Part Two: The Great Divide

Darkness had fallen over the Northern Sky

Yet the war did not end

Declaring Delita a traitor and a fraud the Shrine Knights took up arms

We took flight to Bervenia for refuge

One of few free cities left in Ivalice

Chapter Fourteen: The Resistance

Winter came late to Bervenia, but upon arriving it made up for lost time. Ramza had grown so used to the comparative warmth of the south that he was no longer accustomed to the blistering cold, though many of the residents of the city considered it quite a normal year.

Tension ran high throughout the entire city as the Nanten took up any useful strongholds. After the Hokuten were routed at the Battle of Bethla, if it could even be called a battle, the Southern Sky swept over most of Ivalice. Lesalia fell scant days later, and reports stated that half the city had been razed to the ground. Surrender soon followed.

Outraged at Delita's betrayal, and claiming Cardinal Draclau and Dycedarg Beoulve were killed by Nanten spies, High Priest Funeral mobilized the Templars. The Fort City of Zaland quickly lost its freedom to the new Cardinal, a man named Zalmo Rusnada, and the Glabados Church solidified its defenses in the Lionel region.

The Southern Sky had set up garrisons in almost every city they could use against the Templars, and thankfully Bervenia was so deep in Nanten territory that it had been left unmolested thus far. Ramza knew the peace in this city wouldn't last, but for the past two months he had enjoyed it.

Trudging through the snow, his face wrapped in a wool scarf to keep the biting wind off of it, the Dark Knight sidled into the small shop. He kicked the powder from his boots, relishing the warmth of the hearth as the proprietor shouted for him to close the door.

Ramza set about the shop, his gaze flitting quickly across the displays in the room. His search had been fruitless so far, with two hours spent braving the cold he despised in the market district. If it hadn't been important, he wouldn't have spent so much time out in the streets. Ramza hated shopping.

"Sir, how much for this?" He asked, nodding down at the display.

The man took one glance before going back to his glass of ale, obviously not concerned about helping a customer.

"More than you can afford, boy."

"Is that so?" Ramza asked, dropping a pile of Gil on the counter. "I suppose it is. This is all I have"

"Wait, wait!" The man rescinded, greedy eyes on the coins. "It looks like that's just enough there."

Shaking his head, Ramza left the shop, leaving the door cracked open behind him to spite the man, before instantly regretting it and returning to close it. Shrugging his shoulders and striding into the wind, he made his way to the large building higher in the city. The old structure had once been a barracks for the occupying garrison, but had long since been abandoned. For Ramza's Raiders, as Izlude called them, no place could be better.

Shouldering the heavy door inward, the Dark Knight let the wind push him inside. The entrance of their home wasn't much warmer than outside, but without the wind it felt almost balmy. Ramza quickly shrugged out of his heavy outerwear, letting it fall to the floor. Normally he would have hung it, but after his jacket had fallen off the hook a day prior Alma had ranted about him not taking care of his things, so he opted to let her pick them all up this time.

Breathing into his clasped hands to warm them, Ramza slipped over toward the dining room, knowing he was probably just in time for the after supper meeting that had become a nightly ritual. He kicked the door open, sliding inside and barely avoiding the spoon that was tossed in his direction.

"You're late," Alma said, pointing at him and getting herself a new spoon. "And I swear, if your coat is on the floor again, so help me God."

Ramza simply smiled at her, pulling up a chair to sit across from his sister, near Meliadoul and her brother. The food was still warm over the fire, but he was too nervous to be hungry. He subtly glanced over at Meliadoul, only to have her soundly ignore him. She'd been quietly evasive all day, but at least he knew why.

"You're still here, brother?" Ramza asked, leaning on the table.

"Alma insisted I eat first." Zalbag answered, rolling his eyes. "I'll be heading out shortly. I'll send a message once I reach Gariland."

"Oh, I have news from my father." Olan cut in, still chewing on whatever Alma had prepared, having apparently arrived late as well.

"How is he faring?"

"Well I'd say. He and Gaff ran into man in Lesalia who might be able to help us. I didn't get many details, but there was something about a dragon and that they were headed to some temple."

"That's good. Any word from the machinists?"

"Last I heard Mustadio was preparing to leave Goug. The Templars are blockading most ships though, so he might not be able to get out easily."

"He's a smart man, he'll find a way." Meliadoul said, her voice strained. "If you'll excuse me."

The Divine Knight stood stiffly, pushing her chair in and striding quickly from the room. Izlude looked as though he wanted to follow her, thought better of it, and shot Ramza a knowing look instead.

"What did you do?" Alma asked accusingly, glaring across the table at her brother.

"Why is it everything is my fault?"

"Because it usually is."

"When I agreed to keep my mouth shut, I didn't know you'd take this long." Izlude said, rubbing his eyes wearily. "I've been hearing about it all day."

Ramza shrugged, holding up both hands in defeat. The Dark Knight slipped out of his chair, the sound of Olan chuckling cut off by Valmafra's elbow in his ribs as Ramza left the room. Taking the stairs two at a time, Ramza strode up to the second door on the second floor, and knocked quietly on the door.

"What?" Meliadoul's annoyed reply made Ramza smirk a little.

"Hey, it's me, I'm coming in." He said, making his voice as light as he possibly could.

The woman was sitting in her chair, her eyes purposefully locked onto the pages of the book in her lap. She didn't spare Ramza a glance as he closed the door behind him, and he paced around the room for a couple of minutes. Finally she shot him a look before going back to pretending to read.

"What do you want?"

"Nothing, you just seemed like something was amiss."

"I'm fine."

Ramza nodded, and continued to meander around her room for a little longer. He could practically feel the Divine Knight's annoyance as he finally ended up near her. Slipping one hand out, he dropped the length of silver onto the book. It remained there for a long moment, before Meliadoul finally looked up at him.

"What's this?"

"It appears to be a pendant."

The woman narrowed her eyes at him a moment before picking up the jewelry, closing her book and setting it aside.

"Garnet, right? That's your birthstone? You'd be surprised how hard it was to find."

"You knew today was my birthday, and you waited until now to give me this?"

"Should I give it to you tomorrow?"

"I hate you, were you aware of that?"

"I'm sure Izlude does too. He's been keeping my knowledge a secret from you all day."

Meliadoul laughed, staring down at small gemstone for a long moment. Ramza smiled, and was preparing to say goodnight and slip out of the room, when she burst from her chair. He wasn't prepared for the arms around his neck, as the woman quickly kissed his neck before stepping back.

"You and Alma are the only ones who seem to realize I'm a girl as well as a knight." She said with a laugh. "She got me perfume. My brother bought me a dagger."

"Ah, the famous Izlude Dagger. I have two of them."

Smiling, the woman handed him the necklace and turned away, pulling her hair off of her neck. Ramza fumbled with the chain for a moment around her neck, finally fastening it. Meliadoul turned and looked around, a rueful twist to her lips, and Ramza realized she was wishing for a mirror.

Taking a step back, Ramza reached down, drawing his sword smoothly. He held it aloft, tip to the ceiling, to allow her to use its surface to see her reflection. Meliadoul laughed as she looked herself over, before her hand came up to the blade.

The woman pushed it to Ramza's chest, leaning against it at the same time. Her lips were gentle as they brushed against his, her other arm snaking around his neck. Ramza felt his free hand drop to her waist, unconsciously pulling her against him.

It didn't take but a moment for one appreciative meeting of lips to turn into several, and Ramza found himself slowly pushing the woman back until they met the cold stone wall. Sword still pinned between them, they remained locked together, one of Meliadoul's legs wrapping around his, for the better part of a minute.

Finally, taking a deep breath, Meliadoul broke contact, letting her head fall against the wall. Smirking, the woman took Ramza's sword from his grasp, and with the blind skill only a capable knight could have, sheathed it for him without a glance.

"You won't need that." She said quietly, tugging free the belt that housed it.

What would normally be quite a bleak, dark night instead seemed nearly as bright as the day that preceded it. After sunset the clouds had broken, giving the full moon the power to light up the snow covered streets below. Izlude wrapped his coat tighter around his chest, thankful that the frigid wind had left with the clouds.

He often escaped to the top of the fort late at night, especially after the first snow fell. Bervenia was a beautiful city when it wasn't packed with people. It was more quiet and peaceful than anywhere he had been before. That wasn't the real reason he came to the roof, however.

"You're lucky I don't mind the cold." Alma said as she clambered out her bedroom window, not far from him.

As always the girl carried two thick wool blankets over one shoulder, even when Izlude insisted he didn't need one. She'd been outside only seconds and already a rosy hue had slipped into her cheeks, as it always did when she went out. Izlude noticed every little detail when it came to Alma, though he never mentioned it.

The knight smiled at her before letting his gaze travel out over the city. Alma took a moment to lay her blanket on the faintly sloped roof before dropping onto it, wrapping the thick wool around her shoulders and tossing Izlude's blanket onto his lap. After a few seconds the man swung it over his back as well.

"Have you seen Ramza? Did he go out again after dinner?"

"He went to give my sister her present."

"So he did remember! Is he still with her?"

"I assume so."

"Ah." The woman said with a smirk. "She's probably expressing her gratitude."

Izlude shot her a cold glare, to which Alma raised an eyebrow innocently.

"I thought you were raised in a monastery."

"Why, Sir Izlude!" Alma replied with mock surprise. "Are you calling my innocence into question?"

Rolling his eyes and smiling, the young knight stared out across Bervenia, as a companionable silence fell between them. He never knew what to say to Alma during the nights they retreated to the rooftop, so they usually just sat quietly together, enjoying the company. After several minutes Alma sighed, pulling her blanket tighter around her.

"It really is beautiful here. Pity it might be the last free city in Ivalice." She said softly.

Izlude nodded silently, trying his best to keep Alma's face in the corner of his eye without her noticing. Even after living with the girl for weeks he was still nervous, unsure of what to do or say to express himself. He hated himself for being a coward, and not speaking openly with her. It was obvious the girl enjoyed being around him, otherwise she wouldn't brave the elements just to sit with him. Yet he couldn't bring himself to say anything to her.

"Izlude," She began, turning to face him. "What are you going to do, when all of this is over?"

"You mean the war?"

"Yes. What will you do when we've defeated the Lucavi?"

Izlude loved her confidence. It was never a question of if they could destroy the demons and emerge victorious; it was simply a matter of when to Alma. He wished, often, that he could be so sure of their future.

"I honestly don't know." He said quietly, staring at the streets below. "I suppose I wouldn't mind just doing this, when all is said and done."

"Sitting on a roof in the dead of winter?" Alma asked with a laugh, her smile lighting up the night.

"If it's with you, yes." Izlude replied before he could catch himself.

Alma's smile slipped away, her expression turning thoughtful. Ignoring her completely, the knight stared straight ahead, silently cursing himself for ever opening his mouth. For a long moment neither of them spoke, and Izlude sat waiting for her to get up and walk away. He'd been wrong about how she felt, and stupid, and now he'd ruined everything between them.

He was so wrapped up in insulting himself internally that he didn't notice Alma slide closer to him. It wasn't until he felt her hand slip into his, the girl twining their fingers together, that he snapped out of it. Alma leaned over, her cool lips brushing gently against his cheek, before resting her head on his shoulder.

"Me too."

Izlude didn't feel the cold after that, nor did he care if he froze to death beneath the full moon.

Illuminated by the moon, Agrias jerked her sword free, blood splattering over the soft powder as the man fell in a heap. For a long moment the Holy Knight stared at the drops of crimson marring the perfect white surface, her thoughts leading her nowhere in particular. She'd long since grown numb to the killing, as cold as the winter night when it came to her life.

Wiping and sheathing her blade, the woman wedged her toe beneath the man's shoulder, flipping the priest onto his back. She gazed down at his blank stare, curious just what the man saw in his final moments, before turning away.

"Lady Oaks," One of the Knight Blades approached her, sheathing his weapon as well. "Your orders?"

Agrias yanked the tunic free of her belt, rubbing the cloth between her fingers for a moment before tossing it next to the fallen priest. The Templar symbol embossed onto the tunic would shift the attention onto the Church, furthering her mission of dissention. She wished she could see the Cardinal's face when it was discovered next to a dozen dead clergy.

"Burn it." Agrias said calmly, leaving her Blades to finish up.

Several minutes later, as she enjoyed the warmth from the blaze that consumed the church outside of Dorter, Agrias noticed riders approaching. She waved for the knights with her to stand down, walking purposefully toward the chocobos. She recognized the man even from a distance, which always contributed to his presence on the battlefield.

"Lady Oaks." The ruler of Limberry nodded to her, a small smile touching his lips.

"Marquis Elmdore. What brings you here? I thought your men were stationed in Gariland."

"We're marching to the North." The Silver Noble explained, glancing at the burning structure near them. "We make for Bervenia."

"Really? To what end?"

"Lord Hyral believes the Beoulve may have taken refuge there. It's time we took control of the city."

Ramza Beoulve. Agrias hadn't heard mention of the former commander of the Blades in months, and neither had his old soldiers. The knights around her fell silent immediately, and Agrias knew why. Despite his defection and the fact he managed to save dozens of Hokuten after the Battle of Bethla, the Blades still held him in high regard. Heretic and traitor he may be, but he was still without a doubt a great leader.

"Laying siege for one man? That hardly seems worth the effort."

"Come now, we both know he's not just another deserter." Elmdore replied with a grin. "Besides, Hyral wants to strengthen our inner defenses in the North. Bervenia is a loose end."

"I suppose so, though I don't agree with him taking troops from the front lines. The fight is here, not in the North."

"You'll have to take that up with him then."

"Believe me, I shall."

The Marquis dismissed himself, taking one last look at the crumbling church before he turned and rode back to his vanguard. Agrias watched as the man left, her mind wandering, before she gathered her Knight Blades and prepared to set out.

Sunlight filtered through the window and onto Meliadoul's bare back as Ramza lie on his side, silently looking over at her. The woman was still fast asleep, sprawled out on her stomach with the blanket covering her legs. The Dark Knight knew he should get up, but upon waking he couldn't help but stay in Meliadoul's bed.

Lightly tracing one finger down the woman's spine, Ramza found his mind was gloriously free from worry for the first time in what seemed an eternity. Lying there next to the Divine Knight, he found it easier to forget the war that ravaged the country. He could simply stare at the curve of her spine, or the way her dark hair fell over her shoulder, and pretend he wasn't bogged down with the responsibility.

A gentle rapping at the door drew his gaze, and for a moment Ramza panicked. The only person he thought might come knocking this early in the morning would be Izlude, and it wasn't likely the man would be pleased to find Ramza had spent the night with his sister.

Gently the Dark Knight slipped from the bed and walked to the door, thankful he was at least half dressed. Even if it was Izlude, there was nothing he could do but answer. It would be better if he came to the door than if his friend stormed in and saw things for himself.

Quietly Ramza pulled the door inwards, leaning out just enough to spot Olan smiling at him. Sighing in relief, he slipped out into the corridor. The astrologist crossed both arms over his chest, that wry smile still on his lips.

"Alma told me I might find you here."

"Yes, well, erm, what is it?"

"Cid and Gaff are back. They brought someone to meet you."

"Did they?" Ramza asked, fighting down the flush in his face. "I'll be right down."

"Is Mel coming?"

"No, I'll let her sleep."

"Yeah, she probably needs it, right?" Olan grinned at him before walking away.

Rubbing the bridge of his nose, Ramza sighed and set off for his room. He hadn't intended anyone to know of his relationship with the Divine Knight. Trying not to think about it for now, he quickly dressed and jogged down the stairs. Olan, Gaff, and Cid had taken a seat in the dining room as Alma prepared an early breakfast. It seemed Valmafra and Izlude had yet to come down either, which was a relief.

Seated next to Orlandu were a man and a woman Ramza didn't know. He nodded briefly to them as he took a seat. The man was obviously a knight, his sword still hitched at his side. The woman seemed rather detached, her gaze far off as she absently played with the hem of her dress, as though she was unused to the cloth.

"So you're Ramza Beoulve?" The man said appraisingly. "You have quite a reputation for a man your age."

"Oh, don't inflate his ego." Alma shot from where she cooked.

"Ignore the serving wench." Ramza said lightly, flinching in anticipation of a thrown utensil. "Who might you be?"

"My name is Beowulf Kadmus, and this is Reis Dular."

"Kadmus? I know that name."

"Beowulf used to be in charge of the Templars." Cid explained.

"Ah, that's why."

"Indeed." Beowulf said with a sigh. "That was before the Temple Knights lost their way."

"He has agreed to help us." Gaff said, resting his head on the back of his chair and closing his eyes.

To confirm this, the former Templar reached into his tunic, pulling a stone out and placing them on the table. Silence fell upon the room as Ramza stared at Aquarius, biting down on his lower lip before glancing at Cid.

"How?"

"Sheer luck as it were." The man replied with a chuckle. "We ran into Beowulf and agreed to help him. We didn't know it would also bring us these. There's something else to be discussed, as well."

Orlandu turned his gaze to Beowulf, nodding for him to speak. The man hesitated for a long moment, his eyes searching those of his lover, before he gave Ramza his attention.

"Reis was afflicted by a curse, that Lord Orlandu and Gafgarion helped me lift, but that's not as importance as the how of it."

"I'm afraid I do not follow." Ramza said, perplexed.

"It was this." The former Templar said, hefting Aquarius. "The stone was the power that returned her to a human form."

"So they're not necessarily evil, as we had suspected."

"I'm inclined to believe so." Said Cid, rubbing the stubble on his jaw. "It's my theory that the stones are a gateway, but not to hell as I had once believed. I think the power of the stone is tempered by the wielder."

Ramza thought on this for a long moment, filing the information away deep into his mind. It was good news, that was certain. The stones evil presence was something that had gnawed at him as long as they carried them. There was always a worry that Lucavi would find a way to seduce even him.

"You have the Scriptures, don't you?" Beowulf asked suddenly, before Ramza could speak.

"What?" Ramza asked, his gaze leaping to Orlandu to see the man was as surprised as he.

"The Templars have been searching for the Germonik Scriptures for months, though they haven't even heard a whisper of their whereabouts. May I see them?"

Ramza locked eyes with Cid, the old knight replying with a shrug. It was dangerous to just hand the book over to a man he had just met. All it would take is a moment for the book to be destroyed.

"I understand why you would be wary." Beowulf said. "I am no longer a Templar, young Beoulve. I left that life behind long ago, when they betrayed me. I ask you to trust me."

The Dark Knight stared thoughtfully at the man for a long moment, before turning and nodding once to Olan. The astrologist rose from the table and excused himself. Ramza could believe the conviction in the man's eyes. He could see the truth in his gaze.

"Welcome to the resistance."

Author's Note: Sex! I originally was torn between leaving Ramza and Meliadoul's smooshing open ended, so one would have to wonder if they actually went to bed or just did some heavy petting. In the end I realized that now was the time to put it in if I was going to, before the story picks up steam again. So was it fitting? Or too forced and badly placed? Still deciding if Alma and Izlude should stay more of an innocent romance, or step up to the next level. Thoughts? Consider this a 'catch-up' chapter, to show the beginning of what happened after Bethla.

Taking a moment now to thank Dark Triad and Caellach Tiger Eye. Dark mentioned this once and Caellach sent me a Message with the same, concerning FFXII Espers. It'd been so long since I played the game that I totally spaced off the Lucavi being Espers in that game, and it's a good thing they pointed it out to me. It turns out one of the Espers fits perfectly with something I had in mind for an original Lucavi, it couldn't have turned out better. So that goes to show: Reviewing changes things.

Also the fan appreciation for Ram/Mel and Izlude/Alma contributed to the stepping up of both pairings. I hadn't expected Alma and Izlude to be popular, but I like the pair as well, so expect to see more of it as the story goes. Group orgy? Probably a little Valmafra and Olan too, since I look forward to writing some of the backstory for Val.

Edit: 3-14-2011- Added a small scene explaining that it was Aquarius, not Cancer, that restored Reis to her human form and removed Cancer from the story, as it's not actually in their possession. This was a mistake on my part that was pointed out by a reviewer thankfully before I included the Cancer stone once more. I had written up something about Cancer not being there, but lost that part of this chapter and forgot my other plans for the stone when I added it in here. Mistakes suck!