared a spell of its own. "Your comrade is not here with you. Even now, he struggles against my kin... soon, he will-"

"You shut your trap!" Yuzu cut off the creature, and brilliant rays of pink light burst out from her limbs, focusing on her enemy. "You're just a mook! You don't get to talk!"

"Your words are meaningless." The Servant drowned out Yuzu's light with a wall of darkness, which shattered once her spell died down; the shards of solid shadow shot out toward her, and she braced herself for impact - an impact which never came, as her escort shielded her with its wings, taking the brunt of the attack for her.

"Thanks, Shay," Yuzu told the Raid Raptor, trusting that her message would get through to her fellow royal. She felt his presence again as she dipped into her magic well for a second time, drawing out even more power; the light around her refracted in a kaleidoscope of colors across the room's walls, every brick in the tower becoming a weapon as she changed her soul into a lens that amplified the radiance she brought forth, searing through the Earthbound Servant's cursed form.

When Yuzu looked at where her foe had been, she saw that it had become a smoldering pile of ash on the floor, and she felt a bit tired. She saw that her escort had collapsed upon the ground, its wings battered from defending her, but it still managed to look up at her; she had no doubt that it needed repairs, and her heart ached at the thought that Shay had willingly put one of his most loyal allies on the line for her sake.

If he was as occupied as the Earthbound Servant had claimed, that just made the fact all the more impressive...

"...I don't know if I can fix you." Yuzu bent down to place a hand on the metallic bird's head, and it chirped at her - a sound that translated clearly in her mind, telling her that there was nothing to worry about. Even if it was weakened, it could still protect her, and she had a more important task to carry out right now.

Yuzu picked herself up and made her way to the center of the room, closing her eyes yet again so that she could focus; the nexus atop the tower's roof linked with her consciousness, and she felt as if she had become one with the structure itself, like the soil around the foundation was brushing against her skin-

She felt Yuya's presence, far off in Synchronia, and with the aid of the Keystone Tower, that distance was meaningless. She heard every word he spoke clearly, and while she'd have to put in a little extra effort to form a proper connection with him, she could wait until the need arrived.

So long as Yuzu maintained control over this tower, there was nothing to fear - she knew exactly what she had to do.

The Keystone Tower of Synchronia seemed much larger now than it had when Rin was trapped inside it. Of course, she had been restricted to the upper levels then, but it felt as if ascending the stairs took forever - longer than it should've, and it gave her time to think about all the things she didn't want to think about.

This was her first true act of direct defiance against her father. Perhaps she wouldn't fight him on the frontlines, but blocking the tower with her magic ran contrary to what Rex desired, and Rin wasn't sure how to feel about it. On the one hand, she was cutting herself off from her family for good, fighting to usurp the throne before it was time, but on the other hand...

Rin reminded herself that her father had died a long time ago. The man she fought now was a mere husk puppeted by an Earthbound Immortal, and this reminder gave her the strength to keep going - to keep fighting.

Despite the lingering bitterness Rin felt about her imprisonment, there was something comforting about the Keystone Tower as well. This was where she had met Yugo, where he had watched over her while she waited in stasis; she'd seen that the hole in the wall from their escape was still there, although a handful of supports had been installed to prevent the tower from collapsing, and she wondered when and how those had gotten there. Perhaps as part of Rex's plan - he needed the tower himself, so that hole was a bit of a problem.

Rin could still feel traces of Yugo's power etched into the tower's walls. He'd had free rein of the entire structure, and was only barred from leaving it; the less savory remains of what had transpired in the lower levels had rotted away for the most part, though the smell hadn't entirely gone away, and it was a good thing that the princess had a strong stomach. She knew that it wasn't really Yugo's fault, but part of her kind of wanted to scold him for leaving such a mess behind.

...Was there a term for this feeling besides cognitive dissonance?

The small, round shrike which accompanied her seemed the weakest of Shay's avian arsenal, but Rin had seen firsthand how it supported its fellows on the battlefield. She only hoped that the prince wouldn't have to hurt himself to support her - she had seen how this one grew stronger with the suffering of its commander, and he would have his own struggles to face as he ascended Exyzia's Keystone Tower. All of them needed what strength they could muster for this battle-

The world around Rin twisted into a vision that she hadn't seen before, a picture of the Supreme Dragon King resting in an open field at night. The Queen of Light laid beside him, watching the stars; their mouths moved, but Rin couldn't make out what they were saying, and she wished she'd properly learned how to read lips. The two of them seemed... happy together, which just made the tale told by Queen Fairy all the more confusing.

Rin didn't get to finish her thoughts, as the illusion vanished just as quickly as it had appeared, leaving her to stare at the walls of the tower's top room. The remnants of her cage remained, and the supports holding the shattered wall together didn't conceal the unmistakable impact of Yugo's wind - his magic lingered even stronger here, like a warm breeze weaving through her heart, and it was almost enough to counteract the darkness that she also felt nearby.

"...A fool's errand." The voice seemed to come from everywhere and nowhere at once, and Rin recognized it immediately as the sound of an Earthbound Servant. "You think yourself safe from the darkness... your guard is not by your side. He cannot protect you now."

"I don't need protecting," Rin shot back, though her confidence did waver a bit - she hadn't been in many solo battles, and this Servant seemed stronger than most. "You're gonna regret saying that...!"

She didn't waste a moment, calling upon her magic to dispel the shroud which concealed her foe. The creature had a vaguely human-like shape, though its pitch-black skin and the pattern of glowing lines across its form betrayed what it truly was; it hissed at her and prepared its own spell, one which seemed tailor-made to counter her - the air around her became stagnant, and her limbs began to feel heavy and unresponsive.

That was when the false raptor by Rin's side made its move. Its wings lit up with a fire that seemed dangerous to its own integrity, and it charged forth, aiming to impale the Servant with its beak; it missed its mark, but its flame singed the target's body regardless, and an unholy screech of pain echoed from the Earthbound Servant. The oppressive aura lifted somewhat, and Rin took advantage of the opportunity to dip into her magic well again, drawing out more power than before as...

The entire tower seemed to respond to her, each of its bricks - even the broken ones lying at its base - instilling their power into her soul. The surge of energy was enough to break the Servant's spell, and Rin's wind answered her with the slightest thought, whirling around her opponent as the room's temperature dropped. Shards of ice formed across the Servant's form, piercing through its skin, and it gave another cry of pain as it struggled to break free from the blizzard.

"...Thanks, Shay," Rin found herself telling the shrike, and to her surprise, she felt his emotions resonating in her soul. Even at this distance, the connection between Ray's descendants was powerful, and Rin allowed herself a small smile as she realized that Shay was encouraging her - telling her that this was an easy win for her, as her magic was the most potent of them all.

With that sentiment in her heart, Rin upped the ante on her spell, not giving an inch for the Earthbound Servant to breathe. The ice crystals grew larger and more jagged, and the small tornado she'd conjured sped up its rotation, and before long, the accursed thing she was fighting melted away into a pool of oily blood, not even managing to get in another word.

That was almost too easy. Rin felt a slight pang of disappointment at how quickly she'd laid waste to the Earthbound Servant, and then she reminded herself that it was a good thing. This way, she could conserve her energy to connect herself with the nexus atop the tower's roof and block any attempts at utilizing it for nefarious purposes.

As she positioned herself at the center of the room, carefully sidestepping the broken bars of metal that had once imprisoned her, Rin considered the irony in her situation. Here she was, back where this mess had all started - but now she was fighting back, no longer hiding in stasis behind a dragon who was just as traumatized as her, able to help him despite the distance between them.

She closed her eyes, focused on the nexus, and embraced the feeling of connecting with the place where she had bonded with her guardian.

The very idea of returning to Fusionia's Keystone Tower disgusted Celina, but she knew that she had no choice.

As she ascended the stairs to the top, she thought about what had happened between her and Yuri. Even if he'd changed his tune, that didn't change the fact that he had once been brutal, selfish and a total creep; the lack of human remains in the tower's lower levels was a testament to that, indicating that he had happily devoured all of his victims. It turned her stomach to think about, but she couldn't sway her mind toward anything else when she was here.

The owl that accompanied her, half-flesh and half-machine, did little to ease Celina's nerves. Its serrated wings seemed like they could hurt her just as much as her foe, and she wasn't entirely sure how to feel about the prince of Exyzia yet. He was a strong and capable combatant, and he had shown his emotions to her through their bond as royals, but she didn't know him, and that troubled her almost as much as her location.

Still, it was something, and Celina wasn't alone. She tried to remind herself that she didn't need to be so paranoid, that Yuri had left his old ways behind him and that the others of the group would give everything they had to help her, but- her thoughts came to a sudden halt as she realized that the world around her had warped beyond recognition, becoming something other than the tower.

A young woman with long red hair was visible, alone in what looked to be a bedroom. The Queen of Light - she had a book in her hand, and she closed it and set it aside before she buried her face in her hands and... cried. Those were definitely tears streaming down her face, but why in the world was she crying, and why did that symbol on the book's cover look remarkably similar to the marks of the Dark Signers?

The vision didn't last long enough for Celina to think about it much. She found herself at the top of the tower, in the same room that Yuri had once tormented her in; her eyes strayed to the barred window that he had melted through with his venom, where she had finally been able to escape, and yet some sort of twisted fate had delivered her right back into his clutches. He wasn't here anymore, but she could sense his presence, permeating each of the tower's bricks like a fading scent.

"Now, who is this?" An unknown voice spoke, and the hairs on the back of Celina's neck stood on end at the eerie sound. "The wayward princess... the master has wanted you for its plan for a long time."

The shadows congealed, forming a creature that resembled a human, but with pitch-black skin and a pattern of glowing lines on its body. Celina took a step back, and her avian escort moved in front of her, as if shielding her with its wings.

"You know I won't go down without a fight." Celina drew upon her magic, empowering her limbs. "...Actually, scratch that. I'm not going down at all!"

She leaped over the owl and charged at her opponent - clearly an Earthbound Servant - but her attempt at a strike from above whiffed, and her foot slammed into the floor instead. If she hadn't strengthened her body, that would've caused a serious injury.

"How sadly mistaken you are, princess," the Servant taunted. "You do know that your magic is useless against me, no? Or are you too foolish to realize even that?"

Celina gritted her teeth and swung at the thing with her fist, and this time, her attack connected. A shroud of black mist crawled up her arm from the point of impact, and pain tore through her nerves like hot lava, causing her to reel and clutch her arm - not quite what she'd anticipated, and it didn't look like the Servant even had a dent in its body.

"What..." Celina glared weakly at her foe. "How did you..."

"Did I not tell you?" The Earthbound Servant raised one of its arms and dusted off the spot that she'd punched. "Your magic cannot harm me. Your royal blood is weak... it would be best sacrificed to the master, rather than left with you."

"You little...!" Celina lunged again, steeling her arm further as she prepared to swing; this time, she felt the sting of contact immediately, and the pain was even more intense, and she flinched and collapsed on the floor, grimacing. She'd never encountered an anti-magic spell quite like this before, and she couldn't even call for reinforcements-

The well within Celina's soul overflowed, and Shay's pet owl howled and swooped in for an attack, raking its talons across the Earthbound Servant's form. The Servant snarled and swatted the bird aside, then began to conjure a spell; a tendril of that same shadowy fog twirled out from the creature's fingertip, aimed directly at Celina, and she was too dazed from her previous wounds to react in time.

The sound of fabric tearing caught her attention, and it dawned upon her that she was floating in midair, carried by the owl's talons. The Servant's attack missed its mark, burning a small hole in the floor instead, and the little imp made a frustrated noise as it started up another spell - but Celina wasn't going to be caught off-guard this time, and she tore herself free from her escort and dropped to the floor before dipping into her magic well yet again.

It was a good thing she hadn't been wearing one of her better outfits.

"Oh, you still resist?" The Earthbound Servant let out a rattling laugh. "You truly are a very foolish girl, young princess. Perhaps if you surrender now-"

"I'll never surrender," Celina hissed, and her hands clenched into fists. "And there's only one person who can call me princess!"

This time, with the tower amplifying her magic, she felt as if her whole body had been set ablaze - a fire which did not burn her, but would engulf that cackling fiend as soon as she got her hands on it. She glanced up at her escort, and the owl hooted in response; then, it divebombed the Earthbound Servant again, timing its attack perfectly to coincide with Celina's.

This time, fist and talon tore through the Servant's flesh, and Celina wasn't struck by agony when she jumped back. The Servant let out a final hair-raising scream as it melted into nothing, not even leaving a stain behind, and she took a deep breath and slumped down on the floor, letting her breath out in a heavy sigh.

"...I hope I never have to do that again," Celina muttered, and the owl perched beside her, looking up at her. It didn't make a whole lot of sense, but she could somehow feel Shay's presence through the bird - he echoed her sentiment, sympathizing with her pain, and she wondered how much he'd hurt himself in his countless battles.

If nothing else, she could relate to him on that front now... but there were more pressing matters to attend to. She shifted away from a bent metal bar that had once been part of her cage, then closed her eyes and focused on the Keystone Tower's energies; connecting her soul with the nexus was a simple task, even after what she'd endured, and with the tower's aid, she was able to link herself to Yuri's mind as well.

Celina could sense that her guardian had been displeased before, but his emotions shifted quickly as soon as he felt her. She breathed another sigh, then opened her mouth to speak, but as he often was, Yuri was one step ahead of her.

"So, how did you fare in your battle?" he inquired, sounding genuinely curious. "Have you defeated the Earthbound Servant yet?"

"...That thing called me princess," Celina spat, still annoyed by that little fact. "Repeatedly."

Yuri laughed, and Celina could practically feel the grin on his face. "Ah, a shame you killed it before I could. I would've loved to torture it for that..."

Celina let out a shaky laugh of her own, and she couldn't help a small smile. As it turned out, he had the same sentiments as her when it came to her royal title...

Since her departure, Lulu hadn't stopped thinking about her fellow princesses and their mutual mission. She knew that Shay had left one of his Raid Raptors with each of them, but she still worried for their safety; at this distance, she couldn't sense them, and the only thing that kept her grounded was her brother's presence.

The first of Shay's Raid Raptors, his favorite falcon, floated beside Lulu as she followed him up the tower's staircases. She looked between him and the bird, and she wanted to say something to break the silence, but she couldn't think of anything - at least, nothing that didn't have to do with her fretting over the others.

"...Lulu." Just as she had that thought, Shay spoke up, addressing her in a soft voice. "How are you holding up?"

Lulu said nothing in response, and she let their connection do the talking instead. Shay hummed his affirmation, then returned his attention to their ascent; she could feel his concern for her, but there was also a sense of pride beneath that - pride directed toward all four of the human princesses, including her.

He was confident that they would return from this mission alive, and that feeling helped to ground Lulu. So long as her brother looked out for her and the others-

Reality distorted around them, and both prince and princess stopped in their tracks as a vision manifested. Before them was the Supreme Dragon King, fallen to the ground after his battle against the Queen of Light; his body was covered with numerous wounds, many of them bleeding profusely, and wisps of light fled from him as he struggled to lift his head. Despite his size, he seemed pitiful next to the victorious queen, who looked upon him with great pain in her eyes.

An unfinished geoglyph stretched across the ground beneath him, drawn by his blood, and his head turned sluggishly to look at the symbol that would have been his. He gave a weak smile, and then went still, the last of his life draining away; the Queen of Light turned away from the dragon she'd slain, but tears welled in her eyes, as if the weight of putting him down was too much for her to bear.

This was the truth of what had happened between Ray and Zarc...

As the image dissipated, Shay turned his head to look back at Lulu, surprise written across his face. "...Did you see that, too?"

"Yes, I did," Lulu confirmed, nodding. "The Dragon King... was happy that he'd been stopped before he could do any more damage."

"That's one way to interpret it..." Despite his words, Shay smiled. "I think you're right, though. He found peace in his last moments." He turned back, glancing across the room they now stood in - the tower's top floor. "So this is where you and Yuto were imprisoned..."

Lulu took note of the hole in the wall that Yuto had made upon their breakout; it had been reinforced by metal supports, though she couldn't guess who had done that or when it had happened. She called upon one of her Lyriluscs to investigate, and the little bird-person manifested out of thin air before fluttering up to the bars.

"...These were put here recently," Lulu mused to herself, translating the information relayed to her by her companion with ease. "I wonder..."

"The last Dark Signer needs this tower for his plan," Shay reminded her. "He probably fixed it so it wouldn't collapse." A wave of anger radiated off of him. "He defiled this symbol of Exyzia..."

"This tower does not belong to you." A low voice spoke, and a black figure manifested before them - an Earthbound Servant. "I will make sure that you are buried here..." The pattern across its body lit up. "...What?"

"You thought I would be alone, didn't you?" Lulu put on her best smile as she stepped up beside her brother, staring straight at the Servant. "How did you not notice him?"

"You are... no, this is not how it was meant to be..." The Earthbound Servant moved back, putting distance between itself and the two royals. "The master... was supposed to have vanquished you..."

"With what army?" Shay channeled his power into the crest on his back, and the mark shone bright, lighting up the room with a red glow - far stronger than the Earthbound Servant's patterns. "You're the first Servant I've encountered today. How does it feel to be alone?"

Lulu followed after Shay, channeling her own energy; her crest added to the light cast by his, and she felt the resonance between the two crests, deepening her magic well with his. "So even the mighty Wiraqocha Rasca can't see every outcome... and we'll make sure it stays that way!"

"No... NO!!!" The Earthbound Servant screamed as Shay struck it with a single punch, his arm blazing with the combined magic of the two Exyzian heirs. Lulu followed up his attack with one of her own, calling upon the wind to shred through the Servant's wound; it crumbled to dust and was swept away by the lingering breeze, leaving no trace of the fiend behind.

"...It probably isn't the only one." Shay dusted himself off as his crest dimmed, and then he turned to face Lulu. "I'll keep watch. Let me know when Yuto needs our help." He held out his arm, still reinforced by his magic, and his falcon perched there, already looking out for more enemies.

"Thank you, Shay." Lulu hummed and nodded in response. "And I will."

She concentrated on the tower's structure, linking herself with every enchanted stone; the nexus at the top responded to her, its power swirling around her soul as she sought her guardian. It wasn't long at all before she found Yuto, and even from this distance, she felt him relax when he noticed that she was watching over him.

Now, all that was left was to wait...

Chapter 56: Darkest Before the Dawn

Chapter Text

It had been a while since Yusei had last seen the Outlands, and he could tell immediately that this was not the place he called home.

The border town they landed in was eerily quiet. Even though it was midday, no people or animals wandered the streets, and there was a thick layer of dust coating every surface. The sky was clear, but Rasca's presence loomed, an invisible shroud that weighed heavy on Yusei's shoulders - a reminder of what the Earthbound Immortals were capable of.

It wasn't hard to deduce what had transpired here, and the anger that blazed through Yusei's mark indicated that Jack had figured it out as well.

"Crow..." Jack spoke the name of his youngest brother quietly, then raised his eyes to the sky. "You've just given me another reason to kill you, King Rex...!"

...There was a distinct chance that Crow had suffered the same fate as the rest, though Yusei knew better than to let anger cloud his judgment. Right now, they all needed to keep their cool and find the king, and there was reason to believe he was still in the capital - perhaps it would have been more resourceful to get closer first, but...

"There is another we must find," Stardust reminded his bonded human. "...I sensed her here. You sense her as well, do you not?"

That oppressive presence, distinctly human and yet entirely monstrous, was unmistakable indeed. She was the reason they had come here instead of going straight for the capital.

"I feel her," Yusei confirmed with a hum and a nod. "She isn't far from here."

"A little too close for comfort," Yuya mused. "I hope we can convince her this time..."

"I wouldn't bet on it." Yuto shook his head, then shifted into his true form. "We should be ready for a fight."

The other guardian dragons followed after Yuto, though Yuya seemed a bit reluctant. Yusei agreed with the odd-eyed guardian's assessment; it would be a difficult task for sure, but if they were able to avoid a fight, that energy could be saved for the battle against Rasca.

All she needed was a little persuading...

Sure enough, it didn't take long for the Queen of Light to arrive in all her seething glory. Her eyes shone with her power, and the guardians were wrapped with magic threads in an instant, binding them in four colors - none of which were red. Yuri roared as he struggled against his new binds, but it was to no avail; Akiza stepped in front of him, placing herself between him and Ray, and that was enough to convince Yusei to do the same for Yuya.

"...You're protecting them?" Ray scoffed, her annoyance plain. "As the chosen of the Crimson Dragon who are supposed to save the world from calamity?" She watched as Jack placed himself in front of Yugo, even going as far as to call out his bonded dragon. "You know what they're capable of. You know how dangerous they are."

"And I don't care," Jack stated flatly. "I'd say I'm pretty dangerous, too... and has the Crimson Dragon rejected me for it?" He held up his arm, showing his mark. "No, because I'm using my power for good. What're you using yours for? Trying to kill some children?"

"The guardian dragons haven't done anything wrong!" Luna protested, and she, too, made her way in front of a guardian - Yuto. "Queen Fairy was there when it happened... when the Dragon King took over... and she still saved Yuya when he was hurt! She believes in him, so..."

"She should never have been elected as his replacement." Ray's eyes tracked Leo as he stepped up beside his sister, also guarding Yuto. "She's too soft... she can't rule the realm of dragons like this. Not if she lets these guardians of chaos slip."

"Guardians of... how insolent can you be!?" Archfiend roared at Ray, and flames swirled around his body. "They are guardians of your descendants - they wish to protect the human kingdoms! Her Majesty sides with them because she knows their potential!"

"That same potential killed countless dragons and humans alike when Zarc rose to power!" Ray countered, unyielding. "Now, get out of my way so I can root out this evil for good!"

"We aren't going anywhere." Yusei stood firm, and the conviction of the other Signers flowed in through his mark - they were all on the same page here. "If you want to hurt our friends, you'll have to get through us first." He paused, taking a short breath. "There's a lot more at stake here now. Haven't you seen what the Earthbound Immortals can do?"

"...And Zarc would've been one of them if I hadn't stopped him." Ray reached into her soul, calling upon her magic - her ultimate power which only one of them could counter. "If you aren't going to move on your own, I declare that-"

Before the spell could finish, the sky's color suddenly changed as pitch-black clouds blotted out the sun. The oppressive aura that settled across the area was far stronger than even Ray's, and she groaned and clutched her head, her attempt to declare a royal edict cut short by the presence of their true foe.

"My great and powerful ancestor, the Queen of Light." The king of Synchronia appeared from a veil of shadow, slowly making his way toward the group. "Rasca is quite displeased with this turn of events. Ending the lives of those children so swiftly will not bring it the suffering it craves... so I'm afraid I will have to defy you."

"...Rex?" Ray pulled herself back up, sparing only a single glance back at the Signers - Yusei had managed to stay standing, but the others had collapsed under the weight of Rasca's power. "What are you... doing here...?"

"...We tried to tell you, but you wouldn't listen." Yusei took a slow step forward - moving was still difficult, but he was determined to make his point. "The Earthbound Immortals are the real threat... you wanted to stop Zarc because he was about to become one, right...?"

"A... a Dark Signer..." Ray fixed her full attention on Rex. "I-I thought..."

"Didn't you notice me?" Carly stepped forward, unaffected by the magic pressure. "I'm a Dark Signer too, and I've been here all along. It's that time again... the time that the Earthbound Immortals rise from the earth in search of dominion. That's why the Crimson Dragon brought you back to life in the first place."

"...Stop this foolishness." Akiza fought to drag herself up, even calling upon a few vines to support her. "Queen of Light... even you must understand... the crisis we face. The Earthbound... will not stop until all of us are dead... and they'll make us suffer, too. They already have..."

Images of what had transpired in the forest of thorns flashed through Yusei's mind, fed to him through Akiza's mark. The memory of Leo's death followed from Luna, and then Jack reminded him of the terror that came with being placed under a royal decree; Yusei answered them with the pain he'd felt when Greiger ripped his arm out, as well as the heartache that had almost consumed him when he saw Kalin as a Dark Signer. With those reminders, the rest of the Signers were able to stand, casting off the debilitating power of the Earthbound Immortal they were about to battle against.

"...You've wasted our energy." Yuto's anger was clear in his projected voice, and he punctuated his statement with a roar as the threads binding him snapped. "And our time... we could've spent this preparing to stop Rasca."

"I'm sick of you trying to kill us!" Yugo echoed Yuto's sentiment, and he, too, broke his chains with a roar. "If you still wanna do it, at least wait until after we're done with this guy!"

"I'd prefer it if you didn't kill us." Yuri shook off his binds without much effort - the spell used to restrain the guardians must have weakened when Ray was distracted. "And if you try, I'll remind you that I'm the predator here."

"Even if you don't help us out, you should at least help the Signers!" Yuya stepped forward, the threads sliding off of him as he moved, and he mirrored the roars of his fellow guardians. "They need your help, Queen of Light... we need your help!"

"...Fine," Ray conceded, annoyed. "I'll help the Signers. I won't be helping you four, though... I'm still killing you after we defeat this Earthbound Immortal. Don't forget that."

Yusei immediately knew what her strategy was - she hoped that the guardians would be weakened or killed in this fight so that she wouldn't have to exert as much effort to dispose of them herself. It was despicable, but none of them had the time to think much about it, and so he breathed a sigh and quietly accepted those terms... for the time being.

If she thought that killing the guardians would be an easy task, she had another thing coming...

With his restraints dispelled and a temporary compromise reached, Yuya turned his thoughts to the strange presences he felt beyond Rasca.

Four dragons, and he could've sworn that one of them felt familiar somehow. A whisper of a near-forgotten memory, of a warm den and an unforgettable performance and just a hint of envy - but he'd been trapped in the tower for too long, his mind plagued by the decree he'd been placed under and the princess he'd been forced to protect, and even if he chose to guard her now, that time would never leave him as long as he lived. He could never return to his old life, and while thinking about it brought him a few pangs of sorrow, he preferred looking forward to the future he would create with Yuzu after this war.

A future where he was respected and admired, rather than shunned and mocked-

"And what do we have here?" A voice echoed in Yuya's head, and he looked up to see two strangely-shaped dragons - each of them seemed to have been sealed inside floating stone tablets, with a set of heads poking out from the sides. Mutants for certain, but had they also been placed under some sort of hex?

"A little hatchling out to play..." A second voice reached Yuya's mind, and he recognized that the two strange dragons were openly talking with each other. "A fool, a fool, a fool, a fool! How pathetic and weak he is! How he thinks he can battle against us, the mightiest of dragons!"

"Not just one, but four... four!" The first dragon - the one painted in daylight tones - gave a shrieking laugh from all four heads. "Four little hatchlings... four little failures... how pathetic. How pathetic, how pathetic, how pathetic! Do you not agree, Quilla, my dear nestmate?"

"I agree, I agree, I agree, I agree!" The second dragon, the one painted in nighttime tones, agreed with a laugh of its own. "Inti, my beloved, should we not show them our... gifts?"

...Not only were these two clearly on Rasca's side, their chatter was completely insufferable. Yuya wished that his arms were long enough to rub his aching head in this form.

"Ah, but the one... I'm not so sure he'll accept this gift." Inti cackled again, all four of the dragon's heads joining in on the merriment. "He hardly even knows what it is, after all!"

"Then perhaps we should remind him?" Quilla suggested. "From one nestmate... to another!"

From the shadows surrounding the twin dragons, another form emerged, and Yuya had to squint as soon as he saw it. The dragon he beheld had wings of solid light, blue rays that radiated behind it like a distant star; its body shone with the same energy, and its eyes - they looked like a starry night, except that didn't feel like a strong enough descriptor for what was hidden behind those eyes.

It was as if the power of the cosmos had built this dragon, rather than it hatching from an egg - and it smelled almost like...

"That's..." Yuto responded to the new dragon's presence, horror filling his voice. "That's him... wings like the rays of the sun, and eyes like..."

"...Eyes like the galaxy," Yuya finished for his fellow guardian, deeming that a much more appropriate descriptor. "You know him, Yuto?"

"Yes... and no." Yuto gave a slight shake of his head. "We were separated... before we hatched..."

"In case it wasn't clear, this is the boy's dear nestmate!" Inti elaborated, completely unprompted. "His egg was stolen, and he grew up under the loving care of a thief... and when he gained a little nestmate of his own, he fled like a coward to the human realms and gave himself a new name! The one with the eyes like the galaxy calls himself Kite now... Kite!"

"A foolish name, a foolish name, a foolish name, a foolish name!" Quilla roared with mocking laughter. "A human name! Weak and subservient... the perfect gift for a foolish, foolish, foolish, foolish dragon who's also chosen to live among humans!" The four heads turned to Yuya. "Ah, but we haven't forgotten you. We have a little gift for you, too... want to see it? Of course you do!"

Before Yuya could respond, another shroud of darkness peeled back, revealing a form that was all too familiar to him. Scales of red and white covered the dragon's body, and magnificent wings sprouted from his back; the magic orbs that adorned his form shone in radiant blue, and as he fixed his gaze on the younger dragon who stood before him, a hint of warmth and affection glimmered in those mismatched red and green eyes - eyes that were otherwise clouded by the power of a royal edict.

Yes, this was a dragon that Yuya knew all too well-

"Dad!?"

Chapter 57: Eclipse

Chapter Text

Carly's third eye had been blinded by her foe's terrible dominion, yet she felt as if she saw clearer than ever.

This battle was the culmination of everything she had endured since she'd joined that awful cult. A chance for revenge, hope to free her country from the evil that gripped it, the promise of standing alongside Jack as he, too, accomplished his ultimate goal - she had cursed herself in doing so, but if she were given the choice, she would have done it all over again. It was worth it to witness the truth with her own two eyes, rather than scouring for it with her magic gift.

Uru's tactics this cycle ensured that it would never claim dominion. It was just weak enough that it would forever lay beneath Rasca, even if the Full Eclipse did not come to pass; it had been too aggressive in devouring Fusionia, and Carly wondered if this had been a conscious decision on the Immortal's part. Either way, it didn't matter now - Uru had returned to the earth, and only two of the Earthbound's rulers remained.

"Carly, my most promising student." Professor Goodwin - no, King Rex bore a smirk on his face as he stepped toward the one he had once cruelly mentored. "It pleases me to see that you have accepted your destiny as a follower of Rasca... and it saddens me to know that I must put you down. Worry not, for I will remember you beneath the Full Eclipse, along with your fallen comrades."

"No." Carly firmly shook her head, and the demon she tethered emerged with a triumphant shriek. "Aslla Piscu is tired of being at the bottom of the food chain... so it's employed some unorthodox tactics to claim dominion." She looked up at the sky, at the final Earthbound Immortal's form - it was so large that its wings nearly stretched across the entire horizon, and unlike her own, those wings were unchained. "And in the process, it's learned a few things... including respect for certain mortals. Not something you'd expect the Earthbound to know, huh?"

"Respect is meaningless," Rex stated in response. "It will not bring you dominion. Only meticulous planning shall free the Earthbound from their prison... you, too, must know that!"

"That... has yet to be decided." Aslla Piscu spoke, broadcasting its voice for all to hear. "Perhaps your methods will win today... but that is no guarantee. Only when the battle concludes can we know the truth... and then, one of us will lie defeated." A brief pause. "...I promise that it will be you, Wiraqocha Rasca... I will claim dominion over you at last!"

"That... Earthbound Immortal..." Ray turned her attention to the sky as well, though she focused on the smaller of the two Immortals. "...This is all about dominion? You've burned the world because you want to be on top?"

Aslla Piscu gave a horrific, ear-piercing laugh. "I have not burned the world... I have only burned a small forest. Wiraqocha Rasca is the one who wishes to burn the world... and has already done so in part... if you would only look to your left and to your right." Another, slightly longer pause. "...Queen of Light. Should the battle turn against us... you must employ what you once learned to defeat the one who did not join us... and know that you have not seen the last of him, either."

"...I don't need filth like you to tell me what to do," Ray spat. "And we won't be seeing him again. I made sure of that."

"Do not be so certain of that." Rex gave a laugh of his own, this one only slightly more pleasant to the ears than Aslla Piscu's. "His power shall be mine... I will use him as the battery I need to bring about the Full Eclipse!"

"And how are you supposed to do that?" Ray scoffed. "Even the Crimson Dragon can't bring back a soul as broken as his-"

"How little you know for one who has seen so much of the world," Rex interrupted her, unflinching. "Already, the Crimson Dragon has begun to gather the fragments of the Supreme Dragon King's soul. When it finds the last piece... I will claim dominion over it, as I have the other Earthbound Immortals!" His eyes shone with the overwhelming power bestowed upon him by his lineage. "Now, Signers, hear me and obey! Bestow upon me your marks, so that I may make the Crimson Dragon into my slave! As for those foolish guardians... you shall tear into each other as wind and venom!"

"Did you really just...?" Ray's face contorted, and she sounded as if she was fighting to hold back laughter. "In front of me? The Queen of Light, the one who gave you that power in the first place? You of all people should know that this won't work!"

She issued a decree of her own, her power canceling out Rex's order - for the Signers alone. Carly could sense that the spell had only been diverted, and with the way Yugo and Yuri looked at each other... Ray had made her intentions regarding the guardians perfectly clear, and now, more than ever, those gruesome intentions showed.

With the other royals unavailable, there was nothing they could do for the guardians. Carly only prayed that those two didn't kill each other before the battle - and thus the edict - ended.

It wasn't the first time that Yuri had been under the sway of a royal decree. The first time, he had gone right along with it, barely even noticing the magic that compelled him - his body did what his mind wanted to, and so it wasn't any sort of problem.

This time was different. This time, he'd gotten a taste of freedom, and his soul was no longer wrapped in Uru's foul web. He fought against the human king's words, but it was no use - he was trapped in his own mind, forced to watch as his mouths shot toward Yugo, just narrowly missing the other dragon's wings.

Could his voice reach anyone else in this state? Was there any point in even trying?

A pang of annoyance struck Yuri as he struck at Yugo again, this time using the blade at the tip of his tail. Again, Yugo evaded the attack, then called upon the wind for a counterattack; the razor breeze stung against Yuri's scales, but the injuries weren't serious, and he wondered if this dance had been choreographed this way on purpose.

The Earthbound Immortals fed not only on the souls of mortals, but also on their negative emotions - their pain and suffering, their anger and hatred, all the horrible things that plagued this filthy world. The battle between the two guardians would not kill either of them quickly, but it would further empower Rasca, and that was something Yuri loathed even more than his current predicament.

Another lash of his tail, and this time, Yuri's blade struck true. A crack appeared in Yugo's wing and he roared in pain, tumbling end over end in midair - dramatic to be certain, but someone like him was bound to overreact, even when his body and mind were separated like this.

"You..." Yuri attempted to project his voice, hoping that one or more of the Signers would hear him - they had entered the fight themselves, striking down the rising Earthbound Servants alongside their bonded dragons. "You, come here and hold us down! I don't very much like not being in control of my body, you know!"

There was no reaction whatsoever, much to Yuri's disappointment. He should've expected that they weren't able to hear him, but for some reason, it hurt worse than the magic storm which brewed about him, called forth by his forced opponent. He was sure that Yugo was screaming as well, calling out for Rin or Yusei or whoever would be willing and able to help him.

Alas, it was pointless. Two of Yuri's mouths snapped at Yugo again, and one of them caught another wing, acid venom melting away the crystalline structure. Yugo howled again, and his barbed tail whipped forth, scraping the neck of the mouth that had bitten him - painful enough that Yuri was forced to pull his mouth back, but again, the wound was shallow and only bled a little.

For a split second, Yuri's eyes met Yugo's, and the two of them shared their frustration with this situation - the only emotion they could express, as the connection between them as guardians had been blocked off. Not that it had been a prominent thing to begin with in Yuri's case, but he'd felt a few things here and there, and for some reason beyond his understanding, it stung to feel that separation.

Another swing and bite, countered by a gale so strong that it nearly sent Yuri flying. He managed to steady himself, but then Yugo was right in his face, hand drawn back to deliver a powerful blow. Yuri caught Yugo's claws in his own, stopping the attack dead in its tracks - and then Yugo snapped at Yuri with his jaws, a direct mirror of what the mutant had done before.

This was ridiculous. If only Celina were here, she would have been able to put an end to this charade in an instant.

Celina...

Yuri thought back to all the time he'd spent with the princess of Fusionia - both before and after their escape from the tower. He recalled how she had hated him, how she'd desperately tried to flee from him at every opportunity, until she reached Fusionia and found that she had bitten off more than she could chew. Her alliance of convenience with him had turned into something more, and she had taught him a lesson he would carry with him until the end of his life, long after she died... assuming all went well, of course.

He refused to let this pathetic excuse for a human husk control him. The Queen of Light's power had always been deemed absolute, and the only way to dispel it was with the aid of one of her descendants or an Earthbound Immortal - but neither of those options were on the table right now, and thus Yuri had to do it himself. He struggled harder against his cursed fetters, raging against the nigh-omnipotent magic that had been used in ages past to put a stop to the Supreme Dragon King's reign of terror, thoughts of his dear princess flashing through his head as he pictured her yelling at him for being so pathetic-

Something snapped, and Yuri was able to leap back from Yugo at his own command. A split second after, he felt the connection that Celina had formed with him, and he turned the whole of his focus toward that link; she answered immediately, imparting a fragment of her soul to join with his, and he felt the weight of the Keystone Tower around her, each brick threaded with her soul the same as his with hers.

The two split apart as Yuri's power surged, transforming him one limb at a time. Before him, his fellow guardian underwent the same change - light wrapped around Yugo, drawing out his inner strength as his wings sharpened and changed shape, gleaming in the dim light cast by Yuri's bioluminescence. Before long, the two of them were complete, having shattered the unbreakable binds of the royal decree with determination alone... and perhaps a few positive thoughts.

"...Hey, you okay?" As usual, the first thing Yugo said after regaining control over himself was something stupid. "I didn't hurt you too badly, did I?"

"You're even more pathetic than I thought," Yuri retorted, laughing dismissively. "Did you really think your weak attacks could hurt me?"

"Hey!" Yugo shouted back, annoyed. "I got you good, and you know it! Don't think I didn't smell your blood!"

It seemed as though Yugo's imprisonment hadn't dragged his spirits down - a good thing, considering their next obstacle. The twisted, cursed dragons who had joined sides with Rasca were getting on Yuri's nerves with their mere presence, and he glared at the dragon of the moon, preparing to demonstrate what a real mutant was made of.

When Yugo turned his attention to the dragon of the sun, Yuri grinned with all five of his mouths, knowing that his fellow guardian had gotten the message - Inti and Quilla would perish at their hands, no matter the cost.

Chapter 58: Brave

Chapter Text

Yuto had never expected to meet his nestmate like this.

The dragon who opposed him - Kite, as he had been called by the cackling maniacs - was almost brighter than the sun, his body just as radiant as his wings. That fact made him hard to look at, and thus difficult to fight, and Yuto hoped that he could rely on his senses other than his sight for this battle.

"Can you hear me?" Yuto called out, though he didn't expect a reply. "Kite... it's me, your nestmate... your brother. I'm going to save you, I promise...!"

Kite answered with an ear-piercing roar, and he took a deep breath, preparing to unleash some sort of attack on Yuto. The dark-scaled dragon reminded himself that it was pointless to try and get through to someone under a royal decree, and charged up his own lightning, hoping to cancel out the attack; he considered calling for Lulu's aid, but he wasn't sure if she would be able to help him right now, so for the time being, he chose to fight alone.

The stream of blinding light that erupted from Kite's mouth sliced through Yuto's shield like butter, sending him reeling from the searing pain of pure energy tearing across his scales. He'd suffered worse injuries before, but it disheartened him to know that his nestmate was this much stronger than him - perhaps there was some influence from Rasca, but still...

"Pathetic, pathetic, pathetic, pathetic!" Inti taunted, all four heads cackling in unison. "You can't even withstand a little light? What are you, some sort of shriveled cave mushroom? Fight! Fight! Fight! Fight like you mean it! Or are you even more pathetic than we thought?"

Yuto did his best to tune out the manic dragon, and he focused his power into his wings this time, preparing for a counterattack. There was no hope of breaking the edict on his own, but perhaps if Kite was knocked down and out, he would return to his altered form - a form in which he couldn't fight against the other dragons, no matter how hard the king tried to force him.

"Oh, do you need a little help?" Quilla pitched in, cackling as well. "A shame... a shame, a shame, a shame! You won't get any - you're all by your lonesome... you fool! Fool, fool, fool!"

Those two were the most insufferable creatures that Yuto had ever met, and he had met a lot of insufferable dragons before. He hissed at them, not bothering to waste any more breath on them; as he flew toward Kite, the air around him crackling with electricity, only one thought permeated his mind - to aim for his nestmate's weak point.

The first swipe of Yuto's mandibles missed the crystal at the center of Kite's chest, striking his glowing scales instead. Kite roared again, lashing his tail at Yuto in retaliation; the smaller dragon was barely able to avoid the attack, swooping out of the way just in time - and that left him open for the second attack, as Kite's claws struck Yuto's wing, destabilizing him enough that he had to struggle to stay afloat.

"Look at him... look at him, look at him, look at him!" Inti howled with laughter. "So weak... so foolish... if not for the master's orders, I'd tear him apart myself! What a pathetic, pathetic, pathetic, pathetic excuse for a dragon! And he calls himself a guardian?"

"Some guardian he is, if he can't even protect himself!" Quilla agreed. "How have those humans not killed him yet? He should have died in the tower! Foolish, foolish, foolish, foolish!"

The only thing worse than the twin dragons' laughter was their repetition, and their taunts did their job in keeping Yuto from maintaining his focus. He tried to hone in on Kite's crystal again, but it was impossible - he couldn't see well enough to target it, and his only hope was to charge in again and pray that his attack struck true.

With no other option, Yuto did just that, electrifying his body as he went in. His wing ached, but he could still fly fast enough to evade the stream of energy that Kite unleashed - just barely, as he felt the scalding heat on his skin. He felt his jaw strike flesh again, and the smell of blood filled the air as he pulled back to avoid another tail lashing, though he nearly got hit by Kite's counterattack on the way out.

They were both getting weaker. At this point, Yuto was fine with a double knockout, though he wasn't sure if anyone would be able to look after them if that happened; he glanced around, and saw Stardust and Archfiend battling some Earthbound Servants a short distance away, too distracted to aid the guardians. On the ground, the Signers fought as well - Akiza stood back-to-back with Black Rose as the two of them dealt with some particularly persistent Servants, while Leo and Luna used their combined power to energize Yusei and Jack so that they could stand on even footing with their numerous opponents.

It seemed as if the sheer numbers of the Earthbound prevented anyone from making any leeway, no matter how hard they fought-

"Fool! Fool! Fool! Fool!" The chanting of the sun dragon brought Yuto's attention back to his own fight, just in time to dodge another light blast from Kite. For once, luck was on his side - he didn't even feel that one, and that meant it was the perfect moment to try again. He told himself that the third time was the charm as he charged up, and this time, he felt something like warm light wrapping around him.

"We're here for you." Lulu's gentle voice echoed in Yuto's head, a reversal of how they had communicated when he visited her dreams in the tower. "I know this is difficult... but please don't give up. You can save him."

"Do it quick," Shay added, and his voice sounded strained - he must have been fighting to protect Lulu. "I can't help you out for long..."

This was the same energy that had fed Yuto's soul when he transformed before, and he welcomed it into him, drawing on the wells of the royal siblings to empower himself. His wounds mended as his body changed, the fractal patterns of his new wings casting light across the darkened sky; though he was not as bright as the dragon he fought, he could see clearly now, that brilliant radiance no more painful than a star in the sky.

This time, Yuto's attack struck true, and Kite's roar was weak and pained. The crystal on his chest cracked, and he collapsed to the ground, his light dimming to a mere glow; a moment after, he shifted forms, and Yuto lowered himself to get a good look at his nestmate's altered form.

Blond hair that stuck up straight, framed by a crown of dark blue. Tall and slender and unhealthy-looking, with a pallid face and sunken eyes. On one hand, he bore a single black glove, and three small red crystals adorned the back of it - the source of his power, the artifact that he had sealed his true form within.

"Kite?" Yuto tried calling out to his nestmate, but just like before, there was no response. The attack had done its job - Kite was still alive, but...

"Coming through!" A human voice that Yuto was unfamiliar with rang out, and the loud sound of a motorcycle engine caught his attention. He looked up, then jumped back just in time as the vehicle in question shot past at breakneck speed; the unconscious dragon on the ground disappeared, and Yuto was left confused as he traced the motorcycle with his eyes, trying to make out any features he could.

The rider was clad in rugged clothes and wore a helmet that was pitch-black with a wing motif, echoing some sort of corvid. It was too difficult to make out any other details, but the way Jack and Yusei stopped fighting to look over at the motorcycle reminded Yuto of something they'd mentioned before-

"Wait a minute, isn't that..." Jack sounded incredulous. "...You're still alive?"

"What, you thought I'd go down that easily?" The bike's rider laughed, then shifted his weight, ensuring that his precious cargo was secure. "C'mon, Jack, have a little faith in your little bro!"

...This was Crow, the third nestmate between Jack and Yusei. How had he known that Kite would need rescuing?

"How'd you find us?" Yusei asked a related question, and Yuto could hear the relief in his voice. Clearly, he had a different opinion from Jack.

"The giant glowing condor in the sky helped," Crow remarked. "And then I saw those two dragons fighting... I'm guessing they're your buddies?"

"We'll talk later," Yuto told the young human. "...But thank you for saving him."

Crow waved his hand. "Yeah, I'll leave this to you. Something tells me it's way outta my league... I'll make sure this guy gets some rest. He looks like he needs it."

He revved his motorcycle's engine and sped off, fleeing as quickly as he'd shown up. Yuto had to admit that he was impressed by how easily Crow dodged the attacks of the Earthbound Servants that targeted him - they'd been thrown off momentarily by his arrival, but now they made it their mission to catch him before he escaped.

For Kite's sake, Yuto refused to let that happen. He called upon his power, still amplified by the Exyzian royals' gifts, and unleashed a storm that cleared the path in an instant; before long, Crow and his passenger were no longer visible, and Yuto allowed himself to relax for a moment before he returned his attention to the battle.

There was still the question of how Crow had known what he did, but that would have to wait until after the dust had settled...

Yuya recalled what his father had called himself back in the realm of dragons. It was a distant, almost forgotten memory that came rushing back upon seeing those wings again, and it only took a moment to translate the word into the human tongue - Advancer, more of a stage name than anything, but then again, that was the reason Yuya had developed his own desire. He'd wanted to follow after his father, but given the physical differences between the two of them, doing so had always been... difficult.

Now, once again, they were not on even footing. Advancer floated above Yuya, watching from the sky; though he seemed happy to see his son again, that warmth was not reflected in his actions, as he swooped down to rake his claws across Yuya's prone form.

Pain struck Yuya as a set of small wounds opened on his side - just deep enough to bleed, and he realized that King Rex must have been doing this on purpose. Drawing out the battle would feed Rasca more than a quick death, and that meant Yuya had the opportunity to make a counterattack. Weakening Advancer would be a challenge for sure, but it wasn't impossible.

After all, Yuya had a few tricks up his sleeve that he hadn't employed yet. He took a deep breath, and the air in his body swirled and ignited, mixing with the magic that imbued every fiber of his being; he launched a stream of fire at his father, and the attack struck true, singing the edge of Advancer's wing.

The older dragon roared, and Yuya's heart ached at the pain in his voice. This was not the family reunion the young guardian had hoped for, and more than having to fight his beloved dad, he dreaded what would come afterward - breaking the news that he didn't intend to return to the realm of dragons, and wished to live the rest of his days in the human kingdom of Penduluma alongside his royal mate.

...Why was he thinking of that right now?

"Aww, the little hatchling got distracted!" Inti spoke up, practically giggling at Yuya's misfortune. "Does he have a prospective mate on his mind? One who wouldn't even think twice about rejecting him? Foolish... foolish, foolish, foolish!"

"Who would pursue a wingless brat like that?" Quilla agreed with Inti, breaking into a fit of laughter. "He can't even levitate! What a joke, what a joke, what a joke, what a joke! And look at his dear father... how the two must loathe each other!"

Neither of those statements were true, Yuya told himself. He needed to focus on the battle and ignore the obnoxious mutants - they'd be dead by the end of this battle, anyway. Whether absorbed by Rasca or slain by the Signers or their allies...

"I'm sorry, Dad." Yuya called out to his father, then took another deep breath, tracking Advancer's movements as he approached. "I-I don't wanna hurt you...!"

Yuya had to close his eyes as he unleashed his flame again, unable to bear the thought of seeing Advancer harmed by his own hands. He heard nothing except the wind - a sign that he had missed, and he was just barely able to roll out of the way before Advancer crashed into him, and the older dragon struck the ground instead, embedding his claws in the earth.

These brutal tactics weren't anything like what Yuya remembered of his dad. Seeing King Rex's terrible influence like this brought a question to Yuya's mind - would Yuzu ever use tactics like this? She hadn't before, and she'd never indicated that she wanted to, but she did have the power of the Queen of Light at her fingertips. If she so chose- no, she would never do that. She wasn't that sort of person, and Yuya resolved himself to forget all the loose and unwanted thoughts running through his head.

"A swing and a miss!" Inti tittered with glee. "The father isn't so distant from the son, after all! How weak... weak, weak, weak! Neither of you are worthy to stand beneath Rasca!"

"A fool and a clown!" Quilla chanted, all four heads snickering in unison. "A fool and a clown! A fool and a clown! A fool and a clown! Look at them! Behold their majesty!"

The rambling of the annoying dragons prevented Yuya from noticing that Advancer had whirled around to attack until it was too late to dodge. Sharp claws struck scaled hide again, and Yuya roared as his father drew blood for the second time, these cuts deeper and more painful; he lashed his tail in response, hoping to at least dish out the same sort of damage, but Advancer just leaped out of the way, taking to the sky again and circling above in search of the next opportunity to attack. Yuya spared a glare for his tormentors, then took yet another breath to do the only thing he could do at this distance.

"Weak, weak, weak, weak!" Inti's tirade diverted Yuya's attention at the last possible moment, and his flame fizzled out, doing nothing. He glared up at the sun dragon again, just long enough that Advancer could come barreling down on him, knocking him down; he smelled his own blood, oozing from a fresh set of wounds drawn by his father's claws on either side, and he began to feel dizzy - the pain and the anguish were getting to be too much.

Were those two mad dragons right? Did Advancer hate Yuya? Would Yuzu turn her back on him once she learned how weak he was? Was he destined to die alone and become a feast for an Earthbound Immortal, unable to carry out any of his goals in the end?

Despair wracked Yuya's soul as he struggled to break free of Advancer's hold on him, but it was to no avail. His father was older and stronger, and even the scant wounds Advancer had suffered seemed as if they barely even affected him. That warmth in his eyes had dimmed under the weight of the royal decree - was it possible for someone under such a command to lose themselves completely?

"Dad..." Yuya tried calling out for his father one last time, even though he knew it was hopeless. The only thing he could do was...

"Are you seriously giving up already?"

The voice in his head jarred Yuya from his dilemma, and it didn't quite register at first who had spoken to him. Once he realized it, he became paralyzed for a different reason - in the chaos, he'd forgotten who was watching over him.

"Do you think this is what your dad would want?" Yuzu scolded him, her tone fierce and beautiful. "No, he wants you to fight - to knock him out if you have to! He's fighting too, you know... so you'd better do the same!"

Yuya relaxed at the princess' voice, allowing her words to sink in. She was right - those two wretched beasts had fed him nothing but lies this entire time in a deliberate effort to break him, and they did not yet realize how grave their mistake was. Yuzu had hypothesized that Yuya needed to be at his lowest before she could empower him, and now-

"And no, I'm not leaving you." Yuzu's tone shifted to something warm and gentle, a reminder of why he loved her so much. "I'll never abandon you... not for as long as I live, so please... stand up and fight like I know you can! It doesn't matter that you don't have wings - you're still a dragon!"

That was what it took. The stilled pendulum swung, rocketing toward its opposite apex at breakneck speed; power surged through Yuya's soul, erupting into his body all at once, and his form became stronger for the first time ever. His scales hardened and smoothed out, and his arms grew and thickened, his muscles expanding to fit a new, bulkier frame; even the spikes on his back became like plates of armor, gleaming in the flashing lights of the battlefield, and his claws sharpened to razor edges - a form suited to a warrior.

He recalled what Life-Stream had told him, to be brave. He'd nearly forgotten that lesson already, and he only spared a moment to admonish himself for it before he shoved Advancer off, knocking the older dragon away with ease.

"...No wings," Yuya noted, speaking out loud in the hopes that Yuzu would hear him. "But I don't need 'em. Not when I have my friends by my side... and you."

He could feel the joy in Yuzu's heart then, and it empowered his own resolve. He dipped into a magic well that he didn't remember being so deep and vast, and his new strength awakened in the orbs that adorned his horns and spikes; he found the thread wrapped around Advancer's soul in an instant, and it was a trivial matter to reach out and snap it, severing the hex that had been placed upon him - and the warmth returned to Advancer's eyes right away, just as strong as it had been before everything that had happened.

"My son..." Advancer spoke, confirming that he had been freed from the edict's grasp. "You've grown so much, I hardly recognized you... thank you for saving me."

"...Thanks, Dad." Yuya had to force himself not to cry - now was not the time for it. "And... you're welcome. Do you... do you think you can still fight?"

"Well, I'm not as strong as I was..." Advancer glanced at his singed wing, then gave a hearty laugh. "And I'm just a tad rusty, but I can still fight... and for you and your mate, I shall gladly do so."

"M-my mate!?" Yuya couldn't keep the alarm out of his voice - how had his dad figured that out? "I... w-well, uh..." He growled. "J-just focus on the battle, please?"

"Of course, of course." Advancer laughed again. "My apologies, but the way you spoke... you sounded quite smitten. I suppose that discussion will have to wait, no?"

Yuya answered his dad with a chirp. "Please?"

"Now, now... won't you turn that frown upside down?" Advancer gave Yuya a gentle smile, then turned his attention to the fray. "We have a world to save first!"

"Yeah, who's weak and pathetic now?" Yuya glared up at the pair of mutants yet again, and he gave a roar that was loud enough to sunder the earth beneath him - an immensely satisfying feeling after the punishment he'd just suffered. "We'll show you that our bonds can't be broken by some order! Just you wait... we'll put on a performance you'll never forget!"

With Yuzu's power coursing through his veins, and his father's kind soul shining beside him, Yuya knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that he would be taking control of this battle, starting now.

"Swing far... and carve the arc of victory!"

Chapter 59: To Claim Dominion

Chapter Text

Yusei had been worried for a while after Ray's refusal to free Yugo and Yuri from their royal orders, but now, he was relieved threefold.

Seeing Crow again had been a surprise for certain, but it reminded Yusei that his brother wasn't one to go down without a fight. He also knew exactly why Crow had done what he did - the youngest of the three had the strongest instincts by far, and he was able to assess situations with ease as a result. The fact that he'd chosen to rescue Kite, despite not knowing the details of the situation, was the unsurprising part.

Now that the four guardians had evolved and Yuya had convinced his dad to join their side, Yusei could focus on himself and his bonded dragon. Stardust was struggling a little due to the sheer numbers of the Earthbound, greater than any of their previous battles; there was also the concern in the back of both their minds that the princesses were in danger, but that concern had dimmed somewhat with the guardian dragons' empowerment. Still, they needed to end the battle as quickly as possible, and that meant using everything that was available to them.

"Are you ready?" Yusei called out to his fellow Signers, and all of them answered in unison, their determination flowing into him through the connection they shared. Their marks lit up, responding to their prayer, and the sky flashed red as the Crimson Dragon arose, its sigil painted across the earth by the faith of its followers; sparks of a different light swirled around it, and those sparks brightened as the deity passed by each of the Signers' dragons, and Yusei grew curious as to what exactly they were.

He could feel some sort of powerful energy radiating from them... were those the fragments of a lost soul?

"You have not yet reached your pinnacle." The Crimson Dragon spoke, its mysterious yet kind voice resonating through the minds of its chosen ones. "This battle shall be your last, and you have a decision to make." It paused, and the lights around it flickered, shining even more brilliantly - responding to the guardians this time. "Only the truest of bonds will keep you together once all is said and done. Do you still choose to fight on?"

That was the most the Crimson Dragon had ever said at once, and Yusei took a brief moment to let its words settle in his mind. There was only one answer to that question - he had taken on this fated burden for all this time, and the challenges he'd faced had made the bonds he had with his companions unbreakable. He could feel Stardust's resolve, shining bright like a meteor across the night sky, and he knew that his bonded dragon had come to the same conclusion.

"Yes." Stardust spoke for both of them, unwavering in his conviction. "We shall fight to the bitter end... and distance shall never separate us."

"You already know my answer," Archfiend agreed. "You have forgiven our sin. I will always be grateful for that... but I could use a little more power."

"...I am honored that you have blessed me with your voice." Black Rose spoke up next, her awestruck tone surreal. "Even if I were to be separated from my charge, I would never turn my back on her. We are as one now... and we always will be, so long as she lives."

"I must return to my realm," Queen Fairy said, and there was great joy in her tone. "However, should Luna need my aid, I will visit her at her call. That is my vow to her... and to all the Signers."

Luna's focus snapped at those words, and the flow of energy from her ceased. "Y-you really mean it? I... I wouldn't want to... take you away from your royal duties..."

"Of course," Queen Fairy answered her without hesitation. "My chosen heir will aid you as well. He is quite adept at crossing distances and bridging gaps, after all... whether they be through time or space."

The chirp that Life-Stream gave in response to that spoke more than a thousand words - he agreed wholeheartedly, his wish the same as his queen's. They all wanted to close the divide between humans and dragons, to mend the wounds caused by the Supreme Dragon King's failure, and there was no better opportunity to do that than through the bonds forged during this war against the Earthbound.

"Then no more must be said." The Crimson Dragon's words carried an air of finality, and its power flowed forth, twining around the five dragons it had chosen for this mission. The sparks around it danced and coalesced, forming a larger shape, but they did not change further; the power that radiated off of those sparks had begun to unnerve Yusei, and he considered asking the dragons' god if it was planning something there, but-

"It appears even a god can make foolish mistakes," Rex announced, drawing the attention of everyone on the battlefield; all at once, the Earthbound Servants ceased their movements, standing still as statues on the ground and in the air. "There is but one way to truly grasp the Crimson Dragon's power... and that is to wrest it from the Signers when they have awakened it!"

Wiraqocha Rasca gave a resounding cry, and it swooped down from the sky, its darkness cloaking the area such that there was no hope of seeing anything. Even the Crimson Dragon's light could not pierce through the shroud, and a stabbing pain struck Yusei's arm as the spot where his mark had been was struck with a terrible spear of magic - or rather, anti-magic.

"...This is most grave indeed." Aslla Piscu spoke from above, its tone dire. "I believed that I had claimed dominion... yet it was Rasca. The Earthbound have not been fully sealed... their power has become one with our foe... and the future we face is a grim one."

When the pitch-black fog lifted, the Crimson Dragon was nowhere to be found, and its sigil had shrunk down a few sizes, transferring to Rex's body. Yusei didn't understand how the king had performed that theft - it wasn't like when Roman had tried to steal a Signer's arm and use it for himself, and that pain...

"Now, Crimson Dragon... answer my call, and reforge the shattered soul that drifts within the void!" Rex raised his arm, focusing his considerable power into his hand. "With the chains of Wiraqocha Rasca binding him, let the Supreme Dragon King be reborn!"

It wasn't an instantaneous process, and considering the magnitude of this resurrection, it could never have been. The pieces of Zarc's shattered soul had come together in part, but there were still a few missing, and even after those fragments were gathered...

No, Rex had been planning this for quite some time now. He knew what he was doing, and that fact made Carly realize how bad the situation was. If Wiraqocha Rasca had subjugated and absorbed the other Earthbound Immortals, then that meant their fights had all been meaningless - the point of this war was to seal their foes, and it seemed now that even that goal was beyond them.

"...You don't even have one?" Carly looked up at the Immortal she tethered, hoping for the slightest speck of good news. "Rasca took all of them?"

"Yes... when they returned to the earth... Rasca did not let them rest." Aslla Piscu sounded disturbed, a strange emotion coming from it. "I have blinded myself with my victories... I believed myself to be greater than Rasca... yet now I see that it is an illusion. The Crimson Dragon's chains... if I am to continue... I must sever them."

That sounded far too dangerous, if Carly was to be honest. Even if she had made the decision to tether this beast, she had always imagined that the Crimson Dragon's binds would keep it from turning against her friends; more than anything, she wanted to say no and pretend that Aslla Piscu had never said that, but at the same time...

If it truly wanted to turn against the Signers, it could have done that at any time. It could have taken over Carly's body and used her as a puppet, and yet the only time it had done that was in a desperate situation where it needed to communicate with Jack. Those chains seemed like ornaments at this point, put in place to control an ally who did not need controlling.

The only question now was, how would one dispel the power of the Crimson Dragon? Even if Rasca had accomplished that, it had the other five within it, and there was absolutely no way that Aslla Piscu would be able to do the same thing-

"We'll do it." Yusei turned to face Carly, and she saw a glimmer of determination in his eyes. "Even if the Crimson Dragon has left us, we still have a bit of its power. If letting Aslla Piscu free is what it takes to win, then..."

"I have a bit of its power myself." Jack hummed his agreement as he, too, turned to face Carly. "Therefore, I have a say in what happens to its chains... and I say, let's cut them."

Before anyone could say anything else, Wiraqocha Rasca conjured a dark spell, shrouding the battlefield in black fog again. The Earthbound Servants mobilized as well, following their master's command; their colorful glyphs danced in the mist, a blur of fell light that nearly distracted Carly from the matter at hand, but she shook off the foreboding feeling that struck her and reached out with her farsight, peering beyond the veil to ensure that the Signers were still connected.

"...I'm not sure about this." Akiza expressed an understandable sentiment as her bonded dragon swatted away an Earthbound Servant attempting to attack her. "But if Aslla Piscu turns against us, I'm sure we can defeat it... at a price."

The price was Carly's life, of course. That part didn't scare her as much - if things got to that point, she was as good as dead again, anyway. She just hoped that this crazy plan had some sort of substantial payoff in the end - her farsight wasn't telling her anything, as her ability to see the future was still being blocked by Rasca.

"This power..." Luna looked up at the sky, even though she likely saw nothing. "Queen Fairy, can you help me out?"

"Of course." Queen Fairy appeared from the mist, having traversed through it with relative ease, and she settled behind Luna, wrapping her wings around the girl's body. "I believe that the Crimson Dragon has a plan. It may have been laid low for now, but it shall return... and we must pave the way for its return."

...How ironic this situation was. Carly closed her eyes and allowed the power of the five Signers to flow into her, along with some of the energy from their bonded dragons; it was enough to break the weakened fetters, and for the first time since its tethering, Aslla Piscu flew truly free.

The strength that had been held back all this time was overwhelming. If Carly had been human, she likely would have died from the backflow, but her cursed body welcomed the gift of its tethered beast's power - she felt incredible, every fiber of her being infused with dark magic that fed off of the souls the demon had consumed in the past. Only one soul from recent times swirled around in that vile soup, and that was the soul of Fusionia's errant king, the one thing that Rasca had not managed to steal.

"You are brave... and foolish." Aslla Piscu spoke again, sounding very pleased with its new freedom. "Yet your bravery and foolishness are commendable... you strive to pave the way for your future... no matter the cost. I will ensure that you can create the future you seek... for beyond this lies my dominion...!"

Dominion over Rasca alone, and not all of the world. Carly could feel how her influence had changed Aslla Piscu's mentality, stronger than ever before - how a single human had managed to sway a creature older than time itself was a mystery that could never be solved in the span of a human's lifetime, or perhaps even a dragon's, and yet she knew that she had accomplished this insane and impossible feat. All along, there had been no lies, only a singular desire to pay a debt incurred by Carly's madness... a debt which could only be paid with the future.

The truth had been spoken, and it was now absolute. The Earthbound Servants that covered the battlefield were no longer Rasca's alone, and the Signers' dragons could now aim for their new targets - the sealed dragons of the sun and moon, the guardians' tormentors that had only now stopped their mad cackling.

"The Earthbound Immortals do not show true gratitude to mortals," Aslla Piscu stated. "I will be the first exception... as Rasca crumbles beneath me!"

The awesome feeling of her perception being cleared drained the last of Carly's anxiety away. The future she glimpsed in her third eye now was definitive, a single vision that could not be swayed by anything but the most horrific of mistakes... and that future laid beyond, of all things, the resurrection of the Supreme Dragon King.

That didn't make sense. Wasn't he just being revived as a battery?

Shay had known fear many times in his life, but the fear he'd felt during the fall of his country was a speck on the horizon compared to the terror he felt now.

He'd been fighting for what felt like hours, keeping the Earthbound Servants at bay. His distant escorts had done some battle themselves, though it wasn't nearly as much - why were they focusing on Exyzia's Keystone Tower? Was it because there were two royals there instead of just one, or...

Shay dodged another swipe from a Servant's claws, and the creature struck the wall instead, tearing a line of marks through the stone. That had been far too close a call, and Shay's stamina was waning by the minute - he couldn't keep doing this, and he couldn't ask Lulu for help, either. She had to maintain her connection with the nexus to seal it off from Wiraqocha Rasca's attempts to claim it, and so did the other princesses, and-

"Shay." The voice that echoed in the prince's head was not one he expected to hear - the voice of his sister's guardian. "How are you holding up?"

"I'm not," Shay snapped back, as he sent his falcon to deal with another Servant. "They're swarming the tower... it's getting hard to hold them back."

"In that case, I want you to try something." Yuto's voice remained calm, despite the fact that he was in a dire situation himself. "You're a descendant of the Queen of Light... and that means you have the same power she does. At this distance, Rasca's influence over its underlings is weaker..."

Yuto's plan needed no further explanation - the meaning of his words clicked in Shay's head right away. It wasn't a power he'd tried using before, but he reminded himself that he shared the same inheritance as Lulu, further enhanced by his crest.

"...I have some new orders for you." Shay drew out the power that remained within his magic well, using it to give form to his words - both physically spoken and mentally thought, the hex a manifestation of a concept more than anything. "To all the Earthbound Servants trying to kill me and my sister... I order you to die!"

The effect of the decree was immediate. The three Servants in the room froze, then turned their own claws and fangs on themselves, tearing their cursed flesh apart; the sickening sounds they made as they brought their own death upon themselves resonated throughout the building, all the way down to the lower levels, as the edict's power carried through the tower's stone. In the span of a few seconds, the only things that remained of the Earthbound Servants were pools of oily blood and piles of ash, touching at the edges and melding together in a thoroughly disgusting display.

Shay had seen far worse, and in this moment, there was nothing more satisfying than what he had just done. It served them right for trying to kill Lulu.

"...Coast is clear," Shay reported back to Yuto. "It worked like a charm."

"Good." Yuto sounded downright smug now. "I'll tell the others to do the same."

Shay breathed a sigh of relief, then slumped to the floor beside Lulu, closing his eyes. That edict had taken a lot out of him, and while he didn't regret it, he needed a moment to rest before he picked himself back up.

Fortunately, his trusty Raid Raptor was still watching, and it had proven itself strong enough to fight against the hordes. He placed his faith in his companion, giving it one last order before he allowed his exhaustion to catch up to him.

Maybe if he'd done that sooner, things would have been different, but now was not the time to berate himself...

Chapter 60: The Black Sun and the Dead Moon

Chapter Text

The stage had been set, and yet the truth remained incomplete.

With its accursed fetters destroyed, Aslla Piscu's power had returned in full, and it was a simple task to command the Servants that had previously evaded its grasp. As they were, these Servants were too weak to fight against Wiraqocha Rasca's own, but they did their job in holding them back - all that was truly needed, as Aslla Piscu had developed a sense that it had never known before toward those little Signers.

Was this trust the first step toward true dominion? By doing the unthinkable and allying itself with the Immortals' greatest foe, Aslla Piscu had weakened itself in the short term... but that was merely the short term. The grand picture spanned millennia, and already, the tides of fate had begun to change - the existence of a Dark Signer whose soul had not been consumed by its tethered beast alone was proof of that.

In the end, no matter who reigned supreme over the Earthbound, the Crimson Dragon had always sealed them away. To return to the earth and become mere glyphs across the soil, only to emerge again when the time was right - was it wrong to embrace that fate, rather than to battle against it? To one who had always been beneath the others, it made no difference whether or not they claimed dominion over the Crimson Dragon. The only thing that mattered was...

"...You have always been the most troublesome of my subjects." Wiraqocha Rasca spoke, flaring its wings as it floated closer to the smaller Earthbound Immortal. "Defiant, yet weak. Unwilling to accept subjugation. Listen to them now... the voices of those who went before you. Listen to how joyous they are."

Indeed, Aslla Piscu could hear the voices of its fellows within Rasca. Ccapac Apu and Uru had gleefully accepted their fates, while Cusillu had resigned itself to another cycle like the last; Ccarayhua sneered at Aslla Piscu, mocking it for its decision to side with the Crimson Dragon, and yet there was one voice which could not be heard - one Earthbound Immortal which did not speak either way.

In fact, as Aslla Piscu wove through the threads of magic that enveloped Wiraqocha Rasca, it found that the last one was not there at all. Something was missing - a piece of the puzzle that had fallen by the wayside, and the feeling was... unnerving.

What had become of Chacu Challhua?

"What distracts you so, my subject?" Wiraqocha Rasca's tone was mocking. "Have you seen at last the inevitability that awaits you? Your pitiful fate that will await once we crush the Crimson Dragon? Soon, the last will be mine... and all will tremble before me and me alone!"

...No, Rasca did not speak of Chacu Challhua there. It spoke instead of another - Rasca believed that all of its other subjects were within it. Had it not yet noticed?

"You seek... the Dragon King." Aslla Piscu could not keep its mirth contained - it laughed at Rasca, a feeling even more liberating than being freed from its chains. "You should not... he is mortal. He is weak. He will crumble... the weight of the Full Eclipse you seek... he would not withstand it. Have you not noticed? The absence... the emptiness... the void?"

"The void..." Wiraqocha Rasca did not respond immediately, and the tone of its voice changed when it did speak up. "You... you have stolen one from me. It matters not. You remain beneath me... as you always will."

"You accuse me... of theft." Aslla Piscu broke into laughter again. "...I have stolen nothing. I know not where Chacu Challhua went... it has vanished. Its essence does not lie within me..."

"You are tiring." Rasca rose into the darkened sky, preparing to swoop down for an attack. "Now, crumble beneath my reign as you always have... perhaps then, you will be silenced briefly."

...Perhaps Aslla Piscu had spoken falsely without realizing it. A presence arose within the Immortal, as familiar as the earth to which they had returned many times before; that presence spoke of gratitude, truth, and the soul of its tether, and amidst the chaos of those broken words, there was a request - a plea to free the tether's soul. A strange sentiment for certain, but then again, Aslla Piscu was not in a position to speak.

"I shall free them all," the demon promised to the one that had joined it. "The souls that can be freed... if I am to return to the earth... there is no need to keep them. I am sure the Signers will be pleased..."

Another new feeling - joy on behalf of someone other than oneself. Aslla Piscu turned that sentiment aside for the time being, and focused instead on defending itself against Wiraqocha Rasca's talons; with the might of another to even the scales, this battle would not be as painful as their last.

Stardust had never imagined facing one of his own in battle before, yet he had done his best to prepare for that possibility, and he prayed that those preparations would pay off now.

The dragons of the sun and moon stood between the Signers and Wiraqocha Rasca, unwavering in their dedication to their dark master. It seemed as if the two were outnumbered, with the dragons on the Signers' side numbering ten now, and yet...

A dragon with multiple heads would not die to the loss of a single head. They were more resilient and durable than most, though those traits came at a cost - they were mutants, and often did not live as long as regular dragons. Stardust could tell that this was not the case with Inti and Quilla, as they had been around for hundreds of years, perhaps even as old as the queen of dragons.

Without the knowledge of their abilities, that fact became worrying. They were ancient and powerful, and defeating them promised to be a challenge. Their life force seemed to be concentrated in those stone tablets they were sealed within, but their magic protected those - was there any way to truly kill these monsters?

"I know what you're thinking, Signer's pet," Inti taunted, aiming their diatribe at Stardust. "You're scared, aren't you? Weak... weak, weak, weak!" They cackled. "Frightened... terrified... astounded and confused!"

"You know nothing!" Quilla supplied, joining their sibling in laughter. "Nothing, nothing, nothing! You can never know how strong we truly are... our power is that of the sun and the moon themselves!"

That assertion raised more questions than it answered, and Stardust considered his plan of attack as he studied the twin dragons before him. It would have been foolish to charge in recklessly without thinking, though he suspected that some of his comrades would do just that; perhaps if the situation became too dire, he could shield his allies with his own wings, but-

"You've made a big mistake!" Yugo, as always, was the first to action, and he whipped up a whirlwind as he charged toward Inti. "Don't ever think of messing with me again!"

Young, naive and reckless. Yugo's attack struck true, and his power dissipated on impact, leaving him reeling; he watched as Inti crumbled to dust before him, and through the pain, he gave a triumphant roar - a victory celebrated too soon, as Quilla's heads lit up with their nestmate's defeat. Like the moon shining high in the night sky, the mutant dragon's energy surged, and without even touching him, that power formed a crack in Yugo's right wing.

"What the...!?" Yugo stared at his damaged wing, distracted by the energy leaking from it. "How did... where'd that... what did you do to me, you...!?"

"Calm yourself," Stardust told the young dragon, though he wasn't sure if his words would have any effect. "This is the power of these two. When one falls, the other grows stronger... and Inti has not been truly defeated. They will return when the moon sets."

"When the moon sets..." Yuya spoke up, having listened in on the not-so-private conversation. "You mean... when we defeat Quilla? Then... how are we supposed to stop them?"

"It just takes a little more power than you're used to," Archfiend asserted, as his fire surged within. "If all is burned away, nothing will remain!"

He unleashed a stream of flame upon Quilla, and the stone tablet crumbled to dust, the four heads falling apart with it. As Stardust predicted, this brought forth Inti again, their form fully intact and empowered by Quilla's temporary demise; this time, it was the light of the sun that seared through Archfiend's scales, and he roared and floated back, the damage to his left arm visible through a lingering glow.

"What is this sorcery?" Archfiend demanded, just as angry as Yugo had been. Though he was older, there were times that he still possessed the maturity of a hatchling.

"To defeat one who can surpass death..." It was Yuto's turn to speak, and he charged up his body with his lightning. "...It won't be easy. These two are linked by a powerful connection... Yuya, let's try something."

A few silent words were spoken between the two guardians, and then Yuto charged, his form blurred by the electricity that crackled around him. Yuya, too, ran forth, his newly empowered form lighting up with a bright glow; as he leaped into the air to strike at Inti, his father joined him with a breath of twirling flame, and the three attacks landed at nearly the same time, each hitting one of Inti's heads.

"How foolish!" This time, Inti's mockery came from only one head, as the other three were damaged. "So long as Quilla slumbers, my power is infinite... and when I fall, so my nestmate shall rise, and the cycle will repeat unto the Full Eclipse! You have no hope... you will never stop us!"

The dragons who had attacked Inti all suffered from their retaliation, each taking a blow that was almost as if their foe was striking from within. The colorful membrane that stretched between the digits of Yuto's left wing tore, and he plummeted toward the ground; Yuya was able to snatch the falling dragon, but he bore a dent in his natural armor, and the combined impact of catching Yuto and landing back on the ground himself made him hiss in pain. Advancer was the least affected, but his fight with Yuya had already taken its toll, and so he, too, fell to the ground, unable to stabilize himself through the cut on his tail.

"That did have some effect." Queen Fairy spoke privately, addressing only the dragons who were bonded with humans. "Inti's power is still great, but they will be unable to lend it all to Quilla when the next cycle comes." She flew to the guardians on the ground, soothing their wounds with magic channeled through her bond with Life-Stream. "I would recommend targeting the heads."

"The heads..." Black Rose followed her queen's order, lashing out with her vines to strike at Inti's remaining intact head. "Do not forget as well that the Earthbound Servants may still strike. We must be prepared for all outcomes."

Fortunately, it seemed as though the underlings were occupied by Aslla Piscu's own, and Stardust paid them no mind as he focused instead on the effects of Black Rose's attack. Inti howled and crumbled, drawing Quilla out; as Queen Fairy had claimed, the moon dragon's power was not so great this time, and Black Rose braced herself in anticipation of a counterattack. The damage done was minimal, leaving only a few small scrapes on Black Rose's body that didn't even reach her skin, and she huffed, pleased that things had turned out differently.

"You... how dare you!" Quilla sounded offended. "You think yourselves above us! You are fools... fools, fools, FOOLS!" Their power surged, and a stream of light burst forth from the tablet, aimed squarely at Advancer - the weakest link among them. "You will pay for your insolence! You will pay... you will pay... YOU WILL PAY!!!"

"Not a chance!" Yuri stepped in front of Advancer, taking the brunt of the attack without even flinching. "You don't have the first clue who you're dealing with... two can play at that game!" He channeled the energy into himself through his leafy mouths, roaring as the energy within him spiked. "Isn't that right, Stardust?"

It took a moment, but Stardust deduced Yuri's plan of attack - a plan that would require a sacrifice, and only one among them could pull it off without truly dying. It would be painful, but if Inti's revival could be prevented when Quilla fell, any amount of pain was worth it.

"Ashes to ashes," Stardust mused, mostly to himself, as he breathed his cosmic energy upon one of Quilla's heads. "And dust to dust... I have not heard that saying in quite some time."

He braced himself for the backdraft that would tear his body apart - the combined power of his own attack being redirected toward him as he had prepared it, and whatever terrible blight Quilla inflicted upon him. When Yuri absorbed all that power and made his counterattack, perhaps that would be enough to sever the chain that bound the twin dragons... yet it was a gamble at best, a fool's errand devised by a mad dragon who had only recently learned to care for others.

As his form shattered, Stardust's last thought was that Yuri had changed since that first dreadful meeting between them.

Yuri had never imagined that he would be devouring the life essence of another dragon before, and yet here he was, doing just that with what remained of Stardust's broken form.

He knew that the elder dragon would return, of course. That was an ability innate to the one bonded with the Signers' leader - to make the ultimate sacrifice for the sake of another, and then to rise again like the phoenix of yore. It didn't make what Yuri had done any less strange, and he would've chastised himself for devising such a tactic if it hadn't been an act of pure desperation.

Not that he would ever admit that to anyone, but such things hardly mattered now. He had what he needed, and he would use it to keep that pesky sun from rising again.

"Who's the fool now?" Yuri laughed, mimicking the obnoxious mutants he had been fighting against. "Fool, fool, fool!" His extra mouths blossomed with their new power, all of them extending at once. "Fool!!!"

Though they weren't quite mouths in this empowered form, Yuri could still bite with them, and that was what he did, striking at each of Quilla's four necks. His acid venom flowed from the leafy protrusions, mixing with the energy he'd consumed from both Quilla and Stardust; that power dripped to the ground with the liquid, seeping into the earth, and as Quilla crumbled yet again, something most curious occurred, a reaction that indicated the plan had been at least somewhat successful.

When Inti returned, Quilla's power did not flow into them, and the four heads turned every which way, as if searching for what had cut off that power source. Eventually, they settled on Yuri - a seething glare that caused great joy to rise in the mutant guardian's heart, as even if Inti had still returned, Yuri had dealt a crippling and insulting blow.

"...I grow weary of your insolence." Unlike usual, Inti's tone was dead serious. "If you insist on cutting off our might... I do not need my nestmate's power to dominate you." The four heads grinned at once. "Yes, death is too kind a gift... I will make you my slave, and you will suffer beneath me!"

The sudden shift in tone was a relief, as it meant Inti wouldn't be quite so grating anymore, but there was something else that caught Yuri's attention now. The bright lights of the shattered soul that the Crimson Dragon had been putting back together were assembled at last, forming a radiant sphere; that light was promptly extinguished by darkness as a physical body took shape around it, the shape of a beast that had, for hundreds of years, only existed as a cautionary tale.

Black wings that spread across the sky, almost as vast as those of the condor. A long tail, dwarfing Yuri's entire form, that swished back and forth as the creature ascended. Curved, spiked arcs of bone and scales that adorned his sides, massive horns that crowned his head, and eyes that glimmered with the light of life for the first time since his demise at the hands of the Queen of Light - the Supreme Dragon King had been made flesh again, and his roar resonated across the battlefield, silencing even the Earthbound Servants who clashed below him.

"Hello again, everyone! Did you miss me?"

Chapter 61: The Supreme King's Advent

Chapter Text

In the eons since his death, Zarc had forgotten how to be alive, and it was a very strange feeling.

He could put together coherent thoughts now, and he was aware of his surroundings - the field of a battle between two enormous demons, and it looked like there were several dragons taking the side of the smaller one, in addition to a handful of humans. One of those humans looked familiar, and as Zarc focused on that person, realization washed over him - he wasn't the only one who had been resurrected, and his heart sank at the despaired expression on her face.

Ray had not forgotten what had happened between them. She still despised him, and even if they were both alive again, the two would never be as close as they had been back then - that bridge had burned when Zarc made his grand mistake.

...Though, come to think of it, why had he been brought back? It made sense for the Crimson Dragon to revive Ray, but-

"At last, the time for the Full Eclipse has come!" A human with a bellowing voice and an ego too big for his body spoke, and Zarc could feel the connection between him and the greater of the two demons. "The sun will set forever, and all shall serve Wiraqocha Rasca until this world perishes at the end of time! Now, Supreme Dragon King... lend me your power!"

Oh, that was why he'd been brought back. Zarc stared down at the human, who had evidently gotten it into his head that resurrecting someone meant that he could use their power however he wanted. The mere concept of submitting to someone even crazier than himself was embarrassing to the Dragon King, and he sneered at that annoying little gnat before bursting into a round of uproarious laughter.

"Me? Lend you my power?" Zarc was grateful for his ability to communicate telepathically, as he surely would've been unable to speak from mirth otherwise. "That's a great joke! You got any others?"

"It is no jest," the human insisted, unfazed. "You will submit to me as well, and then-"

"I am the Supreme Dragon King!" Zarc roared, putting his full might into the sound - enough to silence the battlefield completely. "I submit to no one! Especially not someone who wants to create a world of eternal darkness... that's boring! And do you know what I can't stand?" He once again fixed his gaze on the annoying human. "Boredom! Life needs some spice, y'know!"

...Well, there was one person he would happily submit to, but only if she wasn't trying to kill him. With the way she was looking at him right now, that wasn't necessarily a guarantee.

"You speak as though you have a choice." The vile human's eyes lit up with a familiar power - he must have been one of Ray's descendants. "Now, I order you to follow me...!"

Funny, Zarc recalled the effects of that power being far more... well, effective on him when Ray used it. This idiot's attempt at a royal decree tickled at the edges of his consciousness, but did not even come close to swaying him; he gave another roar, then began to channel his power, focusing on the connection between that demon and the Crimson Dragon - a tenuous one, and it seemed strange that the thing had been able to subjugate a god. Perhaps this was just another of the Crimson Dragon's schemes?

It didn't matter. Zarc had nearly joined the Earthbound due to his mistakes in the past, and he was not about to repeat those mistakes - not when he could aid Ray and her allies in putting these Immortals down instead. First things first, he'd humiliate this feeble husk of a human king, and then he'd deal with the beast that human king tethered.

"I told you, I submit to no one! Especially not someone like you!"

Ray couldn't believe what she was seeing.

Zarc had returned in all his terrible majesty, revived by the Crimson Dragon at the behest of an Earthbound Immortal. King Rex, her miserable descendant, had claimed that the time for the Full Eclipse had come - the plan was to use Zarc's power as a battery, and Ray had been so firmly set in her beliefs about her former friend that she had fully expected him to go right along with it. Instead, she saw him using his power for a different purpose, easily brushing off the decree issued by King Rex.

Was Zarc... trying to separate the Crimson Dragon from Wiraqocha Rasca?

"What... what are you doing?" Ray called out to Zarc, too confused to feel anything else. She wanted to be angry - she wanted to channel her despair into hatred, but when he met her gaze, she saw something in his eyes that she hadn't seen for a very long time. The care he'd held for her back then, his devotion to her happiness that had driven him to madness in the first place-

This was not the dangerous monster she had slain hundreds of years ago. This was her friend, the man who'd fallen in love with her, who she had rejected out of her own misguided belief that it was what was best for the both of them. Her heart ached, but she could never tell him how she felt - she could never go back on her word, and especially not now, when the fate of the world was at stake and she had already made so many foolish blunders since her own revival.

How could she have convinced herself that Zarc would never change? In her agony, had she truly forgotten that he had once been a caring soul who'd been forced into a position he'd never asked for?

"What, you really thought I'd follow that loser's orders?" Zarc laughed yet again, as if Ray's mental accusation was some sort of joke. "He might have your power, but he isn't you... not even close!"

Ray was too stunned to say anything in response to that. She could only watch as the sigil of the Crimson Dragon appeared on the ground, guided by Zarc's immense power; the dragons' god emerged, and in the wake of its eerie roar, three of the Signers' bonded dragons transformed, becoming images of a miracle made flesh - the most beautiful of dragons, bestowed with a blessing like none other. With crystalline wings and streamlined bodies, the chosen of the Crimson Dragon ascended to put an end to the traitorous dragons of the sun and moon at last, leaving the empowered guardians to clean up the mess on the ground.

...There was no need to kill those young dragons. Ray had thought her conviction to be justice, but she could not have been more wrong - the Signers were right all along. Those four were valiant warriors, three of them kind like Zarc had been, and the fourth merely misguided; with time, they would bridge the gap between humans and dragons, mending the scars of the past that still lingered after all these long years.

At the very least, she could attempt to make up for her mistakes as Zarc had. Ray concentrated on the well of power within her, drawing out as much as she could; when she cast her light upon the battlefield, the Earthbound Servants controlled by Wiraqocha Rasca were incinerated - and only a few new ones rose up, indicating that the Immortal was weakening. She prepared another attack, but a hand on her shoulder stopped her, and she glanced over at the young Signer who had approached her amidst the chaos.

"Don't worry about it," Yusei told her, his voice gentle. "We can handle it from here." A slight smile drew across his lips. "Thanks for your help, Ray."

No title or anything - Ray should have been offended, and yet she was grateful instead. This was not her era, and being called the Queen of Light had started to get a bit tiring; she suspected that Zarc felt the same way about his own title, but now was hardly the time to ask him about that.

Perhaps when the battle was over and the dust had settled...

"...Yeah." Still unsure of what to say, Ray settled on that as a response to the Signer. "I'm sorry I caused you so much trouble."

"Don't make me repeat myself." Yusei's tone carried a hint of humor. "We all make mistakes. In the end, you're still human."

It was easy for Ray to forget that, given the extent of her power. She hummed and nodded, then returned her attention to Zarc, who had turned his flame on Wiraqocha Rasca - a decisive move, and a final rejection of the fate that he had nearly succumbed to.

The end was in sight, and soon, all that would remain was the path to the future.

Everything had gone wrong.

Wiraqocha Rasca, once the mightiest of the Earthbound Immortals, did not know where it had erred. The plan, crafted over the millennia between uprisings, had seemed perfect - and then it had been foiled, forcing the Immortal to resort to its second plan. That one, too, had been carefully crafted, meant to be impervious; the wretched mortal had crept toward ascension, even drawing a fraction of a glyph upon the ground with his blood, and then he had made the absolutely imbecilic decision to turn against his master at the last possible second.

The remainder of the Earthbound Immortals had fled Rasca's body, joining the one who had once been at the bottom of the hierarchy. The balance in power had shifted in an instant, leaving nothing for the ruler of the Earthbound. Despair had always been its favorite emotion, but it was used to feeding off of it, rather than experiencing it - this was not something the Earthbound were meant to feel, even when they were defeated by the Crimson Dragon and sealed into their glyphs once more.

Now, that foolish dragon dared to turn his breath upon his master, and without the reinforcement of the other Immortals, Rasca was wounded by the dragon's flame. It screeched and reeled, then turned its full attention toward the one it had brought back for its own purposes, the insolent one who was fated to bring ruin for all eternity and yet had the nerve to defy that fate.

"You have not won," Rasca reminded the dragon. "You will never win. You will not live to see us rise again... and all you know will be brought to ruin! It is inevitable!"

"Oh?" The dragon had already proven his despicable nature time and again, but now he laughed in the face of an Earthbound Immortal, as if he no longer feared the one who had revived him. "I won't live to see you rise again? That's not what the Crimson Dragon told me... it said I'm here to stay, and for a very. Long. Time." He laughed again, a raucous, terrible sound that caused the earth beneath him to quake. "Long enough to see to it that you never try to pull this stunt again! I'll make sure the world is ready for your return... I'll force them if I have to, and I like to think I'm pretty good at doing that!"

...So, the Crimson Dragon had chosen this foolish mortal as its eternal herald. A change compared to the last cycle for certain, though Wiraqocha Rasca doubted that it would have any effect. People still feared and distrusted the Dragon King, and force was all he had ever known - such a future could not inspire hope, and would only strengthen the Earthbound further.

"It matters not," Rasca insisted. "The Crimson Dragon has been known to make foolish mistakes. This is simply its greatest... I thank you in advance for the banquet you have spread before me!"

"Whatever despair is born from that time... it will be mine to claim." Aslla Piscu, the most insolent of them all, asserted itself, drawing Rasca's attention back to it. "You will not... you cannot rise again. This is the truth... that which you have fled from and refused to accept... and this truth will be your undoing."

In a flash, Wiraqocha Rasca was struck with the most horrible pain it had ever felt - the pain of a sevenfold betrayal, the final realization of its failure - as Aslla Piscu's beak pierced its flesh, burrowing into where the Dragon King's breath had weakened it. The fallen ruler of the Earthbound gave a final cry of anguish as its wings failed and it tumbled toward the ground, its consciousness fading with its crumbling body, and as the Crimson Dragon's binds wrapped around its stone heart, Rasca had one last thought.

Aslla Piscu would regret its betrayal. When the time came for the cycle to continue, the true ruler would make sure that the traitor returned to its rightful place at the bottom of the Earthbound hierarchy, no matter the cost - even if Rasca had to fake an alliance with the Crimson Dragon. Nothing would stand between it and its revenge, and that was a promise it intended to keep, regardless of what that idiotic dragon had to say.

For the one who guided life in this world, the truth was a simple thing to grasp, yet the Crimson Dragon knew that mortals could not find it so easily.

In the end, of all things, one of the Earthbound Immortals had guided the Signers to the truth. The greatest enemy of life, an ancient evil that could not be truly stopped... yet Aslla Piscu had taken to heart the lessons taught to it by the human who tethered it, and perhaps this served as some form of redemption.

Without Wiraqocha Rasca's might to sustain his body, King Rex Goodwin of Synchronia crumbled along with his accursed ally, and the sky began to clear - but only partway, as the one who had claimed dominion remained. Aslla Piscu floated above the now-quiet battlefield, a question in its sight as it turned to the Crimson Dragon; the two watched each other for a moment that stretched across a different time scale, one which could not be comprehended by mortals, and unspoken words were exchanged.

A promise was a promise, Aslla Piscu insisted, and it had claimed its coveted dominion. There was no further need to battle against the Signers - it had learned an important lesson this cycle, and as a result, perhaps the next cycle would be different. It asked only that the life of its tether be spared, and for the tethers of the other Immortals to be freed from their torment and brought back to life.

The Crimson Dragon had done much, however, and even a god could grow weary. Two would remain with their tethered beasts in the earth, the ones who became the first Dark Signers; the rest would be free to live again, though one would have to answer for his sins in his new life. He would be cast into the same forest that Aslla Piscu rose from, and the Signers would be guided to him so that they could enact their human justice.

That was an acceptable compromise in Aslla Piscu's eyes. It yearned to take the soul of the man it had killed in the forest, but understood that this was the price it paid for its insolence - its own sin against the Earthbound. It lowered itself to the ground, landing upon the earth it was fated to return to, and folded its wings upon itself, submitting to the Crimson Dragon's judgment.

Never before had the sealing of an Earthbound Immortal been such an easy task. The ritual was conducted, and in an instant, Aslla Piscu was no more, reduced to a glyph on the stone of a distant land. The one who had tethered it collapsed, and the Signer who had bonded with her rushed to her side, cradling her in his arms; he called out for her, and she whispered his name, and the Crimson Dragon witnessed their tears - the proof of their inseparable bond with each other.

They would atone for certain, but the girl's life was not forfeit. The Crimson Dragon's divine breath returned her vitality to her, erasing the last of the curse that had revived her, and she fell unconscious - her eyes closed, but she breathed once again, and her lover continued to cry as he held her tight to him. He had swallowed his immense pride for this moment, and the Crimson Dragon felt some measure of pity for him... yet the rules could not be broken, and so it was that these two would never continue the cycle of life, so long as they lived.

As for the Signers and their bonded dragons, their connections would not cease this time. There were a great many terrible things in the human realms, and as the dragons became closer through the guardians and the heirs, the bridge to the realm of dragons would eventually be rebuilt. The queen of dragons had her duties to carry out, but all the others would be free to go as they pleased... until the dragons' prince took the throne, of course.

The ones who had once been called the Queen of Light and the Supreme Dragon King were bestowed with the greatest of the Crimson Dragon's gifts. From this point forward, they would not age, nor fall ill; they would live on to carry the knowledge of this cycle to the next era, and as the Dragon King had proclaimed, they would ensure that the world was prepared for the rising of the Earthbound when that time came. Whether they chose to carry out that destiny was their decision, but the Crimson Dragon did not choose its champions lightly, and for the time being, it believed in them.

With all these duties carried out, the one who had brought life to this world returned to the stars to watch over the land... and when it was needed, it would answer its devout followers' calls. Life was a truly precious thing, never to be mocked or wasted, and though many had been lost this cycle, the casualties were fewer than the last - all that the Crimson Dragon could ask for, now.

Chapter 62: From the Ashes

Chapter Text

It was finally, finally over.

A war that hadn't lasted for long at all, but felt as if it had lasted for ages, and Akiza hadn't even been there to witness all of its events. She watched as the Crimson Dragon's form disappeared into the sky, and felt a burning sensation in her arm as her mark returned to her body; her bonded dragon flew to her, no longer empowered by the Crimson Dragon's blessing, and Akiza wanted to say something, but her emotions overwhelmed her and she sank to her knees instead, sobbing into her hands.

She had lost everything to the Earthbound Immortal who had joined sides with the Signers during the war, and she still resented the beast for that, even if she had accepted its alliance as a necessary one. At the same time, her loss had led to something new and beautiful, something she would never have claimed if she had remained as she was - freedom and companionship in abundance, and she could feel how the other Signers rejoiced in their victory.

Akiza herself wasn't sure what to feel. There was some joy there for certain, but also sorrow and anger, and a few other emotions that she couldn't hope to describe in her impaired state. She felt a tendril on her back, a gentle touch from Black Rose that just made her cry harder as she reminded herself that there was no guarantee her friend - the one who had been like a mother to her - would stay.

"Fear not, little one." Black Rose's voice was just as soft as her touch. "I will remain by your side until the end of your days."

...That answered one of the questions drifting in Akiza's mind, but it didn't help her sort out her emotions. It made the joy stronger, at least, and she tried to focus on that; she would never be alone again, even if her friends abandoned her for some reason - and at that thought, a wave of feelings struck her through her mark, a different response from each of the other Signers.

Jack was offended at the mere idea that Akiza would ever consider something so foolish. Leo did his best to cheer his teacher on, and Luna told her that she wanted to keep learning about magic. As for Yusei...

The pure affection the Signers' leader held for her made Akiza's tears stop out of shock. She blinked and looked up as he approached her, holding out a hand to her; she stared at him for a long moment, then grasped his hand, allowing him to help her into a standing position. He pulled her into a tight embrace, and she started crying anew, leaning on his shoulder for support.

No words had to be spoken between them - it was all emotion, shared through the bond they'd developed as Signers. Akiza felt Yusei's joy more acutely than ever, mixed with his relief that they no longer had to fight; she also detected a hint of Stardust's magic, and looked up for just long enough to see the white dragon envelop the two humans in his wings.

It was all too much, but it helped to sway the balance of Akiza's emotions further. It took her some time, but she eventually stopped crying and pulled herself away from Yusei's shoulder, meeting his gaze; she was surprised to see a few tears in his eyes, though nowhere near as bountiful as her own, and she tried and failed to hold back laughter as his relief joined with hers.

This entire ordeal felt like something out of a dream now, except Akiza knew that it was very much real. She had lost her mentor, but gained a family in the process - a family who treated her as the person she deserved to be, rather than as a tool like what Sayer had done. In a sense, she also had much to thank Aslla Piscu for, though she couldn't exactly do that now.

"...Do you want to stay with me in Synchronia?" Yusei made the offer once his own laughter tapered off, and the smile on his face nearly made her cry all over again. "Martha would love to meet you."

"In Synchronia..." Akiza pondered this offer for a short time, and then she gave a single nod. While she had been born in Fusionia, it was no home to her now - her home was wherever Yusei went.

"Thanks..." Yusei's joy increased tenfold - something that Akiza hadn't known to be possible, and he pulled her close once again. "I hope Leo and Luna don't mind long-distance lessons."

"Actually, about that..." Luna spoke as she approached the pair, and her brother followed close by. "...Can we stay with you, too?"

"Our parents are never around, anyway," Leo supplied. "I'd rather stay with you guys!"

"Well... even if they aren't around, you'd still have to talk that over with your parents." Akiza glanced over at the twins, and gave them each a knowing smile. "If they don't show up for the meeting, then you should start packing."

Luna blinked twice, and then Leo pumped his fist in the air. These two really were precious - Akiza looked forward to continuing her mentorship of them, regardless of whether they stayed in Penduluma or moved to Synchronia with her.

"Awesome!" Leo proclaimed. "I'll pull out all the stops! Brave Leo, full speed ahead!"

"Don't get yourself too worked up," Luna reminded him. "They might still say no."

Leo gave his sister an offended stare, and Akiza burst into laughter once again. This was what it was like to be truly happy - to have a family, and as for now...

"Akiza." Yusei spoke her name, drawing her attention back to him. "I hope you like your new home."

Before she could respond, Akiza felt the touch of his lips on hers, and she closed her eyes almost reflexively as she leaned into the kiss, not hesitating at all. This was how it was meant to be - she expressed her love for him freely in her heart, and he responded with his own feelings, blurring together with hers until she no longer knew which were hers and which were his.

Nothing would separate them... even if the twins were a little weirded out by seeing their companions in such an intimate position.

For a moment, Jack had thought that Carly was lost forever.

He could feel how weak she became when Aslla Piscu left her body, and the connection between them was severed, leaving him feeling powerless. When the Crimson Dragon unleashed its miraculous breath upon her, he had been unable to hold back his relief; no amount of pride would stop him from expressing himself in front of the woman he loved, even if she still hadn't woken up. He held her tight in his arms, refusing to let go until he knew that-

"...Jack?"

Carly's voice was faint, and she only opened her eyes a little, but that was enough. Jack squeezed her close to him, ignoring the squeak of pain she gave in response to his action - he didn't care about anything anymore, not when he could hear and feel her breaths, an unshakable reminder that she had returned to humanity.

"H-hey, loosen up a bit," Carly protested, and she put all her might into pushing him away - not a whole lot right now. "You're hurting me."

Jack reluctantly loosened his hold on her, then glared at her. "Don't you ever do that to me again."

"Huh?" Carly was confused for all of two seconds before it dawned on her what he meant by that. "Oh... yeah, sorry about that. I, uh..." She rubbed the back of her neck with one hand. "...I really screwed up again, huh?"

...She was back to herself. The beautiful, if clumsy, girl that Jack had become close with was here again, and the darkness that had tainted her heart was completely gone now. His pride didn't let him admit it, but if he was to be completely honest, he preferred her this way.

"This was your biggest blunder ever." Despite his words, Jack couldn't bring himself to be angry. "I hope you plan to make up for it now."

"...Yeah, I'll do that." Carly gave a quick nod, then shifted in his hold - she was regaining her strength, and quite swiftly at that. "But I dunno if I can make up for going mad with power and then nearly dying again in a lifetime..."

"Then you'll just have to keep at it," Jack told her. "And stay by my side so I can make sure you do it properly."

"Geez, Jack... lighten up a bit, would ya?" Carly slung an arm over his shoulder. "You're so uptight... like, all the time. You really need to pull the stick out of your-"

"Don't even think about finishing that sentence," Jack interrupted her, scowling. "...You know I'm just worried about you."

"I know..." Carly smiled, then leaned in close. "But I have to give you a hard time. You wouldn't straighten out otherwise."

Carly was a smart girl - she was right, although that was another thing Jack would never admit out loud. When she kissed him, he accepted it, still clinging to her like a lifeline; he wasn't going to let her out of his sight for quite some time now, as he needed to make sure that-

"Must you do this here?"

The complaint from his bonded dragon caused Jack to pull away from Carly immediately, and he glared at Archfiend. Carly joined him, though her glare was far less intimidating, and Archfiend just laughed it off, a big stupid grin appearing on his face.

"I jest, of course," the dragon said, with mirth and joy alike in his tone. "You are far too easy to rile up."

"Shut it, you overgrown lizard," Jack snapped, which only drew more laughter from Archfiend. Dear friend or no, that beast was troublesome at times...

The battlefield was a lost cause. Buildings had been smashed to bits as a result of the clash between the Signers and the Earthbound, and Zarc was grateful that the city's inhabitants had only returned to life after the fact; he could sense them some distance from where he floated in the air, all those tiny human lives that had been devoured by Rasca, and he felt pity for them. These people were innocent - they did not deserve the losses they'd suffered, but there was little to be done for it now.

At least their lives were intact. These impoverished Outlands were likely full of people who cared little for what material possessions they had, and would work on scraping together new lives in the aftermath. For now, Zarc had a more important thing to concern himself with - a single human, who still seemed to be reeling in shock after what had transpired.

He lowered himself to the ground and assumed a much smaller guise, partway between his true form and that of a human. He walked over to the woman who had once been called the Queen of Light, and she glanced up at him only briefly before looking away; he glimpsed the pain in her eyes again, and he wanted nothing more than to reach out to her and pull her into an embrace, but he prevented himself from doing so, knowing that she would only reject him.

"...Hey, Ray." Zarc chose the verbal approach instead. "I just wanted to say... I'm sorry. I know that what I did just now probably doesn't even begin to make up for what I did back then... but I was angry. I saw that they were hurting your descendants... I wanted to..."

"...You saw that?" Ray sounded as if she could no longer be surprised by anything. "I see... so that's why..."

"Not entirely," Zarc insisted. "You of all people should know how much I regret what I did. I..."

"...You're still dangerous." Ray's hands balled into fists at her sides. "I still don't trust you... I can't... but..." She took in a deep breath, then let it out in a heavy sigh. "I can't justify killing you again. Not after what you did... not after what the Crimson Dragon told me... and I..."

"...The immortal guardians of the new era." Zarc gave a derisive laugh. "It should know better than to create more immortals. We've already got enough trouble dealing with the ones that exist."

"Well... it's done." Ray sighed again, and her hands relaxed. "I guess... I'll see how things have changed in my absence. I can already tell it's a lot..." She looked up at Zarc, not quite meeting his gaze. "Hey... do you think Declan was..."

"Probably not." Zarc shook his head. "There'd be no reason to bring him back. He wasn't the hero between the two of you."

"Yeah... you're right..." Ray sounded despondent - she had loved her little brother more than anything, and it must've been devastating to know that she lived on while he did not. "No one would remember him, anyway... not like they do with me..."

"Ray..." Zarc once again resisted the urge to reach out to her. "...This new life is gonna suck for both of us, isn't it? There's no way I'll be able to go back home..."

"Well, you always loved humans," Ray pointed out. "You can stick around the human kingdoms for a while... see what they're like now. Just like me." She glanced around her, taking special note of the four young dragons that had reverted to their altered forms, their power sealed within a set of beautiful artifacts. "...I can't believe I was about to kill them... because of you."

"You sure have a lot on your mind right now, huh?" Zarc resisted the urge to laugh. "Does this mean you aren't gonna kill them?"

"I don't... have any reason to, other than my pride." Ray gave a single nod. "They've all become so close with my descendants... they've done something that we couldn't, and I..." She sounded as if there was something else she wanted to say, but she fell silent instead, raising her arm into the air. Zarc could feel the immense energy she channeled, four streams of light that stretched toward the Keystone Towers - a spell that was beyond even most dragons, a reminder of her immeasurable power.

Zarc hated the fact that he had only fallen harder for Ray since her own empowerment. He thought back to how he had wanted to rule together with her - and immediately cut off that thought, as it had been twisted into something vile and disgusting when he'd gone mad. He loathed the fact that he had once wanted to take her with him by force.

Not that he would've been able to...

"...There. It's done." Ray looked back at Zarc once she had finished channeling her spell, but his eye was drawn to the five she had summoned - they all looked confused, as if they hadn't expected to be called to this position by Ray's magic, and this time, Zarc couldn't hold back his laughter.

"Was that supposed to be an apology?" Zarc inquired, once he could speak properly again - this form was so limiting sometimes. "For what you nearly did to those kids?"

"It's... the least I could do," Ray answered him, her voice quiet. "...I don't belong here. This is their time... so..." She turned away. "I'll see you again, Zarc. Don't get up to anything while I'm gone... please."

"I'm not that dragon anymore," Zarc reminded her. "...I'm gonna try and do my best to make up for it. When we see each other again..." He trailed off, shaking his head - he didn't want to think about it now. "...Bye for now, Ray. And... thank you."

Ray didn't say another word, and walked off without even so much as a nod. Zarc wanted to be offended, but he knew that this was just how things were going to be between them - always awkward and barely civil, never like the many friendly conversations they'd had in their youth. It stung like nothing else, but that was life, and this time...

This time, Zarc swore that he would never succumb to madness again. After seeing firsthand what the Earthbound Immortals were capable of, and with the reminder that he had nearly become one of them himself, he dreaded that terrible fate to the point that merely thinking about it paralyzed him.

Still, he wondered where they had even come from in the first place. A cycle that spanned five thousand years, far longer than the lifespan of even the oldest dragons... well, he supposed he'd see them again eventually, thanks to the Crimson Dragon's ultimate blessing. He only prayed that he would be ready when that time came, and that he could carry out the divine mission entrusted to him.

Celina hadn't been expecting to be forcefully dragged out of her connection with the Keystone Tower and to the battlefield where Wiraqocha Rasca had been fought, but here she was.

She knew how she'd gotten here - it was through a spell cast by her exalted ancestor, one of the few people who was capable of doing such a thing. Ray had promptly left after doing this, and Celina didn't quite catch why, but there had been a conversation between Ray and that other guy... what was his name again?

Well, it didn't matter now, as he'd started to walk away, too. That just left Celina to deal with a certain other dragon who had taken an interest in her - he'd taken immediate advantage of her presence to sneak over to her, and he had the biggest, most irritating smirk ever plastered across his face.

"Long time no see," Yuri said, and his voice was just as smug as his expression. "I missed you, my dear princess..."

"And I didn't miss you," Celina snapped back, scowling. "It was bad enough that I had to help you when you got put under that royal decree."

"But you did help me, and I must thank you for that." Yuri's smirk somehow became even more insufferable. "Without your aid, Yugo and I would surely have torn each other to bits."

"...And Rin probably helped him out, too." Celina hadn't been able to connect with her cousin - she'd been too focused on her own task and making sure that Yuri was doing what he was supposed to. "Well... at least you're alive. I guess that's a good thing."

"Your words sting so beautifully, princess..." Yuri got in one last unnecessary sentence, and then his expression and tone softened, becoming more genuine. "...You saved me. I really do mean it when I say I'm grateful for your aid."

...She just couldn't hate him. Celina breathed a sigh, then shook her head; she reached out to Yuri with one hand, and he stared down at it in surprise, as if he had only expected biting words from her. After a moment, he took her hand in his own - and she promptly yanked him toward her, pulling him into a haphazard hug.

"...You're such a pain," Celina murmured, her tone not as venomous as she wanted it to be. "But... I guess I'm stuck with you now."

"Stuck? How so?" Yuri was too confused to return the embrace - he clearly hadn't been expecting it. "You don't have to..."

"I have to pay you back for helping me out," Celina reminded him. "You've bailed me out a couple times now... and I hate being indebted to people." She leaned against him, noting that his body felt warmer than a human's - not that she'd had much physical contact like this with her own kind before. "So from this point onward, I'm making you my enforcer."

"Enforcer..." Yuri's arms slid around Celina's waist, taking advantage of the opportunity she'd given him. "Of course. Anything for you, princess..."

He was as hopeless as Yugo sometimes, yet Celina couldn't bring herself to be offended by it. Regardless of how unpleasant his personality was, Yuri was surprisingly dependable, and to an extent, she even sort of liked him - not even close to how much he liked her, but perhaps that gap would be bridged with time.

Perhaps...

"Don't expect special accommodations," Celina informed him, as she pulled away from him; she didn't miss how his hands lingered on her hips, and chose to disregard it for the time being. "You won't be staying in the castle with me."

"The tower, then?" Yuri suggested, sounding more as if he was thinking out loud than replying to her. "That's perfectly fine. You'll know where I am if you need me."

If, not when... he really didn't have any confidence that she trusted him. For all his bluster, Yuri was very lonely at heart, and it was only her lectures that kept him from being overbearing with her.

Still, he'd been very mindful of her boundaries since then...

"I'll need you, trust me," Celina corrected Yuri. "It's not gonna be pretty. I'm not looking forward to cleaning things up in Fusionia... maybe you should stay with me for a couple days." She took a quick breath. "As a guest."

"As a guest," Yuri agreed, and then he let go of her. "I shall happily do as you command, princess... and when you get tired of having me around, I'll just make myself comfortable in the tower."

Good, he understood the terms and conditions. Not that Celina doubted he'd agree to it, since he was doing this for her sake.

"Now that that's settled..." Celina gave Yuri her best smile. "I think you deserve a reward for your hard work. You think there are any restaurants in the Heartlands that'd serve raw meat to a dragon?"

"I'll settle for fish if I have to." Yuri gave a gleeful laugh. "Just tell them to hold the seaweed."

...How had he learned about that aspect of human cuisine?

Truth be told, Rin wasn't too happy about being zapped back to her home country by Ray, but there was nothing to be done for it.

Her heart ached at the wreckage around her, a reminder of how destructive the Earthbound could be - the antithesis of life, and she was grateful that they would not return in her lifetime. She had a pretty big mess to clean up in her father's stead, and she wasn't looking forward to it; right now, however, there were more important things to worry about.

Chief among them was the fact that Yugo had noticed her presence, and he catapulted himself at her, not wasting a single second. Rin didn't have enough time to brace herself for impact, and he nearly knocked her over with his hug, leaving her struggling both to keep herself upright and to support his weight against her.

"Rin-Rin!" Yugo exclaimed, with the purest joy she'd ever heard him express - and that was saying something. "We won! We really won! We made it out in one piece!"

Rin wasn't anywhere near as excited as her favorite idiot. She felt her father's loss in her heart, a regicide that she had helped to carry out; even if she knew on a logical level that he had been dead for a long time and that there was no saving him, it still hurt, and in that sense, she appreciated Yugo's enthusiasm - his presence soothed her, even if she felt like she was on the verge of tears.

"Yeah... we did." Rin responded to him in a hollow voice. "We stopped the Earthbound Immortals... and defeated King Rex..."

"...Oh." Yugo's sunny attitude dissolved in an instant as realization dawned on him. "That's right... he was your dad. Sorry, Rin..."

"It's fine..." Rin leaned against Yugo, sliding her arms around him. "...I knew it was coming. I thought I was prepared for it... I wasn't."

"Hey... it's okay." Yugo ran his hands along her back, resting his head on her shoulder. "I'm here. It wasn't your fault." He paused, his tone shifting. "...You don't hate me, do you?"

"Huh?" Confusion cut through Rin's grief. "Why are you asking that?"

"Because... I helped kill your dad." Yugo sounded as if he believed that he'd committed an unforgivable crime. "I mean... I didn't land the finishing blow or anything, but... I was fighting him, and-"

"I was fighting him, too," Rin reminded Yugo, insistent. "We were all fighting him... this isn't your fault. This wasn't anyone's fault... except maybe his."

"Yeah, but I-" Yugo started to speak, and then Rin squeezed him tight, silencing him. He squirmed a little, and she reluctantly let go of him, letting him move back to look at her.

"Just... be here for me, please," Rin pleaded. "Like you've been since then..."

"Sure," Yugo conceded, switching gears as quickly as always. He tugged her close again, but held his face a mere inch from hers this time, and she could see the affection in his eyes - just like always. "...Rin."

There was something he wanted to tell her, but he was holding back for some reason, and Rin could make an educated guess. He wanted to tell her that he loved her, but wasn't sure if it was the right time - but really, it didn't matter whether or not he told her, as he had made that fact abundantly clear.

She loved him, too. She loved him with all her heart, and in her eyes, there was no better time than now to tell him... in her own way, of course.

"Yugo." Rin met his pretty eyes, then leaned in to kiss him - just a gentle brush of her lips against his, and he stiffened in shock as she pulled away. His face turned bright red, and then-

"Rin-Rin!" Yugo enveloped her in a crushing hug again, and she could feel his tears staining her clothes as he leaned his head on her shoulder. Though it was a little hard to breathe, she returned his embrace, patting his back - she had a hunch that those were tears of joy.

"...Thank you for everything, Yugo," Rin whispered, and she fought to hold back tears herself. "Can you... please loosen up a little?"

Yugo did just that, giving her room to breathe again, and that was when the waterworks started - she couldn't hold herself back anymore. She bawled into his shoulder as he had done to her, and that just made him cry even harder; they were both grateful to be alive, grieving for the one who had been lost, and gleeful that they had been able to express their feelings to each other properly.

It felt like forever before they both stopped crying, and then Rin pulled back to look at Yugo once again. His face was still red, and his eyes were damp and swollen, and he looked like a total mess... but he was her mess, and she wouldn't have him any other way.

"...I don't think I can handle my responsibilities alone," Rin admitted. "I was thinking of asking Jack if he wanted to help, but... you can help out, too. What do you say?"

"Sure!" Yugo didn't hesitate a bit with his response, just as positive as he always was. "I mean... I dunno how much I can actually help, but... I really wanna help you, Rin. I..."

"I'd say you're pretty dependable," Rin insisted, and she put on her best smile. "No matter how dumb you are."

"Hey!" Yugo raised his voice in protest, but was cut off when Rin pulled him in for another kiss, deeper this time. He relaxed into her arms, returning the kiss with as much passion as he put into everything else he did; it was sloppy, and his teeth caught on her lip and drew blood, but she wouldn't have had it any other way.

"...My idiot," Rin declared, once she broke the kiss. "Just... mind the teeth next time."

"Oh... yeah." Yugo sounded embarrassed. "Sorry 'bout that. Uh, does it hurt?"

Rin hummed. "A little, but it's fine. I've had worse."

"Okay, good." Yugo breathed a sigh of relief. "So are you feeling better now?"

"...I'll be fine." Rin nodded once, and the smile returned to her face. "As long as I have you."

Yugo didn't respond verbally for once, and instead pulled her into a hug yet again. Rin still wasn't sure how things would play out from here, but as she rested her hands on her guardian's chest and leaned her head against him, she reminded herself that they were both alive - and as long as they were alive, they could pick up the pieces together.

Theirs was a strange bond, but in Rin's eyes, that was what made it so special.

When Yuto made his way over to Shay and Lulu, he saw that they both seemed disoriented, as if they hadn't expected to be transferred here like this. He couldn't blame them - he hadn't expected it either, though in retrospect, it made sense that the Queen of Light would have an ability like that.

She was the most powerful human sorcerer that ever lived, after all. Even dragons envied her power... and yet she had accomplished almost nothing after her revival, which was quite saddening in a sense. Why had the Crimson Dragon brought her back if she'd ended up being more of a hindrance than anything?

Now wasn't the time to dwell on that, Yuto reminded himself. He had other things to worry about, and as the Exyzian royals looked over at him, he did his best to smile back at them. There were words yet unspoken - Shay and Lulu had witnessed what happened to Kite, and there was no longer any need to search for him.

"...Was that... really your brother?" Shay broke the silence first, a hint of disbelief in his tone. "Even in his human form, he..."

"Looks nothing like me?" Yuto finished the sentence, then nodded. "That isn't unusual for dragons. I... I could tell." He hung his head. "It was definitely him..."

"So he was with the Dark Signers..." There was a note of pain in Lulu's voice. "And we don't know how or why he ended up with them... do you think he..."

"No, he was under a royal decree," Yuto stated, and he looked back up at Lulu, his expression hardening. "Inti told me that... he has a nestmate of his own. That might be why he came to the human kingdoms in the first place..."

"A nestmate of his own... like an adopted sibling?" Shay hummed in understanding, then frowned. "...That doesn't prove anything, though. We know that those two dragons willingly sided with Rasca, so-"

"You didn't feel it," Yuto interrupted Shay, shaking his head. "The magic that gripped his soul... it was just like what happened to me in the tower. He was struggling, too... he was angry."

"...The only way we can know for sure is to ask him ourselves." Ever the skeptical one, Shay turned away from Yuto. "But right now, he's..."

"Awake." An unfamiliar voice spoke, and the altered dragon with the bejeweled glove approached; for the first time, Yuto got a good look at his eyes, and the piercing blue color reminded the guardian of something he couldn't quite put a finger on. Perhaps it was a memory from before he'd hatched, back when their father was still alive...

"Kite..." Yuto addressed his estranged nestmate, his voice quiet. "When did you...?"

"The sky was clearing when I woke up," Kite answered, and his voice gave away no emotion. "That human... told me to find you." He glanced between the Exyzian royals. "Prince Shay... Princess Lulu."

"Wait..." Shay turned to face Kite, studying him intensely. "...I've met you before. You were in Exyzia... how did you...?"

"I was tricked." Kite closed his eyes, and this time, there was a clear hint of anger in his tone. "Those two dragons told me that I could find my lost nestmate... and the next thing I knew, I was trapped in my own mind. Hart was placed under the same curse, but he wasn't brought out for their twisted game..." He settled somewhat, and opened his eyes again. "...At least he was spared having to fight."

"He should be free now," Lulu explained. "You were under a royal decree. If the person who issued the edict dies, it ends immediately. That's most likely what happened to you, too."

"The one who did that to us is dead..." Kite seemed as if he wasn't quite satisfied with that conclusion, and it wasn't hard to guess that he'd wanted to tear apart King Rex himself. "...I see." He shot a glance at Yuto. "We may have the same blood, but you aren't my nestmate... Hart is."

"...I know." Yuto tried not to let the pain that Kite's words brought come through in his own. "I'm sorry. I-"

"Thank you for saving me." Kite's tone shifted. "I'll be returning to Exyzia to help rebuild..." His gaze fixed on the choker around Yuto's neck. "...If you're staying there too, we'll probably see each other again."

"We appreciate it." Lulu offered Kite a smile. "Even if you two don't know each other very well, I hope you can get along... and that we can all meet Hart, too."

"...You will." Kite began to walk off, then stopped and glanced back at the trio one last time. "I'm going to see if he's okay."

With that, he left, and silence once again settled between the royals and Yuto. The way that Kite had spoken felt like a rejection of the bond that should've existed between the two brothers, and thinking about it made Yuto's heart sink - but if that was the way Kite wanted things, that was how he would have them. He'd found his own family, separate from the family of his birth, and there was no need to interfere in those affairs any further.

"Yuto..." Yet again, Shay broke the silence, and he moved closer to the distraught young dragon. "...Are you going to be okay?"

"I don't know," Yuto answered honestly, and he stared at the ground beneath him. "...Before I came here, he was all I thought about - all I could think about... our father died when I was still a hatchling, and our mother died before I started my education. I was alone, and I wanted to look forward to the hope that I'd find my brother someday..."

"...Well, you aren't alone anymore." Lulu stepped up, pulling Yuto into her arms. "You have us, for as long as we live... and I don't think Kite said what he did out of malice." Her tone was as gentle as her touch, filled with hope for the future and trust in the one who had left. "I think he wants to bond with you... he just doesn't know how to express that properly."

"I want to believe that you're right..." Yuto leaned into Lulu's embrace, letting her presence comfort him. "I guess we'll find out. For now..."

"...If we're going to be rebuilding Exyzia, we need to start thinking about succession." Shay spoke as if he didn't want to discuss this subject, and only brought it up out of necessity. "There's only two of us left, and I..."

He trailed off, but Lulu seemed to understand what he was saying, and she answered him with a quiet hum. The meaning of that exchange was completely lost on Yuto - he didn't have the mental capacity to process it right now anyway, and so he focused on his beloved mate, who held him just the slightest bit tighter now.

"We don't have to think about it immediately," Lulu assured Yuto. "Right now, we should focus on the reconstruction effort and gathering our displaced people. They've been living as refugees for a long time, so it's possible that some of them won't want to come back."

"That's their decision..." Yuto shifted in Lulu's hold, staring into her eyes as he slid his arms around her waist. "...I'm sure just as many will want to come back. Exyzia is their home, after all."

He was aware of his own hypocrisy in making that statement - he didn't want to return to his old home anymore. He'd found a new home with the prince and princess of Exyzia, just as Kite had found a new home with Hart.

"Oh, I'm sure we'll be a bustling nation again in the future." Lulu smiled, then leaned in, brushing her nose against Yuto's. "It'll take a while for sure, but eventually..."

"...I take it that this is my cue to leave." Shay sounded amused - a stark contrast to how he'd reacted when he first learned of the relationship between Yuto and Lulu. "Don't take too long, alright?"

Lulu turned her head to glare at her brother, and he just smirked back at her in response before walking off, leaving the pair alone. In the wake of everything that had happened, it was a relief that Shay trusted Yuto with Lulu now.

"The others probably don't want to wait, either..." Lulu returned her attention to Yuto, nuzzling him again. "So let's make this quick. We can save the rest for when we get home."

Yuto didn't need to be told twice. He answered her unspoken request, and pulled her into a deep kiss; it was a challenge to keep from hurting her with his teeth, and she didn't seem to know what she was doing herself, but he wouldn't have traded this moment for the world. It was all the reassurance he needed and then some, a solid reminder that she hadn't been lying when she told him that he wasn't alone anymore.

Even when she and her brother left this world, he wouldn't be alone - he would have an entire country to watch over.

When he saw Yuzu appear out of thin air, summoned forth by Ray's powerful magic, Yuya had to keep himself from running over to her and knocking her over in a hug.

He was already relieved that the battle was over at long last, and while his dad had seen better days, at least he was alive. Yuya glanced over at Advancer, who had curled up on the ground, wrapping his wings around himself; he looked back at his son with a tired smile, then turned his gaze upon the human princess.

"Is this her?" Advancer inquired. "She's a human, I see..."

"...Yeah." Yuya couldn't deny it anymore. "I met her... eighteen years ago. I visited her dreams while she was trapped in stasis... she didn't age at all during that time, but now..."

"My boy..." Advancer gave a quiet laugh. "You have no need to explain yourself. I can tell just by looking at her that she's a wonderful person... she is the one who helped you, is she not?"

Yuya nodded once. "Yeah. Thanks to her, I was able to save you..."

"Then I should thank her as well," Advancer noted. "After all, that means she saved me, too."

"Huh?" Yuzu began approaching the two dragons, having shaken off her initial shock, but she still seemed confused. "What's... oh." Comprehension dawned on her as she beheld the winged dragon beside Yuya. "That's your dad, right?"

"Yep," Yuya answered her with a grin. "You already forgot?"

"Hey, I wasn't expecting to get teleported over here!" Yuzu countered. "Cut me some slack, would you?"

"She's a feisty one," Advancer observed, amused. "I never would've imagined that she was your type."

"Cut it out, Dad..." Yuya groaned. "...Sorry, Yuzu. He's being weird."

"Weird?" Yuzu quirked an eyebrow at Advancer. "He doesn't look that weird to me... he just looks like a bigger version of you with wings."

"I mean he's-" Yuya cut himself off, shaking his head. "Never mind... I guess... uh..." He glanced between Advancer and Yuzu. "...This is Princess Yuzu of Penduluma. I... already told you how we met..."

"A princess?" Advancer sounded impressed. "My, my. I never thought my son would fall in love with royalty." He lifted his head as best he could. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Princess Yuzu. You may call me Advancer."

"...That's right, you don't have a human name..." Yuzu paused briefly. "...So, um, you know what happened... right?"

"His true form was sealed within an artifact, and he now assumes a human guise." Advancer rumbled his acknowledgment. "Was this by choice, or was his hand forced?"

"It was an accident," Yuya explained. "Yuzu did this to me... but..."

"You would never hold it against her," Advancer deduced. "And I assume you've chosen to remain in this form?"

"...Yeah." Yuya braced himself, expecting a negative reaction. "I... I want to stay with her in the human kingdoms... I'm sorry, Dad."

"Well..." Advancer sounded conflicted - but at the very least, he didn't seem angry. "Of course, I would have preferred it if you'd stayed at home for another decade or so, but I suppose you're old enough to make your own decisions now. I can't reasonably expect you to stay in the nest forever..." His tone shifted. "Perhaps that means your mother and I may find a home in the human kingdoms as well."

"You don't have to do that," Yuya insisted, shaking his head. "I can come visit..." He gave Yuzu a pleading look. "You, um, you wouldn't mind that, would you?"

"...Remember that time you showed me your house in my dreams?" Yuzu stared at nothing in particular as she reminisced. "I wouldn't mind seeing more... I'd be a little out of place, but..."

"I'll protect you." Yuya stepped up to Yuzu, placing his hands on her shoulders. "And if you have any problems getting around, I'll help you out."

"Well then, I suppose it's settled." Advancer gave another laugh, stronger this time. "As the bond between dragons and humans grows deeper, I'm sure there will be many opportunities for us to visit each other." He gave Yuzu one of his classic big smiles. "I'm sure my mate would simply adore you."

"Yuya's mom...?" Yuzu tilted her head at Yuya. "...Do you think she would?"

"Oh, yeah..." Yuya recalled his mother's rather troublesome personality. "She'd adopt you in a heartbeat... and then she'd never shut up about us..."

"About us..." Yuzu peered over at Advancer again. "...Can you move right now? I..."

"No, I'm quite immobile at the moment... but you needn't worry about me." Advancer brushed off Yuzu's concern. "Simply pretend that I'm not here. Why, I would happily pull a vanishing act if I could!"

"...This is gonna be embarrassing," Yuzu complained, and she breathed a sigh. "Sorry... I guess we'll have a spectator."

"At least we've gotten his blessing." Yuya put on his best smile, even though he still felt awkward. "But... now that the war's over..."

"We can fulfill our promise to each other." Yuzu reached up, pulling Yuya's hands away from her shoulders as she grasped them in her own. "You remember, right?"

"Yeah... I could never forget." Yuya gripped Yuzu's hands tight as he leaned in close. "...I wish we had some fireworks."

"You dork..." Yuzu giggled. "I love you, Yuya."

"I love you too..." Yuya felt a rush of exhilaration - he was finally able to say those words to her, and it was like a weight had been lifted off of his shoulders. There was no hesitation, no shame, no fear, just the thrill of a promise fulfilled and the pure hope that he had for their future together.

She would die before him, but that didn't matter. He swore to love her to the end of her life and beyond, and when the time came for him to leave this world, he would welcome his reunion with her under the Crimson Dragon's eternal watch.

"...Let's go home together," Yuya proclaimed. "To Penduluma."

He planted his lips on Yuzu's, that human gesture of affection that he had come to enjoy so much, and his hands slid up her arms as he embraced her, holding her close. She answered right away, her arms sliding around him in turn as she leaned into the kiss; it was slow and simple, close to what they'd shared in the tower that night, but the feelings conveyed were even stronger than back then, and he could feel how her heart raced, matching the pace of his own.

When Yuya pulled away, he found himself lost in Yuzu's beautiful blue eyes, like a clear spring sky. She looked at him just as intensely, and he wondered if she found his mismatched eyes attractive as well - she'd come up with that cute moniker for him, after all.

"To Penduluma," Yuzu agreed. "Our home."

In that moment, all the pain and suffering that Yuya had endured since he was forced to watch over Yuzu in the Keystone Tower felt like it had been worth it. If he hadn't been subjected to all of that, he would never have met her - perhaps it was a selfish thought, but he didn't care in the slightest. Now was the time to look forward to the future that had been made possible by that calamity, a future of healing, hope, and above all, love.

Whatever obstacles they faced from this point forward, the guardian and his princess would overcome them together.

Chapter 63: Epilogue - A New Dawn

Chapter Text

It felt as though it had been an eternity since that time.

With the defeat of the Earthbound, things started on the path toward normalcy once again. The human kingdoms worked to recover what they had lost; Fusionia's people had become divided, and they needed a firm hand to guide them, while Synchronia's division had started to heal with the toppling of the walls separating the Heartlands from the Outlands. Exyzia rose up from its ashes as its people returned, forming an even greater nation atop that which had been lost.

In the midst of it all, a dragon traveled, monitoring the progress of the humans. For ten long years, he'd had no home, dwelling in the wilderness or in borrowed shelter; he saw how the royals ascended to their thrones, replacing the fallen monarchs - and in the case of Penduluma, the king simply stepped down, allowing his daughter to reign in his place. The one who had once been a king himself found this amusing, and he favored Penduluma over the other three human nations.

This time, however, the fallen Dragon King was in Fusionia. He'd heard of a new development between the queen and her consort, and curiosity called him forth; he brought with him a guest, who had been reluctant at first, but she understood the significance of the occasion. There was nothing more beautiful than a miracle made flesh, and now...

As Zarc stepped into the throne room, Queen Celina approached him, carrying a tiny bundle in her arms. She seemed tired, and she struggled to hold herself upright - but in a flash, the mutant guardian was there to take the bundle from her, cradling it as if it meant more than life itself.

"Hey there, Zarc." Celina had never been one for formalities, and even in her new position, that hadn't changed. "...You heard, huh?"

"Yep." Zarc gave a quick nod. "Ray really knows what's up when it comes to her descendants... so, is that what I think it is?"

"Why don't you see for yourself?" Yuri grinned as he unwrapped the bundle, revealing the tiny life within. On the surface, the boy looked like a human infant, but there was an unmistakable power within his soul, and when he opened his eyes, Zarc saw his own reflected in them.

A half-human and half-dragon child - something that was supposed to be impossible. With the Crimson Dragon's blessing, though, any life could be made possible.

"What's his name?" Zarc inquired, and he held himself back from reaching out to the child. One so small was very delicate, and it wouldn't do to spook him.

"Aster," Celina replied. "He was named after a Fusionian general who died during the war."

"Honoring your father's most loyal subjects, I see..." The thought brought a smile to Zarc's face. "Thanks for trusting me with him."

"Who said I trusted you with him?" Yuri sounded amused. "Just kidding, of course. Would you like to hold him?"

"Nah, I'll pass." Zarc shook his head. "I don't know if he'd-"

On cue, the baby started crying, and Yuri breathed a heavy sigh. It appeared he wasn't quite prepared for the burdens of parenthood...

"Pardon me." Yuri hurried off, holding Aster close to him. Zarc turned his attention to Celina, unable to keep the grin off of his face.

"...You didn't have any kids, right?" Celina seemed a little frustrated. "You probably wouldn't be any help here..."

Zarc laughed. "No, but Ray did. If you want a break from your royal duties, we can help out for a bit." He paused, recalling his last visit to Penduluma. "After all, it isn't like I don't have any experience with kids."

It was the best way he could think of to atone for what he had done in his first life. Ray wasn't quite as keen on caring for the little ones, but she did so with the knowledge that her experience as a mother was a great asset.

"That's right... you've been helping the others." Celina averted her gaze. "...How's Ray doing, anyway?"

There was another, unspoken question beneath that - an inquiry about how Zarc's relationship with Ray was going. The answer to that was complicated, but if nothing else, things had improved a lot since the end of the war.

"You know we're living together now, right?" Zarc thought back to the home he and Ray had made for themselves, just a little cabin in a place no one had been before. "She hasn't tried to kill me again. I count that as a win."

"So... better than before." Celina hummed and nodded. "Good to know." She returned her attention to Zarc, staring him down. "...I can tell you aren't telling the whole story, though."

It was strange that Celina was so adamant about this of all subjects. Perhaps it was because of how her new child had affected her body?

"Well, I don't know if the kid can still hear me." Zarc grinned. "I probably shouldn't expose his delicate ears to that kinda talk."

"...And now I regret asking." Celina groaned. "At least... you two have made up?"

"Yeah, she's forgiven me," Zarc confirmed. "Quite spectacularly at that." He gave another laugh, and then his tone became somber. "...But I'm not done atoning. I..."

"You have a lot to make up for." Celina gave another nod, and then offered Zarc an awkward smile. "I get that... but... when you're around me, you don't... have to..."

She seemed embarrassed, and why was beyond Zarc's ability to understand. Was she actually trying to cover up her contempt for him, or did she truly mean what she'd said? He couldn't tell, but for the time being, he tried to remain positive, reminding himself that the humans of the modern era had not seen the full extent of what he'd done.

"Thanks." Zarc answered Celina with sincerity, as that was what he hoped for between them. "The next five thousand years are gonna be real lonely, so I'm glad I at least have some friends for now."

"Five thousand years..." Celina fell silent for a moment as she considered this. "...I can't even imagine what that's gonna be like. I don't envy you, though."

"I don't envy me, either," Zarc remarked, and this time, he couldn't bring himself to laugh. "At least I'll have plenty of time to... well, not do what I did before."

"Just don't screw it all up again." Celina sounded doubtful - but for what, Zarc couldn't tell. "You aren't spending that time completely alone."

Just as she said that, Ray stepped into the throne room, carrying the little bundle of half-dragon that had been previously presented to Zarc. The child had been quieted, and Yuri stood behind Ray as if trying to hide himself - quite the comical scene, all things considered.

"Hey there, Ray." Zarc greeted the one who had once been called the Queen of Light with a tentative smile. "Sorry about-"

"I told you not to worry about it," Ray interrupted him. "...Now that I can, I want to guide my descendants... so they don't end up like Rex and Roman."

Though it had been twelve years since her father's final death, Celina still hung her head at the reminder of her loss. Zarc wanted to admonish Ray for bringing that up, but he knew that he would've done the same in Ray's position.

"How very noble of you." Yuri crept over to his mate's side, sliding his arms around her. "I hope your descendants don't mind the attention..."

"I, for one, appreciate it." Celina straightened herself out. "...I still have no idea how to handle this kid."

"He's one of the first of his kind," Ray pointed out. "We're still figuring things out ourselves."

One of the most prominent things that came to Zarc's mind was the dietary requirements of the little ones. They needed something that was somewhere between that of a human child and a dragon hatchling-

"Are you having trouble stomaching it?" Yuri said out of seemingly nowhere, and his tone was as smug as it ever was. "I can assure you that dragon hatchlings are far messier than little Aster. Why, there was a time when we didn't have blenders, and so the only way to process the meat was-"

"Do you want me to throttle you?" Celina snapped, cutting off Yuri before he could finish providing his unnecessary explanation. "I told you that it isn't relevant, so I don't want to hear about that!"

...It seemed that the issue of how dragons fed their children was a contentious subject between the couple. Given their inexperience and Celina's very different bodily structure, that wasn't surprising.

"Hey, let's try not to wake Aster up," Zarc warned. "Human babies are even scarier than dragon babies... and he's both!"

Sure enough, those very words caused Aster to start crying again, and as Yuri and Celina watched in blank horror, Zarc sighed and pressed a hand to his forehead. He wondered for a moment if it was because the kid didn't like him, but he didn't have time to ponder that - Ray shot him a look which paralyzed him on the spot.

"He isn't scary at all, you idiot," Ray insisted, and she began channeling some sort of spell. "He's just unique."

...No, that wasn't just any spell - it was one used by more magically adept dragons to calm their hatchlings. Where had she learned that spell?

"Yeah... sorry." Zarc attempted to laugh it off, but he mostly just felt awkward now. "I just..."

"...No, he's right." Celina quickly came to Zarc's defense. "This kid is terrifying."

"He really does have the soul of a dragon," Yuri agreed. "I hope I can keep up with him as he grows..."

From what Zarc had seen, these mixed-blood children did, in fact, become even more troublesome as they aged. Still, the others had handled their children just fine, and there was no reason to believe that Yuri and Celina wouldn't eventually figure things out for themselves.

"Well, just remember that if you need help, we've got nothing better to do." Zarc looked back at Ray. "And hopefully it'll be a while before we do have something better to do."

"I pray for peace and quiet every day," Ray added with a nod, and then she looked down at the little miracle in her arms. "Right now... I'm glad that this is the worst we have to deal with."

It was, indeed, a blessing from the Crimson Dragon in more ways than one. The gap between humans and dragons had already closed partway with these new heirs - their lineage would serve to protect the human kingdoms well into the future, and the wisdom of dragons would surely help to guide their children when they came. Their existence alone was proof that the guardians had accomplished what Zarc could not, and he was relieved that his struggles had not been in vain.

Now, the only thing that worried him was that he didn't quite have a proper grasp on human diplomacy... though Ray could teach him that when the need arose.

The one who had once been called the Queen of Light had not yet settled into her new existence, but she had come to terms with it, and she knew that she wasn't alone.

She thought often of the day that she'd turned down the man who loved her. No one could have predicted what followed, and after all these long years, she had finally found closure - something she would never have had if she hadn't returned to life.

While she had refused her purpose at first, she was able to forgive herself for that now... and more importantly, at least in her eyes, she was able to forgive Zarc as well. She hadn't been able to tell him for a long time, but when they met again for the first time since the end of the war and he had tried to apologize for the schism again, even though he was already on the path to atonement-

Well, that mattered little now. Their stay in Fusionia had ended after only a few days, as the queen of Penduluma had called for her hallowed ancestor, and Ray had answered that call, though she knew not what it was for - Yuzu had only specified that it was important, and this was part of Ray's own personal goal.

On the wings of a dragon, the trip to Penduluma only spanned a few hours, and the flighty father of the new Fusionian heir had elected to join Zarc and Ray on their trip. He'd had to get the queen's blessing, of course - and that only led to their group expanding further, as Celina promptly placed her most trusted advisor in charge of affairs until her return. It was comical, really, how quickly Celina jumped at the opportunity to meet with one of her fellows; she hadn't been like this at first, but once her relationship with Rin had warmed, she'd decided that the others mattered just as much.

As they touched down at the edge of Penduluma's border, a dragon approached to greet them - one much smaller and more colorful than Zarc, though his power was a near-perfect reflection, laying dormant within his soul. His mismatched red and green eyes lit up as he sniffed out the mixed-blood child, and he lowered himself to the ground, shifting into a human-shaped form that had not been used much before his regular visits to the human realms.

"Greetings, and welcome to Penduluma." The dragon bowed to his peers, then watched as Zarc assumed a human form as well, letting the others disperse. "What brings the queen and her consort here?"

A phrase with a double meaning, though Ray chose to disregard that for now. If the father was here, that meant the son wasn't far, and all they needed to do was wait.

"Yuri felt like coming over," Celina responded, and she sounded a little exasperated. "And I still don't trust him to behave himself in another country."

That was an excuse, and a flimsy one at that - Ray was sure that everyone could see through it. Fortunately, the dragon formerly known as Advancer understood, and he turned his attention to Aster instead.

"I see you've brought a gift with you." Yusho - as he called himself now - approached Celina, who was carrying her son in her arms, and a broad smile appeared across the dragon's face. "Why, he's almost as adorable as Yuya was at that age!"

"Hey, what was that about me?" Just as expected, the guardian of Penduluma ran over, followed closely by his beloved queen. Three others followed as well - the twin Signers escorted a girl who looked to be only five years old, and her heterochromic eyes mirrored those of her esteemed lineage.

"It's getting to be quite the family reunion here," Zarc remarked, grinning from ear to ear. "Hey there, everyone! What's crackin' and lackin'?"

"Zarc, please," Ray admonished him, and then she turned her focus toward Yuzu. "...What'd you need?"

"Well... it's a bit complicated..." Yuzu breathed a small sigh as she stepped up to Ray. "It has to do with... well, the human kingdoms. Leo and Luna had an idea, but they... kinda need some help with it."

Now this was an interesting development. If the twins had devised something that they needed Ray's help with, that meant their mentor had taught them well - perhaps a little too well.

"Hey, it was my idea!" Leo insisted. "I wanted a way to visit everyone in Synchronia easier!"

"And I was the one who suggested a teleporter." As always, Luna did her best to keep her brother in line. "So if you want to get technical, Yuzu's right - we both had an idea."

"A teleporter is quite the ambitious project," Yusho noted. "As far as we know, not even dragons can use such magic consistently. It would be remarkable if we could make this dream into reality."

"So we wanted to get the opinion of an expert," Yuya finished for his dad. "Sorry to pull you around like this, Ray."

"I would've been more worried if these three hadn't come along." Ray gestured to the Fusionian royal couple and their child. "At least this way..."

"May I hold him?" Yusho seemed laser-focused on little Aster, who had remained mercifully tranquil during the trip. "Or is he shy?"

"Well, he doesn't like me very much," Zarc quipped. "Maybe he thinks dragons are scary?"

"Isn't his dad a dragon?" Yuya eyed Yuri, who was doing his best to hide behind Celina. "I think he's just scared of you, Zarc."

"You can give it a try." Celina held out Aster to Yusho, though she was clearly apprehensive. Her son was a fussy boy, and even Ray had some trouble handling him.

"There, there." Yusho took Aster from Celina as gently as he could manage, and he cradled the child in his arms. "There's no need to cry, little one. Why don't you smile instead?"

Sure enough, Aster remained silent, and the tension gripping everyone loosened. It seemed that there was at least one experienced parent who could handle this wild child.

"Ummm..." The odd-eyed girl spoke up, drawing attention to herself, although she seemed hesitant. "Do you wanna hold me, too?"

"Why, if you don't mind..." Yuri responded before anyone else could, swooping in to catch the girl in his arms - an amusing contrast to how he behaved with his own son. "What's your name, if you don't mind telling?"

"I'm... I'm Skye," the girl answered, after a brief pause. "Are you Uncle Yuri? Daddy told me about you..."

Yuri shot a glance at Yuya, who gave a shrug in response. Ray chose not to worry too much about what that exchange meant - now that the children had been dealt with, she was more interested in the Signers' plight.

"So, Leo, Luna." Ray addressed the twins, turning her focus toward them. "You want to build a teleporter for faster transport between the human kingdoms, right?"

"Yup!" Leo shouted a bit too loud in his enthusiasm, drawing everyone's attention briefly; fortunately, there was no response from either of the children, so he went on as planned, putting more detail into his previous explanation this time. "I came up with the idea because even though we've graduated from Akiza's mentorship, we're still friends with the crew over there. I didn't wanna bother our dragons too much since they're the most important ones, so..."

"...And I was the one who specifically came up with the teleporter idea," Luna repeated herself, correcting her brother a second time - it seemed things hadn't changed much, even though the twins were adults now. "I saw what you did, Ray... I kept thinking that it was something that would make life much easier for a lot of people, but since I was still an apprentice..."

"You never stop learning magic," Ray reminded Luna. "Even if your apprenticeship is over... it's a lifelong pursuit. You'll always learn new things and become stronger over time."

Thinking about that made Ray wonder how things would change for her over the course of the next five thousand years. She decided not to think too much about it - now was not the time.

"Yeah, that's a good point," Luna conceded, smiling. "Even now, I'm still learning new things..."

"And you can learn how I used that spell, too." Ray responded with a smile of her own. "Once you learn that, you can apply it to your research on magic technology. I'll give you a warning, though... my version of the spell only works with people who have some sort of relation to me - people who share my power and heritage."

"That just means we'll have to fine-tune it so it'll work with everyone," Leo proclaimed. "And then we'll have surpassed the great Queen of Light!"

Some would have been offended at that, but Ray honestly hoped that these aspiring young prodigies would someday be able to surpass her. It meant a step toward accomplishing the mission given to her by the Crimson Dragon, and if enough people learned how to take her magic and make it even stronger... there were risks for certain, but none so great that this pursuit lacked worth.

"Just let me know when you want to start your lessons." Ray gave both the twins a nod. "The sooner, the better. I hate wasting time."

"Oh, so that's where Shay got it from." Luna laughed, then nodded back at Ray. "Okay, then... how about now?"

"Yeah, now sounds best," Leo agreed. "I want to learn from the Queen of Light herself!"

While that title had become obsolete and quite tiring, Ray accepted it from these two - it seemed that while they had reached adulthood, only one of them had properly matured. She supposed that was just how Leo was, and she prayed that he would never lose that innocence.

His bond with the dragons' heir was more than just a symbol of the Crimson Dragon's blessing now. Life-Stream would learn more about humans through the one he bonded with, and to that end, Leo needed to show him more of what humanity was like, to ease relations between the races so that the dream of a bridge across the chasm would someday become reality.

These young ones, both human and half-dragon, were more important than anyone in the grand scheme of things. To atone for the sins of their predecessors... it seemed impossible at a surface glance, and yet they had already set that brilliant future in motion.

Rin, queen of Synchronia and consort to a mighty guardian dragon, had come across a very unique conundrum.

That conundrum was that one of her four children had come across the motorcycle she'd built together with her consort and the aid of a few others. The machine had stopped functioning properly, and while it would have been a quick fix normally, her son had decided that the motorcycle was his treasure, and he wouldn't let anyone near it. The ones who usually helped with these sorts of situations - Yusei and Akiza, the Signer couple - were away in Fusionia, visiting the one who had risen as Cusillu's Dark Signer during the war. A dangerous prospect on its own, as that man had not changed one bit since his incarceration, and it threatened to destabilize Rin's sanity now.

Yugo was relentlessly aggressive toward those who threatened his queen, but when it came to his own children, he had developed a peculiar habit. That habit was to allow them to run rampant, never scolding them himself no matter how much trouble they got into, and while it didn't surprise Rin that Yugo was like that - he had always been overly affectionate toward his loved ones, after all - it was more than a little frustrating.

Turning these royal brats into royal heirs was a job that required multiple people, and if Yugo wouldn't cooperate, someone else would have to step in. There was no choice - only one option remained, and that was to call upon the former interim king of Synchronia... who was also the former king of motorcycle racing in Synchronia, though he'd long since hung up his helmet and track suit.

After delivering the message, Rin paced back and forth in her room, massaging her temples in an effort to soothe the headache that this situation had caused her. Hopefully, Jack wasn't too busy, and he would be able to bring his wife with him - Rin liked Carly, as the two often talked about their difficult husbands and the similarities between them.

Less than half an hour had passed when Rin received a knock on the door to her bedroom. She went over to the door and opened it, and the person who greeted her on the other side was none other than the man she was currently frustrated with.

"Hey, big news!" Yugo announced without being prompted, as he often did. "Yusei and Akiza are back!"

...That was a fast trip, though Rin supposed there was only so much that could be said to Sayer. It also meant that Rin's request for aid from Jack had been a meaningless disturbance, and she didn't look forward to the earful that would inevitably follow.

"Already?" Rin raised an eyebrow. "Well, this is gonna suck..."

"Huh?" Yugo expressed his confusion. "What's gonna suck?"

"I called Jack over to help with things." Rin slipped past Yugo to leave her room, and she glanced back to make sure he was following her as she made her way down the hall; as always, he did, and the sight made her breathe a sigh. "Except now we don't need him, and..."

"I'm sure it'll be fine," Yugo insisted. "Just tell him you didn't know Yusei was on his way."

That was an option for certain, but not a guaranteed fix. Rin decided to place her faith instead in the fact that Jack enjoyed helping with her kids - a way to compensate for the fact that he and Carly couldn't have their own.

Though, thinking about that raised a curious question. Why hadn't they just adopted instead? Was it because of Jack's pride, or was there some other reason?

"Sure." Rin dismissed both Yugo's advice and her own rampaging thoughts in a word, and then she made her way toward the garage, where Shura still held the precious cargo hostage. That was where Rin had directed Jack toward, and it was also where Yusei was most likely to come looking for her - he had been part of the construction team, after all.

Upon arrival, the scene was just about what Rin had expected. The Signer brothers were there, and Shura had backed up against the motorcycle, hissing at the intruders like a mad cat. Why he was so defensive of a machine that wasn't even his baffled Rin, but for the time being, she chose to brush it off as him getting in touch with his dragon heritage.

"Hey, settle down." Yusei attempted to placate Shura, using as gentle a tone as possible. "It's broken, and we need to get it fixed. We'll let you have it back after that, okay?"

"No!" Shura shouted back, and he clutched at the bike with both hands. "I'm not letting any of you put your hands on my treasure!"

"This is absurd..." Jack sounded every bit as exasperated as Rin felt, and he took a few steps toward the little half-dragon, channeling energy into his right arm. "Are you going to cooperate, or am I going to have to knock you out?"

That had been necessary a few times in the past, unfortunately. Rin hated to see her child harmed like that, but sometimes he just wouldn't listen any other way-

"No!" Yugo jumped in front of Shura, holding out his arms in a protective stance. "If you wanna hurt him, you'll have to get through me first!"

"Yugo..." Rin placed her hands on her hips, staring down her mate. "You really aren't helping. We need to talk him down, not let him get away with this."

"I wasn't planning to let him get away with this." Yugo turned around - turning his back to Jack - and grabbed onto Shura's shoulders. "Look, I know you love this bike - it's a pretty sweet ride, and I can't blame you one bit, but you gotta stop being like this. Why don't you find some other treasure to guard while we get this little fella all fixed up? I'll take you for a ride when it's done!"

Rin's jaw dropped as it registered in her mind what had just happened. For the first time ever... even if it was through a bargain, Yugo had actually tried to get one of his kids to stop misbehaving. It was a true miracle bestowed by the Crimson Dragon, a blessing that Rin had not anticipated, and it seemed to be working. Shura's arms went slack and he let go of the motorcycle, blinking up at his father with tears in his eyes.

"Y-you..." Shura spoke slowly, and the pain in his tone was clear. "You always... why... why did you...?" He growled suddenly, then lunged at Yugo. "Why did you betray me!?"

Fortunately, Yugo had quick reflexes, and he was able to block Shura's attack; he gripped his son's wrists, growling right back at him, and Rin was once again astonished by Yugo's behavior. What in the world had made him decide to change his mind on disciplining his children? Was this a temporary thing, or...

"No more Mr. Nice Yugo," the guardian hissed, and then he moved lightning-quick, one of his hands going from Shura's wrist to his shirt. "If you wanna scrap, I'm taking it outside. No one touches my treasure and gets away with it."

...Oh, it was a dragon thing. Rin breathed a heavy sigh as she watched Yugo drag Shura out of the garage, and she braced herself for the angry tirade that she knew would follow from one or both of them... but at least the bike was no longer being guarded.

"I don't think I'll ever understand dragons," Jack muttered, and the magic he'd been channeling faded; he glanced over at his brother, who actually looked a bit surprised as well. "So, are you fixing it, or...?"

"...Yeah." Yusei shook his head as if trying to clear it, and then he gave a single nod. "I just... wow. I didn't expect that."

"I didn't, either," Rin admitted, and she pressed a hand to her forehead. "Geez... I hope he doesn't hurt Shura too badly."

"This is pretty standard dragon parenting." Yusei made his way over to the freed bike, kneeling beside it so that he could inspect it. "At least, according to Stardust. They'll be fine."

"Yeah, but Shura isn't all dragon..." Rin stepped over as well, though she didn't get up close and personal with the motorcycle yet. "He's half-human, and-"

"Has the blood of the Queen of Light," Jack reminded Rin, interrupting her. "I wouldn't be surprised if Yugo's the one stumbling in all bloody and broken after this. You should worry about yourself, Rin."

That was a good point. While the full potential of the half-dragons wasn't yet known, they'd demonstrated remarkable physical and magical strength, and the oldest of the royal heirs had already surpassed her parents in a few fields. Yugo had also been slacking off in his training as of late, so with that in mind, Rin was inclined to agree with Jack - there was a chance that Shura would come out the victor, though hopefully not before they got this thing all fixed up.

"Mind if I help?" Rin offered. "It's our bike, after all."

"I could use the help," Yusei answered her with a smile. "Thanks. Between us, we'll have it fixed in no time."

Rin didn't doubt that - she'd seen how skilled Yusei was in her time working alongside him, and she was grateful to have him on board. More than once, she had considered hiring him as her personal mechanic, but she knew that wasn't what he wanted; he preferred to work on a local scale, taking on odd jobs around the modest house where he and Akiza lived, and it would have been cruel to take him away from that.

This arrangement was fine, as long as he didn't mind helping the queen out every now and then...

Exyzia was not quite the same as it had been before its fall, but its former prince had something now that he had lost during the war - hope.

Shay had put everything he had into restoring his country, spending his time alongside the menial laborers to make sure every brick was set properly. It was beneath what most would consider appropriate for royals, but Exyzia's throne had been turned over to a different person now, and Shay wouldn't have cared either way. He was content where he was, doing what he could to help his sister and her mate... and that included caring for their children from time to time.

When Lulu had given birth to her first set of twins, it had come as a surprise for everyone. Dragons and humans weren't supposed to be able to have children together - and yet similar things had transpired in Penduluma and Synchronia at around the same time, giving rise to a new and powerful royal generation. The second set of twins came as less of a surprise, though there was some humor to be had in the fact that Yuto and Lulu's children came in pairs.

More importantly, at least to him, Shay had noticed a different sort of phenomenon involving himself and his sister. They had both reached a certain age, and then it was as if they were locked in stasis all over again; their bodies did not advance as they should have, and consultations with the other royals revealed that the same was happening to them. It was both strange and concerning, and Shay wondered if it had something to do with the one who had taken the throne in Lulu's stead.

While he was yet young and naive, Yuto was a strong and compassionate ruler, guiding Exyzia better than anyone had imagined. There had been a few threats to the peace, and he had handled them the only way a dragon knew how - by shifting into his true form and demonstrating to the miscreants that such behavior would not be tolerated. That had been enough to settle the unrest for now, but Shay knew that it would likely continue in the future... perhaps enough to warrant him calling upon his flock once again.

As he stood outside the Keystone Tower of Exyzia, one of the few places that offered him any semblance of peace and quiet, Shay felt a tingling in his back - his crest was responding to something, and he looked at the horizon, searching for whatever was approaching. A shriek resonated through the air, and then a beast that was somewhere between a bird and a dragon became visible, cutting through the air on jet-black wings; Shay glimpsed a mess of orange hair on top of the person riding the creature, and he had it in him to be surprised by this new development.

"Hey there!" The Signers' brother greeted Shay with a call and a wave before he leaped off of the dragon's back - a bit of a distance from the ground, but he landed in a way that would minimize the damage he took, and then stood back up like it was nothing. Even though Crow lacked any sort of magical capabilities, he was skilled enough in other fields to compensate, and Shay had seen that firsthand when he came to help with the rebuilding of Exyzia.

"I wasn't expecting you this soon," Shay observed, and a smile crossed his face as he made his way over to his friend. "Who's that?" He gestured at the dragon, who made itself comfortable at the base of the tower, curling up on the ground as it watched the two humans.

"Just a guy I met in the realm of dragons." Crow gave a nonchalant shrug. "Stardust and Archfiend introduced me to him... said he was an old friend of theirs. He calls himself Black-Feather in the human tongue."

"Black-Feather, huh..." Shay scanned the dragon's form, then nodded. "I can see why you two get along." He gave a short laugh. "How's everyone back in Synchronia?"

"They're doing great." Crow sounded amused. "Yusei's in full dad mode. He isn't just taking care of his own - he's also taking care of Rin's kids. Jack's just spoiling 'em all... I never expected that from him. I thought he'd hate them."

Shay thought back to his own experiences as an uncle, and his smile broadened. "You'd be surprised." He turned his gaze toward the pinnacle of the Keystone Tower. "...How about Carly?"

"...Just between you and me, I think she's a bit bummed out." Crow spoke in a quiet tone, as if anyone other than Black-Feather was around to hear. "But she loves spending time with the kids... guess she feels like the mom she'll never be when she's around 'em."

"Blood doesn't make family," Shay reminded Crow - something he should've considered already. "...She can still be a mother."

"Guess you got a point there," Crow conceded, and he scratched the back of his neck with his hand. "But that also depends on Jack... you know how stubborn he is."

"I could never forget." Shay closed his eyes, lowering his head. "...He's a lot like Kite."

"Kite, huh..." Crow hummed. "I can see it. How's he doing, anyway?"

"He's an Exyzian, through-and-through." Shay opened his eyes to look at Crow again. "The only thing better than having one dragon to help you rebuild is having three. Kite and Hart... Yuto is part of their family now, too."

In truth, Shay hadn't known what to expect from the relationship between Kite and Yuto. He'd been skeptical of the idea that brothers separated at birth - or before birth - could ever be as close as if they'd grown up together, but the two of them had gone and proven him wrong, a fact he was grateful for.

"So he's definitely staying in Exyzia..." Crow grinned. "Guess that gives me another reason to visit, huh?"

"I can give you another." Shay considered the incorrigible behavior of his young nephew. "Yuma is giving Yuto and Lulu a lot of trouble. You're welcome to come and help out whenever you can."

Crow laughed hard, and his grin became even wider. "...That a request? You better tell his parents first!"

"Don't worry, I'll let them know." Shay focused on the emblem etched across his back, calling out to his favorite falcon - the last of his flock that remained awake. "Want to come with me?"

"Sure." Crow glanced briefly at Shay, likely taking note of the light that the Raid Raptors' crest gave off, and then he turned his attention to the feathered dragon. "Hey, buddy, you wanna see who we're talking about?"

"Dragons who've chosen to live among humans..." Black-Feather spoke, projecting his voice to both Crow and Shay. "And the child of a dragon and human... I'd love to meet them."

As if on cue, Shay's raptor announced its presence with a shriek, and the former prince of Exyzia waited for his mount to come close before he climbed atop it. He watched as Crow boarded Black-Feather again, and then they were off, rocketing toward the royal castle of Exyzia.

Perhaps he hadn't gotten much quiet time, but Shay couldn't complain - after all, it wasn't every day that he got to talk with Crow.

The chasm between humans and dragons grew narrower every day, and the Crimson Dragon was greatly pleased by this fact.

As was intended, the children of mixed blood drew both intrigue and affection to them, though their latent potential would not be unlocked for some time yet. The stars shone favorably upon these heirs to the new era, and yet the Crimson Dragon did have one concern - not all had taken well to the closing gap, and a new threat loomed on the horizon of the mortal world, still unseen by those who lived upon it.

It was not a threat on the same scale as the Earthbound Immortals, yet it was a threat to the future that the Crimson Dragon had planned regardless. The bridge across the chasm was fragile, and it would only take a strong breeze to topple it; these adversaries would come with the force of a gale, and they would not stop until every last plank and rope was burned to ashes, leaving the two races forever separated.

For the time being, the Crimson Dragon's intervention in mortal affairs had come to an end. If its chosen could not stand up to the task that awaited them, it would have no choice but to intervene again, and it hoped that its faith in those humans and dragons was not misplaced.

They had defeated six of the seven Earthbound Immortals and convinced the last to concede quietly, so there was no doubt that they were capable of protecting this promised future, but would they stand and fight, or would their strength prove to be a fluke? Only time would tell, as the Crimson Dragon had chosen not to see into the future, just this once...