Split Ends

Introduction: Hey! Sorry about the misspelled name, Ezel. It's been a few weeks since I actually played the game so the spelling of some names may escape me. I'm very pleased you're all enjoying this, and I'm hoping that this will only take up 13 or so chapters only. Enjoy!

Italics- thoughts, memories, etc Bold- actions, important stuff

IX

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   "The Gran Grimoire?" Mewt repeated. "That's what it's called?"

"So, when you made the antilaws, you made regular law cards and then poured magic from this book into it?"

  "Yes," Ezel smiled. "Legend has it that the Gran Grimoire was an ancient book from a time when swords and sorcery reigned. However, that world was lost many eons ago, and their teachings were encased in this book. Many centuries have passed, and the few that know about it have searched their entire lives. For those who hold the book and speak the words, they can change the world. I believe that this is our key out of this mess."

"With this we could change the world back to normal!" Marche said happily. "We can all go home!" He looked at Babus, Montblanc, Nono, and Ezel in turn, and his expression softened. He took Ezel's hands. "Ezel… this may be our only chance. We may never meet again."

  Ezel nodded. "But it is my gift to you, young heroes. You have made me realize that while I may be a genius, I've never had as much courage to do what is right for all, just myself. Thank you… the book is yours."

   Marche clutched the book to his chest. "Thank you… all of you. We'll do it. We'll bring the real world back."

  "Marche, we can't just change the world, Llednar would only change it back," Mewt said, placing a hand on his shoulder. "Then there would be more chaos. We have to get the book away from Llednar."

   "Yes," Marche turned to Mewt. "We'll go to Ambervale and find Doned and Ritz first, then we'll go to the palace and…."

  "Marche," Mewt ran his fingers through his hair. "I think that I should deal with Llednar… alone."

  "What? Why?"

 "Well, he's a part of me isn't he?" Mewt sighed. "So that means that I am the only one who can truly destroy him. You go to Ambervale, take everyone with you. I will go to the palace and sort things out with Llednar."

  "Oh no," Lyle stepped in. "You're not going alone!"

 "No way!" Colin said. "Not without us!"

 Guiness folded his arms and shook his head. Mewt smiled at them. "I appreciate your concern… but I really think that I-

  "Lyle, Colin, Guiness," Cid interrupted. "Go with Marche. I will go with Mewt."

Mewt looked surprised. "Dad, no…"

   Cid put his hand on his son's shoulder. "Trust me Mewt, you do not want to fight alone. I will go with you."

   Marche stepped up. "So will I."

 This time his mother stepped forward. "Marche, I think the Randells should handle this. I'm not sure what's going on, but maybe it's best that they go together, just them."

  "But mom-

"She's right," Cid smiled at her. "As always. Marche, take everyone else and head to Ambervale. I'll take Babus and Mewt down to the palace." He eyed Marche's wary expression. "Do not worry, we will take the book with us, we will use it for our defense."

  Mewt smiled at Marche. "Bring back Doned and Ritz safe and sound all right? Tell them I said hello."

  Marche smiled back. "I will. I promise."

      A couple days later, Marche and his clan arrived at Ambervale. His clan consisted of Lyle, Colin, and Guiness (Who were no longer in their costumes) along with Montblanc, Nono, and his mother. Ezel stayed behind, for he did not relish combat.

   "Wee!!" his mother exclaimed when they got to the gates. "Oh this is so much fun!! We've battled quite a few other clans haven't we? And I've finally gotten the hang of this summoning thing!" She waved her staff happily. "Whoohoo!"

   "Ok, why did we bring her?" Lyle whispered to Colin. Colin shrugged, "We couldn't turn her down, we're going to need a strong magic in this fight."

   "Yes, I understand that," Lyle rolled his eyes. "But in our last battle she summoned a unicorn and got a bunny. A bunny with a horn a summon does not make."

   "Whatever," Colin sighed. "At least she can summon something, and that bunny was able to blow fire."

    "Hey guys!!" cried Miss. Radiuju, who had just wandered over the last hill to the Ambervale gates. "Is there supposed to be a gaping hole in the gate?"

   "Hole?" Marche trotted up to her position and gazed upon Ambervale. "There's not supposed to be a… Oh my god."

   Nono tugged at Montblanc's shirt. "What's an ohmygod?"

  Montblanc froze in shock at the sight. "Oh my… that's Ambervale?"

 Ambervale looked like it had been through a massive hurricane, a tsunami, and a few tornadoes. There was a huge, gaping hole in the double doors, the pillars around the door now merely piles of marble and stone. The cobblestone was blasted in several places, and beyond the door Marche could see that the stone figurehead of a woman with her hands out had been torn in half. The woman's hands now lie in the middle of the room, her nose and lips on either side. Water spilled through the cracks in the cobblestone. Marche stepped through the door, thunderstruck.

   "Ok, little red flags are going up really fast," Lyle said, shaking slightly. "This place reeks of death."

   "This is a vacation spot?!" cried Guiness in horror. "For what? Zombies? Or how about the occasional murdering psychopath?"

    Nono merely squeaked and stayed behind Montblanc as they walked in. Miss. Radiuju sunk to her knees in front of the statue. She closed her eyes. "This place…"

   Marche walked a little further away from the rest of the group. Whispering more to himself than to anyone else, "What happened to this place?"

   "It's gotten some renovations." Marche whirled around to see a black haired boy sitting on what was left of the statue. He slid off the statue and landed a few feet in from of Marche. "Do you like it?"

   "Who are you?" Marche said, stepping back, even though he already had an inkling of who it was. A chill ran up his spine as the boy smiled icily at him. "My name is Ujuidar, body guard to the Prince."

   "You… you took off with Ztir…" Marche saw the pattern immediately. "So you must be the essence of my hatred?"

   "Aren't we smart?" Ujuidar crooned, stepped forward. "You think you have us all figured out don't you? Well you're very wrong. But that's not what we lured you here for… no…"

  "Lured me here?" Marche backed away again. "What do you mean?"

 "Ah, our dear Prince wants you dead as you know," Ujuidar's icy smile widened. "And what better than to have you suffer before we kill you? Observe," he snapped his fingers.

  At his side appeared a very real, green haired Ritz. Marche reached toward her. "Ritz…"

  "Yes, now you have it right," Ujuidar caught his arm. "But you mustn't touch. You see…" he snapped his fingers again, and a shorter, slightly stouter black mage appeared on his other side, along with Shara, who appeared at Ritz's side. "They're under my control now."

  "What?" Marche was only half listening, staring at Ritz, whose eyes stared right back at him, cold, emotionless, and black.

   "Oh don't worry," Ujuidar leaped away and grinned even wider. "They still know who you are." He snapped his fingers again. "Kill him."

   The black mage backed away and stood with Ujuidar and the other two began to move toward him. Their eyes glowed a brilliant ruby red. Marche's eyes widened. "Ritz? Shara?"

  They cannot hear you… Marche whirled around to see Ztir hovering above him, staring down at him coldly. She gestured toward his clan, who were standing a few yards away. And your friends can't hear you either…

  "Ztir…" Marche bit his tongue, glancing at the two advancing toward him. Slowly, he unsheathed his sword. "Shara… Ritz…"

   "Destroy…" Ritz murmured, in a voice unlike her own.

  "No…" She drew closer to him, her rapier raised above her head. Marche backed away and stumbled on a piece of jagged cobblestone. "N-No…"

  "Death Sickle!" declared Shara, shooting straight at him. Marche dodged it, and it bounced off the air behind him, landing a few feet in front of Ujuidar. He gasped; he was in a death trap.

  His body tingled with a weird desire as Ritz stood over him, her rapier pointed right at his head. He knew that he could never, ever harm her, not like this. He backed into the wall and his eyes squinted shut, waiting with his sword clutched in his hand. Please no…

  "You're not even going to fight?" Ujuidar said mockingly. "Oh, this will just make things faster… much faster…"

   Marche sat there, his eyes squinted shut, forbidding his eyes to water. Ritz suddenly came down upon him, rapier aimed right at his chest. She thrust her rapier.

  "Ritz!!!" he cried out in horror.

Ritz's eyes flickered back to their old sapphire color for a brief moment. When her eyes had been in their regular form she had exhaled a gasp. But Ujuidar snapped his fingers again, and her eyes went back to the red color. "Very good…" Ujuidar said gently, getting up. "He's gone."

   Ztir found something odd was happening to her. Her vision was blurring, and water began to stream down her cheeks. U-Ujuidar! What is happening to me??

  "Ztir!" Suddenly Ztir dropped down from her floating position. Ujuidar slid and caught her. "Ztir?!"

   The water was coming faster, and she couldn't make it stop. Ujuidar stared at her. "What is happening to you?"

    I-I don't know…

 Shara and Ritz stared in silence like stone statues; Ritz was still holding her rapier. But her hands were shaking, and her eyes were flickering. Ztir's sobs grew louder, and suddenly something inside Shara snapped. Ritz!
 Ujuidar drew Ztir into his arms, holding her for all it was worth. "No more… no more of this… please…"

  Someone stepped up behind him. "She understands, deep down."

Ujuidar whirled around, cradling the sobbing Ztir. "What?!"

  Shara stood before him, gesturing toward Marche, where Ritz stood. "Ztir and Ritz are linked together because Ztir is a piece of her heart. Even if you hypnotized her, deep down she knows what she has done."

   "So… that's it… but why water?"

 Shara smiled. "You do not understand? Ztir is crying for him."

   "S-Shara?" The three turned to see Marche, lifting his head. "It is you!"

 "W-What?" Ujuidar stuttered as Marche revealed something. He had caught the rapier just before it could touch his chest. "H-how…?"

  Marche let go of the rapier, and Ritz collapsed on him. "Hey! Ritz?"

Ujuidar glanced at Shara, who had tears in her eyes. "He lives? How can this be?!"

   "He caught the rapier before it could harm him," Shara smiled. "He missed slightly, so he was cut on the chest, but it's nothing bad. Besides, you've lifted your force field."

   Ujuiar's eyes narrowed. It was true, the force field was gone, and Ztir did not have the magic power to cast it again. The clan saw them now, and came running toward them. He backed away with Ztir. "He made Ztir cry…"

   Montblanc came bounding over to Marche. "Marche! You're ok! You just disappeared and we thought for sure they'd… Marche?" He stopped a few feet away the moment he spotted Ritz. He held out a paw to stop the others.

  "Hey… is that Ritz?" Lyle said, stopping at Montblanc's side. "Why are we stopping?"

Shara came over to them. "We should let them be for a second," she said, smiling. "He had given her quite a scare."

  "Ritz…?" Marche said gently, "Ritz, wake up."

 "M-Marche?" she looked up at him, her eyes watering. "You're alive! I-I didn't…"

   "Why are you crying?" he said, looking concerned. She didn't answer; instead she threw her arms around him and hugged him. It took him a couple minutes to get his heart out of his throat and return his burning face to normal before he could comprehend her actions. "Oh my god! Ritz you didn't think that you…?"

  Tears streamed down her face and she put the top of her head to his chest, staring down at the cobblestone. "I thought I'd lost you…" she whispered.

  This touched him to the point where he almost ended up crying with her if something had not caught his eye. "Ritz… your hair…"

  She had put the top of her head right on his wound, and his blood had touched her silky hair. He carefully wiped it off, and found that his blood had turned her hair white. Ritz saw a drop of blood fall of a strand of her hair, and realized its color. Oh no…

  She threw herself away from him, sliding on the cobblestone. She anxiously pulled her hood over her head, hiding her hair. Marche looked at her in confusion. "Ritz? What's wrong?"

  "N-nothing!" she cried, tightening her hood around her head.

 Ujuidar's icy grin spread once more as he stepped out of the shadows, Ztir at his heels. "Marche? Have you not wanted to know why Ritz did not wish to join you in your mission home? Why she had wanted to stay here forever?"

  Ritz and Ztir stared at him in horror. Ujuidar walked toward her and hoisted Ritz to her feet. Marche frowned, "Well yes but-

  "Would you like to see why?" Ujuidar said softly, holding Ritz firmly to the spot so she couldn't run. Before Marche could answer he spoke again, "If you truly do, then say yes. But heed my warning, the truth hurts."

  "What?"

 "Take off your hood," he ordered harshly. Ritz whimpered feebly, trying to draw away from him. Ujuidar spoke calmly, "Take off your hood, or I will show him myself."

   Shara's eyes were wide. "Oh no…"

Montblanc strained to hear. "What's going on?"

  Shara turned to Lyle, Colin, and Guiness. "Remember how you teased Ritz about her white hair?"

  Montblanc cocked his head. "She has white hair?"

The three boys looked grave. "Yes… but surely she told Marche and Mewt?"

  "No…" Shara said quietly. "She didn't dare."

 The boys exchanged glances. Miss. Radiuju, Nono, and Montblanc stared at them. "What's going on?"

   Ujuidar tried again, this time much softer, "You do not want to do it my way Ritz, show him. He deserves to know doesn't he? After all he is your friend isn't he?"

  "Ritz, what is he talking about?" Marche said, looking to her for help. She looked away from his pleading gaze. Ujuidar said icily, "Isn't he?"

   Ritz didn't answer. Ujuidar let go of her in disgust and she fell in a crumpled heap to the ground.

   Marche walked up to her and knelt down in front of her. "Ritz… what's wrong?"

   Ritz stared into his blue eyes, chewing her lip. She knew she had to tell him, that she could no longer keep it from him… it would only destroy their friendship. "I…"

   But when she saw her reflection in his eyes, fear over took her. She saw herself as a white haired witch, something that could never be desirable. She pulled away from him and whimpered.

  "Ritz," Marche crawled closer. "It's ok Ritz. I promise, whatever's wrong, I'll help you."

  "Enough talk!" bellowed Ujuidar, whose patience had just run out. He threw out his arm and an energy ball formed, causing the air around him to whip around him violently. "Reveal!!"

   The ball of energy sped toward Ritz as she tried to run away. She turned around at the last second and tried to block it, but it went right through her rapier, cutting her cry short. She hung in the air for a few seconds as a fine green dust separated from her. Then she fell gracefully to the ground, the green dust swirling and disintegrating into the air like smoke.

  "Ritz!" Marche cried, his eyes wide. He whirled around and faced Ujuidar, "You…"

"I didn't kill her you imbecile," growled Ujuidar, his lip curling. Ztir lay behind him, tears still rolling down her cheeks. He glanced back at her and added, "At least, I wasn't aiming to kill."

  Marche sprinted toward Ritz, who had awoken. Her hood was still over her head as she stood slowly, her whole body shaking. She was about to collapse back onto the cold ground when someone caught her around the waist. "Ritz! Are you all right?"

  She gasped and whirled around, facing Marche. She pushed him away and tried to run, but she stumbled. He caught her again, holding her tight. At that moment, her hood slid off her head, revealing her snow-white hair.

   Ujuidar's eyes glinted with malice. "Perfect."

  Marche's eyes widened slightly, taking in her original appearance. Before he could say a word, Ritz spoke. "Marche! I'm sorry I never told you… I never told Mewt either… I just didn't want you to leave… I didn't want you to make fun of me…"

  He blinked, his grip loosening on her shoulders. She backed away from him, tears forming. "I know what I did wasn't right… I shouldn't have kept it from you… Shara even told me so." He stared at her, and her tears turned to sobs. She buried her face in her hands and cried.

   He came to his senses, and drew closer to her. His eyes softened, and gently he pulled her hands away. "Ritz…"

  Before she could react he leaned in and licked one of her tears away. Ritz froze in surprise as he drew away, looking at her with such loving eyes. "We would never do that Ritz. We're your friends…"

    Ujuidar's eyes narrowed.

"…And friends are always there for each other." He smiled gently at her. "I'm not angry. Your burdens…" he said, licking another tear away. "Are mine. We'll share them, and grow together."

   Shara smiled and nodded. Well done.

 "Did Marche just lick one of Ritz's tears?" Nono said, not understanding at all. "Why'd he do that? They're pretty salty."

  Ritz's face burst into a wide grin and she hugged him. "Thank you…"

Marche blushed and drew away, smiling shyly. Ritz beamed and looked as if she wanted to say more…

    But before anybody could say anything, Babus came running through Ambervale. "Marche! Ritz! Montblanc! Master Cid and Mewt are in grave danger!! You must… you must… come to the palace… at once…"

   "Babus?!" Montblanc cried, running over to catch him. However, the nu-mou was much too big and slumped over the moogle, two sniper's arrows in his back. The Gran Grimoire slid out of his arms and to the ground.

   Marche gasped and ran over to help Montblanc, "What has happened Babus?? What happened to Mewt and Cid?"
   "M-Mewt… b-book…" Babus said, choking out words, trying to get the message out. "At m-midnight… the book… will… s-seal…" Montblanc picked up the book and glanced that the blood stained on its front. "Babus?"

  "Seal what?!" cried Colin as he and Guiness came running over. "Come on Babus! Spit it out!"

  "The b-book…" Babus said softly, his voice barely a whisper now. "W-Will seal this w-world… at m-midnight…"

  "Babus!" Marche cried, looking worried. Miss. Radiuju kneeled down and checked his pulse. "He's fading…"

  Ujuidar licked his lips. "Hehhehe…"

"Babus… no…" Marche choked, cradling the poor mage in his arms. "Please… please Babus…"

  "T-the book…" Babus tried to clarify. "I-it will seal…"

"Don't speak," said Ritz gently, pulling out her last potion. "This'll help…"

  "T-thank you…" Babus whispered, watching Marche. "T-thank you for h-helping Mewt… you… you are a t-true friend…"

  "Babus, don't speak…" Marche cried, his eyes watery. "Everything's going to be fine… Ritz has a potion… that should…"

  Babus closed his eyes wearily, relaxing in his place. Slowly he relaxed until he lay limp on the cold cobblestone. Miss. Radiuju shook her head. "He's gone…"

 Marche stood slowly, wiping his tears away. Stepping away from the group, he walked toward the broken statue. Why…Babus…

  Montblanc tried to follow him, to show him the book, but Shara held him back.

     "Marche…?" Ritz touched his shoulder. Marche turned around and embraced her, crying gently along with her. "I'm sorry…"

    The black mage nodded to Ujuidar, and the black haired boy stepped forth.

 Marche sighed and took a step back from Ritz. Ivalice… it's falling apart… "We have to find Mewt. We'll go to the palace at once."
  Ritz nodded slowly. She pulled him closer to her. "Thank you… for giving us strength."

"B-but Babus…"

   "Babus…" Ritz's countenance softened. "Babus got to be with Mewt, one last time. I think that was all he ever wanted… to die at Mewt's side."

  "Ritz…"

 "Calm down. Maybe if we save this place, he'll come back."

  "Can't we just use a phoenix down?" Marche said gently, looking hopeful. Ritz shook her head. "No laws, no judge. No judge… no safety from death."

   Marche put his head on her shoulder. "I can't stand it anymore Ritz… everyone's dying."

  "I know…"

"Make it stop…" he pleaded, in a voice unlike his own. "Please… I don't want to see anyone to get hurt anymore…"

  "Marche?"

  But he didn't say anything more for a while. She stood there for as long as he needed her, listening to his breathing until he stopped moving.

  Suddenly a weird sound protruded from Marche's mouth, a sound somewhere between an, 'oh' and a gulp. Ritz's eyes widened as a strip of blood splattered on her dress and still more leaked to the ground, crawling down Marche's leg. Everyone else unsheathed their weapons and stood, horrorstruck, as his eyes lulled.

  "Marche?!" she cried out, reaching out to him, but his knees buckled, and with a sickening crack something pulled out of his body. Ujuidar stood, his eyes laughing gleefully as Marche slumped to the ground. "Perfect, perfect, perfect!"

   She sunk to her knees, clinging to Marche's half dead body. "Marche!"

   He examined his bloody sword. "I'm sure this will be enough bloodshed for Llednar…" He turned his cold eyes to Ritz and grinned. "Long live the Prince."

  "Marche!" Miss. Radiuju screamed in terror as her heart fell into turmoil. "Marche no!!"

  Ujuidar raised his sword once more over Ritz and Marche. "Seam Split!!"

   Montblanc and the other raced forward. Montblanc latched onto Ujuidar's arm, but it was too late. The rainbow colored slash smacked the two straight on. "No!!!"

  The area around Ritz and Marche warped once. Montblanc jumped off Ujuidar and sprinted toward them, Shara at his heels. "Ritz! Get out of there!"

  Too late, the area warped twice and blasted everyone but Ujuidar, the mage, and Ztir away. Ritz was suddenly taken up in a swirl of rainbow colors, her vision blurring as she felt the floor slip beneath her. "Aiyaaa!!"

    "Ritz!" Shara screamed, lunging for her. Ujuidar came up behind her, another sword raised.

   "Shara!!!" Ritz's eyes widened in horror as the sword came down, the scene growing farther and farther away.

   "Thunaga!!" Montblanc bellowed, smacking the weapon out of Ujuidar's hand before he could strike. Apparently he aimed a little too close and blasted Ujuidar's hand as well.

   Ujuidar recoiled, masking his bloodied hand. Ritz cried out as the portal closed.

   He laughed haughtily watching Ritz hold onto Marche as she spun into the rainbow abyss. "Long…. Live… the Prince…"

***To Be Continued***