FINAL FANTASY: INQUISITION
By Thomas Knapp
Act Five- Scene Five
When Tamara had visited Media after the return of Cairos to magic-user control, she had thought that the border-city had been woefully short on people. Until now, that is. This time, the city was TOTALLY lifeless. Forget no military presence, there was NO presence whatsoever.
"By the god… what happened to this place?" Tamara gasped.
"Karma happened to this place." Borz replied blandly, gesturing to the masses of lifeless bodies that for all intents and purposes had appeared to be in perfect health, the very life sucked from their physical bodies like the inside of a coconut through a straw.
"And the sooner we find Creed, the sooner we can leave, and the sooner Karma's damage can hopefully be undone." Midas stated. Like with Tamara, he was having trouble locating Creed's EXACT position.
Sorry… Hades apologized. I'm not exactly the best compass, I know…
Midas decided to ignore the statement, not sure whether the Eidolon Lord was being facetious or truly lamenting the fact. "I don't dare split us up. We'll just start combing through the city one street at a time."
38 streets later…
They had examined every main road, side road, alley, and cubby, and yet there was no sign of Creed, or the green translucent shell that held him. They then wasted yet another 2 hours doing the same thing all over again.
"Are you SURE Creed is here, Midas?" Tamara queried.
"Positive." Midas said, Hades echoing the statement inside of Midas head at exactly the same time. Midas could FEEL Creed somewhere nearby. It was like hearing the monk's voice coming from every direction.
"Well… he's certainly NOT." Tamara asserted.
At the moment, Borz's face did the moogle equivalent of dawning realization. "Wait… Midas! Creed was a monk here, right?"
"I think so…" Midas answered.
"Then I think I know where he would be…"
Outside Media…
The three stopped at the top of the largest hill of the relatively flat grassland. They looked to the south along the border, the direction that 20 years before, an army of Rationalists charged the city.
Sure enough, in the valley between the two hills leading to Media, was Creed, floating in the all too familiar cocoon of green slime. "Well… would you look at that." Midas said, impressed. "How did you know about this?"
Borz smiled, and replied candidly, "Had you actually been LISTENING during Cid's history lessons, you would have KNOWN about the Battle of Media."
"I was listening…" Midas said defensively, "Just not very carefully…"
"Anyway… go get Creed, and let's get out of here." Tamara ordered, "Seeing this place so… empty… is giving me the creeps."
"All right… all right…" Midas said, slowly working his way down the hill, trying to keep his balance on the slick grass and considerable downgrade. Miraculously, he succeeded without falling flat on his face even once, something he took great pride in, yet his outward appearance suggesting that he had expected it.
Taking a deep breath, Midas prepared to meet Creed. Mere months ago, Creed was trying to get Midas to kill him. Now, the Red Mage turned Summoner didn't know WHAT to expect.
Without further hesitation, Midas made the mental connection.
"About time you got here." Creed commented dryly as his consciousness merged with the monk's.
"What do you mean, about time?" Midas asked.
Creed sighed, and answered, "I can finally leave these accommodations that Karma so graciously set up for me."
"Wait… you KNEW you could leave this shell whenever you could?" Midas howled.
"Well, I could… yet, I could not." Creed replied, "Not without you to lead the way. You're the hero… not me."
"What?" Midas asked incredulously. "What does being a hero have ANYTHING to do with it?"
Creed told him… about the Battle of Media, and Creed's subsequent rescue 15 years later. Midas listened intently to the story of a young man who he had never known.
"I was supposed to be you, Midas. I was SUPPOSED to be the young hero. Yet… I just wasn't up to the bill. I couldn't handle the responsibility of being a hero. That's your job now." Creed admitted sourly.
Midas shook his head slowly. "Do you think this has ANYTHING to do with fame and heroics?"
"What is it about, then?"
"This is about doing the right thing. I couldn't care less if no one remembered my name after all this is done. But SOMEONE needs to set this world right again, and there is no one else who can."
Midas regarded Creed sternly. "Do you KNOW what Media has become? It's nothing more than a graveyard. I know that deep down, even with all the bad memories this place spawns in you, you still consider this place your home. I can't believe you allowed Karma do what she has done to your home."
"What could I have done alone?" Creed protested. "Karma would have ripped me apart."
"Who said you needed to challenge Karma? Didn't I just say this isn't about heroics?" Midas fumed, "You could have given aid to all those suffering. There were so many things you could have done… so much you could have said…"
Suddenly, Creed was ashamed, "Well… when you put it that way…"
Midas sighed, "I suppose I have no right to be angry with you, though. It wasn't like I was the most understanding leader, was I?"
Creed chuckled, "It was hell at times just working under you, with the way that I felt."
"Well… I don't want you working under me any longer. I need you working BESIDE me. We're all in this mess together, and that's how we're gonna get out of it. This is as much your goal as it is mine, as it is EVERYBODY'S." Midas stated proudly, "I don't need followers, I need allies. Which one are you?"
Creed wavered uncertainly. "All right… I'm with you." Then the monk grinned maliciously, "But be warned… I'm gonna probably have a lot to gripe about now that you've given me rights to air them."
"I'm looking forward to your input." Midas concluded, sticking out his hand. "Now, can we get OUT of here?"
Moments later…
"My legs feel like lead." Creed complained.
"It's an aftereffect of Karma's draining of your Trance Aura." Midas explained, "By the time we've returned to the Outlaw camp, you should be fine."
It was at that moment, once Creed was free of his prison, that Midas caught hint of ANOTHER life aura nearby. But this one wasn't… human…
It's an Eidolon… another Dark Eidolon… Hades said in a tone that Midas would have sworn was a gasp.
'ANOTHER Dark Eidolon? I thought all of them were on your island.' Midas replied.
We weren't ALL banished to the same place. Hades explained as if it was something that should have been common knowledge. There are OTHER Dark Eidolon prisons, and one of them is nearby… Hades then drew Midas's attention downward. It's… underground?
'Let's find out, shall we?' Midas challenged. He regarded his allies again, and said, "Tamara, Borz, take Creed and give me some room. I've got a hole to dig."
"Excuse me?" Tamara asked. "I think there are slightly more important things on our agenda than making dirt piles."
"Trust me on this one, okay?" Midas asked again. "Just back off a ways."
The three somewhat reluctantly complied. Once Midas felt they were at a safe distance, he put his left palm to his forehead. Hopefully he could keep this Eidolon in check. He knew how much trouble Yura had at times, and the Eidolons she possessed were supposedly rather docile.
Ah… but Yura didn't have me as insurance. Hades reminded. There isn't an Eidolon out there who would DARE disobey you. Besides, I think the Eidolons that have aligned with you kinda like you.
Dawdling no longer, Midas rose his hand to the sky, calling out the name of the Dragon King, Bahamut. With a bright flash, the Eidolon's immense form appeared in the sky above. Midas heard Tamara's yelp of surprise, that melted into a gasp of awe as the dragon spit a flaming ball of pure energy at the point Midas had targeted, disappearing into thin air upon completion of the task. Like a hot knife through softened butter, the burst burned a gaping pit into the ground, so deep that the bottom was not even visible to Borz's acute sight.
"Damn… remind me not to get on your bad side anymore, Midas." Creed said weakly as he stared down the freshly dug pit.
Yeah… it's down there… Hades commented. Why don't you send Phantom to go down and find the Eidolon Jewel? I don't think anyone else would survive the fall.
'Agreed.' Midas concurred, calling forth the ghostly essence of the Dark Eidolon in question. Phantom unerringly disappeared down the hole, emerging five minutes later with two large dark jewels in its clutches. Handing over the objects, Phantom returned to the Astral plane.
Oh… this is nice… Hades said in marvel. You hold in your hands two VERY powerful Dark Eidolons. Leviathan can submerge whole cities with waves that stand as tall as mountains. The other one is Odin… his sword can cleave ARMIES in two.
Familiar with the ritual, Midas allowed the essence of the Dark Eidolons to align with him. With Hades backing him, there were few objections from the pair, and they quickly got in line with their brethren. He sincerely hoped that his newest acquisitions lived up to Hades' billing.
Days later… Outlaw camp.
Judging from the activity around Micho's airship, Midas judged it was either ready to go, or very close to it. This assumption was confirmed when Micho, covered in grease and metal shavings, rushed up to him. With a cocky grin, the large mechanic said, "The airship is ready to go. All you need to do is say the word."
"The word?" A deep, bullish voice echoed, and the earth began to shake with the arrival of two burly minotaurs. "I don't get it… what word?"
"It's a figure of speech, dimwit." Sacred shouted to his brother. "Not that I've ever SEEN speech's figure…"
Midas dropped his head into his hands, and muttered, "Not again…"
Creed pursed his lips, and asked, "Who are those clowns… or do I even want to know?"
"I… know who they are…" Borz commented. "Fredros taught me about those… FREAKS!"
"Hey, who are you calling a freak?" Minotaur grumbled, "This is coming from a diminutive throw rug!"
"Midas… get everyone on the airship. I'll keep our friends busy." Borz wriggled out the remainder of his mage garb, and began a bullet flight towards the two demi-Eidolons.
"BORZ! What in hell are you doing!" Midas shouted, but the question went unheeded. Amazingly, the moogle mage was actually holding his own against the two behemoths, flying circles around the deadly clubs trying to bludgeon the tiny creature.
Cid clicked his tongue, and with a smug voice, explained, "There were once MANY minotaurs that lived in the jungle regions of the world, fighting over territory with the moogles, who ALSO preferred that ecological region. Over the eons, moogles adapted to counter the minotaurs' greater size and strength. The result are the moogles you see today; small, agile, fast… and magically capable."
That may be true. Hades warned. But Sacred and Minotaur are not NORMAL minotaurs by any means. Your little moogle friend will eventually tire, while it is doubtful the two brain trusts he's fighting will as quickly.
'Are you suggesting that I give him a hand, Hades?' Midas thought smugly.
See? You ARE a smart fellow after all.
Midas drew his sword, purple flames igniting on the blade's surface. "Tamara, Creed, gather up the survivors of the camp, and lead them onto the airship. Borz and I will give you ALL the time you need."
Without objection (almost surprisingly) the knight and monk set about their task, and Midas jumped into the fray. The two lumbering bull-men were so occupied with trying to take down the elusive moogle that they didn't notice the Dark Summoner right away.
Midas made them regret that ignorance in a hurry. Calling forth the power that he had fused with, he summoned forth one of Hades' skills. "Dark Matter!" Midas shouted as his hands burst forth, and a large wave of black energy flew out of his palms, engulfing the two beasts in its overpowering wake. The forceful surge finally dissipated, and the two minotaurs tumbled to a stop almost half a kilometer away.
To even Hades' surprise, it didn't remove the threat of the behemoths. They stirred after a moment's pause, and slowly got to their hoofed feet.
Karma's OBVIOUSLY given them a little extra punch upon freeing those two. Not even THOSE creeps would have normally survived that blast.
Sacred grinned maliciously, and smashed his club onto the ground, causing the earth to split and spark with magical power. Taken by surprise, Midas was hit full on with the blow, throwing him on his back.
Sorry… forgot to warn you about that one… Hades apologized. Before Midas could stand, Sacred was standing over Midas, club poised to turn the Dark Summoner's head into puree. Fortunately, Midas was able to roll away and to his feet just before the weapon struck. Midas then attacked, but Sacred showed an agility not known to his kind, easily parrying the blow away.
Borz was having a slightly easier time with Minotaur, but not much. The moogle was losing his speed advantage, fatigue slowly setting in, and he was also running dangerously low on the magic power that was keeping the fight even.
Hades was obviously getting a little frustrated, and he advised Midas. I think it's time we got a little serious, no?
'You read my mind.' Midas punned. Thus began a blistering series of summons, starting with Phantom. When Midas and Borz suddenly turned invisible, it took the two demi-Eidolons off their stride. By the time their other senses kicked in, and they were able to locate their adversaries, Cerberus had arrived. Suddenly the two minotaurs were battling enemies that were not only drastically faster, they weren't readily visible.
From there, one of Midas's latest allies was called to the fray. A large blue serpent appeared, and with a high pitched roar, sent a massive tidal wave to clean out the trash. As Sacred and Minotaur recovered from that attack, Bahamut soared above where Leviathan had disappeared, and ripped a series of searing orbs of energy towards the two minotaurs.
When Bahamut's attack died away, the two demi-Eidolons were definitely rattled and reeling. The assault might have continued, but then Tamara called out to Midas and Borz. She dumped a small rope ladder off the railing of the airship as it slowly began to part with the earth, and the pair of heroes rushed to climb aboard. Borz simply flew right onto the deck as Midas climbed up the rungs of the ladder, swinging onto the deck.
They then looked down as the forms of Sacred and Minotaur were becoming smaller as the ship gained altitude. Creed then squinted, and asked as the two demi-Eidolons mulled below them, "What are they doing?"
"I'm not too sure…" Borz replied, "Wait… their gonna…!"
Borz was cut off as Minotaur took a boost from Sacred's hands, making a great leap at the airship. The demi-Eidolon managed to grab two vertical beams of the railing, and began to pull himself up onto the deck.
Borz then approached the minotaur casually, stopping to pick up a hammer that had been left on the deck. Staring the snarling behemoth eye to eye, Borz then grinned sadistically, and with one quick swing, Borz bopped Minotaur in the head with the hammer.
Instinctively, Minotaur slapped his hands over the impact point, and for a brief moment seemed to hang in the air as he realized what he had just done, then plummeted to the ground below.
Borz turned around, and shook his head in disgust. "Some things NEVER change. Minotaurs are STILL as dumb as bricks."
Meanwhile, Tamara approached Midas from behind, stealthily wrapping her arms around his waist. She then whispered softly, "I think I know where you want to go next."
Midas repositioned himself, and quickly stole a kiss off Tamara's lips before any attention was drawn to the pair. Pulling away, he retorted, "And you're probably right." He craned his neck to the rudder wheel, and shouted to Micho, who had taken up steering, "Micho! Take us to the Coran Pass. There's someone we need to meet there!"
End Scene Five