A/N: Hey guys, sorry about the super short last chapter, but I wanted to put the next boss battle in its own chapter, so that's my reasoning. I hope you enjoy this next instalment, and please don't forget to R&R, follow and/or favorite, and flame me to a flambéed crisp. Again, I hope you enjoy. I do not own FF blah blah blah.
Cheers,
Stryke

Chapter X: A True Test and an Inextinguishable Flame

As I climbed through the tight space, the only thought on my mind was thus: Keep moving, keep moving, the walls aren't closing in, the walls aren't closing in. It's just your imagination, it's all in your head. It's al-HOLY SHIT IS THAT A SPIDER?! In my haste to escape the spider, I tumbled out the other side of the hole, landing on my face. "...Ow..."

I heard an Australian accented voice call out, "Stryke, are you alright?"

I whispered back, "Just dandy, there is a slight drop though. Be sure to watch out for the spiders." There was a squeal of fright, and in the next instant, Vanille emerged from the hole and fell out of it, landing much like I did. Always wondered what I looked like when I fumbled. I thought as I smirked. She glared back, but I cut off whatever her next words were going to be. "Okay, you have to admit, it was funny. If it makes you feel any better, you're not entirely covered in webs."

She threw her own smirk my way, "You're right, you took care of that for me. I'm not sure all that dust is good for your jacket." I stood there for a mere second completely still, but then started checking my poor jacket that had survived going to hell and back. It turns out that my jacket was actually spotless and Vanille was on the floor rolling after seeing me walk in circles. I felt my eye twitch slightly, and summoned all my willpower to stop myself from running her through with my blades. Thankfully-or disappointingly, for me-Sazh and Hope took that time to squeeze through simultaneously and ended up falling onto each other.

"Wow congrats, you were defeated by yourselves. Takes a lotta skill, that. Can you fall on a sword as well?" I grinned, letting them know I was kidding, however, the grin turned into a wince as something slammed into my face. I stared at them, and then saw the expression on Hope's face, and a boomerang in his hand. "Ow." I stated, void of emotion. Before chaos could ensue, a soft clacking noise was heard. I turned towards the source and inwardly smirked. Of course she sticks the landing perfectly. "Alright, look alive people, time to move out." I let Light move past me before I joined her on the right side and we moved closer to the steps-and the boss fight-that loomed ahead.

As we ascended, Sazh began voicing his nervousness, "Damn, something's making the hairs on my neck stand up."

Vanille tried comforting him, "You've got to stop worrying Sazh. After all, we avoided most other patrols here, we'll be alright now." No, you have no idea what's coming. We came to huge wide open area, a spot that totally didn't scream, "major fight housed here." We took in our surroundings and I was very impressed with the architecture. One glance at Light though, told you she sensed something. Her hand never left her gunblade's handle. How I wanted nothing more than to embrace her at that moment. I shook my head, hands unconsciously drifting to my weapons' hilts.

"Wow." Vanille said as she glanced around, looking like a little girl on Christmas morning. She started wandering about, trying t examine everything.

"Hey!" I called.

"Stay close!" Light yelled over me.

"I wanna look around, this place is so cool." she took off. I brought my palm to my face and Lightning sighed. Not one solid second later, a high pitched scream was released, and Vanille was high-tailing it towards us.

"Vanille!." Hope called out.

"Damn, that girl has large lungs." I grumbled as I drew my blades. Shortly after she emerged, a giant, pulsating, blue and white colored bird swooped down upon us. It's wingspan was massive. The Garuda Interceptor had come out to play, and for a split second, I wish I brought a camera.

Sazh jumped in the air repeatedly, "Over here!" He yelled as he grabbed Vanille and hid her behind him.

"Sazh, protect Vanille and Hope. I don't care about excuses! Light! Stay with me, and let's see if we can rip this bastard's wings off!" I yelled to her, and only slightly paled as I realized I shouted her nickname. Shit to worry about later. We advanced towards it and it studied us intently, not blinking.

"Any ideas in that head of yours?" Light asked, not taking her eyes off the beast.

I was about to open my mouth when I heard a voice speak in a voice that sounded like a knife dragged across stone, "Use me."

"Huh? Who said that?"

"Who said what? Stryke, focus."

"Right! I'll distract him using my lightning and blizzard spells, while you try to get behind him and deal as much damage as you can to him in the air." I didn't wait for a reply as I dashed forward, feeling the shocking sensation flow from my back to my fingertips, finishing as the tips of my blades which I kept pointed at the Interceptor. When the purple lightning shot down my arms, he reacted in due time, avoiding the stream entirely, and bomb rushed me. I felt my body hurdle through the air, and then come into contact with something very hard and unpleasant. The falling sensation returned shortly after and I felt my entire body slam into the ground. My ribs all cracked, an arm maybe broken, and blood trickling out of my mouth. One attack did this to me? A l'Cie?! It's so idiotic it's almost funny. I didn't account for the damn bird to be faster than my lightning, and this is what it cost me. A small smile spread over my features. As if I held any true power...it really is...just a joke. My eyes slowly shut and when I reopened them, I found myself in a room bathed in white light. There was someone standing across from me, his head down. I moved forward to try to rustle him, and that's when he lifted his head. My eyes widened. I was staring at myself, only he had a dark smirk on his face and his visible iris was a burning crimson.

"Wh-what are you?" I asked, taken back by him-me.

"I am you, Icarus. Well, not you exactly, just what's beneath the surface. You called upon me once already, if you may or may not recall."

"You, you're the one that caused me to rip that Manasvin Warden to shreds. No wonder why I don't remember it, you took over my body!"

"I didn't take over anything. You let me in, as you will need to do shortly. You see, your friends, your precious Lightning, need your help. Due to you stopping your heart and breaking your body when you slammed back into the ground, you're practically dead. I however, can save you if you let me in."

"If I do, can you promise that you won't hurt the others?"

"The power does come at a price of lost control."

"That's what I thought."

"You'd let them die by that monstrosity's hand, then? Or, if they're even more lucky, wear down until PSICOM arrive and take to killing your friends and raping HER? Think it over, you have a few seconds."

I shook my head a few times. That power must've been something in order to rip apart a Warden single-handedly, but I can't accept this. They'll get in the way and be killed. But what other choice do I have? I sighed, and then extended my hand towards the darker me. "Fuck it, I've got no other choice."

"A wise decision." He smiled. "Now, this is going to feel...agonizingly painful." He grabbed my hand and I instantly felt as if my back had spontaneously combusted, and my skin was burned to charcoal. I slumped to my knees, wishing for it to end. I couldn't help it; I let out a gut-wrenching scream and then, the pain stopped. I panted heavily and rose to my feet. I zeroed in on Light, and found her parrying the Interceptor's talons. I realized that it was toying with her, drawing out the fight. She was covered in claw marks and panting heavier than I was. My vision turned maroon.

"Hey, flocktard! Yeah, I'm talking to you, you flocking bastard!" I spun my blades that I didn't even realize I picked up. The Interceptor turned towards me and, screeching, used his wings to launch himself at me. I didn't let him get half way when I charged forward, blades first. When we collided, my blades ricocheted off his beak, and he bit my entire midsection. It turned out, this bird was more like a dinosaur in the fact that it had razors for teeth. I stood my ground, and felt my blood run down my abdomen. I began shaking, but from pain, oh no. I threw my head back and an insanity-laced cackle tore itself from my throat. All noise was drowned out by a deafening roar in my ears, and the Interceptor's eyes blinked.

When I got ahold of myself, I looked it right in its eyes, and spoke, "My turn, flocker."I flipped my blades point down, and drove them both into the bird's cranium repeatedly. over, and over, and over. Blood and brain matter sprayed in all directions. My face was coated, and I couldn't see, but that didn't make a difference. How much time had passed I am uncertain, but after the third thrust, the creature's beak had slackened. I could feel vibrations in my skull, and I knew I was laughing. Hell, I enjoyed it too much to not. Interrupting it all was a hand on my shoulder. I froze, stiff. I turned to the person, and as soon I lay my eyes on her, the roaring in my ears quieted 'till there was only an echo. I felt my sadistic intent follow. I slowly got ahold of myself, my actions. "L-light?" I looked at her, then back at the already stinking corpse. It's skull was destroyed, and all that remained was a bloody heap of tissue. My blades clattered to the floor, and I bent over, the contents of my stomach following them. As I coughed and retched, the hand never left my shoulder...Light never left my side. I stood up straight once more, shaking slightly. It wasn't the smell or the look this time, no. It was the fact that I consciously enjoyed butchering the Interceptor. I enjoyed it...the sadistic urges not letting me stop. If it was anyone else, I know I would have killed them. I would have torn their throats out. Etro, what the fuck am I turning into? And why the fuck has it taken residence in my-

"Stryke, need a minute?" Light interrupted my thoughts. I shook my head no, and then winced as I tried to move out of the thing's mouth. The jaw may have slackened, but my entire midsection was pierced.

"A little help, please." I said as I pushed both sides of it's mouth open. Pain exploded from my midriff but I held in screams of pain; I only had a permanent winced etched into my face. As soon as I dislodged myself from the bastard's fangs, I collapsed. My face didn't meet concrete though. Something caught me and held me on my feet. Glancing up, I saw Lightning and my arm around her neck. She was supporting me. Sazh bolted towards us and grabbed my other arm, throwing it around his neck. I got a good look at the damage. My stomach was covered in small holes. Blood and a clear liquid poured out of them. Stomach acid...no, no. Oh fuck. Oh fuck. Can a potion even heal this? Worth a shot. Shit.

I tried speaking, "S-sazh...I h-have potions in...my right pocket." He looked surprised, then began rooting around in my pants pocket, removing the bag of vials. Taking one out he bit the cork off and held the vial to my lips. Within mere seconds, I felt a strange itching sensation as my skin started knitting itself together. Then, relief and energy flowed through me. I planted my feet on the ground and moved my arms from their necks. Turning, I walked over to where my swords lay; thankfully, no bile touched them. I grabbed hold of the hilts, swung the swords in the air, flinging the blood off, and sheathed them. That's when I noticed the giant ship in front of us.

Vanille bolted forward then pointed at it, "Check it out!"

Sazh started towards gesturing to Hope, "C'mon. Hope to it, let's go."

I put a hand on the side of it, and smiled. If you told me I would be here at this moment a year ago, I would've insulted your sanity and intelligence. Now, I can't think of anywhere I'd rather be. This place, this world...it's more beautiful than anything I've seen. Everything is alive and nothing is bland. Here, I'm alive, not just living like I was back home.

Vanille clapped her hands together, "This'll make things easier, for sure."

Sazh stood next to her, his arms crossed and a small smile on his face, "Yeah, knowing our luck, it's probably missing an engine."

Vanille turned towards him, "You shouldn't be so negative."

I spoke, "Hate to agree with Bubbly, but she's got a point. I have high hopes that this'll fly. Call it a hunch if you will." I smirked.

"You both shouldn't get your hopes up." He called over his shoulder waving a hand to dismiss us.

I rolled my eyes, then an idea sprang into my mind, "Care to make a wager then?"

He stopped, "What kind of wager?"

I walked forward, "How much Gil you got on you?"

"114, you?"

"123. If it runs, I get half your Gil. If it doesn't, you get all of mine. I'm generous that way." I smirked.

He had a look of suspicion on his face, then stuck his hand out. I grasped his arm as he did the same and we both spoke at the same time, "Deal."

Am I mean? Let's face it, I know everything that's going to happen, so any wages that have to do with events here, I'm set. So no, I'm merely using an advantage. What would be truly evil, is if I took all his Gil, not just half. Sazh opened the ship's passenger door, and we all piled in. The seating arrangement was that of a plane back home. Sazh sat in the cockpit, I sat in a window seat, front row to the right, Light sat next to me, Hope sat to our left, and Vanille sat next to him. As Sazh started pushing buttons, the roar of the engine was heard.

"Looks like you'll have more room in your pockets, huh Sazh?" I spoke. His response: A middle finger over his head. I chuckled as I lay my head on my fist, propped up by the wall. Everything was working out...until beams of energy started raining down upon us like the gates of Hell had been unleashed.

A/N: Hey guys, or girls, or other. Last few times all I said was guys and people got offended. Anyway, I hoped you enjoyed this chapter, and I hope to see you all next chapter. This is the boring part where you get asked to please R&R, follow and/or favorite, and flame all you like. I love how popular this is getting, and I honestly want to see feedback from you guys, and I'd love to see if you guys have any ideas, comments, or questions. Thank you all for staying with me here, and I'll see you all next chapter.
Cheers,
Stryke