Sapling's beginning

Tattered icy wings shadowed the land. Slane's draconic form dripped with cold blood. Beneath him were people who he had recently come to care for. He could not fall yet.

The devils were tired and injured. The remaining exorcist was broken by the news of their dead god. The red dragon emperor's balance breaker had been broken.

"Boss explained to me that I was no match for you." Slane remained in the skies, his proud form looking up defiantly at the black feathers that began to blot out the night sky.

Thousands of fallen were beginning to appear from the magic circle in the air. The winter dragon knew he could not hope to defeat them all alone.

"I didn't expect someone of your caliber to be on their side, dragon. Tell me your name before we strike you down." Kokabiel's red eyes gazed down with the intensity, befitting his rank of a cadre.

His body didn't look injured, besides some coats of frost hanging off his robes. He let out a cold breath and crossed his arms.

He had planned to play with the two devil rulers until their older siblings had arrived. But he didn't foresee someone like Slane being on their side.

"Me? I am Slane. The Winter Dragon and the last Dragon Knight of my kind. Fallen Cadre, even should you strike me down tonight, I will return to you in full force!" He declared with an icy glint in his cold eyes.

"Somehow I doubt that." Kokabiel responded before raising his arm, signalling his legion to raise their spears.

"Believe what you will, but death is not enough to kill me!" Slane's maw widened as magical energy within the air coalesced into one point.

"Fall." With that one command, the thousands of individual light spears descended towards slane like a single bar of light.

[BOOST! GIFT!] The sound of the red dragon emperor's power being transferred came as the icy light erupted with greater intensity.

"FREEZE!" The cold light torrented out from the Winter Dragon's jaws and rose towards the falling spears.

The two pillars of light met and clashed in the center. The incessant sound of breaking light spears filled the air.

*SHINK sfx* However, the single beam of icy light was overtaken as Slane found a light sword embedded into his neck.

The spears of light found themselves unimpeded, descending down towards Slane like the deluge of a storm.

"SLANE!" Some of the devils couldn't believe their eyes as their friend's body was pierced through by countless spears.

"...This is not the end." Slane's whisper traveled in that moment of silence. His body faded away like white ash and vanished as if it were never there to begin with.

A horrible silence descended on the devils as their ally had been killed in front of them.

"You... YOU BASTARDS!" Issei roared out in pain and sorrow. Slane had a brotherly bond with him as he had called them fellow dragons. The members of the ORC couldn't help but let out tears of loss.

"How much more blood will be shed until the Satans arrive I wonder?" Kokabiel ignored their sorrows and wondered aloud.

"Only yours." The Red Dragon Emperor declared, his gauntlet growing in power once again.

"You are too young and inexperienced. Your balance breaker is broken, you have nothing left."

"He has us." Kiba stood by Issei's side, a holy demonic sword in hand.

On the side, Asia remained on her knees at the loss of her guardian. He had watched over her like a worried older brother. The bond they created only made the feeling of sorrow worst.

"Slane..." Tears fell from her eyes.

"Yes?" Her head snapped to the side as Slane's voice reached her ears.

Slane blinked at her in confusion. "Miss Asia, why are you sad?" he asked, not knowing what was with the somber atmosphere.

Everyone turned to the bipedal lizard man with varying expressions of surprise and confusion.

"What?" Slane looked around confused at why everyone was looking at him in the middle of a battle.

"You... you were dead!" Kokabiel pointed his red light sword at him. He was sure his sword stabbed him in the neck.

"My death was... greatly exaggerated." Slane shrugged.

"But you died!" Many of the fallen from the legion were gobsmacked as they were sure they had killed him.

"And I said death was not enough to kill me." Slane was quite sure he made that clear in battle. He even said it wasn't the end. He turned to the side as someone stepped beside him. "Boss, did I miss something important?"

"I dunno I just got here." Zieg shrugged, unsure of what transpired as he just got here and resummoned Slane when he felt him 'die' and return to him.

∞

"Well hello there." I made my presence known.

Let's see. Both devil peerages got rekt. Only exorcist here is Xenovia which means Irina is out of commission. Kiba has a sword with both holy and demonic properties. And there's a legion of thousands of fallen angels in the sky. Neat.

"Zieg Aversis." Kokabiel called out my name. "Just a little bit too late." he stated.

"Don't be so sure." I smirked with arms behind my back. "I'd say I've just barely made it."

"I finally understand what your goal is." I stated after much thought.

"Oh?" He hummed with his arms crossed.

"Indeed." I nodded. "Currently humanity is undoubtedly at the bottom rung of the hierarchy in this age. Even if the 3 factions mutually destroyed each other, it wouldn't change anything. Other pantheons still exist, another would take over. Things will go back to business as usual." That's right, nothing would change.

A rush of magical energy began to noticably make itself apparent. The swelling power was enough to reveal a phenomenon in the sky.

"Since the fall of the biblical god, the fates of humanity in the stars are unclear, unmoving. You felt lost because you don't know what the next step to take is." I stated. I had an idea of the reason for that, but that isn't the point right now. "Ultimately you know that the top branches of the 3 factions would rather take peace right now. You realized this and also came to terms that a man of war like yourself can do nothing. Not for the humans, nor for this coming peace." It was all coming together.

I looked him in the eye. Confirming that I was speaking fact. "You believe that there is no place in the world for someone such as yourself in this age. Thus, you are trying to die." I concluded. It was the only path left that he could see. Even if it seemed selfish, at least he could die in battle. That is what he wants.

"Well done. You've figured it out." Kokabiel nodded grimly. "But so what? It changes nothing in this moment. What are you trying to accomplish by coming here? Human." he asked.

"I'm here to call out your bullshit!" I leveled a glare at him, my finger directed towards him. "No place in the world for someone like you? Bullshit! I'm the same way. And I believe that even bastards who revel in bloodshed like us can do some good!" I declared my position on the matter.

"Which is why I'm here for you! All of you, I'll show you what it means to move forward in times of uncertainty. Because as a human, that's what we do best!" This whole thing pisses me off. I refuse to let this man's story just end like this.

Silence pervaded the area for a moment. The magical energy in the air was stifling at this point. I continued to keep my gaze up in the sky at every fallen here today.

"Keh...hehehahaHAHAHAHAHAAHHAA!" It wasn't just Kokabiel, but nearly every fallen in the air began to laugh at the absurdity of my declaration and statement.

"Very well then human, Zieg Aversis." Kokabiel released a refreshing smile. "Show us this resolve of yours. I will judge you with these very hands of mine." A light sword in one hand, a spear in the other. He was finally taking me seriously.

My power reached it's peak. The world shifted and the ground vanished into a watery surface. A red sun hung over the sky.

A smile cracked on my lips. Blood began to quicken through my veins. I hope they enjoy this as much as I do.

"Kokabiel." I called out. An arm reached out grasping at something. "It is here that I declare the birth of something new. As an Elden Lord, I give my being to the birth of this sapling." My voice reverberated with authority. The Elden Ring flashed over my back, only to slide over my skin, to the grasped hand.

Everyone watched as I let go of a single seed. The seed embedded itself into the watery surface. "Let our blood, our ambition, our love nurture this into a new age." The power of the Elden Lord left my body and permeated within the world.

∞

The red sun hung over sky. Setting down a blood red light.

Roars of battle and laughter drowned out the sound of battle.

An Elden Beast roared in the sky, slashing it's blade as golden light disintegrated the fallen in it's path.

A hail of arrows ascended to the sky, released by a man in red.

A winter dragon soared through the air, bringing frost wherever it went.

Zieg's spear lashed out, spilling blood with every attack.

His body was pierced by spears of light in various places. He was practically a pin cushion, as there was barely a place on his body without blood.

Despite that, he still smiled with glee each time he met Kokabiel's sword.

The Angel of the Stars found himself matching the human's joy. Their bodies were pierced and cut, and pain ran through with each movement. Yet that was the sacrifice and reward for the phenomenon known as battle.

In their body was love, love for battle. It was something warm and pure. It was in battle where they would find the peace within themselves. Thus there was no need for a cure.

More blood spilled on the ground as the devils had backed away from the madness of battle in front of them. A few of them vomited from the carnage. Such a sight would be traumatizing for anyone.

Yet it was simply how people like Zieg and Kokabiel found their reason for living.

Black feathers fell to the watery surface, and the bodies of fallen would accompany them. Blood would follow and all would be absorbed into the watery surface beneath.

The eldritch sun in the sky provided energy. The blood of battle provided nourishment. The feelings of joy, the flame of ambition all swirled into the seed in the ground.

Both sides suffered the same pain of battle and death. Slane and Emiya had died a few times through out the fight, only to return as long as Zieg drew breath. The Elden Beast had finally been felled by the remaining fallen.

"KOKABIEL!" Zieg's roar could be heard amidst the chaos.

"ZIEG!" Kokabiel matched his roar with his own.

The sword in Kokabiel's hand met Zieg's spear. The spear in Kokabiel's hand thrusted forth, releasing bloodlust in it's wake.

The blue gem in Zieg's spear flew out into his other hand as a Dark Moon Greatsword appeared in his other hand.

The two were matched now. Spear in one hand, sword in the other. They were having the time of their life. Zieg felt like he would die the moment he stopped. But he loved that feeling, it was irresistable. He felt like it was the same for Kokabiel.

The two continued to clash and used every trick in the book. Black steel feathers found themselves embedded into Zieg's body as traced swords pierced through Kokabiel's body.

In the end, they had fought their hearts out.

When Kokabiel hit the ground. The smile never left his face. Not even as his body sunk into the watery surface.

Zieg looked up to the Eldritch sun over the horizon, as if to ask if it enjoyed the battle.

White ash appeared beneath the surface

A chill moon followed, signalling the time of respite.

A sapling had sprouted from the center of the world.