CHAPTER 3: The Fight
I do not own square-enix or final fantasy 11, all copyrights belong to their respective owners.
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As enter the valley of sorrows my eyes are greeted with the sight of raptors, and large bird like creatures that looked like quite the formidable opponent even for me.
From inside my satchel I retrieve another specially formatted oil that I covered my body in to stop any friction, and noise.
Quickly drawing upon my training I grab a tonko tool from my satchel and begin rehearsing the spell tonko:ichi surrounding me in a cloak of invisibility that renders me invisible to the eyes of adventurers and beastmen alike.
After making sure my sword is securely fastened to my back I break into a light run heading deeper into the valley knowing that soon it would all begin, and I would have the money to once again live the lifestyle I enjoyed so much.
As I round a corner a strange feeling overwhelms me, what is this dread? Suddenly I hear the sound of someone knocking an arrow on a bow.
Scanning the area I see no one, and myself being invisible and not creating any noise used to consider myself fairly safe. However several years ago I learned the truth, no one is ever safe.
Reaching into my satchel I pull out the most important thing I carry on my person at all times. Quickly chanting the phrase I had uttered so many times the shihei I carried reacted and the ability commonly known as utsusemi:ni was completed causing 5 shadow copies of myself to surround me in a random pattern. These shadow clones look and act exactly as I do.
At that exact moment 4 others appeared before me, 2 mithran rangers one who had just knocked an arrow now shot it at me with the sole intent of my demise, the arrow entered my head and then seconds later exited the other side, with this one of my shadow clones was destroyed.
Regardless of how many times I had seen my shadow clones destroyed it was nevertheless quite an unnerving thing to watch.
I charge the rangers and ignore both what appeared to be a tarutaru black mage casting a spell of some sort, and a tall elvaan man dressed in the finest of clothing who looks rather like royalty
The second mithra raises a gun to her shoulder aiming it at my face as I close in on her position, I saw her finger depressing on the trigger as time slowed around me, in the language of the ancients I began chanting the words I needed to give myself a fighting chance at survival. With the final words said and a deep concentration of my thoughts a blinding white light appeared mere inches in front of the second mithra's eyes.
While not physically harmed the mithra had no way of judging my movements and while casting utsusemi:ichi had voided tonko:ichi I was still covered in the silent oil making it near impossible even for a mithra to judge my movements.
With one swift movement I pull my sword its scabbard on my back into my waiting hands without breaking stride. Concentrating my physical strength I ready a swing when suddenly a searing pain reached my senses as an arrow pierced through my right shoulder and passes out of my back.
My world was ignited by adrenaline and pain, ignoring this I finished my strike cutting the lightly armored mithran in half, I felt a warmth cover my body the metallic taste in my mouth.
I realized the warmth was the blood of the mithra and the taste was my own blood.
Swinging my blade to my left the second mithra dodges my first attack easily, and as I readied my second strike I felt A tremendous heat surround my body searing my flesh and causing incredible pain. I quickly realized that this was the ancient spell of flare that the black mage used against me.
I realize immediately that all of the items in my satchel were destroyed in this attack, as I felt a hard lump of melted items on my back, including my shihei. The remaining shadows around me were near worthless as the mithra knew which I was, but they were finally destroyed by flare
Feeling very weak I attempted to cast curative magic on myself only to be interrupted each time with the spell of stun cast by the tarutaru black mage.
Unable to cure my wounds I drew forth all of the remaining adrenaline I possessed and ignored my pain and when the remaining mithra fired upon me once again there was no pain, and not even a wound wear the arrow had pierced my armor but reflected off of my bear flesh.
Pulling my Rising Sun I hurl it at the tarutaru black mage, who despite his size was agile enough to easily dodge my attack, but at least whatever he was trying to cast on me was delayed for a few precious seconds.
Turning my attention back to the mithra I charged her as arrow after arrow bounced off of my flesh, until finally the adrenaline began to wear off and the arrows once again began to penetrate my flesh. One arrow going so deep as to travel through my right hand entirely. As two more arrows from the barrage the ranger had unleashed went through my right shoulder rendering my right arm useless and caused my Ram-Dao to drop from my hands in this weakened state. As I finally reach the ranger she pulls a kraken club and a very fine looking knife from sheaths resting on her sides. As she attempted to kill me with these weapons, I reach for my last resort, my dagger. Ripping it from my belt I thrust the dagger with all of my strength and speed into the mithra's neck, spilling her blood upon the sands.
With two of the three enemies eliminated I began to feel that perhaps this is not going so bad after all.
Turning on my heels I see the tarutaru standing there with what I can only describe as a smirk on it's face. In its hand I could clearly see my rising sun clenched firmly in it's tiny grasp.
The pain in my head intensifying I feel a strong wind, and am thrown to the ground as the elvaan and taru approached.
Trying to throw myself from the ground I find myself bound firmly in place, having nothing left on my person but my dagger I try in vain to raise it to the point where I could strike the taru to no avail.
Suddenly, I felt an extreme pain on the back of my head and then only blackness followed…
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Flowers fill the air a gallant hume knight can be seen walking down the middle of a chapel, his right arm rapped tightly around the left arm of a beautiful hume woman, her chestnut colored hair blowing gently in the wind looked eerily like that of an angels.
There are many adventurers of all shapes and sizes surrounding them as they walk up the aisle together. At the end of the aisle a hume priest can be seen and as the two approach his lips begin to move, but the words are indiscernible.
Time passes, and then the bride and groom also utter a few words before turning to face one another and then the groom grasped the groom in his arms and their lips interlocked uniting them for one moment as one perfect beautiful being.
As the wedding drew to a close the guests all began to cheer, and bottles of Rolanberry were opened to celebrate the wondrous occasion. The beautiful hume in her wedding dress looked so breathtaking especially when shown next to the paladins white embroidered armor.
A feeling of happiness was felt by all and many congratulations were exchanged. A long and bright future was laid out before the newlyweds, and their combined joy was unrivaled, perhaps even by the gods…
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The blackness fades into light and all of my senses are replaced by pain. Heat surrounds my body, a vague hell like feeling. I feel hard rocks under my back and slowly but surely my vision begins to clear
Kneeling above me a battle scarred galka resides, in his hand is a large staff and at his side is a giant scorpion. From the viciousness of the scorpion, the heat, and what I can see around me I can tell exactly where I am. Ifrit's Cauldron
Looking up to the galka I manage to utter "what happened?". Looking at me in a somber tone of a hermit who has not talked to another person in ages he replies "Ahh your finally awake it has been two full moons since you arrived, I do not know all of the details, but this is what I do know"
"I saw an elvaan in full royal dress and a tarutaru at his feet, the tarutaru was dragging your body and upon the Elvann's back a Ram-Dao was resting, I could see the inscription on the blade, and knew where it was from, I also knew that Viddion was a hume and that based on the descriptions you could very well be him"
Surprised that a hermit galka would show such a degree of kindness to a total stranger I was overjoyed to hear the news "Do you have any idea why they would bring me here?"
The galka responded quickly "Well I assume they came here to safely dispose of you body to a place you could never be revived. When I saw them coming I demanded that they drop your body and leave this place never to return" The galka then continued full of vigor and almost gloating "So I had one of my scorpion friends dispatch that tarutaru and I went after the elvaan myself, however when I backed him towards the pit he panicked lost his footing and fell backwards into the lava"
Sad at the loss of all of my equipment and a failed mission I knew I needed help, then as I began to rise I was confused at the pain of the sharp rocks, it was then I realized not only had my Ram-Dao been destroyed but the elvaan had stolen all of my armor and I was dressed in only a travelers cloak. This mission cost me my reputation and millions of gil in equipment, not even mentioning the sentimental value that armor always held.
Well I considered at least I still am alive
"Thank you my friend, I will never forget this day. The kindness you have shown me has opened my eyes to my shortcomings and reminded me of what I once was."
The hermit smiled for what was probably the first time in years and responded "I have never seen anyone recover from such wounds; you truly are the man the legends speak of.
Once upon a time I was a paladin before I could no longer take the guilt, I have since sold my remaining possessions to help pay for some of the more expensive equipment I now wear. However I could never part with my sword until now, I present it to you"
The galka extends a one handed sword, pointing the handle towards me.
Reaching out and accepting the sword and accompanying sheath I was surprised by its fine quality. "I can never repay you for everything you have done for me, thank you for all of the kind acts you have completed on my behalf I shall never forget you friend"
With those words said I extended my hand and he took it and with a few more words we parted
I would never forget those kind words and all of the help that hermit gave to me.
Perhaps one day I can repay him for these charitable acts.
With that in mind I turned on my heels and ran, as I used to heavily mine Ifrit's Cauldron I have memorized all of the caves and tunnel networks and was quickly able to find the path to yhoater jungle without incident. Once there I knew I would have to track down that messenger who gave me this mission he had led me into an ambush… somehow I knew…
Why would he do this to me, who wanted me dead, what was going on… Someone who has that kind of money doesn't make those kind of mistakes.
Running through Yhoater jungle I felt almost at ease, however I had a lot of things on my mind, fortunately it was a long walk back to khazam…
CHAPTER 3: Searching for Answers
Authors Note: Please review if you would like to see more, I put a lot of effort into this and every little review helps me to continue on, and feedback helps me to structure future chapters. Thank you for reading.
I am working on the next chapter, but without some additional feedback I will not post them, the only thing that keeps us writers writing is your reviews, please R&R
