Desert Dragon

by Michael Rogers

  Ginger: "No, Niklauseh, I have been there! There is no corruption."

  Klaus: "Then, who else wields pure Radiatons and roams free?!"

  Arcadia: "There are many people with pure Radiatons! Your claim is so vague!"

  Klaus: *He swayed the aurora scythe to the side, blasting bits of ground away.* "Only those of very powerful people can corrupt an entire continent with corrupted Radiatons!"

  Arcadia: *She paused and looked confused.* "The only people that exceed captain classed power in pure Radiatons are that of The Sacred Knights."

  Klaus: "Then tell me what Sacred Knights are responsible!"

  Arcadia: "After the rising of Valhalla, there have only been two knights that have not made it back from a mission-"

  Klaus: "Take me to them now!" *He shouted, purposely interrupting Arcadia.*

  Arcadia: "One is dead and the other hasn't revealed her Radiatons since she disappeared.."

  Ginger: "How do you know all this?"

  Arcadia: "Thy'm the Astraseeker." *She frowned, staring at Klaus with bright golden eyes.*

  Klaus: "Now we're getting somewhere. This corruption is the result of The Sacred Knights."

  Ginger: "By the facts just given to us, the only logical explanation is the woman that's hidden herself."

  Klaus: "Indeed. Once I find her, I will rip her throat out-"

  Arcadia: "There is a flaw in this logic."

  Ginger: "Ey, Arcadia?"

  Klaus: "Please respond?"

  Arcadia: "As thy stated. She has not released her Radiatons since she escaped. The Wise have picked up on traces of her power, but.."

  Ginger: "My knowledge is limited to the facts of Radiatons, what does this mean?"

  Klaus: "It cannot be her..." *He sounded confused and lowered the aurora scythe, as if he was in deep thought.*

  Arcadia: "What is your move, Niklauseh?"

  Ginger: "...-"

  Klaus: "It seems you've exhausted all the information you know. I have nothing to do with you anymore."

  Ginger: "You are not going to fight? Please respond." *She spoke with a green glow to her face, due to the glyph underneath her.*

  Klaus: "I don't want the death of another family relative on my conscience."

  Arcadia: "Thy have been ordered to kill you, Niklauseh Susanoo."

  Klaus: "Ey?"

  Ginger: *She lowered her arms, causing the glyph's brightness to dim.* "Is this true? Please respond."

  Arcadia: "Regardless of your intentions, thy will never disobey the instructions from my superiors."

  Ginger: "Arcadia-"

  Arcadia: "He stole the planet's Aurorions! He has jeopardised this entire planet to doom unless the Aurorions is returned.. And that's even guessing it's not too late!"

  Klaus: "Ey, Arcadia? You make it sound like you're stronger than me-"

  Arcadia: "With Ginger, thy believe there is enough power to stop you."

  Klaus: "Yohohoho, you really think that?" *He suddenly charged towards Arcadia and Ginger at incredible speeds.*

  Arcadia: "He's coming, Ginger. Do not hold back."

  Ginger: "Yeoshh." *She focused on Klaus, as the glyph brightened up again.*

  Arcadia: "Repent for your sins!" *She jumped forward, giving the illusion she flew above the ground.*

  Klaus: "Aurorion Buster." *The scythe in his hand turned into a fluoro-like colour, allowing him to slash it towards Arcadia with extended reach.*

  Arcadia: "Inconceivable-" *She slashed the aura with her halberd, causing sparks to flash off of it.* (It's like the aura is made of metal?! My halberd is filled with my Radiatons, so normal Roharnia can't work like this!-)

  Klaus: "Yearh!" *He flicked the aura shaped scythe further, knocking Arcadia onto the ground.*

  Ginger: "PIERCING CLOUDS" *She shouted with an echoing voice and pushed forward, wafting eight streams of cloud-like smoke towards Klaus.*

  Klaus: *He glanced at Ginger with a serious frown on his face.* "Aurorion Swirl." *He opened his hand, causing the scythe to unnaturally expand like water, forming a curved wall around him.*

  Ginger: *She watched explosions of cloud, pulse the dirt away from Klaus.* (A direct hit-)

  Klaus: "Aurorion Javelin." *He shouted from the blinding and expanding cloud, throwing a stroke of aurora at Ginger.*

  Ginger: *She watched the cloud violently spiral around the aurora as it pierced through the air towards her.* "No!"

  Arcadia: *She suddenly appeared in a whirl of golden light in the air above Klaus.* (Increase the Radiaton output in my halberd by adding Neurons!)

  Ginger: *She pushed forward, shooting three missile-like shards of ice towards the aurora.* "Target aimed, ICE STREAM DIVIDER" *She watched the ice hit the aurora and instantly shatter back towards her.*

  Klaus: "Yohoho, your fully enchanted Remenistal is only enough to stop my power!-"

  Arcadia: "Star Burst." *She flew downwards towards Klaus and jabbed the halberd in a combo-like manner, causing cuts of light to form a star sign.*

  Klaus: "Not that again-" *He suddenly puffed into smoke, causing Arcadia to hit the halberd into the ground.*

  Arcadia: "Shadiatons-?"

  Klaus: *He suddenly appeared in the air above Arcadia in a swirl of white light, staring at her back.* "And Radiatons."

  Arcadia: "Inconceivable-"

  Ginger: "Ey, Arcadia! Above you!" *She touched one of the glyph-like tattoos on her arm, causing a brown glyph to instantly appear around her hand.* "COMET'S VEIL-"

  Klaus: *He threw his aurora scythe to the side, watching it pierce towards Ginger's head.* "Hmph-"

  Ginger: "Brother-" *She gasped and jumped to the side, closely avoiding the scythe, as it exploded into the ground.*

  *A comet-like boulder shot out of the glyph from Ginger's arm and smashed into the ground, violently rumbling it.*

  Ginger: "Ey, my Remenistal?" *She looked surprised, as if she didn't mean to release the Rostical.*

  Klaus: *He focused back on Arcadia and withdrew his arms.* "NIGHTSHADE, HOLYSHADE." *He pushed both arms at Arcadia, blasting a stream of white lightning in one hand and a stream of black lightning in the other.*

  Arcadia: "Thy will not give in!" *She crossed the halberd and blocked the two streams of lightning, causing her knees to bend and buckle.*

  Klaus: *He stayed in mid-air due to the force of the lightning striking Arcadia.* "You are powerful."

  --

  *Arcadia twitched in her sleep, causing the wheelchair to slightly wheel forward.*

  --

  Arcadia: *She gritted her teeth and grunted with sudden exhaustion.* (Why? Thy've started to awaken?)

  Klaus: "You dare threaten me?! I'm not doing this for me! I'm doing this for my family and the people!"

  Ginger: "..." *She stood on the spot and watched the lightning continue to strike into Arcadia's halberd.*

  Arcadia: *She watched the halberd slightly glow orange.* (It's getting hot-) "What do thou mean, for the people?!"

  Klaus: "Do you understand how many people will be saved from the aggressiveness of the... The plague?!"

  Arcadia: "We don't know what the cause is! One Sacred Knight is dead while the other is missing!-"

  Klaus: "If you can't help me, I will find the answers by myself!-"

  Arcadia: "Thy can't-" *Her knees touched the ground, as the lightning continued to push her downwards.*

  Ginger: *A massive, bright red glyph started to glow underneath her.* "Cosmic flames, crash down, blasting burns, SPIRAL FLAMES"

  *A fiery tornado blasted down from the sky, smashing on top of Klaus' back, pushing him against the ground.*

  Klaus: "Yeoh-" *He hit the ground and suddenly back flipped away, facing Ginger in disgust.* "Why do you help them?!"

  Ginger: "I..."

  Klaus: "You don't care for Sasuke or Asuna? Or even the citizens of Silver Wind Island? What kind of Susanoo are you-?"

  Arcadia: "Have you seen the environment?!" *Her image started to become transparent.* "Or are thou purposel
y turning a blind eye to it?!"

  Klaus: "It's a necessity!"

  Ginger: "Brother! The planet is dying without its power!"

  Klaus: *He clicked his fingers, causing a swirl of aurora to sway around his hand, solidifying into the scythe.* "If it's a Sacred Knight, then I will research about them."

  Arcadia: "Thou can't!-"

  Klaus: "Wake up!" *He pushed forward and a blast of aurora shot Arcadia in the head.*

  Arcadia: "Herh-?" *She fell back, bursting into tiny white orbs as soon as she touched the ground.*

  Ginger: "Arcadia!-"

  Klaus: "Yeoshh-" *He turned around and suddenly warped out of Ginger's sight, leaving behind twinkles of aurora coloured light.*

  Ginger: "B-Brother.." *She suddenly gasped in realisation and turned around, as if she had no time to be sad.* "Arcadia!"

  --

  Arcadia: *She gasped into consciousness and coughed out blood.* "That was close-"

  *Arcadia sighed in relief and leant back in her wheelchair, wiping off the accumulating sweat on her face.*

  Arcadia: "Was it due to my previous fight with Niklauseh? Thy don't understand why thy was weakened." *She listened to the sounds of hollow footsteps run towards the room.*

  Ginger: *She flicked open the curtain, intensely staring at Arcadia.* "Are you hurt? Please respond!"

  Arcadia: "It's unusual seeing thou with such emotions, Ginger."

  Ginger: "Why is he doing this? It's hard to understand one's logic when they're filled with emotion. Ey.." *She spoke with watering eyes.*

  Arcadia: *Her golden eyes reverted back to their respective hazel and red colours.* "Ginger-"

  Ginger: "What's this about being ordered to kill my brother?!"

  Arcadia: "Thy was told the order to return the Aurorions very recently-"

  Ginger: "Why...?" *She whispered on her breath, overwhelmed with negative emotions.* "Why do you do this behind my back?"

  Arcadia: ".. Thy didn't do it behind your back-"

  Ginger: "Then why didn't you tell me?!" *She screamed and angrily took a step forward.* "This is my family, Arcadia."

  Arcadia: "Thy understand-"

  Ginger: "Do you really?!"

  Arcadia: "H-Huh?" *She spoke in shock.*

  Ginger: "You have no family! And you have no friends! How can you possibly understand what I'm feeling?! Please respond!"

  Arcadia: *Her eyes watered, as she stared at Ginger with a dumbfounded look.* "..."

  Ginger: "I trusted you! How could you hide something so important?!"

  Arcadia: "Thy'm just doing what thy'm told-"

  Ginger: "Ey, Arcadia. I understand your logic now." *She turned around and started to walk away.* "Get lost.. Do as you're told."

  Arcadia: "..."

  Ginger: *She stepped onto the veranda, as a door appeared behind her in a gulf of flames.* (Niklauseh, I will stop you.. But I will not kill you.)

  Chapter 10: Trevour's Tale

  *Trevour slowly woke up on top of a massive spiral hill and noticed a man and woman dressed in brown colours, standing at the ledge.*

  Trevour: "What are you two doing? Get away from there!"

  Man: *He looked at the woman with a loving smile.* "It's okay, Cecilia, Trevour is watching over us."

  Cecilia: "Trevour? That's excellent." *She placed one foot over the ledge and looked down.*

  Trevour: *He gasped.* "Stop!"

  Cecilia: "Amancio."

  Amancio: "Trevour, help!" *He smiled and stepped off the ledge with Cecilia, causing them to fall.*

  Trevour: "No!" *He shouted in desperation and quickly crawled towards the ledge, looking down with widening eyes.* "DUST STORM"

  *Trevour shouted with an echoing voice and watched a swirl of sand spiral on the ground, under the falling couple.*

  Trevour: "Please! Please!"

  *Cecilia and Amancio fell through the swirling dirt and slammed directly onto the ground, causing a pulse of sand to blow away from them.*

  Trevour: *He covered his mouth with both hands in despair, watching blood run out of the motionless couple's mouths.* (No!-)

  Cecilia: *She suddenly opened her eyes without moving her body.* "Why did you let us die, Trevour?"

  Trevour: "I-I didn't mean to! I tried!"

  Cecilia: "We could have lived a long and wonderful life!"

  Trevour: "I tried to help you!"

  Amancio: *He slowly opened his eyes.* "Trevmeister, you little monster, why?"

  Trevour: *He sniffed and looked confused.* "Pardon?"

  Amancio: "Trevmeister, please! Terrific Trevour!" *He suddenly squealed.*

  Trevour: "I-..?"

  --

  Lezard: "Trevmeister, wake up already!" *He squealed, as he wiggled his bottom with his arms spread over Trevour, who slept on a double bed, inside a poorly lit room.*

  *Light spread from Lezard's hands, wafting itself over Trevour's body, causing the curved parts of his armour to shine.*

  Trevour: "Kerh?" *He suddenly woke up with a gasp, finding himself in the small dark room.*

  Lezard: *He looked surprised, as the white light dimmed and faded.* "Trevmeister?"

  Trevour: "Lezard? Ouch-" *He suddenly held his head in pain.*

  Lezard: "Lezard tried his best, but eventually my Radiaton pulses pulled you out of your subconscious sleep state."

  Trevour: "What.. Happened?" *He mumbled each word.*

  Lezard: "The champion apparently increased your Neurons or Astragons-"

  Trevour: "She did?" *He spoke as if he couldn't remember.*

  Lezard: "Don't you worry, little monster. She's in Rachael's bad books."

  Trevour: "No, that's right! I remember now. She helped me obtain my-"

  Lezard: "Little monsters! He's awake!" *He shouted over his shoulder as if he was excited to announce it, before focusing back to Trevour.* "On top of this, you also received a saddening smash by a frightening wave."

  Trevour: "The water? Pardon, sir, what's saddening?"

  Lezard: "It was deliciously scary." *He nodded his head in a serious-like manner.*

  Trevour: "What happened?" *He leant up and glanced across the room.* "And where are we? In someone's house?"

  Lezard: "Ooo, questions! We were forced to sail West and Whitehead did an emergency crash on The Great Coast. We're currently in Surpreon, residing in one of the champion's friend's residence."

  Trevour: "And the water?"

  Lezard: "A sneaky storm attacked us! It was like the ocean was trying to pull the ship under! If it wasn't for Whitehead's experience, we might not have made it."

  Trevour: "That's a frightening experience, sir."

  Lezard: "Although, Nathan believes it was the work of a Guardian and it was Whitehead's plans to deceive us."

  Trevour: "How would that make sense? He was on the ship too."

  Lezard: "I think he might've wanted us to defeat this Guardian." *He shook his head.* "I don't know the details, but it's delicious to have you back!"

  Trevour: "Heh heh, you didn't have to worry about me-"

  Luna: "Oh shut up, dick face." *She grunted with a smile and walked into the room, with the guild behind her.*

  Destiny: "Yeup."

  Rachael: "We were really worried about you."

  Nathan: "Yeah." *He placed his hands on his head.* "I didn't realise myself-" *He slightly tilted his head away.* ".. That you're one of my really good mates."

  Lezard: *He glanced at Nathan.* "Lezard being number one of course."

  Trevour: *He smiled at Lezard.* "Heh heh, I wouldn't dare take that away from you, sir."

  Lezard: "Ooo, respectful."

  Karol: "Twevour." *He squealed in happiness and excitement, hugging Trevour.*

  Trevour: "How are you, little meister?"

  Karol: "Good!"

  Trevour: "And thank you, Nathan. I also value your friendship."

  Nathan: "..." *He nodded his head in acknowledgement.*

  Champion: "How's your head?"

  Trevour: "It's th
robbing, like a migraine." *He spoke, as he rubbed the side of his head with discomfort.*

  Champion: "Oh my?" *She sounded guilty.*

  Trevour: "But you have my appreciation, boss."

  Luna: "Ya thankin' her for giving you a headache?"

  Rachael: "Yeah?" *She sounded annoyed.*

  Trevour: "It was the price I paid for improving my Rostical."

  Champion: "Valuable things are not given to you so easily."

  Rachael: "Oh.." *She spoke, as if she suddenly felt bad.*

  Trevour: "I couldn't agree with you any more, boss."

  Champion: "It is fine. It all came down to your final decision."

  Rachael: "If that's the case, I'm sorry, champion."

  Champion: "Oh my, that's quite alright. I appreciate the sincerity."

  Rachael: "Cool." (Although, I now feel a little bit silly for having a go at her.)

  Trevour: "Should we rest at the Inn?"

  Nathan: "It was already night by the time we got to Surpreon."

  Lezard: *He cracked his back and watched a woman holding a tray, walk into the room.* "Sleeping on Katrina's couch sure was a hassle."

  Katrina: "Oh, deary me." *She spoke with a smile and handed the guild cups of warm tea.* "Cynthia is now asleep."

  Lezard: "Thankies." *He whispered, as he held the cup with both hands.*

  Trevour: "We slept? Then it's tomorrow?"

  Nathan: "You were actually out for nearly two days, man."

  Trevour: *He gasped and suddenly leant off the bed, trying to find where his metallic boots were.* "Oh no, I have somewhere to be."

  Luna: "You have somewhere to be? We would've been on the other continent if we weren't asked to go back to Concern's Gate, aye."

  Trevour: "I..."

  Rachael: "Trev." *She kicked Trevour's boots towards him.*

  Katrina: "I will be in the kitchen if you need me." *She spoke with a smile and walked out of the room.*

  Champion: "Thank you, old friend." *She spoke with a smile.*

  Trevour: "Who is that?"

  Champion: "An old friend I've saved several times in my past. She owed me a favour." *She spoke with a growing smile and closed her eyes.*

  Lezard: "Ooo, that reminds me! Nathanmottus, did you hear back from Season?"

  Nathan: "Nope. He's so busy, the guards wouldn't even let me in his manor to wait for him."

  Rachael: "I couldn't imagine how busy it would be for a leader."