Don't Close Your Eyes
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Chapter Six
''Holy crap!' Leah screamed as the door of the spherical pod swung open really what she could only describe to be a monster. Its body was like that of a human, but its skin was different. Its skin had a greenish brown shade to it. The skin looked like it had been dryed out as there were peels and layers of gravel covering the monster. It seemed as though its whole body was made of rock. She had never seen anything like it.
She could almost make out a face through the barren, rocky skin of his features. Its eyes were terrifying, small and beady, they were deeply bloodshot giving them an almost crimson hue. The creature fell to the floor breathing uncontrollably. After a few seconds it raised its head and stared malevolently at Nanaki. Professor Grieve was cackling like an insane witch in the background.
'Get out!' Nanaki screamed at them. 'Go now! Run!'
They didn't need to be told twice. Rick, Leah and Nanaki ran desperatly to the entrance of the reactor, dodging old rusted debris. They tore through the worn metal corridors, their boots clinking at the floor. Yet still the creature lumbered slowly after them, like the walking dead. His faint groans encouraging them to run that little bit faster and all the while the cackling of Grieve growing weaker and weaker.
Finally they burst into the cold sunlight of Mt. Nibel. There faces flushed and sweaty from their desperate sprint. Heaving heavily as they inhaled the bitter cold mountain air. Their eyes were set firmly on the entrance to the reactor where the creature would surely emerge from. Leah and Rick backed away in fear but Nanaki paced, almost irriatbly back and forth. Finally the creature appeared and slowly plooded down the wide metal steps. Nanaki dived into the air aiming for the creatures chest hoping to knock it to the ground. One swift swing of his powerful arm and Nanaki was sent flying. He sat on the ground reeling from the fall. The beast lumbered towards him and with a wave of his arm and some low grunting, the earth around Nanaki began to shake and crumble. Suddenly walls of pure rock shot up surrounding Nanaki, almost like an igloo of pure stone. Leah could hear muffled banging from the inside.
'What do we do now?' Rick gasped 'we can't just leave him here.'
'Try some magic, maybe it'll slow it down.' Leah answered hopefully.
Holding her katana in front of her with both hands, she began chanting. The many orbs of materia started glowing eeriely. She was bathed in a strange green glow, Rick moved away uncertain.
'Ice 2!,' She screamed, her eyes still tightly shut. Huge blue icicles materialised out of nowhere and slowly encircled her small body, obviously waiting for a command.
'There,' Leah thought frantically trying to keep an image of the creature in her mind's eye. Almost instantly the icicles darted from her body and hurtled uncontrollably towards the beast. Opening her eyes she saw the icicles strike the beast square in the chest and crumble like sand against his armour like skin.
'Well, there goes that idea,' Rick said sarcastically. 'Lemme try.'
Pulling the safety of his two silver handguns, he loaded them with two red coloured magazines. Then turning them so they aimed sideways he desperately pulled the triggers. It was like a rifle going off except slower and louded, leaving a huge cloud of dust enveloping the creature. When the smoke had disappated the creature was still coming, uneffected by the hail of bullets.
'Nice try Junior,' Leah said. 'Better think of something fast.' She ducked a huge rock the creature had picked up. They both stood there edging slowly backwards desperately trying to find an answer.
'Wait! We've got one chance!' Leah said reaching in her backpack.
'It better be good,' Rick said, dusting another rock with his handguns.
Leah pulled out a small box and tossing it away pulled out a small red orb.
'What the hell is that?' Rick said surprised.
'Just get back,' she snapped, thrusting her katana into the ground. Holding the orb in one hand she relaxed her body. The energy washed over her, revitalising her weary limb. Like a drug, pure ecstasy. She felt like lightning was coursing through her veins, like she was being lifted off the ground. Maybe she was, she couldn't tell. She only remembered at one point the pleasure turned to pain and her body felt limp. She blacked out.
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'Leah?'
'Wake up!'
'It's not working.'
'Maybe you should try another Cure spell?'
Darkness. And pain. Her head hurt. Alot. She strained to open her eyes. It felt like sleep was glueing them shut. Oww. She started to speak, her voice lower than a whisper.
'Wh-what happened?' She asked trying to sit up. Rick held her in a sitting position while she clutched her pounding head.
'You passed out after trying to use that summon. If it's any consolation you did manage to create some wicked looking lightning.'
'Thanks.' She said as he helped her to her feet. 'What happened then?'
'That thing was ready bash your skull in and then Nanaki here cast a wicked looking spell to escape from that stone thing. What was it called again Nanny?'
'Flare. And please stop calling me that.'
'So anyway he blew that rock thing to bits and then kicked seven shades of crap out of that thing before it could get to you.What was that spell you used on it called?
'Ultima.'
'Yea that was it. It rocked. Anyway he knocked rocky boy all the way back over to the reactor. But then that Professor dude jumped out of nowhere. He took your materia.'
'Which one?'
'When you passed out, you dropped the Knights O' the Round out of hand and it sorta rolled away. I was dragging you in the other direction tryin' to get you away from that thing. Sorry. It's my fault.'
'It's all right, thanks for saving me. At least I finally ditched it somewhere.'
'Anyway, that Professor guy snatched it up while we were focused on rocky boy. He grabbed that rock dude and they ran back into the reactor. In a few seconds they were halfway to Cosmo Canyon in a helicopter.'
'However,' Nanaki said stepping forward. 'I did notice that the helicopter was a taxi-copter from Junon and they did head in that direction. I must go to Junon immeadiately and retrieve that materia.'
Leah was too weak to argue, Rick stayed silent.
'But first we should get you back home, we could all do with a nights rest.'
'I wouldn't say no to that. We can discuss the arrangements tommorrow.'
'What do you think he'll do with the materia, Nanaki?' Rick asked concerned.
'I think the question is, what won't he do with the materia.'
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Authors Note:
To those three people who are actually reading this, this concludes Part One of my ''epic saga.'' My inspiration is fading fast and I need a few days of to let the plot reveal itself to me. I know the overall plot but its those little gaps in the middle I need to fill. I hope I can finish this fic as I always tend to start fics but never finish them properly. Anyway thanks to anyone whose reading this and has reviewed, it means alot. Has anyone got any ideas to help me over come my writers block?
Thank You's:
Ann: Thank you to my ever faithfull reviewer Ann, who never ceases to review every chapter! I really appreaciate all the encouragement and support (as well as helpful ideas.) I hope you review this chapter too and I hope you like it. Although I don't, I think I was a little over anxious to get this chapter finished and complete part one. Ah well, don't care anymore. As long as one person keeps reviewing, I'll keep writin' 'em, thanks again! I owe you big time! PS: Sry for any spelling mistakes.