The Stranger
By Xenomorph666
Disclaimer: I own only the characters of Wraith, Skalla, Perf, Captain and Beano. Final Fantasy: Crystal Chronicles and all related artifacts are owned by Square-Enix
Summary: He arrived with no knowledge, no family, no way of knowing that the miasma should kill him. Now the strange young man journey's with the caravan that has welcomed him as they collect their myrrh, while he journey's for the truth of his past.
Awakening
Darkness. It was all I knew before I awoke, darkness enveloped my mind and being, as though it were my whole existence. What does one do in darkness? Nothing, for in darkness lies the peace of death. Does that mean I died before I came here? Was damned by some cruel god to suffer the life now laid before me? Am I to suffer in this haze filled world, where I cannot locate even a single other human? Does it even matter?
==
Skalla put a cold towel over the young man's head as he caravan trudged on in the early hours of morning. They had found the young man on the path towards the town of Tida, which they were now headed towards.
At first they had thought he had a portable crystal with him, but all they had found was a simple green cloak and two daggers. Beano, the caravan's thinker and all important Yuke came up with the theory that he had been in a caravan that had been jumped by monsters, and his companions thinking he was dead, simply left him. For awhile they all agreed that was most likely what had happened, but now Skalla was doubting it and she could see the doubt in their leader's face as well.
"Oh well, at least he's not going anywhere." Skalla sighed as she leaned into the wagon to check on him again.
"He looks so lonely." Captain, the Lilty of the group, noted. "Almost like he's lost in a dark forest or something."
"Skalla, how's he doing?" Perf, the leader of the caravan, and most experienced of them all asked. He was of course the Clavat of the group.
"Fine, if you ignore the moaning and the fact that his face twists in agony every once in awhile." She said in a bored tone. "Can't we just put a blanket over his face or something?" Perf just narrowed his eyes at her.
""We're here everyone." Beano said in attempt to break the animosity.
"Alright, some action for a change!" Skalla said as she grabbed her racket and their Chalice. "Let's go!"
"Think he'll be ok?" Captain asked as he looked back at the wagon.
"Yeah, no monsters come out this far and I doubt the Striped Brigands would take anything from an inured guy." Perf said as he grabbed his sword and shield and passed Captain's spear.
"Alright everyone, let's move out. We got a Myrrh tree to get to." The anxious Selkie said as she tapped her foot.
==
"Darkness has always been my friend. No other is as honest as to it's intentions." The voice echoed in my skull. I could not help but follow it's tormented words. It was as though they called to me, as if I were a part of them. My mind, my heart, my soul all wanted to find the source of these words.
But darkness holds all secrets fast. Darkness is the greatest secret, nothing could ever break it. Nothing except light. Where was my light, where was my way to beat the darkness? Did I even have one, or was I a part of the darkness?
Screams then echoed through my mind. Screams of fear and pain as if some mighty giant were pulling apart small children just to hear them scream. The screams grew louder as I floated towards them in my mind. When I came upon it, a single source of light was there. A girl in furs carrying a staff with a hoped end. She shown brighter than any other light there, and then the darkness came again.
This darkness though had a form, a being composed of artificial parts and tormented souls. As I gazed at the form I saw it reach down and bat aside the fragile form of the girl and her comrades. Then the screams came again as it speared her with nearly a thousand small needles. Her friends took the brunt of the attack in attempt to shield he though.
I took notice of her unconscious form then, fragile but capable. Sleek and slender, athletic, made for speed. As I turned my head though I saw a sight that churned my soul. As I watched her a small crack in her skull bleed freely.
My gaze then floated towards the monster, it was easily using it's girth to bat her friends around and beat them senseless. They were barely holding on, but they could manage for a while. My eyes then floated down to her again, the blood pooling around her. My rage boiled over, I felt the icy cool hatred form with in my soul and I released my anger.
==
Perf could not make sense of what had gone wrong. After they had taken down the giant flying Abadon's as usual the entered the small arena where the largest monster usually dwelled. This time however the monster was gone, as though someone had removed it. Thinking someone had completely destroyed the beast they moved towards the myrrh tree only to be ambushed by skeletal mages and the beast known as Armstrong. It had them in a corner know, away from their friend and it was relentlessly beating on them, refusing to let them anywhere near her.
"We gotta get to Skalla!" Captain said as he blocked an incoming blow. "She doesn't have much longer." A surprise blow from the seemingly angry house knocked the three to the ground, they were barely conscious as they saw the giant animated object saunter over to their friend and creak and moan as if to speak.
"Leave her." The voice was calm and cool, as though experienced in battles far greater. "You fight me now." Perf turned to see the green hood and cloak being blown around the stranger they had rescued, in his hands the daggers were held firmly.
"C-c-can't be." He heard Beano say. "W-w-wounds were to great."
Perf watched the hooded stranger as he made his way to Skalla with a speed greater than he could have imagined any man to poses.
"Help her." He said as he looked down at Perf, his piercing sky blue eyes seeming to almost glow. When he had set her down however he turned his eyes away from them and towards Armstrong.
The house seemed to chuckle as he approached, his head down and mumbling. When he approached the foot of the massive monster his head shot up and only the great beast saw the anger with in as he shouted with a deep hatred in his voice.
"DDDDIIIIIEEEE!!!!"
==
Many would call my attack on the giant monstrosity animalistic, a few would call it impressive, and even fewer would refer to it as a brutal ballet of death. It was none of those, it was my release for all the hatred and anger that had swelled in me for unknown reasons. It was my vent.
As soon as I had screamed at it, the monster struck forth a massive arm and with out thinking I leapt into the air and landed on it. A confused look seemed to cross the beast as I ran up it's arm and proceeded to slash into it's thick plating. I tore off shingles and paint as well as the moss that coated it. When it finally managed to swing me loose I flipped away and landed on the far side of his grounds. I was more agile than I had ever remembered, why was that?
I had no time to think though as two Skelton's wielding staves popped up beside me. The look of death in their eyes told me they were not friends. I took them both down with a short flurry of slashes and stabs. Apparently though their job was done, as they had provided enough of a distraction to allow the monster to charge me.
The blow from behind sent me sailing high into the air. As I twisted myself to face my enemy I saw it take aim at me with a cannon of some kind. I knew that if that if something struck me as I descended there would be nothing left and that they too would perish. I had to end this, and I had to end it now. So what came next, as instinctual as it was I still consider a miracle.
I crossed my arms and pulled my legs to my chest as I focused my anger for this monster. I saw it in my mind, it's darkness covering her light and I lost it. I let my anger go again, in a massive wave of energy.
"MILLION BLADES!" I shouted it as I released my anger towards him. To my surprise I had created what seemed to be millions of energy daggers, all flying toward my enemy. I watched them as I descended and flipped to the ground. Each one that pierced it caused it to roar and creak as if being torn apart. As the last one penetrated the large body it focused once more on me, in it's gaze I saw the darkness of it's souls fade and it fell to the ground and dissipated to nothingness.
==
Captain watched as the stranger stood after the battle. He had never seen such a focus of ones energy into such a devastating attack and to say he was impressed would be an understatement. When he saw the stranger rise though he caught a glimpse of his face that sent shivers down his tiny spine. The stranger's face seemed to have been wrapped in darkness.
"What was that?" Perf asked as he looked to Captain for an answer, he had none and could only shrug. Then they noticed the stranger look towards them as he seemed to glide towards them.
"Is she?" the stranger asked, afraid to ask. Captain noticed his features were similar to both Clavat's and Selkie's.
"No, she'll live, but she'll have on hell of a headache when she comes too." Beano said. "But now it's our turn. Who and what are you?" He asked, emphasizing his curiosity.
The stranger seemed to pause a bit before he answered as he bent down and picked up Skalla. "Call me Wraith, I don't know what I am."
"Right, well now we need to get the myrrh. Let's go." Perf said as he grabbed the chalice. "Follow me." The others silently obeyed as they watched the stranger called Wraith turn and follow as well.
==
I had no clue as to what "myrrh" was, but I soon found out as I followed the blonde haired man. Myrrh as it happens is a type of sap from a tree, the tree itself is quite beautiful and almost seems to glow. All it's leaves point forward and to a singular point. It's at this point where the myrrh appears, but only when a "crystal chalice" is placed below it. It was a beautiful even, but I only saw it in fractions as my attention was held by the unconscious girl.
After the collection of their myrrh, the group went sorting through a large chest near by. When I inquired as to why, they looked at me rather oddly and explained that large monsters often guard these trees and other treasures and that when a caravan defeats such a monster they take the myrrh and may take on treasure per person. It made sense to me in some way, but I did not bother to take one, I was after all only a guest of theirs.
When they had finished a small flying ball of white puff, wearing a sweater came in with several letters for them. They all seemed happy to receive them until they saw the letter for their unconscious friend. Then their faces dropped, apparently these little balls of fluff delivered the letters all over the world and are quite impatient when it comes to responses.
As it was about to leave however, it caught my stare and for some reason stayed in a deadlock with it. It then set down and stopped flying, it said it needed to rest anyway, so it would wait until she was awake. It was a creature of it's word.
I heard her moan as she awoke a few minutes later, she seemed to panic as she realized she was not supporting herself anymore. I gently set her on the ground where her eyes flew open and she screamed.
"Easy Skalla, he saved you. Hell he saved us all." Their leader said trying to calm here.
"Skalla," I said extending my hand. "I am Wraith. It is a pleasure to meet you." It took her a few seconds but she took my hand and I helped her to her feet.
"Well you don't have to go freaking out a girl you know. Oh mail!" She seemed to disregard me as she noticed the fluffy creature. I took the time of relief in their group to study them all. Their leader was about my height, maybe slightly shorter with dirty blonde hair that ended in a pony tail, and he had a small goatee. He wore a red and white outfit with a hip pack and black gloves.
The shortest of them wore a steel helmet and armor. He carried a large spear and seemed both curious and terrified of me. Though he tried to not look at me as often as possible, I could feel his glances. He had a kind feeling about him, as though he could make anyone his frind if he wanted to.
The tallest of them was truly an odd sight. His arms and hands were like large wings and he had a tail with a small spiked ball on it. His clothes were also quite odd, but the oddest part was his helmet, it seemed to be there for more of a decorative sense than a protective one.
The only female in their group, Skalla. Her almost silvery hair entrapped me in her beauty. Her skimpy fur clothing seemed to be more of a fashion sense than used to armor and her weapon of choice was truly unique, a staff with a hoop. She seemed to enjoy responding to her letter, despite her aching head.
"Hey, we haven't been formally introduced." The smallest one said to me as he tugged on my cloak.
"Please don't do that." I warned, my voice sounding a lot more intimidating than I had meant to be.
"Heh, sorry." He backed away slowly. "Captain Del Mort, member of Tida's 1st cycle caravan." He extended his hand for a shake, I gave him one as a courtesy.
"Perf HavenSteel" Their leader extended his hand as well. "Leader of Tida 1st cycle caravan."
"Beano Almota" The tall one said extending his hand. "Second in command of this group."
"Skalla Senmoth" she was still writing her letter and didn't bother to get up. "Newest member."
They all looked at me then, I knew what they wanted, but how does one say they have no clue as to who they are.
"Wraith, amnesiac." They seemed to let a look of confusion linger as they settled their eyes upon me.
Soon they had a small meal prepared and Skalla was looking through the large chest. As they finished and packed I decided to make my way to the wagon at the front of the darkened town. I had just left their sight when I heard Skalla scream. On instinct I rushed back, only to find she was angry because she wanted two treasures. I couldn't help but chuckle.
"Where'd you go?" Perf asked me as I again started back.
"Back to your wagon." I said simply, his look was that of pure horror, but he stayed quite as he watched me walk away and past the strange energy that their chalice emited.