Episode 1.9: The True Zodiac

I jumped up and sliced an Oversoul ghost in half with Flame Buster, Kizer just behind me slammed his staff to the side knocking a Baknamy through a wall. "Shit this is getting us nowhere...we've gotta split up..." Kizer said as we both stood back to back. Just infront of me were twenty to thirty Oversoul Ghosts and infront of Kizer was an army of Baknamy.

" Let's split up, you head downstairs and I'll go up. We'll meet in the Cloister of Highborn in an hour weither we've found em or not just to check in." I said. Kizer nodded as he pointed his black steel staff forward with a dark purplish aura covering over his Staff was the outline of a Scythe. It was as big as a billboard and stretched to nearly 10 meters long. He pushed the Scythe forward...BOOM!! Slamming through the crowds of Baknamy as if they were nothing.

Believe it or not what Kizer just used was a form of Invocation without fully transforming. I had just remembered it.


(Flashback)

Kizer and I were walking through Salikawood.

" Say do you fully know your Invocation capabilities?"

" What? Of course I do...to transform into the Elemental Knight right."

"Hmm I figured you didn't know."

"What?! That's Invocation dumbass!"

" I know but it's only one form of Invocation dumbass!"

" Forms?"

"Yeah Invocation isn't just limited to Knight mode ya know. There are three forms of Invocation, Knight Invocation where you fuse with your summoned spirit to become an Elemental Knight. This takes only partial synchronization I'd say 20 percent at best. The second is Oversoul Invocation, where you get to use your summoned spirit to Oversoul certain objects or weapons, think Shaman King. This takes 70 percent Sychronization with your Summoned spirit. And last is Beast Invocation where you fully become your Summoned Spirit...this takes a perfect 100 percent sych."

"Whoa! I can do all that stuff too?" I asked.

"Nah, your Synchronization level with Belias is at 30 percent the best you can do is Invocate Knight mode."

I looked at Belias who merely sat on my shoulder as if he didn't know what we were talking about. "How do we raise our Sychronization level?"

"Get to know Belias alittle better, and you lower your walls too. I know this sounds cheesy and gay but you have to open up alittle to eachother. Right now your both seperated by emotion walls and shit...In your spare time try getting to know Belias and let him do the same with you and before ya know it you'll have perfect sych."

(Back)


I raised Flame Buster after that Flashback and slashed to the right slicing an Oversoul ghost in half. I jumped back and pointed Flame Buster into the crowd of Ghosts like Ichigo when he was about to go bankai. The cloth wrapped around my right arm gathering Fire Mist from me. Flame Buster opened up again and blasting out in a concentrated beam of orange fire energy was a large beam! It ripped through the crowd of Oversoul burning them and eating away at their ghostly flesh.

I ran through the decaying ghosts and slid down another hallway looking left and right. I ran in through a randomly open door and seconds after I entered this room a door slammed behind me.

"Uh-oh." I said trembling alittle.

" Hmm...I sense a strong Mist in our presence." Belias said jumping up on my shoulder and looking around.

BOOM!! BOOM!! BOOM!!!

The entire temple was shaking, shaking so bad it made me fall over. "Whoa!!" I said falling on my face. Slamming down in the center of the room with a crater was a...purple bunny with a fluffy white tail?!

"What the...hell...?" I said raising an eyebrow.

" It's...just a...rabbit?" Belias said sounding surprised as well.

"Maybe we sensed something from another room or something." I said standing up and looking around. "Anyway this ltitle guy is cute...hey there buddy." I said holding out my left hand while slamming Flame Buster across my right shoulder. The rabbit spun in a little ball and flew straight at me like a bullet...

It slammed into my stomach causing me to immediately through up huge clots of block. I went flying into a wall slammed against it causing a crater like hole in the wall. I fell down landing on my stomach, that little thing hit me so fucking hard my vision was blurred.

" That thing...it is what we sensed! That massive Mist Energy was coming from that thing." Belias said as I slowly getting up.

"Naaaahhh...ya think?" I coughed holding my stomach while weakly attempting to stand. It hit me so hard that I'd dropped Flame Buster it was lying down just beside me. I grabbed Flame Buster to see the rabid bunny flying at me in another pinball like strike. It slammed into my jaw and I went spinning four times before hitting the ground.

"Shhhiiit...That fucking this is so fast it's like a speeding bullet." I complained as blood ran out of my mouth.

"Kelvis you have to focus and follow it's movements." Belias said. The little rabbit phased in just infront of me and kicked me in my chin causing me to go flying up. I hit the ceiling then bounced off of it and slid along the ground hitting a corner of the large room.

The rabbit hopped it's way over to me innocently. As I seen it hopping towards me that's when I remembered...that time I was trying to get the Esper Chaos in this place. You have to fight two bosses before Chaos. Humbaba a giant green lizard guy with a sword and this thing!!!

Well the good news is I know this thing's identity now...it's called the Fury.

The bad news is...when he kicked me in my chin I dropped Flame Buster and it's on the other side of the room and to make matters worse the Fury is pouncing right towards me when I've no weapon. Wait...I'm the elemental warrior of fire for christ's sake.

I jumped to my feet and placed my finger infront of my face as if to shush him. "Katon Goukekyou no Jutsu!"I inhaled until my chest got alitttle bigger then I breathed outward as if breathing out a breath of air. Shooting out of my mouth was a jetstream of fire that covered the rabbit in an infinite blaze. Of course it wasn't jutsu I just said that to make it sound dramatic.

While it was distracted I took off running around the flame and towards the otherside of the room. As I ran I could feel the Fury pouncing behind me. Seemed my little firebreath distraction didn't have much of an effect. It pounced up and down behind me the jumped and kangaroo kicked me in the back sending me flying into a stone wall.

I hit the wall and my nose immediately started bleeding as I bounced back alittle landing on my back. "This thing is impossibly strong!" Belias said sounding more and more surprised by the minute.

"Tell me about it..." I said holding my nose. I jumped to my feet and dashed towards Flame Buster scooping it off of the ground and turning around to see the Fury was gone.

"Where did it go?" Belias asked. "Above!"

I looked left and right then up to see it flying straight at me from above.

I raised up Flame Buster with two hands and the Fury slammed it's little feet onto the side of the blade causing me to sink into a crater as pressure exerted everywhere. How in the hell can such a tiny creature cause such a heavy blow?

"...errr..." I gritted my teeth then slashed out to the side and the Fury flipped backwards dodging the strike and landed down on the floor yards away from me. "Sh-shit..." I said. Not only is it little but it's hard to hit and has great agility.

" Should we Invocate?" Belias asked.

"Invocation takes too much energy, I have an idea." I said breathing hard.

The Fury began to charge up it's pinball technique. I quickly rolled up the Flame Buster's blade with the cloth quickly charging the entire weapon blade and all up with fire energy. It blazed like the sun and was as hot as lava. The fire energy enfused in the blade was intense that the blade trembled in my hand it rubbled like an out of control Dualshock controller.

I held Flame Buster up like a Harpoon waiting and steadying myself. The Fury spun towards me in a hard furball just a second after it took off I threw Flame Buster at him like a fisherman to a killer whale. Flame Buster flew with a spiraling flame aura following it. Ever seen the bullets in slow motion on that movie Matrix...yeah you get what I'm saying.

KERPPPPPPPOOOOOOOOWWWWWWW!!!

Flame Buster and the Fury clashed in a giant explosion that sent me flying back against a wall. When the explosion cleared I slid down the wall landing on my bottom then looked up weakly to see The Fury lying down with Flame Buster piercing it's chest.

"Hahaha..." I laughed walking towards the bunny. I pulled Flame Buster out and see that it was crying, the poor little thing was actually...crying..."Awww..." I said just before quickly slitting it's throat with the edge of my lance. "Little Bastard."

Using Flame Buster as a cane I limped out of that chamber and looked around abit more before stopping at a collossal door. I thought what the hell, I've already been through it with a fucking super saiyan rabbit...what more could this place do to me?

I walked through the door to see Yuna, Rikku and Paine standing at an alter.

" There...you...guys are..." I said limping into the room. They all turned around to see me and ran up to me all at once as I dropped to the ground on my chest breathing slowly. Breathing too fast hurts my chest...I was completely spent. I was hurting all over my body, my bruises had bruises.

"Finally...fuck it...don't run off again!" A familiar voice rang. Kizer walked in his face was covered in dripping blood and his cloths were ripped and had stab marks in them. He limped alittle using his staff as a cane. He dropped to his bottom and sat against a wall breathing hard. He sat next to the door as if to protect us from any fiends that may wonder in.

"KIZER!!" Yuna said sounding worried. She quickly ran over to him and dropped to her knees. "Are you ok?"

"Great and I'm just fine..." I said sarcastically while lying there still. Rikku laughed alittle and pat my head afew times.

"Yo Kel, where ya been? Why you so fucked up?" Kizer said aloud.

" Evil Rabbits and Oversoul Ghost...you?" I asked.

"...well I had a run in with ol Humbaba...man you really...if you really want to put your skills to the test you should try that guy...oh...he messed me up pretty good." Kizer said.

"Same here...The Fury is no joke either...that thing was a hella strong." I said not moving an inch. I think my ribs are busted...everytime I talk I can feel them clicking together in my chest.

"Wait you guys went up against the Fury and Humbaba and your still alive?" Paine asked crossing her arms. "The Fury and Humbaba are on the Monster Blacklist, their amongst the strongest fiends in the world...and you guys just beat them? Just who are you two?"

"Heh...just acouple a wanderin knights." I said coughing up alittle bit of blood.

" Heh...heh..." Kizer laughed pathetically.

" Anyway...err..." I tried to lean up but fell straight back down.

"You shouldn't move." Rikku said leaning down. "Your really messed up bad!"

" We're really sorry for leaving you both like we did...We can understand if you can't forgive us." Yuna said looking off to the side.

"Heh...you guys were scared...it's what any average human would have done." Kizer explained.

"Yeah...just get the Zodiac Spear so we can get outta this hellhole." I said cringed.

"Oh the Spear! That's right we found Zodiac's tomb." Rikku said excited shouting in my fucking ear...I mean come on I'm already mangled I don't need a blown out ear.

" Zodiac, said to be the strongest warrior in the entire world Three thousand years ago. He single handedly destroyed an entire armor and emerged untouched." Paine reminsced. Rikku helped me up and walked me over beside Kizer then sat me down. Yuna and Rikku were tending to us as Paine walked up to the coffin.

She slid it open with a slow stone rubbing movement. When coffin top rolled off to the side inside was a mummy with a golden expressionless mask over his face. In his hands was the legendary Zodiac Spear. In the game it looked like shit but in person this thing actually looks pretty cool.

" Finally let's get it and go." Kizer said leaning against the wall while slowly standing to his feet. Rikku helped me up onto mine as I looked ahead. Paine grabbed the spear and tried to pull it away from the mummy but it wouldn't budge.

"Gah...dammit come on." Paine struggled. Suddenly flying out of the coffin was a hand it wrapped around Paine's neck and held her up off of her feet as she started to choke. Her eyes rolled to the back of her head as the mummy slowly stepped out of his coffin. I couldn't believe what I was seeing! It was like watching that movie The Mummy in person!

"Kah...ahhhh..." Paine struggled her body slowly went limp.

"PAAINNEE" Rikku called.

"You guys stay here! KIZER!" I shouted jumping forth despite my collapsing ribcage. I flew towards the moment while scooping up Flame Buster from the floor. Kizer flew just beside me while spinning his staff at high speed. We both at the same time stepped down hard and slammed out weapon into his chest causing him to fly back into his tomb.

Paine dropped down and Kizer caught her, her weight was too much for his damaged body and he immediately dropped to one knee. I took afew steps back with my left hand holding my right torso. I writhed in pain as the rubble unfolded revealing the mummy.

"It's Zodiac..." Paine whispered getting her breath back in Kizer's arms. Mummy Zodiac flew at me in a rush with his spear towards Paine and Kizer. I quickly dove over to them holding up Flame Buster and Mummy Zodiac's spear slammed into my weapon causing me to fly into Paine and Kizer. The three of us flew into a wall and hit the ground.

"Kizer...Ki-zer listen to me man...All the bullshit aside...get the girls outta here." I said rolling over on my chest and slowly rising to my hands and knees. I looked off to my right to see Mummy Zodiac walking towards us.

"What...your body is too bruised up and you hardly have any Mist Energy left to Invocate...you'll die." Kizer said looking over at me as if he were pissed. " Tryin to play hero huh?!" He grabbed my shirt and pulled me closer. "Sonuvabitch your an elemental warrior going out like this isn't suited for us!"

I slapped his hand out of the way. "Idiot, rather one of us then all of us...as Elemental Warriors we're suppose to protect this planet and it's people." I said looking over to Yuna, Rikku and Paine then at Mummy Zodiac who was walking towards us slowly and crippled like a machine.

Kizer stood up holding his side then looked at the three of them. "Come on...I'll leave you to deal with mummy." He rushed off towards the door holding his side with Yuna, Rikku and Paine behind him.

"Kizer..." I said. He stopped at the door along with Yuna, Rikku and Paine. "Thanks for saving my life...if I don't come out in ten minutes then head off to Rabanastre on your kay?"

" Dumbass I'm heading off to Rabanastre as soon as I'm out, I'm not waiting on a dead man." Kizer said running off. Yuna, Rikku and Paine stood to stare at me awhile then took off running with Kizer.

I'm alittle jealous...that he's the one who gets the girl in the end.

"Kelvis what have you done? You don't have enough Mist Energy to Invocate...or even cast another spell...and your body is badly damaged what are you trying to prove?!" Belias shouted in my head.

"Hey Bel...can ya keep it down I'm tryin to concentrate here." I said grasping Flame Buster as tight as I could which wasn't that tight. Zodiac stood back and spun his spear around really quick like a martial artist...I slammed Flame Buster into the ground using it to keep me held up as I trembled out of pain. It hurt to just stand here like this...

Zodiac charged forth stabbing his spear forward in attempt to skewer me and I was gonna let it. Come on there is no point in fighting this battle is lost to me. Just as it was seconds from eliminating me I was pushed aside by a pair of hands. I went rolling on the floor then laid still looking up alittle to see a woman with brown skin and long silver hair, with silver mascara and silver lipstick. She wore a crimson red leather coat over a black skintight combat suit, her breasts were enormous, her butt was nicely shaped and her thighs were simply delicious. She was by far the most beautiful woman I'd ever seen...

She slapped Zodiac's spear head out of her way then slammed her right fist into Zodiac's chest causing him to go flying back into a wall. She phased out and appeared just infront of me..." I'm Chloe, the Conformer of the 13th Esper Zodiark."

O.o- Me. "Zo...Di...Ark?!...nooo...noowwayyy!"

" It's a pleasure to meet you...my comrade." She said with a smile.

BOOM!!!

Slamming out of a wall with a big zombie like moan was Zodiac. "Stay still...I'll protect you." She said as a spirit like form of Zodiark appeared over her shoulder.

Noway...the most powerful of the 13 Espers...belongs to this woman?