Weight of a World United

The planet is in danger as Ratatoskr's shadow beasts ravage everything in sight. The whole word has decided on a single outcome. Ratatoskr must fall.

Weight Of A World United

                The blood had stopped and he had survived.  Azazel gasped for breath as he slowly pushed himself up with his hands, only for his arms to give out.  It took all his strength to get him to look at the massive ryuukin before him.  He closed his eyes as he prepared himself to die.

                Death didn’t come.

                The wind grew cold and an earthen barrier formed between Azazel and Ratatoskr and exploded in their adversary’s direction.  The golden dragon flapped his wings down a single time, launching him into the air.  In the distance, several of the Crusaders made their running towards their friend.  Citrix and Erik reached their comrade first; the snow cat immediately moved his hands over Azazel’s wings, sealing the wounds.

                “You told me once ‘we stand together.’  What did that mean to you if you’re gonna just run off on your own when it matters most?  You idiot.  You had us all worried sick...and for good reason, by the looks of it.” Erik looked a few feet away and saw a pair of dark red wings lying on the ground.  “Lucky for you…we can help.”

                Erik looked at Freya and Kamikaze walked up to Citrix.  Geo glanced at Freya and they nodded to each other.  The two turned their backs to each other and began erecting Aegis.  Once the shield had been fully formed, Freya knelt down next to Azazel, opposite of Erik.  The two looked at the wounds where Azazel’s wings should be as tendrils of ice began snaking their way around the wounds, slowly forming into the shape of full wings.

                Citrix stared at Azazel as the ice wings continued to grow to their full size.  Tears welled in his eyes as he glanced around.  Shadow beasts had begun bashing the Aegis Shield, slowly destroying themselves in the process.  Kami, meanwhile, glanced up at the golden ryuukin floating high above them as he formed a golden barrier around him.

                “He’s just…waiting.  He wants us to recover.  Sick b*****d.  He thinks he’ll still win even if we’re at our best.  But…we’re not.  Where’s Delphine?”  Kamikaze glanced around and found one missing from their number.  She heard Erik snicker as he stood up.

                “Freya, the rest is up to you.  Kami, don’t worry.  Delphine’s coming.  She’s proving Azazel was right in his judgement,” Erik said.  He looked up to Ratatoskr and glared.  “This a*****e is about to learn he’s not just up against the Crusaders anymore.”  As Erik finished speaking, he glanced behind them and his glare turned into a smile.

                A barrage of bullets and magic soared into the golden dragon as a teleportation glyph disappeared from above three familiar figures standing on the cliffs in the distance.  With smoke coming from the barrel of his revolvers, Silver glanced behind him and glanced at Miles, his daggers emitted a pale glow.  Further behind them, Kin was preparing his sniper rifle.

                “No backing down now.  He saved us.  It’s our turn to save him.” Kin knelt down and aimed carefully around Ratatoskr, ready to shoot.  Silver and Miles both nodded as the yote resumed his firing.  Miles gripped his daggers tight and slashed forward, unleashing a barrage of magic blades into the shadow beasts below as hundreds of desert bandits began charging down the crater wall from the glyph.

                Teleportation glyphs began appearing all around the crater.  From one emerged an elderly felinis and a black and gray kitsune.  The two of them looked down as the cat grabbed his hand crossbows.

                “You don’t look surprised, Gotherine.  What’s wrong, your astromancy not reliable anymore?” Dusk smirked at his friend.  Gotherine glanced at Dusk and chuckled.

                “Not anymore, it seems.  This wasn’t written in the stars.  These children have broken free of the fates that bind us and are now forging their own path.” She sighed as she looked away.  “Takumi, Indi…if only you could see what your children have become.  You would be proud.”  Her face turned to face the golden dragon as her globe materialized over her right hand; tears being held back in her eyes.  “This b*****d will pay for everything he’s done.  You children better be ready to show us up!  The last of the old guard needs to be confident the world is in good hands.

 

From another glyph a tall rodentus stepped forward, a group of monks behind him.  “I never imagined the day would come where I would be away from the World Tree, yet here I am.  My friend, I knew it from the day I met you that you were different.  Worry not, my friend; Yggdrasil yet lives.  We are here now to help protect the world.  In Yggdrasil’s name, I swear it.  We will save Firinas.”

 

On the opposing side of the crater a fleet of airships came flying in.  At the lead ship, a cybernetic owl opened his wings.  On command, the fleet began launching cannons at the golden dragon.  “The airships of Geryon are at your command.  Our kingdom has stood on the sidelines for far too long.  It’s time we paid our dues,” Vegas stated confidently.  The larger airships behind him split apart into multiple smaller ships that immediately flew at high speeds carpeting the surface with magic from their inhabitants.

 

“For Valhalla!”  Screams sounded out from the skies to the south as a massive army of ryuukin soldiers closed in on the battleground.  At their head was their Kaiser, Equinox.  Holding the golden Divine Spear of Gungnir, the dragon launched himself down and immediately began ripping into the shadow beasts.

 

A final teleportation glyph formed next to the Crusaders as Delphine stepped through, her fairy immediately moved over to Freya and Azazel as the latter slowly got back to his feet.  He turned slowly, looking at the massive army that formed all around them.  Amidst his bewilderment, he found himself slapped across the face by the final arrival.

“You moron.  You’re our leader and you pull a stunt like this?  We all came together because of you.  Don’t you dare leave us hanging like that again.”  Her voice was sharp, but Delphine’s eyes surrendered her worry.  “Let’s finish this, once and for all.  We have a ceremony to get on with, right?” Delphine stood next to Azazel and gave him a sly smirk. “And I’m not talking about the coronation.” She elbowed Azazel in the side, causing the hound-ryuukin half breed to reel slightly.  His eyes widened as he finally realized what had been done.  He flexed his back and felt his wings spread.

“I see…you perfected the magic.  Erik, Freya…thank you.  Everyone, I’m sorry.  I offer no excuses.  Just…one final order.”  He stepped forward and grabbed Ragnarok and turned his gaze to the glowing golden orb high above them.  The orb faded and the dragon encased within it looked down at the reunited group.  Azazel raised the rapier high as a massive blast of black wind shredded the shadow beasts remaining on the barrier.

“You’re fighting all of Firinas now, Ratatoskr.  Let’s end this.”