Heaven Door | The Finale of the Dragon Children Trilogy.

25 | Return of Heroes

Rem, who had just woken up, wrapped her arm around Lilith's shoulder. "You okay?.." Lilith groaned. "Yeah.. I think so. Is Naphtali already gone?" Lilith nodded. "Mm." They both looked over to the large group of people. "Woah.. what happened there?" They looked at each other, and nodded, before picking up their pace to the large group. Rem knelt down when she got there. Her legs hadn't healed fully. "Guys.. what happened?" Euryale looked up at her. His face red, his eyes glossy. "Rem.." He sniffled. Rem looked at everyone. "What? Where's.. where's Ruthven?" Julius spoke from afar. "I'm sorry.. I.. I.." Rem looked over at him. "You.. it was YOU?!" She got up, and limped over to him. "YOU.." She picked him up by his collar. "I'LL KILL YOU! I SHOULD'VE.. WE SHOULD'VE NEVER FREED YOU!!" She threw him down, and stomped down with her foot. "DAMN!! YOU!!!" Akuji spoke up. "Rem.. that's enough, already.." Lilith looked down. "I.. I couldn't do anything. I couldn't help.." Rem continued beating Julius down. "Rem.. please." Flora looked over at her. Lucina grabbed onto her arm. "Rem. You have to stop.." Rem threw her arm back, knocking Lucina over. "WHY.. WHY ARE YOU ALL SO ACCEPTING OF HIM?!" They stayed silent. Otto walked forward. "Why are you so accepting of Naphtali?" She looked at him. "He's committed mass genocide. Does that.. not change your mind about him?" "..." "Think of it this way. Ruthven's sacrifice.. will be to no avail if you kill Julius." Rem stopped hitting him. She looked down, her hair a mess. "Get up.. you.. little prick." Rem turned her back to him. "I will never forgive you for this. Mark my words.. once this war is over.. so is your life." Her eye looked at him with a menacing stare. Euryale stood up and wiped his eyes. "We.. we have to move on." He looked at the empty spot on the ground where Ruthven's body once lay. "We can't.. be stuck on this forever. There are people out there.. they need our help." Sol nodded. "Right.." Lilith spoke up. "Does everyone remember their respective battles? If not, I will name them out like so. Akuji and I will fight father.. or, Ahriman. Euryale, Sol and Otto, you take Faolan. Trust me, he is a worthy enemy.. he fought Naphtali on the same level as when I was fused with Ahriman. Without his power.. you will need 3 of you to fight him. Rem, Flora. You two.. will take Naphtali. If possible, attempt to.. free him." Julius stood up. "If I may.. I would like to help out on that part. I want to.. free this person you all adore." Rem twitched. "Tch. Fine. And.. if my theory is correct, Isaac was there when Cecilia and Viola died. That would mean.. they had to have left some sort of message for their brother and son. We'll try to find him, and free Naphtali that way." Lilith nodded. "Right. Furthermore, Artemis, Lucina and Layla. You all take Simetra. If anyone knows how to defeat him, it shall be you." They all nodded. "Alas, my final note.." She sighed. "In the unlikely event of me fusing with father.." She looked up. "You will have to free Naphtali. No one can kill Lilihman.. but him."

Simetra and Faolan waited for the arrival of Ahriman and Naphtali. "So, Faolan." Simetra looked over at him. "Tell me. Who, exactly, are you?" Faolan raised an eyebrow. "Sir?" Simetra let out a silent nod. Faolan looked up into the skies. "I.. I don't know. I've been trying to figure that out for years, now. Truth is, I'm nothing.. I'm not royalty. I'm not part of any royal family. Though I may be the last king of Kraghon, that was never meant to be. If Naphtali hadn't left, I would've still been nothing. But before then, I was still trying to figure out who I was. I felt like.. I was MEANT to be someone important. But I just never was. I was only the friend of a prince. With that said.. I guess, I'm no one." Simetra smiled, almost as if he was trying to express sympathy. "Well, everyone has to be someone." Faolan smiled. "Nah. Not me. I'm fine with being no one. As long as I've got Naphtali.. I'll be his protector." Simetra looked at him. "And what after that? Faolan, what do you want?" Faolan gave it some thought, before closing his eyes and thinking of Kraghon. Naphtali, Cecilia, Eden. The simple times. "I'd quite like.." His eyes shed 2 tears. "I'd quite like.. to go home now." Simetra smiled. Naphtali and Ahriman appeared from the skies. "They've returned." Faolan looked at Naphtali. He ran up to him swiftly. "Naphtali!! Hey, are you okay?!" Naphtali, emotionless, responded to him. "Mhm." His eyes were wide. He looked destroyed, mentally. "Naphtali.. what happened?" Naphtali thought of Rem. Faolan frowned. "Sit down. I've put up a barrier to protect us." He pushed a smile through. 'Naphtali.. you've always felt so close, yet so far. Before you had to leave.. I felt a connection between us. Like.. I almost had you. But then, when you met Rem.. you.. changed. Rem.. Rem. REM.' His fist clenched. 'That's right. My life got ruined because of the HOLY STONES and.. REM.. KILL. REM.' Ahriman landed in front of Simetra. "My lord." Simetra felt something within. "I feel a presence.. missing. Within the Hallway.." He grinned. "That's right.. you gave Julius the pulveriser, didn't you? Ruthven.." Naphtali's head jerked, and stared at Simetra. "Ruthven is dead." Naphtali thought of Ruthven. "Ruthven.. is dead?.." Simetra nodded. "Indeed.. victory is one step closer." Faolan looked at Naphtali's expression. "Naph.." Naphtali stared down. "Kh.." He started tearing up. "What.." His mind flashed back memories from his original memories with the Holy Stones. "What the hell am I even doing?" Ahriman and Simetra stared off into the distance. "The final battle.." Simetra smirked. "Will soon begin. For the return of 'heroes'.. is coming swiftly."