Disclaimer: I do not own FFIX. I do not own the name Terra, but I do own her personality.
I do own Ember, Julian, Deryo, and Ferris.
A/N: This took a few days to complete the first chapter. It is very long, but I believe it's very worth it. I blame Twilight for the extensive writing. XD Thank you for reading and review if you want. Thank you!
-Mayris
"Bye!" I said waving to my elder brothers. It was my turn to do the shopping this weekend for the household needs. I stumbled every now and then on the uneven brick path that led toward the town square. Children ran up and down the path, dragging balloons behind them. I watched in awe at how they ran without tripping, unlike me. I was always tripping over things; the ground, carpets…my feet. I wasn't clumsy all the time, but I did have my moments.
The square was filled with customers. You could bet there were thieves scattered among the masses. I made my way to a small fruit stand and spoke with the shopkeeper. "I need everything on this list," I said handing her a small piece of paper with the things my brother Ember had written down. I was an honest girl, making sure that I only touched food after I bought it. The woman searched the paper and I moved my basket toward her every time she moved to pick up a piece of produce.
I felt the weight shift with each item placed in the small basket. The five of us lived together; myself and my four big brothers. Ember was the eldest of us and he supported us the most. He worked as a blacksmith and slept most of the day when he wasn't working. Our late father taught him the trade of creating swords before he was taken from us.
I was snapped out of my thoughts when the woman handed the list back. I dug through the pockets of my black pants before pulling out the correct amount of gil and handing it to the smiling shopkeeper. I waved a goodbye and left on my way to another shop, repeating the same habit of purchasing the food.
Slow; that was the pace I did things at. Rushing was too much and I was confused if something was rushed. I was strong enough to hold my own in a battle, but too weak of stomach to harm another. Everything about me seemed contradictory; I was a walking paradox.
I returned to my house and left the food on the table, then quietly exited before I was noticed and tackled by my family.
The evening sunset caught my eye. I left the house late; around four o'clock earlier that day. I enjoyed watching it fall behind the green, hilly mountains. I left to the exit of the city and sat at the stone fountain, watching the deep sunset. The sky turned red and orange as the sun eventually disappeared beyond the hills.
My gaze averted to the falling water from the glistening fountain. I wanted to reach out and touch the smooth surface, to give it imperfection. Things were too calm in Alexandria; too quiet. I longed for something miraculous to happen; something fun! However, I was ordinary, just like any other girl. I had no special talent, and I was slow. I wanted to leave Alexandria and find an adventure; a place to belong. However, who said that every girl gets her dream. 'You're a loser, brat,' is what Ember said when teasing me.
I am a loser…but I'm a slow loser. I amused myself. I looked up from the water to see a shadow in the distance. A cool, calm stride accompanied this shadow, bringing it grace. I observed the things around me and realized that I was the only one left in the place surrounding the fountain. I dodged away from the fountain and hid behind a few crates. I peeked over the top to see that the guards had admitted the stranger access then returned to their homes, closing the gates. The stranger stopped by the fountain and seemed to talk to himself.
The next thing I knew, there were loud booming noises. I couldn't leave my hiding place fast enough to take cover. Darkness surrounded my sight as I fell unconscious as something very hard and very heavy fell on top of me.
My eyes strained as I opened them. The first thing I saw was ruins; Alexandria was in ruins. I blinked, but the image only burned neon shapes into my head from the light reflecting off of the weathered buildings. There was something holding me down to the cold, uneven brick ground. I winced as I turned my aching neck to see that a large crate broke upon my back. I felt my body tingle in pain and slight numbness. I struggled to stand.
My vision hazed and I saw the stranger starting to leave. I quickly stood completely and ran toward him, ignoring the pounding in my legs that threatened to handicap my movement.
I tripped on one of the uneven bricks in the ground and fell forward behind him, managing to catch his sleeve as I made contact with the ground. I felt him turn toward me from the movement of the sleeve I clutched tightly in my grip. "W-wait…" I said, struggling to breathe from the numbness.
I felt a cold hand clench around my throat as the stranger lifted me to my feet. "What do you want?" I heard him ask in a malicious voice.
I shut my eyes tightly as pain shook down my body. "What…did you do…to this city…?" I said struggling to breathe and get his hand off my neck. It felt weird that he was touching me; as if his hands were dirty with invisible mud. I glanced down to see that his hands were perfectly clean.
I gazed into the man's distinct blue eyes; elegance was a good word to describe them as. Mine were only disgusting brown ones; the color of feces. I hated how I looked and this man caused me to feel inferior to him. I hated that and I wished I never made contact with him.
A smile played upon his features, as my neck started to burn on the side. I winced as he dropped me from his grip. I landed with a thud…on my butt…which already hurt from the impact of the crate on my body. I winced in pain and strained to look up to the stranger. I put my hand to my neck which burned like fire where he had touched me when he smiled.
A large dragon swooped down. I felt my body go frigid, dropping my hand from my neck. Was he going to attack me with it? No…the man mounted the dragon, sparing me one glance. I watched as my vision hazed yet again and I fell backwards on the bricks. I was tired and my body still ached.
My eyes opened and I realized that I was no longer outside. Bandages were wrapped around my arms and legs. I immediately closed my eyes again when I heard the door open. I recognized the familiar noise that my brother's steel-toed boots made against the wooden floor. I liked that floor; it was even. I could walk without tripping.
Ember made his way toward the bed I rested in. "I know you're awake," he grumbled. I opened my eyes and saw the flicker of disappointment in his. I turned away, trying to avoid the lecture he was preparing to dictate.
"What were you doing outside?" he mumbled. He always talked like that. Mumbling, grumbling, or speaking as if he was bored. I knew he was always just tired.
I didn't answer. I heard him sigh as he fell into the chair before my desk and lean forward. I felt really bad. I made him worry without a reason. "Do you know what happened to Alexandria?" he asked.
My eyes widened slightly. Was it a dream? Yes, it couldn't be real. I rolled over in bed, cringing slightly from the distinct pain in my back. "No…why?"
"Look for yourself," he sighed.
I got up the strength to lift myself up and peer out the window of my room. My eyes widened in horror. It really was all in ruins! "It wasn't a dream!" I exclaimed.
"What happened?" he asked.
"N-nothing," I said.
I could hear the shift of clothing and his footsteps as he neared my bed. I felt him take hold of my wrist and pull me toward him. He gripped my chin gently before looking down at my neck. "You have red marks where fingers were. Who did this to you?" he asked coldly. I had no explanation. He continued, pulling off a bandage on my neck, causing me to wince in slight pain and surprise. He handed me a hand mirror. I gazed at it before taking it into my hands.
My breath caught in my throat as I saw a small black kanji symbol. "Owari…" I spoke, saying the phrase to myself.
"Death," he said translating it. "You've been touched by the 'Angel of Death'," he mumbled as he shot a glare at me.
"I-I'm sorry, Ember!" I pleaded on the verge of tears as I saw a flicker of anger in his eyes.
"When we send you out shopping, we expect you to be back at a decent time," he mumbled darkly. "I have to go help out with the restoration of Alexandria," he continued as he got up and left, slamming the door fiercely on his way out.
I lay back in my soft bed. What did the mark mean anyway? I felt my throat tighten and my stomach cringe in fear. Would it take my life? There was a knock at the door. I didn't have a chance to answer as the second oldest of the brothers entered. I managed to sit up and hang my feet over the bed. My head pounded violently. "Hey, how are you feeling?" the black-haired boy asked as he walked over to my bed. All of my brothers have black hair. I even have black hair. The only difference between us is the color of our eyes.
I looked away from Julian. His hazel eyes searched my thoughts. He was kinder than Ember, but he usually took Ember's point of view. I struggled to hide the mark on my neck, so I placed my hand over it and leaned over, resting my elbow on my knee. "Hey, Julian," I said tiredly.
"What happened?" he asked.
"Nothing," I said. I grew accustomed to lying to Julian because he usually didn't press issues as much as Ember did.
"I see," he said walking toward my bed and taking a seat next to me. I felt his arm snake around my shoulders and I shivered. He always had that effect on me. He knew I hated being touched like that, but he did it anyway because he was the only one who knew how to get under my skin. "Want to talk about it?" he asked politely.
"Not really," I said looking toward the window behind me.
"Ember doesn't want you going outside for a while," he said I could hear a smile in his voice. Julian was always happy and accommodating.
"Julian, go away," I said flopping down on my bed again.
"He'll come for you," he said seriously causing me to look up in shock. He was referring to the man I had seen the night before.
"You were eavesdropping again!" I hissed.
He had a big smirk on his face. I didn't have it in me to hit him because he hadn't done anything seriously wrong. Besides, Ember might have told him already. "You really shouldn't go outside anymore," he continued. "I'll have Ember send Ferris for shopping instead."
"I can still go," I whined. "I am able to defend myself if anything were to happen!" He shook his head and smiled, eyes closed. He gazed at the small, black writing on my neck. I could feel his hazel eyes burning through it, wishing it away. "What if…I just covered up the mark on my neck?" I asked.
"That might work, but do you know if the one who gave it to you got a good look at your face?" he asked.
"No," I lied. I remembered that man's features clearly from just a few hours ago. He had striking blue eyes and long, silver-blue hair. He was deadly attractive. I blushed at the thought of HIM pursuing me. He was like a Norse god and I was an ordinary girl with no potential for anything spectacular.
Suddenly, Julian poked my cheek. "You're bright red," he giggled. I felt my face flush deeper with embarrassment and I rubbed my cheek where he poked me. "In any case, I can try to persuade Ember to let you continue going outside. I see nothing seriously wrong with it," he mused as he stood up. He found a box of bandages and applied a fresh white one over the symbol on my neck. "There," he said happily. "That should hide it well enough." He then left silently. When the door closed, I heard the distinct clicking of the locks. I groaned. He WOULD lock me in just to tick me off, and if I accused him of it, he would only smile in the same goofy fashion he would as if I were a little kid!
I got to my feet, wobbling slightly from my injuries. I gripped my dresser for support and walked slowly toward the looming door. I pressed my ear against the offending barrier and listened as Julian's footsteps fell silent as he left the hallway and entered the kitchen to begin lunch.
"Oh, Terra!" came two voices from outside as tapping echoed on the window pane. Startled, I turned toward the window to see Ferris and Deryo standing outside with big grins on their faces. The youngest of the brothers and both were twins. I sighed as I staggered to the window to open it, debating whether I should or not. My curiosity got the best of me and I flipped the lock from the window and propped it open with a wooden shaft.
"What is it, you guys!?" I said harshly causing both to wince.
"Did Julian lock you inside?" Ferris asked giving me a painful noogie with his fist.
I winced and clutched my head. "Yeah," I sighed rubbing my head with my palm. "It's okay though."
"Hey, what's with the bandage?" Deryo asked pointing to my neck.
"Nothing really," I said nervously.
"I think she's lying," Ferris said.
"I have no reason to lie!" I said defensively.
"Ah, ah, Terra," Deryo said waving a finger and shaking his head. "You can't fool us!"
I pulled away from the window on instinct as Ferris reached to rip off the bandage. "No!" I protested.
"Terra, come on! Both Ember and Julian saw it! We too have elderly brother rights!" Ferris debated rationally.
I moved away from them and smiled nervously. "I'm fine, you guys."
"Come on out!" Deryo suggested. "It'd be a drag if you stayed inside all day!"
"What about Julian?" I protested. Ember would be much worse than him, but I'd rather not think about it.
"We'll cover for you," Deryo said with a wink.
I glared. "You said that last time and I ended up being punished for everything."
"This is different. You're not going to be alone this time," Deryo pressed.
"Yeah, this time we'll be with you and if anyone tries to pull something funny, I'll deal with them," Ferris said in a dark tone that sent shivers up my spine. Ferris was generally violent with people. He acted a lot like the average gangster. I couldn't help but wonder why he had so much built up anger. Deryo was, if anything, normal. Although, I couldn't help but admit, he was quite a flirt when he talked to girls.
"I…I don't know…" I answered apprehensively. Before I could protest any more, Ferris climbed through the window and began dragging me out. "Hey! Let go!"
"Are you really that afraid of Ember?" Ferris asked as he handed me over to Deryo. I gripped the window frame as Ferris jumped out. Deryo pulled lightly on my waist and I easily lost my grip. He swung me over his shoulder and began walking with me toward town.
"Let me go, guys!" I yelled squirming. I managed to kick Deryo in the chest and he grunted a bit. He threw me more securely over his shoulder and continued walking.
"Hey, calm down. We're only going to take you to the docks," he said.
"Why!?" I whined. I did NOT want to go with them and be scolded by Ember even if it was only a block away. "Deryo, put me down NOW!"
Ferris chuckled. "It's funny when you're upset, Terra," he said clutching his stomach.
"Ferris!" I yelled in anger. He simply looked over at me once he stopped laughing and fell into another laughing fit. I rolled my eyes and whined, giving up. Deryo sensed my resolve and put me down.
"Come on, then," he grumbled. "I'm not carrying you the whole way."
Ferris pushed me forward as Deryo led the way. "Why are we going there anyway?" I asked as I started dragging my feet.
Deryo turned his head back toward me and glared with his sharp blue eyes. "We're only going to explore the castle ruins," he smiled.
My eyes widened. "You're going to break into the castle!?"
"Of course not," Ferris said smiling. "How can we break in when there's no entrance anymore?"
I stopped. "How can you mock this situation…!? The city is in ruins and you want to cause trouble!"
"You didn't see it last night, did you, Terra?" Deryo said turning to face me. He gave a mocking smile. "The castle grew giant wings," he said.
"Eh…?"
I heard Ferris still laughing behind me. Deryo continued, "Remember those legends mom used to tell us when we were little about the eidolons and the summoners?" I felt my eyes narrow at him. He smirked and continued. "According to the legends mom told us, the eidolon Alexander revealed himself as the castle! I can't believe you missed it, Terra!" he said smiling.
I merely glared at him. There was nothing else I could do, however, I wasn't all that upset that I missed the great eidolon Alexander. I met someone who really peaked my interest. Even though he branded me with the mark of death, I was surprisingly interested. I wanted to see this mysterious man again. Maybe it was just to understand his intentions of the odd mark that spelled 'end' on my neck. Then again, it could be just a childish crush on a person who was way too old for me. I was only sixteen anyway. I shouldn't be interested in boys. I LIVED with them and that was a catastrophe in itself. I didn't want to have to get involved in one. That could be a whole lot worse than having four elder brothers. Although, I couldn't help but think that the man I saw last night was someone that I felt I could not avoid.
I kept silent as my brothers continued to lead me over to the docks. They began boarding a small boat. I stood there and crossed my arms. "Oh, Terra, you're not going to stand there all day, are you?" Deryo sang.
I sighed and got in the boat with them. Ferris rowed as Deryo began to interrogate me. "Julian told us you got injured. He only smiled when I asked him about what happened. What did happen? You can tell us, Terra."
I averted my gaze to the water. The blue depths mesmerized me, causing me to forget the situation. I was pulled out of my daze when Deryo got impatient and poked my forehead. "Hey! You listening? What happened last night?"
"Nothing," I said looking away back to the water. I looked further out and saw the reflection of a dragon. My gaze snapped to the sky. I sighed with disappointment when I realized it was only an airship from Lindblum.
Deryo had followed my gaze. "Ah, so now we're getting somewhere," he teased.
"W-What do you mean!?" I asked defensively. He only smirked and pointed upward.
"Whatever happened last night has to do with an airship, doesn't it?" he asked. I stifled a laugh. "Oh, so it's not an airship," he sighed. I shook my head.
"I already told you that it was nothing, Deryo," I said adding a smile. He merely glared at me.
"Was it a dragon then?" I heard Ferris say. I turned quickly with my eyes widened. He looked at me oddly. "What? I was just kidding…or was I?" he smiled. "You are so cute when you are alarmed," he added. "There are hordes of dragons on the northern continent. I don't see why they would spark your attention so much."
We had finally reached the shore of Alexandria castle. The Alexandrian guards approached quickly, ready to stop us.
Deryo and Ferris stepped in front of me and saluted the guards. They both held up some sort of identification card. "We're here to help with reconstruction of the castle," Deryo explained. I could see Ferris clench his fist behind his back while Deryo crossed his fingers behind his. The guards nodded and parted the way. Deryo grabbed my arm and the both of them led the way into the ruins of the castle.
I sighed and said, "Why are we going here anyway?"
Ferris glanced back at me with a warning in his eyes. "We're looking for clues about the ancient eidolon, Terra." I shivered at the maniacal sound in his voice. When he got like that he was either determined or dangerous. I hung my head as they continued leading the way.
"And…why do you need my here?" I asked.
"Someone needs to take the heat for us doing this," Deryo smiled.
"I knew it," I groaned. Now Ember would really let me have it even after he and Julian admonished me to not leave the house. I was going to get back at those two. I just had to wait until they fell asleep. I felt a smirk take over my features.
Deryo turned and saw me smiling evilly. "Ah, so you've decided to give in and join the fun?"
I shook my head and chuckled. "You know that I'll get you back for this, right?"
Both of them turned and smiled. "We know! But we'll avoid admonishing from Ember!"
They both led the way toward the castle. Both of them pushed open the doors and led the way inside. There were people everywhere bustling about cleaning up the remnants of the disaster. Everyone was busy. They wouldn't have noticed us even if they wanted to.
"Wow…there's no way we'll find anything while everyone is running about," Deryo stated.
"I hate crowds," Ferris moaned.
"Then why'd you guys bring me here?" I asked with annoyance. I wanted to go back to sleep. I was getting dizzy again. I clutched my forehead and turned before saying, "I'm going back home. I'm tired and I want to sleep."
"Hey!" both of them yelled and turned as I opened the doors and started walking out. As I stepped out onto the threshold, I glanced up and saw the one person I did NOT want to see at that moment; Ember. He was holding what looked like a beam of some sort over his shoulder. His red eyes scanned over to me, and then instinctively went to Ferris and Deryo whom smiled broadly. I sighed and looked down. I knew what was coming next.
"Terra wanted us to come," Ferris said right on cue.
"She dragged us out here and told us to lead her inside the castle," Deryo followed, also on cue.
Ember looked toward me and his eyes narrowed. "Terra, you're grounded…again. Two weeks. Deryo, shopping duty. One month. Ferris, cooking with Julian. One month. Any protests will land longer punishments. Anyone protesting?" he mumbled.
I heard Ferris step closer to me. He nudged my arm harshly. I let out a yell of protest…accidentally.
"Terra, something to add? Your punishment extends to three weeks. Ferris, for making Terra protest, your punishment extends to two months. Anyone else?" Ember concluded in a mumble. "All of you go back to the house…now! If I hear that any of you fight on the way back, I'll extend your punishments to the power of two. No detours."
I looked back and glared at Ferris. The three of us started walking back home; the long way. We couldn't reach the boat considering Ember walked us to the gate and we were let out that way.
"Why do you guys always make me suffer?" I asked.
"It's because you're too passive to stand up for yourself, Terra," Deryo answered.
"What does that have to do with anything?" They both kept silent. I looked down and continued to walk.
When we arrived at the house, Ferris pushed me inside first. "Hey, Julian! We found Terra wandering around outside and brought her back!"
Julian peeked out of the kitchen and came over to us. "Terra," he began calmly placing his hands on my shoulders. "You know I told you to stay in your room. How did you get out anyway?" I saw his eyes shift over to Ferris and Deryo for a split second before returning to mine.
"I just…I escaped through the window," I said conclusively with a sigh. "I got bored and wanted to go out for a walk."
"I see," he said eyeing Ferris and Deryo. "I'm going to assume Ember instructed you two to bring her back?" he said with a smile. "You're all in trouble, aren't you? I bet you both blamed Terra for this. Well, I can't argue with Ember. What do you have to do, Terra?"
"Nothing…" I answered. "I'm grounded for three weeks."
"I see. Ember is still harsh as ever. I'm sure he'll be more lenient once he gets back from work," Julian said happily.
"Hey, why do you always act like an old house maid, Julian!?" Deryo asked disrespectfully.
Julian looked over to Deryo and smiled. "I love cooking and cleaning. That's why."
"How can you act like there's nothing wrong with your ego?" Ferris mumbled.
"In any case, you all should get started on your punishments before Ember returns," Julian said.
I immediately went to my room and unlocked the door. I stepped inside and dragged my feet over to my bed. My body was so tired and my head felt horrible. The writing on my neck ached for some reason. I closed my eyes before I made contact with the bed. I don't remember when I fell asleep, but when I opened my eyes, it was dark outside.
I sat up and looked toward the door. The room was pitch black. I fumbled for the lighter next to my bed and lit a candle. There was a tray of food by the door. I walked over and picked it up, making my way back to my bed and began to nibble at the food. I honestly felt like I was in a prison. I glanced up at the sky through my now shut window. Julian must have closed it while I was asleep.
As I gazed at the two moons that hung lucidly in the sky, I saw the silver dragon. I blinked twice to make sure I wasn't seeing things. The figure on it was unmistakably that man from last night! I lunged toward the window and found that Julian had screwed it shut.
I darted toward the door and found it was locked. I fell to my knees. I had no idea why I wanted to see him so badly for reasons I could not understand. I felt tears streak down my cheeks. Suddenly, I heard the click of the lock on the door. My eyes shot open as I looked up at the knob. My body shook as I grabbed the knob and wrenched it open with a little effort. The door had a habit of sticking sometimes, but it swayed open gracefully. I stared into the dimmed hallway that was only lightened with one candle that hung on the wall.
I hesitated for a while, deciding if I should continue down the hallway filled with invisible traps of creaking boards. My room was at the very back of this dreadful corridor. All the rooms that my brothers slept in were on either side of the walkway; each room separate.
I made sure I wasn't dizzy to avoid crashing down upon the wooden floor and bounded silently through the walkway. I stopped dead as I heard light breathing coming from the main room. I slowed my own breathing so that I would not be heard. I neared the couch where someone lay stretched out upon the surface. It was Ember. A book lay open upon his chest. His right hand lay gracefully over it. I stood gazing at him for a while contemplating what to do.
I was ripped from my thoughts when I heard another distinct click. Wind brushed my long black hair around my face. My gaze shifted quickly from Ember to the open door. My eyes widened as I realized I was being summoned; someone was calling me to come out. Of course, the only way they could beckon at the time was by unlocking doors and giving me a way out.
In curiosity, I walked out of the house. The door closed gently behind me. I glanced left and right before moving. I didn't know where to go from here. The streets were dark save for the candles that hovered above me on the street corners. The town was silent. I saw a distinct glow of light around the corner at the end of the street, making its way toward the market. I held my breath as the glowing came to an end.
My body responded automatically. My legs moved on without my consent. I struggled to keep from moving. It was dangerous at night, but I longed to see that man. I didn't know why.
I followed the glow in a half run. When I reached the market, I felt my heart sink in disappointment. There was nothing there. Not even another glow of light. I was about to return home when I heard the sound of clothing shift in movement. There was no wind. I narrowed my eyes and looked toward the path that led toward the gate of the city; the source of the sound. I distinctively remember seeing the white sleeve from last night. Of course, it could have been wishful thinking. I followed it anyway, running toward the figure.
However, when I reached the corner, I saw that the street was empty. I ran toward the fountain far ahead where I had first encountered that man. I stopped to catch my breath. My head was spinning. I clenched my fist and looked up. There was nothing. I looked behind the fountain. Nothing. My head hung in disappointment as I seated myself at the fountain's edge.
I didn't trip at all when I ran. I giggled at this thought. That was honestly a first. As I gazed up at the sky, my eyes filled with disappointment, I thought about how upset my brothers would be with me. Was this really my fault?
"The one marked with the symbol of death is destined to die. Are you so anxious to enact your destiny, Terra?" a cold voice said behind me. I held my breath. I then turned quickly to see that no one was behind me. I shivered from the experience. A ghost?
I felt my chin being grabbed harshly and forced to turn back toward where I was looking in the first place. My eyes met two cold blue orbs. The owner smirked at the fear I knew was showing in my eyes.
"Who are you…!?" I managed to say although it came out shaky. I knew very well who it was.
He smiled down at me. "I am the one destined to destroy this world. My name is Kuja."