~~~===~~~
Legacy of Kain Chapter 16: Inspiration, Intrigue, and New Alliances
~~~==~~~~
By the sixth hour of our trek through the desert, I was promising myself that I would *never* take another quest, no matter who told me to, so long as I lived.
I also knew, deep down, that it was one promise I knew I would break without a shred of guilt, but the process made me feel a little better about our current state.
Expecting to be delivered into a settled part of the world, we made the mistake of bringing along only minimal supplies. We thought that we'd be able to hunt even if we couldn't find anybody who was willing to share food and water with us.
We thought we wouldn't be put down in the middle of a damned desert.
That was the big mistake.
"Kain," Rubicant shouted from behind me, where he was walking along like the heat didn't bother him in the least - even in full armor.
"What is it?"
"We need to find water soon! Callis -"
"I'm fine," Callista grumbled as she walked on past the two of us. But I knew she wasn't - knew the tone I was hearing. She'd be damned before she showed weakness in front of Rubicant, and she'd be doubly-damned before she admitted that he'd seen it even with her act. The same tone I'd used, back when I was training..
/"Need a break?" Cecil again - we'd been training for six hours straight, sparring and practicing without more than a few minute's pause to pick up a dropped weapon or repair a broken strap.
"Of course not," I smirked, readying my spear for the next round. Truth be told, I would have killed for a drink of water, or even the trail rations we'd brought with us when we left the castle. But there was no way I was going to let Cecil beat me. He didn't look tired at all, damn him. Probably as beat as I was, but I was going to *make* him admit it. Admit that he couldn't hold out as long as I could.
Admit that I was better at lying about it./
"Callista, we do need to take a break," I said, finding a large rock that provided a little shade. "If we don't find any water soon, we'll be dead - but if we keep hunting for it like this, we'll be dead faster. Worst that happens, we can use our armor to collect a little overnight."
"We have to find some cacti or something soon," she protested. "It can't take us that long, and then we'll have something to drink and we can keep moving."
/"Come on, Kain, we've been at this all day," Cecil laughed. "What, you afraid I'll jump you while you're not ready?"
If only it were that simple. I couldn't help but glance at the young woman watching us from the battlements - one of the white mage apprentices.
"Forget it, Cecil," I smirked. "I'm doing just fine. Or are you slowing down?"
"Not a chance," he laughed, before launching at me again../
Rosa, when we were still young. She was my reason for wanting to beat Cecil. What was Callista's for wanting to beat Rubicant? The bit about her memory couldn't be all there was to it. Wasn't a reason to want to be better than he was.
Or was it? Maybe I shouldn't have given her that ultimatum before we got here. If she's trying to convince me that I'd be better off working with her than with Rubicant, that could be as bad as open feuding. Maybe I shouldn't have tried bringing them both along.
"Kain," she called out from up ahead, "I found some!"
Then again, I could be wrong about that. The two of us hurried after her, surprised to see a low spot between dunes that was almost literally covered with cacti. Rubicant and I looked at each other, each of us knowing that something seemed a little strange about the scene. Then Rubicant's eyes went wide as he realized what it meant.
"Don't touch them!" But it was too late - she had already pulled out her short sword and cut into one of the cactus. Much to the surprise of the two of us who were still figuring out what was going on, it jumped up and hopped back! Callista jumped back a few feet herself.
"What the hell?" Suddenly, a stream of needles shot out of it, plunging into her lightly armored body as she screamed in agony. Rubicant and I hurried down to pull her away.
"What the hell are those things," I asked.
"Cactrots. Been extinct on the Blue Planet for centuries. Hit them, even with some spells, and unless you kill them with the first hit they'll fire back at you."
"How is she," I asked, looking down at Callista, who was trying to find some way to remove the spines without hurting herself more.
"She'll be fine, once she stops moving. Stop," Rubicant said, a light aura surrounding her and holding her in place. "I can remove the spines and heal the injuries easily enough, but we need to deal with them first," he said, nodding towards the field of deadly green. I thought for a moment, trying to come up with some way to handle them without getting killed in the process.
"How do they target?"
"Direction of the attack and sound. Whatever range the attack comes from, they'll shoot in that direction, or towards the nearest vibrations if they come from the attack's direction. Never saw somebody fast enough to avoid it, even when they were expecting it. Not once they're awake - which, as you can see, they are now." I looked at the bouncing cactrots, and had to agree. But I had a plan.
"Lightning spells come from above, right?"
"Yes, but those things tend to target the caster."
"Not unless there's another source for the spell. I'm going to jump - give me a five count, then cast a lightning spell. Then get the hell down, and keep your shield between the two of you and those things."
"What are you planning, Kain?"
"Something stupid," I said simply as I flipped down my visor and leaped, hoping he would do as I asked. Fortunately, after my count, I heard a faint voice below me.
"Thundara!" I could feel my armor crackle with energy as the lightning built, and knew I had to time this perfectly. I angled my spear so the crystal shaft would sink into the sand, and threw it down towards the center of the cactrots just as the lightning shot down from the sky, adjusting the angle of my fall to carry me away from it. The bolt of power struck the metal head of my lance, following it down, but unable to continue past the lunarian crystal of the shaft. I landed just after the lance did, and quickly threw my shield between me and the cactrots, knowing I'd need it if my plan worked.
The smell of ozone filled the air as the lightning discharged into one of the cactrots.
And then all holy hell broke loose.
Needles filled the air, lodging in the chinks of my armor as the first cactrot fired at my spear, most of the needles striking another of the herd, who fired back. The chain reaction that followed didn't end until the entire herd was studded with the spines of their brethren, and Rubicant and I bore striking resemblances to metal porcupines on the sides that had been facing them. Rubicant eventually moved his shield and looked out from under it.
"Kain?"
"Yes?" I tried to stay calm as I removed the spines from my armor and set to seeing if the cactrots had water in them the same way regular cacti did - pleased to see that they did, and I could collect plenty from the remains.
"If you ever do that again, I will be forced to hurt you."
"Duly noted.."
~~~===~~~
"What's are *they* doing out here?" A dark-robed figure watched as Kain and Rubicant collected what water they could from the ruined cactrots, and returned to help Callista with her injuries.
"Calm yourself, sister," another figure replied, rising from the sand of the dunes and shaking it off of himself slightly, revealing his light leather armor - and the feline body it protected, both nearly the same color as the sand that had covered them. A slight shifting of the other's dark robes betrayed a lashing tail beneath the midnight-blue fabric, worn more to camouflage her at night than for the hot desert sun.
"I don't like it," she growled. "The red-armored one *reeks* of the Taint, and the other wears armor like that bastard Dragonheart's. Haven't been any *real* Dragon Knights in years - must be one of the Dark Knights on a patrol - they're looking for the Cellar!"
"You heard the names - none loyal to the tyrants have born those names since Dragonheart conquered our realm!"
"Doesn't mean a thing."
"Look, just watch for now - the desert'll probably take care of them before it becomes an issue. If they find us, then you can try taking them down. But *not* until then. That's an order."
"Yes, your holiness," she shot back with a slight sneer. The male rolled his eyes and shook his head, returning to where he was watching the trio set up a camp. He slowly seemed to sink back down into the sand, until only his ears, eyes, and nose were exposed.
/You know, sis,/ he thought to himself, /if you weren't so damned insistent about staying above ground like that, maybe you wouldn't be so grouchy every time I talk to you../
~~~===~~~
Dragonheart winced as one of the castle medics carefully set his broken arm, but made no sound of pain or disapproval except when one of the nurses asked if he wanted some tea to ease the pain. When he had the chance to focus, and was sure that the bone wouldn't fuse improperly, he brought one of his stolen spells to mind.
"Cure," he said calmly, letting the sparkling motes form around his arm and a handful of other cuts, sealing them and healing the smallest of his wounds. The ribs would take a bit longer before he could fix them properly, unless he wanted to risk something going wrong. If he knew a bit more about white magic it would be better, but for now he simply had the spells.
He'd have to fix that the next time he had Queen Rosa or one of her colleagues to learn from.
He had just taken off the sling, flexing his arm to test the healing, when there was a knock at the door.
"Enter," he said carelessly, expecting one of the servants to come in. He was hoping it was one of them, really - he needed somebody to vent some frustrations on.
"How are you doing, Ryan," came a smooth, silky voice from the door. Dragonheart set a new speed record shifting to a kneeling position next to his seat.
"Mother - I hadn't been expecting you to come here this soon."
"And why not," she smiled, reaching down and raising his face to look at her. "After all - I have to give you those pieces of dark matter, and your new orders. Not ones that I want my husband to hear."
"New orders, Mother?"
"That's right, Ryan," she said, sitting down. "Make yourself comfortable." He stood up and sat down on the edge of the bed, stretching his wounded arm slightly as he did so. "What is your assessment, as a military officer, of his Lordship's performance today? I expect your honest opinion," she warned him.
"Pathetic," Dragonheart admitted. "As much as it pains me to say so, there is no excuse for cowering and barely lifting your sword in such circumstances. Not even against the spirits of the dead."
"I agree whole-heartedly," she nodded, not bothering to clarify the point that those spirits were of his old friends - the friends he had killed, years ago. "I had been hoping that he would hold out for a bit longer, but it seems to have been a very good thing that I brought you along today."
"Thank you, Mother."
"As the logical result of these developments," she continued, "when you next return from the Blue Planet, I plan on having you take his Lordship's place as my defender."
"A-are you serious?" The mix of hope and obvious pleasure in Dragonheart's voice was obvious, and it earned a musical laugh from his mother.
"Indeed I am, Ryan. His Lordship is sufficiently unstable that he will need to be dealt with soon, I'm afraid. However, this will mean some changes in your plans to take over the Blue Planet."
"Changes?"
"Yes. I will need Scarmiglione here, in order to complete some plans of mine that have been on hold, waiting for another Death Magus."
"I see. I don't believe that will change my plans too much. Will you require Caignazzo's assistance as well?" The Lady of Darkness smiled slightly.
"I don't believe so, but I doubt he will be of much use to you when you return to the Blue Planet."
"What do you mean?"
"Scarmiglione is going to go have a talk with his brother - I suspect that Caignazzo will be staying here after it's done."
"I see," Dragonheart frowned slightly. "No matter - with the dark matter, and no fool fiends to interfere, I can handle the forces they have there easily enough. Particularly with their greatest warrior badly injured," he smirked. "That paladin went down easier than my father did."
"Well, I can't say I'm surprised. For all his faults, your father was quite skilled. But you're better - always have been, and always will be," she smiled, standing and leaning forward to give him a quick kiss on the forehead. "Now, once Scarmiglione returns from your ship, you'd best get back to the Blue Planet - there's much for you to do, and not as much time for you to do it as I'm sure you'd prefer."
"As you wish, Mother," he said with a polite bow. "I'll work on re- supplying the ship in the meantime."
"Very good. Good luck, Ryan. As if you needed it," she smiled, turning to walk out of the room, leaving her son to prepare for her next attack..
~~~===~~~
"Caignazzo?" Scarmiglione was working his way through the massive ship that Dragonheart commanded, having once again assumed his largest form.
"Yes, Brother?" The hulking turtle scuttled towards his weaker brother, who had just spent so much time in the black void near the ship. "You seem to have had a pleasant evening," he chuckled, recognizing something that he hadn't noticed in many years.
"And if I have, it's none of your business," Scarmiglione smirked. "We have much to discuss, Brother - fate is converging again, and those who are in position to benefit from it could gain control of the universe as it is known."
"You mean become powers in our own right?" Caignazzo was intrigued, as Scarmiglione had known he would be.
"That would be putting it mildly. Come - I'll talk as we work." The two of them started towards the engine room, and Scarmiglione started to explain.
"You are, of course, familiar with basic Apotheosis theory?"
"I'm a *Fiend,* Scarmiglione," Caignazzo said, rolling his black eyes. "I live because of it. Enough power, concentrated in one place, results in reality concentrating on that power, creating a being tied to the forces dominant there, or tying somebody who already exists to said forces. I believe that in our cases, Master Zemus used fragments of Dark Matter in places of great elemental force."
"Yes, though he made a mistake with Rubicant," Scarmiglione nodded. "Then I'm sure you can understand what would happen if we were to draw on the mystical energy that serves as the source of Dragonheart's might?"
"I see.. Enhance our powers further on our own, to the limit of said power?"
"And further - once we had mastered that force, we could extinguish the life force of entire planets to increase our might, until we could threaten even the greatest of beings - Bahamut, Asura - all would cower before us, because they don't have the guts to use our techniques."
"But I thought it was impossible to draw that much power at once? Remember what happened when Master Zemus attempted it? He was almost destroyed."
"But, while he proved unsuccessful, surely you remember the power of his Zeromus form? And I have found the flaw in his technique."
"Go on."
"Master Zemus' first apotheosis rituals were conducted drawing upon his own hate to strengthen himself. Hatred, while potent, has one serious flaw - given time, it will turn back in upon itself, resulting in self- destruction. Zeromus' power could have destroyed the world he lived in - but it would have destroyed him in the process, unable to sustain life without habitable surroundings."
"And how does this help us? Water and earth are hardly the sort of abilities that channel energy well, or sustain life except in specific environments."
"Don't you see, Caignazzo," Scarmiglione chuckled. "A true force must be chosen. Not an elemental reality, not a tempestuous emotion - but something that transcends all things. Death, for example." The Fiend of Water snorted.
"That doesn't do us any good. We've already undergone our first apotheosis rites in our birthing process - we can't change what we embody!"
"You're right," Scarmiglione smiled. "We can't. Tell me, Brother - you were birthed in a hurricane, correct?"
"Yes.." Caignazzo did *not* like the tone he was picking up in his brother's voice - too much like the one Valvalis used to use, when she was toying with Rubicant or Kain.
"I, on the other hand, was birthed on an ancient burial mound. Years of effort into shaping the earth - and centuries of power from the spirits that had lingered there, bound to their mortal remains after death. I am *not* the Fiend of Earth," Scarmiglione smirked. "I just took on that form because it was most convenient at the time."
"What are you babbling about," Caignazzo snapped, his curiosity - and mounting concern - getting the better of him.
"I have the power necessary to begin a Dark Apotheosis, all I need is someone to help me perform the rite - and an end to the Fiend of Earth. That, in turn, requires the ties to my old form be severed. Master Zemus is dead, Rubicant is no longer a true Fiend - and Valvalis' death throes reverberated across the cosmos, I know you felt them as clearly as I did. Do you know what that means, Caignazzo," Scarmiglione smiled.
"Brother - you need me to help you perform the rite! Dragonheart doesn't have a clue how to go about it, and the High Lord and Lady of Darkness would not want your rivalry - you need me!"
"The day I need that bastard Dark Knight is the day I'll throw myself into a bonfire," Scarmiglione snapped. "And why would The Lady of Darkness fear my rivalry, when I am the one who showed her the path to her power now?"
"What? You can't be - he was defeated millennia ago by the Paladins!"
"Why do you think I needed a new mortal shell, 'brother,'" the Fiend of Earth chuckled. "Now that I have a body with the power enough to wield my true Arts, and have returned to the world I first commanded, I can call upon magic that no mortal, and few immortals, are capable of understanding. And you are all that's truly left in my way. Or, more accurately - was left." Caignazzo withdrew into his shell reflexively as his 'brother' began chanting words in a language old enough that not even the lunarians knew of its origins - an ancient tongue that dated back to the primal shadow cast by the first light of good in the universe. The scent of ozone tinged the air, as Caignazzo prayed that his enhanced powers would prove greater than the force that Scarmiglione seemed to be pulling from some completely unknown source.
His prayers went unanswered, though whether because they were ignored, or because they weren't heard over the unholy tones emanating from Scarmiglione, will never be known. Thunder echoed through the corridors of the ship, and dozens of bolts of lightning converged on the hapless Fiend, each carrying enough power to cause him untold agony. Together, his passing was mercifully brief, leaving the charred remains of his shell as the only sign of his existence. Scarmiglione smirked, turned, and started back down the corridors off the ship, returning to his more human form as he went - now the last of the Blue Planet's Fiends..
~~~===~~~
"We've watched them get closer to the Cellar for the past six hours - they'll be on us in the morning!" The dark-robed feline growled in frustration, seriously considering ignoring her brother's orders and going to stop the three warriors.
"And what if they're new recruits," the sandy-furred feline asked, rising out of another dune again.
"The one in the red armor is no rebel," she growled. "To hell with this - if they're new recruits, we'll call this the test to see if they can hold their own in a fight." With that, she lunged over the hill, pulling a long, curved blade out of her robes as she approached, and her brother sighed.
"I knew I should have left her back at the Cellar.."
~~~===~~~
We had spent most of the day resting, after taking down the cactrots. Besides needing to wait for Callista's injuries to heal properly, it was too hot to go on much further if there was any choice. When the sun had finally set, we were on the move again, and on the lookout for anything that might not be friendly - I still had unpleasant memories of the sandmen from back home, among other creatures, and the last thing we wanted to do was deal with more of those cactrots.
Given that we were taking care not to be ambushed, I think my reaction to the battle cry that interrupted our travels was natural.
"What the hell?" I turned to see a black-robed figure charging towards us, brandishing a scimitar.
"Dark Sword," it shouted. I knew what that meant - and the red orb forming above me proved it. I dove to the side as a ghostly blade plunged into the ground where I had been standing.
"A Dark Knight," I shouted as a warning to Rubicant and Callista. The two of them drew their swords and spread out, to keep our attacker's Dark Wave from doing too much damage.
"Damn," Callista snarled, "how'd they find us?" Not waiting for an answer, she dove forward, lunging towards the robed figure with her two blades arcing through the night. The Dark Knight leaped back, just out of reach, with an unusual amount of skill. But the distraction was enough to let Rubicant get a shot off.
"Hellcry Punch," he shouted, pointing his blade at our attacker. A green blade shot up from the ground, shattering the scimitar and drawing a feral snarl from its victim. I leaped into the air, a shallow jump meant more to cover ground than to serve as an attack. I threw my spear off to the side as I hurtled towards the mysterious Dark Knight, grabbing hold and bringing us both crashing to the ground, knocking the wind out of - her?
"Who are you," I demanded, positioning myself to let the weight of my armor pin the feline woman to the ground. Suddenly, I heard a crack in the distance, and turned just in time to see a barrage of ice needles flying towards me. I threw my shield up between the deadly shards and myself, letting them be embedded in the ancient scales that had protected me from the cactrots earlier. Fortunately, it was more effective this time. I looked towards our second attacker, seeing a lean feline, almost identical to the one I was sitting on, holding something that looked like a small version of the cannons from the airships.
"Stand down," he shouted, directing the barrel of his weapon towards Rubicant this time. I wasn't sure who would be able to attack first, and something told me that these two weren't against us - or wouldn't be, once things were explained. After all - Lady Reis had said we would encounter rebels.
"Hold your arms," I shouted to Rubicant and Callista, waiting until their reluctance to sheathe their blades was overcome by the simple fact that I wouldn't have made such an order if I didn't think we could afford to. Fortunately, they were still good soldiers, whatever else they were.
"I think there's been a misunderstanding," I explained, warily climbing off the young woman beneath me. "You're part of the resistance, aren't you?"
"What resistance," she asked as she stood. I could tell it was a reflexive answer, though, rather than true ignorance. That explained it - they thought we were with Dragonheart.
"Look," I answered, taking off my helmet, "we're -" I didn't get the chance to finish, though, because the young feline was on her knees as soon as she saw my face.
"Forgive me, Lord Highwind - I didn't recognize you in the armor of a Dragon Knight!"
"You.know me?" Rubicant and Callista walked up next to me, Rubicant stopping to pick up my spear as he did so. I glanced over at the other warrior, seeing an expression of shock similar to the kneeling dark knight's. It was then that it occurred to me what they reminded me of - their faces were like caracals, desert cats that I had occasionally seen near Kaipo.
"I joined the resistance after your disappearance, Lord Highwind, but we are all still raised on the stories of your successes against the Lord and Lady. What happened - why didn't you return, and prove they were lying about your death?" This was all starting to make a strange sort of sense. And it explained why Reis would really choose me, if I was right.
"I'm not the person you think I am," I admitted, earning a concerned look from both felines as the male approached. "But I suspect we're working towards a common goal. Do you have some base that you could take us to?" The two exchanged glances, and I could tell that they were debating whether they should trust me, based on my words and my resemblance to their hero - or treat me like anybody else.
"You may come, but the other two will have to wait until our Commander agrees," the male said after a few moments.
"Agreed," I nodded. Rubicant and Callista both looked at me, concerned, but I shook my head quietly, taking my spear back. "Lead the way, then."
"As you wish," he nodded. "My sister will remain here to keep an eye on your companions, and ensure that they don't follow us," he explained, pulling a short blade out of his boot and handing it to her. Not much, but enough to allow her to use her abilities. I just hoped that they didn't get into a fight over something - that would not do us any good. The caracal turned and started off over the dunes before I had too much time to think about it, and I followed after him, knowing that it was the only way to accomplish our mission..
~~~===~~~
End Legacy of Kain Chapter 16: Inspiration, Intrigue, and New Alliances
~~~===~~~
Legacy of Kain Chapter 16: Inspiration, Intrigue, and New Alliances
~~~==~~~~
By the sixth hour of our trek through the desert, I was promising myself that I would *never* take another quest, no matter who told me to, so long as I lived.
I also knew, deep down, that it was one promise I knew I would break without a shred of guilt, but the process made me feel a little better about our current state.
Expecting to be delivered into a settled part of the world, we made the mistake of bringing along only minimal supplies. We thought that we'd be able to hunt even if we couldn't find anybody who was willing to share food and water with us.
We thought we wouldn't be put down in the middle of a damned desert.
That was the big mistake.
"Kain," Rubicant shouted from behind me, where he was walking along like the heat didn't bother him in the least - even in full armor.
"What is it?"
"We need to find water soon! Callis -"
"I'm fine," Callista grumbled as she walked on past the two of us. But I knew she wasn't - knew the tone I was hearing. She'd be damned before she showed weakness in front of Rubicant, and she'd be doubly-damned before she admitted that he'd seen it even with her act. The same tone I'd used, back when I was training..
/"Need a break?" Cecil again - we'd been training for six hours straight, sparring and practicing without more than a few minute's pause to pick up a dropped weapon or repair a broken strap.
"Of course not," I smirked, readying my spear for the next round. Truth be told, I would have killed for a drink of water, or even the trail rations we'd brought with us when we left the castle. But there was no way I was going to let Cecil beat me. He didn't look tired at all, damn him. Probably as beat as I was, but I was going to *make* him admit it. Admit that he couldn't hold out as long as I could.
Admit that I was better at lying about it./
"Callista, we do need to take a break," I said, finding a large rock that provided a little shade. "If we don't find any water soon, we'll be dead - but if we keep hunting for it like this, we'll be dead faster. Worst that happens, we can use our armor to collect a little overnight."
"We have to find some cacti or something soon," she protested. "It can't take us that long, and then we'll have something to drink and we can keep moving."
/"Come on, Kain, we've been at this all day," Cecil laughed. "What, you afraid I'll jump you while you're not ready?"
If only it were that simple. I couldn't help but glance at the young woman watching us from the battlements - one of the white mage apprentices.
"Forget it, Cecil," I smirked. "I'm doing just fine. Or are you slowing down?"
"Not a chance," he laughed, before launching at me again../
Rosa, when we were still young. She was my reason for wanting to beat Cecil. What was Callista's for wanting to beat Rubicant? The bit about her memory couldn't be all there was to it. Wasn't a reason to want to be better than he was.
Or was it? Maybe I shouldn't have given her that ultimatum before we got here. If she's trying to convince me that I'd be better off working with her than with Rubicant, that could be as bad as open feuding. Maybe I shouldn't have tried bringing them both along.
"Kain," she called out from up ahead, "I found some!"
Then again, I could be wrong about that. The two of us hurried after her, surprised to see a low spot between dunes that was almost literally covered with cacti. Rubicant and I looked at each other, each of us knowing that something seemed a little strange about the scene. Then Rubicant's eyes went wide as he realized what it meant.
"Don't touch them!" But it was too late - she had already pulled out her short sword and cut into one of the cactus. Much to the surprise of the two of us who were still figuring out what was going on, it jumped up and hopped back! Callista jumped back a few feet herself.
"What the hell?" Suddenly, a stream of needles shot out of it, plunging into her lightly armored body as she screamed in agony. Rubicant and I hurried down to pull her away.
"What the hell are those things," I asked.
"Cactrots. Been extinct on the Blue Planet for centuries. Hit them, even with some spells, and unless you kill them with the first hit they'll fire back at you."
"How is she," I asked, looking down at Callista, who was trying to find some way to remove the spines without hurting herself more.
"She'll be fine, once she stops moving. Stop," Rubicant said, a light aura surrounding her and holding her in place. "I can remove the spines and heal the injuries easily enough, but we need to deal with them first," he said, nodding towards the field of deadly green. I thought for a moment, trying to come up with some way to handle them without getting killed in the process.
"How do they target?"
"Direction of the attack and sound. Whatever range the attack comes from, they'll shoot in that direction, or towards the nearest vibrations if they come from the attack's direction. Never saw somebody fast enough to avoid it, even when they were expecting it. Not once they're awake - which, as you can see, they are now." I looked at the bouncing cactrots, and had to agree. But I had a plan.
"Lightning spells come from above, right?"
"Yes, but those things tend to target the caster."
"Not unless there's another source for the spell. I'm going to jump - give me a five count, then cast a lightning spell. Then get the hell down, and keep your shield between the two of you and those things."
"What are you planning, Kain?"
"Something stupid," I said simply as I flipped down my visor and leaped, hoping he would do as I asked. Fortunately, after my count, I heard a faint voice below me.
"Thundara!" I could feel my armor crackle with energy as the lightning built, and knew I had to time this perfectly. I angled my spear so the crystal shaft would sink into the sand, and threw it down towards the center of the cactrots just as the lightning shot down from the sky, adjusting the angle of my fall to carry me away from it. The bolt of power struck the metal head of my lance, following it down, but unable to continue past the lunarian crystal of the shaft. I landed just after the lance did, and quickly threw my shield between me and the cactrots, knowing I'd need it if my plan worked.
The smell of ozone filled the air as the lightning discharged into one of the cactrots.
And then all holy hell broke loose.
Needles filled the air, lodging in the chinks of my armor as the first cactrot fired at my spear, most of the needles striking another of the herd, who fired back. The chain reaction that followed didn't end until the entire herd was studded with the spines of their brethren, and Rubicant and I bore striking resemblances to metal porcupines on the sides that had been facing them. Rubicant eventually moved his shield and looked out from under it.
"Kain?"
"Yes?" I tried to stay calm as I removed the spines from my armor and set to seeing if the cactrots had water in them the same way regular cacti did - pleased to see that they did, and I could collect plenty from the remains.
"If you ever do that again, I will be forced to hurt you."
"Duly noted.."
~~~===~~~
"What's are *they* doing out here?" A dark-robed figure watched as Kain and Rubicant collected what water they could from the ruined cactrots, and returned to help Callista with her injuries.
"Calm yourself, sister," another figure replied, rising from the sand of the dunes and shaking it off of himself slightly, revealing his light leather armor - and the feline body it protected, both nearly the same color as the sand that had covered them. A slight shifting of the other's dark robes betrayed a lashing tail beneath the midnight-blue fabric, worn more to camouflage her at night than for the hot desert sun.
"I don't like it," she growled. "The red-armored one *reeks* of the Taint, and the other wears armor like that bastard Dragonheart's. Haven't been any *real* Dragon Knights in years - must be one of the Dark Knights on a patrol - they're looking for the Cellar!"
"You heard the names - none loyal to the tyrants have born those names since Dragonheart conquered our realm!"
"Doesn't mean a thing."
"Look, just watch for now - the desert'll probably take care of them before it becomes an issue. If they find us, then you can try taking them down. But *not* until then. That's an order."
"Yes, your holiness," she shot back with a slight sneer. The male rolled his eyes and shook his head, returning to where he was watching the trio set up a camp. He slowly seemed to sink back down into the sand, until only his ears, eyes, and nose were exposed.
/You know, sis,/ he thought to himself, /if you weren't so damned insistent about staying above ground like that, maybe you wouldn't be so grouchy every time I talk to you../
~~~===~~~
Dragonheart winced as one of the castle medics carefully set his broken arm, but made no sound of pain or disapproval except when one of the nurses asked if he wanted some tea to ease the pain. When he had the chance to focus, and was sure that the bone wouldn't fuse improperly, he brought one of his stolen spells to mind.
"Cure," he said calmly, letting the sparkling motes form around his arm and a handful of other cuts, sealing them and healing the smallest of his wounds. The ribs would take a bit longer before he could fix them properly, unless he wanted to risk something going wrong. If he knew a bit more about white magic it would be better, but for now he simply had the spells.
He'd have to fix that the next time he had Queen Rosa or one of her colleagues to learn from.
He had just taken off the sling, flexing his arm to test the healing, when there was a knock at the door.
"Enter," he said carelessly, expecting one of the servants to come in. He was hoping it was one of them, really - he needed somebody to vent some frustrations on.
"How are you doing, Ryan," came a smooth, silky voice from the door. Dragonheart set a new speed record shifting to a kneeling position next to his seat.
"Mother - I hadn't been expecting you to come here this soon."
"And why not," she smiled, reaching down and raising his face to look at her. "After all - I have to give you those pieces of dark matter, and your new orders. Not ones that I want my husband to hear."
"New orders, Mother?"
"That's right, Ryan," she said, sitting down. "Make yourself comfortable." He stood up and sat down on the edge of the bed, stretching his wounded arm slightly as he did so. "What is your assessment, as a military officer, of his Lordship's performance today? I expect your honest opinion," she warned him.
"Pathetic," Dragonheart admitted. "As much as it pains me to say so, there is no excuse for cowering and barely lifting your sword in such circumstances. Not even against the spirits of the dead."
"I agree whole-heartedly," she nodded, not bothering to clarify the point that those spirits were of his old friends - the friends he had killed, years ago. "I had been hoping that he would hold out for a bit longer, but it seems to have been a very good thing that I brought you along today."
"Thank you, Mother."
"As the logical result of these developments," she continued, "when you next return from the Blue Planet, I plan on having you take his Lordship's place as my defender."
"A-are you serious?" The mix of hope and obvious pleasure in Dragonheart's voice was obvious, and it earned a musical laugh from his mother.
"Indeed I am, Ryan. His Lordship is sufficiently unstable that he will need to be dealt with soon, I'm afraid. However, this will mean some changes in your plans to take over the Blue Planet."
"Changes?"
"Yes. I will need Scarmiglione here, in order to complete some plans of mine that have been on hold, waiting for another Death Magus."
"I see. I don't believe that will change my plans too much. Will you require Caignazzo's assistance as well?" The Lady of Darkness smiled slightly.
"I don't believe so, but I doubt he will be of much use to you when you return to the Blue Planet."
"What do you mean?"
"Scarmiglione is going to go have a talk with his brother - I suspect that Caignazzo will be staying here after it's done."
"I see," Dragonheart frowned slightly. "No matter - with the dark matter, and no fool fiends to interfere, I can handle the forces they have there easily enough. Particularly with their greatest warrior badly injured," he smirked. "That paladin went down easier than my father did."
"Well, I can't say I'm surprised. For all his faults, your father was quite skilled. But you're better - always have been, and always will be," she smiled, standing and leaning forward to give him a quick kiss on the forehead. "Now, once Scarmiglione returns from your ship, you'd best get back to the Blue Planet - there's much for you to do, and not as much time for you to do it as I'm sure you'd prefer."
"As you wish, Mother," he said with a polite bow. "I'll work on re- supplying the ship in the meantime."
"Very good. Good luck, Ryan. As if you needed it," she smiled, turning to walk out of the room, leaving her son to prepare for her next attack..
~~~===~~~
"Caignazzo?" Scarmiglione was working his way through the massive ship that Dragonheart commanded, having once again assumed his largest form.
"Yes, Brother?" The hulking turtle scuttled towards his weaker brother, who had just spent so much time in the black void near the ship. "You seem to have had a pleasant evening," he chuckled, recognizing something that he hadn't noticed in many years.
"And if I have, it's none of your business," Scarmiglione smirked. "We have much to discuss, Brother - fate is converging again, and those who are in position to benefit from it could gain control of the universe as it is known."
"You mean become powers in our own right?" Caignazzo was intrigued, as Scarmiglione had known he would be.
"That would be putting it mildly. Come - I'll talk as we work." The two of them started towards the engine room, and Scarmiglione started to explain.
"You are, of course, familiar with basic Apotheosis theory?"
"I'm a *Fiend,* Scarmiglione," Caignazzo said, rolling his black eyes. "I live because of it. Enough power, concentrated in one place, results in reality concentrating on that power, creating a being tied to the forces dominant there, or tying somebody who already exists to said forces. I believe that in our cases, Master Zemus used fragments of Dark Matter in places of great elemental force."
"Yes, though he made a mistake with Rubicant," Scarmiglione nodded. "Then I'm sure you can understand what would happen if we were to draw on the mystical energy that serves as the source of Dragonheart's might?"
"I see.. Enhance our powers further on our own, to the limit of said power?"
"And further - once we had mastered that force, we could extinguish the life force of entire planets to increase our might, until we could threaten even the greatest of beings - Bahamut, Asura - all would cower before us, because they don't have the guts to use our techniques."
"But I thought it was impossible to draw that much power at once? Remember what happened when Master Zemus attempted it? He was almost destroyed."
"But, while he proved unsuccessful, surely you remember the power of his Zeromus form? And I have found the flaw in his technique."
"Go on."
"Master Zemus' first apotheosis rituals were conducted drawing upon his own hate to strengthen himself. Hatred, while potent, has one serious flaw - given time, it will turn back in upon itself, resulting in self- destruction. Zeromus' power could have destroyed the world he lived in - but it would have destroyed him in the process, unable to sustain life without habitable surroundings."
"And how does this help us? Water and earth are hardly the sort of abilities that channel energy well, or sustain life except in specific environments."
"Don't you see, Caignazzo," Scarmiglione chuckled. "A true force must be chosen. Not an elemental reality, not a tempestuous emotion - but something that transcends all things. Death, for example." The Fiend of Water snorted.
"That doesn't do us any good. We've already undergone our first apotheosis rites in our birthing process - we can't change what we embody!"
"You're right," Scarmiglione smiled. "We can't. Tell me, Brother - you were birthed in a hurricane, correct?"
"Yes.." Caignazzo did *not* like the tone he was picking up in his brother's voice - too much like the one Valvalis used to use, when she was toying with Rubicant or Kain.
"I, on the other hand, was birthed on an ancient burial mound. Years of effort into shaping the earth - and centuries of power from the spirits that had lingered there, bound to their mortal remains after death. I am *not* the Fiend of Earth," Scarmiglione smirked. "I just took on that form because it was most convenient at the time."
"What are you babbling about," Caignazzo snapped, his curiosity - and mounting concern - getting the better of him.
"I have the power necessary to begin a Dark Apotheosis, all I need is someone to help me perform the rite - and an end to the Fiend of Earth. That, in turn, requires the ties to my old form be severed. Master Zemus is dead, Rubicant is no longer a true Fiend - and Valvalis' death throes reverberated across the cosmos, I know you felt them as clearly as I did. Do you know what that means, Caignazzo," Scarmiglione smiled.
"Brother - you need me to help you perform the rite! Dragonheart doesn't have a clue how to go about it, and the High Lord and Lady of Darkness would not want your rivalry - you need me!"
"The day I need that bastard Dark Knight is the day I'll throw myself into a bonfire," Scarmiglione snapped. "And why would The Lady of Darkness fear my rivalry, when I am the one who showed her the path to her power now?"
"What? You can't be - he was defeated millennia ago by the Paladins!"
"Why do you think I needed a new mortal shell, 'brother,'" the Fiend of Earth chuckled. "Now that I have a body with the power enough to wield my true Arts, and have returned to the world I first commanded, I can call upon magic that no mortal, and few immortals, are capable of understanding. And you are all that's truly left in my way. Or, more accurately - was left." Caignazzo withdrew into his shell reflexively as his 'brother' began chanting words in a language old enough that not even the lunarians knew of its origins - an ancient tongue that dated back to the primal shadow cast by the first light of good in the universe. The scent of ozone tinged the air, as Caignazzo prayed that his enhanced powers would prove greater than the force that Scarmiglione seemed to be pulling from some completely unknown source.
His prayers went unanswered, though whether because they were ignored, or because they weren't heard over the unholy tones emanating from Scarmiglione, will never be known. Thunder echoed through the corridors of the ship, and dozens of bolts of lightning converged on the hapless Fiend, each carrying enough power to cause him untold agony. Together, his passing was mercifully brief, leaving the charred remains of his shell as the only sign of his existence. Scarmiglione smirked, turned, and started back down the corridors off the ship, returning to his more human form as he went - now the last of the Blue Planet's Fiends..
~~~===~~~
"We've watched them get closer to the Cellar for the past six hours - they'll be on us in the morning!" The dark-robed feline growled in frustration, seriously considering ignoring her brother's orders and going to stop the three warriors.
"And what if they're new recruits," the sandy-furred feline asked, rising out of another dune again.
"The one in the red armor is no rebel," she growled. "To hell with this - if they're new recruits, we'll call this the test to see if they can hold their own in a fight." With that, she lunged over the hill, pulling a long, curved blade out of her robes as she approached, and her brother sighed.
"I knew I should have left her back at the Cellar.."
~~~===~~~
We had spent most of the day resting, after taking down the cactrots. Besides needing to wait for Callista's injuries to heal properly, it was too hot to go on much further if there was any choice. When the sun had finally set, we were on the move again, and on the lookout for anything that might not be friendly - I still had unpleasant memories of the sandmen from back home, among other creatures, and the last thing we wanted to do was deal with more of those cactrots.
Given that we were taking care not to be ambushed, I think my reaction to the battle cry that interrupted our travels was natural.
"What the hell?" I turned to see a black-robed figure charging towards us, brandishing a scimitar.
"Dark Sword," it shouted. I knew what that meant - and the red orb forming above me proved it. I dove to the side as a ghostly blade plunged into the ground where I had been standing.
"A Dark Knight," I shouted as a warning to Rubicant and Callista. The two of them drew their swords and spread out, to keep our attacker's Dark Wave from doing too much damage.
"Damn," Callista snarled, "how'd they find us?" Not waiting for an answer, she dove forward, lunging towards the robed figure with her two blades arcing through the night. The Dark Knight leaped back, just out of reach, with an unusual amount of skill. But the distraction was enough to let Rubicant get a shot off.
"Hellcry Punch," he shouted, pointing his blade at our attacker. A green blade shot up from the ground, shattering the scimitar and drawing a feral snarl from its victim. I leaped into the air, a shallow jump meant more to cover ground than to serve as an attack. I threw my spear off to the side as I hurtled towards the mysterious Dark Knight, grabbing hold and bringing us both crashing to the ground, knocking the wind out of - her?
"Who are you," I demanded, positioning myself to let the weight of my armor pin the feline woman to the ground. Suddenly, I heard a crack in the distance, and turned just in time to see a barrage of ice needles flying towards me. I threw my shield up between the deadly shards and myself, letting them be embedded in the ancient scales that had protected me from the cactrots earlier. Fortunately, it was more effective this time. I looked towards our second attacker, seeing a lean feline, almost identical to the one I was sitting on, holding something that looked like a small version of the cannons from the airships.
"Stand down," he shouted, directing the barrel of his weapon towards Rubicant this time. I wasn't sure who would be able to attack first, and something told me that these two weren't against us - or wouldn't be, once things were explained. After all - Lady Reis had said we would encounter rebels.
"Hold your arms," I shouted to Rubicant and Callista, waiting until their reluctance to sheathe their blades was overcome by the simple fact that I wouldn't have made such an order if I didn't think we could afford to. Fortunately, they were still good soldiers, whatever else they were.
"I think there's been a misunderstanding," I explained, warily climbing off the young woman beneath me. "You're part of the resistance, aren't you?"
"What resistance," she asked as she stood. I could tell it was a reflexive answer, though, rather than true ignorance. That explained it - they thought we were with Dragonheart.
"Look," I answered, taking off my helmet, "we're -" I didn't get the chance to finish, though, because the young feline was on her knees as soon as she saw my face.
"Forgive me, Lord Highwind - I didn't recognize you in the armor of a Dragon Knight!"
"You.know me?" Rubicant and Callista walked up next to me, Rubicant stopping to pick up my spear as he did so. I glanced over at the other warrior, seeing an expression of shock similar to the kneeling dark knight's. It was then that it occurred to me what they reminded me of - their faces were like caracals, desert cats that I had occasionally seen near Kaipo.
"I joined the resistance after your disappearance, Lord Highwind, but we are all still raised on the stories of your successes against the Lord and Lady. What happened - why didn't you return, and prove they were lying about your death?" This was all starting to make a strange sort of sense. And it explained why Reis would really choose me, if I was right.
"I'm not the person you think I am," I admitted, earning a concerned look from both felines as the male approached. "But I suspect we're working towards a common goal. Do you have some base that you could take us to?" The two exchanged glances, and I could tell that they were debating whether they should trust me, based on my words and my resemblance to their hero - or treat me like anybody else.
"You may come, but the other two will have to wait until our Commander agrees," the male said after a few moments.
"Agreed," I nodded. Rubicant and Callista both looked at me, concerned, but I shook my head quietly, taking my spear back. "Lead the way, then."
"As you wish," he nodded. "My sister will remain here to keep an eye on your companions, and ensure that they don't follow us," he explained, pulling a short blade out of his boot and handing it to her. Not much, but enough to allow her to use her abilities. I just hoped that they didn't get into a fight over something - that would not do us any good. The caracal turned and started off over the dunes before I had too much time to think about it, and I followed after him, knowing that it was the only way to accomplish our mission..
~~~===~~~
End Legacy of Kain Chapter 16: Inspiration, Intrigue, and New Alliances
~~~===~~~