What Glory May Come…
Chapter 4
Disclaimer: FFX. Not mine.
Oooo, action scene coming up! I think I did pretty decent.
Nav: Did I win? Do I get any gil for this? Am I king of the world yet?
Korei: No, you die. Yes, but its stolen off your cold dead corpse. Um no but your dear friend Noroko is and he says Zazi doesn't like you.
Nav: X_X
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"Perhaps if I had readied a spell quicker, I could have… maybe bought our fellows some time to abandon ship…" Noroko said, putting voice to his troubled thoughts.
"I don't think it would have mattered, Noroko." Zazi responded, "No one except the Summoners can stand against Sin and hope to come out the winner."
"True, but I can not help thinking…"
"Thinking about it isn't going to change what happened, now is it. We need to be planning our next move. We can't just sit here and wait for someone to find us." Nav said.
The others were silent for the span of a few breaths then Noroko replied. "Correct, Nav-san, we can ill afford to remain here. Dureing the time you were… incapacitated… Zazi-san and I attempted to pinpoint our location. We can not be too far from the Bay judging by the terrain. If we head east we should be able to reach the land-bridge to Beveille. From there we can book passage on one of the ferrys to Macalania."
"Its possible the others are there as well!" Zazi said. "It'll take a few days to reach Beveille but if we can run across a travelling party perhaps we could hitch a ride."
"I have a little gil on me but not enough to rent us chocobos, unfortunately." Noroko said with an apologetic shrug.
"Well then," Nav said, running a hand through his golden hair. "I guess we have a plan. Makeshift as it is." He glanced up at the darkening sky that was visible through the palm-leaf canopy. Evening was fast approaching. "And we're sleeping on the ground tonight. What a couple of splendid days this has turned out to be!" The Guado leaned back, resting his weight on his elbows and stared into the flames. "We lose the Tournament to the worst team in Blitz histore, we get attacked by Sin… I lose my lunch to some Al-Bhed stowaway brat…. The only way that could top the absolute joy these few days have been is if…"
Just then a scream split the air. Both Guado and human jerked in startlement.
"Wh-what in Yevons name was that?!" Noroko said softly, coming to his fee slowly. Nav rose as well and paced toward the sounds direction, senses straining.
"A travelor?" Zazi questioned worriedly.
"These can be dangerous lands to those who come unprepared." The Black Mage commented gravely.
"Well, that was certainly helpful." Nav thought to himself, glancing back at the human with a scowl.
Nav returned to the fire and sat down.
"Nav?" Zazi said.
The Guado took a deep breath and released it. "We are not in any position to be of help to anyone else. If we aren't careful, we may be the ones who end up needing the help."
Zazi blunk his green eyes then drew himself up. "I, for one, can not sit by and let someone die without at least trying to help them. It is my duty as a Guado and a follower of Yevon. Captain Giera always told us to do what we believe is right and-"
"Giera…" Nav said, not quite able to keep a tone of bitterness from his voice. The Glories' Captain and Center had never gotten along well, only working together for the benefit of the team. But now…
"You've never much listened to me before but listen to me now: whatever happens, live. And see the other Guado do the same. That's an order!" Giera's words came back to him.
Nav closed his eyes. Auda. Pah. Noi. Giera. Could they have escaped Sin as well?
When he reopened his eyes, Zazi was crouched beside him. He had a sad smile on his lips under the high collar of his suit. He then held out a hand and Nav barelly paused before taking it. Zazi pulled him to his feet.
"Noroko, will you be coming?" The pale-green haired Guado asked of their human companion.
"I suppose I will. I can not in good graces allow you two to wonder off looking for trouble without my magic to back you up."
"Arigatou." Zazi responded in the human tongue.
From within the duffel bag, Nav brought out his friends' weapons. Wrapped in a single strip of softened leather were the Arhimanclaws, a deadly and poisonous set of twin knives. Curved at the ends, the blades glistened in an eerie greenish light. Zazi took them almost reverently then twirled them- displaying his expertise- and hooked them in his belt.
Nav found his own favorite weapons from within the supply bag. Glittering in their own dark light and lined in serrated silver, the long blades had special hilts that attached to each other at the tips to from a single weapon know as Distantcry. Embewed with a special magic-dampening power as well as the ability to slow and blind its opponents, the Distancry was a type of weapon all its own.
Testing the wieght in his hands, he found them as perfect as ever. Donning the back sheaths, Nav put away the swords over his shoulders. There were other weapons contained within the damp bag. Knives, swords, and a telescopic bo. Nav left them lie. Noroko put out the fire.
The two Guado and the one-eyed Mage hurried off, racing toward the sound of the scream.
Crashing through the underbrush, dodging tree limbs and errant vines, Nav lead them into a clearing caused by a downed tree. Skidding to a stop on the dewey grass, he raised a hand to halt the others. He pointed before realizing he really didn't need to. What lay ahead could not be missed.
Two huge Nidhogg, no more than twenty feet away. They were a golden red color with long gleaming horns. Reptilian, they Nidhogg were covered in a scaley thick hide. The creatures circled a tree not yet knowing they had an audience. Growling, one stood up on its massive hide legs and dug its claws into the tree as if to drag the whole thing down with it.
Or drag something out of it.
Another scream and then, "Somebody help me!!"
Deep within the foliage, holding on for dear life was a small- crying- figure.
Nav squinted. It was! The Guado chortled. It was the Al-bhed child who had pilfered his lunch back on the SS Hika.
"Its an Al-bhed child." Noroko said, voice barelly audible, not wanting to draw attention just yet.
"The same one I told you who stole my lunch on the ship." Nav responded tersely.
"Oh, I-I am sorry for doubting your word. I was unaware-" Nav waved off any more words from the Mage.
"Nidhogg are deadly fighters," Zazi said, eyeing the creatures. "but not unbeatable. I suggest the element of surprise."
Nav pulled his swords from their sheaths. "And I suggest the Mage give us some cover fire while you back me up." That said, the blond Guado took off at a sprint. He paced himself not only to save energy but to allow Zazi to keep up. Hearing his comrads footfalls behind him, Nav suddenly began to wonder what the heck was he doing? Saving an Al-Bhed? Risking his life for a theif?
The first Nidhogg heard their approach and turned with a growl that alerted the second who had been attempting to tear the tree out from under the boy. The second wasted little time in making up the scant yards between itself and the Guado. Before if could attack though it was suddenly engulfed in a freezing ice spell that turned its blood solid and killed it even as it fell to the ground. Nav leapt the felled beast, swords held high. Taken by surprise by the bold move, the Nidhogg failed to get out of the way in time as the two longblades were thrust into its exposed shoulder. The blades dus deep and Nav had to kick off the creature to free them.
The Nidhogg reeled back but would not fall. Blinded by pain, it ran forward after its attacker intending on goring the Guado with its horns. Nav parried, fending off its initial attack, but momentarily taken back by its vehement onslaught. Just when he believed the beats relentless attacks would surelly rattle the blades from his hands, Zazi- with the speed bourne from a true Blitzer- intervened. The Arhimanclaws bit deep into the Nidhoggs throat as he danced back out of harms reach. The Nidhogg gave one last snarl before toppling to the ground to lie in a puddle of its own blood.
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It took a good five to ten minutes to get the boy out of the tree after both Nidhogg were stilled and cooling. He would not listen to Zazi, who pleased with the Al-Bhed. Noroko got him to stop wailing but it was Nav's impatient comment that they should simply leave the snivling little theif up there that finally got the boy to climb from the boughs. He fell ungracefully but got up quickly.
The Al-Bhed child wore typical Al-Bhed clothing- pants cut off at the legs with the leg of another larger pair of breechs belts over over side, a long burgundy vest with a myriad of pockets and buckles, strapped sandles, arm covers and goggles over a rolled cap.
Fixing those same goggles, the kid snuffled once more, big brown eyes fixated on the displeased Guado, who stood with arms crossed. He spoke, voice low yet even, "Its you, from the boat."
Zazi spoke up, "He doesn't speak Al-Bhed. Do you know our native language?"
The boy tried again.
"You're damn right!" Nav snapped in response. "What the heck were you thinking? How did you get all the way out here?"
"The same way as we, I would suppose…" Noroko said, examining the bodies of the two Nidhogg. Truly, he'd never witnessed such accuracy and mastery of execution. A pair of very different Guado, personality-wise on opposite poles, yet in battle, they moved as if they were of one mind, sharing their thoughts without speaking. Truly, the Guado were warriors as much- or more so- than simple Blitzball players.
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(O__o) So what do you think so far? I really hope you enjoyed what I have so far. Its going to take me a very mong time to finish more. I have a lot of fics going at once- some fan fics, some my own writings. So, drop me a line or write a (nice) review please! Ja matte ne!~