CHAPTER 12
FEUERHEIT VOLCANO
After about another thirty minutes of flying, the Cassiopeia landed just outside Fello City. Fello City was built in the style of the ancient Romans, but it was the most technologically-advanced city in Zeratul. A good side to this was that there was no Ivalice flag flying over it.
"It looks like Delita hasn't arrived yet," Orlandu said as the entire party got out of the airship and walked into town.
"Yeah, this place looks totally clean," Cloud responded.
They walked past a large aqueduct and suddenly two Ivalice soldiers appeared.
"Whaaa!" Alma cried.
"I guess we spoke too soon," Celes said as she pulled out Illumina.
"Hold on," Ramza said. "They're unarmed. We shouldn't attack them if they can't defend themselves."
"Ramza's right," Seifer chuckled. "Where's the fun in that?"
"Nutbag," Amarant grumbled.
"Why don't we talk to them?" Ovelia asked. Without waiting for a reply, she walked up to the two soldiers.
"Ovelia, wait!" Ayla called out. "Maybe they dangerous even without weapons!"
"No," Ramza said. "They're Knights, not Monks. I think she'll be safe talking with them..."
"Excuse me, sirs," Ovelia said. The two soldiers looked at her and raised their eyebrows in confusion. After a second's hesitation, they both fell to one knee before her.
"Queen Ovelia!" the first soldier exclaimed. "You are alive! The rumors were true!"
"It is an honor to see you alive and well, your Majesty!" the second soldier said. "We, Lieutenant Biggs and Private Wedge, are at your service!"
"What's happening here?" Ovelia asked as she motioned for the troopers to stand up. "We passed Porta Vista on our way here and it was in ruins, but this city is untouched, yet Ivalice's forces are here as well. What happened?"
"Your Majesty," the first soldier, apparently Biggs, said. "We arrived here with Delita's fleet yesterday with one of the twelve Chrono Stone recipients. His power alone intimidated the governor of Fello into surrender, and there were no casualties.The recipient the took up residence in Feuerheit Volcano, where his powers are strongest.
"Feuerheit Volcano?" Orlandu asked. " This person must have a fire-type Zodiac Stone."
"The recipient has the Blaze Stone," Wedge said. "The Stone houses a fearsome beast that controls the recipient's actions..."
"A beast?!" Tifa asked.
"Just like the Lucavi..." Cloud growled.
"But these guys can't be Lucavi," Ramza said. "They're inside the Chrono Stones..."
"The Chrono Stones were created when Cloud left this time with the Rooster Stone," Everhart said. "They are too new to house such archaic creatures as Lucavi."
"Does the beast have a name?" Ovelia asked.
"He calls himself Magma, the Cativo of Fire," Wedge said.
"Cativo, eh?" Orlandu asked. "Well, it's a nice name for a batch of monsters."
"Lucavi, Mechannites, Cativo..." Alma said. "Oh, my!"
"If you were to defeat the Cativo, the Ivalice army wouldn't have enough influence to be a threat to Fello," Biggs said.
"Then I guess we'll go and clobber 'im!" Seifer said. "What's the human guy's name?"
"I believe King Delita referred to him as 'Ramza's little underling,'" Wedge said.
"Rad..." Ramza said quietly.
"Hold on," Biggs said. "YOU'RE Ramza Beoulve?"
"Yeah, he is," Celes said. "Wanna make something out of it?"
"No, not at all!" Wedge said. "Mister Beoulve, please stop King Delita! He's out of his mind and his new allies are just as bad!"
"New allies?" Ramza asked.
"Four people showed up one day and gave the King the powers he needed to overthrow Flite and start invading Zeratul," Biggs said. "They claim that they came from the future..."
"...I know those men," Everhart growled. "Cardinal Gideon, the mercenary Law and his henchmen Silas and Adela..."
"This keeps getting worse and worse," Ovelia said. "Enemies from the future? I guess that means that someone has a beef with Ramza's heroics..."
"We have to save Rad," Ramza said, turning to his friends. "...And I expect that Delita has forced Cativo upon everyone else, too..."
"I guess that means we'll have to fight all of our friends," Orlandu sighed. "I hoped I'd never have to do that..."
"Well, the sooner we head for that 'cano, the better," Seifer said. "We can't win anything just sittin' here on our asses."
"All right," Ramza said. "We'll head for Feuerheit."
They bid Biggs and Wedge farewell and got back into the Cassiopeia. The ship lifted off and flew east.
"Do you know where Feuerheit Volcano is, Ramza?" Alma asked.
"I think so," Ramza said. "It's where that giant cloud of smoke and brimstone is forming, isn't it?"
"...Oh, yeah," Alma muttered as she smacked herself in the face. The volcano could be seen plain as day among the many mountains to the east of Fello.
"Ovelia, Alma, Seifer, Ayla, come with me. The rest of you stay on the ship," Ramza instructed as he piloted the ship straight over the mouth of the volcano.
"All right," Celes said. "Be careful, guys."
"Come back alive!" Gau said. "Gau still not show you favorite card trick!"
"Where are we gonna land this crate?" Seifer asked.
"We'll park it above the volcano and then go in on foot," Ramza said.
"On foot?!" Ayla exclaimed. "That very dangerous, Ramza. Lava make rocks very, very hot!"
"We'll just have to manage, then," Ramza said. "OK, we're parked. Are we all ready?"
"Umm, excuse me," Ovelia said.
"What is it, Ovelia?" Ramza asked.
"I'm not quite sure if my robes and garments are the best clothes for exploring a volcano," Ovelia said. "They were OK when we were exploring Steronn, but..."
"I see," Ramza said.
"No problem!" Seifer said. "I've got a solution!"
"What that be?" Ayla asked.
Seifer pulled a strangely-designed blue outfit from his pocket. "My ex-girlfriend always wore this," he said. "It's nice and cool, so the volcano won't be as hot!"
"That's great! Thanks, Seifer," Ovelia said as she accepted the garment and disappeared into her bedroom to change.
After about five minutes, Ovelia emerged. The blue outfit was a tight fit, but it wasn't too irritating. "How do I look?" She asked as she let the others look her over.
"Cooler than in those heavy robes," Ramza said.
"You're top notch, Ovelia!" Seifer cackled.
"Thanks, Seifer, I-" Ovelia started to say. She stopped talking when she noticed that Seifer was sniffing the garment and groaning in a pleasured way. "...Uh... Seifer?" she asked.
"...Oh, sorry," Seifer said in an embarrassed way as he pulled away. "Old habit."
"Let's go!" Ayla said. "Must free Ramza friends!"
Ramza opened the exit door and lowered the metal ladder that was attached to the side of the airship. Ramza and his four friends climbed down and stepped onto the lip of the volcano.
"Just follow the spiralling pathway, and don't look down," Ramza instructed as he began to walk forward.
"Easy for you to say," Alma muttered as she held her Gold Staff out for balance as she followed her brother. Ayla ran along the rocks effortlessly on all fours. Seifer plodded after the cave girl and Ovelia brought up the rear.
"Well, I certainly feel cooler," Ovelia said as the party descended further into the volcano.
"You LOOK cooler, "Seifer remarked with a strange wink.
"Oh, brother..." Ovelia muttered.
"She's too old for you, Seifer," Alma muttered.
"BAH!" Seifer muttered as he kicked some rocks. "Never mind..."
"It getting hotter and hotter..." Ayla said as she got up onto her legs and started walking like a civilized human being. "I sweating like boar."
"Yes, I noticed," Ramza said as he waved his hand around in front of his face. "Whoo!"
"Is it just the Cativo guy down here, or are there other enemies?" Ovelia asked.
This question was answered when two red, fat, winged beasts shot out of the magma landed in front of the party, which blocked any further descent.
"Is that better, your Majesty?" Seifer muttered.
"I'm sorry already!" Ovelia cried.
"Let's clear a path..." Ramza said as he drew his Chaos Blade. He ran up to one of the lava monsters and sent the sword into its stomach. The beast roared in pain, but then swung its mighty fist and sent Ramza crashing backwards.
"They're pretty tough!" Alma remarked. "I guess we'll have to be defensive... MBarrier!!!"
Alma threw her hands into the air and a magical field surrounded Ramza. He got back up and charged at the same monster. This time he jumped upwards and struck, effectively splitting the beast straight down the middle. What was left of it melted back into lava and hardened.
"I guess they're not immortal," Seifer said as he drew his gunblade. "Let's cleave 'em up!"
"Ayla fight!" Ayla shouted as she readied her fists.
"I'll help too," Ovelia said as she raised her Gold Staff over her head and ran at the second beast.
"Ovelia, what're you doing?!" Ramza called out.
"Hyaaaahhhh!!!" Ovelia yelled as she raised her staff and whacked the beast on the head. The monster staggered backwards a few feet and wobbled around uncertainly.
"Well, I think you stunned him," Alma said. "...Nice going..."
"We'll finish it off!" Seifer said as he ran towards the lava monster. He was about to slice it down the middle when Ayla soared in from behind him and sent both her knuckles crashing through the beast's flesh. The number 9999 appeared out of nowhere and the monster vaporized.
"...Yikes!" Seifer exclaimed as he looked at Ayla, who was blowing some steam off of her hand.
"...Nice job, Ayla," Ramza said, obviously close to being speechless.
"Ayla do what Ayla can," Ayla answered. "Now, let's go help Ramza friend!"
"Yeah," Ovelia said. The party continued down into the volcano's bowels.
"I never get to finish anything off..." Seifer complained.
"You got Odin, didn't you?" Alma asked.
"Oh, yeah," Seifer said. "I forgot about that... HEY! How'd you know?!"
"I do have a life outside of this game," Alma said as she smirked at Seifer.
After another ten minutes of walking, the party found themselves on a rocky floor that was level with the magma. The sulfuric stench was unberable, as was Ayla's.
"Geez, Ayla, don't you ever use soap?!" Seifer asked angrily.
"What soap?" Ayla asked.
"There's your answer right there," Ramza chuckled. "All right, this is as far as we can go. Where's Rad?"
"I'm right here..."
"I know that voice..." Alma said.
"Of course you do," Ovelia said. "It's Rad."
Everyone turned around and looked at where the voice had come from. Rad stood and glared at the party. He wasn't sweating at all, even in the extreme temperature of the volcano's interior.
"...Rad?..." Ramza asked.
"Sorry, 'boss,'" Rad cackled. "Rad isn't home right now. If you want him, you'll have to deal with ME."
"Who are you?" Alma asked.
"I am Magma, one of the twelve Cativo," Rad said. "Before St. Ajora was defeated, he created us as a backup plan. We just needed some magical stones to live in, and your little time-traveling escapades did the trick. Now then... This is the part where I KILL YOU ALL!!!"
"Rad, stop!" Ramza started.
"He's not Rad right now, Ramza!" Alma said. "He's that Magma guy!"
"Go to the head of the class, babe," Rad chuckled. He pulled a small, spherical, red stone out of his pocket and held it up. "Say goodbye!!!" he declared.
The stone shimmered and Rad glowed a bright red. A sickening gust of wind blew through the volcano and lightning flashed. When the brightness had cleared, Rad had been replaced with a larger version of the two lava beasts the group had fought on the way down.
"Eep!" Ovelia exclaimed.
"Looks like we're gonna have to do this the HARD way," Seifer muttered as he readied his gunblade.
"Ayla fight!" Ayla declared as she got into an attacking stance.
"Sorry, Rad," Ramza said as he whipped out his Chaos Blade.
"You are no match for me!" Magma laughed. "I have the entire volcano at my command! ERUPTION!!!"
The moment Magma had spoken the word 'eruption,' the entire ground began to shake. The huge lake of lava that took up most of the area in the volcano's core started to bubble and stir. After a moment, it spewed upwards onto the rocks they were standing on.
"Woah!" Seifer exclaimed as he jumped about to dodge the hot rock.
"Hot soup!" Ayla exclaimed as she did the same thing Seifer was doing.
"We have to stop him!" Ramza called out as he leaped over the magma and slashed at Magma. The Chaos Blade hit the Cativo in the side and lava, not blood, poured anmd pooled on the floor.
"MBarrier!" Alma yelled as she surrounded the entire group with the magical force field that she always used.
"I'll start healing your wounds," Ovelia said as she knelt down and cast a Cure 2 on Seifer and Ayla's burned feet.
"What fools you are!" Magma chortled. "I can bury all of you with one stroke, and so I shall! VOLCANIC FORCE!!!"
The lava started to froth violently, and then it shot upwards, traveling up to the surface and spewing out onto the mountainsides. The lava that didn't go out came tumbling back in and fell towards the fighters.
"Woah!!!" Ovelia cried. "Ramza, watch out!"
"Get inside the barrier!" Alma shouted.
Ramza leaped inside Alma's MBarrier and the lava rained down upon the battleground. Fortunately, the magical walls deflected all the melted rock and no one was hurt.
"You can't hide in there forever!" Magma laughed. "I'll just bury you in the lava and you'll dehydrate!"
"He's right..." Ovelia said. "We can't hide."
"Then we fight!" Ayla said as she leaped out of the protection of the barrier and confronted Magma.
"Ooh, a feisty one..." Magma chortled.
"Give Ramza friend back NOW!!!" Ayla yelled. "TRIPLE KICK!!!"
Ayla leaped up into the air and threw herself at Magma. Her first kick sank deep into his molten skin. The second broke into the flesh and fresh lava began to ooze out. The final kick went right through the Cativo's stomach and out his back.
"Blrrrrgaaaaahhhhh!!!" Magma roared angrily. "You hairless apes! You'll pay for this... I am only the first!!!"
Magma exploded in a huge, red flare. When the dust cleared, Rad and the red stone lay on the rocky ground. The lava around them cooled down and hardened.
"We won!" Ovelia cheered.
"Ayla kicks ASS!" Seifer declared.
"Ayla just want to help..." Ayla admitted.
"Well, you helped plenty," Ramza said as he patted her on the shoulder. "Thanks."
"Awwww..." Ayla laughed, turning a bit red (and not because of the heat).
Ramza and Alma walked over to Rad. "Rad, are you OK?" Ramza asked.
"Uggghhhh..." Rad groaned as he forced himself into a sitting position. "What happened?... The last thing I remember is Delita throwin' us all in cages..."
"It's all over, Rad," Alma said. "Delita won't hurt you any more."
"...Alma! Boss!" Rad exclaimed as he looked up at his friends. "Boy, am I glad to see you guys!"
"Yeah, it's good to see you, too," Ramza said. "But... don't call me 'boss.'"
"Sorry, Ramza," Rad chuckled. "It's an old habit..."
After a lot of climbing, the party climbed back up to the Cassiopeia. Once Rad was on board, Ramza introduced him to everyone.
"Rad, I'd like you to meet my newest friends," Ramza said. "There's Cloud, but you know him already."
"Hey, Rad! What's up?" Cloud asked.
"There's Tifa, Cloud's sweetheart," Ramza said as he pointed at the heavyset brunette.
"Hello!" Tifa said as she waved her hand and gave Rad a friendly smile.
"That's Amarant," Ramza said.
"Yo," Amarant replied with a wave of his hand.
"That's Celes and that's Gau..." Ramza continued.
"Hello, Rad," Celes said.
"Auuooo!" Gau cried. If he had a tail, it would have been wagging happily.
"That's Everhart," Ramza continued.
"..." Everhart said.
"Not too talkative, is he, boss?" Rad asked.
"No, he isn't," Ramza chuckled. "And Seifer and Ayla helped rescue you."
"How ya doin'?" Seifer asked.
"Ayla glad to help Ramza friend," Ayla answered.
"Don't forget about us," Orlandu said.
"Thunder God Cid and Queen Ovelia?" Rad asked. "Who could forget about you? Nice to meet all of ya! Boy, it's good to be back with the gang!"
"We should return to Fello and gather information," Everhart said.
"Good idea," Orlandu said. "No telling what else Delita has planned for us."
Ramza sat down in the pilot's seat and turned the ship west. He turned on the engine and the ship headed back towards Fello City.
