Author Note: Just something about the time in the story. Madain Sari and
Tierra's island are in two different time zones. The way I figure it,
Zidane, Ja, Dagger, and Tierra are all about four hours ahead of Eiko in
Madain Sari. So, when she had the dream and got out of bed, if it was
midnight there, it would have been eight in Tierra's island's time zone. At
the end of chapter 5, Zidane has been searching for Dagger about eight
hours. Confused yet? Basically, the reason Zid and crew haven't slept, but
Eiko has is because the time zones are different. Just wanted to clear that
up, because I thought it was confusing.
DL8: Thank you 4 reviewing so much! I was starting to get a little discouraged, and that quote helped. Thx!
Disclaimer:
LK: Do I really have to do this again?
Little voice in his head: Yes, you do, or FF.net will get sued
LK: Who cares?
Voice: You might get sued too
LK: OHHHHH! *quickly writes disclaimer* I DON'T OWN FINAL FANTASY. I WISH I DID. I DO OWN THE PLOT AND A FEW CHARACTERS. Actually I haven't copyrighted anything, so it'll be tough to sue anyone who tries to steal this...
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CHAPTER 6- RETURN
Everything inside Dagger was in pain. She wasn't really hurt, but the cold dread, agony, and helplessness seemed to combine in a pain worse than pain. She was facing her death and there was nothing she could do about it. The cold crackling aura of pain and suffering filled the chamber, competing with the lightning and the still-lingering stench of Tierra's burnt skin for the title of dominant energy, pulsating and searing Dagger's soul like a whip. It came from the center of the vortex, as though it was the breath of the sinister face Dagger edged ever closer to. An objective observer would have laughed at the cliché, but the seconds it took for her to approach the face of Jupiter truly seemed like hours to her. Finally, she stood before the swirling winds, somehow holding herself upright against the gusts.
"She has no horn." The thunder boomed, "Why have you brought me one with no horn?"
Tierra's knees began to quake, and she quickly came up with an excuse, "I can speak to thyself, me having no horn..."
"You have failed yet again. Nearly a millennia ago you came into my service, and you failed to find my children. It has been nineteen years since the fall of the summoners. It has been nineteen since their charms and protections fell. Yet is has also been nineteen years since you have brought me a summoner. I have been patient, awaiting my children, but now you present to me one with no horn? You take my gifts to you, and in return you insult me? Do you think me a fool?" The thunder roared.
"N-No! The girl is a summoner! Please, master, if you would just test her, I know..." Tierra whined, managing to sound pitiful even with her gravelly voice.
"I shall."
Garnet then did something at once more foolish and more brilliant than anything she had done since the beginning of her nightmarish captivity. She tried again to summon. And this time it worked. The wizened old form of Ramuh descended upon the chamber. He began to bend the lightning towards the sinister face in the center of the vortex. Ramuh's energy pressed against the evil-charged air, replacing it with a more positive quality. Dagger had much better communication with the Eidolon than she had three years ago, during her travels with Zidane. Now it could feel her distress, and responded with additional power drawn from some unseen well far away in the realm of Eidolons. That extra might, combined with the element of surprise, allowed Ramuh to easily overcome the darkness in the room, and seize control of the electric energy in the room. The vortex, along with its ominous visitor, faded away. Tierra's link was broken. She came out of her trance to see the Eidolon glowering at her menacingly.
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"I can feel her, she's close." Ja muttered
"No, really," Zidane responded irritably, "they would never keep a prisoner in a giant fortress like this!" Ja ignored his comment.
It had been nearly twelve hours since he left Alexandria. Twelve hours with very little rest. An unexpectedly alert Zidane stood on the banks of Tierra's island, wighing that he had brought reinforcements. A castle spanned nearly the entire island, with walls that were obviously fortified by an insanely powerful Protect Spell. No sentries or guards were present, so obviously the owner of the castle assumed that the Protect spell that sealed the wall would be more than sufficient.
Zidane, never the one for a careful approach, lunged at the wall with his Ultima Weapon. The blade glanced off the glittering surface of the barrier. After a few more futile strikes, Zidane determined that the weapon was not going not penetrate the barricade Since his first approach had failed, Zidane tried to think of an alternate method of entry to the castle. He decided that it would be best to fight magic with magic and searched his mind, trying to remember which spell countered Protect.
"Ja, can you cast Dispel?" Zidane asked, finally remembering that dispel counteracted the magic of Protect. Once again Ja ignored him. He seemed to be focusing on some far off point, which was consuming all of his attentions. Zidane repeated his question, but once again he received no response. He wondered briefly if someone in the distance had cast Firaga, because the air around him seemed to be warming rapidly. He dismissed the thought. Ja continued to stare blankly towards the center of the fortress, as if he could see something past the cold stone walls.
"JA! PAY SOME DAMN ATTENTION! CAN YOU CAST DISPEL?" Zidane roared. Still no response. Zidane began to draw the Ultima Weapon, in the hopes that it could remind Ja where he was.
Just as Zidane was about to bring his weapon down on Ja's head, he released a blood-curdling scream. Zidane searched for the source of his companion's distress, but he found none. He found something worse. Like a fire consuming Ja's soft, almost powder blue feathers, a blood red tint spread through his wings. His eyes changed color to match his wings. A fire exploded under him, consuming him, charring his hair and his clothes. In a matter of seconds Ja had become Akiel.
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Just as Ramuh was about to force the power of lightning upon Tierra, Dagger's link with her Eidolons was cut and Ramuh disappeared. Tierra's breath was haggard, she looked as if she was about to faint. However, she stood herself upright and cast a Cure spell on herself, then began her arduous task again, preparing to summon the thunder again.
Dagger sat aghast. She had the most powerful link she with an Eidolon that she had ever experienced, and suddenly she was deprived of communications with the Eidolons again. It was a strange sort of seperation anxiety. The Eidolons were her link with parents she never knew, the only thing that associated her with the ancient customs of Madain Sari.
She began to consider her options. There wasn't much that she could do, except sit there and hope that someone would rescue her. She didn't know whether to laugh or cry; she was the queen of one of the most powerful territories on the continent, and still, she was always the one being rescued. And Zidane was always the rescuer.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- -------------------------------------------------
Zidane wasted no time after seeing Akiel, who he thought to be insane. His mind worked quickly. Maybe if Akiel attacked the barrier, it would fall. It was worth a try. Zidane pinned himself against the wall surrounding the castle.
"Come and get me." He taunted. There was no need for his plan, as Akiel ignored him, and shot through the gate like a bolt of lightning, leaving an angel sized hole in the wall.
"Thanks." Zidane muttered, before climbing through the hold made by Akiel, prepared for battle.
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Yeah, that chapter was short. And bad. But please keep reading, 'cause there's another battle scene coming up soon.
DL8: Thank you 4 reviewing so much! I was starting to get a little discouraged, and that quote helped. Thx!
Disclaimer:
LK: Do I really have to do this again?
Little voice in his head: Yes, you do, or FF.net will get sued
LK: Who cares?
Voice: You might get sued too
LK: OHHHHH! *quickly writes disclaimer* I DON'T OWN FINAL FANTASY. I WISH I DID. I DO OWN THE PLOT AND A FEW CHARACTERS. Actually I haven't copyrighted anything, so it'll be tough to sue anyone who tries to steal this...
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- -----------------------------------------------
CHAPTER 6- RETURN
Everything inside Dagger was in pain. She wasn't really hurt, but the cold dread, agony, and helplessness seemed to combine in a pain worse than pain. She was facing her death and there was nothing she could do about it. The cold crackling aura of pain and suffering filled the chamber, competing with the lightning and the still-lingering stench of Tierra's burnt skin for the title of dominant energy, pulsating and searing Dagger's soul like a whip. It came from the center of the vortex, as though it was the breath of the sinister face Dagger edged ever closer to. An objective observer would have laughed at the cliché, but the seconds it took for her to approach the face of Jupiter truly seemed like hours to her. Finally, she stood before the swirling winds, somehow holding herself upright against the gusts.
"She has no horn." The thunder boomed, "Why have you brought me one with no horn?"
Tierra's knees began to quake, and she quickly came up with an excuse, "I can speak to thyself, me having no horn..."
"You have failed yet again. Nearly a millennia ago you came into my service, and you failed to find my children. It has been nineteen years since the fall of the summoners. It has been nineteen since their charms and protections fell. Yet is has also been nineteen years since you have brought me a summoner. I have been patient, awaiting my children, but now you present to me one with no horn? You take my gifts to you, and in return you insult me? Do you think me a fool?" The thunder roared.
"N-No! The girl is a summoner! Please, master, if you would just test her, I know..." Tierra whined, managing to sound pitiful even with her gravelly voice.
"I shall."
Garnet then did something at once more foolish and more brilliant than anything she had done since the beginning of her nightmarish captivity. She tried again to summon. And this time it worked. The wizened old form of Ramuh descended upon the chamber. He began to bend the lightning towards the sinister face in the center of the vortex. Ramuh's energy pressed against the evil-charged air, replacing it with a more positive quality. Dagger had much better communication with the Eidolon than she had three years ago, during her travels with Zidane. Now it could feel her distress, and responded with additional power drawn from some unseen well far away in the realm of Eidolons. That extra might, combined with the element of surprise, allowed Ramuh to easily overcome the darkness in the room, and seize control of the electric energy in the room. The vortex, along with its ominous visitor, faded away. Tierra's link was broken. She came out of her trance to see the Eidolon glowering at her menacingly.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- -------------------------------------------------
"I can feel her, she's close." Ja muttered
"No, really," Zidane responded irritably, "they would never keep a prisoner in a giant fortress like this!" Ja ignored his comment.
It had been nearly twelve hours since he left Alexandria. Twelve hours with very little rest. An unexpectedly alert Zidane stood on the banks of Tierra's island, wighing that he had brought reinforcements. A castle spanned nearly the entire island, with walls that were obviously fortified by an insanely powerful Protect Spell. No sentries or guards were present, so obviously the owner of the castle assumed that the Protect spell that sealed the wall would be more than sufficient.
Zidane, never the one for a careful approach, lunged at the wall with his Ultima Weapon. The blade glanced off the glittering surface of the barrier. After a few more futile strikes, Zidane determined that the weapon was not going not penetrate the barricade Since his first approach had failed, Zidane tried to think of an alternate method of entry to the castle. He decided that it would be best to fight magic with magic and searched his mind, trying to remember which spell countered Protect.
"Ja, can you cast Dispel?" Zidane asked, finally remembering that dispel counteracted the magic of Protect. Once again Ja ignored him. He seemed to be focusing on some far off point, which was consuming all of his attentions. Zidane repeated his question, but once again he received no response. He wondered briefly if someone in the distance had cast Firaga, because the air around him seemed to be warming rapidly. He dismissed the thought. Ja continued to stare blankly towards the center of the fortress, as if he could see something past the cold stone walls.
"JA! PAY SOME DAMN ATTENTION! CAN YOU CAST DISPEL?" Zidane roared. Still no response. Zidane began to draw the Ultima Weapon, in the hopes that it could remind Ja where he was.
Just as Zidane was about to bring his weapon down on Ja's head, he released a blood-curdling scream. Zidane searched for the source of his companion's distress, but he found none. He found something worse. Like a fire consuming Ja's soft, almost powder blue feathers, a blood red tint spread through his wings. His eyes changed color to match his wings. A fire exploded under him, consuming him, charring his hair and his clothes. In a matter of seconds Ja had become Akiel.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- -------------------------------------------------
Just as Ramuh was about to force the power of lightning upon Tierra, Dagger's link with her Eidolons was cut and Ramuh disappeared. Tierra's breath was haggard, she looked as if she was about to faint. However, she stood herself upright and cast a Cure spell on herself, then began her arduous task again, preparing to summon the thunder again.
Dagger sat aghast. She had the most powerful link she with an Eidolon that she had ever experienced, and suddenly she was deprived of communications with the Eidolons again. It was a strange sort of seperation anxiety. The Eidolons were her link with parents she never knew, the only thing that associated her with the ancient customs of Madain Sari.
She began to consider her options. There wasn't much that she could do, except sit there and hope that someone would rescue her. She didn't know whether to laugh or cry; she was the queen of one of the most powerful territories on the continent, and still, she was always the one being rescued. And Zidane was always the rescuer.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- -------------------------------------------------
Zidane wasted no time after seeing Akiel, who he thought to be insane. His mind worked quickly. Maybe if Akiel attacked the barrier, it would fall. It was worth a try. Zidane pinned himself against the wall surrounding the castle.
"Come and get me." He taunted. There was no need for his plan, as Akiel ignored him, and shot through the gate like a bolt of lightning, leaving an angel sized hole in the wall.
"Thanks." Zidane muttered, before climbing through the hold made by Akiel, prepared for battle.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------
Yeah, that chapter was short. And bad. But please keep reading, 'cause there's another battle scene coming up soon.