Nine didn't know why they still worried about this dinky little group of theirs. But Ace or someone royally screwed up. And Nine was going to make them regret it.
… Once he found that blasted Guild. What kind of city was that he passed, sitting on the ocean like that?
"Ah, you must be—"
Nine jumped back and readied his spear at a dressy man that raised his hands. "You must be one of those realm hoppers, I meant to say."
"Yo, it ain't a good idea to sneak up on people like that!"
"As you've proven. Would you put that down now?"
Nine wanted to stick him with it, but damn it, he knew better. And he wasn't going to get lectured at or benched. So he straightened and threw his spear to dissolve into light. A gust of wind blew past, disturbed by his screwing with nature
"Wanna tell me what's up?" Nine asked.
The man slowly lowered his hands. "You're a friend of Ace's, are you not?"
"In a way. Why?"
"How about we introduce ourselves? I'm Balthier."
"Nine. Why?"
"I've heard that you and yours aspire to some kind of godhood."
Nine shot a mental question to Queen, asking what 'aspire' meant.
"In what context?" she asked.
"Aspire to godhood."
"Looking to get for yourself that thing."
"You've gotta be kidding," Nine said.
"Why would I?"
"Dude. We're already gods. If you knew Ace, you wouldn't be so dumb."
"Your hesitance leaves me doubting."
"Yo, aren't you still screwing with the gates?"
"Traveler, perhaps, but I've made a point that my movements not affect your gates. Point in fact, most of us can't touch those contraptions of yours."
"Good. Cause then I'd clobber you." Nine turned on his heel and left for the direction Queen indicated.
Balthier followed. Nine found the target cottage. If he jumped, he could get away from this douchebag…
"I'll have you know," Balthier said, "that on orders from Baralai, the rest of them exercise no such care. Leaving the gates, you know. They abuse them at every convenience."
This Baralai guy gets people to go breaking our gates?"
"Once in a while, his mercenaries return with news. I couldn't tell you by what means they attain such information. Surely it can't take as long as by dead roads."
"What are you all doing wrecking our stuff for dumb status reports?" That tiny little rotted cottage was still too far away.
Balthier took a deep breath. "He is encouraging traffic that must damage them."
"And he's in charge around there?"
"Indisputably. An interesting choice, given he used to be a vessel of Bhunivelze's."
Nine's blood went cold. So, he was the reason that they had that little fight down here.
Balthier said, "But don't blame him—it's not his fault, of course. Everyone will agree he does what he does for everyone's benefit. The occasional sacrifices are unavoidable, if not necessary. After all, when you're fighting with a god higher than local deity, what else can you do?"
Nine summoned his spear and took to the skies with a roar. His blood pounded in his ears and his heart thundered. When he slammed into the ground, he made straight for the cottage. People shouted.
He kicked down the door and found a man leaning over a table. Nine grabbed his collar, yanked him from the chair, and slammed him against the wall. "You Baralai?"
The man's eyes went wide, and he struggled against Nine's hold. Nine threw him back into the chair.
"I—"
Nine jabbed his spear against Baralai's ribcage. "How long you been working for freaking Bhunivelze?"
Baralai steadied himself. "Never again."
"Never what, you bastard?"
"Never again will I associate with that name."
"Nine!" Ace burst in, followed by a red-head girl and a man in slim armor, both in blue colors.
"How did you not catch this spy?" Nine asked.
"Back off!" Ace grabbed Nine's shoulder and shoved him away from Baralai.
Nine shoved back. "Didn't you hear me?"
"Refia, Firion, get him out of here." Ace summoned his cards.
The armored dude stepped toward them. "Ace—"
"Baralai isn't the enemy." Ace waited for Nine to make the first move. "He's proved that well."
"He let people break the gates!" Nine knocked Ace's first card free.
"He did no such thing!"
The others finally took the hint and left, though they lingered in the doorway.
"Really?" Nine dismissed his spear and Ace paused. This was no weapon fight. "You really want to do this? Then let's do this!"
Nine shoved off the ground and tackled Ace.
Ace's head smacked the floor and he lost his cards. "What the hell, Nine? What are you trying to do?"
"Knock some sense into you!"
"Shouldn't I be the one saying that?!"
"Nine, report in. Ace says something's wrong."
Nine kicked Ace in disbelief. "You told Queen?"
"Of course, I told Queen! You stormed in here and tried to kill my friend!"
"You snitch!" Nine grabbed for him, but Ace blocked. "How can you know he's not one of those psychos?"
"I just know, okay? I've stayed down here for a reason!"
"Boys, what are you talking about?"
"Ace got suckered into some dude's ploy for power! Yo, we know better than to fall for these mortal idiots!"
"I'm not falling for anything!" Ace kicked Nine back. He was so much weaker than Nine that he barely got himself three inches. "How about you get off your stupid chocobo and see what it looks like without feathers in your face!"
"I'm not on a chocobo!"
"Fine, I'll let you figure this out without me." Queen left the link.
"Just stop!" Ace put a hand out in warning. "Stay back and let's… let's just talk."
"Only if you come back to Valhalla for once!"
"Why?"
"JUST DO IT!"
Ace's whole body moved with each breath. "… Fine. I'll go to Valhalla."
"Good." Nine snatched Ace and they warped out of there.
When they arrived on Valhalla's shores, Ace wrenched himself free of Nine and struck out for Queen's office. Nine followed.
They arrived at Queen's desk where she sat alone. King must have taken to one of the towers again.
"I brought Ace back," Nine said.
Queen rested her chin on clasped hands. "Yes, I heard the argument. Ace, you've been too distant, it's true, but Nine, you should practice more caution before throwing yourself at random mortals."
"He wasn't just some random mortal!"
Ace huffed. "No, you didn't like him. That just makes him a normal mortal."
"Ace."
"… Yes, Queen."
"Let's remember our places, shall we? Nine, you need a job. How about you go find a couple of vessels?"
"That's what we've been doing—"
"Half-broken vessels. These ones have managed to evade both me and Bhunivelze from the looks of it and I'd be very curious about their true loyalty. Avoid confrontation if you would be so kind and see if they're worth coordinating with."
"I don't wanna screw around with spies!"
"Your goal is to find out if you can turn them into double agents. These are potentially spies for our side."
"… Fine."
"Ace."
"Yes, Ma'am."
"You may resume your activities on III, but I want you to check in every day cycle. You're not the only one to grow lax in their report, but yours matters more than… certain others."
"Don't they all matter?"
"Gaia III is shaping into a great force, no matter what their current state. I want to utilize them when the time comes."
"Oh, whatever." Nine took hold of a trace planted by Queen. Their last footprint landed on Gaia VII.
So, he went leaped from the window, hit the sand, and threw himself into the ocean. He took the Historia Crux to Gaia VII.
Rydia's head hurt from lack of sleep and she wished she could just lay under a tree for some good hours. Nevertheless, she followed the gurgling stream to find the rocky patch that Terra and Fran chose to hold their sessions. Rydia found both deep in conversation, Terra sitting on deadwood and Freya leaning against a large boulder.
"What they may do is unknowable. What they aspire to is power," Fran was saying. "There is much for which they may be willing if such offers a path to freedom. Practice caution around these."
"I never thought a summon could be dangerous," Terra said.
"To you, they may not be."
"You should be careful anyway." Rydia sat beside Terra. "But that's just being cautious."
Terra gave a wan smile and took Rydia's hand like Cuore would.
Fran looked about them with a grimace and Rydia's head throbbed as if she felt the same pain.
"Is it worse today?" Rydia asked.
"The magicks grow heavier with each day."
Terra said, "According to Fran, releasing the Espers on Ivalice will not be dangerous for us, but for Ivalice. Which means it shouldn't be our decision, right?"
"No," Rydia said. "We have other options." She only hoped they had the time to explore those options. Terra's health declined and they still didn't have a start on Palom and Porom.
"We should leave soon," Terra said. "At least while we're out on other worlds, we can help people."
Rydia repeated Terra's words to herself and they still swam in her ears. "… We'll go as soon as Desch comes back."
"You won't tell me to pace myself?"
"Not after… what's happened."
Fran stilled and looked at Rydia.
"Thank you for understanding," Terra said. "I thought that maybe we should—"
"Is something the matter, Fran?" Rydia asked, unable to help some bite. Her head wouldn't stop throbbing and the sun burned her eyes. "You've been staring."
"… You smell of mist."
"Do I?"
Fran backed away. "It is a wrong mist."
"What nonsense…" Rydia stood and blacked out. When she came to….
… To himself. She regained her strength but it didn't feel like hers. It felt like someone else. Someone dark and twisted and—
"Rydia!"
"She is possessed. Do not approach."
"What? How? It doesn't work like that, does it?"
"This is a small and terrible spirit."
Rydia chuckled with the thrill and the reminder that she lived! She cackled and she moved! And oh, there was his little pet!
"You're not good at sitting still, are you?" he asked through Rydia's lips.
"You want something, ghost?" Fran asked. "It is wrong of you to take from the living without agreement."
"I want death, rodent. And I want what's mine!" Rydia's puppet fingers sparked with fire. He clapped her hands together and spit sparks. "Wouldn't you know, dearest Terra?"
He savored the sounds of her name and Rydia recoiled with his disgusting need to possess. He threw fire and caught Terra's former seat of deadwood.
Terra flung herself to the side and hit the ground in a roll. Fran protected herself with magic.
Rydia found separation between herself and the monster using her body. Separated, she watched Fran run at her with inhuman speed. Kefka caught her, but that gave Terra her opening.
Leviathan rose from the stream and thunder clashed in the clear sky. Kefka struggled with Fran. He wouldn't realize Terra's work.
She released Leviathan and the creature threw Rydia aside. Rydia hurt, but she stayed far away from the surface of her body.
"Trap her!" Terra yelled. Leviathan chased after Rydia again but Kefka moved faster.
Fran trapped Rydia in a cage of ice.
Moments passed. Rydia couldn't get out of this, though Kefka tried his hardest. Fran and Terra approached, and she wondered if this was it.
Something slammed the cage and shattered it. A woman in blue flipped to the ground and glared at everyone in turn. Through Kefka's fevered curses, Rydia learned Fang's name.
Fran and Terra were incensed, but they cleared things up when Fang caught onto Rydia's twisted self.
Kefka made to run, but that spear caught her sash skirt.
Terra asked for help controlling the damage. Fang didn't seem to hear. Fran put up more ice barriers to force Kefka back into place.
She felt gangly with every spasm in her muscles. Like being locked in a cage, frozen in her own body, yet she moved more than she ever could behind bars.
Leviathan rose again and drenched the fires caused by their struggle. The King could settle this in moments were he here.
Her own voice echoed in her ears, sounding out the spirit's words. Had this spirit tried, he could imitate her and no one here knew her well enough to be the wiser. … Was that how Bhunivelze used the twins, now?
Fractals of memories not her own stabbed her mind like jagged shards. Barely coherent thoughts of blood and knives mixed with pain and glee.
Rydia pushed against her own muscles but found as much give as she might from shoving against a castle wall.
The spirit channeled more thunder. Rydia twisted and caught it. Static and noise exploded through her.
Her fingers went numb. Fran joined Fang in the pursuit. Kefka couldn't keep up with both. Removing a forced possession was too hard—they'd kill Rydia.
Fang swung her spear towards her and Kefka barely succeeded in dodging it time and again.
Fang jumped forward and twisted her spear through Rydia's jewelry. She slammed the blade into the ground and yanked Rydia down with it. She hit the ground and snapped her nose.
"Here I was, thinking this new brat wasn't one for games," said her possessor.
"You mean me?" Fang asked.
Fran walked up beside Fang and said, "The dead are not meant to hold the living world. Their energies are a poison. Yet more gather."
"Oh, do they?" Fang twisted the necklace and the Rydia choked. "Didn't think he was capable of making any more friends."
Kefka gave off a maddening cackle before ripping free of the spear. The torn jewelry left blood oozing from her neck and she looked to Terra. "Oh, dearest! We've made ourselves friends, haven't we?"
Terra froze at his words and Fang charged Rydia again. Kefka twisted about with delight before Fang tackled her to the ground. Fran joined them and helped Fang pin Rydia down.
"None too soon, I see," came a deep voice. Two translucent forms took place beside Rydia, glittering dust in the morning light. Gold on one, blood red on the other. Both had silvery hair and floated with an unworldly aura.
"You from hell?" Fang asked. "Took you long enough."
The woman in red raised a hand and Kefka snickered. "Guess that's all the fun I'm getting this century," he said.
Fang ripped her spear away. "How about for the rest of your filthy existence!"
The man in gold said. "You are one of the child gods."
"You realize I'm going on two-thousand, right? Hardly a child!"
Red tilted her head. "Yet your competitor is millennia old."
"Shouldn't you worry more about this sorry piece of trash? Your problem, right? And how much damage did he cause before you caught up?"
"We have him now, don't we?" Gold asked. "A tragedy of divided attentions. Rest assured, there will be no follow-up act, unlike your performance."
Fang snapped, "What are you trying to get at?"
Gold's lips twitched up in a smile. "Hold your anger, 'Goddess.' A simple comment on your past should not crack you."
"Bastard."
"Let us return." Red directed her haughty gaze to Gold. He nodded and they vanished
Rydia choked against a raw throat. Instinctively, she reached out for that calming center, the lay of power she used as a weapon and shield. And found… nothing.
Fang stabbed her spear into the mud. "That's it? Are you kidding me?"
"What are you talking about?" Terra asked.
Fang dismissed her staff. "They just take him away? After letting him wreak all his havoc? Despicable."
Rydia shuddered and remembered wrong things. Distant blood spatters and broken corpses buried under the earth. Killing to fill that empty void she felt within, the one she couldn't remember life without, the one only softened by the screams of the dying and the silence of the dead.
Softened… no. She only forgot about it when she killed.
"Rydia?"
It was the only time she felt alive. All the power of the world rested in her veins and the only time it mattered was when she wreaked havoc and brought the world to Ruin.
Cold fingers on her shoulders. She stood anyway. Why felt her foci so empty?
No… not empty. Simply… not as deep as it should echo.
"Recollect yourself." Terra stood in front of her. The Esper girl, the one that belonged to him, the one that fought back and killed him.
Rydia sought Leviathan and found nothing.
"Are you all right?" Terra asked. "I'm sorry, I had no idea he was looking for me, or that he would use you to try to…"
Her words swam in Rydia's ears. He. Not her. Rydia was not Kefka. She was not a murderer.
She fell to her dusty knees and hugged her shoulders, wishing with all her might to appear back home with the loving comfort of Cecil and Rosa. The fun Edge brought or the old responsibilities Cuore encouraged.
Terra went quiet and sat beside Rydia. Rydia found nothing to say against the pain of it. Nothing to talk through but the memories she wished she didn't have and times she would give anything to return to.
She didn't know when Fran left. She also missed Fang. But that didn't matter. She tried to tell herself that Terra's worry also didn't matter, but she couldn't bring herself to.
Soft, kind Terra. Rydia wondered how she kept so close after encountering her tormentor again. After hearing his words from her lips or feeling his fire from her hands. Rydia didn't know why Terra stayed with her. It didn't hide the pain of possession or heal the sting of injury.
But Rydia couldn't imagine feeling this alone. So, she stayed with Terra until the sun hit noon and they went to find someplace cooler.
