Fire, smoke, screams.
The smell of burning wood and flesh, the blinding, choking acrid smoke that so resembled the mist of their small town. More screams and the sound of people pounding on windows to try and escape the flames. Footsteps, yelling, the heat of the fire.
Fire…so much fire.
Rydia awoke with a gasp, and then a whimper as the images wouldn't leave her mind.
The almost sickening rocking of the boat calmed her only slightly, reminded her that she was far from that nightmare and that here, in the middle of the ocean, it was unlikely that fire could ever hurt her.
But still, the nightmare wouldn't leave her alone.
She gave a choking sob and pulled her thin knees up to her chest, wrapped her arms around her legs and buried her face into her knees.
She cried, trying to be quiet even though she knew everyone else was up on deck, discussing plans for arriving in Baron.
She could almost feel the heat of the fire on her skin again, and she could almost smell the horrid stench of death wafting around her.
But, she knew that her dream world wasn't reality.
Rydia lifted her head and looked around the room, making sure to glance at every shadow before lying back down and hugging her pillow. Even if she didn't sleep, she didn't want to go up on deck either. Someone up there would notice she'd been crying, and they would only worry for her.
There was a slight creak to the boat every time it moved, and soon she busied her mind with counting the seconds between the creaks and the next sway.
"Rydia…"
She opened her eyes, her brow furrowed.
"Rydia…"
She sat up slowly, looking around the room, "H-hello?"
There was no answer, and so she swallowed and bit her lip, wondering if she'd imagined it.
Then, something out of the corner of her eye shifted in the shadows and she turned towards it, fighting against her fear.
"Rydia…" the voice called again, this time louder, closer.
Something stepped out of the shadows; a human figure, wearing demonic looking armor.
Rydia gasped and tensed, trying hard not to shake.
"Y-you…" she whimpered.
It was him. One of the two people who had destroyed her village and murdered her mother.
He had wanted to hurt her, too, but the other had stopped him. This man with the dragon armor frightened her, he didn't have the same kindness Cecil did, he felt darker and Rydia didn't trust him.
"Rydia…the fire scares you, doesn't it? The way it burns…it's hungry, licking flames that steal everything around you…"
She flinched, "W-what do y-you want?"
The shadows pulled away from the wall and dragon man stepped forward, "Want? I want you, child. You are powerful, special…"
Rydia shuddered and pushed herself backwards as he took another step forward. Her back hit the boat's wall.
"G-go away…"
The darkness faltered only slightly, "I can help you, I can make you stronger. I can make sure the fire will never hurt you again…"
Rydia shook her head, starting to quiver, wishing that he would go away, that his voice wouldn't continue to whisper to her.
"I can make you powerful; no one will ever be able to hurt you again. You can get revenge on those that took your home, your mother…make them pay…"
She found herself snapping backwards, realizing how close she'd allowed him to get, and then scrambled out of her bed, tripping a little as she backed up against the wall.
"I-I don't want to hurt anyone…" she said, fingers gripping the wood behind her.
The darkness tracked her movements slowly, and then moved again, armor clanking.
"If you let me help you, no one will ever hurt you again…"
"Leave me alone!" she shouted, running around him and trying to get to the door.
"I have to get help! I have to tell the others that he's here." she thought desperately.
She stumbled up the stairs, and reached for the doorknob, but that insidious voice came again.
"You are alone…do you think that they will help you? Do you think they can? When they get to Baron, they will turn you over to be murdered by the king…"
Rydia froze, hand in midair, "N-no, that's not true…"
She could feel the darkness swirling behind her, "Isn't it? Why else bring you with them to Baron? You're the last of your kind, child. The last Summoner."
She felt a chilly touch on her shoulder and screamed, turning around and slapping it away. The force of whacking armor set her on her rear end, backed up against the door.
Trapped again with no way to block the darkness.
Rydia flinched again as the dragon man's hand reached for her, the shadows closing in, choking her.
"Someone heard me scream, they just had too. They'll come down here, they'll save me and make him go away!" she thought.
An icy fingertip brushed against her cheek, making her shriek again as tears came to her eyes. She didn't want to listen to the voice, she didn't want to see the darkness.
"Someone has to come! I know they will! Cecil will save me!"
The voice laughed; a horrid sound like claws against stone, "Cecil? Do you really think he'll protect you?"
Rydia's eyes snapped open, "I-I didn't say that out loud!"
"No, I can hear your thoughts, child. I can see your fears, your dreams…I know what you hate, what you fear, what you want…"
Rydia's head began shaking back and forth as the dragon's head stared at her, burning into her with red eyes.
"No, no, no," she said, over and over.
"Yes," the voice hissed, "oh yes. I can hear you…"
She clapped her hands over her ears, "No!"
But still, the voice continued, for it wasn't speaking aloud, it was in her mind, taunting her.
"Cecil isn't going to keep you safe, not once you're in Baron. He was supposed to destroy Mist and kill the Summoners, and you're the last. He'll turn you over; he'll redeem himself by using you!"
"No! Lies!" she shouted back, this time not aloud.
The voice cackled, "The truth! Your weak, scared…I can take away your fear, come to me, child. Let me protect you. Let me ease your fears. Let me give you power…"
Rydia started to sob; her head was pounding, she was shaking, everything was churning and confusing her and she felt alone and frightened all over again.
"Trust me," the voice enticed, "I will help you, make your dreams come true. I can make those who hurt you pay, I can make those you hate, die. Let loose your anger, your fear, and your jealousy."
Rydia couldn't think straight, she started to doubt herself, to doubt her friends.
Would they really betray her?
They might, and she'd have no way to protect herself…
But, they were kind to her. Edward taught her to play his harp, Rosa brushed her hair, Yang told her stories, and Tellah praised her magic.
Cecil, he had protected her.
He could've let those soldiers kill her, or take her to Baron, but he didn't. He promised to keep her safe. Most of all, Cecil said he was sorry for everything.
"No," she said out loud, opening her teary eyes to stare at the darkness in the guise of an armored dragon man, "I don't believe you. You're the one that's lying!"
The shadows rippled, "You trust them that much? How much more their betrayal will burn you! Like fire, little Rydia, like fire. Cecil brought that fire, he killed your mother. It was his sword that struck the dragon's heart and ended the battle."
She shook her head, "No, they're my friends!"
"Ha! You weak, pathetic child. Do you really think you can do this on your own? You need me, you need my help."
Rydia found her stubborn side and let her anger bubble, "I don't need you, I don't! I don't want you, either! I hate you, that's what I hate! It's you who hurt me before and I won't let you do it again!" she yelled, standing up and staring at her own worst fears.
The darkness retreated somewhat, giving her space to breathe, but its voice still pierced her skull, and this time, it hurt.
"Foolish child! I will have your power for myself, or I will destroy you!"
The man lunged at her and snagged her throat, squeezing the life out of her while shouting in her mind.
"Weak! Useless! Helpless! Foolish! Unworthy! Filthy! Pitiful! Defenseless!" it screamed, the tone stinging like acid, the volume stabbing like a knife.
"No…stay away!" Rydia gasped, trying to pry dark fingers off.
It laughed, and she felt her fear override everything but a single spark of power.
"Somebody help me!"
And then the darkness screeched as light burst forth, forming a glyph on the ground, under Rydia's feet.
She could feel magic swirling throughout her body, tingling to her fingertips, making her hair float. The spell echoed off everything in the room, and then the darkness cringed into the back of the room once more, hissing at her.
She collapsed to her knees, panting and exhausted, wondering what had just happened.
Had she cast a spell? If so, it felt very different from Black Magic.
It almost felt like…a summoning.
There was a shout from above, and then the boat lurched. Rydia staggered on her feet and fumbled with the doorknob, looking over her shoulder one last time to see that whatever darkness had been taunting her was gone now.
The moment she threw open the doors to the upper deck, salt water struck her in the face.
"Leviathan!" someone shouted over the roar of the waves.
Rydia's hands covered her mouth as she gasped, "What have I done?"
The boat was struck by something and she fell, barely catching herself on her hands and knees, and then looked up.
There, looming out of the water was the head of a sea serpent with its eyes focused directly on her. It was covered in shimmering scales that appeared to shift between green, light blue and violet.
Someone tugged on her arm and helped her to her feet, and she looked up to find Cecil staring at the monster.
"Where did he come from?" the dark knight asked.
Rydia winced, feeling guilty. She hadn't meant to summon him, she didn't even know how!
But this wasn't the first time she'd ripped a monster from their world into hers.
The king of the oceans narrowed his eyes and his tail came down on the deck, only feet away from Rydia and Cecil.
She skidded on the wet flooring and then looked up, "No! I didn't mean to call you! I'm not in danger anymore!" she said, hoping to undo whatever she'd done in the first place.
But Leviathan didn't heed her and instead the boat started heading towards a whirlpool nearby, something that would surely destroy the vehicle and everyone else with it.
The monster smashed his tail down again and Rydia slipped forward, barely catching herself on the edge of the railing, although it did knock the wind out of her.
"Rydia!"
She glanced over her shoulder and saw Cecil reaching a hand to her, urging her to take it and get away from the danger zone.
But the minute she lifted a hand, the boat was hit with a wave of water and she lost her grip on the railing, plunging downward, into the stormy sea.
As she sunk and slowly lost herself to the waves, she heard a voice again.
This time, though, the voice was kind and deep, rumbling with magic and wisdom. Tipped with a kindness that relaxed her.
"Do not worry, that darkness will never haunt you again, dear one…"
Disclaimer and all that jazz: Guess what? I don't own anything featured here, Square Enix does. If I did own it, I would re-make Final Fantasy 4 into a full CG game...
Author's Note: My brother and I were talking awhile back about how Final Fantasy 4 would make a pretty good live-action movie. And, it would be the best Final Fantasy to do so with. (I like others, but we still said this would be the best)
My brother suggested that instead of Leviathan just showing up that Rydia should inadvertedly summon him. Why? Because she was being tormented. I decided that it should be Zemus trying to 'turn her' using Kain as a guise since she is frightened of him. Because really, why wouldn't Zemus try to turn others like he did with Kain? And Rydia is a prime target being a child and the last Summoner.
Hopefully the different take on this scene will be enjoyed! I really enjoyed writing it and I should have written a Final Fantasy 4 'fic a long time ago...