Chapter Twelve: Clash of Elements

Beneath my force, the water was nothing. The wave fell at my touch, the waters sizzling as it shrank to merely fill the arena a foot deep. A laugh rang from my mouth as my enormous power surged through my veins and reached every part of me as though a light were growing on the inside. I felt like I could fly. I felt like I could break through stone. I felt like I could do anything.

Higher in the air I flew, never wanting to touch the ground again at the sheer amazement of being able to reach this height. Air tugged at my clothes and cooled my face. It was then that I realised I was hot, very hot. My limbs burned as though they were on fire, but there were no flames.

Beginning to worry, I let myself fall to the ground, landing on my feet precisely and staring down at myself. It was as though I had not activated a dress sphere, for that attire and line of abilities were gone. Instead I wore armoured plates that covered my body, each a glistening copper intricately designed with spiralling waves of colour. It was all absolutely weightless as I shrugged to feel the affect. Smiling, I raised my hands to the air, and in all of my surprise, a sword materialised at my hand, the grip falling into my fingers neatly.

In all of my pride and amazement in my power, Edravette caught the upper hand and unleashed a second torrent of water. It rose from the remaining water, building up to another wave, but as the first had failed, and he no longer stuck to the same plan. Instead of attacking me, he unleashed the water upon Yuna, Paine, and Rikku.

Screaming in fear, I took to the air again, my legs forcing me to fly straight for Edravette. With the tip of my sword reaching for his heart, I had thought my efforts would bring an end to him, but he turned with that malicious smile. "Not that easily."

Lifting a hand, he repelled my attack. A force exploded from his fingers that knocked my sword and myself back, sending us flying through the air. I screamed out in anger as I heard the screams of my terror stricken friends, and I turned my head to see them cowering beneath the force that welled up before them, but I couldn't let them die…

I wouldn't.

"Not like this…" I said, my strength gathering as I turned myself in the air and changed courses towards the wall of water. I flew like a bullet, a wingless sight tearing through the air and fizzling the water as I passed over it. "Not like this, Edravette!" I screamed.

I brought myself head first into the new wave like the first and found myself passing through the water. It crashed towards the ground, towards my friends, but I slid to a stop before them and raised my sword in the air, facing the watery beast that yearend for all of us.

"You will not take them!"

My words summoned up more power within me and it burned to life, rising from a dwindling flame to a great pillar of light. Flare, my power. My element.

I witnessed my true capability as the light erupted from my sword, forming a shield much larger and thicker than the first. Water crashed into it, leaking over the sides only to be lost as they approached me. The shield held off the heart of the water with ease, but Edravette was not going to give up like that.

With a wave of his hand, he could make wonders happen, dark wonders that would put an end to me if I wasn't strong and ready. He rose his palm up, growling in the frustrations of battle as he realised he had not scratched a single one of us. However, he always had a trick up his sleeve, and as he summoned up another burst of magic, the wave turned and twisted until it was no longer a wave, but a screaming beast of rock.

My eyes widened in disbelief at the transformation that took place before me. He had changed the element so quickly, and I wasn't anticipating a placid wall of water to become a thick, heavy rock fiend. It sheer enormity was enough to have me filling up with doubts.

"Rachael."

I listened as Paine approached, standing beside me. She stood by my side but without her sword drawn. She knew that she didn't stand a chance, that I was the only hope. But her words gave me the strength I needed.

"Don't forget everything you have learned here," she said to me in a deadly calm voice. "All of the faults you have realised, all of the torments you have faced… it's all about power and your yearning to control. Right now, you need that more than anything. You need to control the power you hold, and you will find the light."

"Power…" I muttered, staring at the ground as he rock beast struggled to come to terms with its heaviness in this world. "I've been tyring to control everyone and what the do… my best friend…"

Paine nodded and gripped my wrist to gather my attention. "You see this beast? Edravette has put most of his strength in it. It can barely lift it's head due to the weight it is. He has put too much in this beast, and therefore cannot control his emotions to crush you. You can't follow that path again like you have been. You need to wrestle down this new power that has been given to you as a gift, and beat Edravette through control. He will falter where you will prevail."

Her eyes were shining as I turned to them, and to my deeper surprise, she was smiling. I couldn't believe how much she had taught me about myself and my power. "I don't know how to thank you," I said weakly.

Her smile widened. "Save our asses. That might work."

Despite the looming creature that had regained itself and prepared to strike, I laughed moments before I was forced to leap in front of her and conjure another shield that protected my Gullwing friends and myself. Then it was in the air again, sword outstretched, eyes searching for a weak spot.

There.

It's head was small compared to the rest of it's massive body, again the proportions ruined so it could fight with sheer strength. Therefore, the head would fall easily… right? I was counting on it.

I passed some metres above it's tiny eyes, flipped myself mid jump as it pounded at my weakening shield, then put all of my force into my sword as I dropped down at it's head. The tip of my blade tore into the rock and shoved it deep into its body with a serious of bone shuddering crunches, and I rested on its shoulder as it fell, facing Edravette. I didn't use my power more than what was needed, and that was something the man could not seem to understand.

"You fool," he rasped, the years of his life seeming to ripen as he used more and more of his strength, but no, that wasn't it. He was changing, that was for sure, but not in the way age demanded completely. His limbs were lengthening and he was adding on muscle and changing to a deeper colour. "I am turning, and soon you will be no more."

I realised then that I fate must be the same if I dove too deep into my powers. I would not let myself become a monster like him, so I waited for his next attack without throwing myself into his destruction.

As he saw me standing his ground, he let out a laugh that did not lack nervousness completely. "You really want to stand against me further? How I long for your element, Rachael, especially now that Marelle has enhanced it… That girl, I knew she would come in handy at some point."

I bit my lip in anger. "How can you think like that? She was trying to help you, and you treat her like a puppet!"

"She was a puppet!" he roared. "She was going to be used from the beginning!"

"Maybe so, but she is human," I said, crossing my arms impatiently. "Now I think I realise that there is another difference between us that is not just control."

He snorted. "And what is that?" he spat out.

I placed a hand to my chest, realising that this was all down to me. Spira and my own world depended on it. As I felt my breathing quicken, I glanced down at Paine, Yuna, and Rikku, all whom were nodding towards me to bring this to an end.

I turned back o Edravette and graced him with my answer. "Where you lack it, I have it here inside of me. I have a heart, Edravette, and you are completely heartless."

I had hit a nerve. He snapped, and it was a physical sight as well. His body jerked and the orbs around him exploded into the light of the elements he possessed. It was almost blinding, and I knew this was it. He had gone too far because his emotions and his control ruled him, and this was the last step until the end of either him of me.

As the surrounding auras fell away from him, his true form was visible, and it was a frightening sight. Each part of him was the colour of a different element, the shape of a shard of ice, or a burning flame. He was so twisted and distorted with the different parts of him that he was barely recognisable. Only his face remained the same, that sly grin still there as his yellowed eyes peered out of thick growing muscle.

"It's over girl."

"No… it's not."

This was it. I could feel it inside of me, the burning that did not belong to the power, but to my soul. It filled me, making me forget the calling urge to use all of my element. I felt at peace and strong enough to hold on without losing myself. I was going to end this, and I wasn't going to turn into a monster. I could now know it for sure.

"Face me!" Edravette roared, raising his elemental limbs into the air. He let out an inhuman howl, his tiny eyes slitting as his growing form rose to yet another size. "Face… me…"

I felt a little sad, seeing him suffer like this. It was only human after all to feel such an affect, but my purpose here could not be help. My feet left the ground, leaving me hovering for a moment to remind myself that this was all to protect them, the Gullwings and my two worlds. Heartened and with a lifted spirit, I kicked off of the air and sailed towards my enemy, my eyes burning with determination.

Never had I moved this fast, never had I felt my heart beat so hard, never had I experienced the feeling that everything was going to be okay…

I threw myself at Edravette, my sword out like a spike that yearned for his flesh. With a crunch of ice his frozen arm knocked me back, a layer shattering at my body and leaving shards to pierce into my flesh. We both reeled back in sudden pain as the shock of the quick attacks both faded and we felt the effects.

Blood flowed from my stomach where a line of small icicles jutted out. I gripped at them with sweaty hands, but they were stuck tight. Edravette, however, had not escaped without injury either. He clutched at his worn down arm with the one of rock and cursed at me.

"Sorry, but this is the only way now," I said, cutting at him again. This time I wedged my blade into the protective rocky limb. Sparks erupted around us as he tried to throw me away from him, but my blade stuck fast. I pressed down harder, aiming to break through the arm, but something sharp and equally hard gripped me by the neck.

His icy fingers ripped through the skin on my neck and warm blood dribbled down my shirt. Thankfully the cold numbed the pain and I had strength enough to kick him in the stomach and push myself free with my foot.

Airborne again, I flew low and swept over the ground, clutching at my neck as I realised I was losing too much blood. My sight was beginning to fade and my strength with it. Before I could stop properly and set my feet on the ground, my ability to fly could do no more for me and I fell to a tangled heap in the dirt.

Edravette was fast to land beside me with a rumbling crunch, but he did not end my life straight away. He stood over me in his bright hulking form, laughing and kicking me sharply in the side. "Looks like your number is up already. So early, too. How disappointing."

Although I was desperate and afraid, the feeling of hopeful destiny did not disappear. I still felt strong enough in heart and mind to end his beginning reign, but how when my life was seeping out of my torn throat.

"Cure!"

A blinding white light surrounded me and I welcomed the familiar feeling of my wounds disappearing. The pain fell away with it, soothing to become nothing.

"Thank you, Yuna," I said gratefully as I started to force myself up, but well aimed bullets took the fingers straight off of Edravette's icy arm. Only Yuna could shoot that well, and that meant…

"The name's Paine, and don't you forget it."

I looked up in surprise to see the gothic woman wearing one of her most hated dress spheres: The White Mage.

"You know, it suits you," I complimented carefully. "You should use it more often."

She rolled her eyes. "Don't push it. I just thought you could use the hand whilst those two cut away at him. After all, they are faster than me in battle."

I could barely believe what I was hearing from her. "You know Paine, I'm not the only one who's changed during this journey," I pointed out, smiling.

She didn't reply, but she didn't deny it either. I could see her eyes shimmering and her lips tilting up in the corners, but she was strong enough to remain like a wall.

Rikku joined the fight with Yuna, slicing away at the icy arm above the bullets, her grin every present as she severed the limb away. Yuna turned her aim to Edravette's head as he struck at Rikku, rendering him blind so she could escape.

"Sorry Rach!" she said as she turned her head to face me, backing away from the enraged monster. "But we were getting a little bored standing over there."

"We know we can't finish it off," Yuna added, still firing from her gun like crazy. "We just thought we might lend you a hand. That okay?"

I laughed and got to my feet again. "Of course it is, but you mind if I take over again? I owe him a rather decent job on his jugular after he almost took mine out."

Rikku pulled away and held her arm out for me to continue. "He's all yours, but we've got your back, right girls?"

"You bet!" Yuna cried, firing one last lucky shot into his left eye and ultimately blinding his left side.

"Always," Paine added, her rare smile present again. "Don't you forget it."

I couldn't. I never would. I would remember them no matter what happened, and if I needed it, I would call for their help. They would come everytime, and I wouldn't be alone.

"Let's do this, Edravette!" I cried out, my sword extended in my hand, the tip pointing straight at the beast. "Let's end everything!"

He bared his skewered teeth out of a listed mouth. "I have been ready for too long! COME!"

With rage pumping through me, I did just that. I came to him, my sword waving in front of me, my teeth clenched and my body open. If I died, so be it. If I lived, so be it. I was going to be the protector of my friends and worlds and he wouldn't stop me.

I crashed against his rock arm, my sword tearing through it as though it were nothing. His surprise was evident as he failed to stop me, and I slammed myself against his spiked torso, embedding myself on the spires as my sword stuck through his chest.

We both stood still, both bleeding to death as we were trapped against one another. The spikes over his body protruded from my back, but I didn't falter or fall. I pushed myself free, biting my lip as pain wracked through my body. Paine cast cure again and I started to feel the holes closing up, but Edravette wasn't finished either. He lurched froward and knocked me to the ground with his stubble rock arm.

I groaned as I felt my head connect with the earth. Another wound that needed to be healed, but there wasn't time. Edravette fell to his knees beside me and the flames that covered part of his body were pressed against me, burning at my skin. I rolled away from him, but stopped midway as I heard something clatter to the ground.

My sword.

I turned fast to find it lying before the monster, and a regenerated arm of the thinnest icy ley over it. He looked to be almost gone, bullet holes riddling his face, blood pouring from a gaping wound in his chest. His rock arm was practically gone, and his new arm was weak. It seemed I would have to destroy the head to defeat him, but how could I do that when I wasn't healing fast enough.

"It's over," Edravette said quietly, even his voice faltering. "You are drying, and not even your friends can help you now…"

"Is that right?" Rikku leapt in out of nowhere and struck the beast in the neck, his daggers piercing through the thick flesh… but not deep enough. A tiny drop of water trickled down onto his spiked chest and he laughed at her efforts. He lifted her with hic new icy claws and threw her away as though she were a rag doll.

I stared in horror as he turned towards her to finish her off, my sword now in his hand. A bullet tore though the air and shattered into his arm, then another spell of cure was cast on me. Still my wounds were too deep to heal fast enough though, and Rikku wasn't getting away fast enough… then something unbelievable happened.

Paine dove in the way of Rikku and stood between her and Edravette. She stared him in the eyes, knowing that she had no chance against him, but willing to be the shield that protected Rikku. I stared in shock as Edravette raised the sword, a pillar of flame rising to protect him from bullets. He was using the rest of his strength to stay standing, protect himself, and deliver thee final blow all at once, but I wouldn't let him win. I wouldn't fall like this and leave my friends to die trying to kill the monster. It had been up to me in the beginning. Destiny had chosen me, not Edravette or his puppets.

Now destiny was calling again.

I leapt to my feet, the last of my power already beginning to fade along with my life, but I stood strong as I faced Edravette. He would not break me and my destiny. It was all down to this moment, and as I turned to face a terrified Yuna and Rikku, and the brave Paine, I had my motivation.

With a final burst of speed, I launched at Edravette and gripped onto his back, feeling the sting of agony as protection of spires pierced into me. I tore at his head, using my armoured fists to crack against his skull until he turned and faced me, knocking me to the ground.

There I lay, blood spilling out of my new wounds and mixing with that of the old as I stared up at the face of my death. He lifted my sword above his head, point first, then with that sly smile that would be etched into my final memories, he stuck it through me.

I thought it was all over as the blade passed through my armour and flesh to rest deep in the ground. His face was just above mine, breathing putrid breath into my face as he snickered, "I win."

But he didn't. I had too much to lose.

I struck, using all of my strength to un-wedge the sword from myself and turn it beneath his stomach in my bloodied hands. I pierced it through his head, the hilt meeting his skin as the blade rose out of the skull like a triumphant hand. He gave a pant of air, stared into my eyes, and slipped to the side, taking my sword to the ground with him.

I had finished it, the ruin that faced the worlds and everyone I loved… but at a price. I was broken, lying on the ground with my life draining away. Amazing things flashed though my mind, things that I didn't expect.

I saw my best friend, my pets, my parents, my world, but none of the pain they held. The memories were all happy. I was smiling in everyone, and I smiled as my eyes began to close.

"Rachael!"

they reopened as I heard my name and I turned weakly to see the Gullwings rushing towards me. Rikku fell to my side, gripping my body in a gentle hug as she cried against me. "It can't end like this!"

Behind her, Paine had an arm around Yuna as she cried silently. They both looked so beautiful, fictional characters made real. It was unbelievable how amazing this world was, and what it had revealed for me. I had learnt so much from it, and them, my dear friends.

I rested a heavy arm on Rikku's back, wincing as I pressed her against my wounds. "Rikku… It's… okay…"

She shook her head and cried hared against me. "How can you say that? How can you die!?"

I smiled weakly, a tear running down the side of my face. "I'm so… sorry…"

"No!" She pulled herself away from me and turned to glare straight at Paine. "Heal her! Why aren't you healing her!?"

The warrior lowered her head, dropping the staff to the ground. "It's no use. Those wounds are too deep. Neither of us have strong enough magic."

"Then we'll heal her together!" Rikku screamed, already changing into the white mage dress sphere.

Yuna sighed and stepped forward, reaching into the light and grasping Rikku's hand as she appeared as a mage. "It won't work, Rikku... The magic of the white mage can't heal wounds like this. She's from a different world, so it won't work… I'm sorry."

I laughed, the sound rasped and struggled. "I wonder what will… happen to me. Will I go… to the Farplane, or… the afterlife of… my own world?"

"Don't say that!"

It was Paine this time who could not control herself. She fell at my side and lifted me up into her arms as though I weighed nothing. "I won't let this happen! It isn't right!"

"Where will we take her?" Yuna asked quickly, grasping Paine lightly on the arm. "Who can help her now?"

Paine bit her lip. "I-I don't know, but I have to get her back to the ship. We'll fly around until we find someone, damn it! We have to!"

I heard the tension in her voice and I could see Yuna as she glanced down at me worriedly, her hand falling to mu shoulder, but there was nothing more.

Everything faded away…

Author's Note - The end is one chapter away now! YAY!!