Chapter 3
Katarina stood, amongst a crowd in Lower Jeuno. They were all her friends from the linkshell awaiting the arrival of their comrades coming back from a trip. She smiled up at the bright sun glinting down. The crisp air caressed her cheeks. Gaze turned downwards again hearing a cheer from the front of the crowd. She pushed her way through to see her friends. Pappyspackle walked at the head. Katarina did not much like the dragoon elvaan, but she clapped anyway. Doanadan walked behind Pappyspackle and smiled to Katarina in greeting. Kat waved to him happily. Shovah followed them and tried taking the limelight from Pappy. With a laugh Katarina looked back to see Jules kind of beat up. "Not again." Katarina spoke. She walked out to Jules. "To the infirmary again?" She asked.
Jules shook her head "Nah, I'm alright." She touched Katarina's bandaged arm. "You going to be alright? Promivian was not as easy as we had thought." Jules said.
"Yeah, I'll be fine." Kat nodded. She gave Jules a hug and walked trough the crowd again and out to Ru'Lude Gardens. She sat on one of the benches near the San d'Orian Embassy. Her ice blue eyes grazed the surrounding area. It seemed she was looking for someone. Demian emerged from the Bastok Embassy.
"Hey, I got rank 10!" He stated ecstatically. Katarina cheered and jumped from her seat. She ran over and fell into his embrace. Her eyes glanced up to his with admiration. The two walked along Jeuno for a little wile before Demian asked Kat "Aren't you going to Windurst for Sobee and Raye?"
"Oh dear! Yes I am! I have to hurry so I can make it in time!" Kat exclaimed. She and Demian said their farewells and soon enough Katarina was off toward Port Jeuno. Pitter-patter pitter-patter went her foot falls across the cold hard stone walkways of Jeuno. Her Savage Gaiters didn't give her much protection from the pain of the ground, but she learned to get around that.
Katarina turned the corner to the docks just as the airship pulled in. A sigh of relief escaped her satin lips. The boards of the flooring for the airship creaked slightly under the pressure of the passengers. Everyone looked at Kat just as she ran on breathless. Soon she dropped to the ground in fatigue. One of the Tarutaru on board ran to her. She had blonde hair with orange tips. She was also in the traditional White Mage attire. "Oh my! Are you alright?" She asked looking worried.
A smile played across Katarina's lips assuring her. "I'll be fine, I'm just winded." She explained. "I'm Katarina, what's your name?" Kat asked sweetly.
"I'm Lilyuna, people call me Lil though" Lilyuna replied. "Nice name, Katarina" Lil complemented. She helped Katarina up and smiled. Her little arms moved in welcoming. "Welcome to the….S.S. um… Airship!" She joked laughing. Kat burst out laughing with a jolly tone.
"Glad to be here!" She spoke with a giggle in the tenor of her voice. Katarina peered down toward Lilyuna and smiled kindly. "Thank you for helping me!" She said just as the rich blue airship pulled crawlingly away from Port Jeuno. Just then Katarina saw one of the captain's attendants take the rope from the stairwell. Motioning for Lilyuna to follow her Kat ran up to the deck.
Lil smiled and followed Kat up to the Sun warmed upper deck. Her eyes glinted in the Sun shine. "Hey come on! The captain won't know!" She heard Kat say at the side of the colossal ship. Kat was climbing onto the narrow railing. Lil looked at Kat frightened. She took a deep breath and ran to the side trying her very best to climb on. It was in vein though.
Katarina noticed the trouble that Lil had. She held out her hand and helped Lilyuna get atop the railing. She began walking, one foot in front of the other, to the middle. Katarina sat down daintily on the exact middle. Lilyuna sat with her and they chatted until the airship landed. They ended up talking about the Shadow Lord with his dastardly deeds. Katarina invited Lil to come and exact revenge on his petty soul. She accepted and soon they started to form their tiny group.
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Katarina walked onto Windurst's sweet smelling docks. Her first thoughts were: 'My real father came from here. I really don't even know who he is. Maybe Escard's father knows. It's not likely most male Mithra are hidden away…' Kat's train of thought ended abruptly with Lilyuna telling her to come hurry as fast at her legs could take her. Ice blue eyes looked toward the small Tarutaru off into the horizon. A sweet smile etched itself in Katarina's features. She picked up a run and followed Lil towards the cooking guild.
"I need to get some ingredients for food." She stated. Katarina nodded and told her she'd wait. Not too far away a laughing could be heard. Katarina's left ear flicked trying to decipher the wording. "Haha! It exploded on you, Raye!" Came a voice. "Oh shut up!" Followed another. Katarina knew exactly who it was that's voice rang in her ears. She walked towards the other building and opened the door.
"There you are!" She exclaimed looking at her two linkshell mates. The two Mithra looked up at Kat with humorous smiles. Raye, a Mithran warrior whom looked exactly like Kat just with a silvery tone to her hair, was covered in carrots and the shards of a water crystal were strewn across the cedar flooring. Next to her still kneeling was Sobee, her red feathered cap illuminated the fact that she was a Red Mage. Her hair was an orangeish pinkish tone that was high up and held with a ribbon. In her hand was a water crystal, but she soon put it away. "What have you two been doing?" Katarina asked in bewilderment in her voice. The poor Cooking Guild was covered in carrots and carrot broth.
"We were um…working on our cooking! Yeah, that's right!" Raye said.
"More like working on blowing Carrot Broth up…" Katarina giggled.
Lilyuna walked in with her Blessed attire on, her hair was still in its ponytail. Something was different this time, though. Following close behind her was another Tarutaru, a male. He had short, choppy, brown hair and the heavy Adaman armor. Some how he seemed familiar to Katarina, yet she didn't know why. "Kat this is my boyfriend, Chanjr." Lil spoke proudly.
Chanjr stepped forth and gave a courteous bow. "Hello!" His voice boomed slightly but faded with the sands of time.
"I am pleased to meet you Chanjr!" Katarina gave a bow herself.
"Please, my friends call me Chan. You all can call me that." He spoke. Everyone in his linkshell, in fact, called him Chan.
Lil giggled and stepped beside the Paladin Tarutaru. "We're all set!"
"Alright, I'm still waiting for another mem-" Kat started but was interrupted by another one of her friends. Vampirus stood tall and straight like any Elvaan would. He had on most of the traditional Dark Knight attire. He had on, also, a Haubergeon. Its steel shown brightly, everyone recognizes it on the spot. His silvery hair was hardly visible under his black as night helmet. Along his back rested a scythe. It was Ivory and menacing.
"Hello my friend, Vampirus! It is wonderful to see you once again!" Katarina smiled toward her long time friend. She opened her arms in welcome for him. Vampirus fell into a low and sweeping bow.
"Wonderful to see you also, Katarina" His voice was rhythmic yet strong. Just as Demian's voice is, just as strong. Katarina smiled at the thought and then spoke to her friends.
"Alright! We are all set! Let us go toward the Shadow Lord! Destiny awaits us!" With that, Lilyuna teleported them all to Xarcabard in a burst of light that illuminated from her practiced hands.
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They arrived in the deserted, snow immersed, land of Xarcabard. Chan's unwavering eyes peered at the area. "How unwelcoming…" He commented. Raye nodded warily. Her ear twitched at the slightest of miniscule sounds of a demon. Raye hushed everyone and held them back.
"Demon, by the sounds of it, it is probably walking near us, not toward us. Watch your steps." She warned.
Lilyuna casted sneak and invisible on everyone. Sobee did the same also, she made sure everyone was alright and led the way toward the Shadow Lord's domain of Castle Zvahl Baileys.
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Katarina climbed to the peak of a stairwell. Her eyes scanned the area around her body. "All clear" she whispered toward her comrades. They all nodded and walked up with her onto the Throne Room. All eyes gazed around them. A sense of utter terror struck them. What if they don't come out alive and well? What if the Shadow Lord beat them and they fail Vana'diel? No, it won't happen! This group couldn't let it! The Shadow Lord must parish! There's no other way!
Standing straight and tall Vampirus spoke with a booming voice to try and mask his uncertainty. "Let's move OUT! There's no time like the present to destroy our greatest foe!" They all nodded and took a deep breath. Exhaling the air they stepped into the doorway.
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The Shadow Lord, as he was called, beckoned them to fight him. He wished for his own demise! Katarina would surely give him what he wished! "Come on! We have to kill him!" She said. Soon she was commissioning her group on orders. Everyone nodded into agreement.
Lilyuna stood in superintendence over healing and keeping everyone alive for the fight. She took her job as seriously as she could making sure Sobee never got out of hand. Of course she would, but Lil didn't mind as long as she did her job.
Sobee made sure everyone's magic was kept replenished. It just won't do if someone's magic was depleted. She tried her hardest to keep her mind on Chanjr and Vampirus, but for some reason she couldn't. Her mind kept reverting to the thought… a terrible thought, one that should never been spoken or done.
Vampirus was in charge of casting his black magic upon the unsuspecting terror that was the Shadow Lord. He swung his scythe every now and then, but still kept his concentration upon the target.
Raye kept her attacks strong and hard leading Katarina as well. She wielded her Darksteel Axe with both hands smiting hard upon the ebon skin of the Shadow Lord. She surged with all her heart and strived to beat the Shadow Lord.
Katarina, her gleaming Mythril Lance in hand, stood strong with her battle armor hugging to her figure. Her hands gave off a pale blue light as she hailed her truest friend. A dark figure rocketed from no where. He stopped short only to be seen smaller than expected. Wuffi squalled in reply to Katarina. He kept flight and glared deep into the Shadow Lord. The wyvern stanced himself to fight and made the first move.
Katarina slashed deep on the Shadow Lord and once made him falter. Her eyes stayed in constant contact with her target. It was wonderful to finally destroy her enemy once and for all. The Mithra gave a towering vault into the air and landed hard on the Shadow Lord's neck, lace first.
A wail of crippling mutilation pierced the still air around them. Though, it had not come from the Shadow Lord. Katarina plunged to the crust safely again and witnessed an ungodly sight.
Raye was kneeling on her axe with a sword protruding her back. The sword's proprietor still clutched its hilt. Katarina took a step back with a gasp. Sobee drove the Wing Sword deeper into Raye. Raye let out her last breath with a shriek of agony.
Her slaughterer extracted the sword from Raye's lifeless body. It dripped with scarlet liquid up to the hilt. Katarina cried out and crumpled to the floor in shock and grief.
