This chapter is quite a bit shorter but the final boss fight was ending up so long I decided it would be nicer to have a shorter chapter here rather than one colossally long one there.
Hraesvelgr is so wishy-washy. XD “My soulmate doesn’t want me to fight (*hands Nidhogg a gun*)”
Contrary to my general strategy to not use the edits the game has made to the plot since I first played it 5 years ago, I am thrilled that Sohr Khai is now a trust and I went and did it to grab extra dialogue >: D
Chapter 38: Resolve
“Though I expected no better answer from Vidofnir, I take little pleasure from having been proven right,” Alphinaud said the next morning, as they packed their things and redressed in their armour. “‘Twould seem that our presence at Zenith will be every bit as unwelcome as I had anticipated. But what is the ire of one great wyrm to a band of self-confessed fools such as ourselves?”
Achiyo laughed at the description, and saw Aymeric’s face lighten. “The Scions have always kept faith even in the darkest of hours. It has not betrayed us yet.” She turned to Aymeric. “The next stretch may be dangerous. We do not know if Nidhogg’s minions still dwell in the mountain’s peak.”
“I shall be ready to fight,” he assured her.
It had been strangely thrilling to see him without armour the night previous, to see the lines of his body more clearly without the mail and pauldrons. It made him more approachable. Less lofty. Changing his beauty to something less unreachable, untouchable, than he normally appeared. She had tried to keep her eyes to herself, but it had been difficult. And now he was in armour again, shining and lordly… yet as Chuchupa had said, he was one of them now, at least for now.
Aymeric today seemed taken with wonder at everything they saw as they climbed the peak of Sohm Al. Its caldera, the view of the lands below, the marvellous formations of stone within, all caught his attention, and even an attack from a flight of black dragons did not dim his spirit today. But when they emerged from the mouth of the last tunnel and stood at the entrance to Moghome and beheld Zenith rising in the distance, he broke away from the group as if inadvertently and walked to stand at the edge of the cliff, staring speechlessly.
The others waited patiently, though Vivienne and Chuchupa soon began to head onwards. Achiyo did not want to break his reverie, but when he still stood motionless, at length she touched the back of his hand. “Aymeric-sama?”
He jumped and looked down at her, his eyes shining. “Forgive me. I had heard tales of the world above the clouds, but never did I dream… One’s mind paints a pale picture of its majesty.”
“It is very beautiful,” she said. “I would you could come to know it as we have.”
“Yes… But there is no time. I know. Thank you.”
And then the moogle popped out to greet them, and she had the pleasure of seeing Aymeric stare some more.
Zenith was even more awe-inspiring within the bounds of its walls. Aymeric gazed up at its graceful curves, taller than the Vault or so it seemed while standing beneath it, and wondered how it had been built – and built that it should stand a thousand years untouched and more.
Yet Zenith meant that the end of their journey was nigh, and he had yet to figure out how to beg for aid in a way that might seem convincing to an old hostile recluse. All he knew was that: “We must win Hraesvelgr to our cause. Fail in this and Ishgard’s fate is all but sealed.” There was still the sliver of a chance that the Warriors of Light unaided could withstand Nidhogg, but it was not a chance he was keen to take.
They climbed to an upper level, where R’nyath pulled out a small horn and blew a mournful melody into the clouds. There was a growl, and a few minutes later an enormous white feathered dragon swooped in and unceremoniously landed before them. Aymeric stared at the huge, dog-like face, framed by those heavy horns, at the many feathered wings, and the slitted yellow eyes that glared at them all. “You dare summon me again, mortals?”
Estinien’s report had said Hraesvelgr spoke to be understood even in dragon’s tongue, but it was so strange to actually hear and yet understand. Alphinaud took the lead, as was proper for one who had met the wyrm before. “Great Hraesvelgr, ’tis not lightly that we beg this audience. Pray hearken to our words, for they concern the future of man and dragon both.” He nodded to Aymeric.
Aymeric bid his pounding heart be calm and stepped forward. “Greetings, Hraesvelgr. I am Aymeric de Borel, acting ruler of the nation of Ishgard. I am come before you to parlay on behalf of my people.”
The dragon’s gaze filled with even more contempt, were such a thing possible. “…To parlay? Thinkest thou thy purpose unclear to me? Thou art come to beg mine aid in the battle against the shade of my brood-brother.”
Alphinaud flinched in surprise, but Aymeric had wondered if his presence might be so transparent. What else could he be there for? He bowed his head. “You… foresaw mine intent.”
“I but read that which is writ plain in thine eyes,” growled Hraesvelgr. “Would that thou had wit enough to scry the answer in mine. My beloved Shiva did once build a bridge ‘twixt man and dragon – a bridge which thy treacherous forefathers saw fit to tear down, as thou well knowest. Thinkest thou Nidhogg was alone in despairing at the murder of our brood-sister? Thinkest thou mine own soul did not cry out for vengeance? Know then that upon the accursed day, my heart did wither in my breast, and thy kind became unto me the harbingers of despair. ‘Tis only Shiva’s gentle dream that preventeth me from flying at Nidhogg’s shoulder. Be grateful that I swore to abjure aggression ere I consumed her. I permit my children to offer or deny thee aid as they see fit, to warn thy people of my brood-brother’s coming. That thou wouldst dare ask more of me but affirmeth thine incurable arrogance.”
Thoroughly scolded, Aymeric kept his head bowed. Was it arrogance to ask beyond that which was granted, even in desperation? Was it arrogance to beg for life, when one wished to choose a better path? The Warriors of Light fidgeted, doubtless wishing to gainsay the charge, but having no ideas either.
Alphinaud had recovered. “We understand that in your despair at man’s betrayal, you seek only the refuge of solitude.” The great dragon turned his massive head to look at the small boy. “But despite your protestations of spent faith, do you not still nurture the smallest flame of hope?”
“Perceivest thou such light in the dusk of mine existence?” asked Hraesvelgr coldly.
Alphinaud nodded confidently. “I do. If you claim I see falsely, then tell me: why did you consent to bear Ysayle upon your back?”
The dragon sighed. “Ysayle… piteous, deluded Ysayle. The child did lament her past sins, and sought to balance the scales with her remaining days. ‘Twas her unquenchable passion, so alike to that of my beloved, which did spur me into flight. And for mine own part, I would countenance no longer the hands of evil men to use my brood-brother’s eye for ill.”
Alphinaud cocked his head, and Aymeric began mentally telling him to stop talking. Lamentably, he had no gift for telepathy. “So you do distinguish between those who acknowledge and repent their sins, and those who perpetuate them. Interesting. It seems to me that you have not, in fact, lost faith in mankind as a whole. Rather, you weigh our respective merits by how we allow the past to influence our future.” Did he truly think that grief could be done away with by logic? He might not be wrong, yet it would not move Hraesvelgr.
The dragon growled and Aymeric found his guesses confirmed. “Spare me thine idle sophistry. Even were there a mote of truth in thy reasoning, what of it? Wouldst thou have me slay mine own sibling to save a city of mortals?”
“Should we suffer ties of blood to bind our hands, then?” Aymeric argued. “Nay, if the crime is one of unconscionable evil, we must needs condemn it – even should the transgressor be our closest kin. When my father corrupted himself and his followers with the power of a primal, I beseeched the Warriors of Light to slay him, an act alike to patricide. That he did not die by my hand matters little – if anything, it heaps greater disgrace upon my name.” Achiyo had gallantly tried to defend him against the charge to his traitorous countrymen, but she was wrong. The Warriors of Light might hold it their duty to end any primal threat, but he had asked – even if he had shrank away from actually saying the dread words aloud.
“But had my father not fallen, he would have drawn countless thousands into a holy war of hellish proportions – which I hold the greater crime. Thus did I order his execution, sparing the lives of my people – and yours. Alas, your brother wyrm now prepares to murder those whom I sought to spare. What is more, he has taken my comrade’s body for his own – but if I must slay my dearest friend to defeat my direst foe, I will not flinch from my duty! Whatever I must do to save my people, I will do – no matter what it should cost me.” He spread his hands, offering… himself, whatever good that might do.
The dragon bared his teeth. “Thou wouldst strike down thy friend, and, by example of thy righteousness, persuade me to break mine oath and kill my kindred?”
That… was not what he had meant, and the twisting of his words was like a twisting of his heart.
“Shall then thousands perish for love of one?” Achiyo said softly. “Shall we stand aside and leave others to die, and never hold ourselves implicit in their destruction, because we could not bear to raise a hand against the one who is destroying them?”
He looked to her gratefully.
“The best thou hast ever known, hm?” Hraesvelgr rumbled softly.
Before he could interpret that, there was a small flash of light over Tam’s shoulder, and Aymeric looked to see a tiny dragon manifest out of pure aether. It looked newly born, as if only hours old, and it opened its tiny mouth and spoke with the voice of ancient authority. “Heed me, my child. The servants of Hydaelyn envision a different outcome. They intend salvation not only for Ishgard, but for the doomed dragonslayer as well.”
Aymeric looked in surprise at Achiyo, but she was looking in surprise at Alphinaud, who was fidgeting guiltily, and Tam, who was smiling. It was not her idea? He had not dared hope that Estinien might be saved, fearing that such thoughts would invite weaknesses for Nidhogg to exploit, yet now hope was rising unchecked in his heart – if any of the Warriors of Light believed that even Estinien could be saved, he would believe it too.
The tiny dragon continued. “Believest thou this shade to be Nidhogg returned? Is it not merely a manifestation of his vengeance – the shadow cast by thy brood-brother’s rage? I would not command thee, but ponder well thy course lest it lead thee unto greater remorse…”
“Hi, Midgardsormr,” said Chuchupa. “Finally came to check up on us, eh?”
That was Midgardsormr, Father of Dragons? He… he really had to rethink everything he knew of dragons from the very beginning. He had met Midgardsormr, after the Warriors of Light had fought Thordan. Tam had rode him to Ishgard. How was he now in the body of a hatchling? And yet with a corpse twined about the Agrius in Silvertear Lake? Great wyrms were strange.
“Do you mean this Nidhogg is like to a primal?” Vivienne asked.
“Nay, not a primal, but close. The shade is yet possessed of his own will and aether.”
“Then there is nothing left of what Nidhogg was before the war…?” Rinala asked timidly.
“I wonder how we’ll separate the two,” Kekeniro murmured. “Estinien must have a strong soul, and I doubt they’ll blend at all, but surely it won’t be simple.”
“We must try,” Alphinaud said anxiously.
Hraesvelgr stirred. “Thou wishest to rescue the dragoon from his fate along with all the rest? I do begin to see why Ysayle entrusted her hope unto thee. Thy purpose is pure. …But so too is my brood-brother’s wrath, and ’tis that which lendeth him his all-surpassing might. Hast thou the strength of will to stand against so terrible a shadow, I wonder?” He braced himself to spring, his mind made up. “‘Twould seem I must put thee and thy companions to the proof. I shall await thee in Sohr Khai, in the ruins wherein Ratatoskr once dwelled. Heed well the words of my children, and hasten thee to the place of thy trial!”
“For the sake of Ishgard, I shall overcome whatever trial is placed before me,” Aymeric said, and the dragon launched himself into the air, roaring, flying away. Midgardsormr vanished.
A few minutes later, two great white shapes appeared and landed before them, along with a flight of wyverns. “Vidofnir!” Alphinaud cried. “You truly are recovered, then?”
“I already bid thee cease thy worrying,” Vidofnir said. “I am well. And thou art to come with me, Alphinaud Leveilleur.”
The other dragon, leaner, spikier, more dangerous-looking, crawled to Aymeric. “I am Vedrfolnir. You are to come with me, knight.”
“Father himself will attend thee,” Vidofnir said to Achiyo. “He bids thy companions divide themselves as they see fit.”
“Okay then let’s do this,” Kekeniro said. “Vivienne, R’nyath, go with Alphinaud. Aentfryn, you and I will go with Aymeric. Then Achiyo’s regular team will be together, everyone has a defender, and everyone has a healer.”
The Warriors and Alphinaud all nodded. All their doubt and uncertainty was gone in a blink, only cool focus and determination in its place. He admired it, a trait he looked for in the very best of his knights.
“Good luck everyone!” R’nyath cried.
He nodded to Aentfryn and Kekeniro. “It is an honour. Let us go.”
Sohr Khai was beautiful and sad, Achiyo thought as she and her group ran through the sky islands. Abandoned, overgrown, inhabited mostly now by beasts and birds – or so it appeared in the area where they were dropped by the wyverns. Graceful white stone walls and slender pillars hinted at former glories. Over the tops of floating hills, sometimes she caught glimpses of Vidofnir and Vedrfolnir circling and swooping, and prayed that their other friends were doing well.
“Thank goodness we’ve been given a duty that involves violence,” Tam said sardonically.
“Our best skill!” Chuchupa cackled. “Forget diplomacy and ph’losophy. Obviously th’ best way to make friends wi’ someone is to beat ’em up!”
Achiyo pulled a face at her friend. “You do not mock it unjustly, yet there are philosophies that say one’s true feelings are only displayed in battle. Words may be lies, and body language may be acting, but in battle there is only truth. Or so say some thinkers.”
“I like ’em,” Chuchupa said. “I mean, how else we gonna prove our intentions on short notice?”
“Was it about intentions?” Rinala said. “I thought it was checking to see we wouldn’t die to Nidhogg again.”
“It’s both,” said Tam. “Thing is, I’m not Estinien. Estinien could kill Nidhogg because he hated him. I don’t like Nidhogg, but I don’t hate him.”
“Then it is well that apparently you don’t want to kill him,” Achiyo said. “Tell me of this plan to save Estinien.”
Tam shrugged. “We don’t have a plan. Just ‘try not to kill him’. I guess beating the dragon-aether out of him is a good start. Then we rip off those eyeballs and hope he doesn’t die in the process. Maybe Kekeniro will think of something, he seems clever.”
They had reached a gate, and there was a side passage to the right, through which Achiyo heard a shout and saw Vivienne, Alphinaud, and R’nyath approaching. “You are returned?”
“Seems Alphinaud’s focus in the trial is complete,” Vivienne said. “We’re to remain with you from now.” Vidofnir soared overhead, gaining altitude to watch them from above.
Alphinaud was panting, and put out a hand to lean on the wall. “Vidofnir’s ferocity is such that I begin to wonder if I hadn’t imagined her injury.”
“She had good healing, after all,” R’nyath said impudently.
“She was playing,” Vivienne told him. “She played with you like a cat with a mouse. Liven up, Alphinaud, there’s more ahead of us!”
Achiyo pushed open the gate and saw… moogles. “Er.”
“By the Twelve, it’s Chieftain Moglin!” Alphinaud cried.
“So you remember their tedious names,” Vivienne said.
“I remember him…” Alphinaud said.
“That they should be part of the trial…” Achiyo began. She had not been expecting that.
“Means I finally get to punch him! Whoo!” Chuchupa yelled, and sped forward. Achiyo shook her head and followed.
Past the moogles the ruins seemed more intact, less worn down. But there were still fierce great birds nesting there, in a white hall of pillars, and they swarmed the adventurers, trying to drive them away from their nests. They had no choice but to fight back to make it through.
Tam leaned over a design in the floor. “Nice stonework. This must be Ratatoskr.”
Achiyo looked. “It looks very abstract.” The tiles depicted a dragon woven with knotted linework; it was beautiful but she saw no distinguishing features about it.
Tam gestured. “It’s the horns, obviously. I don’t recognize them from any other dragon we know.” She would not have noticed that.
“Hey, Achiyo, the best person you know is catching up with us,” R’nyath said. She refrained from smacking him in the head and turned to see Aymeric, Aentfryn, and Kekeniro climbing the stairs towards them. When they reached the top, all three stopped to catch their breath.
Aymeric put his head down, leaning on his knees. “The air… is rather thin… this high up.”
“At least it’s not a race,” Kekeniro said, sitting on a loose block of stone. “We can pace ourselves.”
“We ought to keep moving, at least,” Vivienne said, with a glance at the skies. Aymeric’s draconic opponent had joined Vidofnir in circling above them. “We won’t get a break when we fight Nidhogg.”
“All too true,” Aymeric said, straightening. “Then let us prove our worth, my friends!”
“Aye, beyond a shadow of doubt!” Alphinaud agreed.
“How was your part of the trial?” Rinala asked.
Aymeric gave a wry half-smile. “I pray that your battle has been more involved than my own. Vedrfolnir seemed largely concerned with how long he could keep me rolling in the dust. Between dodging snapping fangs and slashing claws, I scarce had time to aim a blow.”
“Good thing you mostly didn’t have to,” Kekeniro said. “That’s what I’m here for. So to continue with our talk of tactics…”
Achiyo took the lead, though Aymeric followed close behind her once Kekeniro seemed done with him, and they moved through the deserted palace. Perhaps this had been a place for the dragons to meet with the non-dragons, she pondered, looking about, but she could not guess from the stones alone. She wondered if the dragons remembered, and if they would tell them if asked.
Then her thoughts were interrupted by a colossal winged horse. It clambered to its feet from where it had been resting, fifteen fulms tall, and charged them. They scattered out of the way.
But ten warriors soon overpowered even a fifteen-fulm pegasus, and it whinnied angrily and took to the skies.
“That creature was truly fearsome in motion…” Alphinaud said, gazing after it.
“Thankfully, we managed to rein it in,” Aymeric said, and winked at Achiyo. The joke and especially the wink was so unexpected she barely had time to cover her mouth before she laughed. Rinala giggled too.
“Oh my gods,” R’nyath said. “That was really bad, Aymeric.” Aymeric only chuckled.
“Come on,” Vivienne said. “Focus, you lot. Here comes Hraesvelgr.”
The white wyrm soared past on fluttering wings. “Thou hast weathered my trial thus far… but I am not convinced. I will try thy limits.”
Aymeric watched him. “We will win you over, Hraesvelgr. Mark my words.”
Achiyo led them onwards. Now the sky islands looked untouched by time, shining gold in the sun, and a great shell like to Zenith stood behind them. There were no more wild animals, but dragons, great and small, and now they must take care not to strike lethal blows.
Hraesvelgr passed them by again. “Nidhogg will spare thee no clemency. And thus neither must I.”
Onward they ran, dodging dragon breath and fang and claw, as the winter sun streamed down among the golden clouds around them. They moved swiftly through the hills of the sky islands, moving in fluid coordination according to Kekeniro’s commands, and the dragons fell back before them. The wind was in her hair and her heart beat steadily as she climbed a hill and found a wide plaza. Hraesvelgr landed there. “Come, warriors. Show me what strength doth remain in thy frail mortal shell!”
“Pray watch over us, Ysayle!” Alphinaud murmured.
“Spread out!” Kekeniro yelled. “Rinala, right side! Aentfryn, left side!”
Achiyo saluted the dragon and charged that giant face, steeling her mind and body for the battle ahead. He turned to her and snapped, a terrifying movement and sound that brought back all her memories of fighting Nidhogg full-force. She sidestepped and struck back, hitting him in the jaw, her heart suddenly thrumming yet harder than before.
Her friends surged around her, casting a barrage of spells; Tam swung by overhead to land upon the dragon’s back, sliding and balancing against the scales and feathers as Hraesvelgr writhed and bucked beneath him; Chuchupa cracked her knuckles and proclaimed her intent to “give the old wyrm a bloody nose”. Hraesvelgr shielded himself from the spells with the vast wings of his left side, then whipped them open, sending a blast of light aether crashing against them. Rinala gasped and she and Aentfryn cast their heals.
“Thou art formidable. But canst thou endure until the bitter end?”Achiyo had the most of Hraesvelgr’s attention, weaving around his claws as he struck out at her, but he still had enough attention to spare for each of them, lashing out with claws and tail, smashing Chuchupa to the ground and sending Vivienne staggering away. A gust of wind from his wings knocked Alphinaud to the ground, and Aentfryn ducked to catch him and shield himself from the wind too. Achiyo stabbed back; her reach was quite short with only her sword, though her magic reached a little farther. There was no time for fear now, only action and reaction. Though then Hraesvelgr glanced to the side at an incoming flash of bright blue, and Aymeric’s crystal blade clove the air next to her, forcing the dragon to rear away.
“Aymeric, pull back!” Kekeniro ordered. “Let Achiyo do her job, she can handle it!”
“Apologies!” Aymeric cried breathlessly, moving to her other side to attack Hraesvelgr’s flank instead. He wanted to protect everyone, didn’t he? Even her.
Hraesvelgr spread his wings and took off. “The sky is the domain of dragons. How wilt thou contend with such mastery?” He swooped by fast enough to hit them with a shockwave, seeming to ignore their answering spells and arrows; Alphinaud was caught off-guard by the winds again and skidded on the ground, hissing as he was bruised on the stones. Aentfryn picked him up once again and set him on his feet, Eos spinning around him. With a harsh cry, Vidofnir and Vedrfolnir landed in Hraesvelgr’s stead, charging towards them with flames.
“Aymeric, take Vidofnir!” Kekeniro cried. “Vivienne, the other one! Achiyo, pull back…” He looked up. “Wait – group up, group up, quick quick quick! Shields!”
Achiyo did not wait to ask why, and she probably wouldn’t have been heard over Chuchupa’s cursing anyway. They drew together – and magic exploded around them all. Aentfryn’s shield had gone out just in time, but still she remembered Akh Morn.
Vidofnir and Vedrfolnir, their distraction completed, took off again, and Hraesvelgr shot light aether at them as he landed again. Achiyo was driven back by the force of the magic, bracing herself with aching legs, then gathered herself and charged again. She’d lost track of where everyone else was and what they were doing. Not her job. Kekeniro was the one who had to know that. All she had to do was make sure Hraesvelgr was watching her and no one else. She didn’t even know if she was shaking or not.
“Fight on, warriors! Press thy attack!” Hraesvelgr goaded them, and snapped towards her, ripping her shield from her hand. She gritted her teeth and rolled away from his claws, and he pursued her, driving her further away from her shield – until she cast Spirits Within directly in his face, followed by Flash, disorienting him enough to reach out and catch her shield as Chuchupa threw it to her.
Just in time, as he reared back, his wings spreading, and light aether blasted them all again. He inhaled and a beam of aether streamed out and struck her shield full on, sending her skidding backwards. The instant it faded, she charged again, her breath rasping in her lungs.
The dragon grunted and she skidded to a stop before she reached him. “…Thy resolve hath withstood my scrutiny. Mayhap there is hope to be had in one such as thee…” He took off, signalling the end of the trial.
“Is it over?” Rinala said, and cast another Medica.
Aymeric gasped for air as they gathered in the centre of the plaza. “Countless times have I fought the minions of Nidhogg, but never did I imagine that I would one day face Hraesvelgr himself. …He seems ill-acquainted with the notion of ‘mock’ battles…”
Tam snorted. “No, that was nothing. He was being gentle.”
“Akh Morn is being gentle?” Achiyo asked. Tam shrugged and grinned. To be fair, now that she thought back on it, it had not hurt nearly as much as Bahamut’s Akh Morn.
Alphinaud bent over, rubbing his side. “Oh… Ohhh… Oh, my poor ribs… That was a painful reminder of a great wyrm’s might…” Rinala raised her staff and cast a few extra heals on him, and he nodded gratefully to her.
“And had he truly meant us harm, we would not be standing so intact here now,” Aymeric said. “Plainly, his intent was to teach. His onslaught forced me to recall my training – about the speed of the dragon, his balance, his blind spots… It was, in short, a very thorough lesson.”
“At least he didn’t bend my sword again,” Vivienne said. “That would have been a pain to fix with Cronus – no, you’re fine, you’re stronger than my last sword-”
“Is she talking to the sword?” Alphinaud asked in an aside.
R’nyath nodded. “It’s complicated.”
Hraesvelgr circled once more, then landed before them. “Even bereft of an eye, my brood-brother was a fearsome foe indeed. But having tasted thy strength firsthand, I do begin to see how thou didst bring him low. Hydaelyn chooseth Her servants well. Very well. I shall trust in the children of man one last time. By thy deeds shall the flickering hope that lingereth yet within my heart be kindled anew… or extinguished forever.”
“We shall fight Nidhogg when he comes, regardless of anything else,” Achiyo said. Whether or not Hraesvelgr stood with them, whether or not Nidhogg was truly unstoppable, they would stand in his path.
“That you yet stand is ready proof of your determination, mortals. Let us fight as allies, then, and together banish my brood-brother’s vengeful shade. On my oath, the wrath that once was Nidhogg shall meet its end! This I swear on the memory of my beloved Shiva, and on the soul of lost Ysayle…”
Zenith was colder than Sohr Khai, though it was not as high up. The ten companions gathered closer together than usual, and tried to rest. Aentfryn pulled out some jerky and handed it out for everyone to snack on.
“Our negotiations proved rather more strenuous than I had anticipated, but the results seem well worth the effort,” Alphinaud said, and Achiyo felt he had some of his old, irritating smugness about him again.
“The battle was indeed hard-won,” Aymeric said. “Thank you, my friends – I would never have earned Hraesvelgr’s cooperation had you not seen fit to grant me yours. ‘Twas your stalwart heroism that moved the heart of the great wyrm at the last. Any gratitude I can offer is but poor reward for your continued service to Ishgard.”
“I guess we’re ready for Nidhogg,” Rinala said. “I just wish we knew when he was going to attack so we can-”
A huge roar echoed across the sky, malevolent and final. “Oh gods!” Alphinaud whispered, leaning into Tam’s shadow reflexively. Achiyo covered her horns to try to block out some of it. Rinala cringed, Kekeniro jumped, and Aymeric lifted his head to stare eastward to the Aery.
“Ummmmm I’m guessing the answer is ‘now’,” R’nyath said.
“Well that’s not ideal when we’ve just been beating the shite out of each other,” Aentfryn grumbled.
Midgardsormr appeared in their midst. “The cry heraldeth his coming. Nidhogg’s shade hath taken wing.” Achiyo peered and saw what looked like a dark mist issuing from the Aery. Too many dragons to count were darkening the sky, and she fought to control her breathing as she imagined what it meant for Ishgard.
“It has begun,” Aymeric said grimly. “We must away to Ishgard! They will not last long against Nidhogg and his Horde.”
Hraesvelgr landed next to them. “Know you, then, what this roar portendeth?”
Aymeric turned to him, a diplomat no longer but a commander of men. “Aye. I must return to my city without delay.”
Hraesvelgr lowered his head in agreement. “Then we shall lend you our wings. Let us meet with Nidhogg on the field of battle, and together bring an end to his wrathful song.”
The Warriors of Light looked at each other. They had just been though an exhausting duel, and now the actual fight was upon them. “Teleporting will get us there faster, and then we can rest in Ishgard while everyone braces themselves,” R’nyath said. “Before we go out to fight.”
“I think we should fly with Hraesvelgr,” Kekeniro said. “If we Teleport, we can rest for a few hours in Ishgard, yes, but Teleporting will just make us more tired and I don’t know if the hours will be enough.”
“Aye, better to save what strength we have, even if flight is not as restful as sleep,” Aentfryn said.
“If we are all in agreement, then that is what we shall do,” Achiyo said. “Although mayhap Alphinaud could Teleport back to warn Lucia of the assault…” Alphinaud had grown since first he wanted to come to help them fight Nidhogg. But so had Nidhogg, and she did not intend for him to fight here unless there was truly no other choice.
“I have Lucia’s linkpearl,” Aymeric assured her. “One moment.” He turned away. “Lucia. …We have won Hraesvelgr as an ally. However, Nidhogg has begun his advance but a minute agone. You must hold the city until we return. …We shall fly back with Hraesvelgr to be more rested after the trials we have been through. …Hold out as best you can. We shall not be far behind him, I swear it.”
Rinala looked up at Hraesvelgr. “You will really allow us to ride you?”
“I did grant that favour to Ysayle,” Hraesvelgr said, and lay on the floor so they might climb his shoulder; even so, it was a struggle for Rinala and Chuchupa to get up – even with Tam boosting them. Alphinaud, Vivienne, and R’nyath headed for Vidofnir, and-
Aymeric turned to Achiyo, took her hand, and pressed her gauntleted knuckles to his lips. “I pray this is not the last time I may thank you – for everything.”
Her heart was doing flipflops in her chest. “We will live,” she told him breathlessly, and squeezed his hand a little before turning to run to Hraesvelgr.
The sky was black with clouds in the early dawn and rivven with dragons. The Steps of Faith were a chaotic mess. Lucia swung at three dragons, back to back with Lord Artoirel, trying not to slip on the bloodied stones or trip on mangled bodies of both knights and dragons. The towers were crumbling around them and the fires were burning ever brighter. Overhead, the cannons and dragonslayers boomed out, and a hiss of arrows and rattle of musketfire told of the struggles higher up on the city walls.
The dragons kept coming, and they kept getting bigger. The screams did not cease. And Nidhogg himself still had not landed. She did not know if that was a blessing or not.
Her arms ached. There was always another dragon. Another dozen, another hundred. Her sword arm ached from slashing and stabbing, and her shield arm ached from deflecting fang, claw, and flame. Her legs ached from running and dodging and leaping. The blessedly shallow wounds she had taken were slowly bleeding; they stung and burned under her armour as she moved.
Yet if this was her last day alive, she would not go down quietly. She would not go down at all until she had seen her lord return to save them all. Their enemy would not reach the gates, the weakest point in their defence. She turned and shouted to the nearest Temple Knights: “Remember your training! We hold fast until the Lord Commander returns!”
He would return. He was alive and well, the Warriors of Light were alive and well, and he had promised he would be there soon. She gritted her teeth and charged again.
Knights were falling so fast. So many she had trained with now lay still on the Steps, or had been knocked into the abyss.
Fury, deliver him unto us, she prayed. Please, save us.