Chapter 10: Act 2- Dragon's Blood; Odyn vs Roy
"Stay back!" Odyn's command carried such authority that even Frederick hesitated. "This isn't a normal battle – dark elven combat at full power can be... devastating."
"But Odyn—" Lucina started forward, only to be held back by her mother.
"He's right," Sybyrh's orange eyes were grave. "What's about to happen... you need to be at a safe distance."
Across the windswept plateau, a lone figure stood waiting. Roy's sky blue and lavender hair whipped in the rising wind, his vacant orange eyes fixed on his brother. The dragon insignia on his armor seemed to shimmer with an unnatural light.
"Brother," Odyn called out, his voice carrying across the distance. "I thought I lost you once. I won't lose you again."
Roy's only response was to draw his blade – an ancient dark elven sword that matched Odyn's own. The Dragon's Leash magic crackled visibly around him, dark purple energy that twisted and writhed like chains.
"Gods above," Owain whispered, for once without theatrical flourish. "Such power..."
What happened next made even the most seasoned Shepherds step back. Both brothers released their full power simultaneously, their Dragon Crests blazing to life on their foreheads. The very air seemed to ignite with energy, the ground trembling beneath their feet. Their auras – Odyn's a deep royal blue, Roy's corrupted into a sickly purple – erupted around them like pillars of flame reaching for the sky.
"RAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!" Odyn's war cry shook the earth as he charged forward, his sword trailing azure energy.
"KRAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!" Roy's answering roar was distorted by the magic controlling him, but no less powerful.
Their blades met with a thunderous crash that sent shockwaves across the plateau. Trees at the edges bent from the force, loose stones rising into the air from the sheer pressure of their power.
"I've never seen anything like this," Chrom breathed, shield raised to protect against the windstorm their clash had generated.
Lucina watched in awe and fear as her love fought with power she'd never seen him display before. The brothers moved faster than seemed possible, their forms blurring with speed. Each clash of their blades released another shockwave, their Dragon Crests pulsing with ancient power.
"The dragon blood of the dark elves," Sybyrh explained, her own crest faintly glowing in response to the display. "When fully awakened, it grants power that rivals the dragons themselves."
Odyn and Roy took to the air, their combat rising above the plateau in defiance of gravity itself. Their auras left trails of light as they clashed again and again, each impact marked by thunderous booms and flashes of energy.
"Brother! I know you're in there!" Odyn's voice carried even through the chaos. He deflected a strike that would have severed his head, countering with a technique that sent Roy spinning backward. "Remember who you are! Remember our people!"
For a moment, Roy's vacant expression flickered. The purple chains of energy around him wavered.
"That's it!" Odyn pressed forward, his crest blazing brighter. "Remember our oath! Remember—"
Both brothers suddenly froze in mid-air, their voices joining in a chant that seemed to come from ancient memory:
*"Dragon's blood in mortal form,
Guardians since magic's dawn,
Bound by oath and bound by right,
To protect the realms of light!"*
The Dragon's Leash magic surrounding Roy suddenly convulsed, its purple chains starting to crack. Roy's eyes cleared for just a moment, recognition flooding them.
"Brother... help... me..."
"HOLD ON!" Odyn's aura exploded with renewed power as he charged forward, his blade wreathed in pure light.
Lucina surged forward despite her mother's attempt to hold her back. "You can do it, Odyn! Save him!"
Whether it was Lucina's voice, the ancient oath, or the combined power of the brothers' Dragon Crests, something finally shattered the Dragon's Leash. The purple chains exploded into fragments of dissipating energy, and Roy's eyes cleared fully as his corrupted aura returned to its natural blue.
"Od...yn?"
The younger brother's sword fell from nerveless fingers as he began to plummet. Odyn dove, catching him before he could hit the ground. They landed together, both dropping to their knees as their massive auras finally faded.
"I've got you, little brother," Odyn's voice cracked as he held Roy. "I've got you."
"I... I'm sorry..." Roy managed before consciousness fled him entirely.
The Shepherds approached cautiously, still in awe of what they'd witnessed. Lucina reached them first, kneeling beside Odyn and placing a gentle hand on his shoulder.
"He's alive," Odyn assured her, his own exhaustion evident. "He's finally free."
"Um, question!" Owain raised his hand excitedly. "Do ALL dark elves have world-shaking dragon powers? Because I may need to revise several chapters of my epic saga..."
"Owain!" several voices scolded at once.
But Odyn actually chuckled, still holding his brother close. "Only those of the royal bloodline, actually. Though we try not to advertise it."
"ROYAL?!" Owain's eyes sparkled dangerously. "Cousin, you're courting dark elven ROYALTY?!"
Lucina groaned while Sybyrh laughed softly. "Perhaps we should make camp," the dark elf queen suggested. "I believe we all have quite a bit to discuss once Roy awakens."
As the Shepherds began setting up camp, Lucina helped Odyn carry his brother to a safe resting place. "You know," she said softly, "you could have told me you were a prince."
Odyn gave her a tired smile. "Would it have mattered?"
She leaned in to kiss him softly. "Not in the slightest."
In his unconsciousness, Roy's Dragon Crest finally faded, matching his brother's. The ancient power of their bloodline slumbered once more, waiting for the next time it would be needed.
Above them, actual dragons circled curiously, drawn by the display of power that had rivaled their own, before disappearing into the clouds once more.
To be continued in Chapter 11: Act 2- Dark Elves and Dragons