Chapter 13 – Face off
Author's notes: You're right, Shootin'star. Neither D nor the Great Mother seemed very evil… and that is one of my weak points. I'm not very good at creating a great antagonist that would bring out all the good qualities like courage, heroism, determination etc in the main character. It's my fault for not developing the story enough… anyway, please read on before you pass your final judgement on D, if that's okay with you.
By the way… A's appearance isn't very far away… hahahahahah! (But you can still keep your black reviewing presence, please!) And be forewarned… this chapter is going to be very, very, very, very, very long. More than twice the normal length… because I didn't WANT TO BREAK IT UP! EET EES MY CHILD!!! Ahem… *cough cough*… A record-breaker, this chapter…
*****
We were merely a few metres away from the gate, when D suddenly stepped out from his hidden position behind the pillars at the side of the gate, barring us with an invisible force field.
Since it was invisible, how did I know that one existed then? Easy. When I ventured towards it, trying to get past him, a burning sensation touched my skin, and I had to jump away at the contact.
"Ouch! The hell is that?!!!" I yelped in pain, examining the singed hairs and burnt skin on my arm.
"What's wrong, Zell?" Quisty asked, while looking nervously at D.
"There's some kind of invisible barrier separating us from the gate!"
"You thought that you could escape so easily, didn't you? Well, let me tell you, you're wrong. Hahahahaha!" He gloated and laughed at the disappointment that must have been evident on our faces. ""You will never get through this barrier, as long as I am standing… unless I consent to it myself, which would be near impossible, I assure you!"
"If that's the case, I'll just have to beat you down!" I prepared to launch an attack on him, fists ready in position.
"I doubt that you can harm a single hair of mine… however hard you may try!" He replied with a taunting tone, followed by a long string of words while performing a series of fluid movements with his hands.
Magically, a staff appeared in them, and wings as black as night spread out in fullness behind his back, creating an illusion of a shield behind him.
"I knew it! You're an Angel like A! But a bad one! Even though you've always concealed your wings, I could sense it straight away!"
"It hardly takes a genius to figure that out, since I deliberately scattered so many clues all over the place. In fact… it just goes to show how slow you are… to have taken this long to realise the truth!" It was hard to miss the contempt that strongly laced his speech.
"Who's A? Zell, did you know D somewhere before? Are you hiding something from us?" Quisty demanded clarification on our exchange of words.
"Yeah, Chicken-wuss. This is all new to us!" Seifer wanted to know my side of the story just as badly.
"Sorry, guys. I'll explain later. I've some scores to settle with this D. Alone." I replied, my eyes still on the dark-winged one.
Scores? What scores? I have absolutely no idea, but a gut feeling tells me that D hates me not because of a sullied first impression, but due to a certain Angel both of us know.
Which thoroughly explains why he always eyes at the sapphire as if HE should be the one owning it!
And why he harbours such a grudge against me.
He probably thinks that I was responsible for A's death.
And he isn't totally wrong to think in that way.
So… it is in my opinion that we have to settle this man to man… or rather, man to Angel if we were to go any further from where we're standing now.
D holds out an arm before we began our battle.
"Wait, before we start. Let us name the stakes first. If I win, the sapphire shall belong to me."
"Sure, fine. If I do, you will let us go, no questions asked. And you will never bother us again."
"Agreed." He nodded, and gripped his staff in both hands, which appears to me to be his aggressive stance.
"Let the battle begin!" I shouted.
It turns out that his speed was a tad faster than mine… he had a natural advantage of course, with his aerial abilities and light body composition.
But I wasn't going to let it get to me. I cast a "Float" and "Haste" on myself to level the odds, and started using offensive magic on him.
I know that I wasn't a great Magic user, but after checking through his statistics with a "Scan" spell, I was pretty sure that physical attacks wouldn't be of any use on that kind of body. Not to mention that this guy has sky-high numbers for his statistics… Vitality 300 Spirit 350 Strength 400, and the most astonishing of all, an infinity symbol for his Magic Stats!!! I was totally stumped when I ran through the information!
"Scared of me now, are you? How does it feel to come face to face with
such a strong enemy? I'll bet you're pissing your pants with paralysing fear
right now!"
"Never! You may be strong, but I'll
find a way to beat you!"
"I'm not going to stop you from trying. But aren't you just itching to know how I got such incredible statistics? It is ALL THANKS TO YOU! The hatred I bear for you gives me infinite strength; the fury burning in my chest fuels my Vitality; and most of all…no! Why should I waste my time explaining it to you! You'll never understand any of it even if it were staring at you in the face!" His eyes seemed to flare with fires as scorching and black as that of Hell's.
I could feel my own anger rising inside me at his words… what have I done to deserve all that? Even if I had indirectly caused his hurt, it doesn't mean that he could shift all of the blame on me!
I showered the most powerful magic spells in my inventory on him… Meteor, Flare, Holy, even Ultima… but none of them seemed to be able to make a large impact on him, for he would use his dark feathers as a shield against the damage… he had even absorbed the Holy magic! Why hadn't that been reflected in the Scan information?!!!
"Yawn… is that all you can do? I'm getting bored."
From the start of the battle, he had not attacked in any way, only avoiding the magic, and healing himself whenever he had taken what little damage that resulted from them… It looked as if he was merely playing along with me, and not actually participating in the battle. I was truly getting desperate.
It was time for that last resort. I was reluctant like hell to use it, but the sorry situation I was in demands desperate measures to be employed.
I reached for that Forbidden spell in my inventory… one that I had warned myself time and again never to use it unless my life depended on it. And this is the time.
APOCALYPSE!
As I shout out the name of the spell, I felt as if it drains my life to use it as well. It brings back loads of painful memories… but I was tottering over the edge of the cliff. A double-edged sword, a cursed trump card… but an absolute necessity….
In case you were wondering… I had stocked up some of that very damaging magic during the final battle with Ultimecia, thinking that it would come in handy.
If this doesn't work… I'm doomed to failure.
Dear Hyne above… I beg of you to help me out with this. I would do anything you ask of me if you hear my plea!
Maybe Hyne does answer to prayers of the needy.
He answered mine, at least.
"That was really low, Zell Dintch! Using the same spell that had caused Celestine's death!" D gasped, blood running from his forehead down his right temple while his breath came out in short spurts.
"Celestine?" I asked. For the first time, I finally know her real name… and not that impersonal A that just doesn't fit my memory of her.
"You didn't know her real name? Oh Great Mother of Hyne… you didn't know her name, and yet you claimed ownership of her jewel? What a disgrace this is to her!" He clutched his head in fake exasperation, but the real motive behind his actions was to mock me.
Sure enough, it achieved its target to provoke.
A redness swelled up my neck and face as my blood pressure reached its highest limit ever recorded.
"So what if I do own the sapphire without knowing her real name? She was the one who entrusted it in my hands. And I shall not give it up without a fight! Even if it stabs me in the heart to use that spell, I will do it as long as it works! I will do anything to protect whatever I have that used to be her! My memories, this sapphire!" I stared at him in the eye to convey my rock-hard determination.
He stared back, just as hardly.
Then he slowly nods his head.
"I see that I have underestimated you. I apologise for that. I also apologise for not giving it my all in this battle. It was rather rude of me. But from this second onwards, expect NO MERCY FROM ME!!!" He shouted the last words, and propelled himself into the sky, leaving a trail of glittery dust behind him.
"DARK ANGEL BEAM!" A blinding wave of light and energy emitted from his staff and struck me fully, entering my body, and exploded from within. Not a part of it was let off from the impact.
Immediately, my HP depleted to less than a hundred. Such was the potency of his Dark Angel Beam.
"Urgh." I groan, trying to get up but my legs were too weak, buckling from the weight of my body. Blood dripped from my mouth and nose… my stomach felt as if it had been bludgeoned by a club made of rock. I suspect that internal bleeding was a cause for the tearing pain in there. It was a miracle that I could still stay conscious despite of the damage.
But I must stay awake, even as the dark mist threatens to overcome my mind and cover my eyes. I will not see the light of the day again if I were to fall now.
Gritting my teeth, I forced myself to stand up again, urging my legs to hold on for a while… just a while more.
Wobbly as they were, they listened to me… for which I am thankful.
"Zell!" Quisty shouted, and started to rush up, while Seifer searched frantically through his item bag for something to heal me.
What a time to run out of Cures… I guess I was really down on my luck.
"I wouldn't do that if I were you. I have constructed a barrier around us, the same as the one at the gate. This is to prevent the two of you from thrusting you meddling hands into the battle." He glared at them, but still they continued trying to help me.
"He's right. Stay back, Quisty. Let me handle this." I spat out a mouthful of blood.
"But…" Quisty started to protest.
"STAY OUT OF THIS!" I yelled, and she jumped back in shock.
I have never yelled at my friends before, and I could imagine what she's feeling right now.
Sorry, Quisty and Seifer. But I can't get you two involved in my own mess.
I touched the sapphire, hoping for a source of strength. Sure enough, a warm feeling encased my fingers, spreading from them towards my muscles, veins, capillaries, skin, hair… every single living cell in my body.
The effect was even better than any Elixir, Curaga, and what have you that could be used to restore my HP.
And at the same time, I could dole out my limit breaks as well.
I know that the information says physical attacks are useless… but I have a feeling this would be different. I have confidence in the combined strength of Celestine's blessing (well, that's what I call it) and my will power.
"Punch Rush!"
"Booya!"
"Punch Rush!"
"Booya!"
I stringed together a series of deadly attacks, which I had affectionately named "Invincible Fist" due to its potential for lightning fast and at the same time, very damaging attacks, with a concentration that was much stronger than I had ever adopted before.
It lasted a whole three minutes, truly a record in every sense of the word. I only stopped because it was eating voraciously into my physical strength as well.
Sure enough, D knelt with a knee resting on the ground, unable to float above it any longer without crashing to the ground, a direct consequence of his sapped energy.
"B…but how did you do it?" He stuttered with difficulty, blood trickling in a thick line from a corner of his mouth.
"Call it the power of love." I jested.
I could almost hear a groan from that familiar inner voice… the one that I had missed hearing for so many months.
She's coming back! A little too slowly for my tastes, but she is! I thought in delirious joy.
It was a mistake. I was too careless to turn my attention away from the battle, which I had thought to be ended.
It hadn't.
I had neglected one important fact.
Humans have limit breaks when their HP becomes low.
And so do Angels. I should have guessed at such a possibility. But I was blinded by the happiness I had felt as I realised that my Angel could be returning soon.
"DARK ANGEL'S REVENGE!" The enemy shouted.
Without a sound, D had got up from his position, and dealt his finishing blow at me… all within the space of a blink.
Before I could turn, dodge, think, speak… before any of my reflexes could kick in… a lot of things happened.
A dark mass of force, chi, energy, crackling currents… and who the hell knows what else… that combined together to form his DARK ANGEL'S REVENGE came hurtling towards me.
I'm going to die.
Why?!!! Why is this happening to me, just as I am filled with glorious hope?
I don't want to die now, not when I know that She's coming back!
Isn't there a way I can stop this? Avoid myself from getting hit?
Dintch… get a hold of yourself!
My Angel, are our stars so crossed, fates so twisted that we can't see each other ever again?
Trust me.
Her voice echoed in my mind.
The sapphire shattered into countless tiny pieces as fine as dust.
A dazzlingly beautiful flash of blue erupted, forming a translucent shield in front of me, and repelled the black mass far, far away.
My mind reeled, as my breath was caught dead in my throat.
A, no, Celestine stands where the blue light was, her arms outstretched, neck arched and head facing the sky. Her flowing hair spread out in the wind, just like a veil around her head while snowy-white wings sprang out in its graceful glory. A glowing aura surrounded her whole being.
A deadly silence blanketed over the surroundings, as none of us could grasp firmly what had just happened.
"Well? Are you guys dead or what? No welcoming hurrah for my appearance?"
As full of spirit as usual… that's my Angel.
"Celestine? Is that really you?" D stared in goggle-eyed disbelief.
"No, I'm Xena the Warrior Princess. Of course it's me, you idiot!"
I simply stood there, staring dumbfounded at her as well.
She turns to me and holds my gaze for a while.
"My Master… I have returned to protect you, as I have promised."
"Uh-uh. I ain't your Master. In fact, you're the one who owns my life… for you have saved me not once, but twice!"
I hold her hand gently and press it to where my heart pounds rapidly. My eyes travelled hungrily over her nose, her clear, sparkling eyes, her wonderful lips upturned with a lovely smile … I can't believe this is really happening, even though I had hoped for it for such a long time.
She places her other hand on my cheek, caressing it with a soft, soothing touch.
Meanwhile, we could all feel a palpable force of negative emotions amassing and emitting from someone behind us.
With a sigh, and large eyes rolling at the heavens, Celestine withdrew her hand gently from my grasp, turned and stalked towards him.
She stopped right in front of the brooding D, and slapped his face multiple times in lightning speed. The slaps resonated in such a way that even the birds on the trees must have heard it, fluttering away in a great hurry.
Ouch. I wouldn't want to be him.
"What was that for?" He glowered at her.
"THAT was for your stupidity! Whatever the hell has possessed you to attack him? Don't you know that you could very well have killed him?" She glared accusingly at him.
"Of course I knew it, perfectly well. That was my sole motive in fighting him." He replied with a smirk.
A punch landed on his jaw. Beats me why he stands around, allowing her to hit him without a hint of defense from her punch.
"You've changed! You're no longer the Damien I know! What happened to the kind soul whom I've always looked up to like a big brother? What did he do to you to deserve this?" Another punch to his stomach made him and us wince in unison. Even if we weren't the ones taking the punch, we could imagine what it must feel like.
And… Big Brother? Now I get the whole picture.
"He doesn't deserve to own what you left him! I should be the one who possesses it!" Damien (so that's what the D stands for…) hugged his stomach in pain, but still doesn't lift a finger to block her violent attacks!
"That's for me to decide, not you! Never, ever, you!" She shouted right into his face.
His expression was that of a wounded one.
"That's enough… A… I mean, Celestine." I cleared my throat and walked up to them.
"B…but…"
"I'm fine, really. There's no need for such harsh treatment, even if he did rough me up a little." I said, and walked towards the gate.
Quisty and Seifer followed closely, confusion written all over their faces.
As I passed Damien, I patted him on the shoulder… maybe to indicate my pity for him. I know it's insulting to him, but I couldn't help feeling that way.
A flash of anger shot up in his eyes, followed by a drooped head, as if in resignation of his unrequited feelings.
Gradually, his hair started changing its colour. This was probably its original shade before he had turned bad. Similarly, his eyes started clearing up, the hatred, anger and resentment slowly replaced by a sad, yet different kind of light. I needn't say further about the wings, of course.
The barrier before the gate must have dissipated, just as I had expected. We passed through it without further obstruction.
"Wait!" Both Damien and Celestine shouted after us.
I turned to look at them in puzzlement.
"Don't you want to settle the Great Mother case once and for all?" Celestine asked with a raised eyebrow.
"How did you know?" I asked in surprise.
"I haven't been sleeping all the time I was inside, if that's what you're implying!" She said sarcastically. "And I happen to be acquainted to her."
I nodded.
Maybe they're more than acquainted. A voice at the back of my head suggested.
I turned back to look at my friends.
"You two get back to the Garden first. I'll rejoin you shortly."
"I object. What if they all turn against you? You and that blue-haired girl won't be a match for a thousand Estharians coming after you! Not to mention him!" Quisty pointed at Damien, distrust reflected strongly in her glare directed at him.
"Don't worry. I won't do anything to him. Anymore." Damien replied in a subdued voice, head still drooping.
Doesn't his neck ever get tired from keeping that position? I thought to myself.
"Who knows what you'll do when the G.M. manipulates you?" Seifer eyed him suspiciously as well.
"I'll slap him until he wakes up, like I had to just now. I doubt he would be as susceptible to her brainwashing capabilities as before with my reassuring presence around, Hah!" Celestine waves cheerily at them and linked my arm with hers, pulling me towards the direction of the G.M's chambers.
I look back at Seifer and Quisty, and gestured with my free arm for them to go.
They looked at each other, sighed, and headed out of the gates.
"Save some hotdogs for me!" I called out, and turned, before my arm gets yanked out by all that pulling.
"HAHAHAHAHAHA!" I could hear their laughing voices mingling together, then trailing off as they travelled further away from the gates.
"You and your hotdogs!" Celestine punched my arm playfully.
"Hey, I've been derived from them for two whole weeks! That's like torture to me!"
"I should have known…C'mon. Walk faster so that you can get to your hotdogs earlier!"
"After you, m'lady!" I gestured and bowed aside to let her enter the structure first.
I cast an apologetic glance at Damien, who was trailing a small distance behind us, his feet dragging on the ground.
"Don't mind me. This wasn't the first time she does this to me anyway." His mouth turning up a little at the corners, he lifted his eyes a little to look at me.
I hesitate for a moment, nodded, and trudged indoors with a little less spring in my step.
*****
WL: Didn't I say it was very, very, very, very long? Look at my hands… they're like two big, swollen sausages!
Celestine: I AM SO STONED. NEED REST.
WL: I was the one who did all the work… what are you grumbling for? You sound like Fujin! Be grateful I that I sacrificed my hands for you and Zell to be reunited!
Celestine: Yeah, yeah, you're the gratest Yeah, grates on my nerves the most, *snigger*….zzzzz
Author's notes: Xena the Warrior Princess doesn't belong to me.
Another thing… this chapter probably doesn't read very fluently… I might decide to break it up and expand it a little when the ideas flow… but right now, this is the best I can manage. Sorry.