It was done. S.O.P.H.I.A. had left after all she had done. The platform she once sat on had been pushed back and now, a gaping hole was revealed. This was the way to the Nikolai of this reality. Richtofen looked fearfully at Dempsey as the American fired upon the stairs, clearing the way for Takeo and Nikolai to get inside. On their way over, Nikolai had regained his senses, completely fine, however, he could not recount much of the battle. This worried Takeo, but the other assured him it was nothing.
To prove he was serious about being fine, Nikolai took Takeo to something he had built: the Guard of Fafnir. The shield was lighter than expected for Takeo and Nikolai ensured he was rightly fitted with it, before they head off. Entering the Communications building, Takeo activated the trap and turned to watch many zombies being flung away. Nikolai stood by him to watch, rather enjoying the sight of flying Hell-Pigs. Takeo suddenly grinned.
"I wonder if, perhaps, one might be frung into the Dragons path and the Dragon eats him~"
And he laughed. Nikolai was gob-smacked to hear Takeo laugh so loudly and cheerily. A rarity was a smile, grinning was a blink-and-miss-forever moment, but a laugh... it was impossible! Nikolai felt worry creep up on him as he watched Takeo laughing, but it left when he slowly stopped, smiling still. Takeo took Nikolais' hand and walked him up the stairs to the Dragon.
He had nothing to fear.
Quickly, Richtofen gave Takeo and Nikolai each a Guantlet of Siegfried. The baby dragons chorused greetings to their masters. Nikolai smiled and gave the litthe creature loving pats and baby-gibbrish, the dragon whelp chirping its' happiness. Takeo smiled at the scene, his own whelp curling by his neck.
To perfectly ruin the sweet moment, a loud chorus of undead howls arose from behind and all around. The dragon whelps growled, fire flaring at their noses, but they need not of fire, for they were leaving. Dempsey raised his arm, his own dragonling returning to his arm, as he quickly retreated from the stairs as waves of screeching zombies began to overrun the building.
Together, the four dove down the hatch and were shot out. They landed in all forms beside the mech-suited Russian. Inside, Nikki glugged down his vodka, little knowing of their arrival, until he put the empty bottle down. He gave a grin to them, his features contorted slightly by glee, drunkenness and madness of both kinds. Before anyone could speak or act, a roar erupted from the skies, thunderous and deafening.
"Quick! You must help me kill the beast!" Nikki shouted.
"If we do, what will you do for us?" Dempsey replied.
"If you kill it, I will do what you want."
It was enough for everyone. Richtofen quickly dashed to the circle of pillars and freed the Russian with a beam from one of the Giants. The mech-suit burst from the debris and stood and turned to the sound of wing beats. Suddenly, a giant dragon appeared with a belch of fire and a roar that could split the Heavens. The huge creature settled on some buildings, glaring down at its' Russian foe, before Nikki shot at it, making it more mad than it was.
It spat fire at the five, missing them all by good luck and reflexes, but like everywhere else, zombies appeared out of everywhere to get them in their safe zones. The undead were like a plague that didn't know how to quit. Fire and bullets rained with the blood, as the battle ensued, the final battle to free them all from this nightmare.
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The Dragon breathed it's last, falling dead upon the ground with an earthquake thud. Nikki hollered his delight, but it was short-lived. He had a deal to uphold with the four strangers. Dempsey stood before the glass and Nikki, looking serious and a little worried.
"You gotta stop now and come with us!" he yelled.
"I do not think I will" the mech-suit stood tall and foreboding. "A Russian NEVER surrenders!"
With a metallic whir, the gun was aimed and fired at the group. The four quickly dove for cover, Nikolai taking Takeo with him, while the other two stuck together. Nikolai held Takeo, shaking with terror at the impending death battle. He had not shaken so for the Dragon because the Dragon was not he or this delusion older self. He did not want to loose anyone to himself, but definitely not his heart.
Takeo gently patted his arm, and he looked down urgently to meet the amber gaze of his lover. The more he looked, the more Nikolai realised that Takeos' eyes were not amber, but gold in fire light, burning with warrior purpose. His eyes said it all:
We are almost free. Come fight with me in one last battle.
Nikolai slowly let go and took up his BRM and shotgun, giving a quick glance to is dragon whelp, before looking to Takeo. Takeo took up his katana, posed to spring into the fight, he looked at Nikolai briefly, before charging into the fray, Nikolai stumbling quickly after. Nikki spun around, firing shots madly, distracted away from Richtofen, who quickly scuttled away to safety, firing his Ray Gun Mk. III at the mecha.
Takeo dodged and dived, missing bullets and mechanical arms with ease of practice from Panzers. Nikolai shot at the glass and the arms with his gun, diving for cover as Takeo regained Nikkis' attention. By chance, Nikolai dived on top of Dempsey and sent him flying into the open. Richtofen ran past, looking for shelter, and tripped over his comrade.
"What the fuck?!" Dempsey yelled, grabbing the Doc. "We want to survive and this fucker--"
"I'm sorry, Dempsey" Nikolai helped him and Richtofen hide again. "I honestly did not know you were hiding here!"
"Me?" Dempsey scoffed. "I ain't hidin'."
"Shure you are not, Dempshey" Richtofen said, sarcastically. "Und I am not a Doctor."
"Shut up."
As Nikolai went to speak, he remembered someone important still fighting above. His eyes widened and he leapt up, before scrambling over the mounds to get to Takeo, who was being cornered. Dempsey and Richtofen quickly followed, firing at the mecha with everything they had. Nikki growled in annoyance, turning his gun and attention on the German and American, while Nikolai got close and disabled the gun arm with Takeo. Nikki only saw the flash of steel, before the arm was on the ground with a clank.
Nikki gave a roar of anger, shaking the suit and sending his attackers flying. Takeo managed to roll, gaining nothing too damaging, but Nikolai was less lucky as he hit a brick wall and crumpled like paper. He lay still, face down, his whelps crying from under him. Takeo quickly raced over to him, rolling him over and inspecting his body for visible injury. The whelp crawled onto Nikolais' chest and cried out to Takeo to help it.
Gently, Takeo touched Nikolais' head, figuring the man had only been knocked unconscious and split his head a little on a sharp brick. He cradled Nikolais' head, keeping watch with the little dragonlings, while Richtofen and Dempsey fought behind him. It was only a minute, before Nikolais' eyes fluttered open again, blue eyes sparkling from his sleep-like state. He blinked up at Takeo, who in turn, smiled and helped him to his feet to fight again.
"Thank you, Take" he replied, slowly. "I will repay you for this."
"You arready have."
There was no need to ask, for Nikolai knew why this was, but he had a plan in mind if they survived. He took a breath and took up arms, before racing back into battle to finish this fight and free his other self.
