Chapter Text
32nd Of The Tsagaan Star
“DON’T GIVE THEM AN ILM! YOU ARE SOLDIERS OF GARLEMALD, AND YOU WILL NOT FALL HERE!” Yargai shouted to the Imperials surrounding him. The soldiers rallied at their Tribunus’s words. They had begun to make ground, pushing the closest clans away from the ovoo. Once they had it, victory would be theirs and the whole of the Steppe would serve him once again.
“YOU ARE ALL WARRIORS OF THE STEPPE! SHOW THESE INVADERS WHAT HAPPENS TO ALL WHO THREATEN US!” Magnai shouted his own rallying cry.
A chorus of cheers erupted from the fighting Xaela, even the Dorthal. This was their home, and they would not let the traitor and these invaders seize it for themselves! They pushed back against the seemingly endless army of soldiers. They would not let the former Khagan win the Naadam!
Nearby, Noru fought valiantly against Zivont. “He’s right! Let me show you why I am a Warrior of Light!” she shouted, unleashing a hail of different aspected magic. Fire, lightning, and water rained down from the sky, wind carried shards of rock and ice towards the Elezen.
He attempted to shield himself from the onslaught, but the pure power and sheer amount of the attacks broke through his defenses and knocked him to the ground. He tried to stand up, but a hand made of stone formed around him, then wrapped its fingers around his body. He was trapped.
“This is over.” Noru turned and began to walk away, ignoring his indignant shouts.
Ateia saw the defeat of her fellow Tribunus and grimaced. She was holding out against the Scions, but that was all she was doing. They didn’t leave her an opening to retaliate. All she could do was defend!
The tide of battle had turned to the Xaela’s favor quickly, but according to Yargai that didn’t matter. They only needed to claim the ovoo to win the servitude of these savages.
Then all at once the fighting halted as a roar like thunder resounded out across the entirety of Othard. While nearly everyone stopped because they were cautious, not knowing what made the roar, for four of them that wasn’t the case.
Lyse, Alphinaud, Alisaie, and Noru froze, as they had all heard that roar before. Lyse could never forget that sound, and the sight of the dragon tearing through the sky that accompanied it. As for Noru and the twins, they were there when what created that roar tried to come back, with the former fighting a portion of its resurrected soul.
None of them understood why they heard Bahamut’s roar on the opposite end of the Three Great Continents, but they all knew what it meant. They were about to witness the harbinger of the Seventh Umbral Calamity reborn yet again.
Virgil was a proud man, but even he could admit that he had screwed this up. The plan had been to rush in, knock her out, then drag her back to his lab where he would reprogram her mind to be loyal to him. But the moment he saw her, he let his obsession cloud his judgment. The power roiling just under her skin was so tantalizing! He wanted to see it for himself!
But he still had a chance to turn this all around. His mission was still obtainable. She just needed to keep Bahamut’s attention until he could call in his tech. Once he had it, he could use it to enslave the Dreadwyrm. Unfortunately, the Elder Eikon was too preoccupied with the Eikon Slayer – its former killer – to even acknowledge his presence.
“COTA! PLEASE, I KNOW YOU’RE IN THERE!” Fray shouted, but to no avail.
Bahamut leered at the Miqo’te, and roared so loud that cliffs crumbled to dust. He shot through the air, crashing into where Fray stood and causing a massive explosion that destroyed Cota’s home and a good chunk of the mountain.
Apex roared, the fire being too much for him to handle. The flames had at least burned away the net and woken him up. But he recognized the superior predator that had possessed Cota. So he fled into the mountains.
As for Fray, even being immune to fire he still felt the heat. Just like Nidhogg, rage powered these flames. Unfortunately, the abyss did not, so he couldn’t just tear the energy out of her.
He wanted to try reasoning with her, but he knew it would be pointless. Bahamut had full control over her, and the only way she was getting back in control was if he defeated the Eikon. At least he had experience with fighting the Dreadwyrm.
“Okay then… So be it!” he darkly muttered.
He bolted forward, lightning and abyss crashing into Bahamut with so much force that they both soared away from the mountains. The Dreadwyrm threw him off, then proceeded to flap his wings which summoned forth Megaflare.
Fray rolled through the air, dodging each explosion that widely traveled through the blackened sky. From above, meteors rained down upon them. Using them, Fray got behind one and kicked it at the Eikon while infusing it with the abyss. The meteor crashed into Bahamut, exploding upon impact. Though it did little to slow down the Elder Eikon. He tore through the fire, Megaflares bursting out of his wings and claws elongating to become flaming scythes.
The God-like dragon swiped at Fray who rolled between the claws. He turned to strike back, but he had already disappeared among the clouds. Having used this trick against Nidhogg, Fray carefully watched and listened for the incoming ambush. He heard Bahamut a second before he saw him, barreling through the sky from above him.
Fray raised Caladbolg, infusing it with radiant lightning and swung up. Flame and electricity clashed, sending sparks of both falling to the plains below. The grass caught fire and it quickly began to spread. The reborn Storm God used his control over storm magic to call forth a torrential downpour, snuffing out the wildfire.
But what surprised him was that it also hurt Bahamut as if the rain were made of acid. It made perfect sense, given the magma seeping out the burning black armor. Instead of dispersing the storm, he instead let it stay.
“INSOLENT WRETCH! I WILL INCINERATE YOU FLESH!” Bahamut roared with such force that it rattled Fray’s bones. The Dreadwyrm used Ahk Morn, calling down pillars of fire on Fray, who bore them with minimal difficulty. This made Bahamut angrier. “IMPOSSIBLE! IF YOU WILL NOT BURN THEN I WILL RIP YOU APART!”
“NOT HAPPENING!” he shouted back. He kicked off the air, propelling himself forward like an arrow. As he passed Bahamut, he slashed at him with an Edge of Shadows. B;lack scales were torn off, blood flying out the wound that quickly repaired itself.
Bahamut opened his jaw and spewed forth red flames. Fray prepared for them, but as they hit he screamed in agony. He bolted out of there, wondering why this fire had worked. The only explanation was that the red energy was not fire, but something else. He guessed it was most likely a manifestation of the Dragon’s rage, but that didn’t seem completely right.
Bahamut lunged for him, the red flame-like energy encompassing Cota’s captive form. He tried to dodge, but the Dreadwyrm dug his claws into his gut. They were then torn out, blood gushing out from his wounds before the Phoenix’s flames closed them.
He flew up into the clouds, Bahamut hot on his heels. Flares passed his body before circling back around to strike him. He rolled over one, causing it to collide with two others. He then abruptly descended, dodging five more the exploded midair. But the last two exploded on his back, knocking him off course and allowing Bahamut to grab him.
Bahamut dove, slamming him into the ground so hard that it shook. Before he could recover, Bahamut grabbed him by the neck and ascended into the clouds once again, all the while searing his flesh with the raging aether.
He bore the pain, waiting until they were above the cloudline. The moment they were, he summoned seven bolts of lightning to strike them. Bahamut roared in agony while he ripped the Dreadwyrm’s claws off his neck.
Reeling his fist back, he enkindled Titan and punched Bahamut with enough force to sink Vylbrand to the bottom of the sea! The dragon plummeted, but unleashed Terraflare as he did. The massive eruption of fire crashed into Fray’s radiant thunder and lightning and quickly overpowered it.
Fray refused to be pushed back, using his full strength to push through the explosion that would have torn a normal person apart! Holding Caldabold in a reverse grip, he plunged out of the fiery plume. He hurtled towards Bahamut and drove the blade through the Eikon’s shoulder! They both crashed to the ground, a cloud of dust rising up around them.
He ripped his greatsword out of Bahamut. For a moment the Dragon was suspended midair before gravity could pull him down. In that split second, he placed his palm against the Dreadwyrm’s scales and blasted out an abyss-infused Terraflare of his own.
The dragon was sent spiraling across the rolling hills, before he righted himself and dug his claws into the ground. The moment he slid to a stop, he bolted forward on all fours like a raging beast. Leaping above Fray, the Elder Eikon lashed out with claws and fangs ignited with magma.
Fray raised his greatsword to block the incoming attack, but his defense was shattered on impact and he was thrown through the air for yalms. He crashed back into the ground, skipping across it like a stone across water.
As Fray came to a stop, Bahamut leapt into the air, summoning Cota’s lance into his left hand, while an orb of magma formed in his right. Fray had only seconds to roll out of the way as the Dreadwyrm shot towards him, plunging the weapon and orb into the ground where he had just laid. The orb exploded in a violent eruption a moment after the impact, the flames washing over his skin and burning it.
Bahamut thrust the lance forward, which the shadow sidestepped. Fray then ducked under the Elder Eikon’s claws that swiped at his face. The Dreadwyrm growled, then dashed behind the Dark Knight, spun around and slammed the blade of the ignited spear into Fry’s side.
The Dreadwyrm leapt into the air while twirling. Fray had to slide under the spear and flames that were shot forward in a wave. Out of the corner of his vision, Fray saw the dragon wind up in preparation to deliver a flurry of rapid thrusts. He turned and masterfully deflected them all, but became winded. So when Bahamut jumped off the air and rose high above him, he was unable to protect himself from the column of flames that encircled him, or the aetheric lances that shot up from the ground upon the flames dispersing.
He coated his body with ice to soothe the searing pain, then let healing magic wash over him. He wasn't exactly in the mood to use the phoenix’s fire. After recovering, he raised his arm heavensward and called down a pillar of light. The light collected above his open palm in the form of a massive bolt of lightning five times the Miqo’te’s size.
He hurled it at Bahamut who was unable to dodge. The moment the lightning connected the surrounding area erupted in a blinding explosion of light. Those fighting in the Naadam malms away saw what appeared to be a sunrise in the distance. Even Fray was thrown back from the sheer force.
He hoped that had done it, that Bahamut was out. But as he looked up from where he knelt, a look of horror crossed his face. The Dreadwyrm’s form had changed.
From the sides of Cota’s head, six horns had sprouted forth like a crown. Two from her forehead were the same as the ebon black scales, two from the side of her head that were larger and composed of magma, and then four horns of pure red flame sprouted from the back of her skull. The scales around her head had also thickened into plates, creating a Dragoon helm while the ones around her jaw grew to resemble the maw of a wyrm. The rest of her scales did the same, causing her to become as tall as a male Xaela.
Bahamut snarled, slowly stalking towards his prone form, a massive red flame as large as Cota rising up from his claws. Fray stood, ready to fight, but the Dreadwyrm grabbed him by the neck with his flaming hand, tossed him in the air, then back handed him so hard it cracked his ribs.
He fell to the ground, unable to move as the flames continued to burn. He tried to put them out, or to change them into Phoenix’s flames, but he couldn’t. This fire had to be out of the Seventh Hell, because no matter what he did, they only spread.
He could not extinguish Bahamut’s flames
It hit him. They were Bhamut’s flames! Yes he was immune to fire, but it was because of the Phoenix. While before that fire had done still harmed them – if far less since the abyss came to their aid when they fought Lahabrea – once they got the healing powers of the Phoenix, they no longer took damage from fire.
Except they didn’t know that at the time because Bahamut had still been able to harm them. The Dreadwyrm had tempered the Phoenix, so his rage field flames could bypass the other Eikon’s own fire. And thus it could bypass his resistance.
So instead of trying to extinguish them, he let his own connection to the Dreadwyrm burn without him. The two fires melded, allowing him to control them. He shot up, and blasted the back at Bahamut who was not expecting him to rise. Fully unprepared, the Eikon was struck by his own flames.
“COTA!” he shouted. Once again trying to break through to her. “IF YOU CAN HEAR ME, THEN YOU NEED TO FIGHT!”
“IMPUDENT MORTAL!” Bahamut roared. “I WILL NOT BE CAGED AGAIN!”
‘DAMN IT!’ he raged inside his head. ‘Come on Cota, I know you’re stronger than this! What could have caused you to lose control like this?!’
To his question, the Echo responded with the answer.
Fray saw what Cota did. Her clan slaughtered by Yargai, the sick and twisted experiments Virgil performed on her as an infant. No wonder she snapped. Then to his surprise, the vision changed.
…
Virgil was pissed! He’d hunted down those meddling Shinobi that stole his prized weapon! Yet despite torturing all of them, they refused to give up the infant’s location. Enraged, he transformed them all into monsters enhanced by his technology. Well he tried, but they all perished during the process.
He continued to search for the girl, but to no avail! Whoever had her was an expert at disappearing and could be anywhere on the Star by now!
‘Breathe Virgil.’ he told himself. ‘What would your father say if he could see you now?’
Yes, he must stay calm and ever focus on the future. That was what his father had always said, up until the day he died. That man always believed the future of the Star belonged to those with the greatest technological might. He had been a fervent scholar of Allag after all.
The man had spent decades of his life salvaging their tech for the burgeoning Garlean Empire. He had even tried to obtain a child that carried the rare Royal Eye of Allag, but he could never find where Xande’s bloodline ended up. Which meant he had to recreate Allag’s greatest accomplishments from scratch.
Unfortunately, he’d have to start from scratch himself…again! But now that oaf Yargai had been banished from the Azim Steppe for slaughtering the Avangar clan. Not that he needed an Au Ra. He simply enjoyed how their lizard-like appearance complimented the dragon his weapon would be a conqueror of.
He had brought Yargai to him to discuss finding another child that fit his needs. But the two were interrupted by an unexpected guest, one who Virgil never imagined he would meet like this.
Six royal guards flooded into his laboratory and took position around the entrance way. They were followed by the Emperor of Garlemald himself; Solus zos Galvus. Virgil bowed deeply to his Emperor immediately. Even Yargai had the common sense to show reverence to their glorious Emperor!
“My liege!” he said without looking up. “What brings you all the way out–”
He was cut off as Solus grabbed him by the throat and lifted him off the ground. His face was twisted into an expression of pure unadulterated rage! Yargai was about to rush in and aid him, but the guards all drew their weapons, keeping the former Khagan at bay.
“EXPERIMENTING ON CHILDREN?!” he roared, his voice striking fear even into his guards. The Emperor always had this presence around him that screamed he could kill you with a thought. “What possible excuse could you have for such a heinous act?!”
Solus’s grip loosened just enough for him to speak again. “My Emperor, it was all to aid our glorious Empire!” he explained, fear gripping his heart. “Besides, none of the children were Garlean. We are above these savages, they are not people to the likes of us!”
That was the wrong thing to say. In a tone as cold as the winters of Garlemald, Solus ordered everyone to leave. They did so without question, leaving him alone with the Emperor.
“You sound too much like people I used to know.” he hissed, his voice nothing but vitriol and venom. “Thanks to their hubris, my brother, my father, my friends, all of them were killed.”
“My liege-”
“ Tell me, do you know what happened to the last person who went against me?” A dark aura that radiated death began to surround the Garlean Emperor. “A reaper by the name of Rullus eir Varus.”
He nodded. Virgil knew that name, every Garlean did. He was the most feared and lethal Reaper in the history of their order. But one day he vanished without a trace, never to be heard from again.
“He was opposed to our conquest, so I showed him what I am capable of.” Solus said darkly. “It drove him mad, and his voidsent consumed him and killed nearly his entire family. Now you may not have a demon latched on to your soul, waiting to devour it, so you can only imagine what I am going to do to you!”
Then something Fray had never experienced happened. His Echo glitched, blocking out what happened next. Static filled his vision, but he could still hear Virgil’s screams.
When the vision returned, Virgil was curled into a ball on the ground of his now destroyed lab, clutching his hair so hard that it began to tear from his scalp. He was muttering about Solus, repeating “he’s no man, he’s no man, he’s no man,” over and over again.
…
The next day, Virgil had composed himself as best he could. He had processed a tiny fraction of what that monster playing ruler had done to him. It was enough for him to know one thing.
The royal bloodline was tainted, and they would only lead the Empire to ruin. If their people were to survive, then the Galvus bloodline needed to be eradicated from existence. But the Empire still needed an Emperor, so he would become just that!
So he would bide his time, wait for Solus to die (if he even could). All the while he would gather loyal followers and show them the truth of what he had seen. Then when the time came, he would usurp the throne while his followers ushered in the age of his rule!
See AlsoCitations:New Yorkian - Wiktionary, the free dictionarySelf-insert One Shot Collection - Not_So_Dark_One02 - Book of Respite: Heroes from Both Sides - Anchanted_One, JaymiddleBlack Myth Wukong Achievements & Trophies Guide - Tigore's TipsAs for his missing weapon, it could prove a threat in the future. Luckily all he would need to do was expose it to draconic essence, and let the awakened blood tear her apart cell by cell. And if by some miracle it survived, then he would reclaim it and use the power to usher in his new Empire; as the Dragon Emperor!
…
Virgil wanted to shrug off the rumors Yargai brought him, but they were too consistent to do so. Apparently, a Xaela named Korra was infamous in the Azim Steppe for her incredible strength that even she was unable to control. And according to many, she possessed the powers of a Dragon.
He really wanted to believe this person was his missing experiment, but that couldn’t be possible. The girl would have perished the moment she was exposed to draconic essence. A fully developed mortal body couldn’t handle that level of strength.
There was only one reason he didn’t outright dismiss the idea. And that reason was the Warriors of Light. Or namely, the new one that had the powers of a Storm Dragon, according to Zivont at least.
If somehow his weapon gained the power of the Echo, then allow her to survive. But from his studies into that power for the Resonants, he knew that it would also block the essence from affecting her.
But the Warriors of Light didn’t just have the Echo, but the Blessing of Light. He wasn’t entirely sure how that differed, but from hearsay he knew that it raised the power they could reach, making them stronger and allowing them to reach a higher potential than other people. But that would certainly block draconic essence. It would take a dragon of unimaginable power to–
He froze. If she was a Warrior of Light, then she may have fought Bahamut. An Elder Eikon fueled by a dying reflection would certainly do the trick, and the two powers would allow her to live!
And he seemed to recall one of the old Warriors being a Xaela woman.
He instantly called Yargai and told him to investigate it. He still didn’t hold out much hope that it was her, but the possibility was still there. And even if it was an infinitesimal chance, he had to take it. So when Yargai confirmed it was her, he nearly jumped for joy!
With him now under Zenos’s command, he would need something strong to use against the Crown Prince when the time came. He had already defeated one Warrior of Light, but he desired a rematch with him.
So for his Prince, he would give him an even greater challenge! And when his weapon slaughtered him, only that fool tol Skora would stand in his way of leadership. And once he had the most vicious legion of the Empire under his command, he would be primed to finally exact his plan and instate his rule!
All he needed was the Warrior of Light!
“That sick bastard.” Fray spoke in horror as he came out of the vision. He would kill him and raise him for an eternity, make him pay for all he had done! Yet knowing that he planned to betray the Empire, well that could prove useful information.
He couldn’t let him get his mitts on Cota though! He had to defeat her and bring her back. Which meant he couldn’t hold back…even if it meant fighting like he was trying to kill her.
He glared at the Elder Eikon who glared back. He let out a primal shout as he called the powers of the Eikons he had slain to gather around him, like he had with Leviathan!
The torrential downpour swirled around his legs and froze into ice, while lower down it gathered into a serpentine tail of water. Stone flew up and gathered around his chest and arms, while Ifrit’s fire erupted from the latter, charring the earth black as Bahamut’s scales grew, creating twisted spikes.. His fingers turned into Garuda’s talons, creating razor sharp claws of wind. Horns reminiscent of Ifrit’s sprouted out the side of his head, which became coated in fire and thunder.
He roared, spreading his arms wide as flames burst from the cracks in the stone and lightning crashing down from the heavens! The challenge was clear. Bahamut roared back, the very shy breaking open and raining fire upon the two monsters!
Fray, the Eikonic Amalgam rushed forward, using his claws to pull his massive form across the plains. Bahamut, the Reborn Calamity rose into the air, an extra pair of wings bursting out of his back. The two god-like entities attacked, the whole of Othard shaking as they engaged in ferocious combat!
The Eikonic Amalgam Breathed ice, the sub-zero stream clipping one of the Dreadwyrm’s wings. But as the dragon fell towards the ground, he summoned Megalflares that surrounded his form as he aimed to crash into the Amalgam.
Fray raised his arms and grabbed Bahamut by the wings. As he slid backward from the collision, he froze his tail then dug the tip into the ground . When they began to slow he threw Bahamut away, then spun in a circle to gain momentum which he used to smash his tail into the Reborn Calamity.
Recovering midair, the Dreadwyrm melted the ice, then unleashed Terraflare onto the Amalgam. The composite monster roared, summoning bolts of lightning to strike down every explosion before it could reach him. The force of the roar also pushed back the Elder Eikon, it even cracked some of his scales.
The Amalgam took a deep breath, then blasted out a typhoon that swept the Dragon into its wake. Bahamut heated up his wings until the water began to evaporate and the air rose above him. Ducking under what remained, he flew towards the monstrosity, grabbing it by the face, picking it up, and breathing a condensed beam of red flames into its still open maw.
Fray struggled against the Reborn Calamity. He tried to rip the monster possessing his friend off of his face, but Bahamut pushed away his claws with his wings. He could feel his insides roasting, even as he tried to control the flames!
Focusing on Shiva’s ice, he charged up a sub zero beam in the back of his throat before letting it blast out of him. The opposing energies clashed against each other while rapidly heating and cooling the air. The result, a massive burst of force that threw Bahamut into the air and slammed Fray into the ground.
The shadow let out a hacking cough, which came out as a strangled growl in his current form. He already regretted doing this. For some reason, using all the Eikons like this made him feel dirty, distressed, and overall it just felt utterly wrong! He couldn’t back down now though, not when he was fighting to free Cota.
Focusing on that feeling, he let the abyss flow through the Eikonic Amalgam, turning the lightning red and the fire black and purple. Copying Ifrit’s signature move, he charged up an orb of his own Hellsfire, let it rise above him, and then spiked it at the Dragon in the air.
The eruption was immense. For two malms around, the ground was scorched black and a pillar blasted into the air, parting the clouds and evaporating the rain across the entire Steppe. As the smoke cleared, the Amalgam growled to see Bahamut still hovering in the air. Thankfully, part of his scales began to crack and fall off, magma seeping out of the wounds and falling to the ground. The Dreadwyrm closed his wounds by hardening them into obsidian, which also reinforced his body.
“Your tenacity is admirable, but pointless.” the Reborn Calamity rumbled, its voice shaking the sky. “All will burn. You only delay the inevitable.”
“That’s what you said before I slew you last time!” he yelled out in defiance. His vice echoed with the power of the Eikons, sounding as if ten of him were speaking at once.
Bahamut growled. “But now you are alone. Your paltry tricks will not save you!”
True, last time he and Noru had fought the Dragon’s reforming soul. Even when he fought Nidhogg, Noru and Vinsomnir had already heavily weakened the Darkeater beforehand. By all accounts, he should not be capable of winning.
“That doesn’t matter! I am a Warrior of Light, and I refuse to leave people who need my help!” he shouted, quoting Cota’s own words. “And right now, my friend is in need, so I will not stop until she is free!” he cried out, the abyss surging around him at his conviction.
“THEN YOU WILL PERISH, KNOWING YOU HAVE FAILED TO SAVE ANYONE!” The Dreadwyrm roared.
The Amalgam slammed his tail into the ground, causing spires of ice to rise up in a path headed straight for the Dragon God. Bahamut reeled back his fist, then lunged forward while he punched the ice. The frozen structures shattered as the wyrm sailed through the air, until his fist collided with the Amalgam’s stone chest. The monstrosity was sent flying for a malm until he crashed back down.
Shaking it off, Fray leapt at the approaching Elder Primal, igniting his brimstone claws with fire. The Dreadwyrm met this with his flaming scythe claws, the two clashing against the other like blades. But the Amalgam’s sheer size combined with him actually touching the ground gave him the edge. His claws slash through Bahamut’s defense, tearing more of the scale armor off of Cota’s body.
“GIVE UP!” he cried out as he breathed out a stream of lightning. The attack hit the Dreadwyrm, paralyzing him for a second. That was all the time the Amalgam needed to slither forward and constrict the Dragon in his tail. Since his tail was made up of ice cold water, Bahamut was roaring in pain as his fire was extinguished and magma was hardened.
With all his strength, Bahamut snapped his wings open, destroying the Amalgam's tail. The wyrm grabbed the monstrosity by the neck, but immediately retracted his arm. Fray had called upon a quake that he attempted to send through the Dragon’s body.
Laning on the ground, he called the rain from the storm to rebuild his lower half. Once it had, he slammed it into the ground, sending out a wave of glacial spike. Bahamut tried to fly above them, but knowing he would do that, Fray called down lightning bolts to strike all the pillars.
The electricity slammed into the Dreadwyrm who roared in both pain and anger! He turned to the Amalgam who had lunged at him in an attempt to slam his burning fist into the Dragon. Bahamut tanked the blow, barely being flung back, then responded with Megaflare.
The Amalgam followed suit and casted Megaflare himself. The twin attacks collide in midair, completely neutralizing the others. The Amalgam tore up the ground with his burning claws. Then using the wind, he shot the burning shards of brimstone through the smoke, right at Bahamut!
The Dreadwyrm rolled through the attack the second he saw it, but was clipped by a shard as he rose into the sky. The Reborn Calamity then unleashed Gigaflare, a burst stream stronger than a cast of Megaflare. He crossed his arms, dug his tail into the ground, and braced for the attack. As it struck, his defenses were blown away like a stick in a hurricane!
The arms and part of the chest of the Amalgam fell away, leaving him exposed. He tried to recollect the stone, but it was too late. The wyrm’s roar drew his attention to the monster. Bahamut stretched out his fourfold wings and shot hundreds of flares into the sky. They then fell back down, all colliding above the Dragon.
But they didn’t explode. Fear flooded through Fray as all the flares gathered into one massive flare that floated above the Dragon God, similar to his recreation of Ifrit’s attack. Bahamut leapt behind the massive flare and reeled back his arm, claws out. Then he thrusted his arm forward, unleashing a massive beam of energy.
Fray moved quickly, he let the Amalgam fall apart, summoned his wings, then flew into the air to dodge the attack. Words could not describe the fear he felt as the beam changed direction mid flight. He could only try and cast defensive spells to protect himself, but the end was still the same.
Exaflare enveloped him whole.
Despite the chaos happening in the distance, Noru kept fighting the Empire. She knew that Bahamut had made that roar, and the power of those explosions could have only come from a Great Wyrm or Warrior of Light.
But even as Ateia slashed at her, Chain-Sword revving, she couldn’t entirely focus on the here and now. She had mostly gotten over her crippling fear of death after Susano when she had to save Fray from being crushed. But now faced with the prospect of a revived Dreadwyrm, they had begun to return.
She had to push the thoughts of Nidhogg tearing her apart out of her mind, lest Ateia do the same. She trusted that Fray would be able to handle him, as he defeated Nidhogg after the wyrm empowered himself twice!
On the other end of the battlefield, Yargai was becoming angry. He had nearly claimed the ovoo when the Dorthal Khan hit him with a f*cking meteor! Now he and his men were being steadily pushed back! At this rate, they would be forced to fall back!
He couldn’t let these weaklings win though! They would undoubtedly side with the Rebellion, and then they would come for the Empire! If that happened, then they had no hope of holding Doma.
‘My Lord, you better have retrieved your weapon, because we need her right now!’
“YARGAI!” he heard Zivont shout. He turned to where his voice had originated, and despite their current circ*mstance, he couldn’t help but burst into laughter. The mage was in the clutches of a giant stone hand that had him pinned to the ground. “GET ME OUT OF HERE!”
“What, is the great mage so easily defeated by some rocks?” he mocked. “I thought you were “magic personified” yet some
“SHUT IT ASSHOLE!” he screamed. “Besides, I saw you get demolished by a mage less than half your size.” he grinned.
“She’s the Khan of my clan’s greatest foe!” he retaliated.
“And the woman who did this to me kills gods.” he replied. Yargai tried to think of a rebuttal, but he had nothing. Satisfied with his victory, Zivont turned back to his problem. “Now get me out of here!”
Yargai growled but did as he asked. He shattered the stone with his fist and pulled the Elezen out of his prison. The noble dusted himself off, then turned to the Xaela warlord.
“Took you long enough.” he grumbled.
“Why you–” If they weren’t in the midst of battle, then he would have punched the prick. He let out a frustrated growl. Whatever. Let’s just forget this. We need to win this battle.”
“And you still believe that’s possible?” Yaragi and Zivont spun around and bowed at their Lord’s voice. Virgil descended from the air, technology in his boots allowed him the capability of flight. He scanned the battlefield, a deep frown forming on his face. “We are losing.”
“I assure you my lord–” Virgil raised his hand, cutting Zivont off.
“Tell me truthfully: Can we still win?” he asked.
Yargai hesitated to answer but knew it would be worse for them if one of them didn’t speak up. “Possibly. With your aid we may be able to turn the tide of battle. And if you brought the weapon then our victory is guaranteed!”
A look of frustration flashed across Vrigil’s face. “I unleashed the weapon. In my greed, I angered the girl into unleashing her power, and now she is no longer an option, as she is no longer in control.”
Yargai was confused. “But if we defeated her, then couldn't you just–”
“Stop.” Virgil ordered. The Xaela shut his mouth instantly. “I had expected her to carry remnants of Bahamut’s power, not the wyrm’s mind and soul. Which means if we tried, our minds would be forfeit to the Dreadwyrm’s will.”
“Then why don’t we use the Warriors of Light to do our dirty work?” Zivont asked. “Or help you hasten your completion of the Resonant?”
Virgil sighed. “To answer your second one, we are still moons away from testing the Resonant, and by that time Bahamut could destroy the Star.” he answered.
At that moment, what looked like a red comet streaked through the clouds. Virgil followed its trajectory with his eyes, swimming that it was going to crash into the Empty. His enhanced sight allowed him to zoom in on the comment and discover a person, not a rock.
“As for the Warriors of Light… They have already failed.”
Fray crashed into the ground. He groaned as he stood up, then coughed up a fistfull of blood that stained the scorched ground crimson. Looking around at where he landed, all he could make out for miles was white dunes. He could tell that no aether surrounded him. This place was entirely dead.
Looking up to the sky, he could see Bahamut flying to where he had landed. He could tell that Exaflare had taken a lot out of the wyrm, as he was flying slower than he had been. But even if the Dreadwyrm was seriously weakened, he could barely stand.
He tried to take a step forward, but tripped and fell to one knee. He took deep breaths interspersed with him coughing up more blood. He couldn’t continue fighting like this. But he refused to back down.
He refused to give up, even now! He wouldn’t let the Reborn Calamity destroy the Star! He wouldn’t leave Cota in her time of need! He would defeat the Dreadwyrm, rescue her, and together they would return to Eorzea after toppling the Empire!
He forced himself to stand, gritting his teeth as he fought to ignore the pain. He was a Warrior of Light! He will continue to fight, even as his blood pours out of him, even as he teeters on the precipice of death itself! Even should the very Star itself crumble, he will continue to ever push forward!
At his conviction, his determination to win, the abyss wrapped around his body. His hands and feet had become shadowy claws and talons. His tail became almost armored, while ephemeral wings burst out his back and horns out the side of his head.
He recognized this was what happened when he fought Thordan and Nidhogg. And unlike the Amalgam which made every cell in his body shiver in disgust, this felt amazing. It felt as if he had slipped under the covers of his bed, as if all his misgivings had melted away. It felt right, but not perfect, because he was missing the final piece of a puzzle: Rahm. But for now…this would do!
“Okay.” he said, cracking his neck as he picked up Caladbolg. “Time to end this.”
As Bahmut reached him, he flew into the air to meet the Calamity in combat. As Bahamut ignited his sickle-like claws, Fray casted Edge of Shadow while also infusing the blade with lightning that turned black and red. When their attacks clashed, he pushed away the Dragon, while transforming the Edge of Shadow into a Flood of Shadow that flew with the dragon, tearing through its defenses.
With a bellowing roar, Bahamut destroyed the darkness that had clung to him. The Dreadwyrm then summoned Ahk Morn to try and burn the Dark Knight. The Seeker dove, and as the pillars fell onto him, he cut them into smoldering embers.
Landing on the ground, he leapt forward in a Sunlight Dive. As a living lightning bolt, he slammed into Bahamut, then circled back to strike him again. The Dragon attempted to intercept him, but was not fast enough.
So instead, the Wyrm attacked with Terraflare, letting the wild explosions chase after the Miqo’te. Fray dodged as many as he could, but the moment he realized that one would hit him, he invoked Dark Mind. So when the flare hit, it washed over a barrier, leaving him unharmed.
His lack of being hit began to enrage Bahamut even more. He couldn’t take another hit though, or else he would perish in the Dragon’s fire.
What happened next was something he didn’t expect. All of Bahamut’s scales and wings fell away, causing him to drop to the ground. Then Cota’s captive form began to glow in those damned red flames. Then something started to wrap around her neck, which at first Fray thought was a chain. But he soon realized that it was actually Bahamut’s power, taking the form of a massive black and red serpent.
Cota’s body took a quick and jerky step forward, like one would if they were unused to walking on legs. It became clear that Bahamut was no longer directly possessing her, but was still puppeting her body around. But like this, he could rip the Dragon turned serpent off of her!
The serpent roared, then rose up above the main body. Flames gathered in its maw as it grew to massive heights. It lunged for Fray, attempting to close its jaws around him and roast him into a charred husk. He leapt out of the way, but the fire in the serpent’s mouth spewed forth and chased him. Flapping his ephemeral wings, he blew them all away.
The serpent faded into shadows from which Cota’s body leapt out. He managed to dodge her incoming lance by a fraction of an ilm. He kicked up, his talons tearing into the Serpent, who bit his leg in turn. He felt venom spread through his body, but quickly burned it out with the Phoenix.
He threw the Calamity away, who then used the opening to throw a flare at him. He had to invoke his lightning to dodge it in time. Now in the air, he stretched his wings open wide, then swung them forward, sending a hail of Abyssal Drains down on Bahamut.
Using the more nimble form, the serpent dragged Cota’s body as it waived through the attack. But the second the serpent thought it was in the clear, his two of the blood magic orbs hit him right in the head.
Letting out a shrieking roar, the serpent once more grew to massive proportions. It lunged for Fray who dodged its snapping jaws. But unlike last time. It continued to try and catch him. He focused on dodging and storing power for a counter attack instead of fighting back against the massive beast.
He was nearly crushed as the serpent performed a feint. He thought it was coming at him from below, but then changed course and tried to attack him from behind instead. He felt its massive fangs graze the back of his scalp where it drew a few drops of his blood.
Eventually, the constant onslaught became too much, and it returned to regular size. Fray struck at that moment. He bolted forward and with a blade infused with the abyss, he cut off the serpent’s head! It flew through the air until he called down a strike of lightning to disintegrate it.
But before he could celebrate, he saw the headless corpse twitch. He tried to grab it, but it quickly slithered back inside of Cota. He leapt back as her body once again began to change into its armored form, but as the scales fell off as fast as they were summoned, magma began to cover her.
“FOOL! YOU HAVE DONE NOTHING!” Bahamut shouted as he rose from the ground. “I WAS CREATED TO USHER IN THE END! I WAS DESIGNED DESTROY ALL IN MY PATH! YOU CANNOT DEFEAT ME! I AM THE HARBINGER OF THE END!” he roared.
It was as if a supernova went off in front of him. It’s then he realized what the magma was. It wasn’t just another aspect of his power, but Cota’s body and Bahamut’s soul. The wyrm’s rage was empowering him to levels which her body and his soul could not handle. It was ripping them both apart. He had to end this, before the damned dragon took his friend with him into the Aetherial Sea!
Magma burst up all around him, erupting out of the ground in geysers. The power was so great that the unaspected land for yalms around began to burn as it began to soak in the fire aether. He flew out of it before he could melt, but that’s exactly what Bahamut was waiting for.
“THERE IS NO ESCAPE! THERE IS NO SHELTER FROM MY FURY!” the Dreadwyrm roared as he crashed into Fray. It was like being hit by Gigaflare, but even hotter. He was only in direct contact with the Elder Eikon for a few seconds before he broke free, but that time was enough for the armor on his right arm to melt and the liquid metal to sear his flesh. “YOUR ARMOR MEANS NOTHING!”
Healing the injury as best he could, he clad his claws in lightning and flew towards the Calamity. Bahamut raised his claws less than a second before the Seeker struck. Fire and thunder flew off their clash as they tried to push through the other’s defense.
“Your efforts are INSIGNIFICANT!” Bahamut boomed.
Fray struggled against the wyrm’s immense strength. He tried to use his talons, but seeing this, Bahamut dug his claws into the Warrior’s leg, keeping them there. His tail flick in anger and from the pain, and he noticed he had far more control over it.
His head whipped around to look at the appendage, and he saw how it being covered in the abyss had made it longer and given it a blade-like edge. Testing his control, he discovered it was now prehensile as well. Acting on his newfound knowledge and instinct, he maneuvered the tail under left arm, then thrust it forward.
It pierced through the Dreadwyrm’s magma flesh and armor. The Dragon thrashed in his grip, allowing him to push him back and slam him into the burning ground! Bahamut swiftly recovered. The wyrm snarled at the Miqo’te, then breathed forth a wave of fire, which Fray once again blew away.
The Dark Knight then ushered in a massive storm that circled overhead. Hundreds of lightning bolts struck him as he rose into the air. Then when his shadow horns grazed the clouds, he shot down towards the Dreadwyrm, a storm’s worth of lightning crackling in his wake. The moment he struck Bahamut, he leapt away to watch as the Sunlight Judgment hit, and he prayed it would eradicate the last traces of the Eikon.
But a thunderous roar dashed those hopes as he saw Bahamut begin to stand. “YOU WILL NOT WIN! I SHALL CARRY YOU TO YOUR DEATH!” Breaking out of the lightning, Bahamut rose into the air and began preparing to use Exaflare to finish him off. “ALL WILL BURN!”
Fray redirected the lightning, but the Elder Eikon pushed through the attack. The massive Flare formed above Bahamut who rose up and behind it and began pulling his arm back.
Fray’s mind raced for a way to survive this hit. Not even activating all his defenses had stopped him from being harmed! He needed something stronger, and he had an idea on how to get it.
‘Come on, Echo! You’ve been so eager to help us relearn about our past lives and their skills, so you have to have something, because I don’t think even Living Dead will save us here!’
A part of him genuinely didn’t expect the Echo to respond to his desires. They were never able to control it, no one was able to force a vision. But by Hydaelyn’s mercy, it worked and just in the nick of time!
“I WILL SHOW YOU A TRUE CALAMITY!” Bahamut roared as he blasted Exaflare towards the Miqo’te.
Exaflare blasted through where Fray stood, and cut a massive trench into the ground below as it scorched the land before rising into the sky. Later, the place would be named “Suzaku’s Wound” after the one of the legendary Four Lords and the fact that it would burn eternal .
Bahamut had thought he had won. That was until he looked up, and saw the Miqo’te tumbling through the air. He had used a thin barrier to block the entirety of the attack, but that was not all it did. The barrier had absorbed the energy, and once it could take no more, it shattered into shards of darkness. They floated around the Seeker for a moment, before they all flew into his blade, charging it with the abyss, which in turn was powered by the Exaflare.
“The Darkest Night” is what one of his past lives had called it. It absorbed aether from attacks until it shattered, which would then empower a Flood or Edge of Shadow. He had been shown a version that looked almost identical to Rahm, and lived in the First Astral Era. They had once been a powerful figure in the Order of Khonsu, the Dark Knights of that ancient world.
He locked onto the Dreadwyrm who was reeling from the backlash of the attack. He raised Caladbolg up, striking it with lightning, then unleashed a Flood of Shadow stronger than he had ever used. Bahamut was helpless, and could only watch in horror as the wall of abyss came closer and closer until–
‘BOOM’
The attack connected. Bahamut was sent crashing to the ground. Fray didn’t hesitate to rush for the wyrm again, but as he raised his sword up to attack, he froze. The Calamity knocked out cold, the magma that had surrounded disappeared before his very eyes. He had done it. He had won.
But it wasn’t over yet.
Cota was still trapped within her own mind. He needed to get her to fight back, and crush the Dreadwyrm before it could completely dominate her consciousness and crush it. If that happened, then she would be effectively dead while Bahamut puppeted her corpse around until he either discarded it, or was slain.
He had an idea, but he wasn’t a fan because of how invasive it was. To be fair, he didn’t know if it would work either way. It was one being a part of Rahm and having access to his mind because it was also his, but this wasn’t their mind. But he had little choice unless he wanted to risk this happening again.
He plunged Caladbolg into the ground beside them. He knelt over her, and placed his palms on the sides of her head. Then he let himself turn to shadows, and forcibly invaded her mind.
Cota was curled up in the fertile position. Surrounding her was nothing but darkness as far as she could see. All that could be heard was her shallow breathing as she hyperventilated.
“What have I done?” she sobbed. She could see everything that happened while Bahamut possessed her. She had tried to kill Fray, she had wanted to kill Fray…she had killed him. He was in no shape to survive another Exaflare. She couldn’t watch what she knew was going to happen.
Once again she had let her friend down! And worse, this time she had gotten them killed! This power had ruined her life, and all she wanted to do was purge it from her body and soul, but what she saw from Virgil meant that this would be with her for the rest of her life.
“Cota…are you alright?” she heard Fray’s voice speak from behind her.
“Great, and now my mind is playing tricks on me.” she sighed.
“No, it’s me. I’m here for you.” he tried to explain.
“I can still hear him.” Only for it to fall on deaf ears.
Annoyed, he shouted, “I’M NOT DEAD, MORON!”
“WHAT DID YOU JUST CALL ME?!” she shouted in offense. Then it hit him what this figment(?) said. “Wait what?”
“I’m alive, and I’m here to help you.” he said.
She stared at him dumbfounded. “...HOW THE f*ck ARE YOU HERE?!”
“You remember that I was born of Rahm’s mind? I theorized that it should be possible to break into yours by attuning myself to your aetheric signature.”
“I meant; how didn’t that Exaflare kill you?” she clarified. “Though how you were physically…mentally…whatever, in my mind.”
“Oh that. I used a spell to absorb the attack, then turned it back on you.” he explained. “Anyways, that’s noy important right now. You need to fight back!”
“I can’t!” she shouted. “I can’t stop Bahamut, I’ve tried! I couldn’t stop him back then, and I can’t stop him now!”
“Try harder!” he shouted back! “So what if you lost to Bahamut?! This is YOUR mind, not his! Is your will so weak that you’re willing to just roll over and die?!”
“I’VE TRIED! FOR OVER SIX YEARS I HAVE TRIED TO RID MYSELF OF BAHAMUT!” she protested.
“You are a Warrior of Light, and Warriors of Light aren’t allowed to just roll over and die! You are stronger than any Eikon, even one powered by a dying world!” He attempted to rally her, but she only despaired further.
He cursed in his head. She wasn’t being receptive to his reassurances, which meant it was time to move onto Plan B: be an Esteem. It would have been his main plan given Rahm’s Esteem was a fragment of his being, but he needed to choose his words carefully else she slipped further into her self-loathing.
He let out a sight before taking a seat to her left. He put a hand on her shoulder, causing her to look at him out of the corner of her eyes. He stayed like that for a few seconds, working on what he was going to say. When he finally knew, he spoke softly, but firmly.
“You did fail to stop Bahamut.” he stated. “You failed to protect the Realm, lost all your friends, and were forced into hiding. A miserable fate.”
“Is this supposed to make me feel better?” she asked sarcastically. She had no idea what he was trying to accomplish by reinforcing her beliefs.
“Let me finish.” he said. “Yes, you failed. So have I. No one is infallible, no one is invincible. But everyone fails. I failed to stop a slaughter, and it nearly cost me my life.”
“Yeah, but that was your life, not innocent life.” she grumbled.
“Do you think I was the only one injured that day?” he asked rhetorically. “Many people lost their lives, and I was helpless to prevent it. …Even Shtola nearly died.”
Cota’s head shot up. “What?” she asked in a quiet voice. “Is she alright?!”
He nodded. “She is now, but she was nearly dead by the time I arrived.” He involuntarily shuddered. He hated revisiting that night, but if it helped Cota then he would delve into the horrid truth. “We felt her begin to die, and it triggered our Rage. The last time it had controlled us, we were nearly mind controlled into being a Weapon, and during that slaughter, it resulted in a katana piercing our heart, which was the least of our injuries.” He pulled his armor off, and lifted up his shirt, exposing his scar to the Xaela woman who’s eyes widened upon seeing it. “This was the result of our failure. Zenos nearly bisected us. His blade cut so deep it snapped when it got caught on the back of our spine. Not to mention we're lucky we still have both eyes.” he said while tracing a finger across the scar over his right eye.
“f*cking Hells…” she whispered. “I know you said you had died but…howew the f*ck are you alive?”
“I don’t know.” he answered truthfully. He pulled his shirt back on, then resecured his armor. “The point I’m making is, your failure could have been worse. Louisaux defeated Bahamut and saved many lives, including yours. Don’t waste this second chance.”
“But how am I supposed to defeat Bahamut?’ she asked.
He sighed, then stood. “I can’t help you there. It’s your mind, and now, your powers.” He began to fade, as she felt herself begin to wake. “All I can do is offer you a single question.”
“What?”
“Do you want to live in fear for the rest of your life, or do you want to see your friends again?”
With that, he faded completely, leaving her alone in the darkness.
As Fray came back to the physical world, he grabbed Caladbolg and leapt back, bearing it against the wyrm who began to rise. He needed to buy her time to take back control at the very least.
“Fool…” Bahamut growled. “You only delay the inevitable. All. Will! BURN!”
Bahamut lunged, his armor starting to reform. Fray raised his weapon, prepared to defend against the Dragon’s fury, but he was reaching his limit. He was back to his normal form, and he felt significantly weakened. A hit, even a bad one, and it was his end.
But Bahamut never reached him. Mid jump, the Dragon fell to the ground and slid to a halt. An enraged Roar thundered across the Azim Steppe and the Empty. The wyrm gripped his head, growling and snarling in anger.
“I WILL NOT ALLOW YOU TO CONTAIN ME EVER AGAIN!” the Dreadwyrm roared.
Wisps of azure draconic aether began to rise from the Reborn Calamity’s scales. They fell off, and with each one gone more energy flowed to the wisps until they resemble ribbon strings blowing behind Bahamut.
“NO!” Cota’s voice shouted, echoing with the wyrm’s power. “I have spent too much of my life fearing you! You will control me no longer, Eikon!” The magma that had begun to reform glowed with the same energy. “I refuse to share my body with your mind! YOU WILL DIE!”
“NEVER!” Bahamut protested. “I AM BAHAMUT! THE DREADWYRM, THE END OF ALL THINGS! INEVITABLE, INDOMITABLE! I! AM! THE CALAMITY!”
“YOU ARE NOTHING MORE THAN THE ECHO OF A FALLEN GOD!” she roared, shaking the very ground with her voice. “I AM A WARRIOR OF LIGHT! SLAYER OF PRIMALS, SAVIOR OF EORZEA! UNRELENTING, UNBREAKING! I! AM! THE WYRMSOUL!” she cried out, using her old – and prophetic – nickname Senri had given her.
The azure energy erupted from her whole form, swirling around and through her body. Red fire burst out across her body as Bahamut fought back. The two aetheric signatures warred for control.
An ephemeral image of Bahamut formed over Cota, red tendrils of energy writing out from his form. They lashed out at Cota’ dragging her off the ground and constricting her. The tendrils latched onto the azure aether and began to corrupt it, slowly turning it red as Bahamut began to usurp control once again.
Cota growled. She refused to let him back in! She didn’t want to live in fear any longer! She wanted to see the Scions again, rekindle her old friendships, create a stronger bond with Fray, and get to meet O’rahm! She would not let Bahamut win!
She let out a primal scream of rage and determination. A blinding pillar of white and azure light surrounded her while Bahamut screamed in agony! The Blessing of Light had reacted to her will, and helped to crush the Dragon’s consciousness once and for all!
The Dreadwyrm let out a final roar, one that quickly quieted as the Dragon was strangled by her aether. Then in a burst of light, Bahamut was dead, and Cota was free.
She fell to the ground, doing a three point landing. Her breaths were labored, and it felt like she was about to pass out at any moment, but she still found the strength to stand.
“Cota?” Fray asked. She turned to the Miqo’te and gave him a big grin. He let out a relieved laugh. “You did it!”
“Thanks to your words!” She gave him a thumbs up, but noticed that scales had covered her arm like a gauntlet. Looking at the rest of her body, she saw herself still in the form Bahamut had created, but instead of ebon black scales and magma flowing out the cracks, they were a dark blue like her natural scales, and glowed softly with azure energy. She also noticed that she had glowing blue wings, and her tail felt far more muscular.
Yet she didn’t feel afraid or wrong like before. The power no longer felt like Bahamut desperately trying to vie for control, but like an extension of herself. It felt right.
“This is–” She stopped as she registered her voice echoing off itself. It sounded ephemeral and beautiful. Still, for now she focused on her normal voice. “This is insane!” she said as she ignited a blue flame in her left palm. She let it flow up her arm, then across her shoulders, then down into her right palm where she extinguished it with a flick of her wrist. “Without Bahamut, I could get used to this!”
“I’m glad you’re so happy!” Fray said, grinning widely. He was more than just happy for her, he was relieved. “You’re free.”
“Yeah…” she said happily. “I know.” She let her form drop as her body changed back to normal. Which in turn caused Fray to yelp and quickly turned away.
“GAH! Why are you naked?!” he asked.
She looked down, seeing that her armor had indeed been absolutely destroyed, leaving only a few scraps of metal clinging to her body. “Prude.” she scoffed She summoned some spare gear onto herself to spare the Seeker’s sensibilities. “That f*cking wyrm destroyed my armor with his magma. Also you can turn around now.”
“Thanks.” he muttered. His face was scarlet, and he refused to look her in the eyes.
Cota rolled her eyes. “You act like you’ve never seen a naked woman before, which I know is not true.” He sputtered, and she had to hold back her laughter.
“I’m regretting helping you already.” he lied. He wanted to get off the topic, and remembered what she had called herself while struggling with Bahamut. “Hey, what’s with the title “Wyrmsoul”?”
“Hm? Oh that!” she exclaimed. “You know how Senri likes to give everyone a nickname.”
He nodded. “Yes, I received “Demon” as mine, and later through a letter it was changed to “Shaytan” which means the same in the ancient Miqo’te tongue.”
“Well given how I’m a Dragoon, he nicknamed me “Wyrmsoul” which is now really fitting.” she explained.
Fray snorted. “I know someone who goes by “Wyrmblood” as their last name.” he said. “Which now that I say that I realize Estinein’s last name is probably not “Wyrmblood”.”
“Using it as a last name…” she mused. She had never had a tribe before, and she never took her parent’s last name. The closest was using Mol for Korra, but it never felt right either. But Wyrmsoul… “I like his idea! I’m now going by Cota Wyrmsoul!”
He stared at her for a few seconds then shrugged. “I mean it’s accurate. So is Estinien’s since he also got possessed by a Great Wyrm. Though that was Nidhogg instead of Bahamut.”
“I now demand an introduction to your friend.” she said.
He smirked. “If I can find him, then sure!” he replied. Estienin was elusive to say the least. He hadn’t heard hide or hair of him since he’d woken up from being Nidhogg’s vessel, and left Ishgard for who knows where.
Off in the distance, two explosions went off, sending up a pillar of smoke. Both the Warriors spun towards the noise. In the chaos, Fray had completely forgotten about the Empire and their plan. While Cota didn’t know exactly what the Empire was doing here, the knowledge of what Virgil had done and what he was capable of let her know that it could only be another disaster waiting to happen.
The two turned to each other, and nodded. Cota Primed, taking on her full Dragon form. Fray, not knowing how exactly he Primed, let wings of thunder and lightning burst out of his back. The two Dragon empowered Warriors of Light shot off of the ground like bullets, and soared through the air, back into the chaos of the Naadam.
Virgil hovered above the fighting, observing the Xaela’s pitiful attempt to repel the invasion. The Empire’s numbers were vast, the clans of the Steppe were not. They already began to tire, while he just called in for reinforcements.
A bolt of magic flew through the air and crashed into the barrier surrounding him. He lazily turned his head to look upon the Xaela mage. Raising his right arm, he shot a bullet from his gauntlet that pierced her skull, then exploded, showering gore across those nearby.
“Monster!” he heard shouted as another Xaela leapt for him.
He grabbed them by the neck and began to slowly squeeze. He had enhanced his body with technology and combined with the tech in his armor that increased his capabilities to inhuman levels, he easily crushed the warrior’s windpipe. He then let the body crumple to the ground.
He withdrew his blade and ignited it. He swung it forward in an arc, sending a wave of dragon fire that burned all in its path. He then shot cords out from his gauntlets that wrapped around a Xaela male. Tapping a button, heated up while sending volts of electricity through them, effectively cooking him alive.
From his other gauntlet, he unleashed a salvo of explosive bullets that struck down any they hit. The smoke from the explosions mixed with the chemicals he had laced the bullets with, creating a deadly smog that could kill after a single whiff. He watched a few dozen of these “powerful warriors” choke and perish on his creation.
“This is becoming all very tiring.” he sighed. He raised his tech gauntlet and typed in a command which caused it to pulse with rings of electricity. He took aim at the largest threat, the Khans and Scions, and prepared to fire whilst they were distracted. “It’s time to end this.”
He pulled the trigger and the rings hurtled towards the unsuspecting targets, but they were intercepted by a bolt of golden light that streaked across the battlefield. He cursed, and took aim at the returned Warrior, his Fallout Rounds ready to kill again. But as he began to fire, he was struck by a ball of azure flames that knocked him to the ground.
“You!” he heard an echoing voice growl. Despite the situation he was in, he couldn’t help but grin as he turned towards his weapon. “I’m going to tear you apart!”
Cota lunged for Virgil. For the first time in years, she could fight utilizing her rage without fear of losing control. Now there was no mind inhabiting her body but her own! And with this new power, she would repay the Garlean scientist for everything he did in blood!
She attacked with her burning claws, slicing through his armor, but not his flesh. The Tribunus’s gear sparked, apparently she’d hit a vital spot. But Virgil was not arrogant enough to head into battle without thinking he and his tech could be harmed, so right before her eyes it began to repair itself.
He fires the Fallout Rounds at her. She weaves in between them, but the smog begins to rise. Sensing something was off about the smoke, she flapped her wings and blew it away before it could reach her.
Rising above him, she coated her body in flame and dove towards the Garlean. She crashed into his barrier which only stopped her for two seconds before she broke through, pierced him with her lance, and slammed him into the ground below.
He pulled the weapon out of his side. Blood gushed out the open wound, he needed to heal it quickly. Tapping in a command, his tech closed his wound and cauterized it. Now he was pissed.
When she thrusted her lance towards him, he deflected her strike with his Dragonflame Sword. He then slashed at her, but the scale plates covering her body caused his weapon to bounce off her. She tried to grab him, but he fired an explosive bullet into her chest, cracking the plate and causing her to reel back.
Some soldiers tried to take her on, but she wrapped her wings around her, ignited them, then extended them to their full length. This caused a ring of flames to spread out from around her, burning alive all the Imperial soldiers in its path. But as it passed over the Xaela, it turned into azure energy that reinvigorated them to keep fighting.
“sh*t.” Virgil cursed upon seeing this.
Behind Cota, Yargai charged with his greatsword. She heard him just in the nick of time, and used her tail to swipe his feet out from under him. She then kicked him while he was falling, throwing him back a few yalms before he crashed into the dirt. He stood, but just barely.
“Stop her, NOW!” the Warlord shouted.
Zivont and Ateia raised their weapons to attack, firing off a hail of icicle lances and two cannonballs. Cota just gracefully leapt over the attacks, then fired off Megaflare which forced the two Tribunuses to retreat, while a sizable portion of the Empire’s forces were decimated in one fell swoop.
Virgil growled. He knew when he was beaten, and he had no chance of claiming his prize at the moment. He was infuriated beyond belief, and searched for someone to take his anger out on. His eyes then locked onto Fray’s, and the scientist's gaze filled with utter contempt and malice.
This was his fault. Yes, if it hadn’t been for his interference then he surely could have broken and controlled Bahamut. But now he was stuck with a Warrior of Light. The one group of individuals that were famous for their ability that allowed them complete immunity to the influence of the Eikons.
He would get his revenge on that meddling Miqo’te, and then he’d reclaim his weapon, break her, and turn her against everyone who opposed his reign! But for now, he had to retreat or else he would not live long enough to see his glorious ideals come to fruition.
“FALL BACK!” he half shouted, half growled. This was the only option left to them that wouldn’t lead down a path of assured destruction.
Yargai wanted to protest, but he knew his own goals had already been thwarted by the arrival of the two Warriors of Light. He scanned the crowd until his eyes met Magnai’s. The Oronir would only wither and die under such a pathetic Khan. One day, he would return and reclaim his throne. He’d let his nephew live just long enough to see him win, then he’d crush his skull beneath his boot!
Zivont hadn’t expected Lord Virgil to call a retreat. Logically, he knew it was for the best. But he still craved to battle M’noru and best her in combat! He was supposed to be the greatest mage in the Empire, yet he had been defeated by her every time they dueled! Still, he would follow his Lord’s orders for now. But when the time came, he would defeat her in one on one combat, with none of her allies to aid her. Then surely he would emerge victorious.
Ateia was surprised to hear Virgil order a retreat, but thankful for his wisdom. She had seen how poorly this was going for them, but the Second Blade was notorious for his refusal to give up. She feared they may all perish before he gave the order, but it seemed that his better judgment had prevailed this time.
As the Empire made their escape, the Xalea continued to fight them while they fled. Some brave soldiers held the front, allowing for their comrades to flee, but sealing their own fate. Fray took mercy on those people, only knocking them out. He had begrudging respect for their willingness to risk their lives for others, even if they were Imperial.
Still, most of those who defended were killed by the Xaela clans. The few he spared were only the outliers, and they would be taken to the Rebellion’s hideout to be interrogated. A part of him hoped they would defect, but given they were prepared to die for the Empire he didn’t believe they would.
As the airships descended from the sky, Virgil turned back to glare at the two Warriors of Light. Cota snarled at him. She wanted to give chase, but she had exerted herself far past her limit. The fact that she was still standing was a miracle itself, so continuing the fight would only lead to a worse outcome.
Fray knew he could call down a powerful bolt of lightning to strike that airship out of the sky and kill Virgil, but he had come to a similar conclusion. All the Tribunuses had taken different airships, and after a single big attack, he would pass out. If he attacked then they would continue the battle, and while they may win, the loss of life on their side would be high. So for now, this is where it ended.
But both Warriors had seen what Virgil had done. They knew what he was capable of, and could see the malice in his eyes that was directed towards them. Cota wanted revenge for obvious reasons. Fray on the other hand had never felt so much hatred towards a person. Even the vicious rage he held for Zenos paled in comparison.
They would see him dead before this war was over!
As the last of the airships disappeared over the horizon, Fray let out a sigh of relief. He turned to Cota, who dropped her transformation. “You alright?” he asked between labored breaths.
“I’m tired, I’m in pain, and I don’t have that motherf*cker’s head in my hands!” she huffed. She then turned to him. “But other than that, I’m fine.” Just then, the two saw Magnai approach Cota. She glared at him. “What do you want?” she asked in a harsh tone.
Magani didn’t say anything, but lowered his head and kneeled on one knee. Cota was confused, as was Fray. But then every present Xaela began to kneel and bow their heads to her. That’s when Fray’s eyes traveled back to Cota, then down to where she was standing.
“Cota…you’re holding the ovoo.” he said, realizing what was happening.
“She quickly looked down, and saw that he was indeed correct. When she had slammed Virgil into the ground, she had landed on the ovoo, and hadn’t moved off it since. Even as the other Tribunuses tried to attack her, she held her ground. She claimed the ovoo.
“I…I didn’t mean to.” she admitted. But intentionally or not, she had done it. She had claimed the ovoo, and won the Naadam. She was the new Khagan of the Azim Steppe. “I can’t…” she tried to protest, but words failed her.
She never envisioned herself a leader. Just yesterday the only two people she had interactions with regularly were Cirina and Fray! Now she was the Khagan, and supposed to rule the Steppe.
“Cota.” she heard Fray’s voice. He could tell she was nervous. He gave her a reassuring smile, and nodded his head. “You saved everyone here from suffering under the Empire’s reign. You can do this. You’re amazing, and I believe in you.”
She blushed slightly at the praise. He was right though; she could do this. But did she want to? She thought about it for a few seconds before realizing that she kind of did. This place was where she was born, but it had never been her home, not until six years ago. Now she loved this place, and most of its people.
She raised her eyes and looked out across the sea of kneeling Xaela. She took a deep breath, then began to speak, utilizing her empowered voice. “Brothers and sisters of the Steppe!” her voice echoed out, carrying it across the entire crowd. “The Empire invaded our lands, and attempted to enslave our kind! But we pushed them back!” A chorus of cheers rang out at that. “We cannot let the threat go unchecked! We may have routed them for now, but they WILL return! Are we going to just wait around for that day to come?!” A collective “NO!” was shouted by all. “Then let us take the fight to them! We will join with the Doman Rebellion, and drive them out of Othard! We will show the Star that the Xaela are not to be trifled with! We are mighty, we are warriors! WE ARE THE CLANS OF THE AZIM STEPPE, AND WE WILL WIN AGAINST ANY FOE!”
The shouts and cheers that followed were deafening. With a few words, she had rallied the entirety of the gathered clans to unite against the Empire. She was proud of herself. She’d never led anyone before, but when facing all those people, she just imagined how Minfilia or Louisaux would act, and the speech to rally the people came naturally.
Her vision blurred for a moment, and she nearly toppled off the small mound. She felt her body heat up, and she felt like she was going to be sick.
“Fray.” she called weakly. But Fray was only in slightly better condition. He fell to his knees and looked seconds away from passing out.
Another wave of fatigue struck her, causing her vision to black out completely, and she fell backwards. She expected to hit the ground, but she felt a pair of muscular arms catch her. She opened her eyes a crack which was a herculean effort, and she saw a blonde haired woman holding her.
“...Yda?” she asked weakly, before passing out in Lyse’s arms.
Bonus image of Cota in her Armor while enkindling Bahamut:
