The Cetra

by Pangeaforever

A calamity has fallen from the sky, disrupting the long peace that the people of Gaea have enjoyed for thousands of years. Gabriel, son of Verne, must travel to the far north and investigate this blight brought upon their world. What they encounter will bring the Cetra to the brink of extinction and change their world forever.

The Cetra

Part 1

My people, the Cetra, have enjoyed a long history of peace. I believe it's our connection through the mother that keeps us together, even when separated by mountains, rivers and the great seas. We are connected to the mother, Gaea, the very soil beneath our feet. It's through this connection too that the cycle of life continues. We are born from Gaea and when our time in the sunlight is up, it is to Gaea that we will return, both bodily and spiritually.

The spirits of all living things that return to the planet make up what we call, the 'lifestream'. Many of our people commune with the lifestream and with Gaea, though sometimes it's hard to tell one from the other. We are all truly brought together by this cycle and so we've fostered mutual respect for one another. If there ever are any transgressions between our tribes, it's small and never continues for long and never divides us entirely. When there are conflicts which are too troubling to resolve on our own, they are resolved by the Capital.

The Capital is home to the great scholars of our day. It is the wisest Cetra that journey to the Capital to hone their magic and study the planet. They learn a great deal and graciously send consult when trouble brews between the tribes. The Cetra lived peacefully for countless generations, until the day when the calamity fell from the sky.

I was helping my tribe raise our new settlement, Gongaga, when the calamity fell. We didn't know what it was at the time, but there was a great quake that shook the land. We were familiar with quakes and knew it was the land shifting, but this was an area that was not known for these events. Our suspicions grew worse still because the sky grew dark in the days after the quake.

My father, Verne, was the leader of our tribe. The villagers went to him for answers about what happened, but he had nothing to offer them and could not ease their worries. He pulled me aside, asking me to investigate the event. "Gabriel, I have to find out what the meaning of all this is for the sake of the tribe, but I can't leave while we are still settling this land. I need you to visit Togassi in Cosmo Canyon about this, see what he knows." I agreed to his request. "I will father. If anyone knows what this is, it's Togassi." He was relieved to have my support in this. "Thank you Gabriel. I know these past few years have been difficult, your mother would be very proud to see the man you have become."

In preparation for the journey, I gathered supplies and a few weapons that I would keep close to me. It was not other Cetra that I needed protection from, but the packs of monsters which roamed the land. We hunted them for food, but when you travel in small groups, you often find yourself outnumbered. I took with me my father's great sword and a few daggers which are good for throwing and scuffles. I decided to bring Tara; a sharp archer and a good friend. In addition to her archery skills, Tara had an affinity for sealing spells. She often would use this to pacify creatures which aided in landing difficult shots. I felt well secured with her at my side. I might be away for some time and I would rather err on the side of caution.

With our supplies ready and goodbyes made, we mounted our Chocobo. As we were turning to leave, I heard shouting. "Gabe!" It was my cousin Cid running towards us. I said, "Cid, what are you doing here? I thought you were exploring the Eastern Continent?" He reached up to take my hand. "Ah yes and I just got back! I heard your father is sending you to investigate the quake! I'll join you!" I thought he would be tired from the journey, but Cid was bursting with excitement. He was always looking for new frontiers. Even as children I would follow him wherever he went, it was always an adventure with him. I said to him. "Bring your spear." He replied, "Oh! I'm never without it!" I looked him up and down. "You don't have it now." To this he stammered, "I didn't mean literally! I'll be right back, get me a bird." He ran off and I signaled to the stable master to prepare another Chocobo.

We set out heading west from Gongaga. Normally we would avoid areas known to have monsters, but considering the nature of our quest, I didn't want to waste any time. I knew of the quickest route to the canyon, but his meant that we would have to go through the heart of the Ancient Forest. It would mean cutting the length of the trip in half, so the choice was clear. Cid and Tara trusted my judgement and indeed welcomed the challenge.

We made good time to the forest. I wanted to get through the forest while we still had daylight, but the sky had been growing darker over the past few days and we had little light to work with, even before sundown. It was dangerous, but we pressed on through the dense forest, hoping that we would see any monsters before they saw us. Despite our best efforts we were ambushed by a pair of Gagighandi. These were large creatures that looked like a lizard or a dragon, with the movement of a lion. They were each surely more massive than each of us even with our Chocobo. Gagighandi could petrify a person if they get the chance.

My teammates reacted quickly and with an accuracy that surprised me. Tara used a spell to slow one of the creatures while Cid launched from his Chocobo in a fantastic leap and skewered the Gagighandi. Meanwhile I circled the other monster and when it reared in preparation to petrify I moved in with the speed of thought and sliced with deadly force, stopping it in its tracks.

I turned to my companions to see that they were safe. Cid was removing his weapon from the downed monster. Just as he looked up a third Gagighandi leapt out from the darkness behind him and swiped viciously at him. "Cid!" I roared as I sped for him on my Chocobo. Before I could reach him I saw the creature reel its head back. I thought for sure it was going to take him but then I saw the reason for its head pulling back. It was struck in the back of the neck with one of Tara's arrows. I dismounted the Chocobo and we lifted the now limp creature off of Cid.

I attempted to give him a restorative potion. "I'm sorry Cid, we shouldn't have come through the forest; it was too risky." He pushed the potion away. "It's fine Gabe, I was the one being careless. Save the potion. I know we are near to the village in the Canyon, they have healing magic that will do much more than that potion." Cid always impressed me like that; I truly looked up to him. We bandaged him up and helped him onto his Chocobo before continuing on.

We traveled through the night and made it safely out of the Ancient Forest. We could see the sky lightened as we headed down into the canyon. Before long we reached the village. They immediately rushed over to assist Cid. He nearly fell off of the bird. He held out this long, any other man surely could not. They brought him into a small hut with Tara and me following. They laid him down on a bed and inspected his wounds. I told them the details of the attack and their eyes widened. These people don't see much danger. They are healers and mystics, not hunters like many of the people from my tribe.

One of the older members approached the bed. He chanted a few incantations quietly and I watched as a pale green light emanated from around him. The healing magic enveloped Cid's body. His wounds gradually faded until all traces of them were gone. Cid was left to rest. He was healed, but he was still exhausted from the ordeal. Tara and I were weary as well, but I was still eager to speak to Togassi and Tara intended to stay by my side.

The Cetra here lived with the Wolf-People. They were a race of lion-like wolves that were intelligent like us. They could live for hundreds of years and they were very spiritual, having close communion with the lifestream. The village in the canyon itself is somewhat built into the canyon wall. On the wall there were huts with ladders leading up to them and there were also steps leading up and into the very rock face where there were more dwellings inside. It is in these rocky dwellings that Togassi resided.

We were led up to Togassi's dwelling by one of the Wolf-People. Togassi was pleased to see us. "Gabriel! I've been expecting you!" Togassi said. "You have?" I responded. He laughed at this, "No, but you believed me when I said it!" This brought a smile to my face, Tara simply looked confused. I said, "You still have quite the sense of humor, old one." He quickly responded saying, "You had better watch it or you'll be receiving no message from the ancestors from me!" The atmosphere in the chamber grew solemn. He did know we were coming, we were right to seek his insight, nothing got passed Togassi. Togassi was old and wise. He was very much in touch with the ancestors and so the Cetra and Wolf-People alike sought his guidance.

Togassi gestured for us to sit with him around a small fire in the center of the dwelling. We sat and waited patiently for him to collect himself. After a few moments of consideration he began speaking, "I'm sure you are here about the tremors that were felt a few days ago and the darkness that followed. We have felt such tremors before in the canyon, that is nothing new, but this darkness is something else. My fears were vindicated when one of our parties returned from a journey north. They were on their way home to the canyon when they saw an omen in the sky. They described what seemed to be a shooting star, except it was much larger and crossed the entire sky from the south to the north. Moments later they felt the land quake; the object fell from the sky. A calamity has befallen us." Togassi paused, allowing what he said to resonate with us. The quake was not caused by the planet; it was something falling from the sky. He continued, "Gabriel, I have spoken to the ancestors. There are spirits who have traveled away from the planet and into the sky. These curious souls wanted to explore the sky and see how far it goes. They have traveled so far, that Gaea herself looked to be just a marble and then as the spirit drew even further away, Gaea became indistinguishable from the stars."

Togassi looked up with glassy eyes, "the Cosmos, a vast ocean of stars and possibly other worlds like ours. Whatever fell from the sky, it must be from very far away. That by itself would not be a problem, but the spirits have also witnessed this event. Gaea was wounded terribly by this; she was struck by this other worldly object and works now to heal the wound. That and…" Togassi looked deeply troubled by what he was going to say. "There came with it a being. This being does not come with messages of peace, they seek to destroy. Gaea herself is deeply troubled by this threat and I don't know what she will do in response to it, this 'calamity'. I fear this could be disastrous for the Cetra."

I had to get up, I had to move. I was visibly shaking, having heard what the spirits witnessed. This was unprecedented. A being from another world has come to Gaea and she fears it! I turned to the group, "We will investigate this threat for ourselves and if it means to do us harm, we will defend ourselves and Gaea." Tara looked aghast, I never saw her look so defeated and it worried me. I had to be strong for the both of us. I would not sit idly by while this being brought harm to my people.

I addressed the elder, "Togassi, we will confront this calamity by any means. Any help you can offer us will help our cause and our people." He nodded, "Of course! We will supply you with food and potions. We have boats by the river; you can take one of those to the eastern shoreline and follow it to the Northern Continent. The monsters in this land have become more aggressive as a result of this event, the journey will arduous." He looked to the wolf-person who accompanied us to the dwelling, "Denito, I want you to accompany them and provide them with your insight and your strength." Denito agreed to do this and we went down to the village proper to gather what we needed.

We ate what we could and rested for a short while. Tara went to check on Cid, bringing him food and water. I spoke with more of the villagers and the party that witnessed the object that crossed the sky. They described the precise direction of where they saw it land. It seems that it may have landed north of the Capital; the great site where many of the wisest Cetra lived and studied the planet. Nobody knows how they may have been affected by the calamity.

When Cid's strength returned to him we shared with him what we learned. "What do you think it is Gabe?" he asked. "I don't know, but the mother fears it and so I fear it also." I said. "We will rest a little longer and take the river east before sunrise."

Part 2

We took the small vessel down the river and reached the mouth by noon. We made our way north along the shoreline, the sky growing darker as we did so. I could tell it was the darkness emanating from where the object fell. The sky to the north was ominous. I could feel the danger.

I have traveled much in my life. It was the way of our people for thousands of years to travel the land. It is only in these recent times that many of our people have split apart and made permanent settlements. I have never been to the Capital, but our tribe has been visited by envoys from the Capital. They offer their guidance and their wisdom. They speak to the ancestors and they carry out the will of Gaea. They study magic but they do not use it for hunting or for combat, instead they seek new spells that will benefit our people.

The journey to the Northern Continent took several days of continuous travel. Traveling along the shoreline was easy. The water was calm enough that we could travel through the night with only one person keeping us on course. However, when we reached the tip of the Western Continent and the Northern strait, the water became choppy and violent. It took all of us working in unison to keep the small boat on course through the rough waters.

At last, we arrived at the shores of the Northern Continent. We pulled the vessel well up onto the land and tied it down. We gathered up what we needed and continued on land. Away now from the beach we crossed grasslands. We moved over and around the rolling hills that formed the landscape. It was getting dark and a cold wind blew in from the north. I had an unnerving feeling that danger could be just on the other side of one of these hills, but the danger wasn't ahead of us, it was following behind us.

Before we had time to prepare, we were attacked from the rear by a pack of Vlakorados. There were five of them surrounding us. They had the posture of a bird but had long tails and lizard-like skin. They circled around us, occasionally snapping at us with mouths full of sharp teeth. These creatures were true hunters; we didn't sense them because they didn't want us to sense them. They apparently picked up our sent from the north wind, which is why Denito did not pick up on their presence.

"Who would like to take on two at once?!" shouted Tara. Cid called back, "I think the decision is going to be made for us!" I urged the group to stay together with our backs to one another. If we did this we might prevent them from splitting us up. The Vlakorados launched forward in unison and we fought back as best we could. Tara slid under the one in front of her and stabbed at the underbelly, causing the creature to leap back. Cid managed to keep one away at length with his lance, trying to maintain formation with the rest of us. The formation was failing though. Denito was weaving back and forth, dodging the bites of the monster before him. He found an opening and leapt onto its back, biting into its neck.

I was left with two predators engaging me. The formation was broken and I had the two of them on either side of me. I swiped with my great-sword to keep them back, but it was apparent that I wouldn't be able to strike at one without the other getting me from behind. They were wearing me down, at some point I was going to be too worn to keep them both off and I wasn't able to help the others unless I dealt with this first.

I had one tactic that might work, but it would be difficult to pull off. I slowed my movement and focused my energy, trying not to let my guard down as I did so. My body glowed with a green aura. My body became still as I uttered the incantation for a bolt spell. Both monsters rushed me. I struck one with the bolt magic and slashed with my sword at the neck of the other one. The one hit with lightning collapsed to the ground and the one I slashed at survived the cut and retreated to the far side of the action.

I was winded from the exchange but I managed to remain on my feet. Denito must have seen what I did and shouted to me while still evading the snapping jaw of the Vlakorados. "Can you do that again?!" To that I responded, "Yes, but I can only hit one at a time and I'm not sure I can manage more than that!" He circled around the monster, biting at its feet and then dashing and biting at the tails of the others. He shouted, "That's fine! Everyone, regroup behind Gabriel!" Cid and Tara headed back to me, the monsters attempting to follow. Denito however was doing something intriguing, he was herding them! He managed to keep them from following long enough for Cid and Tara to get behind me. "Prepare another attack spell, I'll do the rest!"

Unsure of the plan, but reassured by his tenacity, I mustered my entire spiritual prowess for another bolt spell, glowing with green aura as I did so. Denito was almost to us, his body surging with bright blue energy. He was preparing a spell! He reached us and spun around, the monsters close on his tail. I focused my attention on the monsters and as I did, our auras blended together. I released the lighting spell at the last possible moment and to my astonishment, it engulfed the pack, hitting each one with a vigor that my bolt spell alone could not!

Denito had used supportive magic to enhance the power and influence of my attack. It reached the entire pack and subdued them. The monsters collapsed to the ground as a group, writhing and smoking. We delighted in our victory raising our hands up to the air. "That was impressive, Denito." I said in earnest. As soon as the words left my lips I felt the ground rise to meet me. I heard Tara shout my name as I fell into inky blackness.

In my unconscious state I had visions that were beyond dreaming. I was in a valley to the north; though I'm not sure how I knew it was north. I saw a place of bright white hovels fashioned from enormous conch shells. In the distance there was a net of branches shooting into the sky forming a canopy. I saw men in deep purple robes with pointed hats and long white beards. Was this the Capital? Then, I was stricken with images of a massacre. There were screams and bloodshed. I caught sight of something horrific before returning to darkness.

The darkness was broken again by faint wisps of light. The pale green strands grew more numerous and I could hear voices, thoughts and emotions emanating from them. This was the lifestream, the ancestors. I strained to make out what they were saying. "Danger…monster…not from this world" They were talking about the being that fell in the north. The hushed voices continued "Don't allow it…Black…Materia…"

When I woke I was in a dimly lit hut. I could smell incense burning and I could see the source was a censer that was hanging above a pit of coals. I looked around the small room and there was a figure sitting nearby, it was Cid. His arms were crossed and his head was slumped forward. He must have heard me stir because he lifted his head as if waking from a sleep of his own. "Cousin, you're awake! We thought maybe you died!" He laughed, "You must have overexerted yourself because you slept for a day and a half. You need to work on your magic power consumption, you're spells are powerful, but it knocks you out!"

I sat up, feeling like a husk. He immediately handed me a bowl of something wet and pasty. If not for the fact that I had been so hungry, I might have turned it away, but I downed the sludge hastily. "Where are they others? Have I been holding you all up?" I asked. "No, don't worry about it; we all needed a rest after that encounter. We made it to bone village, a small settlement before the Capital. Tara is training with Denito as we speak." He paused, his tone grew solemn, "Also… we found someone that came here from the Capital; there was an attack."

I left the hut with Cid and he continued speaking as we walked. "The old timer was apparently the only sage from the Capital to make it out. He was still very shaken up by the event and hasn't been able to talk about it. We decided to wait for you before going to talk to him again." Cid was taking me to where the sage was. We spotted Denito and Tara on the way and they joined us. Tara wrapped her arms around me and placed a kiss on my forehead. "You had us worried Gabe." I felt guilty about putting the group in such a position, but the attention from Tara superseded this. Cid chuckled, "That's nothing; you should see what she did for me in Cosmo Canyon!" She pummeled him in the arm, causing him to yelp. "I was kidding!" He said while rubbing the spot. Wryly, she responded, "So am I, if I wasn't, we would need to find you another healer."

Denito spoke up, "Can you two be serious? Do not forget what we came here for. These people are counting on us." We seemed to have made a scene. The few people around were eyeing us suspiciously. We quieted down and continued our walk. The village was modest in size and it wasn't long before we reached the shelter where the sage was resting.

We went inside and found the old man. He was sitting around a pit where some coals were smoldering. His expression was unchanged by our entering. We each found a place to sit around the pit. I could see that the others would allow me to do the talking. After a few moments, I started in. "My name is Gabriel. I'm told there was an attack on the Capital. I and the others are deeply saddened by the loss of your brethren." There was a twinge of pain in the man's eyes. Still, he kept his gaze on the coals. "We have traveled here from the southern village of Gongaga in pursuit of the…'being' that arrived in the far north. Togassi of Cosmo Canyon warned us that the entity that arrived on Gaea is not friendly. We have come here to help. We intend to confront whatever it is and destroy it."

A long while passed; it seemed as if I hadn't said anything at all. I was about to begin again when he spoke. "I don't know if she can be destroyed…" I was surprised by this. I asked, "I know it must be painful, but we need to know what happened at the Capital." The old man sighed. Cid thoughtfully leaned in with a canteen, handing it to the man who accepted it gratefully.

He took a hard swig and winced. He let his eyes close and he began to tell us his story. "There were fifteen of us scholars in the Capital at the time. I say scholars, but some of the people living there were young men and women who were there to serve as protection. They often learned a great deal during their time in the Capital and individuals come and go. In the past, there were many more sages and scholars studying at the Capital. Perhaps if we had numbers like that today, we would have been better prepared for what happened.

Several days ago, there was an object that shot across the night sky and landed in the north, as you know. When the light vanished over the mountains, there was a violent tremor that swept across the land. I'm sure you felt the quake where you were, but for those of us so close to the impact, it was tremendous. The force of it downed trees, damaged our homes and tore fissures in the ground. Soon after, the sky grew dark with what I can imagine was all the debris it must have thrown into the air.

We spoke to Gaea to find out what it was, but Gaea did not know, the ancestors did not know. Several days after the quake, we were approached by a strange woman. She said that she was a Cetra who had been far away from home for many years. Some of us were skeptical of this claim at first witness, but she spoke to us about the lifestream and about the will of Gaea. She genuinely seemed to be a fountain of knowledge, ready to impart her wisdom and guidance on us.

She would tutor individuals in private with the promise of helping them attain levels of consciousness and intimate connections with the lifestream that we all sought. However, those that she spoke to seemed changed, they retreated from the group. Many of the sages were seduced by her promises and were subsequently driven to madness. The rest of us, who refused her, confronted her and brought upon her these accusations. What happened next was absolute horror. She transformed before our very eyes, revealing her true nature. She was a monster, a horror from another world. She attacked us with newly grown appendages. She was growing in size and mutating into an unspeakable monstrosity. Those that could not get away from her were swallowed up into her!

The younger residents could do very little to fend off her attacks and some of them were killed in the struggle. It took the coordination of the remaining sages and guards to drive her back. We only just managed to send her out of the Capital, taking with her the sages who she corrupted. The remaining guards wasted no time in pursuing her, intent on finishing the job. I was left with the last of my brothers, mortally wounded and beyond any curative spell. All I could do was comfort them in their last moments, telling them they would now return to the mother and be at peace."

The old man broke away with these last words, tears welling in his tired eyes. In a matter of days his world was upturned. In that vicious onslaught, he saw those close to him fall at the hands of an evil like nothing our world had ever seen. I rested my hand on his shoulder. He nodded his head and managed to compose himself once more.

I look to my comrades. "We are going to hunt this monster down and end her. I will not stand by and watch while my people are slaughtered! We will not rest until we have crushed this evil!" The room was quiet. Then Cid spoke up, "I wouldn't have it any other way." Then Tara, "I'm always by your side, this thing has to die." I looked to Denito and asked, "What about you Denito?" He huffed, "This creature landed on this world and as its first act it deceived and attacked its populace, I will show no mercy to this stranger."

"Then it's decided!" I said. "We are going north to pursue the creature!" The sage could do nothing but stare wide-eyed at the four of us. "You have to realize the danger you're putting yourself in!" He urged us. I responded back with certainty in my voice, "We aren't new to danger. Besides, it's our duty to our people and to Gaea. The mother gives us life; we must protect her in return. This creature is a threat to all life on the planet. I won't stop until the threat is extinguished."

Life was returning to his expression. The sage stood up. "Then I am coming with you. My name is Armaedes; I owe it to my brothers and sisters to avenge them!" I wanted to protest, but Armaedes insisted. "I have more to offer than you think. If you are as capable as you say, then I'll have all I need in the way of support. We will bring the battle to her!"

With that, it was settled. We used the remaining time in Bone Village to assemble what we would need for the final trek to the north, beyond the Capital. The villagers graciously supplied us with heavy gear that would protect us from the chill of the Northern climate. We used the remaining time to discuss tactics that we could employ in the battle against the monster. "Gabriel," Armaedes said, "There was little we could do to hurt her, but there was one thing in particular was pivotal in driving her back." I leaned in closer. He looked to me with a mischievous look, "Fire!"

We set out of Bone Village, making our way through the Sleeping Forest. We were told that the forest was enchanted so that only Cetra may pass through. Other creatures are bewitched and subsequently turned around in their confusion, sending them back out. This allowed Capital citizens to live in relative peace. It was nice being able to travel without having to worry about monsters ambushing you.

We descended into the valley and I was met with a view that brought me back to the vision I had in my dream. This was the Capital, what I saw was not my imagination. I asked Armaedes about what I envisioned. He was surprised. "You saw the valley and the attack? I believe you received contact from the sages who joined the lifestream; those were memories being communicated to you." I knew he must have been right, but I didn't feel any better knowing the horrors I witnessed actually took place here.

Armaedes asked, "Do you often commune with the ancestors?" I shook my head. "No, my father's lineage never possessed the ability, and I take after him. However my mother was very spiritual, she could speak to Gaea and the ancestors." He took this in as we walked. I had something else on my mind. Carefully I found the words, "Armaedes, what is 'Black Materia'?"

We were nearly to the Capital and Armaedes was growing uneasy. "Materia is a hard substance that is formed when veins of lifestream flow to the surface of the land and bubble up. Over hundreds of years the exposed lifestream crystalizes into Materia. Therefore, pieces of Materia are in essence a part of the lifestream. They contain the thoughts and wisdom of our ancestors, frozen forever in solid form. Black materia is unique in that it contains a powerful destructive magic."

Armaedes stopped to catch his breath before going on. "He who wields the Black Materia can summon 'Meteor' a spell powerful enough to destroy the planet! The ancestors fear that it could fall into the hands of this monster." I was amazed. How was it that I had never heard of the Black Materia? I asked, "Armaedes, where is the Black Materia?" He responded, "It is locked away in the Temple of the Ancients, to the far south. I don't think it will be an issue. Hundreds of years ago, our ancestors constructed the temple and sealed within it the Black Materia using a unique spell. The spell would surely prevent anyone from retrieving it. Then again, I don't know what this creature is capable of."

The Capital was eerily quiet. There wasn't a soul around for miles. This was the pride of the Cetra, reduced to a graveyard; tragic. We explored the area for signs of… anything. It was painful for Armaedes to return to this place. There was nothing left for him here, just reminders of what once was. He said that to him it felt recent, and at the same time, it felt as if it were a lifetime ago.

We followed him to his dormitory. He said he still had useful supplies there and that we could rest up before continuing on. When we arrived at his hovel, he set to work searching in chests for items of use. He soon turned up with 4 small bottles he called 'sources'. He said these were special concoctions that amplified the user's abilities. Each was unique and he handed us each a 'source' that he felt would work well with our innate talents. Cid was handed a strength enhancing source, Tara a vitality source and Denito a speed source.

"Gabriel, this source is very special. You were in a severely weakened state after over-exerting your magic abilities. This source will greatly heighten your spiritual stamina, allowing you to use magic to greater degree before feeling drained". I took the bottle in hand, and thanked him. We were told to add water to the powder in the jar and drink it in its entirety. "How will I know what my new limits are?" I asked. Armaedes said, "I wish I could tell you Gabriel, it's different for each and every person. You'll have to feel it out yourself, use great caution as not to have a situation like outside Bone Village." I thought on this and downed the bottle. The drink tasted rancid and it showed on my face. "Should it taste that bad?" Armaedes was surprised. "It's supposed to be bittersweet, with a hint of Carob nut." I shook my head, trying to keep it all down. His voice trailed off, "I do hope that was the right one…"

We took this opportunity to rest for a little while, the journey ahead would become increasingly treacherous, this was the last time we would have a comfortable rest. Night fell and the hovel was quiet, only the wind could be heard passing over the cracks in the shell that this dwelling was fashioned from. It was actually quite an eerie sound, rising and falling with 'ooohs' and 'ahhhs'. After a few minutes of listening to this, I realized it wasn't the wind. It wasn't an actual audible sound! It was in my head! It was the lifestream trying to communicate with me.

I tried to make out intelligible speech, but could not. It sounded sad. Maybe this wasn't the lifestream, but Gaea herself. "Do you weep for your children?" I asked. The sound faded away, I was losing contact with Gaea. Gradually the sounds left me until it was once again really the wind passing over the barren Capital.

I drifted to and from a sleep-like state. I'm not sure how much time had passed, but I was awoken with a start by shouting. "Everyone get out here!" I could hear Cid yelling from just outside the hovel. We rushed to meet him and what I saw shocked me to the core. It was the other sages, but they were changed, mutated partway into horrors themselves! Armaedes wailed, "Oh Gaea, no!"

I readied a dagger in each hand turning my head to Armaedes, "I'm sorry, but they don't look friendly. You may not want to see this!" Without warning the deformed Sages assaulted the group. There were several more of them then there were us, but some of them merely stood stupidly, not engaging with us until we were immediately upon them. Some part of me wondered if they had any reasoning left. I had no time to consider, we worked quickly in dispatching the group of mutants.

When it was over, we just stood there. This was not a victory; there were no feelings of success here. This was a cruel trick. As if the monster sent these poor creatures as a way to torment us. My blood boiled. Through clenched teeth I spat the words, "She will pay!"

Part 3

Our rest was over. Nobody wanted to spend any more time in the forgotten Capital. Armaedes led the way through the valley to an opening in the mountainside. This crevasse led us through the mountain and out the other side to snowy fields. Even with the robust gear given to us in Bone Village the wind and snow bit at our faces unforgivingly. For miles we drudged through the icy terrain and I feared that we would lose our bearings, especially with the ever darkening sky and storm clouds. We could just barely make out the range of mountains to which Armaedes said we were headed for.

As we moved, I saw something on the horizon to the west, a pack of beasts heading for us. I alerted the group. Armaedes said, "Bandersnatches! Much like your Nibel Wolves, but even more vicious!" We were too far from the mountain to take cover, we wouldn't make it. I was sure that we would need to fend off the animals on our trail. I said, "We're going to have to fight them off!" Armaedes had another idea. He said, "I have a spell that can help get us to safety instead. This may sound strange, but sometimes you have to run from your problems." I didn't like running from battle, but I trusted the sage's judgement.

Armaedes asked Denito to assist in expanding the spell to include all of us. The sage became still in solemn concentration and uttered an incantation. His body emanated a green aura, Denito directed his influence until the blue and green light intermingled and expanded to cover the group. Then something interesting happened, the snowfall began to slow and the wind seemed to die down until it was little more than a breeze. Time around us slowed to a crawl. The pack in the distance seemed to be all but stopped. Denito urged the sage to get on his back. We then picked up a run and made for the mountains while the haste spell persisted. Somehow it even made it easier to keep our footing, each step holding better than before the spell. The wind did little to slow us down now and we made it to the cave in no time. We covered a great distance in what must have been a very short time. I doubted the wolves would relocate us, but if they did, we would be ready for them.

Once we were inside far enough to be away from the harsh draft, Cid set to work building a modest fire with some kindling that we brought from Bone Village. It wasn't long before we had a good flame and feeling soon returned to our faces and extremities. I approached Armaedes about the next length of the trek. "Where are we going from here Armaedes? What can you tell us?" He stroked at his beard and recalled to me about the communications he has had from the spirits. "I have asked the ancestors for guidance in finding our mark. The visions were vague, but I received images of an enormous crater on the other side of these mountains. I will seek communion with the lifestream tonight during our respite for further guidance. Hopefully I can be shown the path ahead." I nodded to this and thanked him for his invaluable help. The frozen Tundra ahead would not be forgiving of mistakes. We needed to know where the creature was and get there soon, otherwise this storm could destroy us en route.

Before I could rest, I needed to make sure that this cave was not inhabited by creatures that would prey on us. I brought Denito with me further into the cave to survey the area, bringing a torch for light. We moved cautiously through the dark, trying to keep our senses keen on picking up any creatures without making ourselves heard. At some point, Denito stopped in his tracks. He asked in a hushed voice, "Do you hear voices?" I listened carefully for what he was hearing. I strained but could not hear what he was. Then, I heard it. Rather, I felt it. I could pick up incomplete thoughts and emotions, the lifestream. We looked to each other and continued on, the thoughts and feelings becoming more consistent and palpable, like breath on our skin.

As we rounded a corner, we saw something remarkable; the walls of the cavern we entered were encrusted with glittering crystals. The crystals were picking up the light from my torch, but they also emitted a pale green light of their own. We were in awe. We walked through the hall spellbound by the beauty and wonder around us. It felt as though were walking through a crowd, all with eyes fixed on us. Denito said, "This is the Materia that the sage was talking about, these are the crystallized thoughts of the lifestream." I moved in closer to a small cluster and gently placed my hand on one facet. Immediately I was filled with images, people I didn't know, yet they felt familiar. The Cetra I saw were much more primitive, these were our nomadic ancestors. The scene felt real, alive even, but it did not change or leave me until I released the facet. "They're memories." I said with tears in my eyes.

We continued exploring this room of the cave, mesmerized by what we saw. While looking over the wall of Materia before me, I noticed one that was different from the rest. It was emitting a vibrant red glow, it looked ominous amongst the rest, but I was intrigued. It was higher on the cave wall, but with careful movements I was able to scale the surface and reach it. I reached to grab it and I was quickly hit with intense feelings of danger. In my surprise I lost my balance. I fell back, pulling out the Materia as I did so. I let out a cry and dropped to the ground, dropping the stone. Denito quickly came to my side, "Are you alright?! What did you see?" I got to my feet and tried to put into words my experience. "I don't know, I couldn't make out anything but I just felt an intense mental shock." I cautiously pick the crimson stone up, this time there was nothing. Denito said, "I looked over some of them myself, sometimes they contained bits of memories or emotions and then sometimes, nothing. I suppose it depends on whether the Materia wants to 'talk'." I looked at him and nodded my head in consideration. I put the Materia in my satchel, intending to ask Armaedes about it later.

The cave looked like it continued on, but we had been away from the group for some time. I didn't want to cause worry and it seemed like the cave was devoid of life, save for the bits of crystallized life we found here. We headed back.

When we reunited with the others I could see that Tara was sleeping near to the fire. Cid sat facing the fire, his back against the wall. He was starting to nod off as well. I figured I would show them our discovery after we have had a few hours rest. Armaedes was sitting nearby in a meditative state. Denito came and positioned himself near to the fire. He rested his head and let out a gruff before closing his eyes.

Cid spoke up, "Find anything, Gabe?" I said, "It seems like it's safe to stay here, you can rest easy. We found some interesting formations that we will show you when we are ready to continue on." He looked like he wasn't listening. "You look exhausted, why don't you rest and I'll tend to the fire. I'll let you take over if I can't continue." He nodded his head in agreement and shifted to make himself more comfortable.

I stared into the fire, thinking about what lay ahead. The sages and guards at the Capital were overpowered by this monster, could we do any better. For a moment I pictured Cid and Tara falling in battle and the mere thought of it made my stomach churn. I looked over my sleeping comrades. Cid, who I grew up idolizing and Tara- I couldn't live with myself if something happened to Tara, whom I dragged into this and was responsible for. I needed to push these things from my mind. The monster approached the Capital inhabitants and deceived them. If we didn't deal with her, the threat that she would bring harm upon other Cetra was inevitable. It was this conviction that needed to remain with me and spur me on. We were so very close now.

A few hours passed. At some point Armaedes settled nearer to the fire; perhaps with new insight from the ancestors. Cid eventually stirred from his sleep and relieved me of my duty. I assured him that I didn't need much rest and that we needed to save some firewood for the return trip. I made myself as comfortable as I could and slept, this time without messages from the lifestream.

I was woken up to tremors and Tara shaking me. "Gabe! Get up! Something is happening inside the mountain!" I quickly rose to my feet and surveyed the area. Everyone was awake and the fire had reduced to cinders. It seemed everyone had gathered up the supplies and were waiting on me. Denito explained to me that he was showing the others the Materia cavern when they began hearing booming sounds around them like rock on rock and everything began shaking with a low rumble. Denito said, "It's not quite like a quake but I'm not sure what else it could be." I said, "Well I'd rather not stick around to find out!" I gestured for the cave entrance, but Armaedes interrupted me. He said, "I might have agreed, but we shouldn't leave that way."

I looked to him with puzzled expression. "Why not?" He replied, "In speaking with the ancestors, they laid before me the path we must take, one that would lead us safely to our destination. They said to go through the mountain." Cid shrieked, "Through the mountain!? The mountain is growling like a stomach and you want us to travel deeper? We'll be buried alive!" Armaedes was unchanged. Confidently he said, "The ancestors showed me the path, we can go through the mountain and out the other side to the crater. To leave through the opening here would mean having to scale the mountain and weather the storm. If the ancestors insisted we go through the mountain, then I am confident there is no danger. Besides, the sounds have stopped, just listen." We grew quiet and listened for the sounds coming from the mountain. The rumbling has indeed faded away. Maybe it really was just the land settling, who knows what that would sound like within a mountain.

I had to speak up. "I trust Armaedes. Time is not on our side. The creature retreated because Armaedes' people injured it. The longer we take in getting to it, the more it can recover. The storm outside has been brutal on us and we need to reserve our strength for the fight. Armaedes, lead the way." Nobody contested what I said. I wasn't happy about any of this, but what choice did we have?

We navigated the natural corridors of the cave, quickly reaching the large hall where Denito and I discovered the Materia. We continued on in silence. In fact, the flurry of minds we felt earlier had quieted down, which somehow contributed to the eeriness. The light from the Materia grew dimmer and we moved deeper into this undiscovered place. To my surprise, we were able to travel for quite some time unimpeded. However, the width of the space moved through was so narrow that we were forced to travel single file. Occasionally we reached points where the path split into two or more trails and Armaedes would pause for a few moments, perhaps recalling the guidance he was given.

Eventually we reached a point where the path ended. Cid, who opposed travelling deeper into the mountain, was on the verge of panic. I felt Tara grab my wrist in fear. Armaedes said, "I thought this might happen and I have a solution." He motioned for us to give him room. We watched as he softly spoke a few words and placed his hands on the rock surface in front of him. The magic ushered forth from him and seeped into the stone, causing it to vibrate. The wall began to move and what started as just a crack in the wall widened as the two halves shifted past each other and separated. The old man grunted and strained in effort to maintain the transformation. The rock slowed to a halt, leaving a gap no more than a few feet wide.

Armaedes worked to catch his breath. "I hope you're all ok with crawling for a little while, that's the best I could do." We were all astonished. Tara said, "Armaedes; that was incredible! You can literally move mountains!" Cid looked like he was having a heart attack, I could forgive him. Armaedes said, "We sages have cultivated the land for centuries bringing veins of lifestream to the planet's surface and encouraging growth. I never thought it would serve me as it has here."

We crawled into the narrow crevasse. We were assured by Armaedes that it would connect on the other side to other networks of caves that we could travel through more easily. As we crawled it quickly became apparent that there was an opening on the other end because we could see a dim blue glow coming from the other side. Nothing could prepare us for what we saw as we exited the tunnel. We soon learned what it was causing tremors deep within the mountain.

The space we emptied out of the tunnel into was a great hall. In the center of this space was a creature of enormous proportion, seemingly made of stone and swathed in wisps of blue and green light. I was speechless; we all were. For a few minutes we simply stood there, staring upward at this titanic thing, trying to process what we were seeing. It was silvery in color and roughly person-like in shape with arms and legs extending out from an upright torso. The creature had exaggerated proportions. The shoulders flared outward like fins or wings. The legs were powerfully thick, complete with massive clawed feet. The thing looked to be armored all over including a plated cape falling behind the legs. The head too was heavily covered and within this helm I could make out a face. It was not like the face of a Cetra, but it was a face nonetheless.

Cid was the first to speak. "Just what in the world is this thing?" Armaedes took up the task of explaining the behemoth before us. "I saw something like this when trying to communicate with Gaea, but it's different than what I glimpsed." Cid looked confused, "You saw this in your visions?" The sage stopped him. "No; but something like this. There must be more of them. I believe they are- I believe that they're her children. They come from her directly, made from the lifestream." Indeed, we could see smoky trails of energy breaching the rocks surrounding the creature.

I asked, "So the planet itself is making these, but why?" Armaedes looked up at the creation and thought before responding, "In defense. She bore them because of the very monster we are after. She fears it." Cid said, "So if the planet is doing something about it, then maybe we can let these monsters battle it out?" Tara spoke up, "I don't think it's any better to have these lumbering giants roaming the land either, we can't know the damage they will do." The group fell silent again. We knew so little about these creatures; we didn't know what capacity for reason they had, if any. After they destroyed the monster, if that was their purpose, would they then return to the planet? We couldn't know. This new development changed everything and yet it changed nothing. We still had to continue on.

"We need to finish what we set out to do." I said. "We don't know how long it will take before this creature is ready to emerge from this mountain. Maybe if we destroy the monster, this creature and others like it will never wake from their sleep." The group looked uncertain. "I see no other alternative." Denito said. The others came to agree, albeit reluctantly. I didn't like posing ideas that they didn't get behind, but it seemed like there was no obvious choice here. They needed direction and it fell on me to make the call.

We left the hall and continued through the network of tunnels. Sooner or later we could make out a faint light which came from outside; we made it through the mountain. The sun was just rising, but it was just a faint glow over the horizon, the entire sky darkened by clouds. To the east where the sun was rising, was the endless expanse of ocean. To the west, the mountains continued on. The mountain range came to a peak at where we exited. Before us, to the north, was a glacial flat continuing up until the point where it met a valley. In the center of the valley was one feature of the land that had very little snow on it. "The crater." Armaedes said, pointing to the far side of the glacier.

Part 4

We set out down the slope of the mountain and across the glacial flat. The terrain was difficult to navigate, but after some time we adjusted. There were no monsters to be seen. I wondered if there were any monsters this far north. Perhaps if there had been monsters here, they were destroyed by the impact that formed the crater. There were fissures pitted throughout the glacier; it's possible these were made from the impact.

As we approached the crater, we could see that the mountains were encircling the impact site. The entire area around the crater was clear of snow and ice. The weather had been fair since we left the mountain and it seemed like there was very little wind in this valley where the crater was. The crater's size was deceiving. It seemed small in the middle of the mountain range, but once upon it, it towered over us menacingly.

We set to work scaling the walls of the crater. It was steep overall. We could walk upright in some parts, but had to scale it vertically in others. I worried that Armaedes wouldn't be able to make the climb, but he surprised all of us with this vitality. He did say he was a great hunter in his youth, I suppose those qualities stay with you. The wind which had died down in the valley was now whipping up the sides of the crater as we climbed higher.

We reached the peak and looked on at the crater in its entirety. We now could see just how massive it was. It was a perfect ring, miles across in diameter and in its center was something none of us had ever seen before. Torrents of energy were pouring forth from the planet, carrying with it rocks and soil. There was a great whirlwind of debris swirling about and settling. The planet was repairing itself using the lifestream. Bolts of lightning could be seen scattered throughout the turmoil as the land tore and shifted within. The crater was an open wound which the planet worked to mend.

Armaedes said, "This is the place from my visions. The ancestors say that this is where she hides, nursing her wounds." I looked to the others and gave a nod, signaling that we were ready to descend into the crater and into Gaea. The slope going down into the Crater was more gradual than the incline outside, but the winds fought against us on the way down. The experience was grueling; several times we were swept off our feet by the forces acting on the terrain. Eventually we reached a point where the winds were calm, the eye of the storm. We reached the center of the crater where the land opened up.

We approached the gorge, which was expansive in its own right and we peered in over the precipice. Warm air flowed up and out of the ground. We found a place where we could safely make our way down. The pathway spiraled down the gorge and as we descended, the light of day became more and more scarce. We lit some torches to make our way further down. Looking up we could then see how far we traveled. The sky was now just a small circle puncturing the darkness above us.

The terrain dropped off suddenly and we could see light emanating from a crevasse below. That was where would have to climb down to in order to continue. We set out down this wall, some of us faring better than others. Cid helped Armaedes while Tara lent a hand to Denito, who also struggled to find footing.

I had been paying such close attention to the others that I lost my balance. I lost my grip of the wall and tumbled down to the bottom, not able to right myself. In the flurry I could hear the others calling my name, but they were unable to stop my fall. I don't even remember landing.

I heard a familiar voice, a woman's voice that I haven't heard since I was a child. She was calling me by name, trying to wake me up. I opened my eyes to see who it was. It was bright around me and my eyes struggled to adjust. I was on my feet now, though I don't remember standing. I was in the fields of my youth. I felt a hand on my shoulder and I turned around to face-my mother! My lips quivered, unable to form words. She gestured for me to come to her and I was in her arms. Tears streamed down my face, I was overwhelmed with grief and longing. I was so choked with emotions that I could barely breathe, let alone speak and I was beginning to feel faint. The scene around me faded like a reflection in water disturbed by ripples. The vision melted into darkness and I could see now what was really before me. I was staring into the face of the horrific monster whose grip I was unable to escape.

I heard Cid shouting and I looked to see him dropping down with my blade on the arm that was gripping me. The monster let out a shriek and I dropped to the ground. It was a massive tentacle that had held me. The creature it came from towered over us and its arm was already starting to grow back from where it had been severed from the body. "Gabe! You ok?!" I was too shocked to respond, I just nodded. "Good. No time to stop and think. Here." He handed me my sword and he turned back to the monster, ready to re-engage. I got to my feet as he jumped into the fray along with Denito and Tara.

The monster had gone into my memories and tricked me with images of my mother. I gripped my sword, this was unforgivable. I let out a cry as I rushed the monster plunging my sword into her side. It didn't penetrate far and she swiped at me with her arm, sending me tumbling back. As I came to a stop I could see that she was throwing Cid and Denito off as well. Tara was sending arrows her way, but they were barely able to break the skin.

I looked around to locate Armaedes but he was nowhere to be found. I only hoped that he was safe, I don't know how long I was out. I didn't have time to look around for him; I had to help the others. The space we were in was wide enough that I could get behind her. I ran to her far side and managed to strike again while she was distracted by the others, this time slicing with the length of my blade. The monster shrieked as my sword tore open the flesh. She whipped around and sent me flying again. I struck the rock wall behind me and collapsed to the ground, I could hear my sword land somewhere in the darkness.

My head was spinning. I pulled myself off the ground, watching Cid and Denito surrounding the monster and attacking her from both sides. The wound I made on the creature was closing up like a shutting eye. I heard Armaedes shout, "Gabriel, remember what I said back in the Village!" I located the place the voice was coming from. He was taking cover behind some boulders. I thought back to the night we met Armaedes and what he described about the attack on the Capital. I got to my feet and moved closer to the action. I quieted my soul and focused my energy in preparation for the spell. Armaedes called to the others, "Tara, Denito, now!"

Tara appeared next to me and Denito retreated from the monster to my side as well. I was about to begin the incantation when the monster fixed its focus on us. It advanced on us and drew back its arms. I tensed up in preparation for the attack and it came more swiftly than I could have predicted. But we weren't hit. I opened my eyes to see a barrier in front of us, shimmering like diamond and covering the three of us from her attacks. Armaedes appeared behind me. "I thought she might do that." He said with a grin.

Just then Cid plunged his spear into the back of the monster, causing it to make a horrible sound. "Go ahead Gabriel, Cid knows what to do." Armaedes, Denito and Tara all focused their energy on me, their blue auras mingling with mine. Tara must have learned this magic back in Bone Village and they planned this when I fell down here. I hurriedly conjured the spell, "Swallow in flames, Firaga!"

The spell ignited the creature in a fantastic blaze. Every part of her seared and sizzled and she reeled and contorted in pain, letting out a wail that pierced our ears. Cid leaped off of the monster as it went up and now was beside us, watching as the monster thrashed about helplessly. The fire burned brightly, lighting up the cave and we could feel the heat pouring off of it. She shrank in size and collapsed in on itself, the screeches dying down. At last, the mass slowed to a stop and the fire died away, witch just the occasional twitch as the thing expired.

Armaedes let out a sigh of relief and dropped down to sit. We destroyed the calamity. I turned to Tara and we embraced one another. After weeks of travel and perilous battles with monsters, we were finished and could make the long journey home. "Is everyone alright? Did anyone get injured during the fight?" I asked the others. Denito said, "Just a little worn out, but I'm fine." The others shared his sentiment. The fire now was completely out; the cave was dark again, with just the faint glow coming from lifestream vents throughout the cave which I could see now was quite large.

Cid was looking over at the remains of the creature; he was walking closer and peering over the body. I had a sinking feeling, something didn't feel right. I called to him, "Cid! Don't go near it!" Before he could respond, a tendril shot out from the mass and pierced his shoulder and he let out a choked cry. "Cid!" I yelled as I ran for him. As I neared him, I felt an invisible force stop my movement. I was being held in place and was hovering just off the ground. The mass of flesh that we thought was dead had become animate again. It swelled up and reformed, the nightmarish flesh pulsing like a heart. The mass from which the tendril sprang was now rising off the ground and taking form. The impression of a woman's torso emerged from the mass where the tendril connected. Another tendril emerged opposite the first one. Atop the torso was face that looked like a mask with slits for eyes.

It turned its head to face me and I could feel forces acting on my body, wrenching and twisting my body, it felt as though every joint in my body was going to break and I cried out. Tara and Denito ran for the creature and it stopped acting on me and swept them up into its hold as well. We were all suspended in air, unable to move our bodies. Denito cast a fire spell, but instead of it taking effect on the monster, I watched the flames lick up the sides of an invisible barrier surrounding her. She must have learned to create her own barrier, we could no longer hurt her that way.

I saw a glow come from behind me, Armaedes casting a spell. I was sure that nothing he could cast would be effective, what could he possibly do? I heard cracking sounds coming from above us and after a moment a huge slab of rock fell from the cave ceiling landing on top of the creature. She in turn dropped the rest of us. I had fallen to the ground and struggled to right myself. The creature however was not down for long. She set to work scooping Armaedes and Denito up in her tendrils.

Everything we had thrown at her, she brushed off. Even when we thought we had defeated her, she came back more horrible than ever. I was a fool for thinking we could challenge this abomination and now my friends would pay the price for my brashness. There was nothing more that we could do. We fell right into her hands and after we were gone, she would surely descend upon and wipe out the Cetra. There was no hope of saving them; we had failed.

It was then that I heard the voice of a woman calling to me from the lifestream. At my lowest point, it was the nurturing words of my mother that drew me to my senses. "Gabriel, you can't always put the blame on yourself, you did nothing wrong." I looked around and questioned my own senses, unsure if this was again the creature's trickery, but I could see that she was preoccupied with the others. My mother's voice continued, "You were motivated by the desire to protect others to seek out this monster. It's because of your gentle nature people that people are drawn to you; there is no shame in what you have done. I love you not in spite of your weakness, but because of your strength. You need only let go of what is holding you back."

Her voice faded and my attention was once again drawn to the scene in front of me. I wiped the tears from my eyes and rose to my feet with newfound vigor feeling light as I did so. I needed my sword, but I didn't know where it was in the darkness around me. Before me was a red glow cutting through the darkness. It was the red Materia from before. It must have fallen out of my satchel and now it beckoned to me.

I picked it up and this time I received no mental shock, but something entirely different. In my mind, I could hear the knowledge pouring forth from the stone and knew now what it was capable of. I gripped the materia and recited the incantation which now seemed like a long forgotten memory. "The First Sire. Hallowed father to all Eidolons. Crush the evil before you. Sear. Obliterate. Wreak havoc. The Harbinger of Death. The Dragon King. The end of all that was and ever will be. I summon you, Bahamut!" The red aura that shone around me went up as a beam of light and exploded in the air. The place where the light hit formed a ring of energy and there came a roaring wind pouring forth through this portal.

A massive dragon flew out of the portal and circled the cave creating gusts of wind with each flap of its powerful wings. It let out a terrifying growl and set its gaze on the monster. The monster dropped the others and drew its arms in. Denito and Armaedes scrambled to get away from the monster. I watched as the barrier around it which was invisible before, became opaque and glimmered like the one Armaedes used on me. Additional layers of barrier formed around the monster, further obscuring the shape within.

Bahamut came to a stop and righted himself in air. The great dragon's mouth opened and a bright light emanated from within its maw. A screeching sound came from the dragon, piercing my ears and the light grew more and more intense to the point that I could barely look on. Bahamut released his attack in a surge of brilliant white light that shattered through the creature's barrier and covered it completely in its obliterating torrent. The sound was deafening and the room shook violently as it was flooded with light. I was knocked off my feet from the blast that reached us.

The sound and light stopped with just the ringing left over and I strained to watch as the dragon flew back to the portal from which it came before it closed up once again. The familiar faintness of magic exhaustion came to me, but I fought to stay conscious. We looked on at the fallout of the attack.

The monster was totally deformed from the blast. A large portion of her body had been completely blown away. It was a ghastly sight; she looked to be melting like wax over a flame. She no longer hovered, but was collapsed on the ground in a writing mess, reaching up into the air with her remaining tendril. How could anything survive such an attack?

Armaedes was the first to approach the monster, "She will continue to regenerate and reform, if she could survive an engine of destruction like that, there's nothing we could do that would destroy her. But she can be sealed in this state." I looked to Armaedes. "You could do that?" He nodded, not taking his gaze away from the animate corpse. "Just be sure that after I do so, you do not disturb her. The spell will bind her indefinitely, but if you tamper with the seal, she will be released from those binds. You will be helpless to stop her and I won't be around to lock her away." I was taken aback. "What do you mean you won't be around? You don't mean-"but he interrupted me. "I have to leverage my own life force to fuel the spell." Tara cried out, "Armaedes no!"

The sage walked over to the monster which was croaking and grunting in pain. Its body was showing signs that it was starting to regenerate again. He lifted his arms, facing his palms to her as if to calm a wounded animal. "Rest in eternity, untouched by time. Unthinking, unbreathing, changeless. End to end, looped unbroken, with no recourse. The personality is sacrificed for strength of seal forevermore". As he completed the incantation, his body began to dissipate, his fingers turning into threads of light and the light traveling up his arms as more and more of his body became the energy that poured into the spell. The monster was glowing in the light that emanated from Armaedes. She slowed her movement and quieted her cries, as if understanding of her fate. Armaedes looked to each of us. "I'm thankful for this chance to avenge my fallen brethren. You all defied the odds and brought peace to Gaea; please continue to protect our people." With his last words and a smile, he turned fully into the light which completed the sealing spell. The monster, encompassed in this light came to a full rest. Her body was now completely rigid to the point where she looked to be frozen. She retained a lingering glow, like a dying ember. It was over.

We stood collectively in silence, staring at the scene before us. She showed no signs of consciousness, but instead stared forward blankly. I reflected on what transpired here and lamented being unable to save the last sage of the Capital. We would not have survived if not for him, but I felt great shame for ultimately relying on his sacrifice to stop the monster. It is here that she would remain for all time. This desolate hole in the Northern Continent would one day be covered over by the workings of Gaea and this would be her grave. It was a fitting end for one that came to take some much from the planet; to be taken into the planet itself.

We gathered our things from the area and patched up Cid's injury. I gave him the strongest potion I had and it helped him along, but he would need to wait until we made it back to the Western Continent for healing magic or at the very least, Bone Village. We climbed up out the chamber I fell into and found a place to rest.

The trek back home was long. We made our way out of the crater and over the snow fields back to the mountain where we found the enormous creature born from Gaea. It seemed like it had not changed from when we saw it, we had no way of knowing what would happen to it, but I hoped that with the monster subdued, Gaea would sense no threat and would not wake her child.

When returned to the Capital, we took some time to explore the area further. I took with me some manuscripts, both new and old. The sages of our time were gone, but with these texts, I felt we could retain some of our history and our discoveries. When we felt there was nothing more to be gained, we said a solemn goodbye to the Capital and continued on to Bone Village.

Cid grew worse from the time we left the crater and by the time we reached Bone Village, he had difficulty walking. Looking pale and haggardly, we went to the villagers. They had no healing magic, but they offered us advanced potions. These did little to close up Cid's wound, which by now it looked beyond saving. We could only hope that the healers in Cosmo Canyon could do more for him. We set out on our ship to the Western Continent.

Despite our best efforts and Cid's indomitable will and strength, his wound was too great and he died on the way to Cosmo Canyon. I was crushed by this. My cousin, who was the epitome of excitement and was one of the kindness men I knew, died during a trip which he was not meant to go on. He hadn't been home for more than a few minutes before offering to leave once again to help me.

We reached Cosmo Canyon after weeks of traveling and had much to tell. Before a word of the trip could be shared, we had to take care of Cid. The villagers from the Canyon assisted in giving him a burial atop the canyon, with a view of the setting sun. In the evening, we shared with Togassi and the villagers all that we had undergone. The journey, the mutants at the Capital, the giant creature in the mountain and finally the encounter with the monster. We told them about the brave sage that accompanied us and ultimately saved us.

We parted ways with Denito, who has become a great friend to us. I promised him that we would cross paths again and that should he ever need help, we would be there to oblige. He said the same and Tara and I left Cosmo Canyon for home.

Returning home to my father was more emotional than I could have anticipated. It had been a long journey and it was only in looking back that I reflected on how many times I avoided death. I brought the unfortunate news of Cid's death due to injury sustained in the battle. Life eventually returned to normal, the skies gradually brightened again to their beautiful blues, oranges and reds.

However, there was another darkness spreading across the land. A plague has come over our people in the months following our return. Nobody could answer what was happening, though many suspected it was a curse left by the monster. It has killed many Cetra in its wake and torments us today. I work with my people to make it through this illness, but I feel helpless against this invisible enemy. I pray to Gaea for a solution, but none comes.

I have been turning to the ancient texts from the Capital for answers as well. I hope that through my searching and through the cleverness and strength of the Cetra that we make it through these dark times. So when dark skies bring evil tidings, it is we brave souls will be here to answer the call. At least until the day we return once again, to the lifestream.