Okay people!! ^_^ Thanks for your reviews and all that.. God the site took enough time fixing itself. But a few things to say...
To Slash the Dark Knight: Yes, Garnet did die and Sarah was washed ashore.. but what if that DIDN'T happen? What if by pure coincidence Garnet decided not to drop dead?
To Kingleby: You'll be happy to know that Sarah and Iifa do some more romance in this chapter, and about your fanfiction, please post it!! I neeeeeed to read it!!! (Oh yeah, thanx for all your feedback on the fanfic.. ^_^ and I know what you mean about coursework!! KILL THE COURSEWORK - Especially geography!!) Oh yeah, sorry about the little girl from when you were in junior school.. it's a shame she had to go at 7.
To Solarious: A few chapters back you asked about the 'think fest'. Well, I wouldn't have written such a stupid word if I wasn't so tired. LOL Sorry... ^_^
To Sparks: How many times have you reviewed my fic? I think it's close to every chapter. THANKYOU!!!
To Sakura-chan: Thankyou for your help with the document manager problem. Much appreciated! ^_^ (same with Kingleby ^_^)
(Umm, a quick note. When Zidane goes into trance in the game, try sticking loads of black and silver feathers on him, and give him six wings, a lot of height and some more muscle. That's what the Angel of Death Zidane/Iifa looks like in this chpt, a little like Trance-Kuja.)
Chpt 10 : The Journey of 'The Sussurus'; part 2
"How much time until we actually SEE the forgotten continent?" Darson enquired. Everyone was seated around a large oak table in one of the lower decks. It was about noon, and some of the girls like Tei and Dagger had only just got up...
"Not so loud Darson! (Yawn) You'll wake me up.." Tei said sleepily. (Everyone sweatdrops)
"...Well, we should see the south coast in about a day. It'll then take about another day to get to our destined docking place." Iifa explained
"Gods, can you speed up the boat a little? I think Mariah will have no bile left after this journey!" Darson complained like he always did.
"I never did ask any of you to accompany me to Oeilvert, so shut-up with your whining.." Iifa stared daggers at Darson, who muttered something then sank further into his seat.
"Didn't the people at the harbour warn us against monsters up the west coast?" Sarah pointed out. She was quite right. One old sea dog had warned Sarah about travelling up the west coast of the Forgotten Continent, for there was a mighty beast who lived under the seas there, and had dragged many unfortunate a ship under with its long tentacles. Sarah had dismissed this as another pirate tale, only to have a nagging feeling at the back of her head about it this morning. She thought she at least ought to mention it.
"Hmm, he could be right, he could be wrong..." Iifa shrugged.
"It's probably only a meter long, and tried sucking the barnicles at the bottom of the old sea dog's ship! The sailors then all got bored and made up a story about a flesh eating squid!" One of Darson's companions made up, making everyone laugh a little.
"Well, I have nothing more to discuss, I'm gonna fish for my lunch..." Iifa walked out, with Tei in tow, shouting "Me too!"
**************************
The lunch had been barbecued fish, and everyone enjoyed it thoroughly, except Mariah, who had chucked it back up again. Everyone had spent the entire afternoon (until the second helping of fish for dinner) chasing rats on the bottom deck, since when asked to go down to get some more drinking water, Dagger had discovered the hold was infested with rats. She came up the stairs screaming hysterically and had everyone on their toes, thus the rats were dealt with by chucking them overboard. The highest score for rat catching was given to Darson, who had found a fishing net and gathered them that way, scoring a total of 137 rats. Iifa came second with 124. Darson and Iifa, for the first time, did not fight when in the same room. It was in the very same evening that Sarah decided to iron out her feelings completely...
**************************
Sarah paced up and down her room, trying to remember the advise Tei had given her the day before...
(" I have to be open with myself.. I love Iifa.. every part of me knows that. I have to tell him before anything happens to him... Right.. just go into his room and tell him straight, listen to his answer, and then walk back out.. simple.") Sarah paused for a minute before collapsing on her bed. She knew it was vital she told him now, since there was no other opportunity when they could be in a separate room from everyone else. ("Plus, Kuja might decide to turn up and fight him.. What might happen then?") She got off her bed and set her mind. She would tell him. She breathed in and opened the door to her room, and closed it behind her. She walked carefully down the hall, but each step seem to take as long as it was painful. She finally reached his room, and reached for the door handle.
("I can't do it!!!") Her hand quickly drew from the handle and to her side. ("..Sarah you fool.. you know what Tei said.. Do it now or suffer the consequences. He may be gone by tomorrow...") She nodded to herself and grabbed the wooden handle. It took her near forever to have the courage to actually turn it and open it.
She stepped inside with her back to the room.
She closed the door.
She turned around...
("He's not here?!") Her heart slowed down a few beats in disappointment and in relief. She could do it another time.. but she wanted deep inside to do it now..
"Sarah, what are you doing in my room?" Iifa's voice sounded from behind her. She spun around to see his face, one eyebrow raised in suspicion.
"I-I-I-Iifa! Where were you? I needed to talk to you!" She stammered. His expression softened as he walked past her and sat on his bed, stretching a little.
"So, what did you want to talk to me about?" He looked at her smiling.
"I... I needed to tell you something.." She started. "In private.." She could feel the atmosphere change between them, no longer was it a friendly atmosphere, it was now a tense atmosphere. She felt Iifa's eyes burning into hers.
"I wanted to tell you that..that.." She nearly whispered. Iifa waited patiently for the rest of her words.
"I.." Sarah gathered every last ounce of her courage... It would take more courage than battling a savage monster or risking her life combined to say the four little words that mattered the most.
"...I love you, Iifa." She felt as if the world had just been lifted off her shoulders. She had done it! Her eyes left Iifa's gaze and stuck to the floor, afraid to see any rejection. She heard him get up from his bed and walk in three paces toward her. She remained patiently silent while waiting for his reaction.
There was none.
All she could see was his boots and his slowly moving tail. She started to mentally curse herself for even coming in his room. If he was going to say anything, then he would of said it by now. She dared to lift her head a couple of centimetres to look at him, but the chance was never taken. As soon as she had lifted her head, he had grabbed her shoulders and waist and kissed her hard. She felt as if she was in a dream. Every time she felt his lips move against hers, her body would go hot then cold. This is more than she expected, but she returned the kiss and wrapped her arms around his neck. Once she did this, he deepened the kiss and she felt his tongue in her mouth. Her body was covered in tingly sensations, but these ebbed away when the two slowed then stopped the kiss. She caught her breath and finally looked into his eyes, those beautiful but mysterious cerulean eyes once more. Then the words that her mind had begged him to say came out...
"..I love you, Sarah." She closed her eyes, smiled, then pulled him into a gentle kiss.
**************************
"Don't you think it's a little quiet tonight?" One of Darson's summoner friends Edward asked.
"Hmm.. It was like this last night aswell.. but have you got that funny itchy feeling? You know.. like something of someone is watching you?" Darson said nervously. "I hate that feeling.." The night was as silent as it was dead. The water was as placid as a lake and the sky glittered with stars like scattered diamonds.
"Hey! Look! I see land!" Edward cried, pointing a finger at the red mountains in the distance.
"Edward.. We stared seeing land this afternoon... We should be docking tomorrow, idiot." Darson sweatdropped.
"So.. you seemed to have taken a liking to that Dagger woman, you do know she's the princess of Alexandria, don't you?" Edward waved a hand in Darson's face, which Darson swatted away.
"Yes. I like Dagger, and I know who she is. If I had only met Dagger before Sarah.." Darson sighed.
"Well, no point in worrying about it now, is there?" Edward smiled. "Sarah's in love with her eidolon, Zidane!"
"Dammit, Edward! Were you listening to him after we had that fight?! He is not an eidolon, he's the Angel of Death... and Sarah can do what she wants with him. I have no feelings for her anymore." Darson admitted slowly.
"But Dagger likes Zidane...er..Iifa.., right?"
"Yes, but I'm working on it, Edward!" Darson fumed.
"Whatever you say, buddy." He replied. "Ooh, here comes Iifa.. excuse me!" Edward backed off as Iifa approached Darson.
"What?" Darson remained looking out onto the ocean.
"I wanted to apologise, Darson." Iifa said simply. Those words hit Darson harder than any punch.
"W-What?! You? Apologise?!" Darson thought it was a sick joke.
"I'm serious. I wanted to apologise for getting in your way." Iifa said with sincerity.
"What brought this on?" Darson was extremely suspicious.
"It's about Sarah and Dagger."
"Oh! I get it! You've dropped Sarah and moved on to Dagger, is that it?! Every woman I ever love you take aw.."
"SHUT-UP, DAMMIT!" Iifa silenced him. "You have a real bad habit of jumping to conclusions, don't you?!"
"Habit? Whatever.." Darson shrugged off.
"You're in love with Dagger, right?" Iifa questioned. Darson's eyes became glazed at her name.
"I thought so.." Iifa raised his eyebrows. "You do know Dagger has her eyes set on me."
"Yes. I was planning to put a stop to that.." Darson growled.
"Well, you have my full support. I don't like to say this infront of you, but I can't stand Dagger.. she annoys me." Iifa stated. "I'll even help set you up with her." Iifa laughed.
"Why are you being so nice all of a sudden?" Darson scratched his head.
"Because Sarah is my woman now. I thought I owed you compensation." Iifa folded his arms together.
"You and Sarah are an item then now, huh?" Darson, to Iifa's surprise, smiled. "Well my friend, your welcome to her. Dagger is in my sight now."
"Gotcha. No hard feelings about the arm?" Iifa held his hand out in friendship.
"No hard feelings whatsoever...and no hard feelings for hounding Sarah?"
"None whatsoever." Iifa and Darson shook hands as friends for the first time. But the new comrades were surprised when Edward came rushing towards them with the pale look of fear on his face.
"IT'S COMING!!!" He ran straight past them and into the lower decks. Darson and Iifa looked at each other as if to say 'okay, what's up with him?'. Their question was answered when a large splashing noise was heard about a hundred feet starboard in the water. Iifa and Darson both rushed to the side of the boat to catch a glimpse of the something that had made Edward scream.
"I think he's seeing things..." Darson suggested.
"Well, he looked pretty frightened to me... What was that?" Iifa focused his eyes on the rising bubbles out in the sea. Silence once more hit the night.
"Iifa..." Darson whispered.
"What?" Iifa said in equal silence.
"I don't like this... something's gonna happen.." The boat suddenly was bumped from underneath, throwing everyone on all decks to the floor.
"I TOLD YOU SOMETHING WAS GONNA HAPPEN!!" Darson yelled as the waves started to pick up.
"SAVE IT FOR LATER!" Iifa drew his Exploda out from it's sheath, and Darson did the same with his sword. Sarah, Tei, Mariah, Dagger and Edward came rushing upstairs, to find the deck washing down with waves that had appeared out of nowhere. The boat lurched and rocked in the sudden storm.
"I'M GONNA BE SICK!!" Mariah did as she said, making everyone move in a five meter radius of her.
"HERE IT COMESSS!!!" Edward yelled, making everyone look to the bow of the ship.
**************************
"General Beatrix!!" Brahne screamed.
"Yes, your highness.." Beatrix answered reluctantly.
"Prepare to fire the cannons! I finally have the chance to wipe that girly-Kuja off Gaia!" Brahne seethed. "In repayment for your help in destroying Burmecia and Cleyra, I will show you the ultimate power!! Come Draconic Seedling, Bahamut, King of Dragons!!!" The sky became dark over the Iifa tree, and Bahamut, the last eidolon appeared flying over the sea. Kuja smiled. He knew that the Invincible was out of his hands, and if he used it, Garland would track him down immediately. But he had another, more dangerous plan. As Bahamut displayed his wings infront of him, Kuja grabbed the silver dragon's feathers as it took off into the outer-continent air.
"Bahamut! Destroy him with Mega-Flare!! Ahhaahah!!" Brahne's body mass shook as she laughed hard. Bahamut drew breath and unleashed his devastating Mega-Flare attack, and Kuja felt the air burn around him.
"Your power is truly amazing, Bahamut. You even hurt me.. a little.." Kuja reached up to his forehead and touched the blood that came from his silver hair. "Now, come to me, Bahamut. You must help me defeat my oppressor, Garland..." Kuja raised his hands into the air, much to the surprise of the Alexandrian soldiers below him.
"BROTHER!!! I know it has been a long time since we saw each other, but I need to borrow you power!" Bahamut started to shake and flew round in awkward positions, like his brain was being tormented.
"BROTHER! IIFA! I know you can hear me! Let me borrow your other body's power!" Kuja felt his veins flow as the Iifa tree responded to him, waving it's vines and roots.
"Enslave Bahamut and kill the elephant lady!!" He ordered, and oblivion ensued.
Five thousand miles away, on a ship called The Sussurus, Iifa replied to his brother's call.
**************************
"Iifa! What happened to him?!" Sarah and the others gathered round the unconscious Iifa, who had clutched his head in pain and collapsed a few seconds ago while the storm raged about them. Mariah came forward and felt his forehead.
"It's Kuja's doing! Kuja has been mentally connecting with him!" Mariah announced above the crashing sound of the waves. "He's borrowing Iifa's power!"
**************************
Iifa felt grass beneath him. It was soft, and slightly wet. Iifa found himself lying face down this grass, with no idea what had happened.
"..Ugh.. My head.." He felt the crown of his head, but no damage was present. But something was wrong. He brought his hands to his vision, and held them up to the sky, which was a deep, blue colour. The sun was bright and felt pleasantly warm on his face. But his hands were bare. He always wore gloves, and his hands looked smaller and more childlike. Iifa looked around him. He was in a field full of wild flowers and grass, which stretched for miles as far as the eye could see. He spotted some mountains far in the distance to his left, and to his right, a little closer than the mountains, was a forest of tall blue stalk like buildings, with large settlements on top. He recognised that place slowly, it was Bran Bal. Suddenly it hit him... this was one of the long lost memories he had struggled to retrieve. His suspicions were confirmed when he stood up and looked at himself. He was a nine year old child again, and could hardly see over the tall grass. He even tried his voice,
"~Hello..?~" He called. His voice was lighter and had a foreign clip to it. Of course it had, he was speaking Terran, and he was a nine year old child again. He rubbed his eyes just to make sure he wasn't dreaming, and in doing this spotted what he was wearing. Instead of the black jacket and trousers with boots, he wore a simple blue and white long sleeved t-shirt with the same coloured trousers. He recognised these clothes... soulless genomes wore these.. They fitted his child-frame perfectly.
("~What in the name of Terra..?~") He pondered. He heard running feet behind him, but before he could turn around someone had grabbed his waist and they had both fallen gently to the floor.
"~I got you Iifa! Your not so good at hide-and-seek anymore!~" He was stunned out of his wits. It was Mariah. She looked as if she were fifteen or so, and she had a horn with beautiful brown hair.
"~What's the matter, Iifa? I catch you off guard?~" She giggled. He tried to reply, but he wasn't controlling his words, they just came out by themselves. He could never control it, this was just a memory...
"~No way, Mariah! I knew you were there!~" He felt himself laugh while she hugged him playfully.
("~When the hell did this ever happen?!~")
"~You find Kuja yet?~" His child self asked innocently.
"~Yeah, I caught him ages ago, he's waiting in two clearing's back.~" Mariah laughed before standing up. He felt awkward, she doubled his height... Normally her head would come to his chin... She took his hand and started to run with him in tow, they slowed down once they reached the field Kuja was sitting in.
"~I found Iifa, he was just standing there!~" Mariah laughed as Kuja stood to greet them.
"~No matter..~" Kuja shrugged with a smile on his face. Mariah let go of Iifa's hand and hugged Kuja before kissing him passionately.
("~This is a memory, right?~") Iifa felt his legs move towards the couple. He then saw his hand tug at Mariah's dress.
"~When am I gonna see your town, Mariah?~" The child-Iifa asked.
"~Someday, Iifa. But not now..~" Mariah laughed again. Why was she so happy?
("~Why do I feel so happy?!~") He felt Mariah ruffle his air and sit down on the grass, Kuja following suit.
"~Big bro, when can I go to Mandain Sari?~" Iifa wanted to get out of this vision, or memory, or whatever it was. It was too strange! Never in his life had he called Kuja 'Big bro', he knew that Kuja was his brother, but Iifa was the elder! Iifa was Garland's first creation!
("~Let me out!!! I can't take it!! ~") He felt like he wanted to explode with questions. What was the meaning of this? Why was Mariah here? Why did he feel so loyal and protective over the two?
("~WHY?! DAMMIT!!! TELL ME WHY!!!~") Never in his memory had he felt this insecure. To tell the truth, he never recalled this occasion. Suddenly Kuja looked at him. Not the child-Iifa, but the Iifa inside. The 17 year old Iifa.
"~Please remember, brother. Just try... I am sorry I borrowed your power, Iifa. I had no choice.~" Kuja said pleadingly. Mariah didn't seem to hear the conversation, she was oblivious to it. Iifa felt physically uncomfortable. Then he realised his clothes were soaking wet, he was dripping, his hair was dripping. He looked at his hands and clothes; they were normal again. A large crack of thunder shot through the air and it rained hard seconds later. But Mariah and Kuja were still smiling. The rain wasn't affecting them at all... He felt himself move, rock and sway like the earth was unstable.. it was like being on a ship...
("~A ship!? The Sussurus!!!~") Kuja and Mariah suddenly disappeared into blackness, and all he could see were the wooden boards of a ship deck. He felt a wave of water soak him, and a voice...
"Iifa!! Please wake up!!" He knew that voice... but his mind felt so unresponsive...
"Iifa!!" The voice..
("~Sarah?~") He blinked a few times and felt someone roll him over.
"It's okay! He's breathing!!!" That was Mariah's voice.. he was sure.
"Come on, man! The minute a Gigan Octopus attacks us you pass out?! What is with that?!" That voice belonged to Darson.
("~Why is my mind so slow and tired? I feel like my energy has vanished..~") His vision came into focus slowly but surely. He saw three heads leaning over him.. Sarah, Darson and Mariah..
"~...What j-just happened?~" He said painfully.
"What did he just say?" Darson looked at Sarah.
"He just said 'What happened' in Terran.." She answered without looking, still peering over Iifa. Iifa summoned some of the strength he felt he had left, and stood up with the help of his three companions.
"Are you okay, Iifa? Mariah says Kuja was using your power up!" Sarah asked, concerned.
"My power?" It all made sense, finally. ("~That's why he apologised for using my power in the end of that memory, because he had already sapped it up.. what is going on?~")
"Do you have any energy left, Iifa? We need your..huh?" Iifa looked at Mariah as she was talking, and remembered the memory he had had.
"We played hide and seek in a field outside Bran Bal..." He said slowly.
"You remembered! You remember!!" She said, hugging him.
"Iifa, what is going on?!" Sarah shook him.
"Kuja showed me some of my memories..." Iifa started, until he saw what looked like a giant tentacle lash in and out of the water. "What was that!?" He exclaimed.
"That's what we need your help with!" Sarah cried. "Come on, let's go!!" The group assembled on the starboard of the boat, waiting for the monster to appear. It chose not to disappoint them, it was the Gigan Octopus the old sea dog had told Sarah about at the docks. It was enormous...
"IFRIT!! BEAST OF FLAMES!! I SUMMON YOUR IMMORTAL SOUL FROM THE FIRES OF HELL!! AID US!!" Mariah cried, clutching her rod. Ifrit shot out of the water and set alight in a tremendous fury.
"Okay, Darson!!" Mariah stepped back for Darson to summon.
"LEVIAHTHAN!! SERPENT OF THE SEA!! I SUMMON YOUR IMMORTAL SOUL FROM THE DEEP OCEAN, AID US!!!" The serpent Leviahthan's head raised from the water, ready to defend the ship with his teeth if necessary.
"Sarah! Your turn!" Darson stepped back for Sarah. But she was scheming something.
"I have an idea!!" She yelled over the crash of the waves. She knew Iifa had no power left, and this was their only chance if she could pull this plan off...
"ZIDANE!!! ANGEL OF DEATH!!! I SUMMON YOUR SOUL FROM THE CHASMS OF THE UNDERWORLD!! AID US!!" Everyone waited expectantly as Sarah summoned. Darson remembered that the council had officially classed Iifa as the Eidolon 'Zidane', meaning 'Mysterious One' in the ancient summoner language. He was the ultimate Eidolon, supposedly. Suddenly, Iifa felt his strength creep back into him... until his strength began to overflow.
"It's working!!" Sarah cried in success.
"Sarah, get back! It's working too well!!" Darson dragged Sarah away from Iifa, who was breathing hard. The air around him began to pulse, he had more strength than imaginable. He felt his very blood explode with power, and the urge to spill blood grew in his mind.
"What did you do to him, Sarah?!" Mariah cried.
"I just summoned him!! What's wrong with that?!" She said nervously.
"You realised you just gave the Angel of Death a thousand times more power than he's supposed to have?! ARE YOU MAD?!!" Mariah shook Sarah.
"LOOK OUT!!" Darson pushed the two girls to the floor as energy exploded from Iifa's body.
("~This power...~") Iifa thought while his brain was processing the power into his body. ("~..this power..~") Shining light enveloped him, and he transformed into the feathered demon that had rescued Sarah a few days ago from the monsters at South Gate. Except he had three pairs of dark wings, instead of one...
("..No...Not him!" ) Sarah panicked mentally. She remembered that creature ripping up the monsters that had tried to eat her with his bare hands, all that was left of them were organ parts... The black and silver feathers that covered him moved around in the storm winds, and his new shadow black hair and pitch black tail whipped around in the energy field he seemed to be giving out.
"Dammit.. Sarah!" Mariah called to her.
"What now?!" Sarah spluttered.
"Tell him what to do! Or he'll attack us if he gets bored!! Your his summoner!" Mariah advised. "Tell him to defend us!"
"Alright..." Sarah stood up on the rocking deck and breathed in. Mariah and Darson also prepared to order their Eidolons.
"IFRIT!! I COMMAND YOU TO USE THE FIRES OF HELL!!" Mariah called.
"LEVIAHTHAN!! I COMMAND YOU TO TEAR OUR ATTACKER LIMB FROM LIMB!!" Darson yelled at his Eidolon.
"ZIDANE!! I COMMAND YOU TO DEFEND THIS SHIP AND EVERYONE ON IT WITH ALL OF YOUR POWER!!" Sarah called over to Iifa. The Eidolons leapt to action. Leviahthan roared before burying his teeth in the Gigan Octopus's back, holding him in place for Ifrit to attack. The Octopus was very resilient. It wrapped it's tentacles around Leviahthan's neck, making the serpent's grip loosen. Ifrit called forth a fire ball from the sky and threw it at the Gigan Octopus, who ducked under the water, making the fire dissolve in the waves. The monster then turned back to the ship. Zidane simply walked infront of the three summoners and held his hand infront of the monster. The monster sent three huge tentacles charging at the deck, only to have them burnt off when they came in contact with the invisible barrier Zidane had made. The octopus made a disgusting gurgling noise.. it was obviously angry, very angry. The tentacles that were around Leviahthan's neck squeezed hard, and the serpent started to choke.
"LEVIAHTHAN!!!" Darson called after his suffering eidolon. "RETURN!!!" The eidolon vanished in a whirl of sparks, freeing it from the octopus's tentacles. Soon enough, Mariah had to do the same with Ifrit as he was dragged underwater. (A fatal thing for a fire summon!) Zidane was the last one remaining; on attack and defence. Sarah panicked. What should she do? Mariah and Darson were exhausted from drawing back Leviahthan and Ifrit and if she ordered Zidane to attack, they would lose the defence!
"WHAT DO I DO?!" She screamed at no-one in particular. But Zidane responded to her plea for help.
"~Leave him to me..~" He said calmly, before jumping off the ship and straight towards the octopus. The monster flew four tentacles towards him, but he vanished into thin air.
"Where'd he go?!" Sarah looked around, only to see him appear again over the back of the octopus. This carried on for a couple of minutes, every time the octopus attacked him, he vanished and appeared in a completely different spot.
"Good thinking Sarah! I never knew he was a Evanesce Eidolon!" Mariah clapped her hands together.
"I never ordered him to do anything! ..and what the hell does Evanesce Eidolon mean?!" Sarah put her hands on her hips.
"It's an old word for an Eidolon who had the ability to teleport itself to any wished destination. The only other Eidolon that I know to have that ability is Carbuncle..." Mariah ran over to Sarah. "Zidane is wearing the octopus down and distracting it so we can escape!"
("..Iifa..") Sarah thought tenderly. "Okay! Pull the boat off!!"
"It's already going!" Darson assured. The boat was now at least a safe distance from the octopus.
"Hey, hey!" Darson pointed back to the battle scene. "The octopus has stopped attacking!"
"Yeah but... MY GODS!!!" Mariah suddenly caught site of Zidane. He had a circle of Terran symbols around him, and his wings were stretched out fully.
"What is he doing?!" Sarah and the others rushed to the stern of the ship, only to see him call to something above...
A giant red eye in the clouds..
Ooooh, cliff hanger. I really ought to shorten my chapters a bit.. this one is eight pages!! Sorry about the octopus.. well at least it wasn't a seal.. Next chapter; the plot thickens! Starting with our old friend Taharka.. (Name familiar? it should be if you got to disc 3!!)
To Slash the Dark Knight: Yes, Garnet did die and Sarah was washed ashore.. but what if that DIDN'T happen? What if by pure coincidence Garnet decided not to drop dead?
To Kingleby: You'll be happy to know that Sarah and Iifa do some more romance in this chapter, and about your fanfiction, please post it!! I neeeeeed to read it!!! (Oh yeah, thanx for all your feedback on the fanfic.. ^_^ and I know what you mean about coursework!! KILL THE COURSEWORK - Especially geography!!) Oh yeah, sorry about the little girl from when you were in junior school.. it's a shame she had to go at 7.
To Solarious: A few chapters back you asked about the 'think fest'. Well, I wouldn't have written such a stupid word if I wasn't so tired. LOL Sorry... ^_^
To Sparks: How many times have you reviewed my fic? I think it's close to every chapter. THANKYOU!!!
To Sakura-chan: Thankyou for your help with the document manager problem. Much appreciated! ^_^ (same with Kingleby ^_^)
(Umm, a quick note. When Zidane goes into trance in the game, try sticking loads of black and silver feathers on him, and give him six wings, a lot of height and some more muscle. That's what the Angel of Death Zidane/Iifa looks like in this chpt, a little like Trance-Kuja.)
Chpt 10 : The Journey of 'The Sussurus'; part 2
"How much time until we actually SEE the forgotten continent?" Darson enquired. Everyone was seated around a large oak table in one of the lower decks. It was about noon, and some of the girls like Tei and Dagger had only just got up...
"Not so loud Darson! (Yawn) You'll wake me up.." Tei said sleepily. (Everyone sweatdrops)
"...Well, we should see the south coast in about a day. It'll then take about another day to get to our destined docking place." Iifa explained
"Gods, can you speed up the boat a little? I think Mariah will have no bile left after this journey!" Darson complained like he always did.
"I never did ask any of you to accompany me to Oeilvert, so shut-up with your whining.." Iifa stared daggers at Darson, who muttered something then sank further into his seat.
"Didn't the people at the harbour warn us against monsters up the west coast?" Sarah pointed out. She was quite right. One old sea dog had warned Sarah about travelling up the west coast of the Forgotten Continent, for there was a mighty beast who lived under the seas there, and had dragged many unfortunate a ship under with its long tentacles. Sarah had dismissed this as another pirate tale, only to have a nagging feeling at the back of her head about it this morning. She thought she at least ought to mention it.
"Hmm, he could be right, he could be wrong..." Iifa shrugged.
"It's probably only a meter long, and tried sucking the barnicles at the bottom of the old sea dog's ship! The sailors then all got bored and made up a story about a flesh eating squid!" One of Darson's companions made up, making everyone laugh a little.
"Well, I have nothing more to discuss, I'm gonna fish for my lunch..." Iifa walked out, with Tei in tow, shouting "Me too!"
**************************
The lunch had been barbecued fish, and everyone enjoyed it thoroughly, except Mariah, who had chucked it back up again. Everyone had spent the entire afternoon (until the second helping of fish for dinner) chasing rats on the bottom deck, since when asked to go down to get some more drinking water, Dagger had discovered the hold was infested with rats. She came up the stairs screaming hysterically and had everyone on their toes, thus the rats were dealt with by chucking them overboard. The highest score for rat catching was given to Darson, who had found a fishing net and gathered them that way, scoring a total of 137 rats. Iifa came second with 124. Darson and Iifa, for the first time, did not fight when in the same room. It was in the very same evening that Sarah decided to iron out her feelings completely...
**************************
Sarah paced up and down her room, trying to remember the advise Tei had given her the day before...
(" I have to be open with myself.. I love Iifa.. every part of me knows that. I have to tell him before anything happens to him... Right.. just go into his room and tell him straight, listen to his answer, and then walk back out.. simple.") Sarah paused for a minute before collapsing on her bed. She knew it was vital she told him now, since there was no other opportunity when they could be in a separate room from everyone else. ("Plus, Kuja might decide to turn up and fight him.. What might happen then?") She got off her bed and set her mind. She would tell him. She breathed in and opened the door to her room, and closed it behind her. She walked carefully down the hall, but each step seem to take as long as it was painful. She finally reached his room, and reached for the door handle.
("I can't do it!!!") Her hand quickly drew from the handle and to her side. ("..Sarah you fool.. you know what Tei said.. Do it now or suffer the consequences. He may be gone by tomorrow...") She nodded to herself and grabbed the wooden handle. It took her near forever to have the courage to actually turn it and open it.
She stepped inside with her back to the room.
She closed the door.
She turned around...
("He's not here?!") Her heart slowed down a few beats in disappointment and in relief. She could do it another time.. but she wanted deep inside to do it now..
"Sarah, what are you doing in my room?" Iifa's voice sounded from behind her. She spun around to see his face, one eyebrow raised in suspicion.
"I-I-I-Iifa! Where were you? I needed to talk to you!" She stammered. His expression softened as he walked past her and sat on his bed, stretching a little.
"So, what did you want to talk to me about?" He looked at her smiling.
"I... I needed to tell you something.." She started. "In private.." She could feel the atmosphere change between them, no longer was it a friendly atmosphere, it was now a tense atmosphere. She felt Iifa's eyes burning into hers.
"I wanted to tell you that..that.." She nearly whispered. Iifa waited patiently for the rest of her words.
"I.." Sarah gathered every last ounce of her courage... It would take more courage than battling a savage monster or risking her life combined to say the four little words that mattered the most.
"...I love you, Iifa." She felt as if the world had just been lifted off her shoulders. She had done it! Her eyes left Iifa's gaze and stuck to the floor, afraid to see any rejection. She heard him get up from his bed and walk in three paces toward her. She remained patiently silent while waiting for his reaction.
There was none.
All she could see was his boots and his slowly moving tail. She started to mentally curse herself for even coming in his room. If he was going to say anything, then he would of said it by now. She dared to lift her head a couple of centimetres to look at him, but the chance was never taken. As soon as she had lifted her head, he had grabbed her shoulders and waist and kissed her hard. She felt as if she was in a dream. Every time she felt his lips move against hers, her body would go hot then cold. This is more than she expected, but she returned the kiss and wrapped her arms around his neck. Once she did this, he deepened the kiss and she felt his tongue in her mouth. Her body was covered in tingly sensations, but these ebbed away when the two slowed then stopped the kiss. She caught her breath and finally looked into his eyes, those beautiful but mysterious cerulean eyes once more. Then the words that her mind had begged him to say came out...
"..I love you, Sarah." She closed her eyes, smiled, then pulled him into a gentle kiss.
**************************
"Don't you think it's a little quiet tonight?" One of Darson's summoner friends Edward asked.
"Hmm.. It was like this last night aswell.. but have you got that funny itchy feeling? You know.. like something of someone is watching you?" Darson said nervously. "I hate that feeling.." The night was as silent as it was dead. The water was as placid as a lake and the sky glittered with stars like scattered diamonds.
"Hey! Look! I see land!" Edward cried, pointing a finger at the red mountains in the distance.
"Edward.. We stared seeing land this afternoon... We should be docking tomorrow, idiot." Darson sweatdropped.
"So.. you seemed to have taken a liking to that Dagger woman, you do know she's the princess of Alexandria, don't you?" Edward waved a hand in Darson's face, which Darson swatted away.
"Yes. I like Dagger, and I know who she is. If I had only met Dagger before Sarah.." Darson sighed.
"Well, no point in worrying about it now, is there?" Edward smiled. "Sarah's in love with her eidolon, Zidane!"
"Dammit, Edward! Were you listening to him after we had that fight?! He is not an eidolon, he's the Angel of Death... and Sarah can do what she wants with him. I have no feelings for her anymore." Darson admitted slowly.
"But Dagger likes Zidane...er..Iifa.., right?"
"Yes, but I'm working on it, Edward!" Darson fumed.
"Whatever you say, buddy." He replied. "Ooh, here comes Iifa.. excuse me!" Edward backed off as Iifa approached Darson.
"What?" Darson remained looking out onto the ocean.
"I wanted to apologise, Darson." Iifa said simply. Those words hit Darson harder than any punch.
"W-What?! You? Apologise?!" Darson thought it was a sick joke.
"I'm serious. I wanted to apologise for getting in your way." Iifa said with sincerity.
"What brought this on?" Darson was extremely suspicious.
"It's about Sarah and Dagger."
"Oh! I get it! You've dropped Sarah and moved on to Dagger, is that it?! Every woman I ever love you take aw.."
"SHUT-UP, DAMMIT!" Iifa silenced him. "You have a real bad habit of jumping to conclusions, don't you?!"
"Habit? Whatever.." Darson shrugged off.
"You're in love with Dagger, right?" Iifa questioned. Darson's eyes became glazed at her name.
"I thought so.." Iifa raised his eyebrows. "You do know Dagger has her eyes set on me."
"Yes. I was planning to put a stop to that.." Darson growled.
"Well, you have my full support. I don't like to say this infront of you, but I can't stand Dagger.. she annoys me." Iifa stated. "I'll even help set you up with her." Iifa laughed.
"Why are you being so nice all of a sudden?" Darson scratched his head.
"Because Sarah is my woman now. I thought I owed you compensation." Iifa folded his arms together.
"You and Sarah are an item then now, huh?" Darson, to Iifa's surprise, smiled. "Well my friend, your welcome to her. Dagger is in my sight now."
"Gotcha. No hard feelings about the arm?" Iifa held his hand out in friendship.
"No hard feelings whatsoever...and no hard feelings for hounding Sarah?"
"None whatsoever." Iifa and Darson shook hands as friends for the first time. But the new comrades were surprised when Edward came rushing towards them with the pale look of fear on his face.
"IT'S COMING!!!" He ran straight past them and into the lower decks. Darson and Iifa looked at each other as if to say 'okay, what's up with him?'. Their question was answered when a large splashing noise was heard about a hundred feet starboard in the water. Iifa and Darson both rushed to the side of the boat to catch a glimpse of the something that had made Edward scream.
"I think he's seeing things..." Darson suggested.
"Well, he looked pretty frightened to me... What was that?" Iifa focused his eyes on the rising bubbles out in the sea. Silence once more hit the night.
"Iifa..." Darson whispered.
"What?" Iifa said in equal silence.
"I don't like this... something's gonna happen.." The boat suddenly was bumped from underneath, throwing everyone on all decks to the floor.
"I TOLD YOU SOMETHING WAS GONNA HAPPEN!!" Darson yelled as the waves started to pick up.
"SAVE IT FOR LATER!" Iifa drew his Exploda out from it's sheath, and Darson did the same with his sword. Sarah, Tei, Mariah, Dagger and Edward came rushing upstairs, to find the deck washing down with waves that had appeared out of nowhere. The boat lurched and rocked in the sudden storm.
"I'M GONNA BE SICK!!" Mariah did as she said, making everyone move in a five meter radius of her.
"HERE IT COMESSS!!!" Edward yelled, making everyone look to the bow of the ship.
**************************
"General Beatrix!!" Brahne screamed.
"Yes, your highness.." Beatrix answered reluctantly.
"Prepare to fire the cannons! I finally have the chance to wipe that girly-Kuja off Gaia!" Brahne seethed. "In repayment for your help in destroying Burmecia and Cleyra, I will show you the ultimate power!! Come Draconic Seedling, Bahamut, King of Dragons!!!" The sky became dark over the Iifa tree, and Bahamut, the last eidolon appeared flying over the sea. Kuja smiled. He knew that the Invincible was out of his hands, and if he used it, Garland would track him down immediately. But he had another, more dangerous plan. As Bahamut displayed his wings infront of him, Kuja grabbed the silver dragon's feathers as it took off into the outer-continent air.
"Bahamut! Destroy him with Mega-Flare!! Ahhaahah!!" Brahne's body mass shook as she laughed hard. Bahamut drew breath and unleashed his devastating Mega-Flare attack, and Kuja felt the air burn around him.
"Your power is truly amazing, Bahamut. You even hurt me.. a little.." Kuja reached up to his forehead and touched the blood that came from his silver hair. "Now, come to me, Bahamut. You must help me defeat my oppressor, Garland..." Kuja raised his hands into the air, much to the surprise of the Alexandrian soldiers below him.
"BROTHER!!! I know it has been a long time since we saw each other, but I need to borrow you power!" Bahamut started to shake and flew round in awkward positions, like his brain was being tormented.
"BROTHER! IIFA! I know you can hear me! Let me borrow your other body's power!" Kuja felt his veins flow as the Iifa tree responded to him, waving it's vines and roots.
"Enslave Bahamut and kill the elephant lady!!" He ordered, and oblivion ensued.
Five thousand miles away, on a ship called The Sussurus, Iifa replied to his brother's call.
**************************
"Iifa! What happened to him?!" Sarah and the others gathered round the unconscious Iifa, who had clutched his head in pain and collapsed a few seconds ago while the storm raged about them. Mariah came forward and felt his forehead.
"It's Kuja's doing! Kuja has been mentally connecting with him!" Mariah announced above the crashing sound of the waves. "He's borrowing Iifa's power!"
**************************
Iifa felt grass beneath him. It was soft, and slightly wet. Iifa found himself lying face down this grass, with no idea what had happened.
"..Ugh.. My head.." He felt the crown of his head, but no damage was present. But something was wrong. He brought his hands to his vision, and held them up to the sky, which was a deep, blue colour. The sun was bright and felt pleasantly warm on his face. But his hands were bare. He always wore gloves, and his hands looked smaller and more childlike. Iifa looked around him. He was in a field full of wild flowers and grass, which stretched for miles as far as the eye could see. He spotted some mountains far in the distance to his left, and to his right, a little closer than the mountains, was a forest of tall blue stalk like buildings, with large settlements on top. He recognised that place slowly, it was Bran Bal. Suddenly it hit him... this was one of the long lost memories he had struggled to retrieve. His suspicions were confirmed when he stood up and looked at himself. He was a nine year old child again, and could hardly see over the tall grass. He even tried his voice,
"~Hello..?~" He called. His voice was lighter and had a foreign clip to it. Of course it had, he was speaking Terran, and he was a nine year old child again. He rubbed his eyes just to make sure he wasn't dreaming, and in doing this spotted what he was wearing. Instead of the black jacket and trousers with boots, he wore a simple blue and white long sleeved t-shirt with the same coloured trousers. He recognised these clothes... soulless genomes wore these.. They fitted his child-frame perfectly.
("~What in the name of Terra..?~") He pondered. He heard running feet behind him, but before he could turn around someone had grabbed his waist and they had both fallen gently to the floor.
"~I got you Iifa! Your not so good at hide-and-seek anymore!~" He was stunned out of his wits. It was Mariah. She looked as if she were fifteen or so, and she had a horn with beautiful brown hair.
"~What's the matter, Iifa? I catch you off guard?~" She giggled. He tried to reply, but he wasn't controlling his words, they just came out by themselves. He could never control it, this was just a memory...
"~No way, Mariah! I knew you were there!~" He felt himself laugh while she hugged him playfully.
("~When the hell did this ever happen?!~")
"~You find Kuja yet?~" His child self asked innocently.
"~Yeah, I caught him ages ago, he's waiting in two clearing's back.~" Mariah laughed before standing up. He felt awkward, she doubled his height... Normally her head would come to his chin... She took his hand and started to run with him in tow, they slowed down once they reached the field Kuja was sitting in.
"~I found Iifa, he was just standing there!~" Mariah laughed as Kuja stood to greet them.
"~No matter..~" Kuja shrugged with a smile on his face. Mariah let go of Iifa's hand and hugged Kuja before kissing him passionately.
("~This is a memory, right?~") Iifa felt his legs move towards the couple. He then saw his hand tug at Mariah's dress.
"~When am I gonna see your town, Mariah?~" The child-Iifa asked.
"~Someday, Iifa. But not now..~" Mariah laughed again. Why was she so happy?
("~Why do I feel so happy?!~") He felt Mariah ruffle his air and sit down on the grass, Kuja following suit.
"~Big bro, when can I go to Mandain Sari?~" Iifa wanted to get out of this vision, or memory, or whatever it was. It was too strange! Never in his life had he called Kuja 'Big bro', he knew that Kuja was his brother, but Iifa was the elder! Iifa was Garland's first creation!
("~Let me out!!! I can't take it!! ~") He felt like he wanted to explode with questions. What was the meaning of this? Why was Mariah here? Why did he feel so loyal and protective over the two?
("~WHY?! DAMMIT!!! TELL ME WHY!!!~") Never in his memory had he felt this insecure. To tell the truth, he never recalled this occasion. Suddenly Kuja looked at him. Not the child-Iifa, but the Iifa inside. The 17 year old Iifa.
"~Please remember, brother. Just try... I am sorry I borrowed your power, Iifa. I had no choice.~" Kuja said pleadingly. Mariah didn't seem to hear the conversation, she was oblivious to it. Iifa felt physically uncomfortable. Then he realised his clothes were soaking wet, he was dripping, his hair was dripping. He looked at his hands and clothes; they were normal again. A large crack of thunder shot through the air and it rained hard seconds later. But Mariah and Kuja were still smiling. The rain wasn't affecting them at all... He felt himself move, rock and sway like the earth was unstable.. it was like being on a ship...
("~A ship!? The Sussurus!!!~") Kuja and Mariah suddenly disappeared into blackness, and all he could see were the wooden boards of a ship deck. He felt a wave of water soak him, and a voice...
"Iifa!! Please wake up!!" He knew that voice... but his mind felt so unresponsive...
"Iifa!!" The voice..
("~Sarah?~") He blinked a few times and felt someone roll him over.
"It's okay! He's breathing!!!" That was Mariah's voice.. he was sure.
"Come on, man! The minute a Gigan Octopus attacks us you pass out?! What is with that?!" That voice belonged to Darson.
("~Why is my mind so slow and tired? I feel like my energy has vanished..~") His vision came into focus slowly but surely. He saw three heads leaning over him.. Sarah, Darson and Mariah..
"~...What j-just happened?~" He said painfully.
"What did he just say?" Darson looked at Sarah.
"He just said 'What happened' in Terran.." She answered without looking, still peering over Iifa. Iifa summoned some of the strength he felt he had left, and stood up with the help of his three companions.
"Are you okay, Iifa? Mariah says Kuja was using your power up!" Sarah asked, concerned.
"My power?" It all made sense, finally. ("~That's why he apologised for using my power in the end of that memory, because he had already sapped it up.. what is going on?~")
"Do you have any energy left, Iifa? We need your..huh?" Iifa looked at Mariah as she was talking, and remembered the memory he had had.
"We played hide and seek in a field outside Bran Bal..." He said slowly.
"You remembered! You remember!!" She said, hugging him.
"Iifa, what is going on?!" Sarah shook him.
"Kuja showed me some of my memories..." Iifa started, until he saw what looked like a giant tentacle lash in and out of the water. "What was that!?" He exclaimed.
"That's what we need your help with!" Sarah cried. "Come on, let's go!!" The group assembled on the starboard of the boat, waiting for the monster to appear. It chose not to disappoint them, it was the Gigan Octopus the old sea dog had told Sarah about at the docks. It was enormous...
"IFRIT!! BEAST OF FLAMES!! I SUMMON YOUR IMMORTAL SOUL FROM THE FIRES OF HELL!! AID US!!" Mariah cried, clutching her rod. Ifrit shot out of the water and set alight in a tremendous fury.
"Okay, Darson!!" Mariah stepped back for Darson to summon.
"LEVIAHTHAN!! SERPENT OF THE SEA!! I SUMMON YOUR IMMORTAL SOUL FROM THE DEEP OCEAN, AID US!!!" The serpent Leviahthan's head raised from the water, ready to defend the ship with his teeth if necessary.
"Sarah! Your turn!" Darson stepped back for Sarah. But she was scheming something.
"I have an idea!!" She yelled over the crash of the waves. She knew Iifa had no power left, and this was their only chance if she could pull this plan off...
"ZIDANE!!! ANGEL OF DEATH!!! I SUMMON YOUR SOUL FROM THE CHASMS OF THE UNDERWORLD!! AID US!!" Everyone waited expectantly as Sarah summoned. Darson remembered that the council had officially classed Iifa as the Eidolon 'Zidane', meaning 'Mysterious One' in the ancient summoner language. He was the ultimate Eidolon, supposedly. Suddenly, Iifa felt his strength creep back into him... until his strength began to overflow.
"It's working!!" Sarah cried in success.
"Sarah, get back! It's working too well!!" Darson dragged Sarah away from Iifa, who was breathing hard. The air around him began to pulse, he had more strength than imaginable. He felt his very blood explode with power, and the urge to spill blood grew in his mind.
"What did you do to him, Sarah?!" Mariah cried.
"I just summoned him!! What's wrong with that?!" She said nervously.
"You realised you just gave the Angel of Death a thousand times more power than he's supposed to have?! ARE YOU MAD?!!" Mariah shook Sarah.
"LOOK OUT!!" Darson pushed the two girls to the floor as energy exploded from Iifa's body.
("~This power...~") Iifa thought while his brain was processing the power into his body. ("~..this power..~") Shining light enveloped him, and he transformed into the feathered demon that had rescued Sarah a few days ago from the monsters at South Gate. Except he had three pairs of dark wings, instead of one...
("..No...Not him!" ) Sarah panicked mentally. She remembered that creature ripping up the monsters that had tried to eat her with his bare hands, all that was left of them were organ parts... The black and silver feathers that covered him moved around in the storm winds, and his new shadow black hair and pitch black tail whipped around in the energy field he seemed to be giving out.
"Dammit.. Sarah!" Mariah called to her.
"What now?!" Sarah spluttered.
"Tell him what to do! Or he'll attack us if he gets bored!! Your his summoner!" Mariah advised. "Tell him to defend us!"
"Alright..." Sarah stood up on the rocking deck and breathed in. Mariah and Darson also prepared to order their Eidolons.
"IFRIT!! I COMMAND YOU TO USE THE FIRES OF HELL!!" Mariah called.
"LEVIAHTHAN!! I COMMAND YOU TO TEAR OUR ATTACKER LIMB FROM LIMB!!" Darson yelled at his Eidolon.
"ZIDANE!! I COMMAND YOU TO DEFEND THIS SHIP AND EVERYONE ON IT WITH ALL OF YOUR POWER!!" Sarah called over to Iifa. The Eidolons leapt to action. Leviahthan roared before burying his teeth in the Gigan Octopus's back, holding him in place for Ifrit to attack. The Octopus was very resilient. It wrapped it's tentacles around Leviahthan's neck, making the serpent's grip loosen. Ifrit called forth a fire ball from the sky and threw it at the Gigan Octopus, who ducked under the water, making the fire dissolve in the waves. The monster then turned back to the ship. Zidane simply walked infront of the three summoners and held his hand infront of the monster. The monster sent three huge tentacles charging at the deck, only to have them burnt off when they came in contact with the invisible barrier Zidane had made. The octopus made a disgusting gurgling noise.. it was obviously angry, very angry. The tentacles that were around Leviahthan's neck squeezed hard, and the serpent started to choke.
"LEVIAHTHAN!!!" Darson called after his suffering eidolon. "RETURN!!!" The eidolon vanished in a whirl of sparks, freeing it from the octopus's tentacles. Soon enough, Mariah had to do the same with Ifrit as he was dragged underwater. (A fatal thing for a fire summon!) Zidane was the last one remaining; on attack and defence. Sarah panicked. What should she do? Mariah and Darson were exhausted from drawing back Leviahthan and Ifrit and if she ordered Zidane to attack, they would lose the defence!
"WHAT DO I DO?!" She screamed at no-one in particular. But Zidane responded to her plea for help.
"~Leave him to me..~" He said calmly, before jumping off the ship and straight towards the octopus. The monster flew four tentacles towards him, but he vanished into thin air.
"Where'd he go?!" Sarah looked around, only to see him appear again over the back of the octopus. This carried on for a couple of minutes, every time the octopus attacked him, he vanished and appeared in a completely different spot.
"Good thinking Sarah! I never knew he was a Evanesce Eidolon!" Mariah clapped her hands together.
"I never ordered him to do anything! ..and what the hell does Evanesce Eidolon mean?!" Sarah put her hands on her hips.
"It's an old word for an Eidolon who had the ability to teleport itself to any wished destination. The only other Eidolon that I know to have that ability is Carbuncle..." Mariah ran over to Sarah. "Zidane is wearing the octopus down and distracting it so we can escape!"
("..Iifa..") Sarah thought tenderly. "Okay! Pull the boat off!!"
"It's already going!" Darson assured. The boat was now at least a safe distance from the octopus.
"Hey, hey!" Darson pointed back to the battle scene. "The octopus has stopped attacking!"
"Yeah but... MY GODS!!!" Mariah suddenly caught site of Zidane. He had a circle of Terran symbols around him, and his wings were stretched out fully.
"What is he doing?!" Sarah and the others rushed to the stern of the ship, only to see him call to something above...
A giant red eye in the clouds..
Ooooh, cliff hanger. I really ought to shorten my chapters a bit.. this one is eight pages!! Sorry about the octopus.. well at least it wasn't a seal.. Next chapter; the plot thickens! Starting with our old friend Taharka.. (Name familiar? it should be if you got to disc 3!!)