Rebirth of a Holy Dragoon
Disclaimer: I don't own Final Fantasy. OCs belong to various friends. I think you know the drill by now.
Notes: Huh? A new random follower? Finding that last night totally made my day. I never get followers! Huzzah! We must celebrate!
Warnings: You don't remember the list of warnings I gave before? Fine. Here. Cursing, potential OOC, OC x Canon, stupid fluffy romance, sex, angst, self-insert author avatar, shitty storytelling.
FIC START!
Chapter Forty-two
Einar by now was a master of the system Leviathan had built to reconstruct Cantirena's mind. He remembered when he used to type the wrong commands or look up the incorrect passkeys for certain things, but now his fingers moved faster than he ever thought possible. He didn't remember how long it had been since he decided to come work on this project, and quite honestly, he didn't want to know. If he did, he probably would have begun to panic over everything. That it wasn't happening fast enough. Though, it was strange that the last time he remembered looking at his reflection in the computer's screen, he was nothing more than a young boy. Here he was damn near fully grown. It seemed just like yesterday. Time in the land of Eidolons was weird, that's what he'd learned when studying the Fourth Realm, but it seemed as if he was actually experiencing this way.
"Sir," Einar said, looking up at Leviathan, who was staring in disbelief at the line of code that had come up on the main screen. "I must remind you that blocking off a memory from being able to reach in the current state of mind does not destroy the actual memory…" he was annoyed beyond belief. "Remember what causes the events in this system to happen? A combination of memories and suggestions we implant, but it's mostly created by our dear subject's memories."
"So the dream readings were right," Leviathan grunted. "I saw the signs before, but now I understand it. There is no evil that has gone into the system… it's manifested from her memory."
"Exactly."
"I put her in this to save her from herself!" the eidolon yelled, slamming his hands down on the table. "Damn it all."
"There is a way to deal with it, but it's out of my control," Einar said, typing a few things. There was more he needed to check.
"You want her to come to terms with her trauma, without even remembering it happened? Right now she's barely eleven years old, I can't unlock traumatic memories without there being a complete shutdown…" Leviathan began to pace around. "…Heavenly Mother is counting on me to do this right…"
"The others that are in the system are also subject to manifesting the evil from their memories as well," Einar continued. "Cid's memory of the fight against Schizo at the Gaea's Cliffs has left one hell of an effect on his brain... Kain's memory of falling to the whims of an Emperor during the conflict between Cosmos and Chaos… Balthier hates Kain and the rest of the Highwind family because of their rivalry in love that never went anywhere…" He shook his head. "These are things I can do nothing about, and truthfully, neither can you. By giving them free will and by creating a program that manifests a land and the events of that land based on the desires and memories of those who are implanted into it, you've made it impossible to meddle with things from the outside. Thank you, Leviathan, that was an absolutely stellar decision. Even if I were to remove the rapist, or the Emperor-turned-Senator's-son, they would still manifest because of how strong the fear, the memories regarding them are. You're not helping them…" He took the headpiece off and put it on the desk. "I need a moment, sir. Excuse me."
Leviathan turned away from the terminal that controlled the entire thing and walked down another hall, in the opposite direction of where Einar had gone. He stopped at a door, simply marked with a crescent moon, and unlocked it using the keys in his pocket. He looked around to make sure no one was following him and locked the door again immediately behind him the moment he was inside. He pressed a button on the wall, bringing the room to light.
He found a group of pods, all of which were connected to life support. It was terribly cold in there, with the pods being the absolute coldest parts of the room. He made sure to make them all comfortable, even though each member of Canti's party were strapped in and monitored from head to toe. They were the perfect image of before they went in, still preserved as the moment they decided to undertake this coin into a wishing well scenario. Leviathan ran his hand across the front of one of the pods to get a good look at his precious subject herself. Even though she requested to have her mind go back to when she was ten, and she wanted to die in her beloved father's adopted arms instead of continue the way she had, he didn't let all of her go back to that state. If he had, there would have been more reconstructing to do. He then wandered over to Cid, taking a look at the old pilot that Canti had grown to calling 'Papa' affectionately, and then over to Balthier, who he mentally scolded for becoming an enemy of the Highwinds. When he went over to Vanille, he wondered why she hadn't been able to find a way over to Canti in the system yet. And Kain, well, all he could think was You got what you wanted, didn't you? I think you're the only one who actually got something out of this. Leviathan wanted this group to succeed, the way he'd always believed they could. But with the Ardent right at their door, he didn't know what to do. Part of him was ready to just let the program run its course, and not interfere with it anymore, while going to face his judgment at the hands of the other eidolons for failing. Especially if Einar was right and there wasn't anything else he could do. Should he and Einar abandon them and leave them to this while going off to face the battle? He certainly was tempted.
"You are the last hope I have, we have!" he said to the group, knowing that they could not hear him. "I don't want to give up on you and just leave you in a simulated life forever, but…"
He thought about Canti slowly falling in love with Kain. He read in her files that she wanted to be a pilot, which was her dream while she was still in reality. Leviathan took a deep breath. She was on the right path, but it was taking longer than he wanted it to. He looked back at each of them, shaking his head, and then he headed back out the way he came in, turning off the light and securing it as best he could. When he got back to the control terminal in the main room, he saw Einar sitting back at the keyboard, ready to input anything Leviathan asked for.
"It's time to code the exit that causes them to come back," Leviathan said. "This must be precise."
"Don't worry about me," Einar said. "What is the exit?"
"Cantirena must break the barrier herself and fly through, with all of her party in-tact and present," he pointed at the keyboard. "The spell is in Mysidian. She will need the awakened memory of Cid to fly an airship. She needs the healing and Mysidian knowledge of Minwu. She needs Balthier's cunning. She needs Vanille's ability for black magic. And she'll need Kain."
"What part of Kain will the barrier need?" Einar asked.
"His presence," Leviathan answered flatly. "At this point, Canti has all she needs from Kain, but she still needs him to be there for her through everything. If they're going to be together, then I might as well take advantage of it." He looked away for a moment and then back at the screen to watch Einar type in line and lines of code. "And I will personally unlock a few layers of memory to get it started in the right direction."
"Y-you're… I'm sorry, but wouldn't that disrupt the entire system?!"
"No, no, my boy. I'm not ready to do that yet," he took in a deep breath. "Their memories unlock completely upon passing through the barrier. All of the realm history, everything that's happened here-"
"But what of the reason that drove her to her death? The loss of-"
Leviathan stopped in his tracks. "That would be dangerous to keep at all. Not only do I not want that unlocked, but I really wish I could completely discard it…" he closed his eyes. "Einar."
"Sir?"
"Remove the memory of all family members in this realm. She is now an orphan. No siblings, no parents. Papa Cid adopted her, we have the official documentation from the Academy and the Royal City of Corneria to prove it to her once she wakes," he commanded. "Don't just lock the memories away of those long gone. Remove them entirely. If they did something important to build who she is, we'll put someone else there to make sure the core event still happens. This is the hardest thing I've ever asked of you, but I need this done."
"I understand."
"If you mess up, do I need to remind you of the consequences?"
"Not at all, sir. I've been aware that I'm always a short distance from death," the young man laughed, putting back on the headpiece of the control apparatus and beginning to type madly. "I've been wondering about that ever since I began working for you. Don't worry. I can make this happen."
"I'm not going back into the system until this is all taken care of. After that, we'll reboot."
…
The Highwind Manor was virtually silent. There were no footsteps, there were no voices. Upstairs in one of the guest rooms, both of the Highwind cousins slept on the same bed. Kain held his cousin's hand, and she in turn kept trying to roll over with all the blankets. Dawn arrived completely, with the lovely day's rays shining through the curtains hanging from the windows. The only thing moving was a shadow, slowly making its way through every room, leaving a trail spotted with blood as it checked absolutely every location. Eventually, the shadow came to the stairs, the dagger in its hand still dripping with the blood of its last victim.
The doors in the hallway let out a tiny squeak when they opened. The shadow left every door it checked open to prevent more squeaking noises from filling the hall. It made its way through the hall, until it found the one room where the two children snored lightly in unison.
The shadow took steps closer, hiding the dagger inside its black cloak. Now, it was not to kill, but to take. It extended hands from the cloak instead, starting to reach for the blue haired girl.
Step. Step. Step. Squeak!
Canti immediately sat up, not noticing the shadow that was just behind her. She wasn't fully aware of where she was or how she'd gotten there, as she was used to waking up in her tiny little home and not here within the Highwind Manor. "Huh?!" she asked, causing the shadow to duck in case Kain woke up, because he was in the young man's line of sight.
Kain stirred, but only a little. Staying up late had taken a lot out of him. "Canti, what is it?" he reached for her, stroking her cheek with his hand.
"I… thought I heard something…" her voice hadn't woken up yet, either. "…did you?"
"I didn't," he whispered, and she laid down again, taking comfort in his hand being against her skin. Canti let him caress her a little bit more. "There's nothing to worry about."
"If you say so," she smiled. "This is… nice…"
The shadow rolled its eyes. It waited there, trying to not even breathe, so they might go back to sleep and it could get back to the job at hand. It could have just taken the girl and murdered the boy, but it had overheard its boss speaking fondly of the boy. It could not risk something like that.
"It is indeed," Kain laughed just a little. He loved how the sunlight illuminated her blue curls, like shimmers on flowing water. As he stared at her half-open eyes, which were staring right back at his own, he realized that he had been dreaming about her. Days when they were older, how they were a team. He had taught her how to fight. He had carried her on his shoulders, and piggyback, and in his arms. She saved his life by casting white magic on him, and he in turn lent her one of his polearms as she didn't have one. They were older in the dream, but it certainly felt real. He remembered longing for her as she danced with another under the moonlight. He treasured her company and her input even when her demeanor was lost in space. Was that a vision of the future? "Canti…"
"Yes?"
"...I dreamt about us."
"That's sweet…"
"It just makes me want to be closer to you even more," Kain confessed to her. He hadn't moved yet, but he was certainly ready to get it up.
The shadow was going to have to do something. It couldn't lay here forever, trying to hold its breath, and listening to these two barely teenager speak so lovingly of their relationship only made its stomach churl. At this rate, they were going to get out of bed before it had the chance to do what it came here to do.
"If I could stay here, I would…" Canti said, scooting closer to him. "…I've never felt safer than I do with you."
Kain blushed. "Well, no one's forcing up to get up."
There was a loud noise from downstairs, causing them both to shoot straight up and the shadow to dart underneath the bed. Kain reached for his spear, leaping off the bed to stick himself in the doorway, poised to attack.
"Kain!" came a yell. "Cantirena!"
Kain gripped his spear that much tighter. He thought he heard his father's voice, but he couldn't make it out from all this distance away from the main foyer.
Footsteps came up the stairs quickly before the Grand Dragoon Richard came into Kain's view. "My son," he said, "what's happened here? Members of our staff are dead everywhere!"
"Sir, I've been up here with Canti the entire time. I have no idea what's happened downstairs. I never left her side," Kain answered, breathing heavily. "What do you mean that the staff are dead?"
"Where is your cousin?"
"She is here with me," Kain said. "Like I said, I've never left her side."
Richard stuck his head in the door to see Canti there. "Well done! Like a true Warrior of the Water, you have upheld your duty. We must go now, however."
"Huh?" Canti cocked her head to the side.
"Come with me, both of you," he was tense, his eyes darting all over the place. He would rather whoever was hiding around here waiting for the perfect moment to strike to not have a clue as to what he was planning. "This minute."
"I'm not dressed," Canti said, embarrassed at the idea of leaving the room in someone else's pajamas.
"You do not have to be…" he said insistently. "…you will come with me, now."
She didn't understand what was going on, but she obeyed her uncle as to not get in trouble. Papa Cid would not have liked to hear that she was causing trouble. She stepped off the bed and followed Kain in the direction Richard pointed. Richard was cautious, and it made her wonder if there was danger. "Uncle Richard," she said softly, wanting to ask him about it.
"Quietly, dear."
Kain took her hand as if he completely understood what was going on. He showed bravery when she was starting to feel nothing but fear. He led her down the stairs, where they were starting to see all the mess that Richard had seen coming up. Bloody spots, things were knocked over and thrown about, and collapsed ladies wearing the maid uniform Erina had all of the manor staff wear. It smelled like burning. Kain could smell the pancake batter, but there was burning in the kitchen. Richard went inside to unplug the griddle and turn off other appliances, while the cousins stood together waiting for him to guide them wherever else he needed them to go. He stopped for a moment to check on a painting, lifting it up to press a big red button underneath. It glowed vibrantly but didn't let off any sound. He eventually brought them outside, through the backdoor to the courtyard where the dragon statue was still standing.
"We're not supposed to be outside," Canti whispered to Kain.
"With Father, it's all right. The law says as long as we have an adult guardian, we're not going to get in trouble," Kain reassured her. "There's something still in the house. That's why Father is taking us out here."
"Whoever killed the maids… was probably the one… after me…" she felt her eyes burn with tears. "They died… because of me…"
Kain reached around her, squeezing her to him. "No, no. It's not because of you."
Richard looked around again before he uncovered a chocobo cart that had been hidden in the backyard between shrubberies. He opened it to allow them to climb inside, hoping they'd take care of making themselves comfortable. He covered it back up partially, unlocked a part of the fence that Kain didn't know could open, and climbed onto the front. He took the reigns and slapped them down, causing the chocobo to let out a loud 'kw-we-eeeh!' They took off as fast as possible. Richard didn't even bother to lock the fence back into place.
"Father, please tell me what's going on," Kain said, still holding on to Canti. She still seemed like she could break down into tears.
"We have to move Canti somewhere safer. Clearly whoever is doing this knows everything there is to know about her, and he's not going to stop until he gets her," Richard answered. "I've sent a signal - the entire Highwind Family and all of the authorities know that the manor has been compromised."
"Where are we going?" Canti asked, clinging to Kain's arm for security. The cart was going so fast, it was hard to make much of what was going on. "Where's Papa Cid?!"
"Cid is waiting where we're going… don't worry," Richard replied. "I will not allow you to fall into evil hands, Cantirena. You've nothing to fear. We're all going to protect you. You're one of us, a Highwind."
The carriage raced through the city, through multitudes of military policemen searching every square inch of the country. It all felt like some weird nightmare, and Canti just wanted to finally wake up from it all. Kain let her hold on as tightly as she needed to, and he held on to her just as tightly in return.
