Hello everybody! I'm back! Firstly, I'd like to say a very big THANKYOU all who reviewed my fic, and spent their good time reading it and reviewing it. (Thankyouthankyouthankyou!) One more thing, to Sumomo-Jen, good luck on our exams! I hope you get a good grade in Spanish! (Also good luck to everyone who starts exams this week!) Without further ado, I present the next installment of 'Iifa's Soul'
Chpt 2: The Iifa expedition.
--Eight Years Later--
"Sarah! Wait up!" Eiko scrambled behind her best friend as they clambered up the rocks of Conde Piete Mountain Path. Sarah reached the top of the small mound and sat down. The 16 year old summoner was one of the most beautiful in Mandain Sari. Her raven, shoulder length hair whipped around her face, and her chocolate brown eyes sparkled like stars in the night. She was of a rather pale complexion, even though she spent a lot of time in the sun. She wore a white gypsy top with lace at the front, and sported skin tight shorts down to her middle thigh. (This had a kind of waist cloak covering the back of her legs attached to it.) Her 6 year old best friend, Eiko Carol had purple hair with a little yellow bow attached. She wore a body suit held together with laces and buckles. Being summoners, they both had horns.
"Look at the view, Eiko!" Sarah pulled her friend up beside her. "Isn't the Iifa tree beautiful in the summer mornings?" Sarah gazed at it's awesome, radiant beauty. It shone like fire in the dawn sky...
"I still can't believe we're not allowed in there.." Eiko sulked. "Hey, do you think your father would let us in with him when he goes with that summon party?" Eiko perked up. Every month, Sarah's father would go to the Iifa tree to find new Eidolons, since so many were hidden in the Iifa tree. So far, they had uncovered Carbuncle, Leviathan, Shiva, Ifrit, Atomos, Pheonix, Fenrir, Odin, Bahamut and many more in the past. Today they were going deeper in, to find more powerful Eidolons...
"I guess I could ask.. but there's no guarantee.." Sarah shrugged. "C'mon, let's get back home before sunrise!" Sarah and Eiko leapt off the rocks and headed back to Mandain Sari, carrying the goods they had brought at Conde Piete with them.
****************
"Mom! I'm home!" Sarah put the food on the stone kitchen table and greeted her mother, Jane. Her mother and father were very good summoners, and one of the richest in Mandain Sari.
"Say, mom. Do you think Eiko and I could go with dad to the Iifa tree?" Sarah asked while putting the food away in the cupboards. Being an impetuous girl, she was determined to get to the point quickly.
"Oh, Sarah.. Typical of you to ask.. you are a down-right tomboy, aren't you?" Her mother chuckled. "Well, you could go, but it's up to your father... you know it gets very dangerous the further you go down in the Iifa tree.."
"Yeah, I know.. But I wanna see inside the tree.. It looks so... so.. beautiful from the outside.." Sarah waved her hands in an attempt to explain her admiration.
"Even if they find a more powerful summon than Bahamut inside, it doesn't mean they can control it..You know Iifa gets angry when people explore too deep." Jane started to boil the beaten copper kettle as she gave Sarah a cup. "And don't you forget that.." Jane winked at her daughter, receiving a smile in return.
"Do think they'll ever find Iifa? I mean, the 'Ultimate Eidolon'?" Sarah watched her mother pour hot water in her ivory cup and put tea leaves in the mixture.
"More milk?" Jane added as Sarah nodded. "Well, Sarah.. Some people think the Iifa tree itself is the Eidolon, but others think there is an Eidolon so powerful inside, it takes all of the Iifa tree to contain it.. and as they don't know the name, they called it Iifa.." Jane suggested.
"I like the sound of that.." Sarah nodded in agreement. "Y'know mom, I'm gonna be the next person to try and summon Iifa! I swear it!" Sarah stood up and saluted the wall.
"Sarah, dear, sit down and drink your tea.. Just watch yourself, okay? You remember what happened to that other girl a few years back..What was her name?"
"Mariah."
"Yes, that was the one, she went off to the Iifa tree and came back as crazy as a loon, boasting about her love for some man named Kuja who lived there... such a crazy girl... no-one could live in the Iifa tree - Say, what happened to that girl? She must be twenty or thirty something now.." Jane sipped her tea.
"Well, as far as the rumours go, she got the nearest ship to the Mist Continent.. I don't know what happened after that.. but the really interesting thing though, is she said she went to then northen star, Terra." Sarah related passionately.
"Rumours, Sarah, Rumours.. Always double check what you hear." Jane tapped Sarah's nose playfully. "Also, if you really are going in, then I want to give you something." Jane revealed a necklace from her pocket.
"Mom, what the...?"
"This, Sarah, is my souvenir from the Iifa tree." She twirled it in her hands as it sparkled magnificently. The lace itself was made of thin vine, but on the end of it was a pendant. It was like a miniature, sphere like cage, holding a piece of what looked like Obsidian inside.
"Wow.. where d'ya get it?" Sarah examined it closely as Jane placed it in her hands.
"Your father brought it back from the Iifa tree. It was just hanging off a vine, but unfortunately the tree didn't seem too happy to let it go. It nearly maimed your father in the process of escaping with it." Jane sighed as Sarah put the necklace on. "It suits you."
"Thanks... It's so pretty."
"I know. But I want you to return it to Iifa. I do not wish to have rivalry between myself and an ancient Eidolon because of a necklace."
"I'll put it back, don't worry mom."
****************
"Now, today we are going to go deeper into the Iifa tree, even deeper than our ancestors! We may face monsters, so, white mages, the undead creatures won't like your spells, so be on your guard." Sarah's father stood on a box in the town square of Mandain Sari, briefing the mission to find summon monsters around the Iifa tree, his followers surrounded him.
"If you see anything in the shape of an eidolon seal, then call me or Darson, we will then begin to summon... We will go in groups of five, Sarah, Eiko, you will be with me." He looked at the two girls at the back of the crowd. "Remember, not under any circumstances are you to go further past where Darson or I travel, this is uncharted territory, and we don't know how Iifa will react, if at all.. Oh, before we leave, I don't want anyone staying past the time limit of four hours, and above all, and I cannot stress this enough, do NOT go off searching for Iifa. He - or it - is a legend, or if he is real, he will most likely be well guarded, so let's have no-one wandering off in search of him. Yes?" There was a positive response from his audience as he leapt off the box and lead the group out of town.
Sarah walked slowly behind her father, Eiko tagging along beside her.
"Hey Sarah!" Darson caught up as Eiko moved aside for him. He was fairly tall, let alone handsome.
"Yes, Darson?" Sarah pretended to look bored. Darson had been at her ankles ever since they were kids. Anyone in town could tell he was crazy about her. "Can I help you?"
"Yeah, are you alright? You seem awfully subdued..." Darson placed a hand on her forehead, Sarah simply shook him off.
"I'm fine! You don't need to look out for me, y'know. I am 16 and I can look after myself!" Sarah retorted.
"Well, I'm 18 and its my duty to look after you. As a childhood friend, say?" Darson put a hand around her shoulder.
"Darson! Please!" She squirmed out of his grip. "I do not need babysitting!" She stormed off to her father ahead of her.
"Dad.. Could you tell him to leave me alone?" Sarah took a brief look back at Darson, who was now bugging Eiko.
"Listen, Sarah. He may be..uh.. a little forward, but he is a very decent lad." Her father turned back to look at him aswell.
"Yeah, but he's always treating me like a baby.." Sarah sulked.
"That's because he cares for you." Her father placed a hand on her shoulder as they walked on. "I'd say you and Darson would make a fine....."
"Don't even say it, dad!" Sarah quickly interrupted him. "There is no way on heaven or earth I am getting with...with...HIM!" She spat poisonously.
"Okay, but listen Sarah. He would make a fine husband, and a good protector. That is why Darson's parents and I have arranged a marriage for you two."
"WHAT?! YOU CAN'T JUST MARRY ME OFF!!!" Sarah cried in hysteria.
"Sarah! Calm down! Your mother and I have decided it is the best course of action for you!"
"But what if I want to take my own actions?! I can choose my own husband! Just like the rest of Mandain Sari!" Sarah hissed to stop anyone else from listening.
"That is exactly why we are marrying you to Darson! To stop you going off on crazy adventures! We want to protect you!"
"From what?! Ferocious monsters that nibble headstrong girl's toes when they step out of the house?!" Sarah argued whilst waving her hands in the air.
"Don't be stupid!" Her father shook her.
"Then what do I need protecting from?!" Sarah burst.
"....Yourself."
****************
The Iifa tree now shone in the Outer Continent sun. The party of about thirty had reached the base.
"Here's our destination, people! Let's make our ancestors proud!" The group of men and women cheered, some shouting of 'let's get us an eidolon!' and 'Here we come, Iifa!' were heard.
The trip along the roots was gruellingly hard, as the vines were crumbling in places, and some were covered in strangling ivy. But getting to the trunk eventually was quite an achievement. Darson soon spotted the entrance that had been crudely made in the trunk, and everyone went in, single file.
"Okay, light your torches!" Darson ordered. A string of about fourteen torches sprung to life, even thought the Iifa tree was lit with it's own eerie glow.
"Split into your assigned groups, and take a path each! Good luck, and be brave!" Sarah's father encouraged. Sarah went into a team with Darson, her father, Eiko and a white mage lady, who happened to live two doors down from her. Sarah had always been suspicious of this woman, since she spent a lot of time with her father.
Their group headed down the twisting vines, and eventually stopped at a huge vine like pole that descended in a dazzling light.
"Okay, team. If you remember, this is where we stopped last time, and Sarah..." Darson continued, looking at her "...over there is where we found Bahamut." He pointed to an obvious spot for an Eidolon seal, it was carved in the shape of a dragon.
"Thanks for that, Darson." Sarah added with sarcasm.
"We have to be careful, if we go further down, we will enter unknown and dangerous territory. Be on your guard.." Sarah's father waved his torch to the other side of the giant vine made room. "Sarah, you and Eiko stay here, right by Bahamut's seal. It gets very dangerous ahead. You understand?" Her father frowned.
"But Dad! I.." Sarah started.
"No 'buts', Sarah!" He said. "Darson, you better stay with them. We'll be back in about an hour, I'm not going to go much further in.." With that he left, heading over the other side of the room and disappearing through a hidden exit.
"It's not fair... I want to go further down too.." Sarah huffed as she sat down on Bahamut's seal.
"Don't worry, Sarah. He's doing it for your safety." Darson reassured.
"I already told you, Darson! I-do-not-need-LOOKING-AFTER!!!" An uncomfortable silence filled the chamber.
Sarah sighed as her gaze explored her surroundings, until it fell apon the little necklace, hanging loosely over her top.
("Why does nothing seem to go my way?") The sparkling garment swayed side to side with her breathing pattern.
("Huh, for such a pretty necklace, it's a shame to leave you here.") Sarah thought. She smiled as the jewel in the miniature cage reflected Darson's torch, creating a beautiful image of clouds in a red sunset sky. Her admiration for the necklace was interrupted as Eiko slumped down beside her and adjusted her bow.
"Hey, Sarah, I have a bad feeling.." Sarah looked at Eiko curiously, taking her eyes of the necklace.
"What kind of 'bad feeling'?" She looked at Eiko as her eyes shifted nervously around.
"Like the...Iifa Tree.. it..it doesn't want us here..."
"How can you tell?" Sarah and Eiko leaned closer, talking nearly in a whisper.
"Because.."
Suddenly, vines crashed through the roof. Darson and the two girls leapt to their feet.
"Of that!!!!!" Eiko screamed as darkness filled the room.
****************
Sarah's father and the white mage lady followed the path given. The vines twisted and curled all around them, signalling they were getting pretty deep.
"Um.. I think we should head back... I mean, isn't it supposed to get lighter as you go down, not darker?" Sarah's father realised her point.
"I agree.. I don't think Iifa likes us.." He looked up and around at the menacing vines. They were definitely up to something. The darkness was somewhat more like mist, it was beginning to choke the flame on the white mage's torch.
"Quick! Head back up!" He ordered. They had run about seven meters before the torch went out, and darkness smothered their vision.
****************
Sarah held her rod ever tighter. She was beginning to shake in nervousness. The vines had separated Eiko and Darson from her. She had fallen several 'floors' down through a hole, and landed on a rough vine made path. She felt alone, and she felt like eyes, millions of eyes were looking at her every footstep.
("I'm so unprepared for this.... I don't even have a torch.. and it's getting really dark...") Sarah worriedly thought.
"Ifrit! Lend me your power, oh beast of fire!" She whispered hoarsely. The top of her rod immediately set alight like a torch, and she breathed a sigh of relief. The vines that had started moving more the further she went down tried to avoid the flame as much as possible. She could see they had blocked her path.
Sarah stopped walking. She remembered what her mother had told her earlier that day... that the Iifa was an Eidolon... and the vines were a part of that Eidolon...She looked up at the vines and felt energy flowing to her horn.
"Why do you make it hard for me to get out!?" She shouted, using her horn to converse with them. The vines almost made a hissing sound in reply to her question.
"Please, tell me, if you can hear me, why won't you let me go further?! Do you hate me or something?!" She pleaded to the swarming mass above her, reaching out her arms in pleading. The vines hissed even louder. She looked behind her, the exit was blocked, and her path had changed direction.. She was lost.. and trapped..
"Please! If you are going to entomb me here, give me an answer!" She was now near tears. She was stuck in the ancient tree, and dark mist was surrounding her..
"Please...please..." She fell to her knees in tears. She was so stupid to have come in here!
"I'm sorry father.. please forgive me..." The vines began to enclose on her.
"Iifa... if you are here, I'm sorry..I'm..so sorry.. I shouldn't have thought I could tame you.... or thought I could escape you! Oh mighty Eidolon, please forgive me!" She sobbed even louder. Her crying stopped when a vine grabbed her ankle, and the floor beneath her split open. The vines held her as they took her out of the mist, and into the dazzling white light she had been enchanted by. She kept falling, deeper, further.. straight into the roots of the ancient tree.. to it's very heart.
The roots slowed her down and dropped her only a leafy platform. Everything was so light, and shining particles whisped around her as she stood up. The Iifa tree had answered her, and forgiven her. She felt a gratefulness from deep inside and bowed down in thankfulness to Iifa before beginning to explore this new place.
She remembered Jane telling her about this place. It was supposed to be legend.. either that or just inaccessible to the summoners. This was the place where the Iifa tree his it's soul, it was very beautiful, like the necklace, which had seemed to sparkle all the more now she was down here.
"There sure is a lot of life down here.." She said to herself, she could sense that creepy feeling, the one that makes the hairs on the back of your neck stand up, and your spine tingle.
She walked on, the soft floor almost moving beneath her. She started to make out something in the extreme light, it was many, many vines, holding something in a cocoon.
She approached the cocoon very warily. The vines were moving around it, protecting it fiercely. The cocoon itself was like a transparent skin in a circular shape. She got closer to it.. There was something inside..
Same as before, did you like it? I hope so! If it's alright, I could use some help for my next chapter.
1. If someone was going to speak a different language, say Terran, that no-one else could understand, how could I write it?
2. The last thing... Kuja, do you want him dead or alive? (Only in the fic! Only in the fic!) Your comments are more than welcome. See you around, and it's X-mas soon!
Chpt 2: The Iifa expedition.
--Eight Years Later--
"Sarah! Wait up!" Eiko scrambled behind her best friend as they clambered up the rocks of Conde Piete Mountain Path. Sarah reached the top of the small mound and sat down. The 16 year old summoner was one of the most beautiful in Mandain Sari. Her raven, shoulder length hair whipped around her face, and her chocolate brown eyes sparkled like stars in the night. She was of a rather pale complexion, even though she spent a lot of time in the sun. She wore a white gypsy top with lace at the front, and sported skin tight shorts down to her middle thigh. (This had a kind of waist cloak covering the back of her legs attached to it.) Her 6 year old best friend, Eiko Carol had purple hair with a little yellow bow attached. She wore a body suit held together with laces and buckles. Being summoners, they both had horns.
"Look at the view, Eiko!" Sarah pulled her friend up beside her. "Isn't the Iifa tree beautiful in the summer mornings?" Sarah gazed at it's awesome, radiant beauty. It shone like fire in the dawn sky...
"I still can't believe we're not allowed in there.." Eiko sulked. "Hey, do you think your father would let us in with him when he goes with that summon party?" Eiko perked up. Every month, Sarah's father would go to the Iifa tree to find new Eidolons, since so many were hidden in the Iifa tree. So far, they had uncovered Carbuncle, Leviathan, Shiva, Ifrit, Atomos, Pheonix, Fenrir, Odin, Bahamut and many more in the past. Today they were going deeper in, to find more powerful Eidolons...
"I guess I could ask.. but there's no guarantee.." Sarah shrugged. "C'mon, let's get back home before sunrise!" Sarah and Eiko leapt off the rocks and headed back to Mandain Sari, carrying the goods they had brought at Conde Piete with them.
****************
"Mom! I'm home!" Sarah put the food on the stone kitchen table and greeted her mother, Jane. Her mother and father were very good summoners, and one of the richest in Mandain Sari.
"Say, mom. Do you think Eiko and I could go with dad to the Iifa tree?" Sarah asked while putting the food away in the cupboards. Being an impetuous girl, she was determined to get to the point quickly.
"Oh, Sarah.. Typical of you to ask.. you are a down-right tomboy, aren't you?" Her mother chuckled. "Well, you could go, but it's up to your father... you know it gets very dangerous the further you go down in the Iifa tree.."
"Yeah, I know.. But I wanna see inside the tree.. It looks so... so.. beautiful from the outside.." Sarah waved her hands in an attempt to explain her admiration.
"Even if they find a more powerful summon than Bahamut inside, it doesn't mean they can control it..You know Iifa gets angry when people explore too deep." Jane started to boil the beaten copper kettle as she gave Sarah a cup. "And don't you forget that.." Jane winked at her daughter, receiving a smile in return.
"Do think they'll ever find Iifa? I mean, the 'Ultimate Eidolon'?" Sarah watched her mother pour hot water in her ivory cup and put tea leaves in the mixture.
"More milk?" Jane added as Sarah nodded. "Well, Sarah.. Some people think the Iifa tree itself is the Eidolon, but others think there is an Eidolon so powerful inside, it takes all of the Iifa tree to contain it.. and as they don't know the name, they called it Iifa.." Jane suggested.
"I like the sound of that.." Sarah nodded in agreement. "Y'know mom, I'm gonna be the next person to try and summon Iifa! I swear it!" Sarah stood up and saluted the wall.
"Sarah, dear, sit down and drink your tea.. Just watch yourself, okay? You remember what happened to that other girl a few years back..What was her name?"
"Mariah."
"Yes, that was the one, she went off to the Iifa tree and came back as crazy as a loon, boasting about her love for some man named Kuja who lived there... such a crazy girl... no-one could live in the Iifa tree - Say, what happened to that girl? She must be twenty or thirty something now.." Jane sipped her tea.
"Well, as far as the rumours go, she got the nearest ship to the Mist Continent.. I don't know what happened after that.. but the really interesting thing though, is she said she went to then northen star, Terra." Sarah related passionately.
"Rumours, Sarah, Rumours.. Always double check what you hear." Jane tapped Sarah's nose playfully. "Also, if you really are going in, then I want to give you something." Jane revealed a necklace from her pocket.
"Mom, what the...?"
"This, Sarah, is my souvenir from the Iifa tree." She twirled it in her hands as it sparkled magnificently. The lace itself was made of thin vine, but on the end of it was a pendant. It was like a miniature, sphere like cage, holding a piece of what looked like Obsidian inside.
"Wow.. where d'ya get it?" Sarah examined it closely as Jane placed it in her hands.
"Your father brought it back from the Iifa tree. It was just hanging off a vine, but unfortunately the tree didn't seem too happy to let it go. It nearly maimed your father in the process of escaping with it." Jane sighed as Sarah put the necklace on. "It suits you."
"Thanks... It's so pretty."
"I know. But I want you to return it to Iifa. I do not wish to have rivalry between myself and an ancient Eidolon because of a necklace."
"I'll put it back, don't worry mom."
****************
"Now, today we are going to go deeper into the Iifa tree, even deeper than our ancestors! We may face monsters, so, white mages, the undead creatures won't like your spells, so be on your guard." Sarah's father stood on a box in the town square of Mandain Sari, briefing the mission to find summon monsters around the Iifa tree, his followers surrounded him.
"If you see anything in the shape of an eidolon seal, then call me or Darson, we will then begin to summon... We will go in groups of five, Sarah, Eiko, you will be with me." He looked at the two girls at the back of the crowd. "Remember, not under any circumstances are you to go further past where Darson or I travel, this is uncharted territory, and we don't know how Iifa will react, if at all.. Oh, before we leave, I don't want anyone staying past the time limit of four hours, and above all, and I cannot stress this enough, do NOT go off searching for Iifa. He - or it - is a legend, or if he is real, he will most likely be well guarded, so let's have no-one wandering off in search of him. Yes?" There was a positive response from his audience as he leapt off the box and lead the group out of town.
Sarah walked slowly behind her father, Eiko tagging along beside her.
"Hey Sarah!" Darson caught up as Eiko moved aside for him. He was fairly tall, let alone handsome.
"Yes, Darson?" Sarah pretended to look bored. Darson had been at her ankles ever since they were kids. Anyone in town could tell he was crazy about her. "Can I help you?"
"Yeah, are you alright? You seem awfully subdued..." Darson placed a hand on her forehead, Sarah simply shook him off.
"I'm fine! You don't need to look out for me, y'know. I am 16 and I can look after myself!" Sarah retorted.
"Well, I'm 18 and its my duty to look after you. As a childhood friend, say?" Darson put a hand around her shoulder.
"Darson! Please!" She squirmed out of his grip. "I do not need babysitting!" She stormed off to her father ahead of her.
"Dad.. Could you tell him to leave me alone?" Sarah took a brief look back at Darson, who was now bugging Eiko.
"Listen, Sarah. He may be..uh.. a little forward, but he is a very decent lad." Her father turned back to look at him aswell.
"Yeah, but he's always treating me like a baby.." Sarah sulked.
"That's because he cares for you." Her father placed a hand on her shoulder as they walked on. "I'd say you and Darson would make a fine....."
"Don't even say it, dad!" Sarah quickly interrupted him. "There is no way on heaven or earth I am getting with...with...HIM!" She spat poisonously.
"Okay, but listen Sarah. He would make a fine husband, and a good protector. That is why Darson's parents and I have arranged a marriage for you two."
"WHAT?! YOU CAN'T JUST MARRY ME OFF!!!" Sarah cried in hysteria.
"Sarah! Calm down! Your mother and I have decided it is the best course of action for you!"
"But what if I want to take my own actions?! I can choose my own husband! Just like the rest of Mandain Sari!" Sarah hissed to stop anyone else from listening.
"That is exactly why we are marrying you to Darson! To stop you going off on crazy adventures! We want to protect you!"
"From what?! Ferocious monsters that nibble headstrong girl's toes when they step out of the house?!" Sarah argued whilst waving her hands in the air.
"Don't be stupid!" Her father shook her.
"Then what do I need protecting from?!" Sarah burst.
"....Yourself."
****************
The Iifa tree now shone in the Outer Continent sun. The party of about thirty had reached the base.
"Here's our destination, people! Let's make our ancestors proud!" The group of men and women cheered, some shouting of 'let's get us an eidolon!' and 'Here we come, Iifa!' were heard.
The trip along the roots was gruellingly hard, as the vines were crumbling in places, and some were covered in strangling ivy. But getting to the trunk eventually was quite an achievement. Darson soon spotted the entrance that had been crudely made in the trunk, and everyone went in, single file.
"Okay, light your torches!" Darson ordered. A string of about fourteen torches sprung to life, even thought the Iifa tree was lit with it's own eerie glow.
"Split into your assigned groups, and take a path each! Good luck, and be brave!" Sarah's father encouraged. Sarah went into a team with Darson, her father, Eiko and a white mage lady, who happened to live two doors down from her. Sarah had always been suspicious of this woman, since she spent a lot of time with her father.
Their group headed down the twisting vines, and eventually stopped at a huge vine like pole that descended in a dazzling light.
"Okay, team. If you remember, this is where we stopped last time, and Sarah..." Darson continued, looking at her "...over there is where we found Bahamut." He pointed to an obvious spot for an Eidolon seal, it was carved in the shape of a dragon.
"Thanks for that, Darson." Sarah added with sarcasm.
"We have to be careful, if we go further down, we will enter unknown and dangerous territory. Be on your guard.." Sarah's father waved his torch to the other side of the giant vine made room. "Sarah, you and Eiko stay here, right by Bahamut's seal. It gets very dangerous ahead. You understand?" Her father frowned.
"But Dad! I.." Sarah started.
"No 'buts', Sarah!" He said. "Darson, you better stay with them. We'll be back in about an hour, I'm not going to go much further in.." With that he left, heading over the other side of the room and disappearing through a hidden exit.
"It's not fair... I want to go further down too.." Sarah huffed as she sat down on Bahamut's seal.
"Don't worry, Sarah. He's doing it for your safety." Darson reassured.
"I already told you, Darson! I-do-not-need-LOOKING-AFTER!!!" An uncomfortable silence filled the chamber.
Sarah sighed as her gaze explored her surroundings, until it fell apon the little necklace, hanging loosely over her top.
("Why does nothing seem to go my way?") The sparkling garment swayed side to side with her breathing pattern.
("Huh, for such a pretty necklace, it's a shame to leave you here.") Sarah thought. She smiled as the jewel in the miniature cage reflected Darson's torch, creating a beautiful image of clouds in a red sunset sky. Her admiration for the necklace was interrupted as Eiko slumped down beside her and adjusted her bow.
"Hey, Sarah, I have a bad feeling.." Sarah looked at Eiko curiously, taking her eyes of the necklace.
"What kind of 'bad feeling'?" She looked at Eiko as her eyes shifted nervously around.
"Like the...Iifa Tree.. it..it doesn't want us here..."
"How can you tell?" Sarah and Eiko leaned closer, talking nearly in a whisper.
"Because.."
Suddenly, vines crashed through the roof. Darson and the two girls leapt to their feet.
"Of that!!!!!" Eiko screamed as darkness filled the room.
****************
Sarah's father and the white mage lady followed the path given. The vines twisted and curled all around them, signalling they were getting pretty deep.
"Um.. I think we should head back... I mean, isn't it supposed to get lighter as you go down, not darker?" Sarah's father realised her point.
"I agree.. I don't think Iifa likes us.." He looked up and around at the menacing vines. They were definitely up to something. The darkness was somewhat more like mist, it was beginning to choke the flame on the white mage's torch.
"Quick! Head back up!" He ordered. They had run about seven meters before the torch went out, and darkness smothered their vision.
****************
Sarah held her rod ever tighter. She was beginning to shake in nervousness. The vines had separated Eiko and Darson from her. She had fallen several 'floors' down through a hole, and landed on a rough vine made path. She felt alone, and she felt like eyes, millions of eyes were looking at her every footstep.
("I'm so unprepared for this.... I don't even have a torch.. and it's getting really dark...") Sarah worriedly thought.
"Ifrit! Lend me your power, oh beast of fire!" She whispered hoarsely. The top of her rod immediately set alight like a torch, and she breathed a sigh of relief. The vines that had started moving more the further she went down tried to avoid the flame as much as possible. She could see they had blocked her path.
Sarah stopped walking. She remembered what her mother had told her earlier that day... that the Iifa was an Eidolon... and the vines were a part of that Eidolon...She looked up at the vines and felt energy flowing to her horn.
"Why do you make it hard for me to get out!?" She shouted, using her horn to converse with them. The vines almost made a hissing sound in reply to her question.
"Please, tell me, if you can hear me, why won't you let me go further?! Do you hate me or something?!" She pleaded to the swarming mass above her, reaching out her arms in pleading. The vines hissed even louder. She looked behind her, the exit was blocked, and her path had changed direction.. She was lost.. and trapped..
"Please! If you are going to entomb me here, give me an answer!" She was now near tears. She was stuck in the ancient tree, and dark mist was surrounding her..
"Please...please..." She fell to her knees in tears. She was so stupid to have come in here!
"I'm sorry father.. please forgive me..." The vines began to enclose on her.
"Iifa... if you are here, I'm sorry..I'm..so sorry.. I shouldn't have thought I could tame you.... or thought I could escape you! Oh mighty Eidolon, please forgive me!" She sobbed even louder. Her crying stopped when a vine grabbed her ankle, and the floor beneath her split open. The vines held her as they took her out of the mist, and into the dazzling white light she had been enchanted by. She kept falling, deeper, further.. straight into the roots of the ancient tree.. to it's very heart.
The roots slowed her down and dropped her only a leafy platform. Everything was so light, and shining particles whisped around her as she stood up. The Iifa tree had answered her, and forgiven her. She felt a gratefulness from deep inside and bowed down in thankfulness to Iifa before beginning to explore this new place.
She remembered Jane telling her about this place. It was supposed to be legend.. either that or just inaccessible to the summoners. This was the place where the Iifa tree his it's soul, it was very beautiful, like the necklace, which had seemed to sparkle all the more now she was down here.
"There sure is a lot of life down here.." She said to herself, she could sense that creepy feeling, the one that makes the hairs on the back of your neck stand up, and your spine tingle.
She walked on, the soft floor almost moving beneath her. She started to make out something in the extreme light, it was many, many vines, holding something in a cocoon.
She approached the cocoon very warily. The vines were moving around it, protecting it fiercely. The cocoon itself was like a transparent skin in a circular shape. She got closer to it.. There was something inside..
Same as before, did you like it? I hope so! If it's alright, I could use some help for my next chapter.
1. If someone was going to speak a different language, say Terran, that no-one else could understand, how could I write it?
2. The last thing... Kuja, do you want him dead or alive? (Only in the fic! Only in the fic!) Your comments are more than welcome. See you around, and it's X-mas soon!