Hello everybody, I am happy to announce that after a very long time, I am finally putting up my first story. I won't go too much into it, but I am happy to get my writing out there and I hope that you will enjoy it. I welcome any and all feedback and constructive criticism. Flames are not welcome.
Disclaimer* I do not own Breath of Fire, all of the characters belong to their respective owners. All OC characters, however, do belong to me and are used strictly to help move the story along. And with that out of the way, enjoy the first chapter.
-A-new-Awakening
We had passed through Astana, the longest of our journey behind us. No one spoke. My eyes casually trailed up towards the Woren Chief that led our merry band of outsiders. He hadn't said a word about what happened between him and Elena. We all had assumed, of course, the worst but no one dared to ask for affirmation. It would have been cruel, and worst yet, it would have crushed the man. So there we were, walking along the dirt path towards our final destination. The anxiousness could easily be tasted in the air. We all had traveled so far, each for our own reasons. We went through so much, and for it to amount to a single encounter with the man that began everything, was unnerving.
I didn't know if it went through their minds, but it went through mine every passing second. I didn't know how to feel. Afraid? Happy? Sad? How was one supposed to feel when coming face to face with...himself?
We had a plan, although albeit fragile. Everything rode on my ability to fend off my other half, and in the meantime the others would work on a way to contain him, somehow. It was risky, and really half-cocked if I thought about it, but what else was there? As it stood now, no one but us stood a chance against the emperor.
From the news we heard from the solider on the highway, Chedo had been attacked and completely demolished, no doubt a testament of his power. No one, not even the Empire, was able to battle such a foe on even grounds. If we did not succeed, no one would. If we were to fall, the world as we knew it would end.
"We're going to stop here for the night." Cray said, stopping short in front of us. No one questioned him. As much as we all wanted to race to the capital, some of us more than others, it would have been an unwise decision. We were worn as it was, trying to cover as much distance between Astana and Chedo as we could. Besides, as far as we were concerned, it was too late for Chedo. The Emperor was no doubt very thorough. I didn't think anyone was left alive in his wake.
I didn't speak these thoughts aloud. Captain Ursula was loyal to the Empire, but more than that, she was loyal to her General. If he was anywhere near Chedo when it was attacked, there would be very little chance that he survived.
Our beginning may have rough, but I grew to respect Captain Ursula and the last thing I wanted was to hurt her unnecessarily. Though, I'm sure the very same thoughts crossed her mind, but she was stubborn and she would beat them back. I feared what her denial would do to her when we reached Chedo at last. Her home would be no more. What could that sort of loss do to a person?
"Hey, Ryu. Help me set up the set." Cray called.
"O-oh sure."
I approached him where he kneeled in front of the pack that had been laid on the ground. It was an easy enough task to set up the tent. We had done it many times before during our journey, and to think, this would be the last time we would set it up. One way or another, this was going to end. Whether it would end badly for us or not was still unknown. If we did subdue the Emperor, then we would all end up going our separate ways and if we lost, well... there was really no point in thinking about it.
"Tomorrow." Cray whispered softly. I shot a look over at him, seeing his eyes staring almost dreamily up at the sky. Tomorrow. That word spoke so much. Tomorrow would decide everything. Tomorrow would be the day we fought for our right to live. Tomorrow we could all possibly perish.
"Cray."
"Hm?"
"I...thank you. You did more for me than you really had to, and I know I would never have made it this for if not for you, and Nina of course. I needed you to know that."
"Don't go saying your thanks to me now." He responded in a deep, husky voice. "It sounds too much like a goodbye, and I know that tomorrow won't be the end. I don't know how, but I just know we'll make it through. So when we do, you can thank me then, okay?"
"Cray."
"C'mon let's get this up. The temperature's dropping and the girls are starting to get cold."
"I've perfectly fine." A snarky voice called out somewhere from behind me.
A small smile graced Cray's lips and he shook his head. Some things never seemed to change, no matter how far they traveled.
"Yes, Captain." He responded slyly.
We pitched the tent up in record time. The girls had been put in charge of gathering wood and starting a healthy fire. When we were finished the fire was alive and well. Everyone had already taken their respective spots around the campsite. Scias was propped lazily against the side of the tent, snoring lightly as he dozed off. Ursula was sitting a good distance away. Close enough to keep warm, but far enough to deter anyone from striking up conversation with her. She, like usual, was cleaning her gun in the normal fashion. I doubted she even needed to clean it as often as she did. I figured it was something to do in order to occupy her thoughts.
My eyes drifted towards Nina, who was the closet to the fire, her legs pulled up to her chest with her arms encircling them tightly. She, too, was contemplating. I could tell in the way she chewed her bottom lip. My eyes trailed from the petite, winged girl and towards the suit of armor sitting opposite her, its feet swaying back and forth as if moving along to a tune that it could only hear. I steered my hazard thoughts and approached the armor. The empty, red eyes followed my movement, step for step.
"Ah, dragon boy I was wondering when you would approach me." A voice called out from the deep recesses of the armor.
"Deis."
"You are worried for tomorrow. It's ridiculous to do so, because there's no way we can go back. There's nothing else for us."
"I know." I snapped. I felt my checks blaze up in shame and quickly hid my face in my hands. Why was I so angry?
"Don't be embarrassed, Ryu. It's only natural that you're experiencing such a flux of emotions right now. It's no coincidence, either."
"What do you mean?"
"The closer you get to your other half, the stronger the bond becomes. Feelings, thoughts, memories; they're all accessible to you and to him. You are meant to be one person."
"So these feelings, they're...his?"
"Could be."
"B-but you just said...!"
"Or maybe you are just as angry and resentful as he and you simply repress it. Maybe, Ryu, you aren't so different from your other half."
"No, that's not true." I countered. "I-I don't want to hurt anybody. I just want to be myself, is that really so wrong?"
"Depends on who you ask." She replied nonchalantly. "If you asked anyone about to face their end, they would say that it is wrong. But then again, we both know that it's not so black and white. Finding yourself wouldn't be so bad if you were the one to absorb your other half, but there's no guarantee of your victory.
"You could very well lose and we would all die. You could become the very thing that you sought to protect people from. You could be the monster."
"Why do you have to be so..."
"What? Brutally honest? If you didn't want to hear the truth, you wouldn't have even approached me. You would have gone to the little birdie over there, and be comforted by her deluded thoughts of hope.
"But you don't need to hear about her ideals, do you? No, you need to know the consequences of what comes after your defeat. The princess, she's not thinking about that at all. She can't conceive of it. You don't have the luxury of ignorance."
I sighed and slumped to my knees, my nails digging into the earth beneath. Of course she was right. She was always right. I came to her because I knew she would give it to me straight. She would remind me of what was at stake. I couldn't go into battle without knowing that. As unpleasant as it was, I knew that it had to be that way.
"You look pathetic. Get off your knees. You're a god, it's time you started acting like one. If you want any hope of defeating the Emperor, then you better swat that meekness aside and face him as the equal you are. If you face him with anything less, you will perish."
I nodded, listening but not truly hearing her. I stumbled to my feet and straightened my back to the point of rigidity. I jutted my chin out, my eyes looking directly onward. At that moment I looked every much the hero everyone thought I was. I appeared strong, confident and in control. If only I felt inside what I showed on the outside.
"You should go get some rest. There won't be any room for mistakes tomorrow. Unless, of course, you want to lose."
"I won't lose." I seethed. "I can't."
With that said, I stalked away from her, feeling those eerie eyes on my back. I walked passed the others, each one nodding in my direction, questions in their gazes that never reached their lips. I was glad for that because I wasn't certain I could reassure anyone. I pulled aside the flap and bowed my head as I entered the small entrance.
Wearily making my way over to the rolled out blanket, I collapsed heavily on the cushioned ground. Eyelids drooped precariously over blood shot eyes, and I found myself falling into an unfit sleep. If only I had known what would happen next, I would have never stopped. I would have continued onto Chedo, fatigued or not. It may have been foolish but at least I would have made it there. At least I would have met my other half on better terms. At least I would have had my friends by my side.
Well there it is, my first chapter. Tell me what you think. I would love to hear from you all.