~*~Chapter 17 For the love of a fiend~*~
Even Kain's mind was about to break down because of the pain. But suddenly, it didn't seem to matter.
'Kain, don't give up. Your and Cecil's friends are sending you their powers,' Valvalis' voice whispered inside of his burning brain, 'look!'
He moved his head. Cecil had gotten to his feet, shaking and unsteady. But he stood, and he walked towards Zeromus. As the paladin reached his fallen brother, Golbez held up a shaking hand; the one holding the crystal.
"Golbez…" Cecil whispered with a hoarse voice.
"My brother…" the man in black stuttered, "take the crystal and entrust it with your power!"
"Yes."
Cecil took the crystal, and Golbez' hand fell. The paladin turned to Zeromus and spoke:
"I am not defeated yet… Zeromus, this is the end!"
'Stand up, Kain!' Valvalis whispered.
He shivered, the dark magic had drawn most of his strength. But he rose up on his arms, moved his weight from the knees to the feet and stood up.
'I know you will win!' Valvalis smiled, encouraging.
'I won't let this devil be victorious, my love, I swear!' the dragoon silently growled.
Around him, Rosa, Rydia and Edge also got to their feet, gasping in pain but determined not to give up.
Suddenly there were several half invisible figures standing between the warriors and Zeromus, facing Cecil. There were Yang, Cid, a young, blond man who Kain recalled from the now distant fight in Fabul, a small boy and a girl, apparently twins, dressed in Mysidian clothing, and that old man who had died as he had used Meteo in a fallen attempt to kill Golbez in the tower of Zot. They all smiled, yelling their own cheers:
"Don't give up! Concentrate and fight, we will lend you our power!"
Kain felt his strength return, and he reached for his glowing spear.
'I will give you all the power I can,' Valvalis softly whispered, 'and I wish you luck, Kain.'
'I wish that we could have had a chance to know each other better, Valvalis…' the dragoon sadly thought.
Cecil raised the crystal, holding it in both his hands as the many illusions of the friends dissolved.
'I wish that as well,' Valvalis whispered, with a slight bitterness in her voice, 'and I hope that you can forgive me for what I did to you. I now give you my remaining strength, with the love for you that almost sent me to where you know are.'
'For my love for you… nothing you did in fear matter to me.'
The crystal in Cecil's hands exploded with pure bubbles of light, swarming towards Zeromus. He roared in rage as the sacred power hit him, and his body with all the tentacles cracked up. From out of it, as a hatching demon, an embodiment of every man's nightmare arose. It was so hideous it couldn't be described, but Kain grabbed his spear in both hands, determined not to let the fear bring him down.
"We fight for every living thing!" Cecil shouted and drew his glowing sword.
"Go! You must be brave!" FuSoYa yelled, somewhere behind Kain.
Edge smiled ironically and looked sideways at the grim Rydia.
"You have to admit that this being is uglier than me, sweetness," the prince of Eblan said.
The caller's determination split up in a short moment's smile.
"I give," she said, "you are handsome as a god in compare."
Edge smiled broadly.
"Ah, those words fulfill my life, now it doesn't matter what happens here!" he said.
Rydia snorted, but she still smiled.
Then both of them turned back into grim warriors, resolutely facing their foe, ready for battle.
Rosa's and Cecil's lips touched briefly. Kain knew what his friends were doing; if they shouldn't survive, at least they would have said farewell to the ones they loved.
'I love you, Valvalis,' he thought, 'I might be a fool, but I do.'
'Both of us are fools in this love,' she replied, 'will you please fight for the memory of Rubicant as well, since he wanted to help me?'
'For anyone you called a friend and meant it, my love.'
'I thank you. Good luck, Kain.'
Zeromus roared and charged, but a massive wave of mega flare from the dragon king Bahamut's mouth forced him to draw back a little. Kain jumped as Edge sent one of his old katanas flying through the air, burying it to the hilt in Zeromus' chest.
"All forces of good, send me your sacred power!" Rosa yelled, and Cecil rushed forwards, protected by the confusion the holy magic called White provided.
The paladin's sword cut deeply into what probably was Zeromus' stomach, while Kain's spear was buried into what theoretically was a back. The evil creature roared in pain and sent out wave after wave of dark power at its enemies, but Kain ignored it. He fought back the wish to succumb to the pain that the darkness sent through his body, and ripped out the spear. Green blood stained Zeromus' back and the holy weapon that Kain wielded. The dragoon jumped again, weary of Rydia's second call. Another powerful exploding stream from the dragon god hit Zeromus, and before he had recovered he had recieved several new, deep cuts from the three men's weapons. He screeched, trying to fight back his foes with both magic and his powerful arms, all in vain.
"Stones of hatred from the universe…!"
"Now, Cecil!" Kain shouted as he rushed downwards, barely avoiding the last meteor that had slammed into the demon on Rydia's call.
The paladin leaped, stabbing. There was a half-strangled dump! to be heard from the inside of Zeromus. The sword and the spear had hit each other in the middle of the demon's body. But it still wasn't enough. The two warriors were sent flying in one direction each, clenching their weapons in tight grips. Edge rushed forwards, but a massive arm hit him. He flew backwards and would have fallen past the platform's edge, down into the depths of the planet, if Rydia hadn't gotten a grip of his hands and changed his flight. They both fell down, only a few feet from the plateau's end. Without hesitating both of them got to their feet, ready to continue the fight again.
Cecil had been temporary knocked out as Zeromus had hit him and now he was shaking his head, trying to stand up. The demon noticed this and turned to him, opening the enormous mouth and unveiling one foot long, sharp teeth. But before Zeromus could bite, Rosa had rushed over to Cecil and shot an arrow that hit the monster's throat.
Not even that killed Zeromus, yet he screeched in pain and charged forward. Cecil had managed to get up by then, though, and he ran out of the way, holding Rosa's hand in his.
"Everyone, now!" the paladin shouted.
Rosa and Rydia closed their eyes, mumbling. Cecil grabbed the hilt of his sword in both hands for another powerful stab. Edge held a katana in each hand, ready to cut through anything. And Kain jumped.
"Bahamut, I conjure you!"
"All forces of good…!"
As the mega flare and the holiest of all magic hit the demon, Kain put all his weight into the spear, and Cecil leaped forward, followed by Edge.
The four weapons penetrated Zeromus' throat.
Every movement froze for one second.
Zeromus gave a loud, gurgling sound.
He began to fall into pieces, all of the loose parts dissolving as they left the falling, main body.
Kain hit the ground.
Zeromus was gone.
It was over.
'I have avenged you, Valvalis…' Kain thought.
But she didn't answer. Sadly, he guessed that she had given him all that was left of her to help him in the battle.
'Rest in peace, my love,' he thought, bitterly.
His first love hadn't loved him, and his second had died. Two times, even. He almost hoped that he would never find a third, since it seemed like he couldn't carry any warm feelings towards anyone without somebody getting hurt.
"You did it!" FuSoYa cheered, surprising them all in their exhaust by jumping wildly up and down despite his age.
"Yes, indeed," Golbez smiled.
"Now I can return to my people and continue to sleep for a while," the old lunarian said, "it's better that way. I want to thank you all for coming to our aid."
He bowed, and then started walking towards the long stair rising from the platform.
"Wait," Golbez said, "I want to come with you."
FuSoYa turned around with a kind smile.
"But…" he began.
Golbez shook his head.
"I cannot return to Earth. Besides, I'd like to meet my own people."
"Very well," FuSoYa said after a short hesitation, "but it will be a long sleep."
Golbez nodded, and then turned around to look at the paladin and leader of the heroes.
"Cecil…" he slowly said, making one last attempt to ask for forgiveness and peace.
But Cecil looked at the floor, his eyes filled with confusion and questions. Golbez sighed and began to follow FuSoYa up the stair.
Then suddenly Cecil straightened up, looking after the man in black and the bearded one.
"Brother…!" the paladin exclaimed, "farewell!"
Golbez turned around, with a small, careful smile.
"Thank you, brother," he said.
Then he continued up the stair.