"Where are they...?"
Basilrin had been waiting for quite some time now. Upon returning to the cavern where his brother had perished, he found the entire place absolutely crawling with demons. There were so many that he and his father had no choice but to flee.
It was as if the demons of the city were all assembled there. There was no way to beat them head on in such a way.
Basilrin was certain that the others had escaped somehow, or worse, been trapped inside of the cave, awaiting rescue.
With brute force no longer an option, they instead chose a more prudent approach, send someone to sneak by the demons and search the area for the others without getting detected. After that was the choice of who was suited for such a mission.
The obvious answer was the bounty hunter and the winged hero.
The duo were an excellent scouting team. Razorwing could fly and travel along the rooftops, scout the streets, and relay his information to Crux, who would then sneak through the most lightly guarded areas.
It was clear to everyone else that the duo's time on the streets together had left them with a clear understand of each other's strengths and how to use them. Scouting and stealth...the pair complimented each other quite well.
"Patience, my son," Aurelio spoke softly, "They will return when they are able."
"What if something happened to them?"
"Patience, as I said. It as been a short while. The human cannot fly, and he must conduct a search. Give him time."
The smaller dragon nodded. "You are correct, father. I am only concerned for them."
"Do not worry. They are reliable."
The older dragon looked off into the sky, rumbling gently.
"...this is the second time they have saved my life, after all."
"Right!" Basilrin turned to the others, standing behind them. "I must thank you so very much! You, magician, who so courageously risked your life in that horrid battle!"
Charles twiddled his claws and looked away. "Well, you know how it is..."
"And thank YOU, noble paladin and priest...for healing the injuries my brother inflicted on father twice now."
"Even's even," Andric said with a nod, "You helped us, so I helped you. Besides...we still need your help for the upcoming battle."
"Of course!" Aurelio agreed, "I am twice indebted to you for my life! Command me, and I shall perform to my greatest ability."
Lexius frowned. "I only wish...Leianna and I hadn't split up. Your brother, with two of us, one purging the corruption and one healing...maybe..."
Basilrin let out a saddened rumble. "Mmm...indeed...maybe..."
"We can't change that," Andric spoke forcefully, "And how in the world could we have predicted such a turn of events? There's no use in letting yourself be swallowed by guilt and doubt. We all did the best we could. You've already told us what happened. I'm certain Julroul was proud of what you did...of freeing him from torment and pain."
"Dear healer...I thank you. This has been very difficult for me. I appreciate your understanding."
Andric looked off into the city streets, speaking in a low voice. "Don't worry about it."
Basilrin smiled. "You are a good man. I can see why Tourthun thinks so highly of your people."
Time passed as the group continued to wait in silence. The streets had been quite thoroughly cleaned out of corrupted by them, back when they had healed Aurelio. With several blocks searched to ensure their safety, the survivors would have no trouble awaiting the return of the rest of their friends.
A winged figure in the sky signaled what they had been waiting for. The bird, clad in a flowing tunic and short cape, along with a bow slung over his shoulder and quiver on his hip, performed a dive from high above.
Razorwing landed on the ground before the collection of men and dragons, rising up from his crouching position and flashing them a smile.
"Razorwing!" Lexius spoke, "Are they-"
"Almost here," he answered with a nod. "Crux found them, and I've been keeping a watch from the rooftops. They're just down the block."
"Excellent." Andric stepped forward, watching ahead intently.
Indeed, just as Razorwing had said, several familiar figures emerged from behind one of the many ruined building along the street, turning the corner and moving towards the group that had been patiently awaiting them.
Basilrin appraised the quickly approaching survivors, smiling at them as they came closer. Alexander walked close to Leianna, who seemed to be...supporting Senci, as if he was having trouble walking. Crux walked ahead of them.
Razorwing waved at the bounty hunter...who offered nothing in return. Strange.
"Ahh, all three humans and their friend!" Basilrin lowered his head toward them. "Excellent. It seems everyone has made it back unscathed!"
As he started closer, however, he noticed something was...off. Alexander's face was hidden behind his helmet, but...his head hung low, and his steps were unsteady.
The cleric's visage was quite frightening. She seemed to be staring right past them all, looking dead in the eyes. Worse yet, the area around her eyes was red, and her eyes were a light red as well. Her mouth was expressionless and her posture was slumped over...though that was likely because she had her arm around Senci.
Senci was the worst off. While it took a slight amount of awareness to know that the others were hurt or saddened, he was shaking in Leianna's grasp. He stumbled forward, seemingly unaware of the world around him. His face was wet and he was sniffling with eyes shut tight.
The others seemed to pick up on this as well. Before Basilrin could ask what the matter was, Andric called out.
"Senci?"
He kneeled down and looked into the kobold's eyes, which rose to meet his gaze.
"Senci, what's wrong?"
The lizard broke out of Leianna's grip and ran forward, soon collapsing into Andric's waiting arms. The paladin looked down in concern and removed his helmet as the warrior began to weep.
"Easy, easy. Everything's alright, you're safe. Don't worry..."
The smaller of the two dragons stared at the bizarre display. No one successful in escaping such a scenario should be so broken!
"What is wrong? What has happened? All of you are-"
Basilrin's words died in his throat. He couldn't believe something so obvious had slipped his mind!
They WEREN'T all back. He had missed someone. Someone important.
"Wait a moment..." the dragon's smile melted away, his visage turning into one of suspicion as his eyes narrowed.
"..where is Tourthun?"
Crux walked past the dragon and paladin, gaze averted. He stared off to the side, walking up to the birdman and stopping next to him.
"Crux? Did they...?"
The bounty hunter's eyes were narrowed to near slits, still not looking the koutu in the face. He offered only a shake of his head before trudging into the back of the group.
Leianna looked up at the dragon, her dead gaze shifting into a look of despair. "He...he..."
Alexander finished what the cleric had struggled to say.
"He didn't make it."
His strained, defeated voice changed the entire mood of the group immediately. That darkness hanging over them, that sorrow and pain, was also thrust onto the rest of them, any smiles fading away as everyone stared in stack-jawed shock at the knight's words.
"What?!" Basilrin's eyes widened in horror, his claws digging into the ground.
Senci began to wail, clutching onto Andric as he fell to the ground. His sobs were the only thing breaking the horrified silence at the moment.
Razorwing shook his head. "No...no, there must be some mistake. He didn't really..."
Alexander's voice was a near whisper as he forced himself to reply.
"He's gone."
"W-what happened?!" Lexius asked, wincing at the revelation. "What on earth happened to him?!"
Leianna stood defeated, head down. "The demons...it was an ambush. He...we got trapped. They got him."
"Trapped?!" Charles glared at the other survivors. "Where the hell were you that could trap a dragon?!"
"A cavern," Alexander answered, "Julroul's home. They came in while we were inside. There was nowhere to run."
"How did you get away...?" Andric probed, taking a moment to look up at the knight. His arms remained around Senci.
"A back door. No more than a crawlspace. He couldn't fit, so...he bought time for us."
Senci's cries intensified, Andric quieting him with a few whispered words. Still he cried and sniveled, relying on his master for comfort.
Basilrin shook his head. "This cannot be...he saved us...only to..."
"Save us again," Leianna finished.
Aurelio backed away, head turned in what appeared to be shame.
"I...I ruined his life. Ever since I appeared he has suffered...and now he is gone. If I hadn't existed, he would at least have had a good life before...leaving this world."
"He wanted to help people," Alexander muttered, "He wanted to go back to Geralthin and protect its people. All the way to the very end...all he thought about was others."
"This CANNOT be true!" Basilrin cried, "He was fine a moment ago! There...there must be something..."
"To think I outlasted him..." Aurelio looked up to the blackened sky, swirling with darkness and unholy mists. The dragon closed his eyes and grimaced as he stewed over this twist of fate.
"...truly, there is no such thing as karmic justice. All he did was endure, and strive to do good. All I have done is destroy...and the universe has punished him rather than I."
"Of course you've been punished," the bounty hunter spoke coldly, "You must live, and suffer knowing what your actions have caused...and I must say, you've earned it friend."
Aurelio didn't so much as wince at the harsh truth. He continued waiting with his eyes closed, feeling rather than seeing.
"Of course. And yet...I feel I do truly deserve the blade's edge. Would it be a kindness? I have not suffered as he has..."
"Friends...we were supposed to be friends," Basilrin blubbered, "We were supposed return to Geralthin and live happily..."
"We need to go."
The voice belonged to Alexander. The knight had removed his helmet, and he too had tears running down his face. Despite this he stared at the others with a cold, hard expression.
"He gave his life so that we could survive, and close the Blackheart. We can't sit around crying in the streets. We should return to the Citadel. We can...grieve there."
Andric nodded. "Sensible."
Senci looked up in confusion. "H-huh? What?"
The paladin patted the small warrior's head and smiled. "I said 'sensible'. We need to go."
The kobold sniffled and nodded, face still wet with tears. "O-okay..."
"Basilrin...you've carried us before. Might you do so again?"
"As you wish..."
The dragon seemed in a trance, still struggling to come to terms with the reality of Tourthun's end. He numbly lowered himself as a few members of the group gathered around him, starting to hoist each other onto him...
He would have his opportunity to come to terms, certainly. Just in due time, when they were safe at the Citadel.
The flight carried with it a near deafening silence. Aside from the howling wind, there was no relief from the oppressive nothingness that cursed their ears.
Alexander could tell the entire group felt much the same as him. No one had the heart to offer the smallest word to anyone else.
It had been no more than an hour since the red dragon's demise. Everyone was still in shock. A dragon, of all things, to fall to the enemy...and such a stout-hearted friend, too.
There was little doubt that Tourthun's heart had been pure. He was humble, kind, dreamed of a life of helping others, of protecting everyone from evil.
There were very few dragons like that. Hell, for all Alexander knew he could have been one of a kind...and now he was gone.
The somber, stunned silence hung in the air for the entire trip back...until they finally arrived.
The dragons were ordered to stop next to the hole, protruding so far above the buildings around it. They hovered in the air as Alexander explained to them what this was.
No "mere smokestack" as Basilrin suggested, but the entrance to the Citadel.
"I...doubt there's enough room to fit two of you." the knight was sitting on Basilrin's back, as Aurelio hovered close by. All around him, the rest of them were crowded, clinging onto the dragon for dear life.
"There was just enough room for Tourthun to...live comfortably. So one of you can come in. The other...could wait outside, I suppose."
"I can wait outside," Aurelio offered, "That is if you would prefer to meet these people, Basilrin."
"I would love to. Are you certain you will be happy out here, though?"
The green dragon smiled. "Pay this old fool no mind. The stone streets are hardly a trial for our kind."
Basilrin nodded. "As you wish, father. We will be back, I promise!"
The dragon dove into the hole, finding it an easy fit for his rather small self. As he landed in the open ground below, he found himself right in the middle of a large encampment, just as the others had promised.
The people turned and looked at the source of the noise. Many of them quickly grew afraid and shouted out in alarm.
Perhaps they had gotten used to Tourthun showing up at their hideout. A different dragon they had never met, however...
"There is nothing to fear!" Basilrin announced, his presence as a dragon commanding authority, regardless of his relative size and more timid nature compared to the rest of his kin.
"My family and I have been aided by these brave men and women. We have heard of your quest for peace and freedom and now stand alongside you. I...hope to be of assistance, as little help as I might be, compared to the one who came before me..."
The knight and his compatriots slid off the dragon and staggered into the camp, heads hung low and remaining silent as they passed the others. The citizens watched them go in confusion and worry, staring at a group who seemed a far cry from their usual selves.
Each time they came back had been a thing of wonder, these heroes always returning triumphant despite overwhelming odds. This time however, it was clear they carried deep sorrow and broken spirits. Even the oblivious among them could tell something terrible had happened.
Alexander looked around at the crowd, searching for the commander of these people.
"Where's Wurie?"
"Over here!"
A few people scurried out of the way as the wolfman stepped forward, passing through the growing crowd and into the thick of this new meeting.
It was as if they had swapped places. Alexander noted he seemed energetic and peppy at this moment, grinning at the knight and not seeming at all stressed or tired. Right before being bombarded with the worst news he was to receive yet.
What a time for him to be in a good mood.
Meanwhile, he and the others could hardly do anything, too overwhelmed by their great loss.
"You saved ANOTHER dragon?!" the captain asked, grinning like mad. He crossed his arms and looked up at the green dragon, looking over the beast carefully.
"Two, actually," the knight noted quietly, "His father's outside."
The wolfman captain looked ready to break into celebration. "Two?! What in God's name are you people doing up there exactly?!"
"All we can."
Wurie laughed, shooting the knight a joyous smile. He held his arms out to his sides and continued grinning.
"A dragon army! You're amassing a dragon army! I can't believe this! The demons are history, friend!"
Alexander didn't respond. He couldn't he was too busy hesitating over whether to break the news now or not.
"Say...where's Tourthun?" Wurie put his hands on his hips and shook his head. "Big fellow gave me a real heart-to-heart before he left! Made me take a nap, too! I'm feeling great, thanks to him!"
The knight's lack of a response shook the captain out of his blissful ignorance. The captain's mailed armor jingled lightly as his stance shifted, his smile fading.
"Alexander...? What's wrong?"
After a few moments of silence, Wurie seemed to suddenly piece together what the knight's reaction to his words meant. He frowned, and his brows furrowed.
"Alexander...where's Tourthun?"
The human's hands were at his sides, his head pointed squarely to the ground. Finally he spoke, his words labored and nearly silent.
"He's gone."
The wolfman's entire attitude seemed to fall apart at the knight's words.
His mouth opened. His eyes widened. He took a sudden, sharp intake of breath. His hands reflexively tightened, clinging onto his shoulders as he stared slack-jawed at Alexander.
Meanwhile, the others stood in uncomfortable silence. Leianna, Lexius, Charles and Crux all stood sullen and unmoving, each staring off somewhere different.
Senci clung onto Andric, still quietly mumbling and sniffling as the paladin comforted him. The pair stayed off to the side, and focused on one another for now.
Wurie's eyes narrowed. "A-Alexander...? You mean he...?"
"I'm sorry."
The captain shook his head. "No...no, not him..."
"We tried. But there was nothing we could do."
The wolfman made a funny noise all of a sudden. It was unfamiliar to the human, but a single look up at him revealed it all.
Wurie was crying now, too.
"He...but he was just..."
"I know."
The captain stepped back, eyes shut. He moved backwards until he stood over a crate, lowering himself down onto it. Now sitting, he hunched forward and brought his hands to his face.
The captain began to quietly sob.
Everyone stood in awkward silence, eyes darting to and fro as nearly everyone reeled from the news that one of their greatest allies had fallen.
And so it went on. So badly was the Citadel shaken, that no one ever bothered to even ask or explain what had truly happened.
All they knew was that Tourthun, the kind and noble dragon that had pledged to aid them, was dead. That was enough for them to worry about.
It had been several hours since the news had been broken. The people of the Citadel still worked as needed, but an heavy silence now filled the area. So oppressive was the quiet atmosphere that the howling winds on the surface could be clearly and easily heard without effort.
The people walked with their gazes cast down, and a defeated look on their faces. From the koutu to the lizards and everything between, they all looked just as shattered as the rest.
The others had dispersed, off to sulk, grieve or recover in their own ways. Andric had an excuse at least, having to spend time at length with his pupil Senci to calm and comfort him. The others, though...
This is very unbecoming of them. To give up hope, just like that...
Razorwing currently sat on the ground, beside a pile of camp supplies. He was the only one who hadn't wandered into the camp in a grief-stricken daze...aside from Basilrin of course, who simply lacked the physical ability to do so. The dragon lay in the large, open center below the hole, seeming to stew over the loss of their companion just like the rest.
The archer looked down to his gear. In his hands, he held his longbow. Its quality was second to none, designed especially for the hero after he had began to accrue fame as an adventurer. The wood held no flaws. The drawstring was perfectly taut. The weapon, despite its size, was light in the experienced hero's talons.
On his hip was his quiver. Contained within were his arrows, the ammunition he was sure to keep close by at all times. The arrows were balanced, sharp, and crafted with much love and care. Combined with his bow, they were seemingly flawless. He had gotten them enchanted as well, coated in a layer of magic that allowed them to slice through the scales of dragons and hides of beasts with little effort.
They had the tools. They had the knowledge. They could win...and yet, it seemed as if everyone had lost the heart to push on to the end.
Enough was enough.
The birdman rose to his feet. He placed his bow on the ground. He unfastened his quiver and placed it, along with his arrows, next to his weapon.
Walking forward, striding with confidence and purpose, the archer grabbed one of the crates scattered around the tents and brought it back to the middle of the camp, below the hole above and next to the dragon. He raised a foot and placed it on top of the wooden crate, before lifting the rest of himself up as well.
Now standing above the rest of the camp, he called out, his voice booming and commanding.
"People of Palethorn! Hear me! Hear me and understand our fate, our future!"
Several creatures stopped in their tracks and turned to look at him. The hero was well-known by several of them. A few walked over and stood before him, while the rest watched from around the camp.
"Tourthun, the great red dragon, friend and guardian, warrior and hero, lies dead, slain by our wicked foes! His untimely loss has shaken this city, and its people, to their very core! I can see it plainly in all of you! You walk with heads hung low, hunched over, staring at the floor, refusing to speak, in a trance!"
Razorwing glared at the crowd as his placed his clenched talons on his hips, shoulder cape flowing in the wind. "But you...all of you. Friends! Brothers! Sisters! Countrymen! People of Deaco! You are disgracing him! You are spitting on him, and all he stood for. This is why I, Razorwing do say...stop this foolishness, and fulfill your legacies!"
The crowd began to grow as more and more of the people gathered around to listen to the hero speak. Heads poked out of tents and figures emerged from the darkness as sewer-settlement seemed to finally wake up.
From the corner of his eye, the koutu could see Alexander emerge from one of the many tents scattered around the encampment.
"Our friend Tourthun had but one goal in the act that led to his fall: Rescue the knight, the cleric and all the others, so that they could escape, and close the Blackheart! Even in his final moments, the dragon's purity and selflessness was on full display! Friends...he DIED for you! He died for us all!"
Familiar faces began to join the crowd. Leianna. Lexius, Andric and Charles were just a few he noticed as he continued his speech, getting more and more worked up as he went on.
"His final wish was for us to do our job, to defeat the demons and bring peace to Palethorn, and you all shirk your duties?! For shame, you lot! For shame! Even now, the dragon watches from the heavens! He would surely quail at the thought that his valiant sacrifice was all for nothing! So, all of you...are you going to let him down?! Are you going to turn your back on the one who gave us all he had?!"
"No!" A single voice rang out from the crowd. Another followed. Then another. And another.
Soon, nearly the entire camp was crying "NO!" in a chorus, full of zeal and vigor.
"Are you going to make him proud?!"
"YES!"
"Are you going to honor his final wishes?!"
"YES!"
Razorwing smirked as the citizens finally found their hearts once more. All too easy.
"The hearts of the people of Palethorn are the hearts of heroes, of champions! So much has been suffered through, yet after each and every wound, your souls burn ever brighter, marching onward despite the world collapsing around you! We've all come so far, gone through so much! Now, the final effort is right in front of us! After but a single beast and a march to the portal, all of the pain and torment will finally be over! Just a little longer until all our pain was worth it...will you give up now?!"
"NO!" the entire camp screamed back at him.
"Than join me, friends! Guards, citizens, men and women of Palethorn, humans of Geralthin, and heroes of the land, step forth...step forth, and save the world! For honor! For the fallen! For your friends and family! For all life on God's earth...FOR TOURTHUN!"
Cheers rang out as the people of Palethorn roared in triumph and cried wildly, lost in wild rapture. More and more, the underground was full of the cheers and cries of the people the world denied. In the outside world, they had been written off as lost, dead or worse...yet here they were, unafraid, and facing down the nightmare others thought they had fallen to.
Razorwing felt a light tap on his leg. He turned to the side, and there he stood.
Crux, face still hidden behind his mask, stared into the koutu's eyes, arms crossed. "Nice work...Domnall."
"An honor...Paul."
The human gave him a nod. "I'm with you. I don't know if we'll make it, but if you're sticking around, so am I. To the end."
Razorwing's confident grin turned into a warm smile. "I...appreciate it. It means the world to hear that."
"Hey...what are friends for?"
The fabric on the man's facemask shifted subtly. Razorwing knew it: Paul was grinning.
The hero raised a fist to his chest. "To the end, than!"
"Razorwing!"
Another familiar voice. The bird turned to see Alexander pushing his way past the crowd. The knight was still geared up in his suit, helmet included. The man hurriedly ran up to the archer's makeshift stage and stared up at the hero.
"You...you're right. It's time to act."
"Damn right!"
Leianna marched forward, eyes alight.
"Leianna!" the koutu smiled.
"We've wasted enough time...let's crush those animals."
"You have my aid as well. I promise that."
Charles stood behind the others. Though he seemed nervous, he still gave Razorwing a nod.
Andric walked up next, Senci tagging along beside him. The paladin stared at the hero for a moment before offering his own input.
"It's been a long time since I've a heard one of those speeches."
"One of those...?" Razorwing tilted his head.
"The rallying calls of heroes. The ones that make listeners perform beyond their abilities. Your reputation is well-earned, friend."
"From someone of your standing...I'm honored, sir."
"Master's right."
Senci smiled at Razorwing. Still, his face was wet with tears, but he seemed anything but broken anymore.
"You're a great hero, too. What you said...I promise I'll try harder! We can win, I know we can! We can't let him down!"
The priest joined the group at last. Lexius turned to Senci and gave a small smile.
"Of course we can...if Tourthun believed in us, who are we to deny that?"
"Razorwing..."
That voice belonged to one man. Wurie.
The wolfman stood at the edge of the crowd, staring at the koutu from afar.
"...thank you."
The hero smiled back at the captain.
Finally, it seemed Basilrin found the heart to speak as well. The dragon had watched all of this unfold, silently observing until now.
"I see now why he gave his life for you people," the dragon spoke lowly, "Why he sacrificed his own future for near strangers...your hearts put even the mighty dragons to shame. Your inward strength makes up for your outward weakness. With a burning spirit, and the will to succeed...there is nothing a human, or koutu, or any other cannot accomplish."
"We're gonna win this war," Razorwing spoke. The hero gazed up above him, past the hole and into the swirling mists above.
"...I'm certain of that."
Razorwing turned to the crowd once more and bellowed. "ALL OF YOU! Gather your weapons, and amass outside! We slay the beast guarding the gates, bring armies from Geralthin...and then march forth, and CRUSH the demons!"
Rapturous applause and wild cheers rang out once more, and already people ran off to their tents and to storage to gather up arms.
Alexander turned to the others and drew his sword. The blade slid out from the scabbard in one swift motion.
"By the time we're through with them, they'll wish they'd never crawled out of the dark abyss that is their home."