FINAL FANTASY – RISE OF THE RED MAGES

******************************************************

Death's Head -     First thing first, I do not own Final Fantasy, nor do I ever intend to, I don't have enough money. Secondly, this is my first original Final Fantasy story. What do I mean by that? Simply put, this is a original story, with original characters, in an original world, with only some of the well known mascots (Job Class, Chocobo's, Summon Monsters and a Cid, amongst other things.) from everyone's favourite computer game series. Thirdly, all the characters, seeing as they're original creations of mine, are just that. I created them, they are mine.

All italic text, within *. . .* is the character's thoughts.

Now that I've gotten the usual crap out of the way, on with the story, yes?

******************************************************

Chapter Two :

Seven days later :

Aberdeen sighed as he looked back at his sister, dragging her feet along the path they trode. They did have horses at the beginning of their journey, but the stablemaster had been rather… reluctant… to part any of his horses, with the exception of the two he gave the siblings. Aberdeen had reservations in regards to the horses they were given, they were old and on their last legs. Indeed, only a day into their journey, Ariel's horse collapsed on the side of the road, and no matter how many cure spell's she cast, the horse never rose again. It was at that time, Aberdeen wished they had studied White Magic more, instead of Black Magic and their sword technique, combining both forms into one deadly and unique combat style.

Aberdeen's horse had died four days after they started out, being attacked and devoured by two Centrusks, big heavy creatures, on squat legs with a overtly large, pointed and serrated horn jutting out from their foreheards, as well as two sharp tusks from either side of their mouths. Fortunately, they were easy to kill, and Aberdeen and Ariel had been walking towards the port of Labthynea, which at their current speed, would take them two weeks to get to.

He wished he had a Chocobo. A two week journey by foot, would only by a 2 day journey by Chocobo. He sighed as he readjusted their supplies in the bag he wore on his back, his sister carrying only her sword. Aberdeen decided to call a break for a short time, and while they rested, they discussed their plan for when they reached Labthynea.

"What should we do brother? I mean, this whole continent isn't friendly to Red Mages. Where should we go?"

Aberdeen took a mouthful of water from his gourd and passed it to his sister.

"We follow our father's advice. Contact the Black Mages in Labthynea, and see if they can help us."

Ariel looked at him, as she handed the drinking gourd back to him.

"Is that wise? I mean considering what the Ataan guild of Black Mages was like?"

Aberdeen corked the gourd and replaced it back in their bags.

"Personally, I think the Mayor had gotten the members of the other Guild's turned against us, for his own purpose. Remember, Ataan is the only mining town where Mythril can be found, so he has that as a huge bargaining tool over the Guilds."

Ariel snorted.

"I thought the Guilds were supposed to be neutral in all matters? I guess Ataan was the exception."

Aberdeen nodded.

"Yeah… still, at least Hoigreh, Suzann and Shanos escaped. Hopefully they headed for Labthynea as well, and we can meet up with them there."

Ariel smiled softly, at the mention of Suzann's name. She knew her brother and Suzann had a relationship of sorts, and had often teased him about it.

"I'll bet she's waiting for us in Labthynea, waiting for you to spend some 'quality' time together with her."

Aberdeen looked at his sister, his face red.

"You've been peeking through keyholes again, haven't you and…"

Just then the ground rumbled, causing both siblings to the feet. Ariel turned and pointed at a cloud of dust, which was rapidly getting bigger.

"Company."

Aberdeen drew his sword.

"Yeah, on Chocobos. Ready yourself sis, I don't think Ataan has finished with us yet."

A few minutes had passed and five Chocobos stopped a few metres short of the two Red Mages, their riders glaring at them, well, four of them. The fifth, the White Mage, wore a look of disgust on his face, knowing what was to come. The leader rode his Chocobo forward, his sword drawn.

"Red Mages, for crimes against the township of Ataan, you have been found guilty by a just and true panel of your peers…" At that comment, the two Black Mages sniggered as the Warrior kept his gaze on Aberdeen "And as being found guilty, your punishment is to be death. Sentence to be carried.. WAAAAAHHHH!!!"

The leader fell off of his Chocobo, as Ariel had cast fire on a branch in front of the bird. No sooner had that happened, Aberdeen cast bolt on one of the Black Mages, who was caught unprepared for the attack, and whose charred and blackened body fell from his Chocobo to the ground, dead. The warrior leaped from his Chocobo, sword held true before him, as he aimed for Aberdeen. But the Red Mage was ready, and swatted the warrior's sword out of the outstretched hand with his own sword. He then kicked the warrior hard in the neck, the bone snapping and the head going limp. The warrior fell to the ground, lifeless.

These events had happened so quickly, the other Black Mage, Motrud, was caught completely unawares. He snarled and prepared to cast fire 2, when the White Mage smashed his staff against the back of Motrud's head, causing the Mage to fall to the ground, unconscious. The leader, Sascha, tried to stand, but found himself staring at two long blades, being pressed against his chest. He wore a fearful look as he stared at the two Red Mages.

"G… Go ahead… Kill me! Just like you killed my brother! O…One day, I shall be avenged!"

Aberdeen snorted.

"I have no time for this crap from you Sascha." He lifted the young man by his collar "Go back to your father, and tell him you failed in your task, and that your friends here paid the price for his stupidity!"

Ariel, in the meantime, had taken the armour off of the warrior and taken his sword. She moved to the two Black Mages and took their spell components and staffs. She bound the unconscious Black Mage, and looked at the White Mage, still sitting on his Chocobo, surprise on her face as she recognised him.

"I don't believe it, Kye Havard, what are you doing travelling with this scum?"

Kye smiled grimly.

"Following orders of a Guildmaster, who has caved in to the Mayor's demands and licks the boots of said mayor."

Ariel and Kye looked over at Aberdeen, who had removed the armour and sword belt from Sascha, and then tied his arms behind his back, throwing the young man next to the Black Mage, who was starting to wake up.

"The two of you can leave here Sascha, and know thee this. If I ever, see you again, I will kill you."

Sascha nodded, face white as he managed to stand and back away. Motrud followed suite, and backed away, fear and anger glowing in his eyes. Aberdeen cast a bolt at the ground in front of them, causing the two to turn tail and run, heading back to Ataan, minus this Chocobos. Aberdeen turned and faced Kye, arms folded across his chest.

"Well Kye, where do you stand in all of this?"

Kye sighed and leaned back in his saddle.

"I'm against all of this Aberdeen, you should know that. Especially after what they did to…"

Ariel looked at him, eyes narrow.

"Did to who?"

Kye sighed again and dismounted, leading his Chocobo over to the others, tied to a tree in the shadows. He sat down and bade the siblings to do likewise.

"Sascha, being the bloodthirsty wretch he is, slew your Guildmaster, before having Motrud and Othoirs, burning the guild hall to the ground."

Ariel, wearing a look of shock and grief, started to cry, her tears running down her face, as Aberdeen's face hardened into a emotionless look. When he spoke, his tone was quiet and cold.

"What about the three Red Mages who left the day before? Hoigreh, Suzann and Shanos?"

Kye sighed and ran a hand through his short light brown hair.

"They were captured by Sascha, before they even left town. He had them tortured for a full day and night, before killing them individually, and by his own hand. Hoigreh was hung in the central square and Shanos was burnt alive."

Aberdeen lowered his head, his hat obscuring his face. Ariel, weeping softly, then asked the question, Aberdeen wanted an answer to.

"What about Suzann?"

Kye, having known the siblings for some time, also knew of Aberdeen and Suzann's relationship. He paused and looked at Aberdeen, his face sorrowful.

"I'm sorry Aberdeen, I knew how much Suzann meant to you."

His response was cold.

"How did she die?"

Kye lowered his own head, then looked at Ariel and Aberdeen.

"Suzann was tortured by Sascha himself. I found out from Nisu," he motioned to the body of the dead warrior "That Sascha 'entertained' himself with her, the night before she died. Early the next morning, he and Nisu, lead Suzann into the forest, where they stripped her of her clothes and Sascha killed her with his own hands."

Aberdeen's head was bowed, but when his shoulders started to shake, he stood and let a roar of anger escape his lips, as he turned and hit the tree with his fist, cracking the bark. He fell to his knees, emotions running through him. Ariel stood and approached her brother.

"Aberdeen…"

Aberdeen regained his composure immediately, the cold emotionless mask back in place upon his face as he stood, turned and looked at Ariel and Kye.

"We leave for Labthynea immediately. When Sascha and Motrud return to Ataan, they'll most probably follow us with more troops. I guess we'll have at the most 3 weeks until they return. We have to make sure that either we're in a secure place within Labthynea, or far from it."

Ariel, tears on her face, sighed.

"Aberdeen… don't hide what your feeling…"

Aberdeen had tied his pack to a Chocobo, along with the armour and weaponry taken from Nisu and Sascha. He then mounted the Chocobo and gazed at the two before him.

"Hurry and mount, we're leaving now."

As Aberdeen jerked the reins, turning his Chocobo away, Kye helped Ariel onto her Chocobo and mounted his own, grasping the reins of the remaining two Chocobos. Kye looked back at the fallen bodies of Nisu and Othoirs, a sorrowful look on his face.

"I told you the vengeance of the Red Mages would fall upon you, and I was right."

Kye and Ariel rode after Aberdeen, and the three headed towards Labthynea at a fast trot, distance flying by as the Chocobos ran.

***********************************************************************

Port of Labthynea :

Aberdeen handed the reins of the Chocobo he had borrowed from his failed assassin, to the stablemaster, in exchange for 700 Gil pieces. His sister and Kye also selling the Chocobo's they had, as well as the two spare Chocobos, earning them 3,500 Gil, enough to resupply, buy some more equipment and a room at the nearby Inn.

Aberdeen and Ariel had already sold their leather armour, longswords and leather gloves to a shopkeeper, deciding to use the armour and weapons they took from Sascha and Nisu, two days ago. Kye watched them as they attached the Mythril shinguards in place, as well as the Mythril braces, having already donned the Mythril chainmail before hand.

Aberdeen noticed the look on Kye's face.

"It was either them or us Kye."

Kye nodded.

"I know that Aberdeen, but I still find the idea of robbing from the dead and defeated to be particularly morbid. But that's just from a White Mage point of view."

Ariel smirked as she attached the sword belt of the Mythril sword around her waist.

"Lighten up Kye. Aberdeen and myself are Red Mages, and around these parts, Red Mages aren't exactly welcomed with open arms."

Kye shrugged.

"Whatever. Anyway, where do we go now Aberdeen?"

Aberdeen hefted the bag of supplies he had taken from his former Guild Hall in Ataan, and looked over his shoulder at his sister and the White Mage.

"We find the Black Mage Guild of Labthynea, and speak with the Guildmaster there."

With that said, Aberdeen headed off into the crowd of people, milling about the busy street. Ariel and Kye sighed, and followed the Red Mage into the street. However, watching them for a nearby alley, the only female member of the Black Mage Guild of Labthynea smiled under her hat.

"So they've finally arrived eh? Good… Now, I can use them, to help myself."

With a whirl of her dark blue cloak, the Black Mage turned and headed off down the alley, heading towards her Guild. She knew her Guildmaster was going to help these travellers, and in doing so, would assign a Black Mage to join them. She was going to make sure, she was chosen to help them. After all, the male Red Mage was quite handsome, especially with the clashing of dark brown and silver hair.

"Oh yes, him I like. The other two… well, we'll just see how I can get rid of them, and then…"

She cackled softly, and lifted her face to the sky, the light raining on her face, her green eyes sparkling as she let her full lips smile.

"It would seem my premonitions were correct… but then again, they have never been wrong before. I know that the Red Mage, Aberdeen, is going to need help, and I have to be the one to assist him. Not only for his sake," she lowered her gaze, her pointed wide rimmed hat covering her face in shadows "But for my own…"

******************************************************

Death's Head -     And the second chapter is up and ready for review. The female Black Mage has an agenda of her own, one which involves Aberdeen and his friends. More of that and of her character will be revealed in chapter four. Also, there's going to be more action and such, leading up to the next few chapters. The next two are going to reveal more information as to why this persecution of the Red Mages exist and also the introduction of two new characters. Please R&R. Constructive criticism only thank you.