Thankyou, again, for all the people that reviewed my fic, and a warning, this chapter contains Terran (in other words, me making a mix of Ancient Egyptian/Japanese/who knows?) So anyone who reckons Zidane should have ultimate power, y'know the stuff he was made for, then read on! (He needs MORE POWER! MORE!!!)....nevermind. Read on and enjoy!
Chpt 3: Zidane
Sarah sucked in a sharp breath as she spotted something on the inside of the cocoon. She could see the goosebumps on her arms and feel them on her back.
"Hello?" Sarah whispered. Her already pale skin could be easily mistaken for white.
"(I have to get out of here.. gods know why the vines brought me down to this place...)" Sarah stepped backwards as she heard a loud noise to her left.
"What now?!" Sarah reached for her rod, but all she grabbed was air. "Oh for Leviahthan's sake! Where is it!?" Sarah stopped dead when she realised that her rod was several floors up, where she had first fallen.
"Oh no..." Sarah cursed herself for being a fool, she should have never come here!
"Great! Now I'm gonna end up even more dead than I was before!" Sarah laughed sarcastically to herself. She could feel that itching worry in the back of her mind as she protectively clutched her mother's pendant around her neck. Her worst fears were confirmed when a low growl emitted from her left...
*****************************
"SARAH! WHERE ARE YOU?! TALK TO ME!!!" Darson called into the darkness.
"Sarah?! Sarah, if you can hear us, say something!!!" Eiko was nearly sick with worry. "Darson? Have you still got the torch?" Eiko felt in the darkness for her companion, and held onto his cloak tightly.
"Yeah.. wait! I got it now...'Fire'..." Darson's face appeared suddenly with the burst of blue then crimson flame. "Thank Odin for my black magic.." Darson breathed to himself.
"Do you think she's alright?" Eiko peered up at Darson, still clutching his cloak in fear of the darkness. Darson looked down into the six year old's face.
"Yes, she'll be fine. You know Sarah... She'd hate to see that we're worrying about her." He scruffled Eiko's hair playfully. "C'mon. I know that Sarah can look after herself, but it won't hurt to find her."
"Uh-huh... I think we were separated by that rock fall." Eiko pointed to a large pile of rocks on the far side of the room. "If we move those rocks, we should find another exit. Maybe Sarah went down there?"
"Maybe.." Darson looked around, his only light being the flickering torch in his hand. "You're right. By estimation there should be an exit there.." Darson jogged over to the mass of rocks and began to throw each one off the heap, slowly revealing a vine crafted path. Darson and Eiko raced down it until a hole in the floor was reached. They both looked at each other with the same thought. In Sarah's understanding, if there was adventure; do it, if there was danger; challenge it, and if there was a certain Eidolon called Iifa, go out of your way to capture it.
"Well, I suppose we have to drop down that, long, dark, spooky hole?" Eiko huffed with sarcasm.
"Sarah is going to be in BIG trouble with her father when we get out of here.. Or.. she's in big trouble already." Darson's voice echoed down the dark chasm.
"I hope not.."
********************************
Sarah rushed to the other side of the vine cocoon. Whatever had appeared was searching for her, seeking for the intruder.
("Go away! Turn around..turn around!") Sarah wished in her head. Her breathing became uneven as fear began to seep slowly into her mind. Suddenly it let out a sharp hissing sound, almost sounding like words. Sarah took a sharp look around the cocoon, the creature was like a trunk of a tree, using it's roots to move. It had a skeletal face surrounded by greenery and strangely enough, bricks.
("I gotta find a way outta here! Damn you! Can't you just leave me alone?!") Sarah leaned against the vines and shook the little necklace in her fist. Sarah could hear the hissing sound getting louder and more legible.
"Giiiivvvveeee mmeeeee iiiitttt baaacccckkkkkhhhhssss"
("What back?")
"Thhhheeee nneeeccckkhhhllaaasssss"
("The necklace?! What could it possibly want with the necklace?!")
"IIII kkkknnnnooooww yyooouu cccaannn hheeaarr mmmeeeesss!"
("It knows where I am!?") Sarah panicked for a brief moment before wishing she had never left the safety of her house.
"YYYOOOUUU!" She turned to see the grotesque face scream in anger in her direction. Sarah shrieked and leaped to avoid it's attack against her.
"Dooonn't tthhiinnk yyoouu ccaann ggett awwaayyss!!!" It let a vine like club from its body smash into the ground, narrowly avoiding her. The vines all around them went wild, like a crowd around a pit fight. Sarah was too busy ducking and rolling in several directions to notice this, but instead tried desperately hard to remember any spells she knew that didn't involve using her rod.
("Run left! Duck!!! That was close.. Oh man.. Float? Esuna? Ahh! Run!...Wait! I know!") Sarah stopped before letting a spell flow from her hands.
"Blind!!!" The effect was what she hoped. It blinded the creature as it flailed its limbs in all directions.
("Uh-Oh.. Its out of control!!!") Sarah took off to hide behind the safety of the cocoon before one vine from the monster caught her back, sending her flying. Sarah landed hard on her side, her mother's necklace sailing off her neck and reach.
("No!")
The necklace smashed into the cocoon, and to her surprise, went inside...
A flashing light enveloped all around her, the ground shook, the vines whipped themselves around in confusion and the monster she fought swayed unnaturally as the floor trembled beneath them. The cocoon burst open like an explosion, sending vines and the pale water inside of it everywhere.
Then, like some kind of holy announcement, a man shape figure stepped forwards from the shattered cocoon, he was dressed in dirty clothes, which looked like he had been wearing them for years. Sarah also noticed he had a tail, a brown soft looking tail, which swished back and forth as he stood, taking in his environment. The monster bowed like a hunchback in shame.
"Maaassssttteerrr Kkkuujjaaa....IIIII hhaavvee ffaaiilleedd yoouuuuu... IIII giiivvee mmyyy lliiffee.." The monster bent double in an unhealthy fashion and shattered, leaving nothing behind.
The blond headed teenager looked at Sarah in apprehension, then over to the far side of the room.
"Sarah! Get down!" She felt a heavy weight descend apon her, pushing her to the floor. It was Darson and Eiko. Sarah felt a little annoyed, since Darson would thwart any chance of her talking to the tailed man infront of her. He was no doubt Iifa, and Darson had his weapon out ready to face him.
"Sarah! Are you alright?!" Eiko came dashing over, the float spell that had most probably carried them down wearing off.
"You're hurt! Let me cure it!" Eiko tried to reach the wound where she had fallen on her side, but Sarah pulled it out of her reach.
"Let me get up, Eiko!" Sarah did so and shoved Darson so he could face her. "Darson, don't fight him! Let him be!" Sarah scolded.
"But Sarah, that thing hurt you!" Darson spat in the direction of Iifa.
"Darson! Just because I'm hurt, it doesn't mean he did it! Just leave me alone, I had everything under control!" Sarah shouted, making Darson step forwards and grab her collar.
"Listen! I didn't just come all the way down here so you can tell me you had things under control!!! Do you have any idea how worried we were!? Don't you DARE tell me you don't need looking after, because you do! You act like a damn child! Always running off and confronting things which are way out of your power!!!" Darson yelled, throwing her to the floor.
"Darson! My father will hear of this!" Sarah threatened as Eiko ran to her side.
"Darson, what's come into you?! Your meant to be protecting Sarah, not hurting her!" Eiko wailed. They both knew that he was stronger than both of them put together.
"Shut-up, you brat! I don't need anyone telling ME what to do! If want to fight Iifa, I will, and no-one is going to stop me!" His anger was getting uncontrollable.
"So, come on Iifa! Let's see what you.. huh?" Darson turned and put up his fists in a fight stance, only to find the boy had disappeared. "Where'd he go!!!" Darson looked around fervently, knowing he was open to a surprise attack. As if someone had put on it on cue, a voice was heard, echoing throughout the cavern. Suddenly all the lights vanished and all that was to be heard was the three summoner's uneven breathing.
"Basa su nech‰... Hensau to no badha..." The voice spoke in a hissing like tone, and was all too familiar with Sarah (who had had enough of hissing creatures today.)
"What the hell was that!?" Darson spun around, his head darting to every point the voice had come from. Sarah's eyes were just accustoming themselves to the dark when she saw movement above her.
"Something's up there!" She pointed into the darkness. The voice sounded again, except this time more urgently.
"Tio noeta tikeh!!!" Sarah could feel Eiko's grip tighten on her arm.
"What do you want?!" Sarah called upward. She knew that she had got herself into this, and was going to work her way out. Wether Darson co-operated in a sensible mood or not.
"Do you have a name?!" Her voice echoed timidly into the obscurity above them, and all held their breath for the reply.
"Estu eth bacch... Tio con atorin?" The voice was calmer, almost as timid as her question was. It sounded again.
"...Tio con atorin su....su Iifa." All recognised the last word. But if it was Iifa, then why didn't he come down and surrender as an normal Eidolon would?
"This Eidolon's got some spunk." Darson snarled almost to himself. He too followed Sarah's line of sight to the dark vastness. "Okay then Iifa! Why don't you come down here, so we can take a look at you, then? Or are you gonna play hard-to-get?" Darson's proposition sounded uncannily like a challenge.
"Darson! Don't provoke him!" Sarah scolded.
"Aww shaddup would you! This guy's gonna be a domestic Eidolon in a minute anyway, so do me a favour AND SHUT THAT HOLE IN YOUR FACE!!!" Darson was now starting to wind himself up.
"You've changed Darson. And it ain't for the better." Sarah spoke quietly, giving a heavy and deadly air to the room.
"Im teop, mei isim!!" The voice abruptly sounded right behind Darson, and his muffled cry could be heard.
"DARSON?!" Eiko screamed. No reply. The girls could both hear a struggle, but couldn't see anything in the gloom. The sound of feet scuffling on the ground could be heard, and a faint cry of Darson's voice also. Sarah sucked her breath in hard when the shrill, blood-curdling crack of a bone sounded out, and a howl of pain followed it.
The lights quickly came on without warning, and a gut retching scene was revealed. Darson was lying on the ground, cradling a horribly disfigured and most likely broken arm. Blood flowed like dripping honey off the wound and over-ran the floor. Beside him stood Iifa, hands, arms, shirt and hair covered in blood. A splash of the crimson liquid spread tastelessly over his eyes, nose and mouth in some form of malignant ritual. His eyes glowed a cerulean colour, clashing with the blood on his face and hair. He looked like a demon from another dimension, just standing there, tail whipping from side to side.
Sarah stood wide-eyed, with a terror stricken look on her pale face, as did Eiko.
"Basa su nech‰.." He looked straight into Sarah's eyes before taking something out of his pocket. "Gesfa ei imui outu.." He held out her necklace at arm's length, and signalled for her to take it.
"Sarah! Don't take it from him! He's gonna hurt you like he did to Darson!" Eiko restrained Sarah's legs.
"Eiko! Let go of me!" Sarah pulled Eiko's arms off her legs and looked straight into Iifa's eyes, searching for any trace of a civilised creature in him. She saw that his eyes defied his brutal appearance. They were a soft, ocean like tone. Almost calming in a funny way.
Eiko saw things completely the opposite. She could see Sarah affectionately looking into his eyes, almost hypnotically.
"Sarah?" She spoke softly in an attempt to break Sarah's trance. Sarah clicked for a second before reaching forward and taking the necklace from his hand without hesitation. Iifa smiled and stepped backwards, looking in admiration as Sarah returned the ornament to her neck.
"I am sorry for disturbing you, Eidolon Iifa. I know Darson probably deserved what was coming to him but can you let us leave in peace? Please?" Sarah got down on one knee, and Eiko finally understood what she was doing. Sarah had always been good at talking to nature with her horn, and to Eidolons. She was simply fixing any offense the Eidolon had taken during Darson's tantrum, and making sure that they got out in one piece.
Iifa turned a searching look on her before smiling again.
"Basa su nech‰ oni sandego." Sarah could think of nothing but to smile back, since his language was completely mystifying to her, but she had a strange feeling he could understand what she was saying.
"Do you know where my father and all his companions are? If so.. I .. I would be very grateful if you could let them out..." Sarah bowed her head as she spoke showing the upmost respect for the Eidolon that stood before her. Iifa looked as if he was thinking something through.
"Kato basa su nech‰ jhena citos Mariah?" Mariah. The name shot through Sarah's head like a dart.
"Mariah? The crazy girl who loved..uh.. whatisface... Kuja! Yeah Kuja!" Sarah clicked her finger as she and Iifa reached a mutual understanding.
"..Kuja.. son maei idhim Garland etoch ..." It looked as if a painful memory had swept over his face, but he shook it off and smiled at her once more.
"Metha su bathca kato Mandain Sari, endos anaksu... ah.. amonn su tio sokaos?" He pointed to Darson, who was still pawing over his arm on the floor.
"Hey Sarah, it sounds like a deal to me... he wants something about Mandain Sari, in return for something about Darson..."
"Certainly looks like it.." Sarah cocked her head in confusion. " Well, let's go along with it anyway." Sarah nodded at Iifa, and he waved a hand over at some nearby vines which split open, letting the blinding sunlight pour over them. Sarah and Eiko covered their eyes from the sun as Iifa walked over to Darson and flung him over his shoulders. Darson whimpered in pain as Iifa led the way out.
As soon as they were on the vine path outside, (to Sarah and Eiko's relief,) the vines leading back inside snapped shut behind them, making the girls jump in shock.
"Sheesh....violent tree, huh?" Eiko elbowed Sarah on the leg. Iifa gave her a menacing look.
"Okaaay.." Eiko held up her hands in defence.
"Look!" Sarah pointed enthusiastically over to a crowd of people at the entrance. Her father and the white mage lady were among them.
"Looks like their arguing over summin'.." Eiko put forward. "I wonder what..?" As they got closer they could hear, indeed, an argument.
"But that thing nearly swallowed us whole!!! You can't expect us to go back in there!"
"Yeah! The vines that got you and the white mage probably got the three of them, their most likely be dead by now!" Sarah's father silenced them with his hands in the air.
"Listen! If it were your children, you all would go in there without hesitation!" The crowd grumbled and muttered amongst themselves. "...and my daughter and two children I am responsible for are down there! I won't leave them!"
"Hey, I think it's time we split this up, no?" Eiko and Sarah ran towards the crowd shouting and calling.
"HEEEYYY!! DAAADD! YYOOHHOOO!" The girls were welcomed with open arms as the crowd of summoners surrounded them and drained their escape story from them. Finally Sarah was allowed to talk to her father.
"Dad.."
"Sarah! I am very disappointed in you! You could have been killed! Why, if Darson wasn't there to protect you I would.."
"DAD! Darson didn't help at all!"
"What?"
"He picked a fight with.. with Iifa!" Loud and excitable mumbles and whispers swept throughout the group of people.
"Nearly getting us killed in the process!" Eiko butted in.
"You actually SAW Iifa?!" One of the summoners pulled at Sarah's arm.
"Yes! He's with us now!" She pointed with a smile to the path she had just run up. The crowd split and looked at the direction she was indicating. There stood Iifa, still covered in blood with Darson at his feet. The crowd suddenly threw themselves at the floor in worship as if the earth had turned to gold. Several mutterings of "We are not worthy!" and "Forgive us, holy Eidolon!" were heard.
"Father, he let us out of the Iifa Tree... He's, well..not that bad." Sarah shrugged and smiled.
"Not BAD?! What happened to him then?!" Her father shot a worried look at the curled mass that was Darson on the floor.
"He suffered the consequences of picking a fight with the holy Eidolon and endangering all of our lives." Eiko spoke matter-of-factly.
"We'll have to get some of the more advanced white mages to fix him up.. Well, Sarah. It looks like Iifa is now your Eidolon. Congratulations." Her father started off a small round of applause before heading over to Darson and slinging him over his shoulder as Iifa did. "We better take him back to the village then." Her father turned and headed out of the Iifa tree with the rest of the group. Sarah, Eiko and Iifa walked behind.
"I personally think he's jealous." Sarah smirked.
"Too right." Eiko giggled.
***************************
"Well? Can it even speak Gaian?" The mayor sat behind the wooden desk as did all of his councillors.
"Err, not really.." Sarah admitted. She and Iifa stood before the Mandain Sari council, hoping to seek approval for Iifa to be her Eidolon.
"Iifa, if that is indeed your name, what is your business here?" The Mayor gave a suspicious look at him.
"Desfa condai fuso.." Iifa muttered.
"What did he just say?!" The mayor seemed to take it as an insult, which it probably was.
"I'm not sure sir.." Sarah held back her laughter.
"That language... it sounds familiar.." The chief linguist in Mandain Sari stroked his beard.
"What is it?" The mayor asked puzzled.
"That language....is the language of the legendary Terra." The council looked around suspiciously at each other.
"How do you know?" Helen, the chief of white magic enquired.
"Because a few years ago, some friends and I went to the forbidden continent for some exploring. We were stuck in a bad sandstorm one night, and fled to the shelter of a huge building. It was made of strange stones and in architecturally impossible patterns, I believe it was called Oievert. We decided to explore and found traces of a different language, and by luck, managed to translate some it when entities in the shape of faces came from the walls and spoke to us in it's language. I do not know much of it, but the faces spoke of a 'Mother Terra', so it must be from there." Everyone in the room went deadly silent until Helen spoke up.
"But isn't Terra the star to the west? I mean, it's only a star.."
"Yes, but doesn't it shine more than the rest? It's nearly as big as Gaia's twin moons." The mayor put forward. "So, what did it say to me?"
"Well, from what of the language I remember, I think it called you an imbecile." The linguist smiled at the mayor, who went red with anger.
"Basa su nech‰, tio sen takoa conforyata.." Iifa spoke to Sarah.
"What did that mean?" Sarah asked the linguist.
"It means 'My liberator, your tribe is strange.' At least I think so." Sarah looked at Iifa in a new light. He had been addressing her 'basa su nech‰' since she had met him, and it meant 'my liberator.' It was a nice title to have, for someone who she had known for such a short amount of time.
"What's thankyou in Terran?" Sarah asked.
"Umm.. I think it's 'san-kato'. "
Sarah turned to Iifa and cleared her throat.
"San-kato, Iifa." Iifa looked confused.
"Decos con fas 'san-kato' meda noth, basa su nech‰?" Iifa asked Sarah. She immediately looked at the linguist as if to say "Meaning?"
"Oh!.. Er.. 'What did you say thankyou for, my liberator?' " The linguist quickly translated. Sarah groaned.
"Man.. culture clash.. Say nevermind to him, please.." Sarah put her hand to her head.
"Safaika." The linguist smiled at Iifa, who rolled his eyes.
"Sorry to change the subject of this little conversation, but hadn't we better give the Eidolon a name? He can't just walk around with people calling him Iifa, they'd get suspicious." The mayor stroked his moustache.
"Why don't we call him something from his own language? Or from the ancient summoner language?" Helen advised. The mayor nodded.
"How about 'mysterious' in ancient summon language?" One of the council suggested.
"That's good." The mayor turned to Iifa, and all of the council sat up straight and suddenly became formal. "Eidolon of Terra, since coming to this village, we will give you a name. From this point on you shall be called 'Zidane'."
"Zidane.." Sarah tried the name on her tounge. It sounded good.
"Sarah.." The mayor caught her attention.
"Yes?"
"I approve 'Zidane' as the newest Eidolon to Mandain Sari, and he is by right, yours."
"YEEESSSS!!!" Sarah jumped up and down in celebration.
"Oh, and Sarah..." Sarah turned to the linguist. "It might be an idea that you learn Terran, for the sake of conversation." Sarah nodded, and bowed to the council before exiting with Zidane.
"So, Zidane!" Sarah grinned at him "What did you want to know about Mariah?" Zidane looked at the sky before replying to her question.
"I want to know where she is right now." Zidane spoke with ease.
"You can speak Gaian?! You never told me!?!" Sarah' s mouth dropped.
"Of course I can speak Gaian! I just wanted to confuse those fools in the council!"
"Wha? I mean...how?" Sarah scratched her head in confusion.
"Do you really think that after 10,000 years of living here I wouldn't know Gaian?"
"Say WHAT?!"
"Liberator.." Zidane began.
"My name is Sarah, get used to it. Also, you better get used to telling me stuff instead of keeping it to yourself!" Sarah prodded him on the chest.
"Fine. Sarah, I'm not an Eidolon."
"Oh! Now he tells me!" Sarah said sarcastically.
"Seriously. You and your people seem to think that I am some kind of holy Eidolon, well, I'm not." Zidane corrected Sarah's way of thinking.
"Then what the hell are you?"
"I'm Iifa."
"..and?"
"The Iifa tree and me.. we share the same mind. I am the Iifa tree.. and the Iifa tree is me."
"So what you're saying is.. your kind of like the Iifa tree's soul.. right?"
"In a way, yeah. That's how I know Gaian. The Iifa tree's conscience is my memories. When the Life crystal.."
"Whoah there! Information over-load!" Sarah hushed him up. "Give me a second to process this!"
"Sorry."
"Don't be. My head is a little slow in the afternoon." Sarah laughed. "Okay. First things first, your gonna teach me Terran..."
Well? I really hoped you liked this. This chapter was long in my standards. Yay for me!
***One last note, those of you who thought 'What the hell is Shadow on about?! 10,000 years on Gaia? Zidane never spent THAT long on the damn planet!' Don't worry! Because (as he says) Zidane's memories come directly from the Iifa tree's memories. And you all know that the Iifa tree was Garland's first creation, and he created it thousands of years ago. Right, lecture over. For those Kuja fans out there, Kuja will be making a live appearance in future chapters. See you next week!
Chpt 3: Zidane
Sarah sucked in a sharp breath as she spotted something on the inside of the cocoon. She could see the goosebumps on her arms and feel them on her back.
"Hello?" Sarah whispered. Her already pale skin could be easily mistaken for white.
"(I have to get out of here.. gods know why the vines brought me down to this place...)" Sarah stepped backwards as she heard a loud noise to her left.
"What now?!" Sarah reached for her rod, but all she grabbed was air. "Oh for Leviahthan's sake! Where is it!?" Sarah stopped dead when she realised that her rod was several floors up, where she had first fallen.
"Oh no..." Sarah cursed herself for being a fool, she should have never come here!
"Great! Now I'm gonna end up even more dead than I was before!" Sarah laughed sarcastically to herself. She could feel that itching worry in the back of her mind as she protectively clutched her mother's pendant around her neck. Her worst fears were confirmed when a low growl emitted from her left...
*****************************
"SARAH! WHERE ARE YOU?! TALK TO ME!!!" Darson called into the darkness.
"Sarah?! Sarah, if you can hear us, say something!!!" Eiko was nearly sick with worry. "Darson? Have you still got the torch?" Eiko felt in the darkness for her companion, and held onto his cloak tightly.
"Yeah.. wait! I got it now...'Fire'..." Darson's face appeared suddenly with the burst of blue then crimson flame. "Thank Odin for my black magic.." Darson breathed to himself.
"Do you think she's alright?" Eiko peered up at Darson, still clutching his cloak in fear of the darkness. Darson looked down into the six year old's face.
"Yes, she'll be fine. You know Sarah... She'd hate to see that we're worrying about her." He scruffled Eiko's hair playfully. "C'mon. I know that Sarah can look after herself, but it won't hurt to find her."
"Uh-huh... I think we were separated by that rock fall." Eiko pointed to a large pile of rocks on the far side of the room. "If we move those rocks, we should find another exit. Maybe Sarah went down there?"
"Maybe.." Darson looked around, his only light being the flickering torch in his hand. "You're right. By estimation there should be an exit there.." Darson jogged over to the mass of rocks and began to throw each one off the heap, slowly revealing a vine crafted path. Darson and Eiko raced down it until a hole in the floor was reached. They both looked at each other with the same thought. In Sarah's understanding, if there was adventure; do it, if there was danger; challenge it, and if there was a certain Eidolon called Iifa, go out of your way to capture it.
"Well, I suppose we have to drop down that, long, dark, spooky hole?" Eiko huffed with sarcasm.
"Sarah is going to be in BIG trouble with her father when we get out of here.. Or.. she's in big trouble already." Darson's voice echoed down the dark chasm.
"I hope not.."
********************************
Sarah rushed to the other side of the vine cocoon. Whatever had appeared was searching for her, seeking for the intruder.
("Go away! Turn around..turn around!") Sarah wished in her head. Her breathing became uneven as fear began to seep slowly into her mind. Suddenly it let out a sharp hissing sound, almost sounding like words. Sarah took a sharp look around the cocoon, the creature was like a trunk of a tree, using it's roots to move. It had a skeletal face surrounded by greenery and strangely enough, bricks.
("I gotta find a way outta here! Damn you! Can't you just leave me alone?!") Sarah leaned against the vines and shook the little necklace in her fist. Sarah could hear the hissing sound getting louder and more legible.
"Giiiivvvveeee mmeeeee iiiitttt baaacccckkkkkhhhhssss"
("What back?")
"Thhhheeee nneeeccckkhhhllaaasssss"
("The necklace?! What could it possibly want with the necklace?!")
"IIII kkkknnnnooooww yyooouu cccaannn hheeaarr mmmeeeesss!"
("It knows where I am!?") Sarah panicked for a brief moment before wishing she had never left the safety of her house.
"YYYOOOUUU!" She turned to see the grotesque face scream in anger in her direction. Sarah shrieked and leaped to avoid it's attack against her.
"Dooonn't tthhiinnk yyoouu ccaann ggett awwaayyss!!!" It let a vine like club from its body smash into the ground, narrowly avoiding her. The vines all around them went wild, like a crowd around a pit fight. Sarah was too busy ducking and rolling in several directions to notice this, but instead tried desperately hard to remember any spells she knew that didn't involve using her rod.
("Run left! Duck!!! That was close.. Oh man.. Float? Esuna? Ahh! Run!...Wait! I know!") Sarah stopped before letting a spell flow from her hands.
"Blind!!!" The effect was what she hoped. It blinded the creature as it flailed its limbs in all directions.
("Uh-Oh.. Its out of control!!!") Sarah took off to hide behind the safety of the cocoon before one vine from the monster caught her back, sending her flying. Sarah landed hard on her side, her mother's necklace sailing off her neck and reach.
("No!")
The necklace smashed into the cocoon, and to her surprise, went inside...
A flashing light enveloped all around her, the ground shook, the vines whipped themselves around in confusion and the monster she fought swayed unnaturally as the floor trembled beneath them. The cocoon burst open like an explosion, sending vines and the pale water inside of it everywhere.
Then, like some kind of holy announcement, a man shape figure stepped forwards from the shattered cocoon, he was dressed in dirty clothes, which looked like he had been wearing them for years. Sarah also noticed he had a tail, a brown soft looking tail, which swished back and forth as he stood, taking in his environment. The monster bowed like a hunchback in shame.
"Maaassssttteerrr Kkkuujjaaa....IIIII hhaavvee ffaaiilleedd yoouuuuu... IIII giiivvee mmyyy lliiffee.." The monster bent double in an unhealthy fashion and shattered, leaving nothing behind.
The blond headed teenager looked at Sarah in apprehension, then over to the far side of the room.
"Sarah! Get down!" She felt a heavy weight descend apon her, pushing her to the floor. It was Darson and Eiko. Sarah felt a little annoyed, since Darson would thwart any chance of her talking to the tailed man infront of her. He was no doubt Iifa, and Darson had his weapon out ready to face him.
"Sarah! Are you alright?!" Eiko came dashing over, the float spell that had most probably carried them down wearing off.
"You're hurt! Let me cure it!" Eiko tried to reach the wound where she had fallen on her side, but Sarah pulled it out of her reach.
"Let me get up, Eiko!" Sarah did so and shoved Darson so he could face her. "Darson, don't fight him! Let him be!" Sarah scolded.
"But Sarah, that thing hurt you!" Darson spat in the direction of Iifa.
"Darson! Just because I'm hurt, it doesn't mean he did it! Just leave me alone, I had everything under control!" Sarah shouted, making Darson step forwards and grab her collar.
"Listen! I didn't just come all the way down here so you can tell me you had things under control!!! Do you have any idea how worried we were!? Don't you DARE tell me you don't need looking after, because you do! You act like a damn child! Always running off and confronting things which are way out of your power!!!" Darson yelled, throwing her to the floor.
"Darson! My father will hear of this!" Sarah threatened as Eiko ran to her side.
"Darson, what's come into you?! Your meant to be protecting Sarah, not hurting her!" Eiko wailed. They both knew that he was stronger than both of them put together.
"Shut-up, you brat! I don't need anyone telling ME what to do! If want to fight Iifa, I will, and no-one is going to stop me!" His anger was getting uncontrollable.
"So, come on Iifa! Let's see what you.. huh?" Darson turned and put up his fists in a fight stance, only to find the boy had disappeared. "Where'd he go!!!" Darson looked around fervently, knowing he was open to a surprise attack. As if someone had put on it on cue, a voice was heard, echoing throughout the cavern. Suddenly all the lights vanished and all that was to be heard was the three summoner's uneven breathing.
"Basa su nech‰... Hensau to no badha..." The voice spoke in a hissing like tone, and was all too familiar with Sarah (who had had enough of hissing creatures today.)
"What the hell was that!?" Darson spun around, his head darting to every point the voice had come from. Sarah's eyes were just accustoming themselves to the dark when she saw movement above her.
"Something's up there!" She pointed into the darkness. The voice sounded again, except this time more urgently.
"Tio noeta tikeh!!!" Sarah could feel Eiko's grip tighten on her arm.
"What do you want?!" Sarah called upward. She knew that she had got herself into this, and was going to work her way out. Wether Darson co-operated in a sensible mood or not.
"Do you have a name?!" Her voice echoed timidly into the obscurity above them, and all held their breath for the reply.
"Estu eth bacch... Tio con atorin?" The voice was calmer, almost as timid as her question was. It sounded again.
"...Tio con atorin su....su Iifa." All recognised the last word. But if it was Iifa, then why didn't he come down and surrender as an normal Eidolon would?
"This Eidolon's got some spunk." Darson snarled almost to himself. He too followed Sarah's line of sight to the dark vastness. "Okay then Iifa! Why don't you come down here, so we can take a look at you, then? Or are you gonna play hard-to-get?" Darson's proposition sounded uncannily like a challenge.
"Darson! Don't provoke him!" Sarah scolded.
"Aww shaddup would you! This guy's gonna be a domestic Eidolon in a minute anyway, so do me a favour AND SHUT THAT HOLE IN YOUR FACE!!!" Darson was now starting to wind himself up.
"You've changed Darson. And it ain't for the better." Sarah spoke quietly, giving a heavy and deadly air to the room.
"Im teop, mei isim!!" The voice abruptly sounded right behind Darson, and his muffled cry could be heard.
"DARSON?!" Eiko screamed. No reply. The girls could both hear a struggle, but couldn't see anything in the gloom. The sound of feet scuffling on the ground could be heard, and a faint cry of Darson's voice also. Sarah sucked her breath in hard when the shrill, blood-curdling crack of a bone sounded out, and a howl of pain followed it.
The lights quickly came on without warning, and a gut retching scene was revealed. Darson was lying on the ground, cradling a horribly disfigured and most likely broken arm. Blood flowed like dripping honey off the wound and over-ran the floor. Beside him stood Iifa, hands, arms, shirt and hair covered in blood. A splash of the crimson liquid spread tastelessly over his eyes, nose and mouth in some form of malignant ritual. His eyes glowed a cerulean colour, clashing with the blood on his face and hair. He looked like a demon from another dimension, just standing there, tail whipping from side to side.
Sarah stood wide-eyed, with a terror stricken look on her pale face, as did Eiko.
"Basa su nech‰.." He looked straight into Sarah's eyes before taking something out of his pocket. "Gesfa ei imui outu.." He held out her necklace at arm's length, and signalled for her to take it.
"Sarah! Don't take it from him! He's gonna hurt you like he did to Darson!" Eiko restrained Sarah's legs.
"Eiko! Let go of me!" Sarah pulled Eiko's arms off her legs and looked straight into Iifa's eyes, searching for any trace of a civilised creature in him. She saw that his eyes defied his brutal appearance. They were a soft, ocean like tone. Almost calming in a funny way.
Eiko saw things completely the opposite. She could see Sarah affectionately looking into his eyes, almost hypnotically.
"Sarah?" She spoke softly in an attempt to break Sarah's trance. Sarah clicked for a second before reaching forward and taking the necklace from his hand without hesitation. Iifa smiled and stepped backwards, looking in admiration as Sarah returned the ornament to her neck.
"I am sorry for disturbing you, Eidolon Iifa. I know Darson probably deserved what was coming to him but can you let us leave in peace? Please?" Sarah got down on one knee, and Eiko finally understood what she was doing. Sarah had always been good at talking to nature with her horn, and to Eidolons. She was simply fixing any offense the Eidolon had taken during Darson's tantrum, and making sure that they got out in one piece.
Iifa turned a searching look on her before smiling again.
"Basa su nech‰ oni sandego." Sarah could think of nothing but to smile back, since his language was completely mystifying to her, but she had a strange feeling he could understand what she was saying.
"Do you know where my father and all his companions are? If so.. I .. I would be very grateful if you could let them out..." Sarah bowed her head as she spoke showing the upmost respect for the Eidolon that stood before her. Iifa looked as if he was thinking something through.
"Kato basa su nech‰ jhena citos Mariah?" Mariah. The name shot through Sarah's head like a dart.
"Mariah? The crazy girl who loved..uh.. whatisface... Kuja! Yeah Kuja!" Sarah clicked her finger as she and Iifa reached a mutual understanding.
"..Kuja.. son maei idhim Garland etoch ..." It looked as if a painful memory had swept over his face, but he shook it off and smiled at her once more.
"Metha su bathca kato Mandain Sari, endos anaksu... ah.. amonn su tio sokaos?" He pointed to Darson, who was still pawing over his arm on the floor.
"Hey Sarah, it sounds like a deal to me... he wants something about Mandain Sari, in return for something about Darson..."
"Certainly looks like it.." Sarah cocked her head in confusion. " Well, let's go along with it anyway." Sarah nodded at Iifa, and he waved a hand over at some nearby vines which split open, letting the blinding sunlight pour over them. Sarah and Eiko covered their eyes from the sun as Iifa walked over to Darson and flung him over his shoulders. Darson whimpered in pain as Iifa led the way out.
As soon as they were on the vine path outside, (to Sarah and Eiko's relief,) the vines leading back inside snapped shut behind them, making the girls jump in shock.
"Sheesh....violent tree, huh?" Eiko elbowed Sarah on the leg. Iifa gave her a menacing look.
"Okaaay.." Eiko held up her hands in defence.
"Look!" Sarah pointed enthusiastically over to a crowd of people at the entrance. Her father and the white mage lady were among them.
"Looks like their arguing over summin'.." Eiko put forward. "I wonder what..?" As they got closer they could hear, indeed, an argument.
"But that thing nearly swallowed us whole!!! You can't expect us to go back in there!"
"Yeah! The vines that got you and the white mage probably got the three of them, their most likely be dead by now!" Sarah's father silenced them with his hands in the air.
"Listen! If it were your children, you all would go in there without hesitation!" The crowd grumbled and muttered amongst themselves. "...and my daughter and two children I am responsible for are down there! I won't leave them!"
"Hey, I think it's time we split this up, no?" Eiko and Sarah ran towards the crowd shouting and calling.
"HEEEYYY!! DAAADD! YYOOHHOOO!" The girls were welcomed with open arms as the crowd of summoners surrounded them and drained their escape story from them. Finally Sarah was allowed to talk to her father.
"Dad.."
"Sarah! I am very disappointed in you! You could have been killed! Why, if Darson wasn't there to protect you I would.."
"DAD! Darson didn't help at all!"
"What?"
"He picked a fight with.. with Iifa!" Loud and excitable mumbles and whispers swept throughout the group of people.
"Nearly getting us killed in the process!" Eiko butted in.
"You actually SAW Iifa?!" One of the summoners pulled at Sarah's arm.
"Yes! He's with us now!" She pointed with a smile to the path she had just run up. The crowd split and looked at the direction she was indicating. There stood Iifa, still covered in blood with Darson at his feet. The crowd suddenly threw themselves at the floor in worship as if the earth had turned to gold. Several mutterings of "We are not worthy!" and "Forgive us, holy Eidolon!" were heard.
"Father, he let us out of the Iifa Tree... He's, well..not that bad." Sarah shrugged and smiled.
"Not BAD?! What happened to him then?!" Her father shot a worried look at the curled mass that was Darson on the floor.
"He suffered the consequences of picking a fight with the holy Eidolon and endangering all of our lives." Eiko spoke matter-of-factly.
"We'll have to get some of the more advanced white mages to fix him up.. Well, Sarah. It looks like Iifa is now your Eidolon. Congratulations." Her father started off a small round of applause before heading over to Darson and slinging him over his shoulder as Iifa did. "We better take him back to the village then." Her father turned and headed out of the Iifa tree with the rest of the group. Sarah, Eiko and Iifa walked behind.
"I personally think he's jealous." Sarah smirked.
"Too right." Eiko giggled.
***************************
"Well? Can it even speak Gaian?" The mayor sat behind the wooden desk as did all of his councillors.
"Err, not really.." Sarah admitted. She and Iifa stood before the Mandain Sari council, hoping to seek approval for Iifa to be her Eidolon.
"Iifa, if that is indeed your name, what is your business here?" The Mayor gave a suspicious look at him.
"Desfa condai fuso.." Iifa muttered.
"What did he just say?!" The mayor seemed to take it as an insult, which it probably was.
"I'm not sure sir.." Sarah held back her laughter.
"That language... it sounds familiar.." The chief linguist in Mandain Sari stroked his beard.
"What is it?" The mayor asked puzzled.
"That language....is the language of the legendary Terra." The council looked around suspiciously at each other.
"How do you know?" Helen, the chief of white magic enquired.
"Because a few years ago, some friends and I went to the forbidden continent for some exploring. We were stuck in a bad sandstorm one night, and fled to the shelter of a huge building. It was made of strange stones and in architecturally impossible patterns, I believe it was called Oievert. We decided to explore and found traces of a different language, and by luck, managed to translate some it when entities in the shape of faces came from the walls and spoke to us in it's language. I do not know much of it, but the faces spoke of a 'Mother Terra', so it must be from there." Everyone in the room went deadly silent until Helen spoke up.
"But isn't Terra the star to the west? I mean, it's only a star.."
"Yes, but doesn't it shine more than the rest? It's nearly as big as Gaia's twin moons." The mayor put forward. "So, what did it say to me?"
"Well, from what of the language I remember, I think it called you an imbecile." The linguist smiled at the mayor, who went red with anger.
"Basa su nech‰, tio sen takoa conforyata.." Iifa spoke to Sarah.
"What did that mean?" Sarah asked the linguist.
"It means 'My liberator, your tribe is strange.' At least I think so." Sarah looked at Iifa in a new light. He had been addressing her 'basa su nech‰' since she had met him, and it meant 'my liberator.' It was a nice title to have, for someone who she had known for such a short amount of time.
"What's thankyou in Terran?" Sarah asked.
"Umm.. I think it's 'san-kato'. "
Sarah turned to Iifa and cleared her throat.
"San-kato, Iifa." Iifa looked confused.
"Decos con fas 'san-kato' meda noth, basa su nech‰?" Iifa asked Sarah. She immediately looked at the linguist as if to say "Meaning?"
"Oh!.. Er.. 'What did you say thankyou for, my liberator?' " The linguist quickly translated. Sarah groaned.
"Man.. culture clash.. Say nevermind to him, please.." Sarah put her hand to her head.
"Safaika." The linguist smiled at Iifa, who rolled his eyes.
"Sorry to change the subject of this little conversation, but hadn't we better give the Eidolon a name? He can't just walk around with people calling him Iifa, they'd get suspicious." The mayor stroked his moustache.
"Why don't we call him something from his own language? Or from the ancient summoner language?" Helen advised. The mayor nodded.
"How about 'mysterious' in ancient summon language?" One of the council suggested.
"That's good." The mayor turned to Iifa, and all of the council sat up straight and suddenly became formal. "Eidolon of Terra, since coming to this village, we will give you a name. From this point on you shall be called 'Zidane'."
"Zidane.." Sarah tried the name on her tounge. It sounded good.
"Sarah.." The mayor caught her attention.
"Yes?"
"I approve 'Zidane' as the newest Eidolon to Mandain Sari, and he is by right, yours."
"YEEESSSS!!!" Sarah jumped up and down in celebration.
"Oh, and Sarah..." Sarah turned to the linguist. "It might be an idea that you learn Terran, for the sake of conversation." Sarah nodded, and bowed to the council before exiting with Zidane.
"So, Zidane!" Sarah grinned at him "What did you want to know about Mariah?" Zidane looked at the sky before replying to her question.
"I want to know where she is right now." Zidane spoke with ease.
"You can speak Gaian?! You never told me!?!" Sarah' s mouth dropped.
"Of course I can speak Gaian! I just wanted to confuse those fools in the council!"
"Wha? I mean...how?" Sarah scratched her head in confusion.
"Do you really think that after 10,000 years of living here I wouldn't know Gaian?"
"Say WHAT?!"
"Liberator.." Zidane began.
"My name is Sarah, get used to it. Also, you better get used to telling me stuff instead of keeping it to yourself!" Sarah prodded him on the chest.
"Fine. Sarah, I'm not an Eidolon."
"Oh! Now he tells me!" Sarah said sarcastically.
"Seriously. You and your people seem to think that I am some kind of holy Eidolon, well, I'm not." Zidane corrected Sarah's way of thinking.
"Then what the hell are you?"
"I'm Iifa."
"..and?"
"The Iifa tree and me.. we share the same mind. I am the Iifa tree.. and the Iifa tree is me."
"So what you're saying is.. your kind of like the Iifa tree's soul.. right?"
"In a way, yeah. That's how I know Gaian. The Iifa tree's conscience is my memories. When the Life crystal.."
"Whoah there! Information over-load!" Sarah hushed him up. "Give me a second to process this!"
"Sorry."
"Don't be. My head is a little slow in the afternoon." Sarah laughed. "Okay. First things first, your gonna teach me Terran..."
Well? I really hoped you liked this. This chapter was long in my standards. Yay for me!
***One last note, those of you who thought 'What the hell is Shadow on about?! 10,000 years on Gaia? Zidane never spent THAT long on the damn planet!' Don't worry! Because (as he says) Zidane's memories come directly from the Iifa tree's memories. And you all know that the Iifa tree was Garland's first creation, and he created it thousands of years ago. Right, lecture over. For those Kuja fans out there, Kuja will be making a live appearance in future chapters. See you next week!