The Song of Eternity
Canto 1
Parm: The Forsaken Realm
Verse 5
The Chase
The prize streaks away from safety,
Everything swings close to Armageddon.
The plan is scrapped,
As one regains what was once lost,
Not knowing what he is doing.
"This is not good!" Jack shouted as he and Deklin ran through the streets of Haven avoiding the guards as best they could. A minute after they left the castle hundreds of guards swarmed out, calling to the rest of the guards in the city, all of them looking for Deklin and Jack. "Pearl is still alive, which means Ashura is going to punish us," Jack said angrily as he and Deklin ducked into an alley. "What was the deal with your girlfriend anyway? She nearly killed us!"
"Shut up, we need to keep moving. Hide!" Deklin whispered loudly as he pushed Jack into a pile of trash, diving into a nearby pile himself. They both stayed silent for a minute as a dozen guards passed by, looking down the dark alley and not seeing them. After they passed by Deklin got up and brushed from his hair, they shed the tuxedo, revealing his desert gear. "I'll handle Ashura, it was my fault. I've never seen anyone with such power before, we should report her to Ashura as well."
Jack turned away from the entrance to the alley to look at Deklin. "Fine… Your eyes are glowing, what gives?" He asked as he pushed past Deklin to their planned escape route.
"It's the dark, they do that in the dark," Deklin explained as he followed Jack to the ladder. He felt around for the pendant in his pocket, making sure it was still there.
"Strange, how'd Ashura do that to ya?" Jack asked as he headed up the ladder.
"He didn't."
Cid and Pearl talked to a pair of guards while the wereman grabbed a sword from another guard who wasn't using it. "Here, take it," he said as he tossed it to Deke. The musician caught it by the handle, looking unfamiliar with the weapon.
"What the hell am I supposed to do with this? I don't know how to fight!" Deke shouted at the wereman and threw the sword to the ground. "Eiko, tell him! You know me, I can't fight!" He pleaded to Eiko who was looking confusedly at them.
Eiko rubbed the ring she received from Cid and spoke to the wereman. "He's never fought before, he doesn't even know who he is, he got here about half a year ago. He cannot fi…." She was cut off by the wereman's sudden movement.
The wereman had picked up another sword and hurled it at Deke. Eiko saw his eyes go wide in surprise. The sword was about to impale his skull when Eiko saw the blur of his right hand move and 'catch' the sword by the pointed end. She heard a metallic clang as the blade connected with Deke's hand. Deke frowned as he flipped the sword and grabbed it by the hilt. "I told you, I cannot fight!"
The wereman walked over to him and took the sword from him, examining his hand. Deke pulled his hand away and took his glove partway off, revealing metal. He then slid it back, making himself look normal. "That was unexpected, but I am still sure you are him," the wereman apologized. "You may not remember it, but one who was as good with a sword as you cannot forget their skill for long. We need you right now, hopefully you can get back to what you were six years ago."
"I don't even remember six months ago! What are you talking about?" Deke shouted at the wereman.
"You were a great swordsman, you are a great swordsman. We need your help now, or innocents are going to die. Understand?"
Deke's face twisted in pain and he frowned. He shook his head then held out his hand. "Give me the damn sword, but I still don't remember," he finished as the wereman handed him the sword.
Just then Pearl and Cid finished talking to the guards and came over. "The chocobos are ready, we should reach the airships at the same time they do, but we need to get moving," Cid explained as several guards came over and surrendered their mounts to the five heroes. "We must hurry."
"It isn't working!" Jack shouted as he tried to start up the airship he and Deklin had broken into. "No good, we need to try another one!" Jack shouted as he could not get the engine to ignite.
"Hurry, they'll be here soon," Deklin ordered as he bolted from the cabin, heading to they next closest airship. He and Jack were about to board it when five chocobos came out on the street in front of them and the riders dismounted. "Damn, go get it started, I'll try to stall them." He walked between the ship and Eiko's party as Jack rushed onboard to get their escape ready.
"Return the pendant, boy," Cid ordered as he pulled out his sword.
"Nothing doing, I need it or my boss will have my head. Guess I'll have to fight you guys for it," Deklin smiled as he pulled out a pair of daggers.
"Unfair odds, but I doubt he is a normal fighter, be careful everyone!" The wereman warned the others as they moved closer to fight.
Deke, Cid, and the wereman stood between Deklin and Eiko and Pearl. Deklin smiled as he taunted them some more. "He's right you know, I play way too dirty," he laughed as ignited a small amount of flash powder, blinding the three men. "Sucks to be you guys," he joked as threw several bolos at them, tying up their feet and knocking them to the ground.
"Cid!" Pearl shouted as she rushed to the knight.
"Deke!" Eiko shouted as she did the same.
They both stumbled backwards before they could help free their companions. Deklin stepped over the blinded men and advanced on the girls. "Too bad princess, you might have lived if you hadn't chased me. Nothing personal." He laughed as he flipped a dagger, grabbing it by the blade and prepared to throw it.
"Holy!" Eiko shouted as she made the magic appear and impact their assailant. It impacted Deklin and threw him back into crate. He stumbled back up after the blast, cursing himself.
"I thought I'd get lucky, maybe that was a one time thing," he laughed as he shook his head.
"No such luck," Eiko countered as she untied Deke.
"No other choice for me then, I have to play really dirty," he gloated as he tossed a knockout gas grenade at them. He watched as the gas covered the five bodies, then dissipated, leaving the bodies lying neatly where the fell. All except for one. "That's a new one on me," Deklin laughed as he watched one of them stumble up.
"Me too," Deke said angrily as he spat to get the taste of smoke out of mouth. "Guess it's up to me."
"Guess so," Deklin laughed as he lunged at the musician. He went right for the throat, but had his strike blocked by the sword that hung by Deke's side a moment ago. He kept striking at vital organs with both of his daggers, but Deke kept dodging and blocking them with apparent ease. "Who are you?" Deklin asked in amazement as he stood back to catch his breath.
"I wish I knew, they say I was a fighter. Looks like they were right," he said calmly as he began his offensive strike on Deklin. Deklin had to use both of his daggers to block or divert the sword as it continued to come streaking at him for the next minute, never growing slower, always a killing blow. He couldn't get out of the way of the last strike and had to make an X with his daggers and catch it in front of his face.
"I will not lose!" Deklin shouted as he pushed back against the sword.
"We'll see," Deke commented as he tried to drive the blade into Deklin's face. Their blades began to glow and give of sparks and bursts of energy as they both continued to grunt and sweat, locked in combat.
Eiko blinked her eyes open at the scene, recovering from the gas. She quickly untied the others and tried to revive them quickly. There was a small explosion and Deke and Deklin were thrown apart, their weapons shattered. Deklin got back up, eyes glowing brighter than they had in the alley. Deke stared back at him, recognizing something, but not knowing what it was. Suddenly he saw Deklin remove the pendant from his pocket and grasp it in his hand. "Ultima!" Deke heard Deklin shout before he was thrown backwards in pain to the pile of other forms. He and Eiko saw Deklin stuff the pendant back in his pocket and dash onto the airship as it lifted off, wondering what had happened.