Author's note:I won't sugarcoat it, I know my last chapter sucked, hard, and because of that, well, here's one which I'm actually proud off, it's been almost ten chapters since I made one who I truly WAS proud, and here it is, enjoy!

PS: If anyone of you played ToA, I dare you to find the little references.


An Unending Struggle

Chapter Fifty-Two

Meaning of Birth: The Wind and The Sand


"Just wait a sec." Vaan intervened as soon as he noticed the lack of determination on his side.

"Vaan, you promised…" Ashe told him disappointed.

"I promised I would stand by your decision but you're not actually going to decide without knowing exactly what his going to happen, now are you?" He twisted his own words around but Ashe had to agree with that logic, walking into an agreement without any knowledge of it was foolish and rash. "Thought so, so… Rasler, did you just lower your head and let them order you around or were you actually man enough to ask what they were going to do?" He asked his regal lookalike.

Rasler's face twisted for a second but he did his best to keep his calm and collected exterior as he replied. "I don't believe that someone with your lack of comprehension about politics will ever understand." He replied as he tried to dismiss the matter.

"So you're one of those who pull the "you're not a noble you can't understand card"? I thought you were different from the others, well, I guess that you either tricked your wife or her memories and emotions blinded her, either way you're not explaining it to ME, you're explaining it to HER, and she's the one calling the shots." All of his words were filled with venom, one that seemed to slip into Rasler's veins as another grimace took over his facial features.

"I… suppose I can enlighten you." He took a deep breath and wondered if they were going to accept his "answer". "The Occuria mean to take over Ivalice without anyone ever noticing. The only way to do that would be nethecite as you think, but due to the amount of eons needed to create a stable mass like the Sun Cryst they decided to go with another route, one considerably easier at that." He stopped there and secretly hoped that he did not need to elaborate, but it wasn't Vaan who crushed his hopes.

"Rasler… what is it?" His wife-in-life asked preoccupied.

"…Direct influence over world leaders." Rasler put bluntly.

"They want to be our council?" Ashe asked in hopes of it not being what she hoped.

"They want to be with you the same way they were with Cid and Vayne." He finally answered, his face twisting as Vaan's fist plunged into his cheek and set him hurling five meters away. He didn't even see the man coming.

"So, you're basically saying you want to get your wife and any person with some kind of power to be mind-controlled to prevent wars?" He asked as he trudged slowly towards the man. Ashe was too shocked to say anything. She would have taken it better if he said she had to die!

"She would only be…" Rasler begun before getting punched again.

"Now you're just lying to yourself! You know how ruthless they are, it would only take ONE disagreement to turn "influencing" into full on mind-control!" Vaan insisted, grabbing him by his white collar. "And what are YOU going to do when that happens? Because it WILL! Do you think Ashe is just going to stand and watch?" He asked as he furiously shook the rightful king of Dalmasca.

"She shouldn't… its better not to resist…" He mumbled weakly. It was clear that even he had doubts, but why would he obey the Occuria if he had doubts himself?

"What was that? Speak up!" Vaan shouted, shaking him even more. What was this side of Vaan, Ashe wondered, just what had sent him over the edge like this?

"Humanity needs a ruler! We'll just destroy ourselves without one! If we must submit ourselves in order to live and prosper, so be it!" He exclaimed as he punched Vaan right back.

"That is not for you to decide!" Vaan shouted back, pulling back his arm for another punch before his queen put herself on the middle of the two.

"Stop! It's an order!" She demanded Vaan who stopped in his tracks with a dumbfounded look.

"Ashe, he just spilled the beans, are you really going to go along with this?" He asked confused.

"I don't know, but you promised it to MY decision, so can you please back away? I'll talk to the Occuria and figure out a way." She told him, trying to break out the fight before weapons became involved. It SEEMED to work.

"Tch, fine. I did say I never break my promises. But I warn you Ashe…" Vaan told her as he passed by her side. "Never trust…"

"An Occuria, I kn-"She gasped as she felt her body become limb and her vision go black, falling into the ground motionless.

"A sky pirate." Vaan finished. He had just slammed both his hands onto the back of Ashe's neck, knocking her out immediately. He hated to have to hurt her, but it was the best he could do for now.

"I figured you would have no honor, a criminal is never to be trusted, she should have known that… Well, at least she'll not weep when I sever that lying tongue of yours!" The prince consort was BURNING inside with rage as he reached for his weapon. Vaan's newfound smirk only added to that hatred.

"I didn't lie Rasler, you see, two years ago, just before we went to face Feolthanos I did what I never thought I'd do. I got on my knees and promised Ashe I would protect her. She almost didn't believe I was the same rascal she met two years back." He smiled as he drew his Mythril Blade. "You understand now? I'd be breaking one of my promises regardless, so I decided to break the one that would get her a fate worse than death!" He shouted, beginning to shine in a pale golden light. "Licenses Mastered… Durandal!" He chanted as all the weapons he had ready to summon evolved into their greatest form. "Let's decide this like men, noble boy!"

"You will never understand!" Rasler screamed as he lunged. "The roles we play, they might be wearying, they might shackle our every being, but it's for the greater good, LIFE!"

"You're right… I'll never understand!"


"Those two… are so interesting to watch." Illua commented as she chuckled at the top of the Occuria's realm.

"Like Wind and Sand of the desert they are. They seek the same goal sometimes, they fly together. But, the wind is free and ephemeral, it may end at any moment but it has the ability to move on its own. The sand can only be moved by others, but it is near eternal, it exchanges freedom for longevity." A transparent being said from behind the trio of men. "Wind is worthless to the world, controlled it cannot be. Sand is stability, sand is truth."

"Exactly, Gerun. And Sand… can be stepped on." Vayne Solidor said, clutching his hand.

"Hum… Trespassers." Gerun said simply. "Eliminate them swiftly." Gerun ordered as he vanished.

"I would have already guessed that those thorns would find their way into my garden… Let us go." Vayne told the people in armor behind him.

"The boy in the red cap is mine." Illua stated.

"R-Ramza? Oh how I've waited FOR THIS!" Delita drew his sword impulsively. "Today I show you who was TRULY right!"


"Jecht, Kuja, Gabranth, how did you not know who revived you?" Shin asked as they ran down the city, slightly distrusting the crowd.

"Simple, it has blonde hair and is about this tall." Jecht spat back as he lowered his hand quite a bit.

"Oh, I feel retarded now…" Shin mumbled as he remembered Naminé.

"Well, at least you're not my son. If you were… hell, you'd be crying probably." He replied with a smirk.

"Father of the year right there! I wonder why Tidus ever says that you're bellow crap." Sora said full of sarcasm.

"That's because he is a pu- Why hello there control-freak-emperor-version-two." Jecht said, alerting the others for the portal that had just opened in front of them, Vayne, Illua and a restless Delita coming out.

"Well-mannered as always I see." Vayne said with a small tint of disgust. "And it's truly marvelous to see the dog that an away from his master, even after said master had forgiven him for his previous transgression." His disgust had taken to a whole different level when he saw Gabranth. "Fortunately I will not have to deal with such a cur, come now my Magisters." He called, from the portal emerging three similarly armored persons, the only real difference being their helms.

"Ghis… Bergan… Drace?" Gabranth held no surprise for the first two Magisters but the last one left him in confusion, expect he clearly noticed the lack of emotion on them, Ghis would undoubtedly already be blabbering so he knew… "You talk so highly of yourself but all I see is a pitiful man who hides behind puppets bound to his will. Such a cur is unfit for leadership, I regret nothing of my betrayal for while Judge Magister Gabranth followed his owner blindly, Noah fon Ronsenburg saw through your true self and refuses to bow down to such a ravenous hyena!" He exclaimed as he drew both his blades. "Go now, I shall hold them off!"

"You kidding me? We'll handle Illua for you!" Luso told the Judge as Marche and Adele nodded.

"The strive for spotlight… sorry but I must take it from you, I shall rid ourselves of that clown in golden armor." Kuja continued.

"Delita and I have unfinished business… Aya, take care of Bergan." Ramza told her as he slowly made his way towards the brown haired man, who did the same.

"I won't hurt a woman, but we'll free her." Edge nodded as he looked up to the only female Judge.

"I believe… that leaves you and me." Gabranth said in a rare tone of satisfaction as he turned to Vayne. "The rest of you, go! The Occuria's reign must end today!"

"I shall not…" Vayne begun but was forced to grab the Chaos Blade to survive the cut. "You try to cut down your emperor again…"

"The time for talk… IS OVER! Destruction!" The judge exclaimed, joining both his swords and cutting through space itself to send shockwaves on the former monarch's direction.


Memories:

"Do… do you know what is that?" Terra asked her esper side completely bewildered. What they were seeing was… her. Same body, height, eyes, everything, the only part that differed was the green hair and the lack of ponytail coupled with armor. In short, they were seeing her esper side one thousand years in the past. This would explain why she had such memories but… what was SHE doing one thousand years back?

"Tina, I've been meaning to ask, do you trust Kayser?" Maduin asked the lookalike that apparently had another name.

"Not one bit, he's using us, I can tell." The girl replied.

"Wait a minute…is she human or esper?" Terra's esper side wondered. "We should be the first hybrid… and by her looks, she's human."

"You forgot about how espers of great power have human forms." Terra replied, now thinking on a more logical way. "And she DID say she was going for the throne with Bahamut… Wait! Bahamut told Shin that there were things he couldn't tell us no matter what!"

"Maybe he can say something if we REALLY push it!" The esper replied excitedly.

"Hum… you might want to look at this." Naminé said sheepishly.

"Well now, which one of you dirty human's first?" Well, that was kind of a shock. The esper hated humans and was a friend of someone who married one?

"M-monster! You destroyed Doma's entire regiment!" The commander of that army, which was by the way almost wetting his pants, screamed against the duo.

"Tsk, hypocrites. It's not like you wouldn't do the same. Oh wait… you did." Tina answered with a disinterested tone. "Pray to your gods if you have them, because I'm hungry and you're the last regiment here. If any of you survive, tell the Narshean Empire they're next." As she walked alone towards the regiment she slowly began to change, not surprisingly taking the same form Terra took while she activated her trance. This raised an inhuman amount of questions, but Terra was more worried with what was going to happen next.

"I don't want to see it! It reminds me too much of myself!" She exclaimed, covering her eyes.

"Well, we can't have that, now can we? Memory girl, can you fast forward?" She surprisingly asked Naminé. Missing the action, her?

"I can take you to your next important one…" Naminé told her as she snapped her finger once again.

They were now on a clearing that seemed to be near a town, human or esper they could not say, only that it seemed to be, ironically, more advanced that their time's. Maybe because the war set humanity back technologically as their machines probably ran on magic. What was important at the moment however was that Tina and Maduin were sitting beside a campfire with a frown on both their faces. Maybe they had been fighting. Suddenly, as Terra was munching down on a piece of cooked meat from a nearby animal, a lone rock flew towards the female espers head, not even making her flinch as she calmly looked from where it came. It was a small human child… no more than ten.

"No…" Terra whispered as she covered her mouth.

"Tsk… even the kids?" Tina wondered, giving the kid one straight look. He was crying. "Hey kid, what do you think you're doing?" She asked as she picked up the rock.

"G-give me back my dad!" He shouted from the distance in-between sobs. Maduin was visibly distressed by the situation but Tina's face didn't even move.

"You still have a mother?" She asked calmly.

"Tina!" Maduin exclaimed. "It's just a child!" By this point Terra was afraid of the memories. All she had seen of the woman was violence.

"Y-yeah…" The boy replied, unsure why she needed to do that.

"Then you're still not at my point… that's your city isn't it?" The boy nodded at the stranger's question. "When it burns to the ground, along with everyone you knew as you grew up, you can complain to me. And even then, you caused this war, so I really don't know…"

"You have no… mommy?" The boy asked, etching closer to them. "Why did they make your town go away?" At this point Tina got up and changed into her esper form.

"Because of this." She said, meaning herself.

"What do you mean? You're just glowy!" He was just about to reach the campfire now, and while Maduin was impressed, Tina was annoyed.

"We're not the same race, YOU treat us like monsters and then have the NERVE to kill us for our magic. Just because you want it for yourselves… we tried to share but NO you had to have it all didn't you?" She shouted, scaring the small kid to death, but he did not move.

"… I'm sorry…" The boy whispered.

"What?" Tina was taken aback by the statement.

"I-I overheard a conversation between mom and dad… I thought it was about hunting… until I heard about houses… now I understand. I should be the one to be sorry, not you!" That was awfully dark for someone his age, but it did stir up something inside Tina, who closed her eyes and sat back down in her human form.

"There's nothing to be sorry for. This is a war, none of us is right, the one who wins will be considered right… For now, we just fight to survive. The fact that we don't do the same to you is just because we have morality holding us back." She told the kid. "Now, off you go, don't tell anyone we're here though, they might make the wrong decision."

The boy nodded and began running back to the city, stopping and wiping of his tears. "You know Lady… you're not bad... we are." He admitted before continuing to run to the city.

"You don't need to tell me twice…"She replied in a disinterested tone but she was actually completely dumbfounded a human could agree with her.

"You're rethinking the whole "humanity is worthless" argument, aren't you?" Maduin asked with a smile on his face. Tina groaned but had no argument against it. "Good, I thought I had just lost my sister to rage." He said as he laughed.

"Sister? Well, that explains the resemblance at least…" Naminé pointed out, but even she knew what was really bothering them was…

"How can I remember this? Hell, I even remember things months after we were born! We can't have been here!" Terra's other side exclaimed, punching the ground, seemingly causing a quake.

"What was that?" Maduin exclaimed, preoccupied.

"Wait, they can hear us? Terra asked, distressed at being found inside their memories.

"No, look!" Naminé exclaimed as she pointed at a giant beast entering the town.

"Humbaba…" Terra muttered.

"DAMNIT!" Tina blared from nowhere, surprising even her brother when she shot towards the town at a blinding speed.

"Just what is she thinking?" Maduin wondered as he chased after her. "Did that kid really have so much influence on her?"


"Why can't you see that my way is just?" Rasler shouted, dodging Vaan's blade and counter-attacking with a swipe of his own.

"If being a prisoner that doesn't know he is one is justice… Then I'm glad I'm a criminal!" The sky pirate answered, dismissing the Durandal and summoning the Zodiac spear as he spun it, pushing the prince away with the last strike. "And I'll be damned if I let anyone abide by that law!"

"As you said… that is not for you to decide!" Rasler exclaimed back, summoning a bow and raining arrows upon Vaan.

"Well, it's not for the Occuria to decide, that's for sure! Let's roll! CATACLYSM!" Vaan shouted as he created a glyph beneath him and punched it, raising giant boulders from the in a line, blocking the arrows and making Rasler take to the sky.

"So blind…" He muttered as ice formed around him, a glyph appearing just in front. "Be frozen! WHITEOUT!" He exclaimed as he punched through the glyph, surrounding himself in ice, rushing at Vaan with his fist.

"Two can play at that game… Burn up! INFERNO!" He did the same, but with fire. The two clashed and were sent backwards, but recovered at the same time ad created slightly different glyphs in the ground before punching them.

"CATCLYSM!"

"Melt! ERUPTION!"

True to its name, Rasler created pillars of magma that clashed with the rocks. They cancelled eachother but they were already reading another.

"Rain down! Torrent!"

"Purge! Ark Blast!"

They both screamed again, calling down water and thunder from above, but they weren't done yet, oh no.

"Asunder! WINDBURST!"

"Sweep! SANDSPIRAL!"

Different names and image, same effect, they both created tornados that were pulling them in. Thus making it too difficult to escape the falling danger from their previous attacks. They both only saw one solution, one that they thought would surprise the other one but considering what happened up until now…

"INFERNO!"

"WHITEOUT!"

They both decided to burst out of the tornados by force, trying to surprise the other with a counter, but they ended up clashing again, switching to swords as their momentum stopped as they clashed. They began struggling for power in the middle of the circle, equally matched in strength and resilience.

"Will you stop… copying me!" Rasler shouted, pushing back and pulling out a poleaxe to slash at the man.

"I should be asking you that!" Vaan replied, the Zodiac Spear finding the poleaxe. "This is so ironic, we're like replicas fighting!" Vaan mused as his axe collided with Rasler's mace and his katana with the prince's ninja sword, even his staff was met with a pole.

"Don't compare me with people like you!" Rasler shouted, jumping back and shooting his bow, only to be met by Vaan's gun. "People that would discard life for freedom are incomprehensible! What good is freedom for the dead?"

"What good is life without freedom?" Vaan asked as they clashed with their only non-opposing weapon, the sword. "And can't you have both?"

"As long as the Occuria exist, no!" Rasler answered, in his eyes, after what he had seen the Occuria do, transcend life and death, there was no escaping from them.

"Oh… Then…" Vaan began, jumping back as the Mist of the crystal was drawn towards him. "I'll just make them… disappear!" The Mist started to congregate around Vaan and Rasler knew what was coming, beginning to prepare a counter.

"Red…" Vaan begun.

"Spiral!" Rasler finished.

Contrary to the normal version, both man controlled the tentacles to fire head on against eachother. Not surprisingly, they were equally matched.

"With that kind of power you'll never win!" Rasler replied, pushing his beam with such power that it was burning Vaan's hair with its proximity.

"But I'm FREE to try! White… WHORL!" He stated as he jumped upwards, his body glimmering as he called forth massive torrents of wind that ended up creating the giant tornado around himself that threatened to engulf his opponent. For some reason the queen was not sucked in but instead lightly thrown against the wall.

"I won't let you drag us all down with you! Sand Tempest!" And once again equal powers clashed, only this time, no matter how hard he tried he couldn't gain the advantage. "Why? He was losing just a minute ago!"He then realized something. "Was he… holding back?"

"You finally noticed? Don't make me kill you! Just give it up!" Vaan shouted as he dispelled the tornado, two giant molten balls of fire appearing on his hands.

"Like I would accept any mercy from you!" Two icy spheres appeared around Rasler's hands as he spat it.

"You still don't know just how far I am from you?" Vaan shouted. "Let me show you just how outmatched you are!" Vaan wanted to sound threatening but in his mind he could only tell himself NOT to kill him, he wouldn't be able to take the consequences. "Pyroclasm!"

"Permafrost!"

As they both hurled their respective spheres Rasler could only watch as his vanished into the wind and Vaan's exploded on the ground two meters away from him, sending him flying and slamming against the walls of the room.

"There, now for the main event." Vaan said full of determination, heading towards the portal on the back of the room.

"I-if I don't stop this… Ivalice… will…" Rasler told himself as a means to getting himself up, pouring all of his soul into this deciding seconds. He couldn't doubt, but this man made him doubt. The same man that was now going to stand against the Occuria by himself. On other circumstances Rasler would think him noble and stand by him, but he didn't know what horrors the Occuria could summon and wield. No, for Ivalice, he had to be stopped now. "Sorry, I do this for a greater cause!" He exclaimed as a glyph bigger than any before formed in front of him, it literally touched the ceiling. "Luminescence!"

Vaan was about to enter the portal when he felt the strands of light come from every angle from the glyph, all heading towards him. Clinching his teeth, he created a massive glyph, one that dwarfed Rasler's and shouted. "YOU FOOL!" As he shot at him while also deflecting his attack. Rasler saw his life flash before his very eyes just before seeing the entirety of the rays miss by hair's length. Dumbfounded, he just looked at Vaan, who was staring at him with a solemn look in his eyes. "Don't get me wrong, I would have killed you where you stand but… Ashe would be devastated. So, as a thank you, you should stay here and tend to her, then, if I don't come back… run away, I doubt the Occuria will be very happy." He turned his back at Rasler and faced the portal. "The Empire fell because WE believed, but if people don't believe, maybe this is hopeless. Either way, I'm getting tired of talking to you, just ask yourself this. If you were born and couldn't move a muscle for your entire life unless someone told you too, would that be living?" And with that, he left the puzzled prince behind him. "Let's go snake, you'll have your shot at them today." He was seemingly talking to a tattoo on his right hand, one that resembled a snake constellation. "Yeah, you're right, it's time to loosen up and…" He cracked his neck as the light was fading, the teleport ending. "Kick some but!"


"Well, this can't be good." The blonde, glassed man wearing a formal stripped suit and pink tie whimpered.

"What's the status." This man had black, straight hair, he was bulky, carried a big sword and wore the SOLDIER fist class uniform. This man was Angeal Hewley.

"Well, I used the image comparison to discover more about Snake's findings… well, this appeared." He pointed at the computer as Angeal began reading.

"Warmech. Invented and used by Lufenia to COUNTER Omega? These machines were based on the beast itself as many pieces from its armor and a lone part from his CPU fell during the battle. Capable of leading the original warriors of light to the brink of destruction, it is a powerful foe. The estimated materials are…" Angeal stopped reading there, but he was extremely preoccupied. "Lazard, how many did Snake find?" He asked worriedly.

"On that factory there were around fifty, but that's just one, who knows how many are there." The former leader of the SOLDIER division answered. "The real question is, who's building these?"

"For some reason I believe that we are going to know that soon enough." Angeal replied as he looked out the window into the interrogation chamber. "Wait… is that?"


"It's simple Wesker. One name. Who is behind your little project here? From I head now, these are supposed to be prototypes for Omega aren't they?" The once grizzly old man, now rejuvenated asked of the scientist.

"Well, Klauser. I could tell you, but what's in it for me?" He asked deviously.

"Well for one you will not have my sword up your…" The man replied, swiftly being silenced by his three friends.

"DORGANN! Calm down! "The former king of Bal told his longtime friend, snapping him out of his trance.

"Thanks Galuf… but it's been two hours and this guy doesn't budge!" He exclaimed in frustration.

"And I won't, but I can make this matter easier for you. I have one demand." Wesker told them taking of his glasses. "Simple really, I want to see God. Face to face. Promise me that and I'll tell you the name."

"We ca-" Dorgann began but then an enveloping voice resounded.

"It shall be done." Who better to give a response than God itself?"

"Well then…" He put his glasses back on. "I believe I can trust God's word. The man you're looking for is called… Hojo. You may know him from smash hits like "Sephiroth" and "The Jenova Project" even the "Omega Incident"." He decided to shut up when he heard the cocking of a gun.

"Where is he?" Vincent asked in a dangerously dark tone.

"That's beyond me." Wesker replied, you couldn't tell if it was a lie or not.

"Vincent? How are you here? Your soul shouldn't have dissolved on the Lifestream yet." Lazard asked as he entered through the door Vincent had just barged into.

"I did not die on the Planet, so I was sent directly here. But now that you mention it, I have bad news about the stream."


Memories:

"Damnit, damnit, it's all burning!" Tina exclaimed as she ran through the city, it was easy to confuse her with a human when panic was all over so she could easily infiltrate. "Need higher ground!" She shouted in frustration, jumping on top of a nearby building. "There!"


Lost Records:

"She tricked me… they are the same as my father…" The child whimpered as the giant green beast demolished building and crushed humans mercilessly.

"Good, good, with this city gone, Narshe is completely exposed, this will only quicken our victory." Kayser told his eight followers as they watched from afar, being there only by illusion. "Hum…?" He wondered as from the corner of Humbaba's eye he saw a rock hitting him.

"Stop it!" The kid shouted, his mother growing pale and beginning to run to him. "If you do this, we will want to pay you back, and you'll pay us back and it will never end! You'll be just as bad as us!"

"Insolent whelp, who are you to judge me? Humbaba, kill!" Kayser boomed with such force that the instinct of all living creatures in the area was to bow down, surprisingly, the kid didn't.

"Does this mean we're all bad?" The boy sobbed as the green horned beast pulled back his arm and let loose a colossal punch in his defenseless target's direction.

"No. It means that people can be good or bad, regardless of race."


Memories:

No matter how you got around it, Tina was seriously pissed. It wasn't a secret to anyone spectating, the small girl that had just hampered the monster's punch with one finger was going to make heads roll.

"Damn kid, always getting yourself in trouble… you!" She screamed at the mother. "Control him a bit more, that's the second near death situation he put himself into in less than an hour!" She said harshly, causing the mother to run up and grab her child.

"Shiny girl! You came for me!" He exclaimed excitedly.

"Don't overate yourself kid, these guys are disobeying my code, you just happened to be on my side." She lied, turning her gaze to the monster that STILL tried to push her FINGER back. "Get to a safe place, I'll take care of these, but I want a bed and a breakfast in return."

"Absolutely!" The mother replied as she began pulling the child away.

"Go get 'em shiny!" He cheered.

"Oh I will…" Tina answered, now using her whole hand to grab Humbaba's fist, its bones beginning to crack under the pression. The giant beast began to roar in agony as he flayed his other hand against Tina, to little avail. With a resounding crack it fell to its knees as the girl demolished his hand. "Mindless beast…" She spat, fiercely kicking Humbaba to the outskirts of the city with one clean kick. "KAYSER! WHAT'S THE MEANING OF THIS?" She blared at the illusion, who seemed rather annoyed at her guest.

"Oh… my lady. I didn't expect you to… care about humans." He said, still unsure why the person who had so ravenously preyed on humans appeared to defend them.

"If a human slashes at me, he is the enemy, but these people have done NOTHING! To massacre innocents just for the hell of it, we're becoming the monsters we're fighting! Kayser, I never trusted you, but I never had a reason for it, don't give me one today!" She threated, exuding a dangerous aura around her.

"Maybe… but this city holds strategic value over the Narshean Empire, the council voted as if you declined and it passed, It was fair. Bahamut, Diablos and Crusader recognized the importance of this town, only fools like Leviathan would let their notions of morale get in the way of their goals." Now the dragon was showing his true colors.

"Bahamut did what?" Tina mumbled, it was impossible, she knew him for too long for him to do something like that. "What did you do to him?"

"I seem to be wasting my time… a pity, I believe that I will have to communicate your death to headquarters unless you do the right thing and… step away. Deathgaze doesn't discriminate and this town IS marked for purging, you would be an unfortunate casualty…" The dragon said as a bare skull bat-like creature with tattered green wings appeared above the town. His intentions were clear. The bat screeched and called upon countless winged minions that surrounded the town. Maduin arrived near Tina.

"Maduin, protect the townsfolk…" Tina said as she walked in the direction of the army, her body morphing to an esper's. "Kayser, you know how It is… I'll never give the first strike, but the ones who did… none of them lived to tell how gruesome it was." Her eyes had changed to a blood red hue. "Care to try, bat?" Said bat screeched and sent three minions towards her. She let one bite her, its teeth falling off. "Wrong answer…" She said with a smile on her face, slicing through the minion with her bare hands and blasting the other two with Firagas.

"KAYSER!"


"Ramza…" Delita said, not being able to contain himself with expectation. "They all said I am inferior to you, they even said I wanted to join you! Today, I'll prove them wrong! I'll prove them all wrong!" He shouted, his voice begging to crack to a more deranged tone.

"Delita… what's happening to you?" Ramza asked, but he knew he would get no answer. "Have your sins finally driven you to insanity? Very well, you shall get your fight… Have at you!"


"Look! There's someone down!" Shin exclaimed as they arrived at the room where Vaan and Rasler fought. Sometimes he loved having shared memories with most of the heroes, going through the Great Crystal was a breeze.

"Who are you?" The prince questioned.

"Allies, you have any idea where Vaan or the Occuria are?" The "dragonborn" if I may, asked,

"Same place… Vaan went and threw away his life while leaving me to tend to my former wife… You are not to follow him, are you?" He asked, slightly confused of how they knew Vaan and followed him here.

"Just tell me this." Jecht asked. "Are they going to destroy something? Give me a motive, please!"

"Well, if Vaan has his way… in a matter of speaking, yes." Rasler replied confused.

"Well I'll be damned, I get to punch a god in the face? SWEET!" The man exclaimed, jumping into the portal without hesitation.

"Will you be okay?" Kairi asked the prince.

"Don't worry about me… I wish I had your courage…" Rasler felt like well, chocobo excrement. Back in the day he had stopped assassinations and fought against the Empire fearlessly, now? He was tending for the unconscious as others did his work… the imagery of nobility.

"Okay, we'll be right back." Kairi said with a smile as all crossed the portal.

"Maybe I am a coward…" He told Ashe, standing up. "But I won't be outdone so easily." He drew his sword, tens of monsters appearing at the door, as if to flank the others. He even recognized the legend, the Fafnir.

"Remove yourself from our way human, as servant of the Occuria, you have failed, you should be grateful we do not wish your death!" Fafnir was possessed… by an Occuria? This was perfect! Rasler, instead of intimidated felt overjoyed, he could clean his consciousness!

"NO! Your fight is with me! Rasler Heios Nabradia… No, Rasler B'nargin Dalmasca!"


Next Chapter:

"I'll rip out your blind eyes!"

"Open, the gate to Serpentarius!"

"Sephiroth, give your father a hug!"


Post-Chapter Note: Well, isn't this not a crap fest? When I said "stuff" was about to go down, I meant it, more than three sides to this arc! Now, let's see if I can update two fics until Sunday, shall we? Oh, why am I writing this? Because the ending of act III from diablo III made me want to kill kittens, and this was the only other way to relax. Seriously, killing that overgrown, bug-lizard-thing didn't even BEGIN to compensate for the heart crushing that that caused me.

That aside, what did you think? Did I redeem myself?