Forever Means Always
(Part 6- Deadly Revenge)
By Alria
Disclaimer: I do not own any of the FF 9 characters or settings. I am a broken record. Please, turn me off!!!!
Author's Note: THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT! READ THIS!!! Okaynow that I have your attentionI am making a change to my previous chapter. In the story, it said that sorkins had the power over death only. Well, I hadn't come up with the ending at that point, and now I realize that if I didn't change it, the ending wouldn't work. Okaythe change is that the sorkins have the power over LIFE as well as death. Like, freaky angel things. Anyway, they can kill AND bring back the dead with a touch. Got it? Good. Oh, one more thing. As you read this chapterand the rest of the story, for that matter, you will notice that Amarant never shows up. The reason: I hate him so much I couldn't bring myself to write him in. I'm sorry if you like him, but I really, REALLY don't. On another notethank you all for the reviews. I'm so happy!!! Please remember that I'm a review freak; I love coming home and finding I have more. Please don't stop! Well, I've talked for WAY too longnow enough of me and onto the story!!!!
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The second Zidane stepped through the Alexandrian city gate, he knew something was wrong. The air was thick and silent, and the streets were completely deserted. Zidane's heart sank. This was so different from the happy, bustling town he had grown to love. What could have happened?
The fact that he had seen Liana fly over his head earlier didn't help calm his fear, either. He had barely even left the small cabin when her giant black wings had blocked out the sun, casting a dark shadow on Zidane. At first, he had been terrified that she would swoop down and touch him, but much to his surprise she had barely even glanced down at him as she flew past towards Alexandria. The fact that she had arrived at the castle city nearly an hour before him was a terrifying thought. Zidane had an idea of exactly what a sorkin could do; he had no doubt that there was going to be trouble.
It was at the moment that Zidane heard the soft pounding of running footsteps coming towards him. Before he even had time to turn his head, Vivi rounded a near corner at top speed and slammed into Zidane. The two friends were both knocked to the ground. Zidane, wiping the dust from his face, smiled cheerfully.
"Wow! Slow down, Vivi! You're acting like you just saw a ghost or something!" he said as he stood up.
At hearing Zidane's voice, the young mage's head immediately jerked up. If Vivi's eyes could have gotten any bigger, Zidane was sure they would have almost filled his entire face. For a moment Vivi just stared at Zidane in awe, but soon he left out a quick sob and grabbed Zidane around the waist.
"Zidane! ISteiner told me you were dead!" he cried. Zidane patted the little black mage on the head while Vivi sobbed into Zidane's shirt.
"Hey, what's gotten into you all of a sudden? It's just me, there's nothing to cry about," he said. Vivi sniffed and shook his head.
"Noit's not that. I'm so happy you're aliveit's just that I'm so scared," he whimpered, burying his face in Zidane's shirt once more. Zidane sighed. Vivi had never been the bravest of souls, but he was only six, after all.
"What's wrong, Vivi? You can tell me, and I'll go over and make whatever monster or bandit is scaring you go away," he said. Vivi hesitated.
"I was in the castle visiting Dagger and Steiner earlier today when the window was suddenly shattered. This dark-haired lady with big black wings flew in through the broken window" at this point, Vivi had to stop and regain his courage. Zidane immediately tensed. Big black wings? It could only be Liana.
"Vivi, this may seem like an odd questiondid she touch anyone?" he asked. Vivi paused and fiddled nervously with his fingers.
"I"
"Vivi, this is extremely important. Did the monster with black wings touch anybody?" Zidane asked once more. Vivi looked down at the dusty road, but this time managed a slight nod. Zidane's heart sank. So this was how Liana had planned to get back at him. It was a nasty backattackwhy hadn't he been here sooner? Why hadn't he just refused to go to Liana's house in the first place? Now, who knew how many of his close friends lay dead?
"Vivi, how many people?" Zidane asked. Vivi, still looking down at the ground, managed to whisper the word "one." At this, Zidane felt his heart ease a little.
"At least there was only one," he said quietly to himself. At this Vivi looked up at him, shaking his head.
"No, Zidane. You don't understand" he said shakily. Zidane felt a cold shiver run down his spine as fear embraced him.
"Vivi," he said in a grave voice. "Who was it?"
For a long time Vivi said nothing as he gathered up every last ounce of courage he could muster. And then, with a voice barely audible to even Zidane, he spoke.
"It was Dagger."
Zidane felt as if he had been hit by a lightning bolt. Dagger? Dead!? It wasn't possibleit couldn't be true! His pain and shock paralyzing him to the truth, Zidane started to run at top speed towards the castle. No, no! It was a lie! Vivi was wrong! He would run right up to Dagger's room, and she would be there, alive and well. He could see her smiling face already, feel her soft touch. They were wrong! She wasn't gone!
Zidane raced through the empty streets at top speed, and in only a few minutes he was standing in front of the castle gates. With a mighty shove, Zidane knocked the door open, and continued running, his footsteps echoing through the great hall. As he ran up the spiraling staircase, he was mildly aware of the wide-eyes stares of his friends as they watched him run. Freyahe passed them all, each frantically calling out for him to stop. But he ignored themhis mind set on only one person. Dagger. Surely this was a cruel jestand Zidane would find Dagger sitting on her soft bed, smiling at him. This wasn't realDagger wasn't gone.
The white door that led to Dagger's room was closed, making it look foreboding and lonely. Zidane grabbed the handle and twisted, yanking the door open with as much strength as he could muster. Inside, the room was completely dark, but Zidane could still make out the frame of the canopy bed. His pounding heart was the only noise, and with a sense of impending doom, Zidane crept silently to the bed. He slowly lifted the silk curtain of the canopy, and looked down. Zidane felt as if his heart had suddenly shattered into a thousand pieces; splintering every corner of his soul. There, in the bed, lay the lifeless body of his lovely Dagger.
Zidane couldn't hold back the tears any longer. They fell silently in a twisting stream down his cheek, mixing with the sticky sweat from his running. Zidane knelt down next to the bed, bringing his face on the same level as Dagger's. Lifting his large, sweaty hand, Zidane gingerly stroked Dagger's pale cheek. Her skin was deathly cold, like ice. Zidane gazed with watery eyes at Dagger. How could one who had been so full of life and lovesomeone with such warmth and vigorbe gone? Stripped of a soul like the barren desert? Lying his head gently on Dagger's chest, Zidane closed his eyes, tears falling like rain onto the satin blanket that covered her. Her heart, which had been teeming with such immense love and kindness, was now strangely silent. Dagger was truly gone.
Suddenly, Zidane felt a soft hand on his shoulder. Startled, he jerked his head up to see who had come in the room without his knowing. There, a meek, teary-eyes smile upon her lips, stood Beatrix.
"Zidane, it'sgood to see you again," she said softly. Zidane bowed his head, saying nothing. Beatrix knelt down beside Zidane, their eyes on an equal level. Zidane could see tears falling down the general's cheek as she did her best to console him.
"I'm so sorry. We tried to stop itbut the thing was just too powerful. She knocked me to the groundand before I knew it" Zidane shook his head.
"It's not your fault. I know tried. God, if only I hadn't left. I should have listened to Dagger. She told me not to goI'm such an air-headed fool," he said through his tears. Beatrix looked sternly at him, her eyes forcing him to look at her.
"Don't you dare say that. This tragedy was that monster's faultnot yours," she said firmly. Zidane wiped a stray tear from his eye.
"I knowbut I'd do anything to hold her once more. Just to see her alive again, smiling at me," he choked. Beatrix held her arm around him, like a mother cradling a child.
"We all do. But don't you think Garnet would have wanted us to be happy, and not cry for her? There's nothing we can do to help her now," she said softly. The two friends sat in silence for a long time, sorrow resting over them like a thick blanket. Then, all of sudden, Zidane's head popped up, eyes sparkling with new hope.
"Yes there is. And I'm going to bring her back."
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OkayI knowdepressing. But I've always been a sap for such thingsand I hope you liked it as much I as enjoyed writing it! Anyway, don't quite reading cause it's sad. Trust meit gets better J ! What is Zidane's plan to bring back Dagger? Find out on Chapter 7- A New Enemy!!!