I realize this isn't the least bit valentine's day-ish...
Vapor billowed up from the ground and swirled through the air lazily until it had raised high enough to block out a single shaft of sunlight.
Cuore frowned as she watched it, intrigued by the obviously unnatural movement. She was fairly certain at least an hour had passed since she had been mysteriously separated from Kieran, and in that time, this fog had obscured all the bits of light she had seen and even appeared to follow her when she walked.
Right now Cuore had taken a different approach and sat on a boulder, trying to analyze it.
There had been a few more apparitions in the form of Maenads, but she disposed of them quickly and moved on.
The mountain's attempts to off-balance her paled in comparison to Zeromus's influence, though she did wonder why they only posed as generic Maenads.
Why not some other form to lure her into darkness? Why not a copy of herself?
Cuore frowned and pushed herself up to a standing position, "Maybe it can't copy a copy…" she thought bitterly with a shake of her head.
It was an unpleasant thought, but logical all the same.
As she walked, still trying to figure out which way she should be going, Cuore pondered the situation regarding the Eidolons.
Now that she was back in the land of the living, she had every intension of keeping her promise and finding a way to set the lost Eidolons free. Afterwards she would face everything else that had happened.
But she was still no closer to solving the problem of how to set them free. She now possessed all their memories, thanks to Zeromus trying to overload her mind with so much information she couldn't function. But the memories were only helpful to a certain point. They revealed the horrid details of the magic used, but she needed to think up a way of reversing what had been done.
Thinking of the Eidolons reminded her of something Kain had said. She hadn't been speaking to them, and in passing he'd commented that she really should.
Deep down she knew he was right, but she was too fearful of their reactions to contact them. She had abused their power, forced them to do her will, too spread pain and destruction. She'd done the very things she told them was wrong. Besides that, she had broken her word to them.
If Phoenix hadn't brought her back, then they likely would have stayed trapped within their crystals.
"How can I speak to them now?" she thought, rubbing one arm uneasily, "They have every right to hate me, but I don't think I can handle anyone else thinking so ill of me…"
Still, they deserved her attention, and she could use the company herself.
The mist was frighteningly quiet, and Cuore found herself even wishing Kieran were here again despite his lacking conversation skills.
The moment she opened the part of her mind that could reach out to the magical beings, they latched on and shouted her name.
Cuore wavered in her steps as the babble of voices continued for a moment before calming down when Carbuncle thrilled in an annoyed tone; "Quiet!"
She smiled slightly and then heard Midgardsormr declare, "Cuore! Welcome back! I missed you, you know. All these chumps aren't very friendly, and Phoenix, well, she's stuck up and won't even speak to us."
"Really?" Cuore said, tipping her head to one side, "Maybe she is…resting. I think…helping me took a lot out of her."
She had phrased her words carefully, feeling like she was treading in dangerous waters.
"You mean bring you back from the dead?" Cagnazzo snapped, making her wince.
"I'm sorry, I know I broke my promise to you, I know!" Cuore quickly defended, feeling tears prick her eyes.
Scarmiglione hissed before speaking, "That isssn't why we are upssset!"
She blinked, "What? It isn't? But…I let you down, I made-"
It was Barbariccia who interrupted sharply, voice dripping in acid, "You did let us down! What the hell were you thinking?! We're made of magic, we could have helped you, but you just…" She heaved a sigh, "Don't you ever do something so incredibly stupid or I swear to you, little girl, I will kill you."
"To summarize Barbariccia's rather…colorful reprimand," Rubicante added, "We were concerned about you. What you did was foolish and impulsive and rather unfair to us."
Cuore's gaze dropped to the ground and she stopped walking, "I'm sorry."
"That we know as well. Have you forgotten that we are linked?" the fiend of fire asked.
She bit her lip, "No, but it's not a real bond, you know that. I'm sorry I didn't let you know what I was planning on doing, but I saw a chance to stop Zeromus once and for all and to…fix what I had done. There wasn't time to think up another way."
The Eidolons grumbled unhappily and Cuore hesitated, "Are you mad at me?"
"Yes," Barbariccia snapped, only to be overridden by all the other Eidolons.
It was Midgardsormr who put it best; "Cuore, we were too worried to be mad! You died, and whether you knew this or not, you're important to us. And I'm not just saying that 'cause we need you to let us out, either. I'm saying it because I actually like you and I don't want to see anything bad happen to you."
She smiled and commented, "Thank you. You do know I'm sorry, right?"
"Besides the fact you keep saying it all the time, yes, we know." Cagnazzo informed her. "We have a bond with you. Maybe not like a Summoner and an Eidolon, but a bond all the same."
She nodded and then looked around, speaking once more, "You know where I am and what's been happening, right?"
"Yes, we know that as well." Rubicante said, "I don't know any more then you do, however. I'm afraid we may not be much help."
At that, she smiled, "Oh, you are all more help then you realize…"
It took a few more minutes and a mini lecture from most of the Eidolons before Cuore felt that their relationships were mended.
Even Ultima and Zodiark were accepting, although she realized that Anima was being quiet.
Cuore nervously reached out to the woman, worried that she of all of the Eidolons would hold a grudge. After all, she'd had a tainted past, and Cuore had not helped matters by forcing her to cause more pain.
"Oh little one," the woman said, her voice outside of battle surprisingly gentle, "I am not angry with you. My pain runs deep; the wounds of the past never healed properly, and thus I am left with scars. But I share the other Eidolon's pleasure at your recovery. You have a way about you, little one, a tender and considerate way."
Cuore breathed a sigh of relief and took one more look around at the fog that seemed to have grown thicker, "Now I just have to figure out what to do about this mountain…"
It was official. Kieran hated this mountain.
He knew time had passed since he'd been separated from Cuore, but he had no idea how much time. Without checking the position of the sun, it was impossible, and so was figuring out where he was on the mountain.
The haze continued to roll along the ground and hang in the air, leaving a bad taste in his mouth after being in it for so long, and Kieran glared at it for a moment before spinning away from yet another dead end and walking in another direction.
His only consolation was the fact he hadn't run into any zombies, ghosts, doppelgangers or spirits recently, though for some reason, the lack of monster activity made him suspicious.
There was no sign of Cuore or Kain, but Kieran was concerned about passing them by in this fog and not even realizing it. Still, wandering around aimlessly didn't have much appeal, either.
He found a path that sloped upward and hesitated before taking it, still hoping to get above the mist, though he found it an unlikely possibly.
A few steps up the incline and the curtain of haze wavered, parting enough that a form stepped forward. On impulse Kieran reached for his weapon, but his hand stalled before touching it when he saw the figure.
It was a familiar little girl with raven black hair and a tattered green dress, with wide, confused eyes that looked around before settling on him.
"…Keely?" Kieran whispered, reaching out a hand towards the girl before retracting it sharply.
It wasn't his sister. He knew that. It was another phantom created by the spirits trapped here. It was meant to startle and confuse him.
Unfortunately, it worked.
The girl's dark eyes filled with tears, "Kieran? Where are we?" she asked, looking around with a terrified expression.
He flinched at the sound of her voice. It was so real, so accurate to how he remembered her sounding. Everything about her was so tangible that for a spilt second, Kieran believed he was staring at his beloved little sister.
But she was dead.
"You're not real," he said, mostly to convince himself.
Keely looked hurt and took a step forward, "What do you mean? Kieran, you're scaring me…where are we?"
"You aren't real," he repeated, forcing himself to look away.
A small, cold hand clasp his, "Kieran?" she whispered, a single tear running down her cheek, "What's going on?"
The touch felt real and familiar too, and Kieran squeezed his eyes shut, suppressing the memories that arose at the contact.
"Y-you're…" he trailed off, unable to say to her face that she was dead. It hurt too much.
Keely looked around, "I feel strange…this place is cold. I'm cold." she explained, clutching his hand tightly, "I-I remember…" Her voice trailed off, but a moment later, she blinked and started again. "We…were running. There was fire, and monsters," Keely described fearfully, her words mingling with the memories from Kieran's mind.
Memories of screams and pain, memories of a bright, fiery light…
"That woman…the one with the blue hair…she stopped us, she…"
Suddenly his sister gasped and looked up at him, "A-am I…dead?" she asked softly.
Kieran trembled and grasped her tiny hands between both of his, "Keely, I'm sorry."
"I-I died…we all died…mommy and daddy and Kaiden, too…that spell, it was so bright, it hurt so much…"
He flinched, "I-it did, I know,"
"That woman, she…why did she kill us? Why…did we have to die?" Keely wondered aloud, tears leaking from her eyes.
Kieran knelt in front of her, searching her face and still holding her hands, "Keely, I'm sorry, I'm so sorry."
She stared at him for a moment, "You…didn't die."
He said nothing, and she tore her hands from his as a wisp of fog blew between them, "You're still alive. You didn't get hit by that spell."
"No, I did, but…I don't know," Kieran explained, words rushing out. He had always wanted to tell them all he was sorry. "I remember the searing pain, I remember…"
He shut his eyes, "I remember the woman, the pain, and the bright light…I remember it every day…"
"Why are you alive?" Keely asked, voice tipped with accusation, "Why did you make it out and I didn't? You promised me it would be alright!"
Kieran's gaze snapped up to her face again, "I-I know, Keely, I know. I was holding your hand, and then…"
"That spell should have killed you, too." she said flatly.
He looked away, "Maybe…"
"No, Keely's right, it should have." another voice said from behind.
The voice was deeper than his sister's but nevertheless familiar and Kieran stood and turned all in one motion.
"Kaiden!" he exclaimed, both frightened and relieved to see his older brother.
But the other young man glared at him, "You should be dead too."
Kieran felt a pang of guilt, a feeling he felt whenever he thought of his family. They were gone while he was still here. It wasn't fair.
Yet, Kaiden's word gave him pause; after all, Kaiden had always been kind and always encouraged him, so why now would he wish something so ill on his younger brother?
Yet, the young man looked the same.
"This isn't real," Kieran said, realization dawning on him as he glanced between Keely and Kaiden. "This is another test, another mirage."
"Don't leave me here," Keely said, taking his hand again, "please, Kieran, I-I'm afraid."
He swallowed and heard Kaiden whisper closely to his ear, "You should have died. We suffered and you got to live. The one that was never going to do anything. The one that no one even liked. You've wasted this chance at life you've been given, you've wasted what you stole from us."
Kieran freed his hand from the girl ghost and turned to face his brother, "You aren't Kaiden. He would never say that to me."
"I didn't need too. It's what you're thinking at this very moment." the image retorted.
Kieran hesitated; the guilt he had felt since the incident was eating at him from the inside out. Every day it felt like more and more of his heart was being consumed by hatred. And as much as everyone thought it was hatred towards the Maenads, the person Kieran really hated was himself.
Kaiden's ghost looked him up and down, "That spell may have marked your physical body with scars but that is nothing compared to the torment we went through. You couldn't possibly understand."
"I wanted to die!" Kieran snapped aloud, "I wanted too just so I didn't have live without all of you, just so…I didn't have to be alone. I don't know why I'm still alive, I'm sorry, I'm so, so sorry!"
It no longer mattered that these images were false, that they were merely spirits trying to keep him here, on the mountain. They were still using the appearance of his family, and that was enough for emotions to flood Kieran until he spoke, rapidly, finally voicing all his thoughts and feelings on the subject.
"I hate myself." he admitted, "I miss you all everyday so much it hurts. I'm haunted by the guilt of living when everything I cared about died on that day for a senseless purpose at the hands of some…soulless pawn. The nightmares of your deaths are constant reminders that I failed. I tried to protect you, to run like our parents wanted. Instead I saw you both die and was powerless to stop it."
Kieran shut his eyes, "I'm sorry."
A hand grabbed his arm, boney and unrelenting as a scratchy voice wheezed, "Such despair! Such bitterness!"
Another hand grabbed the other arm and cackled, "Delicious! Stay with us, one of darkness, stay here!"
Kieran's eyes snapped open and took in the scene, noticing that the apparitions of his brother and sister had vanished and been replaced by skeleton creatures that reeked of dark magic, even more so then the other undead of Ordeals.
"Stay here, with us in eternal darkness," a voice hissed from the fog that had begun to thicken.
He pulled at his arms but the monsters held him in a vice-like grip, whispering all the while, "Stay with us! Here you may wither in your misery and writhe in shame until you become like us!"
He wrenched one wrist free and turned his body as he did so, ramming his elbow into the spirit that still held his other arm.
It fell into a pile of bones and Kieran whipped around to see a horde of similar forms amble out of the mist, all chanting; "Stay here,"
Kieran growled, "Sounds lovely, but I'd rather not."
As he turned to run, a hand enclosed around his ankle and he looked down, seeing that the hand had burst through the very earth to hold him where he stood.
"I hate it when Kain's right," Kieran muttered, freeing his weapon from his back and severing the arm at the ground. Now free, he saw that it was too late to escape, but perhaps he could at least put up a good fight.
The first enemies fell easily at his blade as he slashed in fluid arcs. But it seemed too easy, and he was proven right when they gathered together again and stood, cackling.
A voice from the fog screeched, "You cannot leave! You belong to us, one of darkness, here you will stay and here you will die!"
Kieran held a hand in front of him and poised his swallow out behind him, ready to strike. "Try it!" he challenged defiantly.
Before they could attack, a light suddenly flashed, blinding him, as a chorus of undead screams spilt the air.
"Luminance!"
Kieran raised his free hand to his face, shielding his eyes, as the light and the cries slowly died down.
He blinked his eyes open after a moment of silence and looked around, blinking rapidly to clear the spots from his eyes as a few rays of sunlight brightened the area.
Cuore stepped out of the mist, now pushed back several feet, and hurried to his side, "Are you alright?" she asked.
Kieran smacked her hand away before she could touch him and snapped, "I'm fine!"
She blinked and he grabbed her arm, heading for the first pathway that sloped down that caught his eye.
"We need to get off this mountain." he muttered.
Cuore nodded her agreement and ran beside him, "We do. But what about Kain?"
Kieran sighed, "I don't know."
"We should-"
"Cuore, be quiet, please." he said, sparing her a brief glance.
She fell silent and looked away, eyes clouding with anxiety. Kieran felt a little badly for taking out his anger on her, as always, but at the moment, he couldn't handle the sound of her voice. His emotions were too raw after the mountain's cruel attempt to keep him prisoner.
"Keely, Kaiden, I am sorry. Please, wherever you are, forgive me." he whispered inwardly.
Cuore walked across the uneven ground carefully, sneaking a glance at the young man ahead of her before averting her gaze. She'd heard the whole exchange between him and the phantoms of the mountain. Part of her wanted to hug him, to tell him she understood what it was like to hate yourself. But this was Kieran.
He hated her and for that reason alone she would try to be as inconspicuous as possible. It was the least she could do.
Cuore looked around, noticing how the sunlight had already been blocked by thick clouds overhead despite her spell of light.
Not only that, but the path they were on seemed to grow steeper with each step, dipping them further into the haze. Cuore knew Kieran was reasoning that any path off the mountain would go down, but she didn't like the idea of traveling in the mist anymore then they had too.
She could feel the dark magic when it brushed against her skin and she knew what her Eidolons were telling her.
"Something is coming," Rubicante warned, leaving Scarmiglione to add, "Do not hesssitate to sssummon usss into battle, if you need too."
She nodded but didn't reply, too worried of disturbing Kieran, even if the conversation would be taking place in her head.
The silence was deafening but finally Kieran broke it and muttered, "Any ideas how to get rid of this…stuff?"
Cuore studied his back and then mentioned quietly, "No, I'm sorry. Even my spell of light failed to disperse it."
He nodded, but didn't take his eyes off the path in front of him, and Cuore decided to be brave and hurried to catch up, reaching out and ever so lightly touch his arm.
He glanced over his shoulder at her and she found that her burst of courage drained almost instantly, though she still cleared her throat.
"Kieran, are you sure you're alright?"
He glared at her, and she flinched, "I'm sorry to ask, but this mountain seems to be targeting you in particular. I've faced apparitions of the Maenads, and plenty of undead fiends, but nothing like what it's showing you."
Kieran set his jaw and spun away from her, though he didn't move away, "You sound like Kain."
Cuore paused, waiting to see if he would say anything else, but then she shivered, feeling a shift in the air on the edges of her enhanced senses.
The mist was gathering ahead of them and began to glow with a ghostly, unreal light.
Cuore didn't need the warning her Eidolons screamed at her to act; she grabbed Kieran's arm and pulled him with her, sidestepping a clawed hand raking at them from the thickened haze.
She drew her double katanas and shouted, "Draw your blade!" over her shoulder before dashing forward to meet they enemies.
The undead were like the rest on the mountain; staggering humanoid forms with unnaturally bright, glowing eyes and a body made of rotting flesh and exposed bone. Alone they were pathetic and easily dispatched, but in large groups such as the one they faced now, they posed a threat.
Cuore danced about them as she was much faster, swinging Moon's Shadow and Sun's Radiance in graceful arcs. She bounced on the balls of her feet, steps light, and circled around them to remain in the lead.
But there were too many for only two people to handle, and she heard Kieran grunt behind her, obviously realizing this as well.
More and more of the zombies came from the mists, tripping over those that already fallen, and with dismay Cuore watched as some that she had already defeated rose up again, now looking even more gruesome, and wandered towards her.
One of the zombies grabbed a fistful of her hair and yanked, pulling Cuore off balance and dragging her backwards. She had the forethought to flip her blade around so that the fiend ended up impaling itself, but she still collapsed to the ground. It didn't help that more undead had rallied when the first grabbed her.
Before long she was trying her best to struggle free of boney hands and finally growled a little and decided to end the fight. She opened her mouth to call one of her Eidolons to her side, but the zombies apparently anticipated that action and one slapped a hand over her mouth.
She glared at it and flicked her left hand, snapping off another ghoul's hand as she continued to try and free herself.
The stench of the undead monsters was almost as overpowering as their inhuman strength, and Cuore grew more and more frustrated with her lack of success. She could attempt to cast a spell without the use of even one word, but she feared that she would end up causing more damage or harming Kieran, wherever he had ended up.
As if he knew she was thinking about him, she saw one end of his bladed swallow run a zombie through the skull, making him release Cuore's right arm. Now free, she used it to decapitate the nearest monster to her while Kieran did the same nearby.
It took a few more slashes and hacks but finally she was free enough to roll away from the final two monsters. They watched her lazily with beady eyes and she watched as Kieran finished them off as well.
He held his hand out to her and she took it, slightly embarrassed about having to be rescued at all. Then again, isn't that what Eidolons did when they were called?
Kieran pulled her to her feet and turned all in one motion, making Cuore fall against his back as she tried to catch her breath. She knew he was making sure they were aware of all their enemies around them and she appreciated the strategy.
"Are you okay?" he asked shortly.
She nodded, "Yes, but I fear they will only keep coming. Running is not an option nor is fighting."
"Then what do you suggest?" Kieran asked, sparing her a brief glance over his shoulder.
Cuore took a deep breath, "Close your eyes. I'm going to try magic."
He made an unhappy sound but did as she asked, leaving Cuore to summon forth the power she needed.
The spell of light had the same effect as before; the zombies screamed in unholy pitches and dissolved or fell apart into heaps of bones, but the mist still lingered.
When the rays from her spell reflected off the haze, it recoiled, as if it were alive and had just been struck.
Cuore found this behavior fascinating.
Once it was clear the threat of zombies had subsided, she let the spell fade naturally, bringing the mountain back to an uncanny silence.
"Are they gone?" Kieran asked with his eyes still shut. There was a hint of sarcasm in his voice and she turned around to look at him, frowning before she spoke. "Yes, they have been…removed."
He blinked his eyes open and took in the scene quickly before he glanced at her, "How long do you think this will last?"
"It's difficult to say," she replied, sheathing her weapons, "Seconds? Minutes? Hours? It's impossible to estimate, though one thing is certain; the mountain does intend to keep us here."
Kieran scowled at nothing in particular, "I noticed."
Cuore tipped her head to one side, "Then you believe me that this mist is alive?"
"I believe we shouldn't stand around here talking," he retorted before spinning off and picking a random direction.
She sighed and shook her head before moving to follow. The moment her foot touched the ground she gasped, startled by the sensation of pain.
Cuore winced and tested weight on it again, only to receive another jolt of pain for her troubles. She had twisted her ankle, if she had to guess, but there were also a few nasty gashes on one leg from the nails of the undead.
Kieran was studying her from where he had stopped, his swallow still drawn though his grip was lax on the handle.
"Can you walk?" he asked flatly.
Cuore bit her lip, knowing she could probably ignore this pain and continue on her way, but the damage to her body might become more severe.
In her hesitation Kieran sighed and walked over, gesturing to a nearby rock that had been exposed when the haze fled from her spell.
"Sit. Let me see."
She hesitated for a moment more before walking over and sitting down, secretly glad to be off her leg.
Still, Kieran didn't look very pleased to be stopping, even if he did surprise her when he set his swallow down and took her ankle instead.
She hissed in pain as he prodded her foot, checking for broken bones, she assumed.
"It's not broken, but it does feel a little swollen." he informed her.
Cuore sighed and played with the fraying hem of her skirt, "I'll be fine. We can't remain here."
Kieran looked at her then, staring at her long enough for her to fidget uneasily. She felt like he was waiting for her to say something, but she wasn't sure what to say.
Silence seemed to be the better option considering who she was with, but then again, it had been her idea to sort out their problems with each other.
But it was Kieran who looked away first and spoke first after releasing her leg, "Did you…did you see…anything at the top of this mountain?"
Cuore frowned, puzzled, and cocked her head to one side, "Clarify."
He shifted on his knees, looking uncomfortable, but still replied, "Maybe I…shouldn't be asking this but…I need to know. Did you…did the mountain show you anything? Did it…taunt you?"
Cuore blinked, "You faced a trial."
Kieran closed his eyes and she shook her head slowly, "I saw nothing but a few stray spirits in the forms of Maenads. What did…you see?"
"My family." he whispered, "And…myself."
Her eyes widened, "You saw your doppelganger?"
Kieran nodded, "Yes, but I…don't think it was real. I mean, I think it wasn't a test, I think it was just this haze playing tricks on me."
Cuore shrugged, "I have no answers for you. Either scenario is plausible."
There was a long, awkward pause, and finally Kieran looked back to her. She thought she saw a flash of guilt, but then his expression became impossible to read.
"This…phantom, it…told me to kill you."
Cuore didn't flinch, and she didn't look away, no matter how much his statement shocked her. But then again, why should it be surprising? She knew exactly how Kieran felt about her, so why wouldn't a dark image use such emotions to its advantage?
She merely blinked, "I wouldn't stop you, if you wanted too."
Now it was Kieran's turn to look stunned, "I wouldn't do that,"
Cuore could hear the defensive nature in his voice and she offered a weak smile, "I know. If you had, I suspect I wouldn't be here right now."
He frowned at her, looking mildly annoyed, but she just murmured, "I heard the ghosts…the ones that pretended to be your family…"
He sighed and looked away, eyes narrowing although they remained unfocused. She shifted and then remarked, "You…told me not to apologize because I couldn't make it right, but I…I'm sorry."
Kieran waved a hand to dismiss the comment, "I meant it. I don't want your apology."
"Then what do you want?" Cuore asked, leaning forward ever so slightly.
Kieran shrugged, "To get off this mountain."
Cuore made a face at him, displeased by that answer, but he just stood and shrugged, "Don't, blade dancer. Just leave it be."
Her lips twitched and she laughed dryly, "I've never been so glad to hear that nickname…"
Kieran opened his mouth to say something but the ground rumbled, interrupting their conversation.
The fog had thickened once more and Cuore tried to stand, keeping as little weight on her injured foot as possible, staring into the mass of swirling mists as they bent and twisted into complex patterns.
"Stay…"
They both froze at the husky, almost sickeningly sweet voice that echoed from the deepest core of the haze. Cuore swore she could see faces and the outlines of people through the fog, though they always faded from sight so quickly she couldn't be sure.
"Stay here, with us…" the voice insisted sluggishly.
Kieran glanced at her and she drew her swords, nodding.
They had no intension of staying on this mountain with the souls of the damned.
But Cuore wondered how they would escape.
Kieran tightened the hold on his weapon and watched as the haze grew into a billowing mass of swirling vapors that rapidly crawled towards them. It clung to the ground and rocks, clawing its way up the cliff faces and floating through the air.
He took a few steps back, hearing what sounded like a hundred voices all whispering together until they merged into one, uttering the same words over and over.
"Stay here with us…please…stay…"
Cuore spread her hands wide, speaking imploringly, "We can't stay here with you. I know you're lonely in this darkness, but we aren't like you. Your spirits of the dead, we're still alive. Do you understand?"
The mist coiled violently and it hissed like acid, "We can fix that…"
Kieran tensed as the fog shot out and struck Cuore, sending her sprawling to the ground before it continued its advance, slowly encircling them.
He hurried over and knelt down, helping Cuore sit upright, feeling her shiver.
She shook her head, "That attack, it was…tangible."
"We've tried to talk to it. Now it's time to take it out." he told her, standing and watching it as she staggered to her feet.
"I just don't know how," he said, narrowing his eyes.
When he looked back, he was surprised to see a glazed look in Cuore's eyes; their blue color seemed to have faded somewhat while they came in and out of focus.
Kieran glanced between her and the fog a few times and then touched her shoulder, "Cuore?"
She trembled, "Do you…do you hear that?"
"Hear what?" he asked, confused.
Her gaze was pinned on the approaching cloud, but all her other body posture screamed that she wanted to turn away. His hand was still resting on her upper arm and he could feel her shaking so he turned to face her fully, leaving the mist at his back.
It was far more exposed then he'd like, but the misty substance was still a few feet back, so he set his other hand on her other arm, "Cuore,"
She didn't look away, but she did whisper, "I can hear…his voice."
He made a face, "Whose?"
"…Zeromus's."
Kieran blinked and then looked over his shoulder before returning his attention to Cuore, who was petrified and rooted to the spot, eyes wide.
"Cuore, he's dead." Kieran told her, having a feeling that the mountain was using another illusion to keep them prisoner. "You killed him. I don't think it's his voice, I think it's this mist monster."
She winced, "But…it sounds so real…"
Kieran didn't have the patience to deal with her breaking down on him, not when he needed her help to defeat this menace, so he gave her a little shake, "Cuore! Use that logical head of yours. Zeromus is dead. Ordeals wants to keep us here. It's trying to distract, ignore the trickery."
She narrowed her eyes and nodded slowly, "Yes, he is dead, but it sounds…no, you're right."
Cuore closed her eyes and whispered, "Eidolons, help me."
Kieran heard the haze hiss again, a sound he was guessing voiced its displeasure at another failed attempt to seduce them into staying.
"No!" it cried, "Stay with us!"
Cuore pushed herself free of Kieran's hold and standing this close to her he could feel the pulse of magic distort the air around her as she narrowed her eyes and raised a hand, calmly stating a word as if it alone held the fabric of the world together.
"Inferno."
The spell stopped the fog instantly and sent it retreating sharply as if it were injured and flinching back, though it didn't disappear completely.
She spared him a brief glance, "Fog is comprised of water. Flames will evaporate the particles." she explained without his prompting.
Kieran gestured to the mass, "It didn't really work,"
"No, it won't. This haze is no normal cloud. We will need to be creative if we hope to defeat it."
He frowned as it insisted they stay once more, but as he watched, he saw it take another shape; the shape of a dragon.
Cuore's eyes widened as the apparition flew upward and away from the cloud, exclaiming, "Bahamut!"
Suddenly Kieran understood what Ordeals was doing and he touched Cuore's elbow to gain her attention, "It knows what we fear, that's the forms it's choosing!"
She nodded, "That makes sense,"
Their conversation was cut short as the phantom dragon arced in the air and swooped down towards them, spinning as it went.
Kieran was impressed that wordlessly the two of them sidestepped together, and Cuore took a swing at the mirror image as it flew by. Her blade merely passed through it, but he suspected that if the specter connected with them it would do some damage.
He was proven right when the mist Bahamut landed and lashed out, sending them both crashing to the ground with very real bruises. Still, the attack was nothing like what the real lord of dragons was capable of, Kieran was sure.
He hurriedly got to his feet and stabbed forward with his swallow only to watch the hazy form of the dragon burst into nothingness.
"It…just vanished!" he said, confused and unsure if he had done any damage with his attack.
After all, how did one fight a mist?
Cuore had likewise gotten to her feet and she spun around in a circle, humming as she did so.
"It has surrounded us," she told him, swallowing.
The Maenad teen was right; there was no way out now, the cloud had not only surrounded them but enveloped them as well into its mass. The details of the landscape were lost and replaced by a dozen taunts and whispers, all begging them to stay.
"So, what now?" Kieran asked, being out of plans himself.
When no reply came, he turned around and found that Cuore was no longer at his side. In fact, he couldn't see more than a few inches in front of him. The murky air made him choke when he tried to call her name, and for a spilt second, he felt a flash of fear.
"Calm down," he told himself, annoyed. He would have to figure out a plan on his own, but that was nothing new.
A shadow darted through the mist and he turned towards it, curious if it was Cuore.
It was, or at least the fog had borrowed her form; she instantly slashed with one blade and, distracted, Kieran barely raised his swallow in time to bat it aside.
The phantom smirked, "Funny how you fear this little girl even more then the Maenad that killed your family," it taunted, stringing together a rather rapid, deadly dance.
Kieran grunted as one of her copied katanas smacked against the middle of his swallow, quickly spinning it around in hopes of disarming her.
But 'she' was just a spirit in the guise of a well-trained fighter, and the blades of his weapon merely passed through hers.
She laughed hollowly, "Is it because she is closer to you? Are you afraid you might actually become friends with her?"
"Why do you care!" he snapped, trying to keep his footing on the uneven ground as the image hacked at his defenses, "This form frazzles you."
Kieran finally landed a blow, but just like with Bahamut, it vanished before his eyes, pieces of haze fading back into the shadowy background.
He growled in frustration but then turned, catching sight of more movement out of the corner of his eye. This time he struck first, though the mirror image of Cuore blocked easily and sparks flew from their blades.
She blinked, "Wait, are you real? Your weapons feel real…"
"So did Bahamut's claws!" he snapped, not sure what game Ordeals had decided to play now.
The image held its ground, "But the friction between our blades would appear to confirm you are not a phantom."
It certainly had Cuore's speech down, but he wasn't so easily convinced, not when the mountain had fooled him before. "How do I know it's really you?" he asked, disengaging their blades.
She looked him up and down, "And how do I know you are who you claim to be?"
They stared at each other and finally Kieran frowned, "This is ridiculous."
"I agree." she complained, flipping the hold on one of her katanas and drawing the edge of the blade against her forearm.
She held her arm up, "Do the mist apparitions bleed?"
Kieran made a face, "There had to be an easier way to prove your point,"
"Perhaps," she admitted, still looking at him warily.
Kieran realized she was still unconvinced of his identity and hesitated, unsure how to prove it. He wasn't fond of the idea of wounded himself when they still had this unholy mist to deal with, but nothing else came to mind.
Behind her a pattern swirled making Kieran reach out and grab her, pulling her close as Bahamut's claw tried to ensnare her.
It missed, but it would only be a matter of time before the clouded monster tired them out and landed a lucky blow, or finally tricked them into accidently killing each other.
Back to back they stood, both out of breath though Cuore quipped over her shoulder, "Your doppelganger is a better fighter then you are,"
"And yours has better conversation skills," he retorted, glad to catch a hint of a grin on her face before she reverted back to her more serious expression.
"Kieran," she said after batting away a tendril of fog, "We cannot win. You realize that, don't you? We're fighting our inner demons manifested into a very real threat. We do not have the endurance for this."
He nodded, "I know."
She glanced over her shoulder, looking worried and he shrugged, readjusting the grip on his swallow before commenting, "But I intend to put up one hell of a fight."
Cuore smiled for real then, nodding once, "I will stand with you."
They stayed as close as possible to avoid being deceived by the mists as they fought against the mirror images of their greatest fears until the haze stopped making them recognizable and merely lashed out at them with basic attacks.
Kieran wasn't sure how much time passed but he knew when he was growing weaker and that they would not be able to last much longer, as opposed to their opponent who was endless.
Cuore had been disarmed the last time the cloudy mass had struck her and now the teal haired teen was out of breath as she shook from using her magic.
"Stay with us!"
Kieran was growing tired of hearing those words, and he failed to block one of the coils as it darted out and it caught him in the shoulder, making him stumble back a few steps. One wisp trapped his weapon and then wrenched it from his fingers, standing it flying into the depths of gloom. He frowned and merely glanced at Cuore, who looked back impassively, obviously sharing his thoughts.
They had done all they could, and yet they were still going to lose.
Still, he pulled her out of the way of another assault and she fell against him, one hand clutching his wrist as he held her shoulder.
Her eyes were closed and her lips moved to speak an incantation and for some reason, even before she spoke he knew what she would say and mirrored her words, closing his own eyes as the light began to build.
"Endless night, lit by fiery wings, bound by the darting, dancing sword, let it slice the encompassing dark, and sound the tolling bell of tomorrow. Undying light, Phoenix I invoke thy name."
Just like last time the bird of flames was summoned, there was a flash of light and a cry, but this time her voice echoed through the haze with all the authority of a ruler.
"Be gone, mists of darkness!" she cried.
Kieran opened one eye when he felt Cuore pull away slightly so she could see as well. Phoenix stood in front of them, glaring into the cloud. The haze had retreated, but it hissed at her defiantly, as if it could stand against her.
She sighed, "Spirits of the dead I address you. Those of you who sit in unrest, who fester in this world, unable to cross over. I will lead you to your ends."
The Eidolon woman held out her hand, "These two souls do not belong to you; they are under my divine protection. Leave them be and come with me. Leave this place of death and decay behind."
Kieran watched, surprised, as the fog begin to lighten and disperse, as if it was losing mass. The voices, too, seemed to weaken, and those that could be heard were fighting with one another as the cloud continued to disappear.
Phoenix smiled and nodded, her form starting to glisten with magic. She glanced over her shoulder at them and Cuore trembled, mumbling, "Thank you."
Phoenix nodded, eyes flashing with power, "You are welcome. I must take those willing to depart away. This will not be the last this world hears of this blight. But, today, there will be rest."
Kieran knew what was coming next and he ducked his head again, squeezing his eyes shut as the light intensified until it burst forth with the cry of a bird again. In a spilt second, everything turned silent. Kieran glanced up and around, sighing with relief that the mountain pathways looked normal again. There was no sign of the darkened mist or any undead and even the very air tasted sweet.
Cuore likewise looked around but then she suddenly collapsed, sliding through his arms to crumple onto the ground.
Startled, Kieran knelt down, "Are you alright?"
She laughed, though it sounded oddly disjointed, "No."
He remembered her ankle and winced, knowing that after a battle she had likely increased her injury. He also noted all the new wounds but he figured that his appearance matched hers.
Cuore pressed the heel of her palm against her forehead and whispered, "Thank you Phoenix. I know what it cost you to aid us."
"Is she alright?" Kieran asked, leaning to peer at the Maenad.
Cuore nodded and dropped her hand into her lap limply, "She will be fine, though she requires rest."
The sky was beginning to darken as the day came to a close and Kieran sighed, looking back to Cuore as she licked her lips and muttered, "Thank you."
"For what?"
"Saving me." she said, waving a hand.
He paused and then raised an eyebrow, "Which time?"
She frowned at him, though her expression looked amused so he shrugged, "We're even."
He crawled around her to lean against a nearby rock and was surprised when Cuore followed suit, shifting so that she could sit more comfortably.
There was a long moment in which they both simply rested, but then Kieran sighed, "We still have to find Kain."
Cuore snorted, "He didn't help us out. He can find his own way back."
The young man nodded, "True, I suppose."
They fell silent again and Kieran looked up, watching the sky turn purplish from the setting sun, long shadows stretching out from the pillars of rock around them.
Cuore suddenly sat up straight, alert, and Kieran's gaze shifted to look at her, feeling surprisingly lethargic.
"What is it?" he asked, trying to peer around her and follow her gaze to figure out what had captured her attention.
She shook her head and then pointed up at a series of ledges of the closest incline. He stared for a second, seeing nothing, but then saw the vague shadow of movement and nodded, "I see it."
Cuore leaned back against the boulder, "I think it's Kain."
Kieran watched for a second and then sighed, agreeing with her assertion. He settled into a more comfortable position, content to wait until his mentor showed up rather than going to greet him.
It only took a few minutes for their assumption to be proven true when Kain wandered up the dusty pathway to meet them, looking around as he did.
"What did I miss?" he asked.
Both Cuore and Kieran glared at him, frowning, and he grinned sheepishly, "Quite a lot, I take it?"
Cuore sighed, "We are alive, that's the important part."
Kieran gestured to the teal haired teen, "Cuore's leg is injured."
Kain frowned and knelt down while she hesitated, "I'm alright."
Kain shook his head, "Night will be here before we know it. We might as well camp here."
Kieran jumped to his feet, both feeling reluctant to move and glad to have something to do. "I'll get some firewood," he offered.
His mentor nodded absently, preparing to cast a spell to heal the wounded Maenad. Cuore remained still and Kieran took their silence as permission to leave.
Secretly he was glad to be leaving. Kain seemed to deal with Cuore very well, and he could assume that she had some issues that still needed to be worked out.
His own injuries annoyed him but they weren't serious enough to rethink his plan and so he wandered away from the pair and gathered a few sticks littering the trail. There were plenty of dead trees and he always poked them first with his weapon before breaking branches off. The last thing he needed was for the trees to come alive.
There'd been enough fighting for one day.
Kieran was wary of the fact that now the mountain was completely devoid of monsters. Mere hours ago the location had been alive, demanding their souls to stay here, and now it was left as a pile of rocks formed millions of years ago.
The whole thing was eerie and he kept glancing around, wondering if it was all going to go to hell again.
By the time he returned to their makeshift campsite, night had fully fallen and he was surprised to see Cuore curled into a ball, asleep.
Apparently noticing where his gaze went, Kain mentioned, "She's fine, but she was more fatigued then she'd ever let you know."
Kieran nodded and bent down to stack the wood he'd brought back, aware that it would only be a matter of time before Kain started asking questions.
He decided to beat him to it.
"Where were you the whole time?"
Kain shrugged, "On an adventure of my own, but not nearly as exciting as soul-eating mist."
The young man snorted, not agreeing with the term 'exciting'.
As the fire burst to life, consuming the first logs hungrily, Cuore rolled over and moaned in her sleep.
Kieran looked over and watched her shiver, wondering what, exactly haunted her dreams. He knew how hard sleep could be, but he also wouldn't pretend to know what her greatest fears were. Besides, he had his own to deal with.
"What happened to you?" Kain asked quietly.
Kieran frowned, still watching Cuore, "She didn't tell you?"
"She told me about the battle and about what happened to her, but she said that the mists taunted you. Nothing more." his mentor informed him.
Kieran sighed and shifted, drawing his knees up so he could rest his elbows on them. "You were right."
After a moment he continued, "Ordeals played every trick on us to try and deceive us, to try and kill us…I saw…"
He glanced up and then away, not sure what Kain's reaction would be, "I saw…myself, and my family…"
"You're still alive." Kain pointed out, managing not to sound ironic with that statement.
Kieran frowned, "Alive, yes, but alright? No…"
Cuore shifted in her sleep again, this time rolling over so her back was to them as she coiled into a tighter ball.
Kieran closed his eyes, "I don't want to talk about it."
"Do you feel better or worse after being here?" Kain asked.
He paused, considering the question and then conceded, "Better, I guess…"
"Then I'd say I was wrong to tell you not to come." his mentor remarked, gesturing to the mountain peaks behind them, "This place is dangerous, yes, but there is a reason people come here. It shows fears and hopes and makes you look at the darkest parts of yourself and the world. But if you learn from it shows you, if you come out better off then you started, then you've realized what the mountain is all about."
Kieran didn't reply, not sure if he had learned all that much at all. He'd always known what the mountain taunted him with. He'd always known he hated himself and was terrified and tormented by what had happened. But maybe in facing it head on in a tangible form he would be able to overcome it now.
"Get some sleep. Even with the evil mass gone, we still need to get off this mountain." Kain told him.
Kieran nodded and tossed once last glance at Cuore before settling down and trying to go to sleep.
Author's Note: Here it is! I wanted to get the '2nd part', so to speak, of the Ordeals part of the story up as soon as I could after posting last chapter. This one was a little bit of a pain to write, but it's done now and hopefully everyone enjoyed it!
Where was Kain? I'll let you weave a tale of your own. All Kieran and Cuore know is that he wasn't around to help them.
I also realize that there is a Valentine's Day Fic-A-Thon going on right now and that this story (and chapter) have nothing to do with them...I wish I were a bigger fan of V-day so I could write something, but you never know. I just might anyway.
Updates may be a bit slower for the rest of this month; I have some stuff going on in life that might slow writing down. (Good things, though, don't worry.)