A/N: This chapter is the conclusion of this ‘epic’ battle, however there is a huge twist at the end where things may kick off again. But this ‘authors note’ is to say that the Italics show what is happening in Nero’s head. It’s kinda easy to distinguish whose talking. Bold is the ice crystals and the normal font id Nero. So ya, Enjoy!

Chapter 26: When Three Ends Meet

“Enough!” Scott sent a radial discharge of flames around his body; however it only briefly delayed the dash of the beasts. The battle had raged on for some time; however Nero’s summons showed no sign of fatigue. Scott continued to pound away, attack after attack. The might of the icy creatures were too much, a slash from their razor claws slicing even the thick smoky air.

“I know you can hear me Nero. Hiding in these beasts won’t save you.” Scott flew high into the air. “You’re a coward, always relying on the help of others. But once I dispose of these wretched creatures, you’re alone again. Everyone you care for is dead, not a soul to save you.” Scott hurled a streak of fire crashing down below. “Delaying your death will bare no rewards, only for the inevitable demise that will follow.” Scott paused as the blaze below began to die down.

Nero’s body stood lifeless. The mist supporting him was constricting itself over the poor body. All natural features of the once brave Nero have been beaten by the new animal within him. His finger twitched slightly, but the mist soon controlled it. Nero’s legs began to move, but again the demonic mist forced it still.

‘There is no escaping us Nero. However hard you try we’ll hold you down. Just let us do our job. Your struggling will only make things difficult.’

“No, I’ve had enough. You’ve made me lose everything, and to lose Scott as well, my life will become meaningless.”

‘But your life is already meaningless young Nero. Our power will give you a new life, one of lust, one of insanity.’

Nero’s eyes darted open. He began breathing heavily. His eyes changed rapidly from a white to a blue, and his crystals began to die down. Scott looked on curiously. The four bears slowly began to fade, roaring hoarsely into the sky. Nero was fighting himself, trying to break free. But it would only come to one conclusion.

The icy mist dissipated into the sky, taking up half the field. It devoured Nero, making movement inside almost impossible. His eyes slammed shut almost as quickly as they opened. The bears took shape again, but the intensity of the ice made then stronger, harder and faster. They all snarled as they closed in on Scott. One leapt itself into the air and brought down its claws, however Scott repelled the beast with a discharge of fire.

“This is getting ridiculous. Ending this quickly was my first priority; my second was to cause as much damage as possible. And I’m afraid it’s come down to the latter.”

Scott placed his hands together and crossed his two middle fingers so that the other four remained up. While drifting high into the sky, he began to chant incomprehensibly. A crimson crack opened itself up in the sky. Flames burst out vaporising the clouds itself. Scott stopped chanting and from the heavens, came two winged creatures. The first’s skin was a dark red, but more-so like scales, the seconds was a dark purple. Their wings were ripped, but that showed no affect on the creatures. Around their legs and arms were black chains with huge hooks at the end of each. However, what was most terrifying was their demented face. Several eyes spammed around their forehead, and their mouths were lined with thousands of small razor sharp teeth. These were no ordinary dragons. Hell itself would turn away these cursed creatures.

“Allow me to welcome my two pets, Lucifer and Keito. Only once have I ever resulted to summoning these magnificent creatures, but my foe was very difficult to handle. His magick was extraordinary, but I took great pleasure in killing him. He was of course the legendary Albertus Heratio, your grandfather.” Scott laughed loudly as he sat atop one of his red beast, Lucifer. “Now you will bare witness to the ultimate weapons in this land.” Scott soared down, the wind brushing against his fiery red hair, his hands caressing the mighty animals.

The bears below looked unfazed. They crouched down, bracing themselves. The dragons opened their gaping mouths and soon a surge of fire made itself down below. The icy creatures leapt up towards the dragons. One mistimed its jump and dissipated into vapour as the blaze engulfed it, but the rest dug their claws deep into the dragons crimson flesh. Lucifer screeched loudly in annoyance. The red dragon rocked its body, trying to break the grip of the bears, but the icy monsters firmly gripped on, slowly making their way on top of the dragon. The bear’s claws tore deep into the thick red scales.

Scott turned his back seeing the bear’s edge closer to Lucifer’s head. He grunted unfazed at the danger he was in. He looked down on the grassy field, or what was left of it, and saw Nero surrounded in a dense mist. Scott gave a malicious grin. He patted Lucifer on the head, and jumped down. The wind blew in his hair as he dived several hundred feet below. His mouth grew dry as air rushed in. He was about to fall head first, however Keito, the purple scaled dragon, swiftly caught Scott. The dragon gave a deafening roar above, seeing his brother savaged by the bears. Scott opened his eyes and stroked the dragons head before taking the reins.

Below, the mist had begun to sap all of Nero’s physical, as well as mental strength, the thick haze acting as barrier. However once that was broken Nero would be defenceless.

Keito soared down towards Nero, ready to take advantage. “This is too easy. Your grandfather who had no crystals and was already on his death bed put up a better fight then this.” Scott pulled hard on the reins, taking pleasure in watching Nero below, completely defenceless. However above a roar was heard. Scott quickly glanced up seeing a bear fall from above, ready to smash into Keito. “Humph.” Scott steered away to the left, seeing the poor bear miss completely and fall to its death, however Scott commanded Keito to bring the bear up.

The dragon sent its chains around its legs below. The hooks sliced into the bear’s chest and soon it limply lay on the bloody hooks. Keito brought the bear up in front of it. “Take pleasure in tormenting the beast, like it did to Lucifer.” Keito gave a snarl and swung the bear around viciously in a circle before sending it shooting up high into the sky. The dragon briskly followed. It rushed up into the sky, Scott gripping on tightly. As if time stopped, the bears head and the dragons were level. Then in an instant the dragon dug its teeth into the bear’s head, crushing its skull.

Scott gave a smile. He looked below, as he saw Lucifer attacked by the remained two bears. “Keito, help your brother, let me finish the boy off.” Keito grunted as it let go of the bear as it flopped to the ground.

Scott leapt off the dragon gracefully and began to dive head first towards Nero. Around his body, flames erupted.

“How am I doing?” Nero asked.

Silence.

“Hello? Anyone there?”

‘Things aren’t looking good; it seems as if the fire crystals are crushing my beasts. Maybe you deserve to die young Nero, and maybe I should rest with in Scott. He seems a more worthy tool then yourself.’

“You bastard. First you control my body, now you hope to kill me purposefully to join Scott?!”

The voice laughed inside Nero.

“I’m leaving.”

The voice laughed again, even louder. ‘I’ve already said Nero, there is no escaping, and I control you.’

“NO! I CONTROL YOU!”

Nero’s fingers began twitching again and soon his naturally blue eyes snapped open. The mist died down, but it was too late to react.

Scott continued to dive down. He had leapt from such a height that the speed he was travelling at was unstoppable. He edged closer and closer until he saw the barrier of mist die down. This is my chance.

Nero saw a burning figure come closer and closer until…

…

“Wh-What’s happened? I can’t move, my hands…WH-who, WH-what?” Large vines each with thorns wrapped itself around Scott’s body. He lay suspended in front of Nero, who was watching with fear. The vines appeared from the ground and they began to constrict tighter and tighter.

A voice spoke from beside Scott.

“Well, it looks as if I came just in time, and how ironic, it’s me who’s doing the saving this time Nero.”

A soft, smoothing voice. Nero turned from his shock to see a familiar face. A girl, with long brown hair that was tied up behind her back. Her blue eyes glistened radiantly with her small mouth smiling. She wore small green shorts which stopped just above her knees and a small woollen jacket that revealed her chest.

“N-No, it can’t be, I thought…” Scott was silenced as the vines crept up his body and around his mouth.

“It’s been far too long Nero.” The girl spoke. “Back when we were together, I thought of you and Scott. When I had to make a choice between my head and heart, my head being Scott and heart being you, I made the wrong choice. As I should have gone after my heart Nero…”

Nero looked on bemused.

“Verdia…”

Sorry about the delay. I had GCSE exams and work experience so couldn't focus on my story as much. Hope you enjoyed the ending to this chapter. I'll explain how she came back and managed to avoid her death in the next chapter. And also Hence the reason i 'killed her off' so easily, becuase i knew she wasn't dead. :P And about the vines...Well if you paid attention about what Scott's goals were in chapter 25, then it's obvious how these 'three ends meet'. :D