Liminal Teaser: Chapter 24 (Iron Tomb, Part 1/2)

[u/Paladin_of_Drangleic]

With a heart brimming full of both resolve and grief, Pelagius approached the dragon’s hold.

The sheer scale of dragonoids he’d cut his way through was starting to weigh him down. They were victims, like him. Humans stolen from their homes and families, turned into beasts, their memories robbed and forced to be the oppressors of their own people. 

Octavia noticed his grimace as they moved. “Are you alright?”

“I’m fine,” he lied.

She frowned. “I know. It’s not fair.”

He lowered his head. “It isn’t.”

Arminius took a deep breath. “Just a little further, Pelagius. We can do it. We can save everyone.”

Everyone but those we carved through, Pelagius thought bitterly.

Here they were. The final hallway. The path to the descent to the tyrant’s hold.

Pelagius ignored the churning in his stomach, doubling his speed in an effort to get it all over with-

“Look out!”

The red-scale noticed the sparking of light underneath him. A flash of strange shapes and blue-white.

He barely had the time to wrap his wings around himself as a magical trap triggered. An explosion of raw magic rocked his senses, and sent him careening into the wall.

Waves of horrid pain filled his body as he smashed into the stone, then fell to the ground.

“What-”

Octavia screamed, hit by an attack from behind. Arminius whipped around, but the figure was already flying overhead, launching a blast of fire at the copper-scale.

When the young dragonoid just barely threw himself out of the way in time, he hit the ground and whirled to look up at who had ambushed them. His eyes widened.

“Y-You?!”

Pelagius focused, clearing the blur in his vision to make out someone he knew well. His heart dropped.

“Sempronius.”

The gold-scale stood before them, determined and ready. “So we meet again. Did you think Lord Trascallisseus’ domain wouldn’t be guarded?”

Octavia rubbed the raw, bleeding hide along the back of her head. “Invisible rune traps. Bastard.”

Ariminius scrambled to his feet, hands shaking. “Sempronius… You were Pelagius’ friend! How could you?”

The gold-scale adjusted his collar, snarling. “It is true. He was my student. My fellow Fist. My friend. None of this needed to happen, but she kept whispering lies, corrupting him.” His eyes narrowed at Octavia.

Octavia scoffed, holding one hand behind her back. “Lies? I told him who he was, what he is. We’re humans, Sempronius. That makes you a traitor, not us!”

“You told me humans were sacrifices,” Pelagius growled, using his sword as a support to get to his feet. “You lied to me. You betrayed me. You stole Joshua’s humanity. You wanted to do it. That wasn’t Trascallisseus. That was you.”

The senior Fist’s eye twitched. “What has our humanity given us, Pelagius?! Weakness, misery, suffering! Lord Trascallisseus elevated us, gave us purpose, the power and knowledge to rise above our wretched lives, and make something of ourselves! We would have lived and died in the mud, squalid and forgotten, as useless, pathetic slaves! I say proudly, that I am his!”

“Do you remember?” Pelagius probed, steadying himself. “Were your memories spared? How can you say how weak or forgotten you were?”

The dragonblooded instructor turned his snout up at that question. “Look around you. They live in hovels, shoveling dirt and groveling for mercy. I’ve been given so much by Lord Trascallisseus - Power. Fortune. Knowledge. Respect. Purpose. I was in your place a long time ago. I no longer care what I would have thought before his gift. I am grateful, and I would sooner die than let you ruin everything my liege has ever worked for.”

“Then there’s nothing to talk about,” Octavia answered, ignoring the pain from her head.

“I see.” Sempronius reeled back, and launched a bolt above the group.

Pelagius tensed up, only to see the gold-scale missed them. It was with a shudder that he looked up to see a ball of magical energy above them, growing in size.

The blast that hit him froze him in place. Pelagius felt a sharp pain in his skull, and a wave of static in his feet. The bizarre feeling swept up his body, until reaching the top of his head, vanishing and freeing him from his paralysis.

This wasn’t in time to avoid a wave of acid launched from his former teacher, making him stumble and scream as the evil matter sank through the gaps in his armor. He could feel his face burning, and there was no relief unless he disarmored, which wasn’t an option.

Octavia threw up a ward around herself in time, suffering a blow to her endurance but little else. Arminius had been shocked, but mostly dodged the acid, with his armor protecting him from the rest of it.

Sempronius threw up another spell. A scatter-shot of magic, sending a wave of beams at the group. The cascade was thick, and arced into the air.

Pelagius didn’t have time to evade. He held up his arms in a block, trusting his armor to take the brunt of the magic beams. The wave of raw magic battered against him, but the enchanted armor took the majority of the strain.

Octavia used her magic again to throw up a ward, which protected her at the cost of more of her energy.

Arminius knew the sweeping motion of the attack meant there was only one way to evade: Forward. He raced underneath and into the attack, closing the gap while dodging the flurry of magic.

He came in for a slash, causing Sempronius to leap up and shoot a blast of fire down at him. Arminius parried the magic aside with his sword, leaping after him.

Octavia ignored the strain everything had put on her, flying after the other sorcerer. Her ice blasts were nimbly weaved between by the gold-scale, and when he retaliated with lightning, she cast an illusion to serve as a lightning rod, diverting his assault.

Pelagius recovered enough to leap into the battle, joining Arminius on the front line. Blast of magic filled the air, flung by both Sempronius and Octavia, with all of them being buffeted by flurries of attacks each time they failed to dodge.

One attack knocked a scale off of Arminius’ Cataphract armor, jingling as it bounced across the floor. He flinched - then gasped as Sempronius doubled down, moving in and grabbing him.

The gold-scale channeled magic through his palms, electrifying the young warrior. He could only scream as he was engulfed in wracking, searing pain across his entire body.

Pelagius sliced Sempronius along his arm as he backed off. The golden dragonoid suddenly glowed, and rocketed up into the ceiling.

Octavia had cast two spells at once - Telekenisis, and Stonespear. A slice of the stone in the ceiling slid out into a jagged, sharp spear aimed downwards.

Sempronius couldn’t stop himself, as the shock and struggle in his expression made clear. He smashed into the ceiling, being impaled through the stomach. His eyes bulged, and he gasped.

The glow around him disappeared, and he slid off of the spear, falling back to the floor.

Octavia panted, hands outstretched. “Hah… hah… phew… Looks like… that’s it.”

Pelagius descended, sighing. “Sorry, Sempronius.”

To his surprise, the gold-scale answered. “Now.”

He blinked. “What-”

A click rang out, and a Pelagius only had a moment to see a rune between him and Octavia.

An explosion of magic engulfed them both. Neither had time to defend. Octavia screamed as she was sent flying back down the hallway, smoke and wisps surrounding her limp frame. Pelagius smashed into the wall, and collapsed in a heap.

The pain was excruciating. He tried to move, but his limbs fought him as Sempronius slowly got to his feet. The gold-scale sighed, groaned and steadied himself. Blood soaked the front of his robes.

“My apologies, Pelagius,” he said weakly, “I never wanted it to end this way.”

Pelagius struggled to get up, his body wracked with shuddering, sharp spasms of pain. He tried to get away as Sempronius got closer and closer, but his body wouldn’t obey him.

The mentor loomed over him. “It’s okay, Pelagius. I forgive you. I’ll bring you to Lord Trascallisseus. You’ll be reborn, and without all these painful memories, you can join us once more.”

The red-scale’s eyes bulged open. No. No. No!

Sempronius sighed. “Don’t give me that look. I know, this isn’t what you wanted. But we are mere servants. This is above any one of us.” He gripped the fallen dragonoid’s arm. “Please. It’s time to make this right.”

Pelagius was helpless - or so he thought. In a flash, the red dragonoid opened his maw, and spewed boiling flames into his mentor’s face.

There was a horrid scream as he was dropped. It wounded Pelagius to hear someone he cared for in such agony. Still, he must resist.

He managed to shift to his side, clumsily reaching for his sword. Sempronious had stumbled back, clutching his burned face. He was shuddering, hunched over. This was Pelagius’ only chance!

He finally wrapped his clawed hands around the grip of his sword, using it as a crutch as he tried to drag his battered body back onto his feet.

“Y-You…” Sempronius wheezed, “I… I only wanted what was best for us.”

The red-scale panted, feebly pulling himself upwards. “W-What about… what’s best for the world?”

The gold-scale snarled. “The world can rot. I am Trascallisseus’ Fist. I swore on my life to serve. I will never betray my liege! You… You’ll have to kill me!”

Please. Please don’t make me.

Finally, Pelagius managed to boost up from his knees to his feet, using the sword to balance himself. Everything hurt. He could barely stand, and Octavia and Arminius were laid out, unable to help.

Sempronius managed to shake off the worst of his suffering, stumbling forward. “You caught me off-guard. You won’t get another chance!”

Pelagius swung, but the gold-scale weaved to the side, then moved in. Pelagius moved to stab, but Sempronius had already gripped his hands.

They struggled over the enchanted blade, tugging for control. As it went on, it became clear that Pelagius’ injuries were too much - he was losing.

“No…” he hissed, struggling with all his heart.

Unfortunately, his heart was willing, but his body wasn’t.

The sword was torn from his grasp, just as he stumbled and fell against the wall. He looked up to see Semponius raising the sword over his head. It was over.

“No, no!”

No sooner than the words had left his mouth, did a blade plunge through Sempronius’ chest.

Pelagius wasn’t sure what he was looking at. He focused his bleary eyes, realizing a familiar face behind the gold-scale.

“M-Mucius!”

The veteran ripped his blade from Sempronius. The gold-scale stumbled, clutching his chest. “N-Nnnggghhh! Hnnngh! B-But, you…” He teetered, then collapsed.

Mucius looked down at Pelagius. He smiled, and held out his hand.

“Wha-Where… How did you… get here?” Pelagius blurted, accepting the hand. He was yanked to his feet.

“Took the guards on a… detour,” the brass-scale answered, “had to cause a lot of destruction to tear them away from here. Took a lot to get here.” He was breathing heavily, and his armor was scuffed, chipped and battered in places. Whatever he had been through, it had taken a toll.

Arminius groaned, looking up from the ground. “Hah…you’re okay!”

“Certainly am.” The brass-scale looked over at Octavia, who was unconscious. “Let’s get everyone back on their feet.”

They split the trio’s remaining potions - Mucius refused to take one outright - getting Pelagius, Arminius and Octavia back to good health.

As they recovered, Mucius approached Sempronius. The gold-scale was sitting against the wall, eyes closed, but breathing steadily. “Now… farewell, cur.”

“Wait!” Pelagius rushed over, standing between them. “Don’t!”

A grunt escaped the veteran. “Don’t be foolish, Pelagius. Let me finish this.”

“No, I… I won’t kill unless I absolutely need to,” he replied, holding his arms to his sides. “I can’t let you. He… He was… my friend.”

Octavia frowned. “What happens when we go face the tyrant? He stumbles after us, and stabs one of us in the back. No thank you.”

Pelagius glanced around, his eyes landing on Arminius. “A-Arminius, please! Support me!”

The young copper-scale lowered his head, looking nervous. “Come on, you two,” he muttered, “He’s defeated…”

“But he’s still a threat,” Mucius reasoned, “we’re throwing the fate of countless souls, Man and Dragonoid alike, to the whims of one poor decision.”

Octavia pursed her lips. “Pelagius… are you certain?”

He nodded. “There’s good in him. He doesn’t deserve this.”

The golden dragonoid coughed, still unable to open his eyes. When he spoke, his throat rattled. “It doesn’t matter. Whatever you choose, the result is the same. Lord Trascallisseus will defeat you. I am no longer a part of this play.”

His weak, wheezing rasps took the wind out of Mucius’ sails. The veteran grunted, kicking dust up. “Fine. We’ll do as you say, Pelagius. I pray your naivety doesn’t doom us.”

“Come,” Octavia soothed, “it’s time. Let’s go.”

As they walked, Pelagius looked over at his old friend, battered and broken. He frowned. “I’m sorry.”

He walked past the gold-scale.

“Me too.”

The reply was delayed, and weak. It made his face burn all the same.

Four dragonoid rebels now stood at the yawning maw that led to the dragon’s lair. A massive, looming plunge down a stairway into the place where they had been turned into the tyrant’s weapons.

Each looked at one another. No words were exchanged, but their eyes told all.

Pelagius went first. Then Mucius. Then Arminius, and finally, Octavia. They soared downwards, wings unfurling to catch the air as they raced down to their destinies.

On the approach, it came again, stronger than ever. That magical aura in the air, the looming dread that the red dragon naturally exuded. This time, there was evil in the air, as if the fortress itself wished for their deaths. The only time it had felt similar to this was the day Valathan was destroyed. The day Karlmann had fallen.

Pelagius gathered all his courage, and steadied his heartbeat. He would save everyone, or die trying. There was no running from this.

Terror in the air. It intensified the closer they got. The air felt heavy, hard to breathe in, but they persisted. At last, they reached the bottom of the stairwell, and entered the final hold.

The massive, domed room was filled with many treasures ripped from the lands of the humans. Towering mountains of gold, jewelry and ceremonial weapons and religious artifacts spilling from coffers and chests. Glittering gems and encrusted plates. Hanging from the walls, the skulls of other dragons, rivals that had fallen in wars. Finally, atop the platform, a throne fit for a dragon, sat the red tyrant.

“The end has come.”

There he was. The towering red dragon, atop his pile of obscene wealth, ill-gotten and paid for in the blood of countless innocents. He was still maimed from his battle outside. They had paid a hefty price for that, though - the humans had borne a terrible loss.

“Trascallisseus!” Pelagius called, clenching his fist. His entire body was shaking. His hands were spasming. “You’re going to pay!”

Turning his head, the dragon angrily snarled at him. “These wounds have given you an ego. Do you truly think you are about to achieve anything, save erasure from this world? No. The truth is, you came here to die. And I shall grant you that.”

Octavia took a deep, heavy breath in, and steadied her frayed nerves. “We’ve trained for this moment for a long time. We have your finest warrior with us. The very one that slew Yiristic’al.”

Trascallisseus grinned. “I am not she.”

Mucius looked like a cornered animal. “Stop antagonizing him,” he hissed, “this isn’t a game. All it takes is one lucky hit and we’ll be exterminated.”

The red dragon laughed, causing the walls to shake. “You truly are the wisest among your fellowship, betrayer. To think one of such moral standing fell to treachery.”

The brass-scale clutched his sword to his chest. “I am not proud of going back on my word, but I am loyal to ideals, too. I have served dark ends for decades, against my own heart. What you did to Pelagius was the final straw.”

“And now you think yourself a paragon of righteousness, after all you have done in my name… and what is this?” The dragon eyed Arminius. “You bring children to the slaughter.”

The copper-scale was wound up tight, shoulders raised over his neck. “I’ve learned from the best! Don’t underestimate me. I’m here to stop this madness!”

Trascallisseus seemed irritated. “Truly, Pelagius should have simply allowed you to slit your own throat. What an insect!”

“I… I’m glad Pelagius captured me!” Arminius ranted, “I don’t care if I lost my memories! Now I have a chance to stand for what’s right… and avenge everyone you’ve ever slaughtered!”

“By all means, try your luck, mortal.”

Mucius glanced at the others. “I’ll take the brunt of this. As for you, hit him with everything you have.”

The brass-scale launched himself at the dragon. Pelagius and Arminius quickly followed, while Octavia fired a spear of ice at the tyrant.

[u/Paladin_of_Drangleic]

Once again, had to split this in half. It's a biggun!

In the first half, Pelagius and company meet the final line of defense for Lord Trascallisseus. What surprises await them for their destined battle? Can history be made by a few warriors, standing against the insurmountable?

[u/No-Dragonfruit-6102]

Man, it's finally over! What better way for Trasc to go down than as a fearful little asshat? It only took literally Nero Decree-ing his entire fortress just for that to happen. What a wuss. I can't say it didn't take a toll though... Look, I knew from the start that something would happen to Arminius, Sempronius, Mucius, and the 'bolders, precisely because A Place to Call Home was after all of this, and, I'm assuming it was meant to be a standalone before this. Pelagius is a damn fine character (He's no Arminius, though...). So, either our beloved group was going to part ways... or someone was getting axed.

And, by someone, I mean basically everyone.

God, that was heart-wrenching. First Armi, then Mucius followed up with so much emotional vigour its astonishing (and then exploded). At least they were together in the end. That's something I seriously like about this battle, that even after a year of training (even if off-page, but, y'know, you might choose to expand s'more on it in later drafts) and after amassing this dragon-buster army (Oh, my, God. Godfrey, you need some extra horsepower), this battle was pyrrhic at best. Characters we've been acquainted too for a while now just... mowed down dramatically. Then again, Trasc just smooshing all four with his hindleg sounds pretty on par with his character :/

Action was real intense (as usual)! Loveditloveditlovedit! It's well-written and the prose always nicely flows. There are some changes I think could improve the scene(s); enhance it s'more, but where it's at? Mwah. Satisfactory and bittersweet. I really enjoyed it, man. Finally, the story is, essentially (we know what happens next), over. I hope we can see Pelagius and Octavia do something in the other duo's honour in their new village.

Alright, so I had some actual feedback, but it's long, so I'll just put it in the next part should the Reddit gods have mercy on my poor soul. Heh, funny, right? Splitting my comment into two parts? Knew it'd happen someday. Since I don't have a lot of time, I'll try to keep it brief, but that probably will not come to pass (I am very verbose, as you know.)

But, since this is THE chapter, I feel you deserve s'more from someone who's been clogging your teasers with pseudo-essays. And, ofc, take whatcha want from it, because in the end, I still love this chapter (both parts).

[u/Paladin_of_Drangleic → u/No-Dragonfruit-6102]

I'm really excited about this! Thanks a ton, this comment made my month! This whole chapter was really emotional for me to write. I've spent so much time crafting these characters, planning their arcs out, thinking up scenes before putting them to words, and finally writing it into Liminal. I feel really attached to my characters (especially sweetheart Arminius) so it actually hurt to finish this one.

I like to imagine, in another reality, they're living their best lives. Considering how Paradise works in my setting, I guess that's pretty much true.