Note-For the benefit or my viewers who don't know him Baralai is a character from Final Fantasy X-2. Don't read on if you don't want to be spoiled.
He is the leader of New Yevon and during the game he was possessed by a ghost who was using him to destroy Spira. Anyway he's one of my favourite characters from the FF games. Just to let you guys know I shall have an element of the Gippalai (Gippal/Baralai) pairing in my story. Read on to find out who Gippal is but this pairing is one of my faves and it doesn't get the loves it deserves.
Chapter Twenty Eight
Baralai
If someone had told Baralai that it was possible to travel to other worlds he would've assumed they were insane. All his life he had grown up and lived in the Holy Temple of Yevon on a peaceful world called Spira and he never even entertained the possibility of another world outside his own one.
He loved Spira and the calm serenity the world possessed. After the Machina War 1000 years ago that led to the destruction of Zanarkand and the deaths of millions of people the world reached a much needed peace.
Baralai had grown up during the Eternal Calm, a world that had not seen war since the ending of the Machina War 1000 years previously. He was of the Holy Temple and he lived a quiet if somewhat boring life.
Then along came Gippal. He was an Al Bhed, the Machina Creators and he was an expert in creating airships. He was also the leader of the Machine Faction. The Al Bhed were the ones responsible for the creation and distribution of various Machina around Spira.
Gippal was a tall, striking blond. It was hard to miss the guy thanks mostly to his dress sense and the fact he only had one eye. He wore a black eye patch to cover his missing eye but the other eye always drew Baralai in. It was aquamarine in colour and instead of having a round, black iris Gippal's iris was spiralled. That was the common trait among Al Bhed. Their strange eyes gave them away.
The blond also wore the most striking colours. He wore a bright purple shirt and purple gloves. He also wore dark purple pants with black suspenders. His boots were black and red and were good for traversing across the Bikanel Desert which was the home land of the Al Bhed.
Gippal was Baralai's best friend because he was the only person that didn't treat Baralai as if he were made of glass and in need of protection. Baralai was small and he had a shy personality so that made it easy for him to be targeted by more aggressive people.
People grossly underestimated the small, shy man. He was an expert when using a staff as a weapon. He didn't approve of violence and the staff was the most non lethal weapon he could pick.
He could easily subdue an opponent without killing him or her and his skills always made people think twice before attacking him. Gippal never doubted his skill and their bond of friendship was practically unbreakable. Right now Baralai was sitting on a bed with his knees draw up to his chest.
Baralai was terrified. He was sitting in a house that had the front torn off and everyone was staring at him and holding weapons as if waiting for him to attack. Dark chocolate eyes widened when the tall blond warrior called Cloud approached him and stared him down.
Baralai gulped when the scarred brunet Leon tapped that sword of his against his leg. The white haired man honestly had no idea what he had done to deserve this harsh treatment but he wisely kept his mouth shut. The only people who actually tried to make him feel safe were Sora and Aerith.
The man with the black hair and demon eyes terrified Baralai the most. There was something within that bloodied gaze that made Baralai tremble in fear for his life.
Swallowing thickly he drew his knees up to his chest and silently wished to be back home in Bevelle. He wanted to be in the Holy Temple, praying or visiting other temples around Spira. He wanted to be on the Besaid beach with Gippal and just enjoying the day as it was. He wanted to go home.
Baralai pulled his green robe tightly around his body. He was dressed in brown pants and black boots with a green robe with a gold embroidery design around the edges and sleeves.
The robe reached down to his knees and served as a coat in cold weather. He also had a blue bandana that kept his silver tresses out of his dark eyes. He never took the bandana off except for when he went to sleep, showered or when Gippal asked him to remove it.
Baralai was aware of the group talking to each other so he reached into the pocket of his green robes and pulled out a sphere. It was blue in colour and seated within a golden base. He stroked the sphere as if it were a priceless treasure to behold. To Baralai it was the greatest treasure he possessed. The sphere contained all his most precious memoires and moments and it also served as a diary.
"What is that?" a harsh voice demanded. Baralai jumped and almost dropped the sphere.
"It's just my sphere." The silver haired man replied. Leon glared at him and then looked at the blue object.
"Hand it over." Leon held out his hand expectantly.
"No!" Baralai cried as he stuffed it back into his robe pocket. Leon cocked an eyebrow.
"I won't ask again." He growled. Vincent, Seifer and Reno watched the exchange with bated breath. If Sokar emerged they would have to make a run for it.
"It's just my Memory Sphere. It only contains my memories. Please, don't take it from me." Baralai pleaded.
"I've never heard of such an object." Merlin stroked his beard thoughtfully.
"They're a common commodity in Spira." Baralai murmured.
"What's Spira?" Sora questioned. Baralai stared at the brunet boy before explaining.
"That's the name of my world. And I just want to go back." His dark eyes pleaded.
"We've never heard of such a world." Aerith said gently.
"And I had no idea other worlds could be accessible." Baralai retorted.
"Have the Heartless invaded your world yet?" Cloud asked the shivering man.
"What are Heartless?" Baralai asked innocently.
When that question was uttered a deathly silence filled the ruined house. It couldn't be possible, could it? Could such a world truly exist? This man, the host to a Hell-God, was from a world untouched by the darkness.
Leon stared at the silver haired man for a few moments before approaching Merlin and whispering something to the wizard. Yuffie and Sora were clearing away the wreckage of the house along with Donald and Goofy. Baralai pressed his back against the wall.
"What is the last thing you remember Baralai?" Merlin asked softly.
"I was with my friend Gippal on the beach. We were on vacation and then…this light and…a voice I think…then I woke up here." Baralai explained.
"Do you know a creature named Sokar?" Merlin asked and the group held their breath.
"I'm sorry, I've never heard of Sokar." Baralai shrugged his shoulders.
"Are you sure?" Cloud demanded.
"I swear it!" Baralai yelled suddenly. "Look, I have no idea what's going on but please…I just want to go home!"
"Sora, keep an eye on him for now." Leon ordered the smaller brunet. "Cloud, Zell and I are going to check out the castle." They left without another word.
Myde cocked his head to the side as he took up a seat next to Baralai. His blond hair was still black along with his eyes and the sight greatly unnerved the Spiran.
Myde wasn't sure how long the spell would last until Sokar regained control of the body but at least it bought them enough time to think up a plan. As the Sorcerer examined the scared man he came up with an idea. Sokar and Baralai were to different entities sharing the same body, just like Sora and Roxas.
"What are you thinking about?" Zexion asked the silent Sorcerer.
"I want to talk to you in private." Myde pulled the Nobody away from the others. "I think I know a way to get Sokar out of Baralai."
"Myde…" Zexion knew where this conversation was going. "You're talking about separating a Hell-God from its host body."
"If I can do this then Baralai will be safe right?" Myde protested.
"You don't know what the effect will be on the host." Zexion pointed out. "What if he needs Sokar to survive?"
"It won't matter if Sokar gets Reno." Myde growled.
"You can't just tell Baralai that he shares his body with a parasite." Zexion sighed. "And that kind of spell is extremely dangerous."
"I pulled it off with Roxas and Sora." Myde pointed out as his eyes flared red.
"This is different." Zexion hissed. "This is a Hell-God you are dealing with."
"With the black magic I can pull this off easily." The Sorcerer replied.
"Don't become consumed by the need to use the black magic Myde. This is raw darkness you're dealing with now." Zexion warned.
"Red!" a scream halted their conversation and they went back into the main room to see Axel screaming. "Like blood…so much red…not pretty green light…you're all red!"
"What's wrong with him now?" Zexion rushed to Roxas' side.
"I don't know!" the blond struggled to calm Axel down. "He looked at Baralai and he went nuts!"
"The red will swallow us all!" Axel screamed pitifully.
"Get him out of here Roxas." Yuffie said as she helped him get Axel to his feet.
"This is seriously fucked up." Seifer groaned. Vincent said nothing but his eyes betrayed his worry and fear.
"What the hell is happening?" Baralai moaned as he put his head in his hands.
"You're just having a bad day pal." Reno placed a hand on Baralai's shoulder. "You just have to put up with us for a little while."
"But why me?" Baralai cried. "What did I do?"
"Nothing Baralai. You are a victim in this." Vincent said and the others knew that to be true.
"We'll wait for Leon, Cloud and Zell to come back before making any more plans." Aerith spoke up.
"But what about Sokar?" Sora questioned. Aerith sighed but said nothing more.
"Sora…" Baralai said after a few moments of silence. "Can I ask you something?"
"What is it?" Sora replied.
"Did Myde always possess black magic?" Baralai kept his dark gaze on the Sorcerer.
"No…why do you ask?" Sora was curious.
"When I look at those eyes I see something." Baralai whispered. "It's not the fact that his eyes are red and black. There's something else in those eyes I see."
"What do you mean?" Sora said anxiously.
"I don't know how but…whenever I look at those eyes…all I see…is evil." Baralai murmured. "And it is growing."
"I can smell something." Zexion spoke up suddenly.
"What is it Zexion?" Myde approached the Nobody.
"Xemnas…" he growled just as the Superior appeared outside the ruined house.
"Get away from here!" Sora drew up the Keyblade.
"Not until I get what I have come for." Xemnas answered with a grin.
"What do you want?" Zexion challenged. Those amber eyes rested on the group.
"I want the Final Key."
