superaielman
In a season where axes to the face dominated, Phantasy Stars burned brightly, and the hope of an entire invasion placed on one Dragoon's shoulders, Ryu's victory over Myria stood out. Once mocked as Fou-Lu's pathetic other half and possibly the weakest of the Ryu clan, he stormed Godlike, and managed to not only knock off well known contender Indaleico, but somehow beat Myria... the foe who struck down his other half with ease in the previous season. Up is down. Left is right, and Ryu4 proved that Fou-Lu's other half wasn't as weak as most people thought.
Myria: 25
Ryu: 28
Meeplelard
Ryu was diligently training the day before his fateful match with the goddess that had struck down his other half. Swinging his Royal Sword around, practicing his Evocations, fishing - the things that a Yorae Dragon does for training. By his side were none other than his allies (excluding Scias, who was busy sleeping somewhere else due to his nature) to give him moral support and coaching.
As his sword arced through the air, Ershin suddenly spoke up. "You know, it is Deis' opinion that Ryu's match will be incredibly difficult."
"Why is that, Ershin?" said Nina.
"Ryu's opponent is Deis' own kin, and far more powerful than Deis herself. Ryu will likely need assistance to win this fight."
"So wait, Ryu's fighting ANOTHER one of the Endless, you are saying?"
"Deis says that it would appear so."
Ryu halted, sweatdropping and put down his sword after hearing this. After consulting with his friends, he realized he indeed was going to need more help in his training. He decided to go to the one source he dared wish he never had to ask...
-----
"Another one of the brood?" Myria snarled, as she read who her opponent was. "And of the chosen?!" She was tired of fighting endless waves of them. She just wanted to live in her peaceful world. She thought it might be best to kill Ryu off before the match, and win by default, but who could match the might of the Brood? The Guardians were no match against Dragons from prior experience, surely. She needed something more.
"JADE!! TEEPO!!" Myria called.
With that, the two Dark Dragons entered the room without a second's hesitation.
"Your wish, oh mighty Goddess Myria?" Teepo said, bowing before her.
"You have both done well in extinguishing the threat in this world, but alas, a great threat arises..."
"Surely, Myria, you can't be afraid of a simple Light Dragon? I mean, last season, you defeated the greatest of all the Dark Dragons, the God Emperor himself, exacting revenge on him! You mustn't be anxious to fight his inferior half."
Myria narrowed her eyes, an eerie yellow glow surrounding them. "I am not. However, I would like to avoid any chances. Both of you recall what happened in the past in regards to the chosen." Both of them paled at this, the scars from their battles from previous Ryus very clear in their memory. "I wish for both of you two to find me a suitable dragon slayer, one who is capable of destroying one of the Endless!"
"As you wish!"
"Of course."
------
Ryu knew exactly where Fou-lu's presence was; after all, the two technically shared the same mind, if not the same track of thoughts. And Fou-lu was expecting his other half to show up, at that. He had just entered Fou-lu's audience chamber, when suddenly...
"Who dares interrupt my master, the God Emperor!" snarled the voice of a large white canine.
Ryu stood there silently, replying without a word as usual.
A-tur paused, his large eyes probing the simply clothed man in front of him. At last, it lowered its head slightly, its tone more reverant. "I see. My master has been awaiting you. You may proceed."
With that, Ryu stepped up the gold-carved steps, statues of heroes and champions of past ages boring their stony gazes at him. When at last he came to the platform before the Imperial throne, the shrouded figure of his other half spoke.
"So, thou hath returned, thou who art me..." said the calm voice of Fou-lu, cutting through the chamber's silence. "I know that thee art not here for the sake of our fusion, am I correct?"
Ryu nodded.
"Thou hath come regarding the match thou art about to face? Hmmm...this would be a good chance to see who indeed is the greater of our halves. Twould also be a chance to regain honor for our kind, would it not, thou who art me?"
Ryu nodded again.
"Very well, I shalt help thee prepare for thy match. Thou hast proven thyself already by dispatching that false prophet whom I had dispatched seasons ago, along with the one who claimed to be one of 'God's Ten Wisemen'." His eyes closed in a sardonic smirk. "You are learning, and gaining more power. Mayhaps you are even a match for me now, but alas, such a conflict with have to wait till our adversary be purified of her life..."
------
"NEXT!" Teepo howled, some of the people in the line fainting from the sound. "Damn it, there must be ONE good dragon slayer around here!"
"Oh, be patient." Jade stood off the side in front of a large mirror, calmly brushing his hair and filing his nails. "Besides, I'm suprised you actually wish to help Myria dispatch the dragons, you being one yourself."
"I fear my own powers. Myria helps me restore my faith. Aren't you one too?"
"Pfft. Only by title, not by anything else..." Jade paused, his attention diverted to the next person in the list stepping up. He was a silver-haired man, slight but with strong arms and a piercing gaze. But more than anything, it was his presence that startled him. Teepo noted it as well, a involuntary twitch coming to his sides, as if something unsavory had struck him.
"So, I hear you're looking for a dragon slayer?" said the man. "Would you mind telling me what this dragon is? If it's one that is worth my time, I might just help you."
"Hmph. Why should we even bother with an arrogant fool like you?"
The singing of a sword slicing through the air faster than either of their eyes could see silenced any further commentary. "I killed the Divine Dragon of my own world..."
"...ok, I'll shut up..."
Teepo arched an eyebrow, glancing at the blade. "Anyway, about the dragon... well, our master, the goddess Myria, has always been a long-time enemy of the Brood. Whenever she tries to fullfill one of her plans, they always stand in her way. She thought she had finally made a point to them by defeating the greatest of them all, Fou-lu, last season..."
The name "Fou-lu" sunk into Lloyd deeply. That had been his prize catch for the longest time, but always something had stood in his way. First was that damnable Sword Magess, then it was that Cardinal...
"...and the dragon Myria is about to fight this week is none other than the other half of the God Emperor."
Lloyd leveled a stare at Teepo, his face a look of sudden interest. "His other half?"
"Yes. Mind, it's said that he is the weaker half, but the Goddess wishes he be dealt with in advance, as she's tired of dealing with dragons herself."
Lloyd thought about this. Perhaps he could finally slay the God Emperor by instead taking down his other self. It was not exactly honorable, but that had never been a primary concern for him, and at least he'd have finally slayed the greatest dragon of them all. That, and it would also regain respect in the eyes of his own master, Sephiroth, after all those failed attempts at taking down Fou-lu. With that, he agreed that right before the match, he would slay Ryu, giving Myria the win.
------
The day of the match arrived. Ryu looked frantically for Fou-lu, for some last minute advice, but even he couldn't find him. Nina gave him one last wish for good luck, prompting a snide remark from Deis about how he was going to need it.
Myria had already been waiting in the arena, being the patient goddess she was. Expecting to hear the good news that Ryu had been incapacitated, and that she'd be able to walk away with her second championship without a fight, she felt confident.
Ryu walked slowly down the hall, unaware of his stalker hidden in the shadows. Moments later, he heard a voice...
"Yorae, dragon of the future... your future ends here, I'm afraid!"
With that, Lloyd sprung out, Dragon Buster in hand to gut his foe with blazing speed. Ryu was too surprised to react, and stood there like a sitting duck. His death was imminent; that sword possessed just as much, if not more, power than the Dragonslayer blade of his own world. The sword grew closer and closer from Lloyd's dive, seemingly in slow motion, but just before it hit Ryu...
*CLINK*
A beam of light had blocked the attack. Ryu looked to his side to see the last person he expected to be there... Fou-lu himself!
"I had expected to see thee again, oh 'dragon slayer'," Fou-lu stated. Lloyd had immediately backflipped into a defensive position, his composure eroding rapidly. No! Not now! He wasn't prepared to fight the God Emperor at this moment.
"Ryu, thou hath a match to win." Fou-lu gestured with his hand to the arena entrance. "Thy will fight the goddess Myria on my behalf. I shall deal with this foolish mortal mineself."
Lloyd was angered at his plans being foiled yet again, but at the same time anxious. This was his chance to finally slay the God Emperor himself. The two readied, and instantly clashed swords.
Meanwhile, out in the arena, the crowd was growing impatient. Where was Ryu?
Teepo had gone up to the ref in light of this. "You might as well call the match in our goddess's favor. He's not coming..."
"What makes you so sure?"
"Oh, I just have an..." he was about to say, but was suddenly interrupted as, out of the hallway to the arena, none other than Ryu had appeared.
"Ladies and gentlemen, the RPG Dueling League's Godlike Finals! The match of Myria, the Goddess of Desire from the Breath of Fire series, against Ryu, the Yorae Dragon of Breath of Fire 4, shall commence!"
Myria was stunned. This was the last thing she expected. She had considered using her underhanded tactics of "Will you be my friend?" which was the same maneuver she used to subdue so many opponents before her, including being the means of which she had exacted her revenge on Fou-lu, but then she immediately remembered that Ryu and Fou-lu shared the same mind, and that he would not fall for such a trick. She knew she was in for a match.
Meanwhile, back in the ominous hallway...
"I will not fail! I will slay you, oh God Emperor!"
"So many hath said that to mine ears, and all their fates hath been the same," Fou-lu said.
"Yes! But I will succeed where others have fallen!" Lloyd's burning ambition fueled his attacks, the strikes from the Dragon Buster ringing every second against that of Fou-lu's sword. But the God Emperor did not halter, easily deflecting each and every attack.
"If thou shalt give up now, I will leave thee in peace, and pretend that such events hath not come to pass. Should thee continue, I will be forced to vanquish thee, foul mortal."
At first, Lloyd thought the idea was absurd. Give up against his rival? Preposterous! But then he came up with an idea... typically underhanded and devious, but effective nonetheless against the honorable Fou-lu.
"Alright, I concede. You are indeed too much a match for me," Lloyd said, grinning.
"Very well. I hath a match to observe, mortal. I shalt leave thee in peace." Fou-lu began walking away, his back to the Wingly.
Lloyd, however, had other ideas. Rewielding his blade, he rushed it into the open back of Fou-lu. It impaled straight through his spine, leaving a gaping and bloody wound at the end of the God Emperor's chest.
"HA! I can't believe you fell for the oldest trick in the book!" Lloyd yelled, face shining with triumph. "Now my mission is complete! I have slain the greatest of dragons!"
Fou-lu looked down at his wound, an injury fatal to most mortals. His face curled up into an enraged snarl, tired beyond redemption at the foolishness of this person, and when his voice spoke the hallway shook.
"FOOLISH MORTAL. DOTH THOU NOT KNOW A THING? EVEN SUCH AN OBJECT HATH NO EFFECT ON ME!"
Seconds later, a massive Dark Wave of black energy shot out of the hallway, and Lloyd was blasted clear into the sky from the impact.
"What? How could he fail!" Jade yelled. Teepo merely watched the ascending Lloyd, numbed and shocked.
Myria was tensed out. Seeing Fou-lu have so much power, she couldn't help but be frightened if Ryu had the same were she to push him to his edge, and unlike Fou-lu, Ryu wasn't quite as even-minded.
"I hate to say this, but I concede. I shall rid the world of your kind one of these, Yorae Dragon!" said Myria. With that, she grew into her monstrous snake form, and flew off, no doubt intending to extract her dissatisfaction upon someone.
Ryu stood there, wordless, and was announced the winner. He had done what none other of his namesake has done before, as well as fulfilling his destiny at the same time to battle the goddess of destruction and win. Ryu looked over at Fou-lu, who had his usual emotionless expression on his face, and then left the arena, now the newest of the league's champions.
hooah
Isn't Ryu stronger then his other half in the higher levels? hopefully, he'll beat the old hag...
berserkergang
My overwhelming joy made me pick Ryu, though chances are slim that he'd win. Nah, forget it, Myria would whoop him.
|
In an odd twist of fate, Myria is pitted against the Yorae Dragon for the second time in as many seasons, and this time it's the weaker half. Having easily subjugated the God Emperor already, and made him quite a pleasant playmate, it should be no problem for Myria to make Ryu her "best friend ever." Even should Ryu defend himself from the Goddess's arsenal of status effects, it will not be easy for him to hold out forever against her blistering speed and magicks. With a little luck Myria will be able to press Ryu until his powers of draconic transformation are spent entirely, and the match will be fairly one-sided from there. Once again the Duelling League will bask in the glory of the Goddess as its champion and Sister will be green with envy.
Ryu the IVth. The underdog, that little dragon that no one thought could do it, has finally reached the finals. What's more, he's up against the chief villain of the Breath of Fire universe. Of course, this Ryu is the only one who has never fought Myria or her progeny, but that won't stop him now. He's ready to prove that he is actually the stronger of two halves, and succeed where Fou-Lu failed. With his trusty Kaiser metamorphosis, he's ready to match the Goddess in a straightforward slugfest of epic proportions. With the power of the Dragon, and the will to prove that he's just as good as his darker half, the fourth Ryu is ready to remind Myria why she feared the brood in the first place. Besides, he's come farther in the League than any Ryu before him; it would be too cruel an irony to lose to her now.