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The Lost Dragon Saga (Part III)

"Alakin, and Calic, too!" Crystal cheered as she pointed out the figures that followed.

"The only one to die is the only one outnumbered," Cid sneered as he broke Rak's spell on each one afflicted. "You're up against three furious dragons, one upset mage, and five angry civilians. Surrender, and we will show mercy. You have no hope of victory," Cid threw a huge, wooden box at Kardonyth. "I know you've missed this."

Kardonyth opened the box. "Of course. My signature weapon, Dragonfang. A weapon so great, only a dragon can wield it."

"Are your crazy Cid? Counting civilians? What can they do? Nothing! That's what they can do. They can do nothing!" Rak yelled.

"Fine. Suit yourself. You're still outnumbered, though. My magic is enough to make up for Acorech's absence. Last I checked, one dragon makes all the difference. You might have had a fighting chance at the beginning, but not anymore. Your arrogance was your own undoing," Cid spoke.

"'Was!?' You speak as if this is over- as if you all have won already. _You_are the arrogant one!" Rak snapped.

"This scheme of yours was nothing short of a final, desperate attempt. The fact that you've executed it proves that there is nothing else that you could try to do to get the Dragon Key," Cid replied.

"I now see that it was better to revel in my victory after achieving it, not before. All I have to do now, is find a way to make it until the end of this cycle. It was Acorech last time, but the next time it will be another! I will take you out one-by-one until the only left with the key, is me!" Rak exclaimed.

"If you make it to the end of this cycle, I will be waiting," Cid stated.

"I've changed my mind, "Rak said. "The first one to die will be you! I've had it with you! It's time that you are out of the picture!" Rak's fury turned to laughter, and then he began to cast a spell.

"Nice try!" Cid said as he shot lightning at Rak whose spell was interrupted.

"What was he doing?" Kardonyth asked.

"He was casting the same spell he used on Acorech. If I lose my memories, I will be useless. He's trying to cast it on all of us," Cid answered.

"Use that spell on him then, damn it!" Zade snapped.

"Like hell I will! Unlike Rak, I fight fair!" Cid replied.

"It's won't have to be about fighting," I said. "You erase his memories, and we won't have to fight. This will be all over. Erase Rak's memories, and you'll erase his identity. He might not be evil ever again. Kill a man or save him. Which one is more honorable?"

"He brings up a good point, Rak," Cid said. "The only way you're getting close to the Dragon Key is if you're made our new ally."

"I will never relinquish my memories, and you will _never_rid me of them!" Rak yelled.

"Are your memories really worthy dying over?" Cid asked.

"I'm not a coward who will forfeit a fight!" Rak answered.

"Very well then. It all ends here. Your villainy has carried on for too long!" Cid responded. Cid shot more lightning at Rak who dodged the attack.

Kardonyth, Alakin, and Calic all then transformed into dragons. I thought I was mentally prepared for this eventual occurrence, but I was wrong. I still found myself in awe of what happened in front of me. In human form they began to brightly glow, and then wings sprouted from their form. Then each part of their body shaped itself into its dragon counterpart. Once this was all over with, these dragons, naturally large, ceased to glow, and the transformation was complete. Each one could be distinguished by his color. Kardonyth was a pure white, Alakin was a bloody red, and Calic was a golden yellow. Their eyes shared a fierce gaze aimed at Rak.

"The battle has now truly begun." Rak sneered.

"You're fighting a losing battle!" Cid reiterated.

* * *

"You're fighting a losing battle!" Rak laughed.

"To not fight... is to lose. Even if we were to lose this battle... we still would win." Calic said. "As long as you don't have the Dragon Key, we are victorious."

"You all are fools!" Rak exclaimed. "Instead of using the Dragon Key, you send it off. If you would use the power you all are so desperate to protect, it wouldn't need protecting! Power breeds fear, and with the power that you defend, all will be too afraid to dream of defying you. How dare you waste such great power by keeping it locked away!"

"Great power has great consequences," Alakin said. "We won't... attempt to use it. True power is born of a strong will."

"Really? What does that say about your wills? You look egregiously worn down. Can you take much more?"

"Even in weakness... we have strength," Calic replied.

"What is that supposed to mean?" Rak asked.

"There are familiar words... I feel inside of me. I don't know where I've encountered them, but... I embrace them," Calic answered. "'I know I will die if I lose, so I don't worry about losing or dying. I win no matter what, because I keep telling myself I will win no matter what.'"

* * *

"'I know I will die if I lose, so I don't worry about losing or dying. I win no matter what, because I keep telling myself I will win no matter what.'" Rak recited.

My eyes went wide in an instant. "That is most definitely my line! It was even spoken verbatim! Were you actually spying on us the whole time!?"

"No I was not spying on you," Rak answered. "That I heard from Calic who heard it from someone else."

"What do you mean it's most definitely 'your' line?" Calic asked me.

"That is my personal quote. Just today I spoke it aloud for the first time," I answered. "How could you have heard it from someone else?"

"I can't remember where I heard it before, but I know we haven't ever left our world before. This can't be! How is this possible? This doesn't make any sense!" Calic was just as confused as I was.

"Great minds think alike! Let's leave it at that!" Rak shouted. "I'm ready to win!"

"Well you won't," I said.

"Oh? Can you be so sure?" Rak questioned.

"Indeed it's been made clear that normal strength is not enough. Strength of will must be taken into account. Even if your will was stronger than each of ours, you still would not triumph. In your aloneness, you lack what we have: Synergy," I said. "Our wills are much greater when united, because even if one wavers, the wills of everyone else will work together to revitalize the one that has dampened! Morale is immortal. You acknowledged that your strength alone is not enough to defeat the Guardian Dragons, so you turned to the power of will, but your will is still not enough. When you lose here, it will because you are too arrogant to work with others as a team."

"Will you just shut up!?" Rak yelled. "Stop running your annoying mouth! It's pathetic that you endeavor to give lectures because you are nothing more than an incompetent commoner. Your words are foolishly audacious for one who can do nothing!" Rak sent a large ball of energy flying in my direction which was sent back by Cid.

Rak, and Cid began to fight over control of the ball. Alakin, and Calic flanked Rak in an attempt to catch him off guard, but Rak forfeited the energy which ironically caught Cid off guard. The ball of energy detonated, and Cid, Alakin, and Calic were caught in the blast.

"It really does seem that you all are nothing but empty words," Rak smiled.

"The battle is still young," Kardonyth replied.

"That is your excuse? Pray tell when you all are going to start fighting for real," Rak laughed.

Watching from a distance, I was getting anxious. "I can't just stand around, and do nothing; I have to do something." I clenched my fists.

"What do you mean?" Teri asked. "You are doing something. You're offering moral support just like the rest of us. That is all we can do."

"I've got to do more. I've got to help fight." I clenched my teeth.

"You can't," Sara replied.

"I need to find a way." Frustration was building up inside of me.

"You think you can find something to instantly make you as powerful as them?" Zade asked.

"I have to try. That is better than not trying," I answered.

"What are you going to do? Are you suddenly going to go running off while all this is happening? You're not thinking clearly!" Crystal snapped.

"The enigmatic words about not losing... is good advice. I will keep them in mind." Cid smiled.

"You do that," Rak replied. "You will lose anyway."

"I beg to differ!" Kardonyth yelled as he swung his sword at Rak.

Rak cast a magic barrier. It only lasted a few seconds, but that was enough time for him to get out of the way.

"I can't figure it out. Did I get better? Did you all get worse? Perhaps both?" Rak taunted.

"You think my mouth is annoying!? You are the one who needs to be quiet!" I spat at Rak.

"I'm dying to silence you!" Rak yelled.

"Just die!" I yelled back.

Rak screamed as a beam of energy shot out at me from both his hands. As Cid again deflected the attack, Alakin, and Calic both breathed fire at Rak. As he began to dodge, Kardoynth again swung his sword at him. Rak became overwhelmed, and was struck by a beam of energy shot by Cid.

"That was pure luck. It won't happen again!" Rak growled.

"Don't flatter yourself!" I retorted.

"Don't talk like you're better than me!" Rak replied. "YOU-CANNOT-DO-ANYTHING!"

"I do good. You do evil. I am indeed better than you," I responded.

"What gives you the right to judge whether or not good is better than evil?" Rak asked.

"Good is good. Bad is bad. The real question is what right I have to judge what is good, and what is evil," I answered. "I help people, and you hurt them. You are the villain, and I am the hero."

"YOU CAN DO NOTHING!" Rak screamed as he cast more energy to my position.

Cid cast a barrier over me, and blocked the attack.

"You are so naive!" I yelled. "You perceive me as incompetent because you define competence based on such high standards. I don't need to be a mage or a dragon to fight! Your short temper has made my words my weapon."

"Nonsense!" Rak laughed. "You're fighting me!? Pathetic! Words will only get you so far! Words won't kill me!"

"Fighting isn't about killing. I don't need to kill you, I just need to fight you!" I replied.

"Fight this!" Rak blasted more energy at me. Before the energy hit me, it was interrupted when Rak was instead hit by energy from Cid.

"Another lucky shot?" Cid asked.

"It would seem that my temper is becoming my undoing. I suppose I have to ignore that bastard from now on," Rak answered.

"Can you?" I asked.

"I'm sorry. You can talk to me when you're ready to fight for real!" Rak said with a crazed smile.

Calic breathed fire at Rak who noticed just in time to dodge.

"Pay attention to the fight your in!" Alakin exclaimed.

"You all are going to regret fighting me!" Rak yelled.

"Prove it!" I yelled back.

"As you wish," Rak replied. He made himself look like he was going to try, and attack me again, and Cid prepared to defend me again. Rak put his hands behind himself in an instant, and before we knew it, Alakin fell victim to Rak's attack.

Kardonyth took another swing at Rak who again dodged. The beams that then shot out from Rak's hands flanked Calic, closed in on him, and struck him. Kardonyth breathed fire at Rak who yet again evaded.

"What's wrong, Kardonyth? Aren't you capable of defending your friends?" Rak taunted.

"Damn you!" Kardonyth charged at Rak.

Rak put up another barrier. When Kardonyth swung his sword at it, he shot a beam of energy through it, and hit Kardonyth. "Perhaps you do not have it in you to help your friends," Rak smirked.

"What do you know about helping friends!?" Kardonyth snapped.

"I know that if I were you, I wouldn't turn my back on my friends," Rak condescended.

"What are you talking about?" Kardonyth asked.

"Don't play dumb," Rak answered.

* * *

"You won't get away with this!" Kardonyth soared toward Rak. He screamed fire in retaliation.

"Get going, Kardonyth!" Calic yelled.

"I'm fighting alongside you guys!" Kardonyth responded.

"No, you're not!" Calic replied.

"Why not!?" Kardonyth asked.

"You can't leave Crystal all alone with the key in another dimension!" Calic yelled.

"But-" Kardonyth began to say.

"The Dragon Key should never leave the presence of a Guardian Dragon!You should know better! As a Guardian Dragon, go be a guardian! Protect the key, and protect your lover!" Calic interrupted.

"You guys need me more! I trust things to go well on her end!" Kardonyth responded.

"Trust us!" Alakin replied.

Kardonyth idled with inner conflict, debating over the dilemma.

"Damn it, just go on already! We'll catch up as soon as we can!" Calic screamed.

* * *

"You know full well you abandoned your comrades in their time of need," Rak said.

"You know full well they urged me to leave!" Kardonyth replied.

"You hardly put forth an effort to dissuade them. You know deep down your friends are beyond saving. You've given up," Rak smiled

"Don't listen to him!" Calic shouted.

"You know it's true!" Rak replied.

"Your words will get you nowhere!" Alakin shouted.

"Be quiet!" Rak responded. "Shouldn't a friend have your back no matter what, Kardonyth?"

"You know nothing of friendship! Having a friend's back is meaningless if you don't trust in them!" Kardonyth answered.

"How can you trust in your friends if you don't even trust in yourself!?" Rak inquired.

"What!?" Kardonyth asked back.

"Still in denial? Accept that you don't trust in anyone." Rak smirked.

"You're delusional!" Kardonyth exclaimed.

"Admit that you believe in my victory!" Rak shouted

"I do not!" Kardonyth shouted back.

"Stop lying!" Rak yelled.

"Stop lying to yourself!" Kardonyth yelled back.

"The proof of your treacheries is that your lover holds the Dragon Key," Rak stated.

* * *

"I'm not leaving without you!" Crystal exclaimed.

"Yes, you are," Kardonyth said.

"I can't!" Crystal yelled.

"You have to," Kardonyth replied.

"I love you too much to be distanced from you!" Crystal cried.

"Give us time to stop Rak," Kardonyth pleaded.

"But-" Crystal started to say.

"If you love me, then you'll do this," Kardonyth interrupted.

"Fine," Crystal pouted.

"Now take the Dragon Key, and go this dimension. We'll catch up as soon as we can," Kardonyth assured.

* * *

"If you had believed I could be stopped, then we would all be back home. If you were confident of my defeat, you wouldn't have worried about the Dragon Key, and it would be still be in your possession. Your doubt led you to hand the key off to Crystal. You just couldn't continue to hold on to it because you fear that I will win. You are overcome by despair!" Rak laughed.

"Don't listen to him!" Crystal shouted. "You did the right thing by initiating a fail-safe!"

"You have turned your back on your friends, Kardonyth. You Guardian Dragons are potentially immortal. Alas, you have made a higher priority Crystal, who's death is inevitable. Love has perverted you." Rak smirked. "You came back for us, Kardonyth. That's what matters!" Calic shouted.

"What matters is that Kardonyth's behavior shows that he no longer believes that I can be thwarted." Rak laughed.

"Are you done stalling your demise!?" Kardonyth asked.

"What!?" Rak asked back.

"If I was as you say I am, I wouldn't have been putting an effort to fight in the first place. I standby everything, and everyone I believe in! I believe we will not fail!" Kardonyth exclaimed.

"Prepare for disappointment," Rak said. He then shot a large ball of energy at Kardonyth who stopped it by breathing fire at it.

Kardonyth began to soar towards Rak, and the other dragons followed his lead. He lifted his head up, and then others did the same. They all began to breathe fire. Three pillars of fire surrounded Rak. The dragons brought their heads down. The three streams of fire intersected, and just about hit Rak. Rak began to successfully evade, but was hit by a stream of fire blasted by Cid.

"It's time to end this!" Rak yelled.

"I agree," Cid said.

"Good," Rak smiled. He shot another beam of energy in my direction, and Cid moved to protect me. The problem was that while it was coming in my direction, it wasn't coming at me. I saw right away that it was aimed at Crystal. I jumped at her, and pushed her out of the way. I was suddenly struck by the stream of energy. It was different than the others. It proceeded to encapsulate me in an excruciating sphere. I began to scream as loud as I could.

"No!" Sara cried.

One, then five, ten seconds went by, and it felt like forever. The pain was paralyzing. I couldn't even bare to open my eyes. The infernal trap was sustained by the continuous flow of the energy stream, and Rak kept managing to find a way to diffuse every effort to interrupt him. I felt as though I was being torn apart, and then as if I was being crushed followed by the feeling of being incinerated. For a second I felt nothing, and then I felt as though I was struck by lightning. The sphere exploded, and then the entire area was flooded with an intense white light. Like a hidden room whose door was thrust open, the memories of the previous day which had refused to be revealed, were at last disclosed. When the light had waned, the opening of everyone's eyes immediately transitioned to fixation on me. I then opened my eyes, and saw their perplexity.

"Surprised I'm not dead?" I asked.

"That's not it," was the response of Kardonyth after prolonged silence.

I didn't bother asking him for elaboration since he didn't give it in the first place. I didn't bother asking anyone else for elaboration since they weren't speaking up either. It was clear that they all were utterly silenced by their bewilderment. I shifted my focus inward, becoming understanding of their confusion. I found myself kneeling down on my right leg, and my left arm rested upon my left leg. That wasn't the craziest part. Not only I was I equipped with a full set of armor save for a helmet, but my left hand was gripping a large katana. I just stared as everyone else did. I stared into the blade at the reflection of my own bewildered expression.

"It appears that the 'Guardian Angel" has his own guardian angel," Zade spoke.

"So it would appear," I said as I stood up, and began to hold the sword in both hands.

"Do you even know how to use one of those?" Sara asked.

"Let's find out," I replied as I projected a cold gaze at Rak.

"It amazes me how you still choose to fight me," Rak said.

"I swear upon this blade that I will not stop until you are no longer a threat!" I exclaimed.

"I swear upon mine as well," Kardonyth joined in.

"I swear upon my soul," Calic added.

"I swear upon mine as well," Alakin said.

"I swear upon my bonds, we will bring you down!" Cid asserted.

"SHUT YOUR MOUTH, ALL OF YOU!!!" Rak screamed. He then began to chuckle in a disturbed manner. "How about some quid pro quo?"

"Quid pro quo?" Kardonyth asked.

"Give me the Dragon Key, and you will get Acorech back," Rak replied.

"What?" Kardonyth asked.

"Not even you know where Acorech is. Don't forget your memories of him vanished as well." Cid asked.

"What if I told you that I have Acorech?" Rak asked.

"What!?" Kardonyth inquired.

"Well, not all of him, just his memories," Rak answered. "I never erased them, I just removed them. I thought that at some point it might be beneficial to have them in my possession."

"You're insane!" Cid bellowed.

"Am I? AM I!?" Rak asked.

"Your 'advantage' is now meaningless. Now that you've disclosed your secret, all you've done is changed the nature of the battle!" Cid replied.

"I-will-still-win," Rak grinned.

"Is that so?" Cid asked.

"It is so," Rak answered.

"Why?" Cid inquired.

"You'd call me power hungry, and you'd be wrong. I'm power starving," Rak said before abruptly disappearing.

"Where did he go!?" I asked.

"He got a head start, damn it!" Alakin roared.

"To where?" I asked.

"Where all displaced chains of memories go," Kardonyth answered. "The Memory Palace,"

"I'm going to see this through to the end. I need to solve the mysteries, and help put an end to all this. I understand that things are becoming quite overwhelmingly intense, but who's still with me?" I questioned.

"I'm still in," Sara said.

"I'm still out," Teri replied.

"Uh...I...well...sorry. I've had enough," Zade whined.

Cid opened up a portal, and the willing party went through.

To be continued...