Chapter Two
Escape

Esuna raised her hands above her hair as streams of purple light swirled around her. Her hair was lifted upward.

"Spirits!" she cried. "Souls of Terra! Hear me! Feel me!"

The beams of purple light around Esuna strengthened in color.

"Forgotten in the Time Sea...Are you ready?"

Kuja's eyes widened. He had never seen magic like this before, and it was obvious that Esuna was making up her own spell.

"...Then Release me!!"

Esuna cried out the last to words with such force that the purple lights became white. They became a whirlwind around her, and then a single beam shot into the desert above her, spreading itself to form a large cylinder. The passage was clear to the surface.

Esuna stepped into the beam, and it lifted her up. Kuja and Flare followed suit.

The beam, as soon as they had reached the surface, closed, but not before it released a blast of energy that launched them so high into the air, Kuja knew he would be very sore when he woke up.

He landed with a not to pleasant fwump next to Esuna. Flare, however, simply took flight and landed softly on his claws.

"You humans," he said scornfully. "I thought you had the heart of a dragon, Esuna. Dragons always land on their feet."

Esuna mumbled something that Kuja could barely make out, and his eyes widened at her language. He laughed.

"You really do swear worse than goblins."

Esuna grinned. "We'd better get going. Up for going back to Alexandria? I could let you confront the Queen on your own."

Flare snorted. "Oh yeah, she'll like that."

"Heh heh. She's got a point, Flare."

"Oh, of course I do. What else would I have, a blunt end?"

Flare snorted. "Probably."

"Look, we've got to go somewhere. I personally want to see Garnet's face," said Kuja, smirking. "It's too good to pass up."

"You bet! Flare, meet us there, will you?" Esuna asked.

"WHAT?! I'm not coming with you two??" the dragon demanded indignantly.

"Nope. We're gonna walk, hitch hike, whatever it takes. But you'll have to meet us there."

"Um, Esuna? Why?" Kuja asked.

She shrugged. "Because I said so."

""Why you pig headed little --" Flare began.

"Don't go there."

"Alright, I won't. But I am going with you."

"Fine. But you have to beat me first," Esuna challenged.

"But that isn't fair!" the dragon protested. "I don't have any magic!"

"Exactly. It's a no win situation."

"Ha ha, Esuna?" Kuja asked. "Why couldn't you have been with me from the very start to kick this guy in the rear? He was such a pain sometimes."
Esuna smiled. He may have been a pain, but he still loves Kuja. Their bond is strong.

Flare's scales slowly turned a modest pink.

"Yah!" Kuja cried out. "You change colors, too?!"

Esuna smiled, her raven hair glinting a slight purple in the desert sunlight. "He's blushing, Kuja. It's your own fault, you silly dragon. You're the one who read my mind!"

"I know, I know. But thank you for the compliment," Flare said sheepishly.

"You're welcome. Now, shoo! We'll meet you in Alexandria."

"Alright, alright!"

With that, the dragon was gone, his scales creating a blast of reflected light.

Esuna's hair suddenly whipped around her face, and a circle filled with runes appeared at her feet, glowing a pale purple. A needle spun in it, using her feet as a pivot point. Eventually it stopped on a rune, pointing south west.

"That way," stated Esuna simply.

"But Alexandria is to the south east!" Kuja protested.

"I told you I wanted to find the priest, right? Well, he's that way. I want my voice back completely. Let's check out the Black Mage Village."

"Uh...I won't be too welcome there," Kuja said hesitantly.

She shrugged. "Oh well. Mikoto will make sure they behave."

"How do you know Mikoto?!"

"I know lots of things you don't. Now lets go!"

Esuna started off. Kuja shook his head. He was in no mood for a walk in the desert. He never was. He took one last look at his home, and then trudged after the raven haired girl.

"Why do we have to walk, anyway? Why couldn't Flare have given us a ride?"

"If the priest finds him, he...will be turned into a human."

"What? Why?"

"Because..."

"That's not an answer, Esuna."

"I know that. But it will have to do, because I'm not going to tell you any more. Stay out of it, Kuja. This is something even you don't want to get involved in."

"Don't tell me that! I'll meddle where I damn well want to!"

Esuna spun to face him, anger etched on her face. "No, you will not! Stop being so arrogant and narcissistic. The world is not about you, and you do not have to be a part of everything!"

She gasped. "I'm sorry. Just. . .please. Don't ask me again."

And with that, she turned and ran, leaving Kuja more confused that ever.



"I don't understand. Why would this man make it so that you could not speak?" Mikoto asked.

.: Please. Don't ask, because I can't tell you. But is there a human priest here?:.

"Well, yes, but where did you leave Kuja? Surely, with his powers, he could break the spell?"

Esuna looked away. .:No, and I don't want him to. This is magic is within his reason, but the man who put this curse on me is not. Where is the priest that came here? I am sure it is him.:.

"He is above the windmill. But how will you get him to give it back?"

.:I'm...not sure. But please, don't tell Kuja.:.

" As you wish."

.:Thank you, Mikoto.:.

Esuna turned to the windmill, unaware that Kuja followed behind her, at just enough distance to not be noticed.

When she entered, the black mages nodded to her, as well as the one Genome that was in the room. Esuna began to climb the ladder, sighing. I hope I do regret this.

Kuja waited until she was sure she was at the top, and then he followed her. He ignored the looks of fear that crossed the black mages, the way their eyes began to glow for fiercely with hidden fury.

"But you must give it back! I --" Esuna's voice was suddenly choked off. She whirled around.

.:Kuja! I told you to stay out of this!:.

"No way. I want to see what's going on!"

"You!" the man in front of Esuna snarled. Then he laughed. "You have no idea what she is, do you?"

"What are you talking about?" Kuja demanded.

"Ha ha ha! This is rich. But, unfortunately, even the great and evil Kuja cannot stop me from killing her. I tried before, to kill this dragon. But it didn't work. Instead, I got her dragon body and her voice. But I won't fail this time!"
.:No!:. Esuna's inner voice screamed so loudly Kuja thought his head would split.

"Ultima!" the priest shrieked, point his druid's staff at Esuna.

Esuna's mouth opened in a silent scream as she was flung back against the roof of the hut.

"Esuna!" Kuja cried.

.:Kuja!:. Esuna spoke to him only, her voice weak. She took a golden chain off of her neck, adorned with only a single amethyst. .:Take this, and give it to someone special to you.:.

"What's that supposed to mean? Esuna!" Kuja demanded weakly, taking the pendant.

"Even that stupid treasure of hers won't save you! I might as well take you with her, Angel of Death! You are from the evil planet, so you must die!" The priest cried. "Ultimate End!"

Kuja's eyes widened. He had only heard of the spell Ultimate End, and he knew briefly, before the blast of white fire hit him, that there would be no Black Mage Village when the priest was done.