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Neopia's Fill in the Blank News Source | 28th day of Running, Yr 26
The Neopian Times Week 28 > Continuing Series > Elemental Distortions III: Part Nine

Elemental Distortions III: Part Nine

by selphie_tilmitt

Scars of time
"It's official!" laughed NeroFautica, bowing to the sages around him. "I've won! Nobody can beat the power of the Darkness Dragon Knight!"

Flarizar clenched his fist in anger, and Kargupi frowned in worry as he heard Sholady's sobs.

"MASTER!" yelled Nero, looking up at the moonlit sky. "I've finally paid you back! I'm sorry I left you when you needed me! I've eliminated the fakers!!" he laughed quickly, and raised his sword to the sky. To his surprise, the moon shimmered quickly, and a quick beam of light landed on his upturned face.

"What's going on," Wing muttered to Flarizar. Flarizar turned and blinked at him, shaking his head in confusion.

Suddenly, there came a loud cry from below, as Viator rushed back up to the battle.

"What?!" was all Nero could yell before Viator had slammed into him, sending him flying backwards.

Greeting him in the back was a loud slap from Ethine's tail, she smiled with satisfaction towards Viator, as Nero was sent higher into the air.

"NO!" was all Nero could yell, as he was greeted in the air by Dethonis' grinning face, not to mention his large claw that was brought down on the Darkness knight.

As he fell downwards, he heard Murikaze's large tail swing from behind, and send him flying upwards.

When Nero landed in the centre of the circle again, his armour thoroughly beaten, and his sword cracked. He gasped as he looked around the circle, to see the Dragon Knights surrounding him. They had all prepared a final attack for him, and planned to launch them at the same time.

Viator held her dragon lance high in the air, and it burned with a bright orange fire. She had a fierce scowl on her face.

Dethonis hovered ready, his bow in place, and an arrow ready to fire. He still had his grin plastered to his face, ignoring the cut above his mouth.

Ethine scowled angrily, her face mask cracked near the point of shattering. She was turned slightly in the air, her boomerang in one hand, ready to throw. It emanated a glowing blue light, ready to freeze him again if it connected.

Murikaze stood in a massive pose, though his tail was in an odd position, as if broken in one of the collisions. He frowned in anger. His axe hoisted above his head, it also seemed to be glowing with a warm green glow.

Nero's eyes quickly dulled in memory, as he pictured the past Dragon Knights. All in the same position, ready to strike the on coming wave of mazoku. It was a painful memory, as he recalled them bracing against the thousands of demons appearing before them. He remembered looking to his side, at the white Usul beside him. The last thing he remembered of her, was her warm smile, before she followed the other Dragon Knights into the battle.

That was when the desert armour had flown up beside him. The mazoku mocked him quickly, and he had flown off after it, hearing his comrades shout for him to come back. Then there was nothing but cold..

"Ray," muttered Nero quietly to himself, "I'm ready to join everyone," he sighed happily.

The other knights heard this, and stared at him with blank faces.

Viator gasped quickly as the emotion hit her. She struggled to fight the feeling, keeping her lance in the air. A memory of Mythril's flashed quickly in her mind, and she blinked back tears. Slowly, her lance lowered.

She looked around to see the others lowering their weapons as well. The sages all had clouded looks on their faces, as they began to understand as well.

"Why," whispered Viator, to herself, looking out at the broken dragon knight in the centre To her surprise, NeroFautica looked up at her, his face showing a century's worth of sadness.

"Centuries… of fighting." He sighed, releasing his feelings at last. "I cared so deeply for my fellow knights, but I knew, inside about my Master's true intentions. If I betrayed him then..." he hung his head. "But every time I did his deeds, a little more of my friendship with the other knights faded away. What could I do? Then you," he motioned to Dethonis, "woke me up and told me they had passed away in the war… do you know what that moment was like?"

Viator felt a tear stream down her face, as she turned to look at the friends around her. She didn't want to imagine what it was like.

"I knew that I should have gone with them. I would have been finally free." He shook his head sadly, and his sword fell out of his open hands. "Please take me back to them." He looked up at the four Dragon Knights, and clasped his hands in a pleading motion.

Viator heard Ethine muffle a quick sob, and Dethonis flew forward a bit.

"We don't have the power," he sighed, shaking his head in sadness. "I thought we were prepared to, but we obviously lack more training."

Nero looked up, and his face contorted with sadness once again. Viator got a clear look at his aged eyes, and realised that the spark she had seen as anger, was really a deep, dull stabbing pain.

Again, Nero turned his face up at the moon, and began to yell, tears streaming down his cheeks.

"I'M SORRY!" he called, at the moon. His arms dropping to his sides.

Viator could bear it no longer, and stepped forward beside Dethonis.

"Please. Stay with us?"

Nero looked down at her, and he smiled weakly. "I can't. I don't belong here. Even if I stayed, the pain would still live on. And I couldn't guarantee I wouldn't go back on the rampage." He stared back up at the beautifully full moon once again. "I apologise."

With that, the moon began to shine an eerie silver light, and rippled quickly in the night sky.

Again, a small beam of light landed on the skunk Scorchio's face.

The entire circle gasped, as they saw a figure form under the moonlight. It took the form of a gorgeous white Usul, wearing the beautiful armour of the light dragon.

People seized with life
She stepped forward in the air, and the sages in the circle opened a large gap for her. She turned and smiled warmly at Nero.

"You are forgiven." She smiled. Holding out a delicate arm.

Nero's face brightened as he saw the Usul before him, and he started forward to meet her. He smiled with disbelief, and whispered.

"Ray?"

"Yes, love." She smiled, soft tears forming in her eyes.

Nero shouted with joy as he rushed forward to embrace the light dragon knight. Tears of joy streamed down his face, and Viator couldn't help shedding a few unashamed tears herself.

Dethonis closed his eyes, and smiled with joy, and Ethine choked on sobs. Murikaze raised a hand to his chin, and smiled despite himself.

Upon the couple's embrace, Viator felt herself, and the rest of the battle area, sages and all, float downwards until they had their feet set firmly on the smooth ground of the warm plateau.

The two continued to embrace, crying quietly with joy, and through the gap in the circle of sages, four darkened shadows appeared behind the two.

Viator looked from the two hugging dragon knights, to the four shadows, her eyes widening. Her gaze was followed By Dethonis, Ethine, and Murikaze.

Though the four remained shadows, they each glowed in a soft light. One red, one blue, one yellow, and one green. They continued to stand behind their comrades, and turned to look at Viator, Dethonis, Murikaze, and Ethine.

Viator blinked in awe at the past Fire Dragon Knight. It blinked at her, and she could see through the shadows, its lips curl into a warm smile.

Unable to move, the four Dragon Knights stared at their dead counterparts for a few split moments. Before they knew it, the Usul had let go of Nero, and was walking towards the four shadows. She stopped, and turned to face the crowd.

"Nice meeting you." She smiled, waving as the four shadows behind her turned, and faded into the distance. When she had waved a third time, she turned and followed.

NeroFautica turned around to regard the four appalled Dragon Knights. He blinked quickly, and mouthed the words "Thank you." Before following his comrades.

And then they were gone….

Viator put a hand to her mouth, and let out a silent gasp. She was still trying to run through what had just happened.

"Well I'll be a…" was all the escaped Dethonis' mouth as he sat down to take in the events.

Ethine continued to sob quietly to herself, and Viator couldn't help but smile warmly at her partner. Murikaze stood in his usual way, smiling happily for the first time in a while.

Before they could think anymore, Ghwely raised his fist into the air, and shouted something inaudible. Quickly, all the sages followed suit, running to embrace the bruised and battered Dragon Knights, as they stood dazed.

Viator felt herself being pat on the back, hugged, and her hand shaken to the point of falling off. She couldn't help smiling and laughing with the others, but knew that an event like this would run deep in her forever. She had learned lessons in friendship before, but they had never reached this deep into her soul.

She brushed a final tear from her eyes, and thought of all her friends, then went back to the festivities. Somehow, Ghwely had started a fire. Wing had begun playing loud music from his small computer, and Saria was dancing wildly to the beat. Sholady was laughing, and talking happily to Kargupi. Hokurii sang out loud lyrics to the music, and Flarizar rose to dance along with Saria.

Dethonis turned his head quickly, and smiled warmly at Viator. Viator nodded, and reached over to pat Ethine, who was drying her tears, on the back. Murikaze sat down, heavy with fatigue, and looked to be attempting to not drift into a lofty sleep.

Far above, where the fighting ring had once been, Mythril_Javelin levitated quietly in the air. He reclined at the sites before him, and leaned forward, smiling. With a quick flick of his wrists, he began to clap as though a great play had just finished. When he was done, he closed his purple eyes. And smiled to himself, before disappearing in a sudden flash of purple light, leaving only fireworks to be seen by those celebrating below.

Fin

Previous Episodes

Elemental Distortions III: Part One

Elemental Distortions III: Part Two

Elemental Distortions III: Part Three

Elemental Distortions III: Part Four

Elemental Distortions III: Part Five

Elemental Distortions III: Part Six

Elemental Distortions III: Part Seven

Elemental Distortions III: Part Eight

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