Garuda arc
Tenjin fell to the ground holding his throat as he choked and coughed through the yokai poison mist Tross blew on him. Tross stood over him wearing a satisfied grin.
"And there he is. The great Tenjin Nakamura is powerless to stop me. Just like before." Albatross said.
***
Horus: Tenjin's Flagship
Rooftop
Back on the roof of the ship and fighting with Sef, Emilia sensed that someone she cared about was in a dire state.
TENJIN!? Emilia thought.
Emilia looked past Sef from afar with her garuda vision and saw Tenjin on the ground choking.
"TENJIN!" Emilia cried out. Emilia's scream caught the attention of her teammates.
"What!?" Henro asked. Ziera and Jayden while in midair stopped fighting and immediately looked for Tenjin with their scanners. They found Tenjin choking while Albatross stood over him.
"Tenjin!" Jayden shouted.
"These readings. Some kind of bio weapon? Wait! Those are yokai!" Ziera shouted.
"What!? But how-!?" Jayden begins to ask but Emilia immediately shoves past Sef and flies towards Tenjin.
"It doesn't matter! We have to help him!" Emilia shouted as she flew towards Tenjin at full speed.
"Wait Emilia! Don't go alone!" Henro flew right after her but Sef wasn't done with them. Before Emilia knew it, he was flying right beside her.
"And where are you off to?" Sef asked.
Emilia gasped. She blocked an incoming sword slash with her daggers. The force of Sef's attack sent Emilia flying back.
"Our fight is not over, false princess." Sef said.
Emilia recovered mid air and pointed her lightning arrow at Sef.
"Get out of our way!" Emilia growled.
"I got him Em!" Henro shouted.
"Fallen Magic: Black Tendrils!" Henro unleashed shadowy tendrils toward Sef.
Sef was flying through the air and dodging them all easily. Henro began coughing some blood as he tried to focus.
Shit. Why is this happening now!? If I was at full strength I'd ground this bastard. Henro thought.
"We don't have time for this!" Emilia shouted impatiently. Her mana began increasing exponentially and she was about to release a powerful spell.
"Em don't! The spell you're about to release could damage the ship and everyone on it! Get a hold of yourself!" Henro shouted.
"I KNOW!" Emilia shouted in frustration. Taking in deep breaths. Trying to calm her nerves. She didn't want her anger to consume her again. But she couldn't do it.
Julia cut down another giant. She looked back up at the warship. She may be blind but she could "see" the feelings of anguish and pain inside of Emilia's heart.
Emilia. Julia thought.
Jayden and Ziera kept fending off as many Garuda warriors as they could. But Jaydej wanted to fly down and help Emilia and Henro.
"We have to help them! Tenjin will die without Henro's healing magic!" Jayden shouted with worry.
"Then we need a plan. You're right, we need to get those two to Tenjin. But we both can't leave the ship undefended. One of us will have to stay and protect the ship's crew-."
"While the other clears a path for Henro and Emilia." Jayden said finishing her sentence.
"Exactly. And let me guess..." Ziera began to say.
"I wanna fight him." Jayden said.
"You wanna fight him." Ziera said, stating the obvious.
"You know me so well." Jayden quipped.
"Don't remind me." Ziera replied sarcastically.
"Look I know what you're going to say but please believe me that this isn't me being reckless again. I just want to stand on my own for once without needing to be saved. And to do that I have to get stronger and beat guys like him." Jayden said. Ziera smiled. Admiring Jayden's determination.
"I know. I already got an idea of how to defend the ship. I'll coordinate with the ship's crew. But if you want a win, just remember what I taught you and he won't stand a chance." Ziera said.
"You got it! Wish me luck!" Jayden shouted.
"You won't need it!" Ziera shouted back.
Ziera smiled as she saw Jayden fly off like a kid running to a toy story.
"That dummy." Ziera said with a blushing smile.
Meanwhile, down on the roof of the ship Emilia and Henro kept trying to get past Sef and his men but they were getting surrounded.
"There's too many of them! And my shadow's aren't [cough] fast enough." Henro said groggily.
"No! We have to push through! Tenjin is dying!" Emili shouted as she clashed blades with Sef.
"We can't do that if we get killed, Emilia!" Henro shouted back.
Em. What's going on with you? I know Tenjin's life is at stake but this isn't like you. And what's this weird feeling I'm getting from her mana. It's.....
While he was distracted an incoming garuda warrior flew towards Henro readying to cut his head off.
"Die demon!" A garuda soldier shouted. Henro heard him coming and tried to react but his head began throbbing.
Shit! Can't react in time! Henro thought as he dealt with the massive headache.
Emilia turned her head to see Henro in danger.
"Henro!" Emilia pointed her arrow at the attacker but now she was exposed to Sef who moved past Henro's shadow tendrils.
"Em watch out!" Henro shouted but it was too late.
But before either were attacked, Jayden swooped down with hundreds of holographic images of himself and knocked both Sef and tons of his men away from Henro and Emilia. Jayden landed right in front of the two.
"Yo." Jayden announced.
"Jayden!" Emilia said with shock.
"Took you long enough [cough] slowpoke." Henro said with a tired expression.
"Sorry. I was never good with time. Just ask my mom. But you guys go ahead. Ziera will take most of these guys off you. And I'll handle this one." Jayden said as he directed his vision towards Sef. Sef looked at him with annoyance.
"The Ragnarok wielder." Sef said with contempt.
"Don't be stupid! Sef is too strong for you to handle alone! You'll need help!" Emilia shouted with worry.
"Won't know unless I try. I can't have you guys holding my hand forever. Now quit arguing and go! Tenjin needs you guys! Trust me I'll be fine!" Jayden said with assurance.
"But-!"
"JUST GO!" Jayden shouted.
Emilia desperately wanted to save Tenjin but she felt guilty for just leaving Jayden alone to fight Sef. Sef is a trained killer. While Jayden is still a novice and could be killed. She didn't want to just leave him without knowing for certain he would be okay. But Henro stopped those thoughts when he placed a hand on Emilia's shoulder.
"Emilia. We have to go. Let Jayden handle this. It's his time now. Don't take it away from him." Henro advised.
With his words Emilia finally stopped panicking a little. Henro was right. Jayden was a warrior just like her and the rest. As the wielder of ragnarok, he needed to grow and get stronger to help end this war. So with a nod from her head Emilia and Henro flew past Jayden and into the sky.
"Don't you dare die Jayden! And don't just survive, WIN! Keep fighting until you win!" Emilia shouted from the air.
Jayden smirked from behind his mask and got into a fighting pose.
"You got me Em. I never quit. Not until I win!" Jayden declared.
As Emilia and Henro escaped from Sef and his forces, Jayden's holograms kept fighting off the garuda warriors. While Sef himself stood a few meters away from Jayden staring at him.
"So you are Jayden Cortez. The next wielder of ragnarok." Sef said.
"That's right. And you are?" Jayden asked.
"My name is Sef. Child of Ventus and the lieutenant of General Albatross' army. As well as his second in command. I had orders to deal with the false princess first but now that you are here, taking ragnarok off the hands of it's wielder shall take priority." Sef declared.
"Wow. Lucky you. And getting this . Don't you feel proud?" Jayden asked with spite.
"On the contrary we are fighting for my people. Not against them. We are fighting against the oppression of the avians. So that our people can be free to rule the skies. We are fighting for our freedom. Our future." Sef declared.
"Look I know what it's like to fight against oppression. My town, Lockwood, has been oppressed by the empire long before I was even born. When I was a kid I still tried to fight against them and failed. And what's worse, people got hurt because I acted recklessly. So while I know how you feel, I can't let you keep making the same mistake I did." Jayden said.
"I am sorry for your loss. I too lost people I cared about. But I know that to win a war, sacrifices must be made. So that when our side wins, I will honor their memory. And if you stand in the way of that, I will cut you down as I've done with many others." Sef said as he threateningly pointed his sword at Jayden. Jayden in response reconfigured his arm into an omni-blade.
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"You can try but I won't go down without a fight. You're not the only one who's got people to fight for. Mine are here and back at Lockwood." Jayden said with fury.
While Jayden began his battle with Sef, down below Ryoka was mowing down giant after giant with minimal effort. She was rather bored of it. They were too easy for her liking and they tasted horrible so she found no joy in eating their flesh either.
After she casually chopped off a giant soldier's head, Ryoka turned her head to see Emilia and Henro fly off into the distance. Ryoka stared at them with a look of annoyance.
From Ryoka's nose she could smell Tenjin and Albatross' scent in the direction those two are heading towards. But that was Emilia's beef, not hers. She didn't care about Tenjin or Tross since it wasn't her prey to claim. Frankly, if this were anyone else Ryoka would have ignored them even if their lives were in danger. It sounded cruel, but that is just who she is.
Or rather it would be..... if Julia wasn't there. Ryoka made a promise to Julia that she would try harder to work with her teammates. Even so she still found the whole team bonding thing boring and a waste of time. Sitting around talking about her feelings with a bunch of people other than her girlfriend wasn't her style.
But then Ryoka thought back to their words.
"Alright, well you guys know the rest. Aurora of the crimson knights killed my mother. So once I find and take back her head to ifrit, I'll prove that I am worthy of inheriting the throne from my uncle." Ryoka said proudly.
"Cute. But for what it's worth. I hope you succeed. You are strong so your people would be in good hands." Henro said in a fake dismissive way. Ryoka saw through it and smiled.
"You going soft on me, imp boy?" Ryoka asked.
"Fuck off!" Henro yelled out.
"Damn. That's some history you got there. Well....at least your mom is still alive. So you can still save her. And uh...".
Henro raised his eyebrow at Ryoka.
"And keep your chin up or something I don't know! Just stop crying! Shut up!" Ryoka yelled out but her face was blushing out of embarrassment.
"Whatever you say, your majesty." Henro and Emilia giggled. Ryoka scoffed.
***
"By the way. What of Emilia? Are you two getting along?" Julia asked.
"Yeah. Don't know if I like her though." Ryoka said.
"Why is that?" Julia asked.
"I don't know. She's...weird. Or rather she makes me feel weird. Like...ugh...what's the word?" Ryoka asked herself.
"Intrigued?" Julia asked.
"Yeah, that's it. She's really sweet and innocent. But when it comes down to it she can be a real badass. You remember how she talked me down before? She did it again. Two more times during training. If it were anyone else I would have ripped their head off but her? She reminds me of you in a way." Ryoka said.
***
"Quit being stubborn. You lost. If this were a real battle you would be dead already." Julia said.
That was Emilia's breaking point. She couldn't hold it back anymore.
"SHUT UP! JUST SHUT UP! I can't lose! Not anymore! I'm the princess of Ventus! My people are counting on me! Someone like you wouldn't-!"
***
"I just didn't want you to see me like this. I didn't want any of you to. I hate this Julia. Sometimes.....I hate myself. And I don't want to. I just want to be happy, Julia. I just want to be happy with all of you." Emilia cried. Covering her eyes with her hands.
Julia pulled her into a hug and Emilia hugged her back. Emilia rested her head onto her chest crying her tears out.
Ryoka groaned out of annoyance.
"So annoying." Ryoka said.
***
Tenjin was breathing heavily as he kept barley dodging Tross' attacks. He fell to one knee to catch his breath and was sweating pores. Tross however didn't let up and went to strike at Tenjin again. Tenjin followed it up with his own sword strike to Tross' face.
His sword cut into Tross' skin leaving a large gash on his face. But Tross evilly smiled through it and kept slashing at Tenjin.
Damn! Why won't...he...die? Tenjin thought.
Tenjin's health got worse the more he moved. It got so bad to the point where he was left open for an attack. Tross slashed Tenjin down from his left shoulder to his right hip. Blood poured from Tenjin's body and he fell to the ground on his back and coughed up more blood. Albatross had a grin as he looked down at his downed opponent.
"You fought valiantly, old friend. Like a true warrior." Tross said mockingly.
"And you...fought like a true coward. Tell me, was trading your soul for power to that witch again worth losing your honor? Murdering our king? Killing our people? And destroying our kingdom? Was it all worth it, old friend?" Tenjin asked mockingly.
Albatross frowned when he heard Tenjin's words. He stabbed Tenjin hard in his right wing. Tenjin winced in pain but nothing more. He would not grant Albatross the satisfaction of hearing him scream.
"You dare call me a coward when you served the false king. He let the avians take what's rightfully ours for centuries. Treated them as if they were his actual children. Meanwhile he left the garuda tribe with nothing but scraps. Treated us as no better than dogs. Edwin Sylphion was the biggest coward of them all." Albatross spat as he was about to bring his sword down on Tenjin's skull.
"DON'T YOU DARE INSULT MY FATHER!"
Albatross heard a loud voice coming towards him fast. And before he could fully prepare himself he was kicked hard in the face by Emilia. Sending him flying back away from Tenjin.
"And don't you dare insult Tenjin either!" Emilia roared. Tenjin slowly moved up his head to see Emilia standing in front of him protectively.
"E-Emilia." Tenjin said.
"Don't move. I'll have you back on your feet in a second." Henro said.
"Henro." Tenjin said.
"Well, well, well. The privileged little girl has finally stopped hiding behind her bodyguard. Have you come to witness the death of another loved one, false princess?" Albatross asked mockingly.
"SHUT UP! You're not killing Tenjin! Not while I still draw breath." Emilia shot back as she readied her lightning arrow.
"You're sorry excuse for a king said the same thing and look at what happened to him. Looks like the apple doesn't fall far from the tree. Both of you leave nothing but empty promises." Albatross said.
"My father, Edwin Sylphion was more courageous and honorable than you'll ever be. He fought for equality between the two tribes. To erase the laws that the god Zephyrus left us in. He wanted us to rule the skies together." Emilia shouted angrily.
"Then he was a fool. You can't erase the past. Only make a better future. That is what I'm trying to build. A better future for my people. And once I've handed over Zenal's bitch daughter and the arm of that pretender that carries ragnarok over to King Ogun, his majesty will help me reclaim the skies and I will be there leading the charge. As their new king." Albatross said by clenching his fist.
Emilia was near speechless. She couldn't believe what she was hearing coming out of his mouth. Albatross spoke like a true tyrant. A true mad king. Her anger had now passed her boiling point. She had never been this angry before in her life. But she didn't care.
She didn't care what happened to her. She didn't care if she lived or died in this fight. She didn't care about anything else anymore. All Emilia cared about, was ending her father's murderer.
"You're a monster. After everything you've done you still believe that your actions are justified! That you will lead our people toward a better future!? Through bloodshed!? Through more pain and suffering!? It was because of your civil war that the avians discriminated against us even more to this day! You destroyed whatever hopes of peace my father fought and bled for his entire life to bring! YOU DESTROYED THAT FUTURE! You're no savior. Or a king. Just a bitter old man stuck in the past." Emilia said with spite.
Albatross growled at Emilia and gripped his black sword hard in his hand. Emilia charged up her mana and her lightning arrow grew stronger. So strong that even Albatross was surprised.
This mana. What kind of power is this? Albatross thought.
Her mana! No! Not now! Of all times!? Tenjin thought.
The two warriors stood and faced each other. Not making a move. Not until the other moved first. This went on until...
"AGH!"
Emilia turned her head to see Henro had coughed up a pool of blood and fell on the ground on his stomach. Tenjin was still gravely injured and sick. Henro had only begun healing him but he fell over before he could cure him of his sickness or his injuries.
"Henro! Tenjin!" Emilia shouted.
"Behind....you!" Henro shouted out in pain.
Emilia turned her head back at Albatross but it was too late. Tross kicked her hard in the stomach and sent her flying back. Emilia threw up blood but Tross wasn't done.
"Garuda Style: Vortex Slash!" Albatross swung his sword and released a purple wind and lightning slash attack at Emilia.
Emilia managed to recover in time and conjured up a wind arrow and pointed it at the ground beneath her.
"Garuda Style: Wind Current!" Emilia shot out a wind arrow at the ground and the arrow spun around beneath her and carried her up before Tross' slash attack hit her. Tross' slash attack absorbed her wind current while she flew back in the air.
My magic attacks will be useless against him! I have to find a way to take him down before he-
Emilia's thoughts were interrupted when Tross appeared right in front of her. Before she could strike he punched her hard in the jaw.
Emilia's face flew back as Tross then yanked her by her ponytail and tried to stab her but Emilia swiftly pulled out one of her daggers and blocked his sword. Both hovered in the air trying to push the other back.
But Tross was winning and his sword was reaching closer to her neck. Emilia grunted as she tried her best to push Tross back but she wasn't strong enough.
"Not so tough now are you, false princess?" Albatross asked mockingly.
Emilia couldn't overpower Albatross so she acted desperately and blew a wind dart out of her mouth and into his eye.
"Agh!" Tross winced as Emilia pushed his sword back and kicked Albatross from under his chin. That attack made Tross loosen his grip on her ponytail so while he was stunned she pulled out her other dagger and charged up her mana for another attack
"Garuda Style: Tempest Slash!" Emilia slashes at Albatross with both her daggers forming a huge x on his chest.
"AAAAAHHH!" Albatross wailed in pain. Emilia heard him cry out but didn't care. Her anger was blinding her too much. Tenjin looked up at Emilia with worry.
"Emilia....get..away. He..can't be-." Tenjin couldn't even finish his sentence. Not that Emilia would hear him anyway.
Albatross kept screaming in pain. But suddenly, those screams....turned to laughter. At that moment, Emilia's anger turned to shock.
"HAHAHAHAHAHA! You stupid little girl! I CAN'T DIE!" Albatross shouted as he swung down his sword and cut Emilia's stomach.
"Garuda Style: Vortex Slash!"
Emilia coughed up blood as Albatross' magic slash cut into her stomach. If Emilia didn't instinctively strengthen her defense she would have been cut in half.
As Emilia began falling from the sky, Albatross smiled viciously and charged up another attack.
"EMILIA!" Henro shouted in fear!
"NO!" Tenjin shouted in pain.
Both tried to stand but they couldn't. The yokai insects were killing Tenjin and Henro's body kept failing him. But they both knew that if they didn't move....
Emilia would die.
Emilia! I'm sorry! This is....this is my fault! If my body wasn't so weak I could have healed Tenjin! If I hadn't distracted you... you wouldn't have.....you wouldn't have to......I'm sorry! Henro thought as tears fell from his face.
These yokai....are eating away....at my mana. The more I use....the more they take. No. It's more than even that. Goddamn you witch! Tenjin thought.
Tenjin tried to move his body as best he could but the yokai were eating away at him fast. And the injuries from Albatross made it worse. He could barely hold his sword let alone breath.
NO! I can't die! Not now! I have an oath to keep. I promised his majesty that I would protect her. I can't fail his majesty again. I can't....I can't fail her again! I have to protect her! I have...to protect my team! King Edwin...please give me your strength from beyond to grave to save your daughter. To save all of them! Please! Tenjin begged in his head.
Tenjin slowly began to raise his body and stand on one knee. He picked up his black sword and stabbed it into the ground to keep himself up. Blood dripped from his stomach, face and mouth.
I have no choice. I'll die. But I have to ascend. Whatever happens, I at least have to take Tross with me. Tenjin thought.
"Henro." Tenjin called out.
Henro looked up at Tenjin. Tenjin gave him a look. A look Henro knew quite well.
"Take care.... of those kids for me." Tenjin said with a tired smile.
Henro looked horrified. He didn't want to believe what Tenjin was saying. But he knew Tenjin never minced words. And that terrified him.
"No! Don't you do it! DON'T YOU DO IT YOU BASTARD!! NO!!!" Henro shouted.
Tenjin began charging his mana exponentially. Even with his sickness, he pushed past his limits to charge as much mana as he could to ascend. It was so intense that the ground beneath him and Henro began to crack and shatter.
"NO!" Henro shouted.
Emilia was still falling and was gravely injured, but even so, she could feel Tenjin' mana spiking.
Tenjin no! You'll die! Why!? WHy does this keep happening to me!? Why am I not strong enough to...
Emilia's thoughts went towards Tenjin, Ziera, Jayden, Ryoka, Julia, Henro and finally...
Father.
An image of the back of her father's head went through her mind.
I'm sorry. I tried my best! But...I am still too weak to stand beside any of you. I'm...useless. Emilia thought as tears fell from her face.
"JOIN YOUR FATHER IN HELL, FALSE PRINCESS!" Albatross shouted as he unleashed his attack.
"EMILIA!!!!!!" Henro cried out.
"ASCEN-!"
"Sun Dragon's Inferno Slash!" A fiery slash attack hit Albatross directly in his chest. Before he could even react his chest caught on fire and unleashed a fiery explosion.
"AHHHHHHHHHHH!" Albatross cried out as he began burning.
Emilia then fell into the muscular arms of a familiar ally of hers.
"Huh?" Emilia said in surprise.
Tenjin stopped his ascension and looked up in shock.
"What?" Tenjin questioned. Henro took a deep breath of relief and slumped back down on his stomach.
"About fucking time you got here." Henro said with frustration.
Albatross blew away the fire with wind magic and confronted his foe before him.
"Who are you!?" Albatross roared.
"Hold your tongue you miserable cur!"
Before Albatross hovering in the air flapping her red and black dragon wings was the fiery, bloodthirsty and prideful warrior Ryoka Pendragon. She was carrying Emilia in her arms bridal style.
"You are in the presence of Ryoka Pendragon [https://img.wattpad.com/8051b58761b41e2dda1815bd088255335790cfa9/68747470733a2f2f73332e616d617a6f6e6177732e636f6d2f776174747061642d6d656469612d736572766963652f53746f7279496d6167652f437942346563424868474e4e32673d3d2d313433393837323630312e313765356564303832313931613566363939373635313335383932302e6a7067?s=fit&w=1280&h=1280]
"You are in the presence of Ryoka Pendragon. Daughter of Arthur Pendragon. First of my name and rightful heir to the throne of Ifrit." Ryoka said with a twisted and smug grin.
Emilia began crying when she realized she was in the safe embrace of her friend.
"Ryoka." Emilia cried out.
"For harming my comrades, the punishment is death by fire." Ryoka said sadistically.