Chapter Fourteen: Sealing Away





I materialized right where I had meant to - the secret platform at the base of the Town.

For a second I stood, letting my surroundings solidify around me; I took a step, and was rewarded by a rush of dizziness. My vision blurred and blacked. The transport spell was a killer. I staggered over to the nearest wall, clinging to it for support, until my sight cleared. The small platform around me was deserted, and the only sound I could hear other than the soft tap of my boots was the slight moaning of the Underworld itself.

I gathered myself; there was a sharp pain behind my forehead, but I told it to go away. Heading up the stairs, I couldn't help but notice that the town was surprisingly empty. Where had everyone gone?

I burst into the library, fueled by alarm and fear. I tripped down the stairs, and finally gathered my stupid skirts up to my knees; I had never really missed that tight warrior's garb until right now. I plunged down the last staircase and threw the door open, declaring wildly:

"Why didn't you tell me??"

The room was empty.

I clapped my hands over my mouth, acutely embarrassed, though there was no one to see. Where had they gone? The side door caught my attention as if yelling. I yanked it open and took off down the long hall that would lead me to the Castle Andirion.

But the voyage was extremely hard. The hall was much longer than I had been expecting, and I was not wearing clothes for distance running. Besides, the air was thick, heavy, like some sort of barrier. I was breathing hard when I got there; and I was in fairly good shape.

I vaulted through the passage at the end of the hall and stood in the castle, trying to catch my breath. I realized suddenly that I had been running for the past three or four days - everything had been so fast. I wanted to relax, to curl up somewhere and sleep for a week, knowing that the world was safe from going to hell while I slept. But I was much too high-strung.

I made myself keep a normal pace as I walked through the castle towards the throne room. The castle itself looked different, more shadowy, vague even. But I wasn't looking around the castle much. My eyes were locked on the door at the end of the hall. I was hoping that Asura and Leviathan would be there. I was hoping they were the solution to all my problems.

I opened the door marginally slower and waited to see if they were there before I burst out - they were. Sitting in their thrones, a pack of Marmel and DarkTree before them, discussing something.

"What's going on?"

My outburst shocked everyone. I saw anger flare in Leviathan's eyes for a moment as he considered the intruder; when he recognized me, however, he smiled and the will to fight died down.

"Rydia," he said, "what are you -"

"Why didn't you tell me?" I was furious. "You're all going somewhere - going away. What the hell is going on?"

Asura winced at my words. "Rydia, we thought it best not to worry you about..."

"Not to worry?" I laughed, but it was not a happy sound. "I have been so worried ever since I figured it out! You wouldn't say anything when I came here with Cecil - I had to find out from the Callers in Mist! What is wrong..." My voice suddenly choked in my throat and I felt all the anger going out of me. I sank to my knees on the red carpet, my eyes suddenly full of exhausted tears. "What is wrong with my Land?"

The Marmel and DarkTree made a hasty retreat out the side door.

Asura took a deep breath. "Rydia," she began, "we are leaving."

What? For a second, I couldn't breathe.

She came out of her throne and knelt before me, taking my hands in hers. "Rydia, my darling, you know a lot about our Land - but there are things that we do not even know how to explain. The Land is ..changing. The Land of Summons is like a portal, to other dimensions, other worlds. That is why the magic is so thick in the air; that is why the time flows so differently. But lately, things have been changing. It has ...it has been years, child, since you left. Many years. And even for monsters that is enough time for things to be different."

I couldn't take it all in. "Where - where are all the monsters?"

Leviathan cleared his throat and said gruffly, "The Land is slowly moving out of this world. Many of the beasts feel that it is to their benefit to escape this world. The monsters have decided that the link between man and beast is tenuous at best. Humans will never accept us, Rydia. And the monsters want to leave - to seal themselves far away, so far that mankind will no longer be bothered by our presence."

It sounded too much like what the people in Mist had said. It sounded too much like what FuSoYa had told us of the Lunarians.

It sounded wrong.

But before I could argue, a horrible thought burst into my head; I said blindly, "But - but you're not ...going, are you?"

Their silence gave me my answer.

Asura gripped my hands tightly. "We have to, Rydia. We are the King and Queen. We keep the monsters from Madness, darling. If they ask us, we cannot refuse."

"No," I whimpered, and sank to the ground. No. "I cannot - I cannot lose my home," I said, almost frantically.

"Rydia," Asura said. "This is not your home."

I looked up at her, wide-eyed.

"Yes, you grew up here. Yes, we took you in - and we love you like family. But you ...you belong in the Overworld, with your friends..."

"But you are my friends and family too!" I wailed. Choked. Swallowed tears. "You cannot take this away from me! I won't let you outcast me! I'll come, I'll go too ..."

"The times are changing, darling. Literally." Leviathan got off of his chair to stoop before me as well. I resented that they were treating me like a small child, but I guess I was behaving like one. I felt like I had just had the world pulled out from underneath me.

"You are welcome to come with us, Rydia," he began, but I knew his heart wasn't in it. "I have to warn you that this isn't a trip. This is forever. And if you ever decide to come back, it won't be easy; you'll be old, plenty old, while your friends won't have aged a bit ...you'll miss so much, and you already missed so much. We are not refusing you, daughter - we just want what's best for you."

I decided to change the subject. "Why are the monsters going?"

Asura sighed. "They felt - there was a great rift in the magical world. Things were changing, and the release of Meteo into our atmosphere did nothing to help." Meteo. Again. "And many of the monsters saw how the world treated them with mistrust and fear. And they decided to take advantage of the changes and use them to slip away into our own world."

"Your ...your own ...?"

Leviathan smiled gently at me as if I were a child. "Yes," he said. "We have a world of our own. It is called Espera. We retreat there when times are bad, and return to this world when things have changed. Many of them feel that it is time to leave once again, and wait for mankind to come around."

"Don't you see?" I sniffled. "That never works. That's what the Lunarians did, and all we got was Zeromus and lots of pain! Separation is never the key to peace. We must all work together!"

Asura reached out and held me close. "Oh, Rydia, dear, dear," she said, "I know how you feel. But for us it is just another age. And Levia and I, we cannot fight the Monsters, you know how it is..." She was rocking me gently.

I looked down at my hands. They were small, and rather dirty. But they were human hands. I wondered suddenly if the other monsters cared if I stayed or not. And I wondered if I would lose all my Summons after everyone passed through the mists and became Espers.

"What would you have me do?" I whispered.

There was a moment of silence, and suddenly I felt fear pressing on my heart, for it was obvious that there was an answer, a clear-cut answer, and it was just as obvious that I wouldn't like it. I wrenched myself from Asura's arms and saw pain in her eyes. "What," I asked, alarmed. "What do you want me to do?"

Rydia. Leviathan's voice was grave in my mind. We want to ask you to cast the spell that seals us away.

No.

No!

I stumbled back, blinded, unable to see anything except my fear. No! You can't ask me to do that!

You are the only one left who can do it properly, he replied. You and Asura can cast it from both sides and make the spell invincible.

I should have been thrilled. I should have been honored. I should have been anything but absolutely horrified. And horror was the only emotion I was coming up with right now. Horror - and anger.

"No!" I screamed. "I'm not going to be the one who seals you away! I - I can't!"

Yes, you can. You have Meteo. You control Bahamut.

"Dammit!" My vision was hazy and red, and somehow I knew that I was practically glowing with anger now. "Damn that spell! All it's done - since I learned that - everything that's been in my life has been fire and pain. All I'm doing is hurting people - the people I care about - because I suddenly have all this power that everyone else wants to use!" I clenched my fists and glared red. "You never told me my studies would lead to this - to a place where I would no longer have peace! I won't do it!"

Rydia -

"I don't want this anymore," I yelled to the ceiling. "You can have your magic back -"

I stopped.

That's it.

I gave Asura and Leviathan a long look. "Don't you dare leave without me, or I shall summon you back," I said threateningly, and then wrapped my arms around myself, summoning forth a fully-powered transport spell once again. The world around me faded to black, and I was spinning through the darkness. I felt my mind link into something familiar; I clasped it in the darkness.

I followed the Serpent Road into Mysidia.





The path up Mount Ordeals was thick with monsters, evil eerie undead creatures that flocked to the Light at the peak, knowing they could never fully destroy it but drawn to it nonetheless ...my thoughts were no longer making sense. I trudged up the mountain ruthlessly, blasting anyone who came near me with flame. I knew I was going to lose my strength soon - two transport spells and an endless barrage of fire was a horrible drain - but my determination gave me additional strength I had never had before. I was fierce and savage, powered by a frantic sense of urgency, one that had been with me for days.

Finally I reached a narrow bridge; beyond it I saw a small villa of gleaming stone. The Temple. I gazed down, catching my breath as I looked at the lands below. I was there - finally. I was exhausted, I realized. I had spent most of my recent life with fire in my blood and anger in my heart, screaming and yelling at the people I loved the most, defending myself violently and passionately when what I wanted most were peace and understanding. I was bone-weary. All I wanted to do was rest. I was hoping the Temple could help me. I wanted it all to stop; I didn't want to fight anymore.

But it was a horrible moment to have that revelation, for when I looked up, I saw a man standing on the bridge, blocking my way.

He wore dark blue trousers and a gray tunic trimmed in gold and hunter green; It was simple enough, but I could tell from his stance that he was a fighter. He had surprisingly long blond hair that was whipping in the wind around his face. His eyes were brilliantly blue - but I knew I had never seen his face before.

"I'm surprised to see you here, Rydia of Mist."

I barely stood my ground, holding onto the rope railing of the bridge as if I might fall off otherwise; the exhaustion was physical, as if something was riding me, straddling my back. "How do you...?" I asked wearily. "Are you an Oracle?"

He laughed, low. "Not at all. I would make a poor Oracle." He tucked some golden hair behind his ear and asked gently, "So you have forgotten me, then?"

I racked my tired brains. Mysidia. He was much too young to be the Elder, and much too old to be Palom, even in disguise...

But then the flax-haired man sighed and said, "Perhaps you would better know me - holding a spear."

And for the first time I looked past his shoulder, where a pile of very familiar armor and a very familiar spear rested against the crystalline building. I had fought for that spear.

"Kain?"

He smiled, but it was not very happy. "Lady Rydia. I am no Oracle, but I do know why you're here."

"I do not think you do," I said softly. "May I at least cross the bridge?"

"Certainly." He moved and motioned me across; as I stumbled, he caught my arm, and seated me on the ground behind an outcropping of rock that blocked the wind. He sat down, across from me, crosslegged.

"You are here for one of two reasons - nay, maybe both," he began. "If you are here from Cecil and Rosa, if you are sent to bring me back, I refuse, and you will have to fight me for it - and I daresay that right now it looks as if I would win." The cold ground was not helping; the exhaustion was slowly spreading. He grinned at me lightly to forgive the joke; but I couldn't even smile.

"The second possiblity," he said, the smile still cold, "is that you have come to find me out of your own will, wishing to spill words between us that should have been spilled months ago - years, in your time." A grim look came across his face. "I know that I've done you much wrong, Rydia," he said cautiously. "I cannot yet forgive myself of it."

He turned to me, a hard light in his eyes. "If you have come to declare that I am your enemy and that you wish to have it out, I will gladly meet you ...what?"

I was laughing, softly, wearily. "Kain, I did not come here to find you at all," I said.

His eyes registered surprise.

"Kain, I am tired. Tired beyond belief. Even if I wanted to seek you out, to hunt you down - I couldn't. Whatever has passed between us is past. You're forgiven. I don't need to relive everything."

"You can't ..." The look on his face was pained. "You can't mean it. I mean, your town ...your mother... and betrayal...? If I cannot forgive myself for my weaknesses, how can you?"

I sighed. "Kain," I said gently, "had I wanted revenge I would have taken it long ago. I have not yet fried you and Cecil in your sleep. Take it as a sign that any grudges I have are long spent."

He bowed his head, confused. "And here I was expecting a fierce fight, or perhaps to have a massive spell summoned on my head," he said, almost too quietly for me to hear.

I laughed. "Are you that disappointed?" His face jerked up to meet mine. I noticed passively that it was odd to finally see Kain's face; he did not at all look like the man I had expected. He was upset, and I wanted to comfort him, weary as I was. "Kain, if I can give you release, take it, please. I don't know what I can do that the Light of Ordeals cannot. But if it will help you to hear it from my lips: there is no more wrong. Put aside the things of the past. I do not hate you."

He sighed, taking my words in, letting them soak through his troubled mind. Finally he looked at me and asked: "What did you come to do, then?"

I laced my fingers together in my lap. "I have come to pray to the Light. I'm tired, Kain, tired of carrying a burden I no longer need. I want to seal away the powers of Meteo, but I don't know how."

"Seal away ...? Can you do that?"

"I don't know," I admitted. "But this spell is a curse - an obligation that I no longer want. Everyone on this planet is either afraid of me, or trying to use me, or both. The Elder of Mysidia hinted at it once; I assume he knows more than me. So I came here."

Kain's face twisted. "Rydia, the Light ...the Light is not what you think. It can help you, but it is ...it is so bright that it hurts the eyes, hurts the soul. It will not simply do what you ask; it shows you ...horrible things. When Cecil came here, he had to fight himself. I do not know what price it will demand of you if you ask it this."

What was your trial? I knew I could not ask.

"Be that as it may," I said wearily, "I still have to ask."

He nodded at me. He said nothing else; he did not thank me, nor warn me, nor try to stop my going.

I entered the Temple.

It was much smaller than I had expected. The walls were lined in mirrors, and the floor shone with polishing. There was a small altar-table upon a simple pristine carpet. I walked up to it, bemused, and knelt on the white carpet, making little noise. For while I simply stared at my reflection in the mirror, unsure of what else to do. A girl looked back at me, green hair tossed around from the mountaintop winds, green-blue eyes full of a youth her body did not reflect. Her face was gaunt and weary, but her stance was proud. Did I really look like that?

"Um," I said softly, not wanting to disturb the silence, but provoked into speech nonetheless. "I'm really not sure what to do now that I'm here," I said. "I do not know how to pray. And I am unsure of the correct way to address a wall. And therefore, it makes the situation quite awkward, for I am totally without a guide as to how one prays to a wall of mirrors."

"But," I continued, "I know there is a power here; I have felt it, once before, in the Tower of Mysidia. I can feel it. I see it in Cecil's eyes. I've come to you to ask for help and guidance."

There was still no response. The green-haired girl in the mirror had bowed her head, looking contemplatively at the glass altar-table before her.

"I learnt the spell of Meteo and used it well." My voice felt very small in the room, tiny as it was with its glass walls. "But the magic has made me ill - and worse. My blood is full of its fire; I can't stop yelling and screaming, rushing from place to place, forgetting about the people I love, about simple things like consideration and kindness. And people in this world can't look past it, as if the mere fact that I know the spell means I am threatening to use it, waving my magical fingers in their respective faces. And that's not all." I took a deep breath and whispered, "I have felt the other Forbidden Magics tickling the back of my mind when I am angry. And of everything I want in this world - I do not want to release them as well."

I had closed my eyes, so I did not see as the Light descended. But suddenly I heard a voice: soft yet strong, kind yet fierce, utterly powerful.

I have been watching you for a long time, Rydia of Mist.

My eyes flew open. My reflection was now covered with simmering light. There was no body, no form; just a sphere of gently, brilliantly glowing whiteness. I had to bow my head again.

I released the spell when my son came into the Temple. It was the greatest desire of Tellah the Sage, his quickest tool of retribution. He and I both knew it would cost his life. I planned to keep the spell out of the world, then, for you had passed from my Sight, deep into the Underground, safe from Zemus's scheming.

I shot a glance at the Light, but did not have the wherewithal to ask the question.

But then you emerged, and I saw that you were suited to hold the spell; nay, destined. I had to wait, for the spell may have killed you had I sent it earlier. But you were able to lock onto it in your moment of anger, and summon it forth.

"I..." I took a shallow breath, choosing my words carefully. "The Elder spoke once of sealing away its powers. I do not want it any more, and I do not want anyone else of this world to achieve it. Is this possible?"

There was a pause. Yes.

But.

And suddenly all the mirrors around me were swept black, devoid of any light. Images began to scroll across them, reflected from some horrible dream. Towns and cities, crumbling beneath massive windstorms and tornadoes - I recognized that spell. Sparks of magic that closed in around people's bodies, freezing them in their steps - and then shattering their bodies to pieces when the crystals broke. I recognized that one from the whispers inside my head. Fire, raining from the skies upon castles, tearing them into nothing.

I looked straight ahead of myself then - and gasped. Before me stood a woman, tall and forbidding. She wore a long green dress and a creamy cloak over it. Her long sleeves sparked with magic as she raised her arms. Her thin green hair whipped across her face, caught in an evil smile. She was the source of all this magic - all this devastation.

Her face was mine, twisted into an evil leer as she prepared to bring the wrath of the Forbidden spells down upon the weak people of the Earth.

What ...what is this? My hands were covering my mouth. I was terrified, afraid of my own image in the horrible mirrors.

This is what you could become, said the voice. All this power.

Are you tempting me? Tears were running down my face. Believe me, this is no temptation. This is the most fearsome sight I have ever seen. I buried my face in my hands, weeping. I came to you. Is that not enough?

No. You must see. You must see both sides. There is Light and Dark in everyone. It is how you choose to wield it that matters.

I would not look up, but now there were sounds; screams of pain, the sounds of magic. A woman's evil laughter.

You can never fully give up your powers, Rydia. They are a part of you. You must learn to bear them with pride and judgement, to wield them as threats when necessary and to let them peacefully exist when it is not. Shame and fear lead to anger. You must trust yourself more.

I buried my face into my arms, wrapping them about my entire head, trying to drown out the horrid scene. Can I never get rid of this?

I will seal away the spell of Meteo if you ask.

There was silence.

I thought you just said ... I dared to open my eyes. The room was empty - no dark visions, so fearsome sorceress. No light. Only a small girl with green hair, staring into her own face with a petrified expression.

The spell of Meteo is a fearsome power, yes. But its power comes from inside you. Sealing away the spell does not limit the amount of potential in those veins of yours, daughter. You have to learn to live with that.

Please, I said, begging. I want release.

Very well. Come to the mirror.

I stood up, still shaking, and walked to the mirror before me. My reflection looked back at me dubiously.

Place your hands on the mirror's surface.

I reached out, reflection touching reflection - and felt not cool glass, but the warmth of a human hand. Shocked, I looked up into the other girl's face; her expression matched mine. But her hand was still real ...

Now cast the spell with all your might.

I blinked. Cast ...Meteo?

It will take a great amount of strength to seal this spell away. The power must be drawn from the spell itself. This is the way it is done. You must call forth the spell with all your might. I will guide it.

I took a deep breath, telling myself to trust - to trust the voice of Light, to trust in my own powers. And I cast Meteo.

It had been raging in my blood, waiting for an excuse to emerge; and as soon as I opened the door, began speaking the words, it escaped; but it broke out through my skin, out of my veins, pouring from my throat out my open mouth. I could not stop; I continued to recite the words, through the pain and the fire and the light ...once I saw a glimpse of the girl in the mirror. She was unharmed, her face free of flame, her body unscathed, and she was reciting the words with me. I felt her clench my hands, giving me strength.

And then I felt something draw the power of the spell away. With it went my consciousness. I fell on the floor, escaping into a most welcome, painless darkness.



~~*~~



The fire had stopped.

Kain had stayed in his seat right outside the Temple for hours, ever since Rydia had entered. He had been pondering her words in his mind when the flames began. The door into the Temple was closed, but he could see the fire through the cracks, feel the heat through the walls. He was worried. The girl was powerful, but she was still young, and the Temple had been less than a comfort to him.

But now the fire had stopped.

Kain slowly opened the door. The walls of the Temple reflected his concerned face back at him. On the floor beside the farthest wall lay Rydia's body. She was curled in a ball, one arm tucked under her head, the other sprawled across the floor. Her green hair fell across her face. Her hands and arms looked as if they had been scorched; in fact, her whole body must have been caught in the fire. Kain bent beside her, gently rolling her over.

She was still breathing. Good. Somehow Kain knew that if she had died, he would have been responsible. As he was responsible for so much already. But she looked to be in pain. And he was no healer.

There was only one choice, and it was made relatively easily. Kain owed it to this young girl - he owed her so much. Bringing her to safety could start to alleviate his guilt. There was only one person he knew that could help her recover - and that was Rosa.

He picked her up carefully in his arms and began the long trek back to Baron.