Chapter 1: First Battle

Cyan was trying his best to stay calm and composed while he was leading them away. Normally he would have followed whoever was leading in their groups, but this time; none of them seemed to be able to do it. Had Terra been there, alive, she would have taken charge right there. But it wasn't meant to be. He fought down the tears. Now was not the time to cry it was time to make sure that no one else would get killed. Their first stop would be Narsh, Lock and Celes wouldn't go anywhere without their daughter. He led them throughout the maze of corridors known only to the king and the ones he trusted, until they were out in the sun. The Airship was there, surrounded by imps. Not your regular imps though. They were the right shape, but much larger, and never before did he see them handle weapons with such ability.

"We need to fight if we want to get the ship my friends, there is no other possible ways," the knight said, unsheathing the Sky Render.

Shadow didn't need to be told twice. With a swift movement, he had the Stunner in hand. Celes, a grim expression on her face, the expression of a mother wanting to reach her child and finding opposition in her path, drew Illumina. Edgar who had come too, drew the Excalibur and Lock took the Ragnarock. All were powerful weapons, but would any of them make any difference?

Relm was staying back; there was nothing that she could do to help. She was more aware now that she wasn't immortal. The fact was, she didn't know how to fight with any kind of weapons. Sabin had been teaching her his arts, but she was far from the level he had been when he first join the quest. Such a feeling of helplessness wasn't what was best in the circumstances. She watch the fight unfold before her, her friends, her only family since her grandfather had died so many years ago, it was all she could do not to cry at her own weakness. However they seemed to fare well enough without her. That was until one of the Imps managed to stab Locke in the abdomen. He fell to his knees, one hand helping him to stand somewhat upright, and the other pressing against the wound. The Imp smiled and rose his own weapon, ready to cut him down like a twig.

Relm didn't think, she grabbed the dirk at her belt and threw it at the monster. Setzer had said one day that he didn't know anyone with a truer aim, or with quicker hands. She proved him right again, sending the blade in the thing's eye. He screamed in pain, putting both hands to his ruined eye before many bolts pierced his chest. She turned to see Edgar, with his 'crossbow' recharging the weapon.

"Go to the storage room, it's ready" he said.

She wondered what he meant until she recall something he had said two years ago. Without needing to be told, she left the battlefield and made her way to their only hopes.

She was dealing death with a precise hand. Not so long ago, she would have felt sorry for the lives she took, but not today. The pain in her heart, the loss of so many friends in one stroke had resolved her to something the end of the world hadn't. She slashed at one of the Imps, cutting the leather-thick skin of its gut like paper and turned to the next one, stabbing the heart of a second one. She was death incarnated, and she wouldn't stop until . . .

"ARGH" came the voice of Locke, close enough to her to be heard, but not enough to be helped.

She twisted, blocking one of the thing's axe with her blade, and saw Locke about to be cut down. Then something to fast to see, a metallic shadow and then many more and the thing was down. She looked to see Relm, of all people, running away from the fight. She didn't have time to wonder as more Imps came from all sides at once, and she knew then, that they couldn't make it to the ship. The sheer number of Imps would wear them down. Submitting to her faith, she wouldn't go down without a fight.

Relm was in the storage room, one of the few places around that hadn't yet been touch by the taint of those creatures. She quickly found what Edgar wanted her to bring him. She knew from his description that it would be shapeless, waiting to find the one person that could wield it, and she thought that it must have been Edgar. It wasn't impressive. It looked like a ball of water, moving slowly, without really moving. She reached for it when a liquid tentacle sprouted from the thing and rolled itself around her arm. She was dazed for a moment and when she realized what was happening, she made only one sound.

"Oh . . ."

Edgar was now in control of his emotions, if such a word could be used. The anger and sorrow were still there, but they were cold, efficient. He saw Locke being struck down and without a pause he took his 'crossbow' and fired at the Imp, knowing it was to late. Something reached it first. A blade thrown by Relm Arrowny. Surprise, for it was physically impossible to throw faster then he fired, he wondered for a moment if it was possible that she was the one he had been waiting for. The one to control that heretic thing that had almost killed everyone who had touched it.

"Go to the storage room, it's ready," the king said.

And without seeing what happened, he went back to the battle. He was lost in the blows he dealt, until the storage room exploded. Everything froze the heroes because they were sure that the black-clad monster had finished with their friends and were coming for them, the Imps because they were positive that their master had came to help them. However what they saw was not what they expected. Relm glided out of storage room, dressed in an armor made out of light. She went towards them, the Imps now entranced, never stood a chance. She rose her hand and they were all blinded by light. When they could see again, of the Imps, there was no sign.

"Let's go" she said, and to their surprise, they obeyed her.

That was chapter one my precious, hope you like it, chapter two will be up as soon as I get more reviews.