Chapter 35 – Maze of Shadows (Part 2 of 3)
WL: Oh yeah, baby! I hit the ninety mark! I never thought in my wildest dreams that this would be possible! You own me, you sweet, dear reviewers you! It is precisely because of this that I wreck my brain trying to think up of interesting things to write, and try to improve my description, make the story flow smoother… well, I try… but that does not necessarily mean that I achieved the desired effect hehe… anywayz… let's pop the champagne… (By the way… would it be too much to ask for a hundred reviews? I don't think so… right? Since I've still got a few chappies left?) *dances around in delirium* I can die without regrets now… *blissful smile on face*
Celestine: But you ARE already dead…
WL: Oh… I forgot. Maybe I should change that to "I can go to Hell without any regrets now."
Celestine: Don't say things like that, even for the sake of saying it! *bonks her on the head*
WL: Why can't you be a little more feminine? Lord knows why Zell is so smitten with you? You don't even try to please him.
Celestine: How would YOU know? That's between me and him.
WL: …… yeah, rub it in, won't you.
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Quistis took one step into the brightness, and found her move unsupported by solid ground.
With a loud cry she plummeted downwards, the wind gushing past her face as the gravitational pull dragged her down.
She tried to shout for help, but the words remained stubbornly stuck in her throat.
At last her freefall came to an abrupt end, her body coming in contact with a bouncy surface which had absorbed a major portion of the impact from her fall.
But still, she had aches all over her body. Her bones felt as if they were gradually falling apart, unable to support her body mass.
"Well, well. That was faster than I predicted, for a human-mortal. I must say, I'm rather impressed, Ms Trepe."
The voice that she loathed and dreaded more than anyone else's boomed out above her.
She lifted her head, and sure enough, it was Redrumiel.
Turning away to rid herself of the unwanted sight, she scanned her surroundings to gauge her whereabouts, only to see nothing but an entire expanse of whiteness… a white floor made of a PVC kind of material, white walls, white ceiling… there wasn't a spot of color in the whole room except for Redrumiel and herself… quite uncomplimentary to the status of the former as the Dark Lord.
"Where is this place? And where are the rest?"
"This? It is going to be our battle arena, so to speak… so that we can battle without unnecessary interruption.
As for the others… they have not come out of their mazes as yet. You're the first one, which is rather unexpected. I had imagined that your Angel, Damien Silvergrace would be the first, but I have been proven wrong."
"You might be interested to know that the only reason I was able to come out of it so fast was that I had defeated my shadow a few days ago… and I owe it all to you. That coma I had gone into as a consequence of your mind control had resulted in a compulsory confrontation between my shadow and me. I came out triumphant, and with an additional ally to my list. Isn't that lovely?" She displayed a fake smile at him, anticipating some unpleasant reaction, or at least a frown out of him.
"Congratulations, then. Now we wait for your companions to arrive." Instead, he was as unmoving as a rock, and sounded as if genuinely pleased with her "achievement".
She was about to reply with a cutting retort when the entrance of another interrupted her.
She heard the sound of wings flapping, followed by a figure swishing from the air above, gradually decreasing speed and descending upon them. Finally a pair of feet gently touched down upon the floor.
"Damien!" She cried in a glad manner, for she did not relish the thought of being alone with one who had manipulated her before.
"Sorry I'm late, My Lady. I was caught up with some private matters."
"You aren't late… I was early, as usual." Quistis replied, and realized the irony of her words.
Quistis Trepe… perpetually early for everything, anytime, anywhere… how apt...
She would have let out a laugh if not for the situation they were in.
"Damien Silvergrace… I am disappointed. I would have thought that a high-ranking Angel like yourself would be the first here… but you have let down my expectations of you again."
"Watch your mouth, you blasphemous advocate of the Dark! I have no obligation to perform up to your expectations. For a moment, I had thought that you have reverted to an Angel with more sense… but now I realize it is nothing more than an act. And what are you waiting for? Let's begin our battle!"
"Ahh… the impatience of youth… although you would hardly qualify as one anymore. As I have explained to your ally over there, we will not begin until all of them have arrived… or until all of them have been trapped in my maze."
"Load of bullshit." Damien cussed, only to elicit a raised eyebrow from Redrumiel.
"A result of your mingling with the human-mortals, Silvergrace? Not only have your instincts been dulled, your mouth has been soiled as well."
"That's none of your business." Damien shot back coldly, and turned to Quistis. "Where are the rest?"
"Still inside." Quistis replied. "I wonder if they're alright."
"They'll be fine." He gave her a reassuring pat on the shoulder.
At least, most of them will be. I am worried though, about my Master and Celestine… especially for my Master.
"What's wrong? Tell me?" Quistis could sense that he was hung up about something from his grim look.
"Nothing." He tried to deny the blatant worry showing up on his face, to little effect of course.
"He is worried that your Seifer will not be able to make it. Hahahaha…. And he won't, I can assure you that!"
"He will make it. He will prove you so wrong, that you will not live to regret your words." Quistis gritted her teeth and clenched her fists.
"How, my Dearest Ms Trepe? He will be trapped by the crying voices of those he killed during his days as the Sorceress' Lapdog, his feet chained up by their restraining, vengeful arms, his voice hindered by the screams inside his head, and most importantly, his heart scarred by the heavy conscience he bears for the sins he had committed. He will not be able to escape the certain fate of imprisonment in my maze… and you can do nothing to help him…. Hahahahahaaha!" His eerie, mocking laughter filled the space, ringing non-stop in their ears as Damien and Quistis exchanged apprehensive glances.
"I will help him… if it's the last thing I do. I will show him the way, no matter what it takes." Quistis vowed, her eyes flaring with a scorching flame.
"Show it to me then… Show me what you will do to save him… ignorant fools! Then you will get trapped by his shadow yourselves… saving me all the trouble of getting rid of you!"
They did not respond to his taunt. Instead, Quistis had gathered all her concentration upon Seifer… or at least where she thought he was.
Seifer… Darling… if you're there… answer me…
Peering deep inside herself, she searched for him using her innermost voice… a voice that resonated with all that she felt for him… hoping that it would be able to lead her to him, and grab his hand should he flail out for help.
I will find you… I promise…
Beside her, Damien was undecided whom he should help.
My Master… or Celestine?
He did not know how to choose between his duty to protect his Master, or his undying devotion for Celestine.
I need guidance.
Follow what your heart says, or you will not be able to protect anyone. You might even get hurt yourself, which in the end will become an unwanted burden for your friends.
Ask yourself who needs it most, and whether you are in the position to help him, or her.
If you cannot decide, then it would be better for you to stay here and let them fend for themselves.
Surely… they would have been ready for this conflict with their shadows before they decided to fight against the Dark Lord.
Have faith, and it will make your decision for you.
He recognized it… it belonged to one who had always given him guidance in his path through life.
He felt the glow of hope suffuse his entire being.
What, really, is true love?
Do I show it by extending an arm immediately to the one who has fallen in order to pull them up?
Or do I wait for them at the destination, welcoming and encouraging them with my outstretched arms, letting them become stronger by picking themselves up after the fall?
I have decided which role I shall play in the elaborate plan the Dark One has set up for us.
I know what to do now.
He thought with a smile that spread across the entire bottom half of his face.
A banging on the walls broke through his chain of thought.
A crevice large enough to fit a person started forming on the wall, and a sneaker-clad foot stepped out onto the floor.
"Where is this place?" The spiky blond stared at the whiteness of the hall-cum-room, then spotted the two who were already in place.
"Hey, Damien… when did you get here?" He asked, completely ignoring the presence of a disdainful Redrumiel.
"Not too long ago… about two minutes earlier than you did."
"I see. Hey Qui…" He was about to call out to the Instructor when Damien stopped him with a finger to his mouth.
"Keep your volume down. She's trying to look for my Master."
"Seifer? But why?"
"He needs some help getting out of the maze. His shadow or shadows aren't that easy to deal with, as you can imagine."
"Yes... I nearly got caught by it……" He was silent for a while, for the remnants of what he had witnessed in the alternative world still left a chill in his heart.
Shaking himself out of the reverie, he had yet another question for Damien.
"Aren't you going to help him? You're his Angel, right?"
"Too many cooks will spoil the broth." He replied with a mysterious smile.
"Huh?" Zell was completely stumped by the statement.
"Meaning… my Lady would be more than adequate. My entrance might not only be of little use, it might intrude into their privacy and spoil the atmosphere. Now… speaking of which… I believe it is now your duty to help Celestine, because she has her own ghosts from the past to fight."
"Where is she?"
"You have to find out for yourself. Try reaching out for her with your heart… for it will be the only voice she can hear while she is turning in circles in the core of the maze."
"Okay… if you say so. What about you?"
"I'll be right here waiting… and making sure that someone will not be trying anything funny while you're out there searching for them."
That someone that he was referring to had been silent all this while, observing his opponents as if they were exhibits in a zoo… his face a mask of blankness, unreadable and aloof.
However, that was all changed when a hurtling mass fell from the sky and dropped upon him, literally.
The hurtling mass groaned a little, for some body parts had come into contact with other jutting parts of her landing pad.
"GET OFF MY FACE!" The one below yelled.
"Oops." She said, only then realizing that she had been sitting on his head like a cushion.
Whether deliberate or due to carelessness, she trampled all over his body while trying to get up, stepping especially hard on a particularly sensitive area.
"Ouch!!!!! You will pay for this!" He shrieked, clutching at his said part for protection, and whimpering at the same time.
That'll make sure that no little Redrumiels will be popping from your blood and terrorizing the world with domination plans…
She snickered, and went to join the three already standing before her.
"That was a great move." Damien whispered.
"Thanks, it was gratifying, to say the least. At least, I got part of my revenge against him! Heeheehee! By the way, why are their eyes closed?"
"They are searching for Seifer and Quistis, who need help out of their maze."
"And I suppose I shouldn't meddle in it?"
"Clever girl. You might get hurt if you do, maybe even spoil the atmosphere they have created for themselves in that private little world."
"Oh. And don't you think that they have admirable strength in their concentration? I mean… being able to continue amidst all this noise!"
"That they are." Damien agreed, for truly, the shouting from Redrumiel had not affected the two a single bit.
"YOU WORTHLESS HUMAN-MORTAL BITCH! YOU HAVE PISSED ME OFF! PREPARE FOR BATTLE!" Redrumiel growled, and gripped his staff to enforce his words.
"Do you realize that you're contradicting yourself? How can I be a bitch and a human at the same time? A bitch, in case you didn't know, is another name for a female dog."
"You do know that by saying that, you will be provoking him even more?" Damien whispered furtively to Waterlily.
"That is just my point. The more furious he is, the less clear-minded he will be, and he will not be able to unleash his potential fully. Then we try to kill him. Brilliant plan, ain't it?"
"Provided it works." Damien muttered. "But anyhow… let's see if it does. Better than just standing around. I am tired of waiting as it is." He deliberately said the last words loudly, so that Redrumiel could hear it.
"WELL SPOKEN. PREPARE YOURSELVES FOR A JOURNEY TO HELL WITH NO RETURN TRIP! HAHAHAHAH!"
Redrumiel gripped his staff in both hands, and raised it above his head.
"FLAMES OF AKU
HEED MY CALL
LEND THY POWERS
TO THE LORD OF DARK
FRAME THIS STAFF
WITH THY RUTHLESS TONGUES
SPARE NO MERCY
FOR ALL WHO DEFY ME!!"
Upon his command, a mass of black fire burst out from the tip of his staff and shot out towards Waterlily, evidently intending to burn her up into a human fire ball.
Within the space of a blink, a flash of clear, violet-tinged light erupted in front of the four standing opposite Redrumiel, deflecting the black flames away.
"Thanks, Damien, but I could have avoided that by myself." Waterlily obstinately refused to admit that she had nearly been fried by the enemy's fires.
"Yes, but what if the ball had missed its target, and hit one of them? It's better to be safe than story." Damien chose not to point out her fault, having been trained for many years under the unintended coaching of Celestine.
In plain speech, he knew very well what the consequences would be if he had to suffer the wrath of a woman by saying outright that she was wrong.
"I guess. Now it's my turn." She grabbed an arrow from behind. The arrow glowed with a whitish hue, while its end sparkled with a dazzling glint.
"This baby here, is going to pierce through him like a kebab stick through a tender piece of meat…. Nyahahahaha!"
Pulling the bow as far as she could manage, she took careful aim, and released it towards the enemy.
In graceful flight it cut through the air cleanly, drawing a beautiful, perfect arc in the air towards Redrumiel.
Without changing breath, he pointed to into the space.
A shield very much like the one Damien had set up for them, erected itself in front of him, only it was of a red tinge instead of violet.
However, as soon as the tip of the arrow touched the shield, it dispersed into the air like vapor, while the arrow continued soaring through the air towards the enemy…
……And poked through his throat with a sickening sound.
With utter astonishment, he looked down at the arrow, to find that it was indeed fully lodged in his neck.
He opened his mouth, but no words came out, for the voice box was already damaged by the arrow.
The only effect it achieved were the two lines of blood dribbling from each side, creating a gruesome appearance.
Without warning, a second arrow similar to the first one pierced the left side of his chest, where his heart laid.
A spray of blood burst from his mouth upon the stabbing of the sharp tip in his heart, causing a minor shower to descend upon their heads, while patterns of red scattered all over the once pristine white floor.
His body slumped towards the ground, and was still.
Damien stared at the motionless figure for a while.
He could not believe that the Dark Lord had been defeated so easily… he had expected the battle to be a more strenuous one.
But all he had done till then was erect a shield in front of them.
"That was my Flight of Holy Diamond attack… isn't it cool?" Waterlily quipped. With a simple beckoning gesture, the arrows flew back into her hand again, and she proceeded to clean the diamonds on the tip of each arrow that had been stained with Redrumiel's blood.
"Yeah… you've killed him! Unbelievable!"
She stopped her cleaning action.
"No… something isn't right… and I can't pretend it is any longer…" She whispered, the forbidding pressure of bad premonition pressing against her chest, and making the normally effortless act of breathing so difficult.
"What are you talking about? There's nothing to worry about now! All we have to do is wait for the rest to return from their mazes, which won't take very long since he's dead!" The euphoria of having gotten rid of the biggest jerk in the history of their world was beginning to register in Damien's mind… and he kept shaking the girl to lift her spirits.
"It was too easy…" She shook her head in despair, as the bad feeling got more and more intense.
"Maybe you were right… his mind was too clouded with fury, and thus his judgment was faulty… or maybe he had underestimated the potency of your attack! Your worries are needless!"
Just as he finished speaking that sentence, a hideous cackle emitted from the previously unmoving body.
Waterlily felt her heart sink to the bottom of her feet when she heard the dreaded sound… and confirmed her fears that everything was not as easy as it appeared.
The body disappeared, only to be replaced by another version of Redrumiel… whether it was the original Dark Lord or merely a body double, they could not guess.
"Aww… what kind of expression is that? Disappointed that you didn't get rid of me? Well, let me tell you, I am not as readily disposable as you thought!
However, I must thank you, Dead Mortal Girl, for you have made me realized that I had set my priorities all wrong.
I had been light-handed, thinking that it would be more entertaining if I were to torture you gradually, making you suffer a prolonged death… but now… I know how naïve I had been.
Now, I cannot stand the thought that you Human Mortals are still walking, and breathing in my world. Your race, which had so ungratefully plundered the lands, destroying everything, claiming everything as your own wherever you go. So very much like a virus that will wipe out the rest of the living things in the food chain. You humans… an unnecessary evil to this world. I must get rid of your race for the very good of the ecological cycle! And I will mow down everything, and everyone who stands in my way, even if it's a fellow Angel like you, Damien Silvergrace!"
He lifted his staff in one hand, positioning it parallel with the floor, and placed a hand above it.
From the core of his palm, a black force field was generated, and absorbed by the staff, which glowed with the darkness while crackling threads of red entwined the entire length of it.
Waterlily squeezed her eyes shut, unable to curb her fear any longer.
She knew that they would be finished, turned to dust should that dark force were to touch even an inch of their skin, even with the barrier of Damien's shield.
Hurry up… Celestine… we're running out of time now…
She believed that only Celestine had the ability to save them from disappearing into oblivion as cosmic dust.
Groundless hope? Maybe. But it was the only thing that saved her from being dragged down by the depression and despair that was gnawing silently at her gut…
~Seifer Almasy~
He thrashed his arms about, trying to get rid of the glob of gooey stuff that was advancing rapidly across his body, leaving only a small portion of his face uncovered.
He knew that if he were to be fully covered by it, he would never break out of the seal it formed around him… and he would be trapped in this position, this place forever.
The fumes from the glob snaked into his nostrils, and tried to poison his mind.
Am I dying? It looks that way to me. No one can save me… and no one will. I will be forever trapped in Hell, because of my past deeds. I am alone… all alone in this world.
What are you talking about? Are you in fact willing to let yourself go, just like that? What about Quisty? Doesn't she count as someone whom you can trust? Does she not hold that all important place in your heart? Can you truly bear to abandon her like that? Think of how she will suffer if she were to lose you forever… it will break her heart into a million pieces! Are you so cruel as to do that to her?
I don't deserve her… They're right… I have no right to accept love, nor give it away. Quisty will find some one much better… someone who doesn't have a sullied past, who didn't kill little children just because they were obstacles in the Sorceress' path... who can sleep soundly at night without worrying about the ghosts of their past coming back for their vengeance… someone without a conscience so scarred with the sins that I carry that there is no hope of healing? Most of all… I can't begin to forgive myself for what I've done… so how can I expect others to forgive me? Much less talk about loving another person?
Seifer, listen to me. There is no right or wrong when it comes to your feelings for Quisty. No one can tell you that; certainly not yourself. Those voices… don't listen to them, for they are merely figments of your imagination, and the product of a heart terribly maimed by the guilt that you are burdened with. The only way that you can atone for your sins, pay the debt that you owe to those you have killed is by bringing back the smiles on as many faces as you can. Not to burn in Hell, as you have so erroneously tried to convince yourself. Remember… that only the living can set right the wrongs that they have done.
But…
And who says you're all alone? Besides Quisty, haven't you got a group of friends who have accepted you for who you are? Who stood by you without fail when you needed support, even when they had been witnesses, and some of them victims of your past? That is the most precious gift anyone could ever possess, and if you were to throw it away, then it will be the biggest mistake you have every made in your life.
Haven't you blamed yourself for too long already? You have begged for forgiveness every night before you close your eyes. I am sure those that you have wronged would have seen your remorse by now… and it was not entirely your doing either. You were under HER control. I know you do not like excuses… but regret will achieve nothing at all. And let me remind you… for what did you go to Angel Land? To be defeated by your inability to face up to your own fears? Surely you are not as useless as that! You have come to defeat the one who is trying to eliminate the human race, all of you, your friends, everyone whom you've cared about, and save the world from domination under his ruthless hands.
At that point, his internal struggle stopped, and he thought about what had been exchanged in his mind.
He decided to believe in the voice.
He decided to stop wallowing in his guilt, for it was of little use, as had been proven time after countless time.
"Seifer Almasy, it is time to buck up. Can't let the people wait for you, when you're the hero who saves that day!"
A strange glow emitted from within him, then exploded in its full glory from each pore of his skin, repelling the glob of stuff that was covering him.
He felt as if an enormous burden had been lifted from his entire being…
He felt as if his soul had been cleansed by a strong wind, sweeping all the toxins out of his system.
For a long time, he had not felt as energetic as this before.
He looked down at his hands, and found that the crimson stain had faded, barely visible. The stink was gone as well.
He brandished his Hyperion, and found that it was no longer as heavy as before, as if a thick layer of coating that had been covering it was finally removed.
He grinned menacingly at the little remnant of the stuff that had been bothering him a few minutes ago… and slashed it into tiny pieces before it could wreak any further havoc on his head.
"That should do it…" He said.
Well done. You are now a free man. Listen carefully, and your ticket out of here will appear soon.
As if to reconfirm its statement, a female voice sounded from somewhere above them.
"Seifer? Where are you? Call out if you're there!"
"Quisty…" He whispered, recognizing the owner of the voice. It had never sounded so sweet in his ears… moving him to the verge of breaking down.
Seifer Almasy! What happened to your machismo? YOU? WEEPING LIKE CRYBABY CHICKENWUSS? I forbid you to do that! Hurry up and answer her, if you know what's good for you!
"I'm right here, below you, Quisty!"
A fair, slender hand poked through the ceiling and started beckoning him.
"Take my hand, Darling. We'll be out of here soon!"
A smile blossomed all over his face, lighting his features at the sight of it.
He strode towards it, then paused.
"Thank you, whoever you are." He spoke aloud.
There was no answer, but he could faintly sense a head nodding and acknowledging his appreciation in a gracious manner.
"Seifer? You still there?" Quistis called out anxiously.
"Coming!" He replied, and grabbed her hand firmly, and never looked back again.
~Celestine Angelwing~
She opened the door with the number (1) on top.
"Mother!" She cried when she saw the woman sitting in the centre of the room, apparently waiting for her.
"Celestine… today I appear before you not as your mother, but as the Guardian of this room. You have to pass my test before you are allowed to proceed to the next. If you fail the test, then you will have to take another, and another, until you pass. Each test will be more difficult to pass as the numbers increase. And remember… the way you perform in one room will affect the number of rooms you have to go through. Are you ready?"
"Ready when you are."
Ariyah snapped a finger, and the entire scenario changed to an open one… or more accurately, they had been moved to a train track some ten kilometers to the north of the East Academy Train Station.
"Imagine this scenario.
You have a train track with a fork going in two separate directions.
There is a boy playing on one side of the train track, a side that has been abandoned for many years, due to irreparable faults on it.
On the other side, a group of children are playing on the track that is currently in use, which leads to the East Academy Train Station.
What happens if the train is approaching fast, and you have to save either one of the two groups?
1 – Save the boy by not changing the direction of the train.
2 – Sacrifice the boy and save the group by changing the direction of the train to the other side of the track.
Take note… you cannot choose to save both, because I want to see what your choice would be in this situation.
Decide quickly, for the train is coming." Sure enough, the tooo-ttootting of the steam engines could be heard approaching, while the tracks shook with a great tremor.
Darn it… why can't I save both? It is so against my rules… but I suppose it has some significance since she wants to know my choice…
She leaped towards her choice.
What is her choice?
And is that the correct answer?
Next chapter it shall be revealed.
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I was so happy at the beginning of the chapter because you wonderful readers had given me something to celebrate about… but in the midst of it, something disastrous happened, and now my spirits are down in the dung hole.
Somewhere along Redrumiel's first attack (the one before his body double was killed by WL), I saved my first version of the chapter. And I continued writing happily for four hours, only to have the computer hang at the very end, which means around half of it was wiped out. Now, all you see is a watered down version of my original chapter. Do you know how it feels to see your wonderful chapter disintegrate into something less than half its size? I was downright pissed off… and the auto-recovery didn't work at all… so I am not in the mood to thank you reviewers individually in this chapter. Will do it in the next when I have calmed down. And if there are any errors in my story, please forgive me, I will amend them at the soonest time possible… cos my arms are really stiff right now.
Meanwhile, thank you for having endured my rantings for so long… I hope you have a good day or good night's sleep. See you next chappy. (I know… half of the fault was mine for not saving whenever I completed a portion… but still!)