Duelist of Dawn: Hello, my favorite and new people! We have reached the final chapter of the Melodies of Life Chronicles: Sorrow!

Audience: (Applause!)

Duelist of Dawn: Thank you! Thank you! This is so far the best part of the Melodies of Life Chronicles, and to fairly warn you: PREPARE TO BE BLOWN AWAY!!! Near the ending, that is! Anyway, time to thank all happy reviewers! Cyrus Truth, No Romance, Solark, FF & STH, Katherine the Black Rose (welcome back!) and introducing Gray Wolf Demon and Hareru1995, and the return of Khiruki! Welcome (back) to the party, friends! Also, if you haven't seen it yet I have updated the last part of the previous chapter thanks to GWD's insight. Also for the final time this story, I don't own Final Fantasy 9, just a copy my mom bought for me when I was just a boy! I do own Ron and Lovrina, because I added them! And now, your feature presentation...

Chapter 30

Showdown! Kuja versus Bahamut!

Before we left, we were visited by Lani and the newly named Amarant, partners in the unemployed bounty hunter gig thanks to Queen Brahne who sent Callisto after us. But I digress, they both wanted to join us for reasons of they're very own; Amarant sought to find out how a teenager (Zidane) beat him during their fight, and Lani who not only wanted a rematch with me, but probably a chance to flirt with me again. (sigh)

With 9 people, we are going to stick out like an army going to war if Kuja catches us beforehand so we decided to split in two groups. Zidane had Eiko, Dagger and Amarant with him and they've already gone ahead. I got Lovrina, Lani, Vivi and Choco. I could think of a lot tactics with this group, but I'm not playing a game anymore, as far as I'm concern it's real. And with what's about to come, I'll be ready for it this time.

As we walked towards the Mountain Path, I filled Lani in on the situation we're in; better to know what she is getting herself into than dropping bomb on her too late.

"Zombies?" Lani asked.

"Surprised as you are." I replied. "And I guess the only reason why those corpses were re-animated was because of that tree pulling their souls from their still living bodies."

"Freaky, an abnormal tree is doing all this because of some connection with this Eclipse thing you've got ties to yourself?" The axe wielder asked.

"Yeah, but the thing that bothers me is what that Soulcage monster told me when we killed it..."

(Flashback to inside the Iifa Tree)

[Even as I die!] The soulcage's voiced started to become warped as it died. [Project: Eclipse will still commence!]

"Whatever, if I'm supposed to be a part of this, then I would've kept you alive." I told it. "This Project's over!"

"Yeah, yeah!" Zidane and Eiko shouted.

[You'll see soon...]

"Now I'm sure as ever that if Kuja's stopped, we can really put this to bed."

"And you also told me that he knocked you out flat? "Damn t,hat had to be a blow to your pride!" Lani said.

"Worried about how strong he is?" I asked. "You can still back out of this, ya know?"

"Aww, is the big strong man afraid I'll die?" She said playfully. I had to hide the blush, creeping up on my cheeks.

"I don't want any of you dying out there." I told her. "I'd tell Amarant the same thing if he was here."

"You don't have to worry about little 'ol me." She said, wrapping her arms behind me. The blush couldn't hide itself no more and I stopped in my tracks. "I could protect you, to prevent something happening. And, I'll even take care of you if something does happen; in my own special way."

'Oh Lord, help me!' I thought.

"Alright! Break it up!" Lovrina jumped in and pried Lani off my back. "Listen; we're about to do something very dangerous. Ron needs to keep his mind focused as do the rest of us, including you!"

"What's wrong with talking to the guy?" Lani said, playing it off.

"You were doing so much more talking to him." Lovrina argued.

"Oh..." Lani put on a devious smirk. "It bothers you that I was giving Ronnie here some attention?"

'Oh dear...' I thought. 'I wonder if my father had this trouble when he was a teenager.' Now I've seen girls fight over desirable guys, but I never saw myself as desirable to an extent. You'd think I'd be overjoyed about this? Save that for Zidane!

Surprisingly Lovrina started blushing. "E-Excuse me?" She sputtered.

"Think about it; if Ron was really interested in you he'd defend you." Lani gloated.

"Just what are you implying!?" Lovrina asked.

"Like I said," Lani continued. "He doesn't find you attractive in any way."

"Hey, whoa!" I jumped in between the two. I sensed Lovrina was about to turn this from a verbal fight into a physical one. "Lovrina, calm down; just ignore her, I know you got a lot of self-control in ya. Relax..." Lovrina managed to do that, but I could still see the glare in her eyes directed at Lani. "Listen, don't let get you riled up, like you said we need to be focused. I know you're smarter than this."

Lovrina sighed. "You're right, I'm sorry." She was about to enter the mountain path first, until she said. "You... really think I'm smart?"

"Of course!" I said, thinking she lost her mind. "In battle or outside it; just don't get a big head about it, okay?"

She giggled and inside the mountain path. I heard Lani growl for some reason as she went ahead. As soon as both of them were out of sight, I held my head in astonishment in what just transpired here.

"You okay, Ron?" Vivi walked up to me and asked. Choco stopped to the other side of me as well.

"21 years of age, you'd think a guy like me would be happy girls are noticing me," I told him. "But it's more trouble than it's worth, you know what I mean?"

Vivi shook his head. "No, not really. I remembered Zidane was talking to me in Dali about this stuff, I really never thought of girls in that way."

"Oh, yeah you're still young." I remembered. "What about you, Choco? Any female Chocobo trouble on your side?"

"Kweehh..." Choco shook his head.

"Oh well, I guess we better catch up to the ladies before they start fighting with me than over me." I said, as we all head into the mountain path. "But then again, I'd have them agreeing on something." Vivi held in a snicker and Choco gave a happy smirk.

(Zidane's group) (3rd POV)

Zidane's party was already at the forest near the Iifa Tree. They decided to rest and wait for Ron's group before heading off. Zidane already filled in Amarant about the details with Dagger and Eiko giving addition stuff.

"So we're about to fight guy that has a serious magic advantage over us, and was able to knock out that friend of yours with the trench knives?" Amarant asked, in a monotonous tone.

"Yup, as soon as we kick his butt, this'll all be over!" Eiko jumped in.

"Hmm, whatever..." He replied.

"You scared?" Eiko teased. Amarant stayed silent.

'Just wait; after all of this is done, Zidane and I will have our rematch.' He thought to himself.

Near them, Zidane and Dagger were talking to each other as well.

"Are you sure we should have let him join us?" Dagger asked uneasily. "He was trying to kill you yesterday. And also I don't trust Lani either."

"I understand; but aside from having them as helping hands, better to keep them close right?" Zidane replied. "And remember; Lani was double-crossed since Brahne thought she did. So I'd say if they're targets as much as we are, we should help them survive."

"I don't know..." Dagger was still unsure, until Zidane places his hands on her shoulders, giving her a reassuring smile.

"Don't worry, anybody comes after you I'll make sure that's the last thing they do!" He said. "Or have you forgotten that you can summon eidolons to kick butt for you?"

"Speaking of eidolons, I plan on getting a new one soon." Dagger said, now feeling more upbeat.

"Really?" Zidane asked.

"Yeah, Lovrina told me about it, thought they did know which one it was." Dagger replied. "Hopefully, it'll help me."

"Like I said earlier, the more the merrier!" Zidane exclaimed.

"All right, where's the other group?" Amarant broke the happiness in the air. "We should've been at this damn tree, by now."

"Watch your mouth, buddy!" Eiko shouted.

"Hey girls wait up!" They heard Ron's voice from outside the forest.

"That's them now." Dagger said as she and the others left the forest.

(Ron's POV)

"Hey girls wait up!" I had to run across the mountain path with Vivi riding on Choco to catch up. We finally reached Lani and Lovrina, and to my relief they weren't fighting, just keep some distance between each other. "You girls are fast! I had to get Vivi on Choco just to catch up."

"Well, what took you so long, slowpokes?" Lovrina asked playfully.

"A little guy talk, do you mind?" I added in the same playful manner. At least she's not angry, I hated seeing her mad.

"There you guys are!" We saw Zidane, Dagger, Eiko and Amarant appear from the forest. "Some monsters held you up?"

"Nah, just a little de-briefing to Lani." I said. "She does need to know what we are up against."

"Yeah, we had to do the same thing with Amarant." Zidane said. "But he really doesn't look scared." Amarant scoffed.

"Can we get going already?" He said impatiently. "You two can talk to each other after we're done."

"Was he always this friendly, Lani?" Zidane asked.

"For as long as I know him." She replied.

"How do you put up with that guy?" Eiko asked. "He's rude and obnoxious!" She then stood next to Zidane. "He's not a gentleman like Zidane."

Dagger and I groaned, while Lovrina and Vivi held back a snicker.

We finally made it back to the Iifa Tree, looking a lot clearer by the day. But still, some Mist was around.

"There's still a little Mist, but at least there's no more coming out." Zidane said. "That must mean Kuja isn't here yet."

"Well, it did transfer through the roots." Lovrina added. "That's why there's some still around."

"And what happened to the Mist?" Amarant asked.

"We beat the beast that breathes it. So much for the Mist Continent!" Eiko gloated.

"They never told you that?" Lani asked her partner. He shook his head.

"No more Mist...?" He added to himself.

*ROAR!!*

Dagger turned to the sky and spotted something in the sky. "Zidane, there's a silver dragon!"

(Play Kuja's Theme)

The rest of us followed her sight and saw the dragon and its rider. "It's him! He flew from the ruins of Burmecia riding a silver dragon! It's Kuja alright! And he's riding that dragon!"

(3rd POV)

Up in the air, Kuja stands atop his dragon, looking down at the Iifa Tree and unaware of the people near the tree coming for him.

"Oh, how I've longed for this day." He says in a joyful tone. "...the day I might finally cast away this mask I wear to reveal my true self. Now it no longer matters if the Iifa Tree is liberated! It means nothing to me! Mwahaha... The tree is so beautiful! Its beauty becomes the great mother tree that lives among the stars! Silver Dragon, let us watch the drama unfold from the trunk of Iifa. No one shall interrupt us there." The dragon starts descending down to the tree and lands near the trunk.

(Ron's POV)

We had already started to traverse the roots, trying to reach Kuja at the trunk. But there was one problem...

"Wait guys!" Zidane stopped us. "We'll pass the trunk if we go any farther."

"Yeah, we'll just go under it again." I agreed.

"Say, Zidane..." Eiko asked, timidly looking at the far distance between where they are and the trunk of the tree. "How are we gonna get up there?"

Zidane looked puzzled. "Can't we climb there?"

"Not me!"

"M-Me neither."

"I don't think I can, either."

Eiko, Vivi and Dagger spoke their protests.

"We came all this way..." Zidane muttered. "Now what?"

"What's the problem?" Amarant asked, gruffly. If you're so tough, you should just go by yourself!"

"'Cause then it'll be suicide!" I shouted at him.

"Ron's right, we gotta go face Kuja together." Zidane said.

Amarant grumbled. "How did this wimp end up beating me?" He starts walking by the others, not caring in the slightest.

"Whoa!"

"Hey!"

"You almost knocked me down!"

Vivi, Eiko and Dagger yelled at the red-head as Lani, Lovrina and I helped them up.

"Hey, Amarant! Watch where you're walking!" Lovrina shouted.

"'He who hesitates is lost.' You'd best remember that." Amarant said, ignoring the kunoichi.

Zidane pounded his chest like a tough guy. "Well, I prefer 'My way or the highway.'"

"Whatever. Like you actually have a plan." Amarant said.

"Oh yeah, smarty-pants!?" Eiko shouted. "Don't forget you're the one who lost to Zidane."

"Shut up, brat."

"You watch your mouth, when you speak to my sister." Lovrina said with a killer intent launched at Amarant.

"A plan, huh?" Zidane pondered. "That's right, Amarant! You owe me one, remember? It's payback time!"

Amarant crossed his arms, about to listen. "Shoot."

"There's some gargant grass around here, so a gargant can't be far." Zidane explained. "I want you to catch one for me. Then we can all get on and ride it to the top."

Amarant groaned. "Why should I do all that when I can just take the kids up myself?"

"Huh...?" Zidane was lost for once.

"How'd I ever let this dimwit beat me?" He walks over to Vivi and Eiko about to pick them up, when he sees Lovrina glaring at him. "I'm not going to hurt her."

"Still, I'm taking Eiko myself." She said. "Eiko, get on my back."

"Right!" Eiko held on to her sister's back and as soon as she was ready, Lovrina jumped off from root to root heading towards the trunk.

Amarant just shrugged it off and just grabbed Vivi and ran after her.

"Whoa!" Vivi shouted as he was carried off.

"He sure has spirit." Zidane commented. "Alright, Dagger... I'll just carry you piggyback."

"Huh? Hey! Zidane! Wait just a--" It was too late as Zidane carried her on his back and started screaming when he jumped.

"Funny stuff..." I said.

"Are you going to carry me?" Lani asked. She was not going stop, so I tried something else...

"Come on, your athletic enough!" I said, trying to pep her up. "You're probably well enough to leap more than the others!"

"Just watch me!" And with that, Lani took off after the gang.

"It worked!" I said. "Let's go, Choco!"

"Kweh!!" Choco jumped off first, thanks to the Mountain climbing ability he could cling onto rocky and stone surfaces. I finally jumped after him, being more careful not to step in the wrong direction.

(3rd POV)

Up on the trunk, Kuja and his dragon rested near the trunk, waiting on something...

"The weak lose their freedom to the strong. Such is the way of the strong." Kuja spoke as if reciting a line from a play. "And it is the providence of nature that only the strong survive. That is why I needed strength. I learned of power that would daunt even him...over ten years ago. Such a long time... Now my forces are ready to strike! Ahh... The suspense is terrible!" He heard his dragon roar in the direction of Zidane's group coming. "So they've come this far, have they? Perfect. I'll warm up to them until the elephant-lady shows up." He then gasped when saw Ron coming in as well. "Eclipse!? No, you're dead!" He growled, but then he started to laugh. "Garland, have you been tampering with my plans for domination? Humph, no matter, maybe it's for the best I keep your Project going after all; because Eclipse will now lend a helping hand to my secret weapon!"

(Ron's POV)

I finally made it to the trunk and regrouped with everyone else.

"Thanks, Amarant!" Zidane said.

"Now we're even. Show me what you guys can do." He replied.

"There's Kuja!" Dagger pointed at the effeminate man, leaning near his dragon.

Vivi straightened out his hat "Kuja... Maker of black mages..."

"Any enemy of Zidane is an enemy of mine!" Eiko shouted.

"Or any enemy of Ron's!" Lani added.

"Well, he's definitely an enemy of all of ours after what I heard." Lovrina said.

"Okay, let's go!" We all made our way to roots nearest Kuja. We all cautiously walked up to him, and it took all my will power not to go off on him right there.

"You are Kuja, correct?" Dagger approached first.

"I am." He replied, not even looking at us and instead directing his eyes toward the ocean.

"My name is..." She cleared her throat before using her royal tone. "...Princess Garnet Til Alexandros. I wish to ask you something. Was it really you who persuaded my mother to start the war--"

"The war that threw the entire Mist Continent into chaos?" Kuja interrupted.

"And you made everyone...the black mages...into instruments of war!?" Vivi added feeling intimidated yet angry at the same time.

Kuja looked at Vivi and put on a mock worried expression. "Oh, dear... The princess has such a bloodthirsty little puppet." Everyone glared at the narcissistic bastard. And he just laughed it off. "I don't have the power to do such a thing. I just gave them a little recipe. Begin with broth of Mist, and fermented souls, and boil..." He started his play acting tone. "Then, pour genuine black magic into a mixing bowl and heat to--"

"Stop it!" Zidane shouted.

"I'm not done telling how to make soulless toys out of the dregs of souls!" Kuja argued.

"Dregs of souls? You mean Mist!?" Zidane asked.

"First, you don't want to listen, now you start asking questions?" Kuja argued. He then laughed it off. "Oh, brother... But you're not ready yet!"

"Why, you--" Lovrina yelled. "Don't you feel anything!? Taking the lives of so many..."

"Spare me the lecture." Kuja interrupted. "Lives come and go all the time. What's the big deal?"

"When you destroy humanity and rip apart countless families, it's a very big deal you heartless bastard!" I shouted.

"Hmm?" He turned to me. "Oh Eclipse, my dear friend you're alive!"

"Shove it, wise guy!" I yelled. "You tried to kill me!"

"Oh that..." He said, like it wasn't a major thing. "What's a little playful banter with my favorite co-worker?"

"I've never worked with you, warmonger!" I said.

"Oh, speaking of warmongers," He interrupted, turning his direction back to Dagger. "Why... what about that mother of yours, Princess? She said she won't feel alive until she has everything!" He clutched his chest, as if his heart was in pain. "It breaks my heart to see such greed! The war was my fault? No, no! Your mother wanted it! All I did was give her a little push!"

"Liar!" Dagger shouted. "My mother was sweet and kind. You changed her!"

Kuja ignored it and turned to the ocean. "Mwahaha... So the curtain rises!" He rejoices. "Perfect, my canary. Let me show you the truth about your mother! First Act: The End of Ugly Desire. It's showtime!"

We turn to the ocean seeing numerous battleships approaching the Iifa Tree.

"Dagger, is that..."

"Yes... My mother."

(3rd POV)(Brahne's ship)

Inside one of the battleships, the Queen of Alexandria looked into her telescope to see Kuja standing at the tree with his silver dragon. She puts it away and then starts laughing triumphantly.

"Bwahahaha! Kuja! So you finally decided to show your girly face here!" Brahne says. "You're all that stands between me and total domination! Gehehe! But I haven't forgotten all you've done for me! In return, I will show you the ultimate power!" She then directs her voice at any intercom. "Attention, all hands! Order the black mages to focus all their magical energies into a single spell! Lay suppressing fire upon Kuja until the casting is finished! Now Fire! Fire at will!!!"

On one of other boats, the Alexandrian soldiers got their orders from the Queen and then relayed them.

"Orders from Her Majesty!" The soldier shouted to her troops. "Black mages, focus all your magical energies into a single spell!"

The black mages at the front of the boat, started to charge up their magical energies while the rest of the fleet prepared the cannons.

(Ron's POV)

Back on the trunk, we all see the fleet gathering around the Iifa Tree. Dagger was horrified seeing that Kuja's claims were correct.

"I...I can't believe it!" She said.

Kuja smirked. "Your mother isn't satisfied with just one continent! Her ugliness and stupidity are truly impressive. Ahh... everything is proceeding as I have foreseen."

"What are you talking about!?" Zidane and I shouted.

"You're just the opening number. Time for the real show." Kuja stated.

"We won't let you get away!" Zidane said.

"The Mist may be created no more, but it still lurks in the caves and forests, right?"

I gasped at what he was planning.

"That's right Eclipse! I can make monsters with magic! Come forth, spawn of the mist!" Kuja forces some of the Mist to form near the tree, blinding everyone in sight.

"What the Hell!?" Lani shouted.

"Kweeh!!" Choco yelled.

As soon as the Mist cleared, Kuja and his silver dragon were gone and in his place were two black and scaly worm-like creatures.

"Mistodons!" I shouted. The monsters started to jump towards.

"Get away!" Lani shouted. All of us spread out as we saw Lani take control of the situation. "Raider's Slash!" Her axe took on a shining white color before chopping the head off of one of the Mistodons. "Amarant, now!"

Amarant jumped on the other monster's back and then ripped out something from the back of the head with his claws, leaving second Mistodon dead.

"Yikes!" I said, as I picked up both of the bodies and tossed them over roots. "You guys are overkill!"

"What did ya expect?" Lani smirked.

"Well, Kuja got away!" Eiko yelled as we now directed our attention to the sky...

(3rd POV)

Kuja rides in the air on the dragon once more as he summoned more Mistodons to tread the waters and attack Brahne's fleet.

"Hahaha! Foolish Brahne! Your cannons are useless against the spawn of the Mist!" He gloats. "Mwahaha... but even a fool like you knows that there is only one path you can take, right?" He sees that the naval fleet is just paying attention to the Mistodons. "Stupid elephant-lady! Why do you hesitate? Very well... I'll make the first move. I'll give you a clean target. You can't miss! Silver Dragon, descend!"

The dragon floats back down to the ground near another part of tree. "Now, let's see if can hit me when I'm not moving!" He spread his arms out, daring for an attack.

(Ron's POV)

Amarant nonchalantly leaned up against the tree. "So, two of your enemies are dukin' it out?" He asked. "Why not leave 'em, and finish off the winner? My money's on Kuja."

"Amarant's right." Zidane agreed. "Let's split before we get dragged into this."

"No..." We heard Dagger say. "I can't... I can't let anything happen to my mother."

"Dagger?"

"Zidane, I... I have to save her!" She shouted.

"Uhh, Dagger? She extracted eidolons from you and started a war!" Zidane argued.

"I still don't want her to die!" Dagger countered.

"Now that you mention it, Kuja's a lot worse than Brahne." Lani added.

"But she didn't care one bit whether you lived or died!" Zidane continued. "You don't have to call her mother anymore!"

"She's my only mother! I don't care if you don't understand!" Dagger yelled.

"With family, you don't have to like each other," I cut in. "But I still wouldn't wish death on them, so I'm with Dagger on this. Besides, we came to stop Kuja, remember?"

"Come on, Ron!" Zidane said. "She wanted YOUR head on a platter, if you remember!"

"Forget it!" Dagger interrupted, shocking all of us. "Lovrina, you said that there was an eidolon imprisoned near here, right?"

"Yes." Lovrina replied.

"Please! Tell me where!" Dagger begged.

"It's a long way down." She pointed down the root, we were currently on. "You see the place with lots of roots? That's it."

"There. I see it." She says, and then looking at the battle. Knowing what she was planning to do, I jumped in front of her.

"Ron!?" She said.

"You're not going alone." I said, before running down the roots, which shocked everybody. "Catch up!"

"Wait!" Dagger took off after me.

"Not again!" Lovrina shouted as Dagger and I ran down.

"You didn't have to do that, you know?" Dagger told me.

"With Kuja out there, I'm not taking any chances with anyone he targets" I responded. "And think; after Brahne he could be after you next." I heard her gasp at the thought.

"Right, keep going." She said. And it didn't take long since running down those steep paths the roots gave us a lot of time. We find ourselves standing at an old shrine, shaped like a serpent.

"Ron, Dagger!" We turn around to see Lovrina, Lani and Choco reaching the end of the path.

"Where are the others?" I asked.

"They were held back, fighting off more Mistodons that came over." She said to me. "You two, shouldn't have run off like that. Dagger I know you wanted to save her, but never try that again."

"Sorry," Dagger said.

"I had to jump in front of her to help." I added. "Sorry about that, I didn't want her doing this with no backup."

"Oh well, you're both safe now!" Lani said, trying to lighten up the move.

"Kweh!" Choco added.

"Dagger go ahead, we'll back you up." Lovrina said. Dagger nodded and went up to the statue.

"I sense the eidolon's power!" She said, placing her hands, on the base of it. "Now... Now I can save my mother!"

As she did that, Mist spread out around us...

"Oh, great..." I said, getting ready to fight.

"Kuja's really leaving no prisoners, is he?" Lani said, taking her axe in a ready position.

"It seems so." Lovrina added.

"Kweeehh..." Choco growled.

From the Mist, four Mistodons surrounded us...

"We gotta protect Dagger, while she gets the eidolon!" Lovrina said, making a hand sign.

"Right!" The rest of us yelled.

The Mistodon's charged each of us, trying to break the 'fence' between them and Dagger.

"Dragon Kick!" I gave my opponent, a fiery kick to the face, or whatever I hit and knocked it back.

"Grrr!!!" It countered with ramming attack to my gut, but I dug my feet into the ground to hold myself in place.

"Sorry... no entry." I grunted as I held it up by its head and did a classic wrestling move brain-buster, slamming the beast on the ground.

"Now for the kill..." I said. "Thunder blade!" I created a right-hand blade of thunder, chopping the head off. "Done deal!"

Lovrina was doing the ol' matador trick, letting the monster come to her and then moving at the last second, with a stab of her katana. Lani had her's led into her axe, when she had to dodge. The best part was when the girls led both of the monsters to each other, knocking them out.

"Ninja Art: Water Geyser Jutsu!"

A massive torrent of water erupted from under the monsters, blasting them away to the sky.

"Kweehh!!" I turned to see Choco and the Mistodon ramming each other like... rams. From the looks of things, the red chocobo already had a few choice hits as the Mistodon was finally tiring out. "KWEEH!!" Choco saw his chance and delivered the Spiral Impact that pushed it into the water.

"What is Kuja playing with?" I said. "These things were too easy..."

"Yeah, this is weird." Lani added. "If Kuja was this all-powerful being, wouldn't he have these monsters being superior?"

"I don't know, but they still are a threat until Kuja is eliminated." Lovrina replied. We turned our attention back to Dagger, who was still trying to call the eidolon from the statue. Suddenly, it starts to lights up, with the cracks glowing light blue and two gigantic wings appear on its back. Then, a blue jewel, an Aquamarine ejected from the mouth and dropped into Dagger's hands.

"Guess it's time to save the Queen, huh?" Lani asked.

"...No!" Dagger said in despair. "I can't save my mother with this eidolon!"

"Huh?" Lani asked. "Why not?"

"Leviathan!" Lovrina said, realizing the power flowing from the statue.

"Hey guys!"

Zidane, Vivi, Eiko and Amarant came down from the roots, to where we are.

"Man, those freaks didn't wanna quit!" Zidane said. "Luckily, Eiko found their weakness."

"Huh?" I asked.

"They're undead monsters." Vivi told us. "All Eiko had to do is cast Life on them, and they were gone."

"Nice, too bad we had to put up a fight since Dagger had to retrieve the eidolon." I said.

"How'd it go?" Zidane asked.

"Well...

"Dagger!" Eiko saw Dagger with a sad face. "What's wrong? Can't you free it?"

Dagger shook her head. "No, I have it. I sense it's a great eidolon. But...but..."

"I don't believe it!" Eiko saw the wings on the statue, still visible. "This is the legendary sea serpent, Leviathan!"

"Leviathan!?" Vivi said, shocked the description.

"Will somebody tell me who this 'Leviathan' is?" Lani jumped in. Amarant added in a sigh.

"It's an eidolon who wipes out its enemies with a huge wave!" Lovrina said and turned to Dagger. "I'm sorry, Dagger!"

"No, it's not your fault." Dagger replied. "But my mother's still in danger!"

Out in the ocean, the war between Alexandria's forces and Kuja's Spawn of the Mist was still going. Some black mages were mangled, Mistodon's were lying dead and some of the battleships were running out of ammunition in a hurry.

The Cannoneer was out of her seat, talking to the commanding officer. "Isn't Her Majesty ready yet!?" She asked. "All remaining ammunition was spent on that last wave of monsters! The next wave will chew us up unless we pull out now!"

"That is not your decision!" The CO replied. "Get back to your post, soldier!" The cannoneer did as she was told, but scared out of her mind.

(On Brahne's ship...)

"Your Majesty, the black mages have completed their preparations." An Alexandrian soldier replied.

Brahne grinned at that. "That insolent whelp! Now I can finish him off!" She pulled out a seedling, and chanted. "Come! Draconic Seedling! Bahamut, King of Dragons!"

The seedling quickly springs out from her hand, but she's doesn't care as it's part of the summoning process. The seedling drops from the sky, heading into the water. But it never reaches it and instead creates a fiery portal that shoots out a massive, flying beast. It flies over to the Iifa Tree, splitting the water in its wake. When it stops in front of Kuja, the eidolon's full form is shown. It was a massive, gray dragon with giant purple wings that seem to have claws as well and three long horns. The Dragon King, Bahamut has finally come.

"Yes, she's finally shown some backbone." Kuja said, smiling at the eidolon. "Come, show me the power of the Dragon King!"

RRRRAARRGGGHH!!!

Bahamut charged up a white flame in its mouth, before firing six Mega Flare blasts in Kuja's direction, which destroyed part of the land. As the explosions were made, Kuja and the silver dragon made their getaway. The silver dragon has some burn marks as it was further away from the blast. Kuja looked seemingly unharmed as he sat on the dragon's back.

"I always have ways to defend, my dear Brahne." Kuja said, as his hand glowing with green magic. "Shell has served my shield."

RRRAARRGGHH!!

Kuja quickly turned around in time for Bahamut to rush through him and the silver dragon, disorienting them before the reclaimed their altitude.

"Close call... Hmm?" Kuja felt something wet, coming from his forehead and trickling downward. He wiped his hand of the feeling and looked at it; stained in dark red liquid. "Blood..." He sniffed the aroma of it. "My blood..." He looked neutral at first, but it turned into a grin...

(Ron's POV)

All of us watched in awe as Bahamut was stalking Kuja and his dragon, waiting for another chance to strike...

'Bahamut, I finally got to see Bahamut!' I thought. Seeing him from all the games was cool, but now I'm staring at him in the flesh; ready to rip Kuja apart. Truly amazing!

"I've heard the stories, but I never thought summoning could be so powerful." Amarant said, looking at the dragon king.

"Not even Kuja should be a match for one of the five legendary eidolons." Lovrina said, staring at Bahamut.

"Now... Now we can win!" Dagger said, happily. "And Mother won't have to die!"

"And Kuja's going down!" Lani added.

"Like you know what's really going on." Amarant muttered.

"What was that!?" Lani shouted.

"You heard me." He replied.

"Knock it off, guys!" I jumped in.

"Kweehh!!" Choco added.

"Eiko, don't you think..." Dagger saw Eiko holding Mog, who was shaking. "What's wrong?"

"Mog... She's terrified!" Eiko replied.

"Terrified?" Lovrina asked, walking over to her sister. "Of what?"

"How come?" Dagger was confused. "Don't you know? That's the last eidolon, Bahamut, the Dragon King! He'll win for sure!"

"No, it's not coming from Bahamut..." Eiko said.

"Then where...?" Dagger asked.

I continued to look at the sky. Not noticing something building up inside me...

(3rd POV)

Back in the air, Kuja was still carrying his blood in his hand, smirking...

"Blood..." He murmured, and then went into laughter. "Hahahaha... Excellent, Bahamut!" He congratulated the Dragon King. "Power, mobility... You truly are the best! You even hurt me...a little." He then stared at the Alexandrian fleet. "And you, Brahne... Your tragic role in this drama now comes to an end! I'm sure you'll enjoy the second act from your soul's hellish prison, since the stage will be your former home! And the final act will take us away from Gaia, and I will kill my nemesis...with my own hand! Hahaha! And with Eclipse present, everything is going according to plan. Let's unleash the drama, with your own vessel..." He raises his hands. "Come down, Invincible!"

(Ron's POV)

"Uh, guys..." They turned to me. I pointed up to the sky as the clouds parted. "What's he doing?"

"This can't be good..." Zidane murmured. Suddenly, a huge, red eyeball appears in the sky, looming over the water.

Dagger gasped. "That eye!"

"The eye from your memories!" Zidane realized.

"Kweehhh..." Choco stood back and started shuddering. "Kwehh!!"

"What's the matter, Choco?" Lovrina asked. Choco was pointed his beak in my direction. When she looked at me, Lovrina gasped. "R-Ron?" Everyone else looked at me and each put on a shocked look as well.

"What's with the stares?" I asked them.

"Your body... is glowing red..." Eiko said, fearfully.

"Huh?" I looked at my arms, and saw nothing. "I don't see any... Aaahh!" My veins started, glowing bright red. "Okay, that hasn't happened in a long time."

"What do you mean?" Vivi asked.

"When I got injected by that syringe, my veins started glowing and then I passed out in front of Alexandri... aaahh!!" Suddenly, my veins started bulging and causing me pain and holding my arms.

"What's happening to him?" Lani asked, kneeling next to me.

"Ron, what's going on?" Lovrina asked fearfully.

"I don't know... I was fine until that eye came out." I grunted out.

"That's probably what's causing him pain!" Eiko said.

Everyone turned to see the giant eye suddenly, emitting a strange noise and purple waves over the ocean. Bahamut starts succumbing to the sound and is hit by one of the waves. Meanwhile on the ships, Brahne and her soldiers on the ship were holding their heads to block out the sound, and the black mages started to collapse. Kuja was staring down at the results with great delight as the waves, as well as the eye, disappeared. That in turn, stopped the pain and glowing of my arms as I dropped to my side.

"Are you okay!?" Lovrina said, kneeling down next to me.

"Not... entirely..." I said.

"Oh no..." Dagger said. "Mother's losing...

"I don't get it; we were far away from that," Amarant said. "How come this guy, got affected like the people in the ship."

"Forget that, if don't stop Kuja now, he'll..."

"What's wrong with Bahamut?" Eiko shouted. Everyone saw that the Dragon King, was still shaking off whatever it was that happened to him. But when he opened his eyes, they were glowing white!

"What did that freaky eye do to him?" Zidane shouted.

"No..." Dagger whispered.

On the ships, Brahne and her soldiers got up, only to meet the sight of the Dragon King charging up for another attack... on them!!

"No..."

Bahamut growls and gets ready to fire...

"NOOO!!!"

The eidolon fires his Mega Flare, blowing up the ship Brahne was in. Then, he flies upward and fires at the other ships, too, suffering the same fate. As soon as the ships were left in a fiery explosion, Bahamut flies out of the area being Dismissed. On the other hand, Kuja rides his dragon out of there as well, pleased with the results.

"Exit, stage right..." Kuja says, as he leaves the continent.

(Approaching sundown...)

We searched the beach near the Iifa Tree to find any survivors using any kind of escape boats.

'That eye, did it somehow... try to connect itself with me?' I thought as I ran down the sandy shores. When my body was glowing, it felt like something was attaching to me, like I was drawing power for something and yet I was being drained as well. 'If that eye was what I thought it was, I... I murdered people...' I tried to block out the thought, but it was still wrapping around brain.

"Mother!!" I heard Dagger shout. I ran into the direction of her voice and noticed the rest of the gang made it as well. When I stood next to them, I was horrified at the sight... Queen Brahne was lying on her back near a blue ship, called the Blue Narcissus. She was badly burned and scarred, I cringed at the sight. And Dagger was kneeling down next to her, in tears...

"I...I...can hear...my daughter's voice." Brahne's voice was raspy, and it sounded like she was almost gone...

"Yes, Mother!" Dagger said, holding her Mother's hand. "I'm here! Right here..."

"I...I am empty now..." Brahne was now happy. And it was the kind where you finally escape from something bad... "Free... Free...of that...terrible... greed..."

"Mother..."

Brahne free her hand from Dagger's grasp and placed it on her daughter's cheek. "I haven't...felt this way...since I saw that play...with you...and your father." She said. "I led...Alexandria...down...the path... of ruin... The people...will be...happier...with you...on the throne..." Her final words to her daughter, before she dropped her hand and left us... Tears fell from everyone's eyes that day. We had let Dagger grieve for her loss until we had to depart. Using the Blue Narcissus, we plotted a course back to Alexandria. We also brought Dagger's mother with us, so we could bury her in the country that loved her no matter what...

It took three days, until morning, to reach Alexandria's docks. The castle soldiers and servants were shocked to see that there Queen was dead. They took her body to wash it for the funeral. We also found that Steiner, Beatrix, Freya and the Tantalus gang had escaped to Treno; telling Steiner and Beatrix the horrible news would be tough but they could have some relief knowing their princess was alive and well. Me and the rest of gang stayed the inn, we all decided to stay to be there for friend...

(3rd POV)

Another four days passed and within those days, Steiner and the others returned to hear what happened. He and Beatrix took the news hard once they attended the funeral, and they made sure they were there at Dagger's side. Right now, Dagger, Steiner, Beatrix and Doctor Tot, who came back as per Dagger's request, were now at a gazebo-type area, filled with flowers, and a shrine in the middle.

"Steiner, Beatrix..." Dagger told her loyal soldiers. "It was horrible that her life had to end this way. I still can't believe all that has happened..."

"Princess, it was my..."

"No! It was my fault!"

Beatrix and Steiner tried to blame the issue on themselves.

Dagger smiled. "Thank you, both of you... I must now carry the burden ofruling Alexandria alone. Will both of you please help me during this, my time of need?"

"Certainly!"

"Yes, Princess!"

Both of Alexandria's soldiers didn't hesitate on answering.

"Thank you, both of you."

Dagger walks to Dr. Tot, holding a large wreath of flowers.

"Princess, here is a wreath of roses, your mother's favorite." He said, handing Dagger the wreath. "The townspeople sent it as an offering for the queen's grave. True, Queen Brahne had been acting quite erratic before her death..." He quickly covered it up. "...but the people are still very fond of her, as you can see."

Dagger puts it next to the memorial as Steiner and Beatrix salutes it, and Dagger praying a bit.

"Mother... I shall become a great queen!" She says. She walks down the memorial's steps to the lakeside overlooking the castle. She gazes at the reflection and castle, and then turns around to three people with a determination in her eyes.

And we are done with the second story!! I tried to make it as good as I could get, hoped I did alright!

To Every reader, new and old who's been keeping up with the story: Thank you for your support, positive feedback and constructive criticism that have made the Melodies of Life Chronicles a big hit.

But it ain't over yet! It's halfway done, and halfway home! So read and review this chapter and during a week off, read the next story Melodies of Life Chronicles: Secrets! Until then, this is the Duelist of Dawn signing off! Later happy people!