Chapter 28: The End of the End
“No!” Elaine cried as the dragon’s conclusion came to a glorious and terrible end. She fell to her knees, their argument shattered.
Edward, ashen-faced, glanced around the room. The group was in terrible shape, with not one of them managing to really score any significant points on the Hahr Kerr. Nearly everyone had tried and failed. There was even an actual cut or two, just for verisimilitude.
It was only Gordon, Richard, and Kushal left.
Gordon shrugged, and stepped brightly forward. “Hey, Mr. Dragon!” he called, as cheerily as he could manage. “Remember the time we all sat around and played Final Fantasy?”
“WHY…” the dragon began, showing its awful grin once more, “YES…!”
And quick as a flash, its claw snaked out and grabbed Gordon. Its other claw reached for Kushal, but Edward could have sworn he saw Kushal…shimmer.
And quick as a microwave, its claw snaked out and grabbed Gordon. Its other claw reached for Kushal, but Edward could have sworn he saw Kushal…shimmer.
And quick as a really bright laser pointer, its claw snaked out and grabbed Gordon. Its other claw reached for Kushal, who jumped back but fell over the tail. The dragon picked him up. “HEH. GOTCHA.”
Kushal twitched. “Richard! Go for the multiple choice section!…The tail!”
Richard blinked, then pulled out a sword. Ivy’s eyes grew huge. “Right!” he called, and ran forward. The dragon watched him with eyes that were not only dark but actually sucked in light. Richard swung.
“Where did the sword come from?” Elaine screamed as the dragon roared. At the same time, a shock ran up the sword to Richard’s hand, and he shouted, falling back and flinging the sword into the air. The dragon wheeled around and stomped on the sword with one massive paw.
The crash echoed throughout the room and across aghast faces. Richard was staring down at his hands. “No…no…” he moaned, “But I’m the Main Character!” Flora, still unconscious, let out a wordless cry.
Richard’s eyes snapped upwards. “Hold on, guys! I’ll get us out of this!” He stood in place for a second, then…disappeared. Loading a saved game.
There was a moment of stillness. Elaine and Edward looked at each other. “We’re screwed, aren’t we,” Elaine said flatly.
“Apparently,” Edward replied.
With a burst of light and a cheery *ding* Christine burst out of the elevator, followed by a cloaked figure who seemed to exude power. Possibly among other smells. The dragon’s head wheeled around, almost comically.
The figure did not speak, but thrust his hand out. A blast of forensic light and sound shot forth and bound the dragon in place for a second. It attempted to roar but only a strained groan came forth.
Through the windows shot another four figures, bright and nearly featureless but just as powerful. Taking less than a second to assess the situation, they too added their power to the dark figure by the elevator.
A dark light began to gather around the dragon, as is wont to happen during an epic final battle. The Avatars’ light began to fade, and Edward could begin to make out faces. One face in particular seemed familiar, but he couldn’t quite place it…
“Christine!” Sridhar called over the noise of the cogito-auditory battle. “Now!”
Christine nodded, all hesitation gone. “Come on, guys,” she called, and held her hands out to the side.
Edward tilted his head to the side, then his eyes widened as Kellie grabbed his hand. The others joined the circle as well, even Vani, who had unfortunately been left out of the last chapter due to her unpredictable talent. Gordon gave a cheery thumbs up from his position in the dragon’s claw, and Kushal tried to grin. The dragon growled, so low in its throat the noise might have originated in its kidneys.
And Christine began to speak.
She spoke of youth, of friendship, of happiness. She spoke of life, of pain, of loss. She spoke of after, and of going on.
And at the end, she held her hand out, palm up, and let her eyes trace their way to the sky.
The dragon froze. “IT WAS YOU,” it somehow managed to whisper, overcoming the dual constraints of the forces binding it and a naturally loud voice. “THE ONE CHOSEN. IT WAS YOUR POWER ALL ALONG.”
“No,” Christine said firmly, shaking her head. “It was the Speech. I merely spoke it, gave it.”
“IT WAS YOU,” the dragon said insistently, quietly, faintly. And slowly, it began to topple. The Avatars pulled back their immobilizing assault and watched, amazed.
And Jin suddenly stepped out from behind a pillar, shedding his invisibility like a husky sheds fur in a tropical summer. “And for the finishing blow!” he called, straining under the weight of a small warhead.
“Jin, no!” cried Flora. Elaine looked over, amazed. Kellie threw an arm across her eyes.
And the world turned red, then white, then black.
A lone fridge tumbled from the sky a few miles away and came to a halt with a crashing thud.