Hello again! Thanks to all that reviewed my story, and I hope you all have a nice X-mas, and get lots of neat prezzies! Anyway, in this chapter, we meet a new character! (One I made up!) Also, it's off to Alexandria! Enjoy!
Chpt 5 : The White Wolf
"What do you mean, 'Kuja's alive'!?" Sarah ran alongside Zidane . "I thought he died a long time ago?!" The night air rushed past them as they fled for the entrance of Mandain Sari.
"Yeah, I thought the same. But the vision - it was a warning... from my master..." Zidane stopped at the corner of a building before peering around for any guards that were about..
"Your master? Didn't he die too?"
"No, he was injured.. but he's gone somewhere, waiting for a chance to take revenge on Kuja for entombing me." Zidane brushed the hair from his forehead as he and Sarah dashed down a side alley.
"So that was what the creature was talking about... The creature that guarded you in the Iifa tree said.. 'Master kuja, I have failed you, I give my life.' Or something like that.." Sarah described as she ran.
"That's right. The creature guarding me was called Soulcage. He was serving Kuja to stop me escaping. But he also said to me that I should protect Mariah.."
"So that's why you want to find her, to protect her?"
"No. I want to find her before Kuja does, so I can make Kuja do what I want. With Mariah's life as the deal."
"Oh.. I didn't quite see it that way. Hey Zidane, y'know my mom's necklace, why did it release you?" Sarah stopped as Zidane did at another corner, looking for possible danger.
"Because it was the opening key. The Iifa tree kept hold of it, but when your father took it from it's resting place and gave it to you... The Iifa tree prepared to release me. When the necklace came in contact with me, as the key opens the lock, I was released. That is why I am in debt to you."
"In debt?"
"A life debt. A life for a life. You saved me from imprisonment, and in return you become my liberator and I protect your life. Catch on?"
"A little, so I have a personal guard? Cool."
"Think it as having a a friend to watch your back."
"That is sweet of you, Zidane. So, we're a team?" Sarah held out her hand, and Zidane took it.
"A team." Zidane beamed. "Do you have everything?" He asked Sarah, who nodded. "Good, because this is gonna be break out or broke in. See the guard up there? I distract him while you head for the gate, I'll catch up."
"Alright. I can't believe I'm finally getting out of here!" Sarah breathed out slowly. "Right, I'll see you outside!" Sarah leapt out of the alley and sneaked past the nearby guard, who was patrolling the town, inforcing the curfew.
"Okay, it's back to the good old days..." Zidane drew out the Exploda and circled his shoulders. He then threw himself at the guard who instinctively drew his weapon.
"You! The Terran demon!" The guard fumbled with his weapon.
"Well, at least someone's got my name right.." Zidane felt the power flowing through his veins as the angel of death inside of him took over. He felt his control over his body numbing.
"What in the name of Fenris!?" The guard stepped back in fear as a new form shadowed him, and the shrill crack of his neck breaking rang out in the night.
**********************
Sarah ran quickly over the cries of guards calling for backup. Zidane had done a good job in distracting them, alright.
"Only one block..only one more block.." Sarah counted the houses out until the exit. ("Come on, Sarah, you're so close to getting out of here!") Her thoughts encouraged her as her pace quickened at the sight of the wooden gate.
("No guards! Oh, Zidane I could kiss you!!") She mentally celebrated as she reached the wooden gate and began to pull it open.
"STOP!" Sarah froze. She turned around slowly to see Eiko, hands on hips, looking like a near responsible adult.
"Eiko?! ... What are YOU doing out after curfew?!" Sarah whispered harshly.
"The same goes to you, Sarah! Your not trying to do a runner again are you? Because you know that if you run from here then the monster outside will get you!"
"Oh, Eiko! That's just a stupid myth to wind up and scare little children!"
"You calling me a child?"
"Eiko! Don't be so trivial! I'm going because I don't want to marry that idiot Darson!" Sarah tried to explain her situation, but Eiko wasn't letting this slip.
"Sarah, if you escape again, you know that your parents will die of grief. They really love you, don't do this to them."
"They obviously didn't love me enough to let me have my own choices. Plus, they'll be grieving more over the money they lost with the marriage over than they will with me gone." Sarah looked out of the Mandain Sari gate. "You know I always meant to escape out of here, Eiko. Don't deprive me of the opportunity, I will and am going."
"But Sarah!"
"No, Eiko." Sarah silenced her. "Look after yourself okay? Maybe we'll meet again some day."
"Sarah..."
"..Farewell, Eiko." Sarah slipped out of the gate without sound and was swallowed by the darkness.
"Good-bye.." Eiko waved into the darkness, knowing full well Sarah would already be running free and out of her voice range. The purple haired summoner slumped to the floor and let out a long sigh. She thought back to the time when her and Sarah would play with Mariah, the 'crazy girl'. They used to play around the gates of Mandain Sari, spending the summer of there childhood enjoying life, not thinking about the future. Only the next day playing.
It all abruptly stopped when Mariah met the 'Kuja' person, and always went to the Iifa tree with him. When she supposedly went mad and ran away, Sarah and herself were asked never to speak as if they had known her. Now history was repeating itself and Sarah was escaping with another Terran.
Eiko's thoughts were interrupted when someone ran straight past her. Eiko let out a small scream as the figure turned to face her in the darkness. It was covered in black and silver feathers, with two huge bird like wings protruding from it's back. It was in man shape, and had strange markings covering it's face like slashes of a wild beast's claw. But there was those familiar cerulean eyes, and that swishing tail...
"Zidane!" Eiko called out. Zidane simply smiled at her before transforming to his normal self, and as Sarah did, rush into the darkness that was outside the safety of the walls. Eiko heard the guards shout and scream in the street behind her.
"Murder!!! Murder!!! The Terran demon has struck again!" Eiko looked out the gate once more.
("Sarah.. please don't let Zidane hurt you..")
*************
As Sarah woke from her slumbers, an orange scenery came into view as her eyes adjusted to the morning light. Her escape had been completely successful and she and Zidane had made it to Conde Piete mountain path before stopping to rest for the night. She yawned and sat up off her rough covers. Zidane was nowhere in sight, but his few belongings were still around his sleeping bag. So he couldn't have gone far.
Sarah picked herself up and took a stroll down the rocky path. She could see for miles around the desert landscape. She could see Mandain Sari and the Eidolon wall in the distance, gleaming like a beacon. Sarah sighed. She wanted no more to do with that place. She turned in another direction, facing the Iifa Tree. Her memories in there poured back into her mind. Some fond, some not. She turned to look at the mountains, and in the distance; the sea. She would love to go to the sea, and maybe over it. But now was not the time to ponder.
"Mornin'. You sleep well?" Zidane came up the path and stood beside her.
"Yeah. I can sleep well knowing I'm not marrying that idiot the next day.." Sarah breathed in the warm air. "I'm free."
"Ah, the luxuries of liberation. You and me both, Sarah." Zidane elbowed her gently in the side before tidying up his gear on the floor.
"Where did you go this morning?" Sarah started packing her own gear into a pouch strapped onto her waist. The blankets were left for the next person who found them.
"I went to Conde Piete. It's grown since I last saw it.. Which was about eight or nine years ago." Zidane signalled for Sarah to walk with him. "I went to see if there is any transport around, which there is."
"Really? What kind? Ship or fishing ship?" Sarah kicked a rock beneath her feet as she walked.
"Ship. About four of them, they're Alexandrian. Actually they were doing some kind of weird business around the shore. I watched em' from the top of this path, they were using Conde Piete as some kind of base for animals and prisoners I think."
"Base? I always thought Conde Piete would never involve itself in activity like that... Especially violent activity." Sarah and Zidane reached the top of the path. There they saw four Alexandrian ships unloading many, many prisoners. Men and animals alike. They were all being transported to Conde Piete in a snake like line, which wound itself up a steep path from the beach to the cliff top and eventually to Conde Piete.
"Wow.. there are so many people there.. C'mon Zidane. Lets go check this out." Zidane followed Sarah's lead as they rushed down the path to Conde Piete.
A little dwarf was outside the gate, looking distinctly confused.
"Hey! Can you tell us what's going on here?" Sarah rushed up to the dwarf's side.
"Oo! Ye are Sarah, no? Ye are one o' those ol' summoner people." The dwarf looked at her horn poking out of her black hair.
"Yes. I sometimes come here."
"Aye, I ken that n' all. Me an' o Daisy see ye walking fer tradin' here with that lil' purple haired lassie. Ach, very strange."
"Strange!? Why I outta.." Sarah had to hold herself back. "Nevermind. Listen, can you tell us what Alexandrians are doing here?"
"Aye, I can. They oot doin' funny hunts for people an' animals with special powers or features. Ye better watch yerself too lassie. Ye gotta horn, an ye boyfriend here as a tail an all. What are ye anywhoo? A monkey? A cat?"
"My b-b-boyfriend?!" Sarah flushed crimson, and Zidane was red with anger about being called a monkey-cat.
"Well, ye outta see th' strange an wonderful things they got doon there! They got this young lassie who escaped aboot an hour ago. Some kinda new species or sommin." Zidane and Sarah looked at each other.
"~You thinking what I'm thinking?~" Zidane spoke in Terran
"~You bet I am.~" Sarah thanked the dwarf before they dashed off to explore the camp.
"Aye. They speak in strange language o'well!" The dwarf scratched his head in confusion.
*****************************
"Captain, Ma'am. This is the fourth time she's escaped. What do you want us to do with her?" A female soldier informed the captain of the situation in hand. Zidane and Sarah hid behind a crate, hoping to catch glimpse of what was really going on.
"Hmm. I suggest you sedate her again. If she is found not to be an eidolon when we get to Alexandria, then you can... dispose of her."
"~Zidane? What do you think their on about?~" Sarah whispered softly. (Terran is a quieter language than Gaian. It is most effective in quiet whispers.)
"~I'm not sure. Let's go around that crate and take a look at what 'she' is..~" Zidane led them both around another large crate as they absorbed the scene before them.
A snowy white wolf was chained and muzzled against a strong post. 'She' had bleeding coming from her front right leg, it looked like quite a bad gash, she also looked very weary and exhausted.
"~That wolf is beautiful..~" Sarah breathed.
"~Yeah, but look at the size of the damn thing!~" Zidane was right. The wolf's back could easily reach Sarah's upper torso, and the head probably reached an inch below Zidane's head. The soldier and Captain continued their conversation.
"Every time we chain her up, she wriggles out again!" The soldier complained.
"Well, keep watching her and chain her tighter then!" The captain ordered. The soldier grabbed some chains from ontop of a crate and approached the giant wolf. Suddenly all the chains holding the wolf down went taught and she strained against them. Her mouth opened slightly, showing a ridge of sharp, razor teeth held in by clean pink gums.
"Take it easy, girl.." The soldier held out her hand, but the wolf let out a blood curdling growl which any normal human would run from. The soldier kept approaching, and the wolf's warning got louder. Soon, all of her teeth were exposed and her snout and nose were crinkled up in ferocity.
"~The poor wolf! She's terrified!~" Sarah put her hands over her mouth.
"~I'm thinking the soldier is probably more scared, she has to chain her!~" Zidane shook his head. The wolf's eyes showed white around the black pupils, showing anger more than fear.
"Get a move on, soldier!" The captain ordered. "Oh for goodness sake, give it up! Just guard her if you can't chain her!" The soldier gratefully drew back and the wolf calmed down a little.
"But ma'am, none of us can stop her when she escapes! She's too fast!"
"Oh please, tell me that a soldier from Alexandria's finest can't outrun a 16 year old girl?!" The captain complained.
"No buts. Guard her, I'll report back in two hours." The captain walked out as the soldier saluted. The soldier then looked in the direction of Zidane and Sarah and the crates.
"~Damn!~" Sarah quietly crawled backwards out of the soldier's view. The soldier looked around the area before picking up a cross bow with what seemed like tranquillisers on, and aimed for the wolf.
"This outta teach you for doing runners.." The soldier shot the tranquilliser into the wolf's side and walked out of the camp.
"~Phew, that was close..~" Sarah breathed.
"~I'd say. Hey Sarah..~"
"~Yeah?~"
"~Do you mind getting off my lap?~" Sarah flushed crimson again as she realised that in going back to avoid the soldier's gaze she had accidentally sat on Zidane...
"~I..I'm sorry, Zidane.~"
"~What's wrong with you? You got twitchy all of a sudden..~" Zidane smirked at her, to which she blushed again.
"~I..uh..~"
"~Forget it. But next time you get all twitchy I'm gonna be doing some investigations, okay?~"
"~Uh-huh.~" Sarah nodded quickly.
"~Right, let's have a look at old wolfy then..~" Zidane and Sarah got up from behind the crates to find a pile of chains on the floor. No wolf.
"~Where'd it go?!~" Zidane darted his head from side to side.
"~Hey, Zidane. How do you think it got out?~"
"~I have no idea whatsoever..~" Zidane shook his head in annoyance. "~How can a wolf the size of a..~" Zidane never finished his sentence. Several cries of 'Get her!' and 'She's running off!' were heard. Sarah and Zidane both nodded at each other and set off on the chase.
"~Run around that rock, we can stop the wolf and see what she really is then!~" Zidane pointed to a shortcut to a little path in a rocky pass.
"~Hey Zidane! Can we start speaking in Gaian now?!~" Sarah complained as she ran.
"Okay, whatever!"
"That's much bet.." Sarah's mouth was covered by Zidane.
"Quiet! Look up there!" He signalled out a body on the floor about twenty feet ahead of them.
"Quick, let's get them off of the road! I have a bad feeling that this is what the Alexandrians are looking for!" Zidane leapt forwards and dragged the body from the path to behind the rock. A few Alexandrians came along down the road and looked around before returning up the rocky pass.
"I swear you ARE psychic." Sarah sighed.
"It was just a precognition.. nothin' special." Zidane shrugged it off.
"Nothing special?! Why I outta.." Sarah mumbled to herself. The both of them then inspected the body. It was a girl, around 15 to 16 years old. She was heavily sedated and had an open wound in her right arm. When Zidane turned her over, she had a tranquilliser dart in her side.
"Three guesses to who THIS is.." Zidane sighed.
"SHE'S the wolf?!" Sarah said hoarsely.
"My money's on it. Just look at her.." Zidane pointed to some unusual features. She had white wolf ears poking out the top of her head, blond/white, shoulder length hair with a couple of darkish streaks in and a bushy white tail, reaching down to her ankles. She looked human apart from those features, and was very pretty for a wolf hybrid creature.
"Is she okay? Wait a minute..." Sarah got her rod out and pointed it at the open wound.
"Cura.." White light emitted from the rod and seeming poured into the wound, which soon disappeared.
"Brilliant thinking, Sarah. Now we have to wake her up and find out what's going on.. You got a spell for that tranquilliser too?" Zidane grinned at Sarah who willingly obliged.
"Esuna.." The girl's eyes fluttered open. They were a dark yellow colour.
"Hello. Are you alright?" The girl looked at Sarah's horn as she spoke to her.
"Did..you escape too?" The girl seemed very exhausted.
"No, but you did! Were you captured by the Alexandrians?" Sarah questioned her.
"Y..Yes. But how'd I get here? I was running then.." The girl faltered.
"Listen. Are you that wolf they had chained up?" The question seemed stupid, but had enough cause.
"I am. Why do you want to know? Aren't you a prisoner too?" The girl reached up and touched Sarah's horn.
"No, but we could have been if we were around a few hours earlier. Where did you come from?" Sarah helped the girl sit up. Her ears twitched as she felt her side, pulling out the tranquilliser dart.
"I come from the Winter Tundra. It's a vast snowfield in the forgotten continent."
"Why the hell are you wearing a gypsy top and hotpants then? Shouldn't you be wearing a fur coat?" Zidane interjected.
"No!" The girl sounded offended. "It's too hot to wear a fur coat in the snow!"
"Please tell me your lying.." Zidane said mystified.
"No.. Zidane. If she comes from a very cold place, then she should be used to those temperatures." Sarah explained.
"Then how come your not melting in this heat?" Zidane again questioned.
"Because my mother was a desert dweller called Minerva. She passed on her immunity to strong temperatures to me."
"Okay..." Zidane accepted slowly. "So your dad was a cold person then? Hah! That was a good pun!" Zidane laughed at his joke, but stopped dead when Sarah and the girl gave him frosty glares.
"No.. my father, Kae, was one of the 'Dark Wolves', which can grow to the height I transform into. He fell in love with my mother when she visited the Forbidden continent. He then used powerful magic to transform himself into a human, and they had me. Which gives me the ability to transform into a Dark Wolf."
"Tell me, daughter of Kae, what's your name?" Sarah smiled, she truly knew how to make someone trust her within a matter of minutes.
"My name's Hicatei, Hicatei Siede." ((Hic-ah-tey)) She smiled back at Sarah. "What's yours?"
"Mine's Sarah, Sarah Tresillian... and this is my friend Zidane..uh..Tribal."
"~Tribal?! Is that the best you could do?!~" Zidane whispered in Terran.
"~Sorry!~" Sarah sighed. "Anyway, Hicatei. Have you got a shorter name?"
"Uh.. before they died, my mom and dad used to call me Tei." ((You say it like 'Tea'.))
"Great, Tei. Now, do you know what all of this is about? Y'know, the prisoner taking stuff?" Sarah helped Tei stand up.
"Well, apparently the Queen of Alexandria, Brahne, is looking for summon monsters called 'eidolons'. They think I'm one because I can transform into a wolf." Tei sighed. "That's why their gathering up strange creatures and humans with powers, because they think we're eidolons."
"Interesting.." Zidane and Sarah said in unison.
"You're not heading to Alexandria, are you?!" Tei's expression changed from exhausted to smeared with worry.
"Well, I go where Zidane goes.. So.." Sarah looked at Zidane with her eyebrows raised.
"We go to Alexandria. We leave..about now.." Zidane looked at the midday sun before grabbing Sarah's hand and pulling her on to the path.
"Hey! Waittaminute! If you are going to Alexandria, can I come with you?" Tei ran behind them, the group stopped as she asked her question.
"~It's up to you. It might be good for you to have a female companion to talk to.~" Zidane reasoned with Sarah.
"~Okay.~" Sarah turned to Tei. "Right, you can come with us. But, why do you want to go to Alexandria?"
"Because I want to free my people, they are imprisoned there." Tei looked at the floor.
"It's settled then. Let's go." Zidane and the girls took off down the path.
**********************
"I want my revenge against that Terran demon. He took my future wife, my dignity... and escaped unpunished. I want all men loyal to Mandain Sari to join me on the hunt for this evil creature!" Darson slammed his fist on the council desk. Several councillors nodded their heads in agreement.
"When do you propose to go? Even that, how do you mean to catch him, Darson? He broke several of your bones in a matter of seconds.." The mayor wound his moustache around his index finger.
"I intend to catch him by using all summons available. No-one could contend with the likes of Bahamut or Ifrit.. Plus, with Eiko's help.." Darson dragged Eiko forwards. "We can track them down... Sarah's mother and father are distraught about the funds they lost. They wish Sarah to be brought back as soon as possible so all money can be transferred between our families. I want to help them achieve that.." Darson got up from his chair.
"You have our permission to leave Mandain Sari to search for them. Take as many men as you need." The mayor dismissed Darson, and so he walked outside smelling the afternoon air.
"Sarah, Sarah.. Your over your head this time my sweet.."
*********************
"Zidane! There's no-one in the cabin either!" Sarah popped her head from one of the Alexandrian ship's passages.
"Hmm, that means this ship is completely empty.. Excellent! Tei!" Zidane called further down the passage.
"Yeah?"
"Come here!" Zidane and Tei ran up to the cabin where Sarah was. "Right. Has anyone got ANY idea how to sail?" Zidane looked at the girls, who looked at each other. "I take that as a no then.."
"Wait.. I remember travelling on a fishing boat once!" Sarah broke the silence. "Let me have a go." Sarah went up to the wheel and looked behind it, where several buttons were.
"Okay.. If in doubt.. press blue!" Sarah took a wild guess and pushed the blue button behind the wheel. The engine roared to life beneath the ship and the three companions fell to the floor.
"It's moving! It's moving!" Tei jumped up and down in celebration. The ship slid off the beach with several Alexandrian soldiers trying to paddle after it. The ship, called the 'Blue Narciss' gracefully rode the waves of the Outer Continent shore as the beach slowly vanished into the horizon behind them.
Sarah looked back from the stern of the ship. She could see no more beach, or land for that matter.
("We did it.. I'm never going to see that horrible place again.. Now I can live like Ipsen, doing as I will..") Sarah felt the salty sea air brush past her, and she heard the gulls following the ship above.
("I'm as free as you now, I'm free to come and go as I please.") She looked fondly at the gulls, soaring on the air currents in the blue sky. Her eyes sped across endless sea, it was a beautiful cerulean colour, rather like Zidane's eyes. Sarah returned to the cabin where Zidane was steering. Tei had gone to check on the engine.
"Enjoying yourself, I see." Zidane said without looking at her.
"Yes I am. This is the first time I've been off the continent." Sarah went to stand by Zidane.
"Same here. So, what do you intend to do in Alexandria?" Zidane asked.
"I don't know. But if it's alright, can I go wherever you're going?" Sarah placed a hand on his shoulder.
"It's more than alright. I just can't wait to get this whole thing over with..."
"What 'whole thing'?"
"About finding Mariah and alike. As soon as I find her, then Kuja will come. When he shows up I travel to Terra and let my master deal with the rest." Zidane said, devoid of emotion.
"What then? What will happen next?" Sarah urged.
"I..I will fulfil my purpose..finally." Zidane hesitated. Sarah stood so she could see Zidane's face.
"Zidane? What is your purpose?" Sarah spoke quietly, and Zidane's reply was no different.
"To assimilate Gaia with my master's orders. Gaia will be Terra, Terra will be Gaia." Zidane's words were hard and flat, as if he didn't want to speak them infront of her.
"I-I see." Sarah slumped to the floor. ("Assimilate Gaia? He's going to have to destroy Gaia..or at least the people! What the hell do I say to him? He's the angel of death for goodness sake.. you can't just question him on it.. But... there's no reason why her shouldn't, or any reason why I should object. I hate Gaia as much as he does, and he's the first friend with any common sense I've had.. I-I feel attached to him somehow. Like we were meant to meet, to travel together.. and I feel.. strange around him. Like he's more than just my friend. Man, I've never felt this way before... and why do I blush around him? It's not like I love him or anyth.." Sarah suddenly stole a glance at Zidane. He faced forwards, completely concentrating on his steering, but he seemed to be pondering something aswell.
("Man... I never really thought about it before.. Could I be in-in....? No! Don't even think about it Sarah! You know what love does to people! It ruins them! Especially when the other turns away from you.. But.. maybe I just admire him, or maybe I do love him.. Oh, I don't know! He couldn't possibly like you back anyway.. he's the angel of death! Not some random teenager to google at!") Sarah rubbed her temples in frustration. The subject of love had never crossed her mind before. It was either liking or admiration, but never love...
"~Sarah..~" Zidane asked, still staring forwards.
"~Y-Yes?~" Sarah pulled herself up off the floor.
"~When I do meet Kuja... I want you to leave my side.~"
"~Wha..?! Zidane, I can fight him with you!~" Sarah's hands curled into fists.
"~It's not that. I don't want him to go near you, or hurt you..~" Zidane's eyes stared directly into hers.
"~Zidane..I..~" Sarah kept the eye connection between them flowing. "~..I..~"
"Hey! The engine's running fine, clean as a .. uh.. am I interrupting something?" Tei stood behind them with her hands on her hips, facing the two companions who's faces were inches away from one another. "Y'know, I'll just leave now.." Tei said quickly before backing out of the cabin from their view. Sarah and Zidane pulled the eye connection away, both blushing.
"~I'm sorry..~" Sarah's eyes briefly glanced at his before she too left the cabin.
What?! End of the chapter already?! I know.. I ran out of steam, sorry! I hope you liked that, and I hoped you liked Tei but I'm not going to give her a major role, since she will interrupt the relationship Zidane and Sarah have if I do give her one. Anyway, I plan to write a big chapter next week since I'm on holiday, and have nothing better to do with my time until Christmas. So, til then, Happy Christmas! See you next week!
Chpt 5 : The White Wolf
"What do you mean, 'Kuja's alive'!?" Sarah ran alongside Zidane . "I thought he died a long time ago?!" The night air rushed past them as they fled for the entrance of Mandain Sari.
"Yeah, I thought the same. But the vision - it was a warning... from my master..." Zidane stopped at the corner of a building before peering around for any guards that were about..
"Your master? Didn't he die too?"
"No, he was injured.. but he's gone somewhere, waiting for a chance to take revenge on Kuja for entombing me." Zidane brushed the hair from his forehead as he and Sarah dashed down a side alley.
"So that was what the creature was talking about... The creature that guarded you in the Iifa tree said.. 'Master kuja, I have failed you, I give my life.' Or something like that.." Sarah described as she ran.
"That's right. The creature guarding me was called Soulcage. He was serving Kuja to stop me escaping. But he also said to me that I should protect Mariah.."
"So that's why you want to find her, to protect her?"
"No. I want to find her before Kuja does, so I can make Kuja do what I want. With Mariah's life as the deal."
"Oh.. I didn't quite see it that way. Hey Zidane, y'know my mom's necklace, why did it release you?" Sarah stopped as Zidane did at another corner, looking for possible danger.
"Because it was the opening key. The Iifa tree kept hold of it, but when your father took it from it's resting place and gave it to you... The Iifa tree prepared to release me. When the necklace came in contact with me, as the key opens the lock, I was released. That is why I am in debt to you."
"In debt?"
"A life debt. A life for a life. You saved me from imprisonment, and in return you become my liberator and I protect your life. Catch on?"
"A little, so I have a personal guard? Cool."
"Think it as having a a friend to watch your back."
"That is sweet of you, Zidane. So, we're a team?" Sarah held out her hand, and Zidane took it.
"A team." Zidane beamed. "Do you have everything?" He asked Sarah, who nodded. "Good, because this is gonna be break out or broke in. See the guard up there? I distract him while you head for the gate, I'll catch up."
"Alright. I can't believe I'm finally getting out of here!" Sarah breathed out slowly. "Right, I'll see you outside!" Sarah leapt out of the alley and sneaked past the nearby guard, who was patrolling the town, inforcing the curfew.
"Okay, it's back to the good old days..." Zidane drew out the Exploda and circled his shoulders. He then threw himself at the guard who instinctively drew his weapon.
"You! The Terran demon!" The guard fumbled with his weapon.
"Well, at least someone's got my name right.." Zidane felt the power flowing through his veins as the angel of death inside of him took over. He felt his control over his body numbing.
"What in the name of Fenris!?" The guard stepped back in fear as a new form shadowed him, and the shrill crack of his neck breaking rang out in the night.
**********************
Sarah ran quickly over the cries of guards calling for backup. Zidane had done a good job in distracting them, alright.
"Only one block..only one more block.." Sarah counted the houses out until the exit. ("Come on, Sarah, you're so close to getting out of here!") Her thoughts encouraged her as her pace quickened at the sight of the wooden gate.
("No guards! Oh, Zidane I could kiss you!!") She mentally celebrated as she reached the wooden gate and began to pull it open.
"STOP!" Sarah froze. She turned around slowly to see Eiko, hands on hips, looking like a near responsible adult.
"Eiko?! ... What are YOU doing out after curfew?!" Sarah whispered harshly.
"The same goes to you, Sarah! Your not trying to do a runner again are you? Because you know that if you run from here then the monster outside will get you!"
"Oh, Eiko! That's just a stupid myth to wind up and scare little children!"
"You calling me a child?"
"Eiko! Don't be so trivial! I'm going because I don't want to marry that idiot Darson!" Sarah tried to explain her situation, but Eiko wasn't letting this slip.
"Sarah, if you escape again, you know that your parents will die of grief. They really love you, don't do this to them."
"They obviously didn't love me enough to let me have my own choices. Plus, they'll be grieving more over the money they lost with the marriage over than they will with me gone." Sarah looked out of the Mandain Sari gate. "You know I always meant to escape out of here, Eiko. Don't deprive me of the opportunity, I will and am going."
"But Sarah!"
"No, Eiko." Sarah silenced her. "Look after yourself okay? Maybe we'll meet again some day."
"Sarah..."
"..Farewell, Eiko." Sarah slipped out of the gate without sound and was swallowed by the darkness.
"Good-bye.." Eiko waved into the darkness, knowing full well Sarah would already be running free and out of her voice range. The purple haired summoner slumped to the floor and let out a long sigh. She thought back to the time when her and Sarah would play with Mariah, the 'crazy girl'. They used to play around the gates of Mandain Sari, spending the summer of there childhood enjoying life, not thinking about the future. Only the next day playing.
It all abruptly stopped when Mariah met the 'Kuja' person, and always went to the Iifa tree with him. When she supposedly went mad and ran away, Sarah and herself were asked never to speak as if they had known her. Now history was repeating itself and Sarah was escaping with another Terran.
Eiko's thoughts were interrupted when someone ran straight past her. Eiko let out a small scream as the figure turned to face her in the darkness. It was covered in black and silver feathers, with two huge bird like wings protruding from it's back. It was in man shape, and had strange markings covering it's face like slashes of a wild beast's claw. But there was those familiar cerulean eyes, and that swishing tail...
"Zidane!" Eiko called out. Zidane simply smiled at her before transforming to his normal self, and as Sarah did, rush into the darkness that was outside the safety of the walls. Eiko heard the guards shout and scream in the street behind her.
"Murder!!! Murder!!! The Terran demon has struck again!" Eiko looked out the gate once more.
("Sarah.. please don't let Zidane hurt you..")
*************
As Sarah woke from her slumbers, an orange scenery came into view as her eyes adjusted to the morning light. Her escape had been completely successful and she and Zidane had made it to Conde Piete mountain path before stopping to rest for the night. She yawned and sat up off her rough covers. Zidane was nowhere in sight, but his few belongings were still around his sleeping bag. So he couldn't have gone far.
Sarah picked herself up and took a stroll down the rocky path. She could see for miles around the desert landscape. She could see Mandain Sari and the Eidolon wall in the distance, gleaming like a beacon. Sarah sighed. She wanted no more to do with that place. She turned in another direction, facing the Iifa Tree. Her memories in there poured back into her mind. Some fond, some not. She turned to look at the mountains, and in the distance; the sea. She would love to go to the sea, and maybe over it. But now was not the time to ponder.
"Mornin'. You sleep well?" Zidane came up the path and stood beside her.
"Yeah. I can sleep well knowing I'm not marrying that idiot the next day.." Sarah breathed in the warm air. "I'm free."
"Ah, the luxuries of liberation. You and me both, Sarah." Zidane elbowed her gently in the side before tidying up his gear on the floor.
"Where did you go this morning?" Sarah started packing her own gear into a pouch strapped onto her waist. The blankets were left for the next person who found them.
"I went to Conde Piete. It's grown since I last saw it.. Which was about eight or nine years ago." Zidane signalled for Sarah to walk with him. "I went to see if there is any transport around, which there is."
"Really? What kind? Ship or fishing ship?" Sarah kicked a rock beneath her feet as she walked.
"Ship. About four of them, they're Alexandrian. Actually they were doing some kind of weird business around the shore. I watched em' from the top of this path, they were using Conde Piete as some kind of base for animals and prisoners I think."
"Base? I always thought Conde Piete would never involve itself in activity like that... Especially violent activity." Sarah and Zidane reached the top of the path. There they saw four Alexandrian ships unloading many, many prisoners. Men and animals alike. They were all being transported to Conde Piete in a snake like line, which wound itself up a steep path from the beach to the cliff top and eventually to Conde Piete.
"Wow.. there are so many people there.. C'mon Zidane. Lets go check this out." Zidane followed Sarah's lead as they rushed down the path to Conde Piete.
A little dwarf was outside the gate, looking distinctly confused.
"Hey! Can you tell us what's going on here?" Sarah rushed up to the dwarf's side.
"Oo! Ye are Sarah, no? Ye are one o' those ol' summoner people." The dwarf looked at her horn poking out of her black hair.
"Yes. I sometimes come here."
"Aye, I ken that n' all. Me an' o Daisy see ye walking fer tradin' here with that lil' purple haired lassie. Ach, very strange."
"Strange!? Why I outta.." Sarah had to hold herself back. "Nevermind. Listen, can you tell us what Alexandrians are doing here?"
"Aye, I can. They oot doin' funny hunts for people an' animals with special powers or features. Ye better watch yerself too lassie. Ye gotta horn, an ye boyfriend here as a tail an all. What are ye anywhoo? A monkey? A cat?"
"My b-b-boyfriend?!" Sarah flushed crimson, and Zidane was red with anger about being called a monkey-cat.
"Well, ye outta see th' strange an wonderful things they got doon there! They got this young lassie who escaped aboot an hour ago. Some kinda new species or sommin." Zidane and Sarah looked at each other.
"~You thinking what I'm thinking?~" Zidane spoke in Terran
"~You bet I am.~" Sarah thanked the dwarf before they dashed off to explore the camp.
"Aye. They speak in strange language o'well!" The dwarf scratched his head in confusion.
*****************************
"Captain, Ma'am. This is the fourth time she's escaped. What do you want us to do with her?" A female soldier informed the captain of the situation in hand. Zidane and Sarah hid behind a crate, hoping to catch glimpse of what was really going on.
"Hmm. I suggest you sedate her again. If she is found not to be an eidolon when we get to Alexandria, then you can... dispose of her."
"~Zidane? What do you think their on about?~" Sarah whispered softly. (Terran is a quieter language than Gaian. It is most effective in quiet whispers.)
"~I'm not sure. Let's go around that crate and take a look at what 'she' is..~" Zidane led them both around another large crate as they absorbed the scene before them.
A snowy white wolf was chained and muzzled against a strong post. 'She' had bleeding coming from her front right leg, it looked like quite a bad gash, she also looked very weary and exhausted.
"~That wolf is beautiful..~" Sarah breathed.
"~Yeah, but look at the size of the damn thing!~" Zidane was right. The wolf's back could easily reach Sarah's upper torso, and the head probably reached an inch below Zidane's head. The soldier and Captain continued their conversation.
"Every time we chain her up, she wriggles out again!" The soldier complained.
"Well, keep watching her and chain her tighter then!" The captain ordered. The soldier grabbed some chains from ontop of a crate and approached the giant wolf. Suddenly all the chains holding the wolf down went taught and she strained against them. Her mouth opened slightly, showing a ridge of sharp, razor teeth held in by clean pink gums.
"Take it easy, girl.." The soldier held out her hand, but the wolf let out a blood curdling growl which any normal human would run from. The soldier kept approaching, and the wolf's warning got louder. Soon, all of her teeth were exposed and her snout and nose were crinkled up in ferocity.
"~The poor wolf! She's terrified!~" Sarah put her hands over her mouth.
"~I'm thinking the soldier is probably more scared, she has to chain her!~" Zidane shook his head. The wolf's eyes showed white around the black pupils, showing anger more than fear.
"Get a move on, soldier!" The captain ordered. "Oh for goodness sake, give it up! Just guard her if you can't chain her!" The soldier gratefully drew back and the wolf calmed down a little.
"But ma'am, none of us can stop her when she escapes! She's too fast!"
"Oh please, tell me that a soldier from Alexandria's finest can't outrun a 16 year old girl?!" The captain complained.
"No buts. Guard her, I'll report back in two hours." The captain walked out as the soldier saluted. The soldier then looked in the direction of Zidane and Sarah and the crates.
"~Damn!~" Sarah quietly crawled backwards out of the soldier's view. The soldier looked around the area before picking up a cross bow with what seemed like tranquillisers on, and aimed for the wolf.
"This outta teach you for doing runners.." The soldier shot the tranquilliser into the wolf's side and walked out of the camp.
"~Phew, that was close..~" Sarah breathed.
"~I'd say. Hey Sarah..~"
"~Yeah?~"
"~Do you mind getting off my lap?~" Sarah flushed crimson again as she realised that in going back to avoid the soldier's gaze she had accidentally sat on Zidane...
"~I..I'm sorry, Zidane.~"
"~What's wrong with you? You got twitchy all of a sudden..~" Zidane smirked at her, to which she blushed again.
"~I..uh..~"
"~Forget it. But next time you get all twitchy I'm gonna be doing some investigations, okay?~"
"~Uh-huh.~" Sarah nodded quickly.
"~Right, let's have a look at old wolfy then..~" Zidane and Sarah got up from behind the crates to find a pile of chains on the floor. No wolf.
"~Where'd it go?!~" Zidane darted his head from side to side.
"~Hey, Zidane. How do you think it got out?~"
"~I have no idea whatsoever..~" Zidane shook his head in annoyance. "~How can a wolf the size of a..~" Zidane never finished his sentence. Several cries of 'Get her!' and 'She's running off!' were heard. Sarah and Zidane both nodded at each other and set off on the chase.
"~Run around that rock, we can stop the wolf and see what she really is then!~" Zidane pointed to a shortcut to a little path in a rocky pass.
"~Hey Zidane! Can we start speaking in Gaian now?!~" Sarah complained as she ran.
"Okay, whatever!"
"That's much bet.." Sarah's mouth was covered by Zidane.
"Quiet! Look up there!" He signalled out a body on the floor about twenty feet ahead of them.
"Quick, let's get them off of the road! I have a bad feeling that this is what the Alexandrians are looking for!" Zidane leapt forwards and dragged the body from the path to behind the rock. A few Alexandrians came along down the road and looked around before returning up the rocky pass.
"I swear you ARE psychic." Sarah sighed.
"It was just a precognition.. nothin' special." Zidane shrugged it off.
"Nothing special?! Why I outta.." Sarah mumbled to herself. The both of them then inspected the body. It was a girl, around 15 to 16 years old. She was heavily sedated and had an open wound in her right arm. When Zidane turned her over, she had a tranquilliser dart in her side.
"Three guesses to who THIS is.." Zidane sighed.
"SHE'S the wolf?!" Sarah said hoarsely.
"My money's on it. Just look at her.." Zidane pointed to some unusual features. She had white wolf ears poking out the top of her head, blond/white, shoulder length hair with a couple of darkish streaks in and a bushy white tail, reaching down to her ankles. She looked human apart from those features, and was very pretty for a wolf hybrid creature.
"Is she okay? Wait a minute..." Sarah got her rod out and pointed it at the open wound.
"Cura.." White light emitted from the rod and seeming poured into the wound, which soon disappeared.
"Brilliant thinking, Sarah. Now we have to wake her up and find out what's going on.. You got a spell for that tranquilliser too?" Zidane grinned at Sarah who willingly obliged.
"Esuna.." The girl's eyes fluttered open. They were a dark yellow colour.
"Hello. Are you alright?" The girl looked at Sarah's horn as she spoke to her.
"Did..you escape too?" The girl seemed very exhausted.
"No, but you did! Were you captured by the Alexandrians?" Sarah questioned her.
"Y..Yes. But how'd I get here? I was running then.." The girl faltered.
"Listen. Are you that wolf they had chained up?" The question seemed stupid, but had enough cause.
"I am. Why do you want to know? Aren't you a prisoner too?" The girl reached up and touched Sarah's horn.
"No, but we could have been if we were around a few hours earlier. Where did you come from?" Sarah helped the girl sit up. Her ears twitched as she felt her side, pulling out the tranquilliser dart.
"I come from the Winter Tundra. It's a vast snowfield in the forgotten continent."
"Why the hell are you wearing a gypsy top and hotpants then? Shouldn't you be wearing a fur coat?" Zidane interjected.
"No!" The girl sounded offended. "It's too hot to wear a fur coat in the snow!"
"Please tell me your lying.." Zidane said mystified.
"No.. Zidane. If she comes from a very cold place, then she should be used to those temperatures." Sarah explained.
"Then how come your not melting in this heat?" Zidane again questioned.
"Because my mother was a desert dweller called Minerva. She passed on her immunity to strong temperatures to me."
"Okay..." Zidane accepted slowly. "So your dad was a cold person then? Hah! That was a good pun!" Zidane laughed at his joke, but stopped dead when Sarah and the girl gave him frosty glares.
"No.. my father, Kae, was one of the 'Dark Wolves', which can grow to the height I transform into. He fell in love with my mother when she visited the Forbidden continent. He then used powerful magic to transform himself into a human, and they had me. Which gives me the ability to transform into a Dark Wolf."
"Tell me, daughter of Kae, what's your name?" Sarah smiled, she truly knew how to make someone trust her within a matter of minutes.
"My name's Hicatei, Hicatei Siede." ((Hic-ah-tey)) She smiled back at Sarah. "What's yours?"
"Mine's Sarah, Sarah Tresillian... and this is my friend Zidane..uh..Tribal."
"~Tribal?! Is that the best you could do?!~" Zidane whispered in Terran.
"~Sorry!~" Sarah sighed. "Anyway, Hicatei. Have you got a shorter name?"
"Uh.. before they died, my mom and dad used to call me Tei." ((You say it like 'Tea'.))
"Great, Tei. Now, do you know what all of this is about? Y'know, the prisoner taking stuff?" Sarah helped Tei stand up.
"Well, apparently the Queen of Alexandria, Brahne, is looking for summon monsters called 'eidolons'. They think I'm one because I can transform into a wolf." Tei sighed. "That's why their gathering up strange creatures and humans with powers, because they think we're eidolons."
"Interesting.." Zidane and Sarah said in unison.
"You're not heading to Alexandria, are you?!" Tei's expression changed from exhausted to smeared with worry.
"Well, I go where Zidane goes.. So.." Sarah looked at Zidane with her eyebrows raised.
"We go to Alexandria. We leave..about now.." Zidane looked at the midday sun before grabbing Sarah's hand and pulling her on to the path.
"Hey! Waittaminute! If you are going to Alexandria, can I come with you?" Tei ran behind them, the group stopped as she asked her question.
"~It's up to you. It might be good for you to have a female companion to talk to.~" Zidane reasoned with Sarah.
"~Okay.~" Sarah turned to Tei. "Right, you can come with us. But, why do you want to go to Alexandria?"
"Because I want to free my people, they are imprisoned there." Tei looked at the floor.
"It's settled then. Let's go." Zidane and the girls took off down the path.
**********************
"I want my revenge against that Terran demon. He took my future wife, my dignity... and escaped unpunished. I want all men loyal to Mandain Sari to join me on the hunt for this evil creature!" Darson slammed his fist on the council desk. Several councillors nodded their heads in agreement.
"When do you propose to go? Even that, how do you mean to catch him, Darson? He broke several of your bones in a matter of seconds.." The mayor wound his moustache around his index finger.
"I intend to catch him by using all summons available. No-one could contend with the likes of Bahamut or Ifrit.. Plus, with Eiko's help.." Darson dragged Eiko forwards. "We can track them down... Sarah's mother and father are distraught about the funds they lost. They wish Sarah to be brought back as soon as possible so all money can be transferred between our families. I want to help them achieve that.." Darson got up from his chair.
"You have our permission to leave Mandain Sari to search for them. Take as many men as you need." The mayor dismissed Darson, and so he walked outside smelling the afternoon air.
"Sarah, Sarah.. Your over your head this time my sweet.."
*********************
"Zidane! There's no-one in the cabin either!" Sarah popped her head from one of the Alexandrian ship's passages.
"Hmm, that means this ship is completely empty.. Excellent! Tei!" Zidane called further down the passage.
"Yeah?"
"Come here!" Zidane and Tei ran up to the cabin where Sarah was. "Right. Has anyone got ANY idea how to sail?" Zidane looked at the girls, who looked at each other. "I take that as a no then.."
"Wait.. I remember travelling on a fishing boat once!" Sarah broke the silence. "Let me have a go." Sarah went up to the wheel and looked behind it, where several buttons were.
"Okay.. If in doubt.. press blue!" Sarah took a wild guess and pushed the blue button behind the wheel. The engine roared to life beneath the ship and the three companions fell to the floor.
"It's moving! It's moving!" Tei jumped up and down in celebration. The ship slid off the beach with several Alexandrian soldiers trying to paddle after it. The ship, called the 'Blue Narciss' gracefully rode the waves of the Outer Continent shore as the beach slowly vanished into the horizon behind them.
Sarah looked back from the stern of the ship. She could see no more beach, or land for that matter.
("We did it.. I'm never going to see that horrible place again.. Now I can live like Ipsen, doing as I will..") Sarah felt the salty sea air brush past her, and she heard the gulls following the ship above.
("I'm as free as you now, I'm free to come and go as I please.") She looked fondly at the gulls, soaring on the air currents in the blue sky. Her eyes sped across endless sea, it was a beautiful cerulean colour, rather like Zidane's eyes. Sarah returned to the cabin where Zidane was steering. Tei had gone to check on the engine.
"Enjoying yourself, I see." Zidane said without looking at her.
"Yes I am. This is the first time I've been off the continent." Sarah went to stand by Zidane.
"Same here. So, what do you intend to do in Alexandria?" Zidane asked.
"I don't know. But if it's alright, can I go wherever you're going?" Sarah placed a hand on his shoulder.
"It's more than alright. I just can't wait to get this whole thing over with..."
"What 'whole thing'?"
"About finding Mariah and alike. As soon as I find her, then Kuja will come. When he shows up I travel to Terra and let my master deal with the rest." Zidane said, devoid of emotion.
"What then? What will happen next?" Sarah urged.
"I..I will fulfil my purpose..finally." Zidane hesitated. Sarah stood so she could see Zidane's face.
"Zidane? What is your purpose?" Sarah spoke quietly, and Zidane's reply was no different.
"To assimilate Gaia with my master's orders. Gaia will be Terra, Terra will be Gaia." Zidane's words were hard and flat, as if he didn't want to speak them infront of her.
"I-I see." Sarah slumped to the floor. ("Assimilate Gaia? He's going to have to destroy Gaia..or at least the people! What the hell do I say to him? He's the angel of death for goodness sake.. you can't just question him on it.. But... there's no reason why her shouldn't, or any reason why I should object. I hate Gaia as much as he does, and he's the first friend with any common sense I've had.. I-I feel attached to him somehow. Like we were meant to meet, to travel together.. and I feel.. strange around him. Like he's more than just my friend. Man, I've never felt this way before... and why do I blush around him? It's not like I love him or anyth.." Sarah suddenly stole a glance at Zidane. He faced forwards, completely concentrating on his steering, but he seemed to be pondering something aswell.
("Man... I never really thought about it before.. Could I be in-in....? No! Don't even think about it Sarah! You know what love does to people! It ruins them! Especially when the other turns away from you.. But.. maybe I just admire him, or maybe I do love him.. Oh, I don't know! He couldn't possibly like you back anyway.. he's the angel of death! Not some random teenager to google at!") Sarah rubbed her temples in frustration. The subject of love had never crossed her mind before. It was either liking or admiration, but never love...
"~Sarah..~" Zidane asked, still staring forwards.
"~Y-Yes?~" Sarah pulled herself up off the floor.
"~When I do meet Kuja... I want you to leave my side.~"
"~Wha..?! Zidane, I can fight him with you!~" Sarah's hands curled into fists.
"~It's not that. I don't want him to go near you, or hurt you..~" Zidane's eyes stared directly into hers.
"~Zidane..I..~" Sarah kept the eye connection between them flowing. "~..I..~"
"Hey! The engine's running fine, clean as a .. uh.. am I interrupting something?" Tei stood behind them with her hands on her hips, facing the two companions who's faces were inches away from one another. "Y'know, I'll just leave now.." Tei said quickly before backing out of the cabin from their view. Sarah and Zidane pulled the eye connection away, both blushing.
"~I'm sorry..~" Sarah's eyes briefly glanced at his before she too left the cabin.
What?! End of the chapter already?! I know.. I ran out of steam, sorry! I hope you liked that, and I hoped you liked Tei but I'm not going to give her a major role, since she will interrupt the relationship Zidane and Sarah have if I do give her one. Anyway, I plan to write a big chapter next week since I'm on holiday, and have nothing better to do with my time until Christmas. So, til then, Happy Christmas! See you next week!