Chapter 05 :: Diabolic Intent
"We should go in," Alma said as they watched the sky lightening more and more. She smoothed her hair a bit, shaking off the remnants of the lingering horror, and turned to go in. Johnathan looked out at the fields once more as he also started to go, freezing and grabbing Alma's wrist as he saw something.
"Alma.!"
Out in the field, they saw a pale young woman floating there, her hair as black as the raven's wing and her skin as pale as fine linen, dressed in varying blues and whites that cascaded about her slim figure. Her eyes were much like puddles of liquid blue, shifting in their hues of blue like a lake, staring right back at them with infinite sadness. In her arms was a vase, and from it she had poured some water onto the field.
Johnathan felt both very sad and infinitely bothered by this being. It reminded him of something, many things, all at once. And foremost was a similar feeling to when he had "met" Altima, but far less vindictive or evil, but that similar feeling of raw power. The sun broke over the eastern horizon, spilling it's light across the field, and as it hit the woman, she faded away, as though the light had devoured her very essence.
Alma looked at Johnathan. "What was that?"
"I. don't know," Johnathan said. "I'm sincerely and honestly scared. Let's get inside."
They herd movement inside, and both went inside, Johnathan securing the back door tightly before moving to the front room. There the sight of Alma hugging Ramza, who looked as though he had witnessed something horrible, greeted him. Ramza looked up, trying to comprehend what he was looking at a moment, and then nodded. "Hey," he said, running a hand through his hair.
"You ok?" Joathan asked, taking a seat on the floor before Ramza as Alma stood back upright.
"No, I had a horrible dream, one that I wish would go away."
"They might," Alma said, sighing slightly, "if Altima would."
Ramza looked at her perplexed.
"Johnathan had a visitor in his dreams earlier, after I'd awoken from a nightmare. Altima herself talked to him, and then found you and gave you that nightmare I bet." Alma folded her arms across her chest, shaking her head. "This is not a good thing if Altima still holds sway in our world in any form, brother."
Ramza dwelled on it for a moment, and spoke finally, saying, "It is, but worst of all is the fact they are going after us directly. We know what they want, but how will they do it?"
"That would depend upon the Lucavi, brother. We'd best inform Johnathan, as Altima made a threat on him to not inquire, and it is far too late for him to back out now after what I have said. Besides, it is better he knows if we are going to have to deal with the threat again, and it comes looking for us."
Ramza nodded. "I suppose so, though why Altima would bother someone not involved is beyond my comprehension. However, we'd better consider the Lucavi. We did not face twelve of them - we only faced. let's see. Queklain, Velius, Zarela, Adramelk, Hashmalum, and Altima. Six of them, or half the Zodiac. Each one seems to be directly linked in some form to the Zodiac, mostly. Queklain defies that for some reason."
"Which was which?" Johnathan asked. "I have some idea of Altima, but."
"Right - Altima was the Bloody Angel associated with the Virgo stone. I am sure that Alma told you about her involvement with that." Johnathan nodded. "Altima is the leader of the Lucavi. Next in line, and the most prominent about bringing the ascension and resurrection to life was Hashmalum, the Regulator, associated with Leo. A great humanoid lion, and quite powerful, he had taken over Meliadoul's father, Vormav."
"After that, I'm not clear on the exact order of power, but I do know their associations and such," Ramza said, scratching his head. "Adramelk was the Ghost of Fury, and was associated with Capricorn. My brother Dycedarg received that stone and . well, as the others, perished with the Lucavi. I did not like that day at all."
Alma shook her head. "I still grieve for him, despite what he did to both of us over the years, the disdain and hatred he had for us - and for our mother."
Ramza nodded. "Zarela was the Dark Angel, another one that did not match up exactly to the stone - though Elmdor's assassin "pets" were nearly twins."
"Gemini," Johnathan said, recalling his studies of the Zodiac he had done in idle times.
"Right. Zarela was a tricky one - very cunning. Then there was Velius, warlock of the Lucavi and possessor of Wiegraf. I tried to warn him from accepting, but he did not listen. Definitely a ram, he had possession of Aries."
"This leaves Queklain," Alma said. "Queklain was the start of your troubles."
"Indeed, associated with Scorpio, though the Impure King was more of a tub of lard with a giant mouth on his stomach and a small head. Cardinal Draclau had Scorpio, and became Queklain."
"That sort of explains what happened there," Alma said. "I honestly thought someone was spreading false lies until you told me what had happened."
"You were right," he said, shaking his head. "The Lucavi are tricky - and all of them are linked to the 'Holy Stones' of legend. You know, the ones that are mentioned in the Glabados church?"
Johnathan snorted. "Yeah, I know. I'd always suspected something funny about the church, honestly. The old pastor was an odd one, though I should not speak so of Chloe's father."
Ramza and Alma exchanged a quick glance but said nothing. "We thought leaving the stones at Death City would have helped - and with no way back, after we left there we had realized Worker 8 still had Aquarius. We could not go back, and we was no harm as he was always with Mustadio after we all parted ways. But now."
"It's gone," Johnathan said. "Could have fallen out anywhere."
Alma frowned. "Aquarius is the water-bearer. Johnathan, that thing we saw- "
"Water in a vase, like the art of Aquarius I've seen," he said, groaning. "I should have thought about that! Damn it!"
Ramza raised an eyebrow, looking between them. "What's this?"
Alma spoke up then as Johnathan muttered something under his breath. "We saw what could have been the Lucavi associated with Aquarius this morn in the field. she spilled some water, Johnathan, we'd best look at the field."
"Later," Ramza said, rubbing his temples carefully. "This isn't good - it seems as though the problem is local. Altima causing us nightmares, a potential Lucavi sighting. its not looking all that promising, is it Alma?"
Before she could answer a scream broke the morning silence, jarring Agrias awake and sending Alma running for the ladies' room. Agrias was shortly behind, sword in her hand and the males behind her.
"What is it?" Ramza asked, worried.
Agrias stepped into the room, giving them view of Alma holding Meliadoul. "Its ok, Mellie," Alma said, reassuring the knight. "Its over, it was a dream, that's all."
Meliadoul shook her head, throwing the bedcovers off and putting her feet on the floor. That bit of assurance seemed to help, that she was indeed awake. "It was father. that damned lion. and Izlude. I . I saw him die."
Ramza swallowed hard, remembering seeing his corpse there, the blood staining his green robes and golden armor, the deep serrations from claws. Little could they have known then that it had been Hashmalum. Ramza shook his head, crossing the room to join Alma in supporting Meliadoul. They had been through thick and thin from Zarela onward, both losing family to the Lucavi.
He hugged her, patting her back lightly. "It's ok Meliadoul. its long over. the dreams. don't worry about them."
'Altima, I will have vengeance for this. it was far too uncalled for.' Though vengeance was not part of his inherent nature, a dream like that was not something needed at this point in her life. She was coming to accept what had happened, and they had thought she was over the grief. Re-opening wounds was not going to help.
"Thank you, everyone. I am sorry to bother you," Meliadoul said after regaining her senses. "I."
"It's all right," Meredith said, pulling her hair back. In the living room, Mustadio and Beowulf were there, perplexed a bit, and Agrias slipped out to explain it to them.
"We'd better get up and eat - we have quite a bit to discuss," Ramza said.
"We should go in," Alma said as they watched the sky lightening more and more. She smoothed her hair a bit, shaking off the remnants of the lingering horror, and turned to go in. Johnathan looked out at the fields once more as he also started to go, freezing and grabbing Alma's wrist as he saw something.
"Alma.!"
Out in the field, they saw a pale young woman floating there, her hair as black as the raven's wing and her skin as pale as fine linen, dressed in varying blues and whites that cascaded about her slim figure. Her eyes were much like puddles of liquid blue, shifting in their hues of blue like a lake, staring right back at them with infinite sadness. In her arms was a vase, and from it she had poured some water onto the field.
Johnathan felt both very sad and infinitely bothered by this being. It reminded him of something, many things, all at once. And foremost was a similar feeling to when he had "met" Altima, but far less vindictive or evil, but that similar feeling of raw power. The sun broke over the eastern horizon, spilling it's light across the field, and as it hit the woman, she faded away, as though the light had devoured her very essence.
Alma looked at Johnathan. "What was that?"
"I. don't know," Johnathan said. "I'm sincerely and honestly scared. Let's get inside."
They herd movement inside, and both went inside, Johnathan securing the back door tightly before moving to the front room. There the sight of Alma hugging Ramza, who looked as though he had witnessed something horrible, greeted him. Ramza looked up, trying to comprehend what he was looking at a moment, and then nodded. "Hey," he said, running a hand through his hair.
"You ok?" Joathan asked, taking a seat on the floor before Ramza as Alma stood back upright.
"No, I had a horrible dream, one that I wish would go away."
"They might," Alma said, sighing slightly, "if Altima would."
Ramza looked at her perplexed.
"Johnathan had a visitor in his dreams earlier, after I'd awoken from a nightmare. Altima herself talked to him, and then found you and gave you that nightmare I bet." Alma folded her arms across her chest, shaking her head. "This is not a good thing if Altima still holds sway in our world in any form, brother."
Ramza dwelled on it for a moment, and spoke finally, saying, "It is, but worst of all is the fact they are going after us directly. We know what they want, but how will they do it?"
"That would depend upon the Lucavi, brother. We'd best inform Johnathan, as Altima made a threat on him to not inquire, and it is far too late for him to back out now after what I have said. Besides, it is better he knows if we are going to have to deal with the threat again, and it comes looking for us."
Ramza nodded. "I suppose so, though why Altima would bother someone not involved is beyond my comprehension. However, we'd better consider the Lucavi. We did not face twelve of them - we only faced. let's see. Queklain, Velius, Zarela, Adramelk, Hashmalum, and Altima. Six of them, or half the Zodiac. Each one seems to be directly linked in some form to the Zodiac, mostly. Queklain defies that for some reason."
"Which was which?" Johnathan asked. "I have some idea of Altima, but."
"Right - Altima was the Bloody Angel associated with the Virgo stone. I am sure that Alma told you about her involvement with that." Johnathan nodded. "Altima is the leader of the Lucavi. Next in line, and the most prominent about bringing the ascension and resurrection to life was Hashmalum, the Regulator, associated with Leo. A great humanoid lion, and quite powerful, he had taken over Meliadoul's father, Vormav."
"After that, I'm not clear on the exact order of power, but I do know their associations and such," Ramza said, scratching his head. "Adramelk was the Ghost of Fury, and was associated with Capricorn. My brother Dycedarg received that stone and . well, as the others, perished with the Lucavi. I did not like that day at all."
Alma shook her head. "I still grieve for him, despite what he did to both of us over the years, the disdain and hatred he had for us - and for our mother."
Ramza nodded. "Zarela was the Dark Angel, another one that did not match up exactly to the stone - though Elmdor's assassin "pets" were nearly twins."
"Gemini," Johnathan said, recalling his studies of the Zodiac he had done in idle times.
"Right. Zarela was a tricky one - very cunning. Then there was Velius, warlock of the Lucavi and possessor of Wiegraf. I tried to warn him from accepting, but he did not listen. Definitely a ram, he had possession of Aries."
"This leaves Queklain," Alma said. "Queklain was the start of your troubles."
"Indeed, associated with Scorpio, though the Impure King was more of a tub of lard with a giant mouth on his stomach and a small head. Cardinal Draclau had Scorpio, and became Queklain."
"That sort of explains what happened there," Alma said. "I honestly thought someone was spreading false lies until you told me what had happened."
"You were right," he said, shaking his head. "The Lucavi are tricky - and all of them are linked to the 'Holy Stones' of legend. You know, the ones that are mentioned in the Glabados church?"
Johnathan snorted. "Yeah, I know. I'd always suspected something funny about the church, honestly. The old pastor was an odd one, though I should not speak so of Chloe's father."
Ramza and Alma exchanged a quick glance but said nothing. "We thought leaving the stones at Death City would have helped - and with no way back, after we left there we had realized Worker 8 still had Aquarius. We could not go back, and we was no harm as he was always with Mustadio after we all parted ways. But now."
"It's gone," Johnathan said. "Could have fallen out anywhere."
Alma frowned. "Aquarius is the water-bearer. Johnathan, that thing we saw- "
"Water in a vase, like the art of Aquarius I've seen," he said, groaning. "I should have thought about that! Damn it!"
Ramza raised an eyebrow, looking between them. "What's this?"
Alma spoke up then as Johnathan muttered something under his breath. "We saw what could have been the Lucavi associated with Aquarius this morn in the field. she spilled some water, Johnathan, we'd best look at the field."
"Later," Ramza said, rubbing his temples carefully. "This isn't good - it seems as though the problem is local. Altima causing us nightmares, a potential Lucavi sighting. its not looking all that promising, is it Alma?"
Before she could answer a scream broke the morning silence, jarring Agrias awake and sending Alma running for the ladies' room. Agrias was shortly behind, sword in her hand and the males behind her.
"What is it?" Ramza asked, worried.
Agrias stepped into the room, giving them view of Alma holding Meliadoul. "Its ok, Mellie," Alma said, reassuring the knight. "Its over, it was a dream, that's all."
Meliadoul shook her head, throwing the bedcovers off and putting her feet on the floor. That bit of assurance seemed to help, that she was indeed awake. "It was father. that damned lion. and Izlude. I . I saw him die."
Ramza swallowed hard, remembering seeing his corpse there, the blood staining his green robes and golden armor, the deep serrations from claws. Little could they have known then that it had been Hashmalum. Ramza shook his head, crossing the room to join Alma in supporting Meliadoul. They had been through thick and thin from Zarela onward, both losing family to the Lucavi.
He hugged her, patting her back lightly. "It's ok Meliadoul. its long over. the dreams. don't worry about them."
'Altima, I will have vengeance for this. it was far too uncalled for.' Though vengeance was not part of his inherent nature, a dream like that was not something needed at this point in her life. She was coming to accept what had happened, and they had thought she was over the grief. Re-opening wounds was not going to help.
"Thank you, everyone. I am sorry to bother you," Meliadoul said after regaining her senses. "I."
"It's all right," Meredith said, pulling her hair back. In the living room, Mustadio and Beowulf were there, perplexed a bit, and Agrias slipped out to explain it to them.
"We'd better get up and eat - we have quite a bit to discuss," Ramza said.