Dragon's Tears
One - Loneliness
Standard disclaimers apply; I don't own any Final Fantasy Tactics characters. All ideas used and original characters belong to Beware of Mage and Tsuki Ryu Productions. I don't own any of the lyrics I print; I just think they add a nicely atmospheric touch and belong to musicians whose music I adore. All excerpts from the game belong to Square. Enjoy!
Kohaku Frost
I am Alazlam, a scholar of ancient Ivalice history.
Have you ever heard of the "Lion War"?
It divided Ivalice in two over who would be the successor to the
throne. It ended with the appearance of a young hero named
Delita.
Everybody living here knows this hero's tale.
But we also know that what we see with our eyes alone.isn't
necessarily the truth.
Here's a young man. He is the youngest son of the noble
Beoulve.pillars of knighthood.
There's no record of him playing an active role in history but.
According to the "Duray Report" released last year (concealed
for many years by church), this unknown man is the true hero.
The church claims he was a blasphemer and anarchist - the root
of all evil.
But is this the "truth"?
Won't you join me on a journey for the "truth"?
This is how one of the Final Fantasy series deepest stories begins. FF Tactics is one of my favorite games, not just because of the awesome battle system, but the storyline seems to have themes that can be recognized as valid and intriguing in the real world. I love writing fanfiction, whether people read it or not. This is the twelfth fic I'm working on at the moment, for the record it was started at 6:00PM on 8/30/03. Anyway, enough chitchat for the time being; lyrics, then story.
My divorce from dependence
That's when you found me
I was still soft
And we always were in trouble
Odds stacked against us
And trouble's what we are
We get so far
And then it just starts rewinding
And the same old song
We're playing it again
Suspension without suspense
Now that I've murdered your inspiration
And I forced you off
Do you hate me?
Do you want revenge?
I want to call you
But I won't
We get so far
And then it just starts rewinding
And the same old song
We're playing it again
Suspension without suspense
Oh the pessimistic protection plan
Moderation loving
I've been hardened by the circumstance
We knew this was coming
We get so far
And then it just starts rewinding
And the same old song
We're playing it again
Suspension without suspense
We get so far
And then it just starts rewinding
And the same old song
We're playing it again and again
Suspension without suspense
Intentions without intent
But I don't want the love we have to end
"Suspension without Suspense" No Doubt
In the time of St. Ajora, technology was a supreme art. It infected every part of life, but it improved things and aided personal development. That is why technology vanished. The Church and the ruling families had given in to their fear that the more independent and intelligent the commoners became, the more likely they would be to rebel. That was the truth. Not High Priest Funeral's crap about how technology had been destroying nature and magic.
Rin pushed the boring textbook away from her workspace and rubbed her eyes. She hated living in the convent. But, it beat being stuck on the streets in Goug. Rin Lekaia had been orphaned by the Black Plague at the age of ten, and she had lived in the convent for five years now. Five years of having to stomach the Church's bullshit. But she had not forgotten the lessons her brother had passed on. And no matter how much Funeral and Draclau tried, she would never forget.
The black haired girl's thoughts were interrupted by the arrival of Alma and Princess Ovelia. Alma was Rin's closest friend, but Ovelia had no use for her and regarded her as a commoner. The two rivals had declared a truce for when Alma was present, though they never pretended to be friends.
"Miss Rin, I see you have been studying. Is it difficult for you?" Ovelia gazed pointedly at the discarded book. It was obvious that she did not expect an answer, but Rin rose and bowed low, but like all her motions, there was an air of mockery about it.
"I am happy to see you in good health, Your Highness. Yes, Your Highness, I was studying, but I took a break to rest my eyes." Rin rose only after Ovelia gestured, and Rin was aware that she had let her disrespect show with her overly pompous greeting, and the stilted manner of speech. The slap brought tears to Rin's eyes, but she flatly refused to flinch.
Rin heard Alma gasp and felt the nurturing girl's arm encircle her small shoulders. The click of Ovelia's shoes drifted away and the two friends were left alone. Rin pushed the youngest Beoulve away and hung her head. Ovelia was just like the other nobles, stuffy, stuck on herself, and rude. But...sometimes Rin wondered if Ovelia had not been born of commoners and switched at birth. It was little things, like the way she was so uncomfortable with her authority among other nobles, but overly cruel to commoners, as if she feared them and wanted to eliminate them.
"Rin, why do you provoke her so? It does you no good to be on her bad side." Rin sighed dismally, recognizing the truth of Alma's words. She didn't know why she hated Ovelia so much, and she didn't really care, but Alma would never give up, and Rin did not want to offend her friend.
"It's because I believe she is a fraud. I cannot respect her because of that belief." Alma's eyes widened in shock, but she digested the words and understood what Rin meant. Alma had always trusted her friend's instincts, even though Rin never spoke of her life before coming to the convent. Alma was aware that Rin had been brought to the convent by her own father, Balbanes Beoulve.
According to him, he had found her sitting quietly next to the body of her older brother, polishing his armor after the battle that had claimed his life. Balbanes had known the young man as being an upright and brave soldier, and an orphan. He had taken in the girl and sent her to the convent with Alma. Rin, Alma and Teta were close friends, and holidays in the Beoulve household were always lively. Alma knew that Rin spent most of her time with Balbanes, and she knew that her father had come to love the sarcastic girl very much. They talked about many things, and when her father was feeling well, he would train her just as if she was one of the boys. Rin also spent a lot of time in Dycedarg's office, and Alma's oldest brother enjoyed the company. It appeared that she got along with everyone, except Ramza. Alma was positive that he had a crush on Rin, but Delita had already expressed his interest.
Rin got up with more grace than Queen Ruvelia herself and stared over at the wall. The bells in the tower rang the hour and Alma looked at Rin with concern. Something was bothering the dark haired girl, and Alma had a painful suspicion that she knew what it was. Her suspicions were confirmed when Rin spoke.
"I know you've heard what they say about me. 'The ward of the Beoulve family, Balbanes found a good whore for his sons.'" The anger in Rin's voice was evident, and Alma sympathized completely. It was wrong what the jealous, spiteful girls said, but that did not matter to the priests who were convinced that she would do anything to be a noble. They had been proven wrong time and time again, but it didn't matter, everyone was getting tense, thanks to the increased Death Corps activity in the area. The monks were terrified that they would attack the monastery.
The Death Corps did attack the monastery, that very night to be exact.
* * *
The battle around Rin raged fierce and deadly, five of the monastery guards had fallen already, though it did not appear that they were aware of Ovelia's presence. It seemed more that they were after her. This was something that greatly disturbed her; she had no living enemies (her dear departed brother had seen to that), and she was not wealthy or important, so why would they be after her?
Rin was currently hiding in a stack of rolled carpets used for decoration when high ranking clergy visited. Ever so often, some Death Corps members would pass by, and once she heard them mention her name. She had learned at a young age how to hide without sound, thanks to the bastards who had wanted to buy her and the parents more than willing to sell her. But if they couldn't find her, she couldn't be sold.
A cramp in her leg forced Rin to shift slightly, drawing the unwanted attention of a passing thief. The scarf covered head of the Death Corps soldier came closer and Rin felt Alma tense. The youngest Beoulve had been knocked on the head by Rin to quell the girl's near hysteria. Rin had dragged her to the pile of rugs and hidden the both of them, terrified of Alma being caught by fanatical noble-haters. Rin was less afraid for herself, seeing as she could masquerade as a servant if they were not looking for her. Squeezing Alma's hand reassuringly as the cautious Thief approached, Rin made her final decision, come what may.
Rin shifted hard, convincing the woman that there was someone hiding there. Rin whimpered for good effect, trying to put a fear that she did not feel into the sound. Then, just as the Thief reached out her filthy hand to reveal whatever was hiding in the rugs, Rin slid out, careful to leave Alma's cover alone. She scrambled to her feet and ran down the hallway, her banner of black hair whipping behind her. The Thief gave a shout and attempted to catch Rin. Fat chance of that.
Rin turned the corner a top speed, leaving the Thief far behind. She slowed and pulled back a tapestry, revealing a secret passage. She dashed down it, taking many different turns, but not realizing that she was leaving footprints behind it the thick dust. The leader of the Death Corps team attacking the monastery diligently followed the trail, and using his Ninja abilities he snuck up behind Rin, knocking her unconscious with a well aimed punch to the gut when she turned around.
Getting what he came for, the Ninja went back the way he came and left the monastery, heading for the rendezvous point where his employer was waiting. He would have to be back at the Death Corps base before morning, or else Wiegraf would know that he and his team had gone the route of the mercenary to get some extra cash. What he didn't realize was that once his purpose was fulfilled he would be executed by the very man who hired him.
End Chapter One - Loneliness
One - Loneliness
Standard disclaimers apply; I don't own any Final Fantasy Tactics characters. All ideas used and original characters belong to Beware of Mage and Tsuki Ryu Productions. I don't own any of the lyrics I print; I just think they add a nicely atmospheric touch and belong to musicians whose music I adore. All excerpts from the game belong to Square. Enjoy!
Kohaku Frost
I am Alazlam, a scholar of ancient Ivalice history.
Have you ever heard of the "Lion War"?
It divided Ivalice in two over who would be the successor to the
throne. It ended with the appearance of a young hero named
Delita.
Everybody living here knows this hero's tale.
But we also know that what we see with our eyes alone.isn't
necessarily the truth.
Here's a young man. He is the youngest son of the noble
Beoulve.pillars of knighthood.
There's no record of him playing an active role in history but.
According to the "Duray Report" released last year (concealed
for many years by church), this unknown man is the true hero.
The church claims he was a blasphemer and anarchist - the root
of all evil.
But is this the "truth"?
Won't you join me on a journey for the "truth"?
This is how one of the Final Fantasy series deepest stories begins. FF Tactics is one of my favorite games, not just because of the awesome battle system, but the storyline seems to have themes that can be recognized as valid and intriguing in the real world. I love writing fanfiction, whether people read it or not. This is the twelfth fic I'm working on at the moment, for the record it was started at 6:00PM on 8/30/03. Anyway, enough chitchat for the time being; lyrics, then story.
My divorce from dependence
That's when you found me
I was still soft
And we always were in trouble
Odds stacked against us
And trouble's what we are
We get so far
And then it just starts rewinding
And the same old song
We're playing it again
Suspension without suspense
Now that I've murdered your inspiration
And I forced you off
Do you hate me?
Do you want revenge?
I want to call you
But I won't
We get so far
And then it just starts rewinding
And the same old song
We're playing it again
Suspension without suspense
Oh the pessimistic protection plan
Moderation loving
I've been hardened by the circumstance
We knew this was coming
We get so far
And then it just starts rewinding
And the same old song
We're playing it again
Suspension without suspense
We get so far
And then it just starts rewinding
And the same old song
We're playing it again and again
Suspension without suspense
Intentions without intent
But I don't want the love we have to end
"Suspension without Suspense" No Doubt
In the time of St. Ajora, technology was a supreme art. It infected every part of life, but it improved things and aided personal development. That is why technology vanished. The Church and the ruling families had given in to their fear that the more independent and intelligent the commoners became, the more likely they would be to rebel. That was the truth. Not High Priest Funeral's crap about how technology had been destroying nature and magic.
Rin pushed the boring textbook away from her workspace and rubbed her eyes. She hated living in the convent. But, it beat being stuck on the streets in Goug. Rin Lekaia had been orphaned by the Black Plague at the age of ten, and she had lived in the convent for five years now. Five years of having to stomach the Church's bullshit. But she had not forgotten the lessons her brother had passed on. And no matter how much Funeral and Draclau tried, she would never forget.
The black haired girl's thoughts were interrupted by the arrival of Alma and Princess Ovelia. Alma was Rin's closest friend, but Ovelia had no use for her and regarded her as a commoner. The two rivals had declared a truce for when Alma was present, though they never pretended to be friends.
"Miss Rin, I see you have been studying. Is it difficult for you?" Ovelia gazed pointedly at the discarded book. It was obvious that she did not expect an answer, but Rin rose and bowed low, but like all her motions, there was an air of mockery about it.
"I am happy to see you in good health, Your Highness. Yes, Your Highness, I was studying, but I took a break to rest my eyes." Rin rose only after Ovelia gestured, and Rin was aware that she had let her disrespect show with her overly pompous greeting, and the stilted manner of speech. The slap brought tears to Rin's eyes, but she flatly refused to flinch.
Rin heard Alma gasp and felt the nurturing girl's arm encircle her small shoulders. The click of Ovelia's shoes drifted away and the two friends were left alone. Rin pushed the youngest Beoulve away and hung her head. Ovelia was just like the other nobles, stuffy, stuck on herself, and rude. But...sometimes Rin wondered if Ovelia had not been born of commoners and switched at birth. It was little things, like the way she was so uncomfortable with her authority among other nobles, but overly cruel to commoners, as if she feared them and wanted to eliminate them.
"Rin, why do you provoke her so? It does you no good to be on her bad side." Rin sighed dismally, recognizing the truth of Alma's words. She didn't know why she hated Ovelia so much, and she didn't really care, but Alma would never give up, and Rin did not want to offend her friend.
"It's because I believe she is a fraud. I cannot respect her because of that belief." Alma's eyes widened in shock, but she digested the words and understood what Rin meant. Alma had always trusted her friend's instincts, even though Rin never spoke of her life before coming to the convent. Alma was aware that Rin had been brought to the convent by her own father, Balbanes Beoulve.
According to him, he had found her sitting quietly next to the body of her older brother, polishing his armor after the battle that had claimed his life. Balbanes had known the young man as being an upright and brave soldier, and an orphan. He had taken in the girl and sent her to the convent with Alma. Rin, Alma and Teta were close friends, and holidays in the Beoulve household were always lively. Alma knew that Rin spent most of her time with Balbanes, and she knew that her father had come to love the sarcastic girl very much. They talked about many things, and when her father was feeling well, he would train her just as if she was one of the boys. Rin also spent a lot of time in Dycedarg's office, and Alma's oldest brother enjoyed the company. It appeared that she got along with everyone, except Ramza. Alma was positive that he had a crush on Rin, but Delita had already expressed his interest.
Rin got up with more grace than Queen Ruvelia herself and stared over at the wall. The bells in the tower rang the hour and Alma looked at Rin with concern. Something was bothering the dark haired girl, and Alma had a painful suspicion that she knew what it was. Her suspicions were confirmed when Rin spoke.
"I know you've heard what they say about me. 'The ward of the Beoulve family, Balbanes found a good whore for his sons.'" The anger in Rin's voice was evident, and Alma sympathized completely. It was wrong what the jealous, spiteful girls said, but that did not matter to the priests who were convinced that she would do anything to be a noble. They had been proven wrong time and time again, but it didn't matter, everyone was getting tense, thanks to the increased Death Corps activity in the area. The monks were terrified that they would attack the monastery.
The Death Corps did attack the monastery, that very night to be exact.
* * *
The battle around Rin raged fierce and deadly, five of the monastery guards had fallen already, though it did not appear that they were aware of Ovelia's presence. It seemed more that they were after her. This was something that greatly disturbed her; she had no living enemies (her dear departed brother had seen to that), and she was not wealthy or important, so why would they be after her?
Rin was currently hiding in a stack of rolled carpets used for decoration when high ranking clergy visited. Ever so often, some Death Corps members would pass by, and once she heard them mention her name. She had learned at a young age how to hide without sound, thanks to the bastards who had wanted to buy her and the parents more than willing to sell her. But if they couldn't find her, she couldn't be sold.
A cramp in her leg forced Rin to shift slightly, drawing the unwanted attention of a passing thief. The scarf covered head of the Death Corps soldier came closer and Rin felt Alma tense. The youngest Beoulve had been knocked on the head by Rin to quell the girl's near hysteria. Rin had dragged her to the pile of rugs and hidden the both of them, terrified of Alma being caught by fanatical noble-haters. Rin was less afraid for herself, seeing as she could masquerade as a servant if they were not looking for her. Squeezing Alma's hand reassuringly as the cautious Thief approached, Rin made her final decision, come what may.
Rin shifted hard, convincing the woman that there was someone hiding there. Rin whimpered for good effect, trying to put a fear that she did not feel into the sound. Then, just as the Thief reached out her filthy hand to reveal whatever was hiding in the rugs, Rin slid out, careful to leave Alma's cover alone. She scrambled to her feet and ran down the hallway, her banner of black hair whipping behind her. The Thief gave a shout and attempted to catch Rin. Fat chance of that.
Rin turned the corner a top speed, leaving the Thief far behind. She slowed and pulled back a tapestry, revealing a secret passage. She dashed down it, taking many different turns, but not realizing that she was leaving footprints behind it the thick dust. The leader of the Death Corps team attacking the monastery diligently followed the trail, and using his Ninja abilities he snuck up behind Rin, knocking her unconscious with a well aimed punch to the gut when she turned around.
Getting what he came for, the Ninja went back the way he came and left the monastery, heading for the rendezvous point where his employer was waiting. He would have to be back at the Death Corps base before morning, or else Wiegraf would know that he and his team had gone the route of the mercenary to get some extra cash. What he didn't realize was that once his purpose was fulfilled he would be executed by the very man who hired him.
End Chapter One - Loneliness