The Fallen arc

Republic Warship

Command Center

Tenjin Nakamura, member of the Order and military general of the Midgard Republic had just received a call from one of his colleagues Odysseus.

"What can I do for you, Odysseus?" Tenjin asked.

"Tenjin, I know we've had grievances in the past but I need to understand something." Odysseus said.

"Understand what?" Tenjin asked.

"I need to understand why you put so much faith in those children? Ziera is one thing but that boy, Jayden. That's another problem entirely." Odysseus stated.

"The kid just started his training, Odysseus. You can't expect him to have it all in just a week." Tenjin said.

"That's not the problem. The problem is I've seen his type before. Young, optimistic, filled with dreams of grandeur. I bet he's always dreamed of achieving great things. Of becoming some sort of superhero. But dreams aren't reality. And the reality is the way he is now he won't last long in this war. Zenal will make sure of that." Odysseus said.

"Even so Ragnarok chose him, Odysseus. You have to acknowledge that." Tenjin argued.

"I acknowledge it. But I don't accept it. I've been given no reason to. And neither have you." Odysseys retorted. Tenjin sighed.

"Well that's where you're wrong." Tenjin said.

"Oh? Then please enlighten me." Odysseus said.

"It's true the kid isn't perfect. Heck none of those brats are. But there's a reason why I'm looking after them. Why I want Jayden on our side in this war. Because he and those kids each all have one thing this world needs right now more than anything else." Tenjin said.

"And what is that? What could they have that's important to the world?" Odysseus asked.

Tenjin deep down knew Odysseus had a point. They were risking it all right now for a random kid that was immature and inexperienced with warfare. It has been a day since Tenjin has sent Ziera's team to the Azalea Forest to save Luca. He hasn't heard back from them since and with the empire being there that would make anyone worry. Especially since this was Jayden's first mission. However...

The Azalea Forest

"Is that...all you got? Ziera still hits harder." Jayden coughed out.

"RAAAAAAH!" The Draugr roared as it was about to stomp down on Jayden's head.

"JAYDEN!" Ziera shouted. She zoomed across the forest at high speed and crashed into the draugr knocking it back away from Jayden. The draugr did hear her coming but Ziera was too fast for it to react.

"Jayden! Jayden, are you okay?" Ziera asked with worry as she picked up his head.

"Better..now that you're here. My...hero!" Jayden quipped. Ziera has an annoyed look on her face and gently pulled on his cheek.

"You got a lot of nerve joking at a time like this. Your body has even more poison from before. It's a miracle you even fought for as long as you did." Ziera lectured.

"What can I say? I had...a great teacher hehe."Jayden chuckled.

"Good grief." Ziera scoffed. She then looked back at draugr getting up. She thought it would continue fighting but instead it flew up and went towards the direction of the village.

"Shit! It's getting away!" Ziera shouted.

"We have to-gah!" Jayden cried out.

"Jayden! Don't move! You're too hurt!" Ziera reprimanded.

"But Ziera..the village!" Jayden argued.

Dammit! If I can get him to Reisha then maybe..

Suddenly, both Ziera and Jayden gasped. They sensed powerful mana up ahead.

"This mana...it's..". Ziera started. Jayden smiled.

"Yeah. About time. By the way Ziera inside the draugr is..." Jayden was about to say.

***

The Azalea Forest

Oak Village

"RAAAAAH!" The Draugr roared as it landed back in the village. It followed the scent of it's prey to a big house inside a tree up ahead. It arrived at the house and licked it's lips with it's long tongue.

"Henro. You...are...MINE!" The Draugr roared as it attempted to break down the door with both of it's arms.

However, it's attack never landed. For it instead fell into a shadow. The draugr was in shock. But if that wasn't enough, inside that shadow was..

"Garuda Style: Thunder Strike!"

"RAAAAAAAh!" The draugr wailed in pain. It was sent flying out of the shadow and back onto the ground outside.

As it slowly picked itself up, it noticed someone's shadow casting over it. It looked up in the sky and growled in anger.

"Ha. Sorry pal but I'm not gonna be used by you, your master or anyone ever again. You see, in this world we're free to choose our own paths to follow. And we choose to stand against both you and that sorry excuse for a doctor. I'm no longer his slave nor am I a mistake in this world. I'm Henro Akumera. A member of the Fallen race". Henro said with a smirk.

Henro was in his Fallen form. He had grey skin, black markings going from his face down to his body, long white hair, the same purple eyes but with slit pupils, sharper claws, sharper teeth, pointy ears and two large black horns sticking up on his forehead.

Both he and Emilia were in the air, flapping their wings as they stared down at the draugr below. The draugr growled even louder until it lost it's temper.

"HENROOOOOOOO!" The draugr roared.

"And after this, I'll be free to sleep comfortably upon the clouds of this beautiful sky." Henro slyly said.

"After you do all the makeup work you said you'd do but never did." Emilia said.

"I'll just make Jayden do it." Henro lazily said.

"Henro don't pick on him!" Emilia said with a stern tone.

"Yeah whatever." Henro waved off.

This went on until the two started laughing.

"Welcome back. Henro." Emilia said with a bright smile.

"Glad to be back. Emilia. Besides, I can't leave you alone with these losers. Someone's gotta get them off you." Henro said with a smirk.

"Oh you worry too much! Oh I know how about after this battle we all go stargazing an-."

"RAAAAAAAAH!" The Draugr roared as it grew tired of being ignored. It grew it's wings and jumped towards Emilia. Suddenly Emilia was gone.

"Too slow." Emilia whispered from behind. The draugr couldn't react in time as it was met with a swift kick from the back of it's head sending it flying back to the ground. But on the ground was a shadow and what came out from that shadow was Henro.

"Divine Dark Magic: Black Tendrils!"

Out of Henro's shadow were shadowy tendrils that wrapped the draugr and flung it around and around in the air.

"Emilia! You're up again!" Henro shouted.

"Gotcha!" Emilia responded. She resummoned her tempest bow and arrow and aimed it at the draugr.

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"Garuda Style: Tempest Storm!"

Emilia shot out her tempest arrow and it split into hundreds of tempest arrows which rained down on the draugr. Hitting him with both wind and lightning simultaneously as Henro kept spinning him around in the air.

"RAAAAAH!" The Draugr wailed in pain. After the barrages of attacks Henro swung the draugr down hard onto the ground with the remaining arrows following suit and hitting the draugr as it crashed.

***

Fury's Imperial Warship

The Bridge

"Huh. Not bad. They're really pushing it back compared to before. Henro's Fallen magic is strong but it's more so designed for heal and defend while Emilia's tempest magic more on the offensive side. Quite the duo those two make." Fury said feeling semi impressed.

"Yes. But the Draugr will adapt momentarily. Once it finds their weakness they'll surely fall." SIX said.

I wouldn't be so sure about that. Fury thought.

***

The Azalea Forest

Oak Village

The draugr growled both in anger and in pain. It's wounds began to heal but it didn't feel any less angry that it was getting overwhelmed now by Henro and Emilia's teamwork.

"Sheesh, you are stubborn. Can't you just stay down already so we can all go home and sleep?" Henro asked.

"The only place....where you will sleep...is in the ground." The Draugr responded.

"And I thought Jayden's comebacks were weak. Emilia let's wrap this up and go find those idiots!" Henro shouted.

"No need to insult them but okay!" Emilia responded. They both flew after the draugr but the draugr dodged out of the way and hightailed it.

"Jeez now you're running away? What happened to acting all high and mighty like before!? Guess you really aren't shit without your magic huh!?" Henro mocked.

That being said. I am curious as to why it could use my magic. But I'll find out after I put it to rest. Henro thought as he flew after the creature.

The draugr knew it was at a disadvantage so it relied on the same idea as before. It began to hurl and out of it's mouth was another smaller draugr only this one looked different from the ghoulish draugr that Ziera fought. It was fat, had chubby cheeks but still had no face but sharp teeth. The bigger draugr ran off leaving the little one.

"What the hell!? It threw up a draugr!? I knew draugr's ate each other but this one's alive. Wait a second. SHIT! Emilia! Cast your tornado spell on it now! I'll go after the big one!" Henro ordered.

"Got it!" Emilia acknowledged without question.

"Garuda Style: Tempest Tornado!"

Emilia show a tempest arrow and it swirled around the smaller draugr forming a small tornado. Small enough where it won't destroy the village. The draugr spun around the tornado until it started getting fatter, and fatter and fatter until it exploded releasing a gas.

"Is that the draugr virus!? If so I can't let it hit the village!" Emilia said. She concentrated her tornado to where the gas would go upwards away from the village while Henro pursued the draugr.

Tsk. Bastard. It knows Emilia is way faster than me so it used that draugr to slow her down. But trying to divide us won't last for long. You're finished! Huh?

Henro saw up ahead that the draugr was running back to the house where he and Luca stayed at. Henro knew what it was trying to do.

LUCA! Henro thought.

"YOU BASTARD! DON'T YOU DARE TOUCH HIM!" Henro shouted.

"Divine Dark Magic: Black Curtain!"

Henro casted black curtain over the draugr but the draugr dodged out of the way and then flew towards the house.

"RAAAAH!" The draugr roared as it was about to reach the house.

"STOP IT!" Henro roared as he was about to cast enough spell but suddenly..

"REEEEEEH!" Suddenly Amira lashed through the wall of the house and screamed in the draugr's face.

"Don't touch Luca! Don't you hurt him again!" Amira screeched.

The draugr was taken back leaving Henro just enough time to come at it with an attack. But he wasn't the only one.

"Divine Dark Magic: Black Trident!"

"Omni-Blade!"

Both Henro and Jayden's attacks hit the draugr simultaneously. Henro's attack from the left and Jayden's from the right. They both noticed each other and grinned.

"RAAAAAAAAH!" The draugr screamed in pain as it was torn in half by their attacks. Jayden and Henro landed and stood back.

"What took you so long, greenhorn?" Henro asked.

"Says the crybaby who needed his beauty sleep." Jayden retorted.

"Wow. A decent comeback. Pinch me, I might still be dreaming." Henro chuckled.

Jayden retracted his sword and brought out sharp claws in front of Henro.

"Don't start." Henro warned.

"You started it!" Jayden shot back.

"Enough!" Ziera came down and bonked them both on the head. "We're in the middle of a mission! Do me and Emilia have to play referee for you two every time!?" Ziera sternly said.

"Now. Now Ziera I'm sure they're just playing around this time." Emilia said.

"Yeah we're just fooling arou-gah!" Jayden winced.

"Jayden don't strain yourself!" Ziera lectured. Henro took notice of Jayden's wounds. They were still severe but some of them were healed up.

"How are you even standing?" Henro asked.

"It was thanks to that little Kitsune we met yesterday. I ran into him in the forest again and saved him from that draugr. He healed me a bit as thanks." Jayden said.

"Huh. You just have a knack for getting folks to save your ass huh?" Henro asked sarcastically.

"Again like you're one to talk." Jayden retorted.

"Well you're no good to us like this so time to heal you up." Henro said nonchalantly.

"Divine Light Magic: Radiance!"

Radiance. A spell only known to fallen and even then very few have such an ability. It is among one of the greatest healing spells in Esos. Able to not just heal, but purify any injury or ailment. It's potential is limitless which makes it very valuable in combat and the medical field.

A bright yellow glow enveloped Jayden's body. His armor was still broken but his wounds healed and he was also cured of the draugr's poison.

"Whew. This might be the nicest thing you've done for me in awhile. Does that mean you like me now?" Jayden asked with a smirk.

"Don't push it, greenhorn." Henro scoffed. Ziera and Emilia smiled at the exchange but the draugr still wasn't done.

"No! That...power!" The Draugr growled.

"Damn it just won't stop regenerating." Jayden noted.

"Then we'll just have to keep it from regenerating for good. Together." Henro said. Jayden looked at him in shock which Henro just laughed at. "Don't act so surprised. Tenjin sent us here to work as a team. Might as well make the old timer happy for once." Henro said with a smirk.

"My thoughts exactly." Ziera concurred.

"YAY!" Emilia cheered. Jayden smirked again.

"You sure you want a worthless guy like me on your team?" Jayden asked.

"Please I was just as worthless during this whole trip. But I'm not planning on staying that way forever. What about you? Hero?" Henro asked. Jayden grinned.

"HELL NO!" Jayden shouted. He stood up straight and all four faced the draugr head on. "Hey draugr. Bad news. We're not divided anymore. This time, we stand united against you. You're going down!" Jayden declared.

"RAAAAAAAAAAAH!" The Draugr roared at the group.

"Heh. As corny as ever but I didn't hate it. Let's wreck this thing!" Henro shouted.

"RIGHT!" The group said in unison.

The group dashed towards the Draugr. The Draugr didn't know what to do anymore so it just went on pure instinct and defended itself but get ready to swipe slash attacks at the coming foes.

"Black Curtain!"

Henro casted black curtain on the whole group including himself. The draugr freaked out and tried to follow the shadow waiting for the impending attack. The shadow split into four shadowy figures surrounding the draugr from below.

Then out of the shadows came the group dogpilling the draugr. The draugr saw this coming and swipes at them with it's claws. But when it did it's claws easily broke through some of the bodies revealing them to be holograms.

"Gotcha!" Jayden shouted as he jumped from the shadow ans shot at the draugr blowing it back.

"RAAAAAH!" The draugr roared in frustration. Now knowing that the others but Jayden were holograms, it ignored them and went after Jayden. But..

"Fell for it again!" Ziera shouted as she shot an Omni-Stream hitting the draugr's back sending it flying forward.

"She...was...REAL!?" The draugr questioned.

"Ha you fell for the oldest fake out ever." Ziera quipped.

The draugr flew forward and right into Emilia. It wondered if she was a fake or not but it didn't care at this point and slashed at her regardless. It was a hologram but from under the hologram was...

"Bomb?" The Draugr questioned.

BOOM!

The explosion from Ziera's Omni-Grenade sent the draugr flying up into the air. There it saw Emilia hovering over it in the sky. It was ready to slash at her.

"Garuda Style: Tempest Tornado!"

Emilia casted the same spell as before and enveloped the draugr inside the tempest tornado. It spun around and around as it got electrocuted constantly.

"RAAAAAAAAAAAAH!" The draugr roared in constant pain. It kept regenerating over and over but the lighting wouldn't let up.

"Ready to try this move out Jayden!?" Ziera asked.

"You know it, Ziera!" Jayden responded. Both Jayden and Ziera turned their arms into one big cannon and both individually aimed at the draugr while it was caught in the tornado.

"OMNI-BAZOOKA!" Jayden and Ziera shouted in unison.

Jayden and Ziera shot two massive energy blasts at the draugr destroying most of it's body parts.

"RAAAAAAAAAAAAH!" The draugr wailed. Half of it's hearts in that explosion were destroyed. That along with all the lighting now electrocuting it's exposed organs, it was in a very bad state.

"I...can't...lose. Not..to..him." The draugr said weakly.

"You're right. You won't."

The draugr looked up and saw Henro flying above it. Henro was staring down at it which intimidated the creature. Henro then grinned.

"You're gonna lose to all of us, asshole." Henro said.

The draugr was now terrified. It was at his mercy. But it still had one more trick up it's sleeve. It had another draugr it could hurl out at Henro. It knew that if he got poisoned it could last a bit longer to escape. However...

The Draugr's body exploded.

"RAAAAAAAAH!" The draugr roared in immense pain. All but two hearts were destroyed from the explosion. "But...how!?" Flying right behind the draugr now we Jayden.

"Oh yeah. During our tango earlier when I stabbed you with my sword, I played dumb and planted a small bomb in your body. So small that you wouldn't notice. If I had activated it earlier you would have just regenerated so I held off till Henro was recovered. That's a misdirection for you." Jayden explained.

"Wow you had so much faith in me huh!?" Henro asked with a smirk as he brought out his shadow trident and combined it with his light magic.

"What can I say? You're not a shit doctor!" Jayden said as he brought out his Omni-Sword.

"No....don't!" The draugr begged.

"OMNI-SWORD!"

"DIVINE HOLY TRIDENT!"

Both Jayden and Henro stabbed the draugr simultaneously with their attacks and plunged it hard into the ground.

***

Republic Warship

The Command Center

Tenjin smirked and looked towards Odysseus.

"Hope." Tenjin said.

"Hope?" Odysseus asked.

"Yeah. When the gods ruled this world with their infinite strength, it was hope that gave the people of this world the power to fight back against them. It's what gave birth to the old guardians. And it's that hope that will give birth to a new group of young heroes. Hope is what will save us in the end. And those brats are full of it." Tenjin said.

***

The Azalea Forest

Oak Village

Jayden and Henro stood over the defeated draugr. They then fell over exhausted from the battle.

"WE DID IT! YAY!" Emilia cheered as she hugged Ziera tightly.

"Whoa! Uh...yeah we did." Ziera blushed awkwardly but hugged her back.

"Just so you know, I finished him off." Jayden said to Henro.

"We both know I carried you." Henro retorted.