Destroy and Rebuild

Chapter Thirty Nine: Kelvin

Disclaimer: I don't own Radiata Stories or any of the characters in the game; they are the property of the brilliant minds at Square Enix.

Authors Note(s): Words in '…' indicate a thought. Words in "…" indicate spoken words. The first thing to note is that this story is a sequel. The characterization and storyline contained here are based on the characters and events that occur in my first story, Sever All Ties. Everything that happens in this story will make a lot more sense if you have read that one, so I recommend reading the first story before reading the sequel. With that in mind, the story picks up where Sever All Ties left off, and tells what happens after Aphelion is defeated and Jack and Ridley return to Radiata. I hope you enjoy.

As a boy, Aleks' father had encouraged him to train with as many weapons as possible so that he would feel comfortable no matter what he found himself fighting with. Naturally gifted with a sword, he had been much more interested in perfecting his skill with it. Now, as he snatched the Leviathan out of the air and felt its weight in his hands, he wished that he had spent more time practicing with a spear. Although he had never held a magical weapon before, he could immediately tell that it was special. There was a strange feeling in his right hand, a tingling sensation that he was certain came from the Leviathan. He had no idea how to call forth its magic, and was suddenly concerned not only about using the weapon, but also attempting to use its power in the midst of the battle. Taking a calming breath, he tried to recall some of the basics he had learned about fighting with a spear.

He had only a moment to collect himself before the Water Dragon was charging right at him, and barely had time to scramble out of the way of her kick with an awkward roll across the floor. The Knight Captain's whole body protested as he rose, exhausted from the ordeal that had been his challenge. Forcing down his fatigue and burying the horrific images that were still burned into his mind, he set his feet and prepared to counterattack. When Kelvin got close, he stepped into a powerful thrust that she quickly sidestepped. He instinctively turned his body and swung the haft of the spear to defend against her attack, but she broke through his guard and struck his chest. The force of the blow sent him reeling and he fell to the ground

Ridley and Natalie rushed to his aid, moving to strike the dragon before she could continue her offensive. She gracefully averted both blows by moving past the attackers and countered with a kick that struck the back of Natalie's leg and forced her to the ground. A horizontal strike from Ridley kept Kelvin from attacking the General again, but the dragon was smiling as she stepped back. She did not even turn around to block the ball of wind magic that Lord Zane had sent hurtling toward her, but a column of water rose up and neutralized it. Aleks marveled as he pulled himself to his feet and stepped forward to rejoin Ridley and Natalie. The whole exchange had taken only a few short moments, but Kelvin had demonstrated her superior speed and neutralized their attacks. Standing next to them in the water that came up to his shins, he realized that the dragon stood on the surface of the water. The water was not deep enough to be a major hindrance, but she was already faster than them and her advantage would grow as the battle continued.

"We need a plan," he said in a tone that sounded more calm than he felt. The water soaking his feet and dripping from his hair was cold and stung, which enhanced both his fatigue and frustration.

"I'm open to suggestions," Natalie was standing on his left, eyeing the dragon warily as if she expected another assault at any moment.

"I have one, just give me a little room to work" on his right, Ridley stepped forward. Her hands were closed tightly around the black and green axe she had won in the first challenge.

"So the Vessel hopes to challenge me," Kelvin smirked at the idea. "I can't remember the last time I saw Behemoth, I hope it helps you."

"You'll remember this time," Ridley's voice was level, but her words were menacing. The dragon's expression was unchanged.

Without any warning, a tendril of water rose up in front of the Water Dragon and knifed its way toward Ridley. Before it could reach her, a column of stone rose from under the surface and intercepted the dragon's attack. Neither of them had moved, and each was staring intently at the other. Kelvin's attack dissipated a moment later, and she attacked again from a different angle. Again, Ridley blocked the attack with rock that came from beneath the surface of the water. However, this time she went on the offensive instead of waiting for the Water Dragon to attack again. Kelvin leapt to the side to avoid a chunk of stone that came up from beneath her feet and Ridley was already charging forward when the dragon recovered.

A wall of water came between the two of them as she swung the Behemoth from left to right, slowing the axe's momentum and allowing Kelvin to avoid the attack. Stone columns rose up behind the Water Dragon and on her right to prevent a real retreat, and Ridley struck again. This time, however, there was no way for the dragon to avoid the attack. The Behemoth only made a dull thud as it struck Kelvin's forearm, and Aleks was disappointed to see the dragon's arm encased in ice. Their eyes locked, each pushing to make the other give ground. Stepping forward, the Water Dragon gained control and forced Ridley back. Neither moved, each watching the other warily.

"I bet you wish you'd chosen that fire axe of yours over the Behemoth right about now. This is probably a good time for the rest of you to help the Vessel, I don't think she can do it on her own," the dragon's smile had returned as she spoke, reveling in the frustration Ridley was doing her best to hide. Kelvin shook her arm and the ice that had been her shield fell back into the water at her feet. Sparing only a moment to shake her head at Aleks, Ridley charged forward to attack again.

'How do I get this thing to give me its power,' Aleks was still frustrated at his inability to use the Leviathan's magic, silently willing it to come forth. In front of him, Ridley and Kelvin were using their magic to attack one another. Standing on his left, the General looked unnerved by what she had seen.

"Stay calm," he had not heard Lord Zane approach, but the light elf was suddenly next to him on the right. "Ridley is battling the dragon to a draw, if we work as a team then we should be able to bring her down."

"We should spread out and try to limit her range of motion," Aleks stated as the Water Dragon fluidly avoided one of Ridley's attacks. If they could contain the Water Dragon, they would have a better chance of successfully attacking her.

"No," the light elf immediately disagreed. "The dragon is faster than we are and can close distance more quickly. If we stay close then we can help each other. Ridley has the right idea, watch her battle closely."

Turning his complete attention to the battle in front of him, Aleks studied Ridley's movements carefully. She was using the Behemoth's magic to keep the dragon's speed in check, limiting how freely Kelvin could move. The stone columns she used were to dictate the pace and direction of the battle, neutralizing the dragon's speed and the advantage provided by the water. They continued to attack each other as their magic clashed, but neither had been able to get through the other's defenses. As if on cue, Ridley narrowly dodged an attack from the dragon and followed with a powerful swing of her axe that hammered into the dragon. The Water Dragon stumbled backward and fell to the ground. Before Kelvin had even come to a stop, spikes of ice formed around her to prevent Ridley from continuing her offensive.

"Let's go, she's going to need our help," Aleks willed his body forward as he spoke the words. Gripping the Leviathan tight, he stepped toward the dragon.

Sweat poured from Jack Russell's brow as he swung the Arbitrator in the training room. He was trying to block out all of the distractions and focus on getting his strength back. Swinging a sword had become second nature to him since leaving Tria Village, and he was determined to use all of that experience to overcome the Falvern. The former knight was still unsure what to expect when he faced the sword's challenge, except that he would be tested. Though he had felt his strength, speed, and stamina improve since being afflicted by the Falvern's distortion, he still had not fully recovered. Blocking these thoughts, and those of the team facing the dragon's challenge, was difficult, but he was slowly losing himself in the rhythm of his sword. Turning to his right, he saw Elwen standing along the wall of the room and stopped.

"Starting to feel more like your old self," she asked. Without waiting for his reply, her hand went to the sword hilt sticking up over her shoulder.

"I don't feel like I'm getting any better, if that's what you're asking," Jack watched as she held the Falvern out in front of her.

"Perhaps some practice with the sword you'll need to use will help," the Guild Leader suggested. "Let me borrow the Arbitrator and I will happily be your opponent."

"Why don't you just use the Avcoor," his heart began to race as his left hand grasped the sword. Unconsciously, and without waiting for Elwen's answer, he held out his father's sword for her.

"The swords are too powerful for that," the words were surprising, and he pondered them as she hefted the Arbitrator.

"Too powerful for training," he pondered her words aloud, watching for any sort of reaction.

"The Falvern and the Avcoor are the two most powerful weapons in the world, Jack," Elwen began. While she was speaking, he held the sword in both hands and willed its flames forth. "The Falvern was forged to destroy everything, and the Avcoor was forged to destroy the Falvern. Their destructive power is unrivalled, especially here, where magic is heightened."

"Uh, okay," Jack was startled by her somber tone, and became much more focused on controlling the power that flowed through him and from the sword in his hands. Although he had improved in this regard, he had not held the sword since they had come to Gods' realm, and it was harder to keep the power from pouring through the sword.

"Are you ready," she took a defensive stance while asking the question. He nodded wordlessly and she continued. "You can set the pace, but I want you to focus on maintaining control of the sword."

Jack waited only a moment before rushing forward. He was concerned that he would lose control of the sword if he went any more than half speed, and so he attacked cautiously. Elwen easily turned aside his attacks, but he continued to be the aggressor. The Falvern's flames reduced its weight, but she was still more than fast enough to dodge and deflect his thrusts and slashes. Resisting the urge to speed up his attack and risk losing control, he attacked patiently and searched for an opening. The Guild Leader parried a thrust and instantly went on the offensive, forcing him to step back as he tried to keep her at bay.

The Arbitrator was larger and heavier than the Avcoor, but the pace of Elwen's attacks was as fast as ever and it was all he could do to keep up with her. Unable to keep pace, he tried to put more distance between them and use the length of the Falvern to his advantage. Channeling more power into the sword's hilt, he allowed the blade to grow and extend his reach. The Guild Leader was momentarily stymied, and he forced the blade down to its normal size as he charged forward to continue his attack. Though her attack had been stalled she was ready for the barrage of strikes he launched, calmly turning each of them aside. After turning aside one of his thrusts, Jack suddenly found himself staring at the point of his own sword and was forced to concede defeat.

"You're getting better," Elwen said as he hung his head. "That was faster than I would expect for the level of control that you have over the sword, and your technical skills have improved dramatically since you haven't been able to rely on your strength and speed. Jack, I think it is time for you to expel the Falvern's power from your soul."

"Wait, really," he was surprised at this assessment, unsure if he agreed. After all the time he had spent training and trying to get her to say that he was ready, he still did not feel as if he had made any kind of breakthrough.

"We cannot afford to wait much longer, both you and the Falvern will be needed in the challenges to come," her words were foreboding.

"But, am I ready," the former knight tried to keep the uncertainty from his voice as he asked the question.

"I wish I could answer that for you, Jack, but I don't know," Elwen shook her head. "I know about the Falvern, but it was never my sword."

"Whose sword was it, Chief," he blurted out the question before he could stop himself. He hesitated a moment before deciding to continue. "You know so much about it that I can't believe you've never seen it before,"

"Before you brought it back from the City of White Nights, the Falvern's location was unknown and had been for so long that it was assumed by many to have never existed at all," the Guild Leader's answer seemed like a diversion.

"But you had to know it was real, because you have the Avcoor," he observed "And, you've known all sorts of stuff about how its magic is connected to the strength and will of the person using it."

"Did you spend much time in the library while you were in the Radiata Knights," she asked. He shook his head in reply. "Then, you wouldn't have read the World Weapon Encyclopedia to learn about magic-imbued weapons, Khell Nivait, or anything else related to the Falvern."

"No, I didn't," Jack conceded. Nervously, he took a deep breath and tried to compose himself. After a moment, he spoke again. "You've told me over and over that you're going to answer my questions, but you push me off every time I ask. All the talk about the right moment and trusting you is frustrating."

"I understand that, Jack," her acknowledgment of his point felt good, but he knew what was coming next. "You'll just have to trust me for a little longer. After you free yourself from the Falvern, then I will tell you everything."

"I'm not going to get anything more from you, am I," he asked. Elwen shook her head, and he sighed, hefting the sword. "I guess there's not much else I can do. Let's get back to it."

'We got her,' Hap exclaimed as Ridley's axe struck the water dragon and knocked her to the ground. 'Let's hit her again.'

Ridley drew deeply on Hap's power and prepared to attack again. She was using a lot of magic in the battle, and was relying heavily on the elf to help her keep it under control. His prior uncertainty was fading, and Hap was confident in their ability to fight on even footing with the dragon. Concern about the length of the battle was foremost in her mind, and the stinging pain of the cold water made her more frustrated, but she felt more confident after the blow they had just struck. The opportunity to continue attacking was eliminated by a ring of spikes made of ice that formed around the fallen dragon. Ridley was aware of Aleks and Natalie coming to help, and quickly prepared another magical attack to strike Kelvin from within the ring with ice or force her out of it.

The Water Dragon was on her feet in an instant, and jumped into the air just ahead of Ridley's attack. She twisted to avoid the stone projectiles flying toward her and fired magical shots of her own that forced Ridley to scramble out of the way. The attacks were thin needles of ice that were difficult to see as they flew toward her. Kelvin landed softly and instantly fired a volley of these needles at the General. Natalie twisted to avoid the attack, and most of them bounced harmlessly off of her armor, but she winced as one found the gap on the inside of her right arm by the elbow and another buried itself in the gap under her arm. Aleks rushed in to strike, using his shield to deflect these attacks.

When he came within range, the Knight Captain thrust the Leviathan at the center of Kelvin's body. The dragon had not retreated as he charged, and met him head on. She avoided his thrust, but he quickly struck with his shield and pushed her back to give himself the opportunity to strike again. Catching the haft of the spear just below the blade, she pulled Aleks toward her and landed a series of punches on his ribs and face. However, he managed to swing his shield and hit her side as she struck him, leaving both staggering backward. Ridley had prepared a magical attack while they bore the brunt of the dragon's offensive, and sent a large rock hurtling toward Kelvin. The attack struck her in the chest and knocked her down again, and she was slower to rise than before.

'Let's attack again,' Hap was trying to prepare another magic attack, but Ridley forced this down.

'Don't get ahead of yourself,' she cautioned. In place of the magical strike, she was preparing to attack with the Behemoth. 'Kelvin hasn't transformed yet, and we'll need that power when she does. We just have to push her a little further.'

Lord Zane was firing wind energy attacks at the dragon, but these seemed intended to buy them time to recover more than to actually harm her. Kelvin dodged and deflected the attacks with relative ease, and Ridley was upset by the idea that the light elf was wasting his power on her. She rushed in and swung the axe, channeling its magic as she approached. The dragon turned after avoiding one of the light elf's attacks and Ridley hammered into her. Kelvin managed to shield herself with ice-covered forearms once again, but the Behemoth knocked her to the ground. The Water Dragon created another sharp ring of ice to protect herself from being attacked.

Surprisingly, Kelvin did not immediately re-emerge from the ice. It continued to grow around her, enveloping the dragon in a dome. Ridley gripped the Behemoth tightly, while Aleks checked on Natalie and Lord Zane scanned the battlefield. After a few more moments passed, she used the magic of the axe to attack the ice that was shielding the Water Dragon. Her heart began to race faster with each long second of uncertainty. She struck the ice shield a second time, but still saw no result. Attempting to regain her composure, Ridley took a calming breath and tried to focus on their next move. Natalie appeared mostly unharmed, though the ice needles that protruded from her right arm were worrisome.

"Lord Zane," she motioned for him to join her as she walked toward the General. Ridley calmly pointed for Aleks to keep his eyes on the ice that still enveloped the Water Dragon. "Can you heal General Natalie's arm?"

"With the ice blades removed, I could," as he said the words, she grabbed the one by Natalie's elbow and yanked it free. The General yelped in surprise, and Ridley immediately reached for the second one and pulled it free.

"Be quick, we don't have much time," her voice sounded more calm than she felt, and she hid the sound of her irritation at the cold water that continued to soak through her. Lord Zane stepped forward and began to draw on his healing magic, so she turned and approached Aleks. "We're going to need the Leviathan before this battle is over."

"I can't figure out how to use it," he replied. "How are you able to make your axe work?"

"Can you feel its power," she asked, eyes jumping back and for between him and the dragon's cocoon. Aleks nodded. "Well, just pull the power out of it. The tough part is pulling out just the right amount and manipulating it into the form you want. You have to learn your limitations and the weapon's, but I'm not worried about limiting it right now, we're going to need all of the power we can…"

"I don't know how to 'just pull the power out of it.' You're going to have to be a bit more specific," Aleks snapped, interrupting her sentence.

Focused on remaining calm, she turned to face him. For the first time since they had arrived, she realized just how exhausted he looked. His challenge had drained him just like she had been drained by hers, which would make accessing the weapon's power even harder. As she began to think about how to explain the process of accessing the magic, Ridley realized that she was unsure of what to say. She knew how to do it, but telling someone else how to do it was much harder.

'His soul has to be attuned to the magic,' Hap said. 'It doesn't come naturally for humans. You can do it easily because our souls are joined. He may not be able to use its magic at all in this battle.'

'What,' Ridley tried to maintain a calm face during her exchange with the elf. 'We haven't seen her strongest attacks yet, and we're going to need a way to neutralize them.'

"It's tough to explain," she could see that the Knight Captain waiting for an answer. "You have to feel the source of the power within the weapon, connect with it, and pull it out. I think my connection to Hap allows me to do it more easily than you, but you have to try."

"What does that mean? Who is Hap, and how am I supposed to…," Aleks' frustration was evident when he spoke, but he was interrupted by a cracking sound that caused Ridley's head to whip around.

Spiderweb cracks ran all over the surface of the ice, spreading rapidly. She quickly looked back to confirm that Lord Zane had managed to heal General Natalie, and saw that they were both readying themselves for whatever happened next. Only a moment after she turned back to the dragon, the ice crumbled and revealed Kelvin's true form. Covered in blue scales, the dragon's two defining features were that it had fins instead of feet, and a second head. Razor sharp teeth protruded from both mouths, and Ridley's grip tightened on the hilt of the Behemoth. The dragon gave them no time to react to the transformation, and immediately attacked. Thicker, larger spikes of ice than they had seen before were suddenly hurtling toward them, and Ridley barely missed being impaled.

'This is why we were saving the magic earlier,' Ridley could sense Hap's nervousness, and tried to project confidence in response. 'It's going to take everything we've got, but we can do this.'

"It will be a shame if they lose here," standing next to Kain, Lady Enjela appeared to be watching the battle with as much interest as he. The Water Dragon's transformation was complete, and the battle had become more intense. "The Vessel has impressive control over two forms of magic, and she's singlehandedly keeping them from being overwhelmed."

"Shouldn't you want the dragon to win," he gave her a puzzled look, surprised by the statement. "You serve the Gods as an Einherjar, after all."

"The outcome of this battle is all but meaningless," her eyes met his for a moment while she spoke, before she turned distinterestedly back to the battle. "The dragons cannot be destroyed, your victories merely seal them away temporarily. And, even if you do manage to defeat the four elemental dragons, you still have no chance of completing all 10 challenges. That being the case, I'd like to see the young Silverlake girl do well."

"We shouldn't be winning, but we shouldn't even be here to begin with. There's no reason to believe that we cannot continue" the High Priest watched her face carefully as he spoke. He glanced at the battle with the Water Dragon before continuing. "Or is there?"

"Come now, there's no reason to ask like that," his predecessor did not even turn her head. He recognized the tone in her voice from when she would chastise him as a student at the Olacion Order. "If you want to know, just ask."

"Lady Enjela, would you be willing to share any information with me about the remaining challenges" he smiled and shook his head slightly as he asked.

"Of course. I doubt you'll be surprised by much that I'll tell you, but I would be happy to share some insight," her voice was pleasant and conversational. "You know you'll be facing Parsec, the Fire Dragon, in the fourth challenge. After that, the second tier begins. Numbers five through eight will be more difficult. You can surely guess that Aphelion's counterpart, Quasar, the Gold Dragon, will make an appearance. Lenneth herself may even get involved in the second tier. After that, the final two challenges will come from the Gods themselves."

"I thought all of the challenges were from the Gods themselves," the High Priest struggled to keep his voice neutral. The knowledge he had gained since Jack and Ridley's trial still weighed heavily on him.

"The challenges all come from the Gods, but the final two will come from them personally," the clarification elicited a stare from him. "Perhaps that will provide you with the answers you seek?"

"Some sort of answers, certainly," Kain was cautious in his response. "I could not say for certain if they would resolve my concerns."

"Do you really believe you have that luxury," Lady Enjela's tone changed suddenly, something between stern and incredulous. "You can't just wait until the end to pick a side."

"You think that's what I'm trying to do," he scoffed, watching for a reaction from her. "I hate the position I find myself in, you must know that. However, our faith is built upon principles that I have not seen reflected in the conduct of the Gods, and I will not apologize for needing to have my faith reconfirmed."

"I meant what I said when we spoke last," she spoke calmly, eyes still fixed on the fight. "I want you as an einherjar. Your power and your faith make you strong, and I would much rather use your strength than see it wasted."

"Strength was never a concern of yours when you were the High Priestess," Kane replied. He turned his eyes back to the battle, trying to maintain a calm exterior.

"You're wrong about that," she said pointedly. Lady Enjela finally turned to address him directly "Strength manifests itself in many different ways, and physical power is one of the least important. But, you know this already. Your wisdom and faith are your strengths, and you can use them in a number of ways. You already have, it's one of the things that made you the best choice to be the High Priest."

"I do not feel that the Gods are doing the right thing in our world, but you want me to help them do the same thing to another world," the High Priest focused on her request, rather than her compliment.

"The Order of Tottaus sounds unpleasant and the Reset is painful when it occurs, but they are necessary," repeating the answer did nothing to assuage his doubts. "Your perspective is skewed by the time in which you are living."

"How could I have had any other perspective," his voice hardened as he continued. "You knew nothing of the Reset when you were High Priestess, and the Valkyrie's appearance at Radiata Castle was the first time everyone here learned of it. Now, on such short notice, you expect us to accept this alternative worldview and adhere to it even though it goes against our interests."

"The Order of Tottaus used to be common knowledge," her calm tone was still unchanged. "It was slowly forgotten over the years, first by humans, but eventually by everyone. Is it any wonder that the Reset is a necessity if you cannot even remember to maintain order in the world?"

"What about the Olacion Order," Kain asked. Lady Enjela's eyes narrowed as he explained. "Do we not tell the faithful that they serve Gods who are merciful and forgive sins when they repent? How can this be reconciled with a reality where those Gods will destroy them if they stray?"

"The Gods are merciful and forgiving," she stated, not breaking his gaze. "That is why the Order of Tottaus exists in the first place. There are opportunities to correct mistakes rather than being punished immediately after making them and, even when things get so bad that they destroy humanity, they bring it back so that they can try again to do it right."

"I see," he mulled over her words carefully, trying to think of a reply. Several long moments passed, he looked down to the floor trying to process her words. When he looked up, the High Priestess had turned back to watching the fight against the Water Dragon.

"I think you will want to see this," her words drew his attention back to the battle.

Spikes of ice whistled as they flew through the air toward Natalie, and she quickly dove out of the way. Her whole body was cold and numb from the water and she winced at the pain in her arm from the ice needles, which Lord Zane's healing had not completely erased. The dragon towered over them menacingly, and she was unsure how they would defeat it. Squeezing the hilt of her sword tightly, the General looked at the calm faces of Lady Ridley and Sir Aleks for confidence. Both appeared determined to face the monster head-on, and she tried to force down her fear and discomfort to be ready to help. Kelvin roared angrily, baring its teeth.

The Water Dragon wasted no time going on the offensive, racing through the water to attack, tail streaking toward them. Ridley was unable to get out of the way and braced herself for the impact by holding out her axe to absorb most of the blow, but was sent stumbling backward by the blow. Aleks charged in with his newly acquired spear, but was pushed back by a jet of water that the right head spit at him. Next to her, Lord Zane held out his arm and began firing wind magic at the dragon. Natalie felt overwhelmed by everything happening around her and tried to will her body to move. When Kelvin's left head fired an ice spear at her, it was Lord Zane's magic that kept her from harm.

"General, you have to fight," the elf said calmly, but firmly. She nodded without looking at him.

In front of her, Ridley was using her magic and axe to deflect the dragon's water and ice attacks, trying to get within range to strike. Aleks was swinging his spear, striking at the tail, but was repeatedly forced back before he could get within striking distance. Shaking her head to regain her focus, Natalie charged forward to attack. The dragon's right head fired a jet of water at her, which she was unable to avoid. The water shocked her system and she staggered back from its force, barely holding onto her sword. Aleks had been pushed back as well, and Lord Zane shielded both of them and himself with his magic as he had during the fight with the Earth Dragon.

"We need some kind of plan," the frustration in Aleks' voice was apparent. He was watching anxiously as Ridley continued to swing her axe at the dragon and meet its magic with her own. "I can't use the magic in this thing, and I don't know how the General and I can help if we can't get close enough to attack."

"Stay calm, Knight Captain," Lord Zane's voice did not give away whatever emotions he was feeling. "Getting through her defenses will be challenging, but we can manage it if we work together."

In front of them, Ridley had backed away from Kelvin and Lord Zane expanded his shield to encompass her. She was soaked and breathing heavily, leaning on her axe for support, but her determined gaze showed that she was still able to fight. The Water Dragon was firing spikes of ice at the shield, but stopped after they harmlessly fell away. Ridley did not look happy when she turned her eyes to the light elf.

"We need to end things quickly. We're outmatched and you don't have the strength to keep protecting us," her words were blunt, and she looked at each of them while speaking. "We need to go right at the heads. If I use the Behemoth's earth magic to shield our approach, we should have a chance."

"Kelvin will attack from all sides," the light elf cautioned, looking past them at the dragon. "You don't have enough power to shield all of us and launch that attack."

"I have more than you and we're running out of time," Ridley countered. Natalie observed in silence, wishing she had something to contribute.

"What are we going to do, then," Aleks was unwilling to sit silently like she was. "We can't even get close enough to attack, and the cold is going to wear us down."

"We need a solution, and not a restatement of the problem. I'm going to attack," Ridley's voice did little to hide her fatigue and irritation, and her look dared any of them to challenge her. The light elf looked, for a moment, as if he might say something, but he finally nodded his head in assent.

After a moment, she hefted the axe and took a deep breath. The ground shook beneath her, and Natalie gasped as a large stone dome rose up from beneath them to shield them from the water. The dome raised itself out of the water around their feet, so that they were standing on dry ground again. Natalie sighed softly at this, grateful for the reprieve. Lord Zane let his wind shield dissipate when Ridley's stone one covered them, using his magic instead to light the interior. The General was even more startled when the spherical shield began to move, rolling across the ground like a large ball without any of them pushing against its walls. She followed as Ridley walked forward, toward where the dragon had been attacking from.

"Kelvin's right in front of us, I can sense her power," Ridley sounded surprised. "I wasn't able to sense Baade's power when we fought him, but I can sense Kelvin's. This is great. I can use Behemoth's magic to keep her from running away, and we just have to be ready to attack with everything we've got when I drop the stone shield."

"And what is that, exactly," Aleks still sounded frustrated. "What is 'everything we've got' at this point? I don't even think I could use a volty blast."

"None of us has much strength left, I know, but that's exactly why we need to use what we have on a concentrated strike and end this," her face was set, but she was trying to hide her fatigue.

"I can do it," Natalie said, trying to project a confidence she did not feel. Ridley and Aleks turned to look at her. "I can use my volty blast to take out one of the heads."

"And I can use mine to take out the other," Lord Zane said immediately. Ridley frowned at this.

"You can't. You know what that will do to you," she shook her head as she spoke, suddenly sounding much less calm and determined.

"That's not a foregone conclusion, and I have more strength left than you do," the light elf stated bluntly. "All of that time you've spent fighting Kelvin by yourself, plus this shield, I know you don't have much left."

"I have enough to finish this," the two had locked eyes, Ridley was focused on Lord Zane.

"Lady Ridley, I think you need to listen to Lord Zane," the General managed to hold her voice steady.

"It condemns the whole world if you are killed here," Aleks spoke up before Ridley could reply to Natalie. "If Lord Zane has more strength left, then he needs to be the one to do this."

"I, but," recognition came over her face and she silently turned her back and faced where she had indicated the dragon would be. "Kelvin is right there, we have to be ready the instant I drop the shield."

Natalie took a deep breath and channeled her strength to her sword arm. Volty flames radiated outward as she prepared to strike. Thoughts were racing through her head about the speed and precision that would be needed to take down one of Kelvin's heads. The Water Dragon was much faster than the Earth Dragon. She took a deep, calming breath and looked to her teammates for support. Standing on her left, Lord Zane was focused on preparing a magical attack. His eyes were closed and he was concentrating deeply. Aleks stood in front of the elf with his spear up and ready to protect against incoming attacks. Ridley was watching all three to confirm they were ready. Aleks smirked and turned his head to face where they were expecting Kelvin to be. Lord Zane calmly opened his eyes and solemnly nodded. Finally, Natalie took one last breath and assented.

With a shout, Ridley clapped her hands together and the stone shield she had constructed exploded outward. However, instead of opening up space for their attack, the dust and debris rained back down upon them. Natalie had to shield her eyes from the dust, unsure what was happening. She looked around frantically to make sure the others were okay and saw that none of them had moved. When the dust began to settle, the General looked around and felt a sense of panic rush through her body. Outside of the stone dome Ridley had made to protect them, Kelvin had created an even larger dome of dense ice, which they were now trapped inside.

A moment after she came to this realization, Natalie heard the ice dome crack and saw jagged cracks run all over it. A surge of adrenaline ran through her and she called forth the flames that would accompany her volty blast. She leapt into the air as the ice dome shattered and began to rain jagged pieces of ice inward and onto them, determined to take down the dragon. The ice shards forced her to drop her head and close her eyes as she ascended. At the pinnacle of her leap, the General opened her eyes and was stunned to see ice blades hanging in the air in front of the Water Dragon. Fear gripped her, but the only thing she could do was attack.

"First Class Flurry," she shouted, flying toward Kelvin. Natalie had almost reached the dragon when she felt a spike of ice stab into her back and everything went black.

Vegeta26: Yes, I'm still writing and the story isn't going to die. I don't have a good excuse for taking so long to update, and am hopeful there won't be another long hiatus. Thank you to everyone who continues to read and review.

MagatsuIza: There will definitely be some twists and turns before it's all said and done. Hope to hear from you again.

Abbylovesmyungsoo: I like writing Alicia, and there will be some more of Aleks to come. I appreciate the kind words, and will hopefully be able to continue to writing at a good pace. Looking forward to hearing your thoughts.

The Flying Frog: The challenges are presenting difficulties for each member of the team who goes to face them, and Kain is facing a challenge of his own. I'm having fun with writing Alicia, so there will be more of her. Let me know what you think.

Alvin Nobody: The point of the challenges is to test the team on the skills needed to maintain the Order of Tottaus, so Aleks' test serves part of that purpose. Alicia is one of my favorite characters in the game, and so there will be more of her to come. Hope you'll share your thoughts.

justafan: Thanks for reviewing, it's been a fun story to write and there will be even more. I'll be anxious to know if you got caught up.