The Many Burdens of a Hero

 Calamity, that's how it would be recorded on the annals of history. A threat of total annihilation loomed over the world, it wasn't the first time, but it was seen as the last.

 Dawn broke upon a vast valley blanketed by snow. Enormous trees at least thirty stories high leading to a mountain of twin peaks that pierced beyond the heavens in the far distance.

 Nala mountain range, a boreal tundra rising from the alps to challenge the domain of the divine.

 An incomparable hollow stretch of rock and ice, serving as a dividing line between incomprehensibly large nations. Millions resided within its underground metropolis belonging to an alliance of the same mountain range's name.

 Now all had become unwilling subjects to an entity once beloved by all.

 The 'Mad King' of Dragons. Said to have acted as fonts of wisdom, only a single race of intelligent monsters rule above all else with humility and respect, simply known as 'Elder Dragons' for the role they fulfilled.

 Their lineage was nearly identical to regular Dragons of all types. Similar to Humans and Monkeys, if such a creature hadn't been culled by monsters long ago.

 This world was under constant threat, so those that did not evolve with magic, perished.

 ***

 Upon a jagged ridgeline devoid of ice far from Nala, yet still within its looming gaze, a craggy ridgeline stood away from the peaks that climbed ever upwards, creating a frozen cradle between them.

 Sitting alone, awaiting the arrival of her friends, a half-Dragon woman stoked a campfire that melted away the ever creeping winter.

 She was known as a 'High-Drake', as the name suggests, a humanoid evolution of a lesser Dragon, the small, by regular draconic standards, skulking Drake.

 With pearlescent black and crimson scales on her large forearms, raptor-like legs and a long, thick tail, her body alone was a confusing mess between a very tall human female and a monster.

 Dark gray horns protected the side of her mouth and above her head, sprouting from above her pointy ears.

 And yet for all this natural protection, winter's wind could do more harm than any blade, so she covered herself up in fluffy clothes and a beanie over her scruffy brown hair.

 Knowing this to be the ideal spot, she started a fire on the mountain top, heating up and waiting for those that would arrive soon enough, battered and beaten from a failed evacuation.

 Nearby, down a small dirt path, an intricate stone doorway made of three large rocks, bigger than any race and covered in runes, began to burn bright with a rainbow glow for the very last time.

 Travel through portals had only been possible thanks to an interconnected system of magical energy forming a natural west and east pole of mana.

 Yggdrasil and Irminsul, pillars that held the world in place. Their gargantuan branches filled with leaves of five sides with nebulas reflected within its pigment, and their roots laid the foundation for travel through portals.

 "What do we do? Won't the world tear itself apart now?"

 The first person to speak up was a woman of the cloth.

 Her amber eyes were covered by slightly messy golden blonde bangs, pressed down by a small hat bearing the symbol of a circle with an 'x' inside. It matched the top of her silver and gold staff, complementing her elaborate gilded white robes.

 "Even if both world trees are destroyed, I doubt it would lead to that. You lost souls never cease to impress, faith magic without chanting is no easy feat"

 His sharp voice was in stark contrast to the gentle tone of his healers. Having rolled up the sleeve on his navy blue robes arm to show the severity of a wound he wished to be healed.

 "I have faith in my own abilities, but aren't we from the same place?"

 "A few hundred years on the road and you might think differently"

 A wizard clad in simple cloth by normal gaze, however, the man's apparent youth threw all into question. Brown hair and eyes, skin that seemed to have only seen thirty or fourty winters.

 By no means could this man's age be judged by appearance alone. It was his dusty wooden staff and rusty grimoire chained to his belt that alluded to his real age, but such was the path of a hero once acknowledged by the world.

 "We need- some healing"

 Limping through the portal helping another man was a crimson red haired Witch standing over six foot tall. Half of her body had been severely burned, exposing bone and muscle, yet that did not halt her aid.

 This woman experienced a past unlike no other. Ordered to serve her kingdom, she was taken alongside other tall individuals to create an army of giant warriors. 

 Refusing and murdering her mate, her punishment was to be used by the King's personal Mage for experimentation. After many years wishing for death, obsession led to create a concoction of perfect immortality.

 Combining the blood of a Phoenix in a Holy Grail, Enda would undergo one final experiment. Unbeknownst to the man, his test would create a monster.

 However, Enda did not wish for such lofty goals as immortality, as her only desire was death after years of experimentation.

 In rejection of power, she was accepted as worthy. Her desire was not of sin, but of need, and thus she stood in the fires of a burning kingdom, set ablaze by unstoppable wrath of an impossible union.

 The Church of Athena would claim these fires to be holy retribution, and the only thing that remained in time was the girl at the center of it all. As nations crumbled and different religions faded, she lived day to day, pursuing magic so that she may hide herself from the world.

 That was until she stumbled across a peculiar man.

 "Any luck?"

 "Yeah- argh- but he's too big now. My magic bounced off his scales"

 With each step, blood and ash fell from the left side of her body, turning to dust before it could stain the ground.

 Slowly, her body regenerated, and she sat her companion down on a nearby rock before wrapping her body in a dark blue cloak so as to not appear indecent with so much skin showing, not that the man she aided would mind.

 Normally she wore a mixture of knee-high leather boots with metal shin guards, brown hotpants and a white thin blouse, all made by herself, as it was extremely abnormal for any human female to be nearly two meters in height.

 However, having a third of her outfit be burned off by dragon fire, was a bit much in the presence of the man she cared for.

 "I think I can cut him if I get close enough"

 A man in his early thirties with Gray hair tied back to resemble early settlers of a distant world spoke up as the cuts on his thigh from debris were healed with a golden light.

 "You should really learn some gravity magic, Enda"

 "I don't want to hear that from you, Myrddin"

 "Then what about me? You know it could be useful"

 In all her life, she never sought out companionship, she only wished to be left alone, however, this man dragged her back into the light.

 Enda had never thought it was possible for another to accept how she was, and through him, she learned the world was filled with regular people that didn't see others as a resource to be used, but to be cherished.

 The man was kind, not just to her, but random strangers and he often let his impulsive behavior take him places for the sake of saving others.

 Enda often wondered if he was just stupid, or cared for everyone more than his own safety, he piqued her interest. She had never seen someone go to such lengths for others without pursuing his own goals.

 Everything he did was always in the service of others, he was a truly selfless individual in a selfish world.

 To him, this world was entirely foreign. Its culture, creatures and magic didn't exist where he came from.

 He often found himself fascinated by historical weaponry, but died young in a war preparing to defend his homeland. One of millions, he despised the modern machines of death and believed atomic destruction would lead to the end of mankind.

 To his surprise, he was reincarnated into a world filled with magic, where research into powder weapons always resulted in disaster. And so, his interest in vintage weaponry bloomed once again until he happened to come across something incredible.

 A Relic.

 Weapons of unbelievable power that chose their wielders and grew alongside them.

 No single Relic was the same and seemed to have grown their own will after the death of Ares, one of the many invading Gods. He named this Relic; Heiki.

 At a glance, it was a simple dark green wire grip waiting to be fitted onto a longsword, but to him, it was any weapon he wanted at the drop of a hat.

 The man had acquired strength he never thought possible in this strange land and new body.

 Sporting strong armor built by a nearby High-Drake, it resembled a combination of historical and ancient designs from Greece to Japan, tying his interests and home together.

 He was initially surprised he wasn't the first from his land to visit this strange world, but slowly over time and exploring, he theorized these two versions of Earth, both Father and Mother, shared far more than he could ever understand.

 "We need to figure out who hijacked my portal. It was meant to take us to Yggdrasil so we could defend it, not Nala"

 "No, the ley lines would have already been cut off at that range. Without Irminsul, navigation's going to be nearly impossible. If anything, we should thank whoever swapped destinations"

 Both mages ignored the silver haired man in order to argue and assert authority, a sight he had become increasingly accustomed to.

 "I'd rather be dead than lose our chance at stopping that bastard"

 "Yes, well not everyone can rise from the ashes like you"

 "If he succeeds, everyone could end up dead, not just me!"

 "And if he absorbs that tree just as fast we won't stand a chance!"

 "Um, uh, I think the portal person started a fire over here"

 Desperate to pry the two mages' attention away from bickering after she asked a question, the Priest highlighted their surroundings.

 "Quit yer bitchin' and get over er', I gotta plan"

 Her accent was undeniably southern in nature and somewhat fitting for a High-Drake, hospitality and all, in spite of the fact there was no such place known as 'America' in this world.

 Rather, its land mass was a contoured version of mother earth, where water had taken the place of land and vice versa. Fractured and distorted over thousands of years of conflict waged by incomprehensible power.

 All four individuals set aside their arguments to hear out the High-Drake, rounding the bend and sitting along several logs that had thawed out thanks to the fire.

 "Rider? Why did you-"

 "Cause he knows what he's talkin' about. Ya'll don't stand a chance faghtin' him at Ygg, gotta stop him er'"

 "And you so happen to know he'll pass overhead? That's a stretch, even for you"

 "Talked te' two sages, each of em' said the same thing. How's bout it twinkle tits? Dream the same?"

 "P-please don't call me that, but yes, this place looks familiar"

 "There we go, three fer three. Could jus' wait a few and look over yonder"

 Pointing over her shoulder and towards the distant rising sun on the horizon, their doubts had been nullified.

 "So you have a plan?"

 "Didn't she warn us not to go to Irminsul to begin with?"

 "Yeah, course' I did, already lost three of my party to him, and another is lookin' to what's up with this world tree crap"

 "Three? Don't go counting me out just yet"

 Rounding the bend, a battered and exhausted rugged man in his early forties with brown hair, wearing a nearly destroyed suit of black plate armor and holding onto a broken sword joined the group of five.

 "Res?"

 "He stayed behind with Muerte and saved who they could… But-"

 As he raised his sword to inspect the damage, bits and pieces fell off like a crumbling rock until nothing was left.

 "The Spirit's power wavers, and I couldn't do anything"

 "Shit. Did ya figure out anythin'?"

 "His scales have become corrupted with dense magic. Unless they're purified first, they'll be pretty hard to cut one, let alone fifty if you want to behead him"

 "Looks like we're outta time, yer up heroes"

 She pointed towards the rising sun, and the shadow emerging from the horizon, slowly blocking out the light as it approached.

 A dragon so big it could carry a nation upon its back was closing in at high speed, causing avalanches on the snow covered mountains in the far distance.

 "Rider, can you get us up there?"

 "Ya'll got a plan? Cause I brought something that can only take two of ya"

 "I do. Myrddin, can you slow him down?"

 "Only for a while"

 The reincarnated man and robed wizard headed towards a makeshift craft of enchanted bone leaning against two dead trees that formed a makeshift launch pad.

 "Wait, please, just come back"

 "It'll be fine, it always is"

 "Please... Takuya"

 "I will, I promise. Come on, I've only died once you know"

 Enda addressed that man she loved with his original name out of desperation, a final plea to stay with her and spend some time together.

 Just a little bit more.

 As they boarded the strange contraption built out of monster bone, placing their feet into the footholds and holding tight.

 The Phoenix Witches stomach twisted in fear. A feeling she believed to have forgotten long ago. Only now when her spouse faced danger did her heart long to fight fate.

"Okay heroes, any final words before I send ya up?"

 "I'll be back in a few Enda"

 "How about wishing us luck?"

 "Bring peace"

 "Tssh, ain't neither of you need any more luck, ya'll have plenty"

 "Come back safe Takuya"

 The High-Drake grabbed her ornate ranged weapon she left leaning against a nearby rock.

 A massive war bow made of a single monster's horn, with glowing red, blue and green runes lining up and down the shaft. Then, within a sealed metal case, she pulled out an arrow covered in a thick mist of deep purple miasma.

 "Least this fuckers still got one good shot left"

 Swearing under her breath, the High-Drake knocked the arrow and aimed up above the rising sun.

 As the arrow flew, her bow broke into splints and a line connected between the craft and projectile.

 After a small delay, the craft followed as if it weighed nothing.

 All four that remained behind watched in silence as their friends flew out to face a calamity.

 With every second that passed the colossal Dragon grew closer and each flap of its giant wings shattered mountains and snapped trees underneath.

 The holy woman created an enormous barrier of light to shield them and their surroundings as it sored overhead. 

 For a mere moment, it stopped mid air, perfectly still, as if time had stopped.

 A second later, in less than the blink of an eye, a blade cut through their barrier and the ground in-between the group.

 It came from within the Dragon's neck, and soon they heard the sound of a thousand small pops as blood spewed in a circular motion. 

 Takuya had beheaded it from within.

 Time resumed and the colossal monster's head fell to the ground incredibly fast, leaving a crater in the valley between them and Nala, the main body slowly gilded before crushing one of its two mountain peaks in the distance.

 Both Nala mountain range and the frozen valley below had been stained in thick crimson blood.

 After half a minute, they saw a single robed man slowly descend from the skies above with a confused look on his face, clutching his elaborate grimoire, creating enough windforce to land safely with magic.

 Enda looked around and saw the same confused look upon everyone's faces.

 Not a word was spoken and Myrddin handed her his grimoire.

 When a mage handed their book of handwritten spells to another, it was a symbolic action meaning far more than mere words could convey.

 Failure, resignation, defeat, and a promise to grow.

 As he handed it over, he turned to the last page.

 A note was written by another addressed to Enda.

 'Myrddin managed to seal us in a pocket of time. For several days we tried to behead it, but we're out of food and water. What I do next will save the world, but take everything from me. My past, present and future'

 "Wha-what…"

 She began to weep as she read, her tears sizzling to vapor before they could hit the ground.

 'This isn't a choice I make likely, so allow me to be the selfish one today. I love you Enda, never forget that, and please. Never forget who you are, not a discarded tool, but the woman I fell in love with. With any luck, at least you might remember who I am'

 The Witch fell to her knees, sobbing uncontrollably.

 "Please- leave me alone"

 "Enda…"

 "______ you liar"

 "Enda-"

 She screamed, pushing the comfort of the Priest away.

 "LIAR!"

 She tore into herself and tried to rip out her own heart.

 Once again, she found herself unable to perish.

 As day turned to night, she kept trying to tear herself apart in a desire for death, screaming at the pain of each scratch into her flesh, each rip on her body, and each time it healed to a perfect state.

 One by one, they all departed, failing to support the woman with nothing left.

 Enda got her wish, to be alone once more.

 She hated it.