Chapter 20: Final Confrontation: Cosmos Vs. Chaos
'The Battle of all battles has finally arrive, good versus evil, light versus dark..It is coming together, but is this the end of all? More shall be revealed...'
The final battle has come. Karin became nervous as the hour of the eve of battle fast approaches. Cecil retrieves armor from out of a crate he carried with him from Baron, the armor just like his dark knight armor that will be worn by Karin. Steiner opens a crate he carried with him from Lindblum under Zidane's and Garnet's request for Lorena, retrieving the same style armor as his for her to wear in battle. Karin began to quiver, as if scared to enter the field of battle.
"I..I can't do this..This is too big for me..I can't even..-" "Shhhh...Your worrying too much...I am nervous, as well, but we have to. Cosmos's light will guide us all the way to the end, and protect us from the darkness.." Cecil interrupted Karin, calming her as best as he can, "She would be very proud in spirit...I bet she's watching right now..." Cecil looks up to the sky, then back to Karin.
"I don't wanna screw this up for you guys..This battle is very important to you guys," answered Karin. "You won't, that I know for sure. Here...You need this armor, put it on," said Cecil. Lorena expressed her fears to Zidane as both Amarant and Vivi started putting the knight armor on her.
"I'm nervous, too...I haven't been in something like this, but I don't know if the Gaia and Terra incident counts.." said Garnet. Bartz arrives to the scene, "Don't be scared, I'm here, Zidane's here, we'll look after one another in battle. Boko is going to stay with Koko and the little chicks, just to make sure they're safe."
"I brought it with me..The feather Boko gave me..I bet good luck will help us, too..Right?" said Lorena, showing Bartz the feather she received from Boko. He in return brought his out as well. As if on signal, Boko grabs the note right next to him with his beak and gives it to one of the elder chicks, instructing it to give it to Lorena. The chick complies and waddles its way to Lorena with the note in its beak. As soon as the armor is all on, the chick begins to mufflely chirp, trying to get Lorena's attention.
"Huh? What's this?" Lorena askes, lowering to the chick. The chick showed Lorena the note. She retrieves it from the chick and opened the folded paper to read it. After a few minutes of reading the note, she in shock looks at Bartz. The shock was soon replaced with happiness and she hugged him, hoping not to let go of him.
"What? What was on there?" asked Vivi. Zidane turns to the black mage and whispers the answer to him. "Oh.." answered Vivi. Koko high fives Boko on a job well done as the elder chick returned from its task. Karin arrives to the scene, just after she gets her armor on.
"What's going on?" asked Karin. Lorena shows Karin the note and it all became clear. "Oh, Lorena...Oh, that's good!" the two girls hugged in joy. Firion arrives to the chicks and both their parents. "I need to borrow this chick for a bit..I'll bring it back, don't worry," said Firion. He gives a note to the chick, causing it to grab it with its beak. Firion instructs the chick to give it to Karin and it began its task by hurry waddling to Karin. Bartz was the first to notice the chick coming their way.
"Hey...What's that chick got?" Bartz said as the chick got closer to the group. It gives a muffled chirp, trying to get Karin's attention. "Hey, what do we have here? Thank you, little one.." said Karin, petting the chick. It gave a happy chirp and fluffed it feathers, returning back to its parents as Karin read the note. As a few minutes went by, Karin finishes reading the note and she turns to Firion, who was right behind her while she was reading. Her eyes were wide open in shock, then as with Lorena, it was soon replaced with happiness and she embraced him in joy, not willing to let go.
"Uh, oh...Same thing like you, Lorena..." said Bartz. "Oh, Karin! I'm so happy for you! Group hug!" said Lorena, hugging both Firion and Karin. Koko and Boko then give each other another high-five for another job well done as the chick came back from its completed task. Tidus stood right next to Yuna, then turned to Rikku as Yuna wasn't paying attention and gives her a thumbs up as a signal. Rikku nods and quietly sneaks behind Yuna. As she gets closer, she brings out somekind of package that was supposed to be for Yuna herself. Rikku puts it into the hood of the former summoner's outfit and flees the scene as quick as she could go.
"Hey..What the? What's in my hood?" wondered Yuna. She pulls out the package and said to Tidus, "Is this from you?"
"Huh...How'd that get there?..What?" said Tidus, acting dumb. Yuna nodded in disbelief. "Oh, Tidus. Probably was from you..." she said, opening the package. She opens it carefully, revealing a silver necklace that is identical to Tidus's, same size, same design, same length.
'Oh, my god..This necklace is the same as Tidus's...Huh?' thought Yuna. She then sees a note in the package. Taking it into her hands, she opens it, finding the note to be in Tidus's handwriting. As she finished reading the note, she was in shock and turned to Tidus, who was right next to her.
"What? Did I win something?" asked Tidus, knowing why she was in shock. Yuna hugs Tidus with such force that the two fell to the ground of water in Cosmos's sanctuary. In the far corner watching the scene, Paine and Rikku each gave each other a high-five, knowing the mission was a success. Terra was kneeling before the Onion Knight til she gave him a big hug, after receiving his message. Riona receives a note from a Chocobo chick and was shocked after reading it, running to Squall and hugging him, refusing to let go for a second. Zidane reaches into his pocket with his tail and retrieves a necklace, which happens to be stolen, due to being a thief.
"Garnet...I have something for you..." said Zidane. Using his tail, he places the necklace around her neck, even if her hair is in the way. "Oh, Zidane...I bet you stole this, didn't you?" she questioned.
"You must know me too well..." answered Zidane. A Chocobo chick with a note Zidane wrote himself in its beak went to Garnet and tried to get her attention. "Oh..What do we have here? Thank you, little one," said Garnet, retrieving the note. Koko was getting groomed by Boko as the chick returned, cleaning all her beautiful feathers of yellow. Garnet finishes reading the letter and then turns to Zidane with a look of shock, then, just like the others, it was replaced with happiness and she hugs Zidane, knocking him off his feet and taking both of them to the ground of water.
"Uh, oh...Yah! Zidane!" cheered Vivi. The others that were with Zidane rush to the scene and cheered. "About time.." said Freya, knowing the relationship between the two very well. From the opposite side of the region, Chaos's troops prepared for the upcoming final battle. Vivian, newly reformed, is now garbed in pure black. Her outfit was alittle similar to Kuja's, but it was also similar to Sephiroth's. Now wearing a short cut tank top of black with a black jacket identical to Kuja's, but in leather black. She also wore a dress bottom with a type of fabric draping in front of it like a front and back loincloth over a dress and black, heeled boots.
"Our time as come...We will not fail again, but the whole thing will repeat if we do, so we have plenty of time.." said Vivian, looking across the battlefield ahead. As the others went to the battlefield, Vivian was about to follow, til Kadaj was calling her.
"Vivian! Vivian!" cried Kadaj, "Lord Sephiroth has something to give to you..Here.." What Kadaj had was a pair of silver shoulder guards, identical to Sephiroth's, but fitted for her alone, and a same length kantana, just like his. Vivian also received a note as well, hidden in one of the shoulder guards. She reads it to herself as Sephiroth approaches the scene. Vivian becomes wide eyed in shock, then looks to Sephiroth. Slowly, she walks to him and in a slow movement embraces, covering each other with their own wing. As a few minutes went by, Sephiroth puts the shoulder guards on Vivian's shoulders for her before the battle ahead. The three walks to the group ahead, which were actually waiting for them.
"Waiting for us?" asked Kadaj. "All of us are entering the battlefield together...Not separately," said Garland. "We have strength in numbers...Not in solitude..We fight as one, we die as one," said Golbez, following the others to the battlefield. The goddess, Cosmos kept an eye on the Chocobos, making sure no harm was brought to them in the final battle of the war she waged in for eons against Chaos. From the mountain ranges above, a four armed horned demon with a demonic visage watches from above. Its red-webbed, black rimmed wings were draping over it like a cape. Skull-like ankle guards and belt guard were of a red-orange color, accompanied with a demon-skull like design on its front loincloth. This demon was the God of Discord himself, Chaos.
"At long last...We will settle this once again...For good!" said Chaos, looking at his forces advancing to the battlefield. Deep in a distant world inside a throne room, with pillars with designs of a curled like heart design with crowns on top, a man with a lower fish body watches the battle from a fountain pool of sacred water. Through his blue eyes, there was no emotion shown, but disgust. Another man walks to the scene, garbed in what appears to be a wrap-based front loincloth, purple orbed belt, a black leather strap across his eyes, while the light highlighted his long, silver hair.
"Its starting again..As before...Sora," he said to the merman, named 'Sora'. Sora responds with a grunt, "It always has...But now I have had enough..As soon as that dragon shows up, I will strike at its heart...Finishing the whole repeats once and for all. These fools have sucumbed to the venomous poison of your darkness, Riku...What shall you do?" The man with silver hair, 'Riku', then placed his answer.
"I will send them to infinite darkness...Just with those that suffered before them. They would make excellent additions to my Heartless forces," said Riku. Sora then gave out a hearty chuckle. "Same as always, Riku. Same as always..Oh, the battle is about to begin..Let's see what will unfold before us," said Sora, peering into the water. Both forces met on opposite sides of the battlefield.
"Lets end all this ...Ending...The eternal conflict," said Chaos. Cosmos casted a magic barrier, protecting the Chocobos from the battle. "Here they come..." said Bartz, arming himself with his shape-shifting sword. Karin and Lorena stood side by side, then saw Vivian, but her appearence was more different than before.
"Oh, gezz..It looks like they did something to her.." said Lorena, whispering to Karin. "She's now like Sephiroth...But her only wing is on the right side, not left," answered Karin in a whisper.
"Lets settle this, Kuja!" cried Zidane, activating 'Trance'. "With pleasure.." said Kuja, doing the exact same thing.
"Sephiroth!" Cloud called, "You will die by my blade!" "I like to see you try, Cloud.." said Sephiroth, arming himself with his blade. "Your heart is mine..Karin!" called Vivian.
"I like to see you try! Freak!" cried Karin. "Your head is mine, Seifer!" cried both Squall and Zell. They looked at one another for a second in recognition, then turned to the opposite group. "Prove it!" called Seifer. Jecht arrives to the front of the group, then shouts out, "Tidus!" Tidus acknowledges it.
"Lets settle this! Show me how strong you really are!" Jecht called out, changing to his true form as Sin. Seymour and Shuyin awed in amazement.
"Gladly...Just to let you know...I won't hold back anymore!" answered Tidus, changing form to his true self, Bahamugena. Seymour then turns to the deity and says to Shuyin, "We're dead..." As the battle was about to begin, a small-sized woman in a type of tunic\dress joins the group of Cosmos, armed with a ruby tipped staff. Her long, blonde hair was pulled back with a multi-colored beret and appeared to have long pointed ears and a dark brown nose.
"Mighty deity, Bahamugena...You have regained your lost memories...Welcome back," she said to the deity. Karin then nudges to Lorena, "Hey...Isn't that Shanttoto from Final Fantasy XI?"
"It is..And it looks like the judge magister, Gabranth, just showed up..Look!" Lorena answered, pointing at the upcoming Gabranth, with his weapon in hand. "We must hurry before the wrym appears..Then our punishment will begin..From light and darkness...Lets go, Sin," said Gabranth, looking at Sin. Chaos releases a battle cry, signaling the start of the battle, as well as erupting a magic barrier of his own.
"Go!" cried the Onion Knight. Everyone charged on both sides, weapons ready for combat. Karin and Lorena joined the run to collide with the enemy forces. "I want to go home...Bad!" said Lorena, calling to Karin.
"No! We have to end this!...Now's not the time to chicken out! We have to do this!" answered Karin. Yuna joins the battle with two handguns. Auron was right next to her.
"Auron! Shuyin is all yours!" Yuna called out to the guardian. "Alright, good luck against Seymour.." answered Auron. The two groups collided and the final battle has begun. Karin fought agianst Vivian, blocking each attack Vivian used against her. Cloud against Sephiroth, Onion Knight versus the Cloud of Darkness. Everyone had an opponent, even nemeses. Bahamugena clashed two water-bladed swords into Sin's blades that mimicked the stone one in Zanarkand, slashing and blocking each of their attacks. Yuna stands before Yevon's Maester, prepared to severely hurt him.
"You came back to me..Oh, Yuna.." said Seymour. "Oh, shut up...Besides..I'm already engaged to someone else..And he's a deity, named 'Bahamugena', who also happens to be Tidus. Better luck next time.." Yuna said, then fired at Seymour, but he dodges the bullets.
"Gah!...Curse you, deity!" cried Seymour. Shuyin dodges each of Auron's swings, but gets hit by one of them, only leaving a nick on his right arm."Grrr! Darn it!..Gah..." Shuyin was cut off by Auron's blade to his neck.
"You may look like Tidus..But your not Tidus...I will show you no mercy..." threatened Auron. Lorena assists Karin against Vivian and made a first mark on her across her face.
"Oh, yeah! That felt good.." said Lorena. "She's like Sephiroth...She can heal herself now, look," answered Karin. Vivian began to heal herself, then she made a threat of her own, "All this...All the things you cherish most will be gone...Fade away in a flash. Everything you hold dear will be extinguished like a candle...Your love...Your friends, it will all end, by the grace of Jenova...And so will you..." Karin and Lorena stood there for a second and looked at one another.
"Wow...She really has Sephiroth's personality...Bravo..Nice statement, now go to a circus!" Karin said, actually clapping. Vivian began to become furious, then dashed at them, not knowing she just fell into a trap.
"Anger blinds all..Like you!" said Karin, slashing the blade into Vivian's torso, causing extensive damage. Vivian however began to heal, as predicted. Vivian looks up, anger was the only expression on her face. From the throne room, Sora continues to watch, becoming interested by the minute.
"It seems Bahamugena and Sin are back from amnesia...How wonderful...Don't you want two deities as Heartlesses and Nobodies for us? I bet we'll make good use of them..." said Sora. Riku nods in agreement.
"They would be perfect. It won't be long now...The inevitable is drawing near," answered Riku. The battles escalated to two different levels as the war dragged on. Bahamugena notices something about Chaos.
'The God of Discord is fueling his troops..I must sever the connection...Huh?' the Deity notices Sin rising into the air, charging up a type of hyper beam attack. Telepathically, Jecht communicates to Tidus.
'Kid...You really got strong..I must admit, you are such a fighter...I have one more test for you. We can both do a hyper beam attack, but can you block it to protect Cosmos? I want to know!' said Jecht. With the beam fully charged, Sin fires at Cosmos. Bahamugena flies to the goddess and changes form to the aeon, Shiva. Combining the aeon's power of ice and energy into Cosmos's barrier, the beam hits, but did not pierce through. The hyper beam was unsuccessful.
"Alright, Tidus!" cried Bartz and Zidane. Bahamugena then turns back to its true form, then faced Chaos, giving him a telepathic messege.
'You should be afraid of me...Chaos...I will sever your connection to your troops..And finish this once and for all...For Cosmos!' was Bahamugena's message. Flying into the air, the deity charges up for a hyper beam attack of its own. Seymour rushes to Shuyin, then said, "He's aiming at Chaos! We have to alter the direction!" Shuyin follows the Maester and they both rush to a cliff peak to intercept the deity as the others fought. Shuyin makes a leap at the deity, but instead grabbed his tail. So did Seymour and they hope they were distracting him.
"Keep pulling!" cried Seymour. They then heard Tidus's voice telepathically, 'Hey guys..I don't think that's doing any good...You can't stop me...I'm going to put an end to this battle...Now get off and take a hike!' The deity began to spin around like a cork screw. Faster as he went, both Shuyin and Seymour fly off, but Sin flew in and grabbed them, but they both went flying to the ground. "Gahhh! Team Yevon's falling awayyyyyyyyy!" screamed Seymour. "Darn it!" screamed Shuyin.
'Feel my wrath, Chaos!' Tidus said in telepathy. The beam then fires, aiming at the God of Discord. "Bah...You cannot breech my barrier.." said Chaos. Cosmos smirked, 'Oh, yes he can...Just watch...' The beam hits the barrier and upon impact, the barrier shatters, leaving Chaos panicking. 'What! How?' was all he could think of. The beam then pierces through Chaos's side, mortally wounding him in the process.
"Raaaagghhhh! Cosmos! You knew about this didn't you!" Chaos screamed. Everyone stopped fighting and stares at the scene in shock and suprise. "Whoa...Did you see that!" shouted Vivi, "He nailed Chaos through the barrier! He hurted him really bad!"
"Alright!" cried everyone fightng for Cosmos. "Oh, no!" cried all that fought for Chaos. The God of Discord fell from the mountain top, but landed safely and still alive. "That..Is Chaos. He's ugly, but powerful.." said Karin.
"From what I saw..I don't think he's powerful," said Lorena. Bahamugena lands in front of Chaos, reverting back to Tidus. "Don't you understand? We don't earn anything when we keep fighting...And it goes for everyone," said Tidus, turning to both sides of the previous battle.
"We don't earn anything in battle. Haven't we all learned that fighting doesn't solve anything? This war is pointless and it has no meaning. All we can do is to forgive and move on...Like I did...All my hate and anger is gone, through the friends we all have and self discovery of myself. We can all move on, if you try. This war isn't solving anything...Now is the time to heal, to heal the deep wounds we bear in our souls...We must heal..Or madness will ensue.." Tidus said in a speech that touched everyone's hearts, even those that don't value emotions.
"Where have we gone wrong, Kuja?" asked Zidane. "I..I don't know.." answered Kuja. Golbez strays away from the group, but was stopped by Cecil.
"Brother...Where have we screwed up? I want to know.." asked Cecil. "I sold my soul to darkness..But yet...Oh, Cecil.." answered Golbez. Karin joins in and hugs the knight n heavy armor, "I told you we would save you...I told you, uncle Golbez..." Garland didn't want to except this, but knew it was all true. He turns to the Warrior of Light, then asked, "Am I not allowed back in Cornelia?"
"No..If you did come back..Stay away..." said the Warrior of Light. Firion glares at the Emperor, but turns away, knowing Tidus is right. The battle was over and everyone began to heal, but the worst is yet to come behind their backs.