A Brother's
Death
"What?" Steiner gasped,
"What are you talking about?"
"Yeah, tune us in, what the hell is
this crazy plan about?" Amarant demanded.
"Well.... We came up with this during
our time in the Iifa Tree, you are all familiar with the Terra
Trance that Kuja uses? Well, if he were to die, each of us would
be able to use it with a special spell," Zidane began.
".... But I have to die a certain way,
I have to enter the Zero World while this body still breaths,
while my heart still beats," Kuja finished.
"Excuse me for being well, me, but
this is about one step down from being buried alive,"
Amarant mused. He was shocked when Kuja slammed him into the
closest wall.
"You don't get it do you?!?! If I
don't do this, this world will be destroyed! All you have done to
stop Terra's assimilation would have been in vain!" Kuja's
eyes burned with fire and passion that no one had ever seen
within him before, "Do you know how much would be lost!?!?!
This is my choice!" Kuja released him and walked back next
to Zidane, "Let us begin the ceremony, brother,"
They nodded to each other.
"If I may ask you all to join us
outside... Vivi, you have an Oak Staff we can use? Regent Cid, do
you have the Falcon Claw with you?" Regent Cid nodded,
"May we borrow it?" Vivi headed back to the kitchen to
get his old staff, Regent Cid removed the jewel from around his
wife's neck though with a great expression of puzzlement. Vivi
returned and handed a beautifully polished Oak Staff to Zidane
and Kuja.
"I will return momentarily," Kuja
spun around and headed to the kitchen. Ten minutes later, he
returned, "I am ready," Zidane nodded again and they
stepped out. Zidane and Kuja drew a semi-large circle on the
ground, soon, the circle glowed with unearthly blue light.
"Zidane, It's time," Kuja
instructed, everyone else watched in awe.
"Right, lets start," Zidane
confirmed, they joined hands the best they could and closed their
eyes.
"Spirits of Terra....." Kuja
began.
"Spirits of Gaia....." Zidane.
"Ruler of the Zero World!"
Together.
"Take me before my time,"
"My last of kin is now to die,"
"Forever bonded,"
"Forever brothers,"
"Grant us our final wish,"
Together.
"Madeen, Fenrir, Ark, Odin,"
"Atomos, Ramuh, Bahamut,
Leviathan,"
"Spirits of the lost summoners,"
"Protectors of the earth..."
"Guardians of space and time,"
"Guardians of life and death,"
"Help us in our quest for power,"
"Help us in our quest for peace,"
Their eyes snapped open. Zidane threw up
the Falcon Claw as high as he could, Kuja threw up the Oak Staff.
In midair, the two met, the pointed end of the staff strung
itself through the necklace.
"Portal to the Zero World, open!"
Kuja and Zidane yelled at the same time.
The staff somersaulted upwards, the chain
of the Falcon Claw wrapped itself around the handle of the staff.
Soon, the objects stopped accelerating, and began to fall. They
spiraled down, becoming liquid, as one. They both disappeared as
they hit the ground and a blue wave washed over everyone. The
Falcon Claw re-appeared around Lady Hilda's neck and the Oak
Staff materialized in Vivi's hand.
"Zidane! Get out of the circle!"
Kuja hissed as transparent blue walls began to rise out of the
ground, the waves of blue was gone, but now the walls of blue
rose from the circle where some of the wave had been trapped.
"No," Zidane replied firmly.
"No? I thought we agreed on this
already! Go!"
"I won't let you suffer alone,"
Zidane replied.
"Get the hell out of here! Garnet
still needs you!"
"I won't be selfish," Zidane's
fury and passion rose to meet and match Kuja's.
"You're being selfish now! You're
trying to be hero again! This is my moment of glory, you shall
not steal this from me!" The walls were waist high now.
"I'm not going to let you spend
eternity in the Zero World alone! I won't! I refuse to let-"
Zidane stopped talking when Kuja looked thoughtful and whispered
something like "Sorry". Kuja punched Zidane harder than
anyone could have thought possible. Zidane then staggered back,
tripped over the forming wall, and collapsed outside the circle.
Then Kuja looked up, the walls were rising higher now, and
faster, soon they had reached the sky and a purple-lavender
vortex or portal opened. Streaks of purple lightning flashed
around it. Kuja's feet left the ground as he was pulled upward.
He looked at Zidane and company with a blank expression, then the
corners of his mouth curved into a sad smile. He turned his head
upwards and never looked back once. The sounds of tortured cries
rung in his ears and he knew his voice would soon join theirs.
He, Kuja, the Angel of Death, was afraid, afraid of the one thing
he had brought upon the world. He was afraid of death. He felt
the darkness engulf him. He could hear his heart beating. That
was all. He was in total silence. Except for his beating heart.
Thump-thump....
Thump-thump....
Thump-thump....
Was this the Zero World? Was this death? If
so, it was well named, for he could feel nothing at all, except
for the warm blood that coursed through his veins.
Thump-thump....
Thump-thump....
Thump-thump....
He closed his eyes, then he felt something
new. Tears. Warm tears fell from his eyes. He took in breath.
Inhaled. Exhaled. His mind raced with the wrongs he had done in
his life. He felt guilt. Most of all, though.... Deep within the
folds of his mind. Deep, locked away in the midst of his darkest
secrets... He felt a strong emotion. Love. Love for..... His
thoughts fell into thin strands, peices of a broken puzzle, as
his mind was picked up and hurtled into dark, lonely space. He
felt no more.
~¤~
"Damn!" Zidane
punched the ground with his fist. Something... Someone whispered
into his ear, it whispered this: 'Help him.... Please....
Help him....' it was the voice of.... Garland?!?!
"How do I help him?"
Zidane asked aloud, his friends looked at him as if he had
sprouted a third arm. The voice replied, 'Like this....'
A circle drew itself around Zidane and the walls rose quickly.
"Zidane!" Vivi
yelled, he began to run to his new friend, but tripped and fell
flat on his face. He raised his head and his amber eyes fixed on
his departing friend. Zidane smiled bravely at him and mouthed, 'I'll
be back, I promise,' Vivi struggled to his feet,
"Why?!?! Why is this happening?!? This isn't fair!"
Vivi began to cry softly, then he began to sob, "Papa... I
failed you... I let my brothers get captured.... I couldn't
protect the Princess or Lady Eiko.... I failed Freya as well....
Kuja sacrificed himself.... Now Zidane too..... IT'S NOT
FAIR!!!!!!" Vivi clenched his fists and shut his eyes, he
cried out, an anguished cry. Sparkling tears were whipped from
his face by the sharp wind cutting through the area. Suddenly,
Vivi toppled forward, his amber eyes not as bright as usual.
Someone rushed to his side, he was not aware whom.
~¤~
Kuja? Are you there?
I'm not sure anymore....
Am I Kuja? Is that my name? A name is worthless.... I am who I
am....
Kuja, don't you remember
me? Zidane?
You.... The boy with the
bright blue eyes.... Yes, I remember. Names mean nothing to me.
Kuja, talk sense to me!
Are you hurt?
No, I feel nothing
except....
Except what?
It's warm....
What's warm?
My heart.
Huh?
It beats.... I can feel
it.... I can also feel...
You can also feel what?
I do not know.... Oh, now
I remember.... You would call it love.... I just call it the
warmth in my heart.
Who do you love?
Who do you love?
I asked you first!
Her name is.... Wait, I
remember now. I can't tell you....
Fine, I'll tell you who I
love first. I love Dagger.
The raven-haired girl?
Yes, she is very beautiful, but I love.... I love the girl with
the.... No. If I told you, you would react in a troublesome way.
Very well. So you're
really dead?
Dead? Is this death? It's
quite.... I'm alone. I can only feel warmth and pain...
Pain? !!! What kind of
pain?
It makes me feel bad, I
see what I did, and it hurts.
What hurts?
My heart.
Oh.... I see, you feel
guilt.
Guilt? Stop the names. It
just hurts....
Kuja.... Wake up! You're
acting funny....
Kuja? Kuja.... I remember
him now.... A little boy who became a man... A man whom did
terrible things. Created terrible things.... Then they became
beautiful....
Kuja?!?! Please! Talk
sense!
I am... I feel drowsy....
So tired.... I'll sleep again now...
Kuja? KUJA!!!
......
Please! Answer me!
.......
KUJA!
........
!!!
. . . . . .
BROTHER!
!!! Brother? I am a....
Yes.... My brother.... My sister.... Can I go home now?
Kuja.... I wish I could
take you home....
I wish I could go home.
Zidane, go now. I am alright. I can think clearly now. Remember
me.... Promise you'll remember me.
I could never forget you.
I'll wait for you here,
for as long as I can.
I'll look forward to it.
Take care of Dagger, Eiko,
and.... Take care of Vivi and Freya. Tell Vivi that I apologize
to him.... I did a terrible thing.
What terrible thing?
Never mind, please. Leave.
I'll not forget what you've done for me, Zidane. Brother.
Ditto, see ya!
Farewell....
~¤~
Suddenly, Zidane was
transporting back out again when something, someone whispered
into his ear, this voice was different, evil. It said: Time
for you to take over my work.... Brother.
Zidane screamed in pain, he
felt his body tear and blood dripped from the corner of his
mouth. Zidane fell to his knees, he blacked out.
~¤~
"Vivi!" Steiner held
the mage in his arms.
"S-steiner.... I-i think
I'm gonna stop...." Vivi whispered.
"B-but!" Steiner
protested, "You were made to last longer!"
"T-treno's attack...
Poison... It never went away..."
~¤~
Both of them woke up from the
dream, they embraced each other.
"Dagger!" Eiko
sobbed.
"Eiko!" Dagger
sobbed.
"It was all my
fault!" They cried at the same time.
"Madain Sari... It
burned.... My parents.... They died for me..." Eiko
muttered.
"Impossible! Madain Sari
burned before you were born!" Dagger replied.
"But it was so real.... I
could see myself... I was so afraid...." Eiko sobbed.
"It was not as bad as
mine...." Dagger whispered.
"What happened to
you?" Eiko asked, worried.
"I... I couldn't control
myself... I had Zidane, Beatrix, and Blank executed,"
"Why would you do
that?" Eiko asked.
"I don't know...."
"My, my, my.... This will
never work.... What was that mistake of a Genome thinking? We'll
have to separate you," They looked up to see a familiar
face.... It was Zidane.
~*It took me a looooong time
to get this out 'cause it was hard to get this chap. to work. I
had typed myself into a corner. Lol. Tell me whatcha think!