A/N: Hooray! Awake is back! This chapter is even longer than the second part of Chapter Seven...ugh...It was a pain to make since this was so unbearably long. Regardless, I still enjoyed making the next installment of the story. I recommend you take another look at the Intermission chapter before reading, just so you can catch up on things. If you're that much of a hardcore fan, than read the full chapters. XD
Due to excitement, I didn't send this in to be checked for grammar, so bear with me, folks.
Word Guide: Blaze=Edgar
Disclaimer: Sadly I do not own any of these characters other than the ones I have created.
"Blaze talks like this" Blaze thinks like this. "Lucy thinks/speaks like this." "Blaze will speak like this when he and Lucy Gestalt."
This chapter is...a little weird.
Awake
Act II: A Perfect Nightmare
Chapter Eight: Human After All
Blaze opened his eyes. Well, his right one anyway. By now, his left eye would be returning to its state of blindness, since the energy in his left arm had receded back to the brand on his chest.
He didn't exactly remember how he got to where he was in the first place. Lucy had worked quickly when they had activated their Gestalt. After jumping right out of that falling drop pod, Lucy had taken over. The Eidolon had flown Blaze to some airship not too far away.
The airship was small, to say the least. It was completely white. From the tiles, to the walls, to the floating couches, everything was white, white, white. Exploring the ship for awhile was fruitless. The entire ship was void of other life. He found no mechanisms to control the ship, making the entire place that much more suspicious.
How was it flying without a pilot?
Near the very end of the ship, Blaze was caught in a dead end. It was just a blank, empty hallway. At the very end of the hallway, was what caught his attention. A floating, spiked wheel, was the only interesting thing Blaze found. The center of the wheel worked more like a window, giving a person on one side a view of the other. The wheel was showing Blaze what seemed like a wall of swirling colors. Blaze cautiously walked up to the strange, levitating object. He reached out and touched it with his hand.
It was surprisingly cool to the touch, a feeling that Blaze had not often felt. The mass of swirling colors moved to Blaze's touch. They rippled like tiny waves when one throws a rock into a lake. Still, the more he looked into it, the same image would stare back at him. It gave him the idea that there was nothing on the other side.
What are these things? I can't tell what they are...but...I feel like I've seen one of these before.
Blaze touched the churning mass of colors directly this time, producing a different effect. He felt nothing really. It wasn't hot or cold, just...nothing. Despite no physical sensations, Blaze felt a strange, yet familiar, tugging effect on his mind. He felt that if he were to press a little harder, his body would be whisked away somewhere else. He felt his mind being pulled and stretched. Random, flashing images exploding into view with bright, vivid detail.
Closing his eyes, he could nearly see himself in these fantastic places the floating disk showed him. Blaze imagined himself on top of these giant mountains, forever reaching for the sky. He could see himself gazing down upon the forests, and valleys, and oceans below. Many images were strange, one showing a small city by the water. A concrete jungle, full of busy people in a constant state hurriedness. These places felt strange, yet familiar to Blaze. It was as if he was there before, and by using the levitating, spiked disk before him, he could once again visit these areas.
The swirling wall of colors seemed to bubble and churn. Staring into it the colorful abyss, it seemed inviting, safe almost.
But, by a force not of his own will, his hand retracted. His legs moved with a mind of their own, and Blaze turned around.
"That device can teleport you, idiot. It's a trap. The place on the other side is long gone by now. Using that device now will only lead you to your untimely demise. Besides, you'll want to see what's here."
Lucy finished speaking, and gave Blaze control of his body back. Lucy was Blaze's Eidolon, but the two had a different relationship than most l'Cie. Blaze's body is occupied by two separate conscious'. While Blaze's conscious is the dominant one, and controls the body, Lucy can overpower Blaze. The Eidolon can take control of his body for brief periods of time.
Their minds revolve around each other similar to how two black holes would. The farther their conscious' are away from each other, less Blaze is affected by Lucy. The opposite would go for when their conscious' are closer together, with Lucy typically having more control over Blaze at the time. Eventually, the two conscious' would meld together, where Blaze and Lucy would have an equal amount of control over Blaze's body. In this state, Blaze is always in his Gestalt form with Lucy, and only happens during combat.
At the moment, their conscious' are close together. Lucy can overpower Blaze in this state, however it's more of a choice of whether or not it's fun at the time.
Lucy Led Blaze towards one of the many windows placed throughout the tiny airship. The view outside was spectacular. It had been a long time since Blaze had seen the outside world. Looking out, the area outside the airship was empty. Nothing else was in the sky except for Ark. For some reason, the airship fal'Cie had power to function properly, when Blaze was told that nearly all fal'Cie had died out three years ago.
The view went on the miles and miles. Blaze knew where he was. Cocoon. The interior was barren and empty. The wreckage of entire cities were on the bottom of the sphere. The light of the sun, coming from an unknown angle, casted weird and ominous shadows against the debris of what seemed like a fallen civilization. There were webs of crystal making their way across the interior of Cocoon, adding some more light to the dim interior of upper Cocoon. In the distant, miles and miles away, tiny sparkling dots glinted randomly. The echelons of upper Cocoon were pitch black, with only the tiny flashing dots of gold to make the place seem a little more creepy. From the window, Blaze couldn't see the hole in Cocoon's shell, and the view of the Pulse.
What is this place?
"You used to live in one of these cities down below. Come on, there's more to see. I'm pretty sure this airship is called the Narthex. Ring any bells?"
It sounds familiar, yet I'm not sure why I know of this place.
Blaze's wheel brand glowed for a moment, a small clear blue crystal in the shape of a coin produced from thin air. It was the crystal housing of Lucy's physical form. The manifestation of his Eidolon's will. He flipped the tiny blue coin into the air, the crystal shattering into dozens of pieces of floating glass.
The energy released from the coin took shape. A hallow skull, roughly the size of a human's, floated silently before Blaze. The interior of the skull was empty, allowing one to wear it as a helmet or mask of some sort. Staring into the cold, lifeless eyes, Blaze could see Lucy coming to life. Sparks of green fire lit in those eyes, and Lucy was awake.
"Well? Stop staring at me like I have three heads! You're not here for a field trip, and I don't want to babysit you! Now get off your ass and move!"
Sheesh. Calm down, drama queen. What's the rush?
Lucy didn't respond, and floated on by faster than one would expect.
The two moved through the small airship. The layout was all the same. Windows and floating couches. Blaze touched one of the couches, expecting it to catch on fire like everything else he's always touched. It was different this time. In the Narthex, everything he touched was strangely cool. The air around him was visible, rising to the tip of the airship, and making Blaze look slightly distorted. The tiles beneath his feet, the couch, the window, and that spiked wheel did not melt, burn, or even catch on fire when he touched them.
He looked at his hands, thinking for a moment that his powers weren't working, or his powers left him outright. Blaze shook his head, and placed the palm of his hand over his center brand on his torso. It was still active, pumping energy to the living parts of his body. It made a thumping noise, just like the one in his chest. It annoyed him.
The sensation was strange. Burning or melting things with a mere touch became such a familiar occurrence, that when something was not slowly becoming a pile of liquid mush, Blaze was actually surprised.
His powers were still there. Energy of something he never wanted flowing through his veins. Each time it thumped, Blaze felt his life slowly wasting away. Thump, thump, thump.
He had great power. But, this great power was costly. Checking his center brand, Blaze inspected its progression.
Twelve, eleven, ten, one, and two. The eyes have opened on all of those spots, Lucy. Adding on to the Gestalt we just did to get here, I have filled black circles over nine and three.
"No shit, Sherlock. I can see from your eyes too, you know. You have a decade left to live, so what's to worry about?"
Well, don't you think we should come up with a plan?
"Umm...sure I guess. What do you have in mind?"
The military is bound to be on our tail, so we should lay low for awhile. I bet Lucas already knows that I never landed with Naga and Myst.
"We can do that. Pussy."
Oh shut up already. We'll need to evade the military, so we can't come back to Cocoon. Ark is our biggest threat at the moment. Next off, I'll need to start training on my own. I gotta figure out a way to control my powers.
"You don't need to train that much. With me, your powers are already far superior to anything PSICOM can produce. We're one-hundred times stronger when we Gestalt."
True, but the costs of going into Gestalt is too much. I lose a year off my lifespan just by entering that stage. One minute after the first five minutes is another three months. At the moment I have two goals in mind. I want to learn about my past, and I want to become a God. Simple enough, right?
"Sounds good to me. What about Lucas?"
Oh, that's simple. We storm the base, kill Lucas, and save the world. Easy as pie.
"Whatever, man. Now, take a look at this."
Lucy led him over to a nearby statue. The fiery skull floating effortlessly to its destination, while Blaze trailed from behind. The airship was small, but he didn't remember seeing statues before. It was a stone carving of a woman. The woman depicted had a tall, lithe, and slender build. With curvy features, and the position the woman was in, it looked as if the woman's body was swaying. She wore a long, broad hat. The broad sides of the hat gave the statue as a whole a very snake-like look.
Staring intently into her eyes, Blaze felt another twinge of familiarity. He never thought he had seen this woman before, but he was sure he had read about her somewhere. Maria never read to Blaze much about snakes, or much of Cocoon's history.
Who is this woman, Lucy?
"This, is Fell Lindzei. She is a serpent. A succubus. She took pieces of Pulse to form Cocoon. She literally stripped the lands for any necessary material she desired. From her, she bore the fal'Cie, like Ark. She bore many other fal'Cie, like Kujata and Carbuncle. Orphan was her second creation. Orphan was the one who branded you, and the other five Projects. As Cocoon's construction neared its end, Fell Lindzei invited Man to live inside. She called it a paradise, and Man came in droves in search of a better life, away from Pulse. Those who lived on Cocoon were made into pets. Mere pawns for the fal'Cie to play with. That wasn't until Fell Lindzei abandoned the fal'Cie she bore, however. She betrayed them, leaving them orphaned without their Maker."
Wow...Wait, how do you know so much about this?
"I am an Eidolon, fool. My people live in the Void. Before passing through the Door, everything goes through the Void. I was...able to catch a glimpse of the Viper before she left."
Lucy finished the conversation, floating on past the statue.
The two continued on in silence. To occupy his time, Blaze took another look around. Everything was the same. Boring. Obviously not an airship for passengers, combat, or cargo, Blaze pondered the objective in mind that went into making this.
Blaze sighed. His body began to ache, once again. He needed to find a knife or something sharp to cut off his arm, or that gangrene would continue to spread. His left arm was completely dead. Bits and pieces of skin fell off as he walked. By this stage of the illness, the disease had eaten away nearly everything on his left arm. Rotted, yellowing bone could be seen under whatever flaps of skin and muscle remained. To top it off, he couldn't even move the damn thing. His left eye was still blind, and he could feel that his right eye would fail him in a few days.
He had a lot of pain and problems with his body, but over the year, he learned to get past it. Sure, it gets in the way, but Blaze eventually got around his handicap.
Hey, Lucy. If Orphan was the second fal'Cie Lindzei created, then who was the first?
"We'll be meeting him in a few moments, so it's time to take off the training bra."
Chuckling silently to himself, Blaze followed the floating skull down a narrow hallway. They passed a small, gray sphere on the ground. Picking it up as he walked, Blaze inspected the strange device. The sphere could open, and Blaze assumed that it was a device that could be used for people to store things in them.
Lucy drifted up a ramp, Blaze close behind. He dropped the used Treasure Sphere, and stopped to look at where Lucy had led him.
The room was large, easily taking up the majority of the ship. There was no defined floor, simply a metal grating used above a lake of churning silver. There was large center platform, where a throne carved from stone sat, empty. On the platform, a tiny pool of the molten silver lay motionless, seemingly untouched for who-knows-how-long. Four, large cylinders were attached at different corners of the roof. The metal disks span atop these cylinders, producing a constant thrumming sound. Shafts of sharpened metal were then connected to the spinning disks. From Blaze's point of view, he couldn't decipher the purpose of these great cylinders at the corners of the room. The back of the room was adorned with gold. It seemed to sparkler of its own accord, without any sunlight to illuminate the room.
With no other way to enter the room other than jumping, Blaze did just that. He jumped, landing comfortably on his left foot. There was a possibility of damaging his right foot, since it was a metal replacement. That, and many other of his extremities were also amputated and replaced with metal counterparts.
"The Nascent Throne. Lair of Orphan."
Blaze nodded. Now inside the room itself, he could see the glimmering crystal that gave the room light. Again, he felt a twinge of familiarity. He could've sworn he had been here before. The metal on the floor produced the same effect Blaze encountered with everything else he had touched in the Narthex. Everything was cool. Nothing was melting, or burning, or even getting remotely hot.
Why does it feel like I've been here before?
"In a way, you already have. Let me show you..."
A much younger looking Blaze strode through the halls of the Narthex, with five other individuals in tow. Now a boy, he was around ten or eleven years old. His red hair only went to his shoulders at this age.
The group consisted of an odd bunch of males and females of varying ages and occupations. Blaze, or Edgar as he was named at the time, was still a student. Like the other five, he became a l'Cie.
Poe was the leader of the group. A tall man with a stocky build, Poe was typically the one who led the group into combat, and gave out the orders. At first, Poe was a simple writer. He wasn't a fighter. But, as the group's travels were coming to a close, Poe transformed into the person everyone required. He became the leader no one wanted, but needed. He was much more resourceful than others gave him credit for. Throughout the journey, Edgar eventually began to look at Poe as sort of a father figure. Poe was the oldest of the group, only thirty-three years old.
Next was Otto, the complete opposite of Poe. Otto worked as sanitation worker. He picked up trash for a living. Otto was lazy, and a coward. He was the one who brought drugs along for the trip. The idiot got the other five into more trouble than they could count. Otto was the second oldest, at twenty-nine.
Penelope was the first person Edgar met when he became a l'Cie. She became somewhat of a mother figure for Edgar. She understood the situation he was in. She worked as an online merchant assistant. She wasn't much of a fighter either, but she came through when the group was in a pinch. She was twenty-seven.
Kaya was another oddball. She was jobless, not like it mattered much. Cocoon was a paradise after all. Food, water, shelter, everything was supplied by the fal'Cie. She commonly called herself a 'basement dweller'. She was a computer freak, spending hours on end roaming a popular forum board. However she was the neurotic one. She was very emotional, probably suicidal too. She was only twenty-four.
Jo was the last one to join the group of l'Cie. During their small time together, Edgar was never able to learn much about her past, or what she did for a living. But she was the fighter of the group. Outgoing, outrageous, and probably out of her mind. With the exception being Edgar, Jo was the youngest. A mere eighteen years old.
The six had done it. They were branded with a Focus that none of them wanted. They went against the will of the higher powers. They had fought back against the military, and found their way into Orphan's Cradle.
It was time to end their time as cursed l'Cie.
The vision Lucy produced ended, and Blaze opened his eyes. He took a deep breath, a vain attempt to calm the things that were beating inside him. The thrumming noise from the spinning disks became excruciating. Blaze looked at his palms. He could only lift his right arm to view his palm. The filled black circle on his palm was slowly opening into an eye. The vine-shaped brand wrapping around his right arm was his second brand. He couldn't remember which fal'Cie had branded him that one.
The pale white skin was raggedy and cut. Old wounds reopened as new ones were formed. A slow trickle of blood ran down his arm, beginning a steady drip. Each drop of blood slipped past the holes in the metal grate, and into the churning pool of molten silver below. Each and every vein, capillary, and artery was visible under Blaze's skin. He could see the bones and tendons shift each time he moved a finger. The hand itself looked a little hazy; the air around Blaze was distorted from the heat.
Shaking his head, his hand went back to his side. Lucy was watching him. The floating skull seemed to wait for Blaze impatiently, waiting for him to hurry up.
Blaze joined Lucy at the center silver pool, right before the stone throne. He stared deep into the pool of boiling silver. The more Blaze stared into the pool, the angrier it became. The silver swirled and crashed in on each other. Molten silver splashed out of the pool, as a bubbling mass began to form. It began to take shape before Blaze and Lucy. The levitating, bubbly mass of molten silver was large. Silver appendages sprouted out from the center mass. Its transformation seemed to be nearing it's completion, the mass of silver taking on the rough shape of a human.
A human hovered effortlessly before Blaze. He was looking at himself.
Who's this fool?
"That's you, stupid."
Oh. Well don't I look handsome?
Blaze was tall, with a lean, yet muscular build. The body parts that were functional were healthy and well toned. His body wasn't rippling with muscle, but he was nothing to laugh about. A year of training in Maria's training facility would do that to a person. The copy's left arm was similar to Blaze's. Dead. Blackened, dead skin was beginning to worm its way onto his upper chest. His left arm was barren. Only yellowing bone remained. His right foot was metal, attached to a well sculpted calve.
A black, vine-shaped l'Cie brand wrapped around the copy's right arm. Black leaves and thorns were beginning to form off of the marking. The copy had a square face, with a square jaw line, a strong chin, and prominent cheekbones. His ears were covered by his knee-long spiky red hair. The pupil on his left eye was white, with a gray iris surrounding it. The next l'Cie brand covered up most of the eye. A simple black circle surrounded the eye, making it seem like Blaze had eye shadow on. One thin, black line arced up, while another line arced down, sweeping over most of the left side of his face. The iris of his right eye was a deep crimson color.
The third l'Cie brand was located on his chest. An ornate, spiked wheel in a clock formation. The 12 o' clock spike ended right before his upper chest, while the 6 o' clock spike ended before his navel. A filled black circle had formed over the 9 o' clock and the 3 o' clock spike. Small, opened Cie'th eyes had formed over the 12, 11, 10, 1, and 2 spikes. A large filled black circle was in the very center of the wheel.
The copy seemed to smile at Blaze, and looked away, towards the entrance. The flapping of wings could be heard, and a small, metallic owl flew from the hallway, raising a shield to prevent Blaze's escape. The owl flew to the copy, and a bright white flash filled the room.
"I must give you my thanks, Edgar. You have shown me that my Projects are ready for their Focus."
The world lit up in a vast array of explosions. Flashing images swirled around.
Soldiers, Pulsian and PSICOM alike. Great herds of Behemoths. Rivers of blood. The black angry sky turned a sick blue, as massive storm clouds collided onto each other. Lightning discharged onto massive armies fighting. A wide plain was lit ablaze with fire. Dead bodies littered the battlefield. The sky rippled and moved, a raging ocean. Titan and Atomos. Out of Cocoon's shell, an airship sailed over the battlefield. Ark. A projectile of pure energy shot out of the airship. The sky began to rip and tear itself apart. Space and Time themselves pulling apart at the seems.
A portal from dimensions unknown opened, and out came the beasts. A silver-steel mechanical creature exited from the portal, four spider-like legs emerging from its sides. With no head, the central body was dominated by a large, yellow, pupil-less eye. The beast let loose a barrage of missiles, lasers, and other means of death upon the fighting combatants below. All were defenseless against the great mechanical metal monstrosity. The roiling skies let loose a vile beast without a soul.
The second beast escaped from the portal, closing the dimensional rift. It collided into first beast. The two clashed in the air. A massive coiling dragon of living metal fought the spider-like robot, the two simply destroying more of the land around them. The armies warring against each below began to dwindle, their numbers lessening against the assault from the spider-like robot and the great metal dragon.
Again, a second projectile of pure energy was launched into the area. The raging skies repeating what had happened before. The sky swelled and swirled and came apart. The portal to the Void once again borne into existence. A man wielding a halberd stood alone on the battlefield, his gray complexion a stark contrast to his reddish orange armor.
And then, the world returned to its darkness.
Blaze opened his eyes, his head throbbing from the assault of yet another vision. The copy of Blaze and the metal owl were gone, replaced with...some grotesque looking thing.
A burlesque, bronze, machine-like creature towered over Blaze. It's grin appeared to be mocking Blaze, an eerie smile with sharp, dagger-like teeth. The metal creature was white, with gold lining, alien markings visible on its surface, and four face-masks grafted onto the sides of its head as adornments. The large head was attached to a snake-like throat with gills at the end. The monsters face had white, pupiless eyes.
The beast seemed to be able to already know what Blaze was thinking.
"I am fal'Cie. My name is Barthandelus; voice of the Sanctum, and Lord-Sovereign of the Cocoon fal'Cie."
"This, is Lindzei's first creation: Barthandelus. Don't ask many questions, he already knows everything about you."
"Greetings, Edgar. It has been quite a long time, hasn't it?
Blaze swallowed, and got back onto his feet. He felt slightly intimidated by the machine's sheer size.
"Y-yeah...I guess it has. Refresh my memory, when was the last time we met?"
Barthandelus laughed, his metallic voice echoing off the walls of the room. With the wave of a clawed hand, Blaze was attacked by another vision.
A young Edgar, Poe, Penelope, Otto, Kaya, and Jo were in the Nascent Throne. Barthandelus, in all his glory, stood proud before the six l'Cie. He had transformed into his fal'Cie state, and a battle, the final battle, was about to begin.
"I have no need for failed l'Cie. If you will not follow your Focus, I will make you obey!" Barthandelus yelled, raising his clawed hands to pound at the ground.
The six l'Cie acted fast, forming a semi-circle around the mad fal'Cie. Poe took the center, ready to take the brunt of Barthandelus' attacks. The other five began their barrage upon him with magic and guns. The four face-masks opened, releasing Barthandelus' counterattack. Laser beams and magic of all kind were shot at the rebel l'Cie. They fought valiantly against fate, yet one by one, they fell.
Otto was the first to go. The man caught the wrong end of a Ruinga, and was hit with the full force of the blast. He was staggered, the spell leaving his arms trembling and his legs wobbly. The shadow of Barthandelus' clawed hand appeared beneath Otto. The clawed hand closed in on Otto, and began to crush him. The hand lifted off the ground, and deposited the crushed, bloody corpse of Otto LuFair into the churning pool of molten silver.
Kaya and Penelope were next, both unable to reach the shield in time. Barthandelus was ready to release a particularly deadly attack, his face opening to reveal the barrels of many guns. A barrage of laser beams hit the two women, and their charred, burnt corpses joined Otto in the pool of silver.
Poe, Jo, and Edgar knew they were fighting a losing battle. They did not run. They knew, in their hearts, that it would be better to die denying what fate forced upon them, then to live fulfilling someone else's will. Gunfire and magic seemed to bounce off Barthandelus. His own attacks, on the other hand, seemed to be growing in power. The fal'Cie grew tired of toying around.
Poe was hit by Barthandelus' clawed hand, and lifted into the air. He was trapped, raised to eye level to meet the fal'Cie. The god-machine merely laughed.
"This, is what mere l'Cie can do?" The fal'Cie laughed again, and casted Ultima on the trapped man.
Edgar didn't watch. After the green explosion disappeared, Poe's body was thrown into the pool of silver like the rest. Edgar and Jo were running, desperate to dodge the torrent of attacks. It was simply too much. Soon enough, the green, half-sphere formed around Edgar. Before the Ultima spell could unleash its deadly results, Edgar was pushed out of the way. Jo saved him, for the time being. She sacrificed herself, to spare the ten or eleven year old boy a few more moments to live.
"Good, good. Now that those pitiful lifeforms are gone, I can make use of you, Edgar."
"You bastard! You killed them all! And then you made me a Project!"
The metal being laughed at Blaze. Barthandelus blew Blaze away with a shockwave, to counterattack Blaze's running charge.
"I have no use for flawed l'Cie, Edgar. You, of all people, should know that. Making the Projects costed hundreds, nay, thousands of lives."
Blaze hit the ground with a thud. His body ached, and he didn't feel like drawing energy from his brands to heal his injuries. Using the energy from his brands would heal his wounds today, but shorten his overall lifespan. His right palm began to bleed profusely. He stood up, and watched the blood drip into the pool of silver below.
"I think, instead of going straight into combat, some explanations are in order, hmm?" Barthandelus drawled.
"We can handle this like civilized beings, right?"
Blaze locked eyes with Barthandelus. He felt like crap. His legs could barely move, and the blood certainly wasn't going to stop anytime soon. The thumping sound in his chest grew louder and faster. Blaze breathed in ragged gasps, mostly choking on his own blood. In situations like these, he would be strapped down for a routine injection and electrocution checkup. Unfortunately, there wasn't exactly anyone around kind enough to help him.
"Tell...Me...Everything..."
Barthandelus laughed, seeming to enjoy that another of his evil schemes was playing out just as he imagined.
"I am Barthandelus, first child of the Maker's brood. Unlike the other fal'Cie, whom were built with a singular Focus in mind, I was made differently. Fal'Cie are constructed with one purpose, and given finite power to complete it. Fal'Cie like Kujata provide energy, or Ark who acts as a guardian; they both were made to fulfill that one task. I was built to observe, and manipulate when needed."
"Think of my Focus like someone who watches a parade from the air. I see all that plays out before me. I know where everyone in the parade is, where they came from, and where they will be going. However, I have the power to change the direction of the parade. For millennium, I sat and watched Cocoon grow and prosper, until it eventually became the paradise that it was. Yet the Maker still abandoned its children. We were left as orphans to survive without a mother."
"Distraught, we continued the tasks we were designed for. We were eager to please the Maker prior to her departure, and that continued. For centuries the fal'Cie worked and waited for the Maker to return. She never did. Being the only fal'Cie free of a singular Focus, I began to question our existence. Did the Maker leave us because we were flawed? Did the Maker abandon us out of boredom? Were we mere toys for the Maker?"
"The desire to know the answer to these questions burned inside me, but my fellow fal'Cie and I could do nothing by ourselves. Other than myself, fal'Cie could not think of their own accord, they were bound by the Focus they were built for. I knew the Maker had departed from this world, and had journeyed through the Door, so it became my Focus to bring the Maker back."
"The plan was simple: if a flood of souls were to pass through the Door, the Door would be thrown wide, and the Maker would return. I turned to Orphan, the fal'Cie that powered Cocoon. Orphan was bound by two inseparable Foci. He was tasked with the continuance of human and fal'Cie life. But, both were not immortal. To allow one to live would be killing the other. However, if he were to die, then fal'Cie would cease to function, and Cocoon would be sent plummeting to Pulse, and human life would cease to exist as well."
Damn this guy can talk.
"I'll shut him up in a second. There's still a few things you need to hear."
Yeah, yeah, yeah. So, Pulse is real? After we deal with this guy, that's our first stop!
"...And so, for centuries after that, l'Cie after l'Cie were branded to become Ragnarok, and destroy Orphan. They all failed. None could bring the salvation we dreamed for. Poe, Otto, Kaya, Penelope, Journey and Edgar were the next to be chosen. Yet again, you appeared before Orphan weak, and incapable of becoming Ragnarok. After your friends had died, I made preparations for the next group of l'Cie to be chosen. It seemed to be fate, that the two chosen l'Cie of Pulse would awaken from their crystal slumber. After dozens of failed attempts, Orphan was finally slain, and I saw salvation for the first time."
"In the end, they still failed, and the light of salvation was still out of my grasp."
So after the others and I failed to kill Orphan, Fang and Vanille woke up?
"Right. Vanille told you something about Ragnarok before she left for testing."
"Three years ago, Orphan was slain. The chosen l'Cie found a way to get around their Focus, and kept Cocoon stable on a stalk of crystal. The Maker did not come."
Blaze placed the palm of his right hand over his wheel brand. Branded by Orphan. Sparks of raw energy crackled from the brand, flowing through his body. It was one of the few things that reminded Blaze he was still alive.
"If Orphan is dead, then why is my brand still here? Why do the brands on the other Projects still exist?" Blaze asked, a mix of confusion and determination on his face.
"Orphan is dead, that is true. The chosen l'Cie had a Focus. One of them must become Ragnarok and slay Orphan. The fal'Cie was not killed by Ragnarok, and thus did not die permanently. Fal'Cie are built around the crystals that power them. While their material forms can be destroyed, if the crystals remain intact, the fal'Cie will eventually be born anew. Ragnarok is the only being that can destroy the crystals."
"Orphan is dead, but not for long. The resulting explosion after the destruction of his material shell sent parts of his physical form across Cocoon. These scattered parts would provide power to anything nearby, creating those tiny golden dots you saw in the upper parts of Cocoon. The reason why the Narthex, and the fal'Cie Ark, are active, is for sole reason that a shard of Orphan crashed into Ark."
"Cocoon is only partially functional now. To stray from a shard of Orphan would be suicide. Remnants of PSICOM only work and function near these shards. If I were to leave the vicinity of the nearby Orphan shard, I too will die."
Barthandelus made a grunting, animalistic sound from his throat.
"Over the three years of watching, waiting, and recovering, I had time to think. I thought about why the Maker had chosen to abandon its children. Maybe, she really didn't want us. Being forsaken by my creator for so long, and after countless failed attempts at bringing her back, angered me. Was our existence a mistake? Was that why the Maker left us? Finally, I thought that, if the Maker would return one day, would she be hostile?"
"These thoughts brought me to you, Edgar. The creation of the Projects has been well underway since I spared your life nearly twenty years ago. You are twenty-eight years old now, and the strongest Project ever manufactured. Originally, I built the Projects in order to help the effort of bringing back the Maker. But over the last three years, your purpose has changed. When the Maker is brought back, you and your fellow Projects will be there to defend us against the Maker."
"You, Edgar, will slay the Maker."
I will slay the Maker...and become a God myself...
"No! I won't do your dirty work! Sparing my life was the biggest mistake you could make, Barthandelus! No one commands me! No one tells me what to do! It's my life, and I control it!"
Barthandelus repeated the grunting, animalistic sound emanating from his throat, and seemed to laugh. His golden lips curved into an eerie grin, his dagger-like teeth reflecting light from an unknown source.
"Foolish l'Cie. If you will not willingly do what fate has forced upon you, I will make you obey!"
"Finally it's time to fight!"
Without the suit on to limit my powers, I can do more damage to him than I did to myself.
Blaze charged head on. It was stupid, but hey, it's not like he has got anything to lose. A fire burned within him that demanded to be fed. He would make Barthandelus pay, and burning him to a crisp seemed like the best way to do it. He wished he could make use of his left arm and left eye, but that would require energy from his brands, and he was using enough already.
As he ran towards the fal'Cie, the air around Blaze grew more hazy and distorted. He was increasing the temperature around him at startling rate, while the imprint of his foot steps began to glow red hot on the platform. Conjuring a great ball of flame, Blaze tossed it once in the air before sending it hurtling towards Barthandelus with a well placed kick. He was a pyromancer, and excelled it that field. Fire spells came naturally to him, so his Firaga was especially powerful against the mad fal'Cie.
The fireball hit Barthandelus square in the face. The fireball hit, and exploded on contact. Several, much smaller, fireballs separated from the main one, and scattered. Blaze could easily tell that the spell had hit its mark, clearly seeing the mass of fire envelop the right side of Barthandelus face. That eerie grin remained plastered onto his metallic face. The spell wasn't as effective as Blaze originally thought.
Blaze was in a close distance to Barthandelus now, able to avoid a strike from his clawed hands. Drawing energy from the brand on his right arm, Blaze gave a few seconds of life back to his left. He summoned another massive ball of flame, and chucked it point blank at Barthandelus' ever smiling face. The fal'Cie was covered in fire, and actually let out a throaty groaning noise that sounded like he was in pain. Blaze smirked to himself, and used the time that Barthandelus was in pain to distance himself from the fal'Cie. His left arm went limp, to no surprise.
The counterattack came next. After the flames died down, leaving Barthandelus with a warm, bright glow, he was raised up his claw. Each sharp, metal finger protruding from his palm conjured a clear ball of energy.
"Baptism in Ruin. Not a fairly strong attack, but it's still best to get the fuck out of the way."
Barthandelus thrusted his fingers into the air, releasing the series of attacks. A large string of clear balls of energy were aimed at Blaze. He was fast enough to run from them. While he ran, Blaze left a burning trail in his wake. Without the ability to control his powers, things would blow out of proportion. Real fast. The metal grating acting as a floor was beginning to melt, red hot chunks of glowing metal fell into the silver pool.
Eventually, Blaze lit himself on fire. Wreathing his body in flames was not only a good offense, and but a good defense as well. Most ranged projectiles would melt into puddles of mush moments before contact. With a running charge and a mighty leap, Blaze lifted himself off the ground and soared onto Barthandelus' face. With his right palm raised high in the air, Blaze conjured another fireball. He concentrated it, reducing its size while increasing its power. He closed his fingers around the now tiny fireball, forming a fist.
I like to call this one, the Meteor Fist.
"Stop playing around. You're still rusty, and this type of enemy isn't exactly suited towards you."
Blaze slammed his fist into Barthandelus' face. The fire detonated, and exploded. Blaze's fist crushed the fal'Cie. His metallic face dented and twisted beyond most normal repair. His victory was short lived, as Blaze was sent off of Barthandelus with a shockwave. Metal liquified, and swirled around Barthandelus' face, repairing him.
The fal'Cie placed his clawed hands close to his repairing face, and his shoulder plates began to glow. Barthandelus was charging an attack. A transparent shield surrounded him, while he drew more energy into his attack. Blaze ran forward, getting as close to the shield as possible. The man crouched low, using the fal'Cie as a form of cover.
"Good, you're learning. Next time, run faster, you'll never know when his attack discharges. Destrudo is a powerful spell, so you'll get the most cover right beneath him."
Barthandelus released his attack. He unleashed violent waves of energy and lasers from his body. Blaze's tactical thinking proved useful, as the brunt of the attack was avoided. He came out with a little bruises and cuts, but nothing that wasn't there before.
The attack died down, leaving Barthandelus vulnerable, albeit for a few seconds. Blaze leapt onto the fal'Cie again, landing directly onto his face. It was time, Blaze thought, that he wiped that smile off his face. Again. His body was a raging inferno now. Barthandelus' metallic skin was already showing signs of melting. The metal grating floor was nearly gone. Blaze placed his palm over Barthandelus, and drew energy from his central brand. Taking a deep breath, Blaze released powerful jet of fire from his hand. It enveloped and surrounded Barthandelus, searing his metal skin and causing his face to melt again.
There was an explosion, and Blaze was sent spiraling away from Barthandelus. Unfortunately, he was heading straight for one of the metal shafts.
"Agh!" Blaze howled in pain, watching the shaft of metal pierce through skin, muscle, bone, and metal. Blood splattered everywhere, and Blaze went into a violent coughing fit. There was blood and bile, and the pain was unbearable. The shaft was imbedded in his chest, probably destroying most of his vital organs, Blaze assumed. He was surprised, finding himself still capable of thought.
Lucy...what's this painful sensation? And..and what's this red stuff coming out of me...?
"You're dying, Edgar. That's blood that you're seeing."
Blaze touched the wound in his chest, wracking his body in pain as his body begged him to stop. He groaned as the blood gushed out of him. Taking some of the blood onto his fingers, Blaze inspected it. His right eye twitched, and he tried to stifle a laugh. It seemed funny, for a moment, that he was on the verge of death and that he had never seen himself bleed so much before.
You know, while death is a nice change of pace, it's really inconvenient at the moment. I mean, I don't mind dying, but I wished I could have completed those goals I set out for. I would've liked to get a better understanding of what Focus I was given. It might have been nice to see Fang reunite with Vanille, if their memories are still intact. You know, dying kinda sucks when you look into it. You know what's funny Lucy? The thumping noise finally stopped.
Blaze wasn't exactly alive, but wasn't exactly dead. He felt somewhere in between. Everything was hazy. He could see, strangely enough, but it didn't feel like it. It felt like an out-of-body experience. A lucid dream perhaps.
There was no sound, no smell, and he couldn't feel anything. Blaze assumed he was just their to watch something. Even now, it surprised him he was still capable of logical thought even when he was dead! If he was dead. It didn't feel like it. It didn't feel like anything. Everything was just...quiet.
He was somewhere white. There was no describable features, just a horizon stretching on for all of eternity. Sometimes a few colors floated on by.
"Her Providence sought nothing. Her Providence made nothing. She but looked on, silent in Her sorrow. The Goddess pitied mortals, destined as they were to die, and so She deigned to intervene in the hour of their greatest peril. She averted cataclysm that was to be, and put to rest the ones who would have robbed so many of what time fate had ordained. Her compassion did not end at this. The Goddess pitied also those subjected to that fate of Focus, crueler still than death. To them She sent Her messengers, to deliver hope when all was lost."
Lucy appeared before Blaze, apparently the one to speak those words that had floated on by like everything else at the moment. The skull glided by Blaze, silently watching. Silently judging.
From somewhere, the wind blew. Gusts of shadow collided onto each other in front of Blaze. The shadow spun and danced around, forming a tornado of darkness. As the cyclone grew darker and darker, it seemed that the white void around him had managed to become whiter. No colors floated on by anymore, as everything was being sucked up into the black spinning vortex. The wind howled and spun violently, ringing in Blaze's ear.
"Edgar..."
The swirling mass of shadow stopped. The howling died down, and Blaze could only hear the dying remnants of his real name echoing. The voice was feminine, but was low and husky.
The shadows dispersed into trillions of tiny glimmering black snowflakes. The air distorted, and a woman appeared, surrounded by the snowflakes. She was beautiful, to say the least. Her pale skin was unnaturally flawless, free of any blemish, dot, or line. Her inky black hair seemed to flow around her, with shadowy tendrils reaching out to touch the black snowflakes. The woman had a tall and slender build. Raggedy, torn strips of cloth covered small parts of her waist and breasts, still not leaving much to the imagination. Like Blaze at this moment, she too was floating. She hovered gracefully before him, and smiled. She had incredibly white teeth, and her black eyes seemed to sparkle if Blaze stared at them for too long.
"Greetings, Edgar." the woman spoke, bending to perform a small bow. The howling ceased, and all was quiet.
Lucy glided over to the mysterious woman, the flames around the skull dying down to tiny sparks. The woman reached out a hand and patted the skull gently.
"Did I do good, My Lady?"
The woman smiled, and stroked Lucy's cheek.
"Yes. You did wonderful, Lucifer. You brought Edgar right to me."
Blaze remained silent through the whole ideal. He thought he heard a purring sound emitted from Lucy, watching the skull being stroked and petted by the mysterious woman. The woman removed her hand, and Lucy returned to Blaze's side, seemingly content.
Care to fill me in on what's going on? Lucifer? Hahaha...
The flames around Lucy's skull lit up for a moment, and the woman laughed.
"I am the Goddess Etro, and welcome to the Void. You're body is dead, but the soul is alive. You were a l'Cie. I send my messengers to l'Cie to deliver hope when all is lost. In this case, you received Lucifer."
"But I had never received Lucy! I woke up in the holding cell and Lucy was already there!"
Etro nodded, and floated a little closer to Blaze. The black snowflakes followed, eventually surrounding him. Up close, her form didn't seem real. Where she glided, the air distorted itself. She appeared to be more of a shadow than a physical being. But, hearing the word Goddess caused something to click inside Blaze's mind. He was supposed to kill the Maker, and other divine beings. He was supposed to attack, but he couldn't move anything other than his eyes and mouth.
Reading his thoughts, Etro chuckled softly. Her eyes inspected Blaze more closely. It wasn't needed, already knowing what he had looked like since birth. Regardless, it was better to view the red-haired man in person when she normally looked at people without them knowing it.
"You are correct, Edgar. I never sent Lucifer to you. But after looking into the situation, it seemed like you needed an Eidolon after all. You play a pivotal role in the fate of the world, you know. The humans had built a device that could enter the Void, and Lucifer was captured."
"PSICOM created a weapon, the Void Gun they called it. It could open portals into the Void. The second shot from the gun would be a harpoon, to capture and drag its target into the real world. I was its first victim."
Blaze nodded, looking down at the wheel brand on his torso. He noticed that there seemed to be cracks originating from the center black circle. The cracks in the brand glowed orange, and pulsed strangely.
"Yeah. I saw that in my Focus. Ark...uh...Ark used that gun thing to open portals in the sky. A robot, a dragon, and a warrior exited from the portals."
"Exactly. I was brought into the physical world differently. The one you saw in your Focus was the completed version. They used a handheld version to capture me. They shot the gun through your wheel brand. The portal opened, and I was dragged into your body. That's why we can speak through thought, and why I use your body to enter Gestalt. Those cracks you see can only be seen in the Void. That's where I had entered your body."
Etro floated closer to Blaze. She placed a hand over Blaze's wheel brand. The sensation was strange. He couldn't feel anything, but his eyes started bugging out. For a moment, he thought he could feel vertigo.
"The cracks represent your physical shell breaking away. The power from your three brands are overwhelming your body. Now that you have received your Focus, the cracks will eventually grow bigger."
"But I'm dead! It's too late now!"
Etro nodded and closed her eyes.
"That is true. But I can take you back. The world has need of you, Edgar. There are others that play important roles, but they cannot function while one piece is missing. Your Focus requires you to defend mankind, and you will do just that."
Blaze sighed. "But I don't even know what my Focus is!" Etro chuckled softly to herself again, and placed her hand over Blaze's left arm.
"The humans are at war with each other. They wish to bring back the Maker that had abandoned them millennium ago. They plan on eradicating all life on Pulse, causing a flood of souls to go through the Door. They want to open portals into the Void, and ride the waves of souls. They'll use the souls to reach the Maker. However, the beasts in your Focus were not part of their plan. Humans have yet to grasp the complexity of the Void. The beasts will be summoned by accident."
"So they plan on using Ark as a means of transportation. So they could journey through the Door and meet the Maker. But the Projects and I were built to slay the Maker, and who are these beasts that will be summoned...?"
Blaze's words trailed on. His eyes were locked on his left arm. Etro's hand left his arm. The dead, rotting, bone-exposed arm was now fully healed. It was healthy, and good as new. The skin was smooth.
"The three beasts have existed inside the Void for centuries. The beasts open portals through the Void, and pass into different times and universes. The great robot-weapon Omega, is locked in eternal combat with the metallic dragon, Shinryu. The two follow each other from place to place, in constant struggle. The third, the halberd wielding warrior, is unlike the first two. Gilgamesh will venture through the portals as he chooses, but does not always leave destruction and havoc in his wake. Your Focus is to slay the three beasts, as they will destroy all life on Pulse."
Blaze nodded, still slightly confused.
"But by killing the beasts, the war would still rage on, and PSICOM would enter the door using the souls of the dead Pulsians. They would still reach the Maker!"
Etro placed a palm over Blaze's left eye. For a moment, nothing had happened. Removing her hand, she floated back to her original position. She smiled at her work. His left eye blinked a few times, and widened. He could see again!
"You were built to defeat the Maker, but that does not mean you will. It is ultimately your decision to face the Maker. You are correct; killing the beasts would still allow the humans to flood the Door. So it is up to you to find a way to end the war, and kill Omega, Shinryu, and Gilgamesh."
Lucy glided over to Blaze. The skull placed itself over his face, creating a mask. It was a perfect fit. The eye sockets lit ablaze with ethereal flame.
"Can I see the Maker?" Blaze asked. Lucy and Blaze were entering Gestalt.
Etro smiled, and nodded no. "I know where the Maker resides, and I can tell you, but it is up to you to find him. If you can answer this riddle, you will understand."
I am what you cannot be, but you once were what I will become.
I am what only blind can see, and of infinity and one, I am the sum.
I am the cure, and I am the cancer...
"Ready?" Lucy asked, slowly beginning to meld its conscious with Blaze's. He nodded, and with a deep breath, he closed his eyes.
"You've got one minute. You already cost me a year just to get to this damn place."
Blaze could hear Lucy's laugh echoing inside his mind. He was back in the real world, even though he felt like he never left it in the first place. Surprisingly, the pain was gone. The metal shaft protruding from his stomach remained, but the pain had vanished. To Blaze's enjoyment, his left arm and left eye were both fully healed. Even the thumping sound had returned.
Lucy and Blaze were entering their Gestalt form. Their conscious' revolved around each other, until becoming one. He lost control of his arms and legs, watching as the appendages spasmed and moved uncontrollably. He felt each bone in his body break and fix itself in mere seconds.
His eyes rolled back in his head, replaced with two sparks of fire. His skin tensed, and turned a dark maroon color. Blaze's legs twisted and contorted into the long hoofed legs of a goat. His spine began to wiggle, his coccyx splitting open from the skin it lay under. Like the rest of his body, the bone changed. It instantly grew about two feet long, and turned a greenish, spotted color. The bone began to slither slightly, until completely transforming into a snake. The two feet long snake-tail rose, almost reaching Blaze's shoulder.
Blaze's head began to throb. A curved horn sprouted and grew above each eye. His hands grew to become proportionate with the rest of his body. Fingers and nails grew into sharpened claws. His blood red hair clung to him like a thick fur, and exploded into flames. A pair of thick, fleshy upside down bat wings grew from pre-existing scars on his back.
"You better start counting then."
The metal shaft inside Blaze melted into slag, and dripped out. Blaze fell onto the platform, as the metal grate floor had completely melted by now. The wings unfurled, acting more as a predatory instinct of challenge.
Blaze stood defiant before Barthandelus. The air around him was distorted, the heat rising most of the air towards the ceiling. Wreathed in an eldritch fire, Blaze slowly strode towards the fal'Cie. The vine brand on his right arm began to glow bright, and a ball of fire appeared in his hand. Blaze condensed the fire, concentrating it into a single point. He balled his hand into a fist, covering the flame.
"I''ll show you a real Meteor Fist."
With godlike speed, Blaze closed the distance between him and Barthandelus. The man, who looked more demon than human at this point, leaped into the air. Blaze slammed his fist right into Barthandelus' face for the second time. This time, the results were much more devastating.
Fifty-five seconds...
The metal face of the fal'Cie was twisted and destroyed. Remnants of its strange visage and dagger-like teeth clung on, survivors of the attack. A loud, successful crunch emitted from Barthandelus the moment the punch pierced his armor. The shock of the blow actually caused the machine to shift backwards. With a hoofed kick to Barthandelus' thoroughly destroyed face, Blaze was off into the air again.
As his wings flapped weirdly in the air, Blaze spotted the molten silver rising from the pool. Given enough time, the silvery liquid would repair Barthandelus and fix any of his wounds.
Forty-five seconds, and don't let him fix himself.
Blaze closed his right eye, leaving his left eye open. The arcing brand over his left eye glowed brightly. Eyeing each silver tendril rising from the pool for a brief few seconds, Blaze used his next attack. The spark of fire hovering in front of his left eye shot out. The fire separated into five smaller sparks of fire, one for each tendril.
The fire hit each silver tendril. The space around the tendril was distorted, and each one collapsed in upon itself and burst into flames. The dying tendrils fell in pieces back to the silver pool below. The attack was effective, but stalling the process would result in much more tendrils in just a few seconds.
Thirty seconds...
"Just calm down for a moment. I realize how much time I have left. I figured out an escape route."
Barthandelus' face-masks had opened, showering Blaze in a torrent of laser fire. Navigating through the attack was difficult, a last ditch effort to stall Blaze so the fal'Cie had time to repair. Outright ignoring the attacks, Blaze flew right through the barrage of lasers and magic.
Blaze released a wave of energy as he landed upon Barthandelus for third time. The release of energy caused the metallic skin of the fal'Cie to slowly melt away. Blaze removed some of the metal plating that had managed to survive the second Meteor Fist. He took a good look inside the thrashing fal'Cie's mechanical insides.
Twenty seconds...
Giving a small wave goodbye to Barthandelus, Blaze drew power from his wheel brand. Taking in a deep breath through his nose, tiny puffs of black smoke escaped. Blaze opened his mouth, and released a torrent of fire. He yelled, breathing more fire into Barthandelus' robot guts. Jets of fire erupted out of every opening and orifice in the machine's body.
Barthandelus' insides were melting. His body was failing. He was destroyed beyond repair. He wasn't dead, oh no, only Ragnarok could kill a fal'Cie permanently. But the fal'Cie was reverting back to its crystal form, to wait, and recover.
The resulting blast flung Blaze across the room. His body quickly melted the metal hull of the ship. He could see the outside world again. Barthandelus let out one last explosion, and Blaze rode it out.
He was soaring out of the ship, the airship mostly melted by now. His time was up, and Blaze felt his body slowly transitioning back to its original form. He caught one last glimpse of Ark, sailing effortlessly inside Cocoon's barren shell.
The Goddess Etro had a small smile on her face. The divine being moved a little closer to Edgar, whispering in his ear.
"I am what you cannot be, but you once were what I will become.
I am what only blind can see, and of infinity and one, I am the sum.
I am the cure, and I am the cancer..."
"If you can answer this riddle, you will understand."
A/N: Okay, the chapter is done! A few things to say...
I did a self-insertion simply because I couldn't find creative names for a girl. Journey, Otto, Poe, Kaya, and Penelope were not important characters anyway, so I don't feel like that matters.
Lucifer is an actual Final Fantasy creature, feel free to look him up, because I'm not giving Blaze the actual devil. XD
Blaze does kinda fight like a Mary-Sueish character in this chapter. While I can admit that he does, he still has major drawbacks. By the end of this chapter, he has around nine years left to live.
If you can answer the riddle, feel free to send me what you think the answer is!
Okay, important question time...
Should Blaze find the Maker, and subsequently fight Him?
Answer the question please, and provide a short explanation as to why you chose what answer. I'll be going by majority rule, so if most of you guys want to see Blaze encounter the Maker, than I'll include it in the story.