Heaven Door | The Finale of the Dragon Children Trilogy.

15 | Reunion

"I don't understand.." Euryale looked at Rem and Layla. "How did you two get out?" Rem smiled. "We'll tell you.. but first.. what happened here?" Slowly, but indeed, everyone began to open their eyes. "I think I got a good idea." Layla bumped Rem. "Rose, and Luna?" Euryale nodded. "Yes." Rem looked around. "They.. are quite formidable foes, to be able to defeat 3 Warriors and 4 Holy Stones." Euryale looked away, almost as if he was nervous. "Indeed.. In fact, one might take an educated guess and state.." He looked at Rem, his eyes filled with fear. "Those two are more powerful than Simetra himself." Rem stayed silent. Akuji, Ruthven, and Lilith walked over. "Rem! You're alive!" Akuji smiled. She nodded. "Yup! You 3 look.. pretty messed up." Layla stepped away from the reunion. Her eyes travelled over to the 2 Warriors, Sol, and Flora, shakily standing up. "You two.." They looked up. "Layla.." Sol and Flora sprinted as fast as they could. "LAAAYLAAA!" Flora leaped forward, and tackled her to the ground, wrapping her in a tight hug. "Oh goshhh, you've grown so much!!!" Layla squinted her eyes. "Owie.. Floooraa.." Flora let go, and jumped up. "Eh? Oh, sorry! Oh, I didn't mean to, I swear!" Layla rubbed the back of her head as she stood up. "It's alright!" She looked over at Sol. "Sol!" He nodded. "Yeah!" She took slow steps toward him. "Hey.. you two are okay, right?" Sol chuckled. "Yeah. We got over what happened. Besides, she knows that if we really fought, I would kick her ass." Flora growled. "Oi! Watch it!" He giggled. As the pair bickered, Layla looked in the gap between them. A man stood still, staring directly into her eyes. She stepped forward, walking in between Sol and Flora. Her footsteps felt lighter, all of a sudden. A wave of nostalgia blew past her face, as her mind clicked in place. Everyone had stopped talking, and simply watched. "Otto.." Otto began tearing up. His feet moved on their own. All of a sudden, he was sobbing, waterfalls of tears running down his cheeks, as he ran toward Layla. Layla picked up her pace. It felt like slow motion. They were both running as fast as they could, but it didn't seem fast enough. They had to be faster. As Layla neared Otto, she jumped up in the air. Her arms wrapped around his neck, as he spun his body around, spinning her in the air. His hands were placed on her back, keeping her wrapped around him. "Layla.." She cried into his shoulder. "Otto.." Her voice broke. "Papa.." He placed one of his hands on her hair, as he gently brushed it downwards. "My little girl.." She apologised. "I'm sorry.. I couldn't protect papa.." Otto chuckled, almost as if he was trying to stop his tears. "Don't be silly.. it was my fault.. I couldn't protect you." Layla shook. "Death is so painful.. y'know that?" Otto nodded, in agreement. "I know, baby. I know." He put her on the ground, as they both wiped the tears from their eyes. "Hik.. Hik!" Akuji was on her knees, sobbing into her eyes. "So.. emotional!..." Ruthven patted her back. "Get up.. you're causing a scene.." Euryale lifted up his glasses, and wiped his eyes. "Well.. now that that.. heartfelt reunion is over.. we need to plan our next course of action." He looked toward the group. "Finding the Old King Julius." His finger pointed to the timer in the sky. "50 Hours. We don't have long."

Simetra sat in a chair, surrounded by 6 others. They sat in a circle, almost as if it was a debate. "I summon you, New World Order." The chairs around him were filled. "Stand up from your chair, and introduce yourself and your role." He shook his head. "And do not worry, for as long as we are in here, the outside world has been frozen in time. As soon as this meeting ends, you shall all be returned to your original places." He raised his hand. This meeting was practically a recreation of the meetings that the Dark Lords had. Almost as if he was trying to repeat a cycle. The 1st person sitting on the chair stood up. "Former King Faolan. My role is capturing the Holy Stones. As for my past.. It is truly bloodfilled. I ruled over Kraghon for a few days, and yet, I watched my people die and suffer, without a single survivor, due to the damned Stones." Simetra nodded, as Faolan sat down. The 2nd person stood up. "The name is Ahriman, the Fallen Angel. My goal is to force Lilith into a fusion, to raise my strength, and to devastate the enemy forces. I was the first ever 'Holy Stone', though I wouldn't relate myself with them. I am Lilith's father, in turn, making me Naphtali's great uncle. Unfortunately, the Holy Stone disease was my fault, and I apologise for that profusely." He sat down, crossing one leg over the other. The 3rd person stood up. "Naphtali." He took a deep breath before speaking. "I am Simetra's loyal assistant. My goal is to destroy.. everything." He looked away, disappointed in his past. "My past does not matter to me anymore. I am no longer friends with the Stones.. nor am I in love with Rem. Trust me, I will not hesitate to dig a blade deep inside her if need be." He sat down. Simetra smirked. "Yes.. that's right, you little slave.." The 4th person stood up. "Phirana. Dark Dragon, reincarnated. My goal is to get rid of those little sideliners, such as Eclipse and Viola. My past.. my family's blood has always had Dragon in it. Though, none of them had ever reached their full potential. Until I did, awakening my Dragon form. Just as Simetra is Artemis, simply from another timeline.." Naphtali's eyes widened, as he noticed where he knew her from. "I am simply Viola, the Light Dragon, from another timeline. In my world.. Holy Stones did not exist. Naphtali came to me once Beelzebub attacked Kraghon.. but I did not turn my head. I murdered him. Right. There. I made an alliance with Beelzebub. I destroyed everything that existed there." She looked over at Naphtali. "You don't know what Viola's true intentions could have been." Simetra nodded. "Indeed. You may sit down. Speaking of sideliners, Cecilia has died. Meaning their alliance suddenly has no healer to heal them. Kehehe.. this truly is turning out our way." The two remaining members stood up at the same time. "Luna." "Rose!" They smiled. Rose spoke, cheerfully. "Our goal is to just, I guess, wreck havoc all around the battlegrounds!" Luna nodded. "Yes. And our past.." They looked at each other. "No. We will not reveal that, just yet. All you need to know, is that we are the same person. Someone you all know, but again, from different timelines." Simetra didn't say anything to that. "The plan is simple. Naphtali, Ahriman, Faolan and I will wait put for the so-called 'heroes' to return. Phirana, you will attack Eclipse and Viola. Luna and Rose.." They looked over. "I am sensing two new energies on the battlefield. Take care of them." He turned around. "Dismissed." They vanished.

Rose ran through the battlegrounds, looking for this "New Energy" Simetra said he felt. "Ugh.. annoying commander. How am I even supposed to find anything like this?.." She felt a strong mind, east of her. "Huh?! What is this..?!" She used her ability to read it. Rose.. there she is. I'll finally show Naphtali who his true love is. With my powers of the Garden.. of Eden! Large vines, with thorns on their sides, flew past both sides of Rose. "Shit! What kind of ability.." The thorn cut her cheek. ".. Is this?!" She leaned back. "Gotta play limbo with her.. huh?!" The girl was in front of her. She had a throne made of greenery, and she sat on top of it. "Future Queen of Kraghon." Rose smiled, nervously. "Who does she think she is?.." She pointed toward her. "You're insane!" The girl smiled. "Insane? No.. I would simply say.. sick." Rose raised her fists in the air. "Alright.. just who are you?"

Phirana reappeared in front of Isaac, and flew toward him. "Direct order from the Commander." Isaac thought to himself. Commander?! What.. but she was here the whole time! He broke out of her grasp. Shit! I can't handle this.. Eclipse, take the wheel! Isaac transformed into Eclipse, and threw Phirana into the ground. "Perish, brat." He charged up a white, power blast. "Bring it!" A lady jumped in front of the blast, and hit it away toward the ground. Eclipse grit his teeth. "You.. tch. You're on our side. Why interfere?" The purple cloak revealed the woman, as it flew off her head. "This is my battle, isn't it, Phirana?" Viola looked over at her. "Just you and I. Light Dragon against Dark Dragon." Phirana prepared her battle stance. "Heh.. I've been waiting for this."

Luna had 1000 dead bodies surrounding her, as she sprinted through the grounds. "Powerful.. energy?" She put the bodies beneath her, to make a sort of tower. "I'm sure I can find it from up here.." She looked downward. "What is that?.." A golden spear flew directly toward her. "Hmp." She caught it in its track. "Nice aim.." She inspected the spear. "And not a bad weapon at all.." She noticed a rope at the end of the weapon. "Hm?" A man started pulling himself up. He let go near the top, launching him in the air. "Is this.. the energy?" He was surrounded by gold armour, and he had a long, white beard. He screamed. "HRROOAAAAHHH!" He pulled his spear out of her grasp, as she sent 10 bodies toward him. "I'll take care of you." He started falling downward, spinning in the air, stabbing through the bodies. He landed on his feet, facing Luna. "Breaking past my defences, huh? Just who.. are you?" He stood tall and proud. "It is time.." He raised his spear. "Time to be the father I should've been back then."

Everyone had prepared to leave for the Old King. "If my estimates are correct.. the Old King should be frozen in a cavern somewhere in the Savorn galaxy." Euryale looked at everyone. "And if he isn't?" Lilith asked. "If your estimates are incorrect?" He stayed silent for a while, before responding. "Then.. we all fade away." Ruthven looked over at the Cecilia statue. This would be the last time he would see her. "Cecilia, darling.. I'll see you again, someday." Akuji cracked his fists. "Damn, that battle with the pair got me all fired up! Let's go find this King!" Rem's jaw dropped. "I sure hope you're not acting that informal when we meet him.." Sol smiled. "I'll be sure to show him what the new generation of fighters can do." Otto nodded. "That's right. He's been locked away for a long time, hasn't he? He is sure to be confused." Flora spoke after him. "He may attack us.. but if he does, I know we'll be able to handle it. No problem." Layla jumped. "Ooh yeah, finally! Back for another adventure!" Euryale smiled at everyone. "You all ready? Let's get goin'--" He was cut off by a bright, gold glow coming from two of the Heaven Doors. "Gahh!" Akuji covered her eyes. Layla was the only one who held a single eye open. "Guys.." She pointed, as everyone attempted to look. "It's.." Otto jumped forward. "It's Artemis and Lucina's Heaven Doors." Sol's eyes widened. "They're.. glowing."