FINAL FANTASY: INQUISITION
By Thomas Knapp
Act One- Scene Four
"Midas…" A woman's voice called. Midas turned over, trying to ignore the voice beckoning him. He was having a dream that he rarely had the chance to have, and he intended to savor it.
In the dream, a woman held a small infant. Midas couldn't help but think that was what his mother must have looked like. Through the fuzzy mental picture, it appeared that she was a very beautiful young woman, but it always bothered him why she lived in what appeared to be a run down, ugly, old shack.
Not that it mattered much. The face of the woman in his dream was more than enough to make any place look like a palace. Midas was then in the position of the infant, the radiant beauty smiling down on him.
Normally, the dream would end here, but for reasons he couldn't understand, this time it didn't. The face of the woman turned grim, and she turned slowly, so as not to jostle the infant in her arms.
After bundling the babe in warm wrappings, the woman nearly cried as she handed the young baby off another man who must have been waiting. This man had a full head of hair, but the face was still unmistakable.
The man left with the baby, and made a swift run to a ravine just down the hill. Reaching it, the man turned around to look back, just as the sounds of cannon-fire could be heard in the distance. In a magnificent explosion, the house exploded, taking the radiant woman with it…
"MIDAS, WAKE UP!" The voice shouted again, and this time Midas answered the summons, not liking where the dream was going anymore. He opened one eye to see Yura's red haired head looming over him, and she drawled, "I swear, you sleep like a stone. Creed should just come in and kill you when your sleeping if he's at all serious about doing you in."
"I heard you walking up to me, and telling me to wake up." Midas said in his defense, "I just decided to ignore it."
"I see…" Yura toned, and then stepped aside to let the Red Mage get out of his cot. "So we're heading to the Seaway pass today, huh?"
"That we are." Midas confirmed then gave Borz, who was still asleep on the floor, a gentle kick. "Up and at 'em, lazy bones. We've got work to do."
The small Black Mage roused quickly, pulling his hat back down over his black, yellow-eyed face. "That we do, don't we Midas? I'll go hunt down Fredros right now!" As if he had not been sleeping, Borz bolted out of the hut in an energetic burst.
Yura looked around, then asked, "What about Trigger?"
"He'll be here when we're ready to go. He always is." Midas retorted, unconcerned.
"Does he have a hut around here?"
"I'm sure he does, but I, nor anyone else, knows where." The Red Mage answered as he pulled on his telltale red robe. "There are at least ten unoccupied huts in this hideout at the moment, and it is my opinion that he stays in a different one every night."
"Why would he do that?" Yura asked, baffled by such strange action.
"It's the way of the ninja; have few know where you are, and even fewer know who you are."
"I see… I never knew you were a ninja."
Midas glanced at her questioningly. "I'm not."
"You sure at like one." Yura affirmed, "How many people actually know who you are?"
"Enough."
"Sounds like something Trigger would say." Yura announced confidently.
"No, Trigger wouldn't say a damn thing. He'd roll his eyes just like this," Midas rolled his eyes for effect, "and then walk away, just like this…" That said, Midas left the hut.
Yura stood in silence for a minute, and pursed her lips thoughtfully. "He never wants to talk about himself…"
"Ha, ha. Do not worry yourself, young lady. Midas doesn't even discuss himself in any great measure even to us." Fredros commented as he and Borz entered the hut, "And WE are supposedly his friends."
"What do you know about Midas, Sir Fredros?"
The White Mage laughed, "Oh, no… I am not, nor was not, a Sir. I was merely a priest of Alexander many, many years ago. As to what I actually know about Midas, it is probably not much more than you. When I was banished from my temple after the Rationalists took over I, like many other Outlaws, eventually found their way here. When I arrived, Midas was but a wee baby in Cid's care, but the elder refused to relate just how the child came to be under his wing."
"I get the impression that not even Midas knows why he was given to Cid." Borz answered. "Or why his parents gave him up."
"Could Cid have… stolen…"
Borz jumped up indignantly, "How could you even MAKE such an accusation? I know Cid's a little rough around the edges at times, and that life in the Outlands had rather… altered his moral judgement, but stealing a cow, and stealing a baby, are too TOTALLY different things!"
"Well… nonetheless, I can only imagine that not knowing…" Yura replied, "Granted my parents were killed when I was very young, but at least I knew them. Poor guy…"
Fredros chuckled, "Save your endearments. To quote our ever-popular Red Mage, 'I neither need nor want your pity.' Nothing irritates Midas more than to think he's being coddled. We all learned that lesson a while back."
Yura smiled, and responded, "I guess I'll just have to learn how to be more discreet about it then."
Fredros nodded in confirmation, then turned back to the entrance of the hut, "Well, I suppose we should wait at the camp entrance. Midas should be finishing shopping for supplies pretty soon."
Meanwhile…
"Yeah… I'll need five of those." Midas nodded, and took the Hi-Potions from the Outlaw clerk. Midas fingered the Mithril Sword that he finally was able to purchase as he slipped the gathered items into his pack.
Disarming another of Creed's presents, Midas finally found the assembled group waiting at the camp entrance. "Fredros, I figured that you were in need of a new rod, so I bought this for you." He handed the metallic tool to the White Mage, then turned to Borz
"Borz, maybe this will help you with spell casting, a nice shiny Mithril Rod."
Borz smiled, and happily took the gift as Midas then looked over at trigger, handing the ninja a small leather case. "I wasn't sure what to get the ninja who had everything, so I hope you don't mind a pack of new shurikens."
Trigger nodded his approval, and then Midas glanced at Yura. "Well, I figured you wouldn't be too fond of fighting on the front lines, so I got you this. Pulling a hide package off his shoulder, he waited until she could open it.
Yura had a pretty good idea as to what it was just from the shape of the package, but the beautifully carved compound bow still took her breath away. It looked exactly like the one she had been coveting in the storeroom of the Cairos Armory. 'It probably IS the one I've been coveting in the storeroom of the Cairos Armory.' Yura noted wryly to herself.
Taking the long projectile weapon, she fit it into her right hand expertly, letting her fingertips settle into the molded leather grips as she slid the quiver full of arrows over her left shoulder. From there, she walked out of camp about 50 yards.
"Be careful with that thing!" Midas shouted, "It may take some practice, and the last thing the rest of us will need to be worrying about is friendly fire!"
In response, Yura smoothly slid an arrow out of the quiver, and nocked it into the bow in one simple motion. Turning swiftly, she let the steel-tipped projectile snap out of the bow, flying straight at the party.
Before Midas could even shout in alarm, he felt the slight rush of air as the arrow shot mere millimeters above his right ear, thudding into the post of the tower behind him. Borz examined Midas carefully, then quipped, "I think Midas lost some hair…"
Yura once again approached the group, and commented, "I've been studying archery in the Cairos Court since I was seven."
Midas reached up, and pulled the arrow of the post, handing it back to Yura. "It would appear so." He stated, "But shooting stationary targets in a courtyard is a lot different than shooting moving ones in a battlefield. Remember that."
Yura sighed sadly, "I suppose…"
Midas words didn't betray his relief, however. It was an unexpected bonus to know that she possessed skill in that weapon. He had bought the item out of instinct, and yet again, his instinct hadn't let him down.
Midas asked, "Well, since Yura has proven that we need not undertake a training session, shall we proceed?" But obviously assumed the question to be rhetorical, as he began walking out before anyone could reply. Quickly taking step behind the Red Mage, the five began their mission to the Seaway Pass.
Outlands just south of the Seaway Pass…
It was quite fortunate that the party had two people capable of white magic, because the trip had been just as harrowing as Fredros had predicted. With the winds died away, the giant clans that normally resided high in the mountains had taken the opportunity to assert their hold on the plains. Added to the increased roaming of the Outlands' native monsters, surviving the Outlands was ALMOST as dangerous as it was before.
Before long, the splitting of the mountain range that signified the Seaway Pass was visible. The scene before them, however, drew the five into stopping short. A gigantic land wyrm, it's sandy colored scales reflecting the sunlight, had decided that it liked the gap between the mountains, and had taken up residence in the large pass, blocking the wind from entering the Outlands.
"Well… it appears we have found the source of the problem." Fredros commented.
Midas shook his head in confusion. "Land wyrms NEVER come to the surface for more than a few minutes at a time." He looked at Trigger as the ninja made a few gestures, "I know… this is the SECOND time we've seen unnatural behavior in creatures. Unfortunately, now is not the time to ponder the reasons why. We have to get it out of the pass."
The group stepped forward, weapons at the ready. The wyrm sensed the approaching threat, and quickly reacted, defending its position. The group quickly found themselves dodging the gaping, fang-filled maw of the wyrm more than actually applying any sort of attacks. Even the few offensive postures they could take did very little damage to the almost steel-hard scales of the normally subterranean reptile.
Dropping back away from the pass without as much drawing blood from the beast, the five tried to think of some plan to force the creature away. "None of my magic is having any effect." Midas commented, "Do you have any summons that could aid us here, Yura?"
Yura shook her head. "I told you… all my eidolons are healing and defensive in nature, and I just don't trust myself enough yet to summon Phoenix. He'd probably do more harm to us than the wyrm."
Midas looked over at Trigger, who merely shrugged, indicating that he didn't have any ideas either. Dejectedly, Midas sighed, "Wonderful… we HAVE to think of SOMETHING, people!"
Fortunately, SOMETHING seemed to think for itself. Trigger quickly pointed up to a ledge on the mountain to the right of the wyrm, where a strange blue armored figure stood with a long, menacing gold colored spear. The character wore a blue winged helmet over his face, hiding all potential identifying features.
However, Fredros instantly recognized the armor. "It's a DRAGOON!"
"A what?" Midas asked.
"It was before the Rational Revolution, spear men trained by the summoners to serve as the royal guard. I had assumed that they had fought to the last man against the Rationalists, but it appears that I was mistaken…"
As if intentionally to remove all remaining doubt as to his appearance being genuine, the dragoon leaped almost a hundred feet into the air, and came down onto the wyrm, the spear severing the thick scales, cutting through flesh and muscle. As the reptile reared back in pain, the dragoon followed up with a Decay spell. Within moments, the wyrm had decomposed into ash.
Immediately after, Midas could feel the winds picking up, kicking sand into the face of him and his party. By the time he had adjusted to the sudden change in environment, and was able to look back to the pass, the dragoon was gone.
"Damn!" Midas cursed, "I was hoping I could have been able to talk to that stranger. We could use a hand like that around the hideout!"
Fredros put a hand on Midas's shoulder, and said, "The Dragoons were a proud people. It would not have been proper to ask one to do something so menial as what goes on at the camp. Besides, such is just useless conjecture now. We should be heading back."
Midas nodded, and with one last glance at the now clear Seaway Pass, motioned for his party to follow him back through the restored conditions of the Outlands.
Somewhere in the Outlands…
Tamara staggered as another gust of wind threatened to knock her over. Sand continued to blast into the joints of her armor, making movement more and more painful. The return of the biting winds had taken her entire force unawares, and they started wandering off, splitting away from the group, and dropping like flies with each step. Now only Tamara remained, and she wasn't sure she could continue much longer, or even if she was traveling in the right direction.
Suddenly, she saw a figure appear the swirling, sandy air. For a moment, she analyzed the form, trying to discern whether it was merely a mirage, or really a body. When the figure stopped, and Tamara got closer, she almost praised her luck.
It was a human, burly and muscled. His bald head bore the scar marks that she recognized as consistent of the brotherhood ritual for old monks of Alexander. She called out to the man, hoping that he couldn't see, or recognize, the telltale armor that marked her as an Inquisitor Knight.
"Pardon me, can you tell me which way is south?" Tamara yelled over the wind.
The monk didn't immediately reply, then finally said, "Why should I help you?"
"Because I can't last much longer out here without shelter or escaping this infernal place."
The monk snorted, then said, "If you cannot survive the Outlands on your own, you deserve to die." With that, the monk walked away.
Tamara nearly moaned, but quickly realized that she shouldn't have expected anything different. She was the enemy of all that dwelled here. Why would they assist her?
Trudging onward again, hoping she was heading somewhere where she could find shelter, instead she found nothing but more biting and swirling sand. With no more energy, nor the will to continue, she collapsed to the ground, and waited for the Outlands to claim its latest victim.
Moments later…
Midas slowly worked his way through the winds, taking a look back to make sure that everyone was still behind him. Leaving Borz in the Cairos tunnels was one thing, but out here getting separated would most definitely mean death, and thus he had to make sure everyone remained together.
At that moment, Trigger motioned to Midas's right, and Midas saw what had drawn the ninja's attention: a lone figure, crumpled on the ground and not appearing to be moving. Motioning to the rest, Midas took the slight detour to the fallen person.
He soon discerned what appeared to be metal. Closer inspection proved that to be the armor, and as he got ever closer, a pang of recognition started to form in his gut. Turning the body over proved what Midas had already known deep down.
It was Inquisitor Knight First Class Tamara. Yura gasped as she saw the knight's face, but the sound was lost in the wind. Midas dropped his head in disbelief, then looked up at his comrades.
Trigger, Borz, and Fredros instantly knew what the Red Mage wanted, even though the thought really made them frown in disgust. Borz and Fredros helped the unconscious woman onto Trigger's back. Once Tamara was secure, Midas once again took the lead, tracing his way back to the Outlaw camp.
Covering her mouth to block the sand, Yura shouted, "Are you really doing what I think you're doing?"
Following Yura's lead, Midas replied, "Don't make me think about it! The more you do, the more I realize how STUPID this is."
Midas then ended the conversation, focusing on leading the way back once again. Yura dropped back a step, pondering the most recent development. 'He won't even leave a hated enemy to die out here.' Yura thought, 'Midas… you are just one mystery after another, aren't you?'