Hey, i'm back. i find myself, once again, hitting an 'anti-writing' wall in my life, which is just a period where i can' t write well for the life of me. so for all of you out there, and you know who you are even if i don't, that have been dying for this next chapter, here it is. in all 32 pages of its glory baby! and we get to see another side to Seph in this one! yay! anyway, on to the review replies...
Plum-chan- yeah, well, i may have rikku, but matt and andy's times will come. just not in this part of the trilogy... anyway, i'm glad you think i'm getting better at this. i know it's not easy that easy to keep matt and andy in character when they talk, which they don't do much around people who don't know them THAT well. and i can't stand when someone focus entierly on comedy, or entierly on being serious, so i like to find a happy medium, which apparently i have. and i'm glad you like the fight scenes, because they're a pain to write. fun, but a pain. as for the emotions... well, i dunno what to say other then they're natural.
labrat-seph- IT WAS A FIGURE OF SPEECH! i know you can't guess again if i've already told you the answer. and yes,in a way i did have to do with the yellow pyrefly leaking cloud... but i didn't summon it, braska just decided to randomly appear and save us. as for me becoming a batosai, wait until this chapter. i start to have the same moral dilema that kenshin has... it sux -- Yes, Kaze's color scheme is awesome. i can understand why your friend would faint. and what is up with the final boss in FF 10 being a bug... that's really weird. Although, in the eternal words of Sephirothxx Yu Yevon is, and always will be, the 'Giant Tick of Doom!' And speaking of Lusniec... he's shows up in this chapter too. oh yeah, you only put labratseph20 when y left me your e-mail address... so what's after the ? .
Sephirothxx- Yes, Lusniec is becoming even more of an odd man, it can be said. wait until this chapter, he's got a few surprises for everyone. and don't worry, the calm isn't that bad, it's pretty non-existant minus the part with Father Zuke...
Da KeR MysTeRr- You're the first person to call my plot lines a drug... i'm not sure if that's a good thing either. addicting i've heard, but not a drug. and as for who lusniec was protecting, you'll have to wait and see. He'll show up... eventually. who knows, maybe it'll be sooner then you think...don't worry about it until then, you'll never get it.
and now onto the chapter!
Chapter 13: Battles All Over Spira
"Hey, wonder what's keeping Tidus, ya? And what about Rikku, she's been gonna a while too." Wakka pointed out, growing restless without the two energetic teens around.
"Relax Wakka. God, what do you think they're doing, having sex or something?" Matt asked from where he lay on the ground. He smiled, picturing Wakka's curious face, knowing that Rikku and Ryan had been growing closer too quickly even for someone as dense as Wakka or Tidus to miss. He glanced over to see how accurate his guess of Wakka's expression had been. Sure enough, Wakka seemed to be considering the question seriously. "Dude, I was being sarcastic. The only reason we did that was because Tidus had his mind in the gutter."
"Sure brudda, whatever you say." Wakka said, nodding his head doubtfully. Matt rolled his eyes and lay back down on the cool ground. He was just starting to drift into a peaceful sleep when he heard Kimahri walk past him, the bipedal lion's feet smacking the ground so that they left a quiet echo ringing in his ears. A few minutes later Yuna and Tidus came up the path Kimahri had used.
"Where are Ryan and Rikku?" Yuna asked, noticing the two missing guardians instantly.
"You called?" Ryan asked from directly behind where Yuna was standing. Tidus and Yuna whirled around but saw nothing. Laughter from behind them made them turn around again to see Ryan, who was holding Rikku, standing behind Wakka, the grass still showing the path he'd traveled.
"Geez, you nearly gave us a heart attack!" Tidus complained, but Yuna laughed.
"You did say that you'd get me back." She said, referring to the time so long ago on Besaid. Ryan nodded.
"That I did. Now we're even." Ryan said as he let Rikku down, although she didn't sit down until she'd claimed his sweatshirt as her own for the time being.
"Sir Auron? Wakka? Lulu? Kimahri? Rikku? Ryan? Matt? Andy? Everyone, we leave at dawn." Yuna informed them. Each member nodded and smiled, ever amazed by the Summoner's determination to finish what she'd started. "And… I'm sorry for putting you through all this. And… umm…" Ryan cleared his throat.
"Didn't we go through this before, Yuna? What happened to not apologizing for everything?" He asked with a raised eyebrow.
"That's right. We're you're friends, and we'll stick with you no matter what." Andy added.
"Yeah, besides, this is just starting to get interesting." Matt finished.
"And you need your rest, Yuna." Auron told her.
"Yes. Good night, everyone." She said before going to bed.
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"Lusniec's got him scared, Vena." Dnortih said quietly as they watched Yuna's group go to bed. "At this rate he won't make it to Zanarkand. Lusniec will have driven him insane by Gagazet. And if that happens, what's to stop Lusniec from going after Matt and Andy?"
"Yeah. We've got to do something about this." Vena agreed. "We can't let him screw this up."
"So what should we do?" Dnortih asked. Vena remained silent for a while, considering their rather limited options while watching Auron walk quietly away from the group, drawing nobodies attention.
"If we try and contact Ryan, Lusniec will know right away. We have to get the message to him without Lusniec being aware of it." Vena said dejectedly. "I've got no idea how to do it though."
"Damn." Dnortih muttered. He didn't have any idea either, and the more Ryan dwelled on Lusniec's words, the deeper the magic would take hold of him. He glanced back at the magical portal and noticed Auron's absence. "Where'd the guy with the big sword go?"
"He walked off. Stay focused." Vena replied sharply.
"I am. But I need to talk to that guy first." Dnortih stated as a bolt of lightning struck him. Vena shook his head at his friend's flashy exit.
"Whatever you're planning, you'd better do it quickly, old pal." He muttered as he sat down to watch the events that were about to unfold.
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Auron found himself watching another of Jecht's spheres. He'd just found it on the ground, and he felt a great sorrow fall on his shoulders as he watched Braska and Jecht happily. 'I'm sorry.' He thought before putting the sphere in his jacket. He felt the hair on the back of his neck rise and he reached for his sword. The second his hand was around the weapon's familiar hilt he spun around deceptively fast, his sword passing less then an inch away from Dnortih's face.
"That's a hell of a way to great someone." Dnortih said dryly as he stepped forward, both hands held up in a sign of peace.
"Dnortih, the god of thunder. What the hell is so wrong that you'd come all the way from heaven to see a lowly unsent like me I wonder. Could it be something to do with Matt… or maybe it's Ryan?" Dnortih's mouth fell open. "Ah, so you noticed it too. Lusniec's gift of reading a person's innermost fear and then bringing it to the surface, and it haunts them until they either break or overcome it. Also known as 'The Spell Of the Silver Haired Demon' if I'm not mistaken. Or 'The Demon of the Heart' is another name."
"Who the hell are you? Only the gods should know about that!" Dnortih demanded, afraid of how a mortal would know something only a god should know.
"Heh. I once encountered a similar attack." Was all Auron would offer in ways of an explanation. "But you still haven't told me what you wanted with me."
"We need someone to help him overcome it, Auron. If we contact him directly, Lusniec will know immediately. He's up to something, and we have to make sure that Ryan stays alive. At least until all four gods and he have killed Yu Yevon."
"What makes you think I'm the one you want?" Auron questioned.
"Because he looks up at you like a master. Someone who has knowledge to pass on. Somewhere deep inside of him he wants you to acknowledge him as a swordsman of equal skill." Dnortih informed Auron. "He'll listen to you, but you can't tell him outright. However you overcame the spell similar to 'The Demon of the Heart' so you must know how to defeat it."
"I do." Auron admitted. "But it's not something that you can be taught. It's something you have to find for yourself."
"That's not good enough!" Dnortih hissed.
"For every light there is an equal and greater darkness. The opposite is also true. For every darkness there is an equal and greater light." Auron said smugly. "To defeat something of that nature, you have to find the light that can balance your fear with hope."
"And hope is something everyone has to find for themselves." Dnortih admitted in a defeated voice.
"But I might be able to help him." Dnortih's heart soared at the words. "I can't show him the way, but I may be able to help him resist it until he can find that light for himself. Beyond that, I cannot give you anything."
"Due what you can. If you're all going to survive this, you're going to need him to snap out of Lusniec's trap." Dnortih said as lightning flashed down, blinding Auron for a second before the light disappeared entirely. And Dnortih went with it, leaving Auron standing alone in the clearing.
'Well, I've got nothing better to do.' Auron thought as he walked back to camp, grabbing the bamboo sword from next to Tidus' real one. "Ryan?" He whispered. Even in the darkness he saw Ryan sit up immediately. He also noticed Rikku's arms wrapped around him like a child clutching a security blanket.
"What?" Ryan whispered back.
"Can you spare a few moments from your charge?" came the mocking reply. Ryan scowled and slowly slipped out of Rikku's grasp.
"What the hell do you want?" Ryan asked in an agitated voice.
"You're going to want to get the sword I gave you before. We're training." Auron told him. He smirked at the shocked look on Ryan's face, a look that quickly turned to excitement.
"Alright." Ryan said. Almost instantly a bamboo sword appeared in his hand. "Where are we doing this?"
Auron just started walking, and kept walking until they were standing near the pool where they'd found the first sphere of Jecht and Braska. "Ready?" Auron asked. Ryan dropped into his drawing stance and nodded.
Auron's sword flew towards Ryan faster then the boy had thought possible for the man. It missed by less then an inch, and Auron smirked. Ryan whirled around to his right, drawing the sword in the process. He expected Auron to block the sword and counter with a punch or something. He didn't however, since he was already in the process of kicking Ryan's legs out from under him. Ryan jumped, did a full front flip and slammed his sword down. Again Auron was gone.
'What is this?' Ryan wondered as Auron kicked him in the chest, knocking him back several feet. Ryan gasped as he stood up, trying to force air back into his empty lungs. 'He knows where I'm going to attack. Why?' Ryan wondered as he watched Auron return to his usual stance. Ryan felt a shiver of fear shoot down his spine and he realized that he was sweating more then he should have been. 'Yes, you've begun to understand that, haven't you? You lie to yourself by telling yourself that you don't like killing, but it's just a lie. You're starting to enjoy it, the spray of blood washing over you.' The words ran through his head so unexpectedly that he dropped his sword completely and starred in wide-eyed horror at Auron.
"Ryan, are you ok?" Auron asked with an unusual amount of concern in his voice. Ryan didn't respond, but did sink to the ground and clutch his head. 'Not good.' He thought as Ryan started whispering something. "Ryan, listen to me. I need you to tell me what's wrong." Auron told him as he walked closer.
"Shut up. Shut up. Shut up!" the last part was screamed as Ryan started slamming his head into the ground. Without anything else to do Auron grabbed the back of Ryan's shirt, hoping to at least keep him from giving himself brain damage. "Let me go!" Ryan yelled before spinning around and kicking Auron in the face, snapping the unsent's glasses.
Auron staggered backwards from the force of the blow, letting go of Ryan in the process. When his vision cleared he saw Ryan running off into the woods, his shirt being torn to shreds by the thorns and branches of the forest. "Ryan, get back here!" He yelled, but it didn't work. Ryan didn't stop, but instead picked up speed.
"Auron? Ryan? What's going on?" Matt's voice called out from behind Auron. Auron turned on the guardian slowly, his nose and right eyebrow bleeding from where shards of glass had embedded themselves in his skin. "Damn, what the hell were you two doing?" Matt demanded.
"Dnortih asked me to train Ryan a little more in swordsmanship. We were sparring and Ryan freaked out." Auron admitted. "He couldn't hold his sword, and was trying to break his head open on the ground."
"That's not like him…" Matt said quietly. "Normally it's the other way around."
"What do you mean?" Auron questioned, looking at Matt in confusion.
"Well, most of the friends Ryan had back home were… slightly disturbed in the head, or really sensitive. And Ryan grew up around a lot of girls, so he just sort of became the guy that all his cousins' came to when they needed to get something off their chest. Then his friends started to do it."
"And in the end he carries everyone else's burdens, but has no one to help him with his own." Auron finished, understanding where Matt was going. "And it's finally starting to catch up with him."
"What's starting to catch up with him?" Rikku asked through a yawn, walking out with Ryan's sweatshirt on. Both the men looked at her with worried looks that even through her non-observant sleepiness she didn't miss. "What's wrong?"
Matt sighed. "You're gonna wanna sit down."
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"What's wrong with me?" Ryan wondered aloud. He'd been sitting by some pool for the past hour, and the voice had finally left him alone. 'Is it really true? Do I really enjoy killing.'
"Just trust me, ok? I won't let you turn into a killer. And neither will Matt, or Andy, or Tidus, or any of your friends. Lusniec can say whatever he wants, but as long as you have us, you're not going to turn out like him." Rikku's voice came back to him, and he couldn't help but smile slightly.
"Are you ready to finish this?" Auron asked quietly, startling Ryan. No response came and Auron started to get annoyed. "What's wrong, scared? Scared of the future, of what you could end up becoming?"
"Yes."
"Then stop running away and face it." Auron demanded coldly, throwing a bamboo sword to Ryan, who caught it but didn't stand up. "You'll never be as good as me like this."
The words were intended to get Ryan to stand up. He did, and slowly he turned to face Auron. "What's in this for you? You've got nothing to prove to me, or anyone for that matter."
"But you do, don't you?" Auron asked simply. "Matt and Rikku will be here soon. If you don't want to be humiliated in front of them, you'd better come now."
Ryan sighed and came up into a defensive stance. After their battle an hour ago, it was painfully clear Auron had the defensive advantage. With a smug grin Auron came at him. Overhead slash, which Ryan side stepped, reverse grip and slash to the upper right, to which Ryan raised his own sword to block, spin and kick out with his right leg, barely missing Ryan, followed up by a horizontal slash, which Ryan ducked under. He slashed out at Auron's stomach, but the experienced man rolled around the blade and brought his own down on Ryan's back with a painful crack. He didn't cry out in pain, and until he saw Ryan's clenched fist he was considering the possibility that it hadn't hurt him at all.
"Pathetic." Auron said simply, turning to walk away.
"We're not done." Ryan told him as he got back to his feet shakily. Auron turned his head and looked at the kid. His eye widened in surprise when he saw the faint outlines of massive wings behind Ryan. "Auron, don't take me so lightly."
"Give me a reason not to." Auron replied quietly, turning to face the boy. Ryan took a deep breath. When he opened his eyes Auron quickly noticed that something in them had changed, like when he'd fought Ryan and Tidus before.
Ryan charged, disappearing right before he came within reach of Auron's sword. Auron glanced up casually, and was surprised to see that Ryan was just out of his sight. "Hiten Mitsurugi Style Ryu Tsui Sen!" Ryan yelled, dropping like a rock to the ground. He swung down as hard as he could, and Auron barely spun out of the way of the attack. Without stopping Ryan jumped up, put one hand on the blade and slammed it into Auron's throat. The attack caused him to stumble backwards, coughing. Ryan took the chance to charge in, putting Auron on the defensive.
Something was different. Auron noticed it as he whipped his blade around, batting away all the attacks he could and dodging those he couldn't by a hair. It wasn't as simple as a stance, or speed. He was moving differently somehow, but from what Auron could see he was using the same movements as before. And his eyes had gone from their normal color to nearly pure silver, something that really worried Auron. Getting annoyed he ducked under a swing, stepped in behind it and kneed Ryan in the stomach. As Ryan flew back a little he brought his sword down on Ryan's hand. There was a crack, and a small cry of pain from Ryan as he dropped his sword.
"Better." Was all Auron offered before turning and walking back down the path he'd cleared on his way there. On his way out he passed Rikku and Matt. He just jerked his thumb back the way he'd come from and Rikku took off down the path.
"You look somewhat tired." Matt pointed out. "Tougher fight then you expected?"
"He managed to catch me off guard. He got one hit." Auron admitted, rubbing the spot where Ryan had hit him.
"I see."
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When Rikku found Ryan he was lying on his back panting. "Wow, you look great." She said sarcastically. He looked up and smiled slightly before letting his head fall back to the ground. "You ok?"
"Yeah." Ryan managed through his gasps for air. "Just… tired."
"So I noticed." Rikku said as she laid down next to him. "I thought you said you'd come to me if you started to break down again." She whispered as she curled up next to him, using his shoulder as a pillow. "Why didn't you?"
Ryan was silent as he thought about it. "Well, to be honest, I didn't even think about it. It just sort of happened." He told her. "And Lusniec, he really may be right about me."
"No he's not." Rikku whispered. "You're not a killer Ryan!"
"Maybe, maybe not. We'll just have to wait and see. For now, that's really all we can do, isn't it?" He asked. "All I know is that when I was fighting with Auron, my heart soared." Rikku looked at him oddly. "It was dangerous, but it was fun."
"What?" Rikku asked with a raised eyebrow.
Ryan smiled and shook his head. "Never mind. Just a random thought." He assured her.
"No, you don't do that! You don't start to say something and not finish you big meanie!" Rikku whinned, poking him in the side playfully until he held his hands up in surrender.
"Okay, okay." Ryan gave in with a laugh. "How can I say this without sound completely insane." He thought for a while before speaking up. "It was joy, I think. Pure joy. To know that I still had something to work for, someone to get better then."
"Right…" Rikku said, looking at him oddly.
"Heh, guess I made myself sound completely insane didn't I?" She nodded and he sighed contently, closing his eyes. "That's ok."
"It is?" Rikku asked.
Ryan nodded. "Insane or not, you guys like me, right?" She nodded. "Then I'll stay this way. That way, no matter where I am, I'll always know that somebody accepts me for who I am."
"I guess so." Rikku agreed as she stood up. "But I think for now, we'd better get back to camp before anyone notices that we're missing."
"Yeah, I agree." Ryan said as he stood up slowly. Glancing around he saw his sword on the ground by a group of thickly bunched trees. He walked over and picked it up, but froze when whispered voice drifted out of the trees.
"He's watching you, hating you. He's planning on killing you because you have that which he wanted more then anything. He will kill you with your own techniques." It warned in what sound like a hiss. Ryan jumped away from the trees, landing next to Rikku who was nearly half a dozen feet away.
"What's wrong?" Rikku asked in a worried voice, rolling her right sleeve up so her weapon would be free.
"Nothing, just thought I heard something." Ryan said with a smile. Rikku relaxed a little, but didn't look too convinced. "What?"
"You're lying." She said flatly.
"Huh?"
"You're lying to me. What are you hiding?" She demanded, grabbing him by the neck of his shirt and pulling him down so they were looking square in the eye.
"What would I be lying about?" Ryan questioned calmly.
Rikku bit her lip but let go. "Fine, keep your secrets." She told him before turning and stomping off in a childish manner.
Ryan waited till he was sure she was a safe distance away and turned back towards the trees. "Okay, whoever you are, get the hell out here." He demanded, pulling his gun out and turning the safety off as quietly as he could. As he watched a shadowy figure slipped out of the trees, looking more like an outline of someone then an actual person. "What was all that crap about?"
"What crap?" The figure asked in a raspy voice that clearly wasn't natural.
"The crap about someone watching and hating and planning to kill me." Ryan said dryly.
"Ah yes. A warning, nothing more. He'll come for you soon." The figure said again.
"Who are you talking about?" Ryan questioned.
"The silver haired demon that pretends to be an Angel." Came the reply.
"Silver hair… Lusniec?" Ryan questioned on a whim.
"Yes. That was his name. It had been so long, all I could remember was his face." The figure said almost sadly. "He hates you for being able to have what he wasn't able to have. For being able to do what he couldn't do. He will come for you, and he will kill you."
"Look, I might not get along with Lusniec, but I don't think things are that bad. Who are you?"
"I… do not remember." The figure said quietly, this time without any sign of a false voice. "It has been thousands of years since I've spoken with anyone. I've forgotten."
"Right… the why do you remember Lusniec?"
"Because… he was by boyfriend." The voice admitted, in yet another false voice.
"I see. Then why should I trust you? How do I know this isn't some kind of trap?"
"Because I want to see that bastard fry in hell." The shadow said. Ryan raised an eyebrow at the venomous response. "He is the one that killed me."
"So you're dead. An unsent then?" Ryan questioned.
"I don't know. Most likely yes, that is what I would still be called, but I was sent. Now I live only to see Lusniec brought low for his evil deeds."
"Evil deeds? What evil deeds?" Ryan asked, utterly mystified by the comment.
"You don't know?" The shadow asked in a surprised voice. "Lusniec can't stop killing, even after several thousands of years, his lust for blood is as strong as ever. And because he cannot attack the heir to the gods' powers, he kills his own successor. Without fail."
"Wonderful." Ryan muttered, loosening the death lock he'd had on his gun. "So how long do I have? Until I die that is."
"Every time it happens just before they reach the city of the dead. On the silent guardian you will face not only Lusniec but also two other evils that have been haunting you." The shadow told him. "It will be your grave. You cannot break the cycle. Your entire band will die on Mount Gagazet." The shadow finished quietly.
Ryan laughed. "You've got to be kidding me. Enough with the melodramatic B.S. okay?" he asked. There was a quiet chuckle from the shadow, and he couldn't be sure, but Ryan thought he saw it smile.
"What makes you think you can overcome him?" It asked calmly. "He is a demon, Ryan. You cannot stop him."
"Watch me." Ryan replied. "I won't die on gaga-whatever. I won't die until Yuna's beaten Sin, without the Final Aeon. And we'll kill Yu Yevon too, and Lusniec if he gets in our way." Ryan declared.
"A bold statement. One that has sealed your fate as well." The shadow said as it began to recede back into the trees.
"Yeah right." Ryan muttered as he watched the shadow fade away. Almost as if on cue Rikku came walking back and wrapped her arms around his waist.
"What's taking you so long? I was only joking around you know." She informed him.
"Sorry, I was just thinking." Ryan lied again.
"Right, that's why you had your hand on your gun, right?" She asked sarcastically. Ryan didn't answer, and after a few minutes of silence they turned and headed back to the camp, where they proceeded to, at last, go to bed.
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"He doesn't have much time." Dnortih pointed out. "It will be a miracle if he can overcome it so quickly. It'd take the will of, well, a god for lack of a better word.
"Yeah, but it was the best shot we had." Vena countered. "But this new person has me worried. How does he know Lusniec? Aside from Lusniec killing him, 'cause it sounded like he knew him before that."
"It can't be good, no matter what the reason." Dnortih agreed. "But whatever the reason, we can only hope that Ryan can put an end to Lusniec's madness."
"Do you really think he can?" Vena asked.
Dnortih remained silent for a long time before answering. "I hope he can."
"So in other words you're getting ready to have his funeral." Vena summed up. "We've gotta put a stop to this, one way or another. I've watched too many good people die on that psycho's sword over the past several thousand years. I'm not gonna let another go down the shitter without doing something."
"Why are you so angry about it now?" Dnortih asked.
"I won't stand by and watch one of Andy's friends die a dog's death just because Lusniec's jealous." Vena answered automatically.
"But we can't interfere with anyone's successors but our own, you know that. Those are the rules!" Dnortih yelled.
"Fuck the rules Dnortih! This is someone's life we're talking about! He didn't ask for this, but he's stuck with it regardless. How many times as he wished he didn't have to be here I wonder. How many times has Andy, or Matt wished it? Why the hell should they suffer because we did what we were supposed to and followed the damn rules? Why!" Vena screamed. Dnortih backed away in shock.
"Because that's what destiny has in store for them. And you know that as well as I do." Dnortih replied meekly, not honestly believing it himself.
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'Where are you I wonder.' Seph thought as he walked through the streets of Bevelle. He was fairly sure they'd left Bevelle by now, but there was no point in relying on the incompetent security force Bevelle had. So he found himself wandering through all the back streets and dark alleys of Bevelle, searching anywhere that a person could get lost in a crowd. He searched with meticulous care; his well trained aqua blue eyes not missing a thing.
"Hey stud, maybe I can help you with something." A girl called from his left. He spun around, preparing to tell her off but his comment died on his lips. "It's been awhile, Seph." She said, her brown, shoulder length hair flowing gently in the slight wind as she watched him with observant, green eyes.
"Rae, it's really been awhile." Seph admitted, glad to see someone he knew.
"So what is a sophisticated guy like you doing in a run down alley with a whore house in it I wonder." Rae said sarcastically.
"Hey, it ain't like that… well, not this time anyway." Seph informed her. "I'm here on a job. And since I can't rely on Bevelle's incompetent security force to find the people, I have to make sure they aren't in Bevelle myself."
"Hey, maybe I can help." Rae stated hopefully. Seph paled visibly at the suggestion, remembering the scene last time he'd come to her for help to find a target. He'd been with twelve other people, each a skilled assassin. In the end only the two of them had walked away alive, and had it not been for a traveling Summoner that was also a white mage they wouldn't have lasted out the night.
"I… dunno if that's such a good idea…" Seph replied uneasily.
"Oh come on, I've gotten better!" Rae retorted angrily. Seph looked at her with a raised eyebrow, obviously not believing it. "Lusa du sa, canjyhd uv tynghacc. Yneca yht cruf so vua ouin yfacusa sekrd (Come to me, servant of darkness. Arise and show my foe your awesome might)." She muttered so quietly that Seph almost missed it. Cursing at having not noticed that the street was empty he jumped back, his pendulum blades sliding down from the hidden sheaths up his arms. Almost instantly the strands of water that connected them appeared. So did the Iron Giant that Rae had summoned.
The thing was Seph's worst nightmare in the cramped space. He certainly couldn't fight it head on, and he had little room to dodge. What he did have was the ability to use his own weapon as a grappling hook, which allowed him to get over the thing. As he flew up over the things head a third pendulum dropped down his sleeve, a water line already attached to it. With his two free pendulums he started lopping off parts of the ironclad fiend's body, each dissipating into pyreflies as it was separated to from the fiend.
"Lusa du sa, cuim vemmat fedr tynghacc. Maht sa ouin sekrd cu dryd E syo cdnega tufh so vua (Come to me, soul filled with darkness. Lend me your might so that I may strike down my foe)." Rae muttered as her Iron Giant was split completely in two.
In the air above Seph a glyph formed for a fraction of a second, and then two flying eyeballs with wings and mouths came out of it. They charged Seph, but a shield of pure, scalding hot water appeared between the assassin and the fiends. As they collided with it they screeched horribly, drawing Seph's attention. Without him moving at all one of his pendulums wrapped around the two, slicing them neatly in two, along with his wall of water.
With a grin he slowly lowered himself to the ground, the length of the water cord that connected to his grappling hook pendulum slowly growing. "Well, I see you can at least control your fiends this time." He said as he dropped the last few feet, pulling the pendulum out of its place in the wall.
"See? I have gotten better. Lemme help you!" Rae whinned. Seph sighed.
"Well since you aren't going to stop whining until I do, just don't get too close in a fight." He advised her. She squealed with delight and hugged him.
"You won't regret this!" She informed him, and again he could do little but sigh.
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Ryan found himself in his most awkward position since arriving in Spira. When he'd woken up, a little over an hour ago, he'd found himself nose-to-nose with a sleeping Rikku, who'd somehow managed to wrap him in a hug throughout the course of the night. He'd thought that Rikku looked good while she was awake, but damn she looked good while she was asleep.
'Just like a sleeping angel.' He thought as he waited for someone to wake up and help him out of his situation. Rikku moaned in her sleep and muttered something along the lines of "five more minutes dad" and Ryan couldn't help but laugh a little.
"Huh?" Rikku asked, opening one eye lazily.
"Uh… hi?" Ryan whispered helplessly as her eyes shot wide open and she blushed. But she didn't move either, just sat there and looked back at him in surprise.
"Hi…" She replied quietly, still not moving. She smiled and Ryan felt his heart skip a beat while his throat tightened. "Trying to take advantage of a poor, defenseless girl while she's sleeping?" She asked playfully. Ryan sighed with relief. "You really must be desperate then."
"Hey, it isn't my fault." Ryan countered and she looked at him with a face that clearly showed she didn't believe him. "It isn't. We were like this when I woke up… an hour ago… before the sun rose… when it was really cold…" Ryan kept adding things, and Rikku just watched him with the same face. "What?"
"Oh come on, you know you wanted to kiss me." She accused. Ryan's face went beat red, but he didn't deny it. Her smile widened, and Ryan gulped audibly. His heart skipped another beat as she leaned in a kissed him lightly. "See, that wasn't so bad, was it?"
"No…" Ryan replied quietly, more then a little shocked. Rikku giggled and rolled away from him, stretching out on the still somewhat damp grass. Ryan sat up, instantly heading for the thickest grouping of trees he could see. He heard Rikku giggle as he answered nature's call.
"So that's why it was so bad being near me for an hour." Rikku said playfully when he came back.
"No, that's what happens when I get nervous." Ryan corrected. "Being trapped," He emphasized the word playfully and Rikku giggle, "next to you for an hour would've been fine if it hadn't been so cold. And I didn't wanna wake you up by moving any closer, not that I really could've…"
"Jeez, talk enough?" Matt complained, sitting up and stretching his arms. He gave a mighty yawn, which Rikku and Ryan answered with yawns of their own. "I couldn't get back to sleep."
"Hey, I've been lying here in the freaking cold, damp ground for the past hour. You've been up for, what, a half-hour? Maybe?" Ryan questioned.
"Damn, so you did notice." Matt said with a sarcastic snap of his fingers.
"No, I just know that you try to go back to sleep for a half hour, and only get up if you can't." Ryan said. "Or that's what you told me once."
"Oh yeah." Matt said through a yawn, making the words barely perceivable.
"Stop yawing damn it." Ryan demanded, barely stifling a yawn himself.
"Good morning." Yuna said, walking towards them from down a path they hadn't noticed.
"Morning." Matt replied, waving slightly.
"Morning Yuna."
"Morning Yunie!" Rikku said a little too loud. She covered her mouth like a child who'd just said a bad word and looked around. Wakka stirred before sitting up, Kimahri jumped down from a tree, Andy yawned and stretched before sitting up, Lulu sat up almost instantly, and Tidus just rolled onto his back and looked up lazily. "Morning everyone?" Rikku asked in an innocent voice.
The newly awoken group mumbled replies through yawns of their own, which caused Yuna and Ryan to yawn, and then Matt and Rikku. "Not again." Ryan said helplessly as the group continued to yawn in a seemingly never-ending cycle.
"You're all awake. Then we leave." Auron said, walking up the path they'd take out of Bevelle.
"No time for breakfast?" Ryan complained.
"No." Auron stated simply.
Ryan sighed again before picking up Wind Cutter and walking after the unsent. Slowly the rest of the group followed, obviously not morning people. During the walk Wakka asked Ryan why he wasn't tired. "I'm a freak, remember?" He replied with a smiled. Other then that the walk was made in a silence that was thicker then any fog could have ever hoped to be. Eventually the group came to an opening in the forest.
"The light at the end of the tunnel." Matt whispered as they walked through. The scene behind was almost surreal after the hell they'd gone through in Bevelle and Macalania Woods. It was a sea of grass, disturbed only by a giant rift in the ground, a few Chocobo running around, some lady riding a Chocobo, and a group of tents towards the middle.
"Wow. It's giant." Ryan muttered as he watched the sea of grass ripple in a gentle breeze.
"The Clam Land." Lulu informed them. "Long ago the High Summoners fought Sin here. The road ends here. Beyond, there's no more towns, no more villages. Only endless plains."
"Many Summoners stray from their path and lose their way here." Auron added. Everyone glanced at Yuna, who had laid down and was now looking at the clouds.
"I've always known where to go." She said quietly.
"I… I won't let you die." Tidus told her. "I'll find a way, somehow." He reached down and helped her up as he said the last part.
Yuna smiled. "Let's go." She said as she started walk down a ramp looking piece of earth that led into the sea of grass. The going was slow, mostly because of the numerous monsters the group had to cut down. More then once they'd found themselves surrounded by coyote looking things, and sometimes they had to fight off two or three things that looked like the thing they'd fought outside of Macalania Temple. The most annoying, and hardest to kill, however were the giant plants with millions of little tentacles and a giant mouth. At the beginning of every fight with one of them they'd breath poison on the group. And it wasn't a normal poison either. It made some go blind, some go mute, some go insane and start attacking with only physical attacks, some of the group started attacking randomly, and some just passed out. The only saving grace against the poison was Rikku and her special Al Bhed potions, which cured most of the effects of the poison.
When they finally got to the group of tents in the middle they were exhausted. After about twenty minutes some monk came walking into the area. Immediately walking over to.
"Father Zuke!" She said happily.
"Long time no see." The man replied, obviously happy to see the black mage. He turned to Yuna. "You are Yuna? Hmmm… you certainly don't look like Maester Kinoc's murderer." He stated.
"What'd you say?" Wakka asked, apparently angered by the comment.
"Please, tell us what has happened!" Yuna pleaded with the man.
Father Zuke remained quiet for a moment before nodding. "Maester Mika just issued a personal order, you know. It said that you and your guardians murdered Maester Kinoc and fled. You are to be killed on sight, or so it says." Maester Zuke told them.
"Sorry, the pleasure of killing Kinoc was Seymour's." Ryan said quietly. Father Zuke looked at him curiously. "But that's irrelevant. You didn't come all the way out here just to tell us that, did you?" He asked, on hand already on the hilt of his sword. He noticed Tidus and Matt had their hands on their weapons, and Andy had his completely drawn and held down at his sides.
"What of Bevelle?" Auron questioned, obviously not threatened by the monk.
"Things are calm on the surface, but the depths are turbulent. After the death of Maester Kinoc, Kelk Ronso left Yevon."
"Convenient. Getting around will be easier with Yevon in disarray." Auron told them quietly.
"Be careful, my friends." Father Zuke warned them. "You have been branded enemies of Yevon. You should avoid temples for the time being."
"Thank you, father Zuke, for your warning." Yuna said with a bow.
"Father, you came all the way out here to tell us that?" Lulu asked doubtfully, obviously thinking along the same lines Ryan had been.
"To tell the truth I was a little curious to see… this Summoner you are guarding. I hope her pilgrimage goes well. For your sake, too." Zuke added.
"Thank you, Father."
"I shall be off. I shall pray for all of you." Zuke said as he turned to leave.
"A friend of yours?" Tidus asked Lulu.
"I guarded Father Zuke on my first pilgrimage." Lulu admitted. "It ended here. And my second… it ended here too."
"Third times the charm." Ryan told her absently, watching as a lady on a Chocobo rode by.
"Would you like to raise a Chocobo?" she asked the group, apparently having noticed Ryan watching her.
"Yeah!" Tidus said enthusiastically.
"Many, you're such a kid." Matt muttered as he watched Tidus sprint towards the lady who was giggling to herself.
"We don't have time for this." Auron said in an agitated voice, moving towards Tidus.
"Auron!" Ryan said suddenly. The man stopped and looked back at the boy, annoyance etched over his normally calm face. "We all need to relax a little. Everyone's too uptight right now." Auron glared at him, but made no move forward as Tidus rode off with the lady.
"Hey, let's go exploring!" Rikku suggested in an excited voice. Ryan, Matt, and Andy looked at her oddly. "What?"
"How old are you exactly…" Ryan questioned. He'd known several girls that… developed… somewhat faster then most, and was staring to wonder if he'd have to add Rikku to that list.
"15, why?" She asked.
"Nothing, just wondering." Ryan replied with a shrug. Matt smiled as Rikku stepped up to Ryan and pressed her nose against his, pouting a little.
"Too old for you little boy?" She asked mockingly. Ryan smiled.
"More like a little too young." He replied calmly. Rikku's eyes widened in surprise while she took a step back, and Matt and Andy burst out laughing. "Wouldn't you agree guys?"
"Definitely." Andy agreed. "You need someone, what? 20, 21?"
"Something like that." Ryan agreed with a smile and a nod of his head.
"Hey, stop joking around you big meanie." Rikku said, trying to lecture them despite the fact that she knew they were kidding around, and making no attempt to hide it. "Come to think of it… I dunno how old you really are."
"Heh, guess you'll just have to remember to ask me sometime." Ryan replied.
"No fair! I told you how old I am!" Rikku complained.
"True…" Ryan admitted.
"Bark. Bark." Matt whispered to Ryan as he got up and walked past his friend, the taunt coming out so low only Ryan heard them.
Ryan sighed. "Guess I should start checking for whip marks, huh?"
"Maybe." Matt agreed jokingly while Andy and Rikku looked at them oddly.
"Well, I'm bored. And unless anyone has a better suggestion then Rikku's, I'm going exploring." Ryan told his friends. Rikku smiled as his hand dropped down into her hand and he let her lead the way. They walked around for a long time, twice getting passed by Tidus who was thoroughly enjoying his Chocobo.
After awhile they found a crack in what they'd though to have been a solid wall, but they didn't get the chance to explore it since Tidus was riding over sadly, which could only mean Auron was making them leave.
As they followed Auron through the only trail leading out of the calm lands other then the way they'd entered, a Guado stood barring their way. "Geez, move would you?" Ryan complained. "Or leave us alone." He said as another Guado appeared.
"Summons from Lord Seymour. Come with us!"
"We have nothing to discuss with Maester Seymour!" Yuna replied firmly.
"Yeah, so out of our way!" Tidus agreed, drawing his sword and dropping into a ready stance.
"Lord Seymour's commands must be obeyed. You will come! I warn you, the Maester doesn't need you alive." The Guado said before walking away.
"Wow…. It actually worked?" Ryan asked in disbelief.
"No." Auron said as the ground started to shake, signaling the arrival of something big.
"My god." Andy whispered as a giant machina that looked like it was made out of rocks came up a path that led down to who knows where. "It's giant."
"Oh man. This is gonna take some work." Ryan muttered as he drew his sword. He saw an axe fly by, but it bounced off the robot harmlessly. "Yeah, this is gonna take some work.
"Firaga!" Andy and Lulu yelled at the same time, both spells slamming into the giant machina, but still doing little damage.
"Mental Break." Auron cried as charged the thing. He slashed it, but even his heavy sword did little damage to the machine's heavily armored body. In return in swung one of its own massive fist into Auron, who barely managed to block it. Ryan and Tidus charged in, swords coming down on the thing's arm and bouncing off harmlessly.
The monster swung an arm at them almost lazily. The two easily dodged, Tidus jumping back and Ryan jumping over the arm. He landed on it and jumped onto the shoulder, where he shoved his sword into the shoulder joint. He heard something crack and prayed that it wasn't Wind Cutter's blade as he pulled it out of the machine. His relief that it had been something in the machina after all was quickly washed away as the arm started to swing about wildly. It hit him in the back and knocked him to the ground. And he didn't get back up, much to the horror of his friends.
"Ryan!" Tidus and Rikku yelled at the same time.
"Suzaku!" Andy yelled, snapping his fingers and casting fire spells as fast as he could until he had twelve balls of fire in the air in front of him. As the god started to form from the fire a hand shot through, slamming into Andy and knocking him to the ground. "Ow."
Kimahri jumped in front of Andy, who was struggling to get up, and launched a wave of fire out of his mouth. "What the hell… Talk about dragon breath." Matt muttered as he took the opportunity to charge the machine, Lightning Edge held on a slant over his right shoulder. With a cry he slammed it into the machine's leg, nearly slicing it off at the knee. The machine lurched to the side, its balance having been thrown off by Matt's attack. Without stopping the boy charged around and took an overhead swing into what he assumed was the elbow of the arm that Auron had been locked against. This time the appendage came clean off, the force of the blow sending Lightning Edge's head into the ground. Suddenly a giant dragon with a pinwheel looking thing on its back, stood on two legs, gave off an air of arrogance, and stood at least fifteen feet high was starring down at the battered Machina.
"Matt, move!" Yuna informed him. "And get Ryan too!" Matt nodded, ran over to Ryan's body and picked up his unconscious friend, who was still holding Wind Cutter tightly. Smirking he ran until he was next to the Aeon, which now had four balls of dark energy around it. With a roar unlike anything he'd ever heard before the Aeon launched the balls at the machine. There was an explosion, and when all was said and done there was nothing but scorched ground and rubble where the monster had been.
"Wow." Matt said in awe of the giant dragon's powers. In the time that it taken him to say that three letter word Yuna had dismissed Bahamut and was already starting to heal Ryan. "Geez, talk about efficient."
"Ryan's my friend." Yuna said simply. After the first healing spell Ryan had woken up, once again to find three Yuna's starring down at him.
"Geez, pick a number would you?" He asked, and Yuna looked at him oddly. "One of you or three." He explained jokingly, despite the waves of pain that shot through his chest when he laughed.
"Sorry, I'll try to stay just one person next time." Yuna said in relief.
"Yeah. One of you is hard enough to guard. I dunno what I'd do if there were three of you running around." Andy added, drawing a laugh from everyone.
"Hey, what's down there?" Tidus asked, pointing to the path the machina had used.
"It leads to the Cavern of the Stolen Fayth." Lulu informed them, a hint of sadness in her voice.
"Stolen Fayth? You mean you can steal a Fayth?" Ryan asked.
"Yes. They're living souls imprisoned in statues." Yuna told him. "But they are still just statues. While it would be hard to get it out of the temple, it's not impossible."
"Oh."
888
"I think it's finally safe to say that they aren't in Bevelle, Seph." Rae complained. "So why are we still here?"
"What's wrong, get into some trouble here?" Seph questioned without breaking his pace.
"You could say she has." A couple of guys walking towards the two said.
"Shit." Rae muttered. Seph sighed.
"Give'er to us and we'll let you live kid."
"No." Seph said flatly.
"What's that? You say no ta da boss?" Another thug demanded, this time from behind him. Seph chuckled, having been too bored to notice him earlier.
"I'll give ya one last chance, boy." The first guy said, stopping and pulling out a bastard sword that looked like it could've rivaled Auron's in weight. "Give us the girl and I won't cut off both yer arms."
"You deaf?" Seph questioned, raising an eyebrow at the man. "I already said 'no' once, what makes you think that I'm gonna give you my woman now?"
"Hey, I'm not your woman!" Rae replied in a mock-offended voice.
"Oh, you'd rather have these brutes," Seph questioned, motioning to the three guys around them with an exaggerated swing of his arm, hiding the pendulum blade that dropped into his hand in the process, "then the top hit man in the world?"
Rae pretended to ponder the question, and did her best to draw the attention of all three of the men who were almost drooling over her as it was. A few shakes of her hip and Seph was lost from their minds. Seph exploded into motion, launching the first pendulum into the eye of the guy with the bastard sword. Cursing as he spun, another already in his hand, he caught sight of Rae elbowing the guy behind him. Leaving her to deal with him for the moment he continued his spin, launching the pendulum intentionally early. It soared past the second guy Seph had noticed, missing by more then a foot.
"Mine!" The man yelled as the pendulum soared down the alley, water already attached to its back. With a grin Seph finished the connection and twisted his rope of water. The pendulum did a 180, flying back to erupt through the man's chest, killing the thug instantly. Whipping his head around he saw Rae duck, obviously having heard the dying man's screams, knowing instantly what it had meant. The pendulum soared through her hair as she dropped, just seconds before the blade passed through the air she'd just been in. There was a second of resistance in the rope as the pendulum hit the guy's helmet. Only a second of resistance though, as the razor sharp, magically enchanted pendulum pierced through the meager defense. Rae sat there, starring at the man as blood shot out of his head in a grisly fountain.
"So who were they?" Seph asked as he pulled the pendulum he'd embedded in the sword wielding thug's head free.
"J.. just some guys that couldn't take a hint." Rae stammered, still starring at the man. She felt a hand on her shoulder and stiffened. Looking up she saw Seph studying her calmly.
"You gonna be ok with me doing this a lot?" He asked her, knowing that this wouldn't be the last time she saw him kill someone so heartlessly.
"Yeah… just a little shocking to see it for the first time." She replied as he helped her up. "Don't worry, I'll be fine."
"If you say so." Seph resigned uncertainly. She was as pale as anyone Seph had ever seen, and she was shaking badly. "You know you don't have to come with. I could find someone to watch out for you somewhere else, until everything settles down. I'm pretty good friends with this Al Bhed named Rin, he's got travel agencies all over Spira."
"No, I said I wanted to come with you so I'm coming with you damn it!" Rae responded crossly. "Now, where are we going? I can't wait to be out of this place, it's too… holy for me."
"Go figure, the seat of Yevon's power is holy." Seph teased, rolling his eyes dramatically. Rae glared and he couldn't help but smile. "Never saw that coming. Anyway, I'm not sure where we're going. Yet."
"Lemme guess, you know who to ask." Rae questioned dryly. Seph nodded.
"But of course. You have to know in my line of business." Seph informed her. "Or our line of business I should say."
"Yeah. Now who do we ask?"
"Well if this place is too holy for you, you aren't gonna like it." Seph warned.
"Just tell me."
"Okay." He replied with a helpless shrug. "We're gonna ask Grand Maester Mika." Rae groaned. "Told you that you weren't going to like it."
Twenty minutes later the two found themselves standing in front of the Grand Maester of Yevon. "Yes children? What is it that you wish to know?"
"Where are Lady Yuna and her guardians?" Seph demanded in a not-too-friendly voice.
"You're no longer needed for that job, my dear assassin." Mika told Seph sternly. "Maester Seymour's been reassigned to deal with those traitors."
Seph burst out in laughter. "What makes you think that he'll do any better this time then the last two times?" He questioned.
"What makes me thing that? Simple, my dear boy." Mika told him. "We have a better assassin this time. One whose name has been only whispered for these past thousands of years."
"You're kidding me." Seph muttered, losing his patience with the man. "So indulge me. Who'd you get?"
"Lusniec." The name made Seph's blood run cold and he started to sweat a great deal. "Ah, so even Spira's number one assassin fears someone who could stand up to a god."
"Afraid? You've got me all wrong." Seph told the Maester, a warped look of glee in his eye. "I'm excited. When I think of fighting a legend like Lusniec, I get excited."
"You're insane." Rae muttered, shaking her head in disbelief as the horror stories she heard throughout her life came flooding back. Stories that had turned the most battle hardened warriors pale with disgust and awe as the villagers sat around the fire. Hundreds dying in mere minutes when he was around, how nobody ever escaped his demonic blade. And then he'd just vanished.
"Maybe. Maybe not. We'll see when we get there." Seph replied in a calm voice, but his eyes were still wide with anticipation.
"Where are you going?" Mika demanded.
"Dunno yet. But Seymour's been assigned to kill them, which means someone in this shit hole is bound to know where he is." Seph replied, emphasizing the words "shit hole" a great deal and enjoying the angry look that it drew from the Maester.
"Watch who you cross, assassin." Mika hissed the warning through clenched teeth. "Even you cannot defeat Lusniec, and now he works for us. Willingly none the less." The last part caught Seph's attention and he turned back to face the Maester with an evil gleam in his eye.
"You watch who you cross, you shriveled piece of shit." He warned in a dangerous voice that made Rae back away unconsciously. "Because Lusniec's not the only one that can stand against the gods."
Mika's face lost as much color as Rae's had earlier, and he shook visibly. "Seph, that's enough. Come on, let's go." Rae said quietly, putting her hand on Seph's shoulder. He tensed and she closed her eyes, expecting him to backhand her on a natural reaction. After a few seconds of nothing she opened her eyes and saw Seph looking at her oddly.
"Okay, fine. We'll leave." He agreed. "But know this Mika. An assassin I may be, and an unsent you may be, but you're one job that I'd gladly take for free." Seph warned as he led Rae out of the room, not bothering to look back.
888
Yuna and her group found themselves looking at a cave ten minutes after having started down the slope. "So there's a Fayth in there?" Rikku questioned.
"Yes." Lulu confirmed, drawing a sidelong glance from Ryan and Matt as she led the way in. The cave was dark, and damp, and the sound of water dripping was everywhere. Before they went any farther Andy started two small fires, their flickering light illuminating some of the gloom. Lulu, still in the lead, took off at her normal pace, a small fire in her own hand so she could avoid the numerous rocks in the path.
"Hey, where'd Ryan and Matt go?" Tidus questioned, noticing the two missing before anyone else.
"I… don't know. I didn't see them wander off." Yuna admitted, slightly shocked that they'd left without any notice when every footstep made an echo.
"Don't worry." Matt's voice bounced off the walls, hiding where it was really coming from.
"We're still here." Ryan agreed, his voice also bouncing off the walls.
"Hey, you ain't trying to scare us, are you?" Wakka demanded, looking around wildly.
"Chill out Wakka. You'll give yourself whiplash at that rate." Ryan advised, having done it once before himself. "Besides, it wasn't that hard to get away. And if we wanted to scare you, would we be talking?"
"Especially since you didn't hear us leave in the first place?" Matt added.
"I guess not." Wakka admitted, calming down. The group walked on in silence, glancing around every once and awhile to see if they could catch a glimpse of the two invisible guardians who moved no closer then just beyond the edge of the light Andy and Lulu were giving off, making themselves seem eerily ghost like. A gasp and something muttered in disbelief from Lulu brought everyone's attention to the front of the firelight. Standing there was a female Summoner who seemed rather pissed at the black mage. She made a simple gesture and a giant samurai, complete with kimono, straw hat, armor, and mask, appeared with a dog that had bone like swirls coming out of it's body at random spots appeared, filling the cave with moonlight and revealing Ryan and Matt.
888
"Shelinda!" Seph cried, flagging down the newly appointed head of Bevelle's defensive force.
"Oh, Sir Seph. I trust your meeting with Grand Maester Mika went well?" Shelinda asked with a bow.
"Yeah, 'bout the same as always." Seph said, returning the bow. "Anyway, do you know where Maester Seymour went?"
"Um… lemme think for a moment." Shelinda said, tapping her chin with her forefinger as she thought. She snapped her fingers and said: "That's right, Maester Seymour left for Mount Gagazet! Although it's odd he'd go with only that one swordsman and Baralai."
"Baralai?" Rae repeated the name, obviously having never heard it before.
"Yeah, he's Seymour's errand boy more or less. He's supposed to be a decent fighter in his own right, but I didn't know he was back. So he's finally finishing up his training to become a Maester of Yevon is he?"
"Yes. After this trip to Gagazet, with the loss of Lord Kinoc, and the sudden retirement of Lord Kelk Ronso, there is a great need of a new, younger Maester." Shelinda explained.
"Yeah, makes sense." Seph said absently. 'I thought he was training with Gippal and Nooj… is that elite squad of theirs a little more important to Yevon?'
"Is something wrong Lord Seph?" The question snapped Seph out of his thoughts, and he found himself into 2 worried faces.
"Yeah, sorry, just kinda got sidetracked for a second." Seph lied. "Well thanks for the information Shelinda. Take care!"
"You too, Lord Seph." Shelinda replied, bowing to his retreating back. A gentle breeze picked up, which struck her as odd since she was inside. Looking around her confusion double, since she was in a large room without windows, and with all the heavy oak doors closed. "Odd…" She muttered as the wind continued to pick up until it was nearly strong enough to knock her off her feet. Her mind raced, trying desperately to figure out what was happening, but coming up with the same answer, that it couldn't be. "Please Yevon, protect me." She whispered the prayer as she was lifted off the ground…
And into someone. She turned around and saw a man in a snow-white kimono, with long silver hair. He stood somewhere around six foot five, and had a sword nearly as long as he was tall. He also had the most beautiful, silver eyes Shelinda had ever seen in her life.
"You ok?" He asked. Shelinda nodded numbly. "That's good. I'd like to ask you a question, if that's alright with you." Again Shelinda nodded numbly. "Where did you tell Seph that Seymour was headed?"
"Mount… Gagazet." Shelinda squeaked.
"Good girl." The man said, patting her on the shoulder gently as he walked towards the nearest door, the odd wind starting to pick up again. As he opened the door another powerful blast of wind came rampaging through the door, knocking Shelinda onto her rear. When she looked up the man was gone, and the door was still open, but the door was still open.
"I should go tell this to Maester Mika!" Shelinda realized, thinking out loud. Hurrying she scrambled to her feet and sprinted off to the Grand Maester's room to report what had just happened.
888
"Which Aeon is this?" Ryan asked, watching the massive samurai closely. He couldn't see any weapons, other then a short sword, but it did have a big coat to hide things under. Even so, he doubted that a long sword would be easy to hide.
"Yojimbo. The Phoenix." Lulu said quietly, still watching the woman who was now weaving her hands through a mystical pattern.
"Lulu, Ryan, back!" Auron yelled suddenly. The warning came too late though; the two whirled around to see a semi-transparent wall cut them off from their friends, who were already hacking away at it, each strike glowing for a few seconds before being repelled by the powerful magic.
"Oh shit." Ryan muttered as Matt and Andy started hurling third level spells at the wall, and still it just glowed and then repelled the attacks. Even Suzaku and Yamu didn't do anything to the shield.
"Enough." Auron told the two. "We wait."
"What?" Matt panted. "They're in there with," he stopped to take a breath, "a Summoner and an Aeon that can do who knows what, and you want us to wait?"
"Can you get through the shield?" Auron questioned simply. Matt growled and threw Lightning Edge into the ground. His hands flew through the three hand gestures for the Chidori.
"Let's find out." With that Matt charged the barrier, slamming his right hand into it as hard as he could. For a second the wall started to give a little, but as his hopes rose a surge of magical energy rushed into the part where the Chidori hit the wall, repairing it and knocking Matt back a dozen feet.
"Ready to wait yet?" Auron asked.
"Fuck you." Matt muttered as he watched the barrier, silently fuming from his seat on the ground. Auron glanced up, well aware that at least one god was watching the events unfold.
888
"Damn it! Auron's supposed to be watching out for them!" Vena complained as he and Dnortih watched the events in the Cavern of the Stolen Fayth. "And he knows we're watching! And he's smirking at us!"
"Relax." Dnortih told his friend quietly. "We can't do anything from here."
"So we'll go there, bust down that barrier, and bam! We show that Aeon what pain really is."
"No, that won't work either." Dnortih said, shaking his head. "Auron doesn't strike me as the kind of guy to do something without a reason. He's got something up his sleeve."
"You sure?" Vena asked, still nervous.
Dnortih was quiet for a while before replying, "Here's hoping."
888
"Lulu, you seem to know a lot about this cave. Know anything about this Aeon?" Ryan asked as he walked over to stand next to his friend.
Lulu shook her head. "No." She told him simply.
"Ooh boy. This is gonna take some doing."
"Leave the Summoner to me." Lulu said quietly. Ryan looker at her oddly. "Sorry, but it's my last duty as her guardian."
Ryan gawked at her, but Lulu was already charging up a fire spell. With a helpless shrug, and a look that let her know they'd talk about it later, he walked forward. The dog thing started charging him, easily covering the twenty feet between Ryan and the Aeon in half the time it would've take a human. Ryan spun to the left, drawing his sword in the process. The blade slashed out, opening a cut from the things ribs to its back leg. It let out yelp of pain and collapsed onto the ground, whimpering.
"Sorry." He offered before turning to face the Aeon itself. They starred each other down for a while before Yojimbo reached into its sleeve and produced three kunai. It threw them at Ryan. He spun his right foot back, moving just enough to dodge the daggers. "That's it?" he asked in disbelief.
Before Yojimbo could do anything Ryan charged. Running past the thing at full speed, he expect to cut it clean in half, but at the last second it slammed down on the back of its sheath and drew the sword straight up a little, knocking the attack wide. Spinning to keep Ryan in front of itself, it dropped into a drawing stance. With one fluid motion, that showed only the tip of the Aeon's deadly skill, it drew the sword and sheathed it. At first Ryan didn't understand, but that changed when he felt the wind given off by the attack cut his arm. It wasn't very deep, and he barely felt it, but the fact that Yojimbo was standing nearly twenty feet away worried him.
"That's a neat trick." Ryan admitted as he put the blade of his sword on the ground. "Now let me show you one. Hiten Mitsurugi Style Do Ryu Sen!" He yelled, swinging his sword up so fast that it ripped a great deal of rock up with it, launching more then a dozen large rocks, and countless little ones at Yojimbo. He took his first step to charge in and felt a wave of pain roll over his left leg. With a cry he looked down and saw Yojimbo's dog, its mouth clamped onto his leg. "Die already!" He yelled, slamming his sword's blade through the thing's skull. For a second it sat there, starring at him dumbly before fading into pyreflies. Without wasting any time he reached down and placed a hand on the wounded appendage. Instantly the powerful healing magic took effect, closing up the wounds, but leaving the scars. Ryan looked up just in time to see the rocks split in two by Yojimbo's sword. You've got to be shitting me." He whispered in disbelief.
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Lulu wasn't fairing much better. She was casting every spell she knew against her former friend, but they bounced off every time. She cast nine Firaga spells at the unsent Summoner, only to watch them bounce off of her protective barrier.
"Please, go to the Farplane and find peace with your death!" She pleaded. The Summoner watched her with hatred in her eyes, and cast the only offensive spell available to a white mage, Holy. The spell slammed into Lulu, knocking her back into the wall, which blasted her back to the ground with another dose of Holy energy. She fell to the ground, her back smoke from the powerful spell, and she could smell little aside from the burnt leather and fur of her outfit. She heard someone calling her name in the distance, but the pain rolling through her body mad it impossible for her to tell who it belonged to as she stood up slowly. She glanced over and saw Ryan, covered in a dozen or more open wounds struggling to get up too.
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"I can't watch this anymore!" Tidus yelled. He stepped passed his friends and jumped into the air. He hung there for a second, his sword blade glowing white-hot as energy pulsed through it. With a cry he swung down, peppering the magical barrier with dozens of balls of pure energy.
"You can't break it." Auron told him as he dropped back to the ground, starring in surprise and horror at the unblemished barrier.
"But we have to help them!" Tidus yelled back.
"Believe in them." Rikku said quietly.
"What's that?" Tidus asked in disbelief. "Look at them Rikku. Look at them!" He shouted, pointing at the fight raging behind the barrier. "They're going to die at this rate!"
"No they won't! They're stronger then some dead Summoner and an Aeon! They'll win!" She yelled in reply, but she couldn't keep the fear of them dying out of her eyes.
"No they--" Tidus was cut off by Matt's fist.
"Shut the hell up, you whining little bitch!" He yelled, utterly fed up with Tidus's pessimism. "I get enough pessimism from Ryan, I don't need any from you."
"It's not pessimism, it's the truth!" Tidus hissed as he stood up and punched Matt in the stomach.
"Bastard!" Matt muttered as he jumped forward, slamming his shoulder into Tidus and knocking them both to the ground. As they rolled Tidus managed to get his feet against Matt's stomach, and pushed him off.
"Enough!" Auron cried, grabbing Tidus by the back of the collar and easily lifting him off the ground, Kimahri do the same with Matt who just sat and glared at Tidus who was still thrashing. "They in there fighting for their lives. Think of a way to help them instead of wasting your energy against each other."
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Ryan couldn't believe how good Yojimbo's defense was. Despite its lack of speed and agility, Ryan had yet to land a single hit, while Yojimbo had landed dozens. Ryan had been forced to heal so many wounds that he didn't have anymore magical strength left, which left in a very vulnerable position since Yojimbo seemed to hit every time he attacked with his sword. As he sat there panting, Yojimbo sheathed his short sword and brought his right hand up in front of him, pinky and ring fingers folded down, middle and pointer fingers crooked. A purple rift that reminded Ryan of the rift Anima came out of formed at the ground. Only instead of the dark Aeon, a sword that gave off an evil feeling rose up out of the ground.
"Wonderful." Ryan muttered as Yojimbo unsheathed it and through the sheath to the ground. The Aeon charged the exhausted teen, but stopped more then a dozen feet away and slashed the air. Ryan ducked on instinct, having learned since the Aeon used his short sword to make sharp blades of air that it was better to duck then block. He felt something pass over him and risked a glance back. His heart sank the instant he saw the wall behind him. It had a deep cut in it, at least a dozen feet long, and half that deep. "Shit…" was all Ryan could think of to describe his situation. He heard Yojimbo's sandals hitting the ground and realized that he wouldn't be able to dodge the next one. He closed his eyes and found the link to Lusniec's power, which had been so diminished by the exhausting battle that there was barely anything left. When he opened his eyes Wind Cutter was glowing, and he thanked whatever god was listening. Turn his attention back to the battle at hand he saw Yojimbo slash at him horizontally. "Wind Cutter!" Ryan yelled, slashing straight down with his sword. A sliver of white light flew off the blade and clashed with the invisible wind that was Yojimbo's attack. The two attacks sat there for a few seconds, neither attack gaining any ground, and then they exploded, sending Yojimbo back more then a dozen feet, and throwing Ryan into the wall, which didn't hurt him other then the sudden stop. He tried to stand up, and found that his arms and legs were going numb with each passing second. 'Not good. I have to end this now.' Ryan thought in horror as he looked forward at Yojimbo, who was already up and retrieving his sword. 'It's all that damn sword's fault. If it were a normal length, I'd have won by now. What to do about it though…' Ryan wondered. Straightforward attacks didn't work, Yojimbo just batted them aside; magic attacks would probably work, but he didn't have enough to heal a paper-cut, let alone a use another Wind Cutter; and then there was the numbness spreading through his body.
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"Why is it blocking all of Ryan's attacks?" Rikku questioned, turning to Auron.
Matt cut the older guardian off before he could say anything, "It's the sword length. Yojimbo's sword is shorter, which means its lighter, which in turn means it's easier to swing. When you combine that with the fact that Yojimbo's better then Ryan with a sword to begin with, and that Yojimbo fights defensively, using a short sword to keep his opponents from being able to hit him and attack from a distance, Ryan's in a bad spot."
"So it's because of the sword length?" Rikku questioned, a confused look on her face.
"Isn't that what I just said? That it was the…" The rest of Matt's complaint died on his lips as something in his mind clicked. "Ryan!" He yelled, drawing his friend's attention. "It's just like Kenshin Vs. Aoshi! You have to hit more then one spot at once! Or make you blade shorter!"
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"It's just like Kenshin Vs. Aoshi! You have to hit more then one spot at once! Or make your blade shorter!" Matt's words cut through the cave, echoing loudly.
"More then one spot…" Ryan repeated, a thin smile creeping onto his lips. "Hey Matt, think nine will work?" He yelled back, a surge of hope rushing through his body as Matt and Andy smiled and nodded.
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"More then one spot?" Rikku repeated, even more confused.
"Matt, what did Ryan mean by nine spots?" Auron demanded, whirling on the axe-wielding guardian.
"Hello? What spots are you talking about!" Rikku whinned.
Matt grinned back at Auron. "It's simple. By pushing the god-like speed of the Hiten Mitsurugi Style to its limits, Ryan can strike all nine of the targets in swordsmanship simultaneously."
Auron's eye widened. "Such an attack… it's unstoppable." He whispered. "Why did he ever use it before?"
Matt shrugged. "It's entirely possible that he couldn't, and it's entirely possible that he can't right now either." He admitted. "But it's better then thinking there's no hope, right?"
"What spots are you talking about!" Rikku demanded.
Auron sighed and turned back to the battle. "In swordsmanship there are nine targets that all attacks and defenses are based around. Right shoulder, left shoulder, right arm, left arm, right wrist, left wrist, in between the legs, the chest, and the head." Auron told her. "Someone who could attack all nine at once has an attack that is impossible to defend against."
"Wow. I need to have him teach me how to do that." Tidus whispered in awe.
"Let's see if he can even do it first." Matt reminded them as Yojimbo and Ryan began their final charge.
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'Right shoulder, left shoulder, right arm, left arm, right wrist, left wrist, in between the legs, the head, and the chest. Gotta hit them all in one shot!' Ryan thought to himself as he charged Yojimbo, who was bringing his long sword back out, leaving nearly a solid wall of black after images behind him. "Hiten Mitsurugi Style Kuzu Ryu Sen!" He shouted, thrusting forward with all of his remaining strength. There was a bright flash that filled the chamber as the two blades clashed.
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Lulu didn't waste the opportunity that the flash of light provided. With a scream she launched more then a dozen third level spells at the unsent she was battling. The first seven bounced off the protective barrier, but the last six made it through, incinerating the unsent instantly. She turned to see how Ryan had fared and her heart sank. Yojimbo was still standing, and Ryan was on his knees coughing up blood. "Ryan!" She yelled, turning to face the Aeon herself. As soon as she stopped spinning she felt lightheaded, and the next thing she knew she was sitting on the ground.
"Don't worry about it Lu." Ryan managed to say as the light in the cavern started to fade. "I didn't miss."
"What?" Lulu asked. Ryan pointed towards Yojimbo in reply. When she looked back Lulu saw Pyreflies leaking through nine holes, each one of the strikes having gone completely through the Aeon's body and out the back.
"Hey, lazy ass." Matt yelled, walking towards his battered friend who was still coughing up blood. "When'd you master that?"
Ryan looked at Matt and smiled weakly. "About fifteen seconds ago." He admitted as Yuna rushed over to him, more then ready to heal the dozens of cuts covering his body. "And it looks like I'm going to need another new shirt ta boot." He added, drawing a laugh from everyone and releasing the tension.
well there it is. i've got TB, not really, so why am i coughing up blood? but i took Yojimbo down, that's what really matters. and lusniec and seymour have teamed up. we didn't seem to have too much trouble with Seymour last time, but how will we fare when the strongest swordsman to ever walk Spira has his back? and what's the story between Rae and Seph? exactly how close are they? all this and some startling events in the next chapter, on Gagazet, silent guardian of the city of the dead.read and review!