Legend of Parocaav II: Against the Darkness (rough draft)

Chapter XXVIII: The Final Trial

"Leon! Watch out!" Roku yells.

The beast becomes transparent again as it roars and it leaps toward Leon. He twists his arms in front of himself and he vanishes in a puff of white smoke. Leon reappears directly behind the beast and points both of his hands straight out with his fingers apart. Blue electricity shoots out and shocks the beast. It roars out in pain and becomes solidified to the Bringers again, leaving Leon's attack useless.

Without warning, the beast strikes at Roku, tearing the sleeve on her right arm. Its claws narrowly miss her skin as they pass. She immediately strikes back with shards of ice, which impale the beast. It roars out again, fading back to Leon's time. The beast shoots fire from its mouth and it engulfs Leon. Just as it does, Leon moves his hands together. He chants as water forms around the fire, extinguishing the flames. His body glows green so he can heal the burns.

Infuriated, the beast roars again. It vanishes in a plume of darkness. Several seconds pass before it returns. The beast appears behind Drayk and bites down into his arm. He yells out in pain as he covers himself in a veil of fire that burns the beast. It roars out once again and vanishes. Blood pours from the wound on Drayk's arm. Roku runs over to him and heals the wounds with her Life Magic.

"What the hell is this thing?" Drayk asks.

"It is Lord Bahemyth's pet. The beast is unknown to any text found outside this labyrinth," Leon explains, "Deep within his own personal library, contains information about this beast. Its name is Era. Lord Bahemyth created it to guard the Hall of Illusionary Time. It is the final trial, and we are both in danger. We'll talk more later. Stay alert."

The beast roars out, even louder than it has before and reappears before Leon. The Bringers of Hope cover their ears at the sound. Leon rushes over and strikes the beast with a dagger shaped like a hooked claw. Blood pours from the beasts side as it roars out again. It vanishes from Leon's time and re-enters the Bringers'. Roku twists her arms around and Era is enveloped with flames. It roars out and vanishes once more.

Leon scribbles an alchemic circle into the ground. Just as Era appears again, he touches the circle. It lights up, getting brighter and brighter. The beast stops to shield its eyes from the blinding light. It passes back into the Bringers' time. Even blinded, Drayk strikes at the beast. His blade cuts down the length of the beast as he runs down its side. Blood drops to the ground, making a light dripping sound as it hits. Era whips its tail at Drayk, striking him hard in the chest.

Drayk is thrown dozens of yards away, slamming into the dirt. Roku lifts her arms straight up, causing rock spikes to shoot up beneath Era's feet. They pierce through its paws and it leaps into the air. Era vanishes as it roars out again. After a moment, it returns, but it has recovered. All of its wounds are gone, as if it wasn't there. Leon draws another alchemic circle into the ground as he gestures the Bringers to his side with his other hand. They reach him as he presses it. A dome made out of pure diamond encases them.

"We don't have much time and we need to come up with a strategy," Leon says in a panic, "No questions, just ideas."

"It heals when in disappears into time, and it can shift between times when it roars.... can we disarm that somehow?" Roku ponders out loud.

"We have to silence the beast," Drayk states.

"Sounds like you have an idea," Leon says with hope in voice.

"I do. We can silence it without killing it. Once we've got it worn down, we can contain it," Drayk explains, "This is what we're going to do...."

Several minutes later ~

Era is beginning to crack the diamond dome from continuous strikes. Leon attacks the beast immediately with bursts of electric balls. It immediately roars and fades back into the Bringers' time. Once safe, Leon removes his cloth belt from his robes. Era slashes at Drayk with its razor sharp claws, but he parries the attack with his sword. Roku comes up from behind and lands on the beast, stabbing it with her twin blades.

The beast growls and swats her off its back with its tail as it jumps back away from them. It roars again, fading into Leon's time. The moment it does, Leon jumps into its neck and locks his legs around it. He uses his belt to close the beasts mouth. Two knives shoot into Era's paws, making it move them away from its mouth. Leon jumps off his back as Drayk touches a second circle Leon had drawn. A diamond casing covers the beast tight against the ground. Era is now unable to move or roar. Angered, it growls at them.

"Did.... we do it?" Roku asks.

"We did," Leon answers with a smile, "Good thinking Drayk."

"Why didn't you just tell us how to beat it? Wouldn't you know?" Drayk asks him.

"That, I did not know. Remember, I am the Leon you know, but many many years younger," Leon explains, "I am only three hundred and four now at this point in my life. Come, let's continue to the Halls of Illusionary Time."

Leon, accompanied by the Bringers approach the massive gate. From its base, the top cannot be seen. It even stretches out for miles in both directions. In the very center of it, a small door is hidden among the wood. Leon walks over to it and traces the alchemic circle in the middle of the door, its outline glows yellow as he does. The sound of a lock clicking echoes from behind the gate. Leon pushes on the small door which slowly moves open.

The Bringers of Hope follow Leon behind the gate. The beauty of the other side is beyond anything they've seen before. The door opens into a small hallway before opening up into a hidden paradise. Tropical trees grow tall and a waterfall pours into a small lake. Far off next to the waterfall, a small cave is seen. Next to the lake is a small camping area, setup with tents. Aside from the campsite, this area appears to be untouched.

Images of the cosmos fade in and out throughout the air here. Glimpses of ancient and past times fade in and out as well. All of times history flashing before their very eyes. Drayk is staring off straight up, watching shooting stars. Leon looks down and notices the Bringers and himself are now within the same time. Roku's eyes are lit up by all that she is seeing. Something catches her attention though, only for a brief moment. An image of Tao fighting alongside Leon during the Ragnarok War.