Chapter 10
Written By Illuminet
Disclaimer: Most (if not all) of the characters appearing in this story do not belong to me, but rather, are creations of the brilliant minds within Square Soft/Square Enix. I make no claim over owning any of those characters.
"..."-Indicate Speech
'...'-Indicate Thought
------
Cadoan Bar, Entrance
"Ow..."
All of Marche's clan let out a pained groan as they were teleported at the bar's entrance in a dog pile. Once everyone got up and dusted themselves off, they headed for the bar.
"Hey Ezel, was that an Anti-Law you used against the Judge Master?"
Marche asked the Nu Mou, who nodded.
"Yep. My good ol' Anti-Law cards can seal up the most powerful Laws a Judge can think of."
The Nu Mou boast confidently. Marche might have passed it off as a lie had he not witnessed the work of Ezel's Anti-Law cards first hand.
"That's an incredible technique."
Marche commented. Ezel laughed.
"Ha, I am incredible, if I do say so myself."
"But are you sure you should be doing such things like that?"
Marche asked. The usual prideful face of Ezel grew dark and serious as he lowered his head.
"The damn royal family of Ivalice is always strengthening or creating new Laws without so much as a thought. Because they ignore us, we have to suffer under their Laws. So I thought I'd let those arrogant bastards have it with the Anti-Laws I've created. Anyway, let me give you this map. It'll show you how to locate my card shop in case you want to purchase some Anti-Laws. Of course, I can't have you telling anyone else, so don't. If your ever around the neighborhood, look me up."
Ezel explained as he headed off. Marche looked at the map clenched in his right hand.
"Yeah, I'll do that sometime."
------
Aisenfield, Place of supposed crystallized rain
"Damn, the rains pouring harder then ever."
Marche commented. He looked around the area, but the rain blurred his vision slightly.
"Remember what the mission said about crystal rain. It might be a Crystal effect like with the Yulei River."
Marche told his clan. The rain, however, seemed ordinary enough to them.
"This rain doesn't look very special."
Mustadio commented as he held out a gloved hand.
"This rain doesn't have a solid form. I think the guy who put up that mission had a few screws loose or something."
Mustadio continued as he looked around.
"My ears are soaked. I knew I should have stayed at the bar with Hedges, Montblanc, Rooty and Worker No. 8."
Said Celine. Her ears clung to the sides of her face. Victory stood beside her.
"I don't think we'll find anything here."
The Banga said. Marche turned towards them.
"I understand. We'll stay here for five more minutes..."
Marche began, but stop when he heard the sliding of metal. Cloud had drawn his sword.
"We've got company."
The young man said slowly. There were about four Ice Flan and one Ice Drake accompanied with them.
"Oh well, so much for no disturbances."
Marche said as he brought his own sword forth. Mustadio looked to the sky.
"Damn. With it raining so hard like this, my fire bullets won't be very effective."
The Ice Drake let out a furious roar before charging forward, with the Ice Flans trailing behind it. When the dragon was close enough, Marche rushed forward, jabbing at the dragon's head with the hilt of his sword, making it's head reel back, before he brought sword down on it's head. The Ice Drake roared in pain but it's tough skin prevented Marche from killing it, and the young man brought his sword up in a defensive position as the Ice Drake ran into him, making him fall and slide across the slick ground. Marche got up quickly as the dragon charged him. Marche implanted his sword into the ground, uplifting it as he opened a rift big enough to trap the dragon in. Then Marche jumped down the rift onto the Ice Drake's back, before slipping underneath it and impaling the monster in it's fragile belly. The Ice Drake's blood flowed freely from it's mouth and stomach and before it could fall, Marche slipped out from under it and jumped out of the rift he created.
"Hey, how are you guys doing?"
Marche asked his clan as he looked about. Mustadio waited for an Ice Flan to attack him with a fierce bite, and countered with gun shots at point blank range into it's mouth, burning the monster from the inside. The once blue Ice Flan fell as a charred black mass of goo. Apparently Mustadio had killed two others this way. Cloud, Victory and Celine weren't fairing as well. Cloud would slash through the last Ice Flan, only to have his sword go through it and out the other end. Victory and Celine would pound down on it but it would simply retake shape.
"Why won't this thing die?"
Cloud said in frustration as he slashed vertically, cutting the Ice Flan between the eyes and splitting it in half. The Ice Flan took shape again on his blade as it slunk on top the length of Cloud's sword ready to attack him.
"Hey Cloud this way."
Marche yelled. Cloud obliged by swinging his sword towards Marche's direction, sending the Ice Flan through the air. Marche jumped up slightly and twirled through the air, striking the Ice Flan in Mustadio's direction.
"It's all you now, Mustadio!"
Marche said. Mustadio took aim, and when the Ice Flan touched his gun, he fired, impaling it with fire bullets, and side stepped as the Ice Flan hit the ground besides him, charred black like the rest of the Ice Flan. Marche looked around.
"Hey, the rain is...?"
As was written in the mission brief, the rain started to shimmer unearthly. As the rain hit the ground it left particles of shining light. However, as soon as it would appear, the light rain would disappear, looking like normal rain once again. Marche scratched the back of his head in confusion.
"Is there no Divine Beast or anything here? The rain just now wasn't normal...so what gives?"
Marche asked out loud.
"It wasn't rain or snow...something else. Still, I don't think this is the effect of a Crystal, Marche. It may just be a phenomenon that occurs in Aisenfield every once in a while."
Mustadio suggested. Marche, at first wasn't convinced, but as he and his clan stayed out there nothing else happened like at Yulei River. Marche sighed.
"I think your right, Mustadio. Oh well, let's get out of here then."
------
Cadoan City, Marche's second room
Marche lay awake in his bed. He pondered about everything he had gone through so far, wondering if there would ever be an end to all the fighting that was going on in Ivalice.
'This parallel Ivalice hasn't changed too much from the Ivalice I came from...although the residence are a bit more friendly. Laws seem to have been able to keep some form of tranquillity here. Now that I think about it...no one here dies like in my Ivalice. The Judges simply remove combatants from the battle, revive them in a hospital, and then the combatant may rejoin his or her clan once more...'
Marche got up from his bed, heading for a stray curtained window. He opened the curtains to reveal some of the inner part of the city of Cadoan. Although it was pretty late at night, many of the city's residence was wondering on the streets, but Marche paid no mind to them, as he turned his head skyward. Marche didn't know how long he stared out the window, but the night sky reminded him of something back in his old home, of an event that changed his life.
:::FlashBack:::
Fort Zeadken, Abandoned fort north of Igros, the original Ivalice
The fort was blanketed white with snow. Snow fell in endless specks of white in the night sky. Upon a small bridge, a thief swordsman held a young woman with ebon colored hair and a violet dress on. Near the bottom on a small hill, stood a small battalion of soldiers. The two main figure heads down there were a tall knight with short blonde hair and shining silver armor. The other was a much younger man, a teenager, with slick backed blond hair dressed in blue with small articles of leather armor adorning his body. The thief on the roof held the woman in front of him, like a shield.
"Take one step up here and the girl gets it!"
The thief warned.
"You wouldn't want one of your own royal kind killed now, would you?"
The thief pressed on. The warrior in silver armor stepped forward slightly.
"Give up, Galgoros. This is the end of the Death Corps. If you give up peacefully, I may be able to give you an easier punishment."
The knight said. The thief, Galgoros, sneered.
"That's a load of crap. You royal pigs are all the same. Now stay back, behind me is a gun powder cellar. I can simply go in there a blow all of us straight to Hell if I wanted to."
Galgoros warned. It was then that two youths came running by the gun powder cellar. One had slick back brow hair and was dressed in a deep green battle clothes, with a chest plate and shoulder pads of died red leather. The other had messy golden blonde hair tied back in a small tail, and was dressed in a navy blue coat and black pants, but they were mostly covered by tall form fitting leather boots. The first one saw the young woman up on the bridge and called out in a panic.
"Teta!"
The woman, Teta, lifted her head and opened her crystal blue eyes to peer at the man who was calling her. She leaned forward slightly, but Galgoros kept a firm hold on her.
"Delita!"
She called back. Delita turned his blue eyes to Galgoros.
"Please release my sister. She has nothing to with this."
Delita pleaded. The other young man turned to the Knight who had addressed Galgoros.
"Brother Zalbag? Algus? Your here too?"
He asked. Zalbag looked down at him.
"Ramza. So you made it."
Zalbag said with slight relief. A knight appeared behind Zalbag.
"Sir, we've just recieve word that a knight fitting Wiegraf's description is headed east of Fovoham Plains."
Zalbag turned to the knight.
"Very well, Algus, I trust you'll take care of things here?"
Algus nodded as Zalbag left with the knight. Algus then turned towards Galgoros.
"This is the end of you, Galgoros."
Algus said simply, pulling out a cross bow. He fired quickly, striking Teta in the heart, making the girl fall over and hit the bridge face first. Galgoros looked at the fallen girl with surprise, while Delita and Ramza looked on in horror.
"Why did you...?"
Galgoros began, not understanding why the royalty would kill one of there own. Blood rose up through the man's mouth as another arrow penetrated his chest. Galgoros fell on his rear, coughing up blood.
"Damn..."
Galgoros slid towards the door of the cellar, closing it quickly as he slid into it. Delita was on his knees, his blues show wide with shock. A stray tear fell from his left eye.
"Teta..."
Ramza, who got over the shock, turned his crimson eyes towards Algus's hazel ones. He narrowed them dangerously.
"Algus, how could you..."
Ramza began. Algus smirked.
"You know why, Ramza. that girl...that thing was nothing more than dirt. She was a peasant, just like Delita. They don't deserve to live."
By the time Algus said that, Delita had gotten over the shock, and turned angrily towards Algus.
"YOU BASTARD, I'LL KILL YOU!!!"
The words echoed throughout the night sky. Delita drew a scimitar from his belt and aimed it at Algus.
"You...you and the rest of royalty are the ones who are nothing more than dirt. You couldn't live without -us- peasants. Who do you think tends the lands to your castles? Who do you think brings you your food on a silver platter? Huh? Why don't you answer me, Algus?"
Delita said in a bitter tone. Algus's face shown with slight embarrassment, but quickly turned into an angry scowl.
"That's the only thing you peasants are useful for. Now then, it's time to kill you and set Ramza free from your kind."
Algus drew a broad sword. Ramza looked at Algus.
"What are you two talking about? Peasants and the royalty are just words. We are all humans with free will, no one has the right to decide otherwise..."
Ramza said. Algus interrupted him, though.
"What are YOU saying, Ramza? The royalty are higher than them. You are from the Beoulve family, one of the most highly respected royal family in all Ivalice. You can't be in the presents of a commoner like Delita, it would tarnish the Beoulve name."
Algus said. Ramza shook his head, before turning towards Delita.
"Don't let his words get to you, Delita. Father said that neither peasants or royalty are right or wrong, it is all in the will of the individual to believe. Don't fight Algus out your differences as peasants and royalty. Fight to avenge your sister's death!"
Delita turned to Ramza.
"What do you think I'm doing? I am avenging her death."
"No. No your not, I can see it in your eyes, Delita. With what Algus has been saying, your planning to fight him for the wrong reason. We are all the same..."
Ramza said as he grasped Delita's shoulders in an attempt to clear Delita's head of what Algus had said. Ramza could see that in Delita's eyes was a desire to justify that the peasants were the righteous. Algus stood for the exact opposite. With Algus's words, Delita was now more focused on fulfilling his ego than avenging his sister out right. Delita looked at Ramza with icy blue eyes.
"Your to idealistic, Ramza. You believe that everything can be sorted out through talking. Peasants and royalty are of two different species of humans, and for you to say that they are the same...Your to naive, Ramza, about the world around you."
Delita said. Ramza's eyes widened in shock before they rolled up in his head as he fell to the ground unconscious. Delita had struck him in the back of the neck with the pommel of his scimitar.
"You'll be the next one, Ramza."
Were the last thing Ramza heard before he slipped into darkness. Upon waking up, Ramza saw himself covered in a slight sheet of snow. He shook his body free from the cold white snow and looked around. Algus and his troops lay in a pool of their own blood. Ramza looked to see if there was any sign of Delita. His crimson eyes soon fell upon the bridge where Teta had been shot. Delita looked down at her before lifting her up in his arms.
"Delita..."
Ramza said as he held out his hand. Delita turned his head. Ramza was relieved that Delita seemed to regain his sanity, or so it seemed. Before any words could be exchanged between the two, however, the fort's structure by Ramza blew up in a haze of fire, sending the young man in a back flip as he landed face first in the snow. Ramza got up quickly, feeling blood trickle from his forehead, nose and mouth. He held out his hand towards the bridge Delita and the dead Teta stayed on.
"DELITA!!"
The two bodies, along with the bridge, disappeared in the flames as another explosion came from within the other structure.
:::FlashBack:::
Cadoan City, Marche's second room
Marche opened his eyes, realizing he was in his room. The memory played so vividly in his head, Marche had forgotten where he was for a little bit. He felt a salty wetness on his mouth, and knew they were tears. He wiped the remaining droplets on his sleeve before closing the window. He let out a haggard breath.
'That was the time both Delita and Teta were taken away from me...Delita of course, was only temporarily, but Teta...she didn't deserve that fate...'
Marche knew it was a cruel one dealt upon the innocent girl, but what happened already came to be. Although it was very rare, Marche would sometimes think back to the time.
'What if Teta survived...would she have been able to stop Delita's madness?'
Marche had a feeling it would have, but of course, there was no solid answer. Deciding not to think anymore about the subject, Marche went to his bed to get some sleep.
------
Roda Volcano, Summit
"So this is Roda Volcano?"
Marche asked as he looked around. There wasn't much up on the dormant volcano. Montblanc glided right beside him.
"We should hurry and find those ingredients for the cook. According to her, we need some Bomb fire and Flame Drake scales so she can make the hottest dish of all Ivalice, kupo."
Montblanc said. Marche nodded as he looked behind him.
"Alright, were going in. Montblanc, Hedges, Mustadio and Worker No. 8 come with me. Cloud, if you find any of the ingredients out here, let me know."
Marche said. Cloud nodded. Marche took the rest of his clan towards the inside of the volcano. The inside was lighted red by lava down below. Marche looked around.
"Hey, any of you see anything here?"
Marche asked. Worker No. 8 stepped forward.
"Master, sensors indicate life further down."
"Alright then, let's go a little farther."
There was a large platform of rock jutting out of the lava near the bottom the clan landed on.
"Hey, Worker No. 8, is this where you detect the life signs?"
"Affirmative..."
Before Worker. No. 8 could finish, Bombs flew from the lava and surrounded them. There were about seven of them. Marche heard a low growl from the entrance his clan came from. Three Fire Drakes hit the platform of rock.
"Wow...there are a lot of them."
Mustadio commented. Marche nodded.
"ENGAGE!!"
A Judge appeared at the entrance.
"Hmm...it's been a while since I last saw your clan. Have you been engaging normally, Marche? Oh well, I should get started, so let's see..."
The Judge pulled out a red card.
"Alright, all ice magic prohibition. Should even one of you use ice magic, all of you will be sent to jail upon the battle's end."
"What, all of us?!"
Hedges said.
"Man, the Laws really rough now."
Mustadio commented.
"This will make the Engage much harder, kupo."
Montblanc said with a sign. Marche, however, smirked.
"I have to disagree."
Everyone looked at Marche like he was crazy. Marche pulled out a blue card from his sleeve.
"This, Judge, is an Anti-Law card. With it, I cancel out your Law card. Now then, let's do this!"
The judge looked at Marche with surprise. The entire area flashed with blinding light.
"How...?"
The Judge said, but was unable to continue out of disbelief. Montblanc hugged Marche.
"You met with Ezel, didn't you, kupo?"
"Yep. Gave me a good deal on that one too, it was almost as if he anticipated what the Judge would use."
The battle began in earnest. The Judge law rendered ineffective, Hedges let out a turret of Blizzaga spells on the Fire Drakes, freezing them in their tracks. Worker No. 8 crushed their now frail bodies with his fists. Mustadio sniped down some of the Bombs with ice bullets. The battle ended so quickly that Marche and Montblanc didn't even get a chance to hit anything.
"Wow, that was so easy with that Anti-Law card..."
Marche commented, scratching the back of his head. The Judge did not disappear after the battle's end, but instead pulled out a sword.
"I'm sorry, Marche of the Ruglia clan, but if your in with Ezel Berbier, I'm suppose to arrest you."
"Sorry, Judge. Even you won't be able to."
With that said, Marche pulled a black card from his sleeve, teleporting himself, the clan, and the remains of the dead monsters.
------
Cadoan Bar, Marche and Montblanc's second table
"Well, all in all, I'd say it wasn't such a bad day."
Marche commented. Montblanc nodded.
"Yeah, that Anti-Law was amazing, kupo."
"I've got the new mission brief from the owner, Montblanc. Looks like we'll be seeing the Roda Volcano again tomorrow."
"Huh? Why, kupo?"
"The volcano suddenly became active after we left, and the Royal Academy wants a clan to go there for research."
"I see, kupo. What do you think made the volcano become active all, of a sudden, kupo?"
Montblanc asked. Marche shrugged his shoulders.
"Don't know. Maybe it was just it's time...?"
------
Roda Volcano, Summit, the very next day
"Is it just me, or is it really hot up here now?"
Marche asked as he wiped some sweat from his brow. Montblanc followed close behind.
"No, it really is hot up here, kupo. This investigation might have been too dangerous, kupo..."
Suddenly an earthquake rocked the volcano, making the entire clan, save for the flying Montblanc, fall on the rocky terrain. Marche lifted his head quickly after the earthquake subsided.
"That was a big one, but there was no eruption..."
Marche began, but a black dot appeared near the opening of the volcano, gradually growing bigger until it was the size to accommodate one person.
"That portal...this must be the work of a Crystal!"
Marche said excitedly. Montblanc rushed up ahead.
"Let's go then, kupo...!"
Montblanc flew towards the portal, but hit an invisible wall. Montblanc hit the ground and rolled back slightly, his little eyes swirling in his head.
"Kupoooo..."
"Hey are you alright, Montblanc?"
Marche asked as he rushed towards the Moogle. Rooty went up to the portal and put his hand to it, but similarly to Montblanc, his hand touched an invisible barrier, barring entry to the other side.
"Hey, I can't get through here either."
Rooty said. Mustadio stepped forward and did the same.
"I don't think were allowed in here...hey Marche, you try it."
Mustadio said. Marche complied, and upon touching the portal, his arm went in.
"Just as I thought. I'll bet this Divine Beast wants to meet you only Marche. The rest of us are going to have to sit this one out. Go ahead, we'll wait here."
Mustadio told Marche.
"Alright, Mustadio. I'll try and come back as soon as possible."
With that, Marche jumped through the inky blackness of the portal, before it disappeared behind him.
------
Ruins of a temple, Ivalice(?)
Marche opened his eyes.
"Where is this?"
Marche looked around. The room was much brighter in comparison to Famfreet's arena. Many pink butterflies swarmed around the room. The thing that caught Marche's attention the most, however, was the giant pink crystal in the room's center. Rather than touch it, Marche called out instead.
"I know your here, Divine Beast. Show yourself!"
Marche gripped his sword tightly as he looked around. The butterflies swirled around Marche now, as if to scan him.
"What the...?"
The butterflies swarmed away, collecting at seven different points of the temple, and changing into smaller, pink crystals similar to the main one. Marche narrowed his eyes.
"So, the butterflies are the Divine Beast..."
Marche said. The crystals seemed to pulsate with light.
"I am the Divine Beast, Ultima the Fallen Angel. Thou must be the one called Marche. I've have been told by Famfreet prior to his joining thy Moogle that thee defeated him single handedly. Never has a Divine Beast been challenged one on one and been defeated by a mere mortal. He told me thou bringest the power of a demi god with thee into battle. I wish to witness this power for myself."
Unknown to Ultima, Marche's left eye turned crimson.
"Alright, Ultima...let's fight then."
Marche steadied his sword and waited for the crystals to do something. The crystal nearest Marche's location spun quickly before emitting a pink laser in Marche's direction. Marche jumped forward, avoiding the laser. The crystals now rose higher into the air, revolving around the chamber. Marche knew he could not keep his eyes on all of them, and waited patiently in a defensive position. As predicted, the crystals began to fire randomly at Marche's direction, and the swordsman evaded them with jumps, rolls or flips to stay out of harms way.
"Thou's reflexes are indeed god like, Marche. Still, thee will find this to be much harder..."
Ultima said cryptically, before shooting lasers at Marche again. Marche did the same as before, however, he found himself struck hard in the chest and sent to the wall. More lasers came his way, and he jumped out of the way, only to be struck from behind. Before hitting the ground face first, Marche flipped through the air and righted himself up quickly.
"So your reflecting the beams at me now, are you?"
Marche said. The lasers were bouncing off the walls or floor.
"Very good perception, Marche..."
Ultima began but before it could finish, Marche jumped high into the air at the revolving crystals, swinging his Defender and catching one out of the air, making it shatter on the ground. Marche landed, smirking. The crystals stopped spinning.
"You dare...?"
Ultima said in astonishment.
"As I thought, Ultima. You have some pretty powerful attacks, but being a bunch of crystal makes you very lacking in defense. Six more to go."
Marche said as he charged at another one. However, the crystal evaded his attack before ramming him hard into the ground. Marche got up slowly from the crevice and wiped his mouth of some blood, before spitting a mixture of blood and saliva out on the ground. He smirked.
"That was pretty good. But I'm not through yet."
Marche explained. This time he took a different approach with another technique in his repertoire. Marche's form shifted out of existence.
"Where...?"
Two more crystals shattered as Marche reappeared above them, swinging his mighty sword down on them and making them hit ground in an explosion of fragments. Marche landed gracefully.
"Well? Now I'm down to four crystals."
Marche said. Ultima no longer commented. The crystals grew brightly, blinding Marche, before all of them flew around him. They attacked from either side, crushing him. Marche let out a pained cry as he was uplifted, and then hurled back down to the ground. The crystals no longer shown with their bright light as they hovered over the cloud of dust that Marche had kicked up in his fall to the ground. When the ground cleared of dust, Marche was no where to be seen.
"Where art thou, Marche?"
The crystals scanned the room. One of the crystals was hit by Marche's sword as it flew from the left wall, smashing the crystal between the wall and the sword. The crystals turned to the left wall as the sword clattered to the ground. Another one was struck as Marche jumped on it, making it fall and shatter to the ground.
"Just two more of you, now."
Marche declared. Once again his clothes were in ruin by the Divine Beast's attacks.
"It would appear as if I shall fail as well..."
Ultima said. Still, it was not going to just simply give up. The last remaining crystals came closer together before spinning rapidly. A thick beam of red energy formed as it struck the ground. Marche rushed out of the way as the hot beam neared him. The crystals and their beam followed Marche very closely. On the way to the right side of the temple, Marche crouched low in his run, grabbing his discarded sword, and kept running. Marche suddenly turned around and jumped high over the crystals.
"Now the finishing blow, Ultima!"
Marche declared as he slashed through the air, cutting the very air into a sharp blade which cut the remaining crystals in two. The beam stopped, leaving a large trail of molten lava on the ground. Marche lay on the ground, breathing heavily as he leaned against his sword. He recovered quickly, and went towards the Crystal as it hovered silently in a veil of light.
"Those whos magic runs deep within their beings."
Marche said aloud, reading the inscription on a magic square that protected the Crystal.
"I'll bet this has something to do with the joining of a clansman and a Divine Beast...but which one?"
Marche thought on it a little bit before the answer came.
"Of course, the inscription must be telling about the Nu Mou tribe!"
The Crystal cracked, before it shattered into millions of pieces, which soon shimmered out of existence.
------
Roda Volcano, Summit
Hedges staggered on the ground as red points of light entered him.
"Hey, are you alright?"
Mustadio asked Hedges. The Nu Mou nodded.
"I think our leader has succeeded."
------
Ruins of a temple, Ivalice(?)
"WHAT?! WHO IS THERE?!"
Marche's face snapped up as he heard the voice. Like with Famfreet's area, an image of Mewt conjured where the Crystal once stood.
"Mewt!"
Marche exclaimed. The ghostly Mewt seemed to look around in fear.
"Mama didn't die, she's here with me! She always has been! Who is this? Who is trying to destroy my world? Stop it! Stop ruining everything for me! This is my world...!"
The image disappeared, but with it's leave, Marche knew the truth: Mewt was the one who conjured everything up in this world.
'Yeah, as I thought. Here his life is better, but this is nothing more than a fantasy. If everyone could do this, no one would know how to live...I'm sorry Mewt, but I have to stand against you...I may not want to, but I'd rather face reality head on than run away from it in a fantasy...'
Marche thought sadly. The way of the world was only better for Mewt, at the expense of people suffering under strict Laws. That was something Marche could never stand idly for because it conjured up old feelings about his old life and the oppression people were meant to go through. Ramza had lost a dear friend on a snowy fort, and that friend had eventually lead an oppression on the weak masses who could do nothing, including himself in his old age at the time. One though ran in Marche's mind that allowed him to stand strong against his good friend Mewt.
'Never again...'
***TBC***
Note: Damn, this was a real long chapter. It might be even longer than the Twisted Flow chapter. Before any FFT playing readers say anything, let me just say that yes, I know the flashback on Fort Zeadken didn't happen like that. I simply wanted to make the scene hold a more dramatic mood towards it. I'm not sure if I accomplished that, but I hope I did. And for any FFTA readers out there, before you say anything, let me just say that yes, in the second Crystal battle, Ultima's crystals don't actually move from there places on the battle map, nor do they talk to Marche in any way, shape or form. I like to create as much action as I can, especially for boss battles, and just pray I don't overdo anything. Anyway, I'm now on a three week Christmas vacation from college, so I might be able to get up to two more chapters up rather quickly within the next couple of weeks, but we'll see...
Written By Illuminet
Disclaimer: Most (if not all) of the characters appearing in this story do not belong to me, but rather, are creations of the brilliant minds within Square Soft/Square Enix. I make no claim over owning any of those characters.
"..."-Indicate Speech
'...'-Indicate Thought
------
Cadoan Bar, Entrance
"Ow..."
All of Marche's clan let out a pained groan as they were teleported at the bar's entrance in a dog pile. Once everyone got up and dusted themselves off, they headed for the bar.
"Hey Ezel, was that an Anti-Law you used against the Judge Master?"
Marche asked the Nu Mou, who nodded.
"Yep. My good ol' Anti-Law cards can seal up the most powerful Laws a Judge can think of."
The Nu Mou boast confidently. Marche might have passed it off as a lie had he not witnessed the work of Ezel's Anti-Law cards first hand.
"That's an incredible technique."
Marche commented. Ezel laughed.
"Ha, I am incredible, if I do say so myself."
"But are you sure you should be doing such things like that?"
Marche asked. The usual prideful face of Ezel grew dark and serious as he lowered his head.
"The damn royal family of Ivalice is always strengthening or creating new Laws without so much as a thought. Because they ignore us, we have to suffer under their Laws. So I thought I'd let those arrogant bastards have it with the Anti-Laws I've created. Anyway, let me give you this map. It'll show you how to locate my card shop in case you want to purchase some Anti-Laws. Of course, I can't have you telling anyone else, so don't. If your ever around the neighborhood, look me up."
Ezel explained as he headed off. Marche looked at the map clenched in his right hand.
"Yeah, I'll do that sometime."
------
Aisenfield, Place of supposed crystallized rain
"Damn, the rains pouring harder then ever."
Marche commented. He looked around the area, but the rain blurred his vision slightly.
"Remember what the mission said about crystal rain. It might be a Crystal effect like with the Yulei River."
Marche told his clan. The rain, however, seemed ordinary enough to them.
"This rain doesn't look very special."
Mustadio commented as he held out a gloved hand.
"This rain doesn't have a solid form. I think the guy who put up that mission had a few screws loose or something."
Mustadio continued as he looked around.
"My ears are soaked. I knew I should have stayed at the bar with Hedges, Montblanc, Rooty and Worker No. 8."
Said Celine. Her ears clung to the sides of her face. Victory stood beside her.
"I don't think we'll find anything here."
The Banga said. Marche turned towards them.
"I understand. We'll stay here for five more minutes..."
Marche began, but stop when he heard the sliding of metal. Cloud had drawn his sword.
"We've got company."
The young man said slowly. There were about four Ice Flan and one Ice Drake accompanied with them.
"Oh well, so much for no disturbances."
Marche said as he brought his own sword forth. Mustadio looked to the sky.
"Damn. With it raining so hard like this, my fire bullets won't be very effective."
The Ice Drake let out a furious roar before charging forward, with the Ice Flans trailing behind it. When the dragon was close enough, Marche rushed forward, jabbing at the dragon's head with the hilt of his sword, making it's head reel back, before he brought sword down on it's head. The Ice Drake roared in pain but it's tough skin prevented Marche from killing it, and the young man brought his sword up in a defensive position as the Ice Drake ran into him, making him fall and slide across the slick ground. Marche got up quickly as the dragon charged him. Marche implanted his sword into the ground, uplifting it as he opened a rift big enough to trap the dragon in. Then Marche jumped down the rift onto the Ice Drake's back, before slipping underneath it and impaling the monster in it's fragile belly. The Ice Drake's blood flowed freely from it's mouth and stomach and before it could fall, Marche slipped out from under it and jumped out of the rift he created.
"Hey, how are you guys doing?"
Marche asked his clan as he looked about. Mustadio waited for an Ice Flan to attack him with a fierce bite, and countered with gun shots at point blank range into it's mouth, burning the monster from the inside. The once blue Ice Flan fell as a charred black mass of goo. Apparently Mustadio had killed two others this way. Cloud, Victory and Celine weren't fairing as well. Cloud would slash through the last Ice Flan, only to have his sword go through it and out the other end. Victory and Celine would pound down on it but it would simply retake shape.
"Why won't this thing die?"
Cloud said in frustration as he slashed vertically, cutting the Ice Flan between the eyes and splitting it in half. The Ice Flan took shape again on his blade as it slunk on top the length of Cloud's sword ready to attack him.
"Hey Cloud this way."
Marche yelled. Cloud obliged by swinging his sword towards Marche's direction, sending the Ice Flan through the air. Marche jumped up slightly and twirled through the air, striking the Ice Flan in Mustadio's direction.
"It's all you now, Mustadio!"
Marche said. Mustadio took aim, and when the Ice Flan touched his gun, he fired, impaling it with fire bullets, and side stepped as the Ice Flan hit the ground besides him, charred black like the rest of the Ice Flan. Marche looked around.
"Hey, the rain is...?"
As was written in the mission brief, the rain started to shimmer unearthly. As the rain hit the ground it left particles of shining light. However, as soon as it would appear, the light rain would disappear, looking like normal rain once again. Marche scratched the back of his head in confusion.
"Is there no Divine Beast or anything here? The rain just now wasn't normal...so what gives?"
Marche asked out loud.
"It wasn't rain or snow...something else. Still, I don't think this is the effect of a Crystal, Marche. It may just be a phenomenon that occurs in Aisenfield every once in a while."
Mustadio suggested. Marche, at first wasn't convinced, but as he and his clan stayed out there nothing else happened like at Yulei River. Marche sighed.
"I think your right, Mustadio. Oh well, let's get out of here then."
------
Cadoan City, Marche's second room
Marche lay awake in his bed. He pondered about everything he had gone through so far, wondering if there would ever be an end to all the fighting that was going on in Ivalice.
'This parallel Ivalice hasn't changed too much from the Ivalice I came from...although the residence are a bit more friendly. Laws seem to have been able to keep some form of tranquillity here. Now that I think about it...no one here dies like in my Ivalice. The Judges simply remove combatants from the battle, revive them in a hospital, and then the combatant may rejoin his or her clan once more...'
Marche got up from his bed, heading for a stray curtained window. He opened the curtains to reveal some of the inner part of the city of Cadoan. Although it was pretty late at night, many of the city's residence was wondering on the streets, but Marche paid no mind to them, as he turned his head skyward. Marche didn't know how long he stared out the window, but the night sky reminded him of something back in his old home, of an event that changed his life.
:::FlashBack:::
Fort Zeadken, Abandoned fort north of Igros, the original Ivalice
The fort was blanketed white with snow. Snow fell in endless specks of white in the night sky. Upon a small bridge, a thief swordsman held a young woman with ebon colored hair and a violet dress on. Near the bottom on a small hill, stood a small battalion of soldiers. The two main figure heads down there were a tall knight with short blonde hair and shining silver armor. The other was a much younger man, a teenager, with slick backed blond hair dressed in blue with small articles of leather armor adorning his body. The thief on the roof held the woman in front of him, like a shield.
"Take one step up here and the girl gets it!"
The thief warned.
"You wouldn't want one of your own royal kind killed now, would you?"
The thief pressed on. The warrior in silver armor stepped forward slightly.
"Give up, Galgoros. This is the end of the Death Corps. If you give up peacefully, I may be able to give you an easier punishment."
The knight said. The thief, Galgoros, sneered.
"That's a load of crap. You royal pigs are all the same. Now stay back, behind me is a gun powder cellar. I can simply go in there a blow all of us straight to Hell if I wanted to."
Galgoros warned. It was then that two youths came running by the gun powder cellar. One had slick back brow hair and was dressed in a deep green battle clothes, with a chest plate and shoulder pads of died red leather. The other had messy golden blonde hair tied back in a small tail, and was dressed in a navy blue coat and black pants, but they were mostly covered by tall form fitting leather boots. The first one saw the young woman up on the bridge and called out in a panic.
"Teta!"
The woman, Teta, lifted her head and opened her crystal blue eyes to peer at the man who was calling her. She leaned forward slightly, but Galgoros kept a firm hold on her.
"Delita!"
She called back. Delita turned his blue eyes to Galgoros.
"Please release my sister. She has nothing to with this."
Delita pleaded. The other young man turned to the Knight who had addressed Galgoros.
"Brother Zalbag? Algus? Your here too?"
He asked. Zalbag looked down at him.
"Ramza. So you made it."
Zalbag said with slight relief. A knight appeared behind Zalbag.
"Sir, we've just recieve word that a knight fitting Wiegraf's description is headed east of Fovoham Plains."
Zalbag turned to the knight.
"Very well, Algus, I trust you'll take care of things here?"
Algus nodded as Zalbag left with the knight. Algus then turned towards Galgoros.
"This is the end of you, Galgoros."
Algus said simply, pulling out a cross bow. He fired quickly, striking Teta in the heart, making the girl fall over and hit the bridge face first. Galgoros looked at the fallen girl with surprise, while Delita and Ramza looked on in horror.
"Why did you...?"
Galgoros began, not understanding why the royalty would kill one of there own. Blood rose up through the man's mouth as another arrow penetrated his chest. Galgoros fell on his rear, coughing up blood.
"Damn..."
Galgoros slid towards the door of the cellar, closing it quickly as he slid into it. Delita was on his knees, his blues show wide with shock. A stray tear fell from his left eye.
"Teta..."
Ramza, who got over the shock, turned his crimson eyes towards Algus's hazel ones. He narrowed them dangerously.
"Algus, how could you..."
Ramza began. Algus smirked.
"You know why, Ramza. that girl...that thing was nothing more than dirt. She was a peasant, just like Delita. They don't deserve to live."
By the time Algus said that, Delita had gotten over the shock, and turned angrily towards Algus.
"YOU BASTARD, I'LL KILL YOU!!!"
The words echoed throughout the night sky. Delita drew a scimitar from his belt and aimed it at Algus.
"You...you and the rest of royalty are the ones who are nothing more than dirt. You couldn't live without -us- peasants. Who do you think tends the lands to your castles? Who do you think brings you your food on a silver platter? Huh? Why don't you answer me, Algus?"
Delita said in a bitter tone. Algus's face shown with slight embarrassment, but quickly turned into an angry scowl.
"That's the only thing you peasants are useful for. Now then, it's time to kill you and set Ramza free from your kind."
Algus drew a broad sword. Ramza looked at Algus.
"What are you two talking about? Peasants and the royalty are just words. We are all humans with free will, no one has the right to decide otherwise..."
Ramza said. Algus interrupted him, though.
"What are YOU saying, Ramza? The royalty are higher than them. You are from the Beoulve family, one of the most highly respected royal family in all Ivalice. You can't be in the presents of a commoner like Delita, it would tarnish the Beoulve name."
Algus said. Ramza shook his head, before turning towards Delita.
"Don't let his words get to you, Delita. Father said that neither peasants or royalty are right or wrong, it is all in the will of the individual to believe. Don't fight Algus out your differences as peasants and royalty. Fight to avenge your sister's death!"
Delita turned to Ramza.
"What do you think I'm doing? I am avenging her death."
"No. No your not, I can see it in your eyes, Delita. With what Algus has been saying, your planning to fight him for the wrong reason. We are all the same..."
Ramza said as he grasped Delita's shoulders in an attempt to clear Delita's head of what Algus had said. Ramza could see that in Delita's eyes was a desire to justify that the peasants were the righteous. Algus stood for the exact opposite. With Algus's words, Delita was now more focused on fulfilling his ego than avenging his sister out right. Delita looked at Ramza with icy blue eyes.
"Your to idealistic, Ramza. You believe that everything can be sorted out through talking. Peasants and royalty are of two different species of humans, and for you to say that they are the same...Your to naive, Ramza, about the world around you."
Delita said. Ramza's eyes widened in shock before they rolled up in his head as he fell to the ground unconscious. Delita had struck him in the back of the neck with the pommel of his scimitar.
"You'll be the next one, Ramza."
Were the last thing Ramza heard before he slipped into darkness. Upon waking up, Ramza saw himself covered in a slight sheet of snow. He shook his body free from the cold white snow and looked around. Algus and his troops lay in a pool of their own blood. Ramza looked to see if there was any sign of Delita. His crimson eyes soon fell upon the bridge where Teta had been shot. Delita looked down at her before lifting her up in his arms.
"Delita..."
Ramza said as he held out his hand. Delita turned his head. Ramza was relieved that Delita seemed to regain his sanity, or so it seemed. Before any words could be exchanged between the two, however, the fort's structure by Ramza blew up in a haze of fire, sending the young man in a back flip as he landed face first in the snow. Ramza got up quickly, feeling blood trickle from his forehead, nose and mouth. He held out his hand towards the bridge Delita and the dead Teta stayed on.
"DELITA!!"
The two bodies, along with the bridge, disappeared in the flames as another explosion came from within the other structure.
:::FlashBack:::
Cadoan City, Marche's second room
Marche opened his eyes, realizing he was in his room. The memory played so vividly in his head, Marche had forgotten where he was for a little bit. He felt a salty wetness on his mouth, and knew they were tears. He wiped the remaining droplets on his sleeve before closing the window. He let out a haggard breath.
'That was the time both Delita and Teta were taken away from me...Delita of course, was only temporarily, but Teta...she didn't deserve that fate...'
Marche knew it was a cruel one dealt upon the innocent girl, but what happened already came to be. Although it was very rare, Marche would sometimes think back to the time.
'What if Teta survived...would she have been able to stop Delita's madness?'
Marche had a feeling it would have, but of course, there was no solid answer. Deciding not to think anymore about the subject, Marche went to his bed to get some sleep.
------
Roda Volcano, Summit
"So this is Roda Volcano?"
Marche asked as he looked around. There wasn't much up on the dormant volcano. Montblanc glided right beside him.
"We should hurry and find those ingredients for the cook. According to her, we need some Bomb fire and Flame Drake scales so she can make the hottest dish of all Ivalice, kupo."
Montblanc said. Marche nodded as he looked behind him.
"Alright, were going in. Montblanc, Hedges, Mustadio and Worker No. 8 come with me. Cloud, if you find any of the ingredients out here, let me know."
Marche said. Cloud nodded. Marche took the rest of his clan towards the inside of the volcano. The inside was lighted red by lava down below. Marche looked around.
"Hey, any of you see anything here?"
Marche asked. Worker No. 8 stepped forward.
"Master, sensors indicate life further down."
"Alright then, let's go a little farther."
There was a large platform of rock jutting out of the lava near the bottom the clan landed on.
"Hey, Worker No. 8, is this where you detect the life signs?"
"Affirmative..."
Before Worker. No. 8 could finish, Bombs flew from the lava and surrounded them. There were about seven of them. Marche heard a low growl from the entrance his clan came from. Three Fire Drakes hit the platform of rock.
"Wow...there are a lot of them."
Mustadio commented. Marche nodded.
"ENGAGE!!"
A Judge appeared at the entrance.
"Hmm...it's been a while since I last saw your clan. Have you been engaging normally, Marche? Oh well, I should get started, so let's see..."
The Judge pulled out a red card.
"Alright, all ice magic prohibition. Should even one of you use ice magic, all of you will be sent to jail upon the battle's end."
"What, all of us?!"
Hedges said.
"Man, the Laws really rough now."
Mustadio commented.
"This will make the Engage much harder, kupo."
Montblanc said with a sign. Marche, however, smirked.
"I have to disagree."
Everyone looked at Marche like he was crazy. Marche pulled out a blue card from his sleeve.
"This, Judge, is an Anti-Law card. With it, I cancel out your Law card. Now then, let's do this!"
The judge looked at Marche with surprise. The entire area flashed with blinding light.
"How...?"
The Judge said, but was unable to continue out of disbelief. Montblanc hugged Marche.
"You met with Ezel, didn't you, kupo?"
"Yep. Gave me a good deal on that one too, it was almost as if he anticipated what the Judge would use."
The battle began in earnest. The Judge law rendered ineffective, Hedges let out a turret of Blizzaga spells on the Fire Drakes, freezing them in their tracks. Worker No. 8 crushed their now frail bodies with his fists. Mustadio sniped down some of the Bombs with ice bullets. The battle ended so quickly that Marche and Montblanc didn't even get a chance to hit anything.
"Wow, that was so easy with that Anti-Law card..."
Marche commented, scratching the back of his head. The Judge did not disappear after the battle's end, but instead pulled out a sword.
"I'm sorry, Marche of the Ruglia clan, but if your in with Ezel Berbier, I'm suppose to arrest you."
"Sorry, Judge. Even you won't be able to."
With that said, Marche pulled a black card from his sleeve, teleporting himself, the clan, and the remains of the dead monsters.
------
Cadoan Bar, Marche and Montblanc's second table
"Well, all in all, I'd say it wasn't such a bad day."
Marche commented. Montblanc nodded.
"Yeah, that Anti-Law was amazing, kupo."
"I've got the new mission brief from the owner, Montblanc. Looks like we'll be seeing the Roda Volcano again tomorrow."
"Huh? Why, kupo?"
"The volcano suddenly became active after we left, and the Royal Academy wants a clan to go there for research."
"I see, kupo. What do you think made the volcano become active all, of a sudden, kupo?"
Montblanc asked. Marche shrugged his shoulders.
"Don't know. Maybe it was just it's time...?"
------
Roda Volcano, Summit, the very next day
"Is it just me, or is it really hot up here now?"
Marche asked as he wiped some sweat from his brow. Montblanc followed close behind.
"No, it really is hot up here, kupo. This investigation might have been too dangerous, kupo..."
Suddenly an earthquake rocked the volcano, making the entire clan, save for the flying Montblanc, fall on the rocky terrain. Marche lifted his head quickly after the earthquake subsided.
"That was a big one, but there was no eruption..."
Marche began, but a black dot appeared near the opening of the volcano, gradually growing bigger until it was the size to accommodate one person.
"That portal...this must be the work of a Crystal!"
Marche said excitedly. Montblanc rushed up ahead.
"Let's go then, kupo...!"
Montblanc flew towards the portal, but hit an invisible wall. Montblanc hit the ground and rolled back slightly, his little eyes swirling in his head.
"Kupoooo..."
"Hey are you alright, Montblanc?"
Marche asked as he rushed towards the Moogle. Rooty went up to the portal and put his hand to it, but similarly to Montblanc, his hand touched an invisible barrier, barring entry to the other side.
"Hey, I can't get through here either."
Rooty said. Mustadio stepped forward and did the same.
"I don't think were allowed in here...hey Marche, you try it."
Mustadio said. Marche complied, and upon touching the portal, his arm went in.
"Just as I thought. I'll bet this Divine Beast wants to meet you only Marche. The rest of us are going to have to sit this one out. Go ahead, we'll wait here."
Mustadio told Marche.
"Alright, Mustadio. I'll try and come back as soon as possible."
With that, Marche jumped through the inky blackness of the portal, before it disappeared behind him.
------
Ruins of a temple, Ivalice(?)
Marche opened his eyes.
"Where is this?"
Marche looked around. The room was much brighter in comparison to Famfreet's arena. Many pink butterflies swarmed around the room. The thing that caught Marche's attention the most, however, was the giant pink crystal in the room's center. Rather than touch it, Marche called out instead.
"I know your here, Divine Beast. Show yourself!"
Marche gripped his sword tightly as he looked around. The butterflies swirled around Marche now, as if to scan him.
"What the...?"
The butterflies swarmed away, collecting at seven different points of the temple, and changing into smaller, pink crystals similar to the main one. Marche narrowed his eyes.
"So, the butterflies are the Divine Beast..."
Marche said. The crystals seemed to pulsate with light.
"I am the Divine Beast, Ultima the Fallen Angel. Thou must be the one called Marche. I've have been told by Famfreet prior to his joining thy Moogle that thee defeated him single handedly. Never has a Divine Beast been challenged one on one and been defeated by a mere mortal. He told me thou bringest the power of a demi god with thee into battle. I wish to witness this power for myself."
Unknown to Ultima, Marche's left eye turned crimson.
"Alright, Ultima...let's fight then."
Marche steadied his sword and waited for the crystals to do something. The crystal nearest Marche's location spun quickly before emitting a pink laser in Marche's direction. Marche jumped forward, avoiding the laser. The crystals now rose higher into the air, revolving around the chamber. Marche knew he could not keep his eyes on all of them, and waited patiently in a defensive position. As predicted, the crystals began to fire randomly at Marche's direction, and the swordsman evaded them with jumps, rolls or flips to stay out of harms way.
"Thou's reflexes are indeed god like, Marche. Still, thee will find this to be much harder..."
Ultima said cryptically, before shooting lasers at Marche again. Marche did the same as before, however, he found himself struck hard in the chest and sent to the wall. More lasers came his way, and he jumped out of the way, only to be struck from behind. Before hitting the ground face first, Marche flipped through the air and righted himself up quickly.
"So your reflecting the beams at me now, are you?"
Marche said. The lasers were bouncing off the walls or floor.
"Very good perception, Marche..."
Ultima began but before it could finish, Marche jumped high into the air at the revolving crystals, swinging his Defender and catching one out of the air, making it shatter on the ground. Marche landed, smirking. The crystals stopped spinning.
"You dare...?"
Ultima said in astonishment.
"As I thought, Ultima. You have some pretty powerful attacks, but being a bunch of crystal makes you very lacking in defense. Six more to go."
Marche said as he charged at another one. However, the crystal evaded his attack before ramming him hard into the ground. Marche got up slowly from the crevice and wiped his mouth of some blood, before spitting a mixture of blood and saliva out on the ground. He smirked.
"That was pretty good. But I'm not through yet."
Marche explained. This time he took a different approach with another technique in his repertoire. Marche's form shifted out of existence.
"Where...?"
Two more crystals shattered as Marche reappeared above them, swinging his mighty sword down on them and making them hit ground in an explosion of fragments. Marche landed gracefully.
"Well? Now I'm down to four crystals."
Marche said. Ultima no longer commented. The crystals grew brightly, blinding Marche, before all of them flew around him. They attacked from either side, crushing him. Marche let out a pained cry as he was uplifted, and then hurled back down to the ground. The crystals no longer shown with their bright light as they hovered over the cloud of dust that Marche had kicked up in his fall to the ground. When the ground cleared of dust, Marche was no where to be seen.
"Where art thou, Marche?"
The crystals scanned the room. One of the crystals was hit by Marche's sword as it flew from the left wall, smashing the crystal between the wall and the sword. The crystals turned to the left wall as the sword clattered to the ground. Another one was struck as Marche jumped on it, making it fall and shatter to the ground.
"Just two more of you, now."
Marche declared. Once again his clothes were in ruin by the Divine Beast's attacks.
"It would appear as if I shall fail as well..."
Ultima said. Still, it was not going to just simply give up. The last remaining crystals came closer together before spinning rapidly. A thick beam of red energy formed as it struck the ground. Marche rushed out of the way as the hot beam neared him. The crystals and their beam followed Marche very closely. On the way to the right side of the temple, Marche crouched low in his run, grabbing his discarded sword, and kept running. Marche suddenly turned around and jumped high over the crystals.
"Now the finishing blow, Ultima!"
Marche declared as he slashed through the air, cutting the very air into a sharp blade which cut the remaining crystals in two. The beam stopped, leaving a large trail of molten lava on the ground. Marche lay on the ground, breathing heavily as he leaned against his sword. He recovered quickly, and went towards the Crystal as it hovered silently in a veil of light.
"Those whos magic runs deep within their beings."
Marche said aloud, reading the inscription on a magic square that protected the Crystal.
"I'll bet this has something to do with the joining of a clansman and a Divine Beast...but which one?"
Marche thought on it a little bit before the answer came.
"Of course, the inscription must be telling about the Nu Mou tribe!"
The Crystal cracked, before it shattered into millions of pieces, which soon shimmered out of existence.
------
Roda Volcano, Summit
Hedges staggered on the ground as red points of light entered him.
"Hey, are you alright?"
Mustadio asked Hedges. The Nu Mou nodded.
"I think our leader has succeeded."
------
Ruins of a temple, Ivalice(?)
"WHAT?! WHO IS THERE?!"
Marche's face snapped up as he heard the voice. Like with Famfreet's area, an image of Mewt conjured where the Crystal once stood.
"Mewt!"
Marche exclaimed. The ghostly Mewt seemed to look around in fear.
"Mama didn't die, she's here with me! She always has been! Who is this? Who is trying to destroy my world? Stop it! Stop ruining everything for me! This is my world...!"
The image disappeared, but with it's leave, Marche knew the truth: Mewt was the one who conjured everything up in this world.
'Yeah, as I thought. Here his life is better, but this is nothing more than a fantasy. If everyone could do this, no one would know how to live...I'm sorry Mewt, but I have to stand against you...I may not want to, but I'd rather face reality head on than run away from it in a fantasy...'
Marche thought sadly. The way of the world was only better for Mewt, at the expense of people suffering under strict Laws. That was something Marche could never stand idly for because it conjured up old feelings about his old life and the oppression people were meant to go through. Ramza had lost a dear friend on a snowy fort, and that friend had eventually lead an oppression on the weak masses who could do nothing, including himself in his old age at the time. One though ran in Marche's mind that allowed him to stand strong against his good friend Mewt.
'Never again...'
***TBC***
Note: Damn, this was a real long chapter. It might be even longer than the Twisted Flow chapter. Before any FFT playing readers say anything, let me just say that yes, I know the flashback on Fort Zeadken didn't happen like that. I simply wanted to make the scene hold a more dramatic mood towards it. I'm not sure if I accomplished that, but I hope I did. And for any FFTA readers out there, before you say anything, let me just say that yes, in the second Crystal battle, Ultima's crystals don't actually move from there places on the battle map, nor do they talk to Marche in any way, shape or form. I like to create as much action as I can, especially for boss battles, and just pray I don't overdo anything. Anyway, I'm now on a three week Christmas vacation from college, so I might be able to get up to two more chapters up rather quickly within the next couple of weeks, but we'll see...