Disclaimer: I don't own any of the Final Fantasy IX characters but my
characters are my own creations and I do own the rights to them.
Chapter Eighteen: Monsters at the Gate
A three-headed monster roared in pain as Gabriela's attack of pure energy hit it square in the chest. The monster's six eyes were filled with an evil red glow as it tried to reach its victim. Once more an energy blast hit the monster and it feel dead on the stone pavement below. Gabriela sighed and wiped some sweat from her brow. Her short brown hair was cut just below her earlobes. Soft brown eyes took in her surroundings.
Everywhere people of all shapes and sizes were fending off monsters from the castle walls. Archers took the flying creatures while everyone else took the ones that were trying to scale the walls. Shouts and screams could be heard from the guards but the monsters that were dying were making most of the noise. Even though they were outnumbered three to one, the monsters were being driven back into the city where they ransacked the houses hoping to find some people left alive.
"Awful, isn't it?" a calm cool voice came from behind. Gabriela might have been surprised if she was human.
"It is only awful from the point of view for those that are fighting," Gabriela's voice was like the sound of a clear bell in the midst of a storm. "The monsters do only what they were created to do. That is the way of the world and that is the way it will remain."
Gabriela turned to face the young woman behind her. Her red hair was pulled into a tight braid with a blue bow at the end and her green eyes were tired from all the fighting she had been doing lately. The tan overalls that had been lent to her were streaked with dirt and torn in several places. She made a stark contrast to Gabriela. Gabriela's own hair was free and shimmered with a gloss that didn't seem real. Not one strand of hair was out of place. Her soft brown eyes spoke of unimaginable intelligence and her pale face made her seem like a doll. She was flawless. It could be seen in everything about her. Her white flowing dress was spotless even though they were both standing in a pool of blood that was not their own. The wings that protruded from her back were covered in white feathers that shifted with the blowing wind. Gabriela was an angel from Heaven who had landed on this strange and foreign planet not long after Phina and company had arrived back from the mountains.
"Then it must also be the way of the world for us to destroy them since that is what we were made to do," Phina said in a calm voice. She had liked the angel from the moment she saw her. It was like having another sister but one who was wise and could protect you. She had met Gabriela when they were evacuating Alexandria so that none of the people would be hurt. By the time Zidane's group and Steiner's group had met up, monsters had started to penetrate the city walls. The civilians were immediately evacuated to the castle.
Phina saw Gabriela standing in the street looking around confused. Phina instantly knew what had happened. It was happening all over the world. Quickly introducing herself, Phina had convinced the angel to come back with her to the castle to help fend off the monsters until they could find Xavier. Now here they stood together, trying to help save not just one world from destruction but four.
"Humans were not made to destroy as monsters were. They were made to create. Many wonderful ideas have come from the human mind that not even the minds of angels could have possibly dreamed of. Perfect we may be but our ways are set in stone while yours are written and erased all the time."
Phina stared at the beautiful woman before her. In a way it made sense to her but in another way it didn't.
"Oh well. I'm not going to argue over the creation of humans right now. I've got bigger things to worry about," Phina said with a sigh. She hadn't been able to find Xavier and now with all the monsters attacking the castle there was no way that she was going to be able to leave to go searching for him. Gabriela looked at the teenager for a minute before she turned back to the problem at hand. Phina watched the angel take out her victim and then headed over to where Zidane was having some trouble with a Grand Dragon.
"Need some help?" she asked with a cocky attitude.
"I never turn down an offer from a pretty young maiden," Zidane retorted. Phina grinned and went to work. While Zidane distracted the wily monster she got in a couple of hits. Then they switched places and it was Phina's turn to duck and dodge the monster's snapping jaws. When it finally fell dead they stopped for a moment trying to catch their breath.
"You know, we won't be able to keep this up for much longer," Phina panted as she glanced around her. The castle's defenses were starting to weaken due to the sheer numbers that they had to overcome.
"You got any ideas how to get out of this mess," Zidane asked.
"Don't I always," Phina joked. "First we're going to need to beat these numbskulls into a retreat at least long enough to call a meeting. I'll explain my plan then. Sound good?" Zidane just looked at Phina for a moment. Suddenly he was right beside her. He wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her closer to him. Shivers went down Phina's back as the heat from his body rushed to hers.
"I almost lost you once and now you want to go out there, in that mess, to find someone who's going kill you. That's your plan, right?" His voice was husky and low. Phina felt something stir inside of her.
"Yes, I'm going back out there because if I don't more and more people are just going to die. I know that Xavier said that without somewhere for the soul to go when the worlds are merged they would just come back here. But I was talking to Gabriela and she thinks that when the soul of someone has nowhere else to go it will just be torn apart by the rift in the dimensions. That's why I have to do this. But I'm going to need your help. Please?" Phina ended with a whisper. She didn't want to see Zidane killed. She didn't know what she would do without him. He had always been there for her. He was always willing to listen to her problems and saved her from herself when she felt trapped by her own feelings.
"Of course I'll help. But you have to promise me that you'll come back alive." Zidane could feel his emotions bubbling up. There was anger, sadness, and despair but the one thing that he was feeling the most at the moment was love. He knew he loved the young woman that he held in his arms. It wasn't like anything he had ever felt before and he wasn't quite sure what to do. But Zidane wasn't the type of man to worry about what how he should do something.
Leaning in Zidane kissed Phina. She warmly returned the kiss and brought her hands around his neck. The two stayed that way for several minutes oblivious to the battle raging behind them. Zidane finally pulled back and dropped his hands from her waist.
"Well I better get the guys fired up if we want to win the war," Zidane said cheerfully. Walking off his shouts for more reinforcements could be heard down the wall. Phina giggled at Zidane's sudden mood swing and turned around and headed back into the castle. She sent messengers off to the people that she needed to speak to.
"Alright men, this is our last stand. We must drive every monster away from the castle long enough for a plan to formulate to stop whatever the hell is going on!" Steiner's voice yelled over the din of clashing swords and screams. All the men around him raised their sword in salute and yelled at the top of their lungs as they rushed out the castle gates. The ferocity of the attack took the enemy by surprise and they were swiftly pushed back.
Once the monsters had been pushed back several of the angels that had joined forces with the humans put up a barrier that would keep them out for the time being. Every monster threw themselves against the barrier trying to break through to their prey on the other side.
Inside the castle walls refuges were resting and soldiers and warriors were tending to the wounds they had received. Even deeper in the queen's private chamber a meeting was being held. Phina had had a table set up in the middle of the room. Garnet, Zidane, Eiko, and Vivi were there along with Quina, Amarant, and Freya. Steiner and Beatrix would be joining them as soon as they had seen to their troops. Gabriela and another angel named Terk were there as well. Phina sat at the head of the table and was looking at a piece of paper with her brow furrowed in concentration.
"Let's get this thing started," Steiner announced as he and Beatrix entered the room. Phina looked up from her paper and cleared her throat before starting.
"Well, for starters I want to make sure that you all know what is going on here. I haven't really had the chance to talk about it since we got back, so this is what's happening. . ." Phina launched into the explanation that she had gotten from Xavier. When she was finished she found a lot of open mouths and generally shocked expressions.
"So that is why me and Gabriela are here," Trek mused to himself. Beside him Gabriela's expression hadn't changed. She didn't seem surprised by any of this.
"Next we have to stop him and I'm the only one that can do it. Now I've been looking at this sheet of paper that me and Zidane found in Xavier's study. On it there is a description of each shield that he is putting around himself and how to tear it down. These barriers seem to encompass a large portion of land. I think that if we go into the city and find the area that is least populated with monsters we might be able to find him. I'm going to need the help of each and every one of you. You are the best fighters this city has to offer and I need you to help clear a path. What you do after we find Xavier is up to you but I need you to stay away from the shield. Only I can break through and I don't want anybody else to get hurt. Well that's it. It's a long shot but it's the best chance we've got. So who's in?" Phina finished her speech by looking at each and every person surrounding her.
"I'm in," Zidane immediately piped up.
"Me too!" Eiko said standing on her chair. "Oh and it's 'Zidane and I' not 'me and Zidane.' Phina just glared at the purpled haired girl.
"What!? It is!"
"We're in," Steiner said speaking for both him and Beatrix.
"I suppose I owe it to my country to help out," Freya said in a solemn voice. Amarant snorted.
"You mean it's your duty. Heh! Never could understand why people did stuff for their country but I'm in just because I got nothin' better to do," Amarant said arrogantly.
"I'm going, too," Vivi said. Though he was ten years old only his glowing eyes and tall hat could be seen above the edge of the table.
"Good things to eat. I go, too," Quina stated banging her gigantic sword on the wooden table.
"We will be joining you of course," Gabriela said speaking for Terk as well as herself. The only person that hadn't spoken by now was Garnet. Her head was bowed low over her chest and she seemed to be thinking.
"I'm sorry but I can't," came her quiet answer. "Don't get me wrong. I really want to go but I need to perform my job as queen. If I left my people and they were slaughtered I couldn't live with myself. So I'm sorry."
"Don't worry about it Garnet. We all understand," Phina said with a caring voice. She was in fact relieved that Garnet had decided not to go. She had lost her sister once and she didn't want it to happen again. At least in the castle she would be safe.
"Well then, everyone get some rest and something to eat. We leave at dawn."
^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^
Well, that was certainly quick. I got this all typed out and posted in one day. Go me! I'm actually starting to get back into the story but I guess it's because I feel that I owe the readers. Thank you again Julia for the 'wonderful' review you left me. And it's not like you could do any better. You know what I'm talking about.
Also I know that the gang didn't find Xavier but I thought doing this would be a lot cooler than going straight into the finale. So what do you think people? Good? Bad? Okay? Don't leave me in the dark. It scares me.
Chapter Eighteen: Monsters at the Gate
A three-headed monster roared in pain as Gabriela's attack of pure energy hit it square in the chest. The monster's six eyes were filled with an evil red glow as it tried to reach its victim. Once more an energy blast hit the monster and it feel dead on the stone pavement below. Gabriela sighed and wiped some sweat from her brow. Her short brown hair was cut just below her earlobes. Soft brown eyes took in her surroundings.
Everywhere people of all shapes and sizes were fending off monsters from the castle walls. Archers took the flying creatures while everyone else took the ones that were trying to scale the walls. Shouts and screams could be heard from the guards but the monsters that were dying were making most of the noise. Even though they were outnumbered three to one, the monsters were being driven back into the city where they ransacked the houses hoping to find some people left alive.
"Awful, isn't it?" a calm cool voice came from behind. Gabriela might have been surprised if she was human.
"It is only awful from the point of view for those that are fighting," Gabriela's voice was like the sound of a clear bell in the midst of a storm. "The monsters do only what they were created to do. That is the way of the world and that is the way it will remain."
Gabriela turned to face the young woman behind her. Her red hair was pulled into a tight braid with a blue bow at the end and her green eyes were tired from all the fighting she had been doing lately. The tan overalls that had been lent to her were streaked with dirt and torn in several places. She made a stark contrast to Gabriela. Gabriela's own hair was free and shimmered with a gloss that didn't seem real. Not one strand of hair was out of place. Her soft brown eyes spoke of unimaginable intelligence and her pale face made her seem like a doll. She was flawless. It could be seen in everything about her. Her white flowing dress was spotless even though they were both standing in a pool of blood that was not their own. The wings that protruded from her back were covered in white feathers that shifted with the blowing wind. Gabriela was an angel from Heaven who had landed on this strange and foreign planet not long after Phina and company had arrived back from the mountains.
"Then it must also be the way of the world for us to destroy them since that is what we were made to do," Phina said in a calm voice. She had liked the angel from the moment she saw her. It was like having another sister but one who was wise and could protect you. She had met Gabriela when they were evacuating Alexandria so that none of the people would be hurt. By the time Zidane's group and Steiner's group had met up, monsters had started to penetrate the city walls. The civilians were immediately evacuated to the castle.
Phina saw Gabriela standing in the street looking around confused. Phina instantly knew what had happened. It was happening all over the world. Quickly introducing herself, Phina had convinced the angel to come back with her to the castle to help fend off the monsters until they could find Xavier. Now here they stood together, trying to help save not just one world from destruction but four.
"Humans were not made to destroy as monsters were. They were made to create. Many wonderful ideas have come from the human mind that not even the minds of angels could have possibly dreamed of. Perfect we may be but our ways are set in stone while yours are written and erased all the time."
Phina stared at the beautiful woman before her. In a way it made sense to her but in another way it didn't.
"Oh well. I'm not going to argue over the creation of humans right now. I've got bigger things to worry about," Phina said with a sigh. She hadn't been able to find Xavier and now with all the monsters attacking the castle there was no way that she was going to be able to leave to go searching for him. Gabriela looked at the teenager for a minute before she turned back to the problem at hand. Phina watched the angel take out her victim and then headed over to where Zidane was having some trouble with a Grand Dragon.
"Need some help?" she asked with a cocky attitude.
"I never turn down an offer from a pretty young maiden," Zidane retorted. Phina grinned and went to work. While Zidane distracted the wily monster she got in a couple of hits. Then they switched places and it was Phina's turn to duck and dodge the monster's snapping jaws. When it finally fell dead they stopped for a moment trying to catch their breath.
"You know, we won't be able to keep this up for much longer," Phina panted as she glanced around her. The castle's defenses were starting to weaken due to the sheer numbers that they had to overcome.
"You got any ideas how to get out of this mess," Zidane asked.
"Don't I always," Phina joked. "First we're going to need to beat these numbskulls into a retreat at least long enough to call a meeting. I'll explain my plan then. Sound good?" Zidane just looked at Phina for a moment. Suddenly he was right beside her. He wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her closer to him. Shivers went down Phina's back as the heat from his body rushed to hers.
"I almost lost you once and now you want to go out there, in that mess, to find someone who's going kill you. That's your plan, right?" His voice was husky and low. Phina felt something stir inside of her.
"Yes, I'm going back out there because if I don't more and more people are just going to die. I know that Xavier said that without somewhere for the soul to go when the worlds are merged they would just come back here. But I was talking to Gabriela and she thinks that when the soul of someone has nowhere else to go it will just be torn apart by the rift in the dimensions. That's why I have to do this. But I'm going to need your help. Please?" Phina ended with a whisper. She didn't want to see Zidane killed. She didn't know what she would do without him. He had always been there for her. He was always willing to listen to her problems and saved her from herself when she felt trapped by her own feelings.
"Of course I'll help. But you have to promise me that you'll come back alive." Zidane could feel his emotions bubbling up. There was anger, sadness, and despair but the one thing that he was feeling the most at the moment was love. He knew he loved the young woman that he held in his arms. It wasn't like anything he had ever felt before and he wasn't quite sure what to do. But Zidane wasn't the type of man to worry about what how he should do something.
Leaning in Zidane kissed Phina. She warmly returned the kiss and brought her hands around his neck. The two stayed that way for several minutes oblivious to the battle raging behind them. Zidane finally pulled back and dropped his hands from her waist.
"Well I better get the guys fired up if we want to win the war," Zidane said cheerfully. Walking off his shouts for more reinforcements could be heard down the wall. Phina giggled at Zidane's sudden mood swing and turned around and headed back into the castle. She sent messengers off to the people that she needed to speak to.
"Alright men, this is our last stand. We must drive every monster away from the castle long enough for a plan to formulate to stop whatever the hell is going on!" Steiner's voice yelled over the din of clashing swords and screams. All the men around him raised their sword in salute and yelled at the top of their lungs as they rushed out the castle gates. The ferocity of the attack took the enemy by surprise and they were swiftly pushed back.
Once the monsters had been pushed back several of the angels that had joined forces with the humans put up a barrier that would keep them out for the time being. Every monster threw themselves against the barrier trying to break through to their prey on the other side.
Inside the castle walls refuges were resting and soldiers and warriors were tending to the wounds they had received. Even deeper in the queen's private chamber a meeting was being held. Phina had had a table set up in the middle of the room. Garnet, Zidane, Eiko, and Vivi were there along with Quina, Amarant, and Freya. Steiner and Beatrix would be joining them as soon as they had seen to their troops. Gabriela and another angel named Terk were there as well. Phina sat at the head of the table and was looking at a piece of paper with her brow furrowed in concentration.
"Let's get this thing started," Steiner announced as he and Beatrix entered the room. Phina looked up from her paper and cleared her throat before starting.
"Well, for starters I want to make sure that you all know what is going on here. I haven't really had the chance to talk about it since we got back, so this is what's happening. . ." Phina launched into the explanation that she had gotten from Xavier. When she was finished she found a lot of open mouths and generally shocked expressions.
"So that is why me and Gabriela are here," Trek mused to himself. Beside him Gabriela's expression hadn't changed. She didn't seem surprised by any of this.
"Next we have to stop him and I'm the only one that can do it. Now I've been looking at this sheet of paper that me and Zidane found in Xavier's study. On it there is a description of each shield that he is putting around himself and how to tear it down. These barriers seem to encompass a large portion of land. I think that if we go into the city and find the area that is least populated with monsters we might be able to find him. I'm going to need the help of each and every one of you. You are the best fighters this city has to offer and I need you to help clear a path. What you do after we find Xavier is up to you but I need you to stay away from the shield. Only I can break through and I don't want anybody else to get hurt. Well that's it. It's a long shot but it's the best chance we've got. So who's in?" Phina finished her speech by looking at each and every person surrounding her.
"I'm in," Zidane immediately piped up.
"Me too!" Eiko said standing on her chair. "Oh and it's 'Zidane and I' not 'me and Zidane.' Phina just glared at the purpled haired girl.
"What!? It is!"
"We're in," Steiner said speaking for both him and Beatrix.
"I suppose I owe it to my country to help out," Freya said in a solemn voice. Amarant snorted.
"You mean it's your duty. Heh! Never could understand why people did stuff for their country but I'm in just because I got nothin' better to do," Amarant said arrogantly.
"I'm going, too," Vivi said. Though he was ten years old only his glowing eyes and tall hat could be seen above the edge of the table.
"Good things to eat. I go, too," Quina stated banging her gigantic sword on the wooden table.
"We will be joining you of course," Gabriela said speaking for Terk as well as herself. The only person that hadn't spoken by now was Garnet. Her head was bowed low over her chest and she seemed to be thinking.
"I'm sorry but I can't," came her quiet answer. "Don't get me wrong. I really want to go but I need to perform my job as queen. If I left my people and they were slaughtered I couldn't live with myself. So I'm sorry."
"Don't worry about it Garnet. We all understand," Phina said with a caring voice. She was in fact relieved that Garnet had decided not to go. She had lost her sister once and she didn't want it to happen again. At least in the castle she would be safe.
"Well then, everyone get some rest and something to eat. We leave at dawn."
^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^
Well, that was certainly quick. I got this all typed out and posted in one day. Go me! I'm actually starting to get back into the story but I guess it's because I feel that I owe the readers. Thank you again Julia for the 'wonderful' review you left me. And it's not like you could do any better. You know what I'm talking about.
Also I know that the gang didn't find Xavier but I thought doing this would be a lot cooler than going straight into the finale. So what do you think people? Good? Bad? Okay? Don't leave me in the dark. It scares me.
