Hi again! Action packed chapter here! (Warning! Please excuse the British clapping game names, school does no justice. _ Well, apart from 'Miss Mop' which is American.... but it's still awful.) Please excuse any spelling mistakes... my spellcheck and head isn't working. ^_^;;
Chpt 15 : The Fourth Angel.
It had been three days since Sarah had woke up, and at this moment in time she almost wished she were still in a coma. Garland had explained who she was and where she had come from, and why her soul was not her own. Iifa was Kronos, and she was Kaia. It was all too much. Garland had also explained the mission to Memoria; a place of memories. Kuja's aim was to destroy both worlds and live in memoria, ruling the memories along with the dead. If Iifa was planning to stop him, he would have to go into memoria itself, then battle and kill Kuja. The hard part was finding him.
"~But why can't I come?! I can help!!~" Sarah yelled, dissatisfied with Garland and Iifa's decision to leave her behind.
"~I don't want to put you in danger again. You're going to stay with Taharka and Eiko right here. I will go into Memoria.~" Iifa checked his weapon one more time before returning it to it's sheath.
"~Iifa! You can't just...~" Sarah started, but stopped abruptly on seeing Iifa's expression.
"~Yes I can! I'm not risking anything! You're going to stay right here, wether you like it or not!~" His face no longer wore the calm, reassuring expression he usually carried, but a face filled with worry, confusion and most of all anger.
"~Fine.~" She breathed, still shocked at his change of character.
"~Listen.. You know I'm doing this for your own good.~" Iifa walked towards her.
"~I know.. but I feel like i'm useless.. i have no purpose in the battle.~"
"~You do.~" Iifa smiled. "~Your going to help me with the assimilation.~"
"~Why?~"
"~You'll find out.~" He winked at her and walked out of the lab, hoping the plan would work, and hoping Sarah didn't follow him into battle. When he reached the plaza outside, Garland gave him a disapproving look.
"~What?~" Iifa retorted.
"~I just think you should start to control that temper of yours. You have a tendency to blow up in people's face and..~" Garland was interrupted.
"~I KNOW, OKAY?!~" Iifa yelled.
"~You see what I mean?~" Garland tutted.
"~Listen.. I appreciate you bringing me back from Kronos's soul, creating me and all that shit, but it doesn't mean you can act like you own me!~"
"~Well, I did create you, and you still need guidance..~"
"~GUIDANCE?! WHAT KIND OF PERSON DO YOU THINK I AM?!~" Iifa exploded again.
"~IIFA! YOU DARE SHOUT AT ME?"!~" Garland's face turned red with annoyance, while Iifa's face turned into a smirk now that he had got a reaction out of him.
"~I'm going to Memoria now... I may be gone for some while..~" Iifa retorted.
"~There's no hurry, old friend..~"
"~You can stop calling me that for a start... I'm not Kronos, I'm Iifa... my own person.~"
"~You will always be Kronos to me.. that is why you were made.~" Garland reasoned.
"~Whatever... If Sarah tries to follow me, stop her at all costs.~" Iifa frowned. "~If she gets hurt, no assimilation.~"
"~Watch what you bargain with Iifa, my patience is growing thin. Just like with Kuja...~" Garland scowled, receiving a death-stare from Iifa. "~I wouldn't rise to it, Iifa. Just go.~" With that, Iifa stormed out of Bran Bal, towards the cliffs where the entrance to Memoria was waiting.
*****************
Sarah groaned at the thought of another round of 'A Sailor Went To Sea-Sea-Sea To See What He Could See-See-See' with Eiko, who was bouncing up and down infront of her, ready to do the next clapping motion.
"I'm tired, Eiko. Can we PLEASE stop playing this game?" Sarah pleaded.
"Oh, come-on Sarah! It isn't that hard! You see, you put your hand on your knee when I say Sea-Sea-Sea.. and.."
"No! Please! No more!! I'm not spending my time on Terra playing clapping games with you!!" Sarah rubbed her temples.
"Oh.. Okay. How about 'Miss. Mop'?"
"No!"
"Or 'Jackalo-Highlo'?"
"NO!"
"Not even 'The Goose Drank Wine'?"
"ESPECIALLY not 'The Goose Drank Wine'." Sarah thinned her eyes.
"You're no fun anymore.." Eiko sulked.
"Well, I'm so sorry, your highness." Sarah said with sarcasm. He attention was redirected when she saw Garland come back into the lab from outside and straight into his office. He looked really edgy.
("I wonder if he and Iifa had an argument? I did hear shouting..") Sarah pondered. ("I'd better ask him.") Sarah got to her feet, still aching a little from her coma ordeal.
"~Garland?~" There was silence in his office, save a rustle of paper.
"~Hellooo?~" Sarah entered the office, only to find Garland looking out of the window.
"~Umm, Garland, sir? I'd like to ask you a few questions.. if that's..~" Sarah stopped abruptly when he spoke up.
"~Do you find Iifa difficult to control sometimes, Sarah?~" He didn't look at her when he talked, instead his gaze firmly fixed on the outside scenery of Bran Bal.
"~Well, he does have the occasional habit of going off to places to scout areas.. especially in Lindblum.~" She summarised. She was curious to why he was asking her these questions.
"~Does he seem... to have a lack for authority?~" Garland turned his head a little so she could see one of his eyes.
"~No, not really. Well, not towards you anyway.~" She shrugged. "~Why are you asking me these questions?~"
"~I'm beginning to see the flaw of my creations, that's why.~"
"~Flaw? But there's nothing wrong with Iifa..~" Sarah pointed out.
"~Maybe it isn't apparent to you. Iifa has been losing his loyalty and respect for me lately. He's beginning to tread the path Kuja took.~" Garland turned around to face her. "~When I made Iifa.. the Terran form that is.. I never bothered to check the obedience of the soul... Because it was Kronos's, I thought it would be easy to control, even on a friendly terms.~"
"~He's always been loyal to you, right?~" Sarah dragged a stool from under the desk and sat herself down.
"~No.. not always. At the age of nine he was under Kuja's influence. Only Kuja knew that while locked in the Iifa tree Iifa would recover his memories of how he served me... that is why he is afraid of Iifa. He's afraid that Iifa will see him as the traitor.~" Garland looked straight into Sarah's eyes. "~Tell me, Sarah.. Has Iifa ever spoken kindly towards Kuja?~"
"~Umm, he might have.. he was considering letting him go when Kuja showed him some forgotten memories..~" Sarah blinked a few times. "~But you aren't going to hurt Iifa are you?~"
"~It depends.~" He paused "~Iifa is becoming as arrogant as Kuja. If Iifa was pitying Kuja when he showed him a section of Memoria, I can highly suspect that the same thing will happen when Iifa goes back there.~"
"~Then why did you let him go?!~" Sarah sat up. "~You'll just have both of them fight against you! With the combined force of Kuja and Iifa.. we're all doomed! Can't you see that?!~" Sarah cried hysterically.
"~Yes, I am well aware what kind of power they have. I did make them after all... If Iifa does go out of control, the Iifa tree will do the same. It will rip the Outer continent off the water.~"
"~How can you be so calm about this?! I won't let Iifa go mad! Tell me where he went!!~" Sarah leapt off her stool, ready for action.
"~I'm not calm. I'm just better at hiding my feelings.~" Garland said with a placid look on his face. Sarah sunk back onto her stool, muttering quietly.
"~I had made plans some years ago.. I knew that Iifa would try his hardest to disobey me when he had the chance, and Kuja would help him as much as it is in his power to do so. Iifa and Kuja are a force to be reckoned with.~"
"~You're telling me...~" Sarah mumbled.
"~I had made plans to design a new Angel. I stored these away when Iifa showed signs of improvement. But I fear I will have to get them out of storage again.~"
"~Angel? Plans? Storage?~" Sarah sat up again.
"~An 'Angel', in the Terran sense is a word for a genome with a soul. They each have titles due to what order they were made in and how powerful they are... Ordinary genomes are just vessels, but Terrans like Iifa, Kuja and Mikoto are 'Angels'.~"
"~So what are the titles?~" Sarah enquired.
"~ 'The First Angel; Iifa : Angel of Darkness, The Second Angel; Kuja : Angel of Destruction, The Third Angel; Mikoto : Angel of Terra... they are just a reference for me.~"
"~I get Iifa being the Angel of Darkness and Kuja of Destruction, but why is Mikoto Angel of Terra?~" She asked, unsure of his answer.
"~She is Angel of Terra because she looks after it. She had helped the planet, so I named her after it.~"
"~Okay. So what about these plans?~" Sarah raised an eyebrow whilst Garland sighed and rubbed his chin, thinking of how to phrase his explanation.
"~I have the plans and soul for a new Angel. An Angel which is obedient and has most of the weaker human emotions. This is what makes him loyal and unsuspecting. I made the plans just incase Iifa showed signs of disobedience, which has come into light recently.~"
"~What will the Angel do?~" Sarah said, intrigued.
"~He will 'keep an eye' on Iifa and Kuja for me, and make sure you don't get into trouble.~" Garland revealed.
"~Why me?~"
"~We have discussed this before. If you get hurt, then Iifa will refuse to start the assimilation. He is the only one who can do it... so that is why it would be good for you to stay out of trouble... Or have someone guard you from it.~"
"~I can take care of myself.~"
"~I don't think so somehow..~" Garland glared. He walked over to the desk and picked up the intercom. "~Mikoto, come to my office immediately!~"
"~Are you starting now?~" Sarah got off her stool and tucked it back under the table.
"~Undeniably...~"
*******************
Iifa reached the spot where Garland had told him Memoria was. It was the cliffs ten miles from Bran Bal, and Iifa knew these cliffs held a big history. They had been the burial site of three of the seven Terrans left to assimilate Gaia, and had been the final place where Kaia, Sarah's past self had stood... before throwing herself off them to rejoin Kronos in death. Iifa hated the way the wind made a whistling song through the rocks, like the very cliff itself was talking. He shuffled to the edge and peered down, where he could just about make out three slabs of rock on the valley floor..... they were graves.
"~I hate this place... Too much memory..~" Iifa thought for a moment before reciting what he had just said. "~I hate this place.. It's so full of memory! That's it! Memoria!~" Iifa now knew what had to be done. To enter memoria he had to think of life changing events, kept inside your conscience from this life or the last one in the form of memories. Iifa concentrated.
"~Right.~" He thought of all the times he had fought alongside Sarah, and his stay in Mandain Sari. ("~No.. I need to go back more..~") He remembered his entombment in the Iifa tree, which made him think of his other body, and how it was doing. ("I need to think of memories! Old ones..~") Iifa started to think of how Kuja had hidden him from Garland when he was a child.. but this sparked no reaction. Going back even further he remembered seeing only blue liquid that had burned his eyes when his body was developing, his growth inside the testing lab.. Iifa could of sworn he felt a reaction.. but he needed to go back further.
It was raining....
Not particularly hard, but it was cold and fresh.
There were mountains, and many blue spires.
Iifa found his mind taking him to a field's edge, he was sitting on barren ground by the cliff. The rain soaked everything around, but the blue spires infront of him marked the horizon. This was the same feeling he had when he was last in Memoria.. on the Sussuruss.
("~I'm here?~") Iifa realised he was out of his memory searching and into the memory itself. He wasn't surprised to see his body had changed again, it had gone back into a child last time. This time he knew why he looked older instead of younger.
"~Kronos?~" A soft feminine voice sounded, in looking at the scenery he had failed to notice someone was sitting beside him.
"~Yes, Kaia?~" He knew who the woman was, since she looked just like Sarah.
"~Do you think Tanze, Eni, and Aikand have gone into the soul stream?~" Kaia looked at him sincerely. He knew what period of time this was, this was after Sirriai had killed Tanze, Eni and Aikand... so obviously Sirriai was dead. He knew this because Kronos, Kaia and Garland had blown him up in one of the labs.
"~I hope so.~" He breathed. He looked at his right hand, which only had the thumb and the index finger on it. Iifa knew Kronos had lost three of his fingers whilst shielding Kaia in the blast that killed Sirriai.
("~It feels so weird to be seeing things from a past life..~") Iifa pondered. Kaia stood to her feet, her tail twitching in the rain.
"~I'll be back at the lab.~" She bent down and kissed him on the cheek, then walked towards the spires behind them.
("~I'm getting a bad feeling about this.. I just hope Kronos wasn't too forward with Sarah when she was having Kaia's memories..~") Iifa brushed back his now black fringe, and looked in the direction Kaia had walked off.
"~Wha?~" She had vanished. Where she was seemed to be a hole in the air, like a vortex of some kind. ("~The entrance to Memoria..~") Iifa smiled inwardly. It was what he had been searching for. Stepping forwards he felt himself shed his form as Kronos and take his original body. Iifa brushed himself down hastily, a little nervous.. much to his displeasure.
"~I'm Iifa.. not Kronos. I'm just me..~" Iifa reassured himself as he looked up infront of him. He stood on a long narrow arch bridge leading to a grotesque castle. The gothic fortress seemed to be under construction before his very eyes, bricks and roofing attaching themselves to each other at an alarming rate.
"~Okay.. In we go..~" Iifa inhaled deeply before walking towards Memoria's true entrance.
************************
"~Pulse rate.. normal. Respiration level... normal.. ~" Mikoto read off one of the many monitors in the main lab in Bran Bal in a monotonous and computer like fashion. "~Master, he is ready.~"
"~Excellent. Prepare the shock pads, we're going to wake him up..~" Garland ordered.
****************************
The hallway was cold, and had too much blue for Sarah's liking. Now that she thought of it, the whole hallway seemed familiar. It was infact the hallway she had first met Sirriai in while in a coma... She had peered out of the window a few feet away from her in a past life. The twinge of jealousy sparked up again. Kaia was so much more presentable than she was.. prettier even..
"~Are you feeling alright, Sarah?~" Taharka asked. They had both been sitting outside the lab where the new Angel was being made, waiting to see the results. Eiko was a little further down the hall, playing 'Jackalo-Highlo' with a poor genome, who didn't know how to clap...
"~I'm feeling fine, thanks. I'm a little worried for Iifa though.~"
"~You shouldn't be. He is perfectly able to take care of himself...~" Taharka began.
"~But not from Kuja... Kuja could manipulate him, even hypnotise him with memories. Then he'll turn evil.~" Sarah looked down at her feet, not wanting to think about the consequences of her dangerous if not genocidal lover's actions.
"~Well, with the new Angel, you, me and everyone else will be safe. Garland knows what he's doing.~" Taharka reassured. Sarah paused, hoping that what she said was true.
"~Oh yeah.. Taharka.. You have a soul, and you're a genome.. so doesn't that make you an Angel?~" Sarah quizzed, changing the subject.
"~No, not exactly. I was placed to guard Ipsen's castle.. plus, I have the soul of an ancient Terran crossed with that of a monster. That is how I can shapeshift.~" Taharka said with pride. "~So therefore I am no Angel.~"
"~I see. I wish i was a Terran.~" Sarah said without hope.
"~Garland can make you one.~" Taharka suggested.
"~No, no, no, no... I mean I wish i was born one.. I mean, i could change now... but I'd loose my summons. They are.. precious to me.~" She held a hand to her chest and smiled fondly.
"~Then forever may you have the soul of a Terran, but the will of a summoner, my friend.~"
"~Thanks, Taharka.~" Sarah smiled softly at her companion, just as Mikoto stepped out of the lab doors with a satisfied look on her face.
"~He is ready.~"
"~Shall we go and look?~" Taharka asked.
"~Certainly.~" Sarah and Taharka got off their seats and followed the Young Terran Angel into the lab, and to where Garland was standing.
"He's magnificent, don't you think?~" Garland announced triumphantly. Before him stood a Terran, blonde hair, brown tail, and the signature cerulean eyes. He wasn't as well statured or visually strong like Iifa, nor as thin and towering as Kuja. He was an inch taller than Sarah, if not the same height, with a boyish quality to him. He didn't look as strong as his elder brothers either, but he looked agile. Unfortunately, both Kuja and Iifa were incredibly fast and agile to match... But Garland looked confident enough with his creation.
"~What's his name, Garland?~" Taharka enquired.
"~Zidane. His name is Zidane.~"
"~Zidane? But that's Iifa's undercover name..~" Sarah objected.
"~I know. But I liked that name, and I doubt Iifa will be using it anytime soon.~" Garland smiled. "~I have briefed him already, so he should know the basics.. Isn't that right, Zidane?~"
"~.. Yes Garland..~" The Terran Angel spoke, revealing a gentle toned voice. He seemed unsure of his purpose, the faltered tones of his voice showed it.
"~This is the person you will be guarding.~" Garland encouraged Sarah to step forwards, she waved a little and stepped back again.
"~Her name is Sarah. You know what will happen if she is hurt, don't you?~" Garland questioned. Zidane thought for a moment.
"~Terra won't live again?~" He said uneasily.
"~Good. I want you two to get acquainted. Taharka, you can help him.~" Garland pointed to Sarah and Zidane. Sarah smiled and beckoned him towards her.
"~Come on, we can talk in stasis room with Taharka.~" She nodded as he followed her out of the door.
"~Give us a day, then I'm sure he'll be ready.~" Taharka reported.
"~Good. For once everything is going to plan.~" Garland sighed.
*********************
Iifa suddenly felt a chill run up his spine as he passed through the destroyed city in Memoria.. Like something new had just come into this word... It was powerful, but not enough to bother him.. the only thing that did bother him was that he also had a sudden urge to protect Sarah, even though she was nowhere around.
("~I don't like this.. Maybe i should head back to see if Sarah's okay..~") He looked behind him. He had walked a long way, but he couldn't turn back now.. though he felt he should. Sarah's safety was nagging at the back of his mind... also that cold feeling of something new.. it was unnerving.
"~You felt it too, brother?~" A voice sounded.
"~Kuja!!~" Iifa realised he was not alone, he knew Kuja was here, but where?
"~It worries me, Iifa.. Garland has created a new Angel.~" Kuja appeared from behind a building, causing Iifa's hair to turn a shade of black in his anger, but then filter back to dark blonde again.
"~I should rip you apart for what you did to Sarah..~" Iifa growled. He could feel the energy running though his veins.
"~I only did it in self defence.. The girl packs quite a punch, you know.~" Kuja reasoned.
"~You make me laugh.. you did it to get to me..~"
"~No, I didn't. Think of this brother...~" Kuja waved back his silver hair. "~You were prepared to kill Mariah when you caught sight of her on the mist continent, only because I loved her. You wanted to hurt her to get to me.~" Kuja's face was more sincere than Iifa had ever seen it. "~So, in order to save myself from Taharka and your Gaian, Sarah, I used self defence. I happened to be using this at the time.~" Kuja pulled out a palm sized shard from his robes and threw it to Iifa, who caught it carefully, then proceeded to examine it suspiciously.
"~What is it?~" Iifa asked, his face emotionless.
"~It's a shard of the Life Crystal. It gives me magical powers to attack and defend, also to run this place.~" Kuja outstretched his hands to the ominous sky of Memoria. Iifa twisted the rock in his hands.
"~What's the catch?~"
"~It drives you to do things that seem out of character.~" Kuja announced.
"~You mean it drives you insane? Nice excuse.~" Iifa snorted.
"~I'm serious. Give it a try if you want, just wish for power.. or a taste of it and you'll see what I mean.~" Kuja crossed his arms, hoping his brother would see what he had.
"~I wish for power..~" Iifa said dryly. What happened next shook Iifa badly. Suddenly he saw himself transformed, bloodcovered and grinning evilly... He saw Sarah being protected by a genome in thief clothes, and her terrified face as he drew closer to her, he saw Bran Bal in ruins, and Garland and Mikoto decimated on the floor... and his transformed self was laughing all the way through it..
"~NO!~" He threw the crystal to the floor, where Kuja picked it up and returned it to his robes. "~WHAT THE HELL JUST HAPPENED?!~" Iifa breathed heavily.
"~You saw what I experienced. I thought I could have the power to defeat our enslaver, Garland, and liberate you. But you appeared to be on his side. That is why I used it against Sarah and Taharka, I even injured Mariah on my return here.~" Kuja seemed worried when he brought the subject of Mariah up.
"~What happened to her?~" Iifa asked.
"~I cast a flare spell at her.. She's still sleeping, but I think I broke some of her ribs... I fixed them with some heavy Curaga spells, though.~"
"~You could comatose someone with that amount of healing magic.~" Iifa mentioned, remembering what he did to Sarah.
"~Well brother? I want to see what Garland has created. How about you?~"
"~How do I know I can trust you?~" Iifa sneered.
"~The question is, brother, will you attack me? We could both injure or maybe kill each other outright, and I have no wish to harm you. You've already caused me great loss.~"
"~The same here.~" Iifa thinned his eyes in suspicion.
"~How about it? A truce until you find your side?~" Kuja outstretched his hand in friendship.
"~You try anything, Kuja, and your insides will be outsides.~" Iifa roughly shook his hand, causing Kuja to smile like he did in the memory of the fields Iifa had.
"~My main concern is Garland's new creation, not waging war with you.~" Kuja said sincerely.
*************************
"~So my brothers are evil..~" Zidane summarised. Sarah shook her head a little.
"~No, just one of them..~"
"~Kuja, right?~" Zidane asked.
"~Yeah. But Iifa is well on the way..~" Taharka sighed. "~You have to protect Sarah against them both.~"
"~Okay.. When do I start?~" The new Angel seemed eager to please, especially towards Sarah.
"~Well, I guess I want to regroup with some friends of mine.. just to see how they are, you know?~" Sarah wondered how Tei, Dagger and Darson were doing... Were they even alive after the Sussuruss crashed?
"~I'm coming with you.~" Taharka smiled.
"~Good.~" Sarah announced. "~We better go tell Garland then, huh?~" Sarah breathed in deeply. It would be her first time on Gaia this year without Iifa.. She missed him badly already.
**************************
"~Have you got the basic essentials?~" Mikoto questioned.
"~Yeah, Me, Zidane and Taharka are packed and ready.~" Sarah nodded. "~Look after Eiko while I'm away, yeah?~"
"~Yes, of course.~" Mikoto smiled.
"~The portal is just south of here... we'll land near the Ice continent on the Shimmering Island, we should be able to use Leviahthan to get to shore.~" Taharka traced her finger along an old map, showing distances and ratios.
"~Let's go!~" Sarah smiled. She loved setting off on journeys.. but it would never be the same without Iifa. They left Bran Bal, waving goodbye to Mikoto as they left the blue gates. Zidane seemed to smile alot around Sarah, which made her uneasy... Sure he was friendly, but by right it should only be from friendship.. nothing else. She just hoped he hadn't developed a 'special' liking for her. The gate at the end glowed in multi colours, showing signs that the portal was active.
"~Shall we?~" Taharka leapt through the portal, Sarah next, then Zidane. A cool, wet feeling hit them as Terra left them behind and Gaia cam fourth. All three of the travellers hit the snow with a thud, but no harm was done.
"~Remind me to go through Ipsen's castle nest time..~" Taharka rubbed her back, while Sarah brushed the snow out of her hair. Zidane helped both of them up with ease.
"~Where do we head next, Sarah?~" Zidane smiled.
"~Uhh.. We head to shore.~" She pointed to the Lost continent, gleaming in the sunshine. "~I'll get Leviahthan to help us then...~" Sarah reached for her rod.. she hadn't used it in ages.
"LEVIAHTHAN! SERPENT OF THE SEA! I SUMMON YOUR IMMORTAL SOUL FROM THE DEEP OCEAN! AID US!" Sarah cried, waving her rod high in the air, giving out a low rumble from the sea as the mighty sea serpent Leviahthan raised its head from the water, and roared as a greeting to its master.
"Hello, Leviahthan." Sarah said timidly, stroking the wet scales of her reptilian servant, in reply Leviahthan made a clicking noise from the back of it's throat.
"~We can get on now.~" Sarah grinned, leaping onto the back of the sea serpent. Taharka and Zidane were wary, but got on eventually with enough coaxing from Sarah and a few clicking noises from Leviahthan. The genomes seemed to enjoy their ride on Leviahthan. It would take them at least half and hour to get to shore, since icebergs and the tide were against them. Sarah was disrupted from her sightseeing by a tap on the shoulder.
"~Hmm?~" She turned a little, steadying herself so she was balanced. Zidane smiled knowing he had her attention.
"~Since I'm going to guard you, we might as well get to know each other better, don't you think?~" He brushed his fringe back, a mannerism Sarah was all too familiar with. "~So.. where you from?~"
"~Uhh.. This planet?~" Sarah's eyes darted around in confusion, he did have a bad habit of asking vague questions.
"~No, I mean what village.~"
"~Oh.. Mandain Sari..~" Zidane nodded a little and stared at her, wanting her to elaborate.
"~Umm, it's the village of summoners. It's a long way from here.~"
"~Tell me about it.., you know, life there and that..~" Zidane made himself comfortable.
"~Well, life there is pretty boring.. You're not even allowed to summon inside. The people are a little small minded but their alright, I suppose. It's not like I want to go back there or anything, but it's a nice place for someone who wants to settle down.~" She drew breath, Zidane seemed to be captivated. "~Okay... What else... Oh yeah! Sometimes they do expeditions where they look for summons.. Did you know I have a summon called Zidane?~"
"~You mean Iifa?~" Zidane frowned.
"~How did you...?~"
"~Garland told me.~" He interrupted. "~He said that you thought Iifa was a summon. He's not a summon.. Just a Terran Angel.~" Zidane looked away, obviously thinking of something else.
"~Oh... Well, How come he was summoned?~" Sarah challenged.
"~You just gave him power.~" Zidane shrugged. "~That's dangerous, you know.~"
"~Hey, I'm the summoner here... But.. How do you know all the tiny details?~" Sarah expressed in curiosity.
"~Garland downloaded information into my brain, that way I don't have to ask everything. It's new technology.~" He said proudly.
"~That makes you more robot than Angel, Zidane.~" Sarah frowned. "~You should have the fun of finding things out for yourself. I know he wants you to know his plans and stuff, but you are allowed to go against the flow and explore or go back on opinions.. I'm not going to tell on you.~" She smiled with sincerity.
"~Thanks. You're a kind Gaian.~" He winked at her, making her look away sharply, feeling more uncomfortable than ever.
"~What's the matter?~" He said, concerned.
"~Nothing.~"
"~Did I offend you?~" He shuffled to one side to get a better look of her face.
"~No. I just need some time to think, okay?~" Sarah closed her eyes. Was Iifa going to be okay? He couldn't turn evil, could he? ("~Why did Garland sound so nervous when talking about Kuja and Iifa? Did he know from the beginning that those two would turn against him? What if Kuja isn't telling us something.. maybe about Garland... No, I should just concentrate on making sure Tei, Dagger and Darson are okay...~") Sarah rubbed her cheek absent mindedly, receiving a strange look from Zidane.
"~Do you think we'll visit Lindblum?~" Zidane asked, changing the subject.
"~I don't know.. Maybe if Dagger or Darson are there...~" She thought for a moment.
"~Hey! We're reaching shore!~" Taharka interrupted her thoughts, making all on Leviahthan stand up uneasily and look at the ever closer Lost Continent.
"~It's very bright..~" Taharka said, shielding her eyes.
"~It would be. The sun reflects powerfully off ice.~" Sarah informed, before holding on to Leviahthan's horns, making Taharka and Zidane follow suite. The sea serpent shuddered a bit like a boat in shallow water, signalling that he had hit ground.
"~Right. I'm sure if Tei was alive she'd return here.. So i'm going to ask a few questions in Esto Gaza~" Sarah pointed to a large grey temple like structure to the west, figures could just about be seen walking on it's top levels.
"~Who's Tei?~" Zidane and Taharka asked in unison.
"~A old friend of mine who I met at the beginning of my journey... She's very impulsive and energetic.. so if we do meet up don't be surprised if she gets too loud.~" Sarah laughed to herself, remembering Tei's little antics. ("~I just hope she's okay too..~")
******************
Iifa and Kuja stepped out onto the cliff, Bran Bal in full view.
"~Sarah's left the planet..~" Iifa observed, he could sense her presence a mile off, and it was nowhere around here for sure.
"~Once I find out what Garland's up to i'll return to Mariah, her condition worries me.~" Kuja started out towards the mass of labs in the distance, Iifa keeping a wary distance of him.
"~Brother, I wish to ask you a question.~" Kuja spoke up.
"~What now?~"
"~Why, apart from the incident with Sarah, are you hunting me down?~" Kuja turned to look at Iifa, who avoided his eye contact.
"~Because Garland thinks you are a threat to Terra. You are planning to destroy Terra and Gaia in order to keep yourself and Mariah alive, correct?~"
"~Not exactly.. I wish to hide from the enslavement of Garland. Memoria is my retreat. I made that threat so he could send you to me.~"
"~What?!~"
"~I wanted to reason with you, brother.~"
"~Reason for what?~" Iifa spat, feeling his anger rise.
"~So you would remember that we are brothers... not enemies.~"
"~So after all you've done you want me to join you? Are you naive or something? Why would I want to join you?~" Iifa's eyes thinned, receiving a depressive sigh from Kuja.
"~I'm not naive brother... I just wanted your help.~"
"~Yeah.. I doubt that.~" Iifa stopped and folded his arms. "~So, Kuja, what possibly could you want from your older brother?~"
"~I need your help to get rid on Garland... Don't you see?! While he's alive we must battle, and both Mariah and Sarah get hurt! If we can complete the assimilation, then he will become mortal!~" Kuja's face lit up whilst explaining his plan. Iifa felt strange. He had never seen Garland as bad, but he was sick of being bossed around... and calling him 'master' like when he was in the form of the Iifa tree. Even he himself had to admit he was rebelling, and what Kuja said was true. While Garland kept pitting them both against each other, both Sarah and Mariah would get in harm's way...
"~Are you saying he's pitting me against you so that I can do his dirty work?~" Iifa raised an eyebrow.
"~Without beating around the bush... yes, he is.~"
"~I never saw it that way.~" Iifa looked down, if this was the truth, then it was going to hurt.
"~The fact is... I think this new creation that Garland has made is not only to guard Sarah (If that's what it's for...) from me, but you also. I think he's more of a camera device to keep an eye on us both.~" Kuja explained. It was kind of making sense to Iifa, but there questions to be asked.
"~Listen, Kuja. I just want to make sure Sarah's okay.~"
"~I'm afraid the new angel will report that to Garland.. and there goes your plan...~" Kuja shook his head. "~I just want to make sure Garland has no control over us.~"
"~Me too.. but there is one thing all three of us have in common.. that includes you.~" Iifa frowned a little. "~I want the assimilation to take place.~"
"~So do I brother.. to get rid of Garland.~"
"~I know I'm the one with the powers to initiate it, but something isn't quite right about it..~"
"~You need more Gaian souls, Iifa. A city's worth... at least a thousand souls will do the trick.~" Kuja explained.
"~Then the assimilation can take place, huh.. It's settled then.~" Iifa changed his walking direction, instead heading for the portal of the Spirit Road. "~I can miss a run in with Garland.. I just want to get the assimilation ready now. I've spent enough time waiting for it.~"
"~So, which city is it going to be?~" Kuja asked.
"~A city with a bad reputation...~"
"~Like?~"
"~There's a city on the mist continent which Sarah once described to me. From her description it seemed a waste of space.~" Iifa saw the portal coming closer.
"~Well? Which city is it?~" Kuja jogged once or twice to catch up with Iifa's stride.
"~Treno, Kuja.. Treno.~"
*******************
"She's about this tall.. and has white and blonde hair.. Oh yeah, with a tail and ears like this.." Sarah put her hands on her head to make out the shape of wolf ears. The priest shrugged and walked away. Obviously another person who hadn't seen Tei.
"~This is getting tiring.. We've been here for at least five hours, Sarah!~" Taharka moaned.
"~I know! And we'll stay longer if need be!~" Sarah snapped back, she was starting to think Tei had never come to this continent at all.
"Did you say ears?" A few girls approached Sarah, all mimicking her hands-on-head wolf ears impression.
"~Yes, ears like that..~" Sarah confirmed.
"Huh? What did you just say?" One girl asked. Sarah suddenly realised she'd been speaking in Terran.
"Oh, sorry, wrong language." She grinned. "Yes, (ahem) with ears like that.." Sarah repeated in Gaian.
"We saw her a few weeks ago.. it may have been months.." The girls discussed. "She was lying unconscious on the bay. We'd gone for a swim at night, and she was just lying there."
"Where is she now?" Sarah said with a glimmer of hope.
"A big wolf carried her off. She could have been eaten." One girl said solemnly.
"A big wolf?" Sarah pondered aloud. "Ah! Her relatives... Now I get it.." Sarah smiled to herself.
"Relatives?" The girls asked.
"It doesn't matter. Say, do you know where these wolves live?" Sarah enquired.
"Yeah, over the eastern mountains.. That area is called the Winter Tundra." The girls nodded in agreement.
"Thanks." Sarah smiled and rejoined a bored looking Taharka and Zidane, who was busy looking at the large candlelit structure in the corner of the temple.
"~Okay, we need to head east. I think she might be alive.~" Sarah was grinning.
"~Finally.. I'm sick of looking at this damn temple..~" Taharka immediately headed for the exit, stomping in frustration as she walked.
"~Moody, no?~" Zidane smirked in amusement.
"~You can say that again...~" Sarah sighed and headed with Zidane out to the temple entrance.
*********************
"~You even said so yourself, master... All genomes have a certain time period before they start to question authority.~" Mikoto reasoned.
"~I know, I know... I just can't believe it's happened already.~" Garland sighed and stroked his beard. "~I thought Iifa's loyalty would last a little longer..~" Garland cursed himself mentally. He knew that one day Iifa would turn astray, since Kronos's will was very strong and refused to be kept captive. Iifa and Kuja shared a rather wary relationship, but they agreed on most things, making Garland unable to control things externally. It was only a matter of time before both of them thought he was using them to do his dirty work, and now they would shed their unquestioned views and reveal their true personalities... and Kuja and Iifa weren't the nicest of people personality wise.
********************
"~Watch out!!!~" Zidane caught Sarah before the second avalanche hit, landing a few meters away with her in his arms.
"~These avalanches are everywhere! We shouldn't have come this way!~" Taharka shouted over final rumbles of the tumbling snow. The three regrouped, Zidane letting go of Sarah.
"~The locals said this was the only way to the eastern mountains... I have to find Tei!~" Sarah continued down the path, Taharka and Zidane trudging along reluctantly behind her, still looking out for the next avalanche. It had actually been nice weather on the Lost continent, but minor tremors set off constant avalanches on the eastern path over the mountains... making journeying hard for anyone.
"HALT HUMANS!!" A voice sounded, making all three companions jump to their feet.
"~Show yourself!!~" Zidane reached for his daggers and stood infront of Taharka and Sarah. No reply came.
"~He can't understand you! I'll do the talking!~" Sarah whispered quickly.
"Show yourself!!" Sarah shouted. A growling noise was heard over an icy ledge to their left, and a huge wolf appeared, the size of a shire horse.
"~By Terra's grace... What is that thing?!~" Taharka shrunk behind Zidane, who looked just as daunted.
"You are now on the border of the Winter Tundra.. This is the Dark Wolf Clan's territory." The large grey wolf snarled, his fangs a little bared. "Leave now, or die."
"~He's straight to the point..~" Zidane commented.
"Ummm, we will leave, but I have a question." Sarah asked timidly.
"What is it?!" The wolf snapped in impatience.
"Is Tei... I mean Hicatei, alive?" Sarah held her breath. The wolf seemed to be confused as well as silently shocked, as he held his footing a little more firmly.
"How do you know of her?"
"She and I are friends! That's why I call her Tei... I trust you know her?" Sarah held her hands together in a quiet hope.
"Yes, I know her... She is my cousin. What is your name, human?" The wolf relaxed a little, but not enough to let them off guard.
"I am a summoner, and my name is Sarah Tresilian."
"Sarah... She has mentioned you, summoner. Hicatei wondered if you were alive too." The wolf put solemnly. "Who are these two tailed creatures?" He defiantly eyed Zidane and Taharka, curious to what and who they were.
"This is my bodyguard Zidane and my friend Taharka.. they are Terrans. Has Hicatei also mentioned someone called Iifa?" Sarah introduced her friends and waited for the wolf's response.
"Yes, she has mentioned this 'Iifa'... She has been talking of a journey all three of you took, from the Outer continent to the Mist continent... is this correct?" The grey wolf said with a low rumbled tone.
"Yes, it is. Umm, may I ask your name, Cousin of Hicatei?" Sarah decided that the only way to see Tei was by formal introductions.
"...My name is Ash, summoner." Sarah could see why the wolf was named so, his coat looked like fresh ash from a volcano. "I am the acting leader of the Dark Wolf tribe."
("Acting leader?") Sarah pondered. "Is it possible I could arrange a meeting with Hicatei?
"Hmm, It depends..." The wolf thought aloud. "She is still recovering from her ordeal. You may come and see her... but if you try anything I'll bite you in half." There was not one tone of humour in his voice. Sarah breathed out unevenly.
"Okay. We won't try anything." She nodded fervently.
"Follow me, then." He leapt off his perch on the icy rock and showed them to a path. Ash, Sarah, Zidane and Taharka slowly made their way around a hidden mountain path, being careful not to slip on loose ground. As they turned a bend, a large cave could be seen... it was surrounded and protected by the mountains, so no race could threaten it.
*******************
Zidane sat on a small rock outside the clan cave. It had been at least three hours since they had arrived there and Sarah had found the Tei she was looking for. Most of the wolves had become accustomed to their presence, so acted as if they were not there. Zidane had a good view of what was going on inside the cave, but wished not to go inside... he needed to think.
He had been created barely three or four days ago, and he was so confused. He knew his purpose was to guard Sarah at all costs from his evil brothers, but Sarah didn't seem that worried. She didn't seem worried about anything. He knew that she was the companion of Iifa, and she and him had been good friends... but then he turned evil, or so Garland said. Zidane thought it over a couple of times; he'd never actually questioned what Sarah had to do with Terra's great plan. Sure, she was Iifa's friend, but what could she do? Was she a traitor to her planet or something? He wasn't really sure. All he was sure of is that he found her intoxicating. He liked the way she smiled, she laughed, even talked. Her face seemed to have a Terran quality to it somehow... one which he couldn't quite fathom. He had tried to talk to her on several occasions, but she seemed so withdrawn... like she was afraid of him or something. It didn't matter though. He could always admire her from afar. He would protect her from Kuja and Iifa no matter what, having a good friend that had turned evil must be hard...
So he would do his best to punish Iifa for all he was worth.
*********************
"You don't know how happy I am to see you again!" Tei hugged Sarah around the waist, leaning over from her seat.
"Tei.. that's the fifth time you've said that." Sarah smiled at her animalistic friend.
"Well... we've been chatting about our adventures for three hours now! How about you introduce me to your friends?" Tei grinned, showing her large canines.
"Okay. This is Taharka..." Sarah said, pointing to the blonde haired genome who was picking at some served meat over the other side of the fire. "...and outside the cave is Zidane, my bodyguard." Tei tilted her head to get a better look.
"He's not as good looking as Iifa.." She complained. "Do you think he'll come back? Iifa, I mean?" Sarah was silent for a couple of minutes before answering.
"I.. I don't know. I miss him Tei... He's only been gone a week and I miss him already.." Sarah felt tears come to her eyes. "Oh gods, I miss him.." She felt one tear run down her cheek and drop onto the icy floor.
"He'll come back. I'm sure of it. He won't leave you, Sarah." Tei hugged her summoner friend, hoping that Iifa would return. She missed it when Sarah and Iifa were together, the way they always looked at each other and the way they created an air of happiness to travel in. Tei enjoyed witnessing their relationship.
"Sorry about that..." Sarah dried her eyes, a little embarresed about her sudden emotional change.
"It's okay." Tei assured, a little worried for her friend.
"So, will you come with us? To find Darson and Dagger?" Sarah asked. "It'll be hard without Iifa, but I'm sure with Zidane and Taharka on our side we can find them."
"Sure. We're a team right?" Tei confirmed.
"Right.... and I ain't gonna stop until we get our friends back!" Sarah announced passionately, making most of the wolves turn around and look at her.
"Right on, sister!" Tei and Sarah slammed their hands together in midair, again attracting the attention of most Dark Wolf Clan members (who had never seen a high-five before...)
"We can rest here tonight, then we move!" Tei and Sarah smiled, it was time to get back on the road again.
(*Dark Anima's hands fall off due to excessive writing-without-stopping.*) Well, I hope you liked it! I know there was no fighting or anything, but Iifa and Kuja are about to destroy Treno! The action is all packed for next time! ^_^ (Sorry for people who like action... I promise action and fighting next chapter... It's exhausting explaining stuff..) Also an apology to Kingleby... The Iifa-jealousy rage stuff is next chapter! I couldn't fit it into this chapter! Sorry! ^_^;;;; Please review if you have time! ^_^
Chpt 15 : The Fourth Angel.
It had been three days since Sarah had woke up, and at this moment in time she almost wished she were still in a coma. Garland had explained who she was and where she had come from, and why her soul was not her own. Iifa was Kronos, and she was Kaia. It was all too much. Garland had also explained the mission to Memoria; a place of memories. Kuja's aim was to destroy both worlds and live in memoria, ruling the memories along with the dead. If Iifa was planning to stop him, he would have to go into memoria itself, then battle and kill Kuja. The hard part was finding him.
"~But why can't I come?! I can help!!~" Sarah yelled, dissatisfied with Garland and Iifa's decision to leave her behind.
"~I don't want to put you in danger again. You're going to stay with Taharka and Eiko right here. I will go into Memoria.~" Iifa checked his weapon one more time before returning it to it's sheath.
"~Iifa! You can't just...~" Sarah started, but stopped abruptly on seeing Iifa's expression.
"~Yes I can! I'm not risking anything! You're going to stay right here, wether you like it or not!~" His face no longer wore the calm, reassuring expression he usually carried, but a face filled with worry, confusion and most of all anger.
"~Fine.~" She breathed, still shocked at his change of character.
"~Listen.. You know I'm doing this for your own good.~" Iifa walked towards her.
"~I know.. but I feel like i'm useless.. i have no purpose in the battle.~"
"~You do.~" Iifa smiled. "~Your going to help me with the assimilation.~"
"~Why?~"
"~You'll find out.~" He winked at her and walked out of the lab, hoping the plan would work, and hoping Sarah didn't follow him into battle. When he reached the plaza outside, Garland gave him a disapproving look.
"~What?~" Iifa retorted.
"~I just think you should start to control that temper of yours. You have a tendency to blow up in people's face and..~" Garland was interrupted.
"~I KNOW, OKAY?!~" Iifa yelled.
"~You see what I mean?~" Garland tutted.
"~Listen.. I appreciate you bringing me back from Kronos's soul, creating me and all that shit, but it doesn't mean you can act like you own me!~"
"~Well, I did create you, and you still need guidance..~"
"~GUIDANCE?! WHAT KIND OF PERSON DO YOU THINK I AM?!~" Iifa exploded again.
"~IIFA! YOU DARE SHOUT AT ME?"!~" Garland's face turned red with annoyance, while Iifa's face turned into a smirk now that he had got a reaction out of him.
"~I'm going to Memoria now... I may be gone for some while..~" Iifa retorted.
"~There's no hurry, old friend..~"
"~You can stop calling me that for a start... I'm not Kronos, I'm Iifa... my own person.~"
"~You will always be Kronos to me.. that is why you were made.~" Garland reasoned.
"~Whatever... If Sarah tries to follow me, stop her at all costs.~" Iifa frowned. "~If she gets hurt, no assimilation.~"
"~Watch what you bargain with Iifa, my patience is growing thin. Just like with Kuja...~" Garland scowled, receiving a death-stare from Iifa. "~I wouldn't rise to it, Iifa. Just go.~" With that, Iifa stormed out of Bran Bal, towards the cliffs where the entrance to Memoria was waiting.
*****************
Sarah groaned at the thought of another round of 'A Sailor Went To Sea-Sea-Sea To See What He Could See-See-See' with Eiko, who was bouncing up and down infront of her, ready to do the next clapping motion.
"I'm tired, Eiko. Can we PLEASE stop playing this game?" Sarah pleaded.
"Oh, come-on Sarah! It isn't that hard! You see, you put your hand on your knee when I say Sea-Sea-Sea.. and.."
"No! Please! No more!! I'm not spending my time on Terra playing clapping games with you!!" Sarah rubbed her temples.
"Oh.. Okay. How about 'Miss. Mop'?"
"No!"
"Or 'Jackalo-Highlo'?"
"NO!"
"Not even 'The Goose Drank Wine'?"
"ESPECIALLY not 'The Goose Drank Wine'." Sarah thinned her eyes.
"You're no fun anymore.." Eiko sulked.
"Well, I'm so sorry, your highness." Sarah said with sarcasm. He attention was redirected when she saw Garland come back into the lab from outside and straight into his office. He looked really edgy.
("I wonder if he and Iifa had an argument? I did hear shouting..") Sarah pondered. ("I'd better ask him.") Sarah got to her feet, still aching a little from her coma ordeal.
"~Garland?~" There was silence in his office, save a rustle of paper.
"~Hellooo?~" Sarah entered the office, only to find Garland looking out of the window.
"~Umm, Garland, sir? I'd like to ask you a few questions.. if that's..~" Sarah stopped abruptly when he spoke up.
"~Do you find Iifa difficult to control sometimes, Sarah?~" He didn't look at her when he talked, instead his gaze firmly fixed on the outside scenery of Bran Bal.
"~Well, he does have the occasional habit of going off to places to scout areas.. especially in Lindblum.~" She summarised. She was curious to why he was asking her these questions.
"~Does he seem... to have a lack for authority?~" Garland turned his head a little so she could see one of his eyes.
"~No, not really. Well, not towards you anyway.~" She shrugged. "~Why are you asking me these questions?~"
"~I'm beginning to see the flaw of my creations, that's why.~"
"~Flaw? But there's nothing wrong with Iifa..~" Sarah pointed out.
"~Maybe it isn't apparent to you. Iifa has been losing his loyalty and respect for me lately. He's beginning to tread the path Kuja took.~" Garland turned around to face her. "~When I made Iifa.. the Terran form that is.. I never bothered to check the obedience of the soul... Because it was Kronos's, I thought it would be easy to control, even on a friendly terms.~"
"~He's always been loyal to you, right?~" Sarah dragged a stool from under the desk and sat herself down.
"~No.. not always. At the age of nine he was under Kuja's influence. Only Kuja knew that while locked in the Iifa tree Iifa would recover his memories of how he served me... that is why he is afraid of Iifa. He's afraid that Iifa will see him as the traitor.~" Garland looked straight into Sarah's eyes. "~Tell me, Sarah.. Has Iifa ever spoken kindly towards Kuja?~"
"~Umm, he might have.. he was considering letting him go when Kuja showed him some forgotten memories..~" Sarah blinked a few times. "~But you aren't going to hurt Iifa are you?~"
"~It depends.~" He paused "~Iifa is becoming as arrogant as Kuja. If Iifa was pitying Kuja when he showed him a section of Memoria, I can highly suspect that the same thing will happen when Iifa goes back there.~"
"~Then why did you let him go?!~" Sarah sat up. "~You'll just have both of them fight against you! With the combined force of Kuja and Iifa.. we're all doomed! Can't you see that?!~" Sarah cried hysterically.
"~Yes, I am well aware what kind of power they have. I did make them after all... If Iifa does go out of control, the Iifa tree will do the same. It will rip the Outer continent off the water.~"
"~How can you be so calm about this?! I won't let Iifa go mad! Tell me where he went!!~" Sarah leapt off her stool, ready for action.
"~I'm not calm. I'm just better at hiding my feelings.~" Garland said with a placid look on his face. Sarah sunk back onto her stool, muttering quietly.
"~I had made plans some years ago.. I knew that Iifa would try his hardest to disobey me when he had the chance, and Kuja would help him as much as it is in his power to do so. Iifa and Kuja are a force to be reckoned with.~"
"~You're telling me...~" Sarah mumbled.
"~I had made plans to design a new Angel. I stored these away when Iifa showed signs of improvement. But I fear I will have to get them out of storage again.~"
"~Angel? Plans? Storage?~" Sarah sat up again.
"~An 'Angel', in the Terran sense is a word for a genome with a soul. They each have titles due to what order they were made in and how powerful they are... Ordinary genomes are just vessels, but Terrans like Iifa, Kuja and Mikoto are 'Angels'.~"
"~So what are the titles?~" Sarah enquired.
"~ 'The First Angel; Iifa : Angel of Darkness, The Second Angel; Kuja : Angel of Destruction, The Third Angel; Mikoto : Angel of Terra... they are just a reference for me.~"
"~I get Iifa being the Angel of Darkness and Kuja of Destruction, but why is Mikoto Angel of Terra?~" She asked, unsure of his answer.
"~She is Angel of Terra because she looks after it. She had helped the planet, so I named her after it.~"
"~Okay. So what about these plans?~" Sarah raised an eyebrow whilst Garland sighed and rubbed his chin, thinking of how to phrase his explanation.
"~I have the plans and soul for a new Angel. An Angel which is obedient and has most of the weaker human emotions. This is what makes him loyal and unsuspecting. I made the plans just incase Iifa showed signs of disobedience, which has come into light recently.~"
"~What will the Angel do?~" Sarah said, intrigued.
"~He will 'keep an eye' on Iifa and Kuja for me, and make sure you don't get into trouble.~" Garland revealed.
"~Why me?~"
"~We have discussed this before. If you get hurt, then Iifa will refuse to start the assimilation. He is the only one who can do it... so that is why it would be good for you to stay out of trouble... Or have someone guard you from it.~"
"~I can take care of myself.~"
"~I don't think so somehow..~" Garland glared. He walked over to the desk and picked up the intercom. "~Mikoto, come to my office immediately!~"
"~Are you starting now?~" Sarah got off her stool and tucked it back under the table.
"~Undeniably...~"
*******************
Iifa reached the spot where Garland had told him Memoria was. It was the cliffs ten miles from Bran Bal, and Iifa knew these cliffs held a big history. They had been the burial site of three of the seven Terrans left to assimilate Gaia, and had been the final place where Kaia, Sarah's past self had stood... before throwing herself off them to rejoin Kronos in death. Iifa hated the way the wind made a whistling song through the rocks, like the very cliff itself was talking. He shuffled to the edge and peered down, where he could just about make out three slabs of rock on the valley floor..... they were graves.
"~I hate this place... Too much memory..~" Iifa thought for a moment before reciting what he had just said. "~I hate this place.. It's so full of memory! That's it! Memoria!~" Iifa now knew what had to be done. To enter memoria he had to think of life changing events, kept inside your conscience from this life or the last one in the form of memories. Iifa concentrated.
"~Right.~" He thought of all the times he had fought alongside Sarah, and his stay in Mandain Sari. ("~No.. I need to go back more..~") He remembered his entombment in the Iifa tree, which made him think of his other body, and how it was doing. ("I need to think of memories! Old ones..~") Iifa started to think of how Kuja had hidden him from Garland when he was a child.. but this sparked no reaction. Going back even further he remembered seeing only blue liquid that had burned his eyes when his body was developing, his growth inside the testing lab.. Iifa could of sworn he felt a reaction.. but he needed to go back further.
It was raining....
Not particularly hard, but it was cold and fresh.
There were mountains, and many blue spires.
Iifa found his mind taking him to a field's edge, he was sitting on barren ground by the cliff. The rain soaked everything around, but the blue spires infront of him marked the horizon. This was the same feeling he had when he was last in Memoria.. on the Sussuruss.
("~I'm here?~") Iifa realised he was out of his memory searching and into the memory itself. He wasn't surprised to see his body had changed again, it had gone back into a child last time. This time he knew why he looked older instead of younger.
"~Kronos?~" A soft feminine voice sounded, in looking at the scenery he had failed to notice someone was sitting beside him.
"~Yes, Kaia?~" He knew who the woman was, since she looked just like Sarah.
"~Do you think Tanze, Eni, and Aikand have gone into the soul stream?~" Kaia looked at him sincerely. He knew what period of time this was, this was after Sirriai had killed Tanze, Eni and Aikand... so obviously Sirriai was dead. He knew this because Kronos, Kaia and Garland had blown him up in one of the labs.
"~I hope so.~" He breathed. He looked at his right hand, which only had the thumb and the index finger on it. Iifa knew Kronos had lost three of his fingers whilst shielding Kaia in the blast that killed Sirriai.
("~It feels so weird to be seeing things from a past life..~") Iifa pondered. Kaia stood to her feet, her tail twitching in the rain.
"~I'll be back at the lab.~" She bent down and kissed him on the cheek, then walked towards the spires behind them.
("~I'm getting a bad feeling about this.. I just hope Kronos wasn't too forward with Sarah when she was having Kaia's memories..~") Iifa brushed back his now black fringe, and looked in the direction Kaia had walked off.
"~Wha?~" She had vanished. Where she was seemed to be a hole in the air, like a vortex of some kind. ("~The entrance to Memoria..~") Iifa smiled inwardly. It was what he had been searching for. Stepping forwards he felt himself shed his form as Kronos and take his original body. Iifa brushed himself down hastily, a little nervous.. much to his displeasure.
"~I'm Iifa.. not Kronos. I'm just me..~" Iifa reassured himself as he looked up infront of him. He stood on a long narrow arch bridge leading to a grotesque castle. The gothic fortress seemed to be under construction before his very eyes, bricks and roofing attaching themselves to each other at an alarming rate.
"~Okay.. In we go..~" Iifa inhaled deeply before walking towards Memoria's true entrance.
************************
"~Pulse rate.. normal. Respiration level... normal.. ~" Mikoto read off one of the many monitors in the main lab in Bran Bal in a monotonous and computer like fashion. "~Master, he is ready.~"
"~Excellent. Prepare the shock pads, we're going to wake him up..~" Garland ordered.
****************************
The hallway was cold, and had too much blue for Sarah's liking. Now that she thought of it, the whole hallway seemed familiar. It was infact the hallway she had first met Sirriai in while in a coma... She had peered out of the window a few feet away from her in a past life. The twinge of jealousy sparked up again. Kaia was so much more presentable than she was.. prettier even..
"~Are you feeling alright, Sarah?~" Taharka asked. They had both been sitting outside the lab where the new Angel was being made, waiting to see the results. Eiko was a little further down the hall, playing 'Jackalo-Highlo' with a poor genome, who didn't know how to clap...
"~I'm feeling fine, thanks. I'm a little worried for Iifa though.~"
"~You shouldn't be. He is perfectly able to take care of himself...~" Taharka began.
"~But not from Kuja... Kuja could manipulate him, even hypnotise him with memories. Then he'll turn evil.~" Sarah looked down at her feet, not wanting to think about the consequences of her dangerous if not genocidal lover's actions.
"~Well, with the new Angel, you, me and everyone else will be safe. Garland knows what he's doing.~" Taharka reassured. Sarah paused, hoping that what she said was true.
"~Oh yeah.. Taharka.. You have a soul, and you're a genome.. so doesn't that make you an Angel?~" Sarah quizzed, changing the subject.
"~No, not exactly. I was placed to guard Ipsen's castle.. plus, I have the soul of an ancient Terran crossed with that of a monster. That is how I can shapeshift.~" Taharka said with pride. "~So therefore I am no Angel.~"
"~I see. I wish i was a Terran.~" Sarah said without hope.
"~Garland can make you one.~" Taharka suggested.
"~No, no, no, no... I mean I wish i was born one.. I mean, i could change now... but I'd loose my summons. They are.. precious to me.~" She held a hand to her chest and smiled fondly.
"~Then forever may you have the soul of a Terran, but the will of a summoner, my friend.~"
"~Thanks, Taharka.~" Sarah smiled softly at her companion, just as Mikoto stepped out of the lab doors with a satisfied look on her face.
"~He is ready.~"
"~Shall we go and look?~" Taharka asked.
"~Certainly.~" Sarah and Taharka got off their seats and followed the Young Terran Angel into the lab, and to where Garland was standing.
"He's magnificent, don't you think?~" Garland announced triumphantly. Before him stood a Terran, blonde hair, brown tail, and the signature cerulean eyes. He wasn't as well statured or visually strong like Iifa, nor as thin and towering as Kuja. He was an inch taller than Sarah, if not the same height, with a boyish quality to him. He didn't look as strong as his elder brothers either, but he looked agile. Unfortunately, both Kuja and Iifa were incredibly fast and agile to match... But Garland looked confident enough with his creation.
"~What's his name, Garland?~" Taharka enquired.
"~Zidane. His name is Zidane.~"
"~Zidane? But that's Iifa's undercover name..~" Sarah objected.
"~I know. But I liked that name, and I doubt Iifa will be using it anytime soon.~" Garland smiled. "~I have briefed him already, so he should know the basics.. Isn't that right, Zidane?~"
"~.. Yes Garland..~" The Terran Angel spoke, revealing a gentle toned voice. He seemed unsure of his purpose, the faltered tones of his voice showed it.
"~This is the person you will be guarding.~" Garland encouraged Sarah to step forwards, she waved a little and stepped back again.
"~Her name is Sarah. You know what will happen if she is hurt, don't you?~" Garland questioned. Zidane thought for a moment.
"~Terra won't live again?~" He said uneasily.
"~Good. I want you two to get acquainted. Taharka, you can help him.~" Garland pointed to Sarah and Zidane. Sarah smiled and beckoned him towards her.
"~Come on, we can talk in stasis room with Taharka.~" She nodded as he followed her out of the door.
"~Give us a day, then I'm sure he'll be ready.~" Taharka reported.
"~Good. For once everything is going to plan.~" Garland sighed.
*********************
Iifa suddenly felt a chill run up his spine as he passed through the destroyed city in Memoria.. Like something new had just come into this word... It was powerful, but not enough to bother him.. the only thing that did bother him was that he also had a sudden urge to protect Sarah, even though she was nowhere around.
("~I don't like this.. Maybe i should head back to see if Sarah's okay..~") He looked behind him. He had walked a long way, but he couldn't turn back now.. though he felt he should. Sarah's safety was nagging at the back of his mind... also that cold feeling of something new.. it was unnerving.
"~You felt it too, brother?~" A voice sounded.
"~Kuja!!~" Iifa realised he was not alone, he knew Kuja was here, but where?
"~It worries me, Iifa.. Garland has created a new Angel.~" Kuja appeared from behind a building, causing Iifa's hair to turn a shade of black in his anger, but then filter back to dark blonde again.
"~I should rip you apart for what you did to Sarah..~" Iifa growled. He could feel the energy running though his veins.
"~I only did it in self defence.. The girl packs quite a punch, you know.~" Kuja reasoned.
"~You make me laugh.. you did it to get to me..~"
"~No, I didn't. Think of this brother...~" Kuja waved back his silver hair. "~You were prepared to kill Mariah when you caught sight of her on the mist continent, only because I loved her. You wanted to hurt her to get to me.~" Kuja's face was more sincere than Iifa had ever seen it. "~So, in order to save myself from Taharka and your Gaian, Sarah, I used self defence. I happened to be using this at the time.~" Kuja pulled out a palm sized shard from his robes and threw it to Iifa, who caught it carefully, then proceeded to examine it suspiciously.
"~What is it?~" Iifa asked, his face emotionless.
"~It's a shard of the Life Crystal. It gives me magical powers to attack and defend, also to run this place.~" Kuja outstretched his hands to the ominous sky of Memoria. Iifa twisted the rock in his hands.
"~What's the catch?~"
"~It drives you to do things that seem out of character.~" Kuja announced.
"~You mean it drives you insane? Nice excuse.~" Iifa snorted.
"~I'm serious. Give it a try if you want, just wish for power.. or a taste of it and you'll see what I mean.~" Kuja crossed his arms, hoping his brother would see what he had.
"~I wish for power..~" Iifa said dryly. What happened next shook Iifa badly. Suddenly he saw himself transformed, bloodcovered and grinning evilly... He saw Sarah being protected by a genome in thief clothes, and her terrified face as he drew closer to her, he saw Bran Bal in ruins, and Garland and Mikoto decimated on the floor... and his transformed self was laughing all the way through it..
"~NO!~" He threw the crystal to the floor, where Kuja picked it up and returned it to his robes. "~WHAT THE HELL JUST HAPPENED?!~" Iifa breathed heavily.
"~You saw what I experienced. I thought I could have the power to defeat our enslaver, Garland, and liberate you. But you appeared to be on his side. That is why I used it against Sarah and Taharka, I even injured Mariah on my return here.~" Kuja seemed worried when he brought the subject of Mariah up.
"~What happened to her?~" Iifa asked.
"~I cast a flare spell at her.. She's still sleeping, but I think I broke some of her ribs... I fixed them with some heavy Curaga spells, though.~"
"~You could comatose someone with that amount of healing magic.~" Iifa mentioned, remembering what he did to Sarah.
"~Well brother? I want to see what Garland has created. How about you?~"
"~How do I know I can trust you?~" Iifa sneered.
"~The question is, brother, will you attack me? We could both injure or maybe kill each other outright, and I have no wish to harm you. You've already caused me great loss.~"
"~The same here.~" Iifa thinned his eyes in suspicion.
"~How about it? A truce until you find your side?~" Kuja outstretched his hand in friendship.
"~You try anything, Kuja, and your insides will be outsides.~" Iifa roughly shook his hand, causing Kuja to smile like he did in the memory of the fields Iifa had.
"~My main concern is Garland's new creation, not waging war with you.~" Kuja said sincerely.
*************************
"~So my brothers are evil..~" Zidane summarised. Sarah shook her head a little.
"~No, just one of them..~"
"~Kuja, right?~" Zidane asked.
"~Yeah. But Iifa is well on the way..~" Taharka sighed. "~You have to protect Sarah against them both.~"
"~Okay.. When do I start?~" The new Angel seemed eager to please, especially towards Sarah.
"~Well, I guess I want to regroup with some friends of mine.. just to see how they are, you know?~" Sarah wondered how Tei, Dagger and Darson were doing... Were they even alive after the Sussuruss crashed?
"~I'm coming with you.~" Taharka smiled.
"~Good.~" Sarah announced. "~We better go tell Garland then, huh?~" Sarah breathed in deeply. It would be her first time on Gaia this year without Iifa.. She missed him badly already.
**************************
"~Have you got the basic essentials?~" Mikoto questioned.
"~Yeah, Me, Zidane and Taharka are packed and ready.~" Sarah nodded. "~Look after Eiko while I'm away, yeah?~"
"~Yes, of course.~" Mikoto smiled.
"~The portal is just south of here... we'll land near the Ice continent on the Shimmering Island, we should be able to use Leviahthan to get to shore.~" Taharka traced her finger along an old map, showing distances and ratios.
"~Let's go!~" Sarah smiled. She loved setting off on journeys.. but it would never be the same without Iifa. They left Bran Bal, waving goodbye to Mikoto as they left the blue gates. Zidane seemed to smile alot around Sarah, which made her uneasy... Sure he was friendly, but by right it should only be from friendship.. nothing else. She just hoped he hadn't developed a 'special' liking for her. The gate at the end glowed in multi colours, showing signs that the portal was active.
"~Shall we?~" Taharka leapt through the portal, Sarah next, then Zidane. A cool, wet feeling hit them as Terra left them behind and Gaia cam fourth. All three of the travellers hit the snow with a thud, but no harm was done.
"~Remind me to go through Ipsen's castle nest time..~" Taharka rubbed her back, while Sarah brushed the snow out of her hair. Zidane helped both of them up with ease.
"~Where do we head next, Sarah?~" Zidane smiled.
"~Uhh.. We head to shore.~" She pointed to the Lost continent, gleaming in the sunshine. "~I'll get Leviahthan to help us then...~" Sarah reached for her rod.. she hadn't used it in ages.
"LEVIAHTHAN! SERPENT OF THE SEA! I SUMMON YOUR IMMORTAL SOUL FROM THE DEEP OCEAN! AID US!" Sarah cried, waving her rod high in the air, giving out a low rumble from the sea as the mighty sea serpent Leviahthan raised its head from the water, and roared as a greeting to its master.
"Hello, Leviahthan." Sarah said timidly, stroking the wet scales of her reptilian servant, in reply Leviahthan made a clicking noise from the back of it's throat.
"~We can get on now.~" Sarah grinned, leaping onto the back of the sea serpent. Taharka and Zidane were wary, but got on eventually with enough coaxing from Sarah and a few clicking noises from Leviahthan. The genomes seemed to enjoy their ride on Leviahthan. It would take them at least half and hour to get to shore, since icebergs and the tide were against them. Sarah was disrupted from her sightseeing by a tap on the shoulder.
"~Hmm?~" She turned a little, steadying herself so she was balanced. Zidane smiled knowing he had her attention.
"~Since I'm going to guard you, we might as well get to know each other better, don't you think?~" He brushed his fringe back, a mannerism Sarah was all too familiar with. "~So.. where you from?~"
"~Uhh.. This planet?~" Sarah's eyes darted around in confusion, he did have a bad habit of asking vague questions.
"~No, I mean what village.~"
"~Oh.. Mandain Sari..~" Zidane nodded a little and stared at her, wanting her to elaborate.
"~Umm, it's the village of summoners. It's a long way from here.~"
"~Tell me about it.., you know, life there and that..~" Zidane made himself comfortable.
"~Well, life there is pretty boring.. You're not even allowed to summon inside. The people are a little small minded but their alright, I suppose. It's not like I want to go back there or anything, but it's a nice place for someone who wants to settle down.~" She drew breath, Zidane seemed to be captivated. "~Okay... What else... Oh yeah! Sometimes they do expeditions where they look for summons.. Did you know I have a summon called Zidane?~"
"~You mean Iifa?~" Zidane frowned.
"~How did you...?~"
"~Garland told me.~" He interrupted. "~He said that you thought Iifa was a summon. He's not a summon.. Just a Terran Angel.~" Zidane looked away, obviously thinking of something else.
"~Oh... Well, How come he was summoned?~" Sarah challenged.
"~You just gave him power.~" Zidane shrugged. "~That's dangerous, you know.~"
"~Hey, I'm the summoner here... But.. How do you know all the tiny details?~" Sarah expressed in curiosity.
"~Garland downloaded information into my brain, that way I don't have to ask everything. It's new technology.~" He said proudly.
"~That makes you more robot than Angel, Zidane.~" Sarah frowned. "~You should have the fun of finding things out for yourself. I know he wants you to know his plans and stuff, but you are allowed to go against the flow and explore or go back on opinions.. I'm not going to tell on you.~" She smiled with sincerity.
"~Thanks. You're a kind Gaian.~" He winked at her, making her look away sharply, feeling more uncomfortable than ever.
"~What's the matter?~" He said, concerned.
"~Nothing.~"
"~Did I offend you?~" He shuffled to one side to get a better look of her face.
"~No. I just need some time to think, okay?~" Sarah closed her eyes. Was Iifa going to be okay? He couldn't turn evil, could he? ("~Why did Garland sound so nervous when talking about Kuja and Iifa? Did he know from the beginning that those two would turn against him? What if Kuja isn't telling us something.. maybe about Garland... No, I should just concentrate on making sure Tei, Dagger and Darson are okay...~") Sarah rubbed her cheek absent mindedly, receiving a strange look from Zidane.
"~Do you think we'll visit Lindblum?~" Zidane asked, changing the subject.
"~I don't know.. Maybe if Dagger or Darson are there...~" She thought for a moment.
"~Hey! We're reaching shore!~" Taharka interrupted her thoughts, making all on Leviahthan stand up uneasily and look at the ever closer Lost Continent.
"~It's very bright..~" Taharka said, shielding her eyes.
"~It would be. The sun reflects powerfully off ice.~" Sarah informed, before holding on to Leviahthan's horns, making Taharka and Zidane follow suite. The sea serpent shuddered a bit like a boat in shallow water, signalling that he had hit ground.
"~Right. I'm sure if Tei was alive she'd return here.. So i'm going to ask a few questions in Esto Gaza~" Sarah pointed to a large grey temple like structure to the west, figures could just about be seen walking on it's top levels.
"~Who's Tei?~" Zidane and Taharka asked in unison.
"~A old friend of mine who I met at the beginning of my journey... She's very impulsive and energetic.. so if we do meet up don't be surprised if she gets too loud.~" Sarah laughed to herself, remembering Tei's little antics. ("~I just hope she's okay too..~")
******************
Iifa and Kuja stepped out onto the cliff, Bran Bal in full view.
"~Sarah's left the planet..~" Iifa observed, he could sense her presence a mile off, and it was nowhere around here for sure.
"~Once I find out what Garland's up to i'll return to Mariah, her condition worries me.~" Kuja started out towards the mass of labs in the distance, Iifa keeping a wary distance of him.
"~Brother, I wish to ask you a question.~" Kuja spoke up.
"~What now?~"
"~Why, apart from the incident with Sarah, are you hunting me down?~" Kuja turned to look at Iifa, who avoided his eye contact.
"~Because Garland thinks you are a threat to Terra. You are planning to destroy Terra and Gaia in order to keep yourself and Mariah alive, correct?~"
"~Not exactly.. I wish to hide from the enslavement of Garland. Memoria is my retreat. I made that threat so he could send you to me.~"
"~What?!~"
"~I wanted to reason with you, brother.~"
"~Reason for what?~" Iifa spat, feeling his anger rise.
"~So you would remember that we are brothers... not enemies.~"
"~So after all you've done you want me to join you? Are you naive or something? Why would I want to join you?~" Iifa's eyes thinned, receiving a depressive sigh from Kuja.
"~I'm not naive brother... I just wanted your help.~"
"~Yeah.. I doubt that.~" Iifa stopped and folded his arms. "~So, Kuja, what possibly could you want from your older brother?~"
"~I need your help to get rid on Garland... Don't you see?! While he's alive we must battle, and both Mariah and Sarah get hurt! If we can complete the assimilation, then he will become mortal!~" Kuja's face lit up whilst explaining his plan. Iifa felt strange. He had never seen Garland as bad, but he was sick of being bossed around... and calling him 'master' like when he was in the form of the Iifa tree. Even he himself had to admit he was rebelling, and what Kuja said was true. While Garland kept pitting them both against each other, both Sarah and Mariah would get in harm's way...
"~Are you saying he's pitting me against you so that I can do his dirty work?~" Iifa raised an eyebrow.
"~Without beating around the bush... yes, he is.~"
"~I never saw it that way.~" Iifa looked down, if this was the truth, then it was going to hurt.
"~The fact is... I think this new creation that Garland has made is not only to guard Sarah (If that's what it's for...) from me, but you also. I think he's more of a camera device to keep an eye on us both.~" Kuja explained. It was kind of making sense to Iifa, but there questions to be asked.
"~Listen, Kuja. I just want to make sure Sarah's okay.~"
"~I'm afraid the new angel will report that to Garland.. and there goes your plan...~" Kuja shook his head. "~I just want to make sure Garland has no control over us.~"
"~Me too.. but there is one thing all three of us have in common.. that includes you.~" Iifa frowned a little. "~I want the assimilation to take place.~"
"~So do I brother.. to get rid of Garland.~"
"~I know I'm the one with the powers to initiate it, but something isn't quite right about it..~"
"~You need more Gaian souls, Iifa. A city's worth... at least a thousand souls will do the trick.~" Kuja explained.
"~Then the assimilation can take place, huh.. It's settled then.~" Iifa changed his walking direction, instead heading for the portal of the Spirit Road. "~I can miss a run in with Garland.. I just want to get the assimilation ready now. I've spent enough time waiting for it.~"
"~So, which city is it going to be?~" Kuja asked.
"~A city with a bad reputation...~"
"~Like?~"
"~There's a city on the mist continent which Sarah once described to me. From her description it seemed a waste of space.~" Iifa saw the portal coming closer.
"~Well? Which city is it?~" Kuja jogged once or twice to catch up with Iifa's stride.
"~Treno, Kuja.. Treno.~"
*******************
"She's about this tall.. and has white and blonde hair.. Oh yeah, with a tail and ears like this.." Sarah put her hands on her head to make out the shape of wolf ears. The priest shrugged and walked away. Obviously another person who hadn't seen Tei.
"~This is getting tiring.. We've been here for at least five hours, Sarah!~" Taharka moaned.
"~I know! And we'll stay longer if need be!~" Sarah snapped back, she was starting to think Tei had never come to this continent at all.
"Did you say ears?" A few girls approached Sarah, all mimicking her hands-on-head wolf ears impression.
"~Yes, ears like that..~" Sarah confirmed.
"Huh? What did you just say?" One girl asked. Sarah suddenly realised she'd been speaking in Terran.
"Oh, sorry, wrong language." She grinned. "Yes, (ahem) with ears like that.." Sarah repeated in Gaian.
"We saw her a few weeks ago.. it may have been months.." The girls discussed. "She was lying unconscious on the bay. We'd gone for a swim at night, and she was just lying there."
"Where is she now?" Sarah said with a glimmer of hope.
"A big wolf carried her off. She could have been eaten." One girl said solemnly.
"A big wolf?" Sarah pondered aloud. "Ah! Her relatives... Now I get it.." Sarah smiled to herself.
"Relatives?" The girls asked.
"It doesn't matter. Say, do you know where these wolves live?" Sarah enquired.
"Yeah, over the eastern mountains.. That area is called the Winter Tundra." The girls nodded in agreement.
"Thanks." Sarah smiled and rejoined a bored looking Taharka and Zidane, who was busy looking at the large candlelit structure in the corner of the temple.
"~Okay, we need to head east. I think she might be alive.~" Sarah was grinning.
"~Finally.. I'm sick of looking at this damn temple..~" Taharka immediately headed for the exit, stomping in frustration as she walked.
"~Moody, no?~" Zidane smirked in amusement.
"~You can say that again...~" Sarah sighed and headed with Zidane out to the temple entrance.
*********************
"~You even said so yourself, master... All genomes have a certain time period before they start to question authority.~" Mikoto reasoned.
"~I know, I know... I just can't believe it's happened already.~" Garland sighed and stroked his beard. "~I thought Iifa's loyalty would last a little longer..~" Garland cursed himself mentally. He knew that one day Iifa would turn astray, since Kronos's will was very strong and refused to be kept captive. Iifa and Kuja shared a rather wary relationship, but they agreed on most things, making Garland unable to control things externally. It was only a matter of time before both of them thought he was using them to do his dirty work, and now they would shed their unquestioned views and reveal their true personalities... and Kuja and Iifa weren't the nicest of people personality wise.
********************
"~Watch out!!!~" Zidane caught Sarah before the second avalanche hit, landing a few meters away with her in his arms.
"~These avalanches are everywhere! We shouldn't have come this way!~" Taharka shouted over final rumbles of the tumbling snow. The three regrouped, Zidane letting go of Sarah.
"~The locals said this was the only way to the eastern mountains... I have to find Tei!~" Sarah continued down the path, Taharka and Zidane trudging along reluctantly behind her, still looking out for the next avalanche. It had actually been nice weather on the Lost continent, but minor tremors set off constant avalanches on the eastern path over the mountains... making journeying hard for anyone.
"HALT HUMANS!!" A voice sounded, making all three companions jump to their feet.
"~Show yourself!!~" Zidane reached for his daggers and stood infront of Taharka and Sarah. No reply came.
"~He can't understand you! I'll do the talking!~" Sarah whispered quickly.
"Show yourself!!" Sarah shouted. A growling noise was heard over an icy ledge to their left, and a huge wolf appeared, the size of a shire horse.
"~By Terra's grace... What is that thing?!~" Taharka shrunk behind Zidane, who looked just as daunted.
"You are now on the border of the Winter Tundra.. This is the Dark Wolf Clan's territory." The large grey wolf snarled, his fangs a little bared. "Leave now, or die."
"~He's straight to the point..~" Zidane commented.
"Ummm, we will leave, but I have a question." Sarah asked timidly.
"What is it?!" The wolf snapped in impatience.
"Is Tei... I mean Hicatei, alive?" Sarah held her breath. The wolf seemed to be confused as well as silently shocked, as he held his footing a little more firmly.
"How do you know of her?"
"She and I are friends! That's why I call her Tei... I trust you know her?" Sarah held her hands together in a quiet hope.
"Yes, I know her... She is my cousin. What is your name, human?" The wolf relaxed a little, but not enough to let them off guard.
"I am a summoner, and my name is Sarah Tresilian."
"Sarah... She has mentioned you, summoner. Hicatei wondered if you were alive too." The wolf put solemnly. "Who are these two tailed creatures?" He defiantly eyed Zidane and Taharka, curious to what and who they were.
"This is my bodyguard Zidane and my friend Taharka.. they are Terrans. Has Hicatei also mentioned someone called Iifa?" Sarah introduced her friends and waited for the wolf's response.
"Yes, she has mentioned this 'Iifa'... She has been talking of a journey all three of you took, from the Outer continent to the Mist continent... is this correct?" The grey wolf said with a low rumbled tone.
"Yes, it is. Umm, may I ask your name, Cousin of Hicatei?" Sarah decided that the only way to see Tei was by formal introductions.
"...My name is Ash, summoner." Sarah could see why the wolf was named so, his coat looked like fresh ash from a volcano. "I am the acting leader of the Dark Wolf tribe."
("Acting leader?") Sarah pondered. "Is it possible I could arrange a meeting with Hicatei?
"Hmm, It depends..." The wolf thought aloud. "She is still recovering from her ordeal. You may come and see her... but if you try anything I'll bite you in half." There was not one tone of humour in his voice. Sarah breathed out unevenly.
"Okay. We won't try anything." She nodded fervently.
"Follow me, then." He leapt off his perch on the icy rock and showed them to a path. Ash, Sarah, Zidane and Taharka slowly made their way around a hidden mountain path, being careful not to slip on loose ground. As they turned a bend, a large cave could be seen... it was surrounded and protected by the mountains, so no race could threaten it.
*******************
Zidane sat on a small rock outside the clan cave. It had been at least three hours since they had arrived there and Sarah had found the Tei she was looking for. Most of the wolves had become accustomed to their presence, so acted as if they were not there. Zidane had a good view of what was going on inside the cave, but wished not to go inside... he needed to think.
He had been created barely three or four days ago, and he was so confused. He knew his purpose was to guard Sarah at all costs from his evil brothers, but Sarah didn't seem that worried. She didn't seem worried about anything. He knew that she was the companion of Iifa, and she and him had been good friends... but then he turned evil, or so Garland said. Zidane thought it over a couple of times; he'd never actually questioned what Sarah had to do with Terra's great plan. Sure, she was Iifa's friend, but what could she do? Was she a traitor to her planet or something? He wasn't really sure. All he was sure of is that he found her intoxicating. He liked the way she smiled, she laughed, even talked. Her face seemed to have a Terran quality to it somehow... one which he couldn't quite fathom. He had tried to talk to her on several occasions, but she seemed so withdrawn... like she was afraid of him or something. It didn't matter though. He could always admire her from afar. He would protect her from Kuja and Iifa no matter what, having a good friend that had turned evil must be hard...
So he would do his best to punish Iifa for all he was worth.
*********************
"You don't know how happy I am to see you again!" Tei hugged Sarah around the waist, leaning over from her seat.
"Tei.. that's the fifth time you've said that." Sarah smiled at her animalistic friend.
"Well... we've been chatting about our adventures for three hours now! How about you introduce me to your friends?" Tei grinned, showing her large canines.
"Okay. This is Taharka..." Sarah said, pointing to the blonde haired genome who was picking at some served meat over the other side of the fire. "...and outside the cave is Zidane, my bodyguard." Tei tilted her head to get a better look.
"He's not as good looking as Iifa.." She complained. "Do you think he'll come back? Iifa, I mean?" Sarah was silent for a couple of minutes before answering.
"I.. I don't know. I miss him Tei... He's only been gone a week and I miss him already.." Sarah felt tears come to her eyes. "Oh gods, I miss him.." She felt one tear run down her cheek and drop onto the icy floor.
"He'll come back. I'm sure of it. He won't leave you, Sarah." Tei hugged her summoner friend, hoping that Iifa would return. She missed it when Sarah and Iifa were together, the way they always looked at each other and the way they created an air of happiness to travel in. Tei enjoyed witnessing their relationship.
"Sorry about that..." Sarah dried her eyes, a little embarresed about her sudden emotional change.
"It's okay." Tei assured, a little worried for her friend.
"So, will you come with us? To find Darson and Dagger?" Sarah asked. "It'll be hard without Iifa, but I'm sure with Zidane and Taharka on our side we can find them."
"Sure. We're a team right?" Tei confirmed.
"Right.... and I ain't gonna stop until we get our friends back!" Sarah announced passionately, making most of the wolves turn around and look at her.
"Right on, sister!" Tei and Sarah slammed their hands together in midair, again attracting the attention of most Dark Wolf Clan members (who had never seen a high-five before...)
"We can rest here tonight, then we move!" Tei and Sarah smiled, it was time to get back on the road again.
(*Dark Anima's hands fall off due to excessive writing-without-stopping.*) Well, I hope you liked it! I know there was no fighting or anything, but Iifa and Kuja are about to destroy Treno! The action is all packed for next time! ^_^ (Sorry for people who like action... I promise action and fighting next chapter... It's exhausting explaining stuff..) Also an apology to Kingleby... The Iifa-jealousy rage stuff is next chapter! I couldn't fit it into this chapter! Sorry! ^_^;;;; Please review if you have time! ^_^