Author's Note: Well, somebody finally spotted "You will be exterminated!" was inspired by the Daleks! In fact, their battle cry (as far as I know, I've only been able to watch the new series) is just "Exterminate! Exterminate!" but, when I wrote the first chapter with the skeletons in, I was writing it just after watching the episode of Dr Who in which the Daleks return, so I had the word 'exterminate!' stuck in my head. Well done Phabrizoe! I think this story is full of references to things I like, a combination of me not being original and me liking to homage things.
Also, thanks for the constructive criticism. I've gone back and changed the one you pointed out, but I'm certain I do it more. It's because I come up with phrases that sound good in my head, and then forget if I've already used them. I must also admit I commit the worse crime a writer can: I don't read over my work once I've written it. I know I really really should, but I don't. I actually get very nervous now when writing the arguments between Vivli and Bootus, because I think I've used almost every type of argument I can, and I'm often afraid I'm going to repeat myself. But yeah, I'll watch myself more closely to try and catch those, because I can see why you say its distracting, it really is.
Other than that, thanks a million for the kind words, and I'm glad you've enjoyed the story. Yes, we are indeed on Hades, and feel free to send a /t to any of us (especially if you feel like annoying Bootus) at any time. We're currently in San d'Oria levelling our new classes (which pretty much confirms they'll be a FFXI Chronicles 3 now, because I have the new classes to write about and an old friend has just started playing and levelling with us, meaning they'll be a fifth character joining the regular four). So, if you're near San, feel free to come and find us and say hello. If not, just feel free to /tell us. (That goes for any reader on Hades!). We're on most evenings and almost all day at the weekends (that's British time mind you), so if your on then, you should be able to find us.
And now I have one point left before these author notes become far too long to logically exist. Crazy Steve. I'm very glad to see you think he's the coolest character. Crazy Steve has some history behind him. A long time ago (but not in a galaxy far far away) we played Dungeons and Dragons (yeah, I know, how sad am I?). Ironically, it was me, Bootus, Zinkata, and Voldos (except with our real names). Anyway, I was the DM, and it was my job to make up the story. I had it nicely planned out, and there was a section where they were gonna catch a ship. Our heroes decided to go into a tavern and ask. So I had to come up with a name quickly for the captain, so I just said 'Steve', adding 'Crazy' on the front instead of Captain so I could improvise a character. That same ship got attacked and torn in half. Crazy Steve never noticed and went down with the ship, only to crop up in a tavern much later. Somehow, a character I improvised on the spot became everybody's favourite over any I planned out. And so I decided to stick him in this as a reference to those old days. Long live Crazy Steve!
Also: Curses! My plan to put lines in to break up the paragraphs didn't work either! Dammit, this is impossible!
Now, there was something else I was supposed to be doing. Oh yeah, writing a chapter!
PART XXV
The throne room had changed drastically. Now, the gigantic black orb that Lich had stolen from the Temple of Uggalepih floated in the centre, spreading a dark influence over the room. The stones had been turned to black, the throne itself had been burst, and gathered stood the four fiends, staring at the four heroes.
"Welcome." Lich roared. The heroes glanced to each other. "I'm glad to see we aren't so different."
"What?"
Vivli cried in an angry sob. "We're not like you!"
"Aren't
you?" Lich asked. "You used your pawns just like we use ours. You
used them to breech the city, you used them to get to us, and now
you've decided to sacrifice one just so you could selfishly have
the last battle yourselves. Sounds like the kind of thing I would
do."
"DAMN YOU!" Vivli screamed, running at the fiend. Lich hurled her back with a bolt of lightning, and she dropped down, squirming in pain.
"They aren't pawns." Zinkata said, calmly drawing their sword. "We all fight together to stop you. And you won't win. Olose may have sacrificed himself, but he sacrificed himself so we could stop you. It's all planned. Every last person is important. We care about everybody. Our armies aren't just animated bodies shouting a single phrase."
"Well, we shall see who wins, won't we?" Lich countered.
"That we will." Zinkata agreed, almost with a wry smile.
"How we gonna do this?" Voldos asked with a sarcastic casual attitude.
"Well, four of them, four of us. One on one." Zinkata stated. Vivli shot him a frightened look.
"What?" She cried.
"Relax. We can handle it." Bootus told her.
"I can't! I'm a mage! I can't handle things on my own!" She ranted in a panic.
"You handle Lich. He's weak against your magic." Zinkata instructed her. The fiends watched, amused, as they planned their battle. "Voldos? Who do you want?"
"Well, I'm better with a bow than the rest of you." Voldos began. "Hell, I'm elvaan, I'm better at everything, but especially with a bow. So I'll take Tiamat, I can shoot at him in the air."
"Bootus?" Zinkata prompted.
"Well, while I love the idea of going up against a five sword wielding snake woman, I'd rather fight Kraken and not get stabbed to death." The galka answered.
"Leaves me with Kary then." Zinkata stated. The four took fighting poses, snapping back into their serious hero attitude. Vivli was visibly shaking, clearly a lot more scared than the others. "Attack!" Zinkata ordered.
Bootus threw himself at Kraken. Kraken grabbed him in a tentacle and threw him across the room. Bootus slammed into the black wall and dropped down.
"Is that all your offering me?" Kraken roared. Bootus got up painfully.
"Just an opening blow." He spat as he got out his claw weapons. "Let's see what else you can do."
"Very well." Kraken shot at him, waving another tentacle. Bootus cut it off with his claws.
"Not doing so well then?" He remarked. Kraken shot his remained seven tentacles around Bootus, lifting the galka up and crushing him.
"Let's see how you get out of this." Kraken laughed as Bootus felt his ribs being compacted under the pressure.
Tiamat was proudly perched in the top corner of the room. Voldos fired arrows at him. They slammed into the dragon's form. He looked down on Voldos.
"He calls that an attack!" Remarked one head.
"Show him what a real attack his!" The second announced.
"QUAKE!" The three heads bellowed together, and the entire room shook, crumbling.
Vivli had been rapidly backing away from Lich when she fell over as the room rumbled. Lich hovered in the air, approaching her. She backed up against the wall.
"Banish!" She cried, and Lich took the hit, continuing to move. She paused. "Dia!" She tried. Lich didn't even slow down. She didn't have time to cast anything more powerful. She turned, stumbling to her feet, and ran.
"Bind." Lich said casually, and a yellow electricity crackled around her feet, pinning her to the ground. She struggled to move, but it was futile. Lich floated down in front of her face. She was crying in fear. She pulled desperately at her feet, but the bind spell made sure she couldn't move. "Calm down." Lich told her. She didn't. "It's okay." She continued to try to move, and continued to cry. "Oh fine, if you won't be calm. I'll make you calm." She winced, ready for a spell that would finish her off. Her eyes were tightly shut. She realised too late what Lich was doing. He reached behind her ears, and began to scratch them. She suddenly felt herself becoming lost as her body became overwhelmed with a bizarre feeling of pleasure.
"No!" Was all she managed to get out before feeling herself disappear into the void. She was once again entirely helpless to do anything.
Zinkata was blocking desperately against Kary's onslaught.
"Dammit woman!" He cursed. "You have far too many swords!"
"I never claimed to fight fairly." Kary hissed. Zinkata's speed at blocking was saving him, but he couldn't get off a good attack. He knew he needed a new plan. Kary swept in with one arm. Zinkata jumped, landing on it and back flipped onto another. From here he jumped forwards into a front flip, landing on Kary's head. He slid down behind her, driving his sword into her back. She let out a yelp and her tail coiled around, grabbing Zinkata and flinging him back in front of her. He slammed down painfully and watched as the five swords were driven down on him. He spun his sword in a quick circle, blocking them all away and rolling back over to face her, on his feet once more.
"Whew, all that training as a thief came in handy." He sighed. His entire body was suddenly engulfed by flames, and he fell back, charred. He staggered to his feet, in pain.
"Now to finish you off!" Kary snarled.
Bootus had fallen silent.
"Had enough?" Taunted Kraken. The galka didn't reply. Instead he was focusing on his inner power. He suddenly burst into life with a roar, breaking the four tentacles and charging at Kraken's main body. He leapt up and started pounding the fiend's body. Kraken let out a snarl, falling back. His seven tentacles shot out, slamming into Bootus one after another. The galka fell back, seven lashes showing on his chest, torn through his gi. Water blasted him back before he could recover, and Bootus collapsed as Kraken moved in for the kill.
Voldos fired more arrows as Tiamat swooped down towards him. Voldos waited for the right moment, and swung upwards with his sword, slicing off one of Tiamat's legs. The beast yelped in pain, and dropped down. Voldos ran at him, jumping up onto his body, and started stabbing wildly. Tiamat limped into the air, hovered for a bit, and collapsed. Tiamat's body exploded into an array of light, which rocketed back into the black orb. Voldos smiled.
"Told 'em we elvaans were the best." He remarked.
Zinkata watched as his sword flew from his burnt hand. He jumped backwards, drawing a dagger and throwing it at Kary to slow her down. She swung in at him, and he stepped inside her arm, blocking with his arms raised. He managed to grab her sword off of her, and turn around to fight. Voldos ran to his side.
"I can't leave you to do anything, can I?" The elvaan laughed.
"You had the bickering three headed one. I have the super sword wielding snake. You had it easy." Zinkata gave in excuse as the two began to fight Kary. The fiend was now beginning to struggle to block the continuous attacks, despite her extra arms. She decided to blow back Voldos with a fireball, so that she concentrate on Zinkata. Voldos flew back, his armour on fire. He threw it off while screaming as Zinkata began to find himself driven back again by Kary.
Vivli felt like she was floating. She couldn't focus on anything. Her brain couldn't send messages to her body, and she didn't want to hear them anyway. She was happy. She didn't care that she was going to die. She just wanted to lay back and be happy. No! Her brain screamed. No! Don't lay down! Think! Think! She couldn't respond. Just a few minutes longer, she decided. She suddenly had an idea. She couldn't move. She was lost in pleasure. But she could think. She could mentally prepare a spell! As soon as Lich let go of her, he'd go to kill her. But in that time she could strike out. She began to think. She tried her best to concentrate. It was hard, but she could feel herself mentally preparing to cast her most powerful raise spell on Lich. She was wobbly. Her entire body turned to jelly as her brain attempted to think despite being over loaded. She wanted to give up and keel over to the feelings she had. But she knew she couldn't. This was the fate of the world! Olose had died for this! She wasn't going to let herself fail. Not just because of some biological reaction. She couldn't. She wouldn't. She remembered when Olose had said she would be helpless to fight it. She had to prove him wrong. She simply had to.
Kraken lashed down on Bootus, and the galka rolled aside, meaning Kraken only crashed against the stone floor. Rocks flew everywhere as the stony floor was ripped apart. Bootus was plucked up by his foot, and found himself dangling upside down. The galka grabbed onto the tentacle holding him, and flipped himself around. Kraken slammed him into the floor. Bootus rose up as the dust settled.
"How are you still standing?" Boomed Kraken.
"We galka are pretty tough." Bootus taunted, running at the fiend. Again the tentacles lashed out, and Bootus was forced back. He fell backwards, landing by Zinkata's discarded sword. He grabbed it, and spun it around, hacking his way through the tentacles and getting close to the main body of Kraken. He began driving his fists into the beast, slamming him back. He grabbed the sword and drove it into Kraken's skull. The fiend exploded in a white light which rocketed back into the black orb as it had with Tiamat.
Zinkata knocked two of Kary's blades aside, getting inside the fiend's attacks. This left her defenceless as Zinkata drove the sword he stole from her into her chest. In her moment of shock he grabbed each sword from her hands and drove them into her. Kary bellowed in pain, fell down, and exploded into white light which shot into the orb.
"And now you die." Lich hissed venomously. He summoned his bone sword to strike down Vivli with. She opened her eyes just before he did.
"RAISE!" She yelled.
"WHAT?" Lich managed to scream as the white light cut through him, knocking him off his feet. He landed, dazed. Vivli's body shook as it tried to recover from the state it had been in. The Light Warriors ran in, surrounding Lich. He was sprawled on his back on the floor. Vivli recovered, and walked over him. "Go on then." Lich challenged. "Finish it." Zinkata nodded to Voldos and elvaan brought his sword down on the fiend's head. As he did Vivli recast her spell, and the fiend erupted into white light which shot into the orb.
The blackness within the orb faded. The four watched in awe.
"We did it." Bootus sighed.
"The four fiends are back." Zinkata stated. "Back where they belong."
"The armies outside should have collapsed each time we killed one." Vivli explained.
"So it's over. We won?" Voldos asked. "Finally."
"Still, the fiends gave in a little easy." Zinkata said.
"Easy?" Vivli cried. "You call that easy?"
"Something doesn't feel right." Zinkata began. A ringing noise began to come from within the orb.
"Oh no." Vivli suddenly stated blankly. "It can't be."
"What? What can't be?" Voldos asked quickly.
"The fiends were born of Chaos and Chaos was born of the fiends." Vivli said in terror as the orb shattered in a spectacular flash.
The light was too much, and the Light Warriors had to hide their eyes. As they looked back their eyes began to refocus.
"You have finished it indeed." Came an all to recognisable voice. The Demon Lord Chaos stood before them, huge in his form, his ghastly bronze shell and glowing purple eyes an image they had never forgotten. "I am reborn! And my vengeance shall be complete!"
"We're in no shape to take out Chaos." Vivli sobbed.
"We have to run." Zinkata agreed.
"Run? Pathetic!" Chaos laughed. "A million years ago you defeated me! Now it is time for my vengeance! The fiends were but a catalyst for my return! The ultimate fail-safe mechanism. If I won, they would have destroyed Gaia with me, but if I lost, I would use them to resurrect me now where my victory was assured!"
"That's why Lich never escaped his orb until you were defeated." Vivli suddenly said, understanding. "Because Lich knew, and has always known, that you lost. He's always known that you lost the first time you fought us. He knew your first attempt to return would be a failure. So he waited. He waited."
"She's pretty smart isn't she?" Chaos laughed. "Yes. Lich knew. He waited. Everything he's done has been working towards this. You have been but pawns. Every little victory you achieved. He has just been manipulating you."
"Why?" Zinkata asked. "Why not just let us defeat him right away to reform you?"
"True, I am formed of the spirits of the fiends." Chaos stated. "Your defeat of them is what led to my return. But returning right away would not have been profitable." He laughed, out stretching his arms. "Look! Look at your world!" He boomed. "It has fallen apart. Your armies are damaged or destroyed, your cities weakened. And tell me this, right now, every last army of Vana'diel is in this city." A smile crossed his face as shadowy magic rocketed from his arms and out of the castle. "And so, I send forth my shadow dragons! Not to here, but to Bastok, to Windurst, to Jeuno-" He paused, looking to Vivli. "And yes, to Kazham. The undefended cities. The entire world shall fall under me! The first time we fought, I was destined to lose. You had the crystal shards and the luck. This time, Vana'diel is mine! Gaia will be mine!" Chaos began to summon a spell. The Light Warriors chose not to stick around to find out what it would be. They ran out of the castle, bolting down the corridors.
They ran out into the gardens. They quickly ascended onto the top walls of the castle, just trying to get away. Chaos burst after them. They came to the edge of the castle.
"We're going to die!" Vivli sobbed.
"I think she may be right." Bootus commented. They suddenly noticed something flying towards them. The Raven II rocketed down from above, and Cid threw down a rope ladder.
"MOVE!" He yelled. They four scurried up it. Chaos flew after them.
"This is not over!" Chaos yelled at them. "Have back your precious elvaan city! The others are mine! It is too late to save them! Enjoy your final days here. My armies are coming and they will wipe you from this planet! I am victorious! Gaia is mine!" Chaos flew away, leaving the four on the deck of the Raven II in awe.
True to his word, Chaos had not attacked San d'Oria. The shadow dragons had been sent to the other nations. None could be raised on linkshell. The armies assembled in the war torn streets of San d'Oria. Zinkata met with Andrew to explain exactly what had happened. Vivli searched the streets frantically. Voldos followed her.
"What are you doing?" He asked.
"Outside the Chateau." She said. "There were bodies of monsters. But no Olose. I think he survived." She sounded optimistic. Voldos looked at her.
"Viv. He's dead." The elvaan said bluntly. "This is a war. You can't find all the bodies." Vivli stood there for a moment. Voldos could see what was going to happen. She burst into tears. Voldos sighed, hugging her to comfort her.
Andrew sat back, considering the information he had been given.
"We're in trouble." Andrew admitted.
"Not as such." Zinkata decided. "Chaos is the centre point of all this. The problem with the fiends and Chaos is constant. It's a literal case of 'destroy the leader and the army falls'. If we can kill Chaos, we can save the world."
"Any idea how?" Andrew asked.
"We've defeated him before." Zinkata explained. "But remember, only we can fight him. His Shadow Magic will destroy anybody else. Even without the crystal shards, we seem to be immune, or he would have killed us within the Chateau."
"The armies are exhausted. Hundreds are dead. What can we do?" Andrew asked.
"Nothing. I suggest we rest. We fortify our defences." Zinkata explained. "Chaos will come to finish us off, but until then, this is our new home. San d'Oria has gone from being the most evil city in Vana'diel to our last hope."
"Celphie!" Andrew cried, and his sister solemnly reported in with a depressed salute. "Tell everybody, and I mean everybody with linkshells to send out messages to the nations. Tell everybody to retreat and head for San d'Oria. Tell them to get everybody here." Andrew paused.
"This world isn't going to end while we're around." Zinkata smirked.
