Chapter 19
Written By Illuminet
Disclaimer: Most (if not all) of the characters appearing within this story are not owned by me, but rather, are creations of the brilliant minded people within Square Soft / Square Enix. I make no claim over any of them.
"..."-Indicate Speech
'...'-Indicate Thought
------
Nono's place, Lawless territory
"Your sure you can fly the airship then?"
Marche asked Cloud who was staring intently at the controls. The Neo Bahamuts had made quick work of capturing every single person on Ivalice. The two happened to be very lucky as it seemed Nono was probably captured before he could head out with his airship. Since Cloud seemed to have the bare essential knowledge of controlling an airship, they had a chance of rescuing everyone.
"Doesn't seem any different from this other airship I've driven before. Sit tight a bit, since this cockpit was made for only one person, it'll be a bit uncomfortable."
Cloud told Marche, who simply nodded. A slow rumbling sound began making the airship move. So far, things were going smoothly.
------
Zeltenia, Tower of Delita, 100th Floor
The tower was a monument that brought about many a person's death while it was being built. One hundred floors from the ground up, it was truly a colossal structure. The highest floor was the most massive in terms of width and height, and it was here the immortal tyrant stayed.
"You fool..."
Delita was angered. With an effortless punch, he sent the Neo Bahamut flying across the arena like floor. Many cages lined the wall all around and it was here, the residences of Ivalice stayed. They watched in awe and fear as Delita had effortlessly punched the massive dragon with enough force to send it flying.
"Fine. If your so incompetent while split into ten weaker Neo Bahamuts, I'll transform you back to what you once were."
Delita said, his anger still present. With a snap of his fingers the ten Neo Bahamut who had been assigned to capture all of Ivalice began to fuse together in a wave of light which almost left everyone blinded. The sight that followed was the most horrific one yet. Bahamut Zero was one again. It stood regally, although it's head almost hit the ceiling of the large room.
"Now go and capture those other two. One of them is needed for the sacrifice, so he must be kept alive until then."
With that, the Bahamut was sent out of the tower by Delita. Not much sooner after that, Delita got a mental signal from his summoned dragon.
"Their already here?"
He spoke out loud. He got a lot of confused stares from the residences.
"Who are you talking to?"
That was Ritz who spoke. Delita sighed. Although all the people here made a great commotion about being locked up, Ritz remained strong willed and always found some way to verbally annoy him with her words. If she was just one of the normal residences of this Ivalice, he wouldn't spare a heart beat of thought on breaking her neck and silencing her forever.
"Seems your friends have come to rescue you. Watch and see."
With a snap of the finger, a large eye shaped light appeared. It swirled with color but eventually gave form to an image of what was happening on the outside world.
"My airship, kupo!"
Nono said excitedly from his cage.
"Marche and one of his clan members are flying it. We may actually be saved yet!"
Cid stated. Everyone began looking intently at the image. Compared to Bahamut Zero, the airship was like a fly. Everyone watched anxiously as the massive dragon and the airship charged at one another.
"NOOO, KUPOOO!!"
Nono yelled out furiously. The airship was more important to him than anything else. But what looked like a kamikaze attempt was actually nothing of the sort. The airship swerved upward out of reach of the dragon's mouth. Bahamut Zero anticipated this, of course and moved it's head along with the airship, but was pleasantly surprised to struck by Marche in the horn as he jumped from the cockpit. Using the force of his blow as leverage, Marche used his sword to rebound off the Bahamut Zero's head and onto it's back. The airship was safely spared as Cloud flew out of reach of the Bahamut Zero. The Bahamut felt an unpleasant sting as Marche kept driving his sword in it's back, although it was futile as the scales were to hard to penetrate. This did not deter Marche from in the slightest and he kept doing it. He jumped straight up as the Bahamut spiraled in it's flight. Marche landed on the stomach, which had weaker scales on it. The Bahamut Zero lunged for him with it's head, but Marche impaled his sword in it's stomach, causing it to twitch in pain a bit. It soon spiraled again, making Marche go flying off it.
"That idiot...!"
Ritz began as she saw Marche go airborne, afraid that he might have lead himself to his own death for foolishly fighting off the massive dragon.. The Bahamut Zero had recovered from the slight pain quickly and dove after Marche, who simply allowed himself to dive faster in his plummet with the ground. Before he could be snagged by the dragon, however, the airship was there to catch him, barely missing getting impaled by the large horn on the Bahamut Zero's head. Everyone gave a sigh of relief. Marche kept repeating the process and it was easy to see that Bahamut Zero was getting annoyed. After about fifty or so unsuccessful attempts at taking down the airship, Bahamut Zero no longer moved to intercept the airship, only stayed aloft as it hovered in the air. Because of the severe punishment the Neo Bahamuts received from Delita, when it became the whole Bahamut Zero again it was heavily damaged, but would never let it's master know that. Here and now, it was fighting the brink of consciousness. It decided to do the one last thing it could do. Bahamut Zero began to gather energy at it's mouth, and it's horn began glowing eerily.
"He's going to disregard my orders...I will have none of it!"
Delita said in a low tone as his head remained bowed. Before he could summon back the dragon, however, it was too late. It released it's ultimate breath attack at the small airship. Everyone watched, transfixed by terror as the beam of immense energy headed towards the small airship. Unseen by everyone, however, Ramza took over. With a snap of his fingers, he teleported Bahamut Zero right in front of it's own attack as a means of finally killing the monster and using it's body as a shield to protect the airship. The image blinded everyone when it became nothing more than white light. Delita removed the image, and the room was left in its previous slightly lighted state it had been. Even through the stone walls, Bahamut Zero's final roar could be heard. The foundation of the room shook violently from the shock of the blast, sending most of the Ivalice residences reeling back into their cell from the force of it.
------
Zeltenia, outside of Tower of Delita
"Nono is going to be so pissed..."
Marche said, trailing off. Cloud only nodded. With the shock wave that followed after the blast, the airship was sent to the ground. Cloud had got it to drag along the ground briefly, hoping it would stop and remain in tact, but it was not meant to be. Slowly but surely, the airship came apart, becoming nothing more than scrap.
"It almost makes me not want to save Nono...almost anyway. Come on Cloud. We've got a lot of stairs to cover if were going all the way up to the top."
Marche announced, already rushing into the tower, with Cloud not far behind.
------
Zeltenia, Tower of Delita, 100th Floor
"Ohhh...my head..."
Llednar got up groggily. He was now experiencing his first headache.
"Are you alright, Llednar?"
He heard Cid call him from the cell to his right.
"Yes father, I'm fine. A bit shaken, but nothing I can't handle."
Llednar told him.
"Mewt should be to the cell on your left, right? check on him as well."
Cid told him. Llednar didn't have to, though.
"I'm alright, Papa. Looks like that dragon was put down by it's own attack."
Mewt said from his own cell. Everyone recovered and looked towards Delita, who stood upright, as if he hadn't been shaken from the rumbling. Delita kept his head low as he made his way to his throne, which stood in the center of the room. He sat heavily upon it and looked to be deep in thought.
'That man...could it have been...?'
------
Zeltenia, Tower of Delita, 50th Floor
"The Shinra Headquarters' stairway has nothing on these tower stairs."
Cloud muttered. The structure of the entire tower stood strong even after having been built so long ago. Both Marche and Cloud made good time by running up the spiraling stair cases that lead from one circular room to another to reach this far so quickly. Luckily for them, no monsters came about at all through the trek up fifty floors. The only reason Marche stopped here was because Cloud did. After making his small comment, Cloud began looking around the room, as if trying to locate something that was not there.
"What's wrong?"
Marche asked as he watched Cloud keep looking about. Cloud finally gave him a sideways glance.
"You should go on ahead. I don't know how it came to be, but someone from my past is calling me, even in a world such as this one. I'd ask for your help, but this is personal...besides, the rest of Ivalice is waiting for you..."
Cloud said. He walked to the stone wall, then took his sword and rested it against the wall. Cloud then sat down and leaned against the wall, lowering his head and closing his eyes as he crossed his arms.
"Alright, I trust you Cloud. Farewell."
Marche said with a nod. Cloud only nodded back as his confirmation that he heard Marche. Marche headed up the next flight of stairs that would bring him to the next floor. Cloud could feel the temperature of the room begin to decrease. Opening one eye, Cloud could see that the day was already turning to dusk, and soon it would be night. He had made a mental note that he and Marche had arrived on Zeltenia a good few hours after noon. Cloud closed his eye again, patiently waiting. The entire room seemed to get darker, and Cloud could tell it was even with his eyes closed. He lifted his head slightly as an unnatural wind began to pick up throughout the room. A magic square formed in the air, just a little below the ceiling. The wind got stronger as the magic square began to bend and twist, as if something was forcing it apart. Soon, the square was violently ripped apart, and the energy began to fall and fade against the stone ground like rain. A tall man with pale skin and long, feathery silver hair kneel under where the square used to hover. He was garbed in all black. His long trench coat with red trim along his arms and the ends of it was securely fastened against his frame by overlapping straps and a large belt. His pants were mostly covered by long boots that almost went up the entire length of his leg. His emerald green eyes darted to his left where a elongated tachi with a long black hilt was implanted in the ground.
(Note: Let's see if I got this right, since it was something I read a LONG time ago...okay, so from the longest to the shortest Japanese Sword in terms of length: the tachi, the katana, the kodachi, the wakizashi, then the tanto. The katana of course is the one samurai used the most, companioned with the wakizashi. The kodachi is a weapon more for a defensive nature rather than offensive. The tanto, which to the Japanese is considered a sword, is basically their equal to a dagger. If I remember correctly, just like a wakizashi, the tachi is a rarely used sword. However, if anyone reading this insanely long note has seen the Miyamoto Musashi Samurai Trilogy, the main character, Musashi, uses both his katana and wakizashi in his duel fencing style. It demonstrates a style that incorporates the wakizashi as an offensive weapon. As for Musashi's rival, Kojirou Sasaki, I believe his sword is a tachi. Anyway, let's end the note here. Oh yeah, if any of the information in this note is incorrect, please let me know.)
The sight of Cloud in the reflection of the blade's shimmering surface caused a smirk to grace the man's lips. He stood up to his full height. He then brought out his right hand and extended it horizontally from his side. A large, black feathered wing emerged from his back. He then lowered his arm, allowing his black angel wing to fold behind his back as he brought up his left hand to firmly grasp the hilt as he pulled it free. He turned slowly to face his opponent. Cloud rose up from his place where he sat on the floor, keeping his head bowed. He mimicked the other man's actions of extending out his arm, but used his left hand rather than the right. A large, tattered bat-like black wing emerged from Cloud's back from behind his cape. Cloud then grasped his Buster Sword. He finally lifted his head and opened his eyes to regard the taller man in front of him.
"Sephiroth...it's been a while."
Cloud said in a casual tone.
"Ditto, Cloud Strife."
Sephiroth answered back. The two remained silent for a moment before charging at one another, without so much as a warning or a battle cry. Both swung horizontally to let their swords meet. Now the two stood locked together, lazily pushing their blades against the other.
"I'm not sure how you got here, but I won't question it. Weirder things have happened."
Cloud said, keeping his tone casual.
"I couldn't even tell you how I got here, Cloud. I'm not sure myself. Regardless, I expect this to be a good battle. All the opponents I've met in the Lifestream are so pathetic."
Sephiroth stated, a smirk beginning to emerge on his face. Cloud's face matched his.
"No matter who the opponents were, I could easily take care of them. No one is a challenge to me on the Planet, anymore. Show me why you were once revered as the Greatest Swordsman in the world once again."
Cloud said, his smirk turning to a full grin.
"Then show me why your now called the Greatest Swordsman in the world, Cloud. Agreed?"
Sephiroth asked him. Cloud nodded.
"Agreed."
With that, both combatants jumped back. Sephiroth now grasped his sword in both hands, letting the blade aim at Cloud's head. Cloud knew this as his basic stance and was one Sephiroth used the most. Cloud got into his own stance which was the basic one for anyone who used a sword. Both of their faces went from playful to dead serious as their mouths tightened into slight frowns and their eyes narrowed slightly. Both where waiting for their special timing. The room, once bathed in gold from dusk time, now began taking a more dark blue and purple hue as the sun began to set. A sliver of golden light was all that remained as it continued to get shorter and shorter. Cloud and Sephiroth knew when the other would attack, once the room was left in darkness. They didn't have to wait long either, and once it occurred, The two once again charged at one another. It was no longer a play, as fierce battle cries erupted from their throats. Sephiroth brought his blade behind him briefly, before swinging it vertically, letting it tear through the ground. Cloud kept charging, using his blade as a shield. Their blades met, letting a mass of sparks illuminate the room briefly. Cloud reacted to Sephiroth's attack and quickly countered with a spinning backslash, but Sephiroth simply brought his wing forward to guard against the blow. Sephiroth extended his wing outwards to push Cloud back, and while Cloud was put off balance, Sephiroth lunged with a powerful thrust intended on Cloud's waist. Cloud crouched low and dashed into the awaiting thrust, letting the blade pass by his head as he swiftly moved it to prevent getting impaled, and attacked with a thrust of his own. Sephiroth barely sidestepped out of harms way as the massive blade went by his own head. Both of them stopped briefly, their swords almost resting on each others shoulder. Both stepped back and put a hand to their cheek. Although no physical contact was made by one another's sword, the force behind their attacks had drew a slight cut along their right cheeks.
"I wonder who drew first blood?"
Sephiroth said casually as he looked at his hand, looking at the crimson liquid that adorned his palm. Cloud shrugged.
"Don't know. Let's continue."
Cloud said. Sephiroth nodded. The two circled one another, now looking for an opening in the other's stance. Cloud saw Sephiroth's blade waver first, and although he knew it was a trick, Cloud rushed at him anyway. He raised his blade for an overhead slash, but Sephiroth thrusted outward, knowing the Masamune had the reach over the Buster Sword. Cloud saw the attack coming, and jumped into the air, avoiding the blow. Sephiroth swerved to the left, evading a massive overhead chop of Cloud's sword that left a sizable hole in the floor. Sephiroth swung his blade at Cloud's unprotected back, but Cloud turned swiftly, catching the blade in his clawed hand and forced Sephiroth back. Sephiroth, however, knew that the attempt was futile and forced the blade out of his hand. While Cloud was off balance, he wasted no time in slashing downward with his sword, leaving a large cut along Cloud's torso. Cloud didn't even scream out in pain. He simply charged into Sephiroth with his shoulder, catching the older man off guard as he slashed upward. Sephiroth performed a backflip and landed a good distance from Cloud, kneeling. Sephiroth looked up at Cloud, his eyes registering that he was proud for some reason. It was like a look a father gave to his son. Sephiroth rose slightly, his hand over a long gash on his chest that was very similar to the one he gave Cloud.
"It's been a while since I've felt this pain sustained from injury. Good job. An eye for an eye, I suppose..."
Sephiroth said. His trench coat was no longer securely fastened and so, it would just be a burden. Sephiroth plunged his weapon into the ground before crossing his arms over the shoulder guards of his trench coat. He ripped the entire coat from his back, leaving the rest of his torso bare. His black angel wing fluttered more, as if glad to be left unrestrained. Last, Sephiroth removed the black gloves that covered his hands, letting them fall to the floor. He grabbed his blade and stood casually, looking at Cloud. Cloud's red cape was already cut from the attack he received from Sephiroth. It fell freely off Cloud's form along with his shoulder guard, which made a clang as it hit the ground. With his one clawed hand, Cloud ripped off the thick blue shirt that had been cut from the Masamune. He then impaled his own sword into the ground, letting his hands loosen the forearm protectors that adorned his arms, letting them fall with a metallic clang as well, and then removed his glove and claw. Cloud removed any remaining armor on his person and then grasped his sword, pulling it free and then bringing it close to him, and tore the bandages free from the blade. His wing extended to full length experimentally, and Cloud was glad for the free reign it now had. Both combatants now faced each other, free of any protective gear save for their wings.
"These injuries are quite substantial. Let us see who falls victim to loss of blood first, One Winged Devil."
Sephiroth said. Cloud smirked.
"I couldn't agree more, One Winged Angel. Let us make the other feel alive again at least one more time before we perish."
Cloud said. Sephiroth smirked.
"Oh, so I was right. You've decided to take the road of battle and die by it. Your friends would be disappointed."
Sephiroth stated. Cloud shrugged.
"I've tried the quiet, peaceful life and found that it doesn't suit me. For better or for worse, I've chosen this path. Over love, over friendship...everything."
Cloud said. Sephiroth nodded in understanding.
"As have I. You truly have become worthy as successor to my title. Now enough talk. Let us end it here."
The time for talk had ended. Now it was a time for battle and endurance. No matter what the case may be, both knew that this would be their final battle alive. Tossing all unnecessary thoughts aside, both men charged at one another, their swords practically flying as they met head on as they engaged themselves in their deadly sword dance of death. The room kept lighting briefly as sparks flew and the sounds of metal against metal and battle cries echoed throughout the room. Their attacks were unrelenting, as both continued to ware each other and themselves out. Finally Cloud and Sephiroth's blades locked in a standstill, both pushing furiously against one another to not give in to fatigue. Numerous cuts lined their bodies from the flurry of powerful slashes of their weapons.
"Even in the face of death...I'm glad. This will be my greatest and final battle."
Cloud said in a low tone. Even though his voice sounded tired, his glowing eyes kept flickering with the burning resolve to keep fighting.
"I must agree...let us end it properly."
Sephiroth's tone was the same as Cloud's, and his eyes mirrored the younger man. Both took slow steps backwards. Sephiroth took his most favored, and most rarely used sword drawing stance, grasping the blade of his sword in his right hand as his left hand hovered over the hilt. Cloud brought his arm up, putting it over his shoulder and behind him, letting the blade's cool surface rest against his back.
(Note: Think Soul Calibur's Nightmare and his Upper Night Stance. That's what Cloud's stance looks closely like right now.)
Both stood in their unique stances that would soon decide who would be the winner. It would be a dramatic end for the two of them as they stood, sweat and blood mingling on their bodies as they let out heaving breathes. Without a sound, they charged simultaneously at each other for their third and final time. Sephiroth released his sword with his right hand as his left hand grasped the hilt and he swung in a mighty horizontal arc. Cloud Swung his right arm downward in a mighty vertical chop. They killed each other at the same time. Sephiroth's attack went right into Cloud's side and stopped as it cut into Cloud's heart. Cloud's attack went right through Sephiroth's right shoulder, where it too also stopped once it reached Sephiroth's heart. The match was a draw. Through sheer force of will, the two smiled at one another and removed their blades from each other's body, letting them impale the ground. Both fell on their backs, as their glowing eyes began to dim along with their lives as blood pooled freely around them. Their expressions were peaceful and free of any pain as their eyes closed for the last time, letting the Lifestream take them to the afterlife eternally. The Buster Sword and the Masamune stood up like marked graves for their fallen masters.
------
Zeltenia, Tower of Delita, 75th Floor
'Cloud...'
Marche thought. He could sense that Cloud was no longer present in the world. Since Cloud died peacefully along with another warrior who Marche could only think was his rival, Marche was glad to know that the two did not die with regrets. He now had a feeling that Cloud already knew he would die here in this false Ivalice. He wondered if that's why he decided to come here of his own free will at Alma's request rather than against like he had before in the original Ivalice when Ramza was alive for the first time. The Cloud then and the Cloud now were very different people. The Cloud then would rather die protecting someone, most likely his friends, while the Cloud now wanted to die in battle because of his intense lust for combat and decided to tag along with Marche's clan to find that final battle that would push him to his limits.
'I should almost be at the top of the tower...I'd best hurry.'
With a determine look on his face, Marche quickly made his way up the tower, noticing that torches began lighting the tower up of their own accord now.
------
Zeltenia, Tower of Delita, 100th Floor
And so it comes to this. Marche made his way past the final stairway, flipping the switch that would release the trap door and bring him here to the final level. Once he went past the door, it closed The room was dimly lit by torches that lined the walls just between the cells where the prisoners were kept. Delita regarded Marche from his place on the throne as Marche was greeted with cries of happiness from all the prisoners.
"You look a lot like someone I used to know...Marche Radiuju."
Delita said. Even in his quiet voice, his words seem to cut through everyone else's and left them silent. Marche turned his gaze to Delita. Delita now rose from his throne.
"I'd almost go as far as to say that your his reincarnation."
Delita continued. Marche narrowed his eyes. It seemed it was the right time for everyone to know the truth of who he really was. He actually hadn't expected every single person in Ivalice to find out about it, but it would end being the case as everyone was gathered here while Ivalice remained like a ghost world.
"You should go beyond that now. I used to be his reincarnation, but now I'm him once more. The one you call Ramza Beoulve."
Marche stated. He no longer hid his power. His eyes went from azure to crimson, and everyone gazed in astonishment, save for Delita himself, who gave another reaction. Clutching his fore head with his armored left hand, a wave of laughter erupted from Delita. Softly at fist as he leaned forward, and then became full blown as he heaved his head back, continuing to laugh.
(Note: Think King of Fighters series character Iori and that laughing victory pose he's got with him.)
Ramza remained unmoving. Everything now became so clear to everyone as to why Marche had possessed such an insanely huge amount of fighting prowess and leadership skills. His experiences were legendary. This man was the hero from many generations past. Delita finally got control of his laughing fit and stared calmly at Ramza, with an amused smirk on his lips.
"Heh...my good friend Ramza...so nice of you to drop on by. We've got a lot of catching up to do."
Delita said.
"Your right. Tell me though, Delita, so that I may know that my hunch is correct. Why did you capture all of Ivalice? Was this to capture the ones who came from St. Ivalice? In order to be used to gain access to the real world in order to conquer it?"
Ramza asked. Delita nodded.
"Exactly. Tell me something Ramza...have you heard of the Gran Grimoire?"
Delita asked him. Ramza's eyes widened slightly in interest and surprise.
"The Gran Grimoire...you mean the rumored ultimate codex of sorcery that was dated back to the era when Ivalice was still known as Kiltia? I suspect it's not just a rumor anymore if you brought it up. Where is it?"
Ramza asked. Until now, the Gran Grimoire existed as a rumor. A codex of the ancient golden age of the Kiltia era, before it came to an end and was renamed as the Ivalice era. Delita held up a massive book he produced from his cape. Ramza, Mewt, Doned, and Ritz all looked wide eyed at the book.
"That's...the book I purchased..."
Mewt began.
"Oh, so it was you who owned this book. Yes Ramza, as hard as it is to believe, this book your friend got in his world is the Gran Grimoire. Of course it was I who had it teleported there. You see, unfortunately for me, the Gran Grimoire can't transport me to a place I can't fathom existing. A place where the Gods don't look down upon and where people have totally influenced the world. I could only be told about it by the book. But that didn't mean all hope was lost on me. If, through the book, I could ensnare at least four or more people, get them to wanting to return home to where they came from, then their desires would shape into a crystal to which I could use in order to transport me to this world of theirs and conquer it. But numerous problems occurred when the four people chosen by the book where ensnared. Ivalice, the one you and me originally hailed from, began to transform based on the desires of it's owner, your friend Mewt. Because he was only the main owner of the book for now, it molded the world to his liking for the most part based on what he saw in his own fantasies. Being that I was the true owner, but lacking the book physically, I was not able to keep our Ivalice whole, but I kept all of it's history in tact, mostly through the use of the Germonik Scriptures and the Durai Report. It was a surprisingly easy task to perform, although why it was is beyond me..."
Delita began with his explaining. Ramza knew from his father that through mysterious circumstances the writings of the Durai Report ended up in St. Ivalice's world. Now Ramza suspected it had something to do with the Gran Grimoire itself. As fate would have it, Mewt played the very video game based off his own exploits, and through those desires made this new Ivalice. Delita most likely helped Mewt in setting the history of Ivalice with his own desires so it would not be totally to Mewt's own designs and still keep all of the original Ivalice's history in tact.
"...with Ivalice's change, it would be difficult to directly interfere with the feelings of the prisoners who were brought to this world. Of course this didn't hinder me much as I had already planned to indirectly influence my prisoners feelings. Through the Grimoire and my own amazing powers gained through the Zodiac Stones, I created an embodiment of desires and ordered her to make the prisoners desire for a return back to their own world. I called her Le Grimoire, or Li Grim for short. I never expected her to get so emotionally attached to Mewt and become his mother in this world, but it was an effect that came from Mewt's subtle influence left by being the Gran Grimoire's temporary owner. She totally betrayed me, and rather than make him want to return to his original world, she actually encouraged him to stay. This went for the other three prisoners, who also wanted to stay. At first I was bidding my time in order to find a way to get them all to desire a way home, but it soon became unneccesary..."
Delita continued, now opening the book about half way. waves of blue light erupted from the book before taking form of the massive blue crystal that appeared when Remedi disappeared. Everyone stared in awe.
"...you see, Ramza...at first there was no Crystal, but soon a tiny one formed within Li Grim when she sensed out the desire to leave this Ivalice. The Crystal became even smaller when she foolishly created Llednar who would soon become the fifth prisoner needed for me to be released into their world. Regardless, that Crystal remained. It represents your desires, Ramza...or rather, your reincarnation, the one called Marche Radiuju. It took a long time, but eventually Marche was able to sway the emotional desires of the prisoners. First was Doned, then Ritz. Finally came Mewt and Llednar. And so here is the result of that. This Crystal. However, another problem has just arisen which I became aware of just a little while ago..."
Delita said, closing the book slowly and letting the Crystal disappear. Delita tossed the Gran Grimoire on his throne.
"...even with the completion of the Crystal, I didn't expect the very person before me to have been the reincarnation of my greatest rival. Not only that, even though your just a mortal, you've become even more powerful then you ever were, becoming closer and closer to my own level of power. Ramza...as much as I want to kill you now, I'll need you for my sacrificial ceremony, so all I can do now is subdue you..."
With a snap of the fingers, the throne and the book vanished. Delita held his hand outward as a black mist began engulfing it. The mist soon expanded then disappeared, forming a massive black blade similar to Ramza's Defender now grasped in Delita's hand. Delita smirked.
"...HAVE AT YOU, RAMZA!!!"
This was all the warning Ramza got as Delita swiftly made his way over to him, heaving his massive blade back for a powerful blow. As soon as Delita's blade came flying at Ramza's direction, he swiftly attacked back just as strongly as Delita had. Their blades met with a horrific clang of metal on metal. Thin veins of cracks now lined both of their blades, as their attacks proved too powerful for their own swords durability. Delita instantly retreated back and prepared for an overhead slash that was met with Ramza with equal fervor with his own overhead slash. Their blades continued to crack and chip under the force of their blows. They kept hacking at one another, blades meeting and chipping as they continued to clash.
"I don't think their swords can take much more punishment, kupo."
Montblanc stated as another blow sent pieces of each other's blade flying. Ramza made a sweeping motion, intent on catching Delita after having crouched under an overhead swipe. Delita quickly changed directions and slammed his blade down to meet Ramza's. Luckily, their blades did not break, but it would definitely be soon. Ramza retreated, ramming his blade into Delita's as the other man took the offensive. Everyone sighed in relief that the blades still held miraculously. They continued with more strings of blows which remained unsuccessful. Just when it seemed they would slash at each other one more time, Ramza and Delita retreated from each other. Ramza looked at his blade carefully.
"I think this has just about had it."
Ramza said. He tossed the Defender to the side, where upon impact with the ground, it shattered like glass. Delita nodded, tossing his blade behind him where it had a similar effect to Ramza's.
"So now what do you suggest?"
Delita asked. Ramza shrugged.
"Your armor may protect you, but it will prove to be more troublesome as we continue."
Ramza pointed out. Without warning, Ramza swiftly ran up to Delita at blistering speed, grasping Delita's shoulders firmly as he reeled his head back, before sending Delita reeling back with a powerful head butt. Delita recovered but found it hard to defend Ramza, as the armor restricted and withheld some of his body movements. Ramza landed a swift punch to Delita's jaw. Ramza went for another punch, but Delita guarded, yet Ramza forced his momentum to pull him forward as his arm snuck past Delita's defense and landed a vicious elbow to Delita's nose. Delita staggered back a bit. Ramza then jumped over him, catching Delita in the back of the head with hard kick that sent Delita forward. Delita turned quickly to intercept Ramza as he heard the other man rushing up to him again, but it was in vain. Clutching the sides of Delita's head, Ramza drove him forward to land a crushing knee blow that sent Delita airborne for a few seconds. Delita hit the ground with a loud clang. Delita got up slowly. Ramza was about to continue his onslaught, but Delita began to chuckle.
"You may be more nimble than me, Ramza, you may even wield more combat experience over me...but don't forget that I'm an immortal. You can't kill me by normal means. Stamina and endurance are things I can simply ignore as well. You will eventually suffer from fatigue while I can just keep going. Even if your more powerful than you ever were, it won't be enough...your fighting a losing battle."
Delita began to laugh harder. The bruises and the broken nose of Delita healed in a matter of seconds, as if Ramza hadn't even touched him. One of the good things about being an immortal was an abnormally fast regeneration rate. Even should Delita's head be cut off, it could still regenerate back on. Ramza had none of this, only his skills and his wits about him as his only true advantages.
"Your wrong, Delita. Ramza's the legendary hero, he'll prevail over you no matter what."
Doned spoke out. Everyone agreed. He had heard many of the exploits of Ramza's and couldn't bring himself to believe Ramza could be defeated. Plus, Ramza was occupying the body of the only person he could ever call his older brother. Marche had battled against all the odds to show how precious Doned's life in the real world were. He battled the odds in order to help Ritz come to terms with her life. He helped Mewt realize that he did not have to be alone. He was able to breath new life in Llednar, a life that was within his own control. Ramza turned towards Doned with a frown, making the young man look down at him with surprise.
"That's enough Doned. Despite what you may think, I am no hero..."
This statement now caused Delita to even look strangely upon Ramza. Before anyone else could say anything, Ramza continued.
"...I never considered myself as one in the first place, either. I was my own person, fighting for what I believed was justice. My own justice. What I did in the past may have been, to the general public, an act of heroism. I never believed in such a thing, however. Right and wrong, hero and villain, good and evil...they are all such petty words. What I've done with my life was what I believed was right for me, when I followed my heart. In the eyes of some people, what I did was right, and they hailed me as a valiant and kind seeker of justice. Yet in the eyes of others, my actions brought about beliefs that I was a ruthless and bloodthirsty slayer of all things good. You see, Doned...everyone will have an opinion on themselves and others. Some believe me a bringer of peace and order, while others will believe me a bringer of destruction and chaos. Regardless of everyone else, however, I continued to do what I believed was right, and let others continue to do what they thought was right. In the end, there is no hero or villain, just ordinary people doing what they feel is right with what they have to get by through life...even in Delita's case, I don't believe him to be a villain..."
Ramza then turned towards Delita. Until now, everyone believed that Ramza's long explanation was simply a means to get his point across that there was no such thing as good and evil. They would have no idea that his very speech was going to be used as the reversal that would bring about the face of the true enemy.
"...he simply believed it was right to resort to conspiracy so he could obtain the throne, and therefore, gain a magnitude of influence over the common people. He also believed it was right to allow himself to be used and be a user of others now as well."
Ramza said. This caused Delita to growl in anger.
"Your wrong, Ramza. I once said that I would never be used again. I am the only user here and now."
Delita stated firmly with narrowed eyes. Ramza simply sighed at Delita's words.
"Your ability to sense out things is as poor as your creation Li Grim. Even though it is subtle, Delita, someone has control over you. Half of your actions prove it to me. The Delita I know did not create schemes that were so long term. If things don't work out, you would step in immediately to make sure things went your way. Such is the case of Li Grim. You would never let such a betrayal go so unwillingly and hope for the best result to come out of it. Didn't your own hesitant actions seem strange to yourself? If I were you, I would have simply captured those ensnared by the Gran Grimoire and torture them to an inch of their lives. Wouldn't that have led to an even quicker incentive for the prisoners to want to return home? So then you could have had your Crystal all made and ready for use to be transported to the world your very prisoners belonged to at a much quicker rate."
Ramza explained to him. This was true. It would have all just been easier to have done things this way. Delita held a hand to his head.
"That's...what I originally planned to do...but she..."
Delita trailed off in his speech. Ramza's raised one of his eyebrows in question.
"She...?"
He asked softly. Delita's eyes widened in shock.
"I...I was being...used...why didn't I...realize...?"
Delita began taking unsteady steps back, looking like a broken hearted man, who had all his hopes and dreams snatched away from him.
"Who Delita? Who is she?"
Ramza stepped forward, questioning Delita. Delita would not respond to him, and just slumped to the floor.
"I WAS JUST ANOTHER PAWN IN THIS!!!!"
In his fury, Delita banged his gauntlet fist into the ground, leaving sizable holes in the stone floor. Delita's body spasmed suddenly, and he began to twitch violently as red aura began to emanate from his body, bathing the entire room in a crimson light. Everyone shielded his or her eyes in order to stop the increasing brightness of red light.
------
Zeltenia (?)
"Hey, were all free, kupo."
Nono said happily.
"Is this the sky? Are we falling?"
Babus questioned as he looked about as clouds went by underneath him. He could make out some partial areas of a grassland as a gap went between the clouds.
"I highly doubt it. Maybe were floating...? Or this could just be some kind of illusion. A pretty good one, I might add."
Ezel said. Everyone began to draw up their own conclusions. Ramza held up a hand to silence them.
"Keep quiet. Something or someone is here..."
He told them. He began looking around.
"What exactly, Marche...er...Ramza, kupo?"
Montblanc asked. Ramza didn't answer immediately.
"This presence...it can't be...unless...?"
Before Ramza could say a name, thirteen eerie looking statues appeared, almost totally encircling Ramza. Each one held an oddly shaped stone finely carved with a Zodiac symbol.
"These stones all have a Zodiac symbol. Hey, why are there thirteen, though? Shouldn't their only be twelve?"
Ritz asked as she peered closely at some of the statues.
"Serpentarius is the thirteenth and newest Zodiac sign. I'm not sure if there is a month for it, though."
Ramza said. All of the statues represented the demons of Lucavi, which Ramza once faced and defeated in order to gather the Zodiac Stones. Although there were also quite a few of these demons he didn't have to fight to retrieve a stone back in his past life time. The signs began to glow, and Ramza began to slowly walk back from the surrounding statues. The signs shot a beam of light out at Ramza's direction. Reacting quickly, Ramza jumped through the air to get out of the way, but his leg was caught by one of the beams, which then rapped around his leg like a rope and halted the rest of his jump. Before falling flat on his face, Ramza was then caught by the rest of the beams as they binded him upright.
"What's going on, brother?"
Doned asked. Ramza sighed.
"The last time I should have made sure you were dead...Altima, show yourself."
Ramza said as he kept looking up. In a flash of white light, it was only an unconscious Delita who remained floating in stasis.
"Delita..."
Ramza said in a low voice. He was rather concerned about the man's health because Delita looked pale enough to pass off as a corpse. The same red aura began emanating from him, taking shape behind him. When the light faded, Delita fell to the floor, or whatever was somehow holding everyone up. In the place where he had been was, by all accounts, a beautiful young woman clad in red leather. Her skin was a bit pale, but still she had enough color in her face to not look as dead as Delita did. Her hair could almost pass as silver, but there was a slight hint of blonde in it. Her eyes, although blue colored, were so dark they almost looked black. Everyone let out a gasp as they saw her silver wings, and they were all convinced she was an angel. Ramza eyed her suspiciously.
'Last time I saw this woman she was almost four times my size...why has she decided to take a more human size anyway...?'
He thought. He remembered that she was referred to as the Bloody Angel Altima. The master to all the Lucavi demons. She looked intently at Ramza as he was bound by the imprisoning beam, then smiled coyly at him.
"It's good to see you again, Ramza."
TBC
Note: Sheeesh...and just when we all had thought Delita was the main conspirator behind the merging of the two Ivalices, we find that this angel chick from Ramza's past is also half responsible. Sorry for this chapter being kind of short, but it had to be this way or the final chapter would end up being way too short for my taste. Once again sorry for the cut action, but I have to admit, I'm running out of juice for this story so I'm glad it's happening so close to the end where I can still finish it. This story of course was my first experiment to see if I could write a story twenty chapters long and I think it came out fairly well for the most part, I think. Although I think this chapter could have come out better, I think it was okay for the small amount of time I had to work on it. Also, I must apologize to Cloud fans since he ends up getting killed in this chapter. I didn't mean to invoke anyone's wrath upon me for making him get killed, but sometimes that's what happens in stories like this one. Actually a friend inspired me to write up that fight between Cloud and Sephiroth and she didn't even mean to. All she really mentions was "You know, since you decided to keep Cloud tagging along with Marche as they head towards Delita's hide out, maybe you should give Cloud a big fight scene by himself like you usually give Marche...". Unfortunately it was a short fight scene. I guess it's understandable considering it wasn't originally planned, but I think it came out decent. As for Ramza and Delita, well, I was planning a big fight sequence, but then I fell into the trap of how to end it without getting too caught up in writing it in the first place. So in the end, I decided to only make it a small scene and then head on to Altima. I'm real sorry that I made this chapter mostly all story based over the action. I simply thought it would turn out better that way. Anyway, the final chapter will have the final piece of information explaining the tie in Altima has had with Delita, and then a real major battle, and then finally the ending to wrap everything up. So, until then, see ya.
Written By Illuminet
Disclaimer: Most (if not all) of the characters appearing within this story are not owned by me, but rather, are creations of the brilliant minded people within Square Soft / Square Enix. I make no claim over any of them.
"..."-Indicate Speech
'...'-Indicate Thought
------
Nono's place, Lawless territory
"Your sure you can fly the airship then?"
Marche asked Cloud who was staring intently at the controls. The Neo Bahamuts had made quick work of capturing every single person on Ivalice. The two happened to be very lucky as it seemed Nono was probably captured before he could head out with his airship. Since Cloud seemed to have the bare essential knowledge of controlling an airship, they had a chance of rescuing everyone.
"Doesn't seem any different from this other airship I've driven before. Sit tight a bit, since this cockpit was made for only one person, it'll be a bit uncomfortable."
Cloud told Marche, who simply nodded. A slow rumbling sound began making the airship move. So far, things were going smoothly.
------
Zeltenia, Tower of Delita, 100th Floor
The tower was a monument that brought about many a person's death while it was being built. One hundred floors from the ground up, it was truly a colossal structure. The highest floor was the most massive in terms of width and height, and it was here the immortal tyrant stayed.
"You fool..."
Delita was angered. With an effortless punch, he sent the Neo Bahamut flying across the arena like floor. Many cages lined the wall all around and it was here, the residences of Ivalice stayed. They watched in awe and fear as Delita had effortlessly punched the massive dragon with enough force to send it flying.
"Fine. If your so incompetent while split into ten weaker Neo Bahamuts, I'll transform you back to what you once were."
Delita said, his anger still present. With a snap of his fingers the ten Neo Bahamut who had been assigned to capture all of Ivalice began to fuse together in a wave of light which almost left everyone blinded. The sight that followed was the most horrific one yet. Bahamut Zero was one again. It stood regally, although it's head almost hit the ceiling of the large room.
"Now go and capture those other two. One of them is needed for the sacrifice, so he must be kept alive until then."
With that, the Bahamut was sent out of the tower by Delita. Not much sooner after that, Delita got a mental signal from his summoned dragon.
"Their already here?"
He spoke out loud. He got a lot of confused stares from the residences.
"Who are you talking to?"
That was Ritz who spoke. Delita sighed. Although all the people here made a great commotion about being locked up, Ritz remained strong willed and always found some way to verbally annoy him with her words. If she was just one of the normal residences of this Ivalice, he wouldn't spare a heart beat of thought on breaking her neck and silencing her forever.
"Seems your friends have come to rescue you. Watch and see."
With a snap of the finger, a large eye shaped light appeared. It swirled with color but eventually gave form to an image of what was happening on the outside world.
"My airship, kupo!"
Nono said excitedly from his cage.
"Marche and one of his clan members are flying it. We may actually be saved yet!"
Cid stated. Everyone began looking intently at the image. Compared to Bahamut Zero, the airship was like a fly. Everyone watched anxiously as the massive dragon and the airship charged at one another.
"NOOO, KUPOOO!!"
Nono yelled out furiously. The airship was more important to him than anything else. But what looked like a kamikaze attempt was actually nothing of the sort. The airship swerved upward out of reach of the dragon's mouth. Bahamut Zero anticipated this, of course and moved it's head along with the airship, but was pleasantly surprised to struck by Marche in the horn as he jumped from the cockpit. Using the force of his blow as leverage, Marche used his sword to rebound off the Bahamut Zero's head and onto it's back. The airship was safely spared as Cloud flew out of reach of the Bahamut Zero. The Bahamut felt an unpleasant sting as Marche kept driving his sword in it's back, although it was futile as the scales were to hard to penetrate. This did not deter Marche from in the slightest and he kept doing it. He jumped straight up as the Bahamut spiraled in it's flight. Marche landed on the stomach, which had weaker scales on it. The Bahamut Zero lunged for him with it's head, but Marche impaled his sword in it's stomach, causing it to twitch in pain a bit. It soon spiraled again, making Marche go flying off it.
"That idiot...!"
Ritz began as she saw Marche go airborne, afraid that he might have lead himself to his own death for foolishly fighting off the massive dragon.. The Bahamut Zero had recovered from the slight pain quickly and dove after Marche, who simply allowed himself to dive faster in his plummet with the ground. Before he could be snagged by the dragon, however, the airship was there to catch him, barely missing getting impaled by the large horn on the Bahamut Zero's head. Everyone gave a sigh of relief. Marche kept repeating the process and it was easy to see that Bahamut Zero was getting annoyed. After about fifty or so unsuccessful attempts at taking down the airship, Bahamut Zero no longer moved to intercept the airship, only stayed aloft as it hovered in the air. Because of the severe punishment the Neo Bahamuts received from Delita, when it became the whole Bahamut Zero again it was heavily damaged, but would never let it's master know that. Here and now, it was fighting the brink of consciousness. It decided to do the one last thing it could do. Bahamut Zero began to gather energy at it's mouth, and it's horn began glowing eerily.
"He's going to disregard my orders...I will have none of it!"
Delita said in a low tone as his head remained bowed. Before he could summon back the dragon, however, it was too late. It released it's ultimate breath attack at the small airship. Everyone watched, transfixed by terror as the beam of immense energy headed towards the small airship. Unseen by everyone, however, Ramza took over. With a snap of his fingers, he teleported Bahamut Zero right in front of it's own attack as a means of finally killing the monster and using it's body as a shield to protect the airship. The image blinded everyone when it became nothing more than white light. Delita removed the image, and the room was left in its previous slightly lighted state it had been. Even through the stone walls, Bahamut Zero's final roar could be heard. The foundation of the room shook violently from the shock of the blast, sending most of the Ivalice residences reeling back into their cell from the force of it.
------
Zeltenia, outside of Tower of Delita
"Nono is going to be so pissed..."
Marche said, trailing off. Cloud only nodded. With the shock wave that followed after the blast, the airship was sent to the ground. Cloud had got it to drag along the ground briefly, hoping it would stop and remain in tact, but it was not meant to be. Slowly but surely, the airship came apart, becoming nothing more than scrap.
"It almost makes me not want to save Nono...almost anyway. Come on Cloud. We've got a lot of stairs to cover if were going all the way up to the top."
Marche announced, already rushing into the tower, with Cloud not far behind.
------
Zeltenia, Tower of Delita, 100th Floor
"Ohhh...my head..."
Llednar got up groggily. He was now experiencing his first headache.
"Are you alright, Llednar?"
He heard Cid call him from the cell to his right.
"Yes father, I'm fine. A bit shaken, but nothing I can't handle."
Llednar told him.
"Mewt should be to the cell on your left, right? check on him as well."
Cid told him. Llednar didn't have to, though.
"I'm alright, Papa. Looks like that dragon was put down by it's own attack."
Mewt said from his own cell. Everyone recovered and looked towards Delita, who stood upright, as if he hadn't been shaken from the rumbling. Delita kept his head low as he made his way to his throne, which stood in the center of the room. He sat heavily upon it and looked to be deep in thought.
'That man...could it have been...?'
------
Zeltenia, Tower of Delita, 50th Floor
"The Shinra Headquarters' stairway has nothing on these tower stairs."
Cloud muttered. The structure of the entire tower stood strong even after having been built so long ago. Both Marche and Cloud made good time by running up the spiraling stair cases that lead from one circular room to another to reach this far so quickly. Luckily for them, no monsters came about at all through the trek up fifty floors. The only reason Marche stopped here was because Cloud did. After making his small comment, Cloud began looking around the room, as if trying to locate something that was not there.
"What's wrong?"
Marche asked as he watched Cloud keep looking about. Cloud finally gave him a sideways glance.
"You should go on ahead. I don't know how it came to be, but someone from my past is calling me, even in a world such as this one. I'd ask for your help, but this is personal...besides, the rest of Ivalice is waiting for you..."
Cloud said. He walked to the stone wall, then took his sword and rested it against the wall. Cloud then sat down and leaned against the wall, lowering his head and closing his eyes as he crossed his arms.
"Alright, I trust you Cloud. Farewell."
Marche said with a nod. Cloud only nodded back as his confirmation that he heard Marche. Marche headed up the next flight of stairs that would bring him to the next floor. Cloud could feel the temperature of the room begin to decrease. Opening one eye, Cloud could see that the day was already turning to dusk, and soon it would be night. He had made a mental note that he and Marche had arrived on Zeltenia a good few hours after noon. Cloud closed his eye again, patiently waiting. The entire room seemed to get darker, and Cloud could tell it was even with his eyes closed. He lifted his head slightly as an unnatural wind began to pick up throughout the room. A magic square formed in the air, just a little below the ceiling. The wind got stronger as the magic square began to bend and twist, as if something was forcing it apart. Soon, the square was violently ripped apart, and the energy began to fall and fade against the stone ground like rain. A tall man with pale skin and long, feathery silver hair kneel under where the square used to hover. He was garbed in all black. His long trench coat with red trim along his arms and the ends of it was securely fastened against his frame by overlapping straps and a large belt. His pants were mostly covered by long boots that almost went up the entire length of his leg. His emerald green eyes darted to his left where a elongated tachi with a long black hilt was implanted in the ground.
(Note: Let's see if I got this right, since it was something I read a LONG time ago...okay, so from the longest to the shortest Japanese Sword in terms of length: the tachi, the katana, the kodachi, the wakizashi, then the tanto. The katana of course is the one samurai used the most, companioned with the wakizashi. The kodachi is a weapon more for a defensive nature rather than offensive. The tanto, which to the Japanese is considered a sword, is basically their equal to a dagger. If I remember correctly, just like a wakizashi, the tachi is a rarely used sword. However, if anyone reading this insanely long note has seen the Miyamoto Musashi Samurai Trilogy, the main character, Musashi, uses both his katana and wakizashi in his duel fencing style. It demonstrates a style that incorporates the wakizashi as an offensive weapon. As for Musashi's rival, Kojirou Sasaki, I believe his sword is a tachi. Anyway, let's end the note here. Oh yeah, if any of the information in this note is incorrect, please let me know.)
The sight of Cloud in the reflection of the blade's shimmering surface caused a smirk to grace the man's lips. He stood up to his full height. He then brought out his right hand and extended it horizontally from his side. A large, black feathered wing emerged from his back. He then lowered his arm, allowing his black angel wing to fold behind his back as he brought up his left hand to firmly grasp the hilt as he pulled it free. He turned slowly to face his opponent. Cloud rose up from his place where he sat on the floor, keeping his head bowed. He mimicked the other man's actions of extending out his arm, but used his left hand rather than the right. A large, tattered bat-like black wing emerged from Cloud's back from behind his cape. Cloud then grasped his Buster Sword. He finally lifted his head and opened his eyes to regard the taller man in front of him.
"Sephiroth...it's been a while."
Cloud said in a casual tone.
"Ditto, Cloud Strife."
Sephiroth answered back. The two remained silent for a moment before charging at one another, without so much as a warning or a battle cry. Both swung horizontally to let their swords meet. Now the two stood locked together, lazily pushing their blades against the other.
"I'm not sure how you got here, but I won't question it. Weirder things have happened."
Cloud said, keeping his tone casual.
"I couldn't even tell you how I got here, Cloud. I'm not sure myself. Regardless, I expect this to be a good battle. All the opponents I've met in the Lifestream are so pathetic."
Sephiroth stated, a smirk beginning to emerge on his face. Cloud's face matched his.
"No matter who the opponents were, I could easily take care of them. No one is a challenge to me on the Planet, anymore. Show me why you were once revered as the Greatest Swordsman in the world once again."
Cloud said, his smirk turning to a full grin.
"Then show me why your now called the Greatest Swordsman in the world, Cloud. Agreed?"
Sephiroth asked him. Cloud nodded.
"Agreed."
With that, both combatants jumped back. Sephiroth now grasped his sword in both hands, letting the blade aim at Cloud's head. Cloud knew this as his basic stance and was one Sephiroth used the most. Cloud got into his own stance which was the basic one for anyone who used a sword. Both of their faces went from playful to dead serious as their mouths tightened into slight frowns and their eyes narrowed slightly. Both where waiting for their special timing. The room, once bathed in gold from dusk time, now began taking a more dark blue and purple hue as the sun began to set. A sliver of golden light was all that remained as it continued to get shorter and shorter. Cloud and Sephiroth knew when the other would attack, once the room was left in darkness. They didn't have to wait long either, and once it occurred, The two once again charged at one another. It was no longer a play, as fierce battle cries erupted from their throats. Sephiroth brought his blade behind him briefly, before swinging it vertically, letting it tear through the ground. Cloud kept charging, using his blade as a shield. Their blades met, letting a mass of sparks illuminate the room briefly. Cloud reacted to Sephiroth's attack and quickly countered with a spinning backslash, but Sephiroth simply brought his wing forward to guard against the blow. Sephiroth extended his wing outwards to push Cloud back, and while Cloud was put off balance, Sephiroth lunged with a powerful thrust intended on Cloud's waist. Cloud crouched low and dashed into the awaiting thrust, letting the blade pass by his head as he swiftly moved it to prevent getting impaled, and attacked with a thrust of his own. Sephiroth barely sidestepped out of harms way as the massive blade went by his own head. Both of them stopped briefly, their swords almost resting on each others shoulder. Both stepped back and put a hand to their cheek. Although no physical contact was made by one another's sword, the force behind their attacks had drew a slight cut along their right cheeks.
"I wonder who drew first blood?"
Sephiroth said casually as he looked at his hand, looking at the crimson liquid that adorned his palm. Cloud shrugged.
"Don't know. Let's continue."
Cloud said. Sephiroth nodded. The two circled one another, now looking for an opening in the other's stance. Cloud saw Sephiroth's blade waver first, and although he knew it was a trick, Cloud rushed at him anyway. He raised his blade for an overhead slash, but Sephiroth thrusted outward, knowing the Masamune had the reach over the Buster Sword. Cloud saw the attack coming, and jumped into the air, avoiding the blow. Sephiroth swerved to the left, evading a massive overhead chop of Cloud's sword that left a sizable hole in the floor. Sephiroth swung his blade at Cloud's unprotected back, but Cloud turned swiftly, catching the blade in his clawed hand and forced Sephiroth back. Sephiroth, however, knew that the attempt was futile and forced the blade out of his hand. While Cloud was off balance, he wasted no time in slashing downward with his sword, leaving a large cut along Cloud's torso. Cloud didn't even scream out in pain. He simply charged into Sephiroth with his shoulder, catching the older man off guard as he slashed upward. Sephiroth performed a backflip and landed a good distance from Cloud, kneeling. Sephiroth looked up at Cloud, his eyes registering that he was proud for some reason. It was like a look a father gave to his son. Sephiroth rose slightly, his hand over a long gash on his chest that was very similar to the one he gave Cloud.
"It's been a while since I've felt this pain sustained from injury. Good job. An eye for an eye, I suppose..."
Sephiroth said. His trench coat was no longer securely fastened and so, it would just be a burden. Sephiroth plunged his weapon into the ground before crossing his arms over the shoulder guards of his trench coat. He ripped the entire coat from his back, leaving the rest of his torso bare. His black angel wing fluttered more, as if glad to be left unrestrained. Last, Sephiroth removed the black gloves that covered his hands, letting them fall to the floor. He grabbed his blade and stood casually, looking at Cloud. Cloud's red cape was already cut from the attack he received from Sephiroth. It fell freely off Cloud's form along with his shoulder guard, which made a clang as it hit the ground. With his one clawed hand, Cloud ripped off the thick blue shirt that had been cut from the Masamune. He then impaled his own sword into the ground, letting his hands loosen the forearm protectors that adorned his arms, letting them fall with a metallic clang as well, and then removed his glove and claw. Cloud removed any remaining armor on his person and then grasped his sword, pulling it free and then bringing it close to him, and tore the bandages free from the blade. His wing extended to full length experimentally, and Cloud was glad for the free reign it now had. Both combatants now faced each other, free of any protective gear save for their wings.
"These injuries are quite substantial. Let us see who falls victim to loss of blood first, One Winged Devil."
Sephiroth said. Cloud smirked.
"I couldn't agree more, One Winged Angel. Let us make the other feel alive again at least one more time before we perish."
Cloud said. Sephiroth smirked.
"Oh, so I was right. You've decided to take the road of battle and die by it. Your friends would be disappointed."
Sephiroth stated. Cloud shrugged.
"I've tried the quiet, peaceful life and found that it doesn't suit me. For better or for worse, I've chosen this path. Over love, over friendship...everything."
Cloud said. Sephiroth nodded in understanding.
"As have I. You truly have become worthy as successor to my title. Now enough talk. Let us end it here."
The time for talk had ended. Now it was a time for battle and endurance. No matter what the case may be, both knew that this would be their final battle alive. Tossing all unnecessary thoughts aside, both men charged at one another, their swords practically flying as they met head on as they engaged themselves in their deadly sword dance of death. The room kept lighting briefly as sparks flew and the sounds of metal against metal and battle cries echoed throughout the room. Their attacks were unrelenting, as both continued to ware each other and themselves out. Finally Cloud and Sephiroth's blades locked in a standstill, both pushing furiously against one another to not give in to fatigue. Numerous cuts lined their bodies from the flurry of powerful slashes of their weapons.
"Even in the face of death...I'm glad. This will be my greatest and final battle."
Cloud said in a low tone. Even though his voice sounded tired, his glowing eyes kept flickering with the burning resolve to keep fighting.
"I must agree...let us end it properly."
Sephiroth's tone was the same as Cloud's, and his eyes mirrored the younger man. Both took slow steps backwards. Sephiroth took his most favored, and most rarely used sword drawing stance, grasping the blade of his sword in his right hand as his left hand hovered over the hilt. Cloud brought his arm up, putting it over his shoulder and behind him, letting the blade's cool surface rest against his back.
(Note: Think Soul Calibur's Nightmare and his Upper Night Stance. That's what Cloud's stance looks closely like right now.)
Both stood in their unique stances that would soon decide who would be the winner. It would be a dramatic end for the two of them as they stood, sweat and blood mingling on their bodies as they let out heaving breathes. Without a sound, they charged simultaneously at each other for their third and final time. Sephiroth released his sword with his right hand as his left hand grasped the hilt and he swung in a mighty horizontal arc. Cloud Swung his right arm downward in a mighty vertical chop. They killed each other at the same time. Sephiroth's attack went right into Cloud's side and stopped as it cut into Cloud's heart. Cloud's attack went right through Sephiroth's right shoulder, where it too also stopped once it reached Sephiroth's heart. The match was a draw. Through sheer force of will, the two smiled at one another and removed their blades from each other's body, letting them impale the ground. Both fell on their backs, as their glowing eyes began to dim along with their lives as blood pooled freely around them. Their expressions were peaceful and free of any pain as their eyes closed for the last time, letting the Lifestream take them to the afterlife eternally. The Buster Sword and the Masamune stood up like marked graves for their fallen masters.
------
Zeltenia, Tower of Delita, 75th Floor
'Cloud...'
Marche thought. He could sense that Cloud was no longer present in the world. Since Cloud died peacefully along with another warrior who Marche could only think was his rival, Marche was glad to know that the two did not die with regrets. He now had a feeling that Cloud already knew he would die here in this false Ivalice. He wondered if that's why he decided to come here of his own free will at Alma's request rather than against like he had before in the original Ivalice when Ramza was alive for the first time. The Cloud then and the Cloud now were very different people. The Cloud then would rather die protecting someone, most likely his friends, while the Cloud now wanted to die in battle because of his intense lust for combat and decided to tag along with Marche's clan to find that final battle that would push him to his limits.
'I should almost be at the top of the tower...I'd best hurry.'
With a determine look on his face, Marche quickly made his way up the tower, noticing that torches began lighting the tower up of their own accord now.
------
Zeltenia, Tower of Delita, 100th Floor
And so it comes to this. Marche made his way past the final stairway, flipping the switch that would release the trap door and bring him here to the final level. Once he went past the door, it closed The room was dimly lit by torches that lined the walls just between the cells where the prisoners were kept. Delita regarded Marche from his place on the throne as Marche was greeted with cries of happiness from all the prisoners.
"You look a lot like someone I used to know...Marche Radiuju."
Delita said. Even in his quiet voice, his words seem to cut through everyone else's and left them silent. Marche turned his gaze to Delita. Delita now rose from his throne.
"I'd almost go as far as to say that your his reincarnation."
Delita continued. Marche narrowed his eyes. It seemed it was the right time for everyone to know the truth of who he really was. He actually hadn't expected every single person in Ivalice to find out about it, but it would end being the case as everyone was gathered here while Ivalice remained like a ghost world.
"You should go beyond that now. I used to be his reincarnation, but now I'm him once more. The one you call Ramza Beoulve."
Marche stated. He no longer hid his power. His eyes went from azure to crimson, and everyone gazed in astonishment, save for Delita himself, who gave another reaction. Clutching his fore head with his armored left hand, a wave of laughter erupted from Delita. Softly at fist as he leaned forward, and then became full blown as he heaved his head back, continuing to laugh.
(Note: Think King of Fighters series character Iori and that laughing victory pose he's got with him.)
Ramza remained unmoving. Everything now became so clear to everyone as to why Marche had possessed such an insanely huge amount of fighting prowess and leadership skills. His experiences were legendary. This man was the hero from many generations past. Delita finally got control of his laughing fit and stared calmly at Ramza, with an amused smirk on his lips.
"Heh...my good friend Ramza...so nice of you to drop on by. We've got a lot of catching up to do."
Delita said.
"Your right. Tell me though, Delita, so that I may know that my hunch is correct. Why did you capture all of Ivalice? Was this to capture the ones who came from St. Ivalice? In order to be used to gain access to the real world in order to conquer it?"
Ramza asked. Delita nodded.
"Exactly. Tell me something Ramza...have you heard of the Gran Grimoire?"
Delita asked him. Ramza's eyes widened slightly in interest and surprise.
"The Gran Grimoire...you mean the rumored ultimate codex of sorcery that was dated back to the era when Ivalice was still known as Kiltia? I suspect it's not just a rumor anymore if you brought it up. Where is it?"
Ramza asked. Until now, the Gran Grimoire existed as a rumor. A codex of the ancient golden age of the Kiltia era, before it came to an end and was renamed as the Ivalice era. Delita held up a massive book he produced from his cape. Ramza, Mewt, Doned, and Ritz all looked wide eyed at the book.
"That's...the book I purchased..."
Mewt began.
"Oh, so it was you who owned this book. Yes Ramza, as hard as it is to believe, this book your friend got in his world is the Gran Grimoire. Of course it was I who had it teleported there. You see, unfortunately for me, the Gran Grimoire can't transport me to a place I can't fathom existing. A place where the Gods don't look down upon and where people have totally influenced the world. I could only be told about it by the book. But that didn't mean all hope was lost on me. If, through the book, I could ensnare at least four or more people, get them to wanting to return home to where they came from, then their desires would shape into a crystal to which I could use in order to transport me to this world of theirs and conquer it. But numerous problems occurred when the four people chosen by the book where ensnared. Ivalice, the one you and me originally hailed from, began to transform based on the desires of it's owner, your friend Mewt. Because he was only the main owner of the book for now, it molded the world to his liking for the most part based on what he saw in his own fantasies. Being that I was the true owner, but lacking the book physically, I was not able to keep our Ivalice whole, but I kept all of it's history in tact, mostly through the use of the Germonik Scriptures and the Durai Report. It was a surprisingly easy task to perform, although why it was is beyond me..."
Delita began with his explaining. Ramza knew from his father that through mysterious circumstances the writings of the Durai Report ended up in St. Ivalice's world. Now Ramza suspected it had something to do with the Gran Grimoire itself. As fate would have it, Mewt played the very video game based off his own exploits, and through those desires made this new Ivalice. Delita most likely helped Mewt in setting the history of Ivalice with his own desires so it would not be totally to Mewt's own designs and still keep all of the original Ivalice's history in tact.
"...with Ivalice's change, it would be difficult to directly interfere with the feelings of the prisoners who were brought to this world. Of course this didn't hinder me much as I had already planned to indirectly influence my prisoners feelings. Through the Grimoire and my own amazing powers gained through the Zodiac Stones, I created an embodiment of desires and ordered her to make the prisoners desire for a return back to their own world. I called her Le Grimoire, or Li Grim for short. I never expected her to get so emotionally attached to Mewt and become his mother in this world, but it was an effect that came from Mewt's subtle influence left by being the Gran Grimoire's temporary owner. She totally betrayed me, and rather than make him want to return to his original world, she actually encouraged him to stay. This went for the other three prisoners, who also wanted to stay. At first I was bidding my time in order to find a way to get them all to desire a way home, but it soon became unneccesary..."
Delita continued, now opening the book about half way. waves of blue light erupted from the book before taking form of the massive blue crystal that appeared when Remedi disappeared. Everyone stared in awe.
"...you see, Ramza...at first there was no Crystal, but soon a tiny one formed within Li Grim when she sensed out the desire to leave this Ivalice. The Crystal became even smaller when she foolishly created Llednar who would soon become the fifth prisoner needed for me to be released into their world. Regardless, that Crystal remained. It represents your desires, Ramza...or rather, your reincarnation, the one called Marche Radiuju. It took a long time, but eventually Marche was able to sway the emotional desires of the prisoners. First was Doned, then Ritz. Finally came Mewt and Llednar. And so here is the result of that. This Crystal. However, another problem has just arisen which I became aware of just a little while ago..."
Delita said, closing the book slowly and letting the Crystal disappear. Delita tossed the Gran Grimoire on his throne.
"...even with the completion of the Crystal, I didn't expect the very person before me to have been the reincarnation of my greatest rival. Not only that, even though your just a mortal, you've become even more powerful then you ever were, becoming closer and closer to my own level of power. Ramza...as much as I want to kill you now, I'll need you for my sacrificial ceremony, so all I can do now is subdue you..."
With a snap of the fingers, the throne and the book vanished. Delita held his hand outward as a black mist began engulfing it. The mist soon expanded then disappeared, forming a massive black blade similar to Ramza's Defender now grasped in Delita's hand. Delita smirked.
"...HAVE AT YOU, RAMZA!!!"
This was all the warning Ramza got as Delita swiftly made his way over to him, heaving his massive blade back for a powerful blow. As soon as Delita's blade came flying at Ramza's direction, he swiftly attacked back just as strongly as Delita had. Their blades met with a horrific clang of metal on metal. Thin veins of cracks now lined both of their blades, as their attacks proved too powerful for their own swords durability. Delita instantly retreated back and prepared for an overhead slash that was met with Ramza with equal fervor with his own overhead slash. Their blades continued to crack and chip under the force of their blows. They kept hacking at one another, blades meeting and chipping as they continued to clash.
"I don't think their swords can take much more punishment, kupo."
Montblanc stated as another blow sent pieces of each other's blade flying. Ramza made a sweeping motion, intent on catching Delita after having crouched under an overhead swipe. Delita quickly changed directions and slammed his blade down to meet Ramza's. Luckily, their blades did not break, but it would definitely be soon. Ramza retreated, ramming his blade into Delita's as the other man took the offensive. Everyone sighed in relief that the blades still held miraculously. They continued with more strings of blows which remained unsuccessful. Just when it seemed they would slash at each other one more time, Ramza and Delita retreated from each other. Ramza looked at his blade carefully.
"I think this has just about had it."
Ramza said. He tossed the Defender to the side, where upon impact with the ground, it shattered like glass. Delita nodded, tossing his blade behind him where it had a similar effect to Ramza's.
"So now what do you suggest?"
Delita asked. Ramza shrugged.
"Your armor may protect you, but it will prove to be more troublesome as we continue."
Ramza pointed out. Without warning, Ramza swiftly ran up to Delita at blistering speed, grasping Delita's shoulders firmly as he reeled his head back, before sending Delita reeling back with a powerful head butt. Delita recovered but found it hard to defend Ramza, as the armor restricted and withheld some of his body movements. Ramza landed a swift punch to Delita's jaw. Ramza went for another punch, but Delita guarded, yet Ramza forced his momentum to pull him forward as his arm snuck past Delita's defense and landed a vicious elbow to Delita's nose. Delita staggered back a bit. Ramza then jumped over him, catching Delita in the back of the head with hard kick that sent Delita forward. Delita turned quickly to intercept Ramza as he heard the other man rushing up to him again, but it was in vain. Clutching the sides of Delita's head, Ramza drove him forward to land a crushing knee blow that sent Delita airborne for a few seconds. Delita hit the ground with a loud clang. Delita got up slowly. Ramza was about to continue his onslaught, but Delita began to chuckle.
"You may be more nimble than me, Ramza, you may even wield more combat experience over me...but don't forget that I'm an immortal. You can't kill me by normal means. Stamina and endurance are things I can simply ignore as well. You will eventually suffer from fatigue while I can just keep going. Even if your more powerful than you ever were, it won't be enough...your fighting a losing battle."
Delita began to laugh harder. The bruises and the broken nose of Delita healed in a matter of seconds, as if Ramza hadn't even touched him. One of the good things about being an immortal was an abnormally fast regeneration rate. Even should Delita's head be cut off, it could still regenerate back on. Ramza had none of this, only his skills and his wits about him as his only true advantages.
"Your wrong, Delita. Ramza's the legendary hero, he'll prevail over you no matter what."
Doned spoke out. Everyone agreed. He had heard many of the exploits of Ramza's and couldn't bring himself to believe Ramza could be defeated. Plus, Ramza was occupying the body of the only person he could ever call his older brother. Marche had battled against all the odds to show how precious Doned's life in the real world were. He battled the odds in order to help Ritz come to terms with her life. He helped Mewt realize that he did not have to be alone. He was able to breath new life in Llednar, a life that was within his own control. Ramza turned towards Doned with a frown, making the young man look down at him with surprise.
"That's enough Doned. Despite what you may think, I am no hero..."
This statement now caused Delita to even look strangely upon Ramza. Before anyone else could say anything, Ramza continued.
"...I never considered myself as one in the first place, either. I was my own person, fighting for what I believed was justice. My own justice. What I did in the past may have been, to the general public, an act of heroism. I never believed in such a thing, however. Right and wrong, hero and villain, good and evil...they are all such petty words. What I've done with my life was what I believed was right for me, when I followed my heart. In the eyes of some people, what I did was right, and they hailed me as a valiant and kind seeker of justice. Yet in the eyes of others, my actions brought about beliefs that I was a ruthless and bloodthirsty slayer of all things good. You see, Doned...everyone will have an opinion on themselves and others. Some believe me a bringer of peace and order, while others will believe me a bringer of destruction and chaos. Regardless of everyone else, however, I continued to do what I believed was right, and let others continue to do what they thought was right. In the end, there is no hero or villain, just ordinary people doing what they feel is right with what they have to get by through life...even in Delita's case, I don't believe him to be a villain..."
Ramza then turned towards Delita. Until now, everyone believed that Ramza's long explanation was simply a means to get his point across that there was no such thing as good and evil. They would have no idea that his very speech was going to be used as the reversal that would bring about the face of the true enemy.
"...he simply believed it was right to resort to conspiracy so he could obtain the throne, and therefore, gain a magnitude of influence over the common people. He also believed it was right to allow himself to be used and be a user of others now as well."
Ramza said. This caused Delita to growl in anger.
"Your wrong, Ramza. I once said that I would never be used again. I am the only user here and now."
Delita stated firmly with narrowed eyes. Ramza simply sighed at Delita's words.
"Your ability to sense out things is as poor as your creation Li Grim. Even though it is subtle, Delita, someone has control over you. Half of your actions prove it to me. The Delita I know did not create schemes that were so long term. If things don't work out, you would step in immediately to make sure things went your way. Such is the case of Li Grim. You would never let such a betrayal go so unwillingly and hope for the best result to come out of it. Didn't your own hesitant actions seem strange to yourself? If I were you, I would have simply captured those ensnared by the Gran Grimoire and torture them to an inch of their lives. Wouldn't that have led to an even quicker incentive for the prisoners to want to return home? So then you could have had your Crystal all made and ready for use to be transported to the world your very prisoners belonged to at a much quicker rate."
Ramza explained to him. This was true. It would have all just been easier to have done things this way. Delita held a hand to his head.
"That's...what I originally planned to do...but she..."
Delita trailed off in his speech. Ramza's raised one of his eyebrows in question.
"She...?"
He asked softly. Delita's eyes widened in shock.
"I...I was being...used...why didn't I...realize...?"
Delita began taking unsteady steps back, looking like a broken hearted man, who had all his hopes and dreams snatched away from him.
"Who Delita? Who is she?"
Ramza stepped forward, questioning Delita. Delita would not respond to him, and just slumped to the floor.
"I WAS JUST ANOTHER PAWN IN THIS!!!!"
In his fury, Delita banged his gauntlet fist into the ground, leaving sizable holes in the stone floor. Delita's body spasmed suddenly, and he began to twitch violently as red aura began to emanate from his body, bathing the entire room in a crimson light. Everyone shielded his or her eyes in order to stop the increasing brightness of red light.
------
Zeltenia (?)
"Hey, were all free, kupo."
Nono said happily.
"Is this the sky? Are we falling?"
Babus questioned as he looked about as clouds went by underneath him. He could make out some partial areas of a grassland as a gap went between the clouds.
"I highly doubt it. Maybe were floating...? Or this could just be some kind of illusion. A pretty good one, I might add."
Ezel said. Everyone began to draw up their own conclusions. Ramza held up a hand to silence them.
"Keep quiet. Something or someone is here..."
He told them. He began looking around.
"What exactly, Marche...er...Ramza, kupo?"
Montblanc asked. Ramza didn't answer immediately.
"This presence...it can't be...unless...?"
Before Ramza could say a name, thirteen eerie looking statues appeared, almost totally encircling Ramza. Each one held an oddly shaped stone finely carved with a Zodiac symbol.
"These stones all have a Zodiac symbol. Hey, why are there thirteen, though? Shouldn't their only be twelve?"
Ritz asked as she peered closely at some of the statues.
"Serpentarius is the thirteenth and newest Zodiac sign. I'm not sure if there is a month for it, though."
Ramza said. All of the statues represented the demons of Lucavi, which Ramza once faced and defeated in order to gather the Zodiac Stones. Although there were also quite a few of these demons he didn't have to fight to retrieve a stone back in his past life time. The signs began to glow, and Ramza began to slowly walk back from the surrounding statues. The signs shot a beam of light out at Ramza's direction. Reacting quickly, Ramza jumped through the air to get out of the way, but his leg was caught by one of the beams, which then rapped around his leg like a rope and halted the rest of his jump. Before falling flat on his face, Ramza was then caught by the rest of the beams as they binded him upright.
"What's going on, brother?"
Doned asked. Ramza sighed.
"The last time I should have made sure you were dead...Altima, show yourself."
Ramza said as he kept looking up. In a flash of white light, it was only an unconscious Delita who remained floating in stasis.
"Delita..."
Ramza said in a low voice. He was rather concerned about the man's health because Delita looked pale enough to pass off as a corpse. The same red aura began emanating from him, taking shape behind him. When the light faded, Delita fell to the floor, or whatever was somehow holding everyone up. In the place where he had been was, by all accounts, a beautiful young woman clad in red leather. Her skin was a bit pale, but still she had enough color in her face to not look as dead as Delita did. Her hair could almost pass as silver, but there was a slight hint of blonde in it. Her eyes, although blue colored, were so dark they almost looked black. Everyone let out a gasp as they saw her silver wings, and they were all convinced she was an angel. Ramza eyed her suspiciously.
'Last time I saw this woman she was almost four times my size...why has she decided to take a more human size anyway...?'
He thought. He remembered that she was referred to as the Bloody Angel Altima. The master to all the Lucavi demons. She looked intently at Ramza as he was bound by the imprisoning beam, then smiled coyly at him.
"It's good to see you again, Ramza."
TBC
Note: Sheeesh...and just when we all had thought Delita was the main conspirator behind the merging of the two Ivalices, we find that this angel chick from Ramza's past is also half responsible. Sorry for this chapter being kind of short, but it had to be this way or the final chapter would end up being way too short for my taste. Once again sorry for the cut action, but I have to admit, I'm running out of juice for this story so I'm glad it's happening so close to the end where I can still finish it. This story of course was my first experiment to see if I could write a story twenty chapters long and I think it came out fairly well for the most part, I think. Although I think this chapter could have come out better, I think it was okay for the small amount of time I had to work on it. Also, I must apologize to Cloud fans since he ends up getting killed in this chapter. I didn't mean to invoke anyone's wrath upon me for making him get killed, but sometimes that's what happens in stories like this one. Actually a friend inspired me to write up that fight between Cloud and Sephiroth and she didn't even mean to. All she really mentions was "You know, since you decided to keep Cloud tagging along with Marche as they head towards Delita's hide out, maybe you should give Cloud a big fight scene by himself like you usually give Marche...". Unfortunately it was a short fight scene. I guess it's understandable considering it wasn't originally planned, but I think it came out decent. As for Ramza and Delita, well, I was planning a big fight sequence, but then I fell into the trap of how to end it without getting too caught up in writing it in the first place. So in the end, I decided to only make it a small scene and then head on to Altima. I'm real sorry that I made this chapter mostly all story based over the action. I simply thought it would turn out better that way. Anyway, the final chapter will have the final piece of information explaining the tie in Altima has had with Delita, and then a real major battle, and then finally the ending to wrap everything up. So, until then, see ya.