Heaven Door | The Finale of the Dragon Children Trilogy.

24 | I Am Strong

The footsteps echoed throughout the cavern made of ice. "Now, then.." King Julius stepped out of the shining ray of gold. "Which one of you shall die first?" The 11 heroes shook. They didn't move an inch. "Which shall I kill?" He pointed at everyone. "Eeny.. Meeny.. Miny.." His finger travelled over to Layla. "Moe." The king dashed at Lightspeed towards Layla. "LAYLA, NO!" Lucina fired her bow toward Julius. Julius turned his body. "Tch!" He caught the arrows in the air. "Now, you.. I change my decision to you." Artemis screamed out. "Oh, no you DON'T!" The wounded boy's body shook as he ran toward Julius. He summoned the Queen's Blade. Julius' head jerked to his left. "You.." He stared at his hand. "Where did you get that blade?" Artemis swung upwards, slashing Julius' body. "Kh.." Julius stepped back. "No. This isn't right." He summoned a golden clock above him, which spun backwards. "Let's see.." The wounded boy's body shook as he ran toward Julius. He summoned the Queen's Blade. Julius' head jerked to his left. "You.." He stared at his hand. "Where did you get that blade?" Artemis swung upwards, but Julius jumped backwards. Artemis' eyes widened. "What?! How did he.. know?!" Julius put one of his knuckles on Artemis' chest. "Grief." He dug his whole fist in. "Kh.." Artemis flew back. "Dwoh!!" Julius stood in the middle of the circle containing the 11 heroes. "Grief. Despair. Mourning." He looked down. His royal red robe, reaching down to the ground, and a rusty old crown atop his head. "Those.. are the last looks on the faces of those I disappointed.. all those years ago. Just before the reset. I pictured all the faces of the lives lost to that horrible war. To that.. monster." He raised his hand. "And that is why.." He pointed toward Artemis. "I cannot allow you to wield such a weapon. I cannot allow the supporters to live on." Euryale stood forward. "H--Hold on! You got it all wrong--" Julius shot an ice beam onto Euryale's lips, shutting them tight. "I have not got anything wrong. You.. are all planning to cause a second reset, aren't you? You.. are all rebels, supporting Ethel's cause." Ruthven frowned. "No.. you're wrong." Julius dropped his robe, revealing a blue buttoned-up shirt. "Am I? Prove me." Lilith was on the ground in the distance, breathing heavily. "Lilith is down, as well as Rem." Sol spoke. "Ruthven. As second-in-command, you take the commander position." The 10 of them stood behind their respective leaders. "You've got it all wrong, Julius." Akuji spoke. "We are not supporters of another reset. The two men who handed you that pulveriser.. they are. Led by Simetra." 8 of them, heavily wounded, shook in their shoes. "How do I know you're telling the truth?" Flora looked at him. "We're heroes." Julius stayed silent. "..." He held the soul pulveriser up. "So.. this destroys the soul, does it?" He grinned, and pointed it forward. "Then, one of you will be getting done by it."

The winds blew as all of the fighters stood in front of Julius. "That crown.." Layla ran toward Julius. "Is MINE!" Otto followed behind her, throwing his shield down. "GET ON, LAY!" Layla hopped on the shield, as Otto thrusted it upwards. Layla flew up high into the air, breaking through the ice roof. The sun shined through the crack, shining down on Julius. "Gnh.. bright.." Layla summoned the blade and flew downwards. Julius swung his fist toward her. She slipped underneath, and landed flat on all fours on the ground. "Hup!" Layla hopped over him, doing a flip in the air. Akuji summoned her sword and shield. "Fall, king!" She swung her blade forward, as did Layla. Julius smiled, as he stepped to the side. Akuji and Layla's blade clashed. Julius' soul pulveriser was in the air. "Heh!" Akuji and Layla looked up. "Get back!" Euryale shouted out, as he wrapped two loops of chains around the pair, and pulled them back toward them, forcing Julius to dig into the ground. "No.. how?" Otto shouted out from the other side. "Forget about me, didja?!" He took this opportunity, and leaned downwards. He swung his fist upwards, hitting Julius up. Lucina grabbed onto Flora's feet. "Go.." She spun her in the air, and sent her up. "Second-in-command!!" Flora landed above Julius. "Farewell, senile man." She hit her gauntlets down. Julius stuck out his hand, and summoned a clock around Flora. "Eh?!" Flora was stuck in place. While falling, Julius grinned. "How far should I send you, huh?" The clock turned backwards. Flora's body was, in the blink of an eye, changing to a younger self. "What's this?" The clock reached twelve. Flora's body dropped to the ground, as she sobbed in her knees. "Please, please.. father, don't hurt me.." Sol shouted out. "LET HER GO!!" He started running ahead. Ruthven screamed to him. "Sol, you're the backlines! Grr.." Sol screamed in rage. "WHAT HAVE YOU DONE TO HER?!" His staff glowed, as he flipped it around to the spear side. "Don't you worry, I simply brought her back to her past." "Please, please.. father, don't hurt me.." Sol kicked Julius away, and jumped toward the golden clock. "Maybe.. it's something to do with this." He looked toward Euryale. "EURYALE! THROW ME TO THE CLOCK!!" Julius stood up. "Oh no you don't.." Artemis and Lucina jumped in his way. "Try and get past." They summoned their weapons. Otto stood behind him. "No escape, king." Julius frowned. "Tch." Euryale surrounded Layla with chains. "He's out of my reach.. I'm gonna throw you to him, and you boost him. Got it?!" Layla nodded. "Yeah!" She got flung in the air. "C'mon, SOL!" She placed her palms on his feet. Layla pulled her hands back, and shoved them upwards. "Break the seal!!!" Sol dug his spear straight through the centre of the giant clock. Flora's body went back into the air, swinging downwards again. "The.. hell?!" Sol looked back at Layla. "Yeah!" Layla put her thumbs up.