I apologize for this being so late...I know you guys have been eagerly looking forward to this chapter. It would have been posted earlier, but the site decided to enable and disable the upload process at random times. (And never activate it when I want to post :/ )
Icy AngelWings: Sonia will be dead by the end of this chapter :)
Firelien: Thanks for your review!
Ryzuki: Thanks for your review!
Lemurian 04: Thanks for your review! Congrats, you're the 200th reviewer for this story! :D
Ryst: You're right; Jaffar will not be the one to kill Sonia. Read and see...
Bloody Mary: Hey, who can resist a crying girl? Anyone that can is just heartless :P
Winteress: I don't think Jaffar's "touchy" about the issue of family, because he has no feelings whatsoever about having one. And if anything, after seeing what Nino went through with Sonia, I don't think he'd want a mother XP
Ragnarok-Legend: No, I never got all the mana eggs. I'm the type who wants to get through the game before doing all the side quests. Unfortunately, you can't really go back too much at the end of that game :/
Macross-Green: Thanks for your review!
Sprinkles: Thanks for your review!
MagicianFairy: Um, did you just call Matthew a "she?" XD
The Blazing Blade: Thanks for your review!
K-Girl: Thanks for your review!
Flaming Soul: The "cuteness" factor is through the roof for this entire pairing, if you haven't noticed already :P. But thanks for your comments.
FireEdge: I think I'll add in some stuff about Nino's pendant, mostly because it's part of her B support with Jaffar. Canas should probably appear somewhere in there, just because he's cool. And for the sake of tradition: update Stray Arrow! :P
Jeanie: I agree with you, actually. It seems as though Nino is in denial about Sonia for quite some time. And when she finally admits it...well, you can see the results in the previous chapter.
The Story Master 125: What? But you have to update your fanfic! It takes priority over real life :P
Emotion Changing Reviewer: Thanks for your review!
Spectral Flame: Sonia will be dead by the end of this chapter, I promise. Also, it's nice to see you over at FESS :)
Oswin the Nino Fan: Best author? --blush-- I'm not worthy of that honor. Go read Fierce Deity's stories (they're in my favorites list). He's definitely the best author on the site.
Nocturna-Fire-Demoness: Why do you think the previous chapter was not as "worthy?" I want to know how to improve :)
hyliansage: Reviewed! Just for you! :P And I will be having a lot of fun with the confrontation between Jaffar and Sonia.
Merkiel: Lazy, eh? I can relate :P
gentleness28: LOL, no, I don't have a deviantart account. Just so you know, while I may be a good writer, I am the worst artist ever. :P Although I do enjoy looking at fan art...
lzn64: Night of Farewells is right now. Read on... :)
Inferno-Hero: Sorry, but I'm going to have to say "no" to your question. This may sound a bit harsh, but I really don't want to use up space in a story that I worked on just so your contest can be more well-known. Again, I apologize, but I think you're better off advertising your contest on your own.
demonesszen: Thanks for your review!
AmbieChan: Thanks for your review!
And now, the long-awaited...
Chapter Ten
Confrontation
The Water Temple was not very large and did not stand out among the grassy hills surrounding it, because otherwise the Black Fang would not have chosen it as their backup hideout. The front of the temple was decorated with artwork dedicated to the gods and goddesses of the water, but in the darkness of the night most of the decorations were not visible. There was no door, only an opening about ten feet high at the front of the temple.
While the outside of the temple looked rather plain for what was supposed to be a holy place, the interior was a sight to behold. The temple was filled with pure, clear water, with small islands of stone dotted about the man-made lake. The islands were connected by small bridges that could be raised or lowered with mechanisms deep within the temple, another reason the Black Fang had chosen this place.
While these features were not anything really exceptional, magic within the water made the temple a truly impressive sight at night. A traveler might come during the day and just see a flooded temple, but at night, in the darkness of the temple, the water began to glow with a pale, almost ethereal light. The light was not bright enough to give a person full visibility in the temple, but it gave those who came during the night a feeling of wonder as they gazed upon the magic of the water gods and goddesses.
It also made Jaffar uneasy for Nino's safety as he and the young mage entered the temple. The light of the water made it possible to see Nino's silhouette and not much else. Even with his trained eyes, he would be hard pressed to keep track of her, and if Sonia attacked...well, he didn't want to think about that.
"Look," Nino said softly as they entered, her silhouette pointing at something at the far end of the temple, which had to be several hundred feet away.
Jaffar followed her arm, and noticed that there was, in fact, a bright light at the other side of the building. Though they were hard to make out, Jaffar could see a few figures moving about within the light, but nothing more precise. He also heard the faint sounds of both a man and a woman shouting. He recognized Sonia's voice quickly, but the man's voice was unfamiliar to him.
Then, abruptly, several things happened at once. The bright light quickly turned a ghostly, pale blue, and the little wind that had been blowing into the temple suddenly picked up and became frigid. Nino gasped, recognizing the powerful Fimbulvetr spell—it was obvious that her mother was furious, which would not help the young mage in the least.
Just as quickly as it had appeared, the spell ended, and the light at the other end of the temple turned back to its normal fiery color. At the same time, another light, like a torch, appeared some distance to the side of the original light. It hovered in place for a moment, and then, accompanied by a masculine scream of terror, it suddenly began rushing towards Jaffar and Nino.
The two of them watched the distant spectacle with confusion, both of them creating wild scenarios in their minds as to what might have happened.
Jaffar, however, quickly realized that whoever was carrying the torch towards the two of them was likely hostile.
"Stay close to me," Jaffar warned. Unfortunately Nino, fearful as she was, took the opportunity to huddle right next to the assassin, which filled him with what he knew would be a distracting sensation. There were more pressing matters at hand than his feelings towards Nino, whatever they might be. Her safety was paramount.
The person carrying the torch ran closer, and it became clear that whoever it was, he or she was running away from Sonia and not towards the two of them. The silhouette created by the torch eventually formed into the figure of a middle-aged man, with short, spiky brown hair, and carrying a crude iron axe in his free hand.
"Uncle Jan!" Nino called, apparently recognizing the man. She stepped away from Jaffar and towards the man, but the assassin pulled her back, warning her again to stay close.
"Nino?!" Jan shouted, obviously panicking as he stepped within a few feet of the pair. "What are you doing here?!"
"I...I came to—" Nino began, but she was quickly cut off.
"Flee this place!" Jan screamed, paying no heed to Nino's explanation. "That woman!" he went on. "Sonia...she killed the commander! She killed Brendan!" Both Nino and Jaffar were taken aback by this, because Brendan was obviously a powerful man, certainly not the type to be taken down by anyone...let alone his own wife.
"She's a demon!" Jan continued raving. "She's a—"
And then, quite suddenly, there was a bright flash, and numerous torches that lined the interior of the temple magically blazed to life, making everything and everyone in the temple fully visible.
This was unfortunate, because the light allowed Jaffar and Nino to see exactly the person they had been dreading the appearance of—Sonia. She had warped between Jan and the two of them as the torches had lit themselves.
Her attention was not focused on the assassin and young mage, though. It was focused on Jan, who was visibly trembling. He dropped his torch, which fell into the water beside him and went out instantly.
The light was no longer needed, though, to see Sonia's sickly-sweet expression. She crossed her arms over her chest, falsely smiling in a way that might have been used to seduce a man had the circumstances been different.
She mockingly brushed her hair out of her face in an almost girlish manner. "I'm sorry," she said sweetly. "I couldn't hear you. What were you going to say about me?"
Jan didn't reply, he only screamed. Before Sonia could do anything, he was out the doorway of the temple. She made a move to follow him, but apparently decided it was not worth the effort. Instead, she stood there, her back turned to Nino and Jaffar.
For an instant, Jaffar considered plunging his dagger right into Sonia's back, to end it right then and there. But he had promised Nino he would not harm Sonia, so instead he was left there, silently seething. Nino once again huddled close to Jaffar for protection, because Sonia was not happy. The assassin ignored the sensations this gesture sent through him. They had no importance right now.
All three of them stood silently, waiting for someone to make the first move.
"So," Sonia finally spoke. It was clear from just that one word that Sonia's rage was beyond comprehension. "Nino," she breathed. "You have failed. Again."
But Nino was intent on persuading her mother that what she had done was the right thing. "But...Mother..." she whimpered.
"SHUT UP!" Sonia screamed, whirling around, her face contorted with fury. The rebuke caused Nino to yelp, huddling closer to Jaffar. The assassin, meanwhile, wondered how he could have been so foolish as to promise Nino not to harm this woman. Yet he kept to his word.
"You," Sonia seethed, taking a step towards Nino, "are a thoroughly and utterly useless girl."
Fearful tears were streaming down Nino's face now. "M-mother...I-I'm your daughter..." she pleaded. "Y-you c-can't..."
"I could never have given birth to a piece of offal like you!" Sonia screamed, causing Nino to lapse into terrified silence again. Jaffar's hand immediately went to his dagger, ready to draw it if Sonia attacked. He might have made a promise to Nino, but the young mage's safety overrode that.
"My daughter," Sonia muttered ferociously, "would have learned to use magic correctly. She would have carried out my orders without question. And she would be a perfect specimen, like myself." Her voice suddenly rose in volume. "You are none of those things, Nino! I should have killed you like I did your parents!"
Nino's eyes widened, her face paling considerably. "M-my p-parents?" she asked weakly. "Y-you...I-I'm not..."
Sonia's face suddenly was twisted by a sadistic grin. "That's right, Nino! You are not my daughter. I thought you would figure it out before now, but then again, you're not smart enough to think that way, are you?"
Nino shook her head, refusing to believe what she had just been told. "I-I-I'm n-not y-your daughter?"
Sonia actually laughed out loud. "Of course not!" she exclaimed gleefully, as though she had desired to tell Nino this for years. "The only reason you're even alive is because Lord Nergal thought you might have some potential. But you're an absolute failure!"
Nino's face was stark white. It couldn't be true. It just couldn't...
"W-why?" she croaked.
"Because your parents were the most powerful sages in all of Lycia," Sonia explained. "They guarded the secret of the dragons...but Lord Nergal and I stole that secret, and killed them, when you were only a baby. I hated the very thought of it, but Lord Nergal thought you might prove useful, so he ordered me to raise you as my daughter." She laughed again. "But look how you turned out! Filled with immense magical power, and you can't even use it!" She suddenly lowered her face very close to Nino's. "Broken weapons have no use, Nino. They are thrown out."
"She's not a weapon!" Jaffar retorted, finally having heard enough.
Sonia's gaze turned to Jaffar, and she smirked devilishly. "Ah, Jaffar," she said, in a mocking tone. "What happened to you? You were my most powerful weapon of all!"
Jaffar grit his teeth. "I'm not a weapon...and certainly not yours," he breathed. "And neither is Nino." He wasn't sure where the words came from, but he knew they were the truth, and he kept speaking. "You are the weapon, Sonia. Your sole purpose is to kill."
Sonia laughed. "Oh, that's rich, Jaffar! Like your purpose is any different! You're an assassin!"
"Not anymore," Jaffar retorted. He glanced at Nino, who stared back at him helplessly, unsure of what to do. "Nino has changed me."
"Yes, I suppose she has...her tendency for failure seems to have spread to you," Sonia countered spitefully.
"That's all you ever speak of," Jaffar remarked, his voice controlled, but filled with rage. "Whether or not we failed. Whether or not we helped you achieve your goals."
Sonia put her hand to her heart in a sarcastic expression of false enlightenment. "Why, you're right, Jaffar!" she said softly, though it was obvious she didn't mean it. "What a discovery!" she continued sarcastically. "My subordinates are supposed to serve me!" The façade abruptly ended, and Sonia glared at the assassin hatefully. "You are supposed to follow my orders without question, Jaffar. It doesn't matter what you think. You're supposed to do it."
Jaffar shook his head, realizing that no amount of persuasion could convince Sonia to change her ways. "You can never understand," he remarked instead. "To achieve your goals, you think of no one but yourself." He looked again at Nino, who was now crying silently, but staring at Jaffar with a mix of pride and bewilderment. "You put Nino through torture for fourteen years...just so you could use her as a weapon." He almost snarled with fury as he looked back at the raven-haired woman. "You feel nothing for others! Your soul is black and devoid of warmth."
"Pointless sentiments," Sonia countered. "Concern for others will only hamper you in the end." Jaffar tried to reply, but Sonia raised her hands before he could speak, and continued. "But I grow tired of this discussion, Jaffar." She smirked sadistically, delighting in the fearful expression on Nino's face. "Judgment must be passed on those traitorous to the Fang. And I sentence you to death!"
Drawing his daggers, Jaffar was about to lunge at the black-haired woman, but another voice stopped him.
"I will not allow that!"
It was Lyn.
Sonia whirled around in surprise, as Jaffar noticed several figures behind her, led by Lyn and Hector. He wasn't sure how he and Nino had been followed or even noticed at all, though he supposed Nino's shouting outside the camp had attracted the attention of someone on watch duty.
He wasn't quite sure what to think until Sonia laughed. "So you brought some friends of yours, Jaffar?" she asked mockingly. "Well, the more the merrier! Destroying all of you will be quite a pleasure indeed..."
"Nino!" Lyn yelled as she approached the doorway of the temple.
"Sonia!" Hector shouted angrily at the same time.
The raven-haired woman laughed. "Quite a pleasure indeed..." she repeated.
There was a flash, and Sonia suddenly vanished from sight. Before Jaffar could search for her, however, the floor of the temple started to shake. As Lyn, Hector, and the others looked around worriedly, the assassin instinctively grabbed Nino and held her close to his body, shielding her from anything that might harm her.
The young mage barely even responded, still too shocked by Sonia's revelation to do or say anything.
The assassin was lucky that he and Nino were standing on one of the stone islands, as the bridges between them abruptly sank.
Another flash, this time from behind the assassin. He turned his head to find Sonia standing on another island some distance away. More worryingly, though, was the fact that several Black Fang soldiers had appeared seemingly out of nowhere on the other islands that dotted the temple.
"If you want to fight," Sonia called, "then so be it!" She laughed. "Come! Or flee! I care not, as long as you die in pain and fear. I will destroy you, if the Fang's soldiers do not first!"
And with another flash, she was gone, her laugh echoing throughout the temple.
"Damn that woman!" Hector shouted at no one in particular. He looked towards the soldiers that had come with him and Lyn. "Hey! Mark!" he called. "What're we supposed to do now?"
Mark came to the front of the group of soldiers, looking around at the temple that was about to become a battlefield. He looked to be in the middle of a thought when one of the bridges suddenly rose above the water, allowing passage to another island.
"Everyone!" he called to the soldiers. "Over that bridge, quick! We don't know when the bridges will rise or fall."
The army quickly complied, leaving Jaffar, Nino, and the tactician on the original island. Nino was still shocked beyond words as Jaffar released her, looking down at her frightened face with concern.
"Is she...all right?" Mark asked carefully.
A twinge of an unknown emotion passed through the assassin—being concerned for Nino was his responsibility, not the tactician's. "She will be all right," he replied nevertheless.
Mark nodded, and was about to join the rest of the army when Jaffar stopped him.
"Wait," he called.
The tactician turned to the assassin with a questioning look.
"Do not attack Sonia," Jaffar commanded, a hint of anger in his voice. Mark was about to protest when Jaffar explained, "That fight...is mine."
Mark looked as though he would not approve of such an action, but he nevertheless nodded, apparently recognizing the personal nature of the issue. He then ran off to join the others.
Jaffar took the opportunity to see if Nino was well, stooping so his face was level with hers. She was still crying silently, staring ahead blankly, unable to believe what she had been told.
"Nino..." Jaffar said softly.
"D-...did y-you know, Jaffar?" Nino whispered, her voice anguished. "D-did you know...sh-she wasn't...m-my mother?"
"No," Jaffar responded truthfully.
Her face fell. "I-I...I can't believe...sh-she o-only wanted to...u-use me..." she sobbed.
Jaffar wasn't sure how to respond. He remembered his promise to Nino, but now...he wasn't sure if that was still what she wanted. Now that she knew everything...
"W-what...d-do we d-do now?" Nino asked softly, still crying.
Jaffar's grip tightened on his dagger. "We make her pay for what she has done."
Nino looked up at the assassin. She was still crying, but her baby-blue eyes suddenly held a strange glint within themselves...anger? Defiance? Jaffar couldn't tell what it was.
She sniffed, wiping her tears away. "Then let's go," she replied, a hint of rage creeping into her voice.
-----
The path had been cleared for them; all they had to do was follow the army as they quickly dealt with the Black Fang soldiers that had appeared. And before he knew it, he and Nino were standing in front of the stairs leading to the temple's throne room, where they had seen the light come from earlier.
Mark was there waiting for them. "Are you sure you want to do this, Jaffar?" he asked as they approached. "Sonia is...a very powerful sage."
"I don't care," Jaffar replied angrily. "She must die for what she has done."
Mark nodded solemnly. "Very well," he responded.
And Jaffar and Nino walked up the stairs to the throne.
The young mage was silent as they walked. Her eyes were still filled with that strange emotion Jaffar couldn't quite place, but he knew there were more important matters at hand and paid it no mind.
They reached the top of the stairs.
Sonia was there waiting for them, sitting on the throne almost lazily. She chuckled darkly. "Well, well, well..." she said softly. "I knew you would be the first to come."
"Moth—Sonia," Nino said before Jaffar could reply, glaring at the raven-haired woman. She looked as though there were a thousand questions she wanted to ask, but she finally decided on one. "You're...really...not my mother?"
Sonia scoffed. "Of course I'm not!" she answered, as though the very thought made her sick.
"Then why?" Nino pressed, angrier than Jaffar had ever seen her. "Why did you...have to treat me like you did?"
Sonia stood up, glaring hatefully at the young mage. "Because that was the only way to get you to learn," she replied, venom lacing her every word.
Nino took a deep, shuddering breath as Jaffar looked on. "But I loved you!" she screamed, a few angry tears making their way down her face. "I worked my hardest because I thought you would finally appreciate me...and you didn't even care!"
The raven-haired woman laughed as if to spite the young mage. "I didn't care because you were weak, Nino," she remarked angrily. "You were blessed with unimaginable magical power and you never once were able to refine it."
"But you didn't have to hurt me!" Nino screamed. "Mothers are supposed to love their children, not hurt them!"
"But I am not your mother, Nino!" Sonia shouted back.
"YOU WERE SUPPOSED TO BE!" Nino retorted. It was as if all of the pain, all of the suffering and anguish that Sonia had caused the young mage was now rushing out all at once. "YOU WERE SUPPOSED TO LOVE ME!"
Sonia actually laughed in response. "Love you?" she asked incredulously. "I could never love a weak being such as you," she declared hatefully. Then, as if she had desired to say it for years, she said, "I loathe you, Nino. Your very existence was a burden to me." She smirked. "I'm going to kill you now like I should have when you were a baby."
A maddening rage filled Nino's eyes at those words...and Jaffar knew what it meant. He had seen it before...when someone was that angry, that filled with rage...her only thought now would be to harm Sonia as much as she possibly could, to pay her back for all of the pain she had caused her...
The Fimbulvetr tome came out of the young mage's pouch effortlessly; she was chanting the words even before the tome was opened.
"I call upon the power of the goddess of winter!" she screamed.
Sonia looked on smugly as Nino began the chant. She was obviously confident that the young mage would not be able to finish the spell, but she wasn't about to take any chances. Raising her hand, she fired a blast of magical energy at Nino.
But the young mage dodged to the side with what seemed to be no effort at all, never taking her eyes off the raven-haired woman and never once stopping the spell.
A blue magical aura formed around Nino as the power of the spell began to coalesce.
"Bring down the power of the wind and snow..."
And Jaffar could do nothing except watch.
Sonia's eyes widened in fear as she fired another blast, then another...but Nino evaded both, still chanting, never stopping...
The magical aura burned brighter...
"...of the last winter the world will ever see!"
Sonia fired two more blasts. Nino dodged one, but ended up right in the path of the second one...until Jaffar jumped in the way instead. The power knocked him to the ground, but it didn't hurt seriously—after all, the blast had only been meant to stop Nino's spell; it was not powerful enough to do any more.
And Sonia could no longer do anything, she had missed her chance...she could only stare fearfully, could only wait for Nino to speak the trigger word of the spell...
"FIMBULVETR!"
The swirling, frigid whirlwind formed around Sonia before she could even react. Shards of ice flew through the whirlwind, cutting into Sonia's skin in hundreds of places...
And then Nino threw up her arm, unleashing the full power of the incantation.
A massive, massive hunk of ice suddenly burst out from directly under where Sonia was standing, launching her into the air...the top was dreadfully sharp, and Sonia screamed, screamed because she knew it was the end...
She flew up, twirling almost lazily in the air...then fell down, down, down...and was impaled on the tip of the ice, her blood staining the crystal-clear surface...
And then the spell ended, the winds stopped, the ice—as it was magical—faded away. Sonia's body dropped to the floor with a sickening splat, a pool of blood rapidly forming around her lifeless form.
Jaffar got up slowly, almost unable to believe the power that Nino had produced. He knew Sonia could not possibly have survived that attack, but he walked over to her body anyway, to make sure she was actually dead. And she unmistakably was.
He stood there silently, staring down at Sonia's body, until he heard Nino's footsteps beside him. He looked over at her...she was staring down at Sonia's body with contempt, hatred in her eyes...
But even as she stared down hatefully, her expression began to change. It was slow at first, but her eyes quickly widened in disbelief...she couldn't believe what she had done...
She looked up at Jaffar, her eyes begging his to understand...
And then, shaking her head, she fell to her knees, and cried hysterically.
I have nothing to say.
Please review,
-TheOneAndOnlyT