"Well, I guess we'll have to wait for Lady Hinabi from the Alden Temple to come here and pick us up," Lance looked at Gala and his companions, then continued, "Stand tall, warriors. Even in the face of death, you must remain steadfast."
Jade stood up slowly, as did Luna and Gala. Jade didn't even realize that the one standing and speaking before him was his idolized general. Expressions of awe and composure radiated from the presence of that legend of the Jindara Kingdom.
"Guan, the reason I came here is to meet you."
General Guan turned to Lance. "Lance, if these dragon attacks hadn't happened, I might never have listened to you. Maybe you or I would have met our end."
"But, seeing how you repelled a dragon, it might have been my head that was separated from my neck, not yours." Mei looked worried as she hugged her uncle.
"No, Guan. Since the beginning of the war with Xiangdu, I have withdrawn from the Jindara Kingdom.
Even though the Queen pleaded as the ruler of the kingdom, I finally relented and allowed her to use my name to encourage all the warriors," Lance said, looking down. "I am no longer the general who scorched Yamashiro and Baranesta in the past."
"Oh... I see, no wonder I easily pushed Jindara back to Baranesta. And I never encountered you," Guan looked back at the rumbling sky.
The spearmen seemed to have finished repelling all the dragons. An anomaly was apparent in that unit. They could leap 50 meters into the sky, and the ground cracked when they jumped and landed.
They gathered and reported to General Lance. When they assembled, these people numbered no more than a hundred. Guan looked amazed.
He approached General Lance with Mei. "Are these the dragon slayers? I never even thought dragons existed, and considered it a joke."
General Lance simply responded with a smile.
Jade, Luna, and Gala moved closer to stand behind General Lance. He stood beside Lance, resolute in facing a greater and more threatening destiny.
They all stood under a shield of light, gazing at the sky, where Rivotra and his dragon continued to rage.
Amidst the confusion and tension that enveloped the battlefield, suddenly the sky trembled again.
This time, it wasn't dragons that appeared, but a majestic giant garuda, landing gently before Jade and the others. General Guan and the others were astonished. How could a giant garuda with a long, golden tail land before them?
Inconceivable things kept happening before their eyes. "Don't be afraid, that's Lady Hinabi from the Alden Temple," General Lance tried to reassure them.
On the back of the garuda sat a woman in shimmering white robes, her face elegant and serene. She was Hinabi, the leader of the Alden Temple, a holy woman revered throughout Bornika, but not by Xiangdu.
Hinabi descended from the garuda, walking gracefully towards General Lance Garudeya and his group. Her calm face held deep sorrow.
General Lance Garudeya, despite being a former great general, bowed respectfully along with the four Alden knights and the entire dragon-slaying squad.
"Lance," Hinabi said, her voice soft yet authoritative. "I bring grave news."
"What news, Hinabi?" Lance asked, his eyes looking at Hinabi with concern.
"Xiangdu... has been razed to the ground," Hinabi said, her voice trembling. "Rivotra and his forces... they destroyed everything."
General Guan recoiled, his eyes widening in shock. "What?" he whispered, his voice incredulous. "No way..."
"Mother!" Mei Mei cried out without warning, her voice piercing the heavy silence of war.
"It's true," Hinabi said. "Xiangdu was the first place they invaded. And you... you and your surviving troops... are the only ones left from Xiangdu Province."
Silence enveloped the group. General Guan stared at the ground, his face filled with sadness and anger. Jade, Gala, and Luna exchanged glances, shocked and horrified by the news.
Hinabi's eyes fell on Jade, the young man who looked confused, trying to process what was happening. There was a striking handsomeness in Jade's face, a handsomeness that caught Hinabi's attention.
She wanted to comfort him, but she knew this wasn't the right time.
"We will discuss this later," Hinabi said, her voice gentle yet firm. "We must go to the Alden Temple immediately. All the dukes and the queen have gathered there. We will devise a plan to counter this invasion."
"The Alden Temple?" Jade asked, his eyes puzzled. "Why there?"
"The Alden Temple is Bornika's last sanctuary," Hinabi replied. "There, we have the power and knowledge to fight Rivotra."
"What power?" Gala asked. "What knowledge?"
"All will be explained later," Hinabi said. "Now, we must leave at once."
Hinabi looked at General Guan, her eyes full of hope. "Guan, we need you," she said. "We need everyone who can fight."
Guan looked at Hinabi, then at Lance, then at Jade, Gala, and Luna. He saw the sadness and determination in their eyes, and he knew he couldn't give up.
"Alright," he said, his voice heavy but full of resolve. "I will go to the Alden Temple. I will help you protect Bornika."
"Come, Mei. Come with your uncle." Mei was too immersed in her tears. Guan was helpless; after all, his younger sister was Mei Mei's mother, the cruel queen of Xiangdu.
Jade walked over to Mei. He placed his hand on the princess's shoulder, "Mei, we are no longer enemies. There, that is the enemy we must face." Jade pointed at Rivotra, who was glaring at them from atop a black dragon.
Luna and Gala approached Mei to cheer her up. They were of the same generation and age. "I'll introduce you to my two wolves, Mei. Fion and Gale, they'll be happy to meet a new friend," Gala coaxed.
"Mei, you have to be strong." Luna hugged Mei. General Guan trembled; he realized his mistake, he realized the consequences of his greed with his sister.
He had almost killed Jade and his friends. He wept before everyone. He realized Jade and the others were just village youths forced to fight to defeat him.
General Guan's massive body knelt to embrace the four of them.
"I'm sorry, forgive me... forgive me..." Guan cried, his voice echoing. Jade looked confused, as did Luna and Gala.
That day, they all boarded Hinabi's giant garuda, leaving the devastated battlefield behind.
They knew they faced a tremendous threat, but they also knew they weren't alone. They had each other, and they had hope.
From atop the garuda that was leaving the place, General Lance and Hinabi stared intently at Rivotra, who looked increasingly angry as he tried to break the shield.
Rivotra roared, he looked furious watching Jade and the others leave. "...AAAAAAAVEEEEEEEEEEE! Come out!! YOU BASTARD!!"
The sound was deafening, shaking the sky and the earth. The echo of the roar reverberated across the valley, beyond the battlefield, as if the entire continent held its breath.
On the Garuda, the feathers on the giant bird's neck stood on end, its sharp eyes flickered restlessly. Hinabi, though calm, gripped the edges of the saddle with whitening knuckles.
General Lance, his face usually calm, was now tense, his eyes narrowed as he stared at Rivotra.
The cry not only shook their ears but also their souls. There was raw power in that voice, a rage beyond anything they had ever witnessed.
The knights of the Alden Temple, usually unwavering, shifted uneasily, their hands gripping their light spears tightly.
Beneath the protective dome, the ground trembled, dust and pebbles danced in the air. Even the dome itself, which had withstood Rivotra's dragons' attacks, seemed to pulse, as if struggling to maintain its integrity.
Rivotra, atop his black dragon, looked enraged, his eyes blazing with hatred, his face distorted by fury. The dragon itself, a creature so large and powerful, cowered under its master's anger, hissing and lashing its tail wildly.
"What... what is that?" Gala stammered, his eyes wide with fear.
"The wrath of a god," Luna whispered, her voice choked. "He wants something. Or someone."
"Who is he calling?" Jade asked, his voice trembling. "Who is Ave?"
No one answered. A heavy silence enveloped them, broken only by the occasional roar of the dragon and the hiss of the protective dome.
The Garuda flew further away, carrying Jade and the others towards the Alden Temple. General Lance turned and averted his gaze after feeling Rivotra was no longer a threat behind them.
"Hinabi, who is Rivotra shouting at? You told me about Rivotra, it's impossible you don't know who Eve is." Hinabi was silent, she seemed to be thinking about something.
"Av…!" Hinabi was startled and didn't finish her sentence!
A roar was heard from afar, but it didn't come from Rivotra and his dragon. It came from the direction of Xiangdu! "Giant Dragonfly!" Luna exclaimed, she could see the creature flying towards them at high speed from a distance.
"What? Where? Jade and the others couldn't see clearly because the creature was very far away, and still looked like a dot.
"Hinabi! Wasn't there a troop supposed to be sent to Xiangdu province? Why is there an enemy entering Baranesta area?"
"Jade, traveling by land takes two days to reach the Xiangdu border. While all the dragon-slaying troops followed you here." Everyone looked anxious on the Garuda.
"Lyra, go back. Tell all the remaining dragon-slaying troops to follow us. Let the ground forces clean up the remnants of the war," Lance ordered one of his two warriors.
Lyra blew a silver whistle around her neck. No sound was heard because it was high frequency. Something that looked like a dragon swooped down from the sky near the dome but still within the area.
It wasn't a Dragon."Oh my god, a Wyvern!" Gala exclaimed seeing the creature swoop down and blow wind at those on the Garuda.
Lyra jumped onto the Wyvern's back and immediately sped away from the garuda to return.
"Tom, we too, summon your mount. We'll intercept the creature heading here!" Jade and Tom summoned their Wyverns and immediately mounted them. The two maneuvered around the Garuda.
"Are those dragon slayers Beast Masters?"
Gala asked seeing General Lance circling around. "No, they are not Beast Masters. All those Wyverns belong to the Thousand Flower Archipelago," Hinabi replied, Duke Herman lent them while in Alden.
"Gala, are you a Beast Master? I've never asked you. But if I remember Fion and Gale, those gray beasts wouldn't be allowed into the kingdom's area," Jade recalled Gala's pet wolves.
"Yes, my family are Beast Masters by tradition. But for a class like Wyverns… besides, they never leave the Thousand Flower Archipelago. Taming them is not an easy task."
"Look!" General Guan pointed towards the giant dragonfly that was now visible approaching at high speed! Lance and Tom immediately sped off as soon as the creature was 800 meters from the Garuda.
"Lady Hina, can the Garuda go faster?" Luna looked worried. The giant dragonfly was terrifying. Of course, only she could see it clearly.
"This is already a safe speed to carry you. Any faster and we won't be able to stay on the Garuda," Lady Hinabi explained.
"If you see the existence of dragons with Rivotra, I'm not surprised you call that creature a giant dragonfly. It's a Mystical Beast, just like Rivotra's dragons. That animal is called Umbra Stryx."
"Mm…Mystical Beast?" Gala was sweating. He seemed to know something about it. "Don't tell me the Ramon people have many Summoners!" Gala held his head, he couldn't believe what he was thinking.
"What are Summoners? Jade was getting more confused. So was General Guan who was holding Mei mei tightly.
"An advanced level of Beast Master! Soul Resonance and a death contract with a Mystical Beast. Hinabi answered Jade's question, then added, "like me and Garuda." Hinabi approached Jade. She stared intently into Jade's eyes.
"Everyone prepare for the worst!" Hinabi took out a Dagger with a blood-red glowing blade.
"Look! General Lance is diverting Umbra's attention!" Luna exclaimed again.
In the sky of Alden, an Umbra Stryx, its body jet black, its wings glowing purple, its eyes fiery red. A terrifying aura that intimidated anyone who dared to challenge it emanated from every inch of its body.
The creature sped from the destroyed Xiangdu. On its back, a man with sharp eyes and a firm jaw, wearing strange ancient armor, held a long spear.
His origin was unknown, but the aura of his power felt threatening. The Umbra roared, its voice deafening, and sped straight towards the giant Garuda carrying Jade's group.
Meanwhile, with Tom and General Lance…
"That Umbra is… incredibly huge," Tom said, his eyes widening. "I've never seen anything like it before.
"We have to buy time!" General Lance exclaimed, tightening his grip on his spear.
"Hinabi, continue your journey! We will hold them off!" Lance shouted from afar.
Hinabi, her face pale but full of determination, looked at Lance. "But General…"
"There's no time to argue!" Lance cut her off. "Go! That's an order!"
The two Wyverns flew in a flanking formation to intercept the Umbra. The Wyverns sped like arrows, the mysterious man's spear glinting in the sunlight.
"Attack!" Lance shouted, and the two Wyverns attacked with deafening roars.
The Umbra spun nimbly, dodging Lance and Tom's attacks. The mysterious man, with swift and skillful movements, thrust his spear at Lance's dragon.
The bronze Wyvern dodged, but the spear grazed its scales, leaving a gaping wound.
"He's too fast!" Kael exclaimed, his dragon staggering after avoiding an Umbra's claw attack from its tail.
"You won't be able to stop us!" the mysterious man shouted, his voice echoing in the sky. "You don't know what's coming!"
Lance, with a determined face, swung his spear. "We won't let that happen!"
A fierce battle ensued in the sky of Alden. The Umbra and the Wyverns clashed, spears and claws met, and roars filled the air.
Meanwhile, the giant Garuda, with Hinabi and her group, continued towards the Alden Temple, leaving the battle behind them.
***** *****
The Past.
A few hours earlier, before dawn, before Jade and his companions departed for war.
Towards dawn, Queen Yukihiko, the Queen of the Jindara kingdom, was forcibly evacuated to the Alden Temple. Duke Herman Syailendra sent ten dragon-slaying troops to fetch her.
They had to ask Yukihiko to come to discuss the fall of Xiangdu. Of course, the Queen knew nothing about this, and was angry.
None of the dragon-slaying troops answered the questions she asked during the journey. Upon arriving at the Alden Temple, the door to the Alden Temple meeting room was thrown open, startling the province leaders who were having a tense discussion.
Queen Yukihiko Regania entered with quick steps, but her face was pale and her eyes were teary. Behind her, several Alden female knights looked anxious, trying to calm the queen who seemed very distressed.
"What is the meaning of this?" Yukihiko exclaimed, her voice trembling, but not with anger, but with deep sadness. "Why was I forcibly moved to Alden? Why wasn't I informed about what happened immediately?"
Duke Takeshi Hiroshi of Yamashiro stood up, his face showing guilt and sympathy. "Your Majesty, we only wanted to protect you. The situation... is very dire. We didn't know how to explain it."
"Explain what?" Yukihiko asked, her voice almost a whisper. "What happened in Xiangdu? Tell me!"
Duke Hector Valerius of Baranesta looked at Yukihiko with a sad gaze. "Your Majesty, Xiangdu... Xiangdu has been razed to the ground.
An armada of unknown warships, followed by a large ground force, has destroyed its coastal cities. No one survived."
Yukihiko was silent, her eyes widened in disbelief. Tears began to flow down her cheeks. "No... it's not possible. Queen Lin Mei... her people..."
"We are sorry, Your Majesty," Takeshi said softly. "We just received a report from Duke Herman Syailendra. We didn't have time to inform you sooner."
Yukihiko shook her head in disbelief. "Why? Why did they do this? Why did they destroy Xiangdu?"
"We don't know, Your Majesty," Hector replied. "But we will find out. We will find out who our enemy is, and what they want."
Duke Herman Syailendra of the Thousand Flower Archipelago, who had been silent all this time, finally spoke. "Queen Lin Mei tried to summon something that should not have been awakened. I believe everything she knew came from you."
Yukihiko stared at Herman blankly. While Duke Hector and Duke Takeshi looked surprised by Duke Herman's statement that seemed to blame her.
Suddenly the meeting room door opened again, diverting the atmosphere. Hinabi entered and sat down with Lance standing behind her.
"Your Majesty Queen, sala…" Hinabi wanted to pay her respects. But Yukihiko cut her off. "No need, Hinabi." Queen Yukihiko frowned. She looked frustrated.
"Alright, Your Majesty." Hinabi turned her gaze to Duke Herman and bowed to show respect. "Duke, my sister Hanabi from the Sun Temple in Mandaraka city contacted me."
"What did she say, Hinabi?" Everyone in the room seemed not to understand where this conversation was going except for the Queen, Duke Herman and Hanabi.
"Rivotra is the one who caused Xiangdu to be destroyed, And the Dragon Emperor Bahamut, was killed just before being resurrected by Queen Lin Mei."
A tense silence filled the room. The province leaders exchanged glances, their faces pale. They knew this was no ordinary war. This was a catastrophe.