CHAPTER 7: Decisions
Combat Airship what is this all about, I mean I remember hearing rumors as a child during the Crystal War of airships being used as weapons. I had always assumed them to be rumors however… Well I guess you never know anything for sure until you see it with your own eyes, and in nearly every rumor there is some grain of truth regardless of how small.
"Alright Cid, show me this airship"
Grinning at me Cid replies "I've been waiting for you to say that for years Vid"
Turning to a large complicated looking machine Cid opens a black panel and presses a small red button in the middle of the opening, and immediately it begins.
The ground shaking beneath my feet I see the walls of the lab parting in the center and what feels like the entire metalworks moving. I look at Cid with a look of confusion and fear in my eyes as I grab firmly to the nearest wall to keep from falling… Seconds later it is over and I look and see a large metal object riding upwards on what looks like a giant elevator.
As the object nears I can see that the entire airship is covered in a thick steel and there are twice as many propellers as a normal airship, it looks larger, and there are what appear to be cannons mounted across the sides, 10 in all. 4 on the sides one in the front one in the rear.
Walking over to me and putting his hand firmly on my armored shoulder, I see a glimmer in his eyes as he says "This is my dream"
Cid turns towards the airship and a metallic bridge extends from the airship to the side of the lab floor, apparently on its own. "Turning he says, come we have to go quickly, the longer we delay the more likely we will encounter difficulties.
Looking to the Bastokan President and Wolfgang, I walk directly behind cid across the thin metallic bridge, as I look down the side I can see what appears to be a deep hole in the earth, on any other day this would surprise me, but lately nothing can.
As I make it across I turn to see the president and Wolfgang are also here, Cid appears to have disappeared inside, and suddenly I can feel us rising at a quick pace, and heading to Jeuno faster, than anything I have ever flown
Looking at Wolfgang I say "Well we have some time to kill lets have a chat"
Breaking away from the President we begin to walk across the large deck and then I pose my first question, "Why are you here with Bastok, what happened to Jeuno?"
Looking at me with a hurt look he replies "There was an incident, something I would rather not speak of, especially at a time like this."
"Well if not..
The airship suddenly lurches and I lose my footing, falling My head crashes against the deck and I can feel pain.. then blackness.. falling into blackness.. a feeling of nothing and apathy surrounds me as I fall into emptiness…
I am a young man 18 or 19 in a modest house that seems like the one I grew up in, I feel an itch on my shoulder and tighten the strap on my beetle harness, I look over and see a friend of old that I have known of ages
"Hey Delius what up man?" I inquire joyfully
"Hey Vid still haven't decided what you want to study as?"
"Nah, I'm not as strong or as intelligent as most people I know, I don't know what I am going to do"
"Well I recently chose to study as a black mage, It's amazing, the power is unbelievable" he says with a sly grin
Looking at him doubtfully I smile and say "Ok Del, show me"
Flicking his wrist a small glow is emitted from his palm and candles across the room catch fire
"Well that's a nice parlor trick Del, but a sword through the heart might prove a bit more lethal" I mutter sarcastically
"Hey man its my first day back off"
Smiling warmly I say "I'm just messing around Del, could you show me how to do that?"
"Parlor trick ehh, yea here" he says pulling out a scroll "Study this, I have no use for it any more"
With the scroll in hand I begin to study and in a few hours I am able to light the candles from 20 feet away, but not nearly as far or as quickly as Delius, ahh what fun, perhaps I will choose the path of a black mage. I would if I was more intelligent.
A burning hole in the blackness a slight ache in my skull, The burning hole slowly growing in size, the light diffracting into colors, then shapes, than recognizable objects. Waking up is something I will never enjoy.
Through the blur of colors I can make out Wolfgang's face, I am Lying on a soft bed, in what appears to be some sort of hospital. To my left I can see all of my equipment sitting on a thick oak table. Wolfgang is saying something, but I cannot hear him, everything is a blur…
Through the chaos I finally hear him speak "Viddion can you hear me"
Groggily through half open eyes I return "Yes… what happened?"
"One of the engines malfunctioned, the wait of your adaman pulled you to the deck quickly, only that helmet saved your life, you had a major concussion, some said you may never awaken, but I am glad you have"
Looking at me seriously "A lot has happened in the last two weeks…
Cutting him off I squeal "Two weeks, WHAT IS GOING ON?"
"We have confirmed reports Bastok and Windurst have fallen, and scattered reports involving San O'doria"
"WHAT?"
Putting his hand on my shoulder firmly holding me to the bed he says "Calm down Vid, I will explain"
"A week ago Mixed forces attacked en mass on Bastok, Windurst and San O'doria, said to have been lead by some giant creature. It is described as a dragon, behemoth, and lion all in one, having a large spiked tail, 3 times the size of a behemoth."
Grabbing onto his collar I look into his eyes "If you are speaking of who I think you are and he has escaped Tu'lia than may the goddess watch over us all"
Pulling myself up from the bed against Wolfgangs protests, I begin to assemble my armor, quite a task in my current state, but it must be done, Only a few mortals have seen him alive and I must warn the counsel of this
Walking towards the door I speak over my shoulder, "I need to speak to the counsel immediately about this matter"
I stop hearing a groan followed by a deep sigh, as I look at him he says,
"the counsel is dead, a small band of Yagudo ninjas assassinated the high counsel just before news of the attacks reached us"
"Then who is in charge Wolfgang, who is leading the remaining Military personnel in Jeuno?"
Laughing a bit he replies "Your looking at him"
Angrilly I yell "This is no laughing matter Wolfgang, what have you done to prevent the near certain attack on Jeuno?"
I have destroyed the Port Jeuno and Lower Jeuno bridges, and sealed the tunnels that lead there, all civilians are in the Ru' lude gardens residential area, and all who can wield a weapon are gathered in Upper Jeuno, Cid has also rigged the bridge to be destroyed by explosives if need be and…"
Suddenly a loud siren can be heard and commotion is clearly going on outside of the infirmary.
"Wolfgang what is that?"
"That Vid, is the final alarm, the enemy approaches, come we must go now."
As I exit the Building I see an enormous number of adventurers, many veterans of many battles, some mere novices, a crude wall has been constructed from mortar and scrap wood, behind it are hundreds of archers, veering around the wall I see many warriors, dark knights, samurai, thieves, dragoons, and countless others from all races and professions from the tiniest taru to the largest galka. In the front I see a wall of familiar faces, on the left are Ninjas, the right paladins, of course expected to take the brute of the assault, wordlessly I make my way through the crowd, turning many heads in my adaman armor. As I reach the front I see a familiar face. That persistent mithra, Kate, near the front of the ninjas, while clearly not as experienced as many of those around her she still stands proud with her ninja kind. It is then that I hear a booming voice that could only be Wolfgang
"United forces of Jeuno, we are the last defense between the beastmen and our loved ones, the last known group of adventurers at all, we are the final line of defense against the beastmen, you are the ones that will win this for Jeuno, forget your hometowns, your different upbringings, racial tensions, conflicts of the past, you must fight as brothers if you want Vana'diel to survive. GIVE EM HELL"
His inspiration speech over he begins to give tactical commands, Paladins form ranks, ninjas cast utsusemi, mages rest up for the long battle ahead, rangers do not fire until I give the command.
Looking across the bridge I see them for the first time crossing over the horizon, walls of black and evil, many more of them than us, ready to extinguish the flame of freedom we live by, I cannot let that happen. As they near the generic mass takes shape, becoming heads, shields, makeshift weapons, Giants, Yagudo, Orcs, Quadav, Demons, even the anticans joined this fight. I can see 2 giant birds, I know as Roc and Simurgh, a giant scorpion known as Serket, 2 giant dragons known as Fafnir, and Nidhogg, and finally him..
I see novice adventurers shaking, while the veterans show no outward fear, but it is there, Altana himself would be worried with this army… Looking up at Wolfgang I see a bead of sweat forming in the corner of his forhead as the first of the beastmen cross the bridge, weapons drawn screaming warcries in their languages, A white light surrounds the ninja, Diaga… Shit…If we break our formation we could all be killed, but those ninja will all fall if we do not… decisions..
Screaming over the warcies I yell "Paladin's cover the Ninja line, as the ninja's shadows all disappear in the light, as I near the ninja I get in front of Kate, guarding her from the onslaught before us, approaching ever more quickly…
I can smell them now, the stench of death heavy upon them, the sweat and grime of the slaughters they have committed, there weapons still stained in the blood of my kinsman, drawing Durandel and taking up a fighting stance, it began…
CHAPTER 8: A single choice
Thank you to all my reviewers, I appreciate the time you took to not only read but give me infinitely valuable feedback. Yea this chapter is a little short, but I don't know when I will be able to get next one put together, so I decided to split another chapter and end this hear, so that you might get something to read while you wait for me to get the next chapter together
