Thanks for all of the reviews guys. It really touches my heart to see all the comments. I appreciate it the most. Chapter dedicated to Jen aka Larken
Garnet:
I leave camp and sit on the meadows outside of town. The sky is pink and orange. The smell of the dew on the grass relaxes me. Sora and I spent the whole day preparing for our departure. Everything is happening too fast for me to grasp. Though everyone believes in me, I'm not ready for the battlefield. I know I'm not. They are ignorantly assuming that I could survive because of my powers. Rather, my crystal. I grip the crystal in my palm.
Everything that has happened to me...It's all this stupid crystal's fault! I yank at the chain in an attempt to rip it off of my neck, but I pause.
"Mom...Dad..." I whisper as the thought of them flood my mind. My hand slowly releases the tight grip I have on my crystal.
"I can't..." I said remorsefully. My eyes meet with the beautiful, distant sky. My mind is very restless.
Maybe, I'm trying to be something I'm not. I can't be a ruthless killer, even in time of war. My conscious torments me from the other night. What am I even doing right now...?
-Sigh- " Sora was right..."
" I was right about what?" I quickly turn my head to see Sora behind me. He takes a seat next to me, staring back at me.
"Nothing..."
"You sure...?" How sincere his voice is. I didn't give a reply, nor did I even budge to look at him. "Are you rethinking everything...?" Can he read minds? He always seems to know what is going on in my head.
"Maybe..." I'm not going to sit here and lie to him.
"Hmm..." Sora says looking out at the sky.
"Sorry..." I feel like I disappoint him.
"What are you sorry for?" he howls.
"Well...I feel like...I wasn't being honest with you. Or actually, even with myself." Sora stays silent.
"I knew I wanted to join to fight for Sacria...but I never fully grasped the concept of actually killing people..."
"It's not an easy thing to just go and do. It's not like you're learning a sport or how to make something. You're taking someone's father,son,cousin,sister, husband, or lover away." Yeah cause hearing that makes it a lot easier for me.
"But, in the heat of the moment. You must defend yourself no matter what..." After saying that, Sora jumps at me which, startles me.
"Don't tell me I'm going to have to worry about you defending yourself out there!" I look away, not knowing what would honestly happen.
"Garnet! Otherwise I don't want you going!" Sora shouts at me.
"I know..." I reply calmly. "Please...I understand your concern."
Sora lets out a deep sigh. Is he really that worried?
"You know...if you choose to stay here longer, I will stay with you."
"What?" I refuse to believe my ears.
"Yeah. If you want to stay, I'll stay with you."
"What...Why?" I shout.
" Because, I wouldn't be able to focus on anything with the though of wondering where you are, if you're alive, or even okay." Is he...being serious right now...? Why does he care so much...? He seems sad at the idea of being in that situation. I touch his hand with mine and smile. He quickly turns to me in wonder.
"Thank you...Sora..." His sheepish appearance tells all. He quickly turns to hide away his cherry red face. I softly say to him,
Did I do something wrong...? Sora clears his voice and says,
"You're...Welcome..." Something about his shy and kind personality mesmerizes me. He won't even look at me. We both walk into camp together. Both of us are heading toward the truck but a lot of people are standing there, staring at us. As we walk forward, it seems most of them jumps back as I came near them. I look at them, confuse.
Their expressions isn't pleasant. They are making me feel uneasy. Is it my presence? I reach the truck and Sora held out his hand from above. Before taking his hand, I turn around to look at them. They are still staring at me like...like I'm some new specie they never laid eyes on before. Or even worse, A monster. I face the floor.
"Is it because of...last night...? But, I helped others!" I look back up at them. " Then why...?"
"Garnet?" Sora snaps me out of my thoughts and makes me turn to him.
"You ready?" He is the only one who is still acting normal around me. Even the officers are treating me differently. Like I'm some kind of treasure.
"Yes." I take his hand and he helps me up onto the truck. I sat down and Sora sat across from me. Sooner than expected, the truck starts and the officer gets on the truck with us. But he sits right next to the driver. The car starts driving away toward the setting sun. I look back and the crowd of people remain standing there, staring. The gentle wind blows my bangs into my eyes and I push it on the side of my face, staring at them.
Sora:
I watch Garnet hold her bangs in place against the wind. She is staring at the crowd of people who are getting smaller and smaller as we drive farther away. I look at them then back at her. She seems so upset. My eyes focuses on the crowd once again. They rushed away from her like she had some sort of disease. Even after everything she has done for them.
It pains me to think about how she must feel right now. She just found out a lot about herself that she never knew. Or even worse, she killed a lot of people and saved plenty of others last night with powers she probably wishes she never had. I stare back at Garnet. She is still looking out towards the crowd who I can hardly see now. I'm scared to ask her about how she even feels about all this. She might get even more sad or she just might hide the truth from me.
I feel useless. All I can ask is " Are you okay? Everything alright?" But what does that do?
"The front lines isn't easy kids." Garnet and I look back at the high ranking officer from the infirmary.
"But, I must say, you both are quite brave and dedicated. I admire that." I smile at the compliment.
"Thanks Sir!" I reply.
"The name's Cato." I am shock he gave us his real name. He looks back at us and smiles.
"You can just call me Cato."
"Yes Sir!" Cato snickers, shakes his head and turns around. Boy, do I feel like a fool. He just told us to call him Cato and here I go calling him "Sir" again. Oh well, it's a habit that will take time to break. Very faintly, I hear Garnet giggle under her breath. I turn to her, surprise.
"What?" She has her hand over her mouth and is looking down so I can only see the top of her head with her eyes close. I can tell she is smiling from the way her cheeks are pushed up. She continues to softly laugh. It's making me finally looks up at me with her eyes open. Her hand still over her mouth but her smile is much more visible through her separated fingers.
"What?" I giggle. She starts laughing a bit louder and lays back. Her laugh and smile, it's so angelic, so cute. It really brightens her face up... making her look much more beautiful. Her laugh warms me.
"Your face looked so...haha...silly!" She says giggling.
"Silly?" Just then, I can hear Cato laughing. I turn to look at him confused. He turns to me, laughing.
"She is talking about that dumbfounded face you made after you called me "Sir." Cato says. What face was I making?
Garnet slowly stops laughing and I turn to her with my mouth open. I really wish I could have seen myself to truly know why these two are laughing.
"Hmm..haha... Okay. I'm sorry Sora. I didn't mean to laugh at you like that." Garnet says at me, still smiling. How the setting sun behind her shines brightly behind her. I shake my head and say,
"No, no. I'd rather you laugh even if it's at me." I look at her with a smile.
"I'd rather see you smile. It makes me happy to see you happy." I wonder why but she looks around like she is confused. Then she looks back at me, her smile faded. Did I say something wrong?
"Thank you..." She says. Then she flashes another smile and says, " Your words always touch my heart, making me feel better."
I really hope she means that. There is nothing else I really can do.
"I'm glad then." I reply. She truly is something else. At first, she was edgy with me, but I can tell she feels much more comfortable around me.
Garnet:
Ah, the smell of the fresh open air. Reminds me of those nights I spent walking home with Sophie. But the air here is a lot cleaner. With so many things happening at once, I almost forgot the fact that we're heading to Noctis' camp. How can I face him? I look down at my hands which lay on my knees. I clench them into fists.
Does he blame me for everything? For the destruction of his kingdom, the many innocent deaths, and the assassinations of his parents? I feel like there is this huge gap in between us. Unlike back then, when I thought I knew him. I reminisce the horrifying sight of him killing so many soldiers ruthlessly.
He feels like a stranger to me. But I'm... probably a stranger to him too... He was the second person I ever associated with besides Sophie. I honestly think I let him know more of my feelings then Sophie did. Did I make a mistake? Without knowing, I let my guard down, and allowed him inside my barriers. But why do I feel like this? I yearn... for things to be back to the way it use to be between us. For the nights when we use to sit on the benches and just talk about nothing. Distracting each other from our main worries in life. But that's a dream too far off...
It's night time, and we finally spot the camp. It's hidden beneath the shadows of a mountain. Nothing but large rocks surround us and a large entrance to a cave on the other side. I can see a path leading up to the mountain top. Pollen and flower petals come flying down from up top as the night breeze blows it off of its holders. I caught a blue petal. It's so soft and thin. I look up, wondering exactly how it looks up there. The truck drives through the camp.
It smells so horrible. Rotten flesh, blood, and old food being cooked torments my nose. I look around sadden. Many people are in bandages. Some are wrapped around the head, blood seeping through. Some of the other soldiers are missing limbs. I can hear the cries of soldier's in pain. My stomach tightens. Finally, the truck stops. I hop off first and look around.
"Looks like something had happened?" Sora says, walking beside me. I turn to him.
"What do you mean?"
"Everyone's wounds are fresh. Plus, it looks like they had to relocate because a lot of tents are being set up." Sora says looking out. Fear came over me. Sophie could be hurt! Cato walks over to us with a officer of this camp, he is holding a clip board.
tts! My name is - " I interrupt him and shout,
"Do you have a Sophie Ria listed?"
"Um, Excuse me lady?" He seems to ask me for the name again instead of getting mad. He must be a new officer.
" Sophie Ria, is she on your list?" He looks through his papers and after a few moments he says,
"Ah! Yes. She is stationed her. But it says that she is in the- " I turn and quickly run off.
"Hey!" The officer yells.
"Garnet!" Sora shouts my name. I can't waste anytime. My heart can't take the anxiety. I need to know she is okay! I run everywhere, barging into tents, and no sign of Sophie. I push open the large curtain of one tent and I see Noctis, sitting in a chair by a desk and oil lamp. I freeze as he looks back at me. Time stops, everything freezes. We both stare at each other, many different feelings rush through me. My eyes widen and his jaw drops. By the time he stands up I turn and rush away. Sophie is my main priority right now. The biggest tent caught my eye. It is near the entrance of the cave which is at the end of the camp.
I run in and pause. My eyes frantically look around. I see many people in beds, nurses attending to them. But what catches my eyes is a bunch of people surrounding one bed. I question it, deny it, and hope it isn't Sophie. Just then, I hear a woman's painful scream!
"No!" I yell to myself and run into the group of people. I shove them to get through. My heart falls into my stomach. Sophie...is in bloody bandages. Her bed is bloody and she is squirming in her bed. The doctor is shouting orders and is trying to stop the bleeding.
"Sophie!" I scream and fall next to her bed. I grasp her hand and look at her. I'm completely out of breath and I can't breath at the fact that she is this way.
"Sophie, Sophie! It's me Garnet!" She turns to look at me, gasping for air.
"Garnet...?"
"Sophie!" Tears fill my eyes but do not fall. " Yes I'm here! I'm here..." My heart is breaking more and more with each word. I feel like I've failed her in some way.
"I can't...believe...you're really here." She hardly lets out a laugh. She begins to cough roughly.
"Hehe...who would have thought the...sweet little bartender would become a soldier...?" I force out a giggle as she did. I see the doctors talking and shaking their heads. I try to deny it, but I am know its for the worse.
"What?" I shout to them. They look at me, pain in their eyes.
"What are you guys whispering about?" The doctors continue to talk and the man approaches me.
"She...isn't going to make it. We did all we can. But the bleeding won't stop..." I look down, the tears in my eyes blur my vision. My mouth is open. I completely fall to my knees.
"I'm sorry..." In a few seconds, everyone left. Sophie and I and the rest of the patients are in the tent.
I stood up on my knees and grasp Sophie's hand with both of mine. I tried to fight it. I didn't want to believe it. Sophie's eyes are close, but I can hear her breathing. This can't be the end for her.
I then remembered how I healed the man's wounds back at camp Lajun. I look down at my crystal and back at Sophie.
"Don't worry, you're going to be okay!" I sniffle. I grab my crystal and wait for it to light up. I do not know how to work it.
"Light up! Please, I need your help! Ugh!"
Noctis:
I rush into the infirmary tent and see Garnet beside Sophie. I wanted to confront her but, this scene just took all of my thoughts away. I can hear her scream. I walk closer to hear the words closely.
"Why won't you work?" She screams. Her painful screams disturbs me. What, can I do...?
She lays her head on the bed and sobs.
"I need to save her...I need to save Sophie? Why won't you listen to me and let me heal her like I did before? Why! " She cries. Her sobs becomes a much pain filled cry full of agony.
"Please...! She is all I have left... Sophie!" Her shoulders are shaking violently. " But this...This is what her family wanted, a war. Innocent people we love die. She must have known about her crystal this whole time. Karma only-
"I...I don't want to lose someone again..." Her words interrupts my thoughts. "Again...?"
What does she mean by again? After a few moments, Garnet stands up and eagerly tries to stop Sophie's bleeding.
"I'm going to save you Sophie!" I feel the need to help her. I took a step forward and the moment I did, a large green light engulfed Garnet, blinding me. I put my arm over my eyes, shielding me from this great light. I look again, and she is gone.
Garnet:
I look around and see nothing but darkness.
"Hello!" My voice echoes so loud it's deafening. I rampantly turn round and round, trying to escape the darkness by catching a glimpse of something other than this black space. I stop and look down. I hear a flashing noise and turn around. A blue lighted figure sparks before me. I cover my eyes and wait till the intense rays fade away.
Again, my mother...stands before me. Just like in my dream before the attack on Camp Lajun. But this isn't a dream...is it? She is wearing a simple, thin, large t-shirt that looks like a dress on her. It's a v collar and I can see a black symbol near her breast area.
"Mother...?" She smiles at me. This seems too real.
"Garnet.." She said my name! She really spoke back. I can't say anything because I am too in shock.
My mouth is open, but the words fail to escape me. My mother puts her index finger to her mouth, telling me to be silent.
"I know how you must feel..." I pause and just stare at her.
" It time will you understand everything. Time will also help you master the power of the crystal. However," My mother looks down.
"Your summon powers come from the crystal itself. Where as your personal powers, known as white magic in our village, is within you. However, the crystal acts as a door way to access the power because you aren't strong enough to maintain it."
"White magic?" My mother nodded her head. I almost forgot about Sophie.
"Mother! My friend, Sophie. She is dying and... I need to save her!"
" I know."
"Then why won't my magic work? How come I can't heal her?" My mother stares at me, holds out her hand, and walks towards me. I hesitate to let her near me for some reason. But she pokes me forehead and a light appears out of her finger tip. The same light shines out of her symbol, the one near her breast area. It's warm, just like in my dream. I close my eyes and enjoy it's comforting warmth. In a few moments, it went away. I reopen my eyes and look at my mother who puts her arm down back to her side.
"There... I helped you access the gate to your powers. The rest is up to you..." my mother says to me
"Gate?"
" Your powers rest deep within you. In deep slumber until you awaken it. Though, the time you used before, the crystal directed it. Everything is linked, Garnet."
"How do I know how to use it?" I ask out of confusion.
"You must concentrate and train your abilities. The crystal's powers, however, will allow you to master it when it feels you are ready. Your white magic flows throughout your body. It detects your emotions and feeds off of it. You must remain calm and think about the reason why you must use your powers."
"This is...all too confusing for me..." My mother smiles and giggles.
"I know...which is why I said, time will tell. But you must believe in yourself. Awaken yourself and train these new profound abilities. Then, will you succeed."
Before I can speak, my crystal lit up and surrounds me in light. I look down and then back at my mother.
"Mother!" I hold out my hand to her. But she doesn't grab it. Instead, she smiles at me and says,
"How beautiful and strong you've grown up to be." My heart yearns to be with her for a moment longer. But in a flash, the light engulfs me. In a few moments, I end up back in the infirmary with Sophie. My body is positioned the way it was before the light took me away. I I catch my breath and slowly put my arm down. Many, many thoughts run throughout my mind. But, I look down at Sophie and quickly kneel down.
"Sophie..." I look at her then her wounds.
"I'm going to save you..." I put both of my hands on her bullet wound and close my eyes.
I know I can do it. I empty my mind and think about having the power to heal, to save others, to fix lives and to win this war. My body feels warm. I open my eyes and a golden ring circles my feet. It disappears and I look up at Sophie and see the two of the same halo looking things, circling Sophie. Then it disappears and a green light surrounds Sophie, flashes and then fades.
My eyes widen. She looks brand new, and clean. No scratches, or bruises. Only her bloody bandages and the rips in her cloths remain. Her color is back and she is no longer pale. Did I do it..? I remove my hands and see that the blood that was gushing out disappeared as well as her bullet wound.
I look back up at Sophie's face and smile brightly. I saved her... I really did. I hear her breathing normally and it put my restless soul to rest. My hug her and giggle.
"Sophie! Thank god...I saved you!" I felt like crying out of joy, but I held it in. I heard the curtain to the tent move and I turn. But I see no one there. However, the curtain fell back down into place, like someone left. There wasn't anyone besides us in here...right?
Well, this was a very difficult chapter for me to write. I couldn't really place my finger on who I wanted certain things detailed. I hope it is okay. I am rewriting the earlier chapters. So feel free to view them. I updated chapter one so far. I hope you like where this is going. I don't want Garnet to just...easily obtain her powers and know how to use them like in the game. So please understand why I am stretching the importance of her mastering her abilities. Please Review ^_^