Final Fantasy: Crystal's call

A horrible mistake

"Hear ye, hear ye. The king asks all able-bodied fighters to take up arms in their search for The Dark Knight Garland and the missing Princess!" The town crier of Conelia called out to those in the square, men dressed in armour carrying weapons that covered their backs listened on, their bodies crowding main roads filled with fighters, rogue's archers and Red mage's staring towards the crier. The crier cleared their throat. "The King's right-hand Garland has escaped with the princess and her beloved crystal to the temple of fiends!. The King has offered a reward of one thousand Gil and a position as his new Paladin, to any who prove themselves worthy!"
"Steady, steady." Rohan called out, elevated above all the other warriors in line to see the speech, as the criers did the same in all areas of Cornelia. Rohan jolted to the side as the shoulders he stood on were unable to take the weight, unable to be steadied Rohan's step had their arms wrapped around a paper bag, filled with bread and ale, while those waiting were dressed in shining armour, Rohan was in a dark brown tunic. Once the crier was done, all the heroes turned away and filtered through the streets to blacksmith's supply stores, or the apothecary, the wave of people knocked Rohan off Anwel's shoulders, onto his backside.
"You hear that?" Rohan leaped up onto his feet and clenched his fists. "Whoever gets the princess will become the paladin of Cornelia."
"And you think you can?" Anwel pulled themselves up, straightening their crooked hat.
"I have an idea, kind of."
"Do you know how to find the temple of fiends?"
"No, but I'm sure Mother could tell us." Rohan grabbed Anwel by the hand and began to run through the streets. The large white brick buildings of Cornelia passed the two, descending, along the slate, and barely missing a horse drawn carriage. Rohan was able to lead Anwell to the outer wall of Corneria, where adventurers had gathered, all in droves, dawned in shining silver, and flowing capes. Rohan wandered in closer, staring into a chest plate, able to see his reflection, Still seventeen, he was unable to grow a beard, Rohan tried to stick down his messy flaming hair with his spit, only to have it extend out further, grabbing the attention of an adventurer
"What are you doing boy?"
"I was just looking, are you heading to the temple?"
"Well admire from a distance. I don't want you getting your germs on it." Rohan's hand clenched into a ball, looking up at the adventure, easily twice his age, and nearly twice Rohan's height. tThe armour in perfect condition. They had prepared for this adventure. Rohan stomped his foot into the floor.
"I wash in the river! I'm not dirty." Rohan failed to notice Anwel tugging at his shoulder while the adventurer scoffed.
"Be gone boy. We are preparing and I need to be in the right mindset if I am to fight Garland."
"Shame. You won't be able to beat Garland if I get to him first." The adventurer tilted their head back and bellowed.
"That I would pay to see boy. Well, I do hope I find your corpse." Rohan swung their fist towards the adventurer, though a sharp yank from Anwel had sent Rohan stumbling to the side, contacting another warrior, a giant battle axe in their hand. The size of either of the boys put together. The two gulped and sprinted out of the city walls, into the fields of Cornelia. The sprawling web of buildings now replaced with huts, gathered around firepits in order to create tiny villages, only made of homes in the single digits. all dotted around the walls of the city. Rohan slipped around the side of the house, making sure Anwel didn't run past it, by swinging him into the wall. They weren't followed. The group had other plans in mind, a mob of chocobos rode off, followed by those who couldn't afford mounts. Rohan breathed a sigh of relief and placed their hands on the back of their head, entering their home.
"I call that a success. We've got the bread, the ale, what more could you want?" The huts outside the town were not made from brick but cobbled together by stone, with thatch roofing and wooden doors, different sizes depended on how much a person could afford or build themselves, all looking somewhat similar, some round. The boy's home was obvious though. It had a forge built into the side of the house for the heat to escape outside if there ever was a fire, as there was a lack of a chimney. It was small enough for the three of them, with two bedrooms and a dining room, though as Rohan looked inside the window, some rooms were dedicated to memorabilia, viewing their mother's dulled crimson armour. Rohan pushed the door open to see her hard at work, drinking her ale.
"Lads, you get the." She reached to the bag opening it, seeing inside, still wearing her dirty overalls seeing the crushed bread that Anwel carried, her eye twitched. "What happened?"
"We got pushed."
"Do not lie to me, Rohan." The master crouched down to his level, her amber eyes containing a caged fire, while Rohan shuffled behind Anwel. "I may have got chased."
"Because?"
"Because I accidentally hit someone."
"Anwel?"
"It's true…sadly."
"So you have come home with squashed bread and ale."
"And good news," Rohan spoke, over Anwel's hat. "The princess has been kidnapped and whoever will save her will be Paladin." Aurora sat back down on their chair and pinched the bridge of her nose.
"I know. The king came here for help. Asked me personally." Aurora reached to her greying hair, observing the dying colour in her fingers. "Maybe I could have. Before the both of you showed up on my doorstep and made me age twofold."
"But what about us, you trained us?"
"I am training you. The difference being, you are not yet ready. Which reminds me, your small skirmish delayed our lesson." Aurora pointed outside, where the two went again, she followed, taking the ale from the basket.

Rohan swung a wooden sword at a dummy while Anwel read books, moving their hands Anwel's thumbs touched and extended his hands out as wide as he could.
"Fire." A burst of flame erupted from his hands and fire was conjured at least, but exploded prematurely. The blast sent Anwel skidding across the plane. Aurora reached out and offered Anwel a hand up.
"Magic is as dangerous as it is powerful, the more powerful the spell, the more it could wound you." Aurora held her hand up, catching Anwel's book, blowing on it before the fire could spread. "So there is no cowardice in deciding to resign yourselves to another job. That goes for you too Rohan."
"I'm not using magic." Rohan smashed their stick into the dummy, multiple times, trying to get between the chinks in the makeshift armour.
"You may not claim it, but magic is what allows us to fight far beyond what you consider human. A black mage creates fire, a rogue may turn invisible, but a fighter." The master reached to a blacksmith's hammer hanging on a rack outside the forge, her arm began to take on a red hue, transferring towards the hammer. She slammed the hammer into the dummy, shattering it into a thousand wooden pieces, the buckshot of splinters flying before vanishing out of sight, leaving a hunting hound-sized hole in the dummy's chest. "They use magic to empower attacks, harden themselves. Forget your limits and you shall die, for both of you." Aurora lightly poked Rohan with her hammer. "So that is why I ask, and I will ask the same tomorrow do you want to continue down this path?"
"Without a doubt." Rohan's grin only grew watching the display of power.
"Only way to safely explore I suppose?" Anwel stared at their shaking palms.
"Well then lads. Carry on. I'm going to try and salvage us some dinner." Rohan looked up the road towards the cates of Cornelia, watching as more mercenaries left the city gates, in the same direction, eroding the ground below.
"I think I know how to find the temple of fiends." Anwel looked up from his spell book mid-way through, losing focus and creating another fiery explosion, this time taking him off the ground. Anwel groaned and dusted themselves off, looking at the gate shaking their head.
"Mother said No."
"Mother won't know."
"Do you know how far it is to the temple?" Rohan pulled themselves up on the windowsill, gazing through cloudy mirror, The only light that was permitted was through the window, only showing the lower legs of The master's armour, and the scratches on it.
"We got her the good ale right?"
"Yes, Why?"
"She'll be out like a light by nightfall."
"I'm not agreeing with this."
"Then I'll make sure to visit you when I'm a paladin."
"Have you even won a fight against mother?"
"No, but think about it, Garland's been fighting people all day. He'll be tired."
"Not very knightly."
"Well it's not very knightly to steal a princess, is it?" Rohan stretched his arms, grinning from ear to ear. "When we get there, he'll be easy pickings. I'll be back before sunrise." There was a call that went throughout the hamlet, Aurora calling the boys for dinner.

Rohan shoved pieces of bread down his throat, barely stopping to chew. Anwel chose to break their food up, their eyes looked towards Aurora who poured them all out a drink. Rohan held their nose as he drank the lukewarm ale. Aurora tapping her finger on the table.
"You are both silent. Is this about me forbidding you from going after Garland?" Rohan and Anwel's eyes met and Aurora shook her head. "There's no arguing with you is there?" She shook her head and leaned back in the chair. Eyes started to well up, as she hid them from the two.
"What motivates you to march unto certain death?"
"Only you say it's certain," Rohan spoke through the bread in his mouth.
"And your ego says you have a chance against Garland. You can't even beat your mother." Rohan stood up from the table.
"Then I excuse myself to train."
"Garland was a knight since you were a babe, you think an extra night will help?"
"It is better than accepting defeat." Rohan opened the door, slipping outside while The master placed her head in her hands.
"How are you two so different?"
"I learn what not to do from Rohan." Anwel began to pick up the plate and practice their spells, making the gestures with their hands, and placed them on top of each other, cleaning up as much as he could. "But I'll go check on him."

Rohan was outside, smashing their wooden stick into the dummy, taking deep breaths, breaking his stick against the dummy. Rohan's eyes shot to Anwel.
"Here to tell me not to go?"
"Making sure you don't run off."
"So you want me to stay here? In this little outcrop? Tilling the field? Buying food?"
"But alive."
"Is that really living?" Rohan threw their stick to the side. "It's surviving there's a difference."
"It's not dying."
"It is my choice to go, then I'll go. You won't stop me, and neither will mother."

"Then Garland will." Anwel turned back inside the house, taking one last look at Rohan thrashing away at the dummy until nightfall,

It was when the moon was high that Rohan returned inside, past his mother sleeping on the couch, Rohan reached up to the door and opened it with a loud squeak turning to see his mother shuffle on the couch, snapping back to see her just rolling over, snoring in her sleep. Rohan snuck inside and flipped the light switch, the yellow light flickered for a second before turning on revealing the armory. The walls were lined with weapons from before Rohan's time, all from around the world, the dull blade featured the lion of Cornelia, while the wooden curve of the elven bow kept itself forever tight, the string made from elastic vines, there was even a giant hammer, gold and gunmetal, the colour of the dwarves. Rohan tried to lift it off the weapon rack, groaning, under the weight, only able to lift it a small bit before, having to set it down, panting. In the middle of the room, there stood on a mannequin the dulled crimson shell of Cornelia's knights. The kite shield on its back. Rohan reached out and slowly began to 'borrow' from his mother to him, there was only one issue, the armour was ill fitting. The boots could be placed over Rohan's current shoes to make up for space, As the greaves, did not even cover Rohan's hands. The only piece of equipment that did fit was the chest piece. Rohan placed the shield and sword on his back, looking at himself in the reflection of the window. After moving his mother's blanket over her, Rohan stepped out into the night.
"So now you're stealing too?" Rohan looked back to the shadows, seeing the door to their home open. Anwel wrapped their winter coat around them, amber eyes glowing in the dark, using their staff to close the door behind them.
"I'll bring it back."
"I'll make sure of that." Anwel stood beside Rohan. "But as soon as you can't handle it, I'm pulling you out."
"Thanks."
"I'll also be telling mother."
"I'll give you my sweet bread if you don't."
"I'll consider telling mother."

The two saw the gates of Cornelia. Illuminated in the brilliant lights around the city walls, just off the road, was a now beaten path, covered in chocobo tracks. Rohan knelt down to get a better look, turning to the guards.
"Has anyone returned?"
"Not yet lad." Rohan stretched and stared out towards the darkness of the outside at night, turning back to home, The light still on in the home Rohan shook their head and followed the tracks.
"Then let us go help them out right my trusty mage?" Rohan began to push on to the darkness Anwel behind him, moving their hands to make a flickering spark of fire appear in their hand, offering a small radius of protection from the mystery of what lurked in the woods.

In the dark, branches turned into knives and a light breeze became a paralyzing chill, the only relief Old camps. snuffed out, tracks, all had been so obvious that even Rohan could follow them. The storming chocobo's had practically made a new road, the land where all the hasty knights followed to the quickest way to the princess. Rohan had finally pushed through the foliage to see the temple of fiends.

The temple as an onyx pyramid. The exterior was had random campfires, placed metres apart where wearier adventurer's. Those who were yet to go in, preparing or lying about preparing, small bands staring into their orange fires, above, blades clashed, mimicking the sound of thunder. The crashing stopped for a second, only to be replaced by screaming. A knight fell from the very top, slamming into the floor. The darkness had hidden the gore, but Rohan knew what happened from the lack of movement. They looked up to see a suit of armour standing atop the pyramid, holding a sword wider and nearly as tall as them. Rohan gulped, turning to look at Anwel.
"Your wind magic will break my fall, right?"
"Worst case scenario I can erm, blast us off the top and pray we land in a tree."
"Better than nothing." Rohan wandered to the temple's door, only to be stopped by Anwel's hand.
"Be honest with me Rohan. Is this just for Gil?"
"A thousand would be nice, being rich doesn't make you a hero though."
"You're still lying."
"Who cares about my reasons? We rescue the princess, think of all the books you'll get, When they hear about the wizard that rescued the princess, you may actually get a proper teacher."
"So that's what this is about?"
"We do this, we show that ass from before we can do it. If we can do this, we can do anything." Rohan took a deep breath, counted to three and walked into the temple. "Aren't you tired of it? Rohan can't do this, Rohan don't do that."
"Rohan, you can't beat Garland."
"Then watch me."

The interior to the shrine was a square on the exterior, with a few rooms delving deeper into the temple though these rooms were closets and were not able to fill the entire temple. people could be seen looking into their bags, making sure they had enough potions, and talking to themselves, Rohan kept their eyes straight, distraction lead to doubt, Fear was infectious. Rohan only looked back when he no longer felt the heat from Anwel's flame he looked back, to see the boy holding his hand up, staring at the mural on the wall.
"You think now's the time to analyze art?"
"It's not art. Well, it is art, one can't really say what is and isn't just-."
"What is it then?"
"A mural. Poorly drawn but it looks old." Anwel, stepped back from the wall, painted were four stick figures underneath a rhombus. "Can't make much of it."
"Then ignore. I don't want to get distracted now." Rohan had to drag Anwel by their cloak.
"It's something. I don't think Garland took the princess here on purpose."
"He came here to get away from everyone. I don't think anyone wants to go into the temple of fiends." A cold breeze could be felt, coming from the stairs, leading out into the ceiling, Adventurers croweded the hall, their eyes watching, analysing the fights, looking for weaknesses in technique for them to abuse when they chose to fight. blocking Anwel's sight of them mural. The starry nights sky could be seen through the hole in the ceiling, stairs leading up. Rohan's eyes were wide, staring at the exit, then to the people, years older than Rohan, holding cleaner, shining weapons. One of them was even the tall man from before, at the gates. Rohan walked to be level with the person from before.
"Are you in the right mindset yet?" Rohan began to ascend, atop the temple above the trees. The wind blew, Anwel had to hold onto their cap to stop it from flying off as the two watched Garland fight, in the light of the crystal behind him, inside the crystal, the princess.

Garland had a team of three all come at him at once, A dragoon leaped up into the air, flying meters in the air, while a monk tried to slam their fist into Garland's face, only to have it caught by the dark knight. Garland used their strength to throw the monk up, skewered by their own partner, slamming their friend into the floor, just feet in front of Garland, who didn't have to even draw his blade, just raise their boot to slam it down on the dragoon's neck, twisting it with a sickening crack. Garland turned their head to the hooded mage who stood at the other end of the arena.
"Not going to put up a fight. Your companions are dead? Are you not going to avenge them?" Garland's voice was metallic reverberating inside their helm. Rohan watched the quivering mage, from underneath, hiding. No Not again. Rohan grit his teeth, stomped his foot into the floor and lunged up from above, gripping sword in his hands and thrashed at Garland, their blade ringing against armour, stopping the attack upon contact. Garland looked down at Rohan.
"So eager to come up and fight. Let us enjoy this battle.." Garland swatted Rohan to the side with his hand, causing the boy to roll, to the edge, having to stab their sword into the ground. Their lower half skidded over the edge, hanging over the side.
"I've been waiting for a new toy." Rohan pulled themselves up taking deep breaths, they could hear their heart pumping, filling the silence. Past Garland the princess was hung up, attached to the purple crystal atop a podium bathing the rooftop in its glow. Garland watched his opponent ready himself to fight.
"tell me boy, before I kill you. That armour looks familiar. Where did you get it." Rohan's eyes snapped for a second to the stairs leading up, Anwel, crawled out, disguising himself with the other corpses on the top, out of Garland's view. Rohan spoke loud, drawing attention to him.
"My mother."
"You don't look anything like my predecessor. Don't lie."
"My turn to ask questions." Garland chuckled at the boy.
"You're hardly one to make demands." Rohan lunged forwards and tried to swing at Garland, only to have their blade deflected by the great sword, that Garland wielded with the speed of a dagger.
"Your mother then. How is she?"
"Alive."
"You're being vague boy." Anwel reached up to the crystal, their hand to the princess wrapping around her arm, the only thing emerging from the crystal, the crystal sparked with magic, attracting Garland's sight towards Anwel, dragging his blade along the floor to the crystal. Anwel placed his feet on the crystal, heaving, placing their feet against the crystal for more force of the arm was revealed. Rohan ran towards Garland and leaped up onto his back, smacking the helm with the pommel of his sword.
"Anwel. You've been found. Hurry up and pull harder" Rohan let out a yell as Garland swung around, having to move from Garland's grasp, as he tried to reach to his back, unable to grab onto Rohan. Anwe lArched their back yelling out.
"I'm not that strong! Just fend him off." Rohan was finally latched onto, swung off Garland's back, and slamming into the floor. Rohan bounced off the floor, cracking underneath him, pebbles falling away underneath. Rohan rolled over, Garland's blade piercing through the cracks, making the spread further.
"You think you have a chance? All the people waiting don't have a chance. I Garland will knock you all down." Rohan raised their blade, to make contact with Garland's only to have it broken into shrapnel, Rohan retaliated with the broken blade, ducking under, trying to shove the jagged metal into Garland's armor, only scratching it. "I'll smash you into pieces." Garland raised his boot bringing it down unable to stomp on the ant, causing the temple to shake. Anwel's griploosenedd on the princess' arm, landing on the floor, right on a crack. They felt, over it, watching it grow, while the knight chased the street urchin. The white mage still quivering holding her staff, Anwel ran to the mage, peeking down to see under the hood, seeing the tears streak down the woman's crying eyes.
"Hey, hey. Sorry to ask, but I need to borrow your Staff? That ok?" The mage was un-responsive while Rohan refused to stay still, running slashing what they could only giving scratches.
"Just knock me down? I thought a guy like you would kill me."
"You're boasting."
"So are you, guess we have something in common?" Garland's sword swung and chopped through Rohan's arm from the elbow down.
"You dare compare yourself to me! I know who you are, you are a weakling, one I have gelled a thousand times, one I will fell a thousand more." Anwel looked back to see the arm fly off the side, The time for asking was gone, Anwel snatched the staff with one hand, pushing the white mage to the crystal. "Hold onto that, keep her safe." Rohan stepped back, their hand wrapped around the wound, hunched over, watching Garland slowly approach.
"Accept your fate with some dignity. You have lost." Rohan held their broken sword up against Garland.
"Anwel, take the princess and run." Rohan looked back to see his brother rapidly appraoching. Anwel leaped up onto Rohan's shield and used it to get more height, raising the two staves in the air. Their eyes viewed the cack made by Garland's enormous blade and slammed the two wooden points into the crack.
"Fira." A blast erupted, through the cracks, blasting the floor apart, shooting Anwel into Rohan. The two crashing into the crystal's pedestal, making it rock, slamming into the temple floor. Garland lunged across the arena.
"No one touches my princess!" Garland was cut off by the ground collapsing underneath him, sent plummeting to the bottom of the temple, however the three would soon follow. Anwel wrapped one hand around the crystal and another around Rohan.
"We need to leave, now." The ground was taken from underneath them, anyone still standing on the arena followed Garland down, Anwel had to think using one free hand, without a staff though, only a flaming explosion was made, sending the crystal down faster, and the three warriors scattered in different directions.

The lower levels of the temple of fiends revealed a room, larger than the base of the temple, yet empty. Rohan looked around, unable to make out anything, their vision blurry for a second, and a dull ache, it was as if everywhere had been beaten, a thug punched in the stomach, a blow to the head and his arm, Rohan looked over to the stump, seeing the white glow of magic by the hooded mage.
"He was my fight. My kill. I want to finish you with my own two hands!" Rohan returned to reality to the sound of Anwel's screams, followed by gasps. Their arm hadn't been healed but the bleeding had stopped. Rohan searched for his blade, un-able to find one, the only weapon available was Garland's great sword. Rohan fumbled over and reached for Garlands' sword, struggling to lift the weight. Rohan bared their teeth, growling, able to it float off the floor for a second. Rohan watched Anwel's face start to lose colour. Rohan needed more strength and began to scream for it. He was not going to be stopped, not by some sword simply because it was too heavy, That was pathetic and he was not pitiful, or a runt or a street urchin. He was going to be a hero. Garland looked back just in time to see Rohan's arm gain a red hue, as their magic flowed through, they threw Anwel away to finish the fight was able to muster enough strength to slash at Garland, the blade, tearing through the dark knight's armor, the blade too heavy to stop its swing as the blade buried itself into the crystal. Anwel was able to crawl away, taking deep breaths, though not to get far.
"I'm relieved, I thought the fall killed you." Garland held their stomach, watching blood leak from the scratch. "You're the first one to draw blood, out of all this pathetic lot. This is exhilarating." Garland grabbed their blade by the hilt, only to be halted, The princess' hand, had reached out, holding onto Garland, their eyes now staring at Garland, as the crystal began to crack, shattering like glass, shards explosion everywhere, a giant pillar of light, erupting like a beacon, piercing the heavens, making a hole in the sky,
"I will have no more interruptions!" Garland turned their helmet to Rohan, only to be interrupted by a cackle, they looked up to the laughing disembodied voices in the sky, as shadows appeared around Garland, each shadow having the silhouette of a person and glowing eyes, red, yellow, blue, and Green. They stayed there for a moment before shooting off outside of the roof. Garland shielded his eyes from the expanding light of the breaking crystal, shards breaking away. Once the light had faded Garland was gone. Rohan dropped to his knees taking deep breaths.
"What the realm of chaos was that." Sarah stood, free and although the crystal was broken it had not shattered, merely divided into four colorless diamonds. Sarah reached for the crystal observing.
"I don't know."
"And Garland?"
"Gone."
"I'm not complaining." Anwel stood up and reached out grabbing his shard. "But we just broke a crystal is that possible?"
"I don't know." Rohan picked up the third shard. "But it makes a cool souvenir." Rohan tossed the fourth shard to the hooded mage, failed to catch it, placing the shard in her robes.
"I e-erm think we should head outside. It's important to keep warm."
"Thanks for patching me up Hood."
"H-hood?"
"Well I don't know your name."
"Yoko." After properly thanking the mage Rohan placed Anwel's arm over his shoulder and began to fumble forwards, toward the exit. "You grab the princess, we'll meet outside." Rohan kept Anwel locked in positioning their good arm, in a tight hug around them, keeping each other up, until they ascended the steps.

The outside was abandoned, all those who were here had fled or returned, the princess was saved, the job was done. Rohan sat next to Anwel, holding their hand out to the still-burning fire. The hooded mage placed the princess in front of the fire as she slowly came too, head lulling about. Rohan pulled the diamond out of his pocket and looked through it at the fire.
"How much do you think these'll sell for?"
"They're not real crystals. Anwel, rubbed their hand over one. "It's condensed magic."
"It's a trophy then."
"Got no other use, it's drained." Anwel passed his shard to Sarah.
"See if they resonate with the one in Cornelia." Rohan rolled his eyes and tossed theirs in the pile.
"Fine, but if they don't. I want to keep it. A missing arm's a crappy souvenir."
"Sorry about that, I erm, couldn't re-attach the limb." Yoko spoke, the hood hid her face.
"It's not you who has to explain how they lost it."Rohan got up and stretched. "I might blame it on an infection, a wolf?"
"Mother won't believe that for a second." Anwel patted Rohan on the shoulder, remembering the way home. "I'd like to see you try. When we get everyone home" Sarah was infront and Yoko simply followed, behind, her eyes snapping to every broken twig in the woods. Looking back to the pyramid, the glowing eyes staring down at it from the sky one last time, before dissipating.

Author's note's:

So I tried to do cyberpunk, Decided to take a break as I wasn't doing it justice or didn't feel like it after one chapter.

Final fantasy's a cool series and Although the original final fantasy has been ported and kind of re-made it's never been given a proper treatment, it still suffers from essentially being made in the late 80's which isn't bad. I just kind of wanted to retell the story.

All constructive criticism is welcome.