Part 2 : Faithful evil
Nueve strode through the dimly lit corridor of the seemingly abandoned castle, eyes straight ahead, ignoring the rubble and decay around her. She was a woman of average height, dressed in a suit of crimson armor, with long auburn hair that was tied back in a ponytail and clear green eyes that were focused on some spot ahead of her that she had not yet reached. Her back was straight and her stride was that of one on a mission. It took her only a few short minutes to reach her destination, a flight of stairs that lead to a remote balcony high above the rest of the ruins. Her foot falls echoed loudly in the confined space as she ascended the stairs, disturbing the unnatural silence that surrounded this desolate place. At last she stepped out unto the balcony and lowered herself to one knee.
"My Lord Sept."
The man did not turn but rather continued his observation of the starlit sky.
"Ah, Lady Nueve."
He was a tall man, dressed in full armor, much as Nueve was, though he wore a helmet and seemed to possess a familiarity with his armor that she did not. His hands were clasped behind his back and his helmeted face was lifted to the sky.
"Once Malbua ruled from the skies…" He spoke quietly, almost to himself. "Before the blasphemers cast him down and replaced him with his own creation, the Divine Tree." He lowered his head and silenced reigned for a moment. "Tell me." He spoke again at last. "How goes our little project? I trust you would not have disturbed me without good cause."
"Phase one has been completed, My Lord." Nueve reported dutifully, then hesitated a moment before continuing. "However… we lost the kraken."
"I see." There was no change in his voice, his inflections or his stance, it was as if the news meant nothing to him. Nueve relaxed the slightly, then snapped back to attention at his next words.
"Do accept full responsibility for its loss?"
"Yes, My Lord." She answered without hesitation.
"Very well." He nodded slowly. "You may rise."
She stood quickly, dusting off her knees and assuming a position similar to his, with her arms clasped behind her back.
"Tomorrow I want you to begin the tests on the second subject." He said, his dismissal obvious in his tone.
"Yes, My Lord." She touched her right fist to her left shoulder in a salute and turned to leave.
"And Nueve…"
She paused and turned back to face him. "Yes, My Lord?"
"I am very disappointed with you."
Without warning he turned and backhanded her across the face so hard that she stumbled backwards into the doorway behind her and slid to her knees, stunned. She brought the back of one gauntleted hand up to her mouth and it came away stained with blood.
"F-forgive me…M-my Lord."
"Do not fail me again." He answered, instead of granting her the forgiveness she had requested.
"I-I won't, My Lord."
"Now get out of my sight." He turned his back to her once more as she scrambled to her feet.
"As you command, My Lord." She quickly left the balcony, hurrying down the stairs and nearly running into a man standing at the bottom.
"There you are, Nu, I've been looking for you!" He was a man about her height, dressed in a rough leather jerkin and carrying a battered sword.
"Not now, Alain!" She barked at him, pressing her left hand to the corner of her mouth in an attempt to stop the bleeding.
"Nu? What happened to you?"
"Lord Sept was… less than please with the loss of the kraken."
"He hit you!?" Alain exclaimed in surprise.
"It is my just punishment for failure." She answered, taking her hand away from her mouth for a moment.
"What the hell?" Alain reached out and grabbed her elbow to stop her from walking away. "That bastard slaps the crap out of you and you say-" He suddenly broke off when he found a dagger suddenly pointed at his throat.
"What did you call Lord Sept?" Nueve asked, her voice cold.
Alain wisely didn't answer. With a snarl of disgust, Nueve reversed her grip on the dagger and slammed the hilt of it into the man's stomach. He doubled over in pain but didn't fall.
"That will teach you to insult your betters." With a swirl of her cape she turned to leave.
"I don't get you…" Alain spoke up breathlessly. Nueve hesitated but only half turned, looking over her shoulder at him. "You let him hurt you, hit you and taunt you, why? What is it drives you to obey him so faithfully even though her treats you so badly?"
Nueve glanced away. "Any punishment I receive from My Lord is my own fault. He deserves perfection and it is my failing that I cannot provide it for him."
"That's bullshit."
Nueve stiffened. "Do you wish to die that badly?"
Alain shook his head and sighed. "No."
"Then be silent." With that Nueve strode off into the ruins of the castle to prepare things for the next day.
===
Nueve stood flanked by four soldiers dressed in matching jet black uniforms. Before her were about five men busily chipping away at the gray mass that surrounded the seal of a massive box that was twice again as tall as she was. Whatever was in that box was obviously making the men very nervous.
"Lady Nueve…" The guard to her left spoke up hesitantly. "Excuse me for bothering you but… how do we know that thing is really dead?"
Nueve laughed quietly. "We don't."
The guard paled and gripped the hilt of his sword tighter.
"Lady Nueve!" Came a shout from one of the workers on top of the box. "We have found the seal!"
Nueve nodded. "Excellent. Now break it and release the body."
"I-I…" The worker stammered.
Nueve put her hands in her hips. "What is the problem!?"
"Well, ma'am…. It's just that… well... you know what's in here… the Winglies must have sealed it away for a reason. Who knows what will happed when we release it…"
"Nothing we can't handle." Nueve responded confidently.
"But…. this is a… a…"
"Gah! Fine, I'll handle this myself." With a disgusted shake of her head, Nueve stalked forward and climbed atop the box. She strode easily across it's mass and stood beside the man, who was shaking like a leaf as he stared down at the glowing orb as if mesmerized. Nueve drew her sword and prepared to destroy the seal.
"I still don't think this is a good idea…" The worker muttered nervously.
"Complain all you want." Nueve answered the man. "Just remember that all complaints are handled by Flamberge." She held up the weapon, a bastard sword which she chose the wield with a single hand, it was a beautiful but deadly weapon with flame runes etched down each side of the blade.
The worker paled even further and backed away while Nueve reversed her grip on Flamberge and plunged it into the glowing orb that was the seal. It sparked, then cracked before finally splitting in two. Nueve's momentum nearly sent her tumbling off the box but she fell to her knees to regain her balance. The front of the box open and the contents fell out onto the ground in front of it. It was a nasty, hideous gray mass which resembled no known living creature. It stank to the heavens, threatening to force Nueve to return her lunch.
"We will take it from here." Came a calm cool voice.
"Just hurry it up, Mauvais." Nueve barked. "I want this stinking thing back in it's box before nightfall."
"So… even the great Lady Nueve is nervous in the presence of a Virage." The man was obviously ancient, with a mane of unruly silver hair and harsh blue eyes that had not dulled with age.
"Just shut up and do your job." Nueve snapped as she rose unsteadily to her feet and turn to recover her sword, which she had dropped after breaking the seal. Why my Lord Sept would wish bring to life one of these creatures is beyond me…
Nueve stood with her left hand resting on the hilt of Flamberge, her back to the Virage corpse. All the old stories floated around in her mind, tales of the Virage and their destructive powers.
"Lady Nueve!!" Came a panicked cry behind her, she turned, already drawing Flamberge and preparing for the worst. The gray mass wasn't stirring. She lowered her sword and opened her mouth to berate the soldier when the Virage moved, it's fingers twitching. All the blood ran out of her face and she found herself petrified by fear and unable to move as the creature slowly righted itself. It turned it's massive head one way, then another, searching for something... or someone.
"Impressive." Mauvais spoke up from behind her. "After all this time, it still lives."
Nueve took a deep breath and turned her head to look at him, finally breaking free from the spell the Virage seemed to have cast on everyone that looked upon it.
"How… is that possible? It was found buried deep inside the heart of the inactive volcanoes of Volcano Villude."
Mauvais laughed. "Never underestimate the power of hate, my dear. These things hate and despise the Dragoons. They will do anything to kill them. My only question is.. Why has it awakened now? Surely there are no Dragoons nearby."
"There you would be wrong." Nueve answered quietly, reaching inside a pouch at her waist to withdraw a small round object. As soon as she opened her hand it began to glow, then suddenly burst into flames. She closed her eyes as the fire engulfed her. She crossed her arms in front of her and then, with a oddly inhuman cry she spread her arms wide, clenching her left hand into a fist. The flames moving away slowly to reveal fiery red armor, the tongues of flame raced along her body, flaring out from her back to create giant Dragoon wings.
"You're a Dragoon?" Mauvais actually sounded surprised.
Nueve didn't respond but spread her newly formed wings and rose into the sky. Throwing her sword high into the sky above her, she drew both of her hands close to her chest and a ball of flame began to form between them. When the ball had grown to a large enough size she released it and drew her fist back, the threw all of her weight forward and smashed her fist into the ball, sending it rocketing towards the Virage.
"Flaaaaaaaaaame Shot!"
Nueve held out an open hand and the sword landed in her palm, her fingers curling around it in a practiced motion. The fireball knocked the Virage off balanced but it recovered quickly with a sweeping blow of it's partially destroyed hand, trying to knock her from the sky. She dove below it and slashed at it's chest with her sword. It left a gash that quickly filled with an odd greenish substance the hardened to cover the wound. She quickly darted backwards, trying to avoid a second sweep of the decayed hand but she was too slow. It's fingers wrapped around her waist and for a moment she couldn't breath as it shook her back and forth a moment before slamming her face first against the hardened earth. She lay there stunned a moment as she tried to gather her scattered wits. Suddenly she found herself silhouetted by an odd purple light…almost like a targeting-! She rolled away quickly as a beam of energy flashed so closely she could feel the heat off of it. She leapt to her feet and took to the skies as a second beam tore up the ground she had been standing on a second earlier.
"So, you want to play rough, eh?" She brought her sword up, ready to smash it into the ground when she hesitated. Explosion was a wide range attack, there was a good possibility that she would kill many of the workers in addition to harming the Virage. That wasn't a chance she was going to take. That left her with only Final Burst, a powerful spell, yes, but one that always left her exhausted.
"Lady Nueve, look out!!"
While she had been hovering there considering her options, the Virage had managed to move it's massive bulk close enough to her to highlight her floating form with it's purple light. She dove but it was too late. A beam of energy slammed into her and for an instant she blacked out. She woke seconds later to an oddly familiar sound…but she couldn't quite place it. She sat up just in time to see Lord Sept float down to land beside her, his blade held out at his side, his form illuminated by a white glow. Rainbow colored bubbles floated around her for an instant and she felt her fatigue fade away.
"My Lord Sept…"
"Never hesitate to kill the innocent or you yourself will die." He told her calmly, his voice free of emotion.
"Yes, My Lord." She answered, rising to her feet. Clenching her left hand into a fist she took to the skies once more, this time folding her wings over her arms concentrating as her form was engulfed in flames. Slowly she spread her wings, lowering her sword in front of her like a spear.
"Finaaaaaaaaal Burst!"
She dove towards the Virage, her whole body a fiery missile. Her vision was blurred by heat as she rocketed past the creature, her fiery shell knocking it off balance for a moment and burning it's already scarred body. Once she was past it she slowed herself, finally coming to a stop and spreading her wings to disperse her fiery aura in a final devastating assault on the Virage before allowing herself to float to the ground and land on one knee, sweat running down her face as she took several deep gasping breaths. She looked up to see a sword burry itself in the air above the Virage.
"Astral Drain." Sept's calm voice floated easily above the noise of battle. Suddenly the light came again and Nueve felt herself revitalized as Sept came to rest beside her, recalling his sword to his hand.
"Again." He said abruptly and Nueve stood once more, rising into the air and folding her wings. Sweat ran freely down her face and her hands were shaking as she lowered her sword. Astral Drain may heal wounds and give her energy, but it could do little to dispel the deep set fatigue that came from spell casting. She lowered her sword and dove once more.
"Finaaaaaaaaal Burst!"
She dove once more, only this time, she knew something was wrong. When she tried to slow herself, to stop… she couldn't. Her sword fell from her hands and she ploughed shoulder first into the ground, digging a deep trench of burnt earth behind her as she slid a few feet before finally dispersing her fiery casing and rolling to a stop. There was a flash of light and her Dragoon armor and wings faded away and she lay there, limp and unmoving.
"Enough of this." Sept flew over and hovered a moment, looking down on her. "Get up."
Nueve rose to her knees, but when she tried to stand she fell back to the ground.
"Get up!" Sept raised his voice this time.
Nueve somehow managed to get on her feet this time.
"Get out of the way. Find something to hold on to and stay there." Sept rose in the air, bring his sword up to cast another spell.
Nueve followed his orders as quickly as possible, moving behind a large rock and holding on to it in preparation for whatever Sept was about to do.
"Look away" Sept commanded her, as he lowered his sword. Nueve complied, wondering what was happening. She listened intently and hear a sound like dripping water, then a sound unlike any she had ever hear before followed by the rushing of wind. She felt herself being sucked towards the source of the sound and she flinched as a piece of debris slammed into her back, nearly forcing her to lose her grip. Suddenly a man screamed as he was pulled past her and his cry was cut off abruptly as whatever it was claimed him. After what felt like an eternity to her, the sound faded away and the wind with it.
"You may look now." Came Sept's ever-calm voice.
"What...what happened?" Nueve asked, walking unsteadily towards him. The Virage was gone. So was the box. And all the workers.
"That, my dear Lady Nueve was an attack known as Demon's Gate." He we still in his Dragoon form, not looking the slightest bit winded from his casting.
"But.. That spell isn't that powerful… not powerful enough to claim a Virage." She sheathed Flamberge and rubbed her arms, trying to ward off a sudden chill.
"It is for me."
"That was…" She started to say, a note of awe in her voice
.
"A needless waste of time and energy." He cut her off.
Nueve bowed her head. "Forgive me, My Lord."
"You wouldn't always be begging for my forgiveness if you didn't make stupid mistakes in the first place." The there was no change in his voice, yet each word felt like a lash from a whip to Nueve.
"Yes, My Lord. I will strive to do better."
"See that you do." Sept turned to face the doorway that lead to the castle. "You can stop hiding now."
Nueve looked up to see Mauvais come striding out of the doorway.
"That was most interesting!" He exclaimed, coming as close to being excited as Nueve had ever seen the old scientist.
"What you saw here today." Sept said calmly, holding up one finger and looking into first Nueve's eyes, then Mauvais' then back to Nueve's. "Never happened."
So saying he turned and walked away, leaving the two of them standing there, dumbfounded.
Nueve strode through the dimly lit corridor of the seemingly abandoned castle, eyes straight ahead, ignoring the rubble and decay around her. She was a woman of average height, dressed in a suit of crimson armor, with long auburn hair that was tied back in a ponytail and clear green eyes that were focused on some spot ahead of her that she had not yet reached. Her back was straight and her stride was that of one on a mission. It took her only a few short minutes to reach her destination, a flight of stairs that lead to a remote balcony high above the rest of the ruins. Her foot falls echoed loudly in the confined space as she ascended the stairs, disturbing the unnatural silence that surrounded this desolate place. At last she stepped out unto the balcony and lowered herself to one knee.
"My Lord Sept."
The man did not turn but rather continued his observation of the starlit sky.
"Ah, Lady Nueve."
He was a tall man, dressed in full armor, much as Nueve was, though he wore a helmet and seemed to possess a familiarity with his armor that she did not. His hands were clasped behind his back and his helmeted face was lifted to the sky.
"Once Malbua ruled from the skies…" He spoke quietly, almost to himself. "Before the blasphemers cast him down and replaced him with his own creation, the Divine Tree." He lowered his head and silenced reigned for a moment. "Tell me." He spoke again at last. "How goes our little project? I trust you would not have disturbed me without good cause."
"Phase one has been completed, My Lord." Nueve reported dutifully, then hesitated a moment before continuing. "However… we lost the kraken."
"I see." There was no change in his voice, his inflections or his stance, it was as if the news meant nothing to him. Nueve relaxed the slightly, then snapped back to attention at his next words.
"Do accept full responsibility for its loss?"
"Yes, My Lord." She answered without hesitation.
"Very well." He nodded slowly. "You may rise."
She stood quickly, dusting off her knees and assuming a position similar to his, with her arms clasped behind her back.
"Tomorrow I want you to begin the tests on the second subject." He said, his dismissal obvious in his tone.
"Yes, My Lord." She touched her right fist to her left shoulder in a salute and turned to leave.
"And Nueve…"
She paused and turned back to face him. "Yes, My Lord?"
"I am very disappointed with you."
Without warning he turned and backhanded her across the face so hard that she stumbled backwards into the doorway behind her and slid to her knees, stunned. She brought the back of one gauntleted hand up to her mouth and it came away stained with blood.
"F-forgive me…M-my Lord."
"Do not fail me again." He answered, instead of granting her the forgiveness she had requested.
"I-I won't, My Lord."
"Now get out of my sight." He turned his back to her once more as she scrambled to her feet.
"As you command, My Lord." She quickly left the balcony, hurrying down the stairs and nearly running into a man standing at the bottom.
"There you are, Nu, I've been looking for you!" He was a man about her height, dressed in a rough leather jerkin and carrying a battered sword.
"Not now, Alain!" She barked at him, pressing her left hand to the corner of her mouth in an attempt to stop the bleeding.
"Nu? What happened to you?"
"Lord Sept was… less than please with the loss of the kraken."
"He hit you!?" Alain exclaimed in surprise.
"It is my just punishment for failure." She answered, taking her hand away from her mouth for a moment.
"What the hell?" Alain reached out and grabbed her elbow to stop her from walking away. "That bastard slaps the crap out of you and you say-" He suddenly broke off when he found a dagger suddenly pointed at his throat.
"What did you call Lord Sept?" Nueve asked, her voice cold.
Alain wisely didn't answer. With a snarl of disgust, Nueve reversed her grip on the dagger and slammed the hilt of it into the man's stomach. He doubled over in pain but didn't fall.
"That will teach you to insult your betters." With a swirl of her cape she turned to leave.
"I don't get you…" Alain spoke up breathlessly. Nueve hesitated but only half turned, looking over her shoulder at him. "You let him hurt you, hit you and taunt you, why? What is it drives you to obey him so faithfully even though her treats you so badly?"
Nueve glanced away. "Any punishment I receive from My Lord is my own fault. He deserves perfection and it is my failing that I cannot provide it for him."
"That's bullshit."
Nueve stiffened. "Do you wish to die that badly?"
Alain shook his head and sighed. "No."
"Then be silent." With that Nueve strode off into the ruins of the castle to prepare things for the next day.
===
Nueve stood flanked by four soldiers dressed in matching jet black uniforms. Before her were about five men busily chipping away at the gray mass that surrounded the seal of a massive box that was twice again as tall as she was. Whatever was in that box was obviously making the men very nervous.
"Lady Nueve…" The guard to her left spoke up hesitantly. "Excuse me for bothering you but… how do we know that thing is really dead?"
Nueve laughed quietly. "We don't."
The guard paled and gripped the hilt of his sword tighter.
"Lady Nueve!" Came a shout from one of the workers on top of the box. "We have found the seal!"
Nueve nodded. "Excellent. Now break it and release the body."
"I-I…" The worker stammered.
Nueve put her hands in her hips. "What is the problem!?"
"Well, ma'am…. It's just that… well... you know what's in here… the Winglies must have sealed it away for a reason. Who knows what will happed when we release it…"
"Nothing we can't handle." Nueve responded confidently.
"But…. this is a… a…"
"Gah! Fine, I'll handle this myself." With a disgusted shake of her head, Nueve stalked forward and climbed atop the box. She strode easily across it's mass and stood beside the man, who was shaking like a leaf as he stared down at the glowing orb as if mesmerized. Nueve drew her sword and prepared to destroy the seal.
"I still don't think this is a good idea…" The worker muttered nervously.
"Complain all you want." Nueve answered the man. "Just remember that all complaints are handled by Flamberge." She held up the weapon, a bastard sword which she chose the wield with a single hand, it was a beautiful but deadly weapon with flame runes etched down each side of the blade.
The worker paled even further and backed away while Nueve reversed her grip on Flamberge and plunged it into the glowing orb that was the seal. It sparked, then cracked before finally splitting in two. Nueve's momentum nearly sent her tumbling off the box but she fell to her knees to regain her balance. The front of the box open and the contents fell out onto the ground in front of it. It was a nasty, hideous gray mass which resembled no known living creature. It stank to the heavens, threatening to force Nueve to return her lunch.
"We will take it from here." Came a calm cool voice.
"Just hurry it up, Mauvais." Nueve barked. "I want this stinking thing back in it's box before nightfall."
"So… even the great Lady Nueve is nervous in the presence of a Virage." The man was obviously ancient, with a mane of unruly silver hair and harsh blue eyes that had not dulled with age.
"Just shut up and do your job." Nueve snapped as she rose unsteadily to her feet and turn to recover her sword, which she had dropped after breaking the seal. Why my Lord Sept would wish bring to life one of these creatures is beyond me…
Nueve stood with her left hand resting on the hilt of Flamberge, her back to the Virage corpse. All the old stories floated around in her mind, tales of the Virage and their destructive powers.
"Lady Nueve!!" Came a panicked cry behind her, she turned, already drawing Flamberge and preparing for the worst. The gray mass wasn't stirring. She lowered her sword and opened her mouth to berate the soldier when the Virage moved, it's fingers twitching. All the blood ran out of her face and she found herself petrified by fear and unable to move as the creature slowly righted itself. It turned it's massive head one way, then another, searching for something... or someone.
"Impressive." Mauvais spoke up from behind her. "After all this time, it still lives."
Nueve took a deep breath and turned her head to look at him, finally breaking free from the spell the Virage seemed to have cast on everyone that looked upon it.
"How… is that possible? It was found buried deep inside the heart of the inactive volcanoes of Volcano Villude."
Mauvais laughed. "Never underestimate the power of hate, my dear. These things hate and despise the Dragoons. They will do anything to kill them. My only question is.. Why has it awakened now? Surely there are no Dragoons nearby."
"There you would be wrong." Nueve answered quietly, reaching inside a pouch at her waist to withdraw a small round object. As soon as she opened her hand it began to glow, then suddenly burst into flames. She closed her eyes as the fire engulfed her. She crossed her arms in front of her and then, with a oddly inhuman cry she spread her arms wide, clenching her left hand into a fist. The flames moving away slowly to reveal fiery red armor, the tongues of flame raced along her body, flaring out from her back to create giant Dragoon wings.
"You're a Dragoon?" Mauvais actually sounded surprised.
Nueve didn't respond but spread her newly formed wings and rose into the sky. Throwing her sword high into the sky above her, she drew both of her hands close to her chest and a ball of flame began to form between them. When the ball had grown to a large enough size she released it and drew her fist back, the threw all of her weight forward and smashed her fist into the ball, sending it rocketing towards the Virage.
"Flaaaaaaaaaame Shot!"
Nueve held out an open hand and the sword landed in her palm, her fingers curling around it in a practiced motion. The fireball knocked the Virage off balanced but it recovered quickly with a sweeping blow of it's partially destroyed hand, trying to knock her from the sky. She dove below it and slashed at it's chest with her sword. It left a gash that quickly filled with an odd greenish substance the hardened to cover the wound. She quickly darted backwards, trying to avoid a second sweep of the decayed hand but she was too slow. It's fingers wrapped around her waist and for a moment she couldn't breath as it shook her back and forth a moment before slamming her face first against the hardened earth. She lay there stunned a moment as she tried to gather her scattered wits. Suddenly she found herself silhouetted by an odd purple light…almost like a targeting-! She rolled away quickly as a beam of energy flashed so closely she could feel the heat off of it. She leapt to her feet and took to the skies as a second beam tore up the ground she had been standing on a second earlier.
"So, you want to play rough, eh?" She brought her sword up, ready to smash it into the ground when she hesitated. Explosion was a wide range attack, there was a good possibility that she would kill many of the workers in addition to harming the Virage. That wasn't a chance she was going to take. That left her with only Final Burst, a powerful spell, yes, but one that always left her exhausted.
"Lady Nueve, look out!!"
While she had been hovering there considering her options, the Virage had managed to move it's massive bulk close enough to her to highlight her floating form with it's purple light. She dove but it was too late. A beam of energy slammed into her and for an instant she blacked out. She woke seconds later to an oddly familiar sound…but she couldn't quite place it. She sat up just in time to see Lord Sept float down to land beside her, his blade held out at his side, his form illuminated by a white glow. Rainbow colored bubbles floated around her for an instant and she felt her fatigue fade away.
"My Lord Sept…"
"Never hesitate to kill the innocent or you yourself will die." He told her calmly, his voice free of emotion.
"Yes, My Lord." She answered, rising to her feet. Clenching her left hand into a fist she took to the skies once more, this time folding her wings over her arms concentrating as her form was engulfed in flames. Slowly she spread her wings, lowering her sword in front of her like a spear.
"Finaaaaaaaaal Burst!"
She dove towards the Virage, her whole body a fiery missile. Her vision was blurred by heat as she rocketed past the creature, her fiery shell knocking it off balance for a moment and burning it's already scarred body. Once she was past it she slowed herself, finally coming to a stop and spreading her wings to disperse her fiery aura in a final devastating assault on the Virage before allowing herself to float to the ground and land on one knee, sweat running down her face as she took several deep gasping breaths. She looked up to see a sword burry itself in the air above the Virage.
"Astral Drain." Sept's calm voice floated easily above the noise of battle. Suddenly the light came again and Nueve felt herself revitalized as Sept came to rest beside her, recalling his sword to his hand.
"Again." He said abruptly and Nueve stood once more, rising into the air and folding her wings. Sweat ran freely down her face and her hands were shaking as she lowered her sword. Astral Drain may heal wounds and give her energy, but it could do little to dispel the deep set fatigue that came from spell casting. She lowered her sword and dove once more.
"Finaaaaaaaaal Burst!"
She dove once more, only this time, she knew something was wrong. When she tried to slow herself, to stop… she couldn't. Her sword fell from her hands and she ploughed shoulder first into the ground, digging a deep trench of burnt earth behind her as she slid a few feet before finally dispersing her fiery casing and rolling to a stop. There was a flash of light and her Dragoon armor and wings faded away and she lay there, limp and unmoving.
"Enough of this." Sept flew over and hovered a moment, looking down on her. "Get up."
Nueve rose to her knees, but when she tried to stand she fell back to the ground.
"Get up!" Sept raised his voice this time.
Nueve somehow managed to get on her feet this time.
"Get out of the way. Find something to hold on to and stay there." Sept rose in the air, bring his sword up to cast another spell.
Nueve followed his orders as quickly as possible, moving behind a large rock and holding on to it in preparation for whatever Sept was about to do.
"Look away" Sept commanded her, as he lowered his sword. Nueve complied, wondering what was happening. She listened intently and hear a sound like dripping water, then a sound unlike any she had ever hear before followed by the rushing of wind. She felt herself being sucked towards the source of the sound and she flinched as a piece of debris slammed into her back, nearly forcing her to lose her grip. Suddenly a man screamed as he was pulled past her and his cry was cut off abruptly as whatever it was claimed him. After what felt like an eternity to her, the sound faded away and the wind with it.
"You may look now." Came Sept's ever-calm voice.
"What...what happened?" Nueve asked, walking unsteadily towards him. The Virage was gone. So was the box. And all the workers.
"That, my dear Lady Nueve was an attack known as Demon's Gate." He we still in his Dragoon form, not looking the slightest bit winded from his casting.
"But.. That spell isn't that powerful… not powerful enough to claim a Virage." She sheathed Flamberge and rubbed her arms, trying to ward off a sudden chill.
"It is for me."
"That was…" She started to say, a note of awe in her voice
.
"A needless waste of time and energy." He cut her off.
Nueve bowed her head. "Forgive me, My Lord."
"You wouldn't always be begging for my forgiveness if you didn't make stupid mistakes in the first place." The there was no change in his voice, yet each word felt like a lash from a whip to Nueve.
"Yes, My Lord. I will strive to do better."
"See that you do." Sept turned to face the doorway that lead to the castle. "You can stop hiding now."
Nueve looked up to see Mauvais come striding out of the doorway.
"That was most interesting!" He exclaimed, coming as close to being excited as Nueve had ever seen the old scientist.
"What you saw here today." Sept said calmly, holding up one finger and looking into first Nueve's eyes, then Mauvais' then back to Nueve's. "Never happened."
So saying he turned and walked away, leaving the two of them standing there, dumbfounded.