Act Twenty-Five: Tsuki no Akari
I muttered your name inside my heart
Although my feelings won't reach you there
Now it's distant, that beloved face
Floats in this night sky, even with my eyes closed…
"The deeper we go, the more and more disgusting these monsters get," Rydia sighed. Rosa grimaced and turned away.
"Let me know when it's over…"
They were staring at the carcass of the Plague Horror that had materialized before them at a new shrine they had stumbled upon. It was a slimy, glistening spheroid with four bony appendages that made up its hands and feet, and had purple bat wings that had the wingspan of a small dragon. On the lower half of its face, a mess of fangs were hanging out of a slackened jaw. The top half consisted entirely of a massive, watery, purple eyeball that twitched unsettlingly and never focused on a single target for longer than a second – at least until Kain had impaled it with the Holy Lance he had snatched from the shrine. Kain had acted so fast and with such frightful force that the threat was eliminated in moments.
Kain pulled the lance out of the eyeball, and green liquid discharged like a miniature geyser. After a few moments, the liquid reduced to a trickle, and the monster crumbled into dust.
"You can look now, Rosa," Rydia said. Rosa whirled back around and Kain gave his lance a shake to fling off the remaining juices.
"Well, that was nothing," Kain smirked. "Was that dragon you fought really a big deal, Cecil? Seems like these guardian spirits are just getting easier and easier. "
Cecil pressed his mouth into a hard line and didn't reply. He knew Kain was trying to deal with the stress of being lost in the Lunar Subteranne by needling him, but he wasn't at a point where he could laugh about it yet. Hours had passed since their brief campout, and they had made it down to the seventh level, still no end in sight. Everyone was starting to get agitated again, especially after Cecil had told Rydia and Edge about Zemus's failed plan with Ragnarok. He hadn't wanted to rehash it, but his desire to be upfront about Zemus's ability to take control of his body, even for a few seconds, won out over his wish to just forget about it. Cecil was terrified, more than anything else, that his Lunarian blood now made him a liability for the others.
On the seventh level, they had entered a long, winding pathway, with three caverns inlaid to their left as they walked forward. The first cavern had been empty, but the remnants of a fire and the way the dust had been disturbed in two distinct locations could have meant that Golbez and Fusoya had camped there – recently, even. But when Cecil had dared to call out their names back on the main pathway, there had been no response.
The second cavern had contained the shrine with the Holy Lance that Kain stole, and they were approaching the third.
"You never know which way is the way out in this place," Edge grumbled. "I hate that we have to check all these damned passages. Couldn't Fusoya and Golbez have left a clue or something?"
"Whoever dug this place out was a masochist," Kain added dryly.
Cecil cursed under his breath. Of course Fusoya and Golbez hadn't left them any clues – they didn't know that Cecil and the others were tailing them.
The cloud of wretchedness that was hanging over the men was starting to get to Rosa and Rydia. They weren't happy about the situation either, but giving the negativity life by vocalizing it just made things feel direr. They decided to jog ahead and enter the third cavern on their own. When they crossed the threshold, they were pleasantly surprised to see nothing more than two silver chests, and a cluster of blue crystals growing in the corner.
"Maybe there's something that can help us in these," Rosa said, and kneeled down to open the chest on the left. Rydia opened the one on the right, and both paused in confusion when they saw what was inside.
"It's just… a ribbon," Rosa blinked, lifting it out of the bottom of the chest. It was a beautiful ivory color with forked ends, and was made of some of the finest silk she had ever touched in her life.
"Same here," Rydia said, holding hers up. It looked identical to Rosa's in every way.
"What did you find?" Cecil asked, stepping inside. Kain and Edge stood behind him.
"Just a piece of ribbon," Rosa frowned, and stood back up. She didn't notice the tendril of fog that had begun to curl around her feet and steadily rise into the air.
Rydia paused, still kneeling next to the chest with the ribbon clutched in her fingers. An inexplicable chill had settled in her lungs, and she got the foreboding feeling that something else was in the room with them.
"Rydia?" Rosa blinked. "What's wrong?" The fog had reached Rosa's knees now, tickling her legs. Looking down, she gasped and tried to step away, but realized the entire cavern had begun to fill up with it. Rydia rose and wrinkled her nose.
"Something smells suspicious. Like a mon-"
"I will not relinquish these blessed relics to the likes of you!" A high-pitched voice interrupted her. The fog rushed forward toward the entrance of the cavern in a blast of hot, sticky, wind, and surrounded Cecil, Kain and Edge. They started coughing uncontrollably and gagging as the fog closed so thickly around them that they disappeared from sight.
"Cecil!" Rosa cried.
"Let's get out of here!" Rydia shrieked, grabbing Rosa's hand. A long, skeletal tail swung in front of them, tripping them both and sending them crashing to the ground.
"Ugh!" Rosa groaned, propping herself up on her forearms. She could feel both of her knees bleeding from fresh scrapes, and her legs ached when she tried to move them – they had banged really hard against the cold, hard floor. The fog in front of the entrance had begun to dissipate, but Cecil, Kain and Edge were gone – and in their place were three fat, warty toads, croaking to each other. Rydia lifted her head and saw what had become of them, her face turning white as a sheet.
"That fog cursed them!" She gasped.
"Aiiiieeee!" Rosa screamed as the tail that had tripped them wrapped around her ankle and lifted her off the ground, making her dangle in mid-air. The toads all started croaking with more urgency, jumping up and down in the air. Rydia rolled away toward the wall and used it to keep herself steady as she pulled herself back up to her feet.
Rosa had been captured by a towering skeleton of what appeared to have been a dragon in a former life. It was so tall that it had to bend within the cavern to not hit its head on the ceiling, its curvy spine twisting and clicking sickeningly as it writhed back and forth. It had two long arm bones that protruded from above its exposed rib cage that were capped with serrated claws, and two bent legs that distended from a cracked and bloodied pelvic bone. It was a Lunasaur – long thought to be extinct on the moon, but reanimated by Zemus as a plaything.
The Lunasaur crashed through the chests and launched its chattering jaws at Rydia. Rydia managed to untangle her whip from her waist and snap it against the Lunasaur's gaping eye socket to get it to back away and buy her some time. As it lunged back and forth, Rosa swung violently from the tail and screamed louder, her shoulder smashing into the stone walls of the cavern.
I can't use an eidolon…Rosa will get caught in the crossfire! Rydia thought worriedly. What spell can I use that will be sure not to touch her?
"E…Esuna!" Rosa gasped, trying to heal Cecil, Kain and Edge. But the Lunasaur swerved again violently, making her spell miss and bounce into the floor instead. It followed up by casting Reflect on the toads so that there was no hope a future healing spell could hit them again.
"Firaga!" Rydia cried. Flames burst forth and exploded on the Lunasaur's head and neck, but the staggering effect was short-lived. A few moments later, the Lunasaur merely shook its head to quell the lingering flames, and chattered its teeth, casting a healing spell that spilled sparking, curative light all over its body.
What should I do!? Rydia clutched her whip. I need a more powerful spell!
Rosa had started to get dizzy from the blood rushing to her head. She had given up on healing the others, and she was too disoriented to try to reach for her bow. Her arrows had scattered everywhere on the floor of the cavern anyway.
I'm going to pass out soon if I don't get back on my feet… Rosa thought. If only I had a holy weapon like Cecil and Kain…!
Both women closed their eyes in anguish as the Lunasaur roared and began clawing at the ground, kicking up dust and sending one of the chests flying like a projectile weapon out the cavern entrance.
"My child…if thou cannot call my name, assume use of my magic instead."
"Huh?" Rydia gasped, holding her hands to her ears to hear better over the Lunasaur's fit. "Bahamut?"
A tear slid down Rosa's cheek, hitting the cavern floor silently. Her chest began to feel hot, and she wondered if she was starting to suffocate from the blood pooling in her lungs.
Cecil…Kain…I became a white mage so I could protect you…but I can't even protect myself…I thought I was stronger than this!
Suddenly, an idea for a counterattack came to Rydia. "Of course!" She exclaimed out loud. "There is another way!" She closed her eyes, channeling all of her concentration into making her vision a reality – lighting the Lunasaur aflame with the devastating, all-consuming flare she had turned upon the Father of Eidolons himself. Fusoya had been right…her body was readying itself for a new evolution, and the time was ripe.
The burning in Rosa's lungs began to spread throughout her extremities, radiating and duplicating with each heart beat. She didn't think this could possibly be what dying felt like…in fact, she felt more power flowing through her than ever before – even more than when she had accidentally cast Ultima with Cecil. This was a power all of her own…a pure, resplendent, terrifying power.
"Flare!"
"Holy!"
They cast the spells simultaneously – from Rydia, a raging inferno that covered the Lunasaur in boiling pustules of flame that would expand, explode, and from the dying flares resurrect flames anew – from Rosa, light-imbued, ultraviolet orbs that volleyed from the sky and collided in a tremendous surge of holy energy that filled the cavern with blinding light.
The Lunasaur collapsed under the bombardment, dropping Rosa to the floor and giving her only seconds to flee before it burst into flames. Rydia pulled Rosa up from the ground and they stepped back, watching the purple and red blaze rage before them.
"Amazing that we didn't blow the whole Lunar Subteranne away," Rydia laughed nervously.
Rosa turned to her, resting her hand on Rydia's shoulder. "Thank you for saving me."
"You saved yourself – I just got really mad."
They giggled and realized they were both somehow still clutching the ivory ribbons – which hadn't gotten a scratch, burn or a drop of blood on them.
"Do you think these are what kept us from falling under the curse?" Rydia asked.
"The monster called them "blessed relics"," Rosa blinked. "Perhaps so."
"Croak! Croak Croooooak!"
One of the toads had hopped over to Rydia and was jumping up and down on her boot.
"Ooops…sorry guys, forgot about you!" Rydia laughed. "Rosa?"
"Dispel!" Rosa exclaimed, first stripping the toads of their reflective magic. "And…Esuna!"
A cloud of smoke erupted, making Rosa and Rydia cough and close their eyes. In the place of the three toads were three confused men – and Edge, who had been the toad jumping on Rydia's boot, stumbled and fell on top of her, knocking her to the ground.
"Hack! Hack!" Rydia gasped for breath through the smoke. "GET OFF OF ME!"
"I'm trying…!" Edge groaned, coughing into his arm."I can't see where my hands are going in this smoke!"
"Ewwww!" Rydia spat. "And don't cough on me!"
Rosa ran through the smoke and threw her arms around Cecil, who hugged her back tightly. "You're OK!"
"Finally!" Cecil groaned. "I could see everything, but I was powerless…although it's not like you and Rydia needed any help, it seems…"
"It was kind of nice, being a toad," Kain mused. "I bet we could have hopped out of here and none of the monsters would have bothered with us. I bet Zemus wouldn't have even noticed."
"You're hopeless," Rosa sighed, letting go of Cecil and turning to hug Kain as well. "Someone would have stepped on you for sure!"
Kain hugged her back and allowed himself the risk of his fingers barely brushing along the tendrils of her hair. "That light…it was bewitching."
Rosa pulled back and smiled. "Ah, so you're not so jaded after all, if even I can still surprise you!" Kain felt a blush run over his face, and he turned away before either Rosa or Cecil could notice.
"Ouch!" Edge screamed. Rydia had kicked him squarely in the stomach, sending him flying off of her.
"If everyone is feeling all right…we should really keep moving," Cecil said, cracking a small smile.
As they returned back to the main path, Rydia tied Rosa's ribbon to her arm, and Rosa returned the favor.
"I hope those were worth almost biting the dust for," Edge pouted, his hand still clutching his stomach.
"Well, even if they turn out to be nothing, I think they make wonderful good luck charms!" Rosa winked and Rydia giggled. Edge groaned and shook his head.
"You two are some of the craziest broads I have ever had the pleasure of knowing."
Those pleasant days when we laughed together
Are still now warm in my heart
The light of the moon glows in the blue night
As though bringing to light the radiance of those days…
The pathway continued to wind around a corner, and in the distance they could see that they were actually on a plateau, and that another long stone staircase would take them down to a new level. After descending the stairs, they were faced with a set of heavy iron doors.
"This is new," Kain frowned. "But I guess we have no other choice."
Cecil took one door and Kain took the other, pushing so hard that their feet slid in the dust that was kicked over the rocks. The doors finally groaned open, and Cecil felt his heart leap into his throat when he saw what lay before them.
"This is…" He narrowed his eyes as he crossed the threshold. "…I dreamt about this."
It was the crystal wasteland that he had been in when Zemus spoke to him on the Lunar Whale. The sky was the same color red, and he could see the burning star that had been under his feet in the dream now positioned in the distant horizon – like a setting sun. The plates underneath their feet were all made of reflective crystal, and instead of the rocky terrain of the Lunar Subteranne, all they could see under the crystals was black abyss, punctured with the glimmering light of distant stars.
"Where are we?" Kain asked.
"I don't know," Cecil said. "In my dream, I was standing at the ledge, staring out at the stars. But that's where I heard Zemus's voice…"
"…So he must be here," Rosa concluded softly.
Cecil closed his eyes, letting their voices fall away. He willed for something, anything, in his Lunarian blood to alert him to the potential danger ahead. If he focused very hard, he thought he could feel the slight vibration of a very powerful, negative vitality shudder underneath the crystals. There was a peal of goading laugher in Cecil's ear, and his eyes snapped back open.
"He's definitely here. Let's go."
They walked forward, silent except for the sounds of their boots colliding with the floor. The landscape never changed – it seemed like they were just looping in a giant circle. The only indicator that time was passing was the star ahead of them slowly sinking down ever deeper into the horizon, which had started to tinge the sky a deep black.
Hours later, exhausted from the previous battles, all of the walking, and constantly being on alert, Cecil suggested that they take another break. They all sat down, gazing up at the obsidian sky, which was dazzling with starlight that reflected off of the crystal plates. It would have been beautiful if they weren't all terrified of what was to come next.
Edge had stretched out to lay down, his hands folded behind his head and his eyes closed. Rydia and Rosa were healing the cuts they had sustained in the battle against the Lunasaur, and Cecil and Kain were staring into the distance wordlessly. Ten minutes had passed when Edge suddenly let out a yelp and sat straight up, making everyone jump.
"What the hell!?" Kain growled. Edge looked around a moment, like he was confused about where he was.
"Masamune…"
"What?" Cecil asked.
Edge paused and looked down, shaking his head. "I…uh…sorry. Must have been dreaming. I heard a voice telling me that Masamune was close."
"What is Masamune?" Rydia asked testily.
"It's a mythical katana," Edge sighed dreamily, as if he was talking about the love of his life. "Said to have been crafted by a legendary blacksmith before any of our ancestors even walked the planet. I got excited because the Murasame is said to be a sister-sword of the Masamune, but…well, that's probably why I had the dream in the first place." He unsheathed Murasame, turning it in his hands gingerly so that the light from the stars above reflected off of it. "This might not even be the real Murasame…but a guy can hope." He stood up and stretched, sliding Murasame back into its sheath. "Sorry, but I can't just sit around like this…I've too much anxious energy. I'll go on ahead just a little to see if there's anything interesting."
"Edge, no one should go alone," Cecil said, his jaw clenched. "Not in a place like this." Edge tapped his foot impatiently and was about to argue, when Rydia cleared her throat.
"If it will give the rest of us some peace, I'll accompany you."
"You…you will?" Edge blinked.
"Yes," Rydia sighed, and stood up. "If I'm being honest, I can't really just sit either. But we're coming right back."
"Yeah, yeah, of course," Edge grinned. "Let's go."
Edge and Rydia left the group, and Cecil, Kain and Rosa looked up at each other in silence. Having known each other for as long as they had, they could hold entire conversations with just their eyes. None of them thought it was good idea to separate – but you could cut the tension in the air with a knife, and no one was willing to be the person that started the next argument.
Once they were a few yards away, Rydia crossed her arms over her chest and twisted her mouth a bit. "So…you really like weapons…?" She didn't exactly want to talk to Edge, but she didn't want it to be completely silent, either – too unnerving in a place like this.
"The Ninja Masters of Eblan have always had an incredible armory of weapons," Edge smiled. "I learned how to use a sword before I learned how to eat by myself. Mom would carry me strapped to her chest so she could always grab at least two weapons for a fight. She's the one who taught me how to dual-wield so well."
"Did your mother…get in a lot of fights while carrying you?" Rydia raised her eyebrow.
"Oh yeah, of course," Edge laughed like it was nothing. "She was the most powerful ninja in Eblan at one point. Defeated my dad so soundly in battle the first time they met that he never walked quite right again, and he turned around and asked her to marry him the next day." Rydia's eyes widened. From what little she had seen of the Queen of Eblan, she hadn't looked like a former ninja in the slightest. She had just seemed like typical elegant royalty. "She didn't realize who he was at the time – she just told me that he irritated her and that she wanted to put him in his place." Rydia flushed and looked away. That resonated with her deeply, for some strange reason.
Edge sighed. "…I really miss them. I still can't believe they're gone. I can't come to terms that when we get back home, it's going to be me running the show." Rydia felt a hiccup rising in her throat and tried to fight the oncoming tears.
"I know…I miss my mother too. It's still too raw. And I don't know if I can ever go back home again." It was too late. A tear had broken the dam and was sliding down her cheek. Edge looked over at her, and frowned.
"Cecil told me about Mist…did she…and your father…?"
"My father has been gone long since before I was born. My mother didn't die in the fire. She fell when Cecil and Kain unknowingly killed her dragon. When a summoner has a deep affinity with an eidolon, their relationship can evolve to the point where they sustain each other's life force. My mother and her dragon…they were together since she was a child. And now…I can summon a dragon." Rydia sniffled again. Edge cautiously reached out to touch her arm, and she let him.
"You mean that Mist Dragon you call upon…she's your…"
"Yes…I am almost certain that my mother came back as that dragon to protect me – like King Baron came back as Odin to protect Cecil. I thought it was just a childish fantasy until I witnessed that night in the cellar. Now I believe it to be the truth."
"I'm sorry," Edge said softly. "But…in a way, how wonderful it is that your mother loved you enough to find a way to remain by your side?"
Rydia nodded, reaching up to rub her eyes. "That's why I try not to let myself get sad. I think of the people I know who have lost people they loved…like Prince Edward losing his betrothed, his parents, and his father-in-law… Cecil and Kain losing their parents…Rosa losing her father...you losing your parents…and I realize I'm the lucky one. We're all just drifting stars that happened to cross each others' orbits…if I didn't have you guys, and my dragon…I would truly be alone. But that is not the case. I had to do a lot of growing up to realize that – and that's why I'm here, fighting for our planet. I have too much to lose now."
Edge stopped walking and pulled Rydia against him in a half-embrace. Rydia closed her eyes, letting her remaining tears dry on his cloak as she rested her cheek on his shoulder. Edge reached down, gently pushing her hyacinth hairpin further back up in her hair so that it did not fall and shatter on the crystal tiles below.
"Don't try to grow up too fast," Edge said gently. "When all of this is over, you should try living a normal life again."
"I don't even know what normal is," Rydia smiled a little. "It's why I feel safe in the Feymarch…there is nothing normal about living with a family of monsters."
"You couldn't return to Mist?" Edge asked, hoping the disappointment in his voice wasn't too obvious.
"I don't know," Rydia shook her head. "I just can't possibly know that right now." She looked up, gently pulling away, and let out a gasp. "What is that? It wasn't there before…"
Edge turned to where she was staring. A slender silver blade, stained in red, with stained wrappings twisted around the handle, had materialized before them. It cast a shadow on the crystal below, floating before them at arm's length.
"Could it be…?" Edge dropped his arm from Rydia's shoulder and pulled out Murasame. The blade was resonating with a soft red aura, so faint that it could hardly be seen without the brilliance of the crystals around them to enhance it. Rydia bit her lip and turned to look back from where they had come. They had walked so far in such a short time that Cecil, Kain and Rosa weren't even visible anymore. How could that possibly be? She felt the panic start to flutter in her chest.
"Edge, we should go back!" Rydia said quickly, pulling on his arm. "This could be a trap!"
"There's no shrine, though," Edge frowned. "I think this was the sword calling to me in my dream."
"But…" Rydia tried to pull harder. "Cecil, Rosa and Kain are gone! Doesn't that seem strange to you? Isn't this just a little too convenient?"
"…You're right," Edge shook his head, finally relenting, although Rydia could tell that it pained him. "We should head back."
"Thank you," Rydia sighed. She let go of his arm, and gestured for him to follow her. As she walked ahead, the mysterious blade began to undulate in place, vibrating silently, and Edge paused to observe it. Without warning, the blade launched itself into the air, and soared back down in a curved trajectory – heading right for Rydia's back.
"Rydia!" Edge cried. Before she could even turn around, Edge darted forward, blocking Rydia with his body and catching the blade with his bare hands. Rydia covered her mouth and screamed, watching the blood drip from Edge's clasped hands and stain the crystal tiles beneath them as the katana trembled violently within his grip.
"Grrrr!" Edge growled, gritting his teeth and bending his knees to push back with as much strength as he could manage. "Run, Rydia!"
"No!" Rydia shook her head. "I can't leave you alone!"
"The ensorcelled blade of Masamune will never bend its will to that of men from the Blue Planet!" A serpentine voice hissed. "I, Ogopogo, will ensure it!" The sound of washing water roared all around them, and Rydia inhaled sharply. Something powerful was approaching them, and quickly.
"ARRRRGH!" Edge dug his fingers in deeper, and the blade finally gave up, dying in the pool of blood it had created in Edge's hands. He smirked and grabbed the handle, swaying it back and forth even as his hands throbbed in pain.
The roar of the water had become overwhelming – Rydia could barely hear herself think. She stared in shock at the deluge that had risen in the distance, and was now bearing down on them at breakneck speed – it would either drown them or throw them over the edge of the crystal plate!
"Edge, look out!" Rydia shrieked, grabbing his arm. Edge looked behind his shoulder and gasped, grabbing Rydia around the waist and leaping just as the wave was about to crash into them. He dropped Rydia off gently onto her feet and stumbled into a rolling landing within the water from the tail-end of the wave, propping himself up on his hands and knees while coughing up fluid.
The deluge washed away in front of them to reveal a doppelganger of Leviathan – Rydia would have thought she was staring at a mirror image of the Eidolon King with the exception of the rusty brown and plum-colored scales, and the menacing red eyes that drilled into them. She thought about what Cecil had told her about his encounter with Dark Bahamut, and wondered if Ogopogo, as this creature had called itself, was Leviathan's own shadowy counterpart.
Rydia ran to Edge and kneeled down next to him, grimacing when she saw the blood draining away with the water. If she didn't hurry, Ogopogo would strike again and finish Edge off.
"Sylphs…please heal us!" Rydia cried.
Three delicate balls of blue and green light began to dance around Ogopogo, and he snapped his jaw at them, confused when he would not catch them in his maw, and would try again. The lights orbited the confused beast one last time and then shot into his stomach, causing Ogopogo began to seize back and forth. Green healing magic sprinkled over Rydia and Edge – the cuts on Edge's hands slowly sealed back up, and the remaining blood was spirited away. When Rydia looked up, she saw the three blue lights leave Ogopogo's body, and they briefly took the form of smiling Sylphs before disappearing in a burst of sparking light.
"Thanks, Rydia!" Edge grinned, standing up. "So now we've just got to shock this imposter into submission, huh?"
"I like that idea!" Rydia smiled back. She couldn't help herself – his determination in the face of terror was infectious.
They simultaneously cast Thundaga and Blitz, igniting the sky so brightly that for a moment, it was like daylight on the Blue Planet. The massive lightning storm descended upon Ogopogo's form, lighting him up like cannon fire and causing him to collapse in a heap of smoking scales before decaying into dust. There was a gentle tinkling sound, and a scarcely-noticeable rainbow reflected in the air before them and disappeared. Suddenly, in the far distance, Rydia could see Cecil, Kain and Rosa again – they were sitting exactly where they had left them.
"Ogopogo must have cut us off from the others," Rydia said, gazing out at them. "They must not have heard a thing, or else they would have surely come running." Edge bent down to pick up Masamune, which was no longer stained. It was now pristine silver, and the wrappings around the handle were as pure as the ivory ribbon tied around Rydia's arm. He pulled out Murasame, and now when the two blades met, Murasame lit up with a blue aura instead of red.
"Murasame…must have been trying to warn me that Masamune was enchanted…" Edge shook his head in disbelief. "These blades have to be the real thing, right?"
"They definitely are!" Rydia smiled. "And now Eblan has laid claim to both of them…your parents would be so proud."
Edge smiled sadly and slid them both into the holster on his back. They walked back to the others in silence, their feet kicking in the puddles – but this time, it had become a comfortable silence; a little familiar.
Not even able to wipe away your tears
These two hands of mine can only tremble here
Now I am alone on an unending journey
I do nothing but wander on these weary feet
As they continued their journey, Edge and Rydia told the others about Ogopogo, but Cecil wasn't paying attention. He was beginning to worry about the fact that they had still not come across Fusoya or Golbez – or any evidence that they had made it to this point. The repetition of everything around them was starting to eat at Cecil's patience. Their path had remained unchanged and unending, and he felt like a rodent trapped in the sewers of Baron. Every warm air current that blew through the empty crystal field felt like Zemus's breath hissing in his ear, and every cold draft like Cecil was walking through a congregation of ghosts – all those from the Blue Planet and the Moon who had been felled by Zemus's madness.
The miles and miles of crystal before them had started to make him dizzy, too – he found his vision blurring and would walk long periods at a time with his eyes closed to bring temporary relief.
During one of those blind stretches, Cecil heard Kain ask "What is that?" aloud. He slowly opened his eyes, and willed his feet to stop.
Everything looked the same as it had when he closed his eyes ten minutes prior – except for the slight glimmer of a rune embedded on a crystal plate a few feet in front of them. They had only been able to spot it because the star that had been slowly making its revolution around them was now underneath the crystal plate, and the result was a dazzling reflection if you tilted your head just the right way. Kain and Rosa had gathered around the rune, waiting for Cecil. Rydia and Edge peeked at it over Cecil's shoulders.
"This should transport us somewhere," Cecil said. "…It could be an exit, or another trap."
"Last time it was a trap, right?" Rosa frowned. "With Dark Bahamut?"
"But we've nowhere else to go," Edge sighed. "We haven't seen anything new since Ogopogo decided to grace us with his ugly presence. I'm ready for a change of scenery."
Rydia and Kain stared ahead – endless, endless crystal was all that was waiting for them if they kept going.
"What should we do?" Rosa asked. Cecil shook his head.
"Even if it is a trap, we've overcome everything else Zemus has thrown at us so far. If we pass it by looking for something new, we may lose track of this if we need to go back. Let's just see where it takes us."
The five of them clasped hands and stepped onto the rune.
They arrived at the foot of a tall set of crystalline stairs accompanied by a small crystal platform that barely held the five of them. They were completely enveloped by darkness and starlight, and above them, there was another crystal platform staggered at the top of the stairs – flashing lights could be seen exploding through the semi-transparent floor from where they were standing, and the sight of them made the hair on the back of Cecil's neck stand up straight. Powerful forces were colliding above them – he could feel the immense energy ripping through the atmosphere.
Cecil raced up the stairs two at a time, and stopped short when he saw the scene unfolding before him.
Fusoya and Golbez were standing off against a towering man wrapped in black silk robe, intricate runes woven over the front smock of gold, red and blue. He wore a decadent taffeta mantle that added another foot to his frame, swathed in scarlet over the sleeves and twisting into a fanning Medici collar that was black with a white downward tooth pattern that ran along the top – making it look as if the collar was a gaping maw ready to swallow his head whole. His skin was a rich shade of blue-violet, the top of his bald head glimmering in the reflection of the magic exploding around them. His eyes were tawny saffron with no pupils, and his lips, pursed together, were painted black. His hands, tipped with gold at the nails, were folded over his chest, and his bare feet were just barely hidden from view by the tattered ends of his robes – he was hovering a few inches off the floor.
Golbez was in the middle of casting a Firaga spell. The flames swallowed the man in black, but he barely flinched – he continued to gently levitate in place, the same look of indifference settled in his features. Next, Fusoya cast Slow, and Golbez followed up with Blizzaga, to the same effect as Firaga. Fusoya cast Hold, but the man gave a delicate shrug as if to demonstrate the spell had not had its intended effect. Golbez tried Thundaga next, and Fusoya raised his staff and called upon Holy, which at long last, made the man stumble forward just a few inches, flinching.
"It's nearly done!" Fusoya called to Golbez. "Give all your power to Meteor!"
"Very well," Golbez nodded, and both men closed their eyes and began to pray, taking on a burning, orange aura.
"Yes…" The man chuckled softly to himself. "Use all of your strength…" He didn't make any move to defend himself or attempt to deflect what was to come. He watched Fusoya and Golbez curiously, like one would watch a kitten batting a string.
"Zemus!" Cecil hissed under his breath. The tall stranger had to be him. He could practically feel the malevolence rolling off of him in waves from where he stood.
Fusoya and Golbez raised their arms in the air at the same time, crying "Twin Meteor!" The sky over the man was torn asunder, and thousands of meteors poured through, filling the chamber with acrid smoke and shaking the platform so violently that Cecil and the others had to cling to each other to keep from falling into the abyss below. Minutes later, when it was over, the smoke and flames cleared, revealing that Zemus had fallen to his hands and knees. His head was lowered and his mantle and robes were nearly burned away to nothing – exposing scarred and sinewy flesh that carried the same deep blue complexion as his face and hands.
"Even when this mortal shell is gone…my spirit…will live on…" Zemus began to convulse and choke, blood staining his lips and chin as he collapsed to the floor, his eyes as wide as an alley cat gazing from a dark corner. Cecil shuddered – he felt as if Zemus's lifeless gaze was locked right on him.
"We did it," Golbez said softly, crossing his arms over his chest.
"What a waste," Fusoya shook his head sadly. "Such incredible power, and all of it warped to evil ends."
"Hey!" Edge cried, pushing past Cecil and running over to them. Cecil slowly followed, feeling like his feet were made out of lead. He hadn't realized it until now, but he still wasn't ready to face Golbez. He still didn't know what he could possibly say…he felt like his soul was trying to pull away from him again, just like in the Giant of Babil, and leave his body to fend for itself.
"Oh, you've come!" Fusoya cried. Edge skidded over to Zemus, and made a face.
"Looks like we were too late. You were supposed to leave him for me!" Fusoya cracked a smile behind his beard.
Golbez looked over at his brother, and shifted his weight slightly. "Cecil…"
Cecil looked up at Golbez, but as he stared into the empty blackness of his helmet, his throat tightened, and he turned away. He couldn't bring himself to even come close to trying to look Golbez in the eyes – not when every previous time, Cecil had seen his own terror reflected back in them. Rosa took Cecil's hand, frowning.
"Cecil…"
They were interrupted by a by a stomach-turning gurgling sound coming from behind Golbez and Fusoya. Zemus lifted his head up from the floor, his flesh dissolving into a black and violaceous mist that began to rise and twist itself into a raging furnace that discharged through the heavens above. A thunderous voice filled the chamber, echoing endlessly in the night sky.
"I am the wellspring of darkness, fed by Zemus's unbridled hate. I am He who is called Zeromus. I am He who knows naught…but HATE!"
The furnace began to burn brighter, whipping up a tempest of scorching gales that threatened to blow everyone off of the battlefield. Cecil and the others held their arms in front of their faces, clenching their eyes shut and trying to brace themselves against the violent gales.
"No!" Fusoya cried over the wind, shaking his head. "Death only fueled the evil within him!"
Golbez growled and marched forward through the winds, reaching down to his hip. "Zemus…no – Zeromus! This time…I will finish what I set out to do!" He pulled out a dark sword the size of one of his heavily armored legs, and tore it through the furnace. The winds dissipated, and a massive tangle of hairy, slithering, azure tentacles burst forth, a small head with two droopy orange eyes and needle-pointed teeth emerging from the writhing mess like a nightshade bursting into bloom. Two orange antennae twitched above his eyes, crossing over every which way.
Golbez immediately dropped his sword and cast Meteor, pelting Zeromus with hundreds of burning stars. Fusoya followed up with his own Meteor spell, but still Zeromus floated gleefully, letting out delighted peals of laughter.
"It's no use!" Fusoya shook his head. "Meteor isn't working! Golbez, use the Crystal!"
Cecil opened his eyes, staring at Golbez from behind his arms. What crystal was this?
Golbez reached into his cloak, pulling out a small crystal that was dwarfed in his massive hands. It was the color of a diamond, and had a rainbow sheen that sparkled in the starlight. He held it aloft, but nothing happened. Zeromus laughed, his body of tentacles twitching in delight.
"You tread the path of darkness. That Crystal will shed no light for you. Your hands will only stain it darker still!" There was a terrible tremor, and Zeromus gnashed his teeth together. "Now, DIE!"
Zeromus's antennae shot straight up, and he cast Meteor. As the fiery debris came raining down, Cecil grabbed Rosa and tried to pin her under his body, but before he could pull her close enough, he was struck by a massive meteorite in the head and thrown to the floor. He felt his hand tear apart from hers and heard her cry out his name over the raging destruction occurring around them. His ears ringing and his vision fading fast, he clawed at the crystal floor, desperate to get out of the way – but his legs refused to move. He thought he could hear the others screaming behind him, but his ears were filling up with fluid, and he could feel hot, sticky blood trailing down his temple. The last thing he saw before he blacked out was Golbez being struck in the chest and falling to the floor on his back, the crystal still clutched tightly in his outstretched hand.
Zeromus summoned the furnace forth again, cackling as it began to absorb into the starlit sky, turning it a venomous red. The darkness slowly began to eat away at the crystal floor beneath them, inching its way closer to Cecil and the others. The floor that had already been tainted by the darkness was destroyed and had dissolved into sparkling dust that fluttered away into the abyss.
"Know suffering! Know death! My hate will not be stanched until it has consumed all else!" He extended a pair of tentacles toward Cecil, whose eyes were tightly shut. "You shall be next! Come, Cecil…Pass into this darkness I have wrought!"
The glow we encountered, that day we spent together
Is still now warm in my hands
The light of the moon simply shines on silently
As though stirring up this rusted heart…
Tower of Prayer, Mysidia
Palom was kneeling before the now-restored Water Crystal, his eyebrows knit as he prayed fervently. He felt a horrible twinge rip up his spine, and saw Cecil's face flash before him, his eyes closed and his mouth twisted in pain. Palom's eyes snapped open, and he leapt to his feet. "Elder!"
His twin, Porom, had experienced the same phenomenon. She opened her eyes, tears spilling down her cheeks. "Cecil and the others!"
The Elder frowned, stroking his beard. The moment they had feared had come to pass, he was sure of it. When the Lunar Whale had disappeared after felling the Giant of Babil, the Elder had a suspicion that Cecil and the others had fled to the moon to eliminate whoever had summoned the giant in the first place. "Indeed. So now is the time we pray for them. No, for the entire world!" He gently patted the twins upon their heads. "Palom! Porom! We must see that all the prayers made here reach Cecil and his friends on the moon!" They nodded, and closed their eyes, taking each others' hands.
Yang, who was standing behind the twins, pushed his palms together and looked down. "Cecil, my friend..."
"This is your chance, please have courage!" Edward cried, closing his eyes tightly.
"We'll all be waiting for you!" Cid shouted, and Andy and Arden nodded behind him.
"Return safe!"
King Giott had one arm around his daughter, and a hand held over his heart. "For the sake of the whole earth!"
Luca closed her eyes, her fingers laced together. "Rise up!"
The Epopts, who had escorted Edward to the tower, gazed upon the Crystal of Water, their eyes unwavering. "Our prayers are with you!"
Palom squeezed Porom's hand. "Come on! You can do it!"
Porom squeezed back, gazing up at the sky. "Cecil! Everyone!"
The Elder had turned toward the twin moons, which were visible even this early morning, two pearls set against the shining blue sky. Raising his hands to the air, he shouted into the wind: "Great moon! Please...hear our prayers!"
Cecil was all alone, once again. Everything was black, and every time he took a step, it echoed so softly that he could barely be sure that he himself was even alive, and not some twisted specter. He hadn't felt darkness like this since he wielded the dark sword and lived through all of the accompanying nightmares.
"Cecil…"
"Who's there?" Cecil whirled around, and thought he saw the tiniest pinprick of light before him. His body ached, his legs were shaking, and his head was spinning – but still he ran as fast as he could toward the light. That was where he belonged – not this despair-ridden hell.
The sphere of light grew bigger and bigger, and from within, a hand extended toward him. It was large and calloused, tanned with a red prayer bead bracelet fastened at the wrist. Before Cecil could lean in to see the face of his savior, the hand had grabbed hold of his and dragged him into the blinding light.
"Ahhh!" Cecil exhaled sharply, pushing himself up from the floor. He was back on the moon, but everything around him was being twisted and absorbed by Zeromus's raging furnace. Zeromus was floating high up in the air, laughing manically and paying no mind to the insects below. Golbez was collapsed directly in front of Cecil, moaning.
"Brother!" Cecil gasped, crawling over to him. Golbez opened his fingers slowly, revealing the crystal within.
"Cecil…it must be you…" Golbez wheezed and dropped the crystal from his hands. Cecil picked it up, feeling an unmistakable warmth flood his body – the same warmth he felt when he held the crystals of the Blue Planet...The warmth of a crystal shedding its light. He looked to Golbez to ask what to do, but he had passed out.
Brother…was it your prayers that woke me up?
Cecil stood up slowly, clutching the crystal in his hand as he glared up at Zeromus. Zeromus turned toward him, offering a toothy sneer.
"Zeromus!" Cecil shouted, his voice carrying into the void. "This is the end for you – not us!"
It was at that moment that the darkness surged beneath Cecil's feet, destroying the flooring beneath him. Cecil gasped as he started to fall into the abyss, his friends' still forms tumbling after him. He reached up desperately, praying the hand that had saved him in his dream would materialize once more.
Suddenly, he felt a gentle rush of air beneath him, lifting him up and depositing him back to the surface, a few feet from where Zeromus was holding court. Cecil collapsed, his energy depleted – but he didn't fall back down into the darkness despite the platform underneath them being destroyed. His friends' bodies were deposited next to him, and Zeromus let out a frustrated growl at their reappearance. He tried to glide forward to ambush Cecil and the others, but the crystal in Cecil's hand flashed, and Zeromus was thrown back as if he had smashed into a wall. Cecil was as shocked as Zeromus.
"ARRRRRGH!" Zeromus screamed. "What is this…this LIGHT!?" He began to twitch, distracted by the burning pain tearing through him.
Apparitions of Palom and Porom appeared above Cecil, floating in the sky. He could see the light pass through them, like they were staticky figures on a monitor. Cecil wanted to stand up to grab hold of them, yank them away from Zeromus, but his legs were still paralyzed with agonizing pain.
"Here you go!" Palom smiled. "We made it so that you won't fall now!"
"We will help you the best we can!" Porom sniffled, folding her hands together. "May our prayers bestow life!"
They disappeared in a flash of light, and Kain, Rosa, Rydia and Edge all woke up, feebly pulling themselves up to their hands and knees in the swirling darkness. Cecil shook his head disbelievingly. The twins were just an illusion…?
"Ugh…" Kain groaned. "What happened?"
"I thought I heard voices…" Edge shook his head. "Hundreds…no…thousands of voices calling my name…"
Edward and Tellah appeared next, just like Palom and Porom had. Edward placed his hand over his heart, bowing his head.
"Have courage, my friends!"
"Trust in yourselves," said Tellah, a rare, gentle smile lighting his face. Cecil felt an ache throb in his chest. There was so much he wanted to say to Tellah – most notably, that he was sorry about everything – but he knew now that this Tellah was nothing more than an illusion gifted to them from the Blue Planet. Edward and Tellah faded away, their voices echoing together.
"May our prayers bestow…strength."
Rydia closed her eyes. "All of a sudden, I feel totally revitalized…"
"…Like I have limitless energy!" Rosa exclaimed, springing up. She grabbed Rydia's hand, and pulled her along. They turned to face Zeromus, positioning themselves to strike.
Yang and Cid materialized before them. Yang had his arms crossed over his chest.
"Maintain your focus!" He shouted. "Don't let Zeromus break your concentration!"
Cid guffawed and twirled a wrench in his fingers. "Come back to us, ya hear?"
And together: "May our prayers bestow…vitality."
They faded away, and Kain and Edge wordlessly rose to their feet, drawing their weapons and turning upon Zeromus.
Cecil closed his eyes shut tightly; trying to summon his strength to return to him. The others had come back from the brink of death, and he couldn't even stand. Why wouldn't the crystal grant him strength? Was his soul stained with too much darkness from his past life, despite his numerous efforts to repent? The crystal was starting to feel like cold glass in his hand… He down looked upon it and clutched it to his chest, willing it to shine just once more.
Fusoya and Golbez appeared. Cecil gasped, looking back over his shoulder to where they had originally fallen – Fusoya and Golbez's bodies had been recovered from the abyss along with his, but they remained passed out, hovering in the darkness. Were their prayers projecting their astral forms before Cecil?
"Moon, shine your light upon them!" Fusoya cried.
Golbez stretched his hand toward Cecil. Cecil struggled to reach up, but felt his body trembling violently in the attempt. Golbez shook his head. "My brother…do not despair. Use the hallowed light within you. Allow it to fill the Crystal!" He turned toward Zeromus, who was still quivering with rage at being stymied. "Zeromus…show your true face!"
Cecil looked upon his last two living family members. There was no way he was going to lose everything he had gained to someone like Zeromus – a being that had never known friendship, love, loss, pain, or hope, had never known the value of just one tiny life on their planet. Cecil had gotten it wrong – it wasn't the light from the crystal that was going to save them – it was the light he would imbue upon the crystal that would make it shine!
Fusoya and Golbez faded away, and Cecil could feel the holy might their prayers had bestowed upon him rushing through his veins. He rose, holding the crystal high into the air and closing his eyes. He could feel the prayers of the Blue Planet filling him, and in turn he released that energy into the crystal, feeling it grow hotter and hotter in his hands.
Thank you, my friends, for strengthening us with your prayers…I won't fail you…or our planet!
The crystal began to radiate sacrosanct light, encompassing Zeromus's body and obscuring him from view. Zeromus expelled an agonizing howl, and when the brilliance faded, the form that was left behind was something more terrifying than Cecil had ever witnessed in his short life.
Zeromus's tentacles had burned away; revealing a twisted mass of throbbing, ropey, blood-red muscles that were mostly left exposed, save for the ivory exoskeleton that was wrapped around his head, arms, torso and rib cage. His spine was so warped and bent that his entire form made the shape of an "S", like his body was too heavy without the full skeletal support to erect a straight line. Below his torso, the muscle tissue separated into sinewy strips, fluttering and writhing with nothing to cling to or contain. Two arms and bloodied fins had sprouted from a severely humped spine, which curved forward and melded into a dome-shaped, transparent, orange brain cavity and the lumpy bones that protected the sides of his face. Haphazardly growing out of the bones were large, watery blue orbs – the moisture on the surface flickered back and forth in the fading light of the crystal, giving them the appearance of eyes gawking from all over his body, or leaking sores.
His arms were wrapped in bone that had spikes protruding from the elbow down to the gnarled claws, each sharpened to a tapered point. As he clicked his claws together, the revolting sound of grinding bone rang out.
His face was completely encased in twisting and molded cartilage, exposing only two holes for his conflagrant, ruby eyes. He appeared to no longer have a mouth, or if he did, it was buried deep in muscle or bone – the only sounds emitting from his form were guttural and strangled.
"Grrr…gh….agh!"
Zeromus lumbered forward, swinging one of his claws in an attempt to strike the party down in one hit. Rosa cast Blink over the party, and his attack was evaded by all, causing him to quiver in rage. She relentlessly followed up with Shell and Haste, and finished with Holy. As the ultraviolet rays pummeled him, Zeromus stumbled back and clawed at his face.
Kain took advantage of the distraction and jumped high into the air, plunging his lance into one of the blue pustules and using Zeromus as a platform to leap and strike again before he could even react from the first attack.
Edge was running circles around Zeromus, launching every star and spare weapon he had as projectiles. As he reached back for another weapon, he realized he still had Sheila's frying pan from when they had awoken Yang from his coma. Grinning, he launched the frying pan right for Zeromus's rib cage, watching with satisfaction as the cast iron pan cracked and shattered multiple ribs, wedging in the groove of his muscles.
Cecil was hanging back, trying to figure out where the most critical point to strike Zeromus would be. His gaze kept returning to Zeromus's head, which would provide a favorable opportunity for them if he could manage to blind him with Ragnarok. Zeromus had perhaps not wanted to expose his true form because he was slow and cumbersome – he hadn't tried to attack them again since his initial attempt. Rydia had been observing Cecil and ran to him, touching his arm.
"You want to go up?" She shouted. It was getting hard to hear again, because the wind from the furnace had started to pick up again – it was getting hotter, too.
Cecil nodded. "Do you have an idea?"
"Yes!" Rydia closed her eyes and folded her hands, murmuring under her breath. "Bahamut! I need you to my side!"
A piercing shriek carried over the winds, and Bahamut materialized before them, flying out of the darkness beneath their feet and launching himself into the air with a spinning leap before swooping down next to Rydia. Rydia gestured to Cecil, and she hauled herself upon Bahamut's back, reaching out to grab his hand.
Cecil climbed on, and Rydia leaned in, pressing her cheek to Bahamut's neck.
"Please take us to his head!" She instructed, and Bahamut soared to Zeromus, smoke trailing out of his nostrils. Cecil held to Bahamut's neck and leaned in, driving Ragnarok through Zeromus's first eye hole with a sickening popping noise. Zeromus growled and tried to swing at Cecil, but Bahamut was too fast and rolled away, causing Rydia and Cecil to cling to him for dear life as they spun upside down. When Bahamut had steadied himself again, Rydia ordered him back to Zeromus, and Cecil thrust his blade forward, destroying the other eye. Blue fluid had begun to pour out of both sockets, and Zeromus growled and started to rock back and forth, flinging the blue fluid everywhere.
"Kain!" Rydia cried. "Get away! Bahamut is going to attack!"
Kain plunged his lance into Zeromus once more, trying to break through the filmy cartilage protecting his brain. His lance bounced, causing him to fly off course and force himself to make a correction in mid-air. As a result, his lance plunged into the exposed muscle behind Zeromus's brain, and he was clutching onto it to not fly off from Zeromus's thrashing. Rydia pulled Bahamut up as close as she could manage, and Kain yanked the Holy Lance out of Zeromus and made a flying leap to Bahamut's back.
"Are you OK?" Cecil asked, and Kain nodded.
"I'm all right…though it feels like what I'm doing has hardly any effect."
Bahamut screeched and flew a few feet backwards, preparing to release his Megaflare while Rydia, Cecil and Kain held on as tightly as they could.
Edge saw that Bahamut had been summoned, and had started running away to get out of the warzone. Without warning, Zeromus cast a Bio spell, expelling it from one of his outstretched claws. It flew toward Rosa, who was distracted with lining up a shot to his torso.
"Rosa!" Cecil shouted from above. "Look out!"
Just as she let the arrow fly and looked up, Edge dove in front of her, taking the hit. The green, goopy virus coated him, and he fell to his knees, clutching his stomach and dry-heaving. His face was already starting to turn a shade of blue from the poison soaking into his skin.
"Edge!" Rosa gasped, kneeling down to catch him as he passed out. Bahamut fired off Megaflare, saturating Zeromus in a pyre of flames and lava that commenced with boiling him alive. Rosa quickly cast Esuna to heal Edge's poisoning, and was about to revive him, when a loud whistling tore through the air, and a turbulent wind current started dragging her forward toward Zeromus. She clung to Edge's body, screaming in protest as they inched forward, her hair tearing out of her bun and whipping in the wind like a frayed flag.
Zeromus, the flares still smoldering over his body, had summoned a massive black hole between himself and Bahamut, which was absorbing every speck of starlight that had still managed to shine through the darkness and was dragging everyone into Zeromus's reach once more. Bahamut, struggling hopelessly against the gravitational force, howled distressingly and burst into green bubbles that were immediately sucked into the vacuum of darkness. Rydia, Cecil and Kain fell from the sky into a heap, and mercifully, the black hole collapsed into itself before they could get sucked into along with the dragon.
"Bahamut!" Rydia screamed, "Nooooo!"
"Oh my God…" Rosa gasped, clutching Edge and pushing her head against his, trying to catch her breath. Cecil climbed to his feet shakily, staring at his hands.
"All of the protective magic Rosa cast upon me…has been stripped away."
"Mine too!" Kain growled.
"It must have been that spell…" Rydia sniffled, holding her hands up in the air. "Bahamut…come back!"
But nothing happened. Kain shook his head, resting his hand on Rydia's shoulder as she lowered her chin and wailed.
"Grrrr argh argh!" Zeromus vibrated with laughter, lifting his scalded claws to summon another spell. Thunder crashed above them, and slender funnel clouds touched down from above, swirling around the battlefield and drilling direct paths to Cecil, Rosa, Kain, Rydia and Edge. Everyone was dragged into the wind, screaming as they were spun in dizzying spirals and battered by the dazzling lightning shower that assaulted them from the sky. The spell cumulated into a massive explosion, dispatching them several yards in the air and sending them crashing to the ground.
"Ugh…" Cecil moaned. He felt as if he had only been one more lightning strike away from being electrocuted. His head was spinning, and moving even an inch sent every nerve in his body into excruciating pain. He lifted his head from his arms, groaning through the pain, and saw that none of the others were moving. He couldn't even tell if they were breathing – the darkness had started to penetrate once again.
"No…" Cecil dragged himself up to his knees, nearly vomiting from the effort. "It can't be the end already…R-Raise!"
White, gossamer feathers gently floated down upon his fallen comrades, but nobody stirred.
"…Cura!" Cecil tried. Green, glittering light blew through in a gentle breeze, but still, nothing happened.
"CURA!" Cecil screamed again, only to get the same result. He slammed his fists into his lap and clenched his jaw. This was…impossible! How could any of their light been snuffed out so easily?
"GRRRR…HAAHHHH…" Zeromus sneered, drifting ever-closer. Cecil could see Zeromus's ribbons of muscle under his torso squirming hungrily, like feelers on an insect – Zeromus might have been blinded now, but Cecil was sure he could smell the fear radiating from his very core. The shadows were closing in; soon, it would be too dark to see anything. There's nowhere I can run…I can't leave the others to be devoured…!
Cecil closed his eyes, trying to force away the tears of frustration that were welling up. What could he possibly do without Kain, Rosa, Rydia and Edge? He would have been dead several times over without them by his side. It was true that no matter Darkness or Light, Sinner or Repenter, Human or Lunarian – he was Cecil. But he had come to realize that the "Cecil" he had become was nothing without his friends.
"The Cecil I know would never whimper like this! The Cecil I love…"
Cecil opened his eyes. He was back in his tower, in Baron, sitting in bed. Rosa was sitting next to him, with a distraught look on her face. The moonlight was pouring through his window, bathing her in a divine light. A goddess, fallen to earth.
"…You leave for Mist early tomorrow, right?"
"…What?" Cecil blinked. He wasn't leaving for Mist. Or, was he? Hadn't he done this before? He couldn't go to Mist…something terrible was going to happen. He leaned in, reaching for Rosa, but she disappeared when his hand brushed her cheek, bursting into shimmering light.
When he opened his eyes again, he was in the middle of a burning village. It was Mist – completely engulfed in flames, with smoke choking the life out of any that had survived the initial explosion. Kain was standing next to him, his arms crossed over his chest as he surveyed the situation in his usual calm, collected manner.
"…We're opposing the mightiest kingdom in the land…We'll need allies to survive. And somehow, we have to go back and rescue Rosa..."
Cecil held out his hand.
"Thanks…friend…"
There was a massive explosion, and the ground beneath their feet was torn asunder.
A little girl was peering up at Cecil with wide green eyes from a bed. For the first time since they had met, she wasn't looking at him with fear, but with blossoming curiosity. Cecil was collapsed at the foot of the bed, wounded and gasping for breath.
"I won't let anyone hurt you," Cecil breathed. The girl reached out slowly, tracing her finger over the sharp lines of his black helmet.
"You promise?"
"I promise."
She closed her eyes, casting a Cure spell. Cecil felt the warmth fill his body, and thought he could drift to sleep right then and there. As he closed his eyes, he heard her tell him her name…
Rydia…
He was in another inn – this time, in the Underworld. Edge was staring at him, a little drunk, but a little sad as well. There was a look his eyes that he had yet to see from the haughty prince – pity. He had just watched Kain sever their friendship…again.
"Edge…I'm sorry you got mixed up in all this…"
"You don't owe me anything…I'm not going anywhere. I'm the future King of Eblan, and I don't abandon my comrades."
Cecil and Edge shook hands, and Cecil realized there was so much more to the man before him than his shallow demeanor and immaturity had let on. He knew in that moment, no matter what, that Edge would be an ally for the rest of their days and follow Cecil wherever they needed to go to finish the job they had started.
And he had.
The roar of the winds around him startled Cecil out of his trance. He was back on the moon – buried deep within the Lunar Subteranne. He had expected that by now, Zeromus would have come upon him and devoured him, but with the exception of the wind tearing through his hair, it felt to him that time had stopped.
Zeromus was convulsing before him, and had not progressed closer to Cecil or the others. Cecil couldn't understand what had happened, until he looked down and saw the faint light aglow in his chest. He reached up; pulling the crystal Golbez had given him from underneath his breast plate. He hadn't remembered stashing it there, but everything had happened so quickly after Zeromus's true form had been exposed.
Had the darkness embracing him not been so encompassing, the light would have been barely perceptible. But right now, in this galactic necropolis – it was the most resplendent light Cecil had ever seen.
He slowly stood up, the pain in his body vanished. In his right hand, he clutched Ragnarok, which had also started to glow faintly, resonating with the crystal. In his left hand, he held the crystal aloft, the sight of it causing Zeromus to hiss and try to slither backwards. With each step that Cecil took forward, the crystal began to fill more and more with light, and the brighter Ragnarok shined. The closer he got to Zeromus, the more apparent it became that he had been wounded deeply by Bahamut and the others. The darkness had made it hard to tell before, but Zeromus's body had started to fail him. Chunks of muscle and flesh had become blackened and smelled of decay, bones were shattered and missing, and the blue fluid had continued to drain freely from his dismembered eye sockets.
A lone arrow was sticking out of Zeromus's torso – it had somehow survived Bahamut's assault. Underneath it, Cecil could see a fracture had started to form – and something orange was glowing from underneath. Without hesitation or fear of retaliation from Zeromus, Cecil ripped the arrow from the wound, and thrust Ragnarok inside, up to the hilt.
Zeromus screamed in anguish, reeling back but still too fearful of attacking Cecil – he could not as long as that frightful light was shining from the paladin. Cecil withdrew the sword, watching as a frantically beating organ split open and spilled out more of the blue fluid – it was Zeromous's heart.
The crystal brimming with light, Cecil exhaled and blessed it with the last of his strength – every prayer that his human heart carried from the Blue Planet, and every prayer that flowed through his Lunarian blood from the moon. Shoving the crystal deep inside Zeromus's hemorrhaging wound, Cecil stumbled away and let the darkness swallow him once more – his energy was depleted. He could feel Zeromus quaking even from where he struggled to stay standing, and at last, the monster spoke – but Cecil couldn't hear the words aloud – they were being forced into his head, just like in his dream…
"I will never die…as long as there is darkness in the hearts of men! Urrgh…GAAAAAAAH!"
Beams of white and purple light began to tear through Zeromus's form, multiplying so rapidly that all Cecil could see was a radiant glare of light before he felt his legs give out and his body falling backwards through empty air.
"Cecil! Cecil!"
"Wake up, please!"
Cecil's eyes snapped open and he shot upright, gasping for breath. He was sitting on the familiar crystal tiles, and was shocked to see Kain, Rosa, Rydia and Edge surrounding him. They all had terrified looks on their faces.
"Oh thank the gods!" Rosa cried, throwing her arms around him. "We thought you were…"
"Wait…that's my line," Cecil moaned, practically being choked to death by Rosa. But he let her keep at it – he was never going to push her away, again. "I thought you were…"
"Dead?" Kain asked, shaking his head. "Hardly. But apparently, just not as quick to recover as his holiness."
"Yeah, how could you write us off so fast?" Edge demanded. "We were just taking a little nap. It's not like your white magic is the best in the business, you know. It took a bit for that little Cura spell to sink in!"
Cecil blushed and shook his head. "My apologies. I've never been so happy to be so wrong – believe me."
"Oh Cecil…" Rydia hugged him from behind, sobbing into his hair. "I heard your voice while I was knocked out…I remembered the first promise you made to me…"
Cecil looked down at the floor and rested his hand over his heart, smiling. Of course…they had been with him the whole time after all. While looking down, he noticed the crystal that had been inside Zeromus, lying next to him. When he picked it up, it felt just like glass again – like nothing had ever happened.
"You've truly done it! I'd no idea there was such strength in you. You of the blue planet may have already grown more powerful than we of the moon."
Cecil gasped and stood up. Running over to him was Fusoya, and Golbez was approaching as well, although his longer strides meant that he could just simply walk to keep up with their uncle.
They're OK! Cecil thought happily.
Edge smirked and put his hands on his hips. "It does rather look that way, doesn't it?"
Kain frowned. "But...what of the final words Zeromus spoke?" Cecil blinked. They could hear Zeromus's final threat as well? Even in the throes of death, Zeromus's psychic abilities were all-powerful…
Rosa looked to Kain. "As long as there is darkness..."
Fusoya shook his head, approaching Cecil. "There will always be evil in men's hearts. We all bear a touch of darkness, just as surely as we bear light. Much as with the twin sets of Crystals. And the darkened underworld that rests beneath your planet's brighter surface. But as long as there is darkness, so will there always be light. Just as the light within you rose to overcome the shadow cast by Zemus."
Cecil nodded. Fusoya was right – he was living proof, after all.
Edge grinned. "Well, now that you mention it, I did feel a bit aglow!" Rydia whirled around, raising her fist.
"Are you joking? It's a miracle Zemus didn't end up using you!"
Edge shrugged. "My love of justice kept him at bay, no doubt!"
Cecil smiled, and Rosa giggled behind her hand. Kain cracked a small smile, but made sure to hide it when Edge looked over at him.
"I meant to ask…" Cecil frowned. "What was that crystal Golbez gave me?" He held it up, and Fusoya took it from him, smiling.
"Alas…this is the only crystal remaining from our home world – before it was destroyed. It was all we survivors could manage to rescue."
"But I thought the eight crystals on the surface of the moon that took us to the core were your crystals," Rosa frowned. "So then what are those?"
"A curious phenomenon that I am not entirely sure of myself," Fusoya replied. "I've told you before that we are the ones who created the second moon to slumber upon. However, when the moon was created…the crystals were born as well, through no intervention of our own. We were fortunate in that the crystals sustained the power to trap Zemus for as long as we had – but even we Lunarians are not clear on their origin. It's something we may never learn, I'm afraid." He gazed into the crystal. "I have watched over this crystal for as long as I have watched over the Lunarians…it was to be a gift to the Blue Planet when we were finally matched in evolution – a ninth crystal to represent our desire to live in peace with you. Ironically, it was Zemus who had rescued it when we fled…"
Cecil shook his head. If Zemus had known it would have led to his own destruction, he would have let it burn with the rest of his planet.
"Well then..." Fusoya patted Cecil's shoulder. "The time has come for me to join my people in their sleep. Now that I know the Blue Planet is safe from Zemus, I can finally get some rest myself. What will you do now?"
Cecil smiled, even though his heart ached at the idea of saying good-bye. "We will return - to our planet."
Rosa nodded. "Our friends are waiting."
Fusoya smiled at Kain, Rosa, Cecil, Rydia and Edge, taking their appearances in for the last time. "I see. You are lucky to have such friends. I look forward to the day we can meet again."
Golbez took a few hesitant steps forward. "Fusoya…Might you permit me to accompany you?"
Cecil and the others stared at Golbez, their mouths agape. If he noticed the look of shock on their faces, he pretended not to.
Fusoya tilted his head. "You would...join me?"
Golbez nodded. "I would. I cannot return. Not after all I've done. And I would very much like to meet my father's people. At least one time…"
Fusoya hesitated for a few moments, and finally spoke. "I see. Yes our blood flows in your veins, too. You know this will be a very long slumber?"
Golbez nodded again. There was no hesitation in his reply. "I do."
Cecil looked away. He didn't quite know what he had expected Golbez to do when this was all over – he had certainly never thought about it this entire time, in any capacity…but this…seemed a little permanent. His heart had gone from feeling sadness about Fusoya leaving to feeling deep confusion.
Golbez looked to Cecil. "Cecil...you called me "Brother"." Cecil bit his lip, not sure what to say. He still couldn't look Golbez in the eyes – when he had said that before…he had been afraid he was going to die. He would go as far to say that he hadn't been in his right mind. Golbez crossed his arms over his chest. "I suppose I can expect no more than that. All you've suffered until now has been because of me."
Fusoya gently cleared his throat. He could not bear to watch his nephews struggle any longer – the pain between them was still palpable and raw. I see why Golbez wants to join us…"We must go now, and sleep. We will pray for the peace of your planet." He turned to Golbez. "Come, let us go. I'll be your guide."
Golbez turned away from Cecil, and nodded to Fusoya. "Yes..." They began to walk away.
Rosa leaned in and whispered. "Cecil…!"
Kain frowned. "Is this all right - letting him go?"
"You're brothers!" Rydia hissed. Edge watched her, but didn't say a word.
While Golbez's form retreated, without looking back, he raised a single hand in the air. "Farewell."
Fusoya opened a transparent portal, and stepped inside, disappearing. Golbez paused for a moment, as if the reality of his decision was weighing down on him…but he started to walk forward again.
"Cecil!" Edge touched his shoulder. "Make sure this is what you want…" He closed his eyes, and saw his mom and dad's faces. "Just really be sure."
Cecil wanted to his release his internal scream into the entirety of the crystal chamber. I don't know what I want…how could I possibly…after all of this? How could I possibly forgive the man who ruined my life – who ruined all of yours? How am I supposed to move on if he can just run away?
Rydia touched his wrist, and Cecil glanced down at her fingers – for a moment, he saw the little girl's hand that had pulled him through Kaipo looking for Kain, a hand that had been dwarfed within his own – a little girl who had demanded he take her with him to Damcyan to help protect him after he had killed her mother.
But when he blinked, it was once again a young woman's hand resting on his own – grown, powerful, and tempered by…forgiveness.
Cecil pulled away from Rydia and took a few steps forward. He raised his hand, calling out.
"Farewell...my brother."
Golbez stopped right as he was about to step through the portal, and looked over his shoulder to Cecil. He wished, more than anything, he could show his face to his brother – but a paralyzing fear deep within stopped him from reaching up to remove his helmet. He wasn't ready for Cecil to put a face with the terror he had inflicted upon him and his friends. He realized there was only one gift he could give to Cecil before he departed.
"Her name was Cecilia," Golbez said. "…Our mother. And you have her eyes."
Golbez turned and disappeared into the portal. The portal flickered briefly, and faded into nothingness. Cecil stared at the empty space Golbez had left behind for a few moments, wondering if the ache that had appended itself to his heart that day in the Giant of Babil would ever really go away, or if time would merely transform it into an arduous reminder of what would never be.
…The light of the moon simply shines on silently
As though stirring up this rusted heart.
Tsuki no Akari (The Light of the Moon) lyrics © SquareEnix for Final Fantasy IV DS.