Split Ends

Introduction: Hi everyone! Yes I know, I know… way too long to get this chapter out!! I'm sorry!!! Please don't kill me!! The reason for the length is because one, exams are this week, and two, I've been kinda lazy with my writing… see I admitted it! The three bullies are vampires in one of the missions? Wow… never knew that! Anyway, enjoy the chapter!!

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

Disclaimer- Don't own FFTA, Square Enix does. I don't own, you no sue.

XIII

******

    Cid stared in dismay, the others crowded around him. Nobody spoke for a moment, until Cid turned to the table where the bloodstained sword. "The blood of the murderer… that's Marche's blood. That explains why they intended to kill him, to get the blood needed and to make sure he stayed out of the way. Llednar tried to kill two birds with one stone."

  "But Llednar is an illusion…" Miss. Radiuju thought a moment. "Right? So how can he cast such a spell?"

  "He also intended to kill Mewt," Lyle piped in. "He used Omega to try to kill Mewt back in the real world, except we saved him. Maybe by killing Mewt he would beome a real being."

  "No," Cid said. "If he killed Mewt that wouldn't accomplish anything. If Mewt dies, so does Llednar. I think he was only weakening Mewt…"

  "Weakening him for what?" Montblanc said. "How do you transform an illusion into reality?"

  "Maybe he needs the real Mewt to be weakened in order to perform a certain spell…" Miss. Radiuju flipped through the pages of the book carefully. "Here! In order to become a living being from a previously casted illusion you need to weaken the real being you are based from. Then by coming into the mind and casting this spell here…" She indicated the magic circle on the page with the ingredients needed. "…you can become a true being. Apparently you need to eat the flesh of the being you're based from… but they have to be near death to do so…"

  "That explains a lot…" Shara stepped forward. "But what is the spirit form of Li-grim? It was Queen Remedi… but she's dead. The spirit must still be alive… but where could it be?"

  They thought for a moment. "I have no idea," Cid finally spoke. "But I think the best we can do now is warn Mewt, Marche, and Ritz of what Llednar's intentions are. That way we have better chances of protecting Mewt from Llednar."
  "Good idea," Colin walked over to the table and made to pick up the sword. However, it seemed to be glued to the table. "What the…?"
  "Hey," Lyle went over to help Colin. "What's up with this sword??? It won't budge!"
 "A bind spell," Shara said. "Llednar's not a stupid as we thought. It would have been good to take the sword with us… but with that bind spell it won't be coming up from the table anytime soon…"

  "Damn!" Lyle fumed, kicking the table in anger. "I swear when I get my hands on Llednar I'll…"

  Montblanc wasn't listening to the others. He stared down at the Gran Grimoire sitting on the podium, and slowly pulled out Ezel's copy. Babus's dried blood was still on it, although most of it had rubbed off. I wonder… can this be used to counter the Ceremony of Seal? Worst case scenario… we use this to bring back the real world…

  An astonishing thought came over him. If the real world were to come back, would Ivalice still exist… or would we… He turned to the rest of the clan, watching them argue and fume. Would we die with the illusion…?

  A gruff hand rested on the tiny moogle's shoulder. Surprised, Montblanc looked up to see Cid, smiling down at him. "You have got to be the bravest moogle I've ever met, Montblanc. You, Nono, Babus, Ezel, and Shara are willing to sacrifice your world for ours…"

  Montblanc smiled slightly. "Yes… really, it's all for them. They're so young…"

Cid inclined his head. "You do understand Montblanc, that if the real world is brought back, this world will not die away. Not for Marche, not for Mewt. You'll always be in our hearts. So don't worry, all is not lost."

  Montblanc's smile grew. "Yes…."

Cid looked up at the others. "The best we can do now is to find Marche, Mewt, and Ritz. We stand a better chance of survival if we're all together."

   The rest of the clan nodded in agreement. The three boys stepped forth. "Come on then, we'd better hurry up," Lyle grinned, taking to the stairs with the other two. "We must protect Mewt!"

  Colin and Guiness gave yelps of agreement as they led the rest of the clan up the stairs. Montblanc was the last to follow as he carefully took the book off the podium and slid it in his coat.

*****

    Ritz, Marche, and Mewt wandered the huge castle, avoiding guards when necessary. Ritz led the way, the two boys following closely behind. "Where are we going anyway Ritz?" Marche said.

   She sighed, flipping back her white hair as she looked over at him. "I don't have a clue. But I figure if we keep walking it'll be harder for Llednar or your insane little brother to find us again."

   Mewt stayed silent, staring at the ground. Marche cocked his head. "Mewt?"

"Llednar's going to kill Dad…" Mewt whispered. "And I can't save him…"

  Marche watched him, a sorrowful look in his eyes. He embraced Mewt. "No Mewt, we did our best. Your father probably found a way out somehow, need I remind you that the clan is probably looking for us."

  Mewt's shoulders gave a tiny jerk, and it took a minute for Marche to realize Mewt was crying. "Mewt?! Are you ok?"

   Mewt sobbed into his friend's shoulder. "I can't bear it Marche… I wish I'd never bought that stupid book."

   Ritz stared at the two. "Why would you wish that?"

 Mewt looked up at her in confusion. "Don't you wish we'd never come here? I mean… look at all this. So much pain… so much suffering…"

  "True," she walked over to him and smiled. "But if we hadn't come here, you would've drowned in your misery, Cid wouldn't have realized how much he neglected you, and we'd never be close as friends as we are now…" She winked. "The way I see it, Ivalice has done so much for us. We're maturing now, it's part of growing up."

  "But Doned's under Llednar's control," Mewt protested. "Millions of innocent citizens are dying, the government is corrupted, and Babus…"

  "Babus did what he could Mewt," Marche said. "I agree with Ritz. Without Ivalice, we wouldn't have such a strong friendship, and the bullies are on our side now. So many people are willing to protect you Mewt."

   Mewt stared at them, tears resurfacing in his eyes. My friends…they always give me strength… He cracked a smile. "You're right…I shouldn't be crying," he wiped his tears away. "I should be strong. I should help you guys strive to find a way out of this mess… together."

  Ritz smiled. "That's better Mewt," she hugged him. "I don't like to see you sad…"

Both boys' faces flushed. Ritz, not noticing anything, released him and beamed. "All right guys! Let's go find that idiot and figure out what he did to Doned!"

  The boys nodded. "Right." As they walked behind her they shot each other a distant, jealous look.

  As they rounded the corner of the vast hallway they were in, a gasp echoed through the corridor. "Guys!! There they are!!!"

  The three turned to see the rest of the clan sprinting toward them at high speed. "Guys!" Marche grinned. "You're ok! How'd you get into the-

    Shara grabbed his wrist and continued sprinting. "No time to explain… run!"

  "What?" Ritz cried out to Shara as Miss. Radiuju grabbed her and started to run too. "What's going on?"

    Mewt's eyes widened as he looked back to see what was following. "Dad!!"

  "Mewt!" Cid cried out in horror, grabbing his son and rolling out of line of fire. "Stay down!"

   "What? Dad what's going on?"

"Rapid Fire!!!" came a cry from behind, one that Mewt instantly recognized. His eyes widened. "Oh my god…"

  A familiar figure came sprinting toward them at a god-like speed, spewing fireballs in front of him. The fireballs rained down upon the father and son, Cid doing his best to hold Mewt down and roll out of the attack's range. Mewt caught a glimpse of their attacker's face and exclaimed, "Doned!!"

  "You fools!!!" Doned snarled, more fireballs materializing in his hands. "You think you can escape so easily?! HA!"

    Marche heard Mewt's cry and skid to a stop, dragging Shara with him. "Doned!"

 Shara tried to lurch him forward, but his feet were planted securely to the ground. "Shara! We have to go back!"

  "Are you insane?!" Shara cried, grabbing Marche and dodging a flying fireball. "We'll be singed!"

   Ritz stopped in her tracks too. "So what? Mewt's back there!"

 Miss. Radiuju was much more willing to save her son, quietly following Ritz, who was heading straight toward Doned with Marche and Shara. Montblanc and Nono turned back too. "You aren't leaving without us!"
  Shara ran ahead just so she could grab the three boys' capes. "Mewt's in trouble you stooges! We have to go back!"

  "Mewt?!" Lyle stopped dead and turned, Guiness and Colin following suit. "Come on guys! Mewt needs our protection!"

   Doned grinned as the rest of the clan came running toward him. "Ehhehe… so they're coming back for more? All right then!!" He spewed out a thousand more fireballs, all of which were either blocked or just barely grazed the offenders' bodies.

   Lyle, Colin, and Guiness took their stand in front of Mewt and Cid, weapons raised. "No one attacks Mewt while we're around!!" Lyle growled. "Sonic Boom!"

  "You leave him alone!" Guiness said, raising his sword above his head. "Holy Blade!!"

 Doned cringed as the two attacks spun toward him and hit, his hands up and across his chest in defense. The two attacks however, pushed him back only a few inches, his body barely scathed. He smiled up at them wickedly, a crazed look in his eyes. "That's the best you've got?"

   "What the hell?!" Lyle cried. "They didn't even faze him?!"

 Colin snarled. "Shit…" He took a deep breath and got into stance. "All right you little weirdo! You've got good defense eh?" He sneered. "Let's see how well you are on your feet."

   Doned grinned, unsheathing his sword. "Oh a sword fight… this'll be fun!"

 "Doned!!" Marche cried, racing toward the two. "Wait! Colin, don't hurt him!"

    Cid reached out and grabbed Marche's heel, pulling him down to the floor. "Marche, are you insane? I know you're worried about your brother, but after glancing off two attacks from Lyle and Guiness he isn't in too much danger…"

  "Geez pops thanks for the vote of confidence," Colin growled. He lunged forward with his sword, aiming for Doned's arm. As planned, Doned blocked it, leaving his right side completely open.

   Quickly Colin moved behind Doned, slicing at Doned's right leg. Doned cringed as the sword made contact, blood dripping on Colin's sword from his blow. Colin took this opportunity to slash at Doned's back, but to no avail. His sword merely glanced off Doned's torso. "What the-

   Doned came under and thrust his sword into Colin's left shoulder. Pressing the sword straight through the shoulder blade, Colin shrieked in pain. Doned ran him to the wall, Colin smacking onto the stone with an earsplitting crack and sinking to the ground, unconscious.

  "Colin!!" Lyle and Guiness cried, racing toward their fallen friend. Doned pressed his foot on Colin's ruined shoulder blade and pulled his sword out with a sickening sound. Everyone around him cringed and he limped away from Colin. "Who's next?"

   Marche stared in horror, his eyes darting from Colin's unconscious form and the two boys to Doned's cold eyes. "D-Doned…"

   "Whoa…" Mewt's whole body was shaking. Cid stood slowly, casting Mewt behind him in protection. "All right Doned, let's see what you can do…"

   "What? No!" Mewt cried, grabbing Cid's cloak. "He'll… he'll…"

 Shara grinned. "Let's see how well he does against two."

  Doned grinned wickedly, licking Colin's blood off his sword. "Oh? Two opponents… you'll be more fun than he was."

   Cid and Shara grinned at each other and stepped forward. Marche's eyes widened. They know something… maybe they can bring Doned to his senses…He stared at Doned. I swear I'll get you out of this Doned…

   "Shara…" Cid smiled. "You do the honors."

 "Indeed…" Shara pulled out her bow. "Conceal!"

    Immediately she vanished into thin air. Doned however, did not waver. "That move is useless…" His eyes suddenly turned red as he carefully gazed around for Shara. In one swift second he found her, and immediately lashed out at her. "Gotcha!"

  Ritz's eyes widened. "Shara!"

 Cid was off in an instant, sword drawn. Quickly he slashed at Doned's lower body, right on his right leg. Doned buckled, his sword merely scratching Shara's face so a long cut from her right eye to her cheek formed. Shara appeared again, wiping the blood from the cut. "Silly boy."

   Ritz beamed. "Shara!"

Cid smiled down at Doned, who was trying his best to pull himself back up. Both cuts on his legs seemed to have temporarily stalled his movement. "D-damn you…"

  Marche gasped. That's it!

Marche hurled himself at Doned, plunging his sword down on his brother's legs. "Wake up Doned!"

   "No!!!" he screamed in terror as pain shot through his legs, paralyzing both of them. "No!! My legs!!"

   Mewt's eyes widened. "Doned's weak point…is his legs?"

 Cid smiled. "When Colin swiped at Doned he could only make a mark on his legs. Whoever put such a strong spell on him also had to put a spell on his legs to allow movement. Apparently, the stronger spell that controls Doned and makes him invinicible isn't as strong on his legs because of the other spell."

   Marche withdrew his sword, watching in horror as Doned continued to writhe in pain. Slowly however, the cuts on his legs disappeared, and his shield slowly began to disappear. "Doned! Are you alright?"

   "AUGH!!! GET AWAY FROM ME!!!" Doned screamed, lashing out at him with his fists. Marche caught both blows, watching his brother gently. "It's ok Doned… it's Marche…"

  "M-Marche…" Doned whispered, the cold look to his eyes slowly disappearing. "B-big brother…I…I…"

  Marche's eyes softened. "Yes… I'm your big brother…" He took Doned gently in his arms. "Everything ok now Doned…"

  "N-no!! N-no…" Doned wailed. "Brother… h-he's unhappy because I made live m-miserable for him… I…I'm a bad little brother…"

  "What? Doned, where'd you get that?" Marche said gently. Doned screamed in pain, writhing in his brother's arms. Apparently, he had no idea who he was blurting all this out to.

   Doned was crying now, not really seeing his brother at all. "Big brother… poor big brother… because of financial problems with my illness… he felt so lonely… and… and I made it worse!!" He bawled. "I'm bad!! I don't deserve to live!! I don't want to live!!!"

   Miss. Radiuju gasped, tears forming in her eyes. Doned… Marche…

 Doned looked up at Marche, still blind to his brother. "You… you listened… you…" he pulled himself up slowly, so he was eye level with Marche. "Kill me… k-kill me… please…"

  Marche choked down tears. "Doned… I… I can't kill you…" He embraced his blinded brother. "I could never kill you… you're my brother. Even though you illness has proved to bring up some obstacles… mom and dad separated because they just didn't love each other anymore…"

  "Not love…?"

"No…" The tears came regardless of whether or not Marche could hold them back. "They didn't love each other anymore… and that hurt… watching them fight… didn't it? But it wasn't your fault… and don't feel bad about my loneliness… I have friends now Doned, see? Mewt, Ritz, even the bullies are our friends now…"

  "F-friends…" Doned choked. "Big brother… is not lonely…"

"Not anymore…" Marche sighed and smiled. "So it's ok now Doned… everything's ok… you can't die now. We love you so much, so please… don't try to kill yourself… because everything is ok now…"

   "Everthing… is… okay…" Doned gave a bit of a half smile as he said that. "M-Marche…" he leaned on his brother, finally able to see him with his own eyes. "Marche… is okay… now…"

   He passed out in Marche's arms, his half smile still on his face.

 Miss. Radiuju walked toward Marche and knelt beside him. "Is he all right now?"

   Cid put a hand on her shoulder. "He's fine, just sleeping. It takes a lot of energy to get rid of a controlling spell. He's just really tired."

  Miss. Radiuju smiled. "Good…" She turned to Marche, tears in her eyes, "He was so worried… just for you."

  Marche smiled, fingering his brother's hair. "Yea… last time we were here, he didn't want to go home because he could run and be normal. But when I told him he really had an advantage over me, he thought that he was at fault for his illness."

  "That's why he wouldn't speak to you…" Mewt sighed. "Remember that? You kept telling me at school how weird he was acting toward you… it was all because he thought it was his fault…"

  "What a selfless kid…" Ritz smiled. "Your brother really loves you Marche."

"Yea…" Marche hugged his sleeping brother. "And I love him…"

    Colin limped over, hanging on Lyle and Guiness. "Is he all right now? No more acting like a psychotic murdering bastard?"

  "He's all right now," Ritz said. "How's your shoulder?"

"Never better!" Colin grinned. "Namely cause I can't feel it…"

   Lyle sighed. "That was some blow. He may not be able to use his arm for a while."

 Nono smiled. "Hey Colin! Can I touch it? It's so nasty and bloody and stuff…"

  "No you can't touch it!!!" Colin growled as Nono stepped closer and poked it. "AUGH!! Damn you!! That hurts!!!"

    "Eeeeewwwwwww!!!" Nono cried in disgust, waving his finger with Colin's blood on it around. "Eeeewwww it's all gross!! Get it off!! Get it off!! Help me Montblanc!! Get it off me!!!"

   Montblanc sighed. "Nono…"

 Ritz turned to Shara. "Are you ok? That's some cut…"

  "I'm fine," Shara nodded. "It'll probably leave a scar, but it was well worth it. We've got Doned back!"

   For once there was peace. Doned was finally normal, safe and sound, and everyone was on good terms (except Nono and Colin, in which Colin was chasing Nono around with his sword, dripping blood everywhere). While they bandaged up the wounded another character slinked behind in the darkness…

   "So… they broke my spell eh? Well then… I guess it's time…" Llednar's red eyes gleamed in the darkness. "Let the Ceremony of Seal begin!"

    Slinking out of the darkness, he walked toward the group. A wicked grin on his face, his arm extended. "Now then… come out, come out, wherever you are… Queen Remedi…"

  "Llednar!" Marche cried out as he came towards them. "What…"

 Llednar suddenly found his target. His eyes flashed and his hand extended. "Omega!!!"

   Cid grabbed Mewt and ducked. "Stay down!!"

  However, Llednar wasn't aiming for Mewt. He had blasted in the direction of Ritz and Montblanc, who had been standing close together. The floor erupted underneath them, and Ritz screamed in terror. Marche's eyes widened. "Ritz!!!!"

   Shara shielded herself, unable to get closer to Ritz because of the blast. The dust cleared, Ritz and Montblanc lying on the ruined tile, unconscious and bleeding. "Ritz!!!"

   Llednar grinned. "Ah… such a pungent smell blood gives off doesn't it? Oh, and I see you have both copies…"

   Shara gasped as she saw both copies of the Gran Grimoire slip out from Montblanc's pockets and float neatly into Llednar's hands. "I must thank you for keeping them safe for me…"

   Marche gave Doned to his mother as he stood. "Llednar!"

 The blond haired boy turned to Marche. "Still alive I see. Ujuidar didn't kill you… oh well. At least now I have the final ingredient!"

  "You already had the book!" Marche growled. "Why did you attack them just for that?!"

  "Alive and naïve…" Llednar grinned. "How quaint. Stupid boy, although I could've easily stole both books from the moogle, you have something else I desire…"

  Suddenly Shara understood, staring at Ritz's unconscious form. Llednar snapped, and the small, tattered bear drifted from her pockets. Shara made a lunge for it and missed as it floated to Llednar's outstretched hands. "Here lies the spirit of Queen Remedi… Li-grim!"

  Mewt gasped. "My bear?!"

  Llednar grinned wickedly. "Oh this is delightful, all my ingredients right here at the same time and place!" He extended his other hand again, eyes gleaming. "Come with me my key to reality…"

   "Mewt!" Cid cried, holding Mewt close. Llednar cackled. "Pathetic attempt Daddy… Omega!"

   "NO!" Cid cried as he was thrown against the wall. Mewt screamed in horror as Omega brought him to near death. Breathing heavily, he collapsed on the ground, his eyes fading. Llednar grinned and picked him up, winking at Marche. "Long live Ivalice…"

  "No!! Llednar!" Marche cried, drawing hi sword and lunging at the cackling boy.

   He was too late. With just a flick of his wrist, the two Gran Grimoire books, the bear, Mewt, and Mewt's illusion disappeared into thin air.

**To Be Continued**