NOTE: As you probably have guessed from the mentioning of the Temple of Chaos, the story is at last getting into the timeline of the original Final Fantasy. That starts in this chapter. That said, I should warn you. Events from Final Fantasy will soon be entering the story, as I go onto its timeline. However, there may be discrepincies between the dates in the fanfic and in the game. Those were unintentional, but I wanted to give a general span of dates. Also...you'll notice that there will be some changes to the breakdown of events in Final Fantasy and additions of dialogue. Those are still a bit off...but just warning you in advance.
Five Hundred Years Later
The day had come.
The Temple of Chaos was complete.
Gilgamesh looked up throughout the chamber. His excitement and joy were swelling inside him. His four fists tensed up in victory. Before him stretched the immense black central chamber of the Temple. All around him, torches were burning in oil lamps, and black obsidian stone surrounded them. The place felt cold and still, like the inside of a tomb. It seemed to suck the life from everything that came in it. Columns extended everywhere in all directions, out of the central chamber, throughout the Temple, and to all the branches. The air seemed still and stagnant, and the entire chamber was silent and quiet, like a place of death or a mane of evil. In truth, it was both. But at long last, it was completed.
The entire Temple of Chaos was made of a large, multi-tiered temple supported on four sides by four great spires. They pierced high into the sky, strong and thorny, like great daggers or fangs into the sky. They were dark and ominous, as if they were parts of a greater creature beneath the earth rising up its body to the heavens. The rest of the temple was a great layered ziggurat. It was the largest building ever. It stretched up to ten floors high, towering over the world below like ablack mountain. Even the exterior seemed cold. None could approach without feeling their blood still in their veins, and fear and doubt begin to fill their minds. The air around it was foul. The plants around it died, and the ground had turned to marsh. In many ways, it was like the Dark Tower. Only this one bore far more evil, as if it had a great dark source within it far more evil and wicked than anything ever was before. Evil seemed to radiate and pulse off of it. Even mortal men and animals could sense a cold radiation from it, feeling a numbing sensation of darkness and wickedness.
Gilgamesh was in the interior on the first floor, however. Here, in the central chamber, the culmination of all of his work stood. It had taken generations to build this structure, but the promises of Hades held. The dark races of the world were cursed until they carried out their promises. And so, everything had gone according to plan. Under the direction of Gilgamesh, each stone was laid, each rafter built, each column implanted… Dark curses were worked with the building of each part, investing an evil dark power within each part of the temple. Blood and bones were built into the walls, and sacrifices designed to bring more pain to feed the Oblivion Stone had been made in great number. But at long last, the time had come for completion. The Temple of Chaos now stood, looming and dark on the edge of the Southern Continent.
Gilgamesh grinned as he looked forward. Here, the final piece was awaited. The throne for the Oblivion Stone stood before him, awaiting its piece to be placed within. Already, Gilgamesh had been sealed within the Temple. There were no provisions for front doors. Thick stone blocked all exits. Once one went in, there was no way to stop him from completing his destiny. The halls were likewise filled with dark creatures, the deadliest known to man. Even if there was a way to get in, no one could survive the beasts that ran throughout the entire structure. And now…here was the throne. Once the stone was placed on it, it would be in the exact place on the planet where the Four Crystals intersected. It would have an effect there on them, but what exactly Gilgamesh did not know. Whether or not, it wouldn't matter. Once he placed the stone in the center, the power would come to him.
The warrior looked down at the stone. If anything…it seemed to have gotten darker and blacker with time. It seemed to generate more evil and wickedness than ever before. Every year, it got worse. However, Gilgamesh no longer believed in evil. He only believed in power. And that's what it meant. At long last, the power would be his. Power that would make him stronger than anything else. He would become the greatest warrior in history now. He would finally gain power far above and beyond any other warrior.All would bow to him. At long last, his work was finished, and the time for him gaining his true power was at hand.
Gilgamesh held the stone before him. He glared at it and looked into the emptiness within for a while. It seemed to almost be a piece of night itself now, black and drawing light into it. Then, inhaling nervously, trembling with enthusiasm, Gilgamesh stepped forward and slowly set it into the throne. A slight clicking was heard, and then it came to rest. Gilgamesh removed his hands and stared at it with a ravenous look. His body trembled with excitement. His mind burned with trepidation. It was happening at long last. He grinned with a hungry stare, and nearly drooled at the thought of it. Finally, he stepped back, and held all four of his arms overhead.
"I have at last completed your requests, master…" Gilgamesh told the stone. "And now, at last fulfill your promises to me. Give me power beyond that of any other living thing. Give me the power of Chaos!"
A brief pause went by. The stone didn't react. No effects went out. Gilgamesh gazed at it in hope, however. He wasn't sure how this was supposed to work. But he expected it to happen. He expected a reaction. Something would come. Something would make him stronger and mightier than all. And yet…nothing came. A minute passed…and then another. And still the stone didn't react. As a matter of fact, the power seemed to be settling in. No reaction came to him.
"Master?" Gilgamesh suddenly addressed. "The power? Where is it?"
However, to Gilgamesh's surprise…the stone responded. It wasn't just a mental response now. It was a real answer…and it came from the stone. The voice was deep and dark. It was far more powerful and wicked than Hades. It sounded like thunder. It seemed to radiate throughout the entire Temple, as if it resonated with it. Deep inside the Stone…something came out of the blackness.
Two red eyes burned forth, gleaming out of the stone.
"Gilgamesh…you simple fool."
Gilgamesh, in response, stood up in shock. He gazed at the stone in surprise. "Wha…what?"
"You did not honestly think that you were worthy of obtaining the power of Chaos, did you?" The voice mockingly answered. "You will never be worthy of my power."
Gilgamesh glared in surprise. Was this possible? What did it mean? "What? What are you talking about? I built your temple!"
"And now, you are useless to me." The dark voice returned. "I never intended to give you any power. You are too unsuitable. Your soul once resonated with goodness and love. Black as it has become, the evil that dwells in it is merely a selfish desire for gain. That is all, and it is insufficient. I need stronger evil. I need a hate so powerful and consuming that it desires to bring death to all. You merely desire your own power. I need one that has always been inclined to evil, not one that perverted itself to that on a puny whim. You are not nearly sufficient enough. I will be able to draw a much stronger one here. I can transcend time and space in order to find it. But you…you are useless."
Gilgamesh couldn't believe it. It felt as if his entire world had come crashing down. He felt dizzy and fainton hearing that.But that shock only lasted a moment. Abruptly, it turned into rage.
"You damned creature!" He snapped. "I built this for you! ME! I did this all for you! I served you for centuries! I labored for five hundred years to do this! And this is how you repay me! I earned this reward! I did this! You can't give my bounty to another! After all I've done for you!"
In response to this diatribe, this outpouring of anger…the monster merely laughed. That struck Gilgamesh even dumber than before.
"Stupid fool…I need no one now. You were useful only in completing my goals. In truth, you should hate yourself for this. You said you wouldn't trust anyone else, but you were foolish enough to trust me. In the end, you were nothing more than a little subordinate that had been cursed by me. You were just a pawn in a larger game. But now, I am greater than any of this. You are good for nothing now."
Gilgamesh seethed in fury. Anger seized him. He had been tricked again. Once more, he had merely been the servant of another. He had been spurned and cursed once again.But he wouldn't stand for this. He wouldn't bear it. This monster would learn the consequences of crossing him.This would be the end of that monster once and for all. Sneering, Gilgamesh abruptly shot forward. He swung his fist back, and prepared to drive it forward and smash the stone into dust. In a moment he was on it, and struck it with all his might.
Immediately, a powerful black flash erupted from the stone. A dark explosion struck Gilgamesh with violent force. In an instant, Gilgamesh was thrown back against the ground, flung across the chamber as if he was a doll. He cried out in agony and pain as he was landed, and then was left to slide across it. He screamed in agony, and grasped his fist. The one that had struck it had gone pale and white, the flesh on it dying and the blood running cold. The bones had broken and the fist was lacerated and bleeding. Gilgamesh continued to writhe in pain for a moment, but then turned into gaping shock as he stared at his limb. He couldn't believe what had happened to him. He glared in terror and amazement. Then, he looked back up to the stone. It was totally unaffected. It seemed to be unchanged in the least.His injured limb quivered, as he felt a numbness and pain shoot through his body. He glared at the stone for a few moments more. At last, it responded darkly.
"This will be your grave, Gilgamesh. You have sealed your way into your own tomb. Go and die however you see fit. And there are many ways to die in this place."
Gilgamesh glared at the stone. He felt feelings of betrayal and vengeance stronger than ever now. His body quivered in rage. He tightened his remaining fists. He grit his teeth at the monster and sneered.
"I will find a way out of this place…and then I will have my revenge on you. You will pay dearly for this."
Then, snorting and furious, the pale warrior pulled himself up from the ground. He was a bit shaky and hard, but he finally did get up. He turned and ran out of the chamber as much as his injury would let him. He hobbled most of the way, but soon he had reached the doors. Fuming in rage, he bashed them open with both of his hands and sent them flying open, large, thick, and black as they were. He went out immediately, and let the doors slam shut behind him. His echoing footsteps stormed away. After a few moments, they faded into the recesses of the temple. And all was silent in the inner chamber.
For a brief moment, nothing happened. The inner chamber was silent and still. Nothing else came forth or changed.
But then, the Oblivion Stone shimmered. It rippled within it for a moment, as if summoning a dark power. A moment later, the area in front of the Oblivion Stone began to ripple. A ring on the floor in the center of the chamber shifted and moved, as if the stone was changing. It ceased to be solid, and seemed to turn to liquid instead. It changed soon after that, however. It turned purple and dark, swirling around like a true mist or liquid.A deep darkness was burning deep inside the new substance. It seemed to be draining and sucking, much as the stone itself seemed to do. Only this hole seemed to seep into something far deeper and darker…something far beyond merely light or depth…but beyond time and space…far beyond the physical plain of normal men and into something far beyond.
Then, something began to come out of it. The substance rippled a moment longer, but then began to swell and bulge as somethinggrew out from it. A moment later, something broke the surface…and began to extend up into the chamber. It started as a pair of great horns. But they were cut off horns and not part of a creature. They connected to a great, concealing helmet. Next, a pair of armored shoulders came up. Then a heavily armored torso, arms, and legs. They were all gauntleted and plate armored. But there was no weapon on the person. He needed none. His colors were black and shadowy, and the cape around him was blood red. He looked like some sort of knight, but none like him walked the earth. What more…he seemed beaten. His armor was broken in many places. Slashes and lacerations were in his skin beneath. One of his arms hung limply at his side. One of his horns was nearly broken off. His body even seemed to sizzle, as if it had been burned in some way. He had been in some terrific struggle. He panted hard, for he waswinded and weak. Soon, he was fully out…a man and not any monster.
At least…not physically.
But the stone knew better.
This…was its true heir.
The heart of this one had always been evil. It had always been bent to destruction. It had never regarded life as something of value. It never even regarded it as adapting and changing with time. It regarded it only as a commodity. It held nothing as sacred about it, seeing lives as just another resource. And for years, it had not changed. It didn't change when it had been turned to a new task…a task involving the Lufenians. Their task had not been going well. They were not making progress in the changing of this world. They seemed to be adapting to this world, perhaps even enjoying it, or at least researching it over adapating it to their use. And so he had been sent. He had come to change the world in another way…to bring a new wave of chaos and destruction to this world. And he had begun it as well…but was cut off before his time. Yet he was cut off right here, right before the Oblivion Stone. Of course, none of this had happened here…not yet. Not for another 2,000 years. But the stone had the power now. And 2,000 years from now, it only had more. And so it was able to bring him here. It was able to transcend time and space to reach into an era far after this time that had what he needed. It wasn't willing to wait. It wanted to bring it to here now, right now…right when it had a chance.
The man blinked. He was stunned, after all. He had been snatched from the jaws of death and had been brought to this point, far in the past and far from his killers. And now he was free, but where was he? Surprise struck him. He couldn't move or react. But then, after a few moments, he finally turned and looked to the Oblivion Stone. The substance vanished around him. It became stone again. He was fully in this time. He looked and saw this stone, and he focused on it. For one of his power, it didn't take any time to find out that there was a dark presence inside it…pulsing with evil and strong.
"What…are you…?" The knight addressed at long last.
"Someone who wishes to make your dreams be realized." The dark voice responded. "The power of Chaos is yours to command."
Bahamut was angry again.
He found himself getting angrier more often. Because of this, he often retreated to the top of Terratopolis, there to recline and be alone with his thoughts. From up here, the whole mountain stretched below him, and he was free to watch the various esper children and esper adults run around. There were many now. The basin had been overgrown as well. A forest filled the area. The stream was a true stream now, and the once stone homes were now filled with wood frames, furnishings, and flowers. All in all, the once mountain had become a cozy and inviting city of the espers. It was peaceful and fertile. It was everything a person could wish for. And yet…Bahamut wanted more.
That was because of what was going on in the world outside his little paradise.
The widespread success and good forture of the esper world did not coincide with the world of humans. The death of Hades had not turned the world in a new direction. It had only plunged deeper into darkness. Hate and fury continued to build and grow between isolated human populations. As they grew bigger and stronger, more and more effort was directed to destruction of the other. Evils were increasing in the world. Ideas of terrorism, mass murder, torture…they had all come into being in the human world, and were being practiced more every day. The whole race seemed to be growing more wicked. Especially in their latest invention…a thing they called "war". Tired of fighting and arguing among each other, the violence of mankind was now yearning toward something new. They desired to totally wipe out the races they hated, and did so by declaring "war" on them. When that happened, they would summon great armies not for defense or a righteous purpose, but for no other reason but to slay all of their fellow man, rape their women, and make their children slaves. All the land and possessions would become theirs, which they would use to fuel a new war. They were not disgusted by their own actions, but rather reveled in them. In fact, humans that won many wars were actually considered the great ones among their races.
It was enough to make Bahamut want to puke. There had been a time when he pitied the humans for acting in this way. Then he was disappointed with them. Now…he felt his anger growing toward them. Determined not to act out again…as he did that one day…he frequently had to step aside and allow himself time to relax. But it also filled him with more anger. After all that had happened…all he had tried… The Dragoons…the Paladin…Odin's involvement…all was for nothing.
Oh, Odin was a mighty king, to be sure. He had unified twice the area of the world under one banner. But he frequently resorted to military conquest to accomplish his aims. He was not a peacemaker as his son was. Above all else, he was a warrior. However, he did not establish himself as a god above the people. Instead, he employed a different tactic. He took the form of a man and lived out his reign until he reached the end of a mortal life. Then he would pretend to die, and adjust into the form of a younger son who was to be the next king. However, he never married, and he never had any true offspring. He only gave the illusion he did. But despite that, evil continued to grow. Both in his territory and elsewhere.
If all this wasn't enough, however, Bahamut realized something else.
Whenever he was at rest…he sensed something…growing.
He couldn't quite explain it. When he first began to feel this strange phenomenon, he thought it was just his imagination. He thought it was some sort of flutter or distortion, and not anything of substance. But as the years passed…it only grew. It became more distinctive…more pronounced. It was a feeling that all of this negativity…all of this hate…all of this evil…it was gathering. It was coming together, as it was. It was only a slight feeling at first, but as years and decades went on it grew stronger. It became more than just a fading feeling, and became a distinctive sensation. It stopped fading, and became stronger, sometimes even overriding his other senses. As the evil of men grew, more and more of their hate seemed to be coming together. More and more of it seemed to be getting drawn into one area. He couldn't pinpoint where it was…but it was becoming moreso with time. Every year it shrank into a smaller area, as it grew stronger and stronger.
Bahamut didn't know what this was. He didn't know what could be causing it either. He conferred with Leviathan, but he couldn't help. He too noticed this, and he seemed even more concerned, but he couldn't explain it. He had surveyed the area where he sensed this new feeling, but it was too large an area to find anything. Bahamut had no theories of what it could be either. The feeling, however…was similar to Hades. It wasn't exact. In fact…it even felt a bit darker and colder. What could it be though? Hades was dead, wasn't he? Then again, his magicite was never found… Whatever this was, it was potentially dangerous…
Bahamut was thinking much along the lines of this when it came.
He didn't feel it alone, however. More sense attuned espers like Leviathan felt it much more strongly, of course. They sensed mostly what he did. But even the smallest espers felt a ripple of cold air go over them…a numbing sensation that traveled over their flesh and through their muscles.
But to Bahamut, he felt much worse. It was as if a great wave of darkness and evil had suddenly erupted. In a huge wave like a monstrous tsunami it moved over the land, covering everything and sending its dark feeling into the hearts and being of everyone. It was potent and strong, blotting out all life and light that filled the area with its emptiness. To Bahamut, if felt as if the whole world had suddenly grown darker. A shift happened throughout it, as if something had changed and had blotted out the sun.
The esper staggered and gasped, as if his air had been cut off. He felt backward as if struck. He was still reaching out with his mind, however, and the blow initially staggered him. It lasted only a moment, and he leaned back up, his face now strained with surprise and shock. He looked around in awe for a moment, his eyes scanning the world around him.
But then…they rested on it. He could not physically see the source of this, but he could feel it. A great eruption of evil…a geyser of pure hatred and chaos had suddenly sprung forth from the world. And now, it boiled over and sent a stream of its evil and wickedness into the air for all, like him, to see.
Bahamut felt himself grow cold and numb just to look at it. His heart raced, and his eyes widened in fear. Never before had he felt such wickedness. Not even Crusader showed this much. And yet…it was as if his evil was there. And so was Hades' evil. And Ark's. And the hatred and anger of all living things had been concentrated into this one spot, and now it fountained forth as if the world could no longer contain it. It bled out like a black wound spilling its hatred all over the face of the earth. It was horrible…
Dear God…what is this monstrosity?
"Bahamut!"
The dragon was snapped out of his thoughts by this address. His sensory mode turned off…yet even then, he could still feel the pulsing evil. He turned his head down to the cliff, and was just in time to see Leviathan using his power to leviatate himself up to his side. He was panicked and strained looking, appearing more fearful than he had ever been.
"I take it you felt that?" Bahamut asked, as he uncrossed his legs and rose.
"Felt it?" Leviathan answered incredulously. "There's probably not an esper on earth who hasn't. I understood it, like you. It's as if all the evil in the past of this world has been unleashed in one gigantic movement."
Bahamut turned his head back out and looked to the horizon. Even now, he could almost see the spike arising from hundreds of miles away. "What is it?"
"Isn't it obvious?" Leviathan answered. "It's that thing…that phenomenon we've been feeling. See how familiar it it? It's stronger, but it's the same feeling. All of that evil and hate…it's been gathering into this. And now, it's erupted. It must have reached some sort of a threshold."
Bahamut paused at this. He focused his eyes, and glared more at the horizon. Already, things were changing. The wind was beginning to get cold. The sky was growing dark. Plants were beginning to bend as if something was slowly killing them. Even from this far away, this darkness was growing and beginning to effect the world. Yet deep in the center of the spike…Bahamut sensed something else. There was a core to this…a source of this evil. And this source was one of inconceivable power. It far outclassed Hades…both in terms of wickedness and strength. It was horrible.
"Do you feel that?" Bahamut asked.
Leviathan turned and paused, but then frowned and nodded. "Yes… There's…something in the center. Some person…perhaps. Something is getting its power from this evil. Maybe this threshold was designed to give it more power…" Leviathan paused a moment, but then sighed and shook his head. "But…I don't get it! What's going on? Did Hades survive? Who could have drawn all this evil to itself? How? Why is it doing this? Why is it coming out now? Crusader is dead…none of us have broken off our evil… What thing could be causing this?"
"I don't know." Bahamut darkly replied, his face already changing. His jaw locked and his eyes narrowed. He focused entirely on the spike of evil. "But it doesn't matter…it dies today."
Leviathan wheeled around to Bahamut in surprise, but it was too late. In a flash, the King of the Espers unfurled his wings, gave one mighty flap, and launched himself into the sky. Moments later, he was flying faster than he ever had before away from Terratopolis, and toward the source of the growing darkness surrounding the world.
Three hours…seventeen minutes.
Bahamut had never put much stock in time. Primordial sundials were starting to come into the world, but Bahamut hadn't cared for them. He only cared for relations…if there was enough time to do something or get something done. He never knew why…but for some reason he kept track of time that day. He counted exactly how long it took, from the moment of that eruption to the time he reached the source.
It was exactly three hours and seventeen minutes.
And for some reason…fate…destiny…perhaps even a higher power not allowing him to…he never forgot that time. Not in two thousand years did he forget it.
But that didn't matter now. What mattered was that he was touching down…in front of it.
The sky was black and swirling now. A growing maelstrom turned the clouds above and thundered unnatural lightning. As he landed on the ground, already it was losing its life. The grass was dead. The ground was turning dry and gray. This evil was quickly expanding, fanning out all over the world. But he didn't care about that right now. He didn't care of the evil being so near that it froze him to his soul, making him sick and dizzy as he stared. All he cared about…was the building before him…the first true building.
All he could do was shake his head at it. My God…how did I ever miss this being built?
It was a massive citadel. It stretched to the sky in a series of descending layers like a mountain of darkness. It was sharp thorned and ornate, made entirely of obsidian. It shimmered and felt cold, for an aura of evil pulsed through it. It traveled through the building like blood through a body. It glowed with an unearthly sinister quality. It was evil…the whole place was evil. But it was gigantic as well, a massive tower that had to have taken years and years to make. Thousands must have worked together to build it. And yet, he had missed it. It towered over him like a living shadow now, radiating more and more evil and wickedness. Yet somewhere, on the top of it, he sensed the source of it. It was gaining strength, but it was still far Bahamut's inferior.
Yet as Bahamut looked up the tower, glaring at it in the midst of all its evil and hate, seeming to cover everything like a black blanket…he thought he sensed something else. It was impossible, given the evil and wickedness that the place radiated…but it seemed almost…like there was a feeling shining out of the blackness.
A feeling…of light?
"So, you decided to show up as well."
Bahamut turned his head immediately to this, expecting an enemy. But there was none. Instead, there was another person outside. He had shed his human disguise, and once again looked like the mighty warrior he was as he dismounted Slepnir. The horse was already buckling nervously, looking ready to take off. But its master kept it quiet. Now, he glared at Bahamut.
The esper gave him a nod. "So, you decided to abandon your kingdom?"
"Just momentarily." Odin darkly answered. "You're not the only one that has an interest in wiping out evil…but I have a special tie into this evil."
Bahamut raised an eyebrow to this. "So? You think this is Hades?"
"I sensed his evil." Odin simply replied, turning his head to the citadel.
"I've sensed several evils in this monstrous thing."
"But it's his structure." Odin went on. "He was intelligent, regardless of anything else. He claimed that I couldn't destroy him…that he had set the foundation for something bigger. It seems as if that has quite literally come to pass. And now, I shall finish what I begun with him."
With that, the warrior esper raised both of his hands together and placed the palms together. Bahamut raised an eyebrow at this.
"You truly think you have the power?"
"I have not stopped training in five hundred years." Odin darkly replied, almost sounding a bit insulted. "I have gained much. You may want to shield yourself."
Bahamut paused a moment, but then gave a nod. He bent his body lower to the ground and put his wings back, covering his face with his arms. As for Odin, the warrior grunted and focused. As he did, he slowly drew his arms apart. A beam of light was between them, gleaming so brightly and strong that the darkness of the air did nothing to stop it.Bahamut had seen this once before, but it was much stronger now. Four times as strong as it had been before. He continued to draw it out, opening his arms wider and wider. Finally, he grunted again, and then quickly snapped his arms around and seized it at the middle. Odin had formed a new Gunge Lance. And now, he turned his full attention to the structure.
Glaring darkly through his burning red eyes, Odin hefted the spear over his shoulder and looked up, taking careful aim right at the source of the evil. A brief feeling of hesitation went through Bahamut, for he could still sense…at least, he thought he could…smatterings of light within the darkness. But it couldn't be real…not with all this pulsing evil. And so, he merely stood his ground and watched.
"Hades…I stab the heart of your legacy." Odin sneered. Then, he threw the Gunge Lance right at the building.
Moments later, it connected with the black obsidian. Not being the target, it was immediately cut through like a hot knife through butter. It cut its way straight to the intended target, the evil within the building. Bahamut waited and sensed, hoping to see some result from all this. He watched as the lance went in…and then, moments later, he felt the dark power suddenly fade into nothingness. This all took place within milliseconds…for a moment later the eruption came.
A blinding explosion, the size of a Mega-Pyrin full power, erupted from the building. The massive structure exploded out like a bud opening into a flower, the darkness within drowned out by brilliant white light. The clouds in the sky were blasted into nothingness as the massive eruption tore to the heavens and blasted away their darkness and gathering. Obsidian rocks were obliterated into nothingness and then vanished into the brilliant white light. Gale force winds whipped past, spooking Slepnir and ripping Odin's cape off. Crumbling and crashing resounded as the higher floors of the structure collapsed onto the lower, and then were vaporized by the growing white blast. Everything was destroyed. The world for miles around was enveloped by light and heat from the terrific weapon.
White filled the world, but finally it died down again. Bahamut could not see at first, but his vision cleared quickly. As it did, he was able to see what had happened. The sky was clear now. The light had returned to it once more, and the sky was blue for miles around…save for a massive plume of smoke now circling into the sky. The coldness and numbing was gone. The ground was dead, but not unnaturally dead anymore. Already, some of the more vivid plants were beginning to grow again. It was quiet for miles around, the black spike now gone and vanished into nothing. Bahamut saw Odin there, standing straight and tall on the ground and glaring darkly at what he had done. At last, the esper himself turned to it.
Little was left. The first floor was still there, but it was ruined and warped. Much of it had collapsed in. Exposed broken columns jutted up from it like ribs from a dead creature. The obsidian, once gleaming, was now covered with dust. Only the central chamber still had a complete roof. Chunks of debris and rocks rained down from the sky and dribbled on the ground. An entrance had been blasted into the structure now, but it didn't matter. It was gone. What wasn't burning was smoldering and smoking with intense heat.
Odin glared at it a moment longer, and then simply stated his judgment.
"It is done."
With that, he turned and began to walk back to his horse, who already was returning from being blown back. Soon he reached him, and after comforting him he quickly twisted his leg around and mounted the creature. Odin turned and made ready to leave…when he noticed something.
Bahamut still stood staring at the structure. Hesitancy was on his face. He glared at it with apprehension and unease. Something was strange. The world…it was not as bright as he remembered. The sun…bright again…seemed dimmer. The air seemed colder. The ground seemed harder. Even the moisture on the air seemed a bit more strange tasting. Something…had changed. The whole world seemed to have changed. It didn't seem like it had recovered completely from the destruction of the spike.
And the area itself…felt strange. The vast majority of the evil was gone. The building no longer pulsed it. And yet…it wasn't gone. Some still remained. It was weak…but it was concentrated. It was down on this floor itself. Bahamut hesitated at this. Did this mean it wasn't dead? Then again…nothing could have survived the blast. The source of the evil was gone. That much was clear. And yet…was it really gone? It didn't feel complete. It felt as if something was still alive…
"Bahamut? What's wrong?"
The King of the Espers stared a bit longer. However, he saw nothing new. Nothing was changing. Perhaps…it was fading. The evil had been strong. It might take time for it to leave this place. The foundation was still there…and Bahamut didn't like the looks of that. But it was destroyed. It couldn't be rebuilt. Bahamut would make sure of that, if need be. The evil might take time to fade after all… Perhaps it was finished.
"…Nothing. Nothing is wrong." Bahamut simply answered.
"Then I bid you farewell." Odin responded. He turned Slepnir and spurred him on. Moments later, the great beast leapt into the sky and began to bear the warrior esper away. Within moments, he was gone and headed north.
Bahamut stared longer at the ruin, watching it smolder. He glared at it for the longest time, unable to look away. But then, he thought simply. Yes…it is done. Then, with that, he turned took off, and began to go back to his home.
To be continued...