Fire Emblem: The Lion's Blade 35 Chapter 35: Dragon's Gate

"We're here…" I let out a breath looking at the ruins. Out of the corner of my eye I see Ninian shaking.

"What's wrong, Ninian?" Eliwood speaks up before I have the chance.

"This place… so frightening. Something… powerful…" She mumbles out continuing to tremble.

"It's her power, isn't it?" Lyn says looking at the ruins with a wary gaze.

"Her power? What's that?" Hector says shooting Ninian a gaze.

"Ninian has the ability to sense impending danger. Her memory may be gone, but her power remains." Lyn explains to Hector.

"I… should not have… come here. Something awful will happen if I'm here. Ah!!" Ninian screams before trying to run. I grab a hold of her.

"Ninian!? Snap out of it!" Eliwood shouts to her grabbing ahold of her and taking her from me.

I put a hand on my sword and look around for threats.

"This place… No… I…I…" Ninian says trying to get out of Eliwood's grip.

"She's getting worse! Let's get her away from here!" Eliwood shouts. A distortion in s.p.a.ce appears near the front of the ruin. I step in front of the group to block the teleporter.

"You'll not be going anywhere." From the distortion, Ephidel steps out. "That little bird has escaped this island cage twice. Now that she's back, she'll not be allowed to fly away again." He says pointing at Ninian with the one arm he has remaining.

"Who are you!?" Eliwood says while hiding Ninian behind himself.

"We meet at last. I am Ephidel. Pleased to make your acquaintance." He says with a mock bow.

"You're Ephidel? I've been looking forward to this." Hector says unsheathing his axe.

"…Gallantly spoken. Of course, I know who you are." He says looking towards Hector. "Marquess Ostia's younger brother, Lord Hector." His eyes then move to Lyn. "And here we have Caelin's beloved princess, Lady Lyndis. The wife of a traitor." He says shooting a glare at me.

"The lion of the Black Fang. The only one to escape the fang's punishment… It looks like I'll have the honor of delivering it." He says with a grin. His eyes turning towards our latest recruit, Uhai. "You have joined them as well? Hmph no matter. You'll die like the rest."

I take my blade and pierce him through, or I would have if he hadn't vanished. 's.h.i.t!'

"Eliwood! Block him from grabbing Ninian!" I yell out to him turning and running over to them.

Ephidel appears beside Ninian and grabs a hold of her. Before Eliwood has a chance to stop him, he instantly teleports away with her in hand.

"Ninian!" He shouts out reaching for her figure.

I turn to look around the ruins to see where the fastest route inside the ruins is, but only find us surrounded by enemies.

"I am Darin, Marquess Laus! Ruler of this world!" An insane man yells out as he orders his men to charge at us.

'f.u.c.k!'

--

(Inside the Dragon Gate)

Ephidel and Ninian appear inside the room holding Lord Elbert. Inside the room is Lord Nergal as well.

"Ah… You've done well. Precious Ephidel. Begin the ritual." Nergal says looking at the girl. His eyes turning to Ephidel's lost arm. His eyes turning grim.

Ephidel sees his eyes, but does as ordered and takes Ninian away from the ritual.

"Nergal!" Elbert shouts out gathering the groups attention.

Nergal looks at him and lets out a condescending laugh. "Does it gall you, Marquess Pherae? It's destiny. There could be no other outcome. Despite all of your mischief, the girl was fated to return to me."

"My son… Where is Eliwood?" Elbert says preparing himself.

"He's still alive. Of course, it's only a matter of time before the Black Fang finishes him." Nergal says turning his back on Elbert to prepare himself.

"…" Elbert notices an opening and launches forward with a sharped stake in hand. "Nergal! Prepare to die!" He almost reaches Nergal but is instead hampered by an a.s.sa.s.sin. Before the a.s.sa.s.sin strikes out to stab Elbert his daggers are met by a sword.

Elbert stumbles back from the encounter of blades and looks towards the two figures in front of him.

"Percival!" He shouts out recognizing the man in front of him protecting him from the a.s.sa.s.sin.

"Lord Elbert! A pleasure to see you again." The duplicate of Percival says with a smirk. Elbert feels something come up behind him and launch him in the air. When he lands, he ends up on the back of a tall lion. "Wh" Elbert says, but can't continue as he is rushed out of the room with it.

"Well then. The rescue mission's a success on this side…" Percival mumbles out and looks towards Nergal. Launching his self forward he strikes forward with a quick sword strike. Nergal antic.i.p.ating some sort of action uses the distraction from Jaffar to escape. "Tsk!" Nergal lets out and teleports out of the room.

"s.h.i.t… I really need something for these teleporting a.s.sholes…" The duplicate puts his sword away and vanishes on the spot. Leaving a confused a.s.sa.s.sin looking at the empty air.

--

(Entrance to the Ruins)

We managed to push through the enemy forces. Hector reaches Darin and begins their fight. "Hah… hah ha ha! You dare to challenge me? I, who will rule the world!?" Darin shouts and charges toward Hector.

Hector sidesteps the lance attacks and pulls back his arm. With all of his might he smashes his axe fully down upon the Marquess' head. Splitting it open. Darin stumbles back. His hand moving to the blood freely flowing down his face.

"Blood? Is this… my blood? Ephidel! Come to me!! Your master… calls you!" He backs himself into a wall and falls to the ground. "I am the ruler… of…the…world…" He faintly says before pa.s.sing away.

Looking around for any remaining enemies here and not seeing any the group rushes into the ruin's lower floors.

Eliwood all along the way shouting out for his father. "Father! Father!? It's me! Eliwood! I've come to save you!" He continues on the way down. We follow behind him. From the shadows a lion steps out with a red-haired man on its back. "…Father?" Eliwood says looking at the man stunned.

"Eliwood!" Lord Elbert shouts out looking at his son. "Quickly we must stop their ritual!" He shouts out. Pointing in a certain direction. I take the lead, along with Soan, and charge into the ritual room.

Ninian stands at the center infront of a empty gate. Her steps swaying as she casts a spell to open the gate.

"Now, Ninian… at last. Open the Dragon's Gate." Nergal says with antic.i.p.ation.

"Gate… Open… Gate…" Her eyes hazy as she continues with the ritual.

"Yes… that's it… This way, dragon…" Nergal says ominously.

The ruins start to rumble. The ground begins to shake. Matthew loses his footing, but Leila catches him. "Thank you." I hear a slight mumble from Matthew.

"I can barely keep my feet!" Lyn says struggling to stand.

"Here… Come, children of… flame. Come… to me…" Ninian says continuing.

From the gate the head of a scaly lizard can be seen peeking through. It's eyes still closed as it comes through.

"…It can't be." Hector says looking at the dragon.

"A… dragon…" I say looking at it feeling my blood boil.

"Ha ha ha ha ha! Yes! Use all your strength! Squeeze every drop from your body! You will call dragons!" Nergal says letting out a maniacal laughter.

"…I will not allow this!!" A young voice shouts out over the laughter.

"You!" Ephidel says looking towards Nils.

"Ninian! Come to your senses! You must not do what they want!" Nils shouts out towards his sister.

The girl stops swaying and doing the ritual. The dragon begins to shake violently along with the gate.

"Ni....Nils…." Ninian says.

"Nils? Not now! Grrr… Ephidel! Stop him!!" Nergal shouts.

Ephidel attempts to prevent Nils from continuing but stumbles with the rough shaking.

"Desist, Nils!" He shouts while stumbling over. "The power… It runs wild!!" Panic clear in his voice.

"Ninian!!" Nils shouts out continuing his call to his sister.

".....Nils?" Ninian says stopping completely and turning to him.

"Here! Hurry!!" Nils shouts to her. Ninian rushes over to Nils and our group. "The dragon is crumbling. Everyone flee!!" He shouts out as he leads the escape.

Nergal seeing this attempt fails teleports away.

Ephidel turns and looks for Nergal but doesn't see him. He pulls out his teleport staff, but it's out of charges. He screams as we escape. "Hyaaaa! Stop! Lord Nergal! Lord Nergal! Please…!!!"

We exit the ruins and see an explosion go off. A scream accompanying the loud sound. "Guwaaaaahhh!!!"

Outside the ruins is a somber atmosphere. Eliwood and Lord Elbert are speaking to each other, but upon the ruins a robed man calls out. "I've failed. Nils, you whelp! If not for your interference… Come! Both of you!" He says expecting them to follow his order to the letter.

I take this chance to rush at him and try and run him through.

"What? No!" Ninian shouts out to the man.

"Never! We will not follow you!!" Nils shouts as well.

My sword manages to reach Nergal who is pierced through the stomach.

"What!?... Impossible…" Nergal says. I try to continue my strike through him, but I feel no resistance as his body vanishes.

I let out a sigh and turn back to the group. "He got away with that teleporting staff of his…" I say mumbling.

Lord Elbert looks at me and the rest of the group.

"Eliwood. Be prepared. He will return…" Elbert says to his son.

"All right, but for now… Let's leave this island… Let's go home." Eliwood says with a small smile on his face.

"Ah… Eleanora… She will be cross with me…" Lord Elbert mumbles out, but nods.
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We head towards the pirate ship and set sail.