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Part Nine
Sephira inched towards the fallen Akumu, fire eddying in her hand. Kuja, behind her, wiped a small trickle of blood from his neck, his eyes fixed on the ninja for any movement, other than her constant twitches.
Taking Sephira's shoulders, Kuja tightened his hands reassuringly and she smiled a little at him.
Zidane knelt at Viteros' side as the Devil tried to move, coughing constantly.
"Don't worry, Vit. I have a cure!" Zidane brought out a potion and forced Viteros' mouth open-it appeared the Devil did not want to take the potion- and poured it down his throat. Viteros hacked and spat half of the potion out.
"What is in that?!"
"It's a potion..."
"What kind?!"
"Um...a holy water?" Zidane said doubtfully, reading the label for the first time.
"Do you know anything about potions?! Holy waters do not cure anything except zombie!"
"Oh..."
"Oh, gods, I feel really sick now." Viteros threw up his hands in exasperation and glared at Zidane. "Thank you. Thank you SO MUCH!"
Zidane cringed and laughed a little uneasily, rubbing the back of his neck. "Um...I'm sorry?" he tried.
Viteros simply glared and rubbed his temples agitatedly. Zidane left him alone and turned back to Sephira and Kuja.
"So, what are we gonna do with her?" he asked, sitting cross-legged, holding his feet and rocking back and forth slightly, a small, happy grin on his face. His tail flicked behind him. Viteros took a hold of it and yanked it, sending Zidane bolting to his feet, clutching his tail to him.
"What did you do that for?!" he yelped, tears stinging the corners of his eyes. He pouted and hugged his tail, looking the epitome of tearful innocence. Viteros laughed.
"You fed me a sickening holy water. What did you think I would do?"
Zidane sat down again in a tearful huff and continued to hug his tail close to him, glaring at Viteros, who grinned wolfishly.
"Hush, you two," Sephira ordered, her eyes still on Akumu.
"Sit down, lovely. She's not going to get up for a while," Zidane remarked, patting the ground beside him, one hand still holding his tail. Sephira arched an eyebrow, turning to face them.
"Oh, really? The moment we turn our back, she shall be upon us. And then you will be sorry," she remarked smartly.
"Your back's turned," Viteros stated. He watched with glee as Sephira turned an embarrassed red.
"You are just having a wonderful time being cruel to everyone!" she shouted tersely, crossing her arms and sitting down. Viteros nodded, smiling. She scowled at him and turned her nose up. The Devil laughed as Sephira went, if possible, even redder.
Her scowl deepened and she raised her hand and started to walk up to Viteros, who held up his hands and said, "Wait, wait.ok.I'll do It myself." and slapped himself. "Damn, that hurts."
Kuja sighed and turned, sitting with his back to Sephira's, watching Akumu. He found arguing pointless, though he knew his companion reveled in it. Exhausted, he hung his head and rested his chin on his chest, closing his eyes.
"Are we going to stay here forever?" Zidane asked, finally letting his tail go. If anyone noticed the little piece of fabric tied around the tip, they didn't mention it, to save the poor boy's already wounded pride.
"Of course not," Viteros said, draping one arm over his single raised knee. "We take every last ounce of information in her brain from her, once she awakens, then we split."
"I see," Zidane replied lightly, arching an eyebrow.
They all sat in silence for a long moment. Kuja awoke to the sound of Akumu moving. He called a small orb of electricity to his hand and watched her apprehensively as she groaned, the only visible eye opening. Kuja, staring into it, could tell that it was very wrong.
"Viteros..." he murmured, motioning for the Devil with his other hand. Viteros moved over towards them and kneeled by Akumu as the ninja sat up. Sephira, trying to be kind to their captive, so as to possibly get information more efficiently, helped Akumu up and steadied her.
"Hello, Akumu. I am Seph-"
Before she could finished, Akumu cried out at the name and jerked away, as though Sephira were a hot brick.
Viteros looked over at Sephira, noting her puzzled expression.
"I think you should leave for this. You're just going to get in the way."
"But, why-?"
"Just do it!" Viteros ordered, glaring at her.
Dejected, Sephira stood and stalked away, her anger rising. Kuja stood to go and follow her, but Viteros ordered him to stay, telling Kuja that they would need all three of them there.
--------------------
Sephira, feeling very offended and confused, made her way through the twisted Ipsen to a larger room, not wanting to be anywhere near the others. She sat on a stone and crossed her arms, crossing one leg over the other. Muttering, she halted and glanced up, listening for the noise she believed she had just heard.
"Hello?"
"Good evening, dear angel."
She jumped, startled, standing and turning around. Behind her, sitting cross-legged on the stone she had just vacated, was Angel-Black. He smiled up at her, his sharply handsome, yet mysterious face covered by the fringe of his black hair.
"Angel!" she gasped, stumbling back a couple of steps. He stood and held out a hand.
"Come with me."
"What?"
"I need you."
She watched him, meeting his magenta eyes. Suddenly, she couldn't move. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn't move a muscle. She couldn't even speak. All she could do was breathe.
His eyes still locked on hers, Angel moved towards her, wrapping his arms around her, breaking their eye contact. She could move again and she began to struggle.
"Let me go!" she cried, trying to free herself.
Remaining silent, he placed his index and middle fingers on her forehead lightly, smiling in satisfaction as she cried out in agony, struggling in vain, trying to wrench herself away from him. He began to laugh as she screamed even louder, finally dropping in a faint, one of his arms around her back. He held her limp body up, tracing his index finger over her face. Smiling, he gathered her into his arms and lightly thrust himself from the ground, borne into the air, flapping his six wings slightly, soft rustling sounds filling the air. The only trace of their being there was a single black feather on the ground.
-----------------------
Kuja heard her screams.
"Sephira?" he cried, leaping to his feet. Ignoring Viteros, Kuja dashed in the direction Sephira had taken, fear rising in him. With a slightly apologetic glance at Viteros, Zidane jumped up and raced after Kuja.
Viteros frowned, taking Akumu's wrist and dragging her to her feet, then following the others.
Kuja searched through a couple of rooms, finally finding the one she and Angel had been in. He could tell they had been there from the black feather on the ground and the green feather resting on a large stone, obviously one of Sephira's.
"Sephira?" he called, slightly alarmed by the black feather's presence. Zidane arrived and joined Kuja, calling out her name. When Viteros came with Akumu, he winced, seeing the black feather. Akumu, spotting it with her single, unconvered eye, began to laugh silently, her shoulders shaking.
"Stop that," Viteros ordered, jostling her a little. She laughed out loud, the sound twisted and eerie.
"Angel female is being his now! Never again her you see!" she giggled, calming herself slightly. Kuja, a desperate look on his face, took her by the shoulders and shook her violently.
"Where has he taken her?!" he cried, his expression a mix of grief and rage. Getting no reply, he slammed her into the wall, his knuckles white from gripping her collar so hard.
She met his eyes and repeated, much more softly, "Angel female is being his now." She shook her head, her eye never leaving his. "Never again her you see." She smirked a little and Kuja released her, stumbling back and falling to his knees, a bewildered expression on his face.
Zidane placed a hand on his shoulder. "Don't worry about it. We'll get her back."
"Of course we will," Viteros seconded, rounding on Akumu. "Listen. You are going to tell us right now, Aeris, or we will kill you. Tell us where he has taken her."
"I none speak," replied Akumu, still slightly laughing, "he gone, she gone, you dead. No chance."
"You sickening bit-" snarled Kuja, lunging forward. But he was stopped in mid-lunge and also mid-'bad word' by Viteros. Holding the angry Genome back, the Devil said, "She's no good to us dead."
Zidane looked over and said almost casually, "Well, she's not a whole lot of good to us alive either."
Viteros gave a dark half-smile. "Maybe.but I'm sure that there is more that she can give us."
Slightly alarmed, Zidane moved a bit closer. "What do you mean?"
"You forget.I was head of Khamrask. I was the best of the Devil commandos. I am an expert in many things.including torture." Viteros moved his face closer to Akumu's until it was barely an inch away. He leered. "There are ways to get water from the driest wells."
Zidane almost shouted. "No torture! Viteros, we can't sink as low as our enemies! Kuja, you agree, don't you?"
Kuja looked upwards, eyes wondering. "I am not sure."
"Kuja!"
"Zidane!" Kuja suddenly burst out, "There is no other way! We cannot find Sephira unless we make sure where she is, now! If we wait and just persuade her to tell us, Sephira will be long gone!"
Zidane hung his head. "Guys, I can't believe you're doing this."
Viteros looked back at Akumu. "Don't worry. I won't hurt her. I'll use another way."
He walked up to her and grinned downwards.
"Your memory is a lot better than mine, Akumu.you remember quite a bit that I don't. So I'm sure you remember the alternative methods of information extraction? Mental absorption?"
Akumu suddenly looked angry and defiant. "No. You.you not!"
Viteros' smile dimmed and his eyes clouded with dark determination. "Zidane, Kuja," he said, still looking at their prisoner, "Hold her down. Arms and legs."
As the two nervously approached, they saw the ninja ready to lash out. Viteros cocked his hand-gun and pointed it straight at her head. "Just try."
After Zidane securely held her arms down and Kuja her legs, Devil Nine was ready. He put his hand on his captive's face, his thumb on her temple and his smallest finger on the back of her neck, where the brain connected to the spinal cord. "You know how this works," he said, breathing low and menacing, "we make this fast and you don't struggle. Less chance of your death."
"Come," said Akumu, smiling savagely. "You die."
Viteros closed his eyes and breathed deeply. After a few breaths he opened his eyes, and in their place were the mismatched eyes of Akumu Kage. Electricity flickered in the air. His arm slowly started to tremble, low but stronger and stronger until the force was nearly forcing his shoulder out of its socket. Suddenly, in a flash, Akumu's eyes turned blue, Viteros' red, and the dark electrical currents tore through the air, leaving the sickening stench of burning oxygen, and over it all the screaming of the ninja's tormented face agonized their hearts.
Viteros' knuckles were white, holding tight to Akumu's face, his teeth grinding, his whole body tense. In his focus he failed to see Akumu's arm slowly sneak around and quickly snatch his other arm, and brought it swiftly to the other side, to connect with her mind twofold.
Contact.
They both screamed, both in agony and in rage, and they were both thrown back while electric traces still floated in the strangely disturbing calm.
Kuja walked over to Akumu, Zidane to Viteros. "Vit.Vit? Hey? What.?" The Devil's eyes were an eerie, unnatural pure white.
"White eye?" asked Kuja, looking over. "Same here.psychic connection.what happened?"
----------------------
Viteros screamed.
He was falling through a massive tunnel, ringed with tearing reds and blacks. Past him swirled images of horrible atrocities, murders, dismemberments, cannibalism, betrayal, sacrifice, torture.
And at the end of the tunnel, a scene from his past.
A massive metal cross, ringed with machinery. And none other hung upon the hideous mockery than the Devil Nine himself.
He slowly approached it; he was back on solid ground again. Viteros looked around and saw he was in a desolate place, a place of death. Dead trees and patches of yellowed grass surrounded rusted, spiked metal gates, and a dense fog stopped him from seeing past his immediate surroundings, the sky above was dark and ominous, like a portent of the nightmares to come.
Viteros looked up at the cross, as the image of himself hung upon it, moaning in sullen protest to the terrible torment he was undergoing, his hands stabbed into his grave, and the gaping hole in his chest where the Argus sword had pierced.long ago, when he had died the first time.
Devil Nine shook his head. No use thinking about an old death when there were much more pressing matters at hand.
Turning away from that shadowy vision of the past, Viteros shouted into the mist, "Akumu! Where are you! Show yourself!"
"Remembering the past, old friend?"
Viteros lowered his head, a bitter smile tugging at his lips. "Perhaps.but what is this to you?"
"Because I suffered the same, Viteros," she said, and he could sense her coming closer. "I suffered the same as you."
He halfway turned his head. "What would you know, Aeris?"
He turned completely and he could see her, the sacred ghost, the last of the Cetra. Aeris stood there, looking the same as before. On that day when Sephiroth descended from the sky and ended her life, and nearly extinguished all hope for one Planet.
"I know more than you think!" Aeris stepped forward, hands clasped to her heart, and her eyes shone with sincerity. "Viteros.don't think I've forgotten what you did with us before.how you helped me, and how you helped my friends.back long ago, back on the other world. I know you're a traveler of worlds, don't think you can hide that from me. But you need to know, your enemy Terisas is also a traveler, he is like you, and he plans to do here like what he had done before!"
"Who cares!" Viteros caught himself yelling again, in rage. "Do you understand my plight? Do you understand my pain? Do you know what I have gone through, Cetra! This nightmare has been part of my life forever, this agony, and Terisas just adds to it! My pain is something you'll never fully grasp, something that will never be something you will ever understand. Strife stopped Sephiroth, but me, now, I'm here, on Gaea, and Sephiroth isn't the problem! The other Traveler is! And this-"-he pointed at the strange surreal world they were in-"-is just a waste of time! Why did you bring me here?"
"I didn't," said Aeris, shaking her head. "Akumu did. And she wants you to see something."
"What?"
"Her pain, Viteros. What she, I have gone through."
"Will it get me out of here?"
Aeris gave him a pleading look. "Viteros.learn to care."
"Will it get me out of here?"
The Cetra hung her head. "Yes."
Viteros turned away again. "Then let's see this."
"I'm glad, Viteros." said Akumu, emerging from the mist as Aeris faded into it, "You'll understand, Viteros. You'll see."
Some of the mist gave way, disappearing into thin air, and creating a tunnel surrounded by the dense fog towards a door. Viteros walked toward it, slowly, cautiously. He silently approached the door, and as he watched, the mist faded away, showing a massive house, a mansion, an old one. He could see that it was once a fine house, great and well kept, but now the place was dark, dilapidated. As the mist disappeared, more and more, he saw that as far as the horizon there was nothing but this wasteland, and in the black sky, obscured by clouds, a sickly yellow-green moon hung.
Guns cocked, Viteros walked to the door and kicked it in. He walked slowly through the abandoned halls, thick with dust and cobwebs. The wood paneling was dimmed and dark, the paintings on the walls covered with a rich coating of dust, these and the gold chandelier, with half- melted candles still inside, the fine silverware in the massive dining hall, the oaken and silk chairs in front of the huge fireplace spoke of the long-gone finery.
Then, he heard it.
A low, quiet, tinkling sound, like a bell. A music box?
Viteros followed the sound, silent, ready. The song.it was familiar.yes, it was a song back from his home. Greensleeves, sad and forlorn, but with a sweet quality.
He found a door where it seemed the song was coming from. The door was locked. Viteros tore the gold-inlaid brass doorknob off and went inside.
Inside Viteros saw a bookshelf, a few chairs, a small table with a candleholder and a candle on top next to a chair that was turned away. Next to the door he saw a small shelf, with pictures on top. He picked one up and looked at it.
There was a family, happy, joyous, in front of the house. The trees were full and alive, the sun shining bright, the house new and nearly sparkling. The parents, a young woman and man, and three children, the biggest a little 10-year-old boy, a little girl around the same age, and a baby boy held in the hands of the happy, smiling mother.
The photo was old and faded, and bits of spider web still clung to its rich, incredibly carved frame. Viteros blew on it and wiped away the cobwebs.
Turning his attention back to the rest of the room, Viteros saw that the candle was lit.
He walked over, gun ready. As soon as he neared it, he quickly reached out and spun the chair around.
In the chair was the mother, her neck broken.
Viteros looked at it, glaring. "What's this? What's this you're trying to pull on me, Akumu? Some cheap haunted house tricks?"
Suddenly, it struck him. Greensleeves. That song was never heard on any other world but his own.
Devil Nine hurried to the music box, which held a dancing couple and a picture of the laughing, happy little girl.
Then behind him, he heard a moan.
Instantly, Viteros turned and fired, blasting the mother's corpse right in the chest. The blood spattered, covering the room.
Shutting the music box, he quickly left.
------------------------
Kuja looked down at the two hopefully just unconscious bodies. "What is this?" he wondered aloud.
Zidane looked up and said, "We're not getting far just staring at them.we need to carry them both and find Sephira!"
"I know," agreed the other, "But where to find her?"
"Viteros' airship somehow went to Ipsen Castle by itself," said Zidane slowly, thinking. "Maybe it has the locations of many different places contained inside of it.we could find Terisas' home, and find Sephira!" Kuja looked down again. "It is a plan.grab Viteros, I shall take our guest. We are getting back on our friend the Devil's ship."
-------------------------
Viteros stalked the halls, angry. The groan had caught him completely by surprise and he had reacted badly, desecrated a corpse. But still the question remained.who had made the sound?
"Tara.Tara, why are you doing this? Tara? What's that for? Tara? TARA!"
"The kid!" Following the now wordlessly screaming voice of a little boy, Viteros burst into another room. And here he didn't need to investigate to find the body.
A little boy's corpse hung from a rope, a knot tied securely around his neck. But what was important was that the body was slowly turning in the air, still moving to the sway of gravity and physics. The cadaver had recently been disturbed, at most a few hours ago.
Before leaving, though, one thing caught his attention.a huge window in the far wall, facing out into what was probably once a full land, not this dead place. The window was broken. Maybe the killer got away; there was no way to find.
"No!" he snarled angrily, aiming around with his gun. "Whoever you are, come out! Come out and face me!"
"Mister?"
Viteros stepped backwards back out into the hall and swung his gun towards the source of the voice. A little girl, standing there, hands clasped behind her back.
She was strange, pale, with oddly colored gray eyes. She looked terrified.
"You," said Viteros, still aiming, "are you Tara?"
The little girl nodded nervously. "Yes.and who are you?"
"Me? I'm just a wanderer."
"Do you know what's happening around here?"
"I'm afraid I don't, Tara.but maybe you do."
"Why?"
"Tell me Tara, what's in your hands?"
"Nothing."
"Show me."
Slowly, afraid, she brought her hands forward to reveal a blood-caked knife.
"Tara, why do you have that?"
The little girl looked down at the knife in fear, as if she didn't know she had been holding it. "I.just do."
Viteros aimed carefully. "Tara, give me the knife."
"No! I need it to protect myself from.him."
Viteros narrowed his eyes. "Who is.he?"
The little girl broke down into tears. "He calls himself.Terisas."
The Devil's heart stopped cold. "Terisas?"
"Yes," Tara replied, sobbing, "He's my daddy."
"Your father.is Terisas?"
This time Tara didn't even reply, just fell to the floor, crying. But through her choked sobs he could hear some words, and began to understand. "A long time ago, my family was happy. We were all happy, and we lived in our mansion out here in the country. My brother really liked it here, because he loved to climb the hills and explore the forest, but I wanted to go back to the city, where all my friends lived, back there where the stores were and whenever I looked around I'd see people everywhere, and the big stone lady with her torch stood watch. But out here, there's nobody, except for my family. But now there's not even that.because one day.
"About a week ago, my daddy went down into the basement and stayed for a long time. He had just found a book in the old library, and he just stayed down there reading. When I saw him go down into the basement I asked him if he would remember to read me a bedtime story that night, because he forgot the night before, and he just smiled and hugged me and said he could never forget.but that was the last time I saw him.
"Then, one day, my mom died. We found her in her favorite chair, in the room where she loved to just sit and read. Then a few days later, I blacked out, and when I woke up outside, the window was broken my brother was dead too, in the room where he loved to just look out the window and dream. The window was broken, and there were little bits of glass in my arm, it hurt so much.
"All that was left was me and my little brother Dario. I tried to keep him safe. I saw him every once in a while, that evil thing, that.that.monster." Tara broke down crying again, and lay there on the floor in a little miserable ball, crying and crying. Viteros knelt and put his hand on her back, and said quietly, "Tara, I understand what you're going through. And I know it's horrible. But I need your help to make it all better. Will you help me? Please?"
Tara nodded, and through her tears continued. "I tried to keep my brother safe. But he made sure that we were always afraid.and one day I went to sleep and when I woke up, Dario was gone.and now he's trying to get to me too, but I found this knife in the kitchen and I've fought him off, but I'm getting tired.I'm getting so tired.and he never gets tired."
Viteros stood up and said, "Tara, I'm here to help. Come with me and we can find out what's wrong, and maybe help your daddy."
The little girl looked up with tear-streaked eyes and sniffed, "Where will you go?"
"To the basement. Can you lead me there, Tara?"
Tara stood up, and looked downwards, trembling. "I know you're afraid," said the Devil, "But we really need your help, Tara. I need you to take me there. Please."
Tara swallowed and looked upwards. "Yes," she said finally, quietly. "Yes."
She slowly led him through the twisting abandoned halls, and finally came to a large grand staircase that led downwards. "I'm afraid to go down there," she said quietly.
"But you have to stay with me Tara. I can protect you."
Tara looked at Viteros, suddenly with defiance in her eyes. "I've always taken care of myself." With that, she spun and ran off.
"But Tara, wait!" but she was gone.
Viteros slowly descended the staircase, which gradually got narrower and went from fancy marble to wood to stone, and all the while pushing lower and lower and lower.until finally he reached the bottom, a dark, dank place with a single door made of rotting wood.
The Devil took one look at it and kicked it open, fanning his gun across the area.
He had entered a laboratory, of sorts. Vials and a microscope and machinery littered the area; notebooks and papers were there with writing on it that Viteros could never understand. On the ground, drawn in some glowing blue writing, was a huge pentagram.
But what caught his attention was a fine leather chair in a corner, with an open book on it. Viteros picked it up and saw it was the Shadow Bible.
~67. And when thou shalt combine these, the substance of the Lords of Life, Light, Dark, Chaos, and Heart shalt thou understandeth thine own heart. For behold, when thou hast collected these, and hath made them together, inasmuch as one, thou hast the Flesh of Heart. 68. And verily verily I say unto thee, thou art cautioned, for the Flesh of Heart maketh the flesh of man as the heart thereof, and thou shalt assume the form of thine own heart, and become great man, or dark beast, for thy heart shalt be made manifest unto all as thine own face, thine own body, forsooth, thine own flesh. 69. Curse and wo unto thou who wouldst toy with such, for thou shalt suffer greatly under the hands of the Heavens. For thou, man, comprehendeth not the true power of Heart.
Orisophos, the Traveler, Chapter 18, verses 67-69~
"If this is what Terisas has been reading."
Viteros came to understand at that moment. The man had read the Shadow Bible, been interested in what it said, created the Flesh of Heart, and had used it on himself. Perhaps he thought that he would become something great, a powerful god. He ended up a child-killing monster.
Outside, he heard a rustling. There was another door, further down into the ground. This was where the sound was coming from.
Not knowing what to expect, he thrust the door open and ran down deeper into the nightmares that weren't his.
-----------------------
On Viteros' airship, Kuja and Zidane were worried. There was really no way to operate the thing without knowing how.
Searching deep into the surprisingly large area underneath a seat they found a thick book that said Flying Neo-R16 type Airships for Total Idiots.
"I guess this is how to use this," said Zidane, looking down at the book. They both knew what they had to do, but the task was not for one with a feeble heart of lack of courage.
"We have to read this," said Kuja. "It is near-impossible, but we shall try." Zidane glared at the book with hatred. "Yes. Let's do it." In the back of his mind he thought ~And I thought fighting against Gizamaluke was hard.~
-------------------------
Deeper into the dungeon, deeper into the nightmare. Viteros began to hear screaming voices, an inhuman roar that spoke of torment and hatred. At the bottom of the staircase, he hesitated. Should he continue he would meet this demon of darkness, this monster. Would he dare to ever even attempt to defeat this horrendous beast? If Terisas' body reflected his heart, then he would be a monster indeed.
Knowing he wouldn't dare if he hesitated anymore, Viteros forced himself forward, gun out and scope searching. Then he saw the beast.
It was currently stabbed into a wall, a massive spike impaling it through the torso, and another stuck through its throat. The monster must have been Terisas' soul made manifest.
The creature was horrendous. The face was a sickening mass of blood, bone, muscle, and skin, with the single remaining eye almost hanging out of its socket; the other socket was filled in with a pulsating mass of flesh and blood vessels. The left arm was grossly massive compared to the right one and was covered in spines, misshapen and grotesque. A third arm arched up over the body, having come out somewhere in the back, and had sharp, large, curved blades cutting out of the flesh and the fingers had tearing claws extending from the tips. In the palm of this massive hand was a sharp- toothed screaming thing like a human mouth.
Viteros stepped forward. "You! Terisas!"
The writhing monster stopped its painful activity and fell from the spike, and lumbered forward. The mouth in the third hand extended a long, purplish, snakelike tongue that went over to and went over Viteros. Then a voice came from the beast, a voice inhuman and full of sadistic lust and sorrow.
"Human.human blood."
Viteros stepped back, gun still aimed. "That's right, human! You're out to kill us all, aren't you? You killed most of your family, didn't you? Come on! Come and get me!"
The monster lunged forward, but before Viteros could fire the third arm suddenly swooped forward and grabbed his face. Kicking and screaming, Viteros struggled to get free as the mouth in the hand began to bite and tear at him. His gun fired frantically, shooting nothing but air. All the while the massive hand held tighter and tighter, the mouth screamed, and the air began to run out.
"No," Viteros choked, as the mouth drew closer, its sickening tongue lazily wrapping around his neck, "No, it can't end like this."
"Stop."
The arm dropped the Devil, and he lay there gasping. Then he looked over beside the frozen monster and saw Akumu.
"Akumu.this is what you went through?"
"Yes," she said mournfully. "This is all that is left of my father, Terisas. He was a famous scientist, you know. Everyone thought he was a wonderful man, but ever since he got that accursed book."
"And you," said Viteros slowly, "You.you're Tara, aren't you?"
Akumu nodded sadly. "Yes, I am Tara. But unlike your fantasy nightmare that you have lived here, I did not leave. I went into the basement, and nearly had my face eaten. But I threw the knife at father's own face and managed to escape. However, I was then weaponless. When I was outside he found me and strangled and dismembered me.
"But my disturbed father Terisas used my body. He used it to create a patchwork soldier after he came to Gaea. He combined it with the remnants of that Cetra and made me, not Tara, but a horrendous combination of people called Akumu Kage.Nightmare Shadow. With this new soldier he planned to have something that would tide over his power-hungry madness until the Angels were perfected.but thanks to you, they never were."
"Akumu," said Viteros suddenly, "how is it you talk.uh."
"Normal?" Akumu gave a small, bitter laugh. "In the world that you call the waking world, Akumu Kage is a mindless pawn of the dark lord Master Terisas, and she has no mind to speak of. That is why I can speak to you here but not in the real world, and that is why I cannot help you in the real world, only attack you."
Viteros looked at her for a while. "I'm."
Akumu idly waved her hand away. "No need for sympathy. Terisas has damned me to relive this nightmare over and over, to live in this haunted mansion, with no one but the long-dead spirits of my family for company, while my body tries to commit more sins on his behalf. It is Terisas who's fault this is, and it is he who you must destroy."
Viteros nodded. "I will, Ak.Tara. I'll avenge everything that your father has destroyed for you."
"Don't call him my father, Viteros," she said, shaking her head gently. "He was once my father, but no longer. All that is left is the monster called Terisas."
"Yes."
"It's time for you to return to the waking world, Viteros Ojikage, Devil Nine," said Akumu. "Viteros, you need to avenge the world of Terisas' atrocities. Go forth with strength."
A cool wind surrounded Viteros, and he saw blue swirls appear before him, slowly swirling faster and faster, denser and denser. Suddenly, everything went white.
--------------------------
Viteros opened his eyes. Slowly getting up, he looked around. He was in the cargo hold of his airship, but it wasn't flying.next to him lay Akumu. She was still asleep. "Zidane!" he shouted.
Zidane ran in. His eyes were bloodshot. "Viteros!" he yelled, "Vit, you're back up!"
"Of course," he replied, slowly standing. "What were you doing?"
"Uh.trying to fly the ship," said Zidane. "We-Kuja and me-knew how to fly the ship with your coordinant locator, but we didn't know how to take off."
Viteros looked at him very closely. "You.push the red button that says 'takeoff', Zidane."
"Oh."
Viteros turned and picked up Akumu. "What're you doing with her?" asked Zidane, "Are you going to throw her off?"
"No.she is a very unique woman. I'm just going to leave her outside the ship. Terisas and his cronies will find her and save her. As for us.we're going to Outer Heaven. To the cockpit!"
He and Zidane quickly walked to the main bridge of the airship and Viteros sat down in the pilot's chair. "Sephira.we're coming."
Keep reviewing! ^_____^
Disclaimer: We don't own anything having to do with FF9 or any other Squaresoft game. We have rights to our characters, though. You know the drill..... ^_^
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Part Nine
Sephira inched towards the fallen Akumu, fire eddying in her hand. Kuja, behind her, wiped a small trickle of blood from his neck, his eyes fixed on the ninja for any movement, other than her constant twitches.
Taking Sephira's shoulders, Kuja tightened his hands reassuringly and she smiled a little at him.
Zidane knelt at Viteros' side as the Devil tried to move, coughing constantly.
"Don't worry, Vit. I have a cure!" Zidane brought out a potion and forced Viteros' mouth open-it appeared the Devil did not want to take the potion- and poured it down his throat. Viteros hacked and spat half of the potion out.
"What is in that?!"
"It's a potion..."
"What kind?!"
"Um...a holy water?" Zidane said doubtfully, reading the label for the first time.
"Do you know anything about potions?! Holy waters do not cure anything except zombie!"
"Oh..."
"Oh, gods, I feel really sick now." Viteros threw up his hands in exasperation and glared at Zidane. "Thank you. Thank you SO MUCH!"
Zidane cringed and laughed a little uneasily, rubbing the back of his neck. "Um...I'm sorry?" he tried.
Viteros simply glared and rubbed his temples agitatedly. Zidane left him alone and turned back to Sephira and Kuja.
"So, what are we gonna do with her?" he asked, sitting cross-legged, holding his feet and rocking back and forth slightly, a small, happy grin on his face. His tail flicked behind him. Viteros took a hold of it and yanked it, sending Zidane bolting to his feet, clutching his tail to him.
"What did you do that for?!" he yelped, tears stinging the corners of his eyes. He pouted and hugged his tail, looking the epitome of tearful innocence. Viteros laughed.
"You fed me a sickening holy water. What did you think I would do?"
Zidane sat down again in a tearful huff and continued to hug his tail close to him, glaring at Viteros, who grinned wolfishly.
"Hush, you two," Sephira ordered, her eyes still on Akumu.
"Sit down, lovely. She's not going to get up for a while," Zidane remarked, patting the ground beside him, one hand still holding his tail. Sephira arched an eyebrow, turning to face them.
"Oh, really? The moment we turn our back, she shall be upon us. And then you will be sorry," she remarked smartly.
"Your back's turned," Viteros stated. He watched with glee as Sephira turned an embarrassed red.
"You are just having a wonderful time being cruel to everyone!" she shouted tersely, crossing her arms and sitting down. Viteros nodded, smiling. She scowled at him and turned her nose up. The Devil laughed as Sephira went, if possible, even redder.
Her scowl deepened and she raised her hand and started to walk up to Viteros, who held up his hands and said, "Wait, wait.ok.I'll do It myself." and slapped himself. "Damn, that hurts."
Kuja sighed and turned, sitting with his back to Sephira's, watching Akumu. He found arguing pointless, though he knew his companion reveled in it. Exhausted, he hung his head and rested his chin on his chest, closing his eyes.
"Are we going to stay here forever?" Zidane asked, finally letting his tail go. If anyone noticed the little piece of fabric tied around the tip, they didn't mention it, to save the poor boy's already wounded pride.
"Of course not," Viteros said, draping one arm over his single raised knee. "We take every last ounce of information in her brain from her, once she awakens, then we split."
"I see," Zidane replied lightly, arching an eyebrow.
They all sat in silence for a long moment. Kuja awoke to the sound of Akumu moving. He called a small orb of electricity to his hand and watched her apprehensively as she groaned, the only visible eye opening. Kuja, staring into it, could tell that it was very wrong.
"Viteros..." he murmured, motioning for the Devil with his other hand. Viteros moved over towards them and kneeled by Akumu as the ninja sat up. Sephira, trying to be kind to their captive, so as to possibly get information more efficiently, helped Akumu up and steadied her.
"Hello, Akumu. I am Seph-"
Before she could finished, Akumu cried out at the name and jerked away, as though Sephira were a hot brick.
Viteros looked over at Sephira, noting her puzzled expression.
"I think you should leave for this. You're just going to get in the way."
"But, why-?"
"Just do it!" Viteros ordered, glaring at her.
Dejected, Sephira stood and stalked away, her anger rising. Kuja stood to go and follow her, but Viteros ordered him to stay, telling Kuja that they would need all three of them there.
--------------------
Sephira, feeling very offended and confused, made her way through the twisted Ipsen to a larger room, not wanting to be anywhere near the others. She sat on a stone and crossed her arms, crossing one leg over the other. Muttering, she halted and glanced up, listening for the noise she believed she had just heard.
"Hello?"
"Good evening, dear angel."
She jumped, startled, standing and turning around. Behind her, sitting cross-legged on the stone she had just vacated, was Angel-Black. He smiled up at her, his sharply handsome, yet mysterious face covered by the fringe of his black hair.
"Angel!" she gasped, stumbling back a couple of steps. He stood and held out a hand.
"Come with me."
"What?"
"I need you."
She watched him, meeting his magenta eyes. Suddenly, she couldn't move. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn't move a muscle. She couldn't even speak. All she could do was breathe.
His eyes still locked on hers, Angel moved towards her, wrapping his arms around her, breaking their eye contact. She could move again and she began to struggle.
"Let me go!" she cried, trying to free herself.
Remaining silent, he placed his index and middle fingers on her forehead lightly, smiling in satisfaction as she cried out in agony, struggling in vain, trying to wrench herself away from him. He began to laugh as she screamed even louder, finally dropping in a faint, one of his arms around her back. He held her limp body up, tracing his index finger over her face. Smiling, he gathered her into his arms and lightly thrust himself from the ground, borne into the air, flapping his six wings slightly, soft rustling sounds filling the air. The only trace of their being there was a single black feather on the ground.
-----------------------
Kuja heard her screams.
"Sephira?" he cried, leaping to his feet. Ignoring Viteros, Kuja dashed in the direction Sephira had taken, fear rising in him. With a slightly apologetic glance at Viteros, Zidane jumped up and raced after Kuja.
Viteros frowned, taking Akumu's wrist and dragging her to her feet, then following the others.
Kuja searched through a couple of rooms, finally finding the one she and Angel had been in. He could tell they had been there from the black feather on the ground and the green feather resting on a large stone, obviously one of Sephira's.
"Sephira?" he called, slightly alarmed by the black feather's presence. Zidane arrived and joined Kuja, calling out her name. When Viteros came with Akumu, he winced, seeing the black feather. Akumu, spotting it with her single, unconvered eye, began to laugh silently, her shoulders shaking.
"Stop that," Viteros ordered, jostling her a little. She laughed out loud, the sound twisted and eerie.
"Angel female is being his now! Never again her you see!" she giggled, calming herself slightly. Kuja, a desperate look on his face, took her by the shoulders and shook her violently.
"Where has he taken her?!" he cried, his expression a mix of grief and rage. Getting no reply, he slammed her into the wall, his knuckles white from gripping her collar so hard.
She met his eyes and repeated, much more softly, "Angel female is being his now." She shook her head, her eye never leaving his. "Never again her you see." She smirked a little and Kuja released her, stumbling back and falling to his knees, a bewildered expression on his face.
Zidane placed a hand on his shoulder. "Don't worry about it. We'll get her back."
"Of course we will," Viteros seconded, rounding on Akumu. "Listen. You are going to tell us right now, Aeris, or we will kill you. Tell us where he has taken her."
"I none speak," replied Akumu, still slightly laughing, "he gone, she gone, you dead. No chance."
"You sickening bit-" snarled Kuja, lunging forward. But he was stopped in mid-lunge and also mid-'bad word' by Viteros. Holding the angry Genome back, the Devil said, "She's no good to us dead."
Zidane looked over and said almost casually, "Well, she's not a whole lot of good to us alive either."
Viteros gave a dark half-smile. "Maybe.but I'm sure that there is more that she can give us."
Slightly alarmed, Zidane moved a bit closer. "What do you mean?"
"You forget.I was head of Khamrask. I was the best of the Devil commandos. I am an expert in many things.including torture." Viteros moved his face closer to Akumu's until it was barely an inch away. He leered. "There are ways to get water from the driest wells."
Zidane almost shouted. "No torture! Viteros, we can't sink as low as our enemies! Kuja, you agree, don't you?"
Kuja looked upwards, eyes wondering. "I am not sure."
"Kuja!"
"Zidane!" Kuja suddenly burst out, "There is no other way! We cannot find Sephira unless we make sure where she is, now! If we wait and just persuade her to tell us, Sephira will be long gone!"
Zidane hung his head. "Guys, I can't believe you're doing this."
Viteros looked back at Akumu. "Don't worry. I won't hurt her. I'll use another way."
He walked up to her and grinned downwards.
"Your memory is a lot better than mine, Akumu.you remember quite a bit that I don't. So I'm sure you remember the alternative methods of information extraction? Mental absorption?"
Akumu suddenly looked angry and defiant. "No. You.you not!"
Viteros' smile dimmed and his eyes clouded with dark determination. "Zidane, Kuja," he said, still looking at their prisoner, "Hold her down. Arms and legs."
As the two nervously approached, they saw the ninja ready to lash out. Viteros cocked his hand-gun and pointed it straight at her head. "Just try."
After Zidane securely held her arms down and Kuja her legs, Devil Nine was ready. He put his hand on his captive's face, his thumb on her temple and his smallest finger on the back of her neck, where the brain connected to the spinal cord. "You know how this works," he said, breathing low and menacing, "we make this fast and you don't struggle. Less chance of your death."
"Come," said Akumu, smiling savagely. "You die."
Viteros closed his eyes and breathed deeply. After a few breaths he opened his eyes, and in their place were the mismatched eyes of Akumu Kage. Electricity flickered in the air. His arm slowly started to tremble, low but stronger and stronger until the force was nearly forcing his shoulder out of its socket. Suddenly, in a flash, Akumu's eyes turned blue, Viteros' red, and the dark electrical currents tore through the air, leaving the sickening stench of burning oxygen, and over it all the screaming of the ninja's tormented face agonized their hearts.
Viteros' knuckles were white, holding tight to Akumu's face, his teeth grinding, his whole body tense. In his focus he failed to see Akumu's arm slowly sneak around and quickly snatch his other arm, and brought it swiftly to the other side, to connect with her mind twofold.
Contact.
They both screamed, both in agony and in rage, and they were both thrown back while electric traces still floated in the strangely disturbing calm.
Kuja walked over to Akumu, Zidane to Viteros. "Vit.Vit? Hey? What.?" The Devil's eyes were an eerie, unnatural pure white.
"White eye?" asked Kuja, looking over. "Same here.psychic connection.what happened?"
----------------------
Viteros screamed.
He was falling through a massive tunnel, ringed with tearing reds and blacks. Past him swirled images of horrible atrocities, murders, dismemberments, cannibalism, betrayal, sacrifice, torture.
And at the end of the tunnel, a scene from his past.
A massive metal cross, ringed with machinery. And none other hung upon the hideous mockery than the Devil Nine himself.
He slowly approached it; he was back on solid ground again. Viteros looked around and saw he was in a desolate place, a place of death. Dead trees and patches of yellowed grass surrounded rusted, spiked metal gates, and a dense fog stopped him from seeing past his immediate surroundings, the sky above was dark and ominous, like a portent of the nightmares to come.
Viteros looked up at the cross, as the image of himself hung upon it, moaning in sullen protest to the terrible torment he was undergoing, his hands stabbed into his grave, and the gaping hole in his chest where the Argus sword had pierced.long ago, when he had died the first time.
Devil Nine shook his head. No use thinking about an old death when there were much more pressing matters at hand.
Turning away from that shadowy vision of the past, Viteros shouted into the mist, "Akumu! Where are you! Show yourself!"
"Remembering the past, old friend?"
Viteros lowered his head, a bitter smile tugging at his lips. "Perhaps.but what is this to you?"
"Because I suffered the same, Viteros," she said, and he could sense her coming closer. "I suffered the same as you."
He halfway turned his head. "What would you know, Aeris?"
He turned completely and he could see her, the sacred ghost, the last of the Cetra. Aeris stood there, looking the same as before. On that day when Sephiroth descended from the sky and ended her life, and nearly extinguished all hope for one Planet.
"I know more than you think!" Aeris stepped forward, hands clasped to her heart, and her eyes shone with sincerity. "Viteros.don't think I've forgotten what you did with us before.how you helped me, and how you helped my friends.back long ago, back on the other world. I know you're a traveler of worlds, don't think you can hide that from me. But you need to know, your enemy Terisas is also a traveler, he is like you, and he plans to do here like what he had done before!"
"Who cares!" Viteros caught himself yelling again, in rage. "Do you understand my plight? Do you understand my pain? Do you know what I have gone through, Cetra! This nightmare has been part of my life forever, this agony, and Terisas just adds to it! My pain is something you'll never fully grasp, something that will never be something you will ever understand. Strife stopped Sephiroth, but me, now, I'm here, on Gaea, and Sephiroth isn't the problem! The other Traveler is! And this-"-he pointed at the strange surreal world they were in-"-is just a waste of time! Why did you bring me here?"
"I didn't," said Aeris, shaking her head. "Akumu did. And she wants you to see something."
"What?"
"Her pain, Viteros. What she, I have gone through."
"Will it get me out of here?"
Aeris gave him a pleading look. "Viteros.learn to care."
"Will it get me out of here?"
The Cetra hung her head. "Yes."
Viteros turned away again. "Then let's see this."
"I'm glad, Viteros." said Akumu, emerging from the mist as Aeris faded into it, "You'll understand, Viteros. You'll see."
Some of the mist gave way, disappearing into thin air, and creating a tunnel surrounded by the dense fog towards a door. Viteros walked toward it, slowly, cautiously. He silently approached the door, and as he watched, the mist faded away, showing a massive house, a mansion, an old one. He could see that it was once a fine house, great and well kept, but now the place was dark, dilapidated. As the mist disappeared, more and more, he saw that as far as the horizon there was nothing but this wasteland, and in the black sky, obscured by clouds, a sickly yellow-green moon hung.
Guns cocked, Viteros walked to the door and kicked it in. He walked slowly through the abandoned halls, thick with dust and cobwebs. The wood paneling was dimmed and dark, the paintings on the walls covered with a rich coating of dust, these and the gold chandelier, with half- melted candles still inside, the fine silverware in the massive dining hall, the oaken and silk chairs in front of the huge fireplace spoke of the long-gone finery.
Then, he heard it.
A low, quiet, tinkling sound, like a bell. A music box?
Viteros followed the sound, silent, ready. The song.it was familiar.yes, it was a song back from his home. Greensleeves, sad and forlorn, but with a sweet quality.
He found a door where it seemed the song was coming from. The door was locked. Viteros tore the gold-inlaid brass doorknob off and went inside.
Inside Viteros saw a bookshelf, a few chairs, a small table with a candleholder and a candle on top next to a chair that was turned away. Next to the door he saw a small shelf, with pictures on top. He picked one up and looked at it.
There was a family, happy, joyous, in front of the house. The trees were full and alive, the sun shining bright, the house new and nearly sparkling. The parents, a young woman and man, and three children, the biggest a little 10-year-old boy, a little girl around the same age, and a baby boy held in the hands of the happy, smiling mother.
The photo was old and faded, and bits of spider web still clung to its rich, incredibly carved frame. Viteros blew on it and wiped away the cobwebs.
Turning his attention back to the rest of the room, Viteros saw that the candle was lit.
He walked over, gun ready. As soon as he neared it, he quickly reached out and spun the chair around.
In the chair was the mother, her neck broken.
Viteros looked at it, glaring. "What's this? What's this you're trying to pull on me, Akumu? Some cheap haunted house tricks?"
Suddenly, it struck him. Greensleeves. That song was never heard on any other world but his own.
Devil Nine hurried to the music box, which held a dancing couple and a picture of the laughing, happy little girl.
Then behind him, he heard a moan.
Instantly, Viteros turned and fired, blasting the mother's corpse right in the chest. The blood spattered, covering the room.
Shutting the music box, he quickly left.
------------------------
Kuja looked down at the two hopefully just unconscious bodies. "What is this?" he wondered aloud.
Zidane looked up and said, "We're not getting far just staring at them.we need to carry them both and find Sephira!"
"I know," agreed the other, "But where to find her?"
"Viteros' airship somehow went to Ipsen Castle by itself," said Zidane slowly, thinking. "Maybe it has the locations of many different places contained inside of it.we could find Terisas' home, and find Sephira!" Kuja looked down again. "It is a plan.grab Viteros, I shall take our guest. We are getting back on our friend the Devil's ship."
-------------------------
Viteros stalked the halls, angry. The groan had caught him completely by surprise and he had reacted badly, desecrated a corpse. But still the question remained.who had made the sound?
"Tara.Tara, why are you doing this? Tara? What's that for? Tara? TARA!"
"The kid!" Following the now wordlessly screaming voice of a little boy, Viteros burst into another room. And here he didn't need to investigate to find the body.
A little boy's corpse hung from a rope, a knot tied securely around his neck. But what was important was that the body was slowly turning in the air, still moving to the sway of gravity and physics. The cadaver had recently been disturbed, at most a few hours ago.
Before leaving, though, one thing caught his attention.a huge window in the far wall, facing out into what was probably once a full land, not this dead place. The window was broken. Maybe the killer got away; there was no way to find.
"No!" he snarled angrily, aiming around with his gun. "Whoever you are, come out! Come out and face me!"
"Mister?"
Viteros stepped backwards back out into the hall and swung his gun towards the source of the voice. A little girl, standing there, hands clasped behind her back.
She was strange, pale, with oddly colored gray eyes. She looked terrified.
"You," said Viteros, still aiming, "are you Tara?"
The little girl nodded nervously. "Yes.and who are you?"
"Me? I'm just a wanderer."
"Do you know what's happening around here?"
"I'm afraid I don't, Tara.but maybe you do."
"Why?"
"Tell me Tara, what's in your hands?"
"Nothing."
"Show me."
Slowly, afraid, she brought her hands forward to reveal a blood-caked knife.
"Tara, why do you have that?"
The little girl looked down at the knife in fear, as if she didn't know she had been holding it. "I.just do."
Viteros aimed carefully. "Tara, give me the knife."
"No! I need it to protect myself from.him."
Viteros narrowed his eyes. "Who is.he?"
The little girl broke down into tears. "He calls himself.Terisas."
The Devil's heart stopped cold. "Terisas?"
"Yes," Tara replied, sobbing, "He's my daddy."
"Your father.is Terisas?"
This time Tara didn't even reply, just fell to the floor, crying. But through her choked sobs he could hear some words, and began to understand. "A long time ago, my family was happy. We were all happy, and we lived in our mansion out here in the country. My brother really liked it here, because he loved to climb the hills and explore the forest, but I wanted to go back to the city, where all my friends lived, back there where the stores were and whenever I looked around I'd see people everywhere, and the big stone lady with her torch stood watch. But out here, there's nobody, except for my family. But now there's not even that.because one day.
"About a week ago, my daddy went down into the basement and stayed for a long time. He had just found a book in the old library, and he just stayed down there reading. When I saw him go down into the basement I asked him if he would remember to read me a bedtime story that night, because he forgot the night before, and he just smiled and hugged me and said he could never forget.but that was the last time I saw him.
"Then, one day, my mom died. We found her in her favorite chair, in the room where she loved to just sit and read. Then a few days later, I blacked out, and when I woke up outside, the window was broken my brother was dead too, in the room where he loved to just look out the window and dream. The window was broken, and there were little bits of glass in my arm, it hurt so much.
"All that was left was me and my little brother Dario. I tried to keep him safe. I saw him every once in a while, that evil thing, that.that.monster." Tara broke down crying again, and lay there on the floor in a little miserable ball, crying and crying. Viteros knelt and put his hand on her back, and said quietly, "Tara, I understand what you're going through. And I know it's horrible. But I need your help to make it all better. Will you help me? Please?"
Tara nodded, and through her tears continued. "I tried to keep my brother safe. But he made sure that we were always afraid.and one day I went to sleep and when I woke up, Dario was gone.and now he's trying to get to me too, but I found this knife in the kitchen and I've fought him off, but I'm getting tired.I'm getting so tired.and he never gets tired."
Viteros stood up and said, "Tara, I'm here to help. Come with me and we can find out what's wrong, and maybe help your daddy."
The little girl looked up with tear-streaked eyes and sniffed, "Where will you go?"
"To the basement. Can you lead me there, Tara?"
Tara stood up, and looked downwards, trembling. "I know you're afraid," said the Devil, "But we really need your help, Tara. I need you to take me there. Please."
Tara swallowed and looked upwards. "Yes," she said finally, quietly. "Yes."
She slowly led him through the twisting abandoned halls, and finally came to a large grand staircase that led downwards. "I'm afraid to go down there," she said quietly.
"But you have to stay with me Tara. I can protect you."
Tara looked at Viteros, suddenly with defiance in her eyes. "I've always taken care of myself." With that, she spun and ran off.
"But Tara, wait!" but she was gone.
Viteros slowly descended the staircase, which gradually got narrower and went from fancy marble to wood to stone, and all the while pushing lower and lower and lower.until finally he reached the bottom, a dark, dank place with a single door made of rotting wood.
The Devil took one look at it and kicked it open, fanning his gun across the area.
He had entered a laboratory, of sorts. Vials and a microscope and machinery littered the area; notebooks and papers were there with writing on it that Viteros could never understand. On the ground, drawn in some glowing blue writing, was a huge pentagram.
But what caught his attention was a fine leather chair in a corner, with an open book on it. Viteros picked it up and saw it was the Shadow Bible.
~67. And when thou shalt combine these, the substance of the Lords of Life, Light, Dark, Chaos, and Heart shalt thou understandeth thine own heart. For behold, when thou hast collected these, and hath made them together, inasmuch as one, thou hast the Flesh of Heart. 68. And verily verily I say unto thee, thou art cautioned, for the Flesh of Heart maketh the flesh of man as the heart thereof, and thou shalt assume the form of thine own heart, and become great man, or dark beast, for thy heart shalt be made manifest unto all as thine own face, thine own body, forsooth, thine own flesh. 69. Curse and wo unto thou who wouldst toy with such, for thou shalt suffer greatly under the hands of the Heavens. For thou, man, comprehendeth not the true power of Heart.
Orisophos, the Traveler, Chapter 18, verses 67-69~
"If this is what Terisas has been reading."
Viteros came to understand at that moment. The man had read the Shadow Bible, been interested in what it said, created the Flesh of Heart, and had used it on himself. Perhaps he thought that he would become something great, a powerful god. He ended up a child-killing monster.
Outside, he heard a rustling. There was another door, further down into the ground. This was where the sound was coming from.
Not knowing what to expect, he thrust the door open and ran down deeper into the nightmares that weren't his.
-----------------------
On Viteros' airship, Kuja and Zidane were worried. There was really no way to operate the thing without knowing how.
Searching deep into the surprisingly large area underneath a seat they found a thick book that said Flying Neo-R16 type Airships for Total Idiots.
"I guess this is how to use this," said Zidane, looking down at the book. They both knew what they had to do, but the task was not for one with a feeble heart of lack of courage.
"We have to read this," said Kuja. "It is near-impossible, but we shall try." Zidane glared at the book with hatred. "Yes. Let's do it." In the back of his mind he thought ~And I thought fighting against Gizamaluke was hard.~
-------------------------
Deeper into the dungeon, deeper into the nightmare. Viteros began to hear screaming voices, an inhuman roar that spoke of torment and hatred. At the bottom of the staircase, he hesitated. Should he continue he would meet this demon of darkness, this monster. Would he dare to ever even attempt to defeat this horrendous beast? If Terisas' body reflected his heart, then he would be a monster indeed.
Knowing he wouldn't dare if he hesitated anymore, Viteros forced himself forward, gun out and scope searching. Then he saw the beast.
It was currently stabbed into a wall, a massive spike impaling it through the torso, and another stuck through its throat. The monster must have been Terisas' soul made manifest.
The creature was horrendous. The face was a sickening mass of blood, bone, muscle, and skin, with the single remaining eye almost hanging out of its socket; the other socket was filled in with a pulsating mass of flesh and blood vessels. The left arm was grossly massive compared to the right one and was covered in spines, misshapen and grotesque. A third arm arched up over the body, having come out somewhere in the back, and had sharp, large, curved blades cutting out of the flesh and the fingers had tearing claws extending from the tips. In the palm of this massive hand was a sharp- toothed screaming thing like a human mouth.
Viteros stepped forward. "You! Terisas!"
The writhing monster stopped its painful activity and fell from the spike, and lumbered forward. The mouth in the third hand extended a long, purplish, snakelike tongue that went over to and went over Viteros. Then a voice came from the beast, a voice inhuman and full of sadistic lust and sorrow.
"Human.human blood."
Viteros stepped back, gun still aimed. "That's right, human! You're out to kill us all, aren't you? You killed most of your family, didn't you? Come on! Come and get me!"
The monster lunged forward, but before Viteros could fire the third arm suddenly swooped forward and grabbed his face. Kicking and screaming, Viteros struggled to get free as the mouth in the hand began to bite and tear at him. His gun fired frantically, shooting nothing but air. All the while the massive hand held tighter and tighter, the mouth screamed, and the air began to run out.
"No," Viteros choked, as the mouth drew closer, its sickening tongue lazily wrapping around his neck, "No, it can't end like this."
"Stop."
The arm dropped the Devil, and he lay there gasping. Then he looked over beside the frozen monster and saw Akumu.
"Akumu.this is what you went through?"
"Yes," she said mournfully. "This is all that is left of my father, Terisas. He was a famous scientist, you know. Everyone thought he was a wonderful man, but ever since he got that accursed book."
"And you," said Viteros slowly, "You.you're Tara, aren't you?"
Akumu nodded sadly. "Yes, I am Tara. But unlike your fantasy nightmare that you have lived here, I did not leave. I went into the basement, and nearly had my face eaten. But I threw the knife at father's own face and managed to escape. However, I was then weaponless. When I was outside he found me and strangled and dismembered me.
"But my disturbed father Terisas used my body. He used it to create a patchwork soldier after he came to Gaea. He combined it with the remnants of that Cetra and made me, not Tara, but a horrendous combination of people called Akumu Kage.Nightmare Shadow. With this new soldier he planned to have something that would tide over his power-hungry madness until the Angels were perfected.but thanks to you, they never were."
"Akumu," said Viteros suddenly, "how is it you talk.uh."
"Normal?" Akumu gave a small, bitter laugh. "In the world that you call the waking world, Akumu Kage is a mindless pawn of the dark lord Master Terisas, and she has no mind to speak of. That is why I can speak to you here but not in the real world, and that is why I cannot help you in the real world, only attack you."
Viteros looked at her for a while. "I'm."
Akumu idly waved her hand away. "No need for sympathy. Terisas has damned me to relive this nightmare over and over, to live in this haunted mansion, with no one but the long-dead spirits of my family for company, while my body tries to commit more sins on his behalf. It is Terisas who's fault this is, and it is he who you must destroy."
Viteros nodded. "I will, Ak.Tara. I'll avenge everything that your father has destroyed for you."
"Don't call him my father, Viteros," she said, shaking her head gently. "He was once my father, but no longer. All that is left is the monster called Terisas."
"Yes."
"It's time for you to return to the waking world, Viteros Ojikage, Devil Nine," said Akumu. "Viteros, you need to avenge the world of Terisas' atrocities. Go forth with strength."
A cool wind surrounded Viteros, and he saw blue swirls appear before him, slowly swirling faster and faster, denser and denser. Suddenly, everything went white.
--------------------------
Viteros opened his eyes. Slowly getting up, he looked around. He was in the cargo hold of his airship, but it wasn't flying.next to him lay Akumu. She was still asleep. "Zidane!" he shouted.
Zidane ran in. His eyes were bloodshot. "Viteros!" he yelled, "Vit, you're back up!"
"Of course," he replied, slowly standing. "What were you doing?"
"Uh.trying to fly the ship," said Zidane. "We-Kuja and me-knew how to fly the ship with your coordinant locator, but we didn't know how to take off."
Viteros looked at him very closely. "You.push the red button that says 'takeoff', Zidane."
"Oh."
Viteros turned and picked up Akumu. "What're you doing with her?" asked Zidane, "Are you going to throw her off?"
"No.she is a very unique woman. I'm just going to leave her outside the ship. Terisas and his cronies will find her and save her. As for us.we're going to Outer Heaven. To the cockpit!"
He and Zidane quickly walked to the main bridge of the airship and Viteros sat down in the pilot's chair. "Sephira.we're coming."