Authors Note- Wow.. um it's been a very very long time since i have posted a story on here but hey why not come back with a completly different kind of story. Ok I don't own FFXI accept for the fact that I do pay for the character Nihasa. It is my character. I hope you like enjoy ^^ ~Gogglehead17
Return of The Apocalyptic Kuluu's
"The Goddess of Prrromatia, Al'Taieu, the Fifth Crrystal, a land of Parrradise. Is any of it trrue, is any of it rrreally therrre? The only rreal prroof is storry's. How do you know what's rreal and what, and who to trrust? How do you know the worrld as we know it is nothing morrre then an illusion? Wouldn't it be nice to know that maybe Vana'diel isn't the only place that we have come frrrom? I am a Mithrra with many questions and possibly many answerrs. I am a thief in morre ways then one; and a Mithrrra who wants and needs morre than just this silly borrring Vana'diel life."
Present Day Vana'diel
1075
"So you have come?" A pale boy stood in shock at the woman in front of him. "I did not think you would have come." The boy dipped his head to the Mithra.
"Why wouldn't I have come?" I shook my he head and snorted at the boy. "I told you I would come, and herre I am. Selh'teus do you have no faith in this Mithrra?" I slid my black hood off my head, and glared directly into his dark black empty eyes.
"Yes, I am sorry Nihasa, I should have had more faith in you. I apologize again." Selh'teus stood; his dark eyes staring directly through me. "Please follow me." We headed into complete darkness. I had no idea what my surrounds were. There was complete silence between both of us; afraid people could be listening I guessed.
Selh'teus stopped; almost running into him I stopped to. "We are here." He stepped aside to allow me to see where he has taken me.
I stepped forward and gazed around. "Selh'teus... is this rrreally what I think it is?" I really couldn't believe my eyes at what lay in front me.
"Yes Nihasa, it is." Selh'teus smirked, taking in all his glory for his amazing find.
"The Chamberrr of Eventide, it rrreally exists. Nag'Malada was just telling me about this place." I couldn't breathe. This was just a place that I heard in storry's. "Selh'teus does this mean we arrre actually on the rrright trrack? Does this mean the Land of Parradise rreally does exists?" I was astonished. I just couldn't take it all in. The land of Paradise is what I wanted the most, and I most certainly was willing to do anything to get what I wanted.
"Now, now Nihasa, lets slow down just a little. You know as well as I do we need the Fifth crystal, which means we need to get to Al'Teau." Selh'teus laughed, looking at me with the first real meaning I have ever seen in his eyes.
"Yes, you arrre rrright Selh'teus. Therre is still quite a jourrrney ahead of us and I am behind you all the way. But you do know I still have to play my rrrole in Jeuno also? Nag'Malada and Esha'ntarrl will be expecting me to help them also." I glanced at Selh'teus.
"Yes, I remember the plan Nihasa and I trust you." Selh'teus nodded his head to me and carried on gazing at his find. The place that will hold all our answers to everything.
"Tenzen!" A tall blond haired man stood facing a very tired out adventure.
"Yes Nag'Malada?" Tenzen bowed his head.
"Please tell me you come with good news.: Nag'Malada nodded his head to Tenzen.
"Yes and no." Tenzen dropped his head in shame. "Phoenix told me to go meet with the terrestrial avatar Fenrir, and I have succeeded in doing so." Tenzen looked at Nag'Malada who looked a little hope full.
"Go on Tenzen; did Fenrir have any answers?" Nag'Malada asked, getting his hopes up with every word.
"I'm sorry Nag'Malada, but Fenrir did not have much to say." Tenzen let out a sigh of disbelief.
"Just spit it out already Tenzen! He may not have said much, but he may have said something that may help!" Nag'Malada said, losing his patience.
"Fenrir told me to stay close to my enemies, and friends; that the answers we need are closer than what we think." Tenzen glanced up at Nag'Malda. "Sir.. Nihasa and Ulmia haven't returned yet. Do you think maybe they have found something?" Tenzen said, his hop starting to raise.
"I'm not sure Tenzen. Maybe they have found something. They both should be returning shortly." Nag'Malada said, still pondering what Fenrir could have possibly meant. 'Could it be maybe somebody under ou own noses is not saying as much as they know?' Nag'Malada thought to himself.
"Nag'Malada, we have returned." I said bowing my head.
"Ahh.. Nihasa, Ulmia you have come back, please tell me you come baring good news." Nag'Malada stared at both of us.
"I am sorry Nag'Malada but I have to report that I have found nothing out of the ordinary in all of the Windurst region." Ulmia sighed and dropped her head in discouragement.
"Very well Ulmia." Nag'Malada said eyeing her as if he was trying to see if she was hiding anything. "There is no reason to be discouraged there is still hope. Nihasa, please tell me you have found something.
I shook my head. "I am sorrry Nag'Malada. The north lands hold nothing mysterrrious. It is all quiet and there was no sign of Selh'teus anywherre." I looked at Nag'Malada.
"Unbelievable!" He shouted clenching his fists together. "Talking to these terrestrial avatars is a waist of our time! They are using us more than we are them!" Nag'Malada was fuming. The Chamber of Eventide so far away from his grasp, but yet closer then he could even imagine.
"What is going on here?" A blond haired woman and two cloaked figures came walking towards us.
"Esha'Ntarrl!" Nag'Malada looked up in shock.
"Yes Nag'Malada." She bowed her head in acknowledgement. "Now someone please tell me what's going on." She glanced around the room.
"Vana'diel as we know it is over." Tenzen dropped to his knees.
"You're right, I couldn't agree more." Ulmia nodded in agreement. "If we cant destroy the Apocalypse, Vana'diel will be gone." Ulmia covered her face; on the verge of crying.
"You arre all giving up to easily." I walked forward, everyone turning their heads looking at me in shock. "If it's the end of Vana'diel then why don't you all go rrrruning back to yourrr families. Therre is morre out therrre than just this and I can feel therre is morrre waiting. We need to keep looking.: I looked at Nag'Malada who was in complete shock.
"You are right Nihasa. We do need to keep looking." Nag'Malada straightened himself up. "Alright. Tenzen, I want you to go band talk to Fenrir again. Beg him for more answer. Tell him you will not leave his dominion til he spits out everything he knows." Nag'Malada turned to Ulmia, "I want you to go back to San d'Oria and speak with anyone and everyone. And you." He said turning to me. "I have a special job for you. I want you to go back to the Safe hold and talk to everyone again. Investigate every hole and piece of dust. we need answers!" Nag'Malada said, looking beyond panicked.
"Yes Nag'Malada." I bowed my head. "We will go and talk to everryone we well try to not come back til we have have answerrrs." I glanced over at Tenzend and Ulmia. "Come on we better get going." I said turning and walking out of Jeuno.
"Do you think they will be able to find anything?" Esha'ntarl asked Nag'Malada.
"I think one of them already knows more then what they are willing to tell us." Nag'Malada cocked his head, looking directly at Esha'ntarl.
"You two, follow them; one on Tenzen and and one on Ulmia. Nag'Malada would you like me to---"
"Don't worry Esha'ntarl, I got that thief of a Mithra. If any of them has something to say it's her." Nag'Malada vanished leaving Esha'ntarl by herself.
I Walked into the safe hold, my black cloak covered me as I walked into the Sea Lion's Den. I pulled my hood off and stood in the middle of the room. "Selh'teus, I'm here.." I whispered, waiting patiently for him to come and take me back to the Chamber of Eventide.
Nag'Malada entered the Safehold looking around. "Excuse me? Has anyone seen someone come in here recently? Maybe a little suspicious looking?" Nag'Malada stood on the bridge in the Safehold.
There was a tug on his black robe. "Excuse me sir." Said a little girl. "A scary person came in here not to long ago, she was wearing something just like what you are wearing." Said the little girl looking up at him.
"Was it a Mithra? A Hume? An Elvaan? And where did they go?" Nag'Malada said rushing the little girl with so many questions.
The little girl shook her head. "They were pretty well hidden. There was no way to tell what it was, but they came in and walked straight back to theSea Lion's Den." The little girl looked up at Nag'Malada, fear in her green eyes.
Nag'Malada knelt down and put his hand on the little girls shoulder. "Thank you kind one for your help. Now you go back to your family and stay with them. I promise you everything will be taken care of." He stood up and the little girl ran off. "I've got you this time." He said under his breath, as he ran off towards theSea Lion's Den.
Nag'Malada quietly entered the Sea Lion's Den keeping his back to the wall. 'What is that dark empty feeling I feel? It's as if all my happiness has been sucked out of me.' He said to himself. He got to the edge of the wall and quietly peered out over the edge. His eyes widened as all of his fears came true. A flash of light surrounded him and the room went back to it's normal way; no emptiness or darkness around. Nag'Malada stood in shock at what he saw. He forced himself to turn away, and make his way back to Jeuno.
"What and who was that!?" Selh'teus glared at me.
"I--I don't know. It seems they sent out people to trrrack us; to make surre we werrre doing ourr jobs currrectly." I said to Selh'teus, a little nerveous at the thought I may have been caught.
"Nihasa, do you know what this means? If whoever that was saw us not only did they find me, but they found the Chamber of Eventide, and you are as much as dead as I am." Selh'teus's dark eyes looked at me as if I had planned to give away our secret. "Nihasa you must go. Go do what you were sent to do, and go back to Jeuno. Tell them nothing, and try and act as if nothing out of the ordinary happened." Selh'teus turned and vanished. I was left with no choice but to leave and face Nag'Malada no matter how hard it was going to be.
"Esha'ntarl! Please come quick!" Nag'Malada ran into the Grand Dukes room.
"What is it Nag'Malada? Please calm down and tell me what is going on." Esha'ntarl sat down.
"I was right. Someone is working against us. Nihasa has been working against us this whole time!" Nag'Malada was furious; he could barely catch his breath.
"Calm down Nag'Malada. We don't know that for sure." Esha'ntarl started.
"I know for sure! She was with that boy! The Apocalypse himself, she knows things and isn't telling us!" Nag'Malada had fire in his eyes.
"Please Nag'Malada, please calm down. Lets see what she says when she comes back. If she tells us nothing then we can say and do something." Esha'ntarl placed her hand on his shoulder.
"Yes, you are right. They should all be returning soon." Nag'Malada was cut off.
"Nag'Malada!" Tenzen ran into the room. "Fenrir has told me nothing and won't tell me no more then what he said before." Tenzen looked at Nag'Malada with fear in his eyes.
"Very well Tenzen, maybe we should think more about what he said before. Maybe the answers are right under our nose." Nag'Malada glanced at Esha'ntarl and back at Tenzend who had already started thinking about Fenrir's first response.
Ulmia came running into the room not a moment later. "Ah Ulmia you're back. Any news?" Nag'Malada greeted the Elvaan woman as she walked towards him.
"No, I am sorry Nag'Malada, but no one knows anymore then they have already shared." Ulmia looked at her feet, disappointment in her eyes.
"It's okay Ulmia." Nag'Malada said. "I'm sure we will find answers soon then what we expect." Nag'Malada smirked and walked and sat next to Esha'ntarl.
Foot steps echoed through the hallway. I walked as slow as I could not know if I was walking to my death or not.
"Welcome back Nihasa." Nag'Malada smirked and nodded to me.
"Thank you." I bowed my head. "I have talked to everrryone in the Tavnazian rrregion and no one knows no morrre then what we alrrready know." I looked at Nag'Malada. He wouldn't take his eyes off me. Fear and guilt rolled off me in waves, knowing that he knew I knew way more than what I was telling him.
Silence swelled over the room. Nag'Malada's Anger was building up, and I could sense it filling the whole room.
"LIAR!" Nag'Malada flew up from his chair and before I knew it he had me by the throat. Tenzen and Ulmia jumping back to reality at the screams. "Do you think I don't know what you're doing? Do you think you can play me as a fool?!" My hands were grabbing at his, trying to get him to let go. "I saw you! You were with that boy! I should kill you!" Nag'Malada tightened his grip, making it even harder for me to catch my breath. "Say goodbye you filthy thief!" I was going in and out of consciousness now, this was it, this was how I was going to die.
"Wait!" Esha'ntarl stood. "Nag'Malada let her go. If she knows what you say she knows then killing her will only make us weaker. We will lock her up and get our answers." Esha' ntarl glanced at Nag'Malada who did not seem like he was willing to listen to reason.
"Fine! Have it your way." Nag'Malada dropped his hands. I fell to the ground unable to catch myself.
"Boys." Esha'ntarl summoned her two guards. "Take her and lock her up. Make sure she has nothing on her to get out." Esha'ntarl turned away, her guards carrying me off; dragging me across the floor like I was some dead animal. "Nag'Malada we will go question her in a little while. She has no choice but to work with us now." Esha'ntarl walked away.
The dungeons were damp and cold. There was no food to eat and no water to drink. This time Paradise really did feel far away. I drifted back into an unconscious sleep to tired and thirsty to keep my eyes open.
"Hey! Wake up you filthy creature!" I could feel someone kicking me.
"You keep talking to her like that she will never give us answers." Esha'ntarl pushed Nag'Malada aside. She lifted my head and squeezed a soaked towel into my mouth. I swallowed the water and sat up, my eyes still heavy and tired.
"We have the amulet; the one Prishe was wearing. We found it with your items." Esha'ntarl showed me the amulet.
"So. You won't be able to get to the Chamberrrr anyways. I don't know exactly wherrrre it is. Selh'teus always teleporrrts me therrre." I looked at them spilling out complete truth hoping it would get me out of here.
"Then you should come with us." Esha'ntarl said standing up.
"He'll kill us." I said. "you won't get any answerrrs. Walking into anything with Selh'teus is dangerrrous, he has morre powerrr then what anyone thrrrough out Vana'diel could possibly imagine." I looked at them; fear in my eyes.
"LIES!" Nag'Malada shouted. "You have been working with this boy! He trusts you!" Nag'Malada glared at me, his anger building up.
I stood up to be face to face with him. "You think if he trrrrusted me as much as you think he does I would actually know wherrre the Chamberrr of Eventide is. Well I don't! Selh'teus tells me nothing! Yes I have been therre but I haven't seen how to get therrre! He won't show me orrr tell me. He's using me just as much as you Kuluu's are using us!" Anger flared up in my eyes, my breathing getting heavier.
"LIES! Lies! Lies!" He shouted at me.
"You want lies? Look at yourrrself! You neverrr leave Jeuno to help us look forrr anything! You arrre using me, Tenzen, and Ulmia! You juts have yourr sick prride; you don't want to end up like the Zilarrrts and lose to the Apocalypse. Well guess what. I can't help you anymorre then you can help yourrself!" I looked at them both starting to get more and more upset.
"Very well. Esha'ntarl dipped her head. "Thank you for all your answers Nihasa. Anything is more help then what we have now. We will leave tomorrow. You will get Selh'teus to come and we will all go to the Chamber of Eventide." Esha'ntarl nodded her head for Nag'Malada to follow.
"He'll kill us! We won't live!" I yelled, tears starting to poorr out of my eyes.
Before i knew it night was upon us. I was still starving and beyond tired. I lye back down trying to get as comfortable as I could on the dungeons floor.
I dozed off in to what seemed to be a sleep I may never wake up from. Darkness swirled all around me. My soul left feeling empty, no happy thoughts left. What was I dream about? Can Selh'teus kill me in my dreams?
"Nihasa.." I heard my name, but couldn't get my eyes open. "Nihasa!" I forced my eyes open, slowly i lifted my head.
"Who's therre?" I looked around, the dungeon was filled with complete darkness. "Selh'teus is that you?" I got up looking all around me.
"Yes Nihasa, I have come." The boy with pasty white skin started to walk out of the darkness.
"Have... y--you come t--to kill m--me?" My voice shook. I ruined our secret, he was bound to kill me.
"No Nihasa, I've come to save you. You will come come with me back to the chamber. You will fight by my side. When they come tomorrow you will be there to help me kill them. And then we never have to worry. The fifth crystal will be our and so will the Land of Paradise." His black eyes show through the darkness.
"Yes. Yes I'll do it; I'll go with you." I stood up facing Selh'teus. "They deserrrrve to die. They have done nothing to help themselves but use poorrr innocent people." I smirked at the thought of getting revenge.
"Very well Nihasa. Are you ready to go. Morning isn't to far off and when they find you gone, they will come to us. We will need to be waiting." Selh'teus looked at me waiting for my ok.
"Ok Selh'teus. Lets go. I've been ready for this." Darkness swirled up around me like it was trying to suffocate me.
"You herrrre that Vana'diel. Yourrr time has come. We will pick you off one by one if you trrrry to find that crrrystal. It's ourrs; and that Land of Parrrdise is mine. Nag'Malada you arrre about to meet yourrr match. I warrrned you and now you will pay. This is yourr end Nag'Malada; this is Vana'diel's end."