This is the final section of the 3 part saga based around Fayte, Tohma, Styrth, Tornex, and Karrick. It is again set 5 years into the future. After the loss of Alex, Fayte had allegedly went into hiding, but even he doesn't remember everything that happened. As new characters are thrown into the mix this next set of chapters is sure to rouse some interest among Final Fantasy XI fans. At the beginning of each chapter I will have a small bit of text that will help build plot and fill holes. They are reasonably shrewd, but will help none the less. Our story picks up 5 years into the future in the soggy wet marshlands of Pashow. Oh ya! Copyright stuff. Everything related directly to FFXI is copyright to SE. All character traits are copyrighted to me and all characters are copyrighted to the players (yes they are real) who play the game.
"That far along already…"
"Yes my lord, he remembers his ascension…"
"So he knows he is a Seraph…"
"I…I don't know my lord…"
"Is he strong?"
"More powerful than he was, and he is getting stronger…"
"We will have to send the other without descending him…"
"I am afraid so…"
"Can he handle the second…"
"Soon he will remember the choice, the mission…"
"Will he be able to handle our angel…"
"If he continues to grow stronger at this rate…yes…"
"Incredible. What about the girl…"
"He feels nothing…"
"Hmmm…"
"Why my lord?"
"If he was to remember Alex…we would have a repeat…"
"So if he loves another-"
"He wont care as much…"
"I…I understand…"
"She must be informed…"
"When dear Hector?"
"After he remembers his mission…"
It had been 3 days since the incident between Fayte and Styrth. Fayte sat in the garden atop Jeuno thinking. So many things had rushed into his mind that he could not contain himself. Tohma was to meet him here today. She had a lot of questions about Fayte and what he meant by "dying." Fayte himself didn't really understand it fully. He wasn't even sure why he said he had, but he did.
"Hey there!" Tohma said as she walked up to Fayte who was sitting on the rail looking out over the harbour.
"Hey Tohma…" Fayte said.
"So, we have a lot to discuss…" Tohma said, a bit more seriously.
"How is Styrth?" Fayte asked.
"Well, it appears you broke a couple of his ribs with that kick…" Tohma whispered.
"I…I'm sorry…" Fayte said with a sigh.
"Sorry? Sorry for what?" Tohma asked.
"I had no right to…" Fayte began, "to do that…"
"He had no right do what he did either" Tohma reminded him.
As the two began to talk about what had happened in the years they had been separated memories of their childhood constantly came up. As they laughed and talked Fayte remembered the day their whole adventure started. He had wanted so much to be a Thief…well he got his wish. He had felt so strongly for these people, these friends. Now he didn't even know them. How could people so close become so far? Dive after dive into ancient memories made him wonder more and more. As they shifted subjects to the current events, Tohma began to show a lot of interest in what Fayte had meant when he said he died.
"So, you died…?" Tohma asked with a strange expression.
"I was killed…yes…" Fayte said holding his chest.
"What…what happened…?" Tohma asked, she looked like she felt sorry for him.
"I raided a camp of orcs…only to find there were notorious adventures with them…" Fayte began, "they…attacked me in a group…"
"I…how did you…" Tohma tried to ask something.
"I remember a white light…" Fayte tried to explain, "there were voices there…it feels like I was there for a long time…"
"Where?" Tohma said, intrigued.
"Heaven…I think, I don't know where it was…" Fayte said, still holding his chest, as if it still hurt from where he must have been stabbed.
Tohma reached out and pulled his hand off his own chest. She looked at it, rough, yet smooth. So strange that she had held this same hand when she was only a young girl, and now…It was almost unbelievable to think that Tornex, Styrth, herself and Fayte were inseparable at one point.
"How did you come back?" Tohma asked consolingly.
"You believe me?" Fayte said as he looked into her eyes.
"I don't see why I shouldn't…" Tohma said with a smile.
"I was given a choice…" Fayte began, "I don't remember it to well, but I remember what the choice was…"
"What was that?" Tohma giggled.
"I had to choose between the destruction of the entire beastmen army and the shadow lord, or the destruction of those who opposed them…" Fayte said.
Silence.
"What…what did you choose?" Tohma said slowly letting go of his hand.
"I don't remember…but its pretty obvious isn't it!" Fayte said with a smile.
"Yes, of course, why would you choose to kill innocent people over the beastmen" Tohma giggled.
"Its coming Tohma…" Fayte mumbled, his head dropping, "They're…coming…"
"Who?" Tohma asked.
"The beastmen…" Fayte said in a low tone.
"How do you know that…" Tohma asked.
"I don't know how I know, but I do know…I cant explain it…" Fayte explained.
Tohma was in awe. She couldn't believe so much had happened. She wasn't sure whether or not to fully believe Fayte about dying. But everything he said seemed to sound real. Why would he lie? He had no reason to. If the beastmen really were coming they would need an army to destroy them!
"Well who is supposed to fight them?" Tohma said rolling her eyes.
"We are…" Fayte said.
"We? Who are you talking about?" Tohma asked.
"Your linkshell…me…" Fayte said.
"Are you kidding me!" Tohma asked with a laugh.
Fayte stared at her. His eyes were stern, his face cold. He wasn't lying. He had actually thought she would agree to fight in a war against the beastmen with her linkshell and all its members. There was silence, Tohma's mind raced, Fayte continued to look into her eyes. It was almost as if he was saying, "you will, and there is nothing you can do to stop yourself" to her. Tohma didn't want to be part of a war! She wanted to find a hume to love, and go on adventures with, like Styrth was to her at one point.
"But…how can we…" Tohma muttered with a sigh of disbelief.
"I'm far stronger than anyone in Vana'diel…we can win…" Fayte said putting his hand on her shoulder.
"How am I supposed to ask my friends and linkshell members to risk their lives like that?" Tohma said, almost angry at the thought.
"If you wont, I will, but I want you to support me…" Fayte said rubbing her shoulder trying to calm her. It was an awful lot to be asking after so many years without even seeing one another.
Tohma stared at him. She wasn't looking at him, but she was staring at him. Her mind was off somewhere else trying to realize what was just asked of her. DiabolicMuffins was a huge linkshell, there wouldn't be any trouble having to find more people to join in a massive raid. Fayte would be with them, and he seemed very strong. It was possible, but did she want to risk the lives of everyone she had come to know? They would need a bit of training and organization too…
"Tohma? Tohma?" Fayte said shaking the girl who was clearing out of it.
"Wha, what?" Tohma said, coming back from space.
"So, will you?" Fayte asked again.
"Sure…I think everyone should support the idea…" Tohma said, "but what if all this is just a load of crap?"
"All what?" Fayte questioned.
"You dying, the beastmen coming, all this!" Tohma said.
"Then I guess everyone will go home…" Fayte mumbled.
As they continued talking about what was going to happen Tohma began to wonder why Fayte hadn't brought this up sooner. They had, had almost all of the day after they found him to talk. She wasn't sure why he wouldn't have done it then, before causing some trouble with Styrth.
"Why didn't you tell me this sooner?" Tohma asked.
"I didn't know…I just, I remembered it…" Fayte answered.
"You remembered it?" Tohma winced.
"I don't know why or how. But after I told you I had died…I have been remembering a lot of things…" Fayte said.
"Oh…" Tohma said, a little dumbfounded.
Continueing talking wouldn't do any good. They needed to know if DM would be behind them on this or not. So why not now? Or so Tohma had thought to herself. As she pulled out her linkshell and rubbed it, she began to think of what to say. Should she tell them they HAD to do this, or that it was a choice? Who was going to lead them? She didn't know what to do… So, naturally, she handed the pearl to Fayte. Fayte looked at it, then at her, nodded and began to explain.
"Hello everyone…" Fayte said, waiting for responces.
"Hi there!" the sound of a Tarutaru squeeked through the pearl.
"Hey"
"Hi"
"Hows it going"
More and more people began to respond.
"I have something I need to discuss with all of you…" Fayte said.
"Whats that?" he heard Styrth groan/
"What do you need?" Tornex asked, bluntly and rudely.
"I need everyone in this linkshell to listen to me for a minute…" Fayte began.
As the linkshell became reasonably silent Fayte thought of exactly what to say. He had already planned out a small battle scheme, and how it could all be done. But first he needed to know who the strongest of the linkshell was. So, he asked!
"I need to know who among you are the strongest of this linkshell" Fayte ordered.
"Easy! Myself, of course! Tornex, Styrth, Kariin, Gaglevan, Vernia, Ocat, Megieux, Laquicia, and Tohma, the leader" the same Tarutaru from the beginning said happily into the linkshell.
"And who, my dear friend, are you?" Fayte asked.
"I am Damuhookamu!" the taru squeaked.
"Alright then. I need to know who among you is willing to fight…" Fayte ordered.
"Fight? For what?" Styrth said angrily.
"Uh, fill me in please?" Vernia asked.
"I need to know who among this linkshell is willing to fight against the beastmen and the shadow lord…in the largest…battle I think Vana'diel has yet to see…" Fayte said, getting it all out there.
"I am!" Damu said.
"Alright…" Vernia mumbled.
"Why should we?" Styrth asked.
"You should because if you don't the world you know will be destroyed…" Fayte answered, simply.
At that statement dozens upon dozens of members began asking if they could fight. There must have been 500 or more people asking what they had to do to get involved. Fayte was surprised the linkshell had so many members, but he wasn't to surprised, it was Tohma after all. She probably gave one to ever White Mage who ever teleported her. Tohma, who was now quite pleased that her linkshell seemed to feel alright about this as soon as they did. She smiled at Fayte, and he smiled back.
"I need those members Damuhookamu mentioned to come to Jeuno. We have much to discuss. As for the rest of you, I want you all to gather at the Crag of Dem, alright?" Fayte said into the shell.
He could hear everyone agreeing. This had been surprisingly easy, he had thought that he would have to do a lot of work to get these people to even consider such a trial. But here they were, almost all of them already meeting at the crag he had remember the battle to be closest to.
"Ill be there soon" Damuhookamu said.
"As will I"
"Me too!"
All of the people Damuhookamu had mentioned began to say they would be there soon. Even Styrth seemed to agree, Tornex too. It was almost unbelievable. They may be able to be ready for battle in only a week's time! Far less than anything Fayte had conceived to be a reality. In only a few short hours he had managed to explain to the linkshell's leader, Tohma, the entire situation, and get the entire linkshell on board with him. It was almost like a dream, he didn't know any of these people, and he hardly knew Tohma anymore, but they still wanted to help him. He looked up at Tohma.
"Thank you…" Fayte said as he reached out to her hand and held it for a moment.
"What…what are friends for right?" Tohma giggled as she leaned forward and hugged him.
As the two walked down the stairs further and further into Jeuno Fayte noticed Styrth walking toward them. They were now in Lower Jeuno, this would be where they would meet, at Neptune's Spire.
"Hey there!" Styrth said as he walked up to them.
"Hey, how are your ribs?" Fayte asked glancing at Styrth's side.
"Fine, a bit of white magic, and they're good as new," Styrth answered.
As the 3 of them walked into the building known as Neptune's Spire Tornex caming running from behind them, Vernia with him.
"Wait…for us!" Tornex shouted.
"Hello Tornex!" Tohma said as she held the door open for him and Vernia.
"Hey there" Vernia laughed as she hugged Tohma.
They all moved to one of the back rooms, few people were there, and most of them left as they entered. They sat and talked about what was going to happen, it was a little unbelievable after all. Fayte simply informed them of everything he told Tohma. Styrth still seemed upset, and Tornex didn't seem all that pleased either. It was a little awkward.
"Hi there!" Damuhookamu said as he entered the room and walked, almost wabbled, to a small seat next to Fayte.
"You must be Damuhookamu" Fayte said as he reached down and shook the small Tarutaru's hand.
"Yup!"
As they sat and waited for everyone to arrive they talked about what would happen. How they would set up the battle. Fayte explained what he thought should happen, everyone seemed to agree, it was almost as if he was a legend to them or something. After a few hours of waiting and talking the room was full! Everyone had gotten warps or teleports and made it to Jeuno in only a few hours! That was a major feat, considering the size of Vana'diel.
"Alright…so we are like Brigade Leaders?" Gaglevan asked.
"You each will have your own small army to command, so yes" Fayte explained once again.
"What about you?" Tohma asked.
"Ill move from group to group, ill do my part" Fayte said.
"So your what, the leader?" Styrth snarled.
"Yes, I suppose I am…" Fayte said as he looked at Styrth with a straight face.
Styrth looked away and sighed.
"So you all understand?" Fayte asked.
"Yes! Now who do I get to command?" Damuhookamu asked as he stood and raised his Great Katana into the air.
"We will decide that once we reach Konschtat and see who we have to work with…" Fayte said as he patted the Taru on the head.
Everyone seemed to agree and understand what was going to happen. So they got to talking about Fayte and what had happened to him. It was getting late, and Fayte, who had already explained everything was tired, he didn't want to discuss such needless things. As he stood up to leave Tohma stood up with him.
"Don't leave…please…" Tohma said.
"I don't have to answer any questions, I'm tired, and tomorrow will be long…"
"Please don't lea-" Tohma tried to say again, but was cut off. She passed out.
Fayte grabbed a hold of her and laid her on the floor. Everyone else who was on their feet worried sat back down.
"She…just fainted…" Fayte said, surprised.
"Tired maybe?"
"Probably, she overworkseys herself"
"Everyone needs to get their rest…tomorrow we leave for Konschtat, and likely war…" Fayte said as he picked Tohma up in his arms and gestured everyone to leave.
As the room cleared out Fayte began walking to the moghouse district, Vernia, Tornex, and Styrth were with him. It was like the old days. Jeuno was filled with all kinds of different people. It was amazing. They all deserved to remain alive and healthy, so the destruction of the beastmen would be a great feat, but it would be very hard.
"Where are you taking her?" Tornex asked Fayte pointing at Tohma.
"I was planning on getting her a rent-a-room…" Fayte answered.
"Ah, alright, well Vernia and I are gonna go to our moghouse, we'll see you in the morning I guess" Tornex mumbled.
"Sleep well old friend" Fayte said.
"Thanks Fayte!" Vernia said cheerfully as she chased Tornex who was ahead of her.
"Ill see you tomorrow Fayte…" Styrth said.
"You sleep well to dear friend, its been to long" Fayte said.
Styrth ran up into the district leaving Fayte and Tohma behind. Fayte simply walked up to the small taru and requested 2 rent-a-rooms. The Taru, who was a little baffled said he only had 1 Dynamis Room left. Fayte mumbled and asked for it to be prepared. As he walked through the large district of houses he came to the room. A Dynamis Room is designed for large groups to stay in, so room wouldn't be a problem. As he opened the door he was greeted by the Moogle with a cheery;
"Hello!"
"Hello, could I have a second bed prepared in the other room?" Fayte asked.
"Yes master!" the moogle said as he flew into the next room.
"Here you are…" Fayte said as he layed Tohma down on the bed.
He pulled off her large pieces of armor, leaving her in a light tabard shirt and shorts. They was perfectly good enough to sleep in. After laying her gear out next to her bed he pulled the covers over her. She looked so much the same as the girl he knew when he was younger. She was so cute, so elegant, and so, well Tohma! With a rub of her shoulder and a kiss on her forhead Fayte turned around and walked into the next room.
"Your bed is ready Master!" the moogle said as he entered the room.
"Thank you. We are going to sleep now, you may leave my small friend" Fayte said as he patted the moogle on the head.
"Thank you Master!" the moogle said as he flew out the door to the moghouse.
Fayte gave a sigh of relief and pulled his gear off, leaving him in his own Tabard and boxers. He piled his gear neatly and crawled into bed. He blew once on the small candle next to him and the entire moghouse became black. So many things raced through his mind, he couldn't decide what was real and what wasn't.
"Good night Tohma…" Fayte said under his breath.
With that, he had fallen asleep.
Tohma, who had fainted earlier, was now beginning to feel it. A presence in her mind, something she had never felt before. Someone, she had never felt before, but whom? She could sense them, almost hear them. All she could see was white, there was nothing else, she wasn't sure if she was even there.
"Hello?" she called out.
"Hello dear Tohma" a mans voice came from nowhere.
"Who…who are you?"
"I am your instructor…"
"In…Instructor?"
"You have much to learn…"
"Who do you think you are? What did you do to me?"
"Fayte, he is far different than you…"
"What? Answer my question!"
"However, there is another like him…"
"Another? No, there is only one Fayte…"
"His choice was different than we expected…"
"Choice? What did you do to me! Let me go…"
"You will be released once you know what we wish you to know"
Tohma was beginning to get dizzy. She couldn't tell what was up, down, left, or right. It was a very strange feeling. Like being in space perhaps, but you weren't really there. She didn't have the words to describe it, but she did as to how she felt. Sick.
"And what is it that you want me to know"
"What I am about to tell you will not be able to leave the threshold of your mouth, your lips will be sealed"
"What, how do you plan to do that?"
"We have our ways…do you know why Fayte came back?"
"Yea. He said it was to fight against the beastmen…"
"You will learn that to be false, soon enough"
"What?"
"We don't know the outcome of this war, however, Fayte is not alone-"
"Alone? Of course he isn't! He has my entire linkshell behind him!"
"Fayte, is a Seraph…a wingless angel…"
"How…how do you know that…?"
"I know this because I was the one who sent him back, and, I am also the one sending the other back"
"The other? There's more than one Fayte?"
"You will see…"
"Why cant I leave…?"
"Do you remember your childhood?"
"What? What do you mean!"
"Do you remember being young, very young…"
"Not really…why?"
"You, Tohma, are not the first of yourself…"
Tohma was silent. She didn't understand what he meant. But somehow it made sense to her, not logically, not something she could ever believe, but she felt like it could be true. She didn't understand why. She wanted to know who this person was however, this man explaining all this to her.
"What do you mean…who are you…?"
"Neither is Tornex, or Styrth, or anyone in existence on Vana'diel today…"
"How can tha-"
"Fayte, this is not his first time either…but it is his first without the memory of her…"
"Who…who are you talking about…?"
"Alex. The woman who corrupted his mind"
"So your saying what? Fayte killed everyone?"
Tohma laughed at her own statement. She was slowly beginning to wonder if all this was just a load of crap, it seemed to be. How could she not be the first? She was there, and there was no one else exactly like her, right? The same went for everyone on Vana'diel! This person, this man, he couldn't be serious about most of this. But why invade an innocent girls dream to tell her lies.
"Yes."
"What…?" Tohma stuttered with disbelief.
"Last time he had the pain of losing her, in his ire, he caused the total destruction of Vana'diel, and all its citizens"
"So…what happened then…?" Tohma said, seriousness now filled her tone.
"We ascended him, so it was technically our own fault. Therefor, we changed it all back, like turning the hands on a clock"
"To our childhood…" Tohma said with realization.
"We erased your memories of childhood when you got somewhat older"
"So…."
"This time, he doesn't remember her, and this time, we sent back another…"
"In case something was to go wrong?"
"Our second is far stronger than Fayte…"
"And what is his mission?"
"The opposite of Fayte's"
"I've heard enough, let me go!"
"You know enough"
Tohma woke up to find herself hot, and damp with sweat. It was like a bad dream. She could remember everything, how did they plan on keeping her from telling anyone! Where am I, Tohma thought to herself. She was laying comfortably in a warm bed, but whose was it? The last thing she remembered aside from her strange dream was talking about the war plans.
"Hello?" Tohma whispered.
"Anyone here?" she whispered again.
She got to her feet and blew softly, the room lit up a very small bit, she could see, but it was still somewhat hard. As she slowly crept around the room to see where she was she noticed the second room going off. She walked in to find Fayte sleeping in a ball on the bed. He looked like the kid she knew, or it was the closest she had seen him looking like that. She smiled. She could wake him up right? To find out what happened! Not to mention she kinda wanted to wake him up, for no apparent reason.
"Fayte!" Tohma said a bit louder as she sat on the side of his bed.
"Fayte!" she said even louder.
She put her hands on his arm and gave him a jerk, to which he sort of snapped out of being asleep, or she thought at least. It looked like he had woken.
"Fayte?"
She gave him another nudge, this time however, he was clearly awake. He rolled over to look at her, his eyes were open and he was somewhat confused, like most people just waking up get. He looked at her, his eyes looked happy, and tired, at the same time. He smiled.
"Hey there, hows it going?" he managed to mumbled.
"Where are we?" Tohma giggled and gave him another nudge.
"You know, one of these times my arm is going to fall off, and then how will you feel…" Fayte said jokingly and nudged her back.
Tohma started laughing and fell off the bed. With a thud on the floor she continued laughed, almost more than she was.
"We are in the moghouse district, and this is the moghouse I rented…" Fayte yawned.
"Why didn't you get two?" Tohma asked with a grin on her face.
"Two reasons. One, they said they didn't have any, and two, had I gotten two rooms I wouldn't have been here when you woke up to tell you to go back to sleep…" Fayte yawned, again.
"Sure…" Tohma said as she rolled her eyes.
"Or, you know, I could have done it to take advantage of you, that's a whole other possibility" Fayte said jokingly as he rolled over a bit to see her lying on the floor.
"Har, har" Tohma muttered as she pulled herself back up onto the bed.
"Its still late, you've only been asleep for a couple hours, go back to bed…" Fayte mumbled giving her a light push to her feet.
"I will sleep when I want!" Tohma said sternly.
Fayte looked at her and she looked at him. He laughed and rolled back, pulling the covers over himself and trying to go to sleep. However, Tohma had a much different plan. Fayte thought he could tell her to go to sleep? Well she could ensure that he wouldn't be able to. As she layed on the bed next to him it started.
"So, whatcha doing?" Tohma asked with a ring.
"Trying to…sleep, now go to bed…" Fayte answered her.
"Why?" Tohma said with the same ring.
"Because tomorrow we are going to be preparing for one of the largest wars that Vana'diel has ever seen" Fayte said, his own annoying ring was added for effect.
Tohma realized he was being serious. She was pretty tired, she could probably have fallen asleep right there. But that probably wouldn't be a good idea. Tohma didn't like sleeping alone, but it wasn't a big deal, considering Fayte would be in the next room. It had been a very long time since she very actually slept in the same bed as someone.
"What time are we leaving?" Tohma said trying to start a conversation.
"Early" Fayte replied and rolled over to look at her.
"How early?" Tohma said with a grin on her face.
"Early…" Fayte responded as his arm slowly, but steadly, pushed her.
"HEY!" Tohma shouted out as she almost fell of the bed but instead rolled onto his arm.
"I…need…sleep…tired…" Fayte said pulling his arm out from under her back.
"Your no fun…" Tohma muttered as she poked him in the forhead.
"I don't know if you understand the seriousness of what is going on here…" Fayte said, his face a little more serious now.
"Yes I do…" Tohma said under her breath.
Fayte wrapped his arm around her shoulders and pulled her ear to his mouth.
"Then you know, we should get some sleep" he whispered.
"Alright…alright…" Tohma said as she got up off the bed.
"Ill see you in the morning, alright?" Fayte said as rolled back over to his sleeping position.
"Fayte…there is-" Tohma tried to explain something from her dream, but couldn't.
"There…is…?" Fayte whispered.
"Nothing, nothing, g'night!" Tohma said as she walked back to her bed.
As she blew again the lights went out and it was dark. Then she remembered what she was trying to tell him but couldn't;
"Fayte…there is another"
Why couldn't she have said it? The man couldn't have actually forced her not to say it…right? Unless he cast a spell on her…but it seemed like he was incredibly strong, it wasn't that unbelievable…as she closed her eyes a smile grew across her face. She was happy that she finally found Fayte. She couldn't explain what was in her dream, but knowing it herself could probably save someone. As the smile faded she fell asleep again. However, this time, there was no dream. Only darkness.
Eternal. Darkness.