Shadow of Darkness
Chapter 9:
The old man's voice was far more energetic than his aged body suggested.
"You… were expecting us?" Rikku asked warily.
The wrinkled face broke into a bit of a smile. "Well, not you in particular, but a guest I would sense the power within."
"How… did you know?"
The old man slowly walked deeper into the chamber and sat before Rikku and Gippal. "I have close spiritual ties with all my pupils. When they die, I can feel it."
"So then, you know Marin is dead?" Rikku asked.
He nodded.
"But that still doesn't explain how you knew we were coming," Gippal pointed out.
"Ah yes. Before young Marin passed on, I felt a tremendous transfer of power."
"To me," Rikku murmured.
The old man nodded. "To you. You see..." He took a deep breath. "Marin was my post powerful student. She alone could fight the Dark Plague that ravages Spira at this time. I knew that she would not die without leaving someone to carry on her work. Of course, she could not have transferred her power unless the recipient also had traces of the power. That person was you and now you've sought me out. And I… I can teach you how to harness your power so you can use it to your advantage."
"You can teach me?" Rikku tilted her head to the side. "But if you can do that, then that means you must have this power too, right? Then… can't you just defeat the Plague?"
He shook his head. "I may be a master of white magic, but I do not have the sort of power that Marin possessed, that you now possess. I only know how to teach my students how to call upon their powers. I can't use them myself."
"That doesn't make sense," Gippal grumbled.
"Of course it does. I merely understand how this power works, where it comes from, and some of the ways in which it works. You don't need an ability to teach it."
Gippal still didn't look convinced, but he wisely chose not to say anything else.
"How long will it take you to teach me?" Rikku asked worriedly. "We're leaving Kilika in the morning."
The old man shook his head slowly. "You cannot expect to learn how to wield that much power in just a few short hours."
"Well, isn't there a way you can make a super condensed version?" she asked.
"No… I'm afraid that how much you learn tonight- if you really must leave in the morning- is determined by how quickly you learn."
"Hoo boy. We're in trouble," Gippal said.
"I don't need any comments from you, meanie," Rikku muttered.
The old man rose to his feet. "Come, we will resume in the chamber of the faith. There is more room there."
Rikku and Gippal followed him out the door, ignoring each other.
"By the way," Rikku said suddenly. "What is your name?"
''''
Deek, as the White Mage master was known, pounded his walking stick on the ground impatiently, startling Rikku so much that she tripped off the platform that she had been standing on, with a squeak.
"You must focus! If you cannot focus, you may as well give up now!" he barked.
"I'm trying!" she whined. "I'm just… so tired!"
"Yeah, give her a break," Gippal piped in. "She's had an exhausting day."
"Enough excuses! You will feel ten times the exhaustion on your journey to vanquish this plague. And by the time you reach the creator, you may hardly be able to lift a finger, but you will persevere. There are too may people counting on you. If you cannot focus because you lack a little sleep, you will never win when you feel physically and mentally drained! You won't stand a chance!" Deek snapped.
Rikku whimpered. She knew he had a point, but did he really have to be so harsh? She was exhausted and covered in sweat and she ached all over. Who knew magic required so much physical exertion?
"Now, get back up there and try again!"
She nodded, wiping the sweat from her forehead. On quacking arms, she hauled herself back onto the platform.
'Okay…concentrate.' Closing her eyes, she focused her exhausted mind on the pool of bluish light within- the power Marin had transferred to her. Her nose itched. 'No! Focus on the light!' Focus, Deek had told her, amplified the strength of one's magic. Rikku wondered then if that had been the reason her ice spell had been so effective earlier that evening.
"Good!" she heard Deek shout distantly through the blue-white light that roiled under her concentration. "Now release!"
Rikku dropped the hold she had on the magic and light exploded into the room with a blinding flash. With a gasp, she fell to her knees- as quickly as she had gathered that energy, it left her. She could hardly hold herself up on her trembling arms. Beads of sweat trickled down her spine.
Deek walked over and handed her a glass of water. "You're a fast learner. Your speed is improving, but there is still a lot you must learn. For one, you need to improve our stamina- you may have to release tremendous amounts of energy in quick succession. Your speed at drawing, energizing, and releasing power is still not fast enough- you have to be much quicker. In the time it takes to blink once, you should have released one blast of power and be prepared to release a second."
"What?!" she squawked, choking on a mouthful of water. He was insane! Absolutely mad! It was nearly killing her to draw her magic as quickly as she was now!
Deek lifted a bushy white brow. "I hope you weren't expecting this to be easy. Working this sort of magic is intricate and complex. Mages with the same power train for years before they attain this level of usage." He placed a weathered hand on her shoulder. "But, for as little training as you've had, you're doing exceptionally well," he added.
"But not well enough to be of any use to anyone…" she muttered. "I don't have much longer left before we have to leave."
"Then we shall make the best of the time we have now. You should practice, as well, on your journey." Deek stepped back. "Now try again. Focus on drawing your power more quickly and controlling how and where you release it. You release it willy-nilly. The spell loses strength when it is allowed to scatter."
"What?" Rikku gave him a weary, puzzled sort of look.
He took the glass of water from her. "See this glass? Water is contained within. The glass controls where it goes. Thusly, the water is effective because now you can drink it, measure it… it is at your disposal to use however you need to." He poured the water onto the floor. "Now the water is allowed to go where it pleases. See how it spreads?" He pointed to the puddle. "If you were trying to drink it off the floor, it would be fruitless. The water is allowed to scatter. You must think of your power as water- you want it to be most useful in a specific area, rather than going wherever it pleases. Do you understand now?"
"I… think so." Rikku heaved a sigh. "But how am I supposed to control where the magic goes after I release it?"
"Focus."
She rolled her eyes. Of course. Why hadn't she thought of that? Honestly, was focus the only advice he could offer her!?
"Do not let your hold on your power collapse entirely," he explained. "Imagine the magic heading straight for your target, whether it be a patient or one you will fight." Deek nodded to her. "Now, try again."
''''
Gippal scooped up Rikku's crumpled form from the platform. He made a noise of surprise. She was lighter than he had expected. The hours of magic use had left her looking almost skeletal and soaked in sweat. "Gross…" he muttered.
Deek hobbled over to them. "She did well." He nodded. "You should be proud of her."
"She nearly died, you jerk," he grumbled.
"Nonsense. I would not have let that happen." The White Mage thumped his cane firmly on the ground. "If you will wait here, I'll have a chocobo prepared to take you back to the village." And with that, he left.
Gippal frowned, shifting his weight. Now Rikku was starting to get heavy... Glancing around, he found the chair that Deek had been using- large enough to sit him with Rikku awkwardly on his lap. He staggered over and sat. He glanced at Rikku as her head flopped limply onto his shoulder.
"You're crazy, you know that?" And he really thought she was too- wielding all that magic. He watched her summon her magic; her entire body had glowed with it. It'd freaked him out. How could this little body of hers house that much power? Each time she had exercised that power, he had been certain that that would be the time the magic consumed her and she would burst into pyreflies.
"Nng…"
He looked down. Rikku scrunched her brow and slowly, she opened her eyes. "You awake?" he asked.
"Obviously," she replied, though it took quite a struggle.
He rolled his eyes. "Even half-dead, your personality is so delightful," he said with a touch of sarcasm. But he was relieved. She would be fine. He wouldn't have to make any excuses to Cid and Brother when they hunted him down… "How do you feel?"
"Like a pregnant shoopuf stomped on me. Repeatedly," she croaked.
"Sounds fun."
"Only you would think so." But she managed a smile.
"You reek, by the way. You were covered in sweat."
"Oh shut up. You're covered in blood. That's totally disgusting."
"Oh yeah… What, so you think that makes us equal?"
She was about to retort when Deek walked back in. "Your chocobo is ready. Ah, Rikku. You're awake. I've provided you with a chocobo to take you to town. From there you will go to Luca. I want you to find a man named Effram. If persuaded, he can coach you on the finer details on the use of your power."
"Effram," Rikku echoed.
Deek nodded. "Now hurry. The ship should have reached dock by now."
Gippal glanced at Rikku. "I'll carry you piggy-back out there."
"No, I'll be-"
"Fine," he finished for her. "I know." He moved out from under her and put his back to her. "Climb up or I'm leaving you here."
"She sighed but, lacking the energy to bicker, climbed on his back. "If you drop me, I'm going to choke you," she told him as she wrapped her arms firmly around his neck, dropping her head on to his shoulder.
He sniggered. "If you have the strength."
"Oh, just shrivel up and die, would you?" she grumbled as he carried her out of the temple.
"Right now? Are you sure?" Falling from this height, you could get hurt."
"Oh, get over yourself. You're not that tall."
"Cant to test the theory?" He grinned evilly.
"Don't you dare!" she screeched, clinging to his neck when he heaved her slightly into the air.
He gagged. "Boy, you really will choke me…"
"Of course I will. You thought I was joking?"
They reached the chocobo and its attendant. The attendant didn't look too happy to be there.
Gippal offered him a congenial smile. "Hey, do you think you could get the lady off my back and help her onto the big bird? She's a bit weak."
The man gave him a horrified look, as if he had been asked to bathe in raw sewage.
Rikku caught the man's expression and frowned. "See, I told you," she said in a not-so-quite tone. "They'd rather not sully their precious New Yevonite hands by touching a filthy Al Bhed."
The attendant flushed. Roughly, he hauled Rikku off Gippal's back.
"Ow! Watch it, that hurt!" she yelped.
Gippal gave the attendant a dirty look. "Help me get her on the chocobo," he said, abandoning all pretenses for politeness.
"This is so embarrassing," Rikku murmured to him, with a face so red it would put a beet to shame.
"Don't worry about it," he said, puling her leg over the chocobo. "Frankly, I'm surprised you aren't dead. That guy worked your ass off." He climbed up behind her and grabbed the reins. Then he glanced down at the attendant. "Syo ouin bnaleuic Yevon cdnega oui fedr rasunnruetc, cajana teynnray, yht yh ykknacceja mujan hysat Junga ::May your precious Yevon strike you with hemorrhoids, severe diarrhea, and an aggressive lover named Junga.::" He mocked the Yevonite bow of prayer while Rikku laughed hysterically. The attendant eyed them suspiciously.
Gippal turned forward and spurred the chocobo on. "Now I suppose is the perfect fairytale ending- the bratty Al Bhed princess rides off into the sunset with her handsome, rogue rescuer."
"Except you have it all backwards. It's sunrise, dummy." She turned back and waved at Deek, who'd come out to see them off.
Deek waved in return and then turned to the chocobo attendant, handing him a swatch of toilet paper. "Extra soft."
"What?"
"Trust me, you'll need it."
''''
"Can you walk?" Gippal asked Rikku, helping her down off the chocobo's back and handing its reins to the attendant waiting on Kilika's main dock.
She nodded. "Well, I should be able to anyway. Let me lean on you."
"Even though I'm covered in dried blood?"
"I'm covered in dried sweat. I just want to get on that ship and take a nice long, hot bath," she replied with a sigh.
Gippal led her over to the ticket booth. "Two tickets for a passage to Luca please."
The ticket master gave them both a once over. "And just what have you been into?"
"Mud wrestling," he replied seriously.
Rikku groaned. "Can't you ever be serious?"
"I am being serious."
"Okay, honest then! Yeesh, who is going to buy mud wrestling? You're the only obviously dirty one!"
"She might buy it." Then he realized the woman was still standing right there. "Opps… hi. Anyway, honestly, we had a run in with a fiend harboring some grudge, but we took care of it, no problem. So that right there is work the price of passage, don't you think?"
And Rikku had to agree. By defeating the fiend, they prevented potential deaths of innocent travelers! "We're heroes."
The ticket master did not look impressed. "Uh huh. 400 gil please."
"Yeesh… no respect for the hero these days," Gippal complained as she shelled out the proper gil. He and Rikku grabbed their tickets and boarded the ship, ignoring the stares of other passengers. "Our rooms are below deck.
"Rooms?" she said hopefully, stressing the plurality.
"Yeah. Unless you want me bad and just have to share a room with me." His eyebrows waggled mischievously. "We could even take a bath together."
She scoffed. "Not even in your dreams!"
He smirked. "Okay… what about yours?"
Rikku flushed and stomped hard on his food. "Nor mine!"
"Hey, watch were you stomp!" Gippal yelped, shaking out the pain in his foot. But he snickered anyway.
Slowly, the headed down the stairs to the guest area. Gippal stopped in front of one door and opened it. "This is your room. I'll be next door if you need me."
"Like that'll happen." Then she frowned. "Er… Thanks… Gippal."
"Eh, it was nothing."
She waited for a moment. "What? No witty remark?"
With a shrug, he replied, "Maybe when you're feeling better, I'll tell you what I really thought." He snickered and headed to his own room.
Rikku shook her head and entered her room, closing the door quietly behind her. She'd fuss with him later. There was a long bath that called her name and, after one whiff of rank body odor, she couldn't resist it.
………..
kingleby: Well, suspense keeps my lovely readers coming back for more! And just you wait… if all goes according to plan… it will get more insane! Whether that's good or not…grin
Cerulean Abyss: Thank you so much for your compliments! I hope these updates will keep coming too. (And I really like your name too!)
Fanfic-Lover: I'm glad you enjoyed the second fight scene! It was rather fun to write- particularly Gippal getting frozen. I hope you keep enjoying the story.
perfect-stranger: I'm glad you found (and enjoyed!) Shadow of Darkness! I hope you continue to enjoy it.