Now Hugo was close enough to the fight again-stopping in place, he pointed his weapon at Diablo, charging. All right, you bastard...looks like I'm gonna have to go all out on you! His eyes narrowed. Hopefully this'll get his attention and let Matt think of a better plan. At that moment, Helena unleashed her own distraction-wings beating through the air, she shot toward Diablo, claws and fangs bared.

Matt's eyes opened again, and his body lurched to recover midair and remain still. "Damn it!" he spat, as traction drew him back some more, until he finally came to a hovering stop. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw R.D.. "I think it's time we end this crap, R.D.!"

"Agreed!" R.D. replied, pivoting around on the thrusters in his boots to face Diablo and the battlefield again, "Get him on the ground. This bastard is mine."

Diablo shifted in midair as Helena flew at him, causing the dragon to shoot right past him. As he turned, he flung another Dark Meteor at Helena's open back, and continued to turn around and face Hugo. The demon flapped his energy wings and launched several feathers of energy that streaked down, slamming into the ground in a line right at the Mettaur. Each one exploded only seconds after it hit the earth as the Prime Evil turned and readied a new assault on R.D. and Matt.

R.D. leapt into the air and roared, a violet-blue aura exploding around him.

Edited by RisingDragon on May 25, 2007 at 14:53:33.

Ziatoch's laughter slowly quieted into amused chuckling, before dying out completely. He did not turn to face the former Dark Balance, but replied to him all the same. "That's certainly alright," he said quietly and confidently, "I can wait. I have waited centuries for this moment, and now the key to My true goal is finally in my grasp. I can wait a little longer. And Xastra dares not get in My way."

Ziatoch finally turned around to face Kuro, His golden eyes meeting Kuro's blood-red eyes. "If our powers clash, the Multiverse is destroyed, along with this vaunted kingdom he so desires," Ziatoch continued, "If he stays out of My way, then he can keep this planet while I leave for greater powers."

"Damn it!" As the feathers crashed into the earth, Hugo ducked under his helmet, hoping that even his durable helmet could withstand the resulting attacks. Outside of the defense, his pickaxe swerved, still gathering power.

Matt clenched his fists. "All right, I'll drop this bastard and you'll-"

His sentence abruptly ended when Helena, rushing out of the successful explosion of the Dark Meteor, smashed her full, awesome weight into Diablo, in a full-fledged tackle intended to send the demon to the ground. "Or that, whatever!"

When Helena struck, Diablo's claws latched onto the dragon's shoulders. Using the inertia, Diablo rotated himself around and flung the dragon at the ground, then lifted a claw into the air. Energy gathered into a massive, striating orb of yellow, blue, and red flame larger than himself.

"Enough with you, dragon!" the Prime Evil bellowed as he sent the orb hurtling down at Helena. He then turned and streaked forward at the two teenage heroes.

"Fuck," R.D. muttered, throwing his arms out to the side, causing lightning to flare around his hands. He slammed his right fist into his left palm, causing the energy to form into ball lightning contained in his hands, "Here he comes!"

===Above Africa===

"It doesn't matter," Ziatoch returned, "He knows what will happen if we battle. It'll be his loss should that happen, not mine. I alone have developed the way to counter your six weapons, and The End. They were more than easy to study when I possess your memories, Kuro."

Ziatoch's body was once again surrounded by the sphere of dark mist. Within its depths, Kuro could see as the silhouette of the Destroyer's body changed, becoming much larger and demonic. Serpentine red eyes peered at the former Dark Balance, glowing through the mist despite the rest of His body's features being indecipherable.

I will not allow the Sadistic One to prevent the opening of the Eye, Ziatoch spoke with His mind, But this is not a matter that concerns him. Once I have what I need, he can keep this world, and the Isle will once again taste My wrath.

A powerful wind began to blow, scouring away the dark mists. As it did, Ziatoch's body seemed to be scoured with it, slowly disappearing. Once the mist and the Destroyer of Worlds gone, the brief image of a black sun flickered in His place for a few moments. Ziatoch's mental voice issued out one last time.

And this time, they will not keep Me from what I desire.

Edited by RisingDragon on May 25, 2007 at 19:50:28.

"Let's do it!" Matt drew power to himself, willing the Dragon Drive to burn as much as possible. The aura intensified and jagged about him as he raised a hand. From it, a burst of red energy shot out, which suddenly took on life of its own as it coiled and flew back down to him. As it wrapped itself about his outstretched arm, the beginning of the energy trail developed the familiar features of a dragon's head.

Matt lowered his arm, now ready with a new weapon, eyeing Diablo as he shot toward them. "Dragoncoil!"

Successfully tossed by Diablo, Helena's wings crumpled as she plummeted toward the ground, the shifting orb following to meet her in destruction.

Hugo raised his pickaxe at the falling orb. "I don't think so!" He released his shot-in midair, the projectile grew to massive electrical size, and it smashed into Diablo's orb, attempting to throw it off-course.

Hugo's attack proved to have been launched with more power than Diablo's gigantic attack. The lightning shot and the fire orb were both flung into the sky along the path of Hugo's shot, and they both exploded in a dazzling display, a widening dome of fire swarming with electricity.

In retrospect, R.D. would later realize it was like the starting gunshot.

R.D. launched himself across the ground, propelled with energized wings of his own provided by his aura. He arched into the air, streaking past Diablo, causing him to turn his head in shock.

"Here I go!" the armored teen roared as he flew past. High above his opponent, R.D. turned in midair and shot downwards through the air at Diablo's back. His primal scream split the air as he descended, slamming into the Lord of Terror like a frieght train. Diablo roared in pain and fury as lightning from R.D.'s hands coursed through his body. Latched onto Diablo's spiked ridge on his back, R.D. threw his weight into a single motion, and together the two of them streaked through the air, barrel-rolling out of control.

Are they trying to make me crash!? the Prime Evil thought, frenzied.

Edited by RisingDragon on May 25, 2007 at 20:30:49.

"Get SERIOUS!" Matt shouted, lashing out his hand. Dragoncoil shot at Diablo, extending to great lengths until it managed to wind itself around Diablo's massive leg. With a gigantic pull and a movement of his own, Matt shot toward the earth, intending to bring both R.D. and Diablo down with him.

Helena growled, and Hugo agreed with her displeasure, as he now took in the sight. What the hell were they doing?

No! This is impossible! Diablo thought frantically as he felt something burning coil itself around his leg and talon. This cannot be!

The Prime Evil roared as he plummeted to the earth, the ground splintering and fracturing as his body was slammed violently into the earth. His blazing red wings were splayed out at towards the air as lightning flared around the air.

As the demon connected with the earth, R.D. was standing up, his foot propped up on the muscles of Diablo's upper back. In his hands were the combined Phase Lance, its azure blades shining with intense power, raised over R.D.'s head. With a vengeful roar, the armored teen's blade cut through the air and skewered the Lord of Terror's head in one lightning-fast motion. Diablo's angered bellow was strangled off as the energized blade pierced the back of his skull, sheared through his brains and the Soulstone embedded in his forehead, and finally exited out of his head between his eyes.

The visor in R.D.'s helmet retracted, revealing his face as he looked over his shoulder at Matt. He smiled in victory even as Diablo's body began to glow with violent light, as the energy from his weapon was being dispersed into the body.

And in that final moment, both Diablo and R.D. disappeared in a massive pillar of fire as the Lord of Terror's body exploded, consumed in a burning pyre that reached for the heavens.

"If that is so," Gilgamesh started hesitantly, not sure if he should say that what he wanted to say.

"...then we should go see Kuro for ourselves." Meta finished her bodyguard's sentence, knowing full well what he meant, and refusing to go to her father to ask such a thing of him. "Maybe they're a pair of rude bumblers... well, one of them, at least... they still are our allies, and you don't just leave those behind."

When Meta looked at Gilgamesh, straight into his eyes, he knew that she also wanted to have said it might cost me my neck, but had not. He gave her a slight nod, and turned his gaze southwards. "Very well then, maties, we are to head south!"

"Hell yeah!" Matt shouted, brandishing a bold thumbs up. "Nice shot, R.D.!" His feet touched the ground, and as this happened, Dragon Drive was dismissed, causing Matt to hunch over in sudden exhaustion.

As the resulting pillar of light climbed to the heavens, Hugo let out a sigh, lowering his weapon. "About time."

A silhouette appeared in the pyre, and slowly but surely, the armored form of R.D. stepped out of the blaze. His armor seemed untouched by the fire, and the visor closing off the helm was back in place.

The pyre died down as R.D. stepped clear of it, he released the Third Cipher energy, and immediately intense pain lanced through his body. With a strangled cry, he stumbled and fell forward, dropping to one knee. His gauntleted fist struck the ground hard as he was crouched over. Slowly, the Dragon King Armor dematerialized from his body, becoming particles of azure light that faded from existence. It revealed his wounds having been healed, and his clothing repaired. However, despite his head being held low, tears of pain and grief ran down his face, cutting rivilets through the dirt on his cheeks. His body twitched painfully as it tried to cope with the new power, and he fought to hold back a sob as his grief for the loss of Bahamut overwhelmed him.

And all around the world, the lamenting howls of dragons everywhere rose into the air, mourning the loss of their patriarch.

Matt stood fully now-though he still felt tired, it wasn't as bad as a few seconds ago. "Hey," he said to R.D., his tone simple. "You okay?"

Slowly, R.D. willed the pain away. The pupils of his eyes went back to normal, and he stood up. He faced his friend with his strange, new green eyes. "Yeah," he said quietly, "If not now, I will be."

R.D. turned to look at the burning crater, which was burning far hotter than normal fire would allow. At the edge of his mind, he could feel the draconic will of his new armor. "Let's just get out of here, before another one shows up."

Edited by RisingDragon on May 27, 2007 at 12:04:55.

"Yeah." Scanning the long, brown and red plains, he spotted Hugo and Helena in the near distance. "Hey!" he shouted over to them. "You okay?"

"Yeah!" Hugo shouted back. He began to run toward Matt and R.D., though he was quickly overshadowed by Helena's powerful gait. "Let's get the hell outta here!"

"Hopefully your car survived the battle," R.D. said, looking about the ruined plains, "Mine was the first thing destroyed here."

R.D. stripped off his right glove and looked at the back of his hand. A third symbol had appeared, putting the symbols in a triangular formation and confirming his suspicions in that the Third Cipher had been unlocked.

Only four more left, he thought in a subdued manner, And then these monsters will see just what I'm capable of.

Edited by RisingDragon on May 27, 2007 at 20:36:04.

"Eh, I'll fix it if I need to." There wasn't any hesitation, he WOULD fix that car if it was messed up, period. His thoughts shifted to the green-scaled dragon bounding up to him like a colossal dog, coming to an even stop before him.

"Wait up!" Hugo shouted from way behind, still trying to catch up.

Matt smirked at Helena. "Good job, kid. I like your hustle."

"Thanks," she replied in a deep timbre.

There was an awkward pause.

Matt's eyes narrowed. "Wow, that's kinda creepy."

R.D. looked at Helena briefly when she spoke. "Well, you've heard Bahamut speak. Doesn't surprise me that she can when she's in that form as well."

As the group approached the car, R.D. looked around, and a thought came to him. "You know what?" he asked, seeking to gain his friends' attention.

"Eh?" Matt said.

"If Alasea were here with us, with her new power," R.D. said sardonically, "She would've ripped Diablo apart without any problems."

"Why, thank you, R.D., for that vote of confidence," Matt remarked.

"At least we managed to defeat him," Helena growled. "Now hopefully we'll have some time to rest."

"Whoa, hold the phone!" Hugo demanded, waving his pickaxe at the dragon. "When the hell could you talk?"

There was a shrug of her head. "Just now. I just...felt like talking."

R.D. shrugged. "Maybe she's taming that beast's spirit inside her," he said, "She's certainly strong enough to."

They soon arrived at the edge of the battlefield, and R.D. looked about in search of the car. As he did, he found something on the ground, glinting. He walked up to it and picked it up, revealing it to be a familar gem, yellow in color.

Strange, he thought, A second Chaos Emerald?

R.D. turned back around and returned to the group, who hadn't noticed his retrieval of the gemstone.

Edited by RisingDragon on June 7, 2007 at 12:57:38.

"Well, I don't have a problem with it, I'm just not used to it, ya know?" Shielding his eyes with one hand in a manner of focus, Matt scanned the landscape-he didn't know how far out they were from their starting point.

Hugo returned to glancing around for more enemies. "We need to find a safe place to rest at..."

"That ain't gonna happen in this place," Matt said. His eyes widened as he spotted a familiar black shape. "There we go!"

"Here's to hoping one of us didn't turn it into molten scrap," R.D. muttered as he walked towards the shape.

The sleek black Firebird was intact, thank God. Not even a scratch on it! There must be a car god, Matt thought, if his ride got away without any injuries. "Hell yes!" He walked around the car, checking everything to make sure. "Oh ho ho, thank you, God!"

"Can I get a blanket now or something?" Helena asked.

"Oh. Sorry." With a gesture, he produced a blanket, and carefully draped it over Helena's folded wings. "Here you go. And while you do that..." Matt scuttled quickly back over to the Firebird and open the door to the driver's seat. "Let's get some tunes goin'!"

R.D. rolled his eyes, Matt's humor never seemed to fail. "Here's to hoping Re-Tuul doesn't show up," he muttered as he scanned the skies, which showed that the dark clouds of the battle were beginning to disappate.

Unfortunately, there was no sound from the radio-looks like the human race had better things to do in this war-torn world than play some Queen. Plugging in the key, Matt nodded curtly when the engine turned over and the car roared into life. Good, it still worked. He looked to the sky as well with R.D.'s comment. Oh, yeah, that would be just perfect right about now.

"Ugh." Helena ran a hand through her newly-grown hair-it always felt strange after being used to the presence of horns in her dragon form. "I hope this doesn't hurt as much when I get more used to it..."