A Hero's End

Campaign: A Hero's End

Chapter 10 / 5-2

A Hero's End

Previous Quest

To the Final Battle

Next Quest

The Netherwyrm's Roar

Summary

The prince meets with Zethia and Leonidas once again, and learns the Founder King sacrificed himself to seal away the Other some 300 years ago. Hoping to save Alberius, the party delves ever deeper into the ruins.

Dialogue

Clave Loy'elune Roooooooar! That was a dragon! It sounded like Mars! Mars is my brother Leonidas's pactwyrm, which means he must be here as well. I sense a ferocious flow of mana. They may be engaged in battle. No... It couldn't be! Roaaaaar! Aether link system opened! All iso-space connections established! Mana plug inserted! All locks released! Now, Mars! Full alchemical burst! Roooooooar! ...Heh. Not even a twitched eyebrow, eh? You seem rather calm, given that I negated an attack into which you poured all of your strength. I know better than to underestimate you. The alchemy infused into this dragon and the otherworldly power within myself both stem from the same sources... Sources which you are closer to. The power I possess will not defeat you. Yet you still challenge me? Ha ha ha! This attitude truly befits a crown prince. Your drive and ambition know no bounds, and you do not balk at violating taboos. Oh yes. I like you very much indeed. Then would you seek to care for me as you might look after a beloved pet? That is quite an honor indeed. Aaah ha ha! I fear your soft words are negated by the bloodlust in your eyes. And while this is as good a place as any for a showdown, I do not believe that you and I are enemies at all. Heh. Perhaps not. At least not until I free this world from its ancient rule. Then why don't you and I... Ah, but there's no need for us to rush to conclusion. First, we must greet our new guests! Morsayati! Welcome, descendant of Alberius! Oh, but I DO love a good family reunion. Speaking of which, the great king into whom you placed so much hope is waiting for you even now. Hey! That monument's doing stuff! I wager it is reacting to the dragonblood in Zethia. Look well upon this, all of you! Behold the final days of your hero! The final portion of the Other's flesh ought to be here... Look there, King. By the goddess, is THAT the core of the Other?! But how was it not destroyed when the soul was sealed away? How pitiful you are, Alberius. Morsayati?! Where are you?! Show yourself, fiend! You ought to know where I am, mortal. You sealed me away, after all. You're in my body—no, my blood. Yes. The soul within your blood awoke when you stood before my body. So even though I sealed away your soul, your body still yet lives... I would not expect an insect such as yourself to understand my magnitude. Even without a soul, my body still possesses the strength to lay waste to your entire kingdom. GRAAAAAAARRRGH! I must put an end to this, no matter the cost! And how will you do this, human? Your beloved holy blade is destroyed, and I now exist in your very blood! You cannot defeat me, so why resist? Offer your flesh unto me, human! Become the cornerstone of my rebirth! Never! This body is still my own! You are an amalgamation of pure power. I will absorb that power and contain it! What arrogance! Your pathetic flesh sac could never hope to contain me! King... I will join you. You know as well as I that would curse you as well, Chthonius. My will is ever with you, my king. It saddens me beyond measure to do this, old friend, but I see no other way... So by the power and honor of our pact, lend your strength to me one last time! GRAAAAGH! S-such miasma... But I must hold fast... I must absorb it all! Nnnnnnggggh! N-now, Morsayati... You and I shall rest... in the depths of the earth...for all time... Heh heh heh... You didn't honestly believe you could take my power into your body and pay no cost for it, did you? Gurk... Arrrgh... GRRRRAAAAGH! Unnngh... Such is the reward for a human who attempts to fill the office of a god. Your miserable flesh cannot hold me in check forever! My resurrection is simply a matter of time! Nonetheless, I have bought humanity time. Our hopes now lie with future generations. So that was how the Founder King met his end... K-King Alberius! *sob* Ah, it would make me wail as well to see the hero in whom I placed all of my trust meet such a feeble end. There was nothing feeble about it! Yeah, it wasn't permanent, but at least it kept yer miserable butt sealed away for a few hundred years! Alberius gave everything he had to bring peace to this world. All I see is a man who lived with honor to his very last breath. I am proud to call him my ancestor! Aaaah ha ha ha! Will you still say that after what you see next? Hrrrrraaaagh! Hold a moment. Who was THAT?! Clearly a dragon of some sort, yet the roar was so ominous... Eeeeek! S-something is creeping up from over the precipice! Grrrrruuugh... No... It can't be... Chthonius! So I know I'm not the smartest guy in the room, but if that's Chthonius, doesn't that mean it's also...? The Founder King! Alberius! Urg...gugh... It seems storing the Other has not exactly done wonders for his health. He's going to attack us all! Save meeee! M...my...descendants... Ah! Think of the strength required to hold onto his humanity under such conditions... Such force of will! M-my descendants... I would have you... grant my final wish... My body...and my spirit... are at their limits... The Other is in the midst of his revival... and I can hold him back no longer. You must...destroy me... Destroy me and the beast's core...while you can! You always WERE the chatty one, Alberius! Gurk... GRAAAAGH! Look out! He's goin' crazy! I wager the Other's influence is revitalizing the core within Chthonius. AAAARGH! We're all gonna be turned into paste if he keeps thrashin' around in here! M-MY DESCENDANTS! YOU MUST... He flew off... Man, talk about an exit! We have to follow him! And what do you intend to do when you catch up to him?! Y-you can't possibly mean to... ...... No, you can't! YOU CAN'T! It ain't like we got much of a choice, Cleo. I know, Ranzal... And yet, I cannot fight His Majesty! I'm not giving up hope just yet, Cleo. But we'll never know if we can help him if we don't track him down right now! I will never give up on His Majesty. Never! Come on, everyone. Let's go!