Chapter Five

Of Stars, Moons and celestial splendor

Mako Eyez

Adelbert struggled to sit up as he was visited by a sharp pain in his chest. The pain ran along the length of his stitches and his skin felt tight.

'Don't strain yourself! You're lucky to be alive you fool!' Said Beatrix.

'I kn-ow.' Replied Adelbert, his words accompanied by agony.

'Well; what of this story?'

With some hidden strength he had raised himself up and pressed his bare back against the headboard.

'Well we visited that dead forest, I can't explain it but I couldn't see inside it and it was more than just darkness. Shuya and Spyke bickered for a while and entered the forest. I heard nothing but their cries and fled as Spyke had told me to. As I fled what remained of them emerged from the forest and attacked me.'

'What remained of them? What do you mean?'

'Yes. It was bizarre. It was Shuya and Spyke but without their skin. I saw nothing but bones and steel. During the battle Spyke slashed me. I don't know how but his blade cut through my armour as well as my flesh. I disposed of him and mounted his chocobo. The rest is a blur.'

'That is bizarre.' Beatrix said before falling silent.

'Allow me to fill those blanks in your mind. The chocobo brought you here; the poor bird was soaked in your blood. The guards found you and brought you to the infirmary where the medics cleaned and stitched your wounds.'

'I guess lady luck has fallen for me.' Adelbert said with a slight smile.

'Maybe you should visit Treno when your wounds heal.'

'She is a hard woman to please, so I'd best not.'

'I'm sorry to leave you like this Adelbert but I must inform the General Gogo. She will relay the details to the King and Queen.'

'It's no problem.'

'Farewell brave Adelbert.'

'Farewell Beatrix.'

As Beatrix left the room she noticed General Gogo waiting in the doorway. 'Beatrix, I heard what he told you. Let me inform the King and Queen. Do what you will with this day, the same applies to Lani.'

'Thank you General.'

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Above the city of Alexandria doves soared in the clear blue skies and moogles went about delivering mail from neighbouring nations regarding the events that had taken place in the forest.

Beatrix and Lani walked amongst the inhabitants of Alexandria with no thought or worry for this day was their first break from service is a long time. No symbol of their army life lay about their person and no uniform adorned their bodies. Beatrix wore a red poncho with gold trimming and a pair of old white shorts while Lani wore a white dress with a blue floral pattern.

She wanted to look pretty if only for herself for in her short life very few people had called her such.

'Got any plans for this glorious day Bea?' Lani asked in a happier tone than usual.

'I heard that Amethyst has a performance in her theatre tonight.'

'What's the show?'

'It's '"Want To Be Your Canary" again.'

'We have to go see it! I love that play! Its so tragic and-'

'Beautiful.' Beatrix said finishing her friend's sentence.

'Yes.'

As the two girls stood in the square the sound of the word "Kupo" could be heard rapidly growing in volume. The sound halted but the silence was broken by a sudden crash as melons rolled across the cobbled floor.

'Kupo!' Came a voice from the fruit cart to their right. Overcome with curiosity the girl ran to the scene to see a white moogle with dalmation-like spots lying on top of a crushed melon.

'Are you okay?' Asked Beatrix.

'Yes! Yes! I'm fine! Fine! Fine! Fine! Kupo!' Said the creature in a fast and manic voice before picking himself up and flying off towards the castle.

In his haste a letter was left. A plain white envelope lay stuck in the side of a melon. Beatrix withdrew the letter and began to open the envelope.

'Should we be looking at this Bea?'

'I have to open it, there's no address on it and we can't forward it without a recipient.'

Beatrix lead Lani away from the town square and read the letter aloud.

'From Kumola to Kupoyama.

Hi. Kupo. Remember I told you about the soldier Shuya Mimura he had his first assignment for the Pluto Knights but...... he's dead now.

I followed him and his company to the evil forest where he was devoured by darkness. His skin was stripped from his bone and his skeleton was possessed. This only leads me to think that Necromancer has returned.

The dark Eidolon that tried to conquer Gaia so long ago has returned. There may be another great war soon. This scares me Kupo. I hope the sword that disabled him is still in one piece. Save the Queen is the strongest weapon we have against him.

I'm afraid.

Kumola.'

'Oh. It's an Eidolon at the heart of this?'

'It seems so. Sorry but we may have to cancel the theatre for tonight.'

'Forget about it.'

With great haste Beatrix and Lani went to the castle. After a short hunt for general Gogo for two hours they found themselves waiting outside of the audience chamber. When she finally left the room they spoke with their superior in the corridor.

'Beatrix. Lani. I suggest that you two forget about this for now. Until further notice this doesn't concern you. This letter although not our property will be given to the King for his consideration.'

'Yes Madame.' The girls said in unison.

With the time it took to find Gogo the girls had missed the opportunity to view the performance. There was nothing else to do but retire....... unless of course you are Beatrix of Lani.

'Nine-Hundred. Nine-Hundred and one.' Lani counted between breaths as she did here push ups. Beatrix was also counting but not aloud. As the numbers grew higher and higher Lani came close to one-thousand push ups before her strength left her and she fell to the dusty floor.

'Bad luck Lani, my dear.'

Beatrix continued until she came to two-thousand before Lani's eyes. An expression of admiration crossed her tanned features as Beatrix showed no sign of stopping. Beatrix had an almost supernatural level of fitness that Gogo would find it hard to match.

When the number two-thousand and five hundred came close Beatrix came to a halt but unlike Lani she didn't stop because she was tired and aching. She stopped because she was satisfied with the number.

'Ready to spar Lani?'

'You ever stop Bea?'

'I'll stop when I'm dead.'

'Let's do it.'

The sound of steel striking steel echoed throughout the training room. Lani threw her whole weight into her swings because she knew that fate would not allow her to strike her friend. (And also that Beatrix was a far better combatant.) Beatrix on the other hand held back for fear of doing damage.

As the mock battle grew more intense there was another sound in the room.

'That's my girls.' Said Gogo.

The battle stopped and both girls turned to face Gogo, holding their respective weapon by their sides.

'Good evening Madame!' They said together.

'At ease. I gave your letter to the King and we have come to a conclusion; tomorrow we go to war. The Eidolon that was imprisoned in the forest has returned. We have news that he has drawn life from trees, animals and soldiers posted in the area. Now Necromancer is at full strength. Now he can raise the dead to fight the living.'

'Which of the dead do you mean?'

'The soil surrounding the forest is one big cemetery; a tomb for those who fell in the last battle. We have estimates of over thirty-thousand bodies in the area, this is his army. Burmecia and Linblum have offered us their soldiers, giving us fifty-thousand warriors in total. We will defeat the dark army.'

'How can you defeat him? Your sword only disabled him. He seems to be immortal.'

'As I speak to you my sword is being prepared for use in battle. We have white, black, blue and red mages blessing the weapon. With a few good strikes we will be able to rid Gaia of this menace but only if we get close enough.'

'How do you intend to do this?' Asked Lani.

'With your aid.'

'Us?' Asked both girls in great shock.

'Yes. The battle plan is to draw out his army to combat ours. When the dead ones are distracted we will go around them and strike Necromancer down. I am asking this of my two greatest knights; will you be my escorts and protect me from stray warriors that may interfere with my mission?'

'I shall.' Said Beatrix without pause for thought.

'I will offer my axe and my life to aid you.' Replied Lani.

'Thank you both. Please understand that death may come for us tomorrow but this battle is not about us. This battle is about the future. I shall see you two at dawn tomorrow on the outskirts of Alexandria. Remember the days past and glance at the celestial beauty of the twin moons this evening for tomorrow we fight. Farewell.'

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As ordered by Gogo the two did in fact glance at the heavens. On the balcony of their room both girls sat in their night-gowns with a large and heavy blanket wrapped around them both.

'Bea.'

'Yes?'

'In a rare moment in which my mother displayed what she would call weakness, she told me a tale. Well; not so much a tale as a belief. She told me that the stars are candles in the sky for those who have fallen, that the dull stars are those who have dark souls and the brighter stars are those of pure heart. The brighter the star, the greater the person.'

'In that case. Were you to fall, heavens forbid, there would be a second north star.'

Lani placed her head on Beatrix's shoulder, her long black hair tickling Beatrix's neck. Her eyes glanced up to her friend's and she smiled.

'Heavens forbid, if you were to fall the sky would bear no darkness for there would be a second sun.'

'That's sweet. Thank you.'

'I mean every word I speak to you at this time.'

'Shall we get some rest?'

'No. If you don't mind I'd like to stay here a short while longer. If this day is to be my last I wish to spend it like this; with the person I care for most.'

'What of your family?'

'What of them indeed? They never had any faith in me. They never told me I was pretty. I think every parent should say their child is pretty, even if they aren't. Even if it was just the one time. That one moment, that one memory would light the deepest darkness.'

A single tear ran down her angelic face; she let it fall to the floor.

'No one has ever loved me.'

'But I do.'

'Thank you.'

Two shooting stars fell together from the deep black sky, a celestial display for them and them only.

As the watched the sky as if it were the performance they had missed Lani gradualy fell asleep. When Beatrix heard her gentle snores she carried her back into their room and placed her in her own bed.

'Good night Lani.' A gentle kiss was placed on the sleeping girl's forehead, unknown,unfelt.

As Beatrix crawled under the duvet she looked to the twin moons through the balcony door.

'Guardians of the night, do not forsake me. If I am to die tomorrow I have but one wish. I wish that Lani does not fall. My life is disposable; hers is not.'

Beatrix rolled over and looked at the sleeping Lani. 'Sleep for now fair Lani for tomorrow we fight. Sleep now fair Lani underneath starlight. Tonight you shall dream, tomorrow we fight. If I fall you shall see my star shining bright.'

End of Chapter five.

And so it is. To war.

Hope to see some nice reviews......

Til next time.