6)---------- In Which, Leviathan blows his top and Bahamut notices

6)---------- In Which, Leviathan blows his top and Bahamut notices.

"That was certainly unusual," Rydia remarked to Edge as they returned to Eblan after deciding that they were too confused by the events in Baron.

"Maybe we should stick around," Edge observed. "After all, our treaty says that if Baron and Toroia tango, we need to offer some support to our buddies."

"They haven't gone to war yet. Let's see if they can manage to resolve it internally before we go butting in."

"Good idea."

Just as Eblan came into view and they prepared to land the Falcon, a thick fog began to gather around them.

"Oh great," Rydia sighed. "Now what's going on?"

Mist appeared before them.

"We have a problem," she blatantly informed the pair.

"What sort of problem?" Rydia almost snapped. She was getting sick of problems.

"Leviathan's bolted on us. We think he's trashing all ethics and going after Jinn."

"You're kidding me, right?"

"I wouldn't. Not about this."

Rydia rubbed her temples.

"So . . . what happens if he takes down another Summoned Monster?"

"That's against our law," Mist blandly stated. "Bahamut would have to pass judgment in the matter."

Her eyes widening in a sudden burst of horror, the Caller clamped a hand over her mouth.

"Bahamut wouldn't - "

"Don't doubt what he'd do."

"He'd really - "

"Yes."

"Even though - "

"Yes."

"But . . . good gracious." Rydia turned to Edge in a frenzy. "I have to go."

He nodded.

"Good luck. I don't get it, but good luck."

"If Leviathan attacks Jinn, Bahamut's within his right to execute him for treason."

"!!"

"Exactly."

She vaulted on Mist's back, and the Dragon vanished, taking the Caller with her.

*

Mist brought them to Asura, who was pacing around frantically in a place Rydia wasn't certain she recognized. The Queen looked up at their arrival.

"Rydia," she greeted. "I must ask a favor."

"I? Do you a favor?" Rydia repeated, blinking. "Now?! Asura, what's going on?! Why would he - "

"I can't get into reasons, Rydia, we don't have time. But if any of us try to stop him, we're going to confound the problem. Do you see?"

Rydia frowned.

"You can't stop him without breaking the same law you're trying to keep him from breaking, so you want me to stop him?"

"Yes."

"Fine. Where did he go?"

"To find Jinn."

"And where's Jinn?"

"Crescent Mountain."

"Crescent Mountain? What the heck is - "

"I'll take you," Chocobo cut in.

Rydia glanced at him, having not noticed his presence. In fact, as she looked around she could see just about the entire assembly of Summoned Monsters in attendance.

"Fine."

She jumped on the bird's back, and they took off at a blinding pace across several oceans and a few mountain ranges.

And she made a mental note to figure out exactly how these creatures made their way around the world the way they did.

At their arrival, a blast of fire threw her from Chocobo's back and sent her flying a few yards back.

"Ow," she muttered, sitting up.

"This is not your business."

Looking up, she found herself staring right into the eyes of insanity.

"Hello," she greeted, forcing herself to put on a civil face. "Um, Jinn, does this mean we're not meeting for cards this weekend?"

He frowned and raised a hand, but before he could move to zap her again, something not unlike a bladed whip cut through the air between them, sending them both jumping back several feet.

"You're right," Leviathan told him, retracting his tail and facing the renegade Monster. "This is not her business. It's mine."

"You dare not attack me," Jinn hissed.

"Oh?"

"Lord Bahamut would crush you."

"The way I'm going to crush you unless you have the mother of all explanations for your actions."

Leviathan's glare was one of such fiery rage that Rydia backed off even further from the situation, feeling physically unable to intervene.

Jinn blinked.

"As I said before we were interrupted. My master commands."

The Serpent's eyes narrowed.

"And as I asked before we were interrupted: who is your master?"

Jinn sniffed.

"The Elemental Fire. Your Majesty."

Leviathan drew in a deep breath and poised as if to attack.

"Insufficient data. Try again."

Jinn said nothing.

"Leviathan!!" Rydia snapped just as she was certain he was going to jump at the other. "For heaven's sake, don't be a fool!!!"

He jumped, startled by her outburst, and in the split second before he regained his composure, Jinn again blasted him in the face and vanished from the scene.

Furious at having lost his quarry, Leviathan turned his angry gaze to the little human standing a decent distance away.

"Why," he demanded in a forcedly non-violent voice, "did you do that?"

"Because if you killed him, your wife would kill me," she snapped.

He blinked.

Feeling brave, Rydia stepped up to him.

"Leviathan!! Snap out of it! I know you're mad as heck at the guy, but that doesn't mean you go getting killed over it! This isn't like you. It isn't like you at all."

"Oh?" He arched his neck, still dripping anger from every pore. "Then tell me, if you're so clever and versed in the ways of my people, exactly what is like me? After all, I'd hate to act out of character. It might alienate my audience."

"Will you stop being angry and think?!" she snapped, feeling almost as angry as he did. "The Elemental Fire? What on Earth does that mean?!" He didn't reply. "Stop looking at me like I'm the one who caused all this! Get a grip, Leviathan!"

"Excuse me," he curtly said, turning and diving swiftly into the nearby ocean.

Rydia sighed and sat down where she was standing.

Chocobo came up beside her.

"He'll come back," he assured her. "Probably. After he cools down. He knows he needs to cool down."

"He usually stays so objective of the situation . . . Chocobo, what made him fly over the edge? He was angry before, but - "

"Jinn caught up with Remora, Phoenix, and Golem. Burned 'em to a crisp. It took everything Asura had to put them back together. Leviathan . . . well, he was past livid when he found out."

"Yes . . . he would be." Rydia frowned. "Remora, Phoenix, and Golem."

"Yeah." Chocobo blinked. "They're all okay now - "

"Elementals of water, air, and earth."

Chocobo blinked again.

"Yeah. Um . . . what are you thinking?"

"I don't know. It's just after that stuff about serving the Elemental Fire . . . "

Chocobo frowned as deeply as she was.

"The Elements that hold the planet together have been without manifestation since the Crystals left the Earth years ago. You don't think they're sparking something up somehow, do you?"

"I don't know. I know little of the subject."

Rydia stood.

"Tell me more."

Chocobo ruffled his feathers.

"About what?"

"Anything that may help tie all this together."

*

Leviathan shot through the ocean at an insane pace, causing several varieties of sea life to keel over from shock and launching a tidal wave at a small, uninhabited island somewhere.

That treacherous little beast . . .

The coolness of the ocean water helped to soothe his mood somewhat, fortunately. Otherwise, he may have inadvertently started causing serious damage to innocents, and then Asura would have a cow.

Why.

That was the question that continued to plague him.

Why would a low-level Summoned Monster who'd never had more than a touchy temper in the past go off the wall ballistic and head off on a crusade to obliterate his people?

And why wasn't he, Leviathan, allowed to stop him?!

The law stated that a Summoned Monster may not attack another Summoned Monster unless Summoned to do so.

He, as ruler of the Summoned Monsters, was the one supposed to enforce that law.

Until now, the oxymoronic nature of this statement had not reached him. Now, though, it struck him that there was little he could do to Jinn for his actions, because of his own inability to attack, fight, or beat on the cretin in any way.

And who was the one who would ultimately suffer for the original act of violence? Not the one he was trying to punish, that was certain. No, Jinn would get off because Bahamut wouldn't stand for Leviathan to do his duty. He'd get cut off and cut up before causing even a mild headache on the part of his victim.

So he had to think.

What could he do?

How could he get this psychopath under control?

Why.

Why was this happening?

What was this Elemental Fire that had popped up into the conversation?

Sighing, he headed back to the surface to seek some outside input.

*

Rydia and Chocobo looked up from their conversation as he broke the surface of the water before them.

"I," he said by way of greeting, "owe you an apology, Rydia."

"You'll never owe me anything, Leviathan," she sincerely assured him. "What do you think of things? Could the Elements be trying to re-manifest themselves?"

Startled by the concept, Leviathan frowned.

"Like . . . as with the Fiends?"

Now Rydia frowned.

"Oh, I'd forgotten them. But Jinn's not a Fiend - "

"No one's born a Fiend. They were born Elementals, just like myself and Chocobo here. Then they used the Dark Crystals to amplify their powers."

"But the Crystals - Light and Dark - are gone. So that couldn't be it."

"The Elements exist. So does Evil. Anything's possible."

A spark appeared in the air, and Kuijata appeared floating before the trio.

"Come quickly!" he urged. "We have a problem!"

"Not another one?!" Rydia shrieked.

"What - " Chocobo began.

"It's Mist," their messenger explained before vanishing abruptly.

"Mist?" Leviathan echoed, looking confused. He turned to Rydia and Chocobo. "Both of you. Let's go."

*

They appeared at the scene of Queen Asura kneeling over the unconscious Dragon, while many of the other Monsters nervously looked on.

"What happened?" Leviathan demanded.

She looked up at him.

"She just . . . went insane."

Leviathan blinked.

"Mist? Went insane?"

Asura nodded.

"Just out of the blue - went completely mad."

"But . . . then what knocked her out?"

"She knocked herself out. Rammed herself head-first into a tree until not only were several trees leveled, but she was thoroughly unconscious."

Leviathan examined the Mist Dragon carefully.

"Try waking her up," he quietly advised.

Asura outwardly cringed.

"Are we sure that's a good idea? After what happened to Jinn - "

"Maybe she can tell us something. We have to find out, Asura."

Sighing to show that she was against this, Asura chanted her healing spells to restore the Dragon.

Chocobo retreated into the background, leaving Rydia, Asura, and Leviathan watching anxiously as Mist awoke.

Opening her eyes, she stared up at the three of them blankly for a moment as an amount of terror built in her gaze.

"No . . . " she murmured, staring at Leviathan. "The Water. No Water. No more. No. No."

Her voice growing in intensity, she scrambled to her feet.

"No, no, no, no - "

"Mist," Asura called in a soft voice, "calm down, Dear."

"No, no, no - "

"What's the matter?" Leviathan asked urgently. "What's going on?!"

"No, no, no, No, No, NO, NO - "

She backed away from them.

Leviathan moved to follow her and she jumped.

"NOO! Stay back! Stay back! Water! Stay back!!!!!"

Leviathan froze and she evaporated into mist and dissipated into the air.

"What . . . I don't understand," Rydia said softly into the ensuing silence. "Jinn, yelling about Fire, now Mist about Water . . . "

Leviathan stared at the place where Mist had vanished.

And was silent.

*

"My thoughts on this matter are not very pleasant," Kuijata informed Rydia later that evening while she was trying in vain to figure this whole thing out.

"Oh?"

"The whole matter of the Elements. It wouldn't surprise me now if Chocobo and Titan blew their tops next."

The concept of losing Chocobo was so appalling that Rydia froze in her tracks for a moment.

"After all," Kuijata explained, "low-level Elementals seem to have this thing going on where they - "

"Oh, let me think, would you?!" she weakly snapped. "There has to be a way to stop all this, you know. There always is."

"Not necessarily," he blandly told her. "At least, not a way that's necessarily worth using."

"Don't you dare say that again."

"Why not? It could well be true."

"Kuijata, your pessimism is going to drive me insane before anyone else."

"Sorry."

The human frowned.

"Where would you fit in with the Elemental gig? I mean, you're like, Multi, or something."

"I don't. I'm one of the odd-balls."

"I see. Okay, here's one. Are Indra and Ramuh considered Elementals? Last I heard, Lightning and Thunder were not considered elements."

"They're not."

"Then what are they?"

"They're just . . . who they are."

"You know, you're not being very much help here."

"Yes, I know. I would like to know, though, why this is only seeming to go after low-level Elementals and not anyone more powerful. If I were an evil force, I'd want someone stronger under my power than Mist or Jinn."

"Yet they're not taking the weakest. If they were, Remora would have gone, not Mist."

"True. Well, maybe they don't like fish."

"Maybe. And the question remains: who are they?"

"I couldn't tell you."

"And I think that's what we need to find out. What about Leviathan and Asura? Have they figured anything out?"

"Not really. But she's still fretting that he's going to get himself executed."

Rydia pursed her lips at a thought.

"Maybe . . . maybe I should ask Bahamut some questions."

Kuijata jumped back a bit.

"Are you going to?"

"Yes, I believe I am."

"Then uh . . . please excuse me. I, um, need to go do . . . something."

And he vanished from her sight.

Sighing, Rydia began her incantation to Summon the Dragon.

TIMELINE: 4 years ago - Village Mist

A group of small children, all between the ages of three and ten, sat clustered around a large yellow bird.

"This," a tall woman was saying to them, "is Chocobo. One of the most basic Summons you'll learn, but perfect for your age level."

"Gee, thanks," Chocobo sourly remarked.

The woman smiled.

"Sucks to be you," she told him in an undertone. She then proceeded to instruct the children in the incantation for Summoning this large bird, while they gawked at him with unconcealed amazement that now they would be permitted to Call the way the adults did.

That made them big kids now.

"Miriya!" came a shout.

The teacher looked up sharply at the yell, and the children all froze silent, wondering what the problem was.

A young man ran up to her and whispered something in her ear.

Miriya blinked at him and nodded.

"Class dismissed," she told the kids.

Chocobo, at this proclamation, vanished, his Summon completed.

The children dispersed and headed for their homes, with the unnoticed exception of one little girl who hid behind a tree and watched what happened next.

"How long until they get here?" Miriya asked the messenger.

"I couldn't say for sure," he replied. "They just entered the cave moments ago."

Nodding, the Caller turned and began to leave the scene.

"Let's not cause a panic," she told him. "I'll Call Mist . . . "

And they moved out of the girl's hearing. This upset her, in her childish stubbornness, so she followed at a safe distance.

*

She appeared on the scene outside the village just as the white Mist Dragon, guardian of the little village, appeared.

"What is it?" she inquired of the Caller.

Miriya stepped up close.

"Two soldiers from Baron, a Dark Knight and a Dragon Knight, have entered the Misty Cave, headed this way." She swallowed. "They must not be permitted to reach our village. They will destroy us."

Mist nodded.

"They'll not reach your village alive," she assured.

"Please," Miriya begged, "don't harm them unless you must. They may not mean any harm. Try . . . try to turn them back, if you can."

Mist nodded again.

"I will only attack if I must. One way or another, though, I will stop their approach."

Miriya nodded.

Tilting her head to one side, Mist thumped the ground with her tail.

"Fear not, my friend," she assured the human. "I can handle the ones from Baron."

And without another word, she vaporized and vanished from the scene.

Miriya stood still for a moment, then shook her head and reentered the village.

*

"Mother!" the girl called after her.

Miriya froze in her tracks, then whirled to face the girl.

"Rydia! What are you - "

"Mother," Rydia asked, running up beside her, "what's Baron? What's a Dragon Knight? Why did you send Mist away without letting me say hello?"

Miriya firmly placed her hands on her daughter's shoulders.

"It doesn't matter," she consoled the child. "Rydia, nothing you just saw is important. It's just a little matter I had to clear up. Now why don't you run home and play?"

Rydia blinked, confused.

"But I thought you said they would destroy us! How can it not matter?"

Putting one arm around the little girl, Miriya led her back to the village.

"It doesn't matter because Mist will take care of it. The Summoned Monsters are our friends."

"Yes, Mother."

"You don't need to be afraid."

"No, Mother."

"The Knights from Baron will not harm us."

Rydia looked up at her.

"Why would they? We didn't hurt them."

"I don't know why, Darling. But they won't. Mist will see to that."

*

Little more than an hour later, Miriya collapsed dead on the ground.

Shocked and horrified, bystanders closed in to help, but nothing anyone did seemed to revive her.

Shortly after that, the village burst into flames.

As everyone either died or ran, Rydia sat on the ground, clinging to Miriya's body, not caring what happened next.

Their guardian had failed. Her mother was dead. The Village was collapsing around her.

Why should she bother to run?

So she just sat there and cried, loudly, not caring.

Out of the flames rushed two strangers - tall armored men, who seemed startled to see her there.

Having never been far from the village and knowing little of the world, Rydia felt no fear of these Knights, nor did she even know that was what these two were. She instead reacted to their confusion.

"My mom's Dragon fell, so she did too . . . " she explained to them between sobs.

The taller of the two turned to the other.

"I've heard of people with the power to Summon monsters! They are Callers!"

"We defeated the dragon, so her mother is gone also," the other slowly realized, an equal expression of horror crossing their faces.

Rydia stared at them.

These were the two from Baron? The two Knights who had come to destroy the Village?

"You!" she cried. "You've beaten my mother's dragon!"

Why? Why, why had they done this?! They'd never harmed these two, why had they killed her mother?!

"We didn't mean to do this to your mother," one weakly explained to her, as if trying to win forgiveness with such a sorry story as that.

They turned to one another, and she ignored what they were saying. She didn't care. She hated them.

Suddenly she realized how frightened she was. It was hot, with all the fire surrounding her - all the terrible fire consuming everything in her world . . .

"What about that girl?"

These words, spoken by the man with the Lance, brought her attention back to the invaders.

"We can't leave her here alone!" the other adamantly decided.

Slowly, they moved towards her, as one might approach a wild animal.

"Listen," he told her. "It's dangerous. Come with us . . . okay?"

"No!" she snapped, backing away.

She wouldn't go with them. They were evil. They'd killed her friends. Her family. Mist.

The other was having none of it, and went over closer to her.

"Let's take her!" he urgently advised the other.

The other nodded.

Rydia felt a surge of panic.

"No! Go away!"

She backed away from them farther, on the verge of panic.

"Wait! Please!" He looked as if he might want to say more, but she wouldn't hear it.

"Go away!" Rydia yelled. "I hate you! I hate you all!"

They exchanged a glance, then closed in on her.

Attacking.

They were going to attack.

And take her away.

Fury and terror overwhelmed her.

Summoning her powers to her, she voiced a chant she'd never used, but had seen her mother incant on occasion.

Titan.

Mist was dead . . . so Titan would save her.

The monster attacked, stunning the two Knights, and vanishing.

For a moment, Rydia felt some relief - she could get out of here and find help somewhere . . .

Then a rumble reached her ears.

Looking up at the mountainous wall around the Village, the last horrified sight she beheld was the sky falling down upon her.

TIMELINE: Present.

"What is it?" Bahamut inquired with the indifference he usually exhibited.

"Jinn and Mist have gone insane," Rydia informed him.

"I know."

"You know?"

"Yes, of course."

"Well, what is Leviathan supposed to do about it? He can't retain them without breaking - "

"That is his own business. You'd be wise to stay out of it."

"I can't stay out of it," Rydia firmly informed him. "Leviathan is my friend. I can't just stand by while - "

"There's nothing else you can do."

"Why are you being so - "

"Is there something else you require, Rydia?"

Rydia gawked at him for a furious moment.

"If you destroy Leviathan for attacking Jinn," she pointed out, "then you're breaking the law, too."

"And what, may I ask, can anyone do about that?"

"All I ask," Rydia begged, "is that you understand that Leviathan has to act!"

"He knows well what will happen if he does."

"Bahamut!!"

"Have a nice day, Rydia."

And he vanished.

*

"Well?" Kuijata tensely inquired when she caught up with him.

She shook her head.

"I didn't think so."

"I don't know what we can do!" Rydia sighed. "I cannot just stand by with all this. We have to come up with something."

"Like?" Leviathan asked, appearing beside them.

Rydia shrugged miserably.

"Don't worry so much," Leviathan assured her. "We'll figure it out. Calm down, human."

"I? Calm down? What've you been sniffing, Leviathan? Yeah right!"

He was about to make a smart comment when a burst of fire shot through the air.

"DO NOT INTERFERE!!!!" came an enraged shout.

Rydia looked up just in time to see Jinn jumping straight at her and had no chance to do anything other than scream.

She heard Kuijata's gasp as Leviathan snapped up his tail and slammed the renegade monster out of the air.

Jinn looked up at him, startled.

"You - "

"I," Leviathan snapped, "have a limit."

A blast of light blinded them all for a moment.

"As do I," came the deep voice Rydia had been chatting with only minutes earlier.

"Bahamut!!" she shrieked. "Don't - "

He paid her no heed, and MegaFlare shot through the air, connecting with the Serpent.

"Ow," Leviathan mumbled.

Bahamut grabbed him around the neck with one clawed hand and slammed him into the mountain which was conveniently located right next to him, dropped him unceremoniously on the ground, and vanished.

Jinn somewhere figured he'd better leave.

"Leviathan!!"

Rydia and Kuijata bolted to his side, unsure of what to do.

He was still alive.

For some reason, Bahamut hadn't killed him like he said he would.

Shaking, Rydia Summoned Asura to heal him.

"He didn't even fight back," Kuijata murmured as the Queen appeared and, shocked, saw to Curing the serpent.

"He knew better," Rydia quietly replied. "If he had, Bahamut definitely would've killed him."

Kuijata frowned.

"Couldn't he have won?"

"Huh?"

"How do we know Leviathan couldn't defeat Bahamut?"

"I . . . don't know. That's just not the way it is."

"I see."