PART XVIII
"The darkness of the temple throbbed around them."
"Stoppit!"
"Out of the darkness they saw four shining blades."
"You know this bit always scares me!"
"It was the fiend herself, Kary!"
"I thought she was called Marilith?"
"Do you want to hear this story or not?"
"No! I've been saying that for the past hour! You know it scares me!"
"Why do you think I'm telling it?"
"Oh, I hate you sometimes."
Looking back on events, some things are blindingly obvious that weren't before. For example, the fact that Uggalepih and Chaos were the same. It was obvious. The obvious thing that really bugged Vivli was the fact that the Temple of the Fiends had something to do with the puzzle. As a young girl, it had always been the part of the story that scared her, and this is why Fiorel always repeated it to her. She admitted in her head it wasn't just as a little girl. Just remembering the story sent a chill down her spine. Note to self: Never let Bootus find out she thought. And every time she complained, Fiorel would tell her it was vital to the story. She'd ask why. The explanation would be Chaos needed it to achieve his goals. How she had missed it before she never knew.
"This is ridiculous." Bootus sighed. Vivli had been thinking this while catching her breath. "How are we ever meant to save the world if we're waiting for her all the time?"
"It's not my fault I don't have legs as long as you!" Vivli protested, straightening up.
"I blame Seblina." Zinkata muttered. "If they had a chocobo stable we wouldn't have this problem."
"I am not a problem!" Cried the little mithra.
"I respectfully-" Voldos began.
"Don't say it!" Vivli snapped.
"Does anybody else hear thundering?" Bootus inquired. They turned to see a sheep charging them. The others dived out the way and it rammed into Vivli, flipping her over it. She landed roughly.
"AH!" She exclaimed. The sheep span around to be hit by an arrow from Voldos. Bootus ran in and finished it with a strong punch to the jaw.
"Damn. With all this fate of the world stuff I forgot it was just as dangerous to travel in general." Zinkata sighed. "You alright?" He asked down to Vivli.
"Not quite." She winced, trying to move. The others helped her up. "Ow." She whimpered.
"Oh, don't be a wuss." Sighed Bootus. "You're just bruised a little."
"My ankle hurts!" Vivli protested. Bootus's face beamed with an idea.
"I think I know how to kill two quadav with one stone!" He exclaimed.
"Put me down!" Vivli yelled, struggling in the galka's arms.
"No. It's faster this way." Bootus was holding Vivli across his arms as they walked, now through the Konschtat Highlands. "Besides, you wouldn't want to walk in your state, would you?"
"Well, I could heal myself if some stupid galka would stop carrying me around!" She cried. Bootus sniggered. Vivli tried to cast a cure spell anyway, but found it too difficult while being carried along.
"Hey!" Zinkata cried from up ahead. "I can see Bastok!"
"You can?" Bootus dropped Vivli and ran for where Zinkata was stood.
"OW!" Came an exclamation from behind.
Voldos, Bootus and Zinkata were stood, looking out over the desert that they were approaching to see the large stone city in the distance.
"I'm home!" Cried Bootus. Not even the sound of the healing spell in the background could distract him.
"Still prefer San D'Oria." Voldos said.
"I still prefer not being dropped on the floor!" Yelled Vivli, joining them.
"You wanted to be put down." Bootus smirked.
"Let's just get back to Bastok." Zinkata sighed, wearingly.
"Pay me fifty gil and I'll dance!" Cried a tarutaru.
"I'm looking for lizard skins!" Yelled a hume.
"Does anybody want to join my linkshell group?" Some galka was shouting.
"Hasn't changed a bit!" Bootus said enthusiastically.
"Hasn't changed a bit." Voldos sighed depressively.
"I say we see the President tomorrow. For now, let's get some rest and sort out anything we need to." Zinkata instructed the others. Recently Vivli had almost replaced him as the leader, and he wanted to restore his position of power.
"Excellent!" Vivli cried. "I'm going to sleep!" She ran off. The others shook their heads.
"Well, you've been gone for a while!" Snapped the moogle as it buzzed around her room.
"We've been on an important mission." Vivli countered.
"Care to tell me about it, kupo?" The moogle asked.
"I'm far too tired. Doubt you'd be interested anyway." Vivli collapsed on her bed, pulling off her robe.
"Oh, just shrug me off. Fine then." The moogle flew away. Vivli sighed. It was getting dark outside, and thus, inside. She set up a lamp and let it burn. Not because she was planning to stay awake, but because she was too scared of the dark to let it stay dark. A primitive nightlight. This was another thing she hoped Bootus would never find out.
A cold gust of wind awoke her in the middle of the night. A gust of wind that blew out the light of her lamp. The room plunged into darkness and the temperature felt like it dropped dramatically. She pulled her own quilt up over her body, pulling it close to her in fear. She wanted to get up to relight the lamp, but was too afraid. She shivered, wrapping herself up in her covers as much as she could. She was close to cowering under them. Her door creaked.
"Hello?" She cried nervously. There was no response. Two burning red eyes could be seen from the doorway. She screamed in terror as soon as she saw them, and backed away to the rear of the small room. Through the darkness stepped a skeletal figure, a crimson robe hanging around him.
"Vengeance." It whispered. "Oh, glorious vengeance." Vivli rose, shaking.
"No. It can't be." She cried. She literally cried. Tears streamed down her face.
"Death is just the beginning." It taunted.
"Signot! No! It can't be you! It can't!"
Vivli bolted awake in her bed, covered in a cold sweat and crying.
"What the hell was that?" She whimpered, looking around the darkened room, the lamp's light fighting feebly against the darkness. One of the books she had been reading about the Light Warrior legend was sat on a table near her bed. She had recently read about the fiends. Of course, Lich. The Fiend of the Earth. He must have become stuck in my head somehow. She thought of those fearful red eyes and looked over to her door, snuggling back up into her covers out of fear. Don't be silly! Her brain snapped. It was a dream! Her body was less co-operative, and she stayed huddled, shaking. She pulled her own knees up to her chest.
"What's the matter?" Came a voice.
"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" She screamed.
"Ow. Don't do that!" Whined the moogle.
"You little…" She began. "You scared the hell out of me!"
"Why? I'm always here. Not like I can go anywhere, kupo." The moogle pointed out. Vivli just scowled at it.
"Why can't I do anything without being scared?" Vivli asked aloud.
"I think it's because you're a coward." The moogle suggested.
"Shut up!" Vivli cried. "Even my moogle mocks me." She added in a whimper.
"Urm. Don't go saying anything, kupo." The moogle suspiciously muttered. "I don't want to get fired."
"You can get fired?" Vivli asked, surprised.
"Of course. We have to respect the owner's of the household." The moogle paused. "We're like slaves."
"That's not very nice." Vivli muttered.
"Stop complaining. I'm the slave. Not you." The moogle pointed out. Vivli turned over and tried to sleep. She couldn't. She was too scared.
"You look tired." Came the pleasant greeting.
"Be quiet." Vivli mumbled.
"Well, we ready to see the President?" Bootus said nervously.
"Let's get it over with." Vivli grumbled groggily.
"You what?" Exclaimed the President to the assembled adventures. "You're telling me that the Demon Lord Chaos, a villain from a child's fairy tale, has been resurrected and is planning to destroy the past?"
"Urm. Yes." Zinkata said uneasily.
"It's laughable! You're an insult to me just standing there!" The President cried.
"The letter from Windurst confirms it." Zinkata explained.
"Windurst? That bunch of midgets and kitty cats?" Vivli looked slightly offended. "I'm sorry, but I have no time to listen to this rubbish."
"Sir, all we need is the location of the crystal shard. Is it that much trouble?" Zinkata asked.
"Fine. I don't know of any crystal shard, but the legends say the tomb of one of the Light Warrior's used to exist where the marsh is now. You could look there." He paused to try and calm himself. "Now get the hell out of my sight." The pause didn't work.
"He's friendlier than I remember." Voldos said sarcastically as they walked out of the building.
"So, what's the plan?" Bootus asked, stopping and folding his arms to get a look of authority.
"Well, the fact that a tomb used to exist where the marshes are isn't very useful." Zinkata admitted. "The marshes are huge and a tomb would be deep underground if it even still existed, but it is our only lead." He paused in thought. "I say we go to the marsh and search the cave."
"No way!" Vivli cried. "I'm not going back in any cave!"
"Fate of the world, remember?" Bootus gave her the needed reminder.
"Oh, dammit!" She cried.
"Right, settled." Zinkata said. "Let's stock up on what we need and move out. The President still gave us reward money remember? Put it to good use. We'll meet at the south gate."
Vivli arrived last, looking at the others slouched against a wall.
"What took you?" Bootus asked.
"I was buying spells." She replied. "Means I can heal more effectively."
"Oh, for a moment then I thought you might be able to actually hurt enemies." Bootus taunted.
"I can't wait until I can afford silence." Vivli said wishfully. "I got a new staff to!" She held up a long wooden stick. The others shrugged to this.
"We're going to be doing a lot of exploring, so let's ride chocobos so we can cover more ground." Zinkata advised. "Follow me to the stable."
The chocobos splashed through the muddy ground of the marsh, but they were no closer to finding anything.
"There must be something around here!" Voldos cried, getting weary. "I haven't even seen a chick to hit on."
"It is strangely deserted." Zinkata admitted.
"The ride here took a long time, and we've been exploring for hours. It'll be dark soon." Vivli narrated.
"Yeah, we were aware of that." Bootus grumbled. "I don't see what we can do. There's nothing here."
"We have a tent with us. I say we set up camp and search tomorrow. We can then head back if need be. If the crystal shard has been lost beneath this marsh, then I don't know what we can do." Zinkata sighed. He lowered himself off the chocobo, holding onto its leesh. Voldos swung down skilfully. Bootus half fell and half jumped off. Vivli leapt off, sending mud splashing all over herself.
"Ew!" She cried. Bootus giggled. "It's not funny!"
"Right, we'll tie the chocobo's up and set up the tent." Zinkata instructed. "Won't be pleasant on this soft ground, but we have little choice."
"What can we use to tie them to?" Voldos asked, before turning his attention to Vivli's staff.
"Oh, come on. It's new. Don't-" They grabbed it off her and slammed it down in the mud, so that is sunk enough to hold the chocobos. "Why do I bother?" She grumbled.
The tent was fully set up and the others walked in. Vivli wondered in behind them, and dropped onto the floor.
"I hate mud." She commented, looking at her feet and robe that was covered in it.
"Is there anything you like?" Bootus asked.
"That's hardly the point." Vivli grumbled.
"Okay, the plan for tomorrow should be simple." Zinkata began.
"Oh good. Means Bootus can handle it." Vivli shot.
"Quiet, you." Bootus snapped.
"As I was saying, it's simple." Zinkata tried to continue. "As we can see by this map," He pulled out the map in question, "We haven't explored the south east yet. If there's going to be a cave, I say it'll be there. I think we should head for there and do an extensive search of the edge, looking for any possible path underground."
"Sounds like a plan." Voldos said, lying back on the floor.
"For now, let's get some sleep." Zinkata advised.
Vivli was tired from running. She stopped, panting, leant against the cold stone wall. She turned around. The two red eyes were gaining on her. She ran again, but her body couldn't keep it up. She fell from exhaustion. No matter how much air she took in, her body wasn't recovering.
"No!" She screamed as the skeletal Signot closed on her. "You're not real!" Her brain was catching up with her fears. "This is a dream!"
"Who are you to say what is real and what is not?" Signot snapped. "Cower in your belief it is a dream if you want. Let your ignorance take you as I kill you."
"You're just trying to frighten me!" She called from the floor.
"Yes." Snarled Signot, bending down and picking her up in his skeletal hand. She felt the cold bone around her neck, as if it was draining her own life energy. "Be afraid, Vivli. Be afraid!" His eyes flared a bright red and Vivli screamed, tears streaming down her face.
"HELP!" She bellowed to no response. She was beginning to lose air. She couldn't speak.
"Yes! Yes! Fear me!" Signot cried, as if he was feeding off her own emotions. "Fear me and see what you unleash!" Signot vanished and she slammed into the floor.
Vivli screeched, bolting up right and jumped into the nearest person's arms out of fear. It was Bootus.
"ARGH! GET HER OFF! GET HER OFF!" The galka yelled quickly. Vivli slipped off and looked around at the waking tent in embarrassment.
"What's wrong?" Zinkata quickly asked.
"Scary dream?" Bootus said sarcastically. Vivli put her hand on her heart. It was pounding.
"Just a nightmare." She gasped.
"Aw, there there." Bootus's sarcasm was ridiculously obvious.
"Shut up." She cried, gasping for breath from the fear. "I-" She froze. Outside the tent she could see two red dots, glowing through the fabric. Eyes. She screamed, recoiling in terror. "It's him! It's him!" She cried, pointing to the red eyes. The others turned.
"What? I don't see anything." Zinkata told her. Vivli curled up in a ball, crying. "Just, try to sleep. We'll sort this out in the morning." Zinkata advised. She grabbed hold of him as he came close, like some form of child-like primal fear. Zinkata sighed, allowing her to cuddle up to him for comfort.
Morning came about and Vivli was completely silent about what had happened in the night. She had heard of reoccurring dreams, but never had she experienced them. Especially one that was so scary. And it wasn't the same dream, just the same figure. Those red eyes.
"What the hell?" Came a cry from outside. Vivli ran out of the tent, forgetting they were in a marsh and splashed down into the mud.
"Eugh!" She screamed.
"Someone's stolen the chocobos!" Voldos cried, pointing to the empty spot where the chocobos had been tied up.
"And my staff!" Vivli yelled angrily.
"Looks like they were frightened off." Zinkata guessed, looking at the tracks in the soft ground. "Impossible to tell." Vivli went pale with fear, remembering the eyes from the night.
"Impossible." She whispered. The others ignored her. She shook her head, snapping out of it. "I can't believe I lost my staff again!" She moaned.
"Maybe you should just give up with weapons." Bootus suggested. "Not like you use them anyway."
The four adventurers splashed across the muddy ground. Vivli sank awkwardly, and was once again struggling to keep up.
"I hate being short." She muttered. "And I hate mud! Did I mention that?"
"I do seem to recall you mentioned it." Bootus said thoughtfully. "About fifty times! Shut up!" Vivli grumbled something, and went back to being quiet.
"Right, we're coming to the area. I say we split into twos. That way, two of us can head north, and two of us can head south." Zinkata was glad he was firmly back in the leadership position.
"I'll go with anyone but Bootus!" Vivli cried.
"I'll take Voldos." Bootus decided.
"Right, Vivli, you're with me." Zinkata stated. "We'll head south, you go north."
"This is ridiculous." Bootus commented.
"You're starting to sound like Vivli." Sighed Voldos.
"You have to admit, it is. We're searching for a cave so that we can deeper in the very slim chance there is a tomb from a million years ago still around. A million years! This is ridiculous!" The gigantic galka cried.
"It's the only lead we have. Besides, it's just until the end of today." Voldos explained. There was a pause.
"Gentleman. You are looking for the crystal shards?" Came a voice from behind. "Perhaps I can be of assistance."
"Why a marsh?" Vivli asked. "Why couldn't they have built it in a nice sensible non-muddy place?"
"It wasn't a marsh when they built it, Viv." Zinkata pointed out.
"So they should have had the foresight to build it in a place that would never become a marsh!" She yelled.
"You could complain for your nation." Zinkata grumbled. There was a roar of thunder and it began to rain.
"I don't even need to comment on this!" She yelled, holding out her hands as the rain thundered down around her.
"At least it'll wash out the mud your complaining about!" Zinkata shouted back. Vivli paused.
"Nope, now I'm just wet and muddy." She paused again. "And cold."
"You're cold?" Zinkata cried. "Try wearing metal armour. When that gets wet it's freezing!"
"At times like these, I'm glad I just wear a robe." She muttered.
"Hey, is it me, or is something coming this way?" Zinkata pointed to a blue glow approaching them. Vivli peered closer. She thought she could see two red dots. She froze, paralysed in fear.
Bootus and Voldos were floating through the air, in a strange dark blue glow. A black caped skeleton walked below them. The cape was ragged and torn.
"Zinkata!" Boomed the voice of the creature. Zinkata ran towards it. "You're time has come."
"Who are you? What have you done to them?" Zinkata cried.
"Oh please, Zinkata, you know. You wanted a rematch. You wanted to destroy me alone. Here is your chance." The skeleton laughed loudly.
"Signot? No!" Zinkata gasped.
"Yes. I died but my spirit endured. I knew I needed an emotion powerful enough to bring me back to your world. As a spirit, I could feed on emotions. Vivli's fear was what I needed. That pathetic mithra gave me the boost and returned me to the world." He paused. "And now I want my vengeance. I was able to subdue these two, just so we could have the fight to ourselves."
"What about me?" Vivli stammered.
"Oh, yes. You are no threat." Signot casually dismissed her.
"Hey! I killed you!" Vivli cried.
"No, you didn't. Chaos destroyed me for my failure. I will have revenge. Revenge on Chaos. I will destroy Chaos and then do what he never could! Rule Vana'diel!" Signot paused for a snarl. "That is why you must die. I will take the crystal shards from your corpses. With the one I have already found deep beneath this marsh, I shall be unstoppable." He held up the crystal shard. Zinkata's eyes widened.
"Signot! Hand over the shard! We can stop Chaos!" Zinkata cried.
"Never!" Signot spat. A ghostly image of his weapon formed in his hands. "Come, Zinkata, let us settle what began. Let us finish was started. Let us end our battle once and for all." Zinkata drew his sword.
"You were my father. My mentor. And my sworn enemy. Even in death, you continue to betray me." Zinkata spun the sword in his hand. "I will see to it that you will never harm another soul living or dead!"
"Excellent!" Signot barked. "Let us do battle!"
The two charged each other.